ALEXiThymiA: Chapter 86 The Miracles

Chapter 86

The Miracles

Everyone watched as Alexa, in her Aru’ka uniform, made her way to the center of children. Once again, she decided to avoid going to her throne. Instead, she made her way to the lines of people waiting patiently to be healed. Watching her Wondra couldn’t help but think the girl was a natural. She had grace, poise, and confidence that few her age exuded. Heck, even Wondra found herself taking notes on the way she moved.

Alexa focused her attention first on those that were the most seriously ill. While it was clear that the girl didn’t need to use hand gestures to cast her magic, as the magic already began leaving her and billowing out in waves around her. The girl still made the entire act a bit of pageantry, making sure to point at each patient only after the magic had time to work and their effects could be felt.

“It’s a miracle.” The first patients would exclaim, finally being able to move for the first time.

Aru’ka would just give a slight smile at the comment and nod, then move on.

This would normally be more than enough, but then she did something Wondra didn’t expect. Something that took Wondra time to even realize was more of a publicity stunt than healing everyone. Aru’ka paused for the children, taking a moment to ask them, “what is your name?”

“Samantha.” A little girl responded.

“Oh, that is a beautiful name.” Aru’ka responded as she leaned back and conducted not one but two spells in unison. There was a bright Light that was cast, though that was misdirection for the real magic was the way Aru’ka wove her hands in the air and created a metallic trinket from thin air. A trinket that had the name Samantha printed on it in flowing cursive script. Then in a flurry the light burst bright just as she finished. Then as everyone’s eyes adjusted to the sudden lack of light, they saw Aru’ka holding the little girl’s name for all to see.

“Here you go. This is tungsten, one of the hardest metals in the world. This is to show that you are now strong.” With that Aru’ka took the metal name plate and in a sudden burst of speed that scared both the little girl and everyone, she threw the metal against the carpeted floor.

“OH!”

Ting.

Only for the metal name to hit the floor, bounce up and be caught by Aru’ka’s lightning fast reflexes. Then she held the metal name in her hands, turning it every way to show that it was still sturdy and intact. “This, like you, is stronger than you know. Look to this when you feel weak, and realize you are stronger. Everyday I want you to look at this and realize you are stronger than you were yesterday, and the day before that. Can you do that for me? Can you take this and realize your strength?” Aru’ka asked.

The little girl paused as she looked first to Alexa and then to the flowing script of her name in metal. Then even Wondra from the sidelines could see the moment the realization hit her, as her face went from confusion to pure awe and amazement.

“Yes!” The little girl said emphatically, as she lunged forward and hugged Aru’ka. With that Aru’ka let out a small smile and patted the little girl, who was no more than six and had clearly been someone in near critical condition before this. There was a great photo op, one that Wondra herself couldn’t have staged better if she tried, as Aru’ka gave the shining metal name to the girl. The girl looked at the polished name for a moment, her mouth opening wide in shock. Then the little girl lost her composure and started to cry.

“Are you okay?” Aru’ka asked, patting the little girl a bit woodenly on her back.

“Yes, I am just… so happy.” The little girl said.

“Aww!”

The staff members and media members alike all let out a collective coo of joy at having been able to witness such an event. Even then normally stoic Wondra found herself adding to the chorus of sounds. This was one of those moments that could make your week. One that you could look back on and say for certain that you as a Super made a difference in the world.

Of course, Aru’ka wasn’t done. She held the little girl for a few more seconds, as she waited for the girl’s breathing to calm down. Then she patted the girl and said, “thank you for your time. Though I should probably go and heal your friends.”

“They are not my friends.” The little girl, Samantha, said.

“They are not your friends, yet. But after this, you all will be a very special group. Ones who will all have your names, and ones who will have had the chance to see Wondra.” Aru’ka said, gesturing towards Wondra.

“I don’t care about her either. I just want to be with you.” Samantha said, as she began squeezing Aru’ka’s leg tighter.

Security began moving forward, but Aru’ka just held up her hand to stop them.

“How about this. Will you be my helper for the day? Being a super isn’t easy and we need lots of help. Can I count on you to help me?”

“YES, oh yes, please?” The little girl pleaded, suddenly letting go of the leg as she looked up at Aru’ka trying to look at the towering girl’s mask covered face.

“Well then come on, a Super’s work is never done, but maybe with your help we can get to a good stopping point for the day?”

Then just like that, Aru’ka had a shadow. Of course, after seeing Samantha, all of the other children also wanted to help. A fact that Aru’ka was more than fine with.

“It will take more than just the two of us, of course you can help Nathan.” Aru’ka said as she handed Nathan his own name and continued down healing everyone. In the end Aru’ka had no less than 20 helpers, running down the aisles, talking to future patients. Samantha who had been seemingly afraid of people even went out of her comfort zone a little and ran up to elderly patients asking their names, what they were suffering from, then she would give the most precious line of all.

“Don’t worry Aru’ka the healer is coming; she is the best and she told me she wouldn’t stop until everyone was healed.” An enthusiastic Samantha said, to the elderly patient.

“Thank you dear.” The man who looked to be an elderly grandfather hooked up to a dialysis machine said.

Finally after a few minutes of working her way through the other patients, Aru’ka made her slow measured pace towards Samantha and her patient. It was clear that the entire process was having its toll on Aru’ka, as she was going much slower than previously, but if she was tired she made no signs of wanting to stop.

“So what is the prognosis.”

“This patient’s name is Frank, and he suffers from a critical case of being old.” Samantha said.

HAHAHA!

A number of people nearby started laughing at the comment.

“From being old. Well, I don’t know if we can fix that. But maybe we can help with his failing kidney and circulatory issues.” Aru’ka said, as her magic was already in full effect working its way through the man’s system. “Now do you know what the kidney’s do?” Aru’ka asked the little girl.

“No.”

“Well, they are a very important organ that helps purify your blood. They take out toxins from your blood. See Frank isn’t old, he just has older kidneys that need a recharge. Would you like to help me cast a spell?” Aru’ka asked.

“YEAH!” Samantha all but screamed.

Frank hearing all of this couldn’t help but laugh at the antics of the little girl and Aru’ka.

“Well then, lets ask to make sure this is okay with our patient.” Aru’ka said, turning from Samantha to the patient. “Frank, would you mind if my assistant and I both tried to heal you?”

“Not at all. I would be delighted.” Frank said, as he sat up a little straighter.

“Okay, now Samantha, I want you to hold out your hands and imagine all the energy coursing through you to go directly into Frank. Then I will slowly send my energy into you. I want you to then take that energy and let it flow through you and into Mr. Frank. Can you do that for us?”

Samantha nodded, her tongue sticking out of her mouth as she was clearly in deep concentration.

Seeing that, Aru’ka nodded to herself then placing her hand on Samantha’s back she coursed a spell through the girl.

Watching Wondra saw the way the energy first flowed into and then through Samantha. Had this been any other type of magic Wondra would have put an end to the entire process right there. But seeing as it was Healing, even if the spell didn’t work properly it wasn’t like the girl couldn’t use more Healing. She had after all just recovered from what was diagnosed as a critical case of lymphoma. To see her running around and so energetically helping was both a testament to her spirit, and the healing abilities of Aru’ka.

But then Wondra saw something truly unimaginable happen. The spell made its way through Samantha’s small frame and out towards Frank. The spell was weak at first, but then slowly stabilized and finally latched on as a bright vibrant green glow enveloped Frank and began coursing through his body.

Samantha’s mouth dropped as she realized the spell was working, magic could be channeled through her.

Of course, she wasn’t the only one who was in shock by this turn of events, as even Wondra herself found the entire event to be somewhat fantastical. So far as she knew spells couldn’t be channeled like that, at least she had never been taught that spells could be channeled in such a way.

“I’m doing it.” Samantha said, excitedly as she chanced a glance back at Aru’ka.

Aru’ka of course had her eyes closed and seemed to be working twice as hard. “Focus. You’re losing your concentration.”

“Right.” Samantha said, whipping her head forward and staring at Frank with an intensity that very few six-year-olds are able to achieve. “Now, I want you to focus on the healing energy. I want you to memorize the way the spell is flowing into and then through you. This is healing magic. Feel the way the energy resonates with you. Feel the way it gently glides through your body. How it is both soothing and energizing at the same time. Focus on that sensation as this spell works its way through your body and into Frank’s.” Aru’ka said.

“Okay.” Samantha said, as she focused. Then she nearly jumped as she screamed. “There is a blue box.”

“That is fine. That is the system letting you know something has happened. Minimize it for now, and focus on pushing the final waves of energy out through your body.” Aru’ka said.

“Okay.”

Wondra watched as Aru’ka clearly started to show signs of intense strain on her body. With a gesture, Wondra signaled to an attendant for two chairs to be brought. By the time the attendant brought two metallic folding chairs, Aru’ka appeared to be done with her spell as she awkwardly rose to her feet.

“Here.” Wondra said, unfolding the chair and all but demanding Aru’ka sit in the chair. Aru’ka paused at the sight of the chair and almost looked like she wanted to argue, but then stopped herself and nodded.

Samantha still looked like she was deep in concentration. Then only after a minute did she stop to look and see that Aru’ka was sitting comfortably on a folding chair, her long legs bent upwards above her stomach. By contrast, when Samantha sat down, her small legs barely touched the ground and only if she tilted her toes down.

“You are tall.” Samantha said.

Aru’ka just nodded, “you will be too. Now why don’t you tell us what you got from the system?”

“Oh right, it says He-all-ing.”

“Healing.”

“Right, Healing Tier eye.”

“That is one. Congratulations you are at Healing Tier I.” Aru’ka said, “you should thank Frank your first patient, without him letting you have the opportunity to practice, you might never have unlocked that ability.”

“What is He-all-ing?” Samantha asked, a slightly concerned tone in her voice.

“Aye, that is magic. You cast pure magic and saved my life. For that I am grateful to you.” The old man Frank said.

Badump. Badump.

While this was going on, Wondra felt blood rush to her ears as her mind suddenly felt like it was hearing the impossible was possible. Aru’ka made it so a six-year-old girl had magic. Nothing was staged, nothing was hidden. It was clear the six-year-old Samantha couldn’t even understand what the system message she was seeing meant. But Wondra knew. This was huge, being able to channel magic through people to give them said magic? That was unheard of.  Unable to hold herself back any longer, Wondra found herself going next to Aru’ka and asking.

“How did you know you could learn magic that way?”

Aru’ka looked up from her seat. “Would you believe a dwarven magician showed me?”

“Dwarven Magician?” Wondra parroted, as she tried to wrap her head around the idea of those good for nothings sharing anything. The only thing she ever got from them was shoddy work and terrible prices. Pausing Wondra looked at Aru’ka and wondered. “Is that where you learned Healing?”

Aru’ka shook her head. “No, I learned that from the elves.”

At that Wondra nodded in understanding, but still there were so many questions that arose from this. She almost wanted to call ahead to the League headquarters, to let them know what she had just witnessed, but then another part of her wondered what the girl would do next. She had cast at least two different types of magic that Wondra had never seen before, and she also seemed to be able to teach others.

“Would you be able to teach me the trick with the light and the creation of metals?” Wondra asked.

At that Aru’ka shook her head. “No, that is only for the magic schools that I have at the tenth tier.”

Hearing that Wondra paused, she knew the girl was good at Healing, even phenomenal at it, but to already be at the tenth tier. There was more, as reading the over hyped scouting report, Wondra noted that there were four schools of magic that the girl was a master of.

Before Wondra could ask if this Aru’ka could teach the other schools of magic in similar ways, the healer was back to her task.

“Now we need to ask how our patient is feeling.” Aru’ka reminded Samantha.

“Right. How are you feeling.”

“I am feeling great now, thanks to you.” Frank said, a warm grandfatherly smile on his lips.

“Good.” She said, then turning back to Aru’ka she said, “he is great now.”

“Very good. Now we must thank him for his time, but unfortunately there are a lot more patients that we all need to get to.” Aru’ka said, gesturing to the room of over twenty patients that were still waiting. Wondra knew that more were waiting in the wing and hallways to be added in as time permitted. Still Aru’ka rose to her feet and made her slow languid pace to the next patient.

“Thank you, goodbye.” Samantha said, excitedly as she waved goodbye to Frank and then hurried down the row of people to the next patient that didn’t have a child helper nearby.

“Goodbye and thanks again.” Frank said, as a smile of happiness filled his face.

Seeing the old man, Wondra realized this, moments just like this were why she wanted to become a Super. Only now after seeing a still unclassed girl operate did she realize that somewhere along the line she had lost the spark that seemed to come so easily for the young. Maybe this was providence that I was sent here to recruit Aru’ka to our cause. Wondra thought, as she followed the healer as she went even slower to the next patient. But still, watching her, Wondra couldn’t help but feel that Aru’ka seemed even more determined than ever to finish.