73. Heal

I returned to Sel'ci feeling like a champion. Stomach bloated, fangs fed, and the ingredients needed to help Dreg recover. It was a good haul. A good day, about to get better. All that was left was the mixing part, which Paradox ensured me would be easy, even for someone of my skill level.

So, as soon as I got back, I got started. Hewing down a tree and carving it into a table for me to use. It's core hollowed out into a shallow bowl. Well, shallow for me that is. Considered how big I was now, it was probably closer to a regular cauldron in scale.

But that was just semantics. It was as big as it needed to be, and so I got to work. Placing the flower within the bowl first and grounding it down into an almost powder. After that I poured a jar of - what I liked to think was - fat in after it. Mixed those two and started slowly adding in more of the necessary ingredients.

A liter of green blood.

Half a star shaped heart.

Something's eye.

And the fur of some sort of great wolf.

Then I burnt it all together, watching in awe as a process that I was pretty sure was magic took place. All of the assembled ingredients began to glitter within the flames. Then they began to coalesce, drawn together as if by a foreign power. Sinking into one another and growing once again into a flower.

A bright kaleidoscope emitting flower that kinda hurt to look at.

But it was what we needed, so I tried not to complain, grabbed it and started heading Haet's way.

And thankfully, everyone saw the enormous half snake woman that I had become and got out of my way. Providing me a clear path into Sel'ci. Aside from the hiccup that was my butt getting temporarily stuck in the door.

A short lived embarrassment that I wasn't certain no one would talk about. Ever. Part of that confidence coming from the fact that they seemed self aware enough not to laugh when I glared back at them.

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But aside from that, yeah, I headed straight for Haet and Dreg. And I once again found them in the same exact spot I had seen them last. Dreg laying unconscious on some sort of petrified organ turned bed, a number of other Beyondlings standing around him trying to help. And Haet hovering over his fallen friend protectively.

He seemed to do a double take at the sight of me, though.

"I have it." I announced. "This should heal him right up."

Silently I asked Paradox how it was supposed to be applied.

"Haet is... greatful." The giant scorpion man creature admitted, and then he stepped aside to let me get to work.

And silently, I did. Slithering closer to Dreg, and doing my best not to accidentally crush him beneath my bulk. Which was a lot harder than it probably sounded. After my little hunting foray through the forest I had gotten quite big, and I still hadn't digested all my meals yet.

But I managed, leaning down past my belly, and placing the flower on Dregs fleshless lips before pushing it into his mouth. Where it immediately began to dissolve and start working it's magic.

I expected it to take a while before its effects fully kicked in. A mistake on my part. As, seconds after administering it, Dreg began to heal.

His withered body regained it's color. Limbs and chest re-inflating with life it had lost so many days ago. Chest beating in and out, breaths wracking his form once again. And then with a choked gasp of air, Dreg's eyes shot open, and a second after that he sat up. Slowly taking a look all around him.

Before his eyes stopped on me.

I waved.

He blinked, taking a peek at the rest of my body.

"I'm stills sleeping?" He asked, pointing a finger at himself, before the offending appendage flashed in my direction. "Why so big? Eat crew?"

Haet immediately came to his side and gave him a light tap on the head. "Told you not be dumb! First mate can't die before captain!"

"Ow. Sorry captain. Blame her though, she fat and heavy and kept me down."

It was my turn to smack him upside the head. Though I did so with one of my extra arms. Completely catching him off guard.

"I'm pretty sure I remember having to carry you before you up and quit on us." I said, smiling.

Dreg hissed.

I hissed back.

Haet smacked the both of us.

"She healed you. Thank. Don't hit recently recovered. Apologize."

Rubbing my head, I reluctantly did as I was told. "Sorry."

Dreg did likewise. "Thanks... But what happened?" He vaguely gestured at the all of me.

"A lot." Was the only answer I gave. And to be quite honest, I felt it summarized exactly all that had happened quite well.