Guardian 2.7
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Officer Berger accompanied me as the hospital staff led me to the first volunteer patient.
When we arrived in the room, Panacea was there in her hooded robe costume along with a nurse. Her costume was simple, ascetic even, but she needed no embellishment. She was one of the best heroes in the city, the only hero that ever helped me. I was told that she'd healed me after the locker incident, but she hadn't stuck around for me to thank her when I woke up, no doubt rushing to the next patient that needed saving. I had the urge to thank her now, but I couldn't because it was White Mage meeting her today.
"Hi, White Mage?" Panacea looked me up and down as she greeted me with a smile. Today I was wearing the simple costume I'd finished before I got all those new enchanting options, which would hopefully make me look harmless and innocent, as much as a dedicated healer could be.
Today was the big day of debuting my power in public. However, I was far from being able to perform miracles everywhere, and barely able to defend myself, so it was too early to preach the faith. For now, I would just act like a normal cape and do a big reveal later at a suitable time, once my second cape identity was ready.
"Hi Panacea! Are you my test coordinator?" I asked.
"I am. My power gives me a lot of information about the patient's body, so it's much easier for me to check for any issues than to use a whole suite of diagnostic equipment," she said. "It's nice to have another healer in town."
"Oh, that's so cool. I don't get any information like that, but I hope I meet your expectations," I said.
Officer Berger exchanged some paperwork with the nurse, and he sat down, allowing Panacea to take the lead.
She nodded. "I heard your power has a limited number of uses that you charge up over time too, right?"
"Yes. I can heal twelve times today." I ended up making 3 more [Heal] x3 rings anyways, because I figured I'd need them sooner or later and I had the MP to spare now. Extensive testing would only help me understand the limits of my healing, and that meant more tests, and it would save me MP if I made the rings now, and it also made tactical sense to have extra healing charges if I got in trouble.
Panacea looked taken aback and a little disappointed. "That's it? But we have twelve tests scheduled today. You're going to just use them all here?"
"Well no, I just meant I will use twelve for the tests. I keep a reserve for myself and emergencies."
Now Panacea looked really shocked. "Wait, you can heal yourself? You have no Manton Limit?"
"Yeah, I can heal myself. Is that weird? And what's a Manton Limit?" I thought I'd heard about that term somewhere before, but I couldn't remember what it meant.
"That's very impressive, White Mage," Berger said. "The Manton Limit refers to an observation that most powers seem to be limited in a variety of ways that prevent the cape from harming themselves or others unexpectedly. Typically, this means that a power may affect only either living things or inanimate objects but not both, or either oneself or other people, but not both. Only in very rare cases, usually very powerful capes, like Narwhal, are not bound by such restrictions."
"That's interesting," I said. "Maybe I just have a different kind of limit."
"Like the number of times you can use it? Maybe," said Panacea.
I was really thinking about the [Alignment] and [Type] restrictions. My spells had many targeting restrictions on what types of Units they could affect, such as [Friendly], [Normal], or [Fantastic].
"Well, let's get started then. Mr. Finly?"
The patient who lay on the bed nodded back. "Sure, I'm ready."
"Please go ahead, White Mage," Panacea said while waving me forward. "Nurse Heather can help you with any diagnosis or operating equipment you need. And feel free to me ask if you have any questions."
"Ok, thanks," I said.
I went straight up to the patient then closed my eyes and clasped my hands together as if in prayer, opening my mouth to chant with a rhythmic voice.
"Soothing light of life, take away the pain. Flower in the stream, floating bubbling strife. In the fall you crumple and in the spring you [Heal]!"
A translucent white light covered the man I was targeting, and then it was over. He marveled at his arm, before thanking me.
Panacea briefly touched him, then turned back with an expression of incredulity. "You healed him," she said.
I blinked. "Isn't that what I was supposed to do?"
"You said your power doesn't give any information about the patient right? How did you diagnose the problem?"
"I didn't."
"…so how did you know the right way to use your power to heal him?"
"I don't understand the question. Is there a wrong way to heal?" I said.
With an exasperated face, Panacea put her hands on her hips. "Look, what does your power do, exactly?"
"Uh…it heals people?" I said in confusion.
"No, I mean, how does it heal people? What's the mechanism of action? My power tells me what's wrong with their body, and lets me convert other biomass into the types of cells and tissue needed to repair any kind of damage. Othala grants other people a regeneration power, and their bodies can make new cells a lot more quickly than normal. So how does your power do it?"
I found myself unable to respond to her question. I understood what she was getting at, but I myself didn't know how my spell worked.
"I'm sorry, I don't know. Isn't that why we're doing these tests? To find out?"
"…" Panacea just stared at me. "That doesn't make any sense. You completely healed him! To perfect health. Not just the broken bones you were supposed to treat, but acne, inflammation, cavities, arterial plaque, even the tar stains in his lung disappeared!"
"But that's good, right?"
The other healer sighed with a soft smile and started filled out the paperwork that the nurse handed to her. "It is, don't get me wrong, but it's weird. Powers aren't supposed to work like that. The human body is really complex. Powers that heal are usually more of a by-product of a power that does something else."
Officer Berger had mentioned something like that back at the PRT offices. My power was clearly different as the spell was specifically named [Heal], but I listened as Panacea continued to speak even as she continued to write things down on the clipboard.
"It's a bit like how surgeons and pharmacists work. There's lots of tools, procedures, drugs that can be used to treat different conditions, and you can't use the wrong one because there's almost always side effects. If you make a mistake, the result could be really bad. That's why it's important to diagnose the problem first. Every cape healer either has some way of doing that, or they need to rely on outside medical equipment just like normal doctors. The exception is regeneration powers, but those are usually limited in what they can do. The type of healing you just did? Aside from me, I don't think there's any other cape that can do it all so easily. And I can only do it because my power gives me incredibly detailed information and fine control at a microscopic level. And I definitely can't just say a few words and magically cure everything in an instant. It takes time. Speaking of which, was that chant really necessary?"
"Yes, the words are part of the spell, that's how they're cast," I said. I had tried, with no success, to do the spells without the chant or just in my head, but it never worked. But since I now knew there was a skill called [Quick Casting] and my lack of it, that must have been the problem.
Panacea turned back to me. "You're joking right?"
I shook my head. "No, I mean it. These spell words of power are a ritual to invoke the primal forces of Life and shape it into a healing spell with my will and faith. But once I get a magic wand to use as a focusing tool I think I might able to do it without the full chant."
"…" Panacea shot me another deadpan look. "A magic wand," she repeated slowly.
Berger chuckled from where he was sitting. Even the nurse and the patient let out stifled laughs.
"That's why I'm White Mage, after all."
"Uh huh." The other cape nodded with obviously still disbelieving eyes. "Whatever floats your boat."
We did the other tests soon after, with Panacea grumbling a bit about my power not making sense, but each time I successfully healed someone, the smile on her face seemed to be even more ecstatic than mine.
It was only on the eleventh test where we found a limit, where I couldn't heal a lost finger from an old injury. The twelfth test with a missing leg similarly failed.
"I'm sorry," I said with slight disappointment to the patient. He smiled kindly and thanked me for the effort.
"Don't feel down, White Mage, all powers have limits, and yours is great already, and you don't even need any biomass like I do," said Panacea as we exited the room.
"I believe that's it for all the tests today. For the next sets of tests, I won't need to be present, we will simply wait for Panacea to send us the documentation. I'll be heading back to HQ shortly. Do you want a ride anywhere, White Mage?" Officer Berger asked.
"No, that's okay. I was hoping to talk to Panacea a bit more…if that's okay with you?" I asked, turning to the other hero.
"Huh, me? Sure, I guess. I've got to do my regular shift though. Are you fine with meeting me after my shift ends?"
"Actually, how about I shadow you on the job?" I asked.
Panacea blinked in surprise, but then gave a slightly hesitant smile. "Really, you want to watch me work?"
"Well, you saw me, so it's only fair, right? And I'm thinking about volunteering here sometimes like you do, so maybe you could show me the ropes?" I said with questioning tone.
"Okay then. Come on," she said with a nod.
I observed carefully while Panacea healed her patients like clockwork. It took a bit a lot more time than my spell, but she worked efficiently with the help of the nurses, while listening to patients describe their issues, reading diagnostics reports, and giving them advice almost like a normal doctor.
It was incredible, and I could easily see how different she was compared to me, how she had dedicated herself to her craft and was much more than just a cape with a power. Her medical knowledge seemed to be no less than a licensed doctor, which was maybe why she had a full license and could oversee my tests.
As I spent more time with her, I eventually began to feel a familiar sense of that special something inside her that I only felt from Sophia before. Was that because Panacea had powers? She was the first known cape I'd met up close. If that feeling really was a result of her having powers, then my suspicion about Sophia being a cape might be true.
"Alright, my shift's over. You still want to talk?" Panacea asked.
"Mhmm. I want to talk about some cape stuff, and about New Wave. In private, preferably."
"We can use the staff lounge on the fourth floor, then. Nobody really goes there at this time of day."
I followed her over to find a long open hall with reclining couches, a few round tables, a kitchen countertop and a vending machine.
True to her word, nobody was there, presumably busy working, but even if somebody came in, the hall was long enough that we could sit far away from them and still have some privacy.
We sat down at one of the tables.
"So what'd you want to talk about?" Panacea asked.
"You're actually the first cape hero I met. So I just wanted to ask if you had any advice for a newbie. Officer Berger told me some things but he's with the PRT, you know? I wanted to hear the perspective of an independent hero."
I started the conversation with something easy, instead of going straight to the topic I actually wanted to speak to her about, which was the possibility of joining New Wave.
"Advice? I'd have to think about it a bit, I've never really given advice to a new cape before. Wait, has he told you about the unwritten rules yet?"
"Unwritten rules? No, he hasn't."
She rolled her eyes. "Figures they wouldn't cover that despite how important it is. As you might expect from the name, they aren't actual regulations or laws or anything, but you have to follow them. The PRT respects them too, to an extent, but it isn't something they want the public to know either."
"What are they?"
"They're a sort of agreement between all capes, a code if you will, that everyone follows to prevent conflicts escalating out of control. There's a bunch of variations and not everyone agrees with all of the rules, but most everybody respects the main ones. Don't reveal a cape's secret identity or try to find out. Don't attack them in their civilian identity or their friends and family. Don't kill. Don't rape. Don't enslave people with mind control. Don't break truces, and especially don't break the Endbringer Truce. And all capes work together to punish anyone that breaks the rules."
"That's…a lot of rules. And it's all unwritten? How are capes supposed to know about them?"
"You can probably find them on PHO and some other places if you look hard enough, so they aren't completely unwritten. Capes usually find out after they join a team or gang, or from the first capes they meet. And most of the rules just boil down to don't do anything that would get you in the Birdcage, anything that most judges and juries would probably consider exceptions to the three-strikes rule because of how serious they are."
"What about not revealing secret identities? Why do capes follow that? Do the heroes and PRT follow that rule too, even for villains?"
"Well, because it would invite retaliation. If heroes all had to fear being attacked while in their civilian identity, or their family getting attacked, then there'd be a lot less heroes. So yes, the Protectorate and PRT do respect the rule, for the most part. Obviously they'll unmask capes after a successful arrest though, so they can go to court."
That was sort of a relief, knowing there was some protection for my identity, especially given that I thought I'd be a prime target for my power. On the other hand, it was also something that benefitted the villains. I understood the logic about retaliation, but it didn't feel good that the villains could just take off their masks and live normally again without nobody able to do anything about it. Then I realized another problem.
"What about your family and New Wave? Aren't you all unmasked? You're not afraid of retaliation?"
She pursed her lips at that. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid personally. But I actually didn't really have a choice in it. I was too young to object when I got my powers, and it's just the team policy. Accountability and all that. Not that anyone outside the team really cares about the movement anymore. At least I'm mostly considered off-limits to the villains, I think?" She shrugged. "Perk of being a healer, I guess. Or maybe it's cause I heal the villains too at Endbringer fights."
She'd gone to Endbringer fights? Wow. I'd never known about that, but it made sense in retrospect, she was the greatest healer in the world after all. And this superhero was talking to me one on one right now. I was glad that my mask hid the awe that must have been on my face. One day I would just as great of a hero I hoped.
"Right, you're the Panacea, after all. Anybody that hurt you would have to be literally pure evil. Like kicking puppies type of evil," I said. Then I hastily added, "Not that you're a puppy, I mean, like, you're a saint. There's just no excuse for hurting somebody so purely good."
"Umm…thanks?" She looked away with a hint of embarrassment. "I'm not really that good. I just got lucky with the power lottery."
"It's what we make of it that determines how good a person we are," I said firmly. "That's why I want to be like you and use my powers to help make a difference."
"You probably don't want to be like me," she said quietly then turned back to me with a sudden sharpness. "Actually, if I were to give you any sort of advice, this would be it. Don't be like me. Being Panacea isn't what it's cracked up to be. In a way, you're lucky you only have so few charges to use. You can stop and nobody can blame you for not working harder. And you should be glad for it and take those breaks and live your life, because me? I can't. There are always more people to heal. There are always people that want more from me. And I have to help them, don't I? Because I'm Panacea. Because for every moment that I take a break, there's probably someone dying that I could've helped. I can use my power as much as I want with no drawbacks at all. I don't even get Thinker headaches from the information. All that's stopping me from doing more is getting tired. But I am tired, just not physically. Because it never ends."
I was at a loss for words for a moment. The thoughts she had revealed just then seemed alien to me. But as I looked closely at the weary expression on her face, I realized that she had been holding the weight of the world on her shoulders for far too long. How could anyone think that they were responsible for healing everyone in the world?
"I'm sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to hear, is it?" Panacea asked with a bitter smile. "But this is the real Panacea. I'm not the hero you think I am. Sometimes I wish I didn't get this power at all. Maybe somebody else with more willpower would have made a better Panacea. Maybe you would have made a better Panacea. I don't even know if there was ever a time when I was eager to 'make a difference' the way you are. I'm a hero because…how could I not, when I have this power? How could I not, when my whole family are heroes? And once people know you have healing powers, they expect you to use it. I couldn't quit even if I wanted to. Nobody would understand."
"Do you…do you want to?" I asked, a little afraid of the answer.
She just looked at me for a long time, before sighing and standing up.
"Sorry, I really shouldn't have said all that. Some advice, huh? I didn't mean to discourage you. You have a good heart, don't let me sour you on being a hero. For what it's worth, I'm glad that you can help a little. See you around," she said and then started walking away.
I stood up too. "Wait!"
"Hm? You still have questions?" She turned back around.
"No. I mean, yes, but never mind that. I just wanted you to know…" I paused for a moment while I thought of the right words.
"Heroism is a burden. It is sacrifice. You are a great hero, the greatest hero, for what you've done as Panacea. And no matter what anyone else says, even if you decide to quit, you'll always be my hero."
Bewildered, she asked, "Why?"
"Because you saved my life. Because you helped me when no other hero did. Because when I was trapped in the darkness and I had given up all hope, you brought me back to the light and gave me the chance to see that life is still worth living. I never got to thank you for it, so I'm thanking you now."
Inside my cloak, I fumbled beneath my shirt for the necklace chain that held my Rings of Heal, spun it up to the back of my neck where the shadow effect was stronger, then unclasped the chain and pulled off one ring before clasping it back.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you this," I said, finally taking the silver-colored ring out into the open and holding it atop my palm.
"Hunh?" She stared at the ring mouth agape. "What—what is this supposed to be?!" She asked in a suddenly high pitched tone.
"This ring is enchanted and imbued with my power. If you speak the correct spell words, it can invoke my [Heal] spell three times a day. Your own power doesn't work on yourself, right? Because of the Manton Limit? But this can. And as long as you believe in me and think of me when you use it, it can draw on its connection to me recharge itself."
When she stood stock still and made no move to take it, I walked up and grabbed her hand, before placing the ring into it.
Panacea's eyes found mine in an expression of astonishment. "Tinkertech…?" She said in a whisper.
"No, it's a just normal ring, but enchanted. With my magic."
"Oh, you're like Dauntless then. Except other people can use your stuff too?"
"Remember the incantation. Soothing light of life, take away the pain. Flower in the stream, floating bubbling strife. In the fall you crumple and in the spring you [Heal]!"
I did not cast the spell, but light spilled out from the ring through our hands as the words resonated with the magic within.
Although I told her to remember it, in reality, by telling her the words of powers directly and giving her permission, this was a form of bestowal—she would automatically know them henceforth while holding the ring. When there was an enchanted item tied to the bestowal, the receiving unit didn't have to have the Hero designation or even the Caster ability, but they could only activate a spell that was already imbued.
Anybody else who memorized the words on their own would also be able to cast the spell, but me bestowing it on a recipient meant that they were invoking my authority. And if they became a [Friendly Unit], the ring would be able to use its connection to me to collect prayers and natural mana to recharge itself the same way that my own items recharged. Units that weren't [Friendly] would only be able to use up the charges it already had. These were the new rules that my power had informed me of after I created my familiar and upgraded my connection to the Life Realm.
"Please keep this a secret, for now. I'd prefer if people didn't know, so they won't try to steal it," I said. Then I reached into a pocket and pulled out a spare necklace chain. "Here, you can use this to keep it hidden underneath your shirt the way I do it."
She nodded slowly, seemingly still in shock. "Th-thanks."
At least she agreed to accept it, finally. I looped the ring onto the necklace chain, then went to tie it around her neck.
There was a sharp intake of breath and a sound like a squeak while I did the clasp at her nape. When I pulled back, there was a slight blush on her face. She must have liked it a lot. Being Panacea, she probably got tons of gifts from people, but mine was probably more special than most.
"There, all done," I said.
"Can I try it? I'm not hurt but just to…practice? You said it'll recharge, right?" She asked while turning the ring around in her hands.
"Of course. It's yours now."
She nodded and then spoke the incantation. The ring and her body glowed with white light as the spell was cast.
"Wow…"
The white ankh symbol appeared over her head, recognizing her as a [Friendly Unit].
Panacea: [2 attack, 1 defense, 3 max health, 1 resistance, 1 speed]
Abilities: [Biology Manipulation]
Experience Level: Regular (LV2) 54/60 to Veteran (LV3)
Equipment: Ring of Heal x3
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