Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Year 17
It's been seventeen years since I woke up on remnant and I'm nowhere close to understanding how I'm alive. Two years younger than my age of death. Though, I gave up on figuring that out a while ago. No matter how many times I fall asleep and wake up, it still feels like a dream.
It's nothing like what I watched on tv. Perhaps that's because I'm a bit early. Technology is practically nonexistent and the kingdoms are barely recognizable from what I remember.
Yeah I'm early, centuries early in a small settlement at the edge of Saunus, the continent on which Vale stood. As for my death, I died in a car crash on a visit back home.
My new mother died during childbirth while my new father is what passes for a doctor in this day and age. Ironic given that I was in my third year of med school before I died. I knew much more than he did in said field for obvious reasons, the world isn't yet advanced enough to know more about human health.
They think of me as a medical prodigy but I know better, I'm not.
**********
A dark haired boy folded the parchment which served as a page of his journal, or at least part of it. Placing it between two thin carved squares of bark with the other folded parchment, he tied it around with thick thread to hold it in place.
"Corvus, get over here! Your break's over!" A man called out, a small distance away.
Tucking the makeshift book away in his satchel, he quickly made his way towards the sound of the voice.
His destination was a modest looking wooden building which served as a hospital or 'healing center' as the people chose to call it.
Entering, he was greeted with the sight of his father setting down a wounded man on one of the empty beds.
"Attend to him, I'll check on the other patients." The man said curtly before moving away to do as he said.
With only a nod, he sprung into action, repeating what had become a routine for him for the past few years.
'There's so much blood I can't even see where the wound starts.' He thought, referring to the man's blood soaked clothing.
Gently but swiftly, he made use of a knife to free him from the shirt, revealing an equally bloody chest as well as the large gash at the center of it.
'Grimm claw.'
Cleaning the areas around the wound, he picked up another piece of cloth as well as a small jar from his satchel.
Peeling it open, he dabbed the cloth in the green paste within, delicately tracing the wound with it before finally applying it on the wound itself.
Even as the man wriggled in pain, his attention didn't waver, disinfecting the wound to avoid infection before grabbing a needle as well as a thread.
For the next few minutes, he worked at a steady pace despite the man's initial struggle which died down a few moments after he began stitching. Bandaging up his work with the bandage, he let out a quiet sigh, allowing himself to relax a bit.
"Don't exert yourself for the next four weeks and you'll be fine."
"Thanks kid. I don't know what we'd do without you guys." The man on the bed said, his voice a bit weak.
"Don't mention it. I'm just doing my job." Corvus said with a practiced smile before propping the man into a better resting position.
His success rate wasn't a hundred percent but it was much better than the local doctors. It took a while to find herbs he could use as substitutes for various unavailable chemicals.
The paste he'd used to disinfect the wound was a mixture of a few herbs as well as a pinch of alcohol. It would help prevent infection and also gently encourage the wounded area to heal up.
Taking a look around, he saw a few people who also needed his attention. With only two medical practitioners in the settlement, they were ridiculously overworked.
Xx-Xx-Xx
The rest of the day was spent fixing up wounded fighters. Living outside the main kingdoms came with the consequences of exposure to Grimm and bandits.
Every week they sent out men to secure the surrounding areas to make sure they were safe as well as clear out any possible Grimm lurking around.
Apparently they found a pack of Beowolves nearby and tried to take them on. Though they succeeded, some were injured and two were dead.
It wasn't getting any better.
"You're spending more and more time scribbling on those parchments of yours." His father said as they shuffled into their small home.
"Force of habit. It helps me think." Corvus replied, releasing a tired sigh.
"Habit huh? If I didn't know better I'd think you were writing love notes to that farmer's girl that visited the other day." The man teased lightly but with a hint of seriousness.
"She only wanted medicine for her father. His condition is getting worse but I managed to slow it down." He explained, not taking the bait as he moved into the open kitchen to prepare something to eat.
Farm work was demanding and the farmer's old age didn't do him any favors. The man had Osteoarthritis from what he could tell. He'd put together a herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help treat.
"I still remember when you were a kid and you'd go playing around in the grass. Never thought you'd get anything out of it." His father said in a nostalgic tone.
There were no advanced forms of medicine, thus he knew that if he got sick or injured somehow, he was as good as dead.
Difficult times means difficult choices.
His body moved on autopilot, prepping the potatoes they'd gotten a few days earlier to be boiled.
Xx-Xx-Xx
Dinner was a solemn affair, neither of them speaking as they conserved their strength for the next day which would no doubt bring them more patients.
After dinner, his father retired to his room to rest, leaving Corvus to his thoughts. He stared out the window for what felt like ours as the moon shone brightly in the sky.
His eyes caught something moving in the distance. Making sure to stay silent, he snuck out of the house and hurried in that direction.
It didn't take long for him to reach his destination, a small clearing just a few minutes from his home.
A man who looked to be in his late thirties leaned on the sole tree in the clearing, his eyes finding Corvus as soon as he came into view.
"You came." He said in greeting.
"Of course, I'm the one who asked you to come after all." Corvus said gratefully, watching a tired look make its way onto the man's face.
Stannis was one of the more experienced warriors their settlement had. He'd gone on many scouting and extermination missions and come back alive. Though sometimes wounded, Corvus, and sometimes his father, would patch him back up.
"I can't say I agree with this. If your father finds out about this, he will be furious." Stannis admitted.
"That he will. But this isn't about him. It's my life, my choice." Corvus said, digging out a small pouch of coins from his pocket to hand over to him.
Immediately, Stannis held a hand out, rejecting the payment. "I cannot accept that. Not after how many of us you've helped. I only wish you would reconsider."
"I've thought about it for a long time now. My answer is still the same." Corvus said, tucking the pouch away.
"Very well. Awakening your aura isn't a difficult task, controlling it however is up to you. I only hope you know what you're doing." Stannis said, placing a hand on his head.
The long chant he was expecting didn't come. Only a feeling of warmth, slowly washing over him before it pulled back. Before he could comment on it, another feeling of equal warmth rushed out from within him, quickly spreading throughout his body.
The creatures of Grimm were more attracted to people who had their aura unlocked which is why a lot of people didn't do such.
As long as it increased his chances of survival, he'd take the risk.
Opening his eyes, which he was unaware he closed, he found himself covered in blue light that clung to his form.
'This is my aura.' He told himself in awe.
He then became aware of Stannis' concerned look but the allure of this internal energy took most of his attention.
'I'm far from invincible just a little more durable.' He added. Curiosity, as well as a few other emotions welling within him before settling on one.
Satisfaction.
~~~~~~~
A/N: Came up with this idea while having breakfast so I thought I'd try it out. Don't know how frequently it'll be though.
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