Chapitre 14: Doctor Mark
*Update: I'm not dead, but I still have a lot of stuff to do here. I managed to write this chapter, but I need to find a good internet provider in here to make sure I don't cash out on mobile data :))
For now, enjoy this chapter, even if it's a bit short. I'll do my best to come out with better content once I'm fully set up here, since I moved abroad and am currently living all alone*
At Mark's mention of going to look for the painkillers, Clara smiled and rummaged through her bag, which was on Perkins' head. She pulled out a tiny pack and handed half of the contents to them.
"Here you are. I hope the medicine is of help to you."
Stelle nodded and smiled as she took the pack, while Mark raised his brows.
"My, you sure are efficient. Already looked around for them?"
She nodded, gently patting Perkins on the head.
"Yes, we already did. We're in need of resources too, so I came here to look for them."
Mark let Stelle talk with Clara, simply watching from the side as they talked about Svarog and her past. Mark knew those things, so he simply switched focus to the feeling that slowly gnawed at the back of his mind. Something was still odd to him—a certain need to save someone lingering on his mind. For some reason, the moment doesn't come to him as a big one, and yet he's bothered a great deal by it.
Soon enough, Bronya and Seele came down as well, walking the same path as them. Before he knew it, the group was ready to set back to Natasha and hand in the medical resources they had found.
The walk back was smooth, and yet Mark seemed out of it. His mind couldn't figure it out, and thinking too much made blood drip from his nose like a broken tap, just drop after drop after drop. In the end, they had reunited with Oleg and the rest of the Astral Express crew, which did bring a tiny smile on his face.
March smiled as she laid eyes on them, her cheerful expression putting Mark at ease, even if just a bit. It was Oleg's expression, similar to that of Dan Heng, that did keep him on the edge—and he was right to do so. The talk was about Svarog and how dealing with him would help both them and the Underworld.
"If we manage to deal with Svarog, we could solve the entire crisis."
Mark nodded, then spoke up, still deep in thoughts that swarmed around each word he spoke.
"I see how it is. I guess it's time I try to come up with something that could fix this ordeal. After all, I did talk a big game about trying to make this world better, so it's on me to follow through with it."
All eyes fell on him, curious gazes on all sides, trying to see what his mind would come up with. Even the silent Dan Heng couldn't fully hide the tinge of curiosity in his gaze. One could say that, with an individual as peculiar as Mark, who had known some bits of information from the start, the expectations reached astonishing levels.
"Here's the deal. Plain and simple, no beating around the bush. We try to get along with the vagrants. That's the best solution."
Seele gave him a stingy look, one that spoke loudly of how much she was against it. Bronya, however, did get into her thoughtful stance, her fingers lightly brushing against her chin. Oleg nodded, waiting to hear more, while the Express crew exchanged glances in silence.
"Yeah, we try to get along. It's fairly easy in its own right, if done well. Resources, scarce as they are, must be shared. It's the sort of effort that will take a lot of sacrifice from us, but it should throw off Svarog's calculations and what not."
Seele nearly threw a fit, her scythe ready to lunge at him.
"Are you out of your damn mind!? Do you even hear yourself? The situation in the Underworld is bad as it is, and you want to make it worse?"
Mark glanced at her, knowing damn well that her worries were justified. Still, it was a shot worth taking. He crossed his arms and let out a sigh.
"It's bad, yes, but also good in a long-term scenario, should it all play out as intended. We might require a bit of help from Natasha to make it even better though."
Oleg raised a brow, mimicking Mark's stance by crossing his arms as well.
"Natasha's help? Why is that?"
Mark looked over everyone present there, smiling a bit.
"We'll all play doctor. Share resources, and from what I know from Clara, the situation at the vagrants' camp is pretty nasty. They lack resources too, and their people are wounded as well. I myself have a bit of knowledge on some basic first aid, so I think we're good to go with the smaller wounds. Natasha can teach us more, and we could all make an effort to lend a hand en masse."
Steele almost swung her weapon, but Oleg put a hand before her, motioning for her to stay. He stared into Mark's being with one serious glance, yet it didn't shake him.
"Are you sure this plan will work?"
Mark shook his head. There was no use in lying.
"No, I'm not... and yet, if the vagrants have a brain, they should make it work. Union between people is the one thing even world leaders are scared of. Numbers are hard to tackle, no matter who you are."
With that, their plan was made.
"Fine," said Oleg, letting his arms fall at his sides. "We'll try doing as you said. It's good that the vagrants live near Svarog's lair, meaning we can tackle both a walk there and moving along your plan."
Mark nodded, straightening his back a bit. Sometimes it hurt for no reason, so he had to move a bit.
"Yeah, got it. So, to Natasha's clinic, we go to learn some things. We're short on medical supplies, but we need to try and split things so that we could try to help the vagrants."
With that, they all headed to Natasha's clinic. The place was bustling, filled with people who showed all signs of hurt. Natasha herself was tired; that much was visible, yet she held herself with more dignity than many manage to muster in a lifetime.
She quickly glanced to the door, speaking as she cleaned someone's wound—a deep cut that looked pretty nasty.
"Oh, it's you. Sorry, but I'm a bit busy."
March nodded, speaking in her lively voice as she watched from up close.
"That's why we're here. We wish to lend a hand, so teach us how to take care of wounds and things."
She glanced at the group—a good few working hands that would lighten her workload by a lot. Still, she had her doubts, since teaching these sorts of things takes a bit of time, time that she didn't really have.
Mark noticed the conflicted state she was in while working, so he simply chose to suit himself up. He grabbed a pair of tweezers and slowly lowered them in a pot of boiling water.
"We disinfect the tool. We're short on alcohol, so no using that."
He slowly took it out, the tips of his fingers touching the water, but it didn't bother him much. He took it out, grabbed a piece of cloth with the tweezers, fixed it in place to the best of his abilities, and began working next to Natasha on another patient that seemed to have some smaller wounds—but open cuts nonetheless.
"Well, you do seem to hold a bit of knowledge on this."
Mark nodded.
"It's just the basics, nothing more. We don't want to risk an infection, even if it could happen since we're low on many resources. Also..."
He quickly briefed her in on the plan, which seemed to ignite a spark in her eyes. Suddenly, her fatigue vanished, leaving behind a hopeful woman who wished to do her best.
"I see how it is. I'll try to work something out. Meanwhile, if you're all here to learn, I should do my best to teach you."
She began barking orders left and right, telling everyone what to do and how to do it. Mark smiled at the thought of Natasha, the actual leader of Wildfire, using her skills in this manner.
While Dan Heng and Bronya held some knowledge on medical issues, the rest were pretty much clueless. March, Stelle, and Seele struggled to figure things out, bumping into each other and almost causing a mess.
"Focus, all of you. It's not that difficult." said Dan Heng, pretty unphased by this. Mark knew how much he had to handle March and Stelle like some sort of babysitter.
"But it's hard. There's too much to do, and you need to be quick and... and..."
March even ran out of words. The whole day was a hustle to get around, but in the end, the injured had been treated as well as possible on limited resources that had to be cut down on more to have some for the vagrants.
By the end of it all, Mark was sprawled out on the floor. He didn't know how, or why, but he had managed to keep up with Natasha, which surprised him like never before. The feeling that had gnawed away at the back of his mind was still there, dulled by the other thing that turned his nights into attempts at not losing his sanity.
The feeling pushed him forward, into things that he didn't even know. It was something words couldn't describe well, like a force that lived within, moving him forward, ushering him into something grand. Mark could only call it his will for something grand.
"Heh... we did it. Tomorrow, we set off to the vagrants' camp."
He let out a weak chuckle as everyone just tried to lie down wherever, tired out of their wits.
Chapitre 15: What Weighs On His Mind
*Extra chapter today. It's my little way of saying thank you to those who keep reading and encouraging me to keep going. Special thanks to kill_21 and DragonConquer1 for always sticking around and filling my novel with comments that make me laugh. I enjoy what I do more thanks to such things. They brighten my day in the best possible way. Having said this, please enjoy and have fun. We're getting closer to the big part of this all. Peace out, and Deus Vult*
With a day's worth of work as a doctor, Mark was prepared to face anything that came his way. In his perception, nothing could tire him out more than working in the same manner again. March was sprawled out with Stelle, both of them on the floor by Mark's side, while Dan Heng simply rested against the wall with Bronya and Seele. Natasha prepared the remaining resources, ready to embark with them on their journey.
"So, I guess it's time we kick into action with your plan, right, Mark?" asked March, glancing over at him, watching as his tired eyes slowly dropped, only to open again.
"Yes, that's the plan now. I just... give me a minute..."
He stood up, reaching out to his head, holding it for a moment as his eyes blurred out, his vision darkening for a moment. It wasn't something unusual, since he had been through it before. Two moments later, and he was as good as new, yawning like he usually did.
"So, I'm up. I guess we should head out. Miss Natasha, is everything set up?"
She turned back at him after checking the boxes.
"Everything is in order here, but I believe we should all rest up for the night and proceed tomorrow. I don't think any one of us could manage to go through what we did today without proper rest."
March stood up, ready to reach for the door and head back to the hotel where they were staying.
"Yes, see? Miss Natasha knows best. Let's go sleep now, everyone."
Mark chuckled, and Dan Heng shook his head, used to her antics, despite not being a huge fan of them. The others simply stood up from their spots, each prepared to head off to rest. Indeed, March was right; they needed rest.
"I see. I guess we'll set out tomorrow and see where life takes us. Hopefully the vagrants will understand and choose to cooperate instead of throwing a fit right in front of Svarog's lair."
Mark's words hanged in the air for a moment as a variable that they did think about, but no one wished to see it come true. Sure, Wildfire and the vagrants have had their own share of trouble and bickering, but in the end, humans are humans, no matter what side they're on. Reasoning should get to them.
"We should call it a day. Rest up, everyone," said Stelle before heading out. Mark smiled at Natasha one last time, then walked out as well, heading to the hotel with the others.
"Mark, where did you learn how to do this sort of stuff?" asked March, curiosity clear in the way she spoke. Mark gave a small smile and shrugged.
"Reading is a nice thing, March. You should give it a try. You learn good things even in stories that aren't boring. No need for fancy science books; I learn some things in random novels."
Stelle chuckled, playfully swatting at his shoulder.
"Didn't take you for the reader type. I guess there's more to you than meets the eye."
Those last words had an undertone for something more, which Mark caught fairly easily since she wanted him to do so. Those few words aimed at his knowledge, the things he does, and how he comes up with specific things. With all eyes on him, he just crossed his arms and shrugged.
"I'm just a guy. Nothing more, nothing less."
That was all he had to say. He kept the same pace, hands in his pockets, as if nothing could bother him no matter what.
"Just a 'guy', as you put it, wouldn't have access to that much information. You seem to have information on everything, no matter what it is. There's also that nose-bleeding thing that happens to you right before you introduce some new bit of information in the conversation."
Dan Heng was right on the money. Sure, Mark knew that it would come sooner or later, and yet he kept playing it off, not wanting to reveal a thing—not that anyone would believe him. They would simply think him insane.
"I have nothing to say about that other than the fact that I pay attention when needed. I recall things—things that come from a mental gap, something akin to March's situation. Partial memory loss or something, I'm not fully sure myself. Thing is, I'm just a normal human. No powers as far as I know, no special abilities like Seele, no special training like most of you here. I'm just a guy."
Stelle firmly gripped his shoulders, looking up into his eyes. For a moment, a tinge of warmth gave his cheeks a rosy color, yet he acted as if nothing was wrong. She was closer than he had expected.
"Mark... look at me..."
He did as told, staring straight into her soul. His mind did a quick reboot, then switched to offense. His gaze didn't budge, simply holding hers steadily. The tension in the air was palpable, and everyone almost stopped breathing as they waited.
"Who exactly are you, Mark?"
Thousands of thoughts rushed through his head. What defines a human? How does one go about finding their true nature? Still, nothing could be of use since his answer wasn't going to change no matter what.
"I'm just a guy. That's all I am. Just a random guy," he said, his voice low and hoarse. He slowly moved to the side and walked ahead on his own, all alone. His room at the hotel was the same, pretty worn down by time and usage, but it welcomed him with open arms, a comfy bed, and no questions. He simply threw himself on it and closed his eyes, embracing the touch of death that came with sleep.
His mind was clear, and he found himself back home. For a moment, he thought that it had all been a dream, but a quick look around showed the truth. The dream was his being back home. Shadows of the past still haunted him, even if his past was something ordinary. What haunted him was the idea of those left behind.
It played out as usual, ending up with him awake at a random time when night was supposed to be a thing. Tired, scared, annoyed, but most importantly, alone, Mark made his way out. He looked around, taking in the already familiar sight.
"It's so different from what I knew..."
His words were a whisper aimed at no one but himself. He needed a reminder that it wasn't a pure game, no... it was his life now, away from those he knew. Sure, it would have been fun, but regret held him back.
He simply stood outside, staring into nothingness, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere.
"What are you standing there for?"
He turned around, forgetting that his sword and metal pipe were inside. He was ready to use his fists, but it was none other than Stelle who sneaked up behind him.
"Oh, you rascal. Can't a man just stand wherever he feels like it?"
She stood by his side, contemplating his words.
"I think you can, yes, but it's still something pretty weird if you ask me."
He chuckled, hands in his pockets once more.
"Yeah, I guess that's the case. Too bad I don't care. I'm already an oddity, that much was made clear."
She regarded him with regret in her gaze, recalling how they all had tried snatching the truth from him.
"I'm sorry... it's just that... you scare us, Mark... you know so much about us... it somehow feels like you have known us for years while we just met you..."
Mark smiled softly, glancing to his side at where she was.
"If only she knew the truth to her words... alas, it's not the time... I'm not sure when it will ever be..."
He simply did what he knew best—his way of showing that he cares. He patted her head. Priceless is the word that can best describe her confusion.
"...Mark? What are you doing?"
He chuckled and ruffled her hair.
"Stuff... yeah, that's all. Don't ever worry about me, neither of you. I don't want to hurt anyone but those who deserve it. You're the good guys, ok? I want to help and make things work out for the best possible outcome."
He pulled his hand back and let it fall to his side, not bothering to put it into his pocket anymore. Stelle was a bit baffled by everything, yet she didn't say more for a while, until she broke the silence.
"You sure are weird."
He nodded, and they both stood there for a while longer, just enjoying the silence. It was calming, that much Mark knew. Sometimes, just having someone by your side does wonders.
"We should try and catch some more shut eye before the mission starts."
He nodded, turning around.
"Yeah, we should... not like it would help me that much. I still feel tired, no matter how I sleep or for how long."
"I think you should get that checked out. Maybe Natasha has a clue about it."
He shrugged, and they both walked in. The next few hours were calmer, with his nightmares gone, even if for a brief moment.
Waking up again hit him like a truck, something he was prepared for, and yet it always got him. With a tired expression, he went along with his morning ritual, some prayers, and he changed before grabbing his metal pipe and sword once more.
"Who knows? I sure hope I won't have to use these."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
200+ Classement
Power Stone 
12 Power
stone 
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