A New Hope?

After the smoke moved away from the mixture, everyone understood that the doctors, even those of the highest knowledge nor prodigies, could find the cure. Troy had let go of his last straw.

"I apologize, son. Our knowledge still has an eternity of knowledge to acquire."

"My mother doesn't have eternity. I will take your leave then. I am indebted for all your efforts, doctor. Let's go, Filos."

"Are we going home?"

Troy didn't want to go home. How could he go home now? Even the doctors from the Doceredon country couldn't find any cure. No other country can even figure out what to do with his mother's disease.

Filos followed Troy as he exited the Academy. The guards were still stationed even when they were lightened by the brightness of the two moons of Mundus.

"Let's grab something to fill our stomachs." Filos got hungry after not eating for the whole day.

"I'm also famished. You had to starve because of me. Let me treat you tonight. What do you want to eat?"

"Lambs are a popular item in Doceredon. Bordeaux tastes great with some lamb."

Troy and Filos went to a nearby tavern. The night had just started as the tavern was still filled with natives. Doctors and patients were enjoying drinks together.

"You should try the gallbladders of lamb!"

"I will croak, but I won't digest those gross things!"

The tavern was filled with bantering between patients and doctors. Troy and Filos sat near the bar.

"Bordeaux and lamb." Filos could not wait to taste the classic red wine.

As Doceredon has all the medicinal advantages and knowledge, they get to have whatever they want from the other countries in exchange for top-grade treatment and supplies.

Wine from Gallia*, Iron from Rosia* and oil from Saoudiki Aravia*. It's a monopoly on medical services. They have to do this to survive. Even though they are great in medicine and earn loads of cash, they lack other materials needed for sustenance. Thus they must monopolize their resources.

"Doceredon is surely sucking out dry the other countries. Yet they can't handle Amerikis*" wondered Filos.

"They are the second best after all. Apart from medicine, they have everything else!" Troy remembered the news regarding Amerikis having the biggest reserve.

"Besides, Amerikis have handled the situations as seriously as possible while maintaining good relations with the other countries." Troy added.

"They care about their own, after all. That's why reserving their own and gaining other resources from neighboring countries is profitable. Their martial strength is no joke!"

While distracted by their talk about work politics, a cloaked figure came near the bar and asked for water. Nobody orders water in a tavern. Troy nudged Filos to alert him.

"Psycho?"

"Could be. But I am suspecting a criminal."

The bartender poured some water into a glass. As soon as the figure touched the glass, the water inside turned red.

"How did it turn into a wine?"

Troy tried to look under the cloak, but the figure moved away with swift movements.

"This here is a magician and can help you with anything." the bartender answered after looking at the curious faces of the pair.

"Can magic cure any disease?" Filos inquired the bartender.

"It is possible with the right compensation." the figure replied while thinking it got a new client tonight. Unfortunately, the pair couldn't see the smirk under the cloak.

"And what that would be?" Troy became curious.

After watching the dragon today, Troy wondered if magic was actually possible.

"Money can be good compensation. But the rare the items, the better the magic will be. It's all about equivalent exchange!" the cloaked figure explained.

Troy thought if the stone he got from the chief would be valuable enough. He took the stone from his pouch and showed it to the figure.

"Does this count?"

"How did you get this!!" the cloaked figure started fidgeting as if it saw something unbelievable.

"Where did you get a Micare Stone? Even Amerikis has difficulty finding them." even Filos couldn't believe his eyes. Micare stones were the rarest items as the medical services from Doceredon, maybe even more.

"So, does it count?" Troy was waiting for an answer.

"Come to me tomorrow, and we will do the ritual on the clock towers roof. We must complete the magic on high ground for it to take the best effect." The figure explained.

"See you tomorrow then. Do you know any place where we can spend the night?" Troy asked the bartender.

"You can stay upstairs. We have some rooms for travelers." the bartender said while giving a receipt and a key to a room.

Filos and Troy left for their room after completing their payment.

"Guess it will work?" Filos tried to figure out what Troy was thinking.

"Maybe it will be a new hope or a hoax. After witnessing the dragon today, there is nothing unbelievable for me anymore. Let's just give it a try. It is better than nothing after all."

Troy knew the cure to be magic was unbelievable but he couldn't go back to his town empty-handed.

Both of them went to bed in an attempt to sleep after their long journey to Doceredon. The moons in the sky of Mundus always fascinate Troy. He wondered if the two moons were also caused by magic. He tried to sleep his worries away. The fatigue accumulated in the last few days made his eyes heavy. The bed felt comfier than rocky roadside makeshift beddings.

"Only you can do it!" A heavy voice came flying from somewhere.

"Who is this?" Troy wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not.

"You are the True Conduit!" the voice repeated again.

"What do you mean?" Troy became worried after hearing those words.

"In time, I will call for you." the voice started to fade.

Troy woke up after feeling a jolt from someone stumbling on his feet. He sat up on his bed and saw a kid staring at him outside the window. The kid was holding the Micare stone in his hands.

"Thief!" Troy kicked Filos to wake him up and jumped out the window.

The kid was jumping from one rooftop to the other.

"Stop, kid!" Troy shouted his lungs out, but of course, the kid kept running.

Troy kept getting closer to the kid. The kid jumped down the streets and tried hiding behind the bushes. Troy followed the kid into the bushes.

The kid kept running and running, but it seemed Troy was not going to give up.

"Why do you need the Micare stone for? I am pretty sure you don't need it as much as I do." the kid shouted towards Troy while keeping his speed.

"To cure my mother," Troy replied honestly.

The kid stopped running and looked at Troy with a confused look. Troy was out of breath after running for so long.

"What do you mean?" the kid asked.

"A magician will cast a spell to cure my mother." troy wasn't sure why the kid asked these questions.

"Is it a human?" the kid interrogated.

"What else would it be?" Troy was getting confused.

"Humans can never do magic!" the kid looked determined.

"How can you be so sure?" Troy thought the kid was distracting him.

"Tell me, why do you think a human can do magic!"

"Because I saw it with my own eyes."

"What if I show you the trick? Will you give me the Micare stone then?" The kid was desperate for the Micare stone.

"How can you show me?" Troy was unsure why the kid was so confident. But played along to see how the story unfolds.

Finally, Filos caught up to them, "What are you guys talking about?"

All of them went to the tavern they met the cloaked figure.

"Oi Lasik, show them the glass." the kid shouted at the bartender.

"You told them?" Lasik became angry. Although he wanted to hit the kid, but Troy made sure Lasik understood the situation.

"Here, the glass with water." Lasik put forward a glass.

"Watch closely. If you shake the glass like this, it will change color. Now drink." the kid passed the glass to Troy. Troy took a drink from the glass. Sure enough, it was not wine.

"This is just water, but the color is like red wine!" Troy became more confused after this revelation.

"Because only the color of the glass changes, not the water itself. Now try again." the kid gave the glass again to Troy.

"How?" Troy was shocked by tasting wine. The kid actually turned the water into wine.

"Only he can do magic around here. The cloaked person was a fake." said Lasik.

"But you said..." The kid stopped Troy before he could say anything. Three of them left the tavern.

"I know exactly what you need." the kid consoled Troy as he was sad that the cure was nowhere to be found.

"Do you know about the Healing Dragon?" the kid said with a smirk.