Biohuman

The Grand Healer looked at Keng for a moment before returning her attention onto the natural concoction. Keng's nerves shook as Manny looked over to him.

"I've seen much in my lifetime." The Grand Healer spoke. "Before we settled here, we drifted between Realms, so I've seen your kind come and go between the Realms, too."

"Really?" Manny asked, looking at Keng. "He told us very little of what he is."

"Oh, did I overstep?" The Grand Healer looked up. There was an awkwardness between Manny and Keng. Keng shook his head and folded his arms together.

"No. They found out anyway," Keng answered. "No harm done."

"I just thought… Since you were here, you must've been one of those other Foxes roaming about." The Grand Healer told him.

"Other Foxes? Around here?" Keng was intrigued by what the Grand Healer was saying. She looked back down and came to stop. She pulled the utensils out and hovered her hands over it. An icy blue energy poured out into the natural remedy. Keng and Manny watched as it began to bubble as the Grand Healer continued to heat it. The air filled with an acidic smell, burning through any clogged noses as Keng covered his nose.

"Your senses are sharp, aren't they?" The Grand Healer asked Keng. "Is it too much to handle? You can go upstairs if you wish."

"I'm fine… I've smelt worse." Keng told her. "Why are you heating it?"

"It needs to turn into a consistent liquid. Not a mesh of the actual ingredients. I charge this with my own energy, manipulating the temperature of it and scoop some of this hot liquid into cups for the patients to drink like tea." The Grand Healer explained.

"And this staves the poison until we get back to the city?" Manny asked.

"It'll stop the progression of the poison for at least a day. You'll have enough time to bring them back to where you need to take them. I could heal them all, but the number is too great for what I have on hand."

"That's why Miss Lisa said you could at least stave the poison off." Manny nodded. The Grand Healer pulled her hands away, revealing a large pool of green liquid within the large bowl. She began to grab a ladle and pointed with her other hand.

"Can you grab mugs for me? They're on that rack there." The Grand Healer instructed. Keng turned and noticed mugs hanging on a rack and made his way over to it.

'This place is clean.' Keng observed. He carefully plucked a mug off the hook and held it in place with gravity. He grabbed enough cups for the patients and pooled them in front of him and took them back to Manny and the Grand Healer.

Each cup was filled with hot green liquid. With Manny and Keng's help, the Grand Healer and the two boys gave them to the humans. They fed the unconscious ones with liquid until the Grand Healer was satisfied. After they had finished giving the remedy tea out, Keng took the cups over to the sink and cleaned them.

"What happens now is up to you and your friends." The Grand Healer told Manny. "If any of them show signs of discomfort, just give them more of the drink. I'll give you this large canister to keep it in. It'll keep the heat in for your journey." She handed the large canister to him, and Manny took it, giving her a small nod.

"Yes, ma'am." Manny replied. "I'll keep this handy just in case they'll need it." Keng shut the faucet off and wiped his hands. He lifted a mug and a cleaning rag and dried off the mugs, hanging them back on the rack.

"Good to go?" The Grand Healer asked Keng.

"Yup." Keng turned and nodded. He moved to rejoin Manny and the Grand Healer as the two looked at the patients. Lisa and a few other adventurers shifted in their seats as they prepared themselves for the journey ahead. The Grand Healer turned to look at Keng. She studied him for a while. Keng turned and looked at her. There was something mystical about her. He didn't know what it was, but the Grand Healer stepped forward and reached for his hand. She softly grabbed it like a grandma with her grandkids. Her eyes instantly glowed and her face became more serious.

"You don't have much time, Fox." The Grand Healer told him. Manny turned to look at them, intrigued at what she was talking about. "The demons will make their appearance soon. You must find him before the one within kills both of you."

"W-what do you mean Grand Healer?" Keng asked.

"To the West you'll find someone who can help you. Tell them I sent you." The Grand Healer pulled away, visibly drained from the interaction. "To the West where Heaven meets Earth. You'll find someone who can help you with your problem."

"How much time do I have left?" Keng asked. "I-I thought I had at least another month and a half."

"No," the Grand Healer shook her head. "You don't have that much time. Haven't you felt the effects of it, yet?"

"Effects?" Keng whispered. The Grand Healer turned to look at Manny.

"You should return home at once. Make sure to give the patients more tea if they spit out any more discolored blood." The Grand Healer instructed.

"Y-yes, ma'am." Manny nodded, glancing at Keng.

Keng and the group made their way back to the telepad with ease. The Fire Foxes trudged inside, standing off to the side as Manny and the others lined up on the telepad.

"I don't think it'll fit." Ritsuka looked around. "How 'bout this? I'll go with Keng – er, Lee Seng – and you guys can have some of the VIPs." Ritsuka stepped off as Keng motioned for some Foxes to step up to the telepad. Three Foxes managed to squish together, making a large Fox with three people inside.

"You sure?" Manny asked. "I could stay."

"Don't worry about it." Ritsuka waved it off. "Go."

"You have the correct coordinates?" Liz asked.

"Got 'em." Ritsuka tapped.

"Alright…" Manny nodded. Keng and Ritsuka moved off to the side, turning to look out at the snow. A bright light flashed and the next thing they knew, their friends and some of the VIPs were gone.

"Our turn." Ritsuka patted Keng. They both turned, but Keng stopped. The Foxes moved to follow Ritsuka, who looked over at Keng. "What's up? Something happen to you with the Grand Healer?"

"She figured out I'm a Fox Spirit." Keng joined Ritsuka on the telepad. "Saw right through my disguise."

"Are you worried someone might see through this, too?" Ritsuka asked. He pulled his phone out and punched the information in. His finger moved off to the side to not click 'execute.'

"She did something odd before we left." Keng told Ritsuka what had happened. Ritsuka looked at Keng in surprise as Keng nodded. "See? It's weird."

"What does she mean by that? Is there someone or some people that could actually help you with your problem?" Ritsuka asked, shifting his finger to hover over the 'execute' button.

"Dunno, but I don't have a lot of time now. What scares me more is the fact she asked if I was having anymore symptoms like I should've expected more."

"You aren't, right?"

"Nope. Just the nightmares but even then, those are far and few between." Keng shifted in his spot as Ritsuka nodded.

"Well, we'll have to go look for whomever she recommended then. An Elf helping you out is something to not… ignore?" Ritsuka didn't know the right word for it but shrugged it off. He hit the execute button and the familiar flash of light surrounded them, picking them up and warping them back to the Job building in the Academy district. They appeared on the third floor and made their way down to the first through the stairwell.

Students looked at them as the Fire Foxes followed after, leaving a trail of light behind. The sun was getting ready to set. The start of orange-yellow skies grew as Ritsuka pointed out their group. They moved over to their group, who was in line.

"What took you guys so long?" Evan asked. He was out of his Fox and walking with the group. He hadn't sustained any serious damage but used the Fox to rest his headache away. The Fire Fox dismissed itself, returning to a single Fox rune on Keng's hand.

"Talked." Ritsuka answered. "What're we waiting in line for? Don't we have to send these guys to a hospital?"

"The Guild branch at the Academy can handle that." Lisa answered. "They'll handle everything else after your mission. Don't need to—" She began to cough in a frenzy as Manny turned and pulled the canister off his belt hook. He uncorked the cap and poured some of the liquid and handed it to her. Lisa sat up and grabbed the drink and downed it.

"Next set of groups, please step forward!" The desk worker shouted. Keng and the others turned their attention to the front. They were slowly moving to the front of the group.

"Let's report and figure out what to do from there, 'kay?" Manny told the group. They all nodded, turning their attention away from each other and noticing students looking at them.