Quickleaf
Legend
Four things become evident to Akilah as she examines Malsoor and his unsightly neck wound.
First, the man seems to have flecks of blood in his cough, judging from his hankerchief, indicating there may be something functioning more like a disease. However, he displays few other symptoms that would be typical of a diseased individual – no sweating, nausea, headaches, and so forth.
Second, the wound was delivered by a cleaving weapon like an axe or greatsword – something designed to deal damage on initial impact, not by cutting and drawing across the flesh like a skilled warrior would do with a longsword or scimitar.
Third, the man's skin is spectacularly unblemished despite being of middle age and dwelling at a caravanserai. Furthermore, the site of the wound has faint signs of healing already occurring...more so than Akilah would expect after six weeks or so. However, his's body's natural healing stops at the edge of the wound.
Fourth, try as she might, Akilah can only catch the faintest intermittent pulse in the man, never long enough to determine how fast his heart beats. It is peculiar.
First, the man seems to have flecks of blood in his cough, judging from his hankerchief, indicating there may be something functioning more like a disease. However, he displays few other symptoms that would be typical of a diseased individual – no sweating, nausea, headaches, and so forth.
Second, the wound was delivered by a cleaving weapon like an axe or greatsword – something designed to deal damage on initial impact, not by cutting and drawing across the flesh like a skilled warrior would do with a longsword or scimitar.
Third, the man's skin is spectacularly unblemished despite being of middle age and dwelling at a caravanserai. Furthermore, the site of the wound has faint signs of healing already occurring...more so than Akilah would expect after six weeks or so. However, his's body's natural healing stops at the edge of the wound.
Fourth, try as she might, Akilah can only catch the faintest intermittent pulse in the man, never long enough to determine how fast his heart beats. It is peculiar.
Usqual nods, folding his hands into his lap, sitting perfectly upright, the only hint of his mood expressive eyes above the red veil ornamented with white beads. Again, he nods a bit lower. "The defeat will echo in our memories for years to come, but, I assure you, when I return to the Great Anvil I will convince the Amir to take heed of what has happened here. Then he'll no longer be able to stay neutral." Despite his veil, Usqual's scowl is obvious, though it fades as quickly as all the jann's emotions, returning to an enigmatic bemusement. "The Khaldunis take the waters of life for themselves. I can only imagine what foul magic they work."
Placing her hands upon the water bearer, Akilah feels the power of Hakiyah filling her hands, sensing some great weight lifting from the man as she casts remove curse. There is no sign of any changes to the wound after watching the water bearer for thirty seconds.
