Arfael

He opened his eyes, but all he sees is the wooden ceiling.
He blinked his eyes, hoping all was just a dream.
But all was just the same.

'Where am I?'

He looked around the place. He was in an ordinary house, probably owned by a peasant. There was a fire place, but only burnt sticks are left. A little dining table beside the window, having 4 chairs and a sleeping cat that occupies one of them. He can feel the warmth of the sun in his face,, probably the thing that woke him up.

'What time is it?, is it dawn?'

Then he heard the door creaking. Someone is about to enter the house, but who? He tried to stand up, but a sudden pain in his chest prevented him to do so. It was too excruciating; he almost lost his consciousness.

'Damn, what's wrong with me?'

He realized that he was covered with bandages, a few more strands and he would have been mistaken for a mummy. All he can do was wait. The door swung open, little by little. He can see the shadow of whatever is on the other side of the door. And to his surprise.

It was… a child.

"The hairman is awake", the child shouted

'Hairman?'

To his horror, a mob of children came rushing to his side, like they were excited to see the carnival.
"What's your name?"
"Where are you from?"
"Is it true that you can fly?"
"Tell me a story of your adventure"

All sorts of questions came to him in a flash. He was so confused that all he managed to do was to open his mouth, for no words were willing to come out.

"Take it easy kids", a voice warned them in the background. He looked at its source, but all he sees was a silhouette of a person at the door.
"Achie", they almost said in a chorus. They came running back at the door and hugged who ever was standing there.

And there she was, a woman. She has a short brown hair, a body built by the gods, and an angelic smile written in her face. He sensed that the children were happy just to see her.

"So how's our visitor?" another voice from the background
"He's awake Father, now we're certain he's not dead" She replied

'Dead? I was dead?'

"How are feeling young man?" the man asked. He looks to be at his early fifties. Indeed, his face looks old, but his built seemed to be younger than his age. He tried to answer, but he can't speak. We was too weak to respond.
"Hmm, can you understand our languange mister?" The old man asked again, this time with a little concern in his voice.
"Let him rest father, maybe he's just too tired" The woman said while she was unpacking some things on the table. All the children were behind her, watching her unravel the package she's carrying.

Then suddenly.

"Water…" He blurted. He managed to pronounce some words, but it took a toll on his stamina.
"Oh, fetch him some water, he haven't drinked anything for days" The old man commanded. The children hurriedly filled a wooden cup with water and gave it to the old man.
"Here, drink this, your throat must be too dry for you to speak." said the old man. Indeed, the tap water tasted like heaven, maybe he was too thirsty to speak. It rejuvinated him, he felt a lot better with just a cup of water.
"Thank you, mister..?" he held a long pause, hoping that the old man will present himself.
"Zhang, hunter Zhang", the old man replied, "This is my daughter, Ca.."
"Jan", she interrupted, "Call me Jan"
"I found you in the northern lands when I was thawing the snow" Zhang continued, "You were barely clothed in the ice and dying."

"Father brought you here, hoping we can revive you but we only have small potions at hand, it's barely enough to keep you breathing." She folllowed, "I tried using my Morning Dew spell but I haven't mastered it yet, I only managed to heal some of your minor wounds."

Indeed, his body is still aching, God know's what's broken in him.
"What's your name mister?" one of the children asked
"Oh, I'm sorry if haven't introduced myself." quickly he answerd. "Sir Zhang, thank you for helping me, I wouldn't know what would've happened if you did not see me there."
"I am…" He paused, he can't seem to blurt out any word.
I am…he was in deep thought, how difficult would it be to say your name?
"You are?" the children asked again.
"I am.." he paused, "My name…" he stopped again.
"Looks like he had an amnesia" Zhang said "Don't worry, we'll go to Sword City and maybe we'll find someone who can assists us, For now, you just take a rest young man." Zhang stood up and walked to the door.
"Come on children, let Jan take care of him"
"Yes sir Zhang" they replied in chorus. They dashed outside, following Zhang.
"Just lie down mister, we'll find out what possible cures we can get in the city" Jan added.
"A cure?" he asked. Out of nowhere, he instinctively reached for his pocket, and felt something in it. He took them out and saw potions, and they were pinkish in color.
"What's that?" Jan asked
"It's… a Dragon Pill" he replied.
"And what is a Dragon Pill?" she questioned

He drank the potion without hesitation. He felt its effects as soon as it touched his inner body. His wounds began to heal in an amazing rate. He felt refreshed, he felt reborn, just like a newly risen phoenix from it ashes.
He sat on the side of the bed after the potion had taken effect. He checked his arms, his legs and his hands to see if there are any scars left.

Whoa, why do I have something like that?

He looked behind him and he saw Jan, staring at him in disbelief.

"What..the hell…was that?!?" She exclaimed. Never in her life has she seen something so amazing. She's seen Yulings, healers from heaven, do the same 'magic', but this miracle happened with the help of a mere potion.
"I don't know. All I remember is that I should drink it…" He said.
Still, Jan cannot believe how such thing happened.
"Are you feeling better now?" she asked,
'I do feel a lot better'
"Yup, can't be any happier than that.' he replied.

He jumped out of the bed, took a few steps forward. He raised his hands and streched out. He jogged in place, seemed to be trying to measure his limits.

"Can we go outside? I think I need some fresh air" asked Jan.
"Uhhmm, sure.." he replied. He took cautious steps forward, checking out if his foot could bear his weight.

Looks good.

He checked back at Jan, still mesmerized by the power of the potion. She was looking at him from head to toe, still unwilling to believe the miracle.

"We need to tell father about this, what's that potion again?" shed asked.
"Dragon Pill" he replied.

They got outside and saw Zhang chopping some wood. The way he handled the axe was elegant. It doesn't seem that he needed so much to force to use the long-handled axe. With one smooth stroke, the plank was cut into two pieces.

"Whoa, that was something" he said. Right after he spoke, Zhang looked at him with a worried face.
"Jan!" Zhang exclaimed, "Why did you let him up? He should be taking more rest!" Zhang walked toward him and examined his wounds.

But he found nothing.

"What is this? Jan, have you mastered your healing spell?" Zhang inquired, still looking woried.
"No father, all he did was drink this" Jan replied, she reached out her hand and pointed to the empty potion bottle in their visitors' hand. In reply, the young man gave the bottle to Zhang.
"I have plenty of those, they are called Dragon Pills." He said, "I don't know how I got them, but they are pretty useful if you ask me."

Zhang took the potion. He looked at the bottle from every angle, examining it throughly.
"A Dragon Pill you say?" Where have I heard about that?" Zhang said
"Beats me", he replied. He pulled out all remaining potions in his pockets, giving them all to Zhang. "You can have them, it's the only way I can repay you."

But Zhang seemed not to care, he kept on checking the empty bottle in his hands. He's in very deep thought.
"Can I have some of that?" Jan asked, "One of the children has this severe burn on her shoulder, maybe this so called pills can help her."

So instead of giving the potions to Zhang, he gave them to Jan.

"Coleen, come here!" Jan shouted. A child came running the her side. It was the same girl who called him 'Hairman' earlier.

"I'm here Achie, what do you need?" the child asked.
"I need you to drink this, it will heal your shoulder" Jan replied
"Am I gonna be beautiful after that?" the child questioned, swinging her little body side to side, showing her excitement.
"You've always been beautiful" Jan said. The girl hugged her and smiled. "Thank you Achie!"

Jan opened the potion and was about to make the child drink it, but suddenly.

"STOP!" Zhang shouted from the background. Everyone was stunned. Luckily, there wasn't a drop of potion that touched the child's mouth. Zhang closed in to Jan and quickly snatched the potion from her hands. Frightened, but still composed, Jan stood up from her position and poised herself. Her face looked pale, it's not everyday that her Father shouts like that.

"What's the matter father?" She quickly asked. Zhang did not reply, he just looked into her eyes, looking troublesome. Zhang then turned his attention to him, who is looking confused.
"Young Man, come with me." Zhang ordered
He relunctantly followed Zhang and they went inside the house. Zhang got inside the house first, and he followed. He glanced back to Jan, her eyes full of uneasiness, before he closed the door.

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