Dark Dragon: The Summoned Hero Is A Villain

Chapter 274: Applied Healing Technique

Noah gasped awake, his lungs dragging in air as if he’d been drowning. His heart hammered so hard it hurt.

For a few seconds, he didn’t move, just stared at the ceiling, waiting for the weeds, the rot, the darkness to return. But the room was normal.

The light of the moon streamed through the window, illuminating the room. And he could see the truth for himself.

The walls were clean. There were no weeds growing in his room, and everything was exactly where he’d left them. It had really been a dream.

His chest still ached faintly, but the pain was fading, like phantom pain of something that had never been real.

He sat up slowly, wiping sweat from his face, then pushed out of bed.

The window was open a crack, letting in the cold night breeze. He crossed the room and shut it, sliding the latch tight until it clicked.

The dream had felt way too real. He pressed a hand against his chest. Nothing. Just the steady thump of his heartbeat.

Still, he couldn’t shake the unease. What had caused that pain? If it wasn’t her, then it had to be something buried deeper inside him. Something his own mind was hiding.

He exhaled slowly, calming himself. At least he’d learned something.

Arlo was getting close. Closer than even Lady in Dark wanted. And together, they’d find her. They had to.

Noah lay back down, staring at the ceiling until his vision blurred. He turned again and again, chasing rest that wouldn’t come. By morning, he’d barely slept at all.

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The classroom for Applied Healing Techniques was bright and clean, its walls lined with polished shelves filled with jars of dried herbs and stacks of medical texts.

Several training cots stood in neat rows along the far wall, and the faint scent of mint and antiseptic hung in the air.

Noah sat near the back, his arms crossed.

Around him, students murmured softly. Some looked eager, and others looked like they didn’t want to be here in the first place.

The sound of the door opening silenced them all.

A woman entered, her footsteps echoing softly against the floor.

She was tall, slender, and carried herself with the composure of someone used to authority.

Her gray hair was pulled into a tight braid, and her robes were simple but spotless. Her eyes, a piercing blue, swept the room once, assessing everyone in an instant.

"Good morning," she said, her tone firm but even. "I am Professor Faye, and I will be your instructor for Applied Healing Techniques this semester."

The class murmured a greeting in unison.

Faye nodded once. "In this class, you will learn the fundamentals of healing magic."

"How to treat minor wounds, purify infections, stabilize patients suffering from mana fatigue, and assist the work of the more experienced professionals."

"At the end of the semester, you all will not become doctors," she said pointedly, "but you will learn enough to save a life when the situation demands it."

She clasped her hands behind her back as she began to pace slowly. "Now, you have been placed in this course because your elemental affinities include some capacity for restoration."

"Not all affinities can heal. Decay, for instance, cannot, as this goes against the very nature of the affinity itself. But every one of you has an affinity that can, in the right hands, preserve life rather than destroy it."

Her gaze landed briefly on Noah, then moved on.

"Before you can heal," she continued, "you must first understand what is wrong."

"The first spell you will learn in this course is a diagnostic spell. It allows you to sense injuries, and any foreign substances in a patient’s body."

"However," she paused, her voice lowering slightly, "I must warn you. These spells do not always work on yourself as you would expect."

A few students glanced at one another.

"The reason," Faye said, "is simple."

"Most diagnostic spells rely on the caster’s mana to scan another person’s system and isolate what is abnormal. But when you cast that same spell on yourself, the mana you use is already part of you. There is no contrast for the magic to read."

She drew a small circle of light in the air with her finger, illustrating her point. "It is like pouring water into an existing barrel of water. The contents mix immediately. You cannot tell which was there first or what changed. Therefore, the spell becomes unreliable when used on oneself."

The students nodded slowly, some jotting notes.

"This phenomenon," she said, "is known as mana resonance overlap."

"You will experience it at some point, and when you do, remember this lesson. A healer should always work in pairs or groups."

"It is always easier, and safer, for another mage to diagnose you than for you to diagnose yourself."

She stopped pacing and clasped her hands behind her back once more, her gaze sweeping over the class.

"In view of what we just discussed," she said, "we will take a practical step today. I will perform a one-time diagnostic on each of you."

"By the next class, I will provide a summary of your results for study and comparison. This will help you understand how a diagnostic spell interprets mana, structure, and overall health."

A few students shifted nervously. Faye gave no sign of comfort. She simply raised a hand, and a faint golden glow gathered around her palm.

"When your name is called, come forward," she instructed. "You will feel a light pressure in your chest and head. Do not resist it."

The first student stepped forward. Faye placed her hand just above the girl’s sternum. A pale sphere of light formed. After a few seconds, it dissolved.

"Clean bill of health," Faye said, nodding for her to return to her seat.

She moved methodically through the class. For most, her verdict was the same, healthy.

Occasionally, she paused to offer a quiet recommendation.

"More rest."

"Eat more greens."

"Visit the infirmary about that shoulder."

Her tone was always businesslike.

Finally, her gaze lifted to Noah. "Webb," she said. "You’re next."

Noah rose, stepping forward. Faye’s hand hovered over his chest, casting the same spell.

The pale light flared to life, then a few seconds later, dimmed and vanished.

Faye’s brows drew together.

For a moment, she stared at him, silent. Then her eyes widened, the composure on her face breaking for the first time.