Chapter 16: Practice

It had been several hours since Aya, controlling Leticia’s body.

She had tried to find an injured animal. The forest greeted her only with the rustling of leaves and the occasional sounds of wildlife. However, they had yet to find a single creature in need of healing.

— We've been searching for hours… — Aya sighed tiredly, wiping the sweat from her forehead. — Is there really not a single injured animal?

— Do you think they're just waiting for us? — Leticia’s voice echoed in her head with a hint of irony. — Things don’t always go the way we want them to.

Aya could tell that Leticia was holding something back. There was a certain tension in her thoughts.

— You're thinking about something, — Aya noted, stopping in her tracks. — Do you have an idea?

— I do, but I don’t like it, — Leticia admitted. — There’s a clinic in town. There will definitely be people who need help.

— Then why didn’t you mention it earlier? — Aya asked, surprised.

— Because it’s risky, — Leticia answered curtly. — If someone notices you using magic that shouldn’t exist, it will raise questions… and questions can lead to trouble.

Aya hesitated. Leticia was right, but even so…

— We can hide my identity, — she suggested. — I’ll wear a semi-transparent veil to cover my face. I’ll pretend to be an ordinary healing mage. No one will notice anything.

There was a pause in Leticia’s mind before she reluctantly responded.

***

Aya, still in Leticia’s body, approached the city clinic. Inside, the air smelled of herbs, damp cloth, and faint traces of medicine. Muffled voices of the sick groaning in pain mixed with the hurried footsteps of nurses moving between the beds.

"Are you sure about this?" — Leticia’s voice rang in her mind again.

— Yes, — Aya replied firmly in her thoughts. — Just be ready.

She approached a woman in a white apron. The nurse looked at her closely, her eyes narrowing at the concealed face.

— Who are you? — she asked sharply.

— My name is Aya, — Aya said gently. — I possess healing magic and would like to help.

The nurse frowned, her gaze lingering on Aya’s hidden face.

— If you are a healing mage, why are you hiding your face? — suspicion crept into her voice. — Are you sure you really have this magic?

Aya swallowed but kept her voice steady.

— Yes, I’m sure, — she said firmly.

The nurse deliberated for a moment, then pointed to a nearby cot where a farmer lay with a shallow but bleeding wound on his arm.

— Then prove it, — she said. — Heal him.

Aya took a deep breath, her fingers trembling slightly. This was her first time. She could practice on animals or flowers all she wanted, but now, before her, was a real person. And he was in pain. She couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

Her heart pounded harder. This was a test. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused. That same feeling returned — warmth spreading through her veins, ready to emerge.

A soft golden glow surrounded her hands. The nurse squinted slightly at the sight but said nothing. Aya carefully directed the flow of energy toward the wound.

The light gently seeped into the damaged skin, as if being absorbed. Within seconds, the bleeding stopped, and the torn flesh slowly mended, leaving only a faint pinkish scar.

The farmer stared at his arm in amazement.

— It’s like new… — he murmured.

The nurse pressed her lips together before giving a brief nod.

— Alright. You do have this gift. Now, show me your card.

— Card? — Aya repeated, tilting her head.

— Yes, your identification card. The one proving that the Bureau has granted you permission to use magic, — the nurse replied, her gaze unwavering.

"A card! I completely forgot about those!" — Leticia’s voice filled with panic. — "Aya, get out of there. Now."

— Ah… well… you see… I forgot… it… — Aya stammered, trying to come up with an excuse.

— Forgot? — the nurse’s voice turned sharp.

Her expression shifted to one of suspicion. Leticia and Aya began to panic, imagining how they would have to flee from this place.

Before the tension reached its peak, a new voice interrupted.

— What a remarkable magic.

Aya and the nurse turned.

An elderly man with long mustaches stood before them, attentively examining the patient’s healed wound.

— Was this your work? — he asked Aya.

— Director! — the nurse exclaimed respectfully.

— Yes, it was, — Aya answered hesitantly.

— Fascinating, — the old man said with admiration. — Take her to the other patients.

— But she has no card, — the nurse protested.

The old man smiled.

— Is that so? — He glanced at Aya, then back at the nurse. — It’s not a problem. I’ll take responsibility for her.

— But…

— You know we don’t have enough healing mages, and right now, any help is valuable, — the old man shook his head sorrowfully.

The nurse bit her lip but quickly composed herself. She turned and led Aya further into the clinic.

Aya followed her into the next ward, where patients with more serious injuries lay. Now, she was treating people with various wounds—some had deep cuts, others had bruises and fractures.

Some patients were healed quickly—just a touch, and warmth filled their bodies, making the pain fade. For others, the process took longer—she had to guide the light carefully, feeling the magic seep into their tissues, restoring them piece by piece.

— This… feels strange, — one of the injured men admitted. — Where there was unbearable pain… now it’s just warmth. Like the sun shining under my skin.

Another patient, whom Aya was treating, smiled slightly.

— It’s a pleasant sensation… not sharp, not burning. It feels like… like someone is holding your hand and promising that everything will be alright.

Aya felt warmth spread through her chest. She wasn’t just healing—she was giving people hope.

— You’re doing well, — Leticia’s voice sounded in her head. — Better than I expected.

Aya smiled slightly, continuing her work.

— Thanks. But I’m just getting started.

A few minutes passed, and Aya finished healing the last patient. She exhaled, feeling pleasantly exhausted from the work she had done.

The same nurse who had been watching her approached.

— You did a good job, — she said. — After treatment, they’ll need good rest, but you’ve truly helped many today.

— Thank you, — Aya replied humbly, heading toward the exit.

As she was about to leave, the nurse suddenly tightened her grip on the basket she was holding, her gaze sharpening.

— You… said you possess healing magic? — she asked slowly.

Aya felt her palms grow sweaty.

— Yes.

— Strange… — the nurse frowned slightly. — Healing magic doesn’t usually feel so… soft, like sunlight.

Aya quickly bowed and took a step back.

— Maybe it’s just my unique way of using it, — she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The nurse didn’t respond immediately, but her gaze remained fixed on Aya. Then, after a brief pause, she handed her a basket of fruit.

— One of the patients asked me to give this to you as thanks.

Aya blinked in surprise, then accepted the gift, feeling her heart fill with warmth.

— Thank you, — she said again, bowing before finally stepping out the door.