When Eremis thanked him so well for the healing supplies Quinn gave him a very warm smile. “My gift to you for saving Alexander’s life, Eremis. And besides healers can always use healing supplies.” He watched quietly while Eremis put the packet in his knapsack then lay down to get as good a night sleep as possible.
By the time the pain subsided and Alex was drifting off to sleep he knew what he would present to Eremis the next morning by way of thanking him. And he knew what he wanted to give to Jeremy as well. He slept very well for the rest of the night and woke when he heard faint voices in the other room and Quinn stirring near him. He looked around but didn’t see Eremis.
“Quinn will you get the healing book out of my pack please.”
Quinn gave him a quizzical look. “The Healing Book?” Alex shifted slightly and emitted a soft moan then nodded. “Ohh. You’re going to lend it to Eremis right?”
“Yes. I think he needs it.” replied Alex. “And I may need your help...with what I’ve in mind as a gift for Jeremy, my archery student.”
Quinn gave him a startled look. “You were teaching someone archery?”
“Yes. I have two gifts in mind for Jeremy. One as my student...and one as my friend. I’ll need your help with both...and father’s, maybe a few others... help with one.”
Quinn’s brows rose at that statement and he was about to ask what Alex had in mind for his second gift to this Jeremy person when Eremis entered the room with their meager breakfast. Quin nodded his understanding. “It’s ok, Eremis, we understand.”
Both ate while Eremis checked Alex’s wounds and applied fresh bandages where necessary. Alex flinched a few times and emitted a few soft moans but otherwise remained as quiet and still as possible during his administrations. When he was done Eremis looked at Quinn. "It's alright to move him by means of a teleport spell now. As soon as you get him home, have someone contact the local healer to aid in his recovery."
“Oh I will, Eremis, as will his father. I can assure you that he will be very well taken care of.”
Both watched as Eremis added some crushed herbs to cup of tea and Alex was grateful for his helping him to drink it.
"You take care of yourself. Don't try to do too much too soon, okay? It was nice having you as part of the group, Alex. We'll miss having you around. I hope we can all get together again for dinner or something sometime in the future."
“Dinner or something else...done together...would be wonderful, Eremis, I’d like that. But even though you’ve said...it’s ok for Quinn to teleport me home now...I think I’d better rest...for at least part of this day...before he does so. Besides, I’ve somthing...I wish to discuss...with Jeremy and perhaps...give him before we leave. However...I’d like to rest...in a cleaner place...until we’re ready to leave.”
Alexander glanced at Quinn. “May I have the book please Quinn.” Quinn set the book he’d gotten out of Alex’s pack on his lap. Alex looked at it for a moment placed his hand on it then looked at Eremis. “This is a very special book, Eremis. It contains a great deal of healing information that has been gathered and recorded in it over many many years. You can read and study it like a normal printed book or...” And here Alex paused and exchanged a look with Quinn then looked back at Eremis. “You can call upon the various magical spells which have been placed upon it. For you see this is also a special magical book. The spells which have been placed on this book are unique and varied. For instance, if you wanted to see what a passage in the book was talking about or attempting to explain all you need do is say “Show me ”and a spell will be activated that will show you or let you see in better detail what you want to study more closely. Or if you wanted to look at a picture in the book more closely you can say. “Show me.”and a spell will make the picture larger and much more detailed. If the book is not exactly sure what you want it will ask for clarification and you can tell it what you want and the spells it contains will adjust and do what you want.”
Alex paused to catch his breathe then continued. “Eremis, I’m going to lend this magical healing book to you. There are protective spells on it as well which will keep it safe. You can keep it for as long as you need it. If there comes a time when you feel you don’t need it any longer all you need do is hold it, look at it and say “Go Home” and it will do so. Or if the book senses that you don’t need it any longer it will return to it’s home of it’s own accord.”
Alex lifted the book and placed it Eremis’ hands then looked directly at it. “Book, I’m giving you to Eremis. You are to help him now until such a time as he tells you to go home or you feel he doesn’t need your help any longer.” The book glowed for a moment then Alex looked up at Eremis. “There, Eremis, you are the only one who can handle and use this book now.” Alex smiled at him and lowered his hands back to his lap. “If Jeremy’s here could you please send him to me.”
He leaned a bit deeper into the pillows watching as Eremis left the room to return shortly with Jeremy. Alex gave Jeremy a warm smile and beckoned him closer. “Jeremy before Quinn takes me home I wish to present you with the offer of two gifts. One as my student and one as my friend.”
He shifted a little emitting a soft moan, then drew in several deep breathes exhaling slowly. Finally he looked at Jeremy again but a bit more intently this time. “Jeremy, with magic and Quinn’s help, I can give you what knowledge I have of archery. I would work things so that my knowledge would be revealed to you as you need it to learn archery. If I were to place my knowledge in your head all at once and without any restrictions it would only confuse and frustrate you. The way I have in mind would enable you to learn archery without me actually being here to teach you. But I would make it so your learning it would only come about with how much you practiced. If you practiced it on a regular basis you’d learn it faster. If you only practiced when you felt like it you would learn archery much slower and would not retain what you were learning as well.”
Alex paused to rest for a few moments pain visible on his face and in his eyes. He silently regarded Jeremy while he rested debating once more about the second gift he wished to offer him wondering how he would take it and if he would accept it or decline. He was almost afraid to offer it to him for if Jeremy accepted the gift it would mean there would be very little if any chance at all of seeing him again. A sad expression crossed Alex’s face for he found he liked Jeremy.
“Jeremy, the second gift... I wish to offer you...the one for being a friend to me...is to provide a way...for you to return to your own world. My father...with the help of a few others and you...could open a portal to your world. If you want to return...to your own world badly enough and I explain..I do believe everyone I need to help...would be willing to open the portal...so you can go home.”
Alex paused again sighing softly and wincing in pain realizing he’s exerted himself a bit too much but needed to finish speaking to Jeremy. Alex leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment then opened them and looked at Jeremy. “Jeremy, both of the gifts I wish to give you...are not to be taken lightly...or decided upon quickly. I want you to give both...serious thought and consideration and am going...to give you time to do so...before I have Quinn teleport me home. I would suggest you take part...if not all...of this day...to consider things. If you decide...you do not want to return to your home world...but you do want me...to give you my knowledge of archer...I will do so before I leave. But if you decide you want to accept...both of my gifts then you will need...to come home with us. If you have any questions...I will try to answer them...before I have Quinn teleport me to the Inn.”
