Offered to the Triplet Alphas

[Xanthea]

As soon as the door of the elevator opened, a whole nother world of healers opened up to me, bustling with activities and filled with a diverse assembly of students, staff, and uniqueness of the Infernal pack. "Where the hell did you teleport the patient, Karima!?" I almost bumped into a man who rushed into the elevator.

A student followed him closely, sobbing continuously.

"I don't know, professor... he wanted to go to the mountains," she said, weeping loudly. "I was thinking of the rainforest and then I was in the desert." Weep. "A mountain in the rainforest amidst a desert..." Karima hiccoughed, panicking and shaking badly.

"Calm down Karima!" The professor snapped, which made her jump as the elevator door closed on them. "Gather yourself-"

My eyes and mouth were wide open as I stared at my reflection in the closed door of the elevator.

"Such accidents are common here, meow!" Zosha brought me back to reality. "In cases like these, they never find the patient."

"They don't? W-what happens to the patient then?" I asked, shocked.

"Oh! I don't know," Zosha shrugged, as if it was normal here. "They either get hunted and eaten by the wildlife or die because of their disease trying to find their way out of the foreign place. Few do find their way back home, but they are too traumatized to report back to the hospital."

"And what happens to the student who caused this mishap?"

"They learn the biggest lesson of their life as a healer."

"And what's that? Don't listen to everything your patient says."

"They... aren't expelled?" I asked.

"Nope."

I nodded, trying to absorb the absurdity.

This university mesmerized and scared me at the same time by the diversity that filled every corner of the Healing department.

The schedule for the classes, experiments, and various other events flashed on the large digital bulletin board in glowing words and pictures on a black background.

Students checked the board before hurrying to their lectures.

As far as my eyes could see, the walls were covered with announcements, event flyers, and research and internship opportunities. Bulletin boards provided a glimpse into the various extracurricular activities and volunteering works for extra credits.

As I walked ahead, I came across life-size anatomical models and displays placed at intervals. I gasped at the grand dragon's full body skeletal model, which was ceiling-high.

"It's real, meow," Zosha said. "There is a first year ritual where the first-year students try to steal a bone from this dragon's skeleton. Dragons, from their blood to bones, have outstanding healing properties. They are known as the healer of all healers. But even after their death, it's almost impossible to steal their healing abilities without their permission. So no one has ever been able to steal even a small bone from this dragon's frame." "Woah... that's... woah..." I mumbled, failing to believe my own eyes.

My heart was pounding again and as the healing department unfurled itself even more, the pounding just got wilder.

As I moved ahead, I came across another model showing the anatomy of werewolves in their human forms in one half, while the other half showed the anatomy of wolves as an analogy. There were several other intricately detailed models of demons, ancient lycans, werecats, shapeshifters, and a lot of other creatures.

There were skeletal models, muscular models, nervous models, and vascular models. My head was spinning, taking so much in at the same time. The ambiance of this place had completely blown me away. Oh, my goddess!

Walls were adorned with medical illustrations, diagrams, and abstract art related to healthcare.

From medical students dressed in black medical coats to nursing students dressed in scrubs, to pharmacy students wearing lab coats and lab goggles, they owned the hallways and foyer.

The foyer of the department was filled with a vivid arrangement of sofas around the dragon's giant model. It was more like a sitting and discussion room where students studied in groups.

I walked a little further from the foyer to come across glass doors revealing simulation labs where students practiced clinical skills but not on mannequins, but alive subjects.

A heavy horrifying feeling soon replaced the excitement in my veins. I knit my brows, trying hard to not look into the labs.

"Don't worry, they are trained as subjects. They have a high tolerance to physical pain and they are licensed subjects. They earn a living by allowing the healing students to experiment on their bodies. Their bodies have higher healing powers than the rest of us. So, even if a student makes a mistake, they heal within an hour, meow," Zosha said.

"But still, those are healthy people..." I whispered, too scared to lift my gaze at those labs again. "Practicing on them? Does it not raise ethical issues..."

Zosha didn't reply, but examined me intently. Several students passed by us, too busy in their own world to notice anyone else. Out of them, a student with dark red skin and a pointed tail and horns caught my attention. "Poverty is a much greater issue than ethics," Zosha said in a grim tone.

Hearing such words from a twelve-year-old was more painful than watching students practicing on live subjects.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

The glass labs transitioned into lecture rooms filled with students. There were lectures in progress in all those rooms.

Zosha ran to a lecture room's back door and peeped inside. I peeped inside through the ajar door.

Following Zosha's gaze, I spotted Kieth, who was attending the lecture. He might have teleported here.

Zosha wilted, her eyes welling up. She was about to close the door when...

"Hisss! Don't clossseee the door, Zzzosshaaa..."

I jumped out of the way as a python slithered into the lecture room towards the last seat. A yellow canary was perched on its spine. Its bifurcated tongue flicked in the air. Her head turned around, looking at Zosha. "Thanksss..."

It said before slithering on to an empty seat and after a few seconds, the python on the seat had shifted into a girl with glowing scaly skin like snakes that had faded away soon.

The canary twittered, perching itself on the girl's shoulder.

Zosha closed the door, glancing at Kieth with sad eyes. She lifted her head and looked at my face, pale with astonishment.

00000

"What? Never seen a shape-shifting serpent before?" Zosha looked at me with her doe eyes.

I shook my head, staring at the serpent girl.

"That's Vish. Her healing partner is the canary. I wish I was her healing partner," Zosha pouted. "Vish just looks scary, but is the most well mannered and a kind-hearted lady. Although she's mostly late and has a frightening serpent accent. The first time I met her, I thought she would swallow me whole. Although she is always late for the lectures, she is the best in this batch. Far better than that Kieth of a shit!"

I looked at Vish and her canary. Zosha shut the door and the professor's voice drowned in complete silence.

"All the lecture rooms are soundproof and a mix of technology and traditional methods of teaching. I attended a few lectures in the beginning and they were so awesome!"

"You can't attend them now?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"Although it's compulsory to bring healing partners for students enrolled in a fast course, Kieth never took me to any other lecture after those first few... meow..." she said in a deflated tone.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Zosha overheals, meow," she said.

"Overhealing?"

She nodded, tears brimmed in her eyes again, streaming down her freckles cheeks as she sniffled. So, I tried to change the subject for the time being.

"What is a fast course?" I asked.

Zosha wiped her nose on the cuff of her black shirt dress.

"You really know nothing about this place?" she sniffled. "Do you?"

I chuckled nervously. "That is why I need you."

"Well... the Healing course in Helxton is a six years course if you enroll alone. But if you enroll here with a healing partner like me, the course is shortened. The course period then depends on how fast you can, with the help of your healing partner, complete it. After the graduation, the healer and healing partner can either stay together or practice healing separately. Only rich people can afford the fast course and get their Healer's license quickly." "Oh... that's... new..."

"Yeah, but that Kieth of a shit is an ungrateful brat! Meow! Meow!" Zosha hissed, stamping her feet angrily on the floor as rage flashed in her eyes with tears again.

"By the way, where are we going?" I asked. The busy corridors became more and more isolated as we moved ahead, turn after turn.

"To the one who can heal your bruise, meow," she said. Lifting her hand, she held my finger with her tiny fingers. "We are almost there. Let's go."

She broke into a sprint. Stumbling initially, I ran to keep up with her.

Panting, we stopped outside an ancient double door.

00000

"Azum!" Zosha knocked on the door. "Azum! Are you in there?"

The door opened on its own, and Zosha smiled brightly. Her mood seemed to have lifted in an instant.

She ran into the light that broke out of the crack of the door as it opened up fully.

I stepped into a small library and as soon as I did; it felt as though... I was dreaming. My breaths merged effortlessly with my heartbeats into a pounding rhythm as I allowed myself to immerse myself into this... dream. Being here felt similar to how I felt when I visited Raven's palace. Every inch of air was healing wounds I didn't know I had. Liberating my chest off the heaviness, I didn't know I was carrying.

The library was a perfect mess of bookshelves, framed with leaves and flowers of the creepers that had intricately woven themselves into the space. The place was like a mystical painting painted with vivid colors of herbs and flowers and plants, and healthy moss covered every inch of the dark marble flooring.

Shutting my eyes, I drew in a deep breath. The suffused scent of old books, night flowers with a subtle hint of the scent of leaves and chlorophyll and medicinal herbs and plants.

It felt subtly divine to be there.

Zosha had disappeared in that place. I couldn't blame her. For a few minutes, this library had extracted all my thoughts right off my mind as well.

Lightly brushing the tip of my fingers against the books, I sauntered on the path Zosha had taken.

Beyond the bookshelves was an array of gothic arched windows. Cool twilight filtered through the stained glasses of the windows.

On one of those windowsills, sat a boy with one leg on the sill, curled close to his chest while he swung his other leg leisurely. His shoes gently brushed against the grass as the soft moonlight traced his silhouette. The soft glow on his face highlighted his sharp jawline, his perfect facial features, adding an otherworldly shine to his hazel eyes that were hidden behind his long, dark fringes and his circular glasses.

His eyes were fixed on a book in his hand as his overcoat fluttered close to the grass, following the tease of his swinging leg.

"Azum! Meeeeoooowwww~" Zosha jumped on his swinging leg as though it was a swing in some playground.

A smile bloomed on his handsome face. Keeping his eyes fixed on the book, he swung his legs faster, and the silent library was filled with Zosha's giggles.

I smiled at their interaction.

"It's your lecture time, isn't it? What are you doing here?" His voice had a velvety caress, soothing to ears. A blend of warmth and depth.

"I brought an injured. Heal her like you heal me..." Zosha said, enjoying her swing.

"Who is it-"

His eyes casually skimmed over me, but as soon as our gazes locked, he froze in his place. The book slipped from his grasp. Zosha swiftly caught the book, looking at him and then at me.

Tension furrowed his brows. His eyes widened slightly as he studied me. He ceased swinging his leg and gracefully descended from the windowsill, his unwavering gaze still fixated upon me. In the golden glow of the room, his face became clearer as he trudged closer to me.