A Potion for a Paladin (Closed)

[The Preacher]

Despite his best efforts to remain stoic and composed Valino wandered into the medicinal shop looking like a fresh corpse. It was quite fitting given how he felt at the moment though he would likely never see the humor. Luckily he was the only customer at the time so that meant he had the shop keepers undivided attention.

The shop keeper greeted him warmly enough but seemed to become somewhat uneasy when he noticed Valino's clothing. Valino however thought very little of it at the time as his attention was more far focused on trying not to throw up again. In fact was not until the shop keeper called him a paladin that he really payed much attention to what the shopkeeper was saying. But those five words, Paladin of the Ethereal Sway, rang like cannon fire to him and made sick looking young Salvarian tense up.

“Please don't call me that,” said Valino uneasily, “I'm not a paladin anymore. Just a vagrant.”

It was still hard for Valino to admit it but it was true. Four days ago, without a word to anybody else, he had gathered his meager belongings and paid off the captain of the fishing boat to take him away. Another wave of nausea hit him and he instinctively grabbed one of the nearby shelves to steady himself as he fought off the urge to vomit again. The glass jars filled with strange ingredients that lined the shelves rattled slightly as they were inadvertently shaken by his actions but thankfully none fell over. Valino doubted he had enough to fully compensate the shopkeeper should anything have been broken.

“Think I just ate some bad fish,” answered Valino when the shopkeeper asked him what was wrong. It was a fruitless attempt to remain strong and stoic looking.

It was then that the pious young man was given a bottle filled with a blue, minty smelling substance by the shopkeeper along with instructions on what to with it. Valino sniffed it first then shrugged and took a large swig. It didn't taste great but he'd certainly tasted worse. Most of the medicine he'd the church used tasted like unwashed feet. The young man did as he was told, swishing it around his mouth before swallowing it when he was done.

“Sway bless you sir,” said Valino out of habit. No thought was given as to how that particular shopkeeper might react to those words.

It was not until the shopkeeper made the comment about the magic that the paladin turned traveler finally began to put the pieces together. The realization actually saddened him a little though he made sure not to show it. This man was yet another person who'd been hurt by the church. Why else would the mere presence of a possible paladin cause somebody so much unease? Until now Valino thought the effects of the corruption were only felt in his homeland but here he was, separated from those Salvar by countless miles of land and ocean, and still he had managed to run into one of its signs.

“The Sway never said using magic was forbidden, only that it was not to be used selfishly. Making medicine is hardly selfish,” said Valino. He doubted anything he had to say would put the shopkeeper at ease but he felt as though he had to say something.

Now that he had been made self conscious of the fact that his mere presence was causing the shopkeeper some distress, Valino felt uncomfortable. This man was a stranger to him and as such Valino never meant him any sort of harm. He decided it was best if he ended the transaction and went on his way, lest he do any more harm. Slowly Valino reached into his cloak and pulled out his coin pouch.

“How much do I owe you?” he asked.