Zander refused to touch the knocker, instead he removed his staff from his back and rapped quickly on the door. He had a bad feeling about this supposed meeting with the Mayor. It could only mean the Church was there already, or he was going to be asked to leave. Best case scenario would be healing for the acting mayor, worst case scenario... would be running back to the Inn, grabbing his stuff and leaving no trace behind.
"Good day," a monotone voice called from the doorway. "How may I assist you?"
"The mayor sent a runner for me," Zander replied bored already. Did everyone in larger towns use Machina? It was unnerving. "I, however, refuse to give my name."
The male Machina seemed to think this over, if it was possible for them to give off a natural reaction. Where any other creature would have nodded and given a small smile the Machina simply moved to the side and bowed slightly. Entry, it would appear, was given. Zander had to control himself from rolling his eyes.
Zander scowled at the interior of the house, it was an overabundance of extravagance and it seriously made his eyes hurt. The tone of the house was meant to be warm and soothing, what it gave off was cold and distant. This wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last Mayor's House he was invited to. One had offered to pay Zander, another had threatened his life and the two before this had known his name and his last name. He hadn't stayed long in those last two, it would only cause pain and intensive healing afterwards. Shaking his head to banish the stray thoughts, he was left in front of a desk within a lobby like room. He had been spacing out, and the female Mura seemed to have realized this as she let out a slight tither.
"You must be the healer," her voice was filled with mirth from seeing the younger Muran lost in thought. "If you could kindly give me a name to announce you to--"
"As I told this... Machina," Zander let sarcasm slip into his voice. He didn't like acting the spoiled boy, but sometimes it helped with these type of people. "I shan't give a name. I have met with enough opposition in my travels to know a name, has power!"
The female Mura's face blanked into polite, yet uncaring, as she replied, "Sir Healer a name is usually given when one of your standing enters a house of structure. Not only that, but I'm sure you were taught better manners."
Zander blushed, he was taking his temper out on someone who was use to being talked down to and quick with returning the scorn thrown her way. Before he could reply, she used her tongue to once more whittle into Zander's temper.
"Also, it is seen as disrespectful to the servants not only by talking over them but also by not realizing how the big world works." She winked to take off some of the sting. Zander took a deep breath, bowed respectfully to the Machina that had shown him in and turned to the secretary and did the same.
"My apologies," Zander's voice was slightly shaky. "I have been healing most of the morning, manners are not always at the forefront of my mind. I am Alezander Starsion, wandering healer. I would kindly ask what the Mayor has need of one such as me? My skills are not high nor am I a Magi."
"Perhaps not," this voice was male and not lacking emotional touch. "I do not like to be kept waiting, I am a busy man. Alezander, please see yourself in. My dear secretary please finish your work before you scold others."
Zander already did not like the man's tone of voice, he spoke down to this woman like she was nothing, and probably bit her sharp tongue to keep herself from losing her job. She nodded ruffly though, stood from her seat and removed the door form the Mayor's own hand, "In you go, Healer Starsion."
----
Zander refused to sit, it wasn't proper nor was he offered said seat. He would remember this small slight if ever the man needed healing. Speaking of healing, Zander's eyes went from the man's chubby fingers to his large waste to the liver spots on his arms. He draped himself in fine silks, and had a slight smell of decay to him.
Stop! Focus on the now, Zander scolded himself and stood at attention with a slight bored expression on his face. You can think of other ways to force healing on him, or you can ignore him and save your power for someone more worthy like Olga.
"It has been brought to my attention," the Mura's voice was strained in a way to keep his disgust in check. "That a Magi of some power has been healing the townsfolk. Seeing a mere boy; however, makes me question the validity of such statements." Reaching into his desk he pulled out torn pieces of parchment. Zander's eyes widened. His Seals! "These were found on a few wells, townsfolk said an outsider had stated something was coming in from the river into the wells and poisoning them. You are no trained member of the Church. They would not work in secret. I have no need for that sort of attention to this small piece of land."
Here the mayor's eyes turned almost cold and Zander had to keep himself from scowling back, "You enter my town unannounced. Saying you are no Magi, and yet you perform the miracles of one. That and your last name, oh how it rings a bell but I cannot place it. You are a no one, therefore, if you continue to do as you have... The Church no doubt will send out forces to see how such things are happening. Do you understand, boy?"
Zander nodded, but noticed something. The mayor had never really looked fully at him, a small pile of parchment had quickly scrawled words, a few which from where Zander stood, were the same words coming from the mayor's mouth. He was not intelligent himself, but had the idea of using a network. Who had he healed that ran to the mayor!?
"I am no Magi," Zander replied smoothly as his eyes scanned more area's of the desk. If the mayor saw him as a boy, he would play that to his advantage. "If you would like, those pieces of parchment are powered by a blend of ink and ground crystal catalysts to power them. If I were a Magi would I need to carry such tools?"
Before the man could reply the doors were thrust open as female Dimuran walked briskly into the room, "You are the mayor I assume?" she asked, walking over to the younger boy and looking at him sternly, "I demand we speak this instant, I won't be kept waiting!"
Zander stood there stunned, he could if he strained his ears, hear the secretary chuckling near the doorway where once her brow was furrowing it now had laugh lines. Did this Dimuran think HE was the mayor!? Part of him couldn't help but want to chuckle. To totally break the character he had set up for himself and laugh hysterically. He could play this one of two ways, or he could throw her to this ingrate of a mayor. Seeing said mayor look close to turning pruce, he decided to take a different route altogether.
"I beg pardon madam," Zander laid it on thick. Taking Nymira's hand gently, and kissing the back of it. "I am but in the middle of showing this man his need for healing, else he will realize how easily death and mayhem follows in the wake of inaction."
Standing up straight from hovering over the hand he had stolen, he turned to the actual mayor with a feral grin, "Wasn't that right sir? Or shall I have to ask my secretary to grab my staff from the entryway and use true healing force?"
He was bluffing, oh was he bluffing. Most Mundane, as Zander secretly called all those who used crystals as a catalyst for magic, didn't know the true extent of his seals. No he could not attack with true force, he could; however, undo healing magicks that were laid upon people.
'One must simply use the Seals in the reverse order,' he could hear his mother telling his father. 'Tis easy dear. It does no more, go against our Saint, then picking up a javelin and skewering a lowly urchin on the street.'
Zander shook his head to clear his thoughts again. The mayor's eyes were fully wide in panic now, and Zander wanted to kick himself. He had played it too thickly it would seem for the over-weight cushion killer. Pulling forth one of his Seal Papers from his side pouch, he flung it with little force at the actual Mayor inducing his brain to send out Delta Waves, as a medical book once taught him.
"Sorry for the inconvenience," Zander bowed to the secretary. "As his healer, I cannot speak for him. I can; however, listen to anything you might need? Madam Secretary, if you would be so kind?"
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