As Remmus started with the extraction, Agnus convulsed, his back arching off the table despite their grip. The black veins began to pulse faster, the skin around them splitting slightly, weeping that crystalline blood.
"It's fighting the purification," Remmus said through gritted teeth. "The crystal particles are trying to anchor themselves in his tissue."
"Then pull them out!" Martina cried.
"I'm trying! But if I force it too fast, I'll damage his blood vessels." Remmus yelled.
Agnus screamed, a sound that seemed to come from somewhere deep and primal. His eyes rolled back, and foam flecked his lips.
"He's seizing," Emilia said, moving to his side. "You have to stop!"
"If I stop now, he's dead," Remmus shot back. "The particles are already too deeply embedded. This is the only chance."
The purple crystal pulsed brighter. The vial attached to the syringe began to fill with black fluid, the glittering particles suspended in it like stars in a night sky. But finally, the black color of the veins started to fade.
"Almost there," Remmus hissed.
And then finally, blood started to flow red. But Agnus's body was covered in bruises along his veins. It was as if the crystalline in his blood purposely hit every millimeter it moved, fighting to stay inside. Agnus went unconscious again.
"Now it is up to him," Remmus was wiping his sweat. "I'll get some additional equipment to help him recover."
Remmus stepped outside, and through the window, they could see him at the machine he calls an ambulance. It was larger than Haran's motorcycle, an enclosed carriage of metal and glass with no horses to pull it, instead having a tube on top from which smoke went out. The rear doors swung open, and Remmus began pulling out cases and equipment.
When he returned, his arms were laden with devices that made Emilia's collection of herbs and clay jars look primitive by comparison.
"First, we need to replace the blood he's lost," Remmus said, assembling what looked like a more elaborate version of the village's water pump. But where the village tool was simple wood and clay, this was metal and glass tubes, with a mix of pink and white crystal, each the size of a speck, embedded in its center mechanism. "Don't worry. The device just serves to regenerate blood. It also regulates the flow and temperature, preventing air from entering the bloodstream."
He turned to Emilia. "You mentioned you have blood stores?"
"Yes," Emilia said. "Only a few are left, as we used some to clean his blood before. I'll fetch them."
While she left, Remmus set up the second device. It was a cylindrical tank connected to a mask by a flexible tube. A white crystal sat at its base, glowing faintly. "This purifies and concentrates air. His lungs have been severely infected; this will ease his breathing while his body recovers."
He fitted the mask over Agnus's nose and mouth, adjusting straps with practiced movements. The white crystal's glow intensified slightly, and Agnus's breathing, which had been shallow and ragged, began to even out.
Emilia returned with clay vessels sealed with wax. Remmus examined them briefly, then nodded his approval. He connected the first vessel to the blood transfusion device, the crystals beginning to pulse as the mechanism engaged.
"This will take time," he said, inserting a needle into Agnus's arm with the same care he'd shown before. Dark red blood began to circulate through the glass tubes, as crystals glowed to control the flow.
Finally, Remmus pulled out the last tool. It was a staff, no longer than his forearm, with a purple crystal set into its bottom end. Unlike the diagnostic device or the syringe, this crystal was darker, almost violet, and its surface seemed to ripple like water.
"This is the most delicate part," Remmus said. "Purple crystals can manipulate blood, yes, but when calibrated properly, they can also encourage flesh to remember its proper form. The bite wounds need to close from the inside out, or infection will set in."
He positioned the staff's crystal end near the wound on Agnus's side. The crystal began to glow, and something remarkable happened. The ragged edges of torn flesh began to shift, almost imperceptibly at first. Then, slowly, they started to knit together.
It wasn't instant. It wasn't clean. But it was working.
Heron watched, transfixed, as technology and crystal magic performed what no herb or prayer could accomplish alone.
Once everything calmed down, everyone in the room noticed something new: There was an almost pale glow surrounding both Haran and Remmus.
"What is that glow?" Martina asked as she saw Agnus's body also emitting a brief glow.
"Nothing to worry about, it is just crystals interacting with the three of us. These are combinations of tainted crystals, so effects will be felt from them." Remmus explained. "Your husband will also remain unaffected long term."
It was needless to say, but there was a great level of discomfort from Martina, Emilia, and Yuri. As for Heron, he wasn't taught to fear the crystal technology, so instead of being filled with tears, his eyes were filled with curiosity.
Martina just lowered her head. She knew that there would be consequences from not only bringing crystal-aided equipment, but also using it directly on one of the villagers.
Quite a bit of time passed in awkward silence, but finally the glow dispersed.
"Don't know the extent of the internal damages, but he seems stable now. You will need to monitor him, but I think we can return our tools to Jamtara." Remmus said. "But before we leave, did you by chance preserve the body of the serpent?"
"Yes, we pulled in one of the empty stables," Yuri replied.
"Can I trouble you to take us there?" Remmus asked, implying that he and Haran would like to take a look.
It was already dark outside, and as the three men walked towards the stables, they ran into Malcolm.
"So, did you manage to save him?" Malcolm asked.
"The doctor and Haran did all they could to stabilize him. Now it is up to Agnus to fight."
Malcolm took a deep breath. "That is good to hear. Where are you headed?"
"We are going to the stables to inspect the serpent's body. Seems like the bite wasn't normal, so they want to inspect it." Yuri said.
"Then let's not waste time," Malcolm replied.
In the stable, serpent's body lay stretched across the ground, its head severed and placed a few feet away. Remmus approached slowly, using a lantern to highlight the serpent's scales as he moved it from the tail toward the severed end.
Then he stopped. His hand hovered over a section of scales near where the body had been severed.
"Haran," he said quietly. "Come look at this."
Haran moved to his side and crouched down. Remmus used the metal rod to part the scales, and in the lamplight, something became visible, faint lines carved into the flesh beneath. Not random scarring. Deliberate marks.
Runes.
They were small, precise, etched deep enough to have drawn blood when made. The pattern repeated down the serpent's body. The doctor's face had gone very pale.
Neither man spoke for a long moment.
"This needs to be reported," Remmus whispered to Haran. "But needless to say, I was never here."