Option 2

by James Fire

Children Playing, Please Slow Down

The nurse was right, the children do love me. Especially the female ones. You see, at the Royal Hospital, there are doctors specializing in each of the separate biochemistry types, with information on hand about what drugs do what to each variation of the immune system. Anyone can be successfully treated here, provided, of course, nothing goes wrong. So, it naturally follows that the children's ward is full of children from many different species.

Right there is a Krinsethi. And over there is a Qanulin. Hailing from the tundra world of Gatorra, Qanulin are very resistant to cold and freezing, but are susceptible to heat. They are not very talented in any sort of magic, but their grasp of engineering is second to none. They are very sensitive to pressure and movement, able make an educated guess about how much weight a support is holding. Due to their touch receptors being much more sensitive, they are also quite easily crippled by pain. Some of them are able to work around this and develop a much higher pain tolerance than others of their species.

Physically, they are very thin-limbed insects, relying on tools and machines to alleviate the burden of physical labor from them. Due to low gravity on Gatorra, their muscles are quite weak for their volume, and the limited amount of muscle they can fit further reduces their strength.

Most of the rest are humans, or other species which I have either not yet met and documented, or others that I cannot remember the name of.

Spending the afternoon with the children was wonderful. The Hospital gave me permission to do with them whatever I could. So I took them all to a playground that was nearby. I cast a spell on each and every one of them to not only track them, but to replace the medical equipment that they had been hooked up to. Some of them had an IV out of necessity.

This gave me time to think. I would have to tell Twilight everything eventually, and it would be better for her that it is sooner. Plus, I think she may have developed feelings for me. While I am not cold-hearted, I don't think I feel the same way about her. I do not know her sufficiently. While I did say that I would teach her my magic, I have yet to do so. I don't think she would mind staying here for that, and it would make it much easier to do so, what with all the other mages around, as well as my personal workroom here. The protections and shields are much stronger on it than the one in Equestria.

All the people that are walking by glance at me, then continue on with what they were doing. Seeing other species is not something new for them, and they know not to pry, just in case they offend someone.

Watching these innocent souls at play is very relaxing. The cat look a likes pawing and wrestling, the reptiles competing to see who has the strongest jaws, and, of course, the birds seeing who can fly the longest.

One of the children that I brought here comes running, "Mister Mana, sir? Could you push some of us on the swings?"

"Of course, my child. I will be right over." Pushing three of them on the swing set, I continue thinking. Was the decision I made to close the portal the right one? I could have stabbed myself instead, but I was not certain there would be enough time. Those demons and Devils were piling through the portal. I believe that it could have gone better, but should I have sacrificed myself instead? Doing so would, of course, have meant that I would not have survived, but it would have saved Twilight the grief of knowing death. I know it all too well. One more wouldn't make much difference.

But then there is also the fact that I might not have been able to keep my promise to Twilight. I could bear the pain of another death, but not keeping a promise? I would prefer to not do that. But then again, the spell I would have had to cast on myself takes much longer than the two I cast on Twilight, so I may never know which would be the better option.

With their pent up energy all gone, the Hospital kids all say they are ready to go back. I summon a cart, and they all pile in, then I trot back to the Hospital.

Author's Note:

Do you think Aurthur made the right choice?

Comments

[Boulder]

The cat look a likes pawing and wrestling,

look-a-likes
If time is a concern, then I'd say he did.
(by the way should add sequel link to prequel title page.)

[James Fire]

8195331
The problem he is wrestling with is that he doesn't like to kill others without good reason. And, unfortunately, being the only source of some necessary mana doesn't make that list. He would have much preferred to kill himself, but that might not have been the best option. Yeah, you were right before, he is feeling a little guilty, and is trying to soothe his conscience by telling it that what was done was necessary.