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JUAN FRANCISCO BLANCO
shaman’s face and body grew younger looking, changing right
before their eyes. Stout muscles appeared where withered limbs
once were. He grew taller, as his bent old spine straightened,
and it was as in his youth. His flabby potbellied stomach
vanished completely. Bardala lowered him gently back to the
ground and said, “Now go among your people and tell them I
cannot heal. Tell them I am a wicked person, and that I am a
witch, and see who will believe you. Go look at your reflection
down at the river, and see my work.”
The crowd moved back as the much younger looking Vogél
stood tall, and without pain for the first time in tuns. “My hands
are straight!” Vogél yelled at the crowd, “I can move them
without them hurting me. They hurt every kin before. I
feel...much stronger. I feel...different.” so said a stunned Vogél.
He abjectly knelt before his Queen, and said in a humbled tone,
“My Queen, I...I was wrong! These outsiders must be good...are
they Gods? All I know is this woman has healed me, in spite of all
I had said of her. We truly have great need of her to heal all
those who have been v