The caravan rolled on.
The road narrowed into a stretch of forest, the trees looming high above. Birds went quiet. The air grew tense.
Narsh muttered, "Something feels off…"
Malrik's eyes narrowed. "Stay alert."
I was busy doing squats with a donkey on my shoulders.
"What? It's fine! Forests are just nature's gyms!"
That's when the arrow flew.
Thwip—THUNK!
It buried itself into the wagon's side.
Bandits burst from the trees, blades flashing, faces masked.
"Alright, hand over your goods and no one gets hurt!"
The merchants screamed.
Narsh swore. "Sh*t."
Malrik raised his staff. "Bandits."
I dropped the donkey, flexed my arms, and grinned.
"…Finally. A warm-up."
---
The bandits charged.
One swung a sword at me. I caught the blade in my bare hand.
"Nice stick. Too bad it's not dumbbells."
CRACK!
I snapped the sword like a twig and uppercut the guy into a tree.
Narsh grabbed a frying pan from the wagon and bashed two bandits flat.
"F*cking amateurs! I've beaten scarier chickens!"
Malrik muttered prayers, summoning a shield of light to block incoming arrows.
The merchants stared in awe.
"Who ARE these people?!"
---
But then—things turned ugly.
One bandit leader, bigger than the rest, pulled out a crossbow.
He fired—
And a merchant took the bolt straight in the chest.
The man collapsed, blood pouring, his wife screaming.
"NOOO!"
The world froze.
I felt that pulse again. That warmth deep in my chest.
My hands trembled.
I'd done this before.
I could do it again.
But Malrik's voice cut through the chaos.
"Ark—STOP."
---
Everyone stared.
"What do you mean, stop?!" Narsh barked.
"He's dying!"
Malrik's face was pale, but his eyes were iron.
"Boy, do not use that power again. You don't understand what it costs."
I looked at the bleeding man. His wife sobbed, clutching his body.
Then I looked at my hands.
I didn't care about the cost. Not when someone's life was slipping away right in front of me.
---
I pressed my palms onto the man's chest.
Ba-dump.
Warmth flowed.
Light glowed.
The arrow wound sealed. His breathing steadied. His eyes flickered open.
"I… I'm alive…?"
His wife wailed with joy.
The merchants cheered.
The bandits screamed in panic and fled into the trees.
And me?
I sat there, shaking, my breath ragged.
Because this time… reviving him hurt.
Like something inside me was burning away.
---
Narsh knelt beside me.
"Ark… are you okay?"
I forced a grin.
"Yeah. Just… sore. Guess my muscles aren't the only things getting a workout."
But Malrik's face was grim.
His voice, low and heavy, cut through the cheers.
"Fool. Every time you call back the dead… you gamble with something far greater than you know."
I swallowed. For once, I had no comeback.
---
[Author's Note: Uh-oh. Looks like the revival power isn't free after all.]