The room stayed quiet for a long moment after Aren's vow.
Too quiet.
Five commanders, one kitchen head, and a newly awakened healer all stood in a circle, staring at each other as if none of them entirely understood what had just happened.
Elena felt heat still radiating from her palm, the faint echo of green light fading into nothing.
Her heart thumped unevenly, her Core pulsing weakly—like a candle struggling against wind.
Lucy stepped forward first, voice cracking.
"Elena… did you really… heal him?"
Elena swallowed.
"I… I think so?"
Marge moved next, her fire aura flickering uncertainly.
"You didn't think. You did. And I've never seen something like that in my entire life."
Martin leaned in, squinting slightly.
"Commander's wounds heal fast, yes. But that was a level-two elemental backlash. Even he would've needed days."
Homer raised a calm hand.
"Let's test something."
Elena blinked. "T-test?"
Homer nodded. "Each of us has injuries. Scars. Energy strain. Things that take days to mend. Let her try."
Aren stiffened instantly.
"No."
His voice sliced through the room like a blade.
Everyone froze.
Aren stepped in front of Elena slightly, like a shield.
"She is exhausted. She doesn't understand her limits. She isn't—"
Elena tugged lightly at Aren's arm.
"Aren."
He looked at her, storm-grey eyes full of concern.
"I'm fine," Elena whispered.
"You're drained."
"I can try one more. Just one."
His jaw clenched.
He hated it.
Every fiber of him wanted to refuse.
But he also knew—
he could not cage her power.
Not when the entire Valley might someday rely on her.
He stepped aside—
but only barely, still close enough to grab her if she so much as swayed.
Homer came forward first.
---
THE TEST BEGINS
He extended his forearm, revealing a deep scar running from elbow to wrist. A long white slash—old, jagged, stubborn. The kind that took ten days to regenerate with their natural energies.
"It was from a water-beast during a rescue mission," Homer said gently. "It never healed clean."
Elena nodded once, focusing despite her trembling nerves.
She placed her hand on the old scar.
Green light blossomed instantly.
Soft.
Warm.
Alive.
Comforting.
Homer inhaled sharply.
The brightness seeped through the scar, dissolving it like morning sun melting frost.
In seconds—
The scar was gone.
Smooth skin.
Unbroken.
Perfect.
Homer lifted his arm slowly, stunned.
"By the Great Wall…" he whispered. "This… this shouldn't be possible."
Lucy gasped loudly.
"Elena—heal me next!"
Aren bristled. "Lucy."
"Aren," she scolded, "you cannot stop me. I haven't had a clean skin day in three years!"
Before Aren could argue, Lucy held her hand out—
palm up—
revealing frost-burn scars running along her wrist and fingers.
Elena hesitated.
"Are you sure…?"
"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed. "Please!"
Elena took her hand.
Green light swept across Lucy's fingers—
healing frost burns, smoothing lines, tightening skin—
until her hands looked years younger.
Lucy's eyes filled with tears.
"I haven't been this… whole… since I was a child."
Marge stepped forward next, fierce but trembling slightly.
"Elena…" She turned her back to reveal burn scars from the base of her neck downward. "My flames—hurt me more than monsters sometimes."
Elena inhaled sharply.
She lifted her hand—
Soft green light flowed like water—
melting away burn scars—
cooling fire damage—
leaving perfect, untouched skin behind.
Marge covered her mouth, tears falling silently.
Martin stepped forward, rolling up his sleeve.
"Elena, please. Mine is small. Just an old shock scar."
Elena nodded and touched the dark scorch mark.
Green light.
A quick pulse.
And the scar vanished.
Luther approached last of the warriors.
He didn't speak.
He simply held out a palm scarred by lightning overload.
Elena placed her hand over his.
Green light shimmered—
then the jagged lightning scar faded until his hand looked entirely new.
Luther flexed his fingers, speechless.
Then Clara—sweet, frightened Clara—stepped forward.
"Elena… can you… try mine too?"
She revealed a shallow cut she received while cooking earlier.
Elena nodded with a small smile and pressed her fingers gently to Clara's skin.
A tiny spark of green.
The cut disappeared.
Clara squealed quietly.
"It's magic! Elena, you're magic!"
Elena's laugh wavered—relief mixed with exhaustion.
Then—
DING!
Her whole body jolted.
> [Healing Complete.]
[Points gained: 970.]
[Warning: Energy levels critically low.]
[Host fatigue increasing.]
Elena swayed.
Her vision blurred.
The room tilted.
Aren moved faster than lightning.
"Elena!"
He caught her before she hit the ground, strong arms wrapping around her.
She blinked tiredly up at him.
"Aren… I feel… really sleepy…"
"Of course you do," Aren murmured, voice thick with worry. "You spent too much energy. Too fast."
Her eyelids fluttered as he lifted her against his chest.
"Everyone… healed…" she whispered weakly.
Aren held her closer.
"Yes," he whispered, brushing her hair back. "You healed all of them."
Elena smiled faintly.
"That's good… right?"
Aren's heart ached.
"It's extraordinary," he said softly.
Her head fell against his shoulder.
Her breathing slowed.
Her Core dimmed gently.
She was asleep.
Dead asleep.
Aren turned toward his commanders, voice low, dangerous, and filled with possessive protectiveness.
"No one," he said, "pushes her like this again."
The five warriors and Clara nodded solemnly.
Aren carried Elena toward their chamber, holding her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
Because she was.
And as he reached the door, he whispered against her hair—
"Sleep, little healer.
When you wake…
you'll change this world."