Aiden woke up by being thrown out of the bed next day. The sun barely set, bathing the town in a dim light.

“Get up boy, time for your training.” Brute stood next to his bed, already fully equipped, and cracked his knuckles.

Seems like I don’t have the right to say I want to sleep some more, Aiden thought, rubbing his eyes awake as he spent the night restless, waiting for his lessons and unable to sleep. He went to the door where Brute stopped him, grabbing his shirt at the neck.

“You want to fight without your armor?”

“It’s just training, and the armor is completely new.”

“So what, don’t want to get it dirty?” Brute sighed. “Listen boy, you need to get used to moving in it. It’s not something that comes from wearing it while walking. Yours may be light armor, but it’ll still hinder movement you think would normally be possible. And you want to notice that while you’re training, fighting an ally, not when a sword seeks to take your life.”

He threw him back at his bed, next to the desk where his armor sat.

“Come outside when you’re ready. And leave that sword here, you’re not ready yet.”

Aiden looked at the armor. It looked brand new, made from dark leather. He took the boots, slipping them on and pulling the strings binding it together tied, then he took the armguards, doing the same all over. He lifted the chest plate. It weighed heavy in his arms and didn’t get any lighter as he slipped it on his body. Finally, he took a helmet, courtesy of Durak as Brute forgot about it completely seeing how he didn’t use one.

On his way outside he met Tia, tasked with waking up the guest that asked for it.

“Look at you Aiden!” She walked over and started circling around him. “You look nothing like that boy I met two days ago, coming inside with torn, muddied clothing, looking like he just lost everything he ever had. Now I would think you’re an upcoming young adventurer, traveling to slay monsters and save damsels in distress!”

Aiden started to smile. He had been unsure if this was the right path for him. Seeing how she praised him made him think that his decision had been right. That feeling was immediately shattered when he reached the courtyard behind the inn.

“Sloppy, you wanna get killed boy?” As Aiden got there Brute grabbed his chest plate, pulling it upwards slightly, entangling his arms and immobilizing them. Then he pushed him.

The next thing Aiden new was that he fell on the floor, unable to keep his balance. He saw a foot crashing down on him, striking his chest and pinning him on the ground, followed by a short but stinging sentence.

“You’re dead.”

Brute lifted his feet, standing beside Aiden. He pulled him up, fast enough to make him dizzy, before grabbing the side of his armor and pulling at a string Aiden overlooked before. The air was pressed out of his lungs when the plate constrained it, making it harder for him to breath.

But Aiden understood why Brute pulled it so tightly, remembering how he just used it against him.

This went on for hours, with Brute showing him how he didn’t pull his armor fast enough, the openings within his defense and deflecting his feeble attempts at a counterattack, while his fists came crashing down on him. And it always ended with the same words, the only words heard in the courtyard this morning.

“You’re dead.”

 

 

As the sun shone brightly at midday they stopped in their training, returning inside the inn. They sat down at a table in the dining area, waiting for Durak and Al.

Tia came over to get their orders, but stood still as she looked at Aiden, shocked at his appearance.

“Aiden, are you okay?”

Aiden looked at her, uncertain what she was going on about. The he looked down at himself, seeing his armor stained with dirt and his body full of bruises.

No wonder she looked at me like this. He concentrated on his magic, letting the flooding warmth take over once again, healing his wound and leaving behind only the dirt on his skin.

“It’s okay.” He told her while smiling.

“It’s not okay!” She shouted, getting the attention of the few early guests. “Definitely not okay! You got to take care of yourself, even if you can heal.”

Attracted by the sound the owner came over. He stroked the back of his daughter, calming her down.

“I’m sorry, dear customers, she’s still young.”

“No, it’s my fault.” Aiden dodged their eyes

The two walked away, leaving Brute and Aiden alone at the table. Brute looked at him, unable to look up and in their eyes.

“Wanted to tough it out kid? Let me tell you something, women never like to see the man they like get hurt.”

“That’s not it.”

“She’s clearly interested.”

“I’m not feeling it.”

“Then you better tell her. Even if we’re gonna leave tomorrow.”

“I’m not feeling the pain anymore.”

“That’s why… Wait, what was that?”

 

 

As they finally all sat together Brute told the other what they had found.

“So, you’re saying us that our regenerating kid over there cannot feel pain anymore?” Durak asked incredulous.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“He definitely broke his ankle the other day.” Brute mused, before he continued. “Then I’d beaten him black and blue in the training earlier. I thought he tried to tough it out, wanting to seem like a strong man.”

Durak groaned loudly. “That’s not something a normal kid does, you know.”

“It’s pretty normal where I come from. Even I did it.”

“He’s not a child from a nomadic warrior tribe living in the desert!”

“Aiden, are you okay?” Al looked at Aiden worriedly, ignoring the argument the other two got into.

He still looked at the table, sitting there silently. She touched his shoulder, waking him up out of his stupor.

“I’m getting like them.” Memories flashed up. How Sam fought against the troll, with it regenerating over and over. “I’m slowly becoming a monster.”

She pulled him into her embrace. She felt him tremble, shaking with fear, as she gently stroked him, softly whispering. “You’re not a monster. Your power to heal is something the stars gave to you. It’s up to you how you want to use it.”

 

 

Evening came and with it another training session with Brute. This time he came onto the boy even harder than before, one time even breaking his arm in between. And like before all that followed were the words ‘You’re dead’. But this time he always followed up with another thing. ‘Heal yourself’.

Soon their fights got longer and longer as Aiden remembered to close his cover, step away after trying to strike or try to suppress his actions with a flurry of strikes. As the sun set Aiden was left panting on the ground, even dirtier than before, but no longer bruised as he already started to heal himself.

As the other three went to eat he excused himself, still feeling unwell. He went to his room and lay down on the bed, letting his consciousness fade. It was dark when he woke up. The fire was there again, following him into his dreams, giving him nightmares. It didn’t try to catch him, burn him, but seemingly just letting him see it, hear the scream of the victim it tormented.

“If I’m not a monster then who is?” He grabbed his head, trying to calm his shaking body. Once again sweat soaked his body, even more than after the training with Brute.

He looked around, seeing Brute on the opposite side of him. “Will I see him die too? Just like Sam. What about Al and Durak?” He stood up, looking out of the window, into the night sky. “Al said that my power is something you gave me. Should I be grateful to be the last one surviving? Not knowing anyone alive?” His lips twisted into a maniacal grin as his eyes turned wet. “I didn’t even get to say farewell. Not to Sam. And not to her.”

Her? Who is she? Black veins started to spread on his neck, unnoticed by the young boy. She’s important, I can’t forget her. Who is she? The veins spread faster and faster, starting to cover his face and upper body. I’ve got to remember. As the veins covered more and more space they got thicker and thicker, soon turning his neck completely dark.

What’s this? The boy started to stagger as the curse fought against him. My visions fading… damn, not now, not when I begin to remember. He fell to the ground, collapsing where he stood. Not this again. He remembered the times he was pushed to the ground the last few days.

First the gangs, then the demon and finally Brute. Their face twisted in a mocking smile inside his mind.

‘You’re dead‘.

“Heal yourself.” He started to have his own smile, mocking all of them. I am a monster. I am the one who survives. He closed his eyes as he let his power take over, healing whatever was damaged now. His consciousness faded, letting the healing warmth take over, as he faded.

 

 

The next time he woke up he lay on the ground. Pure yellow sand filled his sight, disturbed by an occasional wind. He turned around, thinking it was another dream, waiting for the fire to take over, as he felt something soft touching his chin. He looked down, seeing a little sapling.

Ah, it’s you. That means this is the other sphere. He stood up, the desert wind gently brushing past him.

“Did you both make up with each other? That’s good. Hey sapling, you’ve got to grow big, then the wind can take your seeds far away. And wind? Remember that you will have nothing to brush past, nothing to feel, if you fight and destroy everything.”

As if to say that the two understood the wind gently passed the sapling.

“That’s good.” He turned around, walking through the desert. He walked and walked, seemingly endless in the desert, but still followed by the wind and the sapling. Until he stopped, looking up into the sky.

The blue, cloudless sky started to turn black, darkening the land and bringing a biting cold with it. It neared Aiden, freezing the land before him. Inside it, he saw a single spot, like a fairy of fire, radiating, fighting against the cold, but losing, slowly turning weaker.

Aiden began to run towards it, entering the darkness. Frost bit into his body, stiffening his legs, but he still ran, towards the slowly dimming light.

He reached it, holding it softly in his arm as it began to dim. “Seems like we weren’t strong enough.” The light softly flickered. “Then this is the end.”

Darkness encroached them as they sat there, slowly covering them.

“Do you really want to give up brat?”

Huh? He heard something. Silent, like a whisper.

“The brat I knew never stopped.”

“Sam? That can’t be you. You’re…”

“Dead?” A silver figure came out of the darkness. “Yes. He is dead.” It crouched down before Aiden. “But he gave me to you, a powerless, fearsome boy.”

He looked at the silver body. It shared features with Sam, but seemed younger, more energetic.

“Tell me brat, do you want to live?”

A gentle smile crossed his face.

“What do I have to live for? Everyone is gone.”

“What about her? Didn’t she want you to live? Didn’t you want to get revenge?”

The darkness screeched at the words, trying to rush at the silver body, only to stop near it, unable to reach.

The boy instead was still. Her? “You know her?”

“Naturally. I was him, and now I’m you. But without this sickening curse inside my mind.”

“Tell me about her!”

The darkness crashed against them.

“We don’t have the time right now. Now answer my question. Do you want to live?”

The boy looked at him. Shadow started to crawl up his legs, creeping up his body.

Resolve began to find place in his heart. Resolve to once again remember her.

“Yes.”