A cold breeze swept over me as my eyes fluttered open. The scent of damp earth and decayed leaves filled my lungs, sending a shiver down my spine.
I pushed myself up, my hands sinking slightly into the soft, dark soil beneath me. Towering, twisted trees surrounded me, their skeletal branches reaching toward a sky devoid of stars. This was not Murstain. This was somewhere else—somewhere wrong.
Panic threatened to set in, but before I could react, a voice echoed in my head.
[Welcome, Evan Ironheart. You have been chosen by the Hades Link System.]
I froze. The words weren't spoken—they resounded directly within my mind, clear and undeniable.
My breath quickened as another message appeared before me, glowing in crimson letters that hovered in the air.
(Link 16 Immortality has been unlocked)
(Link 24 Soul Connection has been unlocked)
I blinked. My heart pounded as I read the words over and over again.
Immortality?....Soul Connection?
My body trembled with uncertainty. This was power, but it wasn't the kind I had sought. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of it all.
I stood up slowly, wincing as my muscles ached. The forest around me was eerily silent, the thick mist clinging to the ground making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. My instincts screamed that something was wrong, that I needed to move. But where?
Then, a rustling sound snapped me back to reality. Two armored soldiers, their torches flickering against the eerie darkness, emerged from the trees. Their uniforms bore an emblem I didn't recognize.
"Hey! You there!" one of them barked, drawing his sword. "Identify yourself!"
Relief washed over me. People. Maybe they could tell me where I was.
I stepped forward, raising my hands. "I—I don't know where I am. Please, I need hel—"
A blade plunged into my stomach.
Pain. Agonizing, searing pain. My words died in my throat as I staggered backward, my hands clutching the hilt of the sword embedded in me.
The second soldier thrust his spear forward, piercing through my chest. I gasped, choking on the metallic taste of my own blood.
Everything went dark.
For a moment, there was nothing—just the cold embrace of death. But then, something snapped.
My eyes flew open once more, my lungs filling with air. The pain remained, sharp and unbearable, but I was alive.
I looked down. The wounds were still there, the sword still buried in my stomach. My body should have been lifeless, but here I was, breathing, feeling everything.
[Immortality Activated. Resurrection Complete.]
I barely had time to process the words before I felt my body being lifted. Rough hands grabbed me, slinging me over a shoulder. I forced myself to remain still, keeping my breath shallow.
"Damn it," one of the soldiers muttered. "He's just a kid. What kind of monster survives that?"
"What do we do with him?" the other asked. "Take him to the commander?"
A long silence followed. Then—
"Yeah. Let's see what she thinks."
I felt my stomach twist. The pain from my wounds throbbed with every movement, each step jostling the blades still lodged in my flesh. My fingers twitched as the weight of my situation settled in.
I was alive. But I could still feel pain. The wounds didn't heal.
And worst of all, I couldn't die.
Regret crashed over me like a tidal wave. This wasn't what I wanted. This wasn't power.
This was a curse.
---
The journey through the dark forest was excruciating. Every jostle sent fresh waves of pain through my body. I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to remain motionless. If they realized I was awake, they might kill me again—and even though I would come back, the pain was unbearable.
Through half-lidded eyes, I glimpsed glimpses of a fortified encampment ahead. The soldiers carrying me stepped through the wooden gates, greeted by the sharp scent of burning wood and the chatter of men preparing for battle.
"Report," a commanding voice demanded. A woman.
"We found this one deeper in the woods, Commander Valeria," one of the soldiers said. "We killed him, but he came back to life."
A tense silence followed. Then a slow, deliberate pair of footsteps approached. I felt the presence of someone powerful looming over me.
"Interesting," Valeria murmured. "He doesn't bear the mark of a noble. And yet, resurrection? That's no ordinary magic."
She knelt beside me, and I felt a hand grasp my chin, tilting my head upward. I resisted the urge to flinch as her cold fingers inspected my face.
"Wake up, boy," she commanded.
I kept my breathing steady, feigning unconsciousness. My mind raced. What did they want with me? If I revealed I was awake, would they experiment on me? Would they find out about my other ability—Necromancy?
A sharp pain shot through my cheek as she slapped me. Hard.
"I said wake up!"
I had no choice now. I groaned, forcing my eyes open, playing the part of someone just regaining consciousness.
"W-Where am I?" I asked, voice hoarse.
Valeria studied me for a long moment, then smirked. "You tell me. What are you?"
I swallowed, my mind scrambling for a lie. "I-I don't know. One moment I was at school, and then I woke up here. I don't even know how I survived."
She hummed in thought, then nodded to the soldiers. "Patch him up. Keep him under guard. He may be useful."
The soldiers hauled me to my feet, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from groaning. The wounds still burned, the swords now removed but the gaping holes left in their place.
I stumbled forward as they dragged me toward a small prison tent at the edge of the encampment.
As I was thrown onto the cold dirt floor, realization struck me.
I had no control over my immortality. The pain wouldn't go away, and I couldn't escape death's grasp.
What hell did I get myself into...