Reborn with a Necromancer System - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Silent Saviour Chapter 34: Silent Saviour Kai’s senses returned slowly.

First, the warmth.

A cradling warmth that set him at ease.

An unexpected but welcome feeling after his last moments before losing consciousness.

The biting cold of the river and the jagged rocks against his body.

He could still feel it on his body.

‘I’m…

Alive?’ Kai heard the crackling sound of fire and smelled the damp earth and burning wood.

His body ached, every inch of him bruised, cut, broken.

His entire being pulsed with agonising pain.  His eyelids fluttered open and his surroundings slowly came into focus.

The flickering light of a campfire lit up the rough stone walls of a cave.

The thick scent of charred wood and damp moss was overpowered by something else.

Something foul.

Kai groaned, trying to sit up.

Pain shot through his ribs, arms, and legs.

The only thing that felt undamaged was his head.

The pain forced him back down with a sharp inhale.

Old, tattered cloths covered him, constricting wounds that were still open beneath the makeshift bandages.

In the corner of his vision, Kai saw them.

A figure hunched near the fire, stirring a small, rusted pot with a wooden spoon.

Their form was human, mostly, but something about them felt… unusual.

Layers of thick, greasy cloth covered their face, wrapped around their head like a hood.

Even through the dim firelight, Kai saw uneven scars that covered all of their exposed skin.

Burns.

Old ones.

Every inch of visible flesh was a tale of pain.

Skin blistered, melted and healed over in ridges and knots.

And where their ears should have been, only smooth, scarred skin remained.

Kai swallowed hard.

His throat was dry, his body weak.

He tried to speak, his voice rough and hoarse.

“Where-?” The figure turned their head slightly, as if acknowledging him, but said nothing.

Kai licked his cracked lips, forcing himself to sit up a little.

His limbs trembled with the effort.

“You saved me?” Silence.

They dipped the spoon into the pot.

They blowed on it like a mother for their child, and pushed it toward him.

A thick, steaming liquid, brownish-green and slimy, clung to the wood like it didn’t want to let go.

‘That’s where the foul stench came from…’ Kai instinctively gagged.

“That reeks!

What the hell is that?” They provided no response.

The figure simply tilted the spoon forward, letting the sludge-like substance drip back into the pot.

Then they scooped another spoonful and brought it toward Kai again.

A silent demand.

Kai hesitated.

His stomach twisted at the thought of drinking whatever that was.

He felt his saliva turn rancid in his mouth, readying him for vomit.

‘I can feel my body wasting away.

I am starving and I need something.

Anything.

But why does it have to be that?’ With the utmost hesitation, he opened his mouth.

The figure pressed the spoon to his lips, and the moment the thick liquid hit his lips, he knew it would be the worst thing he’d ever consumed.

Worse than pizza that was two weeks old, and much worse than the curry he accidentally spilled his energy drink into.

‘Please, please, please…

Taste better than you look and smell.’ He was right.

He hated being right.

As it touched his tongue, Kai gagged.His body begged him to spit it out.

It was bitter and rancid, the texture somewhere between mud, mucus, and spoiled soup.

He forced himself to swallow, wincing as it slid down his throat.

It was disgusting.

Worse than rotten fruit.

His stomach churned, threatening to expel it immediately, but then a strange thing happened.

Almost immediately, warmth spread through his body.

His fingers tingled.

His wounds ached a little less.

The figure sat back, watching him with unreadable eyes.

Kai wiped his mouth with what little strength the mixture provided him, coughing lightly.

“What was that?” Nothing.

No answer.

He tried again.

“Where am I?” Silence.

Kai frowned.

“Who are you?” Still, nothing.

The figure only shook their head, slow and deliberate.

Kai stared at them.

The fire crackled between them, casting flickering shadows against the cave walls.

He could see their face more clearly now, what little of it was visible beneath the wrappings.

Their eyes were dark, hollow, unreadable.

They refused to speak.

Refused to answer.

‘Are they mute?’ Kai clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath his exhaustion.

He had too many questions, too many uncertainties.

Where was he?

How long had he been unconscious?

Were the inquisitors still looking for him?

Where was Hunter?

Were the children okay?

What about his parents?

But this person, whoever they were, gave him nothing.

For now, he resigned himself to the fact he wouldn’t learn the answers from his caretaker.

He had no choice but to rest and find the answers himself when he could leave.

He remained on his back on the cave floor, unable to move most of his body.

His body was still broken, still weak.

He could feel the weight of exhaustion dragging him down again.

The figure continued to watch him, unmoving.

Kai closed his eyes, the warmth of the fire lulling him back into a state of unconsciousness.

— For several days, or possibly weeks, the mysterious person cared for him.

Once or twice, Kai thought he heard them speak, but if it wasn’t a trick of his mind, it was just a word or two at a time under their breath.

In secret, practiced giving Shade commands to follow outside of his view.

At first, Shade returned and rejoined Kai’s shadow after leaving for a few minutes, but it quickly adapted to being separated from its original shadow.

He toyed around with the idea of getting Shade to kill his caretaker.

From there, he would consume all the life essence from their corpse, but he quickly decided against it.

‘I need them.

This medicine or whatever it is helps, and I don’t even know how to make it.

I don’t even know where I am, and if they don’t have enough life essence in them, I’ll just be stuck here.’ Kai looked at his sleeping protector, his benefactor.

‘I’d be here alone…

A mute for a companion is better than no companion at all.’ CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Jhaydun It’s great to see that Kai survived!

Barely…

Who is this mysterious stranger?

It’s also great to see all of you again, my readers!

Every single one of you who has made it this far are the biggest reasons for me to keep writing, whether you’re reading from a limited free reading event, using fast passes, or actually supporting me financially by using coins.

You are all amazing.

Thank you.