[Skill: Return by Death activated.]
Alan found himself kneeling on the chilly mine floor, his body trembling as his breath caught.
Stretched out in front of Moriko, was the dead slave who had attempted to assault her last night.
The body was here, but why? Expecting pain and bruises from Dekel's vicious beating, Alan touched his face. Nothing. His skin felt as smooth as if it were not there at all.
Moriko grasps the cloth to cover, her eyes wide with confusion. Her trembling hand touched his shoulder as she leaned forward.
"Are you okay, Alan? Have you had a head injury?" she asked nervously.
Alan winced, breathing irregularly and sharply, his thoughts racing. His heart stopped when he glanced at his hand.
Thirteen odd, twisted runes encircled a black void in a grey circular glyph that glowed on his skin. It wasn't like any mark of the Twelve Gods blessing seal that he was familiar with.
This was wrong, dark. The glyph sank into his skin after burning coldly.
His voice was shaky as he muttered, "What…?"
Leaning closer, Moriko gazed at his hand. "Alan... I thought you were not blessed," she muttered.
"What is that?"
Heavy, frustrated footsteps reverberated through the tunnel, loud and menacing. Moriko and Alan snapped their heads in the direction of the sound.
Dekel Chorev stormed into view, his fat frame along with two guards flanking him.
Dekel's small eyes locked onto the dead slave, his face twisting into a snarl. "You little bastard," he growled, his gaze shifting to Alan, crouched on the stone.
His gaze then shifted to Moriko, who was attempting to cover herself but her torn clothing was revealing her naked body. His voice was dripping with menace, and his anger turned into a sick, leering grin.
He stepped closer and said, "Well, brat, I came to punish you for killing my property, but it looks like you've prepared quite the present for me to enjoy."
Curling her tail tightly, Moriko clutched her tunic and shrank back. "No....." she muttered, her body pressed against the mine wall, her voice breaking.
With lustful eyes, Dekel reached for her with his meaty hand.
"Don't move."
But before his fingers could touch her, Alan lunged, his hand clamping onto Dekel's wrist with a grip like iron.
He remained in a crouch, his eyes burning with defiance, his body tense. He had promised Moriko that he would protect her from harm.
Dekel's arm jerked to free itself as his face contorted in disgust. He raised his other hand, the enchanted ring on his finger glowing a sickly green light, and growled, "Get your dirty hands off me, you rat."
"As you watch, writhing in agony, I'll enjoy her." As he activated the ring, that's magic was connected to every slave collar in the mines and intended to punish and obey his commands, his voice was full of anger.
Alan braced himself, expecting to be dropped by the collar's searing pain. However, nothing appeared.
[Skill: Medium Control Magic Resistance activated!]
The Strange words flashed in his vision, glowing briefly before fading.
A sharp crack echoed through the tunnel, and the slave collar around his neck split apart clattering to the stone floor.
"What the…?" Dekel stumbled back. He turned to his guards, his voice rising in a panic. "What the hell are you standing there for? Kill that brat!"
One guard moved faster than Alan could react, his sword flashing and sliced through.
A blinding pain erupted in Alan's skull as steel cut through bone.
Blood sprayed, his vision went black, and the world vanished.
***************************************************************
"I… I tried to fight," Moriko whispered, her voice breaking. "I couldn't… I couldn't stop them…"
Alan found himself kneeling on the tunnel floor, his body whole and uninjured, his eyes snapping open and his heart pounding loudly. In front of him lay the dead slave.
Moriko crouched close by. His mind reeling, he breathed in ragged gasps.
"Alan?" Moriko's hand reached for him as her voice faltered. "What's the matter? You're shaking."
Alan flinched, his blue eyes fixed on Moriko's shaking body. His mind spun, trying to make sense of the impossible.
He'd died twice now, he was certain. The sharp pain of his skull splitting still burned in his memory. Yet here he was, kneeling on the cold cave floor. He knew what came next.
"Take the dead guy's shirt and run," he shouted, his voice rough with urgency.
Moriko jumped, her cat ears twitching. "What…?" she stammered, confused.
Heavy, angry footsteps echoed through the tunnel, sharp and threatening. Alan's heart raced. *Am I dreaming?* he thought, still crouched on the stone.
Dekel Chorev stormed in with his guards. His eyes landed on the dead slave, then slid to Moriko's bare body. His rage twisted into a sick grin, just like before. "Well, brat," he said, his voice oily with menace, "I came to punish you for killing my property, but it seems you've prepared quite the present for me to enjoy."
Dekel's hand reached for her, his grin growing. Alan grabbed his wrist, still crouched.
Dekel yanked his hand free and raised his other hand, holding a control ring. He activated it, expecting the collar's magic to burn Alan's nerves.
Alan braced himself, but nothing happened.
[Skill: Medium Control Magic Resistance activated!]
Strange words flashed in his vision again, glowing briefly before fading.
Crack.
The slave collar around his neck split in two, the rusted metal clattering to the floor.
"What the…?" Dekel stumbled back, his face pale, his grin gone. He turned to his guards, shouting, "What the hell are you standing there for? Kill that brat!"
Alan was ready this time, the memory of his last death clear. As the first guard charged, Alan rolled to the side.
Clunk.
The sword hit the stone. But before Alan could stand, he felt the second guard behind him. Pain erupted as the blade sliced through his neck, his head falling, blood spraying the mine walls.
****************************************************
"I… I tried to fight," Moriko whispered, her voice breaking. "I couldn't… I couldn't stop them…"
Alan's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. He was kneeling on the tunnel floor again, in front of the dead body.
Moriko was nearby.
The same moment. The same place.
His breath caught. No… again?
He clenched his jaw. How many times is this? Three? Four?
First, the cave fall. Then twice by Dekel's guards, the blade through his skull, his neck split open. Each death is vivid. Cold. Painful. And yet, he was back here. same location. The same icy breath. same body. He is still shaken by the pain of death.
When his shaking hand reached for the slave collar, it was whole and undamaged. The pain from the beatings? Painless as if nothing had occurred. Still.
It wasn't a hallucination. It wasn't a dream. There was more to this.
He glanced down at his palm slowly.
The grey glyph, thirteen jagged runes circling a black void, shimmered into view at his will. It gave a slight pulse before sinking coldly into his skin.
His eyes narrowed.
Every time I die… I came back here. To this exact moment. This… this is a skill.
Or a curse.
His thoughts raced. No. Not time magic. The guards didn't repeat their actions. This isn't rewinding the world, it's just me.
It's me going back in time.
"Alan?" His shoulder was touched by Moriko's quivering hand. "What happened to you? Did you hit your head or something?"
He hardly heard her voice. The impossible was still being processed by his mind.
Is this blessing a mockery? A punishment... or a tool?
He felt the pressure in his chest tighten, it's not fear this time, but exhilaration. Sharp, cold clarity.
He could put it to the test. Abuse it. Rewrite outcomes. Give it another go.
And once more.
And once more.
Until they all suffered.
A slow, dark smirk curved his lips.
This curse… was his key.
He laughed, a dry breath at first, then a low, sharp laugh that sounded like shattered glass in the tunnel.
Moriko's cat ears flattened as she winced. "Alan…?" she muttered.
With a feral gleam in his blue eyes, he turned to face her. "Hey, kitty girl, you mentioned that you wanted to see the sun again, right?" His voice was calm and icy as he whispered.
"How about you see the next morning?"
With her hand still on his shoulder, Moriko blinked in confusion. Her voice trembled with fear and confusion as she stammered, "What… what do you mean?"
Alan grinned more broadly.
I have experienced this moment. I am aware of what will happen next.
Dekel. The guards. The painful deaths. He could now learn from every failure he had.
He was prepared this time.