The Dragons Heir

Arc 1/Part 3: The aftermath (RW)

ALEX

He felt a cold sensation on his wounded forehead and hissed in pain. Seeing that Emilia gave him a concerned look and said, "I'm sorry but please try to bear it, it isn't a pleasant sensation but it will heal you."

That's one way to put it. Alex could feel his exhausted muscles, which had been pushed to their limits, slowly beginning to regain some semblance of energy. Yet, the sensation felt off—almost as if someone were forcefully injecting vigor back into his limbs, rather than it returning naturally. He didn't believe the damage was severe; after all, the blade had barely grazed his skin. However, a disturbing amount of blood pooled beneath him, the crimson liquid staining the ground. It felt as though a piece of his flesh might detach at any moment, a haunting reminder of how close he had come to disaster.

'Was her dagger poisoned?' he pondered bitterly, regret gnawing at him. 'I got cocky and paid the price,' he chastised himself, the weight of his arrogance settling heavily on his shoulders.

"Hm?" murmured Emilia, her voice breaking through the haze of his thoughts, drawing his attention back to the present.

"Is something wrong?" I inquired, gazing at the half-elf with concern. Her purple eyes widened slightly as she observed the wound on my arm. "Your injury... it's almost completely healed," she remarked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "It's not fully mended, but it has nearly closed up on its own," she continued, her astonishment evident. "The spirits, the lesser spirits around us, are healing you," she concluded, her tone conveying genuine wonder.

I blinked in confusion, trying to process her words. "I'm sorry, what? What do you mean by that?" I asked, feeling a twinge of skepticism.

"It means you have an affinity for spirits," she clarified, a hint of excitement in her voice. As I turned my attention slightly, I noticed Reinhard moving toward us from the edge of my sight; his presence seemed to add weight to the conversation. The red-haired Astrea looked just as intrigued, watching the interaction intently.

Reinhard stepped closer, folding his arms thoughtfully. "Lesser spirits have the ability to heal injuries, and if they take a liking to you, they will gladly lend their aid. Just like what has happened here," he explained, gesturing to his own injured cheek, which bore the faint remnants of a recent skirmish. "It's quite rare for them to show such fondness for someone, particularly if that person isn't a practitioner of spirit arts."

I found myself contemplating this revelation, intrigued yet skeptical. "...I take it you have an affinity as well?" I posed the question to the Astrea, curious about her connection to these elusive spirits.

"You could say that," Reinhard let out a chuckle, a warm smile playing on his lips. "Although my ability is nothing significant, it certainly has its uses—believe me." I remained silent, merely grunting in agreement, my mind racing with possibilities. I couldn't help but wonder if, with enough training, I might be able to harness Avalon's regeneration. Such a skill could prove useful, especially if I encountered someone stronger than the bowel hunter.

"It's very strange, though..." Emilia remarked, her brow furrowed in puzzlement as she regarded him with thoughtful eyes. "What's strange?" I inquired, curiosity piqued by her expression.

"I'm a spirit-arts user, just as Reinhard mentioned," the half-elf explained, her voice tinged with intrigue. "I have the ability to communicate with spirits and sense their emotions to some extent." She hesitated before adding, "Before the fight, the spirits were angry with you... but now they seem to feel happy in your presence," she concluded, her confusion evident.

Alex turned his gaze inward, contemplating her words. *I wonder... could it be that they sense I possess the body of a heroic spirit? No... if that were true, then Puck would have picked up on it, too,* he mused silently, left in a state of introspection.