Chapter 16

  The Price Of Blue Flame.

  The forest no longer echoed with screams.

  Only the faint crackling of burning embers filled the clearing.

  Charred wood collapsed inward with soft pops. Smoke curled upward in thin grey spirals. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the bitter smell of ash. Melted frost turned into muddy water beneath trampled boots and claw marks.

  Lie was the first to move.

  "Sam!" he shouted, stumbling forward despite the deep gash across his thigh.

  Yuner rushed toward Uncle Wang and Uncle Ning, supporting them under their shoulders. Uncle Ding leaned on his broken spear, teeth clenched as blood dripped from his arm.

  At the gate, Xian and Aunt Luo cut the ropes binding Fang. The white wolf growled low, breath uneven. Several deep cuts ran along his flank, and dried blood clung to his fur. His golden eyes burned with fury and pain, but when the ropes loosened, he did not chase the retreating enemies. He turned toward Sam instead.

  Everyone did.

  A body lay several steps ahead.

  Silent.

  Cold.

  Covered in blood.

  An arrow still lodged in his shoulder.

  It was Sam.

  For a heartbeat, no one spoke.

  Even the forest seemed to hold its breath.

  Lie reached him first and dropped to his knees. "Sam… hey… don't joke like this."

  There was no movement.

  No response.

  No visible breath.

  Inside Sam's body, everything was still.

  Inside his mind—

  -AIRS

  Emergency preservation protocol activated.

  All non-essential functions suspended.

  Mana reserves: zero.

  Mental capacity: critically low.

  AIRS had completely shut down its active functions. It did not calculate, did not analyze, did not guide.

  Because it could not.

  Sam had exhausted every drop of mana. His mana core was empty. His mana circle was empty. His mental strength was shattered.

  AIRS consumed mana and mental energy to function. If it remained active in this state, it would drain the final fragile thread sustaining his life.

  So it chose silence.

  If its functions remained active, it would have drained Sam's last drop of mana, slowing recovery to normal physical speed—without mana support. That delay could cost him his life.

  Lie placed trembling fingers near Sam's nose.

  "Why isn't he moving…?"

  Xian approached slowly. "Move… Sam… please…"

  Aunt Luo knelt and pressed two fingers against his neck.

  A faint pulse.

  Weak.

  But present.

  "He's alive," she said calmly, though her eyes were tight. "Don't stand there. Take him."

  Lie slid one arm beneath Sam's shoulders. Uncle Wang supported his legs despite his own injuries. Fang limped beside them, breathing heavily, refusing to leave Sam's side.

  They carried him toward the shelter.

  Each step felt heavier than the last.

  The medicinal hut door creaked open.

  They laid Sam gently on the woven cot.

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  The hut smelled of crushed herbs and dried leaves. Bundles of medicine hung from wooden beams.

  "Remove the arrow," Aunt Luo instructed.

  Xian and Yuner nodded.

  Their hands were steady—at first.

  Xian gripped the shaft.

  "On three," Yuner said softly.

  "One… two…"

  They pulled.

  Sam's body jerked slightly, though he did not wake.

  Blood flowed again.

  Xian pressed cloth firmly against the wound. "Medicine."

  Yuner handed her the paste they had prepared under Sam's guidance since they moved here.

  Xian's hands trembled as she applied it.

  "Careful," Yuner murmured.

  "I know."

  "You're putting too much."

  "I know."

  "You're panicking."

  "I am not!"

  "You are."

  Xian glared. "Shut up."

  Yuner smirked gently. "If he wakes up and sees you like this, he'll think you forgot everything he taught you."

  Xian froze for a second.

  Then she inhaled slowly and steadied her movements.

  "Fine. I'm calm."

  "You're not."

  "I am!"

  Yuner smiled softly. "You care too much."

  Xian's face tightened, but she said nothing.

  They finished dressing the wound, cleaned the blood from his skin, and wrapped fresh cloth around his shoulder and ribs.

  Outside, dusk was settling.

  They treated Uncle Trio next. Fang lay quietly while Aunt Luo cleaned his wounds. The wolf winced once when alcohol touched a deep cut, but he did not growl.

  "Heal fast," Lie muttered to Fang. "We still need you."

  Fang's tail flicked faintly.

  Despite being the most injured, his recovery was already faster than the others. The bleeding slowed quickly. His breathing stabilized.

  By the time everyone was treated, only faint golden light filtered through the trunks of towering trees.

  Then suddenly—

  Xian swayed.

  Her vision blurred.

  The world tilted.

  She collapsed.

  "Xian!" Yuner shouted.

  Lie caught her before she hit the ground.

  Aunt Luo examined her quickly.

  "She's exhausted," Aunt Luo said calmly. "Mana depletion. Minor injuries. She hasn't recovered her mana."

  Lie frowned. "Why didn't she rest?"

  Yuner sighed softly. "Because she was busy treating all of you."

  "She will recover after proper rest," Aunt Luo continued. "Take her inside."

  Yuner and Aunt Luo carried her to her room.

  Silence settled over the courtyard.

  Lie stared at the ground.

  "If Sam hadn't thrown his sword to save me…"

  Uncle Wang clenched his jaw. "We were too weak."

  Uncle Ning nodded slowly. "We couldn't even protect our own."

  Uncle Ding added quietly, "He carried everything alone at the end."

  Aunt Luo returned and looked at them.

  "You are blaming yourselves."

  No one answered.

  She walked toward the cooking area.

  Soon the scent of warm broth filled the air.

  No one moved.

  "You couldn't have done anything," Aunt Luo said firmly. "The number of opponents was large. Eat the meal and recover your energy. You have to be ready to protect this shelter. What if the enemy came back again?"

  Lie finally stood.

  "She's right."

  One by one, they ate.

  Not because they were hungry.

  But because they understood.

  They slept in shifts that night.

  Some guarded.

  Some rested.

  Fang remained awake beside the gate for hours, golden eyes scanning the forest.

  Morning came quietly.

  When Xian woke, she ran straight toward the medicinal hut.

  She pushed the door open softly.

  Inside, Lie was slumped against the wall, asleep.

  He had stayed there all night.

  Sam lay unmoving.

  Xian stepped closer.

  Her fingers hovered above his bandaged shoulder.

  Before she could speak—

  Yuner grabbed her arm and pulled her outside.

  "Hey!"

  "What are you doing?" Yuner whispered mischievously.

  "I was just checking—"

  "You ran the moment you woke up."

  "I did not!"

  "You did."

  Xian glared. "You're impossible."

  Yuner leaned closer. "You didn't even check yourself first."

  Xian's ears turned red. "Stop talking nonsense."

  They both laughed quietly and went to eat something.

  Far away, Uncle Mu flexed his injured right arm and winced.

  "If I hadn't reacted faster," he muttered, "that second ice shard would have pierced my neck."

  Across from him stood the bandit leader, still haunted by the memory of fifty men turning to ash.

  "If they counterattack?" Uncle Mu asked.

  "They are injured too," the bandit leader replied.

  His eyes briefly drifted to Uncle Mu's useless right arm.

  A faint grin appeared on his face.

  He hid it quickly.

  "We need time," he said.

  Back at the shelter, days passed.

  Xian stayed near Sam constantly.

  She washed his wounds with clean water and soft fur cloth.

  She changed bandages carefully.

  Lie trained harder than before.

  One day, Uncle Wang noticed him staring into the distance.

  "What are you thinking about?"

  "About the blue flames Sam used," Lie replied.

  "That wasn't normal fire," Uncle Ding added.

  "Do you think he was hiding that all this time?" Yuner asked.

  Lie was quiet.

  "He hides many things," Uncle Wang said slowly. "But he hides them for a reason."

  "So will we ask him?" Yuner asked.

  Lie looked toward the medicinal hut.

  "…No."

  And they decided.

  No questions.

  One afternoon, while cleaning his wounds, Xian remembered something Sam once said.

  "Mana increases recovery speed."

  She hesitated.

  Then placed her hand gently on his chest.

  She channeled a small stream of mana into his body.

  Inside his mind—

  -AIRS

  External mana source detected.

  Core stabilization possible.

  Reactivating minimal functions.

  A faint flicker.

  Sam's mana core absorbed the small amount slowly.

  His body reacted.

  -AIRS

  Core: 4% restored.

  Circle: 3% restored.

  Ambient absorption initiating.

  Very slowly, carefully, AIRS began drawing mana from the surroundings.

  Xian felt it.

  "Yuner… he's absorbing mana."

  She rushed outside.

  "Sam is recovering!"

  Everyone gathered.

  Aunt Luo examined him.

  "It will take some time for him to regain consciousness," she said calmly.

  All night—

  In his mind—

  -AIRS

  Core: 12%.

  Circle: 10%.

  Stability improving.

  The next morning—

  Xian was washing his wounds again.

  In his mind—

  -AIRS

  Core sufficient for consciousness restoration.

  Waking sequence initiating.

  Sam's fingers twitched.

  His eyes opened suddenly.

  The first thing he saw—

  Xian leaning close.

  Very close.

  Washing his bare upper body carefully.

  His brain froze.

  He grabbed the animal-skin blanket and wrapped it tightly around himself.

  "Xian! Leave the hut immediately!"

  She blinked. "…What?"

  "Out!"

  One second later, her brain processed the situation.

  Her face turned completely red.

  She ran out instantly.

  Outside, everyone stared.

  Yuner smirked. "Why are you so red?"

  "He suddenly woke up!" Xian stammered.

  "And?"

  "He wrapped himself and shouted!"

  Silence.

  Then realization.

  Uncle Ding burst out laughing.

  Uncle Ning followed.

  Lie nearly choked.

  Yuner laughed openly. "So you were that close?"

  "I was cleaning his wounds!" Xian shouted.

  Fang, sitting nearby, tilted his head slightly as if confused by human embarrassment.

  End Of Chapter 16

  To Be Continued...