The woman's hand clamped over my mouth.
Outside, more screaming. Metal on metal. Something wet hitting the ground.
I couldn't see her face. But I felt her body tense. Ready to fight. Ready to run. Ready to die.
The old me would have frozen. Closed eyes. Waited to live or die based on luck.
I looked at the sparkstone in my hand.
Not this time.
[CHOICE SELECTED: C. Use your spark. Try something. Anything.]
I grabbed her wrist. Pulled her hand away.
She whipped toward me, eyes wide with fury and fear. "What the—"
"I can help."
"You're seven years old!"
"I have magic."
The word stopped her. Just for a second. But a second was all I needed.
I crawled to the wagon's edge. Looked out.
Garret was fighting. Sword in one hand, dagger in the other. Two corrupted in front of him. One down at his feet. The other guard—the older man—was on the ground, not moving.
The third corrupted was circling behind Garret.
And the fourth? The fifth?
Nowhere. Hidden. Waiting.
My heart hammered.
I have magic. Barely. G-rank. Untrained. Useless.
The sparkstone warmed in my palm.
Or not.
I closed my eyes. Remembered the stick. The heat. Pushing it away.
Reverse it. Push heat into something. Into them.*
I didn't know if it was possible. Didn't know if I'd kill myself trying. Didn't know anything except that Garret was about to die.
I pointed at the corrupted circling behind him.
And pushed.
---
Nothing happened.
Half a second. Full second. Nothing.
Then the corrupted screamed.
Not a battle cry. Real screaming. Agony.
Its chest glowed red from inside. Faint at first. Then brighter. Then—
Flames burst through its ribs.
Not big flames. Not dramatic. Just... holes. Burning from within. Like someone had dropped a spark into dry tinder.
It fell. Twitched. Stopped moving.
Garret spun. Saw the body. Saw me with my hand outstretched. Saw the smoke rising from my fingers.
His one eye went wide.
"The fuck—"
Then the other two corrupted were on him again, and he had to fight.
I collapsed against the wagon.
My head screamed. My hand screamed. Everything screamed.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
SPARK OVERUSE DETECTED
Warning: Mana reserves critically low.
Warning: Body strain exceeds safe limits.
Warning: Permanent damage possible if continued.
New Skill Unlocked: [Flame Spark - Level 1]
· Effect: Push magical heat into a target. Unstable. Unreliable.
· Cost: High mana. High physical strain.
· Cooldown: Unknown (body needs recovery).
Quest Update: [SURVIVE THE ATTACK]
· 1 corrupted eliminated (by you)
· 2 remaining
· Party status: 1 down, 2 fighting, 1 child (you)
I couldn't move. Could barely breathe.
The woman appeared beside me. Stared at the burning corpse. Stared at me.
"You're insane," she whispered.
"Worked though."
She laughed. Actually laughed. Then grabbed me, dragged me under the wagon, shoved me against a wheel.
"Stay. Don't you dare move."
She drew her sword and ran toward the fight.
I watched from under the wagon as she joined Garret. Two on two now. Better odds. Still bad.
The corrupted were fast. Too fast. Their movements jerked like puppets with tangled strings. Claws instead of hands. Empty eyes.
Garret took one down. Clean sword through the chest. It kept moving—had to stab it three more times before it stopped.
The woman fought the last one. She was good. Really good. Dodged. Sliced. Dodged again.
But the corrupted was faster.
It caught her arm. Claws raked down. She screamed—short, cut off—and stumbled.
Garret was too far. Too slow.
The corrupted raised its claws for the killing blow.
I didn't think.
I pushed again.
Nothing left. No mana. No energy. Just will.
The corrupted's head snapped back. It made a sound—wet, choking—and black smoke poured from its mouth.
Then it collapsed.
Dead.
The woman stared at it. Stared at the smoke. Stared under the wagon at me.
I couldn't even lift my hand.
[QUEST COMPLETE: SURVIVE THE ATTACK]
· Status: Success
· Enemies eliminated: 5/5
· Your contribution: 2 kills (direct), 1 assist (indirect)
[REWARDS]
· +300 EXP
· New Title Unlocked: [Sparksurvivor]
· Effect: +5% mana regeneration, +5% resistance to magical exhaustion**
· Reputation increased with: Garret, Vex (the woman)
Level Up!
Ren: Level 1 → Level 3
Stat points available: 5
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: FIRST BLOOD (MAGIC)]
Kill an enemy with magic before age 10.
Reward: +2 INT, +2 WILL
I tried to read the screens. Couldn't focus. Everything blurred.
Footsteps. Garret's face appearing above me.
"Kid. Hey. Kid."
I tried to say something. Nothing came out.
"Vex, get the healing kit. Now."
Darkness pulled at me.
Last thing I saw before closing my eyes: Garret's one eye, looking at me like he'd never seen me before.
Like I wasn't just cargo anymore.
---
I woke in a bed.
Real bed. Wood frame. Straw mattress. Blanket that didn't smell like alley.
Where—
"You're awake."
Vex. The woman. Sitting in a chair by the window. Her arm was bandaged. Her face was pale. But she was alive.
"Where—"
"Millbrook. Garret's contact. She has a spare room." Vex stood. Walked over. Looked down at me like I was a puzzle. "You've been out for two days."
Two days.
"The corrupted—"
"Dead. All five. Thanks partly to you." She sat on the edge of the bed. "I've been fighting since I was twelve. Killed my first man at fourteen. Never seen anything like what you did."
I didn't know what to say.
"Garret wants to talk to you. When you're ready." She paused. "Also, Mira sent a bird. She says, and I quote: 'You absolute idiot. I'm proud of you. Don't do it again until I teach you properly.'"
I laughed. It hurt.
[NEW QUEST: THE MERCHANT'S OFFER]
· Objective: Speak with Garret about your future.
· Reward: Variable (depends on choices)
· Note: Your status has changed. You are no longer "temporary cargo."
Vex stood. Headed for the door.
"Vex?"
She paused.
"Thank you. For covering me. For not leaving me."
She looked back. Almost smiled.
"You saved my life, kid. We're even." She opened the door. "Get up when you can. Garret's not patient."
She left.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Two days unconscious. Two corrupted killed. A title. A level up. Stat points to spend.
And a merchant who now saw me as something more than cargo.
The old me would have stayed in bed. Overthought every option. Waited for someone else to decide.
I sat up.
Everything hurt. My head. My hand. My bones.
I stood anyway.
Time to see what Garret wanted.