CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

The Light of Memory, Part 2

ALERT! [Rejuvenation (ζ)] is now active. Your Stamina will continue to drop by [2 SP] per second while this power is in use. ALERT! There is not enough life force within five feet of you for [Rejuvenation (ζ)] to convert into HP.

Sam wasn’t sure what made him think of it. Perhaps it was Chiron’s insistent whispers. Or perhaps it was his desire to live that gave him this flash of inspiration. Either way, gambling that his dominant hand would be enough to keep the hind’s head locked in place for a few necessary seconds, Sam’s right hand let go of the left antler it had been holding onto so it could reach down into one of his belt pouches and pull out the glowing stone he kept there.

ALERT! The system recognizes the item [Gamma-Level Horror Core]. Use [Rejuvenation (ζ)] on this item and convert its life force into HP?

“Yes.” Sam’s fingers tightened on the banshee core Jackboot gave him. “Thanks for...the meal.”

It was a new sensation for Sam, absorbing the life force of another. However, unlike that time when he’d taken in celestial power from the Liberty Bell, the energy surging up his arm didn’t hurt. It felt cool and refreshing—like spring water shot directly into his veins.

He could feel the hole in his chest begin to stitch itself back together too, although Sam’s attention—and intention—was focused on something other than saving his own life. And, while he struggled to attempt this impressive feat of pumping healing energy into the hind that continued to pull against his other hand’s weakening hold, a flash of memory that didn’t belong to Sam appeared in his mind; a woman crying in her hospital bed as the doctors informed her that her husband didn’t survive the car accident they were in. Another memory flashed over this one; the same woman being told that her child had died on the operating table an hour after the loss of her husband.

Sam recalled Chiron’s words on how life energy carried the essence of a person in them and understood what was happening instinctively. He wasn’t just absorbing her life force, he was experiencing the banshee’s pain too.

He watched these heart-wrenching moments flash across his mind in the milliseconds it took for his other hand to begin casting Healing Hand on the poisoned creature beside him. He could feel how this woman felt and his chest tightened with grief for her ordeal.

Tears fell down his cheeks. “I didn’t understand before...but I get why she turned. This much grief…no one should ever feel this way.”

With the black dots disappearing from his vision, Sam turned his gaze on the monstrous hind which had stopped struggling in his grip. It lay there breathing heavily by his side and seemed to be responding to his attempt to rid it of the unknown poison in its veins.

As he poured the life force the banshee’s core gave him into the hind, almost like her life’s story was simply passing through him to get to the fallen beast, Sam wondered what sort of pain the hind must have been in for it to become the monster it was now.

“Can you feel her pain too?” he asked.

Its beady black eyes were staring into his face, and he thought they’d lost some of the anger that had been so clear in them earlier. To his surprise, a tear fell down the hind’s right eye.

“It’s alright…I’m going to save you,” Sam promised.

I never thought I’d say this, but you’re turning into quite the hero, Chiron said.

“I Never thought…you’d say that either.”

Only when I mean it…Go on. Take the darkness of the box out of this poor animal.

“Box…?”

Later. Focus, lame-brain.

As the banshee’s crystal depleted, it crumbled into dust in Sam’s hand. And, with a, “thank you,” on his lips, Sam placed his now free hand on the hind’s face. The beast didn’t pull away. The hind seemed to be content with Sam’s presence lying next to it.

“Let me show my story too,” he said as he shut his eyes.

Sam realized that it would take more than simply pouring healing energy into the hind to bring it back from the darkness it had fallen into. He would need to fill that condensed darkness with light. His light. So, similar to how the banshee’s core had gifted him with understanding, Sam began to share his story with the hind as well. Both the good and the bad.

He let it feel the heartbreak of losing his family—his parents, his sister—before letting it experience the thrill of meeting the woman who filled his world with color; Thunder speaking the oath of the Argonauts and then pressing her blood-soaked fingers against his lips. He even showed the hind Thunder’s gorgeous smile, which made Sam giddy inside even as a memory.

Sam let the hind share in his joy at growing stronger when he’d fought his first alpha-level terror while also revealing to it how terrified he’d been in that moment before he smashed his hammer against the bolt embedded into the horror’s chest.

He introduced the hind to his friends; Farsight—the snarky teenage seer who seemed more of an adult than Sam was, Crow-Man—the veteran hero Sam aspired to become, and Jackboot—the quirky Brit who reminded Sam of himself. As for Chiron, Sam had never seen him in person so he shared his master’s lessons with the hind instead.

Never lose hope! Sam recited in his mind. Hope is what remains in Pandora’s Box after all the evils of the world are set free. It is the one thing that keeps total darkness at bay, the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Sam shared all of this and more with the hind, overpowering the darkness and rage that infected it with light and love…and hope.

You leveled up! You leveled up! You leveled up!

When Sam finally opened his eyes, the hind was gone. He was alone on the ground. Although his ragged breathing was evidence enough that he’d survived his recklessness yet again.

Sheesh, you actually did it, Chiron sounded impressed. You survived another deathmatch by the skin of your teeth.

“Ugh, don’t make me laugh,” Sam’s chuckle reformed into a grimace. “Hurts...everywhere...”

Much as I’d like to let you rest, the mission’s not over… Get up, or your next opponent’s going to stomp you to death.

Chiron was wrong about that last part because the Ceryneian Hind—its body reverted to that of a giant deer whose silver pelt shone with the same soft glow of moonlight that wrapped around its antlers—didn’t attack Sam after it approached him. Instead, its muzzle dropped to caress Sam’s cheek in an endearing manner that left the hero surprised.

“Um, hi...” Sam raised a shaky, bloody hand up to pat the hind on its neck. “I suppose…this counts as capturing you?”

Sam winced.

Because I’m beat and wouldn’t mind a truce...” he added.

The dark depths within the hind’s beady eyes brightened into a familiar teal hue, and then Sam felt his pain lessen. His many wounds began to stitch themselves back together faster than Regeneration could have managed in his fatigued state.

“Y-you’re...” Sam’s eyes widened. “Healing me...”

He wasn’t sure how long the healing took, but soon enough he was back on his feet and feeling like he could take on another poisoned sacred beast.

“You couldn’t have done this earlier?” Sam asked the Ceryneian Hind. Its response was a neighing that sounded a lot like a sigh to Sam’s ears.

Look at you, you’ve made a friend, Chiron chuckled.

Sam tenderly caressed the fur on the hind’s side which was as high as his arms would go now that it was back to its giant dear size.

“So, how am I supposed to give you back to Artemis?”

That’s easy…you just have to pray, Chiron answered.

“Seriously?”

Best way to get their attention, isn’t it?

Sam shrugged. Then he knelt on the dirt and began to pray. Interestingly enough, the Ceryneian Hind folded its legs and joined him in prayer. Together, they called to Artemis so that the goddess might know her steed had been healed from the poison that corrupted it. It took an extra ‘Hail Artemis’ or two longer, but the goddess eventually sent a reply.

“You’re going?” Sam asked.

His new friend’s form began to shimmer with even brighter moonlight. Then it vanished in a shower of sparks that floated up to the heavens. Right afterward, Sam saw a single star in the sky shining brighter than all the rest, and he knew the goddess was pleased.

Of course, the notification of her giving him five hundred fame points for a job well done was also a pretty good indicator that Artemis appreciated his assistance.

CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve completed the hidden mission [RECAPTURE THE CERYNEIAN HIND!]. Rewards to follow...

Sam thought this was a strange reply from Apollo because a reward was already in hand. An ivory horn lay on the ground where the hind vanished. Sam reached out for it, and another notification popped up for him.

CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve completed the hidden mission [THE SECOND LABOR]. REWARDS ONE: [Herculean (Δ)] has been improved with [Stout Body], a supplementary trait that lessens the damage the hero receives while Herculean is active. REWARDS TWO: Special Item [The Blessed Horn of the Sacred Beast] received. REWARDS THREE: The hidden quest [THE THIRD LABOR] will now be available to you.