The wind was cold in the mountain ruins. Gray ash floated in the air like snow, but it wasn't snow—it was burned stone, the remains of old battles. Harvie stood in front of a broken statue, the last piece of an ancient temple. His breath was shaky.
He remembered what the system told him.
> [??? has overwritten UNLAMENTED. Backup Source Detected. Origin: BURIED GOD.]
That message was still in his mind. It had been two days since he died. Two days since the world moved on without him. Two days since Edna cried over his body.
But now he was back.
His heart still hurt. His hands still trembled. But he was alive.
Edna walked slowly behind him. Her face was pale, her eyes red.
"Why didn't you come back right away?" she whispered.
Harvie didn't know how to answer. "I think... something else brought me back. Not the system. Not UNLAMENTED. Something older. Something angry."
Edna didn't speak. She just looked at him, then looked at the ruins.
Harvie stepped closer to the broken statue. He placed his hand on it. The stone felt warm. Then, he heard a voice—not with his ears, but inside his mind.
> "You are using what is mine."
Harvie's eyes widened.
> "Every time you rewind… I fade. Every moment you save… I burn."
The statue cracked. Fire leaked from it like blood. The sky darkened.
Edna grabbed his arm. "Let's go! This place—it's wrong."
But Harvie didn't move. He was trapped in the memory. A vision filled his eyes. He saw a god, chained in fire. A man with gold eyes screaming as his world was erased again and again. That man… was the Buried God.
Harvie stumbled back.
"I saw him," he said. "The Buried God. He was the first. The first to use UNLAMENTED. But now… he's the fuel. He's the reason I can rewind."
Edna looked scared. "So every time you die…"
"I take a piece of him," Harvie finished. "And he hates me for it."
They sat in silence. The fire from the statue burned low. The voice faded.
That night, by a small campfire, Edna leaned against Harvie.
"Do you hate yourself?" she asked.
Harvie didn't answer at first. "Sometimes. I didn't ask for this power. But I use it. Because I want to protect you. I want to live."
She looked at him. Her eyes soft.
"Even if you're broken… I'll still choose you."
Harvie blinked. "What?"
Edna moved closer. Her voice was shaking. "I remember the dream. When you died. I felt it like it was real. And when you didn't come back… I thought I lost you forever. So, listen to me now. I'm not afraid anymore."
She kissed him.
It was warm.
Not just fire—real warmth. Real feeling.
The system chimed.
> [Skill Acquired: Flame Suture – Heal wounds with fire. Power increases with emotional connection.]
Harvie smiled, just a little. "Thanks," he whispered.
"For what?" Edna asked.
"For choosing me. Again."
They looked up at the stars. Somewhere far away, the Buried God burned in silence.
But for now, Harvie had one flame to remember. And it was hers.
---
[Skill Gained: Flame Suture]
Heals moderate to serious wounds using fire.
Healing burns slightly, but feels warm.
Stronger when near Edna.