I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Adam\'s jaw dropped in shock as he heard the youth speak such familiar words.

Was the boy lying? Julius was still a kid, no more than eight years old. He wouldn\'t be mistaken since he raised him. So, why was this teen claiming to be Julius?

"I don\'t believe you. Julius is seven years and a half old when you are much older. Who are you?"

This time, he narrowed his eyes into slits, his voice commanding, even threatening, as he glared at the impersonator.

Although he enjoyed pranking and making fun of others, he hated when people did the same to him. Moreover, Julius was still alive. It wouldn\'t make any sense for him to be here.

"You\'ve been in a coma for four years! Of course, I grew up. I\'ll explain everything to you later. Please wait for a bit."

Julius answered, realising where the problem lay. His big brother\'s memory was stuck four years in the past. Therefore, he didn\'t expect him to grow.

Not feeling any maliciousness coming from the boy and finding the promise of an explanation alluring, he decided to listen to the boy. Then, he took his surroundings in, confusion crashing into his mind like a tsunami. The morning sun shone bright rays on a ruined camp. Horses neighed in the distance, scared by the battle, and the metallic smell of blood filled the air.

\'Where am I? Where are the bones, blood, and Gaston?\'

The series of questions stumped him for a moment. If he indeed had been in a coma, what was the place he had been fighting Gaston in? The latter clearly called it hell when he first encountered him. More importantly, how did he survive his fight in Julius\' soul sea? Finally, he couldn\'t keep track of time in this place, but did four years really pass?

Without answers, he shook his head to focus on the immediate situation. He looked at the two running teens rushing to Julius with relieved expressions.

"You did it! You defeated this monstrosity and saved us all!"

Arun exclaimed, grabbing his friend\'s shoulder with shaky hands and crying in excitement. He thought they were dead meat after witnessing Marco\'s overwhelming strength. He still had trouble believing they had overcome this ordeal against all odds.

"Thank you, Julius. I won\'t forget this debt," Asha said, gratitude and sadness mixed in her voice. She witnessed from the safety of the carriage how her guards all perished in the blink of an eye.

"I\'m sorry I couldn\'t save everyone..." Julius answered, saddened by the memory of Louise\'s sacrifice.

"I know you did everything you could," Asha said, unwilling to let Julius feel guilty for her losses after he saved them all. Therefore, she forced a crooked smile to comfort him despite her bleeding heart.

"I wonder who the apprentice who helped is. I want to thank him."

Arun tried to change the subject, feeling his fiancé\'s turmoil. The question intrigued him anyway, and Asha, too. They had heard how Marco suddenly spoke about an apprentice interfering after ten bloody holes dug into his monstrous body, after all.

Julius shook his head, signalling he didn\'t know, while walking towards the nearest guard. A grimace distorted his lips as he crouched and dug into the earth. They deserved to be buried. It was the least he could do to show them how much respect he had for them.

The couple followed his actions, helping him dig graves for the brave fighters.

In the meantime, Adam observed the stiff corpses, eyes darting left and right as he figured out what had happened gradually. Then, his luminous eyes shone brighter.

"Hey, this one is still alive."

His voice cut through the mournful silence as he pointed a finger at a woman\'s body far in the distance.

Hearing the unexpected words, Julius\' eyes lit up, hope flashing in them as his heart drummed against his chest. Without a word, he raced to the body and scanned her life force with his Qi.

Despite her half-shattered body and her bones turned to dust, she still emitted a faint aura of life, making his hands tremble with joy.

"Quick! Bring any medicine or potions we have. We need to stabilise her condition. She... she is still alive!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, alerting his two companions as his breathing hastened.

Arun and Asha jumped to their feet, recovering from the shock he had given them after suddenly rushing away. Then, the words settled, causing their eyes to enlarge and their bodies to come to life. In a flash, they ran to the carriage, grabbing every medication they possessed before returning.

Simultaneously, Julius moved the woman\'s body a few centimeters, wanting to ease her breathing, when his brother\'s voice resounded in his ears.

"Don\'t move her too much, or you might worsen her condition."

Julius nodded, trusting him more than anyone, before asking with concern as guilt gripped his heart.

"Can we save her? She ended up like this because she tried to protect me."."

"I don\'t know. Her condition seems critical, and I am no doctor," Adam said, frowning at the mangled woman. He also wanted to help her yet didn\'t know how.

As he pondered, the couple reached them, carrying a large, heavy box.

"We brought everything useful we found. In addition, I have a tier three healing potion my father brewed for me in case I got injured while travelling. Use it if it can save her."

Arun declared, presenting a small flask containing a red shimmering liquid.

"Are you sure? This potion\'s value is extremely high," Asha asked, surprised by her fiancé and so touched that tears welled in her eyes. Unlike Arun and his two knights, she grew up surrounded by the three women and was really attached to them. She even considered them as her sisters.

"Use it. What kind of man would I be if I let someone who did his best to protect me die when I had the means to save her?" Arun said, his words filled with righteousness and dignity befitting his rank.

Asha hugged him, tears flowing down her cheeks in response.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Arun awkwardly looked at Julius, signalling him to take the potion with his eyes while patting Asha to comfort her as she buried her head in his shoulder.

With utmost care, Julius took the potion, uncorked it and poured its content inside Louise\'s mouth little by little.

Soon, their eyes widened in awe. With each passing moment, they saw her state improve. Her ragged breathing became more and more stable, new bones sprouted, and her pale complexion took a rosier hue.

"Stabilise her condition with medicines and feed her. Her body needs nutrients after the hastened healing process."

Adam advised, not entirely sure it was correct, but feeling it was logical.