Starting a New

It's been about 10 hours since I died in that fight and all I've been doing is preparing for its eventual return. Great, all the traps have been set. Now there's only one thing left to do. I have to figure out how to utilize my new powers. I know that I can come back to life but every time I do I lose a star. I have 7 stars right now and even after all the time before I died my stars never went above 8. So either 8 is my limit and I get more stars if I give it time or I really only have seven chances at life. Either way I need to make use of the lives I have now to win this fight.

Ever since I woke up I've felt an energy that isn't my own. It's like a green flame just slightly blazed; not yet reaching its full strength. If I can just access it maybe I can heal stuff like the goddess. I ran over to one of the trees I kicked down earlier and I grabbed hold of the flame. A light shines from my hands as the tree slowly begins to reform. I quickly grew tired and I almost collapsed before getting the tree halfway back to its original state. 

It became night before I knew it and all I could listen to were the sounds of the forest. Every sound I heard was so nostalgic like I was sitting around waiting for something to just walk into my trap. I hear a small branch break a few yards from my shelter followed by a swing of a rope. I rush out of my hut and run in the direction of the noise. I heard my trap go off but it could just be a wild animal. I push away some bushes revealing an elf caught in my trap. The elf had purple skin with holes all across its body. I couldn't even see anything inside its body. Like he was completely hollow. He was being hung by his foot so it reached down and grabbed its bow from the ground. An arrow appeared in his hand as he pulled the bow back and he launched it straight at me. I quickly avoided it and ran at him, kneeing him right in his face.

The strike I landed sent him flying out of the trap and knocked through two trees before he finally laid across the ground. The elf got back up with what seems like barely any scratches. I grabbed my knife from my pocket and we both ran toward each other. While I ran toward him, he began shooting arrows that I parried with my knife. After I deflected them they soon disappeared in mid air. He must be using magic to create the arrows. After we both got close he dropped his bow and swung a long right hook toward my head. I take the hit to deliver an equally powerful force to his left side. I've never felt a hit this hard before and for so long. After I took a second to reorganize myself I noticed that he'd backed up and prepared multiple shots. 

Time to use what I've been testing for so long. I grabbed the destroyed tree below me and grew it out to about a quarter of its original height. All the arrows hit the trees and almost make it all the way through. I rip out the log and chuck it right at him. He dives out of the way but before he fully gets up I place my hand on his face and slam it on the ground onto another trap I planted. The rope grabs his head and hangs him from the tree. I took the opportunity and began pummeling him. He quickly reached for the rope and split it using his two hands. As he fell he grabbed around my neck and began squeezing as hard as he could. I couldn't move, what should I do? I have no other choice but to grab a hold of that green flame once more.

I struggle but manage to place my left hand on his chest. My hand glows green and his hands release my neck. I need to pour every bit of strength I can into this. If I can reverse whatever happened to this guy then maybe he would be easier to deal with. After spending the past couple hours practicing I think I have just enough. The flame began to burn as I reached my limit but I can't stop at something as stupid as my own limit. I have to push past it in order to survive. In an explosion of green light we both collapsed to the floor and my left hand didn't survive the blast. It's fine I have a star left. I should be able to heal it.

Before I could heal my arm, the explosion faded and it revealed the elf back in his normal form. He was heavily damaged and on the verge of death. There were wounds all across his body and blood stained every part of him. 

"Thank you for saving me. I don't know how but you managed to completely reverse my hideous demonification. Sadly right before that transformation I was on the verge of death regardless. That rotten bastard said he was doing me a favor by granting me that rabid form." The elf spoke.

"Wait someone did this to you?" I asked.

"Yes I don't know his name but he was a large demon with animal like teeth. My name is Herderal. I lived in a village close by, but once that demon claimed the land as his entire territory and we couldn't fight back. He was unlike a power any of our people had ever seen and the army that followed him was full of powerful demons." Herderal explained.

"Where is this place exactly? Sorry to ask such a strange question, it's just I'm not well versed in locations." I questioned.

"It's fine I don't mind; this is the Titan Trees of Rahani. I think I'm running low on life here. I'm glad I got to meet you and thank you for trying to save me. My fate was sealed the moment the invasion happened, I see that now." His eyes slowly closed and his hand that rested on his stomach fell to the ground. 

What should I do? I have the star to save him but this might be my only chance at another shot at life. What if my arm can't heal back after the star disappears? I don't care. If there's a chance I could bring him back I have to try. I crawl over to his body and place both my hands on his chest. I could still feel a faint heartbeat coming from him. I grab the green flame and pour every last bit of energy I have. His wounds began to close and his heart started to beat louder. His body slowly began to show more color until his eyes fully opened. I used up all my energy; I don't think I can stay conscious any longer. My vision quickly turns to darkness

"Hey! Hey! Come on man get up!" Herderal's voice brings the light back into my eyes. "Holy shit I thought you weren't coming back. I don't have anything I could possibly give you to truly express how grateful I am. Why would you risk that for someone who was trying to kill you?"

"Don't worry about it, it all worked out in the end, also I learned something new." My stars do regenerate. When I fell unconscious the goddesses gave me a huge earful about how much energy I used. She also mentioned that the energy I borrow is everlasting as long as I give it time to recover. It's almost like I can produce it on my own. After I woke up I noticed I had half a star on my armband, I've never seen that before. I force out the energy into my left hand fully restoring it.

"Woah you're immortal?" Herderal asks

"Not exactly, I can regenerate to a certain degree but once I'm out of stars I'm a goner, or well I'm pretty sure of that at least. I'm glad I managed to bring you back. I wanted to ask if I could borrow your bow."

"What would you need that for?"

"I'm going to kill the demon that did that to you and all the others."