How?

As Sam's conciseness floated around in the abyss, many questions faded in and out of his mind, many emotions, fear, anger, hatred. The lack of feeling became comforting in a way, without the burden of worldly concern and desires. In such an intoxicating embrace Sam reached a conclusion as to what life truly meant that would soon change his fate. Although his conclusion could be considered naïve or half baked as to his lack of life experience, that very lack of experience, lack of temptation and without time to manifest such vain, shallow and self destructive desires was what had allowed him to quickly realize the futility of it all.

As he had now experienced the destination before having even thought of his journey, now left with only his own thoughts and regrets. It was as his mind continued to ponder on the what ifs that he heard a voice after what had felt like an eternity, "hehehe, what an empty soul we have here." the cold voice crackled, it sounded that of an otherworldly presence, something that should not be heard by the mortal mind. Sam could not feel a thing yet in his consciousness he still knew that whatever this being was, could not bring him any good. The voice spoke again and it's icy voice rang in Sam's mind, "How interesting, you will satisfy my needs quite well. I will give you a chance, you who is already forsaken, I wonder what you will become." Sam could not speak and only listen, he felt as though he had been floating around endlessly so much so that he forgot the pleasure of merely feeling pain or joy. For the first time in so long fear, or the closest thing to it, raced through his mind, he could not fathom what awaited him while going back. Without time to even process the offer given to him from the mysterious voice he began to feel a burning sensation, one that he had forgotten for so long. The suffocating feeling in his lungs and the anger that he felt at the time of his death.

Sam could just barely see as he tried so hard to lift his head, his eyes burning and body aching. He couldn't move his body at all, he could only taste and smell the charred flesh of those around him as well as himself. Moving his eye's he could see that his entire body was charred, his skin completely burnt with much of his flesh exposed and hanging off. From the sounds of the lack of shouting the battle had finished, the crows already digging in to the feast left out for them. Sam felt the birds tearing away at his arms, as well as the sound them doing the same to those around him. The pain became numbing and as he pondered why he was given this chance and how he was even alive now, he thought to himself 'Does it even matter, did anything ever matter?' he began to question everything he ever knew but stopped midway realising that what was important now was surviving. 'That's right, I already died, whatever happens next is surely a gift.' feeling indebt to the one who sent him back despite the agonizing pain, Sam felt an obligation to survive for whatever purpose it may be that he was sent back.

With all his strength he desperately tried to move for hours while fading in and out of consciousness from the indescribable pain. "Survivor!, Captain it looks like someone's still alive over here!" After hours of struggling finally Sam felt relieved. A rugged young man with brown shaggy hair looking to be in his early 20s stood over Sam and the bodies around him, the man lightly dressed in leather and pieces of steel plating covering only his vitals, called over another lightly dressed man, this one wore a hood that covered his face but wore similar armour. The hooded man chuckled with a deep booming tone "Ha, you call this a survivor, as a fellow warrior I'd be doing you a favour by ending your suffering." the man pulled out his sword and lowered it towards Sam's neck as the young man beside him watch with sorrow. 'No!' Sam thought as he desperately did all he could to move his body. As the blade was inches from his throat what was left of Sam's hand moved in a jerky movement and latched onto the blade, it penetrated his hand and continued to bury deep inside it as he pushed it away with all his strength. He tried to speak but all that came out were gurgles of blood, as he struggled the hooded man withdrew his blade and after glancing at the man beside him he turned around, but before walking off he spoke with a grin hidden under his hood, "Huh, so the runt still persists, must be some sort of fate." as he walked away a few more men dressed in similar outfits appeared and began to carefully lift Sam onto a makeshift stretcher. As Sam lay on the stretcher he rested his mind to collect some of the little strength he had left.

"Hey Dez, which side do you reckon this one was on?" one of the men said to men questioned the young man who found Sam.

"From the looks of it the Helios Kingdom, heard they threw some villagers at the Castiffon Reserves. Poor bastards never stood a chance." Dez replied with a grim face.

"Damn bastard nobles! to send the people their supposed to protect to their deaths. I'd say I'm glad that the Castiffons were victorious but their just as ruthless, by now many of the surrounding villages have surely been razed to the ground." the other man chimed in.

The trio carried Sam to their camp located further away from the battlefield in the woods and took him to a small white tent, as they carried him through the camp many gazes of different types stared at Sam's disfigured body. A mixture of disgust and pity, these warriors and residents of the battlefield were all familiar with the brutalities of war but few could stomach the sight of a young boy charred and torn apart, it was one of the extremes rarely seen by anyone other than looters, so for those who usually never saw the actual battlefield up close or the aftermath this was a shock. Afterall it wasn't common for someone with such serious injuries to be even worth considering saving.

As the group entered the tent three young girls in nun like robes were sitting on cushioned stools reading. Sitting on the bed beside them was an older women in a similar robe, as the women noticed the group she smiled however as she was about to greet Dez he swiftly interrupted as the men behind him brought in the stretcher. "Apologies Lady Elsa, but this child needs urgent attention." As he presented Sam to Lady Elsa her faced paled into one of shock as she covered her mouth with her small hands. "By Athea , what happened to this poor child?" she asked tearfully. Hearing the woman's cries the young girls came over only to show similar expressions with one being unable to even look. "Please do what you can, he was picked from the fields not long ago, been their for a few days now." Dez lifted Sam's bony body onto the bed behind the woman and without waiting for anymore questions left the tent with the two other men.

"Athea, I pray that you give me the strength to save this child." Lady Elsa spoke in a soft shaky voice as she began to treat Sam's wounds alongside the young girls in her care.