PoV Tornhel

Raising my iron sword, I was ready to take an attack at any moment. Because of the fog, the trees looked terrible, but I knew that our enemy was among these trees.

- Murad. How strong that woman had been?

- She was dexterous. But in close combat not dangerous than an ordinary person with claws.

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. So these are only low-level spirits. After the battle, there is no need to wait for another attack.

- Hold the line! Lucas, light the fire. Murad, what are your arrows made of?

- Made of bones.

-There is an ax in our carriage, take it. Your bows are useless against Sorel.

- Got it. - Murad went to our carriage with a mule. Taking the ax from there, he quickly returned. If no one gets seriously injured or dies in this fight, then probably everyone will accept it with restraint. And if someone dies, they will express their anger at him.

The fog was slowly thickening, the atmosphere was becoming tense. The trees were getting an eerie look. We all kept our eyes open. Our enemy is hiding among them.

- Look out!

A huge shadow flew towards us. I quickly made a roll and the shadow passed by me. It was a stone half a meter in length.

- Ahhh!

Unfortunately, not everyone evades it.

- Lucas! -The stone crushed his leg into a bloody mass.

- Ahhh!

- Damn it! Somebody! Cauterize his legs!

Murad quickly approached and with a decisive movement tore off the remains of the leg and took a piece of burning wood and cauterized his wound.

I turned my gaze in the direction from where the stone was thrown. A long figure came out. At least 5 meters long. The body is covered with some moss. Hands ending with long claws. Hooves instead of feet.

-You. Killed. Her. Revenge.

We immediately attacked him. Using his claws, he did not allow them to approach.

- Revenge!

- Shut up! We didn't kill her! - I couldn't stand it anymore and shout.

-...Revenge!

Next to him, the fog was getting even thicker. I could no longer see my comrades, only the shadow of the enemy. Because of this, it was unclear whether he was attacking or not. I had to rely on hearing and transmit information by voice.

-Attack in three! One! Two! Three! Attack!

We all immediately headed for the shadow. Raising my sword, I struck with all my might.

- *Ding!* * Knock!* - Everyone heard as we all hit the shadow at the same time. However, I did not feel the sword cutting through the flesh. It was a tree.

-Damn it! Where is he!?

- He ran away!

- With your back to the tree! With your back to the tree! - We all pressed ourselves against the tree and began to look for Sorel.

-Aaaa! -A child's cry came from the direction of the carriages.

-Go there!

In the fog, I had to navigate by ear. Then my eye noticed a light. It looks like a flame. We all went there.

The tall shadow raised its hand and hit the carriage hard. The door swung open loudly and small figures ran out. Behind them, the carriage was on fire.

-Mercenaries! What are you doing there!? Kill this thing.

- Looks like you were lucky to survive.

-What I can not say about my products!

-The coins will not burn. There will be something to pay for.

Thanks to the fire of the carriage, the fog became less dense. Using this, I examined my brothers. Except for Larry, everyone is with me. Some of them have noticeable holes in their chain mail, but no one was seriously injured. Gathering my courage I said

- All or nothing! Get ready to attack decisively! Are you ready?

- Yes!

- Let's start!

We resolutely ran towards Sorel. The spirit raised his arms and launched a sweeping attack in an attempt to push us away. Relying on my experience, I rolled closer to him. His hand passed over my head.

I gathered all the strength in my hand and pierced his leg. With a quick movement, I pulled out the blade and struck the other leg. This caused the creature to lose its balance. After hitting me one last time, he fell. My brothers took advantage of this opportunity and began to surround and secure it. Sorel waved his hands frantically. Murad swung and hit Sorel's hand with the ax, from which it immediately separated from the body.

- Hmm? - Moving away to a distance, I noticed that the hand has large bloodstains. Lifting up my sleeves, I saw my wounds opened. Damn cultists. - Finish it yourself! I will bring some me... Argh...- When I was already relaxed, I was pierced like a spear. The blade of the weapon was coming out of my chest. Red? Is that dragon steel?

Looking back in fear, I saw my enemy. It was a woman with evil eyes, goat hooves, and a long tongue that pierced me.

- Tautay… Lak…

My vision went dark. My legs lost their strength. I fell and consciousness began to leave me.

…

-You bastard! If it wasn't for you! My children! They wouldn't have suffered such serious injuries!

-And if it wasn't you! Lucas and the Leader wouldn't have died! And Larry and Tim would not have received such wounds!

I raised my head. The body feels so weak. Under a blurry look, I saw how everyone surrounded one with a weapon in his hands.

-I'm still alive you idiots! * Cough* * Cough*. - Covering my mouth with my hand and coughing, I felt the moisture in my hand. Blood.

- Leader! -All my brothers came to me. They helped me lean on a nearby tree.

- Idiots. If you have already set * Cough* someone against yourself, do not turn your back on him. * Cough* * Cough*

My words immediately brought them to their senses and they looked in the direction of Murad. He only approached the small figure of the boy. After looking for a couple of moments, he put his hand on his neck.

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- Hey hey. What are you doing?

-He's still alive.

-I know! But a stab wound in the stomach! He won't survive this! And my daughter... how will she live with one hand? You! Robbed me of everything I had. Maybe you'll take my life too!? Because of you…

My vision went dark again. Consciousness is floating away. It looks like... this is my end.

…

PoV Murad

I looked at the people in front of me. Those who just a couple of hours ago was discussing whether to accept me as a brother-in-arms. And now they want to vent their anger on me.

But it's not my fault. She attacked me herself.

Even though I told them this, all that matters to them is what it led to. 1 killed and almost all wounded. They want to vent their anger on me.

Should I kill them? Food slowly but surely restores biomass. The arm can be grown in two days of eating wheat. My current stock is enough for one hand. If I won't lose my head, I won't die fast. I will also be able to get some of the memories. But there are too many of them for me to absorb alone. Only the head can absorb such a quantity. I am not able to separate and create a bigger being without uniting with others. And by the time I bring the bodies to the head, they will already rot off.

-Leader? Leader! Don't leave us! We've lost too many people already! I will not be able to become as good a leader as you! No one can! Without you, our group will break up!

Like a family that will lose its head... If no one else is able to replace the head, it will inevitably disintegrate. Naturally, other family members will hate the culprit, whatever the reason. I get another insight. I need to prepare another head! But how I should safely transfer the souls?

Seeing how the mercenaries had already raised their weapons, I decided to deal with the pressing problems for now

After thinking, I decided. I can try to do something. If I give them a helping hand and make a deal, then they can help me. If they refuse, well, I already have plan b.

-Stop. I can save him.

-What? -New leader Larry looked at me in a daze

-There is a chance to save not only him but everyone who is still alive. But I have conditions.

Larry looked incredulous.

-Prove it. We'll think about it later.

I nodded and walked over to Tornhelm. He has a large hole in his chest, his lungs are damaged, and most likely internal bleeding. I put my hand in the wound and tore it off.

- Hey hey! What are you doing? You... what are you? - The mercenaries were scared when they saw how my hand grew in a second.

-This should help for a while.

-Un-unbelievable! -If it wasn't for the blood, no one would have believed that a minute ago there was a hole in the chest.

-This is only a temporary solution. If you do not deliver him to a certain place, he won't live long. -After a short silence, Larry asked

-Can you heal others?

-Yes

- Then heal my son! And my daughter's hand! -The merchant shouted.

- All in good time. Listen to me. I have conditions. I demand your cooperation. You will all be healed and will continue to be able to heal such wounds. But these services are not free. You will periodically follow my orders, but the rest of the time you will remain on your own.

-What's the catch? Even if we do these tasks for thanks, aren't we getting too much?

-You'll get a catch when you get there. And also, it is strictly forbidden to talk about it! Punishment: Death!

-To hell with it! I agree with everything! For everything! Just save my children!

- Ok. -I went to the boy's shoulder, put my hand in the wound, and tore off the hand. But it has not grown back-the biomass has ended.

-Do you mind if I replenish the reserve with a mule?

-Uh, if it helps to save the wounded.

Having received the consent, I approached the mule, it looked at me with its limp eyes. Raising the ax, I hit the mule on the neck. The head fell to the ground with a loud sound, the body also fell a moment later.

I turned into a lump of meat and began to devour the biomaterial.

- Oh, my God! What kind of spirit are you?

Having partially absorbed the mule, I turned back into a human, this time I had a noticeably bulging stomach.

No more biomaterial can be absorbed. All my bodies can only absorb no more than 70% of their weight at a time. And after the absorption, only a nest can immediately turn into an absorbed target(if I hadn't absorbed this species before). Others will need some time.

After healing the boy, I began to help the wounded. They all looked at me suspiciously but did not resist.

In the case of Tim, the remains of Tautai Lak's tongue had to be pulled out. He bravely defended his brother-in-arms with his body. I am always happy to help such people.

- Okay, now we go in that direction.

- No. - Larry raised his weapon -We do not want to follow the monster. You've already healed our injuries and Aaaaa! - Larry fell to the ground and pressed his hands to the place of wounds.

- I had healed you with my cells. Now they are doing the work of wounded cells, but if I wish, they will enter deep into your body and destroy you from the inside. Still don't want to go?

- Argh... fine. Where should I go?

- The journey will take at least a week. Is this a problem for anyone?

- The product is destroyed. In the Chamber of Commerce, I will most likely be greatly demoted. Can't you let me go for a while? I need to give them the information that the cargo has been destroyed, otherwise, they may declare a hunt for me.

-No.

-B-but then they will start the hunt on me! Can you be sure they won't find me?

-I can change your face if you want.

-R-really?

-You can see for yourself