[M] Retribution IV: Rebirth

[Shang Tsung]

Had it only been days? Or had it been weeks since he last paused?

Argento Camarinos let out a groan as he settled against the wall of rock. For the moment, it would have to support him as he tried to focus his thoughts. Up in the Omniverse proper (and the world he’d known before it), he didn’t have to worry about exerting such an effort to heal his own wounds. In his own world, there had been clerics at the churches who would mend his tattered flesh, and in the Omniverse, he’d experienced accelerated healing due to the nature of omnilium.

Down here, however, there was no time to let his wounds naturally heal, even if they did so quicker than normal. His precious moments had to be spent repairing his body for more trials ahead, because even if his mind was ravaged, his body had to remain functional if he intended to endure. Once the seconds became minutes, he felt the sparkle as the rainbow swirls coalesced around his ravaged body. Fading into something akin to sunlight, the omnilium sank beneath his armor. As the skin sealed and bruises vanished, sections of the armor mended themselves as well.

Within just six long minutes, Argento had done enough to regain feeling in all of his extremities. The light around him faded much faster than it had appeared. He’d done enough for now—the rest could wait until he was in a more secure environment. Behind him, the hills turned into cliffs and mountains, and while it harkened back to terrible memories, he knew that he’d find at least some solace at higher elevations.

Grabbing for the ropes around his waist, he started to plan his ascent.