Lying Henry down gently, Ella felt for his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when she found it. “He's alive,” she muttered. 

“What was that?” I asked, still trying to grasp how a virus could make someone lose control like that.

But no one answered as all eyes were on Benjamin, expecting him to explain, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he was entirely transfixed on Henry, a look of utter bewilderment etched across his face.

Following his gaze, I felt my stomach twist, but as my mind processed what I was seeing, that sense of foreboding turned into utter astonishment… they were gone. His injuries. Every. Single. One.  Every scratch and bruise was erased as if they had never existed. His skin looked untouched, like nothing had ever harmed him. Even his hand showed no signs of injury.

I was still trying to wrap my head around it when Henry suddenly blinked, causing all of us to flinch back. But though he was awake, he remained still, and within his eyes lay a strange glimmer as his gaze darted back and forth as if reading something only he could see.

“Henry… are you alright?” Benjamin asked carefully.

He didn't answer at first, but eventually he slowly turned his head toward Ella, an aching apology written all over his face.

 “I… I didn’t mean to do that,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry…”

Unconcerned about what he had done, Ella didn’t hesitate as she threw her arms around him in a crushing hug.

“Don’t scare us like that,” she cried. When she finally pulled back, she looked him over, relieved to see him acting like himself. Then, just to be sure, she asked, “You are back, right?”

Henry gave a soft chuckle and nodded. “Yeah. I’m back.”

A beat passed. “Although… I think I should tell you. I might be seeing things.”

Ella narrowed her eyes. “What kind of things?”

“Some kind of video-game screen,” he said.

“A video Game screen?” Benjamin Muttered stepped in to check his pupils. “You might be hallucinating as a side effect.”

“No, I’m fine. Seriously.” Henry shook his head. “It’s just… it says I have skills. And ive got this strange feeling… I don't know how to explain it.”

 He turned toward us as if demonstrating. “Look.”

He stretched out his hand in what I assumed was meant to be some kind of spell-casting gesture, but honestly, he looked more like a guy trying really hard not to crap himself.

“I think he’s gone crazy,” Emily muttered, clearly concerned.

He furrowed his brow, trying again. The effort showed on his face, but the result was the same.

Ella spoke up, her voice gentle but curious. “What are you trying to do?”

Henry opened his eyes, visibly frustrated. “That plant, over there. I was trying to use one of my skills on it.”

She sighed, clearly weighing whether he'd finally lost it. But just to appease him, she asked, in a gentle tone, like what you would say to a child. “It might help us to understand what you are trying to do?” 

Frustrated Henry huffed,” I know I sound crazy, and you are all looking at me like I am, but I'm telling you, whatever happened gave me something like a power.” 

“Ok, let's say I believe you. What is it you're trying to do?” Ella said in an attempt to calm him. ‘

Looking at Benjamin, we shared a concerned look. 

“I got this Skill called common Poison, and I was trying to use it on that plant over there,” he huffed. Clearly, seeing that no one believed him.

Playing along some more, she tilted her head.  “At this distance?” 

Realization dawned on his face. “Right… yeah, maybe.”

He stepped forward, crouching beside a vibrant green plant and hovered his hand over it for a moment, hesitation flickering in his eyes, before he pressed his palm against the stem.

We watched in silence as seconds passed.

Sighing. I wasent sure how to deal with this. Depending on how severe his hallucinations were, this was going…

Then it began.

The leaves curled inward like they were recoiling from his touch. Color drained from them, turning that lively green into a brittle, ashen gray. The plant sagged, lifeless and crumbling at the edges.

Then, like a tide, my chest tightened. The sight struck something profound, and in a flash, the world shifted.

Beneath me, Cold mud clung to my boots, trying to pull me down as rain fell in sharp, icy needles. Trees loomed like charred skeletons, and the sky was nothing but a smothering void.

Somewhere close, a wet gurgling rose through the storm like the last desperate attempts at life.

“Help… me…”

But I couldn’t. I was stuck in a body of inaction, one that couldent move or speak as I was left frozen there to bear the sounds of it until it dissolved into static as the dark swallowed it all.

Then, just as fast, I was back.

The jungle folded in around us again, dense and humming with the constant drone of insects. Henry lifted his hand from the ruined plant, revealing what little was left of it.

I blinked hard, and the visions slammed through me again until I forced myself to breathe. Shallow at first. Then deeper. In… out… pushing the memories back where they belonged. Reminding myself that I wasn’t there anymore. That I was fine and in control.

Somewhere through that fog, Henry spoke. His voice drifted in like a sound underwater.

“It’s kind of creepy. I mean…”

I didn’t catch the rest. My hand had already found the grip of my knife, fingers curling tight before I even realized what I was doing. A spike of shame cut through the panic.

What the hell am I doing?

It’s Henry, I told myself. He isn’t the enemy, never has been.

Then he moved to pick up a stone, utterly oblivious to me, as he pressed his hand to it.

But nothing happened.

“Looks like it only works on living things,” he muttered, setting it down again.

Ella, on the other hand, was utterly awestruck by what he could do, furiously scribbling notes, muttering to herself as she cataloged every detail.

I let out a slow breath and forced my hands to still, finally able to put these reactions to the side to make room for the more pressing matters.

Like his apparent second skill, I had entirely missed thanks to my panic attack.

Ella looked up from her journal, pen tapping against her chin. “What about that second skill. The multilingual one? Maybe we just haven’t triggered it properly.”

“I mean,” Henry said, glancing around, “we all speak the same language, so maybe that’s why nothing's happened?”

Emily shifted where she sat, then tilted her head thoughtfully. “What if I try something?”

She cleared her throat, and suddenly, her voice shifted into quick syllables that rolled off her tongue with an unfamiliar cadence. I blinked, completely lost. Whatever she was speaking, it wasn’t English.

Owen frowned. “Was that... French?”

“Not even close,” Benjamin muttered.

Only Henry didn’t look bewildered. His brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed at Emily. “... you're the one who took my desert rations?”

Emily smirked, unbothered. “Maybe.”

I glanced at Henry. “You sure that’s what she said?”

 “Positive,” he said flatly as he glared at her. “I know I didn’t forget them.”

“What language was that?” I asked.

“Sámi,” Emily replied, completely unbothered by Henry's glares. “My grandmother taught me.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “That’s... amazing.”

Benjamin let out a low whistle. “Impressive.”

“We still need to be careful,” Amelia reiterated. “Understanding a language is one thing. But we don’t know what this core did to you.”

“Agreed,” I muttered, still eyeing Henry from the side.

Owen groaned, shifting on the ground. “Figure it out in the morning. I’m running on fumes.”

“Nice try,” I said. “You’re on watch now.”

He let out a long, theatrical sigh. “I hate this place.”

I stood to stretch the tension from my shoulders. “Don’t worry. Benjamin takes over in two hours. You’ll survive.”

As I walked to the edge of camp, I found myself watching Henry again. He’d gone quiet, now resting his hand against a small plant. When it wilted again, he didn’t seem surprised, just thoughtful. His eyes studied his fingers with a sort of detached curiosity. Like he wasn’t entirely sure where he ended and the new abilities began.

My hand brushed the hilt of my knife out of instinct, but I didn’t draw it; instead, I allowed my hand to rest there for a moment and leaned back against the tree. The fire crackled softly nearby, but its warmth felt distant now. My hand dropped to my side as I closed my eyes, letting the weight of the day finally pull me under. Sleep came uneasily, but deep enough to keep the worst thoughts at bay.