Pink, healthy flesh gradually spread across the wounded area, covering the exposed injuries. The damaged skin regenerated at an astonishing speed, while the golden scales that had previously been shattered and torn away slowly emerged from beneath the newly formed flesh.
Within just a few breaths, the enormous wound on Borch's chest had completely disappeared. Its golden scales had been restored, leaving no trace of the terrible injuries it had suffered moments earlier.
It was as though the dragon had never been wounded in the first place.
However, the most astonishing transformation occurred in the Green Dragon.
The moment the golden light passed over its body, its previously faint and almost imperceptible breathing suddenly became deep and powerful. Its chest began rising and falling vigorously, while the weakness that had nearly claimed its life disappeared.
Its eyelids, which had previously been almost completely closed, suddenly snapped open.
A pair of sharp, brilliant emerald eyes appeared once more.
The Green Dragon let out a low, confused whimper. It slowly lifted its lowered head and looked around, seemingly unable to understand what had happened.
Only moments earlier, it had been on the verge of death. Its body had been exhausted, and even breathing had become an enormous struggle.
Now, however, it felt as though it had been given an entirely new life.
The golden light had completely erased its dying condition.
But the healing did not end there.
After restoring the two dragons, the golden radiance continued moving forward, gently passing over Geralt, Yennefer, Doregar, and the others.
Then, like ripples spreading across the surface of a lake, it expanded beyond the cave entrance and into the surrounding valley.
It reached everyone who had been injured or knocked unconscious by Borch's earlier impact.
Before entering the cave, Karl had already used the discernment ability granted by the Power of Faith to examine the Dragon Hunters.
He had a fairly clear understanding of their characters and intentions.
He knew which individuals had never harmed innocent people and which still possessed a sense of morality.
He also knew who, despite being tempted by greed, had refused to follow the others in attacking the cave.
As for those whose hearts had been completely consumed by greed, Karl had no intention of wasting his compassion on them.
They had ignored his warnings, dismissed his words as meaningless threats, and stubbornly attempted to take advantage of the situation.
Some had even been willing to risk the lives of others merely to satisfy their own desires.
Their deaths were consequences of their own decisions.
Karl felt no obligation to save them.
However, those who still possessed a conscience were different.
Some had simply been caught up in the chaos, while others had never intended to participate in the attack.
They did not deserve to lose their lives because of someone else's greed.
For such individuals, Karl didn't mind offering a second chance.
As the golden radiance moved beyond the cave, it suddenly separated into countless tiny particles of warm light.
Like thousands of golden fireflies, these particles scattered throughout the valley before gently merging into the bodies of the injured people lying on the ground.
A few seconds later, the first signs of recovery appeared.
"Ugh... What... What happened?"
"Am I... still alive?"
Several people who had been lying motionless suddenly began moving.
Those who had suffered severe injuries and were barely clinging to life felt a warm current spreading throughout their bodies as soon as the golden particles entered them.
The unbearable pain gradually disappeared.
Deep wounds began closing, damaged muscles regenerated, and broken bones slowly returned to their proper positions.
Even the strength they had lost seemed to return.
The transformation was so rapid that many couldn't understand what was happening.
"Wait... My injuries!"
One of the Dragon Hunters stared at his previously bloodied arm.
The wound had disappeared completely, leaving behind only healthy skin.
Another man slowly touched his chest, where a deep injury had nearly killed him moments earlier.
There was no longer any pain.
His breathing had also returned to normal.
One after another, the injured individuals struggled to their feet.
Some stared at their bodies in disbelief, while others looked around desperately, trying to discover the source of the miraculous phenomenon.
Nobody understood what had happened.
They only knew that they had been on the verge of death moments earlier, yet they were now standing as though nothing had happened.
Not far away, Nedamir was supporting one of his personal guards.
The guard's face was deathly pale, and blood foam continuously escaped from his mouth. His breathing was weak, and his body seemed incapable of supporting itself.
Nedamir was bending over, attempting to keep him conscious, when a faint golden radiance suddenly swept across the area.
He barely had time to notice it.
In the next instant, the guard's pale complexion began regaining its colour.
His previously unfocused eyes gradually recovered their brilliance, and the terrible wound on his chest began closing.
The sunken injury became shallower until it had almost completely disappeared.
Then, something even more unbelievable happened.
The guard suddenly gathered his strength, pushed himself away from Nedamir's support, and shakily stood upright.
Nedamir froze.
He stared at his subordinate, then looked around the valley.
The scene before him was almost impossible to believe.
People who had previously been lying on the ground, gravely injured and barely breathing, were now getting back on their feet.
Some were his own subordinates, while others were adventurers he considered innocent.
Every one of them appeared to have recovered.
A faint golden aura lingered around their bodies, gradually disappearing into the surrounding air.
"This... This is..."
Nedamir's mouth fell open.
He couldn't find the words to describe what he was witnessing.
His gaze slowly shifted towards the Dragon's Lair.
There, a ragged figure stood quietly, radiating an indescribable sense of majesty.
Although the figure's appearance was somewhat dishevelled, the overwhelming presence surrounding him made it impossible for anyone to regard him as an ordinary human.
Nedamir's heart trembled.
At this moment, he became absolutely certain that the being who called himself Arnulfati was connected to the existence described in ancient myths.
Such extraordinary power was beyond anything he had ever encountered.
Healing so many people simultaneously, restoring the bodies of two dragons, and bringing individuals back from the brink of death...
This was no ordinary magical ability.
Perhaps it was even something that existed beyond the understanding of ordinary sorcerers.
Nedamir couldn't help remembering his earlier decision.
He had refused to forcefully order his people to attack the cave.
At the time, some of his subordinates had probably considered his hesitation a mistake.
Now, however, he understood just how fortunate that decision had been.
If he had ignored the warnings and ordered everyone to attack, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
He might have lost not only his subordinates but also his own life.
Looking at the mysterious figure standing inside the cave, Nedamir silently congratulated himself on making the correct choice.
Meanwhile, Borch was examining its restored body.
The Golden Dragon lowered its enormous head and carefully touched the newly regenerated scales on its chest with the tip of one of its front claws.
The scales still possessed a fresh, almost newly formed appearance, their golden surfaces reflecting the light entering the cave.
Borch gently moved its claw across them.
The sensation was extraordinary.
It was difficult to believe that only moments earlier, its chest had been covered in devastating wounds.
The intense battle, the shattered scales, and the unbearable pain all seemed like an illusion.
Not only had its injuries disappeared, but its body also felt stronger than before.
An unprecedented vitality surged through its muscles and bones.
It was almost as though the healing process had restored more than just its physical condition.
Even its overall energy seemed to have increased.
Borch raised its head and looked towards the Green Dragon beside it.
Milgatabrek had also completely recovered.
However, the Green Dragon appeared somewhat displeased.
It seemed to remember the rather rough treatment it had received during their earlier encounter and was deliberately moving away from Borch.
The Golden Dragon noticed this reaction but didn't seem particularly concerned.
Instead, its attention soon shifted towards Karl.
Its enormous emerald eyes were filled with surprise and curiosity.
"Arnulfati, is this the healing ability you possess?"
Borch's deep voice echoed throughout the cave.
There was no attempt to conceal the curiosity in its tone.
"It feels as though I have been immersed in the purest and warmest sunlight. All the pain and exhaustion have disappeared."
The Golden Dragon paused briefly before continuing.
"However, I cannot sense any magical fluctuations from you."
It tilted its head slightly.
"That's rather strange. Your power doesn't resemble any magic I have encountered."
Borch carefully examined its own body again.
"And there's something else..."
It hesitated, apparently trying to describe an unfamiliar sensation.
"My body seems to be craving more of that light."
The Golden Dragon's eyes revealed a hint of confusion and longing.
The feeling was unlike anything it had experienced before.
The warmth had penetrated deep into its body, revitalizing every part of it.
Even after the golden radiance disappeared, a faint sense of satisfaction remained.
Karl calmly met Borch's gaze.
He also noticed the curious expressions of Yennefer, Doregar, and Geralt.
They were all interested in understanding the nature of the power he had just demonstrated.
Karl slowly nodded.
He had already anticipated this reaction.
The power he wielded was fundamentally different from the Chaos Magic system used by the sorcerers of this world.
Anyone with sufficient experience would naturally recognize the difference.
"You can consider it a special kind of spell."
Karl raised his hand slightly.
"But it has little to do with the magic you know or the methods you use to manipulate magical energy."
An almost imperceptible golden glow appeared around his fingertip before disappearing.
"What I possess is another kind of power. Something purer and operating on a higher level."
He deliberately kept his explanation vague.
There was no reason to reveal everything about his abilities.
Concepts such as the Bio-Force Field, solar absorption, and the Power of Faith were not things he needed to explain to everyone.
The more he revealed, the more questions he would invite.
Besides, there was no particular benefit in explaining the underlying principles of his abilities to people who had no way of understanding them.
A simple, ambiguous explanation was sufficient.
It allowed others to recognize his extraordinary capabilities without giving them unnecessary information.
Borch swayed its enormous head slightly, producing a low hiss that suggested it understood.
"No wonder..."
The Golden Dragon's expression became thoughtful.
"Your name, Arnulfati, means 'sun' in the Elvish language."
It turned its head towards the cave entrance, where sunlight streamed through the opening and illuminated the rocky floor.
"Now that I think about it, perhaps I understand."
Borch looked at the sunlight for a moment before continuing.
"The birth and growth of all living things depend on the sun's benevolence. Without its warmth and light, life itself would struggle to exist."
Its gaze returned to Karl.
"Perhaps your power originates from that same source."
Karl didn't confirm or deny the suggestion.
He simply maintained his calm expression.
Borch seemed satisfied with that response.
It wisely decided not to pursue the matter any further.
After all, for long-lived beings such as dragons, understanding the importance of respecting another person's secrets was a fundamental form of wisdom.
Not every mystery needed to be uncovered.
And not every question deserved an answer.
The Golden Dragon therefore shifted its attention back towards Milgatabrek.
It slowly lowered its enormous head and approached the Green Dragon.
A low, gentle rumble emerged from its throat.
The sound was completely different from the terrifying roar it had produced during the earlier battle.
Borch carefully moved closer before gently rubbing its head against Milgatabrek's neck.
The gesture seemed almost affectionate.
It was as though the Golden Dragon was attempting to comfort its companion after the unpleasant experience.
Or perhaps...
It was simply flirting.
Milgatabrek appeared somewhat uncomfortable with the sudden display of affection.
Nevertheless, it didn't immediately move away.
Seeing that Borch had stopped asking questions, Yennefer and Doregar exchanged a brief glance.
Both had been intensely curious about Karl's healing ability.
As experienced sorcerers, they were accustomed to examining unusual magical phenomena and investigating unfamiliar sources of power.
However, they also understood the importance of boundaries.
Directly questioning someone about the origin of their abilities, especially when that person had already demonstrated extraordinary strength, could easily be considered an insult.
It might even create unnecessary hostility.
Neither of them wanted to provoke Karl over something that was ultimately his private matter.
Geralt was similarly curious, although he didn't show it as openly.
He had witnessed many strange things throughout his life, but Karl's ability to heal such devastating injuries in an instant was undoubtedly exceptional.
Even the dragons, creatures possessing extraordinary vitality and natural regenerative abilities, had benefited tremendously from it.
For now, however, everyone seemed content to leave the mystery unexplained.
The cave gradually returned to a peaceful atmosphere.
Outside, the injured Dragon Hunters continued recovering, while the last traces of golden light slowly disappeared from the valley.
And within the Dragon's Lair, Karl stood quietly, seemingly unconcerned by the astonishment he had caused.
To him, healing the wounded was merely a simple application of his power.
But to everyone who had witnessed it, the scene was nothing short of a miracle.
For more chapters
patreon.com/Robertt45