London, 2023. Conflicts around the globe keep developing. The world is still feeling the aftereffects of the pandemic. Nothing is changing for the better. The streets of the world's most developed and important cities are ever more dangerous.

It was raining that day.

Jordan, a young executive of a philanthropic hospital, was walking back home after a long day at work.

During his walk, Jordan was thinking about the past. Before the pandemic, his career was on the rise. I got challenged and improved every day, but in 2020, everything changed.

He lost many members of his family, becoming an orphan. Life started to become meaningless.

Before, he took pride in finding resourceful ways to cut costs. Even when the cuts got in the way of saving more lives or even increased the risk for patients.

His mind was not right ever since the passing of his parents. The hospital where they died had a similar mentality. That is what he was most proud about doing: cutting costs no matter what.

The hospital didn't have the proper infrastructure to hold so many patients. The protocols were loose and obsolete. Overworked employees make many mistakes. The sad reality about many institutions in the healthcare system.

When Jordan got the news about his parents, it was too late to transfer them to a better center.

Jordan tried switching careers after what happened. He had worked at a philanthropic hospital for the past two and a half, but the situation was terrible. Places without a significant endowment and a constant donation base had the worst of the bunch.

Trying to offer the best medicine for those who couldn't afford it was not a healthy business model—creating a cycle of difficult choices. You saved fewer patients or had to choose the patients with no complications—a complex and constant bioethical dilemma.

He tried to make a change and improve the new hospital's situation. The past two years hit like a train for him.

That night, Jordan was walking home alone after many tough choices that made him feel like he was in the past.

Across the street, two hooded men followed a woman. Their speed was increasing, and soon they would reach her. The visible purse and watch were almost an advertisement for the robbers.

Jordan didn't even think before his body moved on his own.

Without realizing it, Jordan started running straight towards the lady in peril.

“What is happening, why am I running? Why won't my body stop and let her be?”

A few seconds passed, and one of the hooded men pulled a knife and was about to threaten the lady for her belongings. Jordan pushed her from behind and got between them.

Spooked by the unexpected movement, the armed robber pushed his arms forward.

At that moment, the robbers screamed at the stranger who got in the middle of their score. When he started to fall to the ground, both attackers kicked him a few times and then started running.

“Wow, I was able to push her away! But something is wrong, I can't move very well. I only got kicked a couple of times. It shouldn't be that bad.”

“Sir, are you ok?? You are bleeding. Let me call for help!” the lady said as she lowered towards him.

Jordan tried to speak but realized that no voice was leaving his body.

“Yes, I’m ok, you were the target miss! Wait, I’m bleeding? How did that happen?”

Trying to get up, he held her arms and saw that his suit had dark red stains on his sleeves.

As she got up to call for help, the world started to fade faster and faster for Jordan.

He blinked a couple of times, the scenery surrounding him changing each time. First, paramedics were stabilizing him on a gurney. Second, the paramedics were screaming at each other inside an ambulance. Soon, he was entering the same hospital his parents were inpatients in, and at last, he was entering an O.R.

He would never forget the entrance of their emergency—the place where, during the pandemic, both his mother and father perished.

As the doctors tried to save Jordan with emergency surgery, he could feel his life slipping away. Each second is more detached from the last. He became numb. He was being absorbed by the void.

“Mom, Dad, even though I tried, I could not change much in the end since you left. I wish I could have done more. For you… For me as well… For everyone. Some twisted sense of humor for destiny bringing me to the same hospital where I lost you. ” he thought.

While trying to keep his mind from fading away, some weird language and screams started to sound in his head.

“Such a strange feeling, dying. I always thought our minds turned off fast and completely; I guess I was wrong.”

The screams were getting louder and the language stronger.

Soon, he could tell that one of the people speaking had a deep voice, and the supposed words were pretty much the same. The screaming, though, kept increasing.

Without knowing how much time had passed, Jordan started to feel he was going crazy. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours. The darkness became brighter when he was at the peak of his turmoil. Scared of what was about to happen, all his focus came back to his mind as he closed his eyes and waited for his end.

Soon, even with his eyes closed, he could tell there was no darkness anymore. It was so bright that his eyes were almost in pain even when closed.

He could still hear the same deep voice. The screaming had stopped, and a smooth and carrying voice started to appear. It felt as if an angel was speaking to him in a different tongue. He couldn't understand the words, but with every sound the voice made, he improved.

Jordan was not afraid of these voices; they didn't sound threatening. But he still couldn't tell what was happening.

Jordan started to feel warmth. The more the voices spoke, the more one of the words kept repeating.

“BRYN, piuasgdf !!!!”

“ljkuhkgadaf, BRYN !!!”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Jordan felt a shock through his entire body. He was now able to sense his legs, arms, and body. Still, he was not yet able to move. The voices started to become shaky. The crying increased, and the volume of the repeating word started to go up and up.

Little by little, Jordan was coming back. He could already feel his hands moving. His leg movements were confusing; they were not responding to his commands.

“What has this hospital done to me? I can't even understand what people are saying anymore. I cannot move. How much drug did they put in my system? My mind feels ok, but my eyes and mouth can't move. How did it come to this?”

“Piuas lkçhui, BRYN !” he heard.

“There it is again; what are these doctors screaming, and what or who is a Bryn? Come on, Jordan, focus. You have to tell them you are okay!”

Mustering whatever strength he could, Jordan finally felt his voice forming. “Waaaa, waaaaa!”.

What is this? Why am I only thinking of words? I can feel my voice coming out, but all I hear is crying?!”

The overwhelming brightness that was bringing Jordan’s eyes pain started to calm. Soon, all that remained was some pain in his chest, but his eyes began to open.

Leaves, branches, and a striking blue sky above them with very few clouds were all that Jordan could see.

“I must have been under for quite some time. Either I was about to die for the hospital to bring me outside, or I died. Still, what a lovely view. It is so rare for London to offer such beautiful weather.”

That peaceful and wonderful moment ended when something covered his view. A figure with long brown hair, two horns, crying eyes, and a smile.

The person was coming to kiss his face. Jordan started to try to push whoever and whatever that was. His mind started going full speed. Still, he was defenseless.

“What the hell is that? That thing is not a Nurse! Where are my doctors? Why is a random cosplayer taking care of me? What is happening?”

“laugsdlk, Bryn… ljyahgsd pqoiuwe.”, she said.

When the woman started speaking, Jordan recognized her voice. He had spent a long time listening to her speaking and screaming before. That was the unique voice he felt connected to when he was in the void.

“Who is she? Am I dead?”

Trying to comprehend what was happening, Jordan tried to move his limbs. Everything was moving, but it was as if his body was numb and unable to do what his mind was thinking.

“Calm down, Jordan, you learned how to assess a situation and make the best of it. Let's get all the information we can.”

Moving his head, he could see that behind the woman figure was a man with horns much more imposing than hers and a good beard. He was snuggling the female and holding Jordan's arm while smiling. He alternated smiling and speaking in that weird language, but now his voice was full of joy, as were his eyes.

“Wait a second, I’ve seen these eyes often in the hospital. Those are the eyes of a mother and father when they get good news in the NICU or when giving birth. But what is happening? And why would anybody go to the hospital in cosplay?”

Jordan kept replaying his last moments in a loop. His mind couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing.

“OK, there are only two possible ways things went. Either way, I’m in a weird program from the hospital for coma patients. Or the second possibility... I reincarnated as the son of two nature-loving cosplayers! Both are terrifying!”

Sylas got up and helped Freya get up as well. As the three of them started to walk, Jordan’s mind was still trying to make sense of everything that happened.

While the two creatures walked and talked, Jordan's mind tried to analyze as best as possible.

"I can tell we are in a forest, but I can't see any building. No one is around as well. My mind works as fast as normal, but movement is still hard. Let's try moving my eyes as much as I can."

Looking for clues about his situation, all he could find was the forest.

Soon, all three arrived close to a very old and destroyed house.

"From the looks of the building, these people are impoverished. Also, it confirms I'm not in London, at least not in my century."

The house was rustic; it looked like trees layered on each other, with horrible taste. Inside, it was dark and had terrible lighting, but one could see whoever lived there took care of the place.

The house was small; it had a small dining area with a fireplace in the middle, taking up almost the entire space. Opposing the entry door was a rug ranging from the ceiling in place of a door.

"OK, calm down. If this is reincarnation, I must use everything I can to understand this place and my situation. I believe the two strangers are my parents. I'd better take a proper look at them..."

At that moment, Jordan's eyes saw something his mind couldn't believe.

The female, or better, his mother, still had both horns in her head as he had seen before. But even more shocking were her legs. Under the old and crumpled shirt, she had a lot of fur. He was being placed on the ground and analyzing her. His eyes could see her entire body for the first time, and her feet were hooves, like those from a bighorn.

"I'm 100% sure, going crazy. Not only am I considering I was reborn in a new world, but now I'm supposed to believe my parents are Fauns. All I need is a good sleep. It will all end tomorrow, for sure."

As a newborn, Jordan had almost no energy to stay awake for a long time.

While he slept, the couple kept working on their chores.

"Freya, are you sure you are fine? Giving birth is a demanding task, and look at our son! He is so big and strong; I'm sure he took much of your energy. You sit there and relax next to him. I'll cook dinner for us today." said the man, trying to comfort his wife.

"You are cute when you are afraid, Sylas. Our baby boy is fine, and so am I. Our little Bryn is amazing. Look at him sleeping for the first time. Still, you better cook fast; he will need to eat soon, and I need to replenish my energy." she answered.

While rushing through the small amount of ingredients, he said, “All we have are vegetables and one small piece of rabbit. It will have to do."

Both kept preparing dinner and talking around the small living room. The fireplace and the tree of them combined occupied the entire room. There was no space for anything else.

Soon, hunger got the best of Jordan, and he woke up crying.

His mother instinctively brought the baby to her chest and started feeding him. Jordan's mind was still wild; he couldn't believe that the new world was still there after waking up. He was still a newborn, a faun, and now his mother was feeding him.

While feeding, his thoughts gained clarity he hadn't felt in a long time. It was as if space and time stopped. He felt love, warmth, and security like his late mother and father hugging him.

As he finished his first meal, he looked around to get as much information as possible. While moving his eyes, he found a bowl of water. Trying everything he could, he felt his legs and arms starting to respond.

"Baby bighorns can walk on their first day. Am I able to do that as well? I have to figure out everything I can and fast."

"Where do you think you are going, young man? You need rest. You will have plenty of time to walk around when you are older." said his mother, even though he could not understand any of it.

She took her child, who was trying to move from the small corner they had put him in.

After she and Sylas finished their dinner, Jordan was already sleeping.

Sharing the embrace of his loving wife and newborn son, Sylas was the last to fall asleep.

The first night was clear.

Jordan / Bryn woke everyone up as soon as he needed more food. The baby’s consumption of food was incredible. With his energy total today, he was sure to try and move around.

"Freya, today I have to go back to work. The lord will be back, and I have to get the horses ready." Sylas said.

"Don't worry, Sy. You can go. Little Bryn and I will be fine."

"I swear, I need to learn their language. I only understand that my name must be Bryn, or that is their favorite word." Bryn / Jordan thought.

While Sylas left for work, the morning inside the house was dull. Freya had to organize everything from the day before, from the food to the fireplace.

She took young Bryn for a walk outside, and they went to the river to wash some of the clothes she had used yesterday.

Jordan still felt like it was a dream, but nothing changed every time he woke up.

When coming up to the river, Freya put him down further from the shore. That way, when she got in to clean the clothes, she could keep a lookout for him.

As she was washing everything, Jordan noticed a small puddle of water. He wanted to look at himself, a curiosity that anyone reborn must feel. Fauns were more agile than baby humans but slower to move than baby bighorns.

Jordan was able to roll one time, being able to see his face for the first time. Head movement was hard still, so all he could see was what was right in front of him and reflected in the puddle.

His face resembled a young baby's, and he recalled Freya's and Syla's expressions. The only thing different was his dark blue eyes. They combined his previous life blue eyes and his new parent's dark brown.

Looking at himself, he could see one thing that scared him. Next to his face appeared an almost invisible watermark:

Name

Bryn

Age

1

Level

1

"Holy crap. I can identify myself! Not only with my memory but also as in an RPG! Is it possible to train such a skill? Does magic exist in this new world? I must find everything out. How do I level up?"

As he processed the new information fast, his happiness ended as quickly as it came.

"Amazing, Bryn, you are already rolling! It usually takes two days for baby fauns to start rolling. You are going to be a troublemaker, aren't you?" His mother said while putting him back in his area.

Freya finished her chores and picked everything up, including Jordan.

As they returned to the house, Freya started preparing lunch and dinner. Jordan saw that the ingredients were the same as yesterday, minus the meat.

Freya was sad inside despite her best efforts to be happy and fulfilled. No one should live the way they were living. He had little information about this new world but could still tell something was wrong.

After many years as a company man and an executive, he could read a room and people's faces like few could. The situation was dire.

After sleeping and eating two more times, Jordan woke up as soon as Sylas arrived.

"Where are my favorite son and wife?" the man exclaimed.

"Your troublemaker is inside our room; he rolled for the first time today! We are going to pay close attention to Bryn." She answered.

"Hahah, as expected from our son. A very good Faun... Listen, the lord was happy that everything went ok with the birth. He gave us a whole chicken and tomorrow off as well. But he expects you back the day after."

"It was too much to ask for a week; I thought so." she said, lowering her head.

Sylas hugged his wife, trying to console her with his warmth. "The lord had no problem with a week since human women can have two weeks. The problem was the lady; she found it absurd that a beast would have as much rest as a human…” he said.

Jordan couldn't understand the meaning of the words. Even so, hearing the tone of their conversation and faces, he could tell something bad was up.

"Whatever it is, I saw my level one. I can grind my way up if I can survive, as in every MMORPG I ever played. I have to survive; I won’t let these people suffer like my late parents did."