Suddenly, a bolt of icy pain pierced through Ethan’s body, pulling him out of the darkness. Gasping for breath, he found himself on a narrow bed, the sensation of the searing pain felt so vivid, it was as if he had just experienced it. Abruptly waking up, he found himself in a disorienting state trying to make sense of his surroundings.
As Ethan’s eyes slowly opened, his first bewildering thought was, “Didn’t I die? I clearly remember the bullet piercing my chest as I succumbed to darkness.” Confusion swirled in his mind as he mused, “Was I somehow saved and brought to a hospital?” Am I going to be put in prison once I get better? No, I don’t want that. Let me sleep, maybe I can die this way.” Ethan thought while trying to understand his current situation.
As Ethan attempted to look around, his vision remained blurry, causing him to wonder if he had lost his sight. Anxious, Ethan reached out his hands and gazed at them in disbelief, as his sight started getting clearer moment by moment.
“What the fuck?” he exclaimed, taken aback by their diminutive size. “I was shot in the chest, so why on earth would they amputate my hands and replace them with a child’s?”
A wave of confusion washed over Ethan as he questioned whether he had made such a grave mistake. Trying to call for a nurse, his voice failed him, instead producing a baby’s cry.
“What in the world? Who put me in a children’s hospital?” Ethan spoke, trying to come to terms with his youthful appearance, devoid of beard despite being twenty-one.
“I may look younger, but this is no reason to treat me like a child,” he muttered, attempting to speak again, only to be met with the same babyish voice. “Is this really my voice? Why am I crying like a baby?”
As Ethan desperately tried to make sense of the situation, a lady materialized before him, her sudden appearance sending a jolt of surprise through his veins. Startled by her close proximity, he let out a cry that echoed through the surroundings. The lady’s face appeared unusually large for Ethan's current state.
Drawing nearer, she extended her arms toward Ethan, attempting to grasp him gently. Panic surged through his small frame, and he struggled to find this voice, attempting to warn the lady, Ethan shouted, “Hey, stop, lady! What are you doing?” But his voice failed him, lost in the bewilderment of this strange place. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, the lady scooped him up with a tender embrace, cradling him in her arms. A warm, reassuring smile adorned her face as she spoke in some kind of unknown language that Ethan couldn’t understand.
“Eh?” Ethan’s thoughts raced, desperately seeking an explanation, ”Have I been reborn? But where am I?” he muttered, gazing up at the woman who now seemed like a motherly figure. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she held him close.
"Could this be the classic trope where the loser protagonist dies a tragic death and is then reborn again?" Ethan pondered, his mind attempting to grasp the fantastical nature of his circumstances "Is this really happening to me?"
Suddenly, the door swung open, and there stood a man before him. Ethan, with his past memories still intact, immediately recognized the man standing before him as most likely his father. Filled with fear and overwhelmed by the traumatic memories of his past, he couldn’t help but cry loudly, not wanting to endure the same painful life he had suffered before. Yet, in a remarkable turn of events, something in the father's actions halted Ethan’s tears, as he cradled the baby in his strong, comforting arms, tears of joy welled up in his eyes. He spoke words in a strange and unknown language, planting a gentle kiss on Ethan’s cheeks.
In that singular moment, an unfamiliar and overwhelming love enveloped Ethan, one he had never expected nor experienced before. Though he couldn’t comprehend the peculiar dialect his father spoke, Ethan felt an inexplicable connection and warmth washing over him.
Gradually, his tears and overwhelming fear subsided, and for the first time, a genuine smile broke across his face, his teary eyes shining with emotion. It was at this very moment that Ethan realized his current life was no longer weighed down by the pain of the past, his father loved him.
His father’s voice filled the air, “Look, he is smiling,” but Ethan couldn’t understand the words. Nevertheless, his father spoke again, this time with a tone of affection, “Your name will be Ethan,” as he cradled the tiny baby in his hands.
Though the full meaning eluded Ethan, he understood that he was being called Ethan. Was it mere coincidence or destiny that bestowed him with the same name from his previous life? The question lingered in his mind as he gazed up at his parents.
At that moment, his mother’s tender voice joined in, “Aldric, give him to me. I need to feed him.” Aldric, Ethan’s father, responded with adoration, “Of course, my darling Elara,” as he gently passed Ethan into her arms and bestowed a soft kiss upon her forehead.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Even if Ethan couldn't comprehend what they spoke, he felt a sense of security enveloping him. At this point, Ethan didn't bother about what they were speaking, but he understood that it posed no harm. He knew that it would be a few years before he could learn to speak.
As Ethan nursed from his mother, he couldn’t help but notice a difference in the air’s quality as if it carried an unusual weight he hadn’t experienced before.
His mother wore, a white silk dress which exuded comfort suitable for pregnancy, her blue eyes sparkling with happiness while her black hair cascaded down her back, with a few locks framing her face. A silver piercing adorned her nose, and matching silver earrings with small white rubies added to her charm. She had a calm and soothing presence, coupled with a healthy physique.
[https://ibb.co/mTWYGGb]
Elara Evercrest [https://i.imgur.com/T7M1iSm.png]
Ethan then turned his attention to his father, who sat nearby, as he continued drinking the milk. His father possessed warm brown eyes and shimmering brown hair, accentuated by a large beard. Aldric wore a loose white silk shirt with intricate patterns on the sleeves, complemented by black pants adorned with pockets and a button to secure them at his waist. Leather sandals encased his feet and legs. Ethan mused seeing his father, smirking as he remembered Gigachad men from the memes.
[https://i.imgur.com/iAw50zR.png]
Unaware of his current location, Ethan wondered to himself, “Are they cosplaying? Why are they both wearing strange clothes?” However, as he gazed across the room and up at the ceiling, he realized he wasn’t in a hospital room but rather a peculiarly designed dwelling. The house’s support structure consisted of straight-cut coconut branches, carefully carved and placed to form a foundation for the roof, while red clay tiles provided sun protection. The walls were coated with natural paints and peculiar brown papers with strange inscriptions were plastered on the walls.
As Ethan surveyed his surroundings, he couldn’t help but speculate about his place of birth. The coconut roofing suggested he might have been born in a coastal area, perhaps in Australia, Africa, Asia, or the USA. But the unfamiliar words his parents spoke puzzled him. If it were Australia or USA, he thought, they would have spoken English.
As Ethan nursed from his mother’s breast, his attention was drawn to his father, who sat nearby engaging in a peculiar activity. To Ethan’s astonishment, some ethereal rings appeared and materialized on his father’s hands, and with a flick of his fingers, a small flame appeared in his palm.
The flame took the form of a mesmerizing ball, which his father skillfully tossed between his hands, the fire dancing with an ethereal glow. Each time the fireball vanished, a new one seemed to appear with a flick of fingers out of thin air.
While sipping from his mother’s breast, Ethan curiously placed his tiny hands-on mother’s chest and paused drinking the milk, and turned his gaze toward his father’s magical play.
A whirlwind of thoughts flooded his mind, “How is he doing that? Where is the fire coming from? Is this magic? Wait, is this really magic? Have I been isekai'd to a magical world? Why didn't I consider this possibility earlier? Did I lose some brain cells after being reborn? Ethan mused as he gazed at his father, captivated by the mesmerizing display of flames.
Ethan found himself utterly captivated by the magic his father was conjuring. Elara, Ethan’s mother, noticed his fascination and whispered something to Aldric. Intrigued. Aldric came closer to Ethan and began to demonstrate various fire-related magic with great enthusiasm. Ethan’s eyes sparkled with wonder and excitement as he watched the mesmerizing display of the flames.
▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲
As the monsoons came and went, years passed by, and the cycle of nature continued in the Four Seasons Realm. Ethan during his formative years, gradually grasped the truth of his reality- he had indeed been isekai’d into a magical world bearing the name of its ever-changing seasons. Zephyria, the land of his birth, stood proud alongside its three neighboring nations: Pyrovia, Verdantia, and Glacia.
Within the realm’s heart, the vibrant capital of Luminesca flourished, yet Ethan’s current abode nestled itself far from the bustling city, amidst the serene beauty of the coastal Serenwood village. A journey to the capital required traversing treacherous and dangerous mountain peaks.
[https://i.imgur.com/jQTvKDS.jpg]
Aldric, Ethan’s father, served with unwavering dedication as a corporal battlemage within the Zephyr kingdom's esteemed army and he was a captain of a small platoon in the village. The army was presently stationed at the Serenwood village’s modest divisional office. Aldric was an Apprentice Level Mage, making him a rookie soldier lacking in power.
On the other hand, Ethan’s mother, a warm and nurturing soul, was a mere housewife that managed to run a local bar, offering patrons the delights of locally brewed coconut and seasonal cashew alcohol. Although she too held the rank of an Apprentice level mage, she chose to solely focus on the comforts of home, due to lack of talent in magic abilities and its control.
The language spoken in this nation, aptly called Etherean, proved quite complicated for Ethan to grasp, Its runic symbols resembled ancient words carved on stones, reminiscent of something he had seen in museums on Earth, although he had no idea what it meant back then.
The cuisine encompassed a delectable array of sea fish and wild game. Amidst the wonder of mages and fantastical creatures, the wilds concealed enigmatic monsters. It was the full-fledged fantasy everyone desired to be part of, and now Ethan was living in that very moment as a four-year-old, trying to understand the world he was in.