Chapter 1 – In which they’re awake

When Vermillian opened his eyes, he knew that something was wrong.

Given the terrible headache, he couldn’t exactly tell what was wrong, but it wasn’t a headache.

A headache was rather expected.

Though maybe the dead shouldn’t have headaches. Vermillian wasn’t quite sure about that. He should ask Am about it later.

If there is later.

He frowned.

No, there is certainly later. That’s why it feels wrong.

As he stared at the dark ceiling Vermillian analyzed his situation.

As an excellent mage, his sense of time transcended normal human understanding.

So he could tell that the time was passing since he opened his eyes. He could also tell that since his last memory…

He frowned even deeper as that vision of blood and fire flashed before his eyes.

Was very long time ago from this current moment.

Also the body wasn’t his.

As he experienced possession before he was very confident in recognizing when the body he was in wasn’t his.

The problem was that before it was Vermillian who casted possession and it was he who controlled it. He was certain that he didn’t cast possession when the ‘thing’ happened. He also couldn’t feel the characteristic knot linking him with his original body.

In fact, his magic sense was telling him that it was his original body.

But it was also telling him that it wasn’t.

The headache got only more terrible.

What was that situation?

Some horrid magic experiment?

Did his siblings also get taken?

Vermillian tasted blood. It seemed that he was biting on his lips too hard.

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‘First, I need to figure out the situation. I won’t be able to save them if I act rashly.’

He carefully considered his options. Then a thought struck him.

Did this body have any memories?

He checked.

It did. He was also able to access them surprisingly easily.

Vermillian quickly got through the memories.

But his expression didn’t get better.

At least the one good news was that it wasn’t a magic experiment.

*-*-*

Saffaron opened her eyes.

Then she closed them.

Then she opened them again.

She repeated it a few times but the terrible golden-painted ceiling didn’t disappear.

“This can’t be afterlife heaven. That color is too extreme.”

She mumbled quietly and then closed her mouth. Then she opened it again.

“Hey, your voice is different? Yeah it is.”

She stared at the fake gold that threatened to burn her eyeballs.

It wasn’t her body. That much was obvious. She didn’t even have to check her voice to know it.

The problem she was facing now was where is that body and why she is in that body.

Did one of her brothers do something?

No, no matter how much troublemakers they were, it wasn't like them to cast some weird things on her without her knowledge.

And during that…

They didn’t have time to cast anything that elaborate.

She glared at the sinful ceiling as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Saffaron must have tapped something in that new brain of hers because she suddenly faced a storm of new memories.

She decided to accept an infodump for now.

*-*-*

Amaranth was jolted awake as he painfully met with the floor.

He looked up.

He could see the edge of the bed, the dangerous edge of the cliff that just now tossed him down.

*You’re awake~*

Amaranth closed his eyes, deciding that the cold floor is what he needs right now to deal with the things in his head.

‘What’s going on?’

*You rolled off the bed again, hehe.*

The gods in his head chuckled, clearly amused.

‘I’m asking why I’m not dead.’

As someone deeply connected to the spirit world and gods Amaranth knew that he died.

The problem was why he was in a new, living body again.

*The old tree can bloom anew~*

*We wanted new flowers.*

*Yes, flowers are very nice. There should be more flowers in this world.*

*There are enough flowers. Don’t add new ones.*

The gods started to talk bullshit about flowers.

Amaranth didn’t say anything and just waited, though his face was saying that he ate shit.

After about 30 minutes of discussion about a new type of roses in which Amaranth refused to participate one of the voices said:

*...And so we reincarnated you.*

‘My siblings?’

*They are here too.*

‘Good, fucking thanks.’

He finally opened his eyes, stood up from the floor and climbed into the bed.

He was tired.

The last moments of his previous life were eating on his mind and heart.

And…

His soul was tired of 300 years of waiting to reunite with his siblings.

He needed some sleep.