Kayne slowly opened his eyes, his consciousness stirring. His entire body ached, and he felt a pang of hunger, unlike anything he had ever experienced. As his eyes adjusted, his other senses began to take in the room around him.
The smell of burning wood hit his nose from a fire crackling to his left. He turned his head to look, and his poor vision finally focused on a nearby rustic-looking fireplace. He swore he could hear farm animals in the distance.
Where am I?
Thoughts and flashes reminded him of a journey through the stars and a fight with yellow rats. He tried to sit up but struggled to force his body into motion.
The best he managed to do was to lift his arms slightly. It felt like he had been curling weights for days straight, and it took everything he had to finally raise them.
What's going on? What's happened to my arms?
The sight of two little pudgy hands entered his vision.
Why do my arms look like a baby's? Where am I?
Weakness spread across his body, forcing his tiny arms to flop back down to his sides. He tried to take in his surroundings but found it hard to see much past a certain point. Everything was a blur.
He felt like he was lying on a hard, flat surface, and something dug into his lower back. He could make out a stone fireplace to his left and a wooden ceiling above him.
Forcing his head to the right, he saw a door and a few other pieces of furniture. He couldn't see any windows, which he thought was strange as the only light entering the room was from around the door's cracks.
Movement caught his attention, and he forced his head to look down. A faded grey male figure stood eerily still, staring at him. Kayne couldn't distinguish the man's features because of his poor eyesight but felt a chill run down his spine.
He tried to move his body but stopped when his eyes met the apparitions. The being's eyes seemed awash with all the colours he had ever seen and more. There were no pupils or whites, just swirling colours that changed depending on the angle he looked at them from.
Kayne felt himself drawn into those eyes, unable to tear himself away. Then, the spectre flickered in and out of reality, breaking the connection.
He quickly moved his eyes away and noticed that the ghost had its hand outstretched towards his face. The constant changing of his circumstances and all he had experienced lately had frayed his nerves so much that he didn't care for any more surprises.
Go fuck yourself, you stupid ghost!
He mentally screamed as he willed the spirit to go forth and multiply. The spectral hand stilled, and although he couldn't see very well, he was sure he saw a frown appear on its face.
He tried his best to shout for help without any other options, but all that came out were weird, loud, gargling noises. He thought he heard voices to his right, and the ghost flickered again before winking out of existence entirely. He watched in fascination as the haunting spectre was replaced by that of a beautiful red-haired woman, followed by two other men at her sides.
The red-haired woman exuded a natural beauty that caught his attention. Her vibrant, fiery locks cascaded gracefully to just below her shoulders. Her flawless, pale skin was unblemished, save for a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
Her captivating green eyes, large and alluring, seemed to possess an enchanting power, drawing him closer. Despite her stunning appearance, she appeared no older than thirty years. Standing alongside the two men, she was a head shorter, creating a subtle contrast. Yet, her presence emitted an aura of tranquillity and warmth that seemed to envelop him. Despite this apparent calm, a hint of worry marred her face as she peered down at him.
The man, who looked to be in his mid-thirties, positioned at her right, also gazed upon him. His handsome expression revealed a mix of concern and confusion. His eyes roamed, assessing him with a subtle curiosity. Within those brown orbs, a playful glimmer sparkled beneath the amber hues.
His jaw bore a short, roughly styled beard, tracing the contours of his face while leaving his neck primarily free of hair. The slight roughness of his tanned skin hinted at a life spent toiling outdoors under the sun's relentless heat.
His black hair, of medium length, casually fell over his ears, its haphazard cuts seemingly prioritising practicality over aesthetics. In his presence, an impression emerged of an easygoing man who didn't mind a bit of hard work.
The last man appeared older than the younger duo. His eyes fixated on him with a studious intensity akin to a professor observing a captivating experiment. His dark blue eyes held a depth of knowledge and experience.
The man's cropped black hair was short, grazing his scalp, with subtle hints of grey at the sides. While his overall appearance seemed rather ordinary, one particular detail stood out: a prominent scar that stretched across his left cheek, extending down to his chin.
Draped across his shoulder, he held a weathered grey satchel, suggesting a history of travels and practicality. His clothing consisted of a red robe, its fabric ascending to cover his neck, hinting at a sense of tradition.
"Ecce, non est mortuus, sed vigilat. Cito, da mihi lac," the woman said as she took a damp cloth from the younger man and squeezed it out into his mouth, causing him to cough a little at the unexpected feeding. The taste of milk shot through him, causing his synapses to fire in delight.
Mmm, this tastes so good! What is this, milk? Wait, did she speak Latin?
It sounded like something to do with watching, being dead, and milk. He puzzled through the words as he tried to reflect on his boarding school lessons, as learning Latin had been one of many lessons his posh school had on their curriculum.
It wasn't only modern Latin but the older dialect and writings as well as Greek. He had chosen those as he always liked the idea of exploring ancient ruins and discovering historical artefacts. This had waned the older he got as he realised most of the exciting discoveries had probably already been unearthed.
As the woman continued to drip-feed him milk, he eagerly drank it down, wondering if the milk here tasted so good or if he was just famished. He thought back on all the events since the attack, trying to piece together all the clues to work out what had happened to him.
I travelled through that strange tunnel in space to a new world, minus a body. As I was about to crash into that house, I found myself in some form of cave system with a strange purple body fighting off rodents and rescuing infants. What was that scary blue wolf?
Perhaps it was a test to reincarnate, and I passed it, but something went wrong, and I remember it all?
His mind spun as he tried to make sense of everything around him but failed. The only thing he was now sure of was that he seemed to inhabit the body of a baby, the milk tasted terrific, and he was too tired for all this shit.
After a while, the woman stopped feeding him and scooped him into her arms, rearranging his coverings and wrapping him tightly as he drifted off. Before his dreams could take hold of him, a loud bang rang out, causing him to jump, startled at the sudden noise.
This noise caused his red-haired carer to coo at him with quiet words, and she rocked him in her arms as she turned to look at what had caused the bang.
Through half-lidded eyes, Kayne could make out what the bearded man held up for everyone to see after bending down. Thoughts bounced around his head as his eyes met the silver and purple designs before he gave in to exhaustion and let sleep claim him.
Wait, isn't that my amulet?
* * *
Marcus held up a small silver cross-shaped pendant covered in purple designs. He noticed that the centre of the pendant seemed to be a dark purple gemstone, but as he inspected it closer, he saw that it was primarily black and had a large crack running across its surface. He evaluated it with all his senses but could not find anything special, so he set it on the nearby table.
"Looks like some kind of family heirloom left behind for the child," he stated as he met his wife Valeria's eyes before looking at Anton.
"I thought you said the child wouldn't survive? He seems to be doing well now." Marcus asked as he and Valeria turned a questioning gaze at the silent healer.
"He shouldn't be alive. When I checked his organs, they were failing, and he seemed to be in his last moments. Let me check him over again to be sure," Anton gestured as he reached out his calloused hand and slid it onto the chest of the sleeping child, causing him to stir a little at the cold touch.
"Strange. The organs are in a better condition now, but internal scarring remains. It's like the body has healed naturally since I last checked. Very strange indeed." Anton half-muttered to himself before removing his hand.
"I don't think he is in danger anymore, but the internal scarring to his essence channels might impact his future cultivation. I don't think he will have a disability, but it might be excruciating when he gathers essence, and the injury may limit his prospects." He diagnosed as he held out his hand to stop Valeria, who looked like she was about to ask something further.
"I can't say anything for sure, though. The injuries may heal as he grows, but apart from that, just milk and rest should be enough." He said as he turned towards the door and pulled it open before stopping to speak.
"I will head back to the village and ask if anybody has any information about the child. Will you adopt him, or do you want me to see if one of the families will take him in?" Anton asked as he looked between the couple.
Marcus and his wife shared a look that conveyed an entire discussion in just a glance. It was apparent from how she clutched the little bundle tighter that she had already decided on the subject, but she waited to hear his decision.
"Well, we've wanted a child for a long time now, as you know. Now that fate has smiled on us, how can we turn away its blessings?" He smiled at his wife, who nodded.
"Let the child rest today and bring him over to mine tomorrow. I can test his essence compatibility then, and it will also give me time to ask around about him. Wait, didn't you say there was a nameplate?" Anton asked Marcus, waiting for the reply a short distance from the door.
"Yes. The child should be called Athanatos Keraunos. I don't recognise the family name, though," Marcus replied.
"Ah, so it's little Thanos then. A fitting name, coming back from the brink of death. I will ask around." A slight laugh and smile broke the usually placid face of Anton as he spoke, just before he turned and walked out of the door with a wave over his shoulder.
Marcus quickly tidied away the weapons as his wife sat at the table, gently rocking Thanos and singing to him. Seeing the look of happiness on her face made him realise that he had made the right choice after all in choosing to keep the baby.
Any misgivings about it evaporated away in the face of her joy. There was still a slight pain in his heart that they had been unable to produce a child of their own, but he pushed that dark thought away and focused on the now.
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"Did you hear what Anton said?" He asked. She nodded in the affirmative.
"I was thinking of heading into the village and speaking to the twins to see if they can make something for him to sleep in tonight. Do you want me to pick up anything while I'm out?" he queried, catching her scowl at the mention of his two best friends.
"You'd better not stay out drinking all day. We have a child and a farm to look after now." She admonished him, quickly motioning down to Thanos with her head.
"The cold stone might need recharging, and I think we need more milk for our new son." She said the last word slowly as if testing it in her mouth.
I have a son now!
A mix of emotions passed through him. Deciding to get to work, he walked over to the cold storage instead of sorting through his surging feelings and pulled out a glowing white crystal. The temperature of the air around the crystal dropped as he studied it and the faint engraved symbol carved into it before putting it back.
"There seems to be enough for today, and I can leave it outside tonight to recharge." He informed her as he made for the door, ready to start another day on the farm before heading into town.
"Remember to wash and change before you head into the village this time. I don't want everyone moaning at me for you stinking out the tavern again. Just because you're a farmer now doesn't mean you're not still nobility." She laughed as he sheepishly made his way outside with a grunt and went to the barn to let the animals out to graze for the day.
* * *
Kayne woke feeling like he had been run over by a car, and all his muscles seemed to ache. He wished for nothing more than to get up for a drink of water to cure his dry mouth, but his infant body was too weak to do anything more than look around.
The room he was in was pretty dark, but a dim yellow light came from somewhere nearby. The wooden walls were the same as the room he had initially found himself in when he first awoke to his new body, so it seemed he was still in the same house.
He felt warmth and the steady cadence of breathing coming from his left, and he looked over to find the red-headed beauty from earlier curled up around him, sleeping.
So, is she my mother? I wonder where I am, somewhere in the Mediterranean?
He was puzzled as he finally got time to relax and think about everything.
I was sure I heard them speaking Latin when I arrived, but I thought it was a dead language.
He contined to drag pieces together in his mind like a jigsaw, trying his best to make them all match into a coherent whole but failing.
I could have reincarnated in the past. But what was all that journey through space about?
A small part of him that he refused to acknowledge had concluded that he had died, but up until now, he had hoped that this was all just a weird dream or a coma thing.
Thinking about that bizarre cave system with the horrible rats and the baby, he wondered if it was a reincarnation test. Where the rats were his sins, come back to confront him? The more he thought about it, the more he felt he was missing something.
Wait, didn't my amulet follow me here? Could that have something to do with it all?
Kayne remembered that as he was drifting off, he saw one of the two men holding his amulet. He felt another piece of the puzzle fall into place, but he still couldn't find any solid answers, just more questions.
Closing his eyes, he tried to look deep inside himself, much like he had found he could do when trapped inside the vortex. Kayne felt that he could now push the thoughts of his aching body and dry mouth to the side as he searched deep, looking for something.
It's there!
He felt the familiar presence at a corner of his being. When he had been inside the cave system and merged with that baby, he had felt like he had undergone some changes. When he focused inside, he could feel a sense of something within him that was calm and at peace.
He knew this was from the child in the white light, as it felt to be the same to him. Concentrating on this, he understood that no other person was inside him. They were now the same, having merged.
There was a slight feeling of guilt that rose inside of him. Had he not just robbed this infant of a future? After some long contemplation, he realised that was not precisely true, as they were both now one, and their futures would be the same.
Don't worry, whoever you were. Now that we're one, I won't let us down.
Kayne solemnly promised to his new combined self, refusing to live a life of apathy and self-pity no longer. He decided to grasp this chance at a fresh start and try to live life as best he could for the both of them.
For the first time in a long time, he finally felt a sense of hope and excitement for his path ahead. But he was also sad that he couldn't remember when he had last felt this way.
I even have a family now!
Looking over at his new mother. There was a slight feeling of guilt at first, as he felt like an imposter and an invader in this body.
The feeling faded as a sense of soothing acceptance washed over him, cementing his resolve as he fully comprehended that he was no longer just Kayne Hazard but a little more.
He stared at his mother, who was still asleep. She had not so much as twitched during his musings. He was having an internal battle with himself on whether to let her continue to sleep or wake her up, as he felt hunger gnawing at his insides.
His body answered his predicament for him as he suddenly felt like a river was flowing through his insides.
Oh no!
Kayne clenched down on his insides hard but failed to achieve his goal. All the hope he had felt previously was swept away by a tide of brown. The smell didn't take long to hit his nose, making him wretch as it burnt his already dry nostrils.
This is so degrading.
Cursing his new body and its lack of motor control, he failed to pinch his nose closed. The smell of his waste was driving him crazy. He couldn't hold it any longer, so he decided to wake his mother up so she could clean him.
"Wah-wah!" He cried out as loudly as he could. His face flushed red with embarrassment as he did his best imitation of a crying baby.
His mother's eyes quickly flicked open in confusion, then softened as she looked down at him. She opened her mouth to say something, then wrinkled her nose in distaste. He could tell she was blaming him for the smell.
It's not my fault!
He felt like he was about to die again, but this time of embarrassment.
"Fetide, eamus et te mundemus," she said in a kind voice. She got out of bed and picked him up, keeping him bundled up as they headed towards the door. He tried to recall his Latin but could only pick out a few words here and there—something about cleaning and a smell.
His mother walked outside of the small wooden house, holding him fully outstretched like he was a dirty bomb.
It's not my fault!
He wished he could go and hide under a rock someplace far away.
The cool breeze did nothing to stop the smell of his poonami wafting up his nose as his mother laid him down on the porch and unbundled him. He looked down at the black tar-looking mess he had wrought and turned his nose up at the sight.
He was grateful he was wearing some fabric as a nappy and hadn't destroyed his comfy blanket. He wasn't sure how they washed clothes in this primitive place, but he didn't want to be stuck in a stinking blanket until he grew up.
His mother then performed a feat that would make any stage magician jealous, swiftly answering his question. She stood at the edge of the porch, and the dirty diaper floated in mid-air, surrounded by glowing winds that matched the glow coming from one of her hands.
She curled her left hand out strangely, and a floating water ball flew out to surround the diaper in a bubble. With a gesture from her right hand, the wind buffeted the water bubble, causing it to swirl and spin rapidly.
After some time, the water separated, leaving behind a clean, wet nappy as the dirty water shot off into a nearby field. Currents of air then hit the nappy, causing it to dance as it got blasted dry. The glow on his mother's hands vanished as she snatched the cloth out of the air and inspected it before nodding to herself.
She then returned to him, lying on his blanket, lifted his legs together and gave him a good washing. He died a little more inside as he tried to cover his face with his tiny, chubby hands.
Eventually, he was wrapped back up and carried inside. His mother produced a milk jug from some cold storage built into the floor, reminding him of a wine rack. She quickly threw on a plain grey fur coat before moving back outside.
A bench sat beside the door on the patio-like walkway surrounding the house's front. They sat down on it, and she nestled him in her arm, feeding him.
Kayne was grateful that breastfeeding wasn't on the menu. He wasn't sure how he would ever make eye contact with his mother again if that had been the case. He might have just mentally checked out for years then and there.
Like when he first woke, he was drip-fed with a small cloth wet with milk into his mouth. As he fed, he looked around, using his new position to gather a better view of the surroundings.
His eyesight was still poor, which he attributed to being a newborn. He took in the nearby blurry fields filled with various plants and animals. A mixture of stone and wooden fences broke up the flat-looking farmland.
Looking past the fences, he could see what he thought was another building. It was small and reminded him more of a large tool shed than an actual residence.
Further on from all that, at the edge of his vision, was something massive that he couldn't quite make out. He dismissed it as perhaps an artefact of his poor eyesight and instead moved to look at the animals.
The animals in the field were mainly goats, cows, and sheep, but with a few differences. He didn't notice it at first, but when his father walked across the field carrying a cow tied up across his shoulders, he couldn't help but be impressed.
The cow was massive, at least seventy per cent larger than any cow he had seen. It was comical to see the cow just sitting there chewing its cud with a serene expression as if it was an emperor carried around by a servant as it surveyed its land.
The sheep and goats were also bigger than average, and their coats were a mix of pastel colours instead of the usual white.
This is definitely not Earth, he thought to himself. Magic, superhuman strength, and giant livestock. Not things you usually see back home.
After feeding for a while, he started to feel full. An unbearable pain spread out from his centre, and he tried to grit his teeth, but his gums met gums. At first, he thought he might be having a heart attack, but then he realised what was happening.
He started to cry out, hoping his red-haired carer would understand, but she soothed and rocked him gently. After a short time, she finally realised what was wrong and sat him upright, patting his back.
The tight pain abated with a resounding belch that shocked him, and he sighed in satisfaction. His mother just looked relieved that he had stopped crying.
The pair spent an hour sitting there, watching the world go by. His mother talked to him and gently flicked his nose now and then.
The action caused a feedback loop across his system as every time she did, he involuntary kicked out all his limbs in shock, much to her delight and his annoyance.
Various people passed on the road outside the farm, some with enormous bows and strapped weapons, perhaps going on a hunt, and others were tending to fields. His mother carried on with her quiet chattering, occasionally shouting and waving to people she knew.
She wasn't saying much of interest to him and just seemed to be pointing things out from what he gathered whilst torturing his nose now and then. He started to pay more attention to it, using this as a chance to learn whilst trying to avoid her teasing finger.
He was beginning to pick up on some of the words, matching them to what he already knew. His traitorous body also produced another accident that ended up swiftly dealt with. His mother was efficient. It also helped that she seemed to be a magical washing machine.
He couldn't see the position of the sun because of the lip of the roof overhanging where they sat, but he guessed it must be dinnertime. He noticed people gathering to sit around and eat food together on a nearby field. His father came back, stinking of animals, and he screwed up his nose when held.
I thought I smelled terrible.
His mother, wanting to inflict more misery on him, decided to clue his father in on his weakness. They both took turns tapping his nose and laughing at his reaction.
Kayne vowed to have his revenge in the future. He took a weak swing at his father's descending hand, but it was useless. His father just laughed and praised him for being a little warrior.
The teasing was thankfully interrupted when a pair of men arrived at the door. They must be identical twins, he thought as he watched them enter. The duo looked exactly alike, both with a matching jovial and plump physique.
They each had the same long, greasy hair and cheeky brown eyes that sat on their faces a little too close together. Both laughed and talked so loudly that Kayne wished his ears had taken longer to adjust, just like his eyes.
He couldn't fully follow the flow of the conversation, but he got the gist that it was related to some baby furniture arriving. They all went outside to inspect it.
The first thing he noticed was the baby cot. It was wooden and looked similar to birch but slightly greyer.
It was a tall, square-shaped contraption on simple wheels, with a small box on top for him to sleep in. There was also storage shelving underneath.
The whole thing reminded him of those things you'd see in an old-fashioned hospital where the nurses used to wheel babies around. He guessed it could also be used as a changing area since it was about waist height for the average person.
The other things were a mix of small wooden figurines in the shapes of animals and people, all made from the same wood as the cot. One of the men picked out what looked like a wooden horse with curved sledges on the bottom that allowed it to rock.
It had no paint, but the level of carved detail was surprising. He could make out little designs meant to be the horse's face and mane. The man moved the horse closer as if expecting him to take it.
Kayne reached out weakly in gratitude to receive it. He might be a bit old for toys mentally, but he could tell a lot of effort had gone into making it.
Seeing that Kayne had taken the horse and looked to be hugging it with his tiny arms, the man let out a beaming smile. Then, he reached out a friendly finger to tap his nose.
The adults all laughed at his reaction. He wondered if he could throw the horse at the man's wide red nose if he tried hard enough.
Instead, he moved the horse to cover his nose in defence. He kept it there as a makeshift shield, preventing any further attacks.
It wasn't long before he fell asleep, even with the loud laughs from the pair of brothers as they all sat around the table chatting.