As the light of the void dimmed, Alen turned to the being who had offered him another life. He had no words left. Only gratitude.
The figure—neither god nor mortal—smiled one last time.
"I ask for no heroics, Alen. No oaths to defeat demons, save kingdoms, or be the voice of the heavens. All I ask… is that you live. For yourself. That you chase your joy, your peace. Live a life of eternal happiness. That is my only wish."
With those words, Alen's soul drifted into sleep—silent, peaceful, and warm.
---
A New Life Begins
The first sensation he felt was... pressure.
Crushing, overwhelming, all-consuming pressure. It was as if his entire body had been wrapped in chains of silk and iron—tight, safe, yet suffocating. His head pulsed with unbearable force. His bones ached, and it felt like his entire being was about to shatter.
Is this... dying again? he wondered.
But deep inside, a sliver of his old self burned—a memory, a hope, a will. He clung to it.
And then... came the light.
Blinding. Inviting.
It pulled him upward, through resistance, pain, and desperation. And when he broke through—when his body emerged into the world—he gasped, taking his first breath.
It felt like a thunderbolt slammed into his lungs.
He cried. Not because of weakness, but because of pain, shock... and the strange beauty of life.
That was when he felt it—warmth.
A gentle hand, soft and trembling, lifted him into an embrace. The beating of a heart echoed in his tiny ears. A voice—gentle, emotional—whispered words he couldn't yet understand.
A mother's voice.
Alen had never known that warmth in his past life. But now, it flowed into his soul like sunlight on frozen ground.
He opened his eyes.
He was reborn.
---
The Crimson Lion Clan
As days passed, Alen began observing the world through the curious eyes of a child—though his mind retained fragments of his former self.
The home he was born into was not ordinary. It was a sprawling compound with towering red-tiled roofs, stone courtyards, and guards dressed in crimson armor. Every building bore the insignia of a roaring lion surrounded by flames.
He had been born into the Crimson Lion Clan—one of the most powerful and noble families on the continent of Shen'Dral.
---
The Clan's Beliefs and Code
The Crimson Lion were feared and respected not for their brutality, but for their unwavering loyalty and unbreakable values.
"Kindness shall be returned tenfold."
"Revenge shall be delivered a thousandfold."
"No lion is left behind."
Even the weakest member was protected like blood kin. If a single servant was wronged by an outsider, the entire clan would move as one, whether the foe was a noble, sect, or kingdom.
That was the Crimson Lion's strength—not just in martial power, but in unity, honor, and fury.
---
Clan Structure
At age 4, Alen began to grasp the structure of the mighty clan he now called home:
The Patriarch: Darius Crimsonflame, a stern but wise warrior with hair of ash-red and eyes that saw through lies.
The Matriarch: Lady Selene, his mother—a gentle yet deadly cultivator whose kindness was legendary, but whose wrath was feared by emperors.
The Flame Council: A group of five elders who advised and governed alongside the Patriarch.
Core Branches: Divided into Fireclaw, Stormmane, and Emberfang—each trained in different martial or support disciplines.
Outer Members: Loyal families who lived under the Lion's protection.
Though born into privilege, Alen was taught humility from the start. Every child, noble or not, trained, served, and learned together.
---
Why He Was Still Alen
When his naming day arrived—just after his first winter—Lady Selene held her son up to the light and smiled.
"He cried like thunder the moment he arrived," she laughed. "But he holds my heart like a flame."
And then, as if guided by fate, she spoke:
"His name shall be... Alen."
The council paused. No such name existed in their tongue. But none objected.
In that moment, Alen realized that his soul had whispered his name to her heart.
A reminder of who he once was. And a promise of who he would become.
---
By Age Four
By the time he turned four, Alen had grown into a clever, soft-spoken boy with eyes that shimmered with maturity beyond his years.
He still struggled with the language at first, but his mind absorbed knowledge like a sponge. His days were filled with study, meditation, and play. His nights were warmed by love he had never known.
He wasn't just a child of the clan.
He was the heir.
And the world he lived in... was not Earth.
---