The wind howled as heavy rain poured from the heavens. Every now and then, a thunderous boom accompanied by a flash of light announced the presence of lightning. The storm had been raging for months in this part of the frontier. A tired sigh escaped my lips as I looked out from the car window. Trees and bushes as far as the eye could see. Compared to the sprawling Concrete jungle that was the capital, this was the proverbial sticks. But. What can you expect from the frontier? This was the very edge of human civilization. Apart from the occasional village or bandit hideouts, there was nothing but forest as far as the eye could see.
It's been eighteen years since I was reborn in this world. Yet, it was still hard to truly come to terms with the fact that I was in a different world. My eyes trailed down, looking at my clenched fists. A trail of red blood ran down my palms as my clawed fingers bit into soft flesh. Realizing that I was hurting myself, I released my grip with a defeated feeling bubbling in my chest. This new body was so weak that it was almost laughable. If not for the fact that even a fucking goblin could mean its end. To make matters even worse, they are sending me to one of the most dangerous domains within the frontier. Filled with magical monsters ready to devour my face, and the callous peasants I was supposed to rally.
Almost out of its own volition, another sigh escaped my lips as I continued looking out the window. The subtle thud of rain hitting the roof of the carriage was somewhat soothing. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy it for long as the carriage suddenly stopped. The driver, a man wearing my family coat of arms, was dressed in full battle regalia. His armor was a mixture of leather and plate, white and gold in color, as he stood by my door. "Lord Drakus, it's time." He said after opening my door, allowing the cold wind to enter the car. "So it seems, Lionel, so it seems." My deep voice struggled to be heard over the loud thunder.
With a final sigh, I stepped out of the carriage and into the rain. The smell of ozone and wet earth assaulted my sensitive nose as the water began soaking my satin suit. Two other carriages were parked in front of and behind my own. Our convoy had stopped at an unassuming village. As my soldiers surrounded me, they led me further through the muddy road. I towered over my soldiers, two entire heads taller than Lionel. The village was small, and I mean minuscule. Probably only a hundred houses in total. All stacked together in a circular formation. Made from wood and the occasional stone. The village was exactly what you would expect from a frontier village. I had seen countless just like it in my first life, and would most likely see countless more.
Besides my convoy, the streets were empty. The only sign that people even lived here was the lights from the windows. Occasionally, I saw someone peeking out. But the second they matched my gaze, they left my view. An understandable reaction, my eerie red eyes were intimidating even in the best of circumstances. Plus, my raven black hair with streaks of platinum and slightly pointed ears was a dead giveaway to my Elven heritage. Add to the fact that I was surrounded by five veteran knights, and then I suppose their reactions were justified. That was another one of my surprises in this new world, the fact that there were more races than only human. Imagine my reaction when I saw my first Fae. I was so shocked I could hardly speak. A soft chuckle escaped my lips at the memory.
We walked for another five minutes when a mountain of a man stepped into the rain. His hair was an unruly mess, with a thick beard. His amber brown eyes glowed in the darkness of the storm. He wore simple clothes with a fur cloak draped over his shoulders. He approached with slow, deliberate steps as he stopped in front of my entourage. Lionel was the first to respond as he positioned himself in front of me, blocking my view. "Fear not, little lordling, I don't bite." The stranger's voice boomed as his face split into an amused grin.
Thunder flashed, illuminating the scene for a second. Long enough for me to see his sharp fangs and predatory gaze. "State your business," Lionel's voice was a stark contrast to the stranger. It was controlled, measured, and calm, as he weighed the stranger's threat level.
"Ah, where are my manners. The names Ivan, I am the mayor of this quaint little village." He gave a mock bow, clearly demeaning my authority.
Lionel's hand shifted lower to the sword by his side, but my hand caught his wrist, gripping tightly. "Enough," my voice was neither loud nor filled with emotion. Instead, I spoke with a silent authority one could only gain from leading countless soldiers in battle.
Letting go of Lionel's wrist, I studied Ivan intently. He made me feel slightly uneasy. Far too relaxed, even when he was confronted with five experienced soldiers. There was not a shred of doubt to be found in his presence, and that was telling. Instead of escalating the situation, I opted for a different approach. "Whether you like me or not, Ivan, it does not matter. Neither you nor I has a choice in what happens next. So instead of wasting all of our time by standing in the rain, just show me to the shard already." My composure was unyielding as I met his gaze.
He studied me for a second before reluctantly agreeing. Turning towards my soldiers, I gave a nod for them to follow along. We did not have to walk for long; Ivan led us towards the largest building in the center of the village. It was a humble two-story abode with minimal furnishing inside. But it was a welcome reprieve from the cold rain, so I did not voice my opinion on the matter. Ivan was clearly not happy with the fact that strangers had entered his home. But he wisely held his tongue as he led us down the stairs into the basement. There it stood, or floated would have been a better description. The shard looked like a piece of glass floating above the ground. Waves of energy radiated from it. I felt an unmistakable compulsion to touch it. The energy drew me in; my vision narrowed to a focused point.
The only thing stopping me from recklessly approaching it was Lionel, who had grabbed my shoulder. I studied both the shard and my own soldiers as I decided on what to do next. "Leave me," I did not need prying eyes when I entered the shard. Besides, it's not like they could provide assistance anyway. I could see in their eyes that they were not eager to agree, but they had no choice; my word was law. Once I was truly alone within the basement, my eyes returned to the shard.
I was ashamed to admit that my own knowledge of this phenomenon was limited. From what I could gather, they were like mirrors reflecting through space and time. Some thought it was a trial from some god, but none of the known gods have ever claimed the feat as their own. Gods, being the prideful beings that they were, it was unlikely that they would lie about something like this. There were different types of shards, from the wild shards to the shard that stood in front of me now. It was a domain of shards; those who conquered them would set foot on the path of kings. My heart began beating in a stronger rhythm as blood flowed and my adrenaline rose.
Gathering the meager strength my new body could muster, I took a step forward and laid my hand on the shard. I felt as if my body was sucked into it, and all I saw was darkness. Trapped within a formless void, I could feel my consciousness drifting in the emptiness of the void. Words materialized in front of my vision as a mechanical voice devoid of emotion spoke within my mind.
[Bloodline detected. Initializing memory shard… Initialization complete, transporting to the new body. Survive, thrive, and conquer, for the Broken Crown lies witness