Professor Kael Richards sat at his desk, his attention absorbed by the ancient leather-bound book in front of him. The text inside revealed the amazing story of a legendary mage—a mage who had created a spell capable of reincarnating their essence into the body of a child from another world. As the words unfolded, Kael's emotions began to stir.
Anger welled up inside him.
This was all fueled by the suspicion that the tech billionaire had played a nasty prank on him. How could such an incredible story be anything but a hoax? Doubts and skepticism filled his mind as he examined the book once again, looking for any signs of forgery. Yet, the texture of the worn pages, the elaborate calligraphy, and the aged cover left him puzzled.
Reluctantly, Kael continued reading, his eyes following the lines that held the key to the mage's spell.
Taking a deep breath, Kael read the incantation aloud, his voice flat with a clear note of indifference. For all he knew, the book was a fake and a fraud perpetrated on the billionaire or on him but the words left his lips, a mysterious energy sparked in the air, swirling around him in a colorful display of something unknown.
A dazzling flash of light burst from the book, enveloping Kael in its ethereal embrace. His surroundings blurred and twisted, and a dizzying sensation washed over him. When the light finally faded, Kael found himself in an entirely different place...
***
He opened his eyes and saw a flash of light fading away. He was lying in a simple wooden cradle, surrounded by murmuring voices. He felt confused as he looked around the unfamiliar room. The pair of people in front of him, their faces full of awe and shock, spoke a language he did not understand.
Kael's heart pounded as he realized what had happened. The wizard's research, which he thought was just a fantasy, had somehow become real. He had been transported to another world, his mind now inside the body of a baby.
Kael's eyes met the eyes of the stunned couple.
"Did we really have to leave the main House and come her for this?" someone said. From what Kael could gather from the voices in the room, he was in a small, secluded annex nestled away from the main house of a big family's villa.
A hushed atmosphere permeated the air. A flickering candle cast dancing shadows on the weathered stone walls, as a young woman cradled her newborn son in her arms. The baby, Kael, was a tiny bundle of innocence, his curious eyes gleaming with the wonder of the world that lay ahead.
"I hope this doesn't mean that they will be allowed back in the main house," another person said. Whispers of disapproval and judgment echoed through the halls as the woman's family, their faces etched with disdain, looked upon the scene.
"This baby is no more Stormcloak than his foreign mother," someone else said. They voices seemed to be high-ranking members of a clan called Stormcloak. Yet, the woman, Kael's mother, was a foreigner from another land, and as such resided in this modest annex away from everyone else
Amidst the tension, the mother's gentle voice broke through the silence, her words carrying a soft strength. "His name shall be Jayce," she announced, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. "Jayce of Clan Stormcloak, a name that shall carry the weight of our lineage with honor."
The others looked at each other, surprised and displeased. The other Stormcloaks whispered among themselves, their faces angry and unhappy.
"She dishonors the name. She should have asked for permission to use the name of the one who was called Dragonheart," someone said. They looked down on Jayce's mother, thinking she was ruining the family's reputation.
Yet, despite the disapproval, the baby Jayce remained blissfully unaware of the turmoil surrounding him. He squirmed in his mother's arms. The mother's kind eyes met his.
***
A few months after Jayce was born, his parents had noticed that there was something strange about him but none of them acknowledged it.
His mother was the first to break the silence, looking at her husband in disbelief. "Did you see that? He looked at us like he understood what we were saying," she said, her voice trailing off.
Jayce's father laughed off her statement, but his eyes held a hint of uncertainty. "Nonsense," he said, "he's just a baby. He probably just wants a change of scenery or something to chew on."
Jayce watched their exchange, his sharp gaze unblinking. He was someone who understood far more than they could fathom.
As his parents left the room, Jayce turned back to the bookshelf. He reached for a particular book, its spine more worn than the others. His small hands struggled to open it, but he managed to flip through the pages, his eyes scanning the lines of text.
In his previous life, Jayce had been a scholar, his world revolving around books and the knowledge they held. He remembered the joy of learning, the thrill of discovering new ideas and concepts. Now, reborn into this new world, Jayce was determined to reclaim his passion for learning.
His new life was fraught with challenges. The world he had been born into was one of poverty and struggle. But Jayce was not deterred. He knew that knowledge was power, a key that could unlock the door to a better future.
Over time, Jayce's parents came to accept their child's unusual behavior. They watched in amazement as their son continued to teach himself different subjects, his thirst for knowledge seemingly insatiable. He was no ordinary child, they realized. He was someone special.
And so, Jayce continued his journey, his mind filled with dreams and aspirations. He knew that his path would not be easy, but he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. After all, he was not just a baby, but a scholar reborn.
But that wasn't the only thing he was content to learn.
Over the course of his childhood, Jayce also observed his parents just as closely as they did him. Despite their meager circumstances, he saw the kindness and generosity that radiated from their souls. They were decent people, warm and gentle towards him. The contrast between their loving nature and the poverty that surrounded them tugged at Jayce's heartstrings. It made him reflect on his own upbringing.
His former parents were successful academics and published authors, so he grew up in a home where he always felt the need to earn his parents' attention and had ultimately disappointed them by pursuing his own passions in Linguistics over Physics.