Chapter 1: New World
London, 2023. Conflicts around the globe keep developing. The world is still feeling the aftereffects of the pandemic. Nothing is changing for the better. The streets of the most developed and important cities in the world are ever more dangerous.
It was raining that day.
Jordan, a young executive of a philanthropic hospital, was walking back home after a long day at work.
During his walk, Jordan was thinking about the past. Before the pandemic, his career was on the rise. Being challenged and improving every day, but in 2020 everything changed.
He lost many members of his family, becoming an orphan. Life started to become meaningless.
Before, he took pride in finding resourceful ways to cut costs. Even when the cuts got in the way of saving more lives or even increased the risk for patients.
His mind was not right ever since the passing of his parents. The hospital where they died had a similar mentality, that is what he was most proud about doing. Cutting costs no matter what.
The hospital didn't have the proper infrastructure to hold so many patients. The protocols were loose and obsolete. Overworked employees make many mistakes. The sad reality about many institutions in the healthcare system.
When Jordan got the news about his parents, it was too late to transfer them to a better center.
Jordan tried switching careers after what happened. I have worked at a philanthropic hospital for the past 2 and a half, but the situation was terrible. Places without a big endowment and a constant donation base had the worst of the bunch.
Trying to offer the best medicine for those who couldn't afford it was not a healthy business model. Creating a cycle of difficult choices. You either saved fewer patients or had to choose the patients with no complications. A difficult and constant bioethical dilemma.
Still trying to make a change and improve the new hospital's situation, the past 2 years hit like a train for him.
That night, Jordan was walking home alone after many tough choices that made him feel like in the past.
Across the street, a woman was being followed by 2 hooded men. Their speed was increasing, and soon they would reach her. The visible purse and watch were almost an advertisement for the robbers.
Jordan didn't even think before his body moved on his own.
Without realizing it, Jordan had started to run straight towards the lady in peril.
"What is happening, why am I running? Why won't my body stop and let her be?"
A few seconds passed, and one of the hooded men pulled a knife and was about to threaten the lady for her belongings. Jordan pushed her from behind and got between them.
Spooked by the unexpected movement, the armed robber pushed both his arms forward.
In that brief moment, the robbers screamed at the stranger who got in the middle of their score. When he started to fall to the ground, both attackers kicked him a few times and then started running.
"Wow, I was able to push her away! But something is wrong, I can't move very well. I only got kicked a couple of times, it shouldn't be that bad."
"Sir, are you ok?? You are bleeding, let me call for help!", the lady said as she lowered towards him.
Jordan was trying to speak but realized that no voice was leaving his body.
"Yes, I'm ok, you were the target miss! Wait, I'm bleeding? How did that happen?"
Trying to get up, he held her arms and saw that his suit had dark red stains on his sleeves.
As she got up to call for help, the world started to fade faster and faster for Jordan.
He blinked a couple of times, the scenery surrounding him changing each time. First, paramedics were stabilizing him on a gurney. Second, the paramedics were screaming at each other inside an ambulance. Soon he was entering the same hospital his parents were inpatients in, and at last he was entering an O.R.
He would never forget the entrance of their emergency—the place where, during the pandemic, both his mother and father perished.
As the doctors tried to save Jordan with emergency surgery, he could feel his life slipping away. Each second more detached from the last, he became numb. Being absorbed by the void.
"Mom, Dad, even though I tried, in the end, I could not change much since you left. I wish I was able to do more. For you, for me… For everyone. Some twisted sense of humor for destiny bringing me to the same hospital where I lost you. " he thought.
While trying to keep his mind from fading away, some weird language and screams started to sound in his head.
"Such a strange feeling before dying. I always thought that our minds turned off fast and completely, guess I was wrong."
The screams were getting louder and the language stronger.
Soon he could tell that one of the people speaking had a deep voice, and the supposed words were pretty much the same. The screaming, though, kept increasing.
Without knowing how much time had passed, Jordan started to feel that he was going crazy. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours. When in the peak of his turmoil, the darkness started to become brighter. Scared of what was about to happen, all his focus came back to his mind as he closed his eyes and waited for his end.
Soon, even with his eyes closed, he could tell that there was no darkness anymore. It was so bright that his eyes were almost in pain even when closed.
He could still hear the same deep voice. The screaming had stopped and a smooth and carrying voice started to appear. It felt as if an angel was speaking to him in a different tongue. He couldn't understand the words, but with every sound the voice made he improved.
Jordan was not afraid of the voices, they didn't sound threatening. But he still couldn't tell what was happening.
Jordan started to feel warmth. The more the voices spoke, one of the words kept repeating.
"BRYN, piuasgdf !!!!"
"ljkuhkgadaf, BRYN !!!"
Jordan felt a shock through his entire body, he was now able to sense his legs, arms, and body. Still, he was not yet able to move. The voices started to become shaky. The crying increased, and the volume of the repeating word started to go up and up.
Little by little, Jordan was coming back. He could already feel his hands moving. His leg's movements were confusing, they were not responding to his commands.
"What has this hospital done to me, I can't even understand what people are saying anymore. I cannot move. How much drug did they put in my system? My mind feels ok, but my eyes and mouth can't move yet. How did it come to this?"
"Piuas lkçhui, BRYN !" he heard.
"There it is again, what are these doctors screaming and what or who is a Bryn? Come on, Jordan, focus, you have to tell them you are ok!"
Mustering whatever strength he could, Jordan finally felt his voice forming. "Waaaa, waaaaa!".
What is this? Why am I thinking of words, I can feel my voice coming out, but all I hear is crying?!"
The overwhelming brightness that was bringing Jordan's eyes pain started to calm. Soon all that remained was some pain in his chest, but his eyes started to open.
Leaves, branches, and an amazing blue sky above them with very few clouds were all that Jordan could see.
"I must have been under for quite some time. Either I was about to die for the hospital to bring me outside, or I died. Still, what a lovely view. It is so rare for London to offer such beautiful weather."
That peaceful and wonderful moment ended when something covered his view. A figure with long hair, two horns, crying eyes, and a smile.
The person was coming to kiss his face. Jordan started to try and push whoever and whatever that was. His mind started going full speed. Still, he was defenseless.
"What the hell is that? That thing is not a Nurse! Where are my doctors? Why is a random cosplayer taking care of me? What is happening?"
"laugsdlk, Bryn… ljyahgsd pqoiuwe.", she said.
When the woman started speaking, Jordan recognized her voice. He had spent a long time listening to her speaking and screaming before. That was the amazing voice he felt a connection to during the time he was in the void.
"Who is she? Am I dead?"
Trying to comprehend what was happening, Jordan tried to move his limbs. Everything was moving, but as if his body was numb and not able to do what his mind was thinking.
"Come down, Jordan, you learned how to assess a situation and make the best of it. Let's get all the information we can."
Moving his head he could see that behind the woman figure, there was a man, also with horns and a good beard as well. He was snuggling the female and holding Jordan's arm while smiling. He alternated smiling and speaking in that weird language, but now his voice was full of joy, as were his eyes.
"Wait a second, I've seen these eyes many times during my time in the hospital. Those are the eyes of a mother and father when they get good news in the NICU or when giving birth. But what is happening? And why would anybody go to the hospital and NICU in cosplay?"
Jordan kept replaying his last moments in a loop. His mind couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing.
"OK, there are only two possible ways things went. Either way, I'm in a weird program from the hospital for coma patients. Or the second possibility... I reincarnated as the son of two nature-loving cosplayers! Both are terrifying."
Sylas got up and helped Freya get up as well. As the three of them started to walk, Jordan's mind was still trying to make sense of everything that happened.
While the two creatures walked and talked, Jordan's mind was trying to analyze as best as he could.
"I can tell we are in a forest, but I can't see any building. People are not seen anywhere as well. My mind is working as fast as normal, but movement is still hard. Let's try moving my eyes as much as I can."
Looking for clues about his situation, all he could find was the forest.
Soon, all three started to arrive close to a very old and destroyed house.
"From the looks of the building, these people are very poor. Also, it confirms I'm not in London, at least not in my century."
The house was rustic, it looked like trees layered on top of each other with very bad taste. Inside it was dark and had terrible lighting, but one could see that whoever lived there took care of the place.
The house was small, it had a small dining area with a fireplace in the middle taking up almost the entire space. Opposing the entry door, there was a rug ranging from the ceiling in place of a door.
"OK, calm down. If I reincarnated, I have to use everything I can to go back or at least survive. I believe the two strangers are my parents, I better take a proper look at them..."
At that moment, Jordan's eyes saw something his mind couldn't believe.
The female, or better his mother. She still had both horns in her head as he had seen before, but even more shocking were her legs. Under the old and crumpled shirt, she had a lot of fur. He was being placed on the ground and analyzing her. His eyes could see her entire body for the first time, and her feet were hooves, like those from a bighorn.
"I'm 100% sure, going crazy. Not only am I considering I was reborn in a new world, but now I'm supposed to believe my parents are Fauns. All I need is a good sleep, it will all end tomorrow, for sure."
As a newborn, Jordan had almost no energy to keep being awake for a long time.
While he slept, the couple kept working on their chores.
"Freya, are you sure you are fine? Giving birth is a demanding task, and look at our son! He is so big and strong, I'm sure he took a lot of your energy. You sit there and relax next to him, I'll cook dinner for us today." said the man trying to comfort his wife.
"You are cute when you are afraid, Sylas. Our baby boy is fine and so am I. Our little Bryn is amazing, look at him sleeping for the first time. Still, you better cook fast, he will need to eat soon, and I need to replenish my energy." she answered.
While rushing through the small amount of ingredients he said, "All we have are vegetables and one small piece of rabbit, it will have to do."
Both kept preparing dinner and talking around the small living room. With all three of them there and the fireplace, there was almost no space for anything else.
Soon, hunger got the best of Jordan and he woke up crying.
As an instinct, his mother brought the baby to her chest and started feeding him. Jordan's mind was still wild, he couldn't believe that after waking up the new world was still there. He was still a newborn, a faun, and now his mother was feeding him.
While feeding, his thoughts gained a level of clarity he hadn't felt in a long time. It was as if space and time stopped. He felt love, warmth, and security as if his late mother and father were there hugging him.
As he finished his first meal, he started looking around to get as much information as he could. While moving his eyes, he found a bowl of water. Trying everything he could, he felt his legs and arms starting to respond.
"Baby bighorns can walk on their first day, am I going to be able to do that as well? I have to figure out everything I can and fast."
"Where do you think you are going, young man? You need rest, you will have plenty of time to walk around when you are older." said his mother, even though he could not understand any of it.
She took her child, trying to move from the small corner they had put him in.
After she and Sylas finished their dinner, Jordan was already sleeping.
Sharing the embrace of his loving wife and newborn son, Sylas was the last to fall asleep.
The first night was clear.
Jordan / Bryn woke everyone up as soon as he needed more food. The baby's consumption of food was incredible. With his energy full, today, he was sure to try and move around.
"Freya, today I have to go back to work. The lord will be back, and I have to get the horses ready." Sylas said.
"Don't worry, Sy. You can go. Both I and little Bryn will be fine."
"I swear, I need to learn their language. The only thing I understand is that my name must be Bryn, or that is their favorite word." Bryn / Jordan thought.
While Sylas left for work, the morning inside the house was boring. Freya had to organize everything from the day before, from the food to the fireplace.
She took young Bryn for a walk outside, and they went to the river to wash some of the clothes she had used yesterday.
Jordan still felt like it was all a dream, but every time he woke up, nothing changed.
When coming up to the river, Freya put him down a bit further from the shore. That way, when she got in to clean the clothes, she was able to keep a lookout for him.
As she was washing everything, Jordan was able to notice a small puddle of water. He wanted to look at himself, a curiosity that anyone reborn must feel. Fauns were not as agile as baby bighorns, but not as slow to move as baby humans.
Jordan was able to roll one time, being able to see his face for the first time. Head movement was difficult still, so all he could see was what was right in front of him and reflected in the puddle.
His face was that of a young baby, he reminded both Freya and Sylas expressions. The only thing different was his dark blue eyes. They were a combination of his previous life blue eyes and his new parent's dark brown.
As he looked at himself, he was able to see one thing that scared him. Next to his face, appeared an almost invisible watermark:
Name - Bryn
Age - 1
Level - 1
"Holy crap. I can identify things, not only with my memory but as in an RPG! Is it possible to train such a skill? Does magic exist in this new world? I must find everything out, how do I level up?"
As the new information was being processed fast by him, his happiness ended as quickly as it came.
"Amazing, Bryn, you are already rolling! It usually takes two days for baby fauns to start rolling. You are going to be a troublemaker, aren't you?" His mother said while putting him back in his area.
Freya finished her chores, and picked everything up, including Jordan.
As they got back to the house, Freya started to prepare lunch and dinner. Jordan saw that the ingredients were the same as yesterday, minus the meat.
Despite her best efforts to be happy and fulfilled, Freya was sad inside. No one should live the way they were living. He had little information about this new world, but he could still tell that something was not right.
As many years as a company man and an executive, he could read a room and people's faces like few could. The situation was dire.
After sleeping and eating 2 more times, Jordan woke up as soon as Sylas arrived.
"Where are my favorite son and wife?" the man exclaimed.
"Your troublemaker is inside our room, today he rolled for the first time! We are going to pay close attention to Bryn." She answered.
"Hahah, as expected from our son. A very good Faun... Listen, the lord was happy that everything went ok with the birth. He gave us a whole chicken and tomorrow off as well. But he expects you back the day after."
"It was too much to ask for a week, I thought so," she said while lowering her head.
Sylas hugged his wife trying to console her with his warmth. "The lord had no problem with a week since human women can have 2 weeks. The problem was the lady, she found it absurd that a beast would have as much rest as a human…" he said.
Jordan couldn't understand the meaning of the words. Even so, hearing the tone of their conversation and faces, he could tell something bad was up.
"Whatever it is, I saw my level one. If I'm able to survive, as in every MMORPG I ever played, I can grind my way up. I have to survive and find my way back."
Dinner went fine once again with the addition of chicken meat in their soup. As any small baby, all he could do was eat, sleep, and increase a little of his range of motion from the arms and legs. After the usual ritual of trying every range of motion 5 times, he slept like a rock until the next morning.