Light, and more light veiled Fero's sight.
'Where is this?' Fero had tried many things, trying to move his hands or shuffle his neck. Even going as far as trying to force a pee or poop. But failed in everything.
He felt shackled and bound. And after many, many days, or so he believed that he had spent in the place, he had come to a conclusion, 'I am in the... special place of an isekai character. The one depicted quite literally as dark... but is actually full of light.'
'Yes... I am about to be reborn! I wonder what I will be... I hope I am not some insect. I wonder what kind of place I am being born in. Or what kind of people I will be around.'
Time seemed to pass languidly and sometimes rapidly. As he wriggled about, he felt something bump into him. Numerous times.
'I wonder if there is some kind of race which have very few men. And lots of hot women. I will definitely like to be born in them as a man.'
Warmth and light; these things became his everything.
Sometimes, he could even hear some faint murmurs, and to his surprise, he could understand them, at least the little bit he could hear.
'It seems I am being born as a human again... I guess that's not bad in a way. It could be worse.'
As Fero struggled on, the fated day at last arrived.
He pushed and got pushed. He wriggled and tried to break free, and realised in amusement that he still couldn't seem to muster much strength.
But oddly enough, he could feel something beside him still thrashing terribly.
With its force, he could feel that he too was being pulled out. And after some time, in the bustling hussle and bustle, a shrill, sharp cry joined in. One that wasn't his!
He could feel the force beside him had vanished, and the space felt oddly spacious.
'Could it be... I have a twin?' Fero chuckled in his head and tried to struggle to get out too, 'It seems he has already beaten me.' He marveled at the rejoicing voices.
And quickly enough, he realized he couldn't, at all, wriggle right now. All he felt was a cold breeze at some part of his body he couldn't recognise, 'I am stuck in between... this is bad... Is there some problem with me?'
With extreme care, he felt something touch the part of him that had escaped and gently tug him outside. But slowly, barely providing him aid.
With his unknown ally, Fero once more tried to break loose from his confines.
And little by little, he realized he had succeeded as the cold breeze around him was abruptly hindered by some smooth texture he couldn't recognise.
But another issue sprang up. The light around him failed to sub-side. And some worried voices, with the help of which he realized his predicament, muttered aloud.
"This little one is not crying either. He's barely moving at all."
"Hand him over." A huffing voice, tired and yet still warm, mustered up and Fero felt the hands enveloping him change.
An odd warmth drilled into his body and he, involuntarily, ended up trying to snuggle and succeeded barely.
"Be strong my child. Be strong... Mama had no other choice... If I had waited for you to develop completely... your sister would've had issues."
'Shit! So I am born premature? And... and... it's probably that I got thrown alongside my sister at a later date by those foggies. That's so absurd... Why are there so many misconceptions about isekai? First, that in the start, one is surrounded by darkness. And then that everyone who is born with a twin happens to be perfectly born. Tch! There goes my plan of using my fiction knowledge.'
"Please madam, allow me to see him for a second."
Fero once again felt the hands around him change. He could recognise from the voice that it was a female.
He felt a light pat on his bum. And despite it feeling intense, and him wanting to shout. He realized he couldn't speak either.
Suddenly, he felt a greenish hue mix in his pure white, startling him, before subsiding.
"Good grief. Despite his condition madam... he is fine, for now. He will need extreme care, delicate care. He's as feeble as a shameplant... one careless touch and he will be gone... But maybe if nurtured correctly, can still morph into a tenacious houseleek."
"Thank heavens!" A relieved sigh brushed Fero's forehead, and the hands around him shuffled once more.
He felt a gentle wave moving him up and down. Silence started to reek in the place before abruptly, another sigh brushed his forehead and his mother's voice graced his ears, "Phoenix... A creature that tussles with death and wins, a creature that is born again from its ashes, stronger and braver each time... that shall be your name, Phoenix!'
Fero, feeling something gentle lightly rest on his forehead, exclaimed, 'Wait! So I got named? Oh! Phoenix... not bad.' Fero nodded his head, quite literally in his head.
Suddenly, a shrill round of cries erupted from the side and a bunch of exclamations bounced up.
His mother, in particular, chuckled and beckoned for his twin while murmuring, "My, my! Are you upset I haven't named you too, yet?"
Fero couldn't help but chuckle. Feeling something gently kick into him. 'Ouch... oi! Oi my twin! You damn better behave or else big brot–smaller brother gonna be nasty.'
"You are quite the energetic one aren't you? Much different than your younger brother. And those beautiful fiery eyes of yours too... For you, in hopes you grow strong and brave to protect your brother, I name you Glafria—the flower that grows enclosed in ice... and still breathes warmth."
The baby made a raspy cry in her shrill voice. As if acknowledging her name.
Voices congratulating both Phoenix and Glafria resounded.
And after a moment of silence, his mother spoke up again, "Where's Juggu?"
Silence reigned, before, after a moment of silence, somebody answered, "Master had to leave in an emergency for the palace..."
"Oh... I see."
Fero, hearing the bemused voice, wondered, 'Seems this family of mine... has a few issues?'