The day was coming to a close, and everyone in the city of Babylonia was celebrating the rise of power of Nabopolassar, my father, as the new king.
"Drink and party, my people, for I am your new king!"
Nabopolassars, the governor, ascent to power, mysteriously coincidental, had the odds somehow tipping in his favor. There had been an abundance of mayhem before, but today brought hope and change.
Babylon had been under Assyrian control for many years, and it was time to tip the scales. I am Nebuchadnezzar, or Nebu for short, and that man who became king is my father. Although I am only five, I have been around for far more years than my father has been alive.
"Father, I need you to help me with..." I began to say.
"Hush, Nebu. Go back home to your mother and quit being a bother," the old man interrupted.
I had reincarnated myself as his son to experience what it's like to be a king. Beforehand, I ensured that my father became the king through meticulous planning.
I headed home to attend to my "good boy" act.
"Old ass man, one day you'll have it coming for you."
On my way to the palace, there were fresh bloodstains on the floor. "Looks like someone isn't in a celebratory mood. Let's see where this leads." Turning a corner to a small shop, I saw three men beating a small boy. I knew that boy; he was the same one who always committed theft in plain sight. "It looks like someone has had enough of his antics."
The boy made eye contact with me, but I didn't pay it any mind. I went back to minding my own business.
"Mother, I'm home!" I announced.
"Nebu, what on earth are you doing out this late? Where are your guards?" my mother exclaimed.
"Father is busy celebrating," I replied.
My mother was a beautiful human and definitely someone my asshole of a father didn't deserve.
"Nebu, are you listening to me? Get ready for bed. Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us?"
Just as she said, the beginning of my journey was tomorrow. To everyone, I was only five years old, and no one saw me coming. But I would rule for the fun of it. I would be a great ruler and be remembered in the future as nothing less.
I walked up to my new room and opened the humongous doors.
"This is something no peasant or slave will ever achieve."
"This body is weak and frail; it still needs to be shaped into the best specimen."
As I kept walking through the room, I noticed a note on the covers of my luxurious bed. It read, "To The King To Be."
-
The New King of Babylon cracked open a barrel of liquor and began to scream at the top of his lungs.
"Tonight we drink to my glory! There will be no sleep, no rest, just celebration!"
"Yes, my king!" screamed the large crowd of nearly 100 important figures in Babylon. Most of them were just excited to gain power and feed only their self-greed.
"That king will make me a rich man," thought Zaidu the banker.
"I can't wait to use his affairs as leverage," planned Ligish the military general.
"I will never accept that drunk as my new king," whispered Shukura, the distant cousin.
"Drink, my people! I wouldn't want your mouths to be dry. Drink!" proclaimed the king.
The king had no idea that many of those people had those thoughts flowing through their heads. As the lavish party continued, the king noticed that he was getting more drunk and turned to see the crowd. Most of the people were already passed out or had left. He was left alone on his feet.
"What a bunch of lightweights, the lot of you! Get up and party!" the king shouted.
The only sound that came back was heavy footsteps.
"Huh, looks like I am not alone partying. Let's go see who is ready for more rounds of liquor."
The king began to walk closer to the steps and tripped on a piece of uneven stone on the floor. "Fuck!" he exclaimed as he looked up from the floor. He saw a shadow on the floor, getting closer. For some reason, the king had a bad feeling, as if he had felt the presence of something unsettling once before. As he looked further up, he noticed hooves the size of a bull's.
The king started sweating and shaking. "H-he... hello, mighty Akolan. I give my all to you," he stammered.
The beast in front of him didn't speak. The king knew this because it wasn't the first time it had appeared in front of him. But he had never seen the beast before.
"It... it... it is merely a celebration. Please don't be angry," the king pleaded.
The king began to remember the first time the beast had appeared. His late son had gotten a good look at it and screamed. When the king rushed to his screams, he noticed his son on the floor, yelling, "Don't look, father! P-p-please, no!" His eyes were bloody, as if he had tried to dig them out of his eye sockets.
"I have done all that you needed me to. W-why have you appeared once again?" the king trembled.
The beast came closer to the king. He could only describe it as a demon. The demon dropped a map with a city crossed out in an 'x' and listed names. The king knew what it was and began bowing his head.
"I will do anything you ask," the king whispered.
The beast stepped on his hand, crushing it and making it disappear from his arm. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" the king screamed in agony. But the demon began to heal it, repeatedly crushing his hand and healing it every step of the way. Then it switched to his other hand and began peeling off his fingernails, only to heal them back afterwards.
"W-why... why... why?" the king agonized.
Just as the king had exhausted all hope, the demon slowly retreated. The hooves the king could see vanished in an instant, as if teleporting.
"That wretched beast. I hope to see him less. But no amount of power I gain in this world will ever trump his. What have I gotten into?" the king muttered to himself.
The king got up and tried his best to compose himself. He picked up the map.
"So, this is the place I have to lay ruin to."
As I lay awake, looking up at the ceiling, I thought about the five years I had spent living as a child of a future king. Had it really been so long? No, it hadn't, but my sense of time was probably more out of whack than I had expected. For some reason, with every passing year, I forgot more about my past life. I knew forgetting was something I couldn't do, but maybe it just happened unconsciously. I felt weak.
"I feel so tired too," I murmured.
I glanced over to the counter top at the corner of my room. The letter i received was from who i expected it to be. The only person thats aware that i am reincarnated. He is a long time friend of mine, someone who i can trust. I got up from my bed headed over to paper, glanced at it
'good luck in your adventure king-to-be. whenever you need my help, count on no one but me - A'