Death had come more suddenly than Yoru had imagined. He remembered the screeching sound of metal, the blinding headlights, and then… nothing. A long silence, an infinite void. But it wasn't the end. Something had pulled him out of that abyss, as though an invisible hand had guided him toward a new reality.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the world he had known. In front of him stretched a strange landscape: towering mountains, dense forests, and a pale, eerie sky. Nothing here was familiar. And yet, a strange certainty hit him: he had been reincarnated.
Several Years Later…
Yoru had been taken in by a humble family in a small, isolated village. He was just five years old when Jarek and Lina found him in the forest, exhausted and with no clear memory of how he got there. They took him in without asking too many questions, with the kindness and simplicity typical of country folk.
They had never had children, and finding this lost child, alone in the middle of the forest, had broken their hearts. Lina had held him close from the first moment, and Jarek, though gruff, quickly treated him like his own son. Yoru grew up with them on a small farm, far from the concerns of the big cities.
Despite his foggy memories of another world, Yoru became attached to his new life. Jarek and Lina were loving parents, raising him with patience and kindness. But deep down, Yoru knew he didn't belong to this world. He hadn't forgotten his past life, although he was too young when he reincarnated to fully understand. His memories sometimes came back in fragments, like echoes from another time.
In this world, magic was everywhere. But Yoru had no such gift. While other children began to show their first spells, Yoru remained powerless. Jarek and Lina never cared; to them, Yoru was perfect as he was. But every time Yoru saw other children displaying their magical talents, he couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. He felt different, a little out of place.
Then, one day, everything shifted.
A group of mercenaries appeared, sent by a corrupt noble seeking to expand his control over the surrounding villages. They demanded taxes that no one in the village could afford. Jarek and Lina's farm was one of the first to face their wrath.
Now fourteen, Yoru tried to defend his parents, but he was too weak, with neither magic nor weapons. The mercenaries attacked with brutal force. His adoptive parents tried to resist, but they were killed before his eyes.
Unable to save them, Yoru was forced to flee, his heart heavy with guilt and grief. They had taken him in, loved him, and he had been powerless to protect them.
Now, Weeks after that tragedy…
Yoru wandered through the woods, injured and disoriented. He had walked for hours, with no destination, driven only by a survival instinct. As night fell, he came across a cave at the foot of a mountain. Darkness was closing in, but Yoru no longer had the strength to keep going. He dragged himself inside the cave, seeking temporary shelter for the night.
As he settled down, a faint light caught his eye. Weak but steady, it came from the far end of the cave. Intrigued, he cautiously approached, each step echoing in the silence.
There, embedded in an ancient stone altar, stood a colossal sword. It was far too large for a boy of his age to wield, but something about the weapon called to him. The blade glowed with a mystical light, and Yoru felt a strange energy drawing him toward it.
He reached out to grasp the sword, but just as his fingers brushed the hilt, a voice broke the silence.
"Hey, kid! Do you really think you can touch that?"
Yoru jumped back, startled. He looked around frantically for the source of the voice but saw no one.
"Down here, idiot!"
Yoru glanced down and saw a small creature perched on the sword's guard. A dragonet, no bigger than a cat, with golden scales and wings folded against its back. Its eyes, sharp and mischievous, were fixed on him.
"What… what are you?" Yoru stammered, still in shock.
The dragonet rolled its eyes, clearly exasperated.
"I'm Flamelios, once a mighty dragon. Now reduced to this ridiculous form thanks to a curse. But I'm not here to talk about myself. Why, human without magic, do you dare approach my sword?"
Yoru stood silent, still in disbelief. He felt so… insignificant. Since his reincarnation, he had always been powerless, unable to protect those he cared about.
"I'm no one," he muttered. "I have no magic."
Flamelios burst into laughter, a dry, sarcastic laugh.
"Ah, humans! You think magic is the answer to everything! Trust me, kid, this sword was never meant for magicians. It has a power far older than magic. If it's calling you, maybe it's because you don't have magic."
Yoru stared at the sword, confused. Why would this powerful weapon choose him? And why did this dragon, small as it was, seem to know so much?
"Alright," continued Flamelios, flapping his wings. "If you want to understand this sword, you'll need to prove your worth. And for that, you'll need me."
Yoru hesitated. He was just a boy, without magic. But a greater force was calling to him, offering a chance to change his fate. With a determined gesture, he gripped the sword's hilt.
A powerful energy coursed through his body. The blade vibrated beneath his fingers, as though it finally recognized him.
Flamelios smiled, an impish smile. "Good. You've got potential, kid. But the path will be long and full of challenges. With me by your side, you might just become worthy of this sword."
Yoru nodded, his eyes filled with new determination.
"I'm ready."
Flamelios spread his wings, hovering slightly in the air. "Then get ready, mortal. This is only the beginning."
Thus began Yoru's journey, a young boy reincarnated without magic, armed with a legendary sword and guided by a fallen dragonet. Together, they would uncover a destiny far greater than anything they could have imagined.