The name meant nothing to him. This was no place he had ever seen, or heard of in all his years of conquest.
The name meant nothing to him. This was no place he had ever seen, or heard of in all his years of conquest. The stranger crossed his arms, eyeing Kaelor curiously.
"You don't belong here, do you? There's something… off about you."
Kaelor clenched his fists.
"I need to find it," he muttered to himself , "The artifact. It's the only way."
"The artifact?" the stranger repeated, his interest piqued. "What are you talking about?"
Kaelor's eyes burned with determination, even in his weakened state.
"It's the key. I need to find it before—" He stopped himself.
Before what? Before it destroys me again?
The stranger's smirk widened. "Well, you're in luck. This city's full of secrets. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for."
He didn't answer. He had no time to waste. His rebirth, his second chance—it wasn't a blessing. It was a curse. And unless he could find the artifact and reclaim his power, it would be his undoing once more.
The city was electrifying with life with its towering skyscrapers reaching into the heavens like a modern monument to ambition and power. But to Kaelor , it was nothing more than an alien landscape. His senses, sharp from years of magical warfare, felt dull here, muffled by the unfamiliar pulse of the modern world. He gritted his teeth as he moved through the crowded streets, ignoring the stares of passersby. Their looks of confusion and disdain meant nothing to him. They were insignificant, blind to the true power that had just entered their world.
As he limped along the sidewalk, the sound of metallic monsters—cars, as the stranger had called them— roared by. He clutched his side where the memory of the sword strike lingered, though the wound itself had long since healed. The weakness in his body, however, remained. His powers, once vast and feared, were now barely a flicker of what they had been. It was as if the very magic that had fueled him had been drained, leaving behind an empty shell.
But Kaelor was no stranger to loss. He had clawed his way to power once before, and he would do it again… no matter the cost.
He stopped in front of a glowing storefront, staring at his reflection in the glass. His appearance was different, younger, and without the deep scars and lines that had marked his body from decades of battle. He looked… reborn, in more ways than one. Yet the emptiness in his eyes remained.
"You don't belong here," a voice yelled from behind.
Kaelor spun around, hands instinctively moving to summon fire—nothing happened. He scowled as the realization once again hit him. His powers were gone. The voice, however, belonged to the same stranger who had approached him earlier.
"I told you, this isn't your place," the man said, wearing an unreadable expression. "But since you're still wandering around, I thought I'd offer a little help."
Kaelor narrowed his eyes.
"Help? From you?" His pride was palpable, but he was no fool. He had learned long ago that allies could be just as useful as enemies.
"Look, I don't know what your deal is, but you're clearly out of your element." The stranger shoved his hands into his pockets, his casual demeanor at odds with the strange power that still lingered around him. "You need information. I know a guy who deals in, let's say, rare things. Maybe he can help you find this artifact of yours."
Kaelor eyed him suspiciously.
"What do you want in return?"
The stranger chuckled.
"I like to keep my options open. Maybe you'll owe me a favor one day. But for now, consider it an act of… curiosity."
He considered the offer. He could sense the stranger wasn't telling him everything, but without his powers, he was at a disadvantage. For now, he would have to play the game. Information was key, and if this "guy" could help him locate the artifact, it was worth the risk.
"Fine," he said, "Take me to him."
The stranger grinned. "Now you're talking. Follow me."
The two walked in silence through the labyrinthine streets of New York, the city's chaotic energy barely phasing him . His focus was elsewhere, with his mind replaying the final moments of his fall—Zeph's blade, the searing pain, the cursed artifact's betrayal.
How had he survived? What cruel twist of fate had brought him to this world?
The stranger led him into a narrow alley, away from the crowded streets. At the end of the alley was a door, unremarkable in every way. The stranger knocked three times, then twice more in quick succession.
The door creaked open.
Inside was a dimly lit room, cluttered with oddities and strange objects that gave off faint auras of magic. He felt a glint of recognition. Some of these items were imbued with power, though weak and insignificant compared to what he had wielded in his prime.
"Stay here," the stranger said, stepping inside. He didn't argue. His instincts told him to stay on guard, though in his weakened state, all he could do was wait.
Moments later, the stranger returned with another man. He was old, hunched over with a long, white beard and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. He wore a tattered coat, and his eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence, betraying the frailty of his appearance.
"So," the old man began, "you're looking for something special, I hear."
"An artifact. A powerful one, cursed and ancient. It may have found its way into this world."
The old man nodded slowly, his fingers tracing one of the many trinkets on his desk.
"Artifacts of that nature don't just appear. They're usually brought here by someone, or something. You're not the first to come looking for such things."
Kaelor stepped forward, his voice ruthless and commanding.
"I don't care about others. I need to find it, and I need to find it soon."
The old man chuckled.
"Patience, boy. If you're in such a rush, you'll only make mistakes. But…" He trailed off, reaching under his desk to pull out a small, old book. He flipped it open to a page filled with strange symbols and writing. "There's a place. It's a gathering of sorts. People from all over, those who seek power, those who hide it. You may find your answers there."
His eyes widened, piqued with curiosity.
"And where is this place?"
The old man smiled, showing yellowed teeth.
"Not far. A hidden society, deep within the city, one that has existed in the shadows for centuries. You'll know it when you see it."
Kaelor glanced at the stranger, who simply shrugged. It was a vague lead, but it was more than he had before.
"Good luck," the old man said, closing the book with a snap. "And be careful. Power like that comes with a heavy price."
He clenched his fists very hard.
"I've paid that price once before."
As they left the shop, the burden of his quest settled heavily on his shoulders. He had been given a chance, a second life, but it was clear now that this world was just as dangerous as his own. The artifact was here, somewhere, and he would stop at nothing to find it.
But deep in his gut, he knew there were others looking for it too. Others who would kill him for it, just as they had once tried in his previous life. The difference this time? He was more dangerous than they could ever imagine.