Consciousness returned to him slowly, pain throbbing through his body as awareness dawned. Eyes flickering open to an unfamiliar ceiling, he tried lifting himself but found his limbs weighed down by a lethargic weakness. Taking in his strange surroundings - a simply furnished room bathed in golden sunlight - confusion swirled within him. This was no place he recalled. Recalled?
Memories surged forth - vivid scenes of crowds roaring, the heat of combat, beasts answering his command. Then darkness took hold, a shadowed figure striking him down as his father's bitter voice echoed "You forgot your place." His last breaths rushed back, filling him with fury and puzzlement. How could he still draw air when death should claim him?
His pounding heart sought answers yet his mind remained clouded. Flashes of the life cut short surfaced yet refused to coalesce, jagged shards that cut more than revealed. All that was clear - he had been Ragnar, the champion thirteenth, betrayed by one he trusted. But in this unfamiliar space, how could he yet live?
Gazing upon hands so small and delicate, not those he recalled, understanding slowly took form - rebirth had found him though fragments of the past still clung, haunting him with glimpses of what was lost.
Over the following days, his mind wandered as he explored his new environs. The kindly yet quotidian family that had taken him in regarded him as their own, heedless of the turmoil still roiling beneath his outward calm. Living simply with no connection to his previous life of beast mastery or the associated splendor and hazards, they were removed from all he had once known.
For the time being, his past remained his secret. He observed and listened keenly, soaking in every nuance of this novel life and the modern world enveloping him. Yet simmering within was a resolute determination to reclaim what was lost and exact vengeance on those who had wronged him so.
As days passed, recollections of what came before grew sharper and rose unbidden to his mind. At evening's calm, with eyes closed, flashes of the arena and beasts tamed there alongside foes vanquished would surface. The roars of crowds cheering, scents of battle, and the pride of holding the title of Champion remained clear. Though memory of his demise stayed foggy, one truth stood stark: his sire's betrayal.
School presented an altogether foreign experience. Unfamiliar were the lessons, pupils around him, and the regimented daily routine. Yet one day in the schoolyard overheard students speaking of a local beastmastering contest piqued his interest, stirring remembrances of the life left behind and filling him with excitement and longing in equal measure.
Though it was just a friendly match among young students, he found himself drawn in by their discussions of technique and competition, just as in his glory days as a champion. Intently, he listened as they debated advanced maneuvers, rankings between trainers, and the allure of partnering with powerful beasts. Deep in his soul stirred a yearning to step back into the arena, to feel the surge of adrenaline only known in the heat of battle.
One quiet afternoon, while lost in thought on a winding forest path near his home, a faint cry arose from the undergrowth. Curiosity and caution guiding his steps, he parted the leaves to find a small creature - a stray beast with matted fur and eyes bright with fear yet defiance. Abandoned and alone, it was but a fragile thing. Still, he sensed an echo of the past in its gaze - a memory of forming unbreakable bonds. Slow and steady, he knelt with palm open in a gesture of peace. "Be at ease, little one. No harm will come to you here."
Wary yet soothed by his steady tone, the beast allowed his careful ministrations. Patience and care, techniques used to tame even the wildest of partners, came flooding back. Bit by bit, trust was earnt until with a tentative nuzzle, the creature met his hand. In an instant, long-dormant power and connection surged through his veins once more. This, he knew - his gift for training and bonding with creatures had never truly left him. The spark remained, ready to be rekindled into a blaze that would see him achieve glory once more.
As he gently stroked the creature's back, he felt a surge of confidence within his youthful frame. Though new to this form, his spirit remained as steadfast as ever. He was still Ragnar, champion undefeated, and now with youthful vigor, fresh opportunities awaited to climb once more to the pinnacle of prestige. Betrayal would not claim victory; retribution would be his.
That eve, pondering the fragments of memory coalescing into purpose renewed, clarity emerged crystalline. Though young of years, within resided the heart of a hero tested and skills peerless. "Rise again I shall," he vowed in tones hushed yet immoveable. "No matter the span, I will reclaim lost glory. I will find the sire who wrought treachery and make answer for the wrong."
In this new life he would commence not where last he left, but from the depths must ascend step by measured step, proving himself warrior indomitable. The fame recalled with dread, the might revered, the mastery respected would be his again to wield. And never would duplicity catch him unawares to mar triumph again.
As dreams carried him into oblivion, recollections of past glories entwined with visions of triumphs to be. This rebirth granted second chance, road to vengeance and redemption. Such gifts he would seize with every fiber, facing whatever trials awaited undaunted.
Only the start had begun.