I abruptly opened my eyes, gasping for breath as though I had surfaced from the depths of a suffocating nightmare. My heart pounded furiously, and for a brief moment, I sat frozen, clutching the fabric beneath me. My mind reeled, flooded by the vivid memory of my fall. The impact, the thud, the silence—it all felt so real.
"I didn't die…" I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue, laced with both anger and despair.
But something was wrong. My surroundings didn't resemble a hospital, nor the cold pavement where I had expected my journey to end. The room I found myself in was warm, almost rustic, with walls of dark timber and lanterns casting flickering golden light. Heavy crimson drapes framed a small window, through which the faint glow of dawn spilled in. A wooden table, scarred and weathered, stood in one corner, cluttered with a candlestick and an empty mug.
"Wh… where am I?" I muttered, my voice trembling as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings.
A single thought struck me with a force that left me breathless. Am I reincarnated?
I tried to calm my racing mind, but grief welled up from within. My fists clenched as I choked out, "But wh… why? Why me? And if you had to reincarnate me, then why keep my memories of my past life?"
Before I could make sense of my situation, a sharp, searing pain erupted in my head. It was as though thousands of needles pierced my skull while insects crawled beneath my skin. I gritted my teeth, clutching my head as the agony intensified.
Then, like a torrent unleashed, memories flooded my mind.
——————
"Zeph, look! There's a beautiful butterfly. Can you please catch it?"
A girl with jet-black hair and golden eyes, around the age of thirteen, pointed excitedly at the fluttering creature. Her voice was sweet, carrying an innocence that felt foreign yet familiar.
"El, that's really a beautiful one. Alright, I'll catch it for you!" A boy with snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes, also thirteen, replied with a grin.
After what felt like an eternity of chasing, tripping, and nearly falling into the bushes, the boy finally cupped his hands around the butterfly. Beaming, he turned to her. "See? I caught it!"
Elowen's golden eyes sparkled as she gently took the butterfly from his hands. With a soft smile, she released it back into the sky, watching it disappear into the horizon. Then, without warning, she threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, Zephyx," she said, her voice filled with warmth.
Zephyx's cheeks turned crimson as he stammered, "I… I have a fever!"
Elowen's mother, who had been watching from a distance, approached with a teasing grin. "Ara, ara, Elowen, what have you done to poor Zephyx?"
"Mom!" Elowen protested, her face turning red. She turned to Zephyx, tilting her head. "Why's your face so red?"
"I… I told you, I have a fever!"
Her mother chuckled, a melodic sound. "Hahaha~ Elowen, don't tease him too much. You know why he's blushing."
Elowen giggled, her own cheeks dusted with pink. "Hehe~ He looks cute when he's blushing!"
Zephyx groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Don't tease me!"
Their laughter filled the air, carefree and unburdened, a fleeting moment of joy in a life that would soon be anything but.
The memory shifted, pulling me deeper.
Weeks later, the two stood amidst a group of children their age, excitement and nervous energy buzzing through the room. It was the awakening ceremony, a rite of passage where every child discovered their magical affinity.
"Do you think I'll awaken anything?" whispered one boy.
"I don't know. Even earth affinity would be amazing," another replied nervously.
An old man with a long beard stood by a glowing orb, calling names one by one. The first child stepped forward, placing his hands on the orb. Seconds passed, but nothing happened.
"No affinity," the old man declared, his voice heavy with finality.
The boy's eyes filled with tears as he trudged back to his seat, his dreams shattered.
One by one, children stepped forward. Some awakened affinities, their faces lighting up with joy. Others left dejected, their futures uncertain.
"Elowen," the old man called.
Elowen stood, her confidence unwavering. Zephyx leaned toward her, whispering, "Good luck!"
She smiled at him before stepping up to the orb. As her hands made contact, the room grew warmer. A sudden surge of heat radiated outward, causing murmurs to ripple through the crowd. The old man waved his hand, stabilizing the temperature.
"Fire affinity," he announced, his tone impressed. "And a high potential."
Elowen returned to her seat, beaming. She hugged Zephyx tightly. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah," he replied, grinning. "You're amazing!"
"Next: Zephyx."
Zephyx stood, nerves knotting his stomach. Elowen gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.
When his hands touched the orb, a cold shock coursed through his body. The air around him turned frigid, frost spreading across the floor. The old man's eyes widened in surprise as he quickly dispelled the cold.
"Ice affinity," he said, his voice tinged with awe. "And potent at that."
Zephyx returned to Elowen, who cheered for him. But despite her support, an unease began to settle in his heart.
The memories unraveled further, revealing a life of struggle and heartbreak. Zephyx's attempts to control his ice magic led to excruciating pain, his body rejecting his efforts. While Elowen flourished, her fire magic growing stronger by the day, Zephyx stagnated, unable to even form a block of ice.
Elowen's achievements brought her recognition, and soon, she began taking quests. One day, she returned brimming with excitement, telling Zephyx about a boy named Alric she'd met on her adventures. Her admiration for him was evident, her stories filled with his accomplishments and charm.
Jealousy burned in Zephyx's chest, but he kept his feelings to himself. When he finally confessed his love to Elowen, she blushed but dismissed it, saying, "We're still kids. Let's wait until we grow up a bit."
Yet, over time,He started proposing her more and her patience with him waned. She grew frustrated with his constant clinginess and proposals and he started getting angry and also often started comparing him to Alric.
One day, as she prepared for another quest, Zephyx tried to propose again. Her response cut him like a blade.
"I don't like you. Can't you understand?," she said coldly before leaving.
Heartbroken, Zephyx returned home, only to find his mother unresponsive in her bed. Panic turned to despair as he realized she had passed away. Alone, he buried her in the dead of night, building a small, unmarked grave.
He didn't tell anybody about death of his mother because when he remembered mocking faces of people and making fun of him because I can't use magic while also making her life difficult he blood started boiling with rage.
When Elowen returned, her frustration with him had only grown. He tried to tell her about his mother, but she interrupted him.
"Zephyx, stop bothering me. You're not even one percent as capable as Alric. Just leave me alone."
Her words sealed his fate. He came back home and started packed his belongings and left the village with whatever money his mother saved for him to buy spell books for him and after one week of travelling he booked a inn in a city of Adventures.
The memories faded, leaving me gasping for air.
"Elowen... Alric…" I muttered, clutching my head as realization dawned.
"I've reincarnated into Dawn of Light, the game I used to play," I said, my voice trembling. "And as Zephyx… the minor villain of the story."
Alric was the protagonist, the shining hero destined to save the world. Elowen was the heroine, his steadfast companion. And I? I was nothing more than a stepping stone in their journey.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I fell back onto the bed. "Why? Why reincarnate me as him? And why curse me with these memories?"
The weight of my new reality pressed down on me. I wasn't just Zephyx—I was a man burdened by two lives, both riddled with pain, betrayal, and unfulfilled longing. But if this was my fate, then I would carve my own path.
While remorsing over the fact he heard a voive
[Ding]
[Soul merge complete 100%]