Prologue
Where am I?
Why is it dark?
.....
It's so warm....
Within the darkness, "it" lingers in confusion.
"It" should be dead.
"It" should know, after all "it" took its own life....
"It" remembered how "it" died---the pain; the fear; the relief...
And yet here "it" is---conscious, in complete darkness---feeling the unknown but comfortable warmth. So how could "it" not be confused?
Why did "it" take its own life?
Though unwilling, "it" could not help but recall the time "it" was alive.
"It" recall that "it" was human; an ordinary man undistinguishable from other people. If placed with many people "it" would disappear in the crowd---that's how ordinary "its" appearance is.
Hailing from an ordinary family "it" struggled in life. "It" went to school, graduated, employed at a certain company---trying to get as much happiness as an ordinary person could.
"It" dreamed of love and found "itself" a lover. "It" was happy yet that happiness was short-lived. As if cursed by the world itself, "its" lover died after fighting cancer for 5 years. Though heart-broken; "it" tries its best to live on but tragedy strucked again. One day the old house where "its" parents lived caught fire taking "its" parents with it.
Was it arson?
A gas explosion?
"It" can't remember what the police said that day clearly. But "it" did recall jumping off a bridge while carrying a stone the size of a baby's head. "It" remembered plunging in the cold river below before losing consciouness.
So why is it warm?
According to the religion "it" believed "its" whole life "it" should be in hell right now suffering from the sin of taking one's own life. And yet, here "it" was, comfortable, warm, and feeling safe as if "it" is in the safest place in the world---like "it" is in heaven....
Therefore, "its" confusion was understandable....
Where is "it" now?
Is "it" even alive?
But before "it" could even find answers to these questions something happened.
"It" felt some movement. "It" felt that the dark but comfortable and warm space "it" is in was contracting.
Ah! "It" felt uncomfortable as if "it" is being expelled from "its" safe space.
"No! I don't want to leave!"
Fearing for what yet to come, "it" struggled with all "its" might but "it" is weak and helpless.
The constriction worsened and before long "it" felt itself being carried(?) towards the light....
Chapter 1
"H... ..ine, ..ke up!"
Hm? "It heard a voice. A cute yet childish voice. It sounded familiar really familiar...
Ouch!
"I said, wake up you sleepy head!
Feeling the sudden pain, "its" eyes snapped open.
"What are you doing, big sis?"
Head still aching, a little boy about the age of 5 looked at the girl he called "big sis" with teary eyes.
"And whose fault is that? How many times do you thing I've called for you?"
Hands on her hips, the girl with a single horn on her forehead pointed at the pouting boy.
Yes, a horn.
On the girl's forehead there is indeed a horn. Not some accessory or anything like that but a genuine horn that is part of her body. In other word, the girl in question is not human.
She like her little brother are from a race called "daemon". But despite being of the same race, the boy has no horn anywhere on his head for some reason. Both their parents are daemon and have horns only the boy was born without one. Fortunately, the boy inherited some of the facial features of his parents which at least proved that they are his parents. It's just that he is hornless...
Well to be honest, the boy is not that bothered about being hornless. After all, he used to be human in his previous life.
Yes the boy, named Raine by his father (Raine because it was supposedly to be raining when he was born), is a so called "reincarnator".
Before being reincarnated as a daemon, he was a human who took his own life after experiencing tragedy after tragedy. Yet despite dying and being reborn, he still retained the memories of his past life much to his confusion.
Because he was born with his past life's memories still intact, Raine is different from other children his age. He is more mature compared to other children much to the delight of his parents who often praised him for it. He is also smarter able to learn how to speak the common language fluently in just a year after he was born. He could even write, read, and do basic arithmetic. But considering he is an adult (in mind and spirit not in body), Raine felt that he should at least be able to do as much.
Actually, as a former human adult that graduated from college, Raine could do much more than just "basic" arithmetic but decided that it would be too strange if a little boy of 5 suddenly showed off his advance math skill.
He got a feeling that he would be seen as a demon; oh wait, as a weirdo if he showed off his knowledge that is considered too advance considering this world's standard.
The world he's currently living now (Aldus) have a civilization similar to medieval Europe. Therefore, Rain only showed knowledge which (he believed) would not be too strange considering this world's standard of education. Yet despite holding back, Rain is still considered a prodigy by his parents and the adults of his village much to his disappointment.
Actually, if he just stopped to think for a moment, he would realized that even in his former world's standard he would still be considered a child prodigy if he showed that much knowledge and skill at such a young age!
Unfortunately, his lack of common sense of the world he is currently living at backfired on him....
But it's not like there's no advantage being seen as a prodigy. First, the village children never bullied him despite being hornless. Second, if he accidentally showed off more knowledge necessary, the villager wouldn't be too surprise or feel weird about it.
"Hey! Why are you daydreaming again?"
Raine was bought to earth after his sister knocked on his head again. Touching his head, Raine stood up to show that he's already awake and that there's no need for violence.
Speaking of which, his sister is called Cloudia (named as such by their father because she was suppossedly born on a cloudy day...). Cloudia is a girl with fiery-red long hair that is styled in a ponytail, amber-colored eyes which is slightly slanted (giving her a sharp look), pink lips and childish face. Many in the village (including Raine) considered her pretty. Unfortunately, despite her pretty features she is a bit of a tomboy and a little violent---wasting her pretty looks.
Most of the village children (including Raine) were afraid of her because despite being a girl she's stronger than most boys her age. Even children older than her dare not cross her unless they wanted to experience her explosive wrath.
"We should go now. We promised mother that we'll gather herbs today."
Taking a bag made of reed, Cloudia urges her brother to follow her towards the outskirt of the forest where herbs and medicinal plants grew.
Picking up his own basket, Raine followed her sister while running. Since his legs are short (being 5 years old and all), Raine have a hard time keeping up. NOticing this, Cloudia slowed her pace a little.
After about an hour of walking (and running), the two arrived at their destination. Looking around, Cloudia started picking herbs while instructing her brother what to do.
"Don't take everything okay? If you see three just take two," Cloudia instructed.
"Okay!"
Crouching down, Raine carefully pull out a herb near him on put it on his basket. This is not his first time gathering herbs in the forest. Coupled with his almost photographic memory, Raine is familiar with every plants in the area. Nonetheless, his sister always reminds him not to over-harvest.
"Hey, don't go too far!"
Upon noticing Raine’s going deeper into the forest while harvesting herbs, Cloudia yelled at his brother not to go too deep into the forest.
Startled, Raine ran towards his sister and resume harvesting.
There is a reason why the siblings were only harvesting herbs at the outskirt of the forest. Deeper into the forest are monsters and wild beast so unless there are adults, children are forbidden from going deeper. There are also monsters and wild beast on the outskirts but they are so weak that even children can handle them. One would argue that no matter how weak the monsters and beast on the outskirts of the forest are, they are still monsters. So it's the height of folly to leave the children on their own device in such a dangerous place.
Such a statement would have been true if the children in question are human but they're not. The children of the frontier village are all daemon. Unlike humans, daemons were born with strength and magick greater than an average human. Also, daemon children born in the frontier are stronger than those born in cities and towns with their tall and sturdy walls. The reason being is that the frontier is full of danger. As such, daemon children are taught to fend for themselves at a very young age.
Of course there are exceptions to the norms. Raine, despite being a daemon was born without horn, and as such could not use magick like other daemon. Thankfully, Raine is naturally born with a strong body like most daemon. But being unable to use magic does bother him quite a bit considering that he used to be a human from a world without magic that dreamt of being able to use magic when he was a child.
Unfortunately, a daemon's horn played an important role on their ability to use magick. Without it a daemon won't be able to channel mana which is vital when using a spell. In other word, Raine is destined to not be able to use magick all his life---unless he find a way to channel his mana without a horn.
Chapter 2
The siblings returned to the village after gathering enough herbs. Since their mother is waiting for them, the sibling did not loiter needlessly and went straight to their house.
"Mother we're back!" They shouted
"Welcome back!"
A young-looking daemon woman exits the kitchen and happily greeted back. After hugging them, she looked at the baskets filled with herbs happily.
"Seemed like a good haul," their mother complimented with a smile.
"But of course!"
Puffing her chest proudly, Cloudia started boasting that gathering two baskets filled with herbs was an easy for her.
"That's not fair, big sis! Please don't forget that I helped too!"
Shaking his head disapprovingly, Raine chastised his sister for taking all the credit for herself which made Cloudia pout.
Gazing at her two children lovingly, the woman urges the two to carry the baskets to the kitchen.
"Mother, is father back already?"
Noticing the big chunk of orcus meat at the table, Cloudia asked their mother if their father is back early.
"Yes. He went back half an hour earlier than you two but was called by the village chief," their mother answered.
The sibling's father, Cyrus is one of the frontier village hunters. But a hunter in this world is vastly different from a hunter in Raine's former world. In this world, hunters do not just hunt wild animals but hunt large monsters as well. A hunter's main duty is to protect the settlements from powerful monsters that roam the land.
In a frontier village, a hunter makes sure that the village is well protected from monsters and bandits. Any daemon can become a hunter regardless of gender but only the most skilled one are chosen for the job. Weaker daemon who did not become hunters could become a teacher, a guard, a smith, a pharmacist, or a farmer.
Sui, the sibling's mother also used to be a hunter but decided to stop after marrying Cyrus. Nowadays, Sui busied herself with taking care of her husband and children and making medicine to sell in her small pharmacy.
"Why did the village chief, summoned father?"
Frowning, Raine asked the reason for the summon. It was not uncommon for the village hunters to be summoned by the village chief but Raine felt that this summon is an irregular one.
"I don't know myself. Let's just ask your father when he get back, okay?"
Less than an hour later, Cyrus returned just in time for lunch. Though curious, Raine decided to wait after eating before asking questions.
"Dear, why did the village chief summoned you?"
After clearing the table, Sui finally asked the question that has been on everyone's mind. Like Raine, she too felt that the sudden summon from the village chief is not normal.
"About that... it has something to do with a wyvern." Cyrus explained.
"A wyvern?"
A frown appeared on Sui's beautiful face after hearing her husband's words. A wyvern is a huge monster with the ability to fly. It is a type of dragon, or rather a fake dragon that attack people from time to time. Its claws and fangs are sharp and powerful, and could sweep down at an unsuspecting prey without being noticed.
Wyverns do not have the ability to breathe fire like true dragons but they were powerful monsters on their own right.
"Didn't the wyvern in the area already been subjugated a few years back? What is this talk about a wyvern?"
Four years ago, a powerful wyvern terrorized the area. But thanks to the effort from the local hunters, that wyvern was successfully subjugated. Now it seems that a new wyvern took over the territory of the subjugated wyvern and made it its own.
"How troublesome," Sui complained with a sigh.
"It's indeed troublesome but there's no need to worry. As long as the hunters are here that wyvern wouldn't be able to do anything."
Cyrus showed a confident smile to appease his family. Among the hunters that subjugated the wyvern, Cyrus was one of them. He played a big role in the last subjugation and was the one who gave the wyvern the killing blow so his confidence is not based on baseless boasting.
"I'm not worried about that. It's just a wyvern after all and not a real dragon. Even I could face off against one and escape unscathed. But I'm worried about the children in the village. Those wyverns liked to attack the weak and unsuspecting after all."
As a former hunter, Sui knows how to deal with monsters like wyverns. Though powerful and cunning, wyverns could rarely win against a hunter. As such, wyvern rarely attack hunters and chooses weaker prey instead. Daemon children and the elderly just happened to be on the category of weaker prey so her worries were not unfounded.
"I know but you just have to trust us on this. We won't allow that wyvern to get anywhere near this village," Cyrus declared with determination.
Cloudia and Raine looked at each other and smiled. With their father out there and their mother guarding their home, the two are confident that the wyvern won't pose much of a danger to them.
Or so they thought….
