"Wake up, baby. Please… just look at me once," a gentle voice coaxed him from the depths of sleep. Rhys felt a fog clouding his mind—his lifetime of experience sealed away piece by piece, as though making room for some destined growth.
He forgot who he had been, yet he remembered who he was. It was a strange equilibrium of forgetfulness and remembrance.
Blinking slowly, his vision gradually cleared, revealing the silhouette of a woman. She cradled him in her arms, and Rhys felt an instinctive urge to snuggle closer.
Wait… cradled?
What is happening? Rhys's mind raced as confusion took root.
He tried to move his hands, only to discover they were the small, delicate hands of an infant. The realisation struck him with the force of a physical blow: He had become a baby.
[World Traveler anchored to the realm.]
The sudden, internal voice startled him. His new body acted on its own, a startled cry escaping his lips.
The woman's expression softened with anxiety, and she hugged him closer, enveloping him in an embrace that felt both achingly familiar and entirely new.
Somehow, the warmth of it calmed him.
[Temporary Title Acquired: Chaos Sword Master]
[Description: Once, a divine sword guarded this realm from the Abyss. Now, its power is scattered, awaiting the arrival of the Chaos Sword Master.]
"My child, you must remember," the soft voice of the woman pulled him from his reverie. "Your name is Asher. Asher Blazeburn. Son of a sword that once blazed the Abyss into nothingness."
The words flowed gently from her lips as she carefully tucked a small, carved token into his clothing.
Leaning close, her forehead touched his, and warm tears dripped onto his face.
He couldn't see her features clearly, but the palpable grief she radiated seemed to be contagious, and he mirrored her sorrow in the only way he could: by crying.
"My baby, don't cry," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
"Remember, strength determines our fate. Time finalises how far we can go. Sadly, your mother can give you neither. I only pray that you will live a healthy and happy life, wherever you may go."
A sense of urgency pierced the moment as a voice called from outside.
"Madame, they are getting close! The Abyss… it has reached us!"
With newfound determination, the woman—his mother—retrieved something from thin air.
She carefully laid him on a soft, ethereal bed. A brilliant light flashed, and Rhys was once again yanked into the cold nothingness of space.
Tears streamed down the woman's face as she stared at the empty spot where he had been.
"I hope you find peace," she whispered, her voice heavy with a love that transcended worlds.
*
* *
A towering mountain proudly reached for the clouds, its summit appearing to pierce the heavens themselves.
Along a weathered stone road that had seen better days, a carriage made its way, slowly traversing the rugged terrain.
Within, a woman draped in a flowing white robe sat, her face drained of all color.
Her once-beautiful amber eyes seemed distant, her thoughts wandering far away. Beside her, a handsome man gazed at her with a pained expression, his heart heavy with concern.
"Rowena…" he began, his voice tinged with emotion. "Fifty years have passed. Must you carry the weight of that day forever?"
Hearing his words, she turned her head, her gaze meeting his. A single tear welled, glistening like a flawless crystal.
"How could I ever forget, big brother?" Her voice quivered as her emotions surfaced. "I lost everything that day—my child, my husband…"
Her voice caught in her throat, a lump of sorrow making it difficult to continue.
"But you had a life ahead of you…" His voice trailed off as he saw his sister close her eyes, shutting him out.
A heavy sigh escaped him. The little sister who had once been so full of life now appeared as a mere shadow of herself, a soul drained of its vitality.
"I hope she can find a reason to live again," he murmured, his gaze shifting to the starry canvas above.
The sky seemed to hold a spectrum of emotions, its vast expanse a silent witness to his sister's unending sadness.
"Heavens, why must you be so cruel?"
Suddenly, a golden light enveloped his vision, momentarily blinding him.
Before he could make sense of it, a loud, jarring crash pierced the air, startling them both.
Stepping outside to investigate, they were met with the sight of a massive, smoking crater just ahead.
He exchanged a glance with his sister, a silent understanding passing between them as they nodded in agreement.
Swiftly, he called forth his martial spirit—a blazing red sword that shimmered with fiery energy.
With cautious steps, he approached the edge of the crater and peered down. The sight that met his eyes made his breath hitch.
"This is…" His eyes widened in sheer astonishment.
Observing her brother's stunned expression, anxiety crept over Rowena. She approached him, her curiosity piqued, and followed his gaze.
As her eyes fell upon what lay within the crater, they lit up with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.
There, nestled in the center, lay a baby, cocooned in luxurious silk with only its head exposed. The infant's small eyes were tightly shut, its cheeks rounded and serene.
A surge of powerful, motherly affection swelled in Rowena's heart, overflowing with a tenderness she thought long dead.
"Rowena…" Her brother's sentence hung unfinished. He had meant to stop her, to warn her of the danger, but the words died in his throat.
For the first time in half a century, a genuine smile—a light he thought long extinguished—was returning to his sister's face.
Without hesitation, she leaped into the crater, her arms outstretched to embrace the child.
"Could this be a gift from the gods?" he whispered to himself. As he watched her, a slow, tender smile spread across his own face.
"Brother, look how handsome he is," she exclaimed, her voice laced with pure joy. Planting a gentle kiss on the baby's cheek, her smile radiated a happiness that seemed to push back the darkness.
The presence of the child had ignited a fervent maternal instinct within her, coursing through her veins like a fiery determination.
Her attention was drawn to the token tucked into the baby's clothing.
"Asher…" she whispered, recognition dawning in her eyes. Her gaze shifted back to the baby, and a tender, loving smile blossomed on her lips.
"Your name shall be Asher. Asher Lancaster," she murmured softly into the baby's tiny ears.
In response, a small smile tugged at the corners of the infant's mouth, as if expressing his affinity for the new name.
Her laughter bubbled forth as she witnessed the baby's response.
With this shared moment, both brother and sister embarked on a new journey, oblivious to the monumental changes unfolding across the continent.
Massive portals tore through the fabric of reality across various kingdoms, unveiling troves of treasures and boundless opportunities.
Their arrival heralded the emergence of creatures previously unknown to human history, triggering conflicts that engulfed entire kingdoms in the flames of war.
The very laws of heaven underwent a transformation, and a mysterious whisper echoed throughout every corner of the world, proclaiming a new age:
"Welcome the heir of the fallen sword, the new Chaos Sword Master."