Rain pounded against the asphalt, blurring the city lights into streaks of red and gold. Arin Veyra ran, heart hammering, the screech of tires echoing behind him. One misstep, one second too late—and everything would end.
It did.
Pain tore through him like molten fire. Eyes wide, he gasped for air, but the world melted into darkness before he could even scream.
When Arin opened his eyes again, the world was different.
Gone were the streets, the neon signs, the hum of engines. Instead, he was lying on cold stone floors in a cavernous hall, lit by flickering torches. A strange scent of herbs and iron hung in the air.
"W-where am I?" His voice was hoarse, unfamiliar in this strange place.
A young woman approached, robes flowing, a small satchel clinking at her side. "You're awake," she said, her eyes sharp but not unkind. "You shouldn't be here yet… not until the stars align."
Arin frowned. "Who… who are you? And what is this place?"
She hesitated. "I am Liora. And as for this place… you might call it your new life. But I warn you—everything you knew… everything you loved… it's gone."
"New life?" Arin's mind reeled. He touched his chest, expecting pain, expecting blood—but felt nothing. "I—I don't understand."
"You will," Liora said, a faint smile ghosting her lips. "You've crossed the line between one existence and the next. You're… reborn. But not for nothing."
A strange warmth coursed through Arin's veins. Memories, like fragments of shattered glass, stabbed at his mind—images of another city, another time, faces he could almost remember. His old life. His mistakes.
"I… I remember…" he whispered. "I remember dying…"
Liora nodded. "Yes. And you remember more than most. That is why they sent you here. But beware—knowledge of the past is a dangerous thing. It can save you… or destroy you."
Arin struggled to stand. Every muscle screamed, every thought clashed with the echo of memories that weren't supposed to exist in this body. "Then… what do I do now?"
"You survive," Liora said simply. "And you learn. The world you're in… it isn't like the one you left. Powers, politics, ancient secrets—they'll all test you. And there are those who would kill you for the life you've been given."
Arin clenched his fists. The fire from his past life stirred in his chest. "Then I'll fight. I'll learn. And I'll make sure this second chance… doesn't go to waste."
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, dark cloak brushing the stone floor. His eyes were familiar—though Arin couldn't place them yet—and a smile curved across his lips.
"Welcome back," the figure said. "I've been waiting a long time for you."
And in that moment, Arin knew: his reincarnation was not a gift. It was a battlefield.
Chapter 2 Highlights: First Steps of Power
Arin discovers his elemental abilities and basic control.
Introduces Liora as mentor/guide.
First hints of the danger posed by Kael and other enemies.