"Young master!" a voice called in the distance. "Young master, wake up! You're going to be late for the ceremony!"
Startling from his sleep, Saron Alexandros sat up, his breath sharp. "The ceremony? But…that was ten years ago."
[ REBOOTING... ]
A soft blue light flickered across the room, painting the walls in ethereal glow. Saron's eyes widened. "This voice… it's familiar."
He strained to remember. Then, like a storm breaking open in his mind, the memories rushed back. "That's right," he whispered. "I died. But before my last breath, this voice started speaking…"
He clutched his head, pain flaring as fragmented images flashed through his thoughts.
[ LOADING... ]
A knock at the door cut through his daze. "Young master, are you awake yet? We have to get to the Grand Hall for the ceremony."
That voice...warm, gentle, unmistakable.
"Marie?" Saron said, stumbling from bed, nearly tripping as he rushed to the door.
"Who else would it be, silly?" she teased, smiling as sunlight caught her brown hair.
For a moment, Saron couldn't breathe. Marie, the maid who never left his side, the one who died protecting him during the war, was standing there, alive, smiling just as she always did.
"Come now, young master," she said, moving to his closet and pulling out ceremonial attire. "We must get you dressed."
[ LOAD COMPLETE... ]
[ OPENING THE HEAVENLY AWAKENING SYSTEM ]
[ TUTORIAL QUEST: TEACH THE TWINS A LESSON ]
[ REWARD: LOGIN BONUS ]
"A… login bonus?" Saron muttered. "What does that even mean?"
Before he could think further, two mocking voices drifted from the doorway.
"Brother, don't you think it'd be funny if he was deemed incompetent again?"
"Come now," the second voice added, "he's still our youngest. We should at least hope he isn't a stain on our family name."
Saron looked up, recognizing them instantly. Mael and Rain, his twin older brothers, wolf-beastkin known for their sharp fangs and sharper tongues.
In the future he remembered, they'd become leaders of the Echos of the Eclipse, an adventurers' guild formed after losing the war for succession.
"Brothers," Saron said with a smirk, "you sure are extra annoying today. Surely you both aren't in need of a diaper change, are you?"
The twins froze.
"You're going to regret that!" Mael snarled, lunging forward with a punch.
Saron caught his fist easily and threw his own in return, a clean strike that sent Mael sprawling.
"Mael!" Rain shouted, turning his back on Saron to check on his brother.
Rule number one of battle: never turn your back on an enemy.
"Hey," Saron said from behind him.
Rain turned, just in time to catch a fist square to the jaw.
Smack!
[ CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING THE TUTORIAL QUEST ]
[ REWARDING LOGIN BONUS ]
Saron rubbed his knuckles. "Hey, system, what's this 'login bonus' for?"
[ LOGIN BONUSES ARE USED AT LOGIN LOCATIONS ]
[ SCANNING... ]
[ SCAN COMPLETE. LOGIN LOCATION FOUND. ]
[ LOCATION: THE SOURCE IN THE GRAND HALL ]
"Grand Hall…oh right! Today's the ceremony."
He looked down at his unconscious brothers and sighed. "Hey, idiots, wake up. We've got to get to the Grand Hall."
With a few quick slaps, he roused them both. With Saron dragging the two half-dazed wolf twins, they stood before the towering doors to the hall.
Taking a deep breath, Saron steadied himself. "The ceremony…my second chance begins here."
And with that, he pushed the doors open.