Ben’s mental state was shaken. He had awoken in prison of darkness to the sound of screaming. The source of the yelling was a woman who sounded as if she was being tortured. It wasn’t until he heard a muffled “breathe... one last push!” that all the clues came together. He had become reborn as an infant and was in the process of being birthed. Ben was thankful that his eyes hadn’t been able to open during the process, as the sound and feel of being birthed would probably haunt him for eternity. The entire process had been horrific enough to distract him from recent events.

It was then, that he remembered. Everything started coming back to him. His death, his parent’s death, Lucian’s betrayal. Grief and sorrow overwhelmed him. Tears began spilling as he mourned the loss of his family and the loss of his friends through their betrayal.

“He’s crying. That’s a good sign,” he heard from the darkness.

He felt the rough pats of a towel wiping him down which distracted him from his mourning.

His thoughts shifted. How am I even alive? Even tired and bloodied, he remembered everything about those last moments. He was certain Lucian’s sword had pierced his heart. There was no reason he should be alive right now. Should I really question such good fortune?

He was stumped. He had no powers to reverse time, to change fate, or reincarnate. Did someone else do this? But, who and how?

He sighed in his mind. I’ll never be able to find the answers I need as a baby.

The air chilled his body until he was wrapped in a blanket and passed off to what he assumed was a man. The rough pair of hands grabbed at him and squeezed a little too hard making him cry out with pain. Why is everyone here beating up on a baby? Ben howled. Instantly he found himself stolen from the hooligan who had mishandled him and placed into the arms of a person he instinctively knew to be his mother. The instant he was in her arms, a serene calm washed over him.

“Honey, you really need to control your strength. We talked about this,” his new mother reprimanded with a sharp tone. “Elyssa, a heal if you would please.”

A flow of warmth radiated throughout his body. It seemed like life magic, but he was struggling to tell as he felt very tired and disoriented from all the events since he awoke. The pain in his bruised thigh vanished almost instantly. This gave Ben reassurance. With the magic, it was a safe assumption that he was still in the Myriad of Worlds. I just hope I’m still human. I don’t think I would mind being reborn as a different species, but I can’t say I didn’t mind being a human before. I don’t feel a tail or extra limbs so that at least excludes a few options. Shit, I’m starting to make myself nervous. Nervous and hungry.

“Look at him, he’s beautiful,” his mother whispered. Her voice sounded hoarse from what he presumed to be all the yelling and screaming during his birth, about which he was still in denial.

Shivering he recalled the recent traumatic memories. I think I’d rather be killed again than go through that process a second time. Come to think of it... How long has it been since the battle with Lucian and the others happened? There were too many questions and no answers. His only chance of finding answers was to be patient and search for them when he became older.

Without warning the door to the room slammed open and two pairs of footsteps came stomping in across the wooden floorboard. He could hear his mother sigh and the male he assumed to be his father groan.

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” yelled squeaky voices that didn’t stop from the moment they entered the room until the instant they were right beside him.

“No! You promised I could see him first. I’m the oldest,” responded a youthful boy’s voice.

“You two are going to wake the baby,” his mother said hushing the two children.

“Sooo... What’s his name? What must be his older sister whispering not so quietly.

“We were thinking you two could pick. As long as you can both agree on it,” responded a gruff male voice. This was the first time Ben had heard this voice, he could only assume belonged to his father.

“How about Matt?” asked his sister.

“Booooring.” Denied his brother.

Ben hoped this wouldn’t take too long. He was already beginning to become tired. He also wanted to have some input over his new name, but it wasn’t like he could just voice his objection. Newborns were unable to produce coherent sound besides babbling and wailing.

“Kevin!” yelled his sister.

“No there is already a Kevin in the village, besides Kevin’s gross.” His older brother rejected. “How about Meatloaf?”

There was a pause while what Ben could only assume was the family staring at their oldest son in question while they contemplated his sanity. A chill ran over Ben as he froze in fear for a moment before he wailed aloud to protest the terrible name.

“What? I’m hungry. You guys were in here forever,” his brother defended himself.

His sister giggled making Ben fearful she was about to agree.

His father gave a deep belly laugh. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to veto that name little one.”

“How about Jax?” asked Elyssa.

Ben wailed again in response. Denied.

“I guess that name is rejected,” mused his father.

“Kaismo” came from a previously unknown voice that made him unable to determine its location. He could tell it was feminine in nature. He wasn’t aware there had been another person in the room with them until now.

“Your ancestors would seek out answers in the night sky and make decisions based on what they saw. To be born on the starry night when the cosmos is in their brightest radiance could be considered a good omen.” Spoke the mysterious voice once again.

After a moment of silence, he could hear his father’s musing tone. “Well... it certainly is different. What do you kids think about it?”

“It’s weird,” his sister giggled. “But I like it!”

“I like it too” came from his brother.

“Ok, then it’s settled. Your name will be Kai,” came a tranquil voice from the darkness as Kai unwillingly fell asleep.

It had been around six months since his rebirth, and he had noticed several things. According to his parent’s constant commentary and concern, he apparently required quite a bit more sleep compared to when his older siblings had been infants. Kai surmised this was a result of his frequent headaches due to his experienced and established mind and memories trying to process everything in an undeveloped infant’s brain. The additional sleep was needed to combat the stress from overusing parts of the brain not yet developed enough. He did notice that he was requiring less sleep than usual as he grew older, but according to his family, he was still above the average.

Not being able to move or hold a conversation was taking its toll on him. Mentally, he was going a little stir crazy with nothing else to do but observe all day. His only view was the room he was in, which never changed or his family. Without a doubt, his family was more interesting than the same wooden walls and furniture he saw throughout the day. He found his new family to be very kind and loving. They were attentive to his needs, especially his mother, Rachel, who was the person with whom he spent the most time.

When his eyes opened and stopped being blurry, Kai was relieved to find out that his family was in fact human. His mother appeared to be young and pretty. Kai assumed she was no more than 30 years old despite her looking 20. But with magic in play, there was a good chance she could have been older than she appeared.

At first, he thought his mother might be an angel in a white sundress. Behind her loving smile was fair unblemished skin and cute dimpled cheeks, framed by shoulder-length flaxen hair. What stood out among the pale and blonde, was her exquisite eyes, so perfectly grey they reminded him of a painting.

During those six months since he had been reborn, there were very few times his mother hadn’t been by his side except during the night when he slept. His father, on the other hand, spent much of his time outside of the house. He wouldn’t describe his father as a cold person, but his work seemed to keep him out of the house quite often, apparently employed as the captain of the guard for the village he lived in.

Oddly, the most distinguishing feature of his father was his tanned skin. Compared to the few other people Kai had seen, his father’s tan skin seemed out of place as if he was a foreigner. Everyone else throughout the village who had visited him was fair-skinned as if they were untouched by the suns.

Opposite his mother’s soft curves, his father seemed to have a face and body sculpted by an artist making a legend come to life. The man bolstered an impressive physique, something that could only have been achieved from years of training and dedication. His dark brown hair was cut much like a seasoned soldier that matched his warrior physique. His father possessed a roughish handsomeness, that prompted his mother to call her husband a bandit, after stealing her heart. Kai had barfed the first time he had heard that. Despite the lack of interaction with his father, Kai could tell he wasn’t a cold man, as he always had a kind and gentle expression on his face around his family.

Kai wondered how Garren, his older brother of 8 years, could look so much like their angelic mother but be so different from her kind compassionate nature. Kai often found himself getting into staring contests with his older brother, at least until the novelty phase had ended sometime during the last few months, with Garren going from an interested and playful older brother to one that seemed wary of Kai. His gray eyes observed Kai to the point of being unnerving sometimes as if he was a newly discovered species. Luckily, they weren’t eyes of hostility, but they weren’t friendly either. It can’t be something I said. Kai was still waiting a few months before he began talking.

His last sibling Lyddia, mixed features of both parents like golden-brown hair, which she kept most often in braids. Like her older brother and mother, she sported the family’s grey eyes as well. She possessed the boundless energy that every 4-year-old had and made it a point of proving it. Whether it be giggles, excited yelling, or crying, Kai was sure he was beginning to go deaf. It felt like the only reprieve he had was during the night when she was asleep.

“Look, honey, he is awake,” Kai’s new mother called out.

Laying on his back he looked up at both of his parents who were hovering over him. Each was making funny faces, while his father tried to tickle him. He resisted with all his might, but he couldn’t help but do a giggling laugh, the tickle overpowering his resistance and maybe making him leak a little pee, not that he would ever admit it.

“He is a cutie,” his mother stated.

“That he is. He is going to be a lady killer when he gets older,” his father spouted proudly.

“Of course, he is, he takes after you after all.” Kai’s mother stared lovingly at her husband, maybe even a little lust was hidden in her eyes.

Kai rolled his eyes.

“Really? I thought he looked more like you, except for those eyes. I thought he’d have grey eyes like his brother and sister,” his father said, none the wiser he was being stared at like a dessert.

“Well blue and grey eyes are pretty similar from what I’ve heard. His hair takes after yours though, a thick dark brown,” his mother said while rubbing his hair, her attention shifting back to Kai.

Kai was surprised, he had honestly been afraid there was a chance he would look the same as in his past life. According to his parents, his eyes were the same color as when he was Ben, which could have been a coincidence. At least his hair color had changed. If my hair is different then there is a good chance, I won’t look the same.

His parents continued playing with him until his father tickled him so much, that he ended up pooping himself. This is beyond mortifying. No one must ever find out.

“Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow?” Asked his mother while changing his diaper.

He saw his father nod. “Yea. I need to collect some intel. The Hart Empire looks like they may want to expand east soon. They nearly conquered their neighbors to the west, last I heard.”

A loud sigh escaped his mother. “You would figure after nearly 1250 years in the Myriad of Worlds, humanity would unite, not fight against each other so much. We have so many more enemies now than the humans of the past did.”

Kai’s infant eyes went wide. Almost 1250 years have passed. It can’t be... He began to wonder how much had changed since then.

Kai couldn’t help but think of his old family during his time spent simmering as an infant. They had given him so much. Watching them die in his house, unable to protect them still caused him agony in his heart. For him, it didn’t feel that long since that incident. The memories of that last battle felt like it had been only minutes before he had been reborn. Even six months later, the pain and raw emotions were fresh and hadn’t quelled.

In his previous life, Ben had been a part of the first generation of humans to be born in the Myriad of Worlds. His parents had been pregnant with him when they crossed the spatial portals to this world or worlds along with a few million other humans that were crazy enough to believe the mysterious entities when they said their sanctuary awaited them beyond the portal. The appearance of godlike beings and portals to another world enticed many promises of exploration, fighting monsters, and exploring the limitless potential of a new world.

His father Mick, a professor of physics during his time on Earth had wanted to study physics in another world. His mother Jeanne had been a professional gamer and streamer during her youth in MMORPG games, whatever those were. Between the two of them, she had been the one who was most prepared for this new realm. Although not a combatant like Kai had been, she taught him most of what he knew. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that she was the sole reason why he had claimed a place among some of the strongest humans despite others having a 16-year head start on him.

Kai’s eyes narrowed in anger, squeezing his tiny fists. His biggest regret was not being able to protect his parents during his first life. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He would gain power and protect his new family.

With nothing to do besides think, he often found himself remembering his previous parents. Unfortunately, Lucian also came to mind.

No matter how much he pondered the subject, there was no logical explanation why Lucian would fabricate a lie and betray him except perhaps for jealousy. Even then, the motive was flimsy because Lucian had been heralded as one of the strongest human forerunners as well. Lucian had been six years old when he came to the Myriad of Worlds with his parents. Almost seven years older than Kai was. He had to wait for 10 years to turn 16, for that was when humans unlocked their magic. And just like Kai, he proved his aptitude for magic and fighting. He grew in levels and realms faster than most, as he caught up to those who had years of advantage over him.

Lucian would have continued to progress in magical strength over the twelve centuries unless a monster or others had killed him. Kai felt certain, however, that Lucian still lived and had continued to progress to the highest realm of magical power. There was no doubt he was one of the most cunning and intelligent fighters to have ever been produced by humans. If Lucian and the others who betrayed him were alive to this day, then Kai would eventually get his revenge. Even with a 1250-year head start, he would grow in power and magic and find them and kill them.

“What’s a matter sweety? Have to make a poopy?” his mother peered over him looking at his angry scrunched-up face.