บท 1: Strange Beginnings
Issar didn't protest when the judge sentenced him to death, he held his head high when the guard came to fetch him from his cell, and showed no sign of fear as they wrapped the noose around his neck. Fear would do him no good at this point, no criminal had ever escaped the hangman in South Harbor, and certainly no slave.
The audience was surprisingly large, it seemed a great many people wanted to see the young pickpocket put to death. By the time the sun had begun to set the town square was nearly full and the crowd was growing restless. The city guard lined the perimeter, their silver chestplates reflecting the setting sun as they stood by, ready to quell any potential riots.
I hope the next life is better than this hellhole, thought Issar.
he had never given the afterlife much thought but anything had to be better than the slums of South Harbor. It had always been a dump but ever since the war living conditions had gone from bad to worse.
Gazing out at the crowd Issar searched for his family, it took a while but eventually, he glimpsed the bright red necklace his mother Naiya always wore. She was wiping tears from her eyes while Kijana, the youngest of the siblings hid behind her. Kijana was only 10 but she knew enough to understand her brother would not return home. Isani stood a bit back from them arms crossed, his fierce expression betraying no hints of sorrow.
Tch, that asshole, can't he at least pretend to look sad. when did our relationship grow so cold? lamented Issar.
As a child, he had never been particularly close with his older brother but they had at least spoken to one another, now it was finally dawning on Issar that he would never speak to Isani, or any member of his family again.
The sound of the executioner's boots knocking against the wooden platform jolted Issar back to the present. The executioner wore a black coat over a collared grey shirt, similar in design to that of a soldier. A large scar tore across the man's face yet somehow avoided both of his eyes. On his chest hung a brass raven pin, the symbol of South Harbor's governing family, House Lakanis.
Fucking nobles, he thought.
If Issar had a choice he would have picked the guillotine, quick and easy no need to drag things out. Instead, he was left waiting on the platform as the nobleman droned on about the crimes he was being punished for. At a certain point, Issar stopped listening altogether opting to stare blankly at the Lakanis flag waving in the distance.
The embroidered raven seemed to be mocking him, laughing at the pathetic way in which his life would soon end.
In another life maybe things could've been different, Issar sighed.
"Any final words," the executioner asked looking back at him.
"No I'm alright, just get it over with," he replied.
The executioner smiled, his scar folding with the crease of his eyes, "Very well".
Well, my life could've been wor... "SNAP"
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Death was not at all what Issar expected it to be, no trumpets welcomed him to paradise nor did infernal demons beckon him to hell, there was simply nothing. No sounds, no lights, no smell, no touch, just an infinite expanse of nothing. The only thing keeping him sane was his thoughts, but even those felt hazy like the mere act of thinking was a challenge.
As Issar floated in the void a small light beckoned him from a distance.
How am I supposed to get over there? It's not like I can walk without a body, he noted.
The light seemed to grow brighter when he thought about it as if his thoughts were firewood for the ethereal light. Slowly the light began to immerse everything in his surroundings, and the void was replaced by a blinding glow.
"Do you desire another chance?" a strange voice reverberated directly in Issar's mind.
"Who are you?" He thought, "Am I alive or dead? How are you speaking to me?"
"Do you desire another chance?"
"So then does that mean I'm dead? Are you offering another chance at life?" Issar asked again.
"Do you desire another chance?"
This fucking... is it gonna keep repeating itself until I answer? Issar pondered to himself. Well of course I want to live so the answer would be yes, but, do I want to go back to a life of poverty and theft?
His life had been in no way enviable, many people in his position might even intentionally end their lives yet some emotion was bubbling inside Issar's heart. Silence overcame the void as he thought of all the people he had known and cared for, his mother, his siblings, the baker on the west side of town who gave him free bread, the boys who used to gang up on him and take his shoes when he was little, the old women who told stories about the ancient times every week, and suprisngly even his father. Some of the people he loved, some he hated, regardless he knew he wanted to meet them all again.
Affirming his will Issar formed his response, "My answer is yes, I desire another chance."
"Very well, how many days of your life will you offer?" spoke the unknown voice.
How many days will I offer? So I have to give up my life to live again? No that doesn't make sense, there must be a reason it offered me another chance rather than life. Either way, it would be pointless to be reborn I've already traded most of my life away.
"1 day, I will offer one day of my life," Issar shouted into the void.
"Very well, you shall return one day to the past. We wish you the best of luck."
Right as the voice finished speaking the surrounding light grew even brighter reaching a blinding crescendo before vanishing in an instant. Simultaneously Issar was overcome by a blinding pain racking his mind, it felt like his head was being forcibly torn open, and a burning sensation overcame his entire body.
He remained frozen for a few minutes until the pain slowly began to subside, gradually Issar could feel his body once again, no longer was he floating through an empty expanse. Next came sound, he never thought he would come to enjoy the sound of trees rustled by the wind. His sight was last to return, as he opened his eyes a blurry flood of colors entered his vision one after the other.
When the image stabilized he was able to make out a forest, not just any forest but the Dreamgrove just outside of South Harbor.
So I've really gone back a day in the past then, he thought.
Issar was still in a state of awe when an authoritative voice yelled from behind him, "Hey you, stop right there, everyone knows hunting isn't allowed on the Lakanis family's estate!"
Turning around Issar recognized the same guard who had arrested him once before.
"I said stop! if you don't surrender yourself you'll be tried for trespassing and theft."
Issar had heard the same line just yesterday, the only difference now was the wicked grin that had crept onto his face. He had a feeling that this life would be far more interesting than the last one.
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