Chapter 1 — Reincarnation.
Since time immemorial, the world of auredor has been plagued by war.
Whether it was the constant struggle for evolution—for power, or its numerous species clawing for dominance, the land had always burned with conflict.
From the chaos, five races managed to rise above all others they were: humans, Vampires, Beastmen, Elves, and the wild, untamed Beast Race.
Each of these races though powerful and special in their own way, solidified their position by having at least one divine in their midst.
Divines were beings who stood at the top of evolution. whose very existence alone could dictate the fate of races.
And it was in this world… that a child was born.
A child whose presence alone would one day shake the world to its core.
But such a time is still far off in the future.
For now….
⸻
Waaahhh! Waaahhh!
"Look, it's a boy!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
"Move! Move aside — let me see my son!"
A deep, eager voice boomed through the chamber, followed by the arrival of a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked to be in his early twenties. A short goatee framed a bright grin, and golden hair fell in loose waves as he practically sprinted toward the newborn.
"Good! Good! Haha! I finally have a son! A SON!"
He repeated it twice in one breath, laughter rolling out of him like thunder as he eagerly scooped the tiny infant into his arms and held him his happiest gaze when the crying abruptly ceased.
Two tiny black eyes blinked up at him. Looking peaceful and adorable.
But inside that adorable gaze swirled a mini storm of chaos and confusion.
'What the—? How did I get here? Didn't I die?
Where… where is this? Whoa!!! Is that a— giant?'
"Honey, bring him here! Let me see my son!"
"One more minute!" the man protested, turning his shoulder away like a jealous child.
"Honey!"
"Fine, fine—come on, boy. Let's meet your mother."
He carried the baby to the beautiful woman resting on the silk-covered bed. Her skin was fair, her eyes a striking blue that held both warmth and danger, and her dark hair draped around her shoulders like ink. A faint, natural seductiveness softened into something tender as she welcomed the child into her arms.
She gazed at him, and the newborn gazed back.
"He has your eyes," she whispered, smiling as if the world had never offered her anything more precious.
"Hahaha! Exactly! And just like me, I can already imagine the trouble he'll cause the ladies!"
"Cheeky."
"It's the truth."
She only shook her head slightly, but the smile on her lips deepened as she looked down at the child — her son.
Meanwhile, the infant himself — Sam — who had been observing the interactions between the man and the woman came to a startling conclusion; he had been reincarnated.
No matter how ridiculous that sounded, at that moment it was the only thing that fit.
Somehow he was reborn and the two people in front of him should be his new parents.
But as a modern person, he found that hard to believe. Though there were numerous novels and fiction telling tales about reincarnation but they were just that: fiction
Now here he was experiencing reincarnation and literally getting a second chance.
After coming to this realization, he could barely hold back his excitement.
'Do I get a cheat? A mysterious grandpa in a ring? Or-or maybe a lost legacy of an ancient expert!"
The thoughts alone reignited a spark in the heart that had once grown cold from despair. he could begin again and doesn't need to feel despair from slowly waiting for death.
The relief, the hope, must have been too much for his newborn body to handle because….
Waaahhh! Waaahhh!
His crying returned with twice the intensity, tiny arms flailing uselessly.
"Aw… are you hungry? Come here, sweetheart. Let Mom feed you."
She gently pressed him to her chest, and instinct took care of the rest. He suckled greedily, overwhelmed by the strangeness and comfort of it all.
"Oh my, how energetic."
"Of course," the king said proudly. "He's my son! He is—"
"Stop bragging and give him a name already."
"Alright, alright. Hmm! How about… Azeroth?"
"Azeroth Clinton," the queen repeated softly. "It sounds good. Do you like it, little one?"
Sam — now Azeroth — froze mid-suckle.
That name… it sounded exactly like something from a fantasy epic book to him.
His surprise must been visible, because the man nearly burst with excitement.
"Look! He likes it! Our son likes his name!"
The queen laughed gently at her husband's enthusiasm, brushing a thumb across Azeroth's tiny cheek.
Azeroth stared up at the two of them — the towering, loud, embarrassingly proud father and the gentle, beautiful mother whose smile felt warm enough to melt stone. The reality of it washed over him like a tide.
This was real.
These people were his new family.
Slowly — still nursing — sleep claimed him.
His last conscious thought was a simple, fragile wish.
Maybe… just maybe… this time, life will be different.
His eyes drifted closed, lips still faintly latched to his mother's breast as the world of Auredor and the house of Clinton welcomed a new child in their midst