Chapter 3 Resurgence of the Silvered Soul

Within the heart of a vast, dense forest. The trees towered, their trunks thick and gnarled with age. Leaves formed a lush canopy, filtering the sunlight into a soft, greenish glow. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and foliage, and the distant calls of unfamiliar creatures echoed through the trees.

A crack appeared and from it shot out a cocoon, it began absorbing energy from its surroundings, growing larger, until it regained its initial size.

Crack!!

The cocoon cracked from within emerged a thirteen-year-old boy with pale skin that contrasted sharply with his striking raven-silver hair. His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of violet, giving him an otherworldly aura, with a height of 5 meter.

"Celestia? Are you there?" Alex called out

"Yes my son I am here, you did it, we have successfully regressed" a voice full of joy and excitement filled his ears

"Hey, listen up now, I don't have much time", celestia said in a seldom tone,

"There is a civilization north ward. While helping you regress I have broken many rules, and as a consequence I will be in slumber. Before I go, don't forget this isn't the same as your past life, and don't trust anyone, even if they are the ones you know from your past."

"The voice slowly faded, hey hey Celestia I don't if you can hear it, thank you for giving me a second chance, I will help you out as soon as I can" Alex shouted out.

Alex resolved his emotions, as he stepped out from the cocoon, the shards of ancient text were drawn into his body, merging with his very being, bring with it a slight surge in his strength.

Alex took a moment to absorb his surroundings. The forest was ancient, its roots running deep, and he could sense the vibrant life force that thrummed through every living thing here. It was a sanctuary of nature untouched by time.

A sudden rustling along a low growl caught his attention, and he turned to see a sleek, black panther emerging from the underbrush. The creature's eyes glowed with a predatory light, and it moved with a deadly grace.

"Of course,the welcome committee is here" Alex grumbled, instinctively dropping into a defensive stance and tried to manifest his ability. But as he concentrated, nothing happened. Panic set in as realised for some reason he can't use a ability.

The panther lunged at him, Alex barely dodged, his movements sluggish and uncordinated, he felt a sharp pain, the pather glazed his arm with its claw, the pain brought him clarity of the situation.

Alex leaped back, once again he focused on his ability, but just like before nothing happened.

"Damn it" Alex muttered, clutching his bleeding arm "why now? Just why isn't it working."

The panther once again swiped, Alex barely managed to avoid it by rolling over, he was getting cornered. Alex leaped once again, and began sprinting, northward, he knew his current self couldn't scratch it, defeating it was a different beast.

Alex ran giving his all, for it was his only chance to survive. But to his dismay, the panther started catching up to him. The panther's speed and agility were overwhelming, and Alex knew he wouldn't last long at this rate.

Alex sighed "I didn't wish for it, to come to this" Alex paused, he closes his eyes.

[Dragon Aura (imitation]

The aura he released was different, it was terrifying, the panther paused observing Alex in doubt, for his aura went from that of of a prey to that of a apex predator.

When he opened his eyes his aura initially terrifying aura grew even more, the pather couldn't take it anymore it. It followed it's instincts and fled.

It just went on to show how broken the dragon kind was, just a imitation of its aura was enough to instill fear in being without any previous knowledge of dragons.

Once the pather was far, Alex stopped emitting the aura, Alex felt a drained, his mind hazy, his energy reserves dry. It was why he didn't wish to use it till the end.

Alex dragged his body, traveling as much as he could, he stumbled through the forest, clutching his injured arm, until he found a small, abandoned mine. Collapsing inside, he let the darkness swallow him, the adrenaline fading and leaving only exhaustion and pain.

Just before he loses his consciousness, he tears off one of his sleeves, and uses it to stop the bleeding on his arm.

"Hey, over here! I think I see something," a gruff voice called out.

Two villagers, dressed in practical clothing for forest foraging, cautiously entered the mine. One was a burly man with a thick beard, carrying a lantern. The other, a younger woman with braided brown hair, scanned the darkness with sharp eyes.

"Who could be out here?" the woman whispered, worry in her voice.

As they ventured deeper, the lantern's light fell on Alex's prone form. The sight of his pale, bloodied body lying motionless made them both pause.

"By the gods, it's a boy! How did he even get here?" the bearded man exclaimed, rushing to Alex's side. "He's in a bad state. We can't leave him here."

The woman knelt beside them, her eyes softening. "He looks like he's been attacked. We need to get him to the village quickly."

Nodding, the man carefully lifted Alex. "Let's move. The healer will know what to do."

They rushed him to the village, The dense foliage parted reluctantly before them, and they soon reached the village. Villagers looked up from their chores, eyes widening in concern.

"We found him in the old mine," the man explained. "He's hurt badly. We need the healer."

The villagers guided them to the healer's hut. The healer, a middle aged man with a calm demeanor, sprang into action.

"Lay him here," he instructed, pointing to a low wooden bed. He began examining Alex's wounds. "Fetch some warm water and clean clothes," he ordered another villager.

The woman immediately rushed, to fetch the required things, the healer unties the sleve around his arm "the wound seems deep, most likely a from a beast from the core area of forest, good grief he tied the wound, else with just the blood loss he would be long gone."

The woman soon arrived, the man cleaned his wound making sure no infection could infest his wound, "move back, I wouldn't be able to help if you, someone goes awry"

Heeding his words, the lady backs off, the man places his right arm on Alex's hand just a bit away from the wound, and his left on the bark, of the tree, growing at the centre of the hut. He focuses and activates his ability.

[Vitality Conduit]

A bright light, emerged from his left hand, it passed through him and entered Alex's body, through his hand, the wound began healing rapidly, after a few minutee the wound closed and Alex's hand returned to normal.

"Haah" the healer breathed out, disconnecting his both hands. "He is alright now, but he needs rest, to cope up with the mental fatigue, let him rest over night "

The lady nodded, and both the healer and the lady, headed out, informing others of Alex's condition. Whatever mysteries surrounded his appearance would have to wait until the next day.

The next morning, Alex woke up to the sounds of the birds chirping, and sound of the villagers chattering, it seems he will have quite the audience.

He examined his hand, astonished to see it intact, as if it was never hurt. Before heading out Alex headed towards the mirror, and to his surprise he looked malnourished, his lean and muscular physique was no where to be seen

"Oh yea, and to top it off,, I don't have any ability" Alex grumbled, his frustration taking over.

He headed out of the hut, to welcome him there was the whole village present....

Well that was what a normal person would perceive, but as someone experienced in politics and warfare, Alex immediately found out the people out here were mostly the ones who fight, the children or the vulnerable people are nowhere to be seen..

"Any mistake and all these people will bombard me with whatever ability they had in store", still reading the situation he smiled and pretended to be ignorant, in the end these people weres the one to save him.

"Hey, how is your condition?" One of the villager in crowd asked

"I am better than, I ever was! "Alex replied trying to leave a favourable impression.

Immediately after he was bombarded with a series of inquiries making his already messed mood even worse.

"What's your name?" "What were you doing in the forest?" "What's your ability?"

Throwing his thrashy attitude at the back of his and trying to act calm and easygoing, Alex was about to answer his name with the pride of a former king, but he remembered Celestia's words "Don't trust anyone". He took a deep breath steadying himself, he replied " I am Ethan, I don't remember how I reached the forest, all I remember is that when I woke up, I saw the panther, and somehow managed to out run it"

'Well Eathan, it feels like it was the name of some stupid servant of mine' Alex lampooned to himself.

Alex took a pause, "and for my ability, I am a blank."

A murmur of disbelief and disappointment rippled through the crowd. Most of the villagers looked at him with disdain, their initial curiosity turning to contempt.

"An ability-less boy? What use is he?" one man muttered.

"What a waste, if only he wasn't a blank, I was planning to set him up with my daughter" one of the lady, within the crowd lamented.

'As if I would marry that smelly daughter of yours' Alex was getting irritated by the way these villagers spoke, with not a single hint of nobility.

"We should exile him," another woman suggested. "We can't afford to take care of someone who can't contribute."

Everyone was starting to agree, but before everyone decide, a authoritative voice cut through the chatter

"Wait ✋"

The villagers turned to see the village chief approaching. He was an older man, with a dignified bearing and eyes that held a wealth of wisdom and experience. He gaze examining Alex.

"That boy, he's got silver hair, a sign of good omen, you can't just exile him"

"Besides even while being a blank, he can help in the chores of the village"

Alex let out a sighed. 'Is Ethan name related to be being a servant or something'

The village exchange uncertain gazes, not sure of the decision, but the chiefs words were final.

"Ethan, come with I will show you a place to stay" the village chief said, as he started walking without waiting for Alex, Alex followed him, matching his pace.

As they walked through the village, the chief spoke in a low, kind voice. "I'm Thaddeus, the chief of this village. We may be small, but we look out for each other."

"The thing about silver hair, that is bullshit I made up, my ability gives me subtle insights about future, and all my ability concludes in is, having you will be beneficial, that is the reason I saved you."

"I hope you get it, Ethan?"

Alex nodded, seemingly focused on the conversation, but internally he was flabbergasted, abilities related to time were rare, even in his past life, he knew only of one such person.

Soon, they reached near the end of the village, "you can stay, here this hut has been vacant, take whatever you need from the warehouse, it's near the Arwen's, the healer hut, take today's time to get settled, and get to work from tomorrow."

Thaddeus, starts leaving "oh and before I go, during the night, come to the village's centre, here everyone has dinner together." saying so he left.

Seeing Thaddeus, leave Alex sighed "guess I will have to stay in this shady village for the time being."

" Well I also have to think about how to change by bearing as a king, shall I treat them well to make them revere me or should I beat them to make them fear me"

Alex fell into a deep contemplation..

"Haa" letting out a rough sigh " Fuck it, I am not a king as of now I shall think about it later on"