Reincarnation

I suppose my life finally caught up to me. The life of an assassin typically doesn't last long after all, but I'd managed it until my 35th year. Done in because I got too confident in my skills, something no assassin should if they wish to live longer than most. However I passed that average and thought myself different only to get caught off guard due to my carelessness. And now here I am bleeding out, bag over my head and a tremendous weight carrying me down to the bottom of a river.

My consciousness was beginning to fade as the last of my breath left my lungs. Only it wasn't the end. I opened my eyes to find myself sitting on the ground, no longer bound nor my head covered by the bag. What I saw was pristine marble walls and flooring that surrounded a well crafted glossy brown wooden desk. The man behind it had long white hair and an equally long beard, his face was kindly yet serious.

He glanced up at me and then with a small wave I felt myself being lifted and then placed into a chair across from him. The seat was smooth and firm, but still quite comfortable. Upon the desk were papers, but it was as if I couldn't read them since a wispy mist hung over them. I looked up to the man to find him watching me before nodded as if coming to a conclusion.

"You will be reincarnated."

His voice was low and commanding that gave the impression that there would be no argument. Now even in my life as an assassin I grew bored from time to time so I had come across various mediums that told stories of reincarnation. Though I don't think a part of me ever fully believed in the notion, so I that there in the chair perplexed as the man watched me.

"Do I get to choose? Will I keep my knowledge? Will I get wishes to help me on journey?"

I couldn't choose just one, so I asked 3. The man's face didn't change from his kindly face except for a small quirk of the lips as if to smile.

"No, you do not. For I will choose for you. You see mortal your fate has already been decided until the point you're dropped into this world. In this next world you will have to survive on your own wits.

Though don't think that you can live the same lifestyle and expect a different outcome. The life of a loner who's only friend is death, will not last long no matter his skill."

I pondered on the words as I fished through my memories and the man wasn't wrong. Ever since I turned 17 and became a full fledged assassin for hire over the dark web I spent the next 18 years doing nothing else. Friends and family were a liability in my line of work, and I was content without them. Though some small part of me did yearn for such things, I knew that I never could without feeling as if they could be taken at any moment.

"I accept."

I said with confidence only for it to fade as the man began laughing.

"Hahaha, as if you had a choice to begin with."

His words unnerved me, but I supposed there truly was no choice of my own to be worrying about. I sat up a little straighter and looked into the man's eyes.

"So can you tell me where I'm meant to be going and what wishes I will be given?"

He nodded his head jovially, not losing any of the mirth that the previous statement of mine had caused.

"You shall be reborn into Tolkien's world of Arda, more specifically Middle Earth during the 3rd Age. Your wishes are as follows:

1: Expertise in all forms of fighting such as armed/unarmed, bow and even throwable.

2: You will have the lifespan of an Elf.

3: Able to speak and understand all languages.

4: You will have the capacity for magic. Words are a powerful thing in this world, so if you can find the right words in the right tongue you could become a decent magic user. Though magic of higher sorts usually comes with a price, be wary."

He finished the list and I had to say I wasn't disappointed with the wishes I was given. As an assassin I had prioritized poisons, paralytics, needles, knives and guns. I would have been sorely out of place in a world of swords and magics. The language skill is a lofty boon as well and I can see it coming in great use later on.

The life span of an Elf is an interesting one because from what I understood from the movies is that elves weren't just long lived. They were immortal unless they chose to leave that side behind.

"Now for the final thing my dear mortal."

I looked up at him and the gentle smile still in his face as pulled a paper to the top of his stack.

"You will be reborn as a hobbit. Good luck!" He called and before I could protest my vision was fading just as it had done when I was drowning.

'A damn hobbit?' I could only question in my thoughts as my consciousness fully faded out.

[10 years later]

I was running through the lush roaming hill of the shire, only I wasn't alone as was the norm from my last life. I was running with my brother and several others. Bandobras is my twin brother's name, and I was named Buck and we both belonged to the Took family. Me and Bando even at just 10 years old seemed to be growing quite fast. We were both a head taller than the other young hobbits and our growth didn't seem to be slowing in the slightest.

Bando was a little rounder and stockier than I was, but I was more lean and even had a couple inches on him. These last 10 years have been interesting to say the least, having gone from constantly being alone courting death, to now always having some fun and food loving hobbit around me.

I didn't let this merry lifestyle slow down my training though, it wouldn't do to get rusty in a world like this. I meant to survive in this world and to do that I would need to make sure my skills not effected under the expertise in combat stayed sharp. This was actually made fairly easy as the elder hobbits know the plants well and which ones carry poisons and other negative effects.

Life has been peaceful so far, but I don't know where I'm at in the timeline. I had only seen the movies, so I wasn't too clear on the events before or after them. There's no Bilbo Baggins in the Shire, so I can only assume I was born before him. That does give me plenty of time to prepare for future events, but I don't plan to sit idly in this town.

There's too much to explore in this world for me to only leave for things that I already know about. Though I guess I'll enjoy this peaceful life while I can. Hobbits don't reach their "maturity" or whatever until they reach 33, so I can take it easy until then I suppose. I've earned it.

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Author's Note

Like with my other fic I'm not too sure what I have planned for this story. I'm definitely going to have my character participate in the storylines that got turned into movies (The Hobbit and LOTR), but I also want to include some things that are canon, but a lot may not know about unless they are as interested in the Middle Earth lore as me.

Though disclaimer, I don't claim to be the most knowledgeable on this topic nor can I promise everything will be entirely accurate. Most of the plot lines will revolve around the life of the hobbits, but like I said in this chapter Buck will be going on adventures of his own and I'm going to try and find canon conflicts for him to participate in to grow his name.

Maybe meet Gandalf early on and they go on a couple adventures. Like I said I really don't know what I have planned, I just recently listened to the audiobook for The Hobbit and I got inspired.

Hope you enjoy.