Elven Rebirth

Chapter 2. World Of Solaris

Adam's eyes fluttered open, greeted by blinding sunlight filtering through the lush foliage. Groggily, he raised a hand to shield his face. Confusion swirled as he assessed his surroundings.

How... how am I alive?

Memories of the truck's impact still lingered, yet Adam felt no pain. He tentatively explored his body, finding himself intact. He could remember very well how his friends had betrayed him. They set him up, got him so drunk, which was suspicious, he never drank above his limit, which means they must have drugged his glass, and when he wasn't himself anymore, they took him outside in the guise of helping him get home, then they pushed him into the speeding truck. Totally unforgivable… But why was he still alive then?

With a deep breath, Adam sat up, hands splayed on the damp earth. The ground's cool moisture seeped into his skin. Towering trees surrounded him, their trunks robust, leaves rustling softly.

As Adam stood, a startling realization hit him.. He was taller, significantly so. His gaze fell upon his attire, flowing green garments woven from what appeared to be leaves and vines.

"What sorcery is this?" Adam thought to himself. What exactly was happening to him? Wasn't the dead supposed to be either in heaven or hell? So why was he in this unfamiliar environment?

Disoriented, Adam stumbled forward, marveling at his reflection in a nearby pool of water. The face staring back was unfamiliar, chiseled features, piercing emerald eyes and shoulder-length, dark hair.

"Who am I?" He didn't ask what he was, he had seen the slightly long ears and realized he was an Elf.

Fragments of his past life still surfaced; military service, promotion, betrayal and the truck's deadly approach. But this new body, this mystical environment, nothing made sense.

Adam's thoughts swirled with questions. "Where am I? What happened to me? Why am I suddenly an Elf?"

As he wandered through the forest, Adam discovered his senses heightened. Acute hearing, refined smells and an inexplicable connection to nature.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze carried whispers. "Eryndor Thorne. Welcome to Elysia."

Adam's heart skipped a beat. "Eryndor? Is that this body's name? And moreover, who said that?"

Eryndor's eyes widened as the ethereal voice pierced the silence. He spun around, seeking the speaker, but found only trees and shimmering sunlight.

"Who.. Who said that?" Eryndor called out, his voice carrying an unfamiliar, melodic tone.

The gentle breeze whispered again. "I am Gaia, goddess of nature and life. I have taken pity on your soul, and have reincarnated you into the world of Solaris. This is the forest of Elysia. And you, Eryndor Thorne, are a forest elf."

Eryndor stumbled backward, awestruck. A goddess? Reincarnation? Forest elf?

Adam almost burst out into laughter. "Okay, okay, now I understand. I must have fallen asleep while drunk. The betrayal, accident, and all of these may just be a dream."

Gaia's voice continued, echoing within Eryndor's mind. "Your past life's injustices have earned you a second chance. In Elysia, you will find solace, magic and purpose. May your new life be blessed with wisdom, courage and the harmony of nature."

As Gaia's words faded, Eryndor felt an energy surge coursing through his veins. His senses heightened further, attuning him to the forest's rhythms.

With trembling hands, Eryndor touched his face, feeling the contours of his new features. Forest elf. The term resonated, awakening ancient memories hidden within his soul.

"This definitely isn't a dream. It feels so real." Adam said, then his eyes widened. "Does this mean that I'll get to live here from now on? And the Adam in my world is forever gone?"

Adam gritted his teeth in anger. "Tom, he must have been the one to come up with that plan to do away with me. He never did like any of us surpassing him."

Adam calmed himself. "No use thinking about that now. Right now there's a lot of things to do."

Eryndor's gaze lifted toward the sky, and he whispered, "Gaia, I thank you."

The forest responded with a symphony of sounds. Birdsong, rustling leaves and gentle streams. Eryndor smiled, feeling an inexplicable connection to this sacred land.

Eryndor walked through the forest, taking in its beauty. He breathed in the fresh air, feeling alive.

As he explored, a soft voice called out. "Wait, stranger!"

Eryndor turned to face a young elf woman. Her blue eyes and dark hair stunned him.

"Hello," Eryndor said, smiling.

The elf's expression changed from curiosity to shock.

"You're Eryndor Thorne!" she exclaimed. From her expression, Adam took it that something big must have happened to the former owner of the body. He decided to find out more.

Eryndor nodded, puzzled. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"Strange, you don't remember me?" She said with curiosity.

"I'm sorry, my memory is just a bit hazy." Eryndor said.

"It's fine. I'm Althaea," she replied, eyes wide. "But you, Eryndor, you're supposed to be gone."

Eryndor's confusion grew. Before he could ask why, another elf approached.

"What's wrong, Althaea?" the elf asked, eyeing Eryndor suspiciously.

Althaea hesitated. "This is Eryndor Thorne. He's back."

The elf's gaze narrowed. "Impossible. Your brother Lyrien said you left us, Eryndor. He claimed your human side made you want to leave the forest." The male elf said while pointing at Eryndor. He didn't have the curious eyes of Althea, no, he was livid at seeing Eryndor.

"Human side?" Eryndor thought to himself. The owner of this body may have been a half-elf. That's a crossbreed of human and elf. But none of these made sense. Why would the former Eryndor leave the forest, and yet his body was lying deep in the forest, far from the Elven settlement? Come to think of it, the former Eryndor didn't have a single bag on him that would indicate he was on a journey.. Something was definitely going on behind the scenes.

Eryndor's instincts sparked. "Why would Lyrien say that?"

The elf, Thalion, exchanged nervous glances with Althaea.

"Lyrien told us you couldn't stand being around elves because you're half-human. He said you returned to the human city."

Eryndor turned to Althea. "I'm I from a noble family of some sort?"

Althea stared at him with curious eyes. "Truly, your memory is not intact. Yes, you are the son of Grand Elder Thorne."

It suddenly clicked. Betrayal again? He recalled Gaia's words. "Your past injustices earned you a second chance."

"Where can I find Lyrien?" Eryndor asked firmly. He needed to find out more from the schemer's mouth himself. There's no way he wants to go through the same thing, twice.

Thalion's expression turned serious. "Lyrien lives in Heartwood Palace, but be careful, Eryndor. Your brother holds power."

"Not as much as I have." Eryndor thought to himself as a plan began to form in his mind.