Jason stood in front of the mirror, admiring his new physique. He flexed his muscles, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'm Alkarene, the lord..." he practiced, trying out different tones and inflections.
As he struck a pose, he caught himself looking like a try-hard, and he chuckled. "Stupid, you don't want this, you want to go home," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.
Just as he was getting into his self-mockery routine, a knock at the door interrupted him. "Your attention has been called for, my lord," Sia, a messenger, announced, bowing slightly.
Jason's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly composed himself. "Ah, right, I'm Alkarene, the lord," he said, trying to sound confident.
Sia's expression remained neutral, but Jason could sense a hint of amusement in her voice. "If you're ready, my lord, I'll escort you to the gathering," she said.
Jason nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this," he said, trying to sound brave.
As he followed Sia out of the room, Jason couldn't help but feel a little awkward. He stumbled slightly, and Sia caught his elbow to steady him. "Careful, my lord," she said, her voice gentle.
Jason grinned, feeling a bit silly. "Thanks, Sia. I guess I still need to get used to these fancy shoes," he said, looking down at his feet.
Sia smiled, and for a moment, Jason saw a glimmer of warmth in her eyes. "You're doing fine, my lord," she said, her voice softening.
Jason's heart skipped a beat as he realized that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't mess this whole lord thing up after all. But as they approached the gathering, his nerves began to get the better of him, and he wondered what lay ahead.
Jason finally arrived at the throne room, where six individuals waited for him in silence. There was a Minotaur, known to be the oldest in the group, the elf he had met earlier, the human archer Gary, a werewolf he had seen on the battlefield, and two other men who seemed to be important.
Luna, the elf, stood up and gestured for Jason to join the dinner meeting. "Come, take your seat," she said. "We've been waiting for your arrival. We'll answer all your questions right here and now."
Jason thought to himself, "I thought there were going to be a lot of nobles." He muttered under his breath, "Thank the heavens," relieved that it was just six of them. As he walked down to choose a seat, Gary the archer smiled at him and gave a friendly wave. Jason responded with a cringe smile, quickly turning his attention to the seat he wanted to pick.
However, just as he was about to sit down next to the werewolf, Luna called out, "Not that one, Alkarene!" She pointed to the highest chair, the one usually reserved for the king. Jason's eyes widened in surprise. "That one?" he asked, his voice laced with incredulity.
The room fell silent, with all eyes locked on him. Luna's expression remained calm, but Jason could sense a hint of amusement in her voice. "Yes, that one," she said.
Jason hesitated for a moment before walking over to the highest table. As he sat down, Luna snapped her fingers, and all the guards present in the room filed out.
The atmosphere in the room became more intimate, and Jason felt a sense of unease. He looked around the table, trying to gauge the moods of the individuals seated around him. Gary, the archer, gave him a reassuring smile, while the werewolf seemed to be sizing him up.
The Minotaur, on the other hand, looked like he was trying not to laugh. Jason wondered what was so funny, but before he could ask, Luna spoke up. "Now, let's begin," she said, her voice commanding attention.
The room fell silent once again, and Jason felt like he was under a microscope. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.
Luna leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Now, let's begin. What do you want to ask us?" she said, her voice like music.
Jason, however, was like a kid in a candy store, spilling out questions at lightning speed. "Cool down, one at a time," Gary chuckled, intervening.
Jason took a deep breath and asked his first question. "Why am I here in another man's body?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Luna's expression turned serious, and she began to explain. "You've been summoned by the last Alkarene to take the responsibility of protecting this world from the Silkrene. Every 10,000 years, the cycle repeats, and souls from different realms are chosen to inhabit this body."
As Luna spoke, Jason's eyes widened in shock. "So, you're saying I can live for 10,000 years, and I can't go back to my body? Plus, I have to fight a dark lord?" he asked, his voice laced with incredulity.
Gary jumped in, his voice calm and collected. "With the way we see it, you might not live for long because you might get killed by Silkrene before 10,000 years. Plus, you can live both lives, but you don't get to see sunset because as the sun sets in your side, your other life collapses."
Jason's face contorted in confusion. "What do you mean I might not survive? So, what do you suggest?" he asked, his voice rising in frustration.
Luna's expression turned grave. "End your other life and start living this life so that way you can get to train well enough to stand a chance in the battlefield. You need every minute in this place to do so."
Jason's eyes lit up with hope. "So, you mean if I kill myself here, I'll go back to my former life?" he asked, his voice filled with longing.
Gary's expression turned somber. "I wouldn't suggest that. You won't die except by the blade of Silkrene or the next 10,000 years. And if you're not lucky, you might be the last Alkarene, which means you'll be immortal."
The room fell silent, and all eyes were on Jason. Gary's voice broke the silence. "Wait, you've been labeled, right?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Jason nodded, feeling the intense gazes on him. "Yeah, I've been labeled with the Alkarene word stamped at my back. And, please, you're telling me every 10,000 years, different souls use this body?"
Luna's expression turned solemn. "Yes, that's correct. But, son, too bad, you are the last Alkarene. You can't die. That body was made for you, and you are the son of the divine God sent to protect this realm."
As Luna spoke, the atmosphere in the room became more intense. Jason's eyes widened in shock, and he felt like his whole world had been turned upside down.
Gary's voice continued, his words dripping with gravity. "This body was sent down by the divine Gods 5 billion years ago. They protected the realms, and in their conclusion, the true soul for this body is yet to be found. Before the time the soul will be found, other worthy souls would be chosen from other realms to take host of the divine body for the thousand years to protect this realm."
The room fell silent once again, and Jason felt like he was staring into the abyss. He knew that his life would never be the same again.
"So, what's the storyline behind Silkrene?" Jason asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Luna's expression turned dark. "He was one of the Gods that protected the realms. He went rogue and decided to rule all the realms, including the heavenly realm. The Gods cast him down, drained his power, and from time to time, he's been trying to get his full powers back. When he does, he'll devour this realm and other realms, and then he'll come for the heavens. And that's when the Alkarene comes in to stop him."
The room fell silent, and the tension was palpable. Jason knew that he had a monumental task ahead of him, and he was determined to rise to the challenge.