Another slash ripped through the air as a red-haired muscleman severed the head of the nearest guard.
By now the chamber was carpeted with bodies — guards butchered by the same man, his hands slick with blood. His eyes finally fixed on the child in the royal bed. His hands shook as he approached.
"What… What is happening? Why am I a baby?" Levi thought, panic prickling his mind as the terrifying figure drew nearer.
"This isn't how reincarnation works. I should at least remember my past life — anything. And I certainly shouldn't be killed immediately," Levi thought sadly, as the man raised his sword.
"Wait—don't, please!" Levi cried, but all Aiden could see was a baby wriggling in terror.
The Ignis Palace was usually serene, but today doom had come through its gates. When the prophet announced that a child bearing the celestial seal had been born into the Ignis Empire, Aiden flew into a rage. He could not let what he had built for years collapse. He killed the prophet and every witness to the prophecy.
Now, as Aiden stood above the infant, the child lay quiet and innocent, unaware of the chaos it had unleashed.
Just as Aiden's blade began its descent, a gust from the open doors slammed him backward against the wall. A woman entered, her eyes glowing like green crystals.
"You're not going to kill my son, Aiden. You monster," she said, fierce and resolute.
"Who is this? She looks strong—maybe she's my mother," Levi thought, staring at her.
Even in combat she was beautiful: hair loose, features delicate yet deadly. Aiden stared at her — Eva — his wife.
"You don't want to do this, Eva. Your wind magic can't stand against mine," he said, trying to persuade her gently.
"I love you, but this is madness. You gave birth to a curse. Do you know what this could mean when other empires hear?" Aiden pleaded.
"Spare me that nonsense. There is no reason to kill an innocent child and cover your tracks with other people's blood." Eva stomped, wind magic shattering the floor and lifting debris into the air.
"I will send you back to your grave, even if it costs me my life," she snarled, hurling the floating rubble.
Aiden reached out telepathically to his dragon. "Storm, now," he transmitted. In moments a massive dragon materialized, roaring flames that consumed the debris and sent Eva flying. She struck the wall and slumped, unconscious.
Aiden dropped from the wall and limped toward the fallen woman. "You shouldn't have challenged my order. Even with dragons, you stand no chance," he said, stepping closer.
Suddenly a great wyrm appeared to protect Eva, emitting powerful gusts that hurled Aiden back. Storm and the wyrm faced each other, wind against flame. The clash ignited chaos — wind and fire spreading through the palace corridors.
"Storm, it's okay," Aiden tried, desperate for control. "Don't ruin the kingdom."
"But master, I must finish this," Storm replied, still locked in combat.
Levi watched in growing terror. "What can I do? I can't move. I can't speak. This monster killed my only hope of living." His small body shuddered with helplessness.
Aiden pushed his pride aside, calling Storm back. The dragon relented, though not without one last roar. The wyrm glared at both Aiden and Storm, then, with a final cry, carried the bleeding Eva into the night sky.
"Why are you leaving me here? I need help too…" Levi wailed, small voice piercing the chaos as little meaningless cries.
The sound of the child's cry softened Aiden. For a moment he remembered the unfinished business — and the weight of what he was about to do. He called Storm back, panting, then reached for the bloodied sword at his feet.
Aiden limped to the bed where Levi lay untouched. He raised the sword over the infant, hand trembling.
"Please, have mercy. I don't even know why I'm here," Levi pleaded, but as a baby he just couldn't communicate well. crying was his only means.
As Aiden hovered his blade, the baby cried again. Something in him softened. Tears filled Aiden's eyes. He could not bring himself to kill his own child. He dropped the sword and stepped away.
Minutes later he returned with two guards. They froze at the sight: the shattered floor, the blood, the many slain — including the prophet. Terror rippled across their faces at the thought they might be next.
Aiden stepped forward, approaching the bed where Levi lay. He lifted the baby gently, the white swaddling stained by his bloody hands, and spoke to the guards in a voice that tried to sound firm but trembled underneath.
"You see this baby," he said, gently lifting Levi into his arms.
"I need him executed tonight — and don't get caught," Aiden added softly, handing the baby to the guards.
They nodded slowly and began to leave.
"Wait," Aiden said. "One more thing."
He walked up to them, his expression calm. Then, placing his sword on their skin, he gently cut through — one after another. The lethal poison on his blade seeped into their bloodstream.
"Make sure he dies," he said quietly, "and I might send Storm to save you."
The guards bowed and left.
Levi stayed silent. He had already begun to accept his fate.
"Well… who knows," he thought weakly. "Maybe I'm not reincarnated. Maybe I'm just… a smart baby." Tears rolled down his cheeks.
The guards carefully disguised him as they made their way out of the palace, then out of the empire — until they reached the outskirts.
They stopped by the river that separated their empire from the nearest one.
They placed the basket carrying Levi on the ground beside the water.
"It's time. Let's do this quickly," the second servant said from behind as the first stepped forward.
The first servant looked into Levi's eyes. Raising his sword over his head, he hesitated. Then, after a moment of struggle, he brought the blade down — only grazing the baby's hand before setting him gently into the river. The infant cried out in pain.
"Are you mad? Why didn't you just kill him?" the second servant snapped angrily.
"What's the point? We're already poisoned — we'll die anyway. And besides, our swords were coated with poison too," the first servant said quietly, sitting down by the water.
"Don't be stupid! Aiden promised to spare us — he said he'd send his dragon if we did well," the second servant shouted, stepping toward the river.
The first servant suddenly burst into laughter.
"Spare us?" he said between chuckles. "Tell me, how would our dear king even know we did the job?"
"Maybe… spies?" the second man muttered after a pause.
"Spare me that crap," the first said, his voice turning serious. "You saw all the bodies back there — he won't spare anyone." He lay down on the grass, his eyes empty.
"did they spare me," Levi thought, slowly drifting deeper into the river.
Then, a sharp pain tore through his stomach, as His consciousness began to fade.
The agony was unbearable — he cried out, blood spilling from his mouth as he realized the truth.
He had been poisoned.
Tears streamed down his face as he fought to stay awake, but his strength failed him.
he finally lost his consciousness as the river carried him out in the dead of the night