The sound of wind, a mournful rush, filled the air as a figure plummeted earthward. His speed intensified, the ground a rapidly approaching end. Lost in his thoughts, a grim satisfaction settled over him as what he believed to be sweet release finally drew near. For fifty long years, a void had resided within him, an unidentifiable absence that had haunted his every waking moment.
Just before impact, a subtle magical hum resonated through the air. His eyes snapped open. The world around him, time itself, had frozen. Suspended in mid-air by an unseen force, the man trembled, a knot of fear and confusion tightening in his chest as he struggled to comprehend the impossible stillness. Then, a voice, loud, booming, deep, and undeniably divine, echoed from above. "Welcome back, you arrogant king."
The word "king" struck a chord, a forgotten melody within his soul. Memories, vivid and powerful, flooded back – a past life teeming with magic, a kingdom forged by his own hand, a legacy he had unknowingly abandoned. The trap, the reason for his long oblivion, slammed into his consciousness, laid bare by the very voice that now greeted his return. A slow, devious grin spread across the man's lips. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice laced with a false gratitude, "for the… lesson, oh so-called god, you sought to impart."
As the insincere thanks faded into the frozen air, the world lurched back into motion. The magical hum vanished. The man's body slammed into the cold, unforgiving concrete. High above, unseen by mortal eyes, a colossal pair of menacing eyes briefly shimmered with a dark red fire before vanishing completely.
A surge of magical energy pulsed through the silent depths of a hidden cave, a cave long forgotten by the people of this land, seemingly cut off from the flow of time and life itself. A pale blue urn hung suspended in the air, bearing the emblem of a snake in the shape of a perfect circle eating its own tail. Tendrils of dark blue energy lingered around it, slowly being drawn into its depths. A faint blue light pulsed within the cave's entrance, unseen by any who might have strayed near. Within moments, the urn had absorbed the last vestiges of the blue energy, its task complete. It dropped to the cave floor with a soft thud.
As the urn settled, a figure began to coalesce above it, taking form from the ambient magical energies. A faint tingling sensation spread through the nascent limbs, like long-dormant nerves sparking back to life. The air in the cave hummed with a palpable energy, a subtle pressure against his newly forming skin. Within minutes, the athletic, leanly muscled build of a king returned to its former glory. The man's eyes snapped open, recognition dawning as he found himself back in his kingly form. He stood, the familiar weight of his own body a welcome contrast to the ethereal lightness of his Earthly existence. His muscles, dormant for half a century, now thrummed with a strength far beyond anything thought possible in that magicless realm. A profound sense of power filled every fiber of his being, a brimming reservoir of magical energy – the result of his obsessive years spent studying every arcane secret he could unearth.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
He raised a hand, a thin sheet of ice forming in the air before him. Studying his reflection in the crystalline surface, he compared the frail, average build of his Earthly form to the powerful physique now before him. Looking down at his arm, he felt the familiar surge of magical power, the very essence that had been absent for those long fifty years. A genuine smile touched his lips. This… this is what was missing.
His thoughts raced back, trying to grasp the events before his imprisonment. How did I fall into that god's trap? He squeezed his eyes shut, straining to recall the memories sealed away during his time on Earth. A mysterious mage in the market… that's right. The memory sharpened. The fiery aura hadn't just been a color; it had pulsed with a tangible heat, a scent of ozone and something ancient, almost sulfurous. Protector recalled his own arrogant fascination, the dismissive way he had challenged the stranger, expecting immediate compliance. Afterwards, the hushed whispers of his advisors, the widened eyes of his guards – a subtle shift in the very air of his court that he, in his pride, had largely ignored.
A fleeting image flashed through his mind: a deep, newly discovered dungeon. The air had been thick with a crushing pressure, a constant magical weight that he had then theorized was a form of amplified gravity. Deeper and deeper he had ventured, driven by an insatiable curiosity, the strange pressure increasing with every step. And there, nestled in a crevice pulsing with a faint blue light, he had found it – the pale blue urn, bearing the emblem of a snake devouring its own tail. He hadn't understood its significance then, only that it resonated with a unique, powerful energy.
His thoughts returned to the present. I need to know what has become of my kingdom in my absence, he thought, a grim determination settling in his eyes. But I cannot reveal myself rashly. Not until I understand the truth. I will not punish the innocent.
The king's mind raced, a curious blend of ancient magical knowledge and the vivid entertainment he had absorbed on Earth. A smile pulled at his lips, revealing his satisfaction. Mixing my powers with those Earthly ideas… the possibilities. Shape-shifting would be invaluable for reconnaissance. He thought back to the wildlife of his kingdom from before his imprisonment. What creature would be inconspicuous for spying? An idea sparked in his mind as the image of a common little sparrow native to the area surfaced. Perfect, he thought.
The king shut his eyes as his body began to glow. His once human arms started to shrink and fan out into the shape of wings. His once human legs began to shrink and grow deadly thin before taking a bird-like shape. The once human body shrinking and molding to that of a small bird. Light brown feathers covered his newly formed body, the familiar shape of a common sparrow, though with a subtly longer tail than those on Earth. This will blend in well and not draw unwanted attention.
