Crown of Rebirth - Chapter 1

Neru opened his eyes and groaned as he tried to sit up. His body felt heavy and weak, and his head throbbed with pain. He looked around, but he didn’t recognize his surroundings. He was lying on a bed in a small, dimly lit room. There was a window on the far wall, and the faint glow of moonlight spilled through it.

He tried to remember how he had gotten there, but his mind was fuzzy. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to piece together the events leading up to his current state. He remembered his advisors betraying him, poisoning him, and then attacking him. He remembered the pain, the fear, and the feeling of his consciousness slipping away. And then he remembered nothing.

He opened his eyes again and looked around the room. It was sparse, with only a bed, a small table, and a chair. There was a door on the opposite wall, and he could hear voices on the other side. He tried to get up, but his body refused to cooperate. He groaned and lay back down, feeling frustrated and helpless.

The door creaked open, and two men entered the room. They were tall and imposing, with stern expressions and heavy armor. They looked down at Neru with cold, emotionless eyes.

“Ah, you’re awake,” one of them said. “Good. We have some questions for you.”

Neru tried to speak, but his throat was dry and scratchy. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Where am I? Who are you?”

The other man snorted. “You’re in the city of Argen, and we’re the city guards. You were found unconscious outside the city gates, and we brought you here for treatment.”

Neru frowned. Argen? He had never heard of such a place. He tried to remember how he had gotten there, but his memory was still hazy.

The first man leaned in closer. “Now, tell us, who are you? What’s your name?”

Neru hesitated. He knew he couldn’t reveal his true identity. His advisors had betrayed him, and he had no idea who else might be working against him. He decided to lie.

“My name is… Kael,” he said, choosing a name at random.

The guards exchanged a look. “Kael, huh? Alright. Do you remember anything about how you got here? Did someone attack you?”

Neru shook his head. “I don’t remember. I was… I was traveling, and then everything went dark.”

The guards didn’t seem convinced, but they didn’t press the issue. “Very well. You’ll need to stay here for a few more days, until you’re fully recovered. We’ll have someone bring you food and water.”

They turned to leave, but before they did, the second guard glanced back at Neru. “Just so you know, Kael, there’s a price on your head. So if I were you, I’d stay out of trouble.”

Neru’s heart raced as the door closed behind them. A price on his head? What had he gotten himself into?

He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He needed to figure out what was going on and how to get out of this city. He didn’t know where he was or who he could trust, but he knew he had to be careful. His life depended on it.