Alternate Timeline

My head hurts. Where am I now?

(Looks like you have waked up)

(Who are you? And why are you speaking inside my head?)

(It is me, the time sage!)

I was angry when I heard him.

(Time sage my ass, you Diablo, you….you left me alone to die here in this world in a half dead body, without giving me anything to survive.)

(It was just a test to see if you are worthy of the reincarnation, and if you have failed, you had died without getting a chance)

(You moron, never ever do stuff like that to anyone ever again.)

****

The bed I am sleeping in is very comfortable.

The surroundings felt extremely hot.

And what is this stinky smell?

(Where am I sage?)

(You are in the kingdom of Malodor, and you are one of the prince….)

What do you mean?… A prince me…. You got to be kidding me. I ain't fit to be involved in politics. I am a free bird and I want to go on my pursuit of science even here.

I don't want to be tied to a kingdom.

Suddenly, someone came in and went out fast

__________

[The second prince has awakened.]

Two girls and a maid came near me and checked on my condition.

I could see them clearly, and they were my students, to whom I taught at my university.

Jessie and Mary, if I remember their names properly. I didn't know who the maid was, but I had seen her in my neighborhood.

(What are they doing here?)

(This is an alternate timeline, and everyone present in your timeline would be present here. Have you not read about these in your theories.)

Does that mean my family would be here?

Someone came barging in, pushing everyone aside

[Jacob, you idiot, how many times would I have to say to you not to go inside that shady looking dungeon inside that sphinx, for a second I thought I almost lost you?]

It was my younger brother James; he was here…. My father… My mother, I can meet them here…

I remembered my gory death and my time I spent here in this world. I remembered my propitious time with my family.

I broke down, tears came oozing out of my eyes

I couldn't bear it, I stood up from my bed in trembling steps, came near my brother and hugged him.

[I won't leave you ever again ...and make rash decisions .....]

[I won't let you make one.....]

He hugged me a little too hard, and I could feel pain.

*ARGH*

[Sorry I hugged you a little too hard]

[Mm hmm… It's okay, I am fine]

My brother was a soft-hearted man. Even though his appearance looked like he was strong and heartless, he had a heart of gold.

In my timeline he only turned reckless when he pranks others, and even when he pranked others, he makes sure he doesn't hurt them too much.....

I am happy to find him the same as before, except he was my elder brother here.

I looked in a mirror in the room, and I looked the same. My twin brother also looked the same.

Everyone's appearance looked the same as in my timeline.

[James, how old are you?]

[Did you hit your head too hard? We are 16, don't you remember]

[Yeah, I do, my memory got a little hazy.]

I looked at the girls, they were probably a year younger than us.

The same as when I taught them.

[Who are these girls?, James]

[These are the two healers our father brought to our kingdom from the kingdom of blaze, in exchange for enormous amounts of watermelons and dates

To help you in your expedition, but you went early in the morning before they arrived, along with three guards.

I am glad you survived, but make sure you visit the dead guard's families and apologize after you get well.]

S***

I killed three people because of my recklessness.

I saved some people, now I have killed some.

What a bloody mess I am?

Even though I didn't do it, it is one of the 'me's' who had done this, I feel responsible for it.

[I am sorry........I will do that brother.]

I was starting at the girls thinking about all these things.

The girls blushed, seeing me staring at them.

I quickly averted my gaze, as I was not interested in having romantic relationships with my students.

[Brother, where are mom and dad?]

I talked to him as I sat down on the bed.

[They came to see you …. Then they went to attend to some important matter regarding the water supply to our kingdom.]

That got me thinking.

(Time sage!, What does he mean by water supply?, Won't every kingdom have one?)

(Well, your kingdom is in a desert, and has no access to water, so.....)

Deserts are boiling lands. They receive only 25cms of rain a year, only selective crops can be grown, so the kingdom would be basically poor.

(First you put me in a half dead body, now you bring me to a kingdom in the middle of a desert, ruled by my family. What kind of monster are you?)

I still did not completely recover from the injury.

It was tiring talking to the sage.

My brother and everyone else, left me alone to get some rest.

I felt sleepy and dizzy, so I took a nap.

---------------------

I woke up after sometime with profound energy.

It was around evening; I was trying to get used to this life.

I called the maid to get me a drink.

She brought me a watermelon juice. Probably, it's one of the major crops grown here.

The stink was still bothering me.

I pestered the time sage, asking some questions, as it was his duty to answer my questions regarding this world.

(you didn't answer my question about the stink before.)

(It's because this place is filled with a liquid called black fire. It produces this stink when it's taken out.

It's the major ingredient of the kingdom's wealth.

Your kingdom is the only place where this is available.

But still your country is poor as most of the food and water have to be purchased using this.)

(You said this is a magical world right, why can't we use magic to transport water here?)

(Those who have learned them can only use magic. Your kingdom is a remote kingdom with no access to education, and it doesn't have any mage to teach or practice magic.

You need large scale magic or advanced spells to control weather.

They require advanced mages, but they cost very high money to hire.

Hiring carts is the only way to bring in food and water from other kingdom.)

(How should we learn magic, Is there any requirements for it?)

(Yes, first you should have affinities for the elements you can probably take a test for it, and then you may learn them in the magic arts academies in various kingdoms.)

I have to help this kingdom ..... no matter what.

//everything included within () is conversations in Jacob's mind with the sage.

Malodor means 'Stink'

If you like this part, add it to your story. Any suggestions, comment it below.

//