Chapter 2: A New Beginning

Darkness.

It was all they knew. A deep, infinite void where memories drifted like fading stars, too distant to grasp. Fragmented images flashed in the haze: an exploding battlefield, the faces of comrades, a promise made in whispers. Then—nothing.

And then came the light.

A blinding, all-encompassing brilliance pierced the void. Warmth followed, wrapping them in a cocoon of sensation. The first sound they heard was a muffled, rhythmic thrum, steady like the march of time itself. A heartbeat.

They were alive again.

The pain of birth was sharp and disorienting. Cold air seared their skin, and their tiny body was seized by an instinctual cry. Suddenly they were enveloped in a comforting warmth, a woman's face soon came into view and they momentarily stopped crying.

Her face carried the soft glow of maternal warmth, her ruby colored eyes reflecting the quiet strength of someone who had weathered the storm of childbirth with grace. Wisps of dark hair framed her face, damp with sweat but radiant with joy. She held her baby close to her face as tears streamed down her cheeks, her heart filling with so much love and joy at the life she had brought forth.

Suddenly the door to the room she was in suddenly burst open and a man quickly rushed in, a tall figure with jet-black hair disheveled from the hurried sprint to the maternity ward. His dark eyes softened as they fell upon his wife and the tiny bundle cradled in her arms. For a moment, the weight of his presence seemed to fill the room, his broad shoulders rising and falling as he caught his breath.

He approached with slow, careful steps, the tension in his jaw easing as he knelt beside the bed. His black hair fell into his face as he leaned closer, brushing a tender kiss on his wife's forehead. His voice, deep and steady, cracked slightly as he whispered, "I'm here my love."

The woman smiled gently at her husband, but her attention quickly went back to her child in her arms. The man upon seeing this as looked at his child, who was still staring at his mother.

"He's got your eyes Reyna." The man said softly.

"He also has your jet-black hair as well Mathew." The woman replied.

"What are you going to name him?" Mathew asked, looking at his wife

The woman slowly caressed her child's forehead. "Lucien, he'll be called Lucien meaning light to symbolize his hidden brightness." She replied.

"It's perfect my love." Mathew said, kissing is wife's forehead once more.

There was an additional presence in the room, the midwife who helped Reyna give birth, she spoke to the new mother.

"Madam I believe it's time you rested as it has been a couple of hours sine you went into labor."

"She's right my dear you look as if you're on the verge of passing out." Mathew stated

"In a bit I want to hold him for just a while longer." Reyna said, her eyes never leaving Lucien's for even a second. Mathew upon seeing this let out a sigh and bent to his wife's wishes.

Soon her eyes began to droop, and she was nodding her head a sign she was about to fall asleep. Mathew slowly took Lucien from Reyna's arms and calmly handed him over to the midwife. Reyna tried protesting but lacked the strength as she quickly fell asleep on her husband's broad chest. Mathew slowly placed her in bed, covering her up with a white blanket. Seeing as she was in deep sleep he turned to the midwife.

"Make sure to clean him and feed him before bringing him back here I'm sure Reyna would have a fit if he's not in her sights," Mathew ordered

The midwife nodded and exited the room, slowly closing the door behind her leaving Mathew to watch over his wife. The child in her arms began to gurgle, as if trying to speak, but inside a storm of thoughts began to rage. "Did I really reincarnate? What in the hell?"

*6 Months Later*

"Come here Lucien, come to mama." Reyna said as she kneeled on the floor her arms outstretched.

Lucien Anderson, priveously Jamie Carter, now a mere six months old stood on his legs and tried walking to his mother. His father sat on a nearby couch watching the interaction between mother and son with a warm smile on his face, though he was alert, ready to catch his son incase he should fall.

Lucien was cocentrating fiercly trying to gain mobility at an early age, since he was sick and tired of crawling on the floor.

"That shitty goddess couldn't she reincarnate me in a body that was strong enough to walk." Lucien thought indignantly.

He slowly made his way to his mother, supporting himself using various furniture and soon fell into her awaiting arms. Reyna hugged her child lovingly proud on seeing him take his first steps.

"That's my little sunshine, ooooh! Mama is so proud of you." Reyna exclaimed.

 Lucien let out a sigh, letting his mother have her way with him. It's been like this for six months with Reyna not letting Lucien out of her sight for even a moment. Soon Lucien started feeling sick with the constant swinging and Mathew seemed to see it.

"Now my dear if you keep on swinging him like that, he's going to vomit out his lunch."

Reyna quickly stopped and looked at her child in concern.

"I'm so sorry Lucien, mama was just too excited watching you walk for the first time, can you forgive me?" Reyna asked softly.

Lucien looked at his mother's sad face and placed a hand on her cheek, letting out some gurgling sounds. Reyna upon seeing this showed a beautiful smile before proceeding to hug him tightly.

"That's right Lucien will always forgive his mama." She spoke

Lucien let out a sigh and he heard his father chuckling. beside them, watching their antics. Suddenly the front door of the house burst open and in run a little girl of about four years old, she raven black hair and ruby colored eyes. She was a cute girl who would surely grow up to become a beauty.

She was the first-born child of Mathew and Reyna, Seraphina Anderson, who was just a little ball of fiery energy. She quickly ran up to her father ang jumped into his awaiting arms. Mathew let out a small chuckle as he parted his daughter's bangs.

"Did you have fun at the park today sweetie?" He asked 

"Umu Umu, I played hide and seek and tag with the other's and then had some ice cream." She answered

"That's nice to hear sweetheart, but now it's time for you to take a bath. Look at you covered in dirt and sweat." Reyna said looking at their daughter

Seraphina looked at her mother before looking at her little brother who was also looking at her. She wiggled out of her father's arms and knelt next to her mother on the floor, playfully poking her brother's cheeks.

"Lucy, can you say Sera, Sera." She said trying to get her brother to call her name. Lucy is the nickname she had given Lucien when she first met, and it had stuck, even his parents sometimes called him Lucy.

Reyna seeing the playfulness of Seraphina let out a small giggle before proceeding to stand up.

"Now my dear Lucy still can't talk yet you'll have to wait a few more months before he's able to." She explained

"Oh! Okay then I'll wait." Seraphina said cheerfully.

Reyna smiled as she held her hand and proceeded to lead her to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

At that moment Mathew's phone began to ring and he answered it.

"Hello? What is it? Really?! Okay I'll be right there."

Placing the phone in his pocket he stood up.

"There's an emergency happening at the guild, so I'll be working late." He informed Reyna

"That's okay dear just be careful." She said 

Mathew nodded as he kissed her forehead as well as Lucien's and Seraphina. He wore his coat which was by the front door and left

As Lucien was being carried his mind began to wander at how his new life has been, away from his past life of constantly fighting a war that seemed to have no end.

"I should stop thinking about the past and focus on my new future, maybe prevent the end of the world scenario the goddess warned me about." He thought 

Soon laughter began to be heard from the bathroom as Seraphina played in the water, the family of four subtly enjoying their evening together.