Chapter 1

And receded. The cold was replaced by warmth. A hand on my shoulder. 

"Master Lukas? Wake up. It's time."

I woke with a start, my hand clawing at the air. A blonde man in his late twenties jumped back, surprised at my reaction. His clothes were predominantly black, and he wore a sword strapped to his waist. 

I knew him.

"Rowan?" I pressed my hands to my head as a sharp pain hammered at my temples. "Oh…my head."

"Too much to drink last night sir? I understand you weren't thrilled with this new assignment."

"Assignment?" I managed to squeak out. "Wait… you… you were dead. How are you not dead?"

"No sir, not dead. Alive." His dark eyes shifted from surprise to concern. "Are you feeling okay?"

I doubled over as another wave of pain pounded its way through my skull. "What… what day is it today?" 

"April 24th, sir." The man answered softly. "His Majesty is expecting you. We need to get moving."

I looked up blearily, the sunlight sending shards of pain through my head. I closed my eyes and reached for a nearby spirit. 

I cast a spell, and the pain receded. 

"I'm sorry, Rowan, I had a splitting headache. You're saying that His Majesty is expecting me?" I looked into the youthful face of my friend. "Gods, you don't look a day past 30." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate the sentiment. Now, your appointment. We really can't keep His Majesty waiting."

I waved the servant away. "Yes, yes, let it alone, Rowan, give an old man some time to get up. I'm not as young as I used to be."

The other eyebrow rose to meet its partner on Rowan's forehead. I had said something confusing. 

"As you say, sir. Should I get you a mirror? You might want to do something about the bags under your eyes, and your hair seems a little…unpresentable."

I nodded, and Rowan left the room. I sat back in the chair and examined my surroundings. It was my old apartment. The one I used as a student and later as an Academy Instructor. A faint glimmer of pride swelled in my chest. The youngest Instructor in the history of the Academy, as a matter of fact. 

I had heard of death dreams before. The deathspeakers had theorised them as a way for the soul to deal with the trauma of death before moving on to the golden halls. 

I had dismissed it out of hand. I had no time for necromancers. Perhaps I had been too hasty. 

But if this was a dream, it was certainly very real. 

I absently rubbed my chest where the spear had pierced me mere moments earlier. It felt…firmer than usual. 

I looked down at my hands and saw no liver spots, no wrinkles, no lines of any sort, save a few ink smudges and the occasional freckle. 

I stretched, expecting the usual dull ache that seemed to accompany any type of physical exertion these days, and…nothing. 

No pain, no creaking, and I kept on stretching. I sat up straight and felt taller. I pulled my hand to my face and felt young, vibrant skin. 

There was no doubt about it. I was younger. This death dream was very real. But…I attempted to stroke my beard, only for my fingers to clutch at nothing. April 24th…something about that date was nagging at me. 

The door opened, and Rowan stepped in softly, a silver hand mirror clutched in his grasp. "Here, sir." 

I took it and hesitantly raised it to my face. Moment of truth. 

It was a face I hadn't seen in decades. There wasn't a hint of grey in my hair or eyebrows, and my eyes were sharp and bright. The years had not robbed me of my youth. I was young again.

My vision blurred. I blinked the tears away. Rowan was right. My hair was a mess. I did my best to flatten it but was ultimately unsuccessful. 

"Sir? We really shouldn't keep His Majesty waiting." He reminded me. I nodded and stood up, ready to catch my balance. Nothing. No weight. My body was light. 

"Lead the way, Rowan. Is the carriage ready?"

"Yes sir. I've already taken the liberty of loading your things onto it. The king is anxious for you to start your assignment as soon as possible. So is the Board of Directors. I don't need to tell you how much of an opportunity this is for them."

I waved my hand dismissively. Something was niggling at the back of my mind. I shrugged the feeling off and followed my friend to the carriage. 

I stepped out into the familiar street and felt my chest tighten at the sight of it. 

Arantha, the King's City, still stood in all its flawed glory. I lived in the Instructors Quarter just south of the main Academy Campus, which granted me a great view of the city. On a clear day, I could see all the way to the docks. 

"Sir?" Rowan held the carriage door open, and I climbed in. 

"Thank you, Rowan." I said with a smile. He nodded and closed the door behind me. 

I heard him climb to the front of the carriage, and soon, we were moving, the clatter of horse hooves on cobblestone punctuating every bump along the way. 

I didn't look out the window. I couldn't bring myself to, just in case the dream faded. 

April 24th… There was something about that date, something important. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. 

His Majesty, the king, wanted to see me…

I went cold. Realisation hit me. I knew what today was. 

A slow grin crossed my lips. Today was the day I was to be appointed as Royal Instructor. 

Today was the day I met Lady Anna. 

For a death dream, this was brilliantly convincing. 

But…if it wasn't a dream, that means I was given a second chance. 

And this time, I was going to do it right.