A/N: It sure has been a while hasn't it? it's been 6 or 7 years since I've written any fanfiction. I really cringe every time I look at the last thing I put on here. But anyway, this is something I'm doing on the side to relax. I'm in college right now and I just found myself writing this in class. If I miss or get something wrong that's important then don't hesitate to point it out, but don't if it's small and unimportant detail. I'm not going to be poring over the wikis for this, it's just something I'm doing to have fun and flex my creative muscles. So yeah, I'll just ignore tiny meaningless details being pointed out. I hope you all enjoy it! and rest assured every free moment I get in class is going to writing this, so there will be an update at least once every 1-4 weeks. Ciao!

Julius was unsure of where he was. An empty white void was the only term he could possibly use to describe the surroundings he found himself in. Was he dead? Did the time stored up as a backup plan fail him? It was more of a gamble than a concrete contingency to be fair.

Julius raised a hand to his head, intent on checking the emblem etched into his forehead, and for a moment, he was taken aback. It seemed he had no limbs at all. No, it would be more accurate to say he was completely formless. Strangely, this did not at all alarm him. If anything, he felt somewhat content in this place. A strange, tired contentment that permeated his incorporeal being, filling him with some odd degree of warmth. This was very strange, he thought. If this would be his existence in the afterlife, he would not mind it. An even stranger notion he rationalized. Conflicting thoughts in his head over what he feels, and what he should be feeling. He shed his mortal coil with many regrets to be sure, many forms of magic left unseen, unwitnessed. And though he saved the Clover Kingdom from certain doom, he was unable to incapacitate his opponent. He would simply have to leave things to Yami, and the magic knights of the future generation.

He had watched them after all. He knew they would be more than capable of protecting the kingdom from the dangers they faced.

But just as soon as he had started upon these reflections of the past, his contentment gave way to stifling discomfort. The white void he had found himself in had begun to darken. An innumerable amount of black hands had appeared out of nowhere, as if they had punched through the very fabric of the space around him. Intruders, invaders of his refuge. Was this some dark form of magic? He did recall reading a report on the attack of the royal capital. One of the Eye of the Midnight Sun was capable of raising zombies after all. If that was indeed to be his fate, then fate was certainly a cruel mistress. He could only hope he would not be too much trouble to his former friends and comrades.

The hands laid themselves upon his form, his very being. They creeped their way through him and onto his heart, and then, they squeezed.

Julius woke, a dull and painful throb in his head. He opened his eyes, dazed and confused. Looking around to gain his bearings, he gaped in quiet awe.

He appeared to be in what could only be described as a marketplace. A similar scene as one might come to witness in his very own Clover Kingdom. But there were some striking differences. He could spy no clover castle gracing the distant view with its presence. There were people who did not appear wholly human either. Those with differing animalistic features. He had to wonder if they were some form of manifestation of weg, the tell tale sign that one has dabbled in forbidden magics. But there are too many of them for them to be the perpetrators of such an act. Had some dubious villain afflicted this place with such strife? Or was this merely a genetic trait that one passed down?

'This… certainly is not the Clover Kingdom.' Julius thought with grim realization.

"Oi, you feelin' alright there fella?"

Julius looked toward the source of the voice. It was a gruff, middle aged man. He had matte green hair and was twirling what seemed to be grain in between his teeth.

"Ahh, well, I am quite fine I assure you. I was just lost in thought. Say, I seem to have gotten lost in my absent wanderings, could you perhaps indulge me and tell me where I am?"

The man's stern look of half irritation-half veiled concern was apparent upon his face as he answered back.

"Well, you're in the market district of our fair royal capital of Lugnica. It's a wonder you don't know where you are honestly." The man gave a big grin as he said this. It was apparent he took pride in the nation in which he resided.

What Julius had already suspected was now made perfectly clear, he was a long long way from home. He was not near the Clover Kingdom, nor anywhere he recognized the name of. Then at the risk of sounding like a crazy old man, (Which some might claim is EXACTLY what he is) he would press for more information.

"And where exactly on the map is Lugnica sir? Is it near to the Clover Kingdom?"

The man's look grew markedly more disconcerted and confused.

"Look man, are you sure you didn't hit your head or something? I don't need some noble keeling over in front of my stall, bad for business you see. But to answer your question, maps aren't exactly my strong suit, but I don't need to know maps to know I've never heard of this 'Clover Kingdom' before. Best I could tell ya is that Kararagi is to the West, what being a merchant and all."

Julius thought for a moment, if he didn't recognize where he was and this man didn't recognize the name Clover Kingdom, then was he in a completely different part of the world altogether, as of yet unknown? Or perhaps he was in a different world altogether? He pursed his lips and felt his mouth go dry. This certainly had dire implications. Regardless of what he thought, it wouldn't do him any good to do any wild speculation without knowing more, and so he turned his thoughts to other more practical matters.

He looked like a noble to this man, or at least someone rich enough to constitute the power that one would hold.

Julius looked down at his clothing, his familiar Wizard King robes. At least they gave him some small semblance of comfort in this incredibly unfamiliar environment. They were and would continue to be a reminder of the path he's walked to get here. He was unsure if he was worthy of them anymore, in light of how he left his comrades. At the very least they would give him the conviction to continue to give his all, to become worthy of them once again. And of course, hopefully he would bear witness to many new and exciting forms of magic along the way.

Julius was broken from his internal dialogue by the man he's been standing in front of waving his hand.

"Bro, you really gotta be kiddin' me. You're spacing out again! It's apparent that you're not doing well, so just take an Appa and go, you're scaring away my customers."

The man tossed what appeared to be an apple towards Julius, which he deftly caught in the palm of his hand.

"Thank you kind sir, I do appreciate the hospitality. I will be on my way now."

Julius gave the man a reassuring smile, trying to make apparent that he was perfectly fine. The man only offered a nod and a grunt in reply, before shooing him off. And so Julius turned and began to stride down the street.

'Appa?'

As he walked, Julius observed the hustle and bustle of the city's streets. He witnessed knights patrolling in their gleaming armor. Carriages drawn by some odd creature, akin in many ways to a large lizard. Yet while he would like nothing more than to go buck wild exploring this new land he found himself in, he had a pressing matter to attend to at the moment. He recalled that he had used up the rest of his time magic stopping Licht's spell. He had to find a discreet location where he could test the depths of his magic. How much was he left with after so strenuous an undertaking? It was as he thought this that he believed he had found just the suitable location for what he had in mind. A small, dark alley that no one seemed to be paying any mind to. Yes, this would serve him quite nicely.

Julius entered the alleyway, and summoned his grimoire. He had to suppress a grimace. What was once a previously boundless and coverless grimoire, was now reduced to only a single page hovering in front of him. The page was blank to boot.

'This is… much worse than I thought. Even smaller than the day I first received this grimoire. It seems that I will have to start again, in this new world, from zero. I must regain my strength, and become worthy once again of the title Wizard King!'

Julius noticed movement deeper into the alley and turned to the disturbance. He quickly dispelled his grimoire as he spied three shady characters waltzing over to him. A very spindly looking fellow with a spine-chilling grin and a slave's collar around his neck? He seemed to take the lead as the other two followed, one a large scruffy man with mean eyes, his hair braided behind him. And the last a very short man, if he could even be called one, with a ridiculous looking bowl cut. They all looked at him in anticipation. Clearly, they were up to no good.

"Well well well, would you look at what the cat dragged in. A very generous and rich man who would take pity on us poor souls and line our pockets. Hand over your money pops, or you're gonna wish you hadn't ever been born."

Julius' face hardened as he listened to the thug speak. He then relaxed his features and gave them a small, disarming smile, hoping to first try to dissuade them from their chosen course.

"Well, I'm afraid that you are mistaken, I have nothing to my name but the clothes on my back, and consequently have nothing to give."

"Well then it seems your luck has run dry today pops, drop all of your clothes and get out of here." The spindly thug spoke as he drew a dagger from who knows where. He gazed upon Julius with a half-crazed look.

Julius thought, guiltily a little excited for the fight he was about to get into. A new challenge to sink his teeth into.

'Well then, it seems that the time has come much sooner than I had expected. Then this will be my start.'

He grinned