Book I: Reincarnation

Episode 0: Prologue

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I watch as the dragon, a blood red monster, smacks another party member with its tail. A sickening crunch fills the air as the body crashes against the cavern wall.

"We can't keep this up!" I hear our paladin say. He stands,his large silver armor badly damaged, holding his massive shield steady as the dragon begins to bombard it with flame.

"It's now or never Jim!"The massive man calls out.

I sigh. I'm exhausted and can barely stand. My lungs burn as I try to take every breath. My own armor is in tatters, with straps hanging, and burnt patches. I look to my team around me. The paladin is barely holding his shield up at this point. The cleric, Nell,is trying to heal the bard, who just got smacked into the wall. I'm certain it's already too late and he's dead. And the wizard, Darren, is bleeding out on the floor, a massive gash in his chest.

"If you don't kill this thing they're all going to die!" I think to myself.

I grip my sword handle tightly and fall into my stance. I grit my teeth and focus all the mana I have left into the blade. The long, double edged, blade starts to form a coating of black ice.

I can feel my mana run dry. "more!" I shout and concentrate, trying to pour my very soul into the blade. As I do so I can feel my life force start to drain.

The blade, now coated in ice, starts to vibrate with power. A low hum fills the air around me. My body screams out in pain as I keep pushing all I have into my weapon.

"AAAHHHH" I push more of my being into it. The icy blade ignites with an inky black flame.

"Jim now!" The paladin screams.

The ground around me explodes with ice spikes as black as the night sky and the air grows cold as mist fills the cavern.

The dragon finally stops attacking the paladin, takes note of me. Thankful for the reprieve, the large man falls to his knees breathing heavily. The beast roars as it turns to face me.

I point my sword back and get ready to make a mad dash at the beast.

"With this-", I squat my legs a little, "-I'll end this!"

I push forward, sprinting as fast as I can towards the reptilian threat. A trail of jagged, black, ice remains in my wake. The dragon bellows and spits a blast of fire at me.

Time slows. My unique skill finally activating . I squat fully and push off the ground, leaping over the slow moving attack. I twist my body mid-air, aiming my swing for the creature's neck

"Begone!" I scream and bring the sword down swiftly in a wide arch. The blade strikes true, but the dragon's skin is too tough and won't allow the blade to cut very deep.

"I wont fail " I push the blade down harder and will the gathered mana to explode. "Eternal Solstice!"

The fire and ice spells stored in the blade erupt at once. There's a flash of purple light and I'm sent flying into the cavern wall.

I smack into it hard and feel something break.

I feel myself hit the ground after sliding down the wall. I can't breathe, the impact knocked all the air out of my lungs. I can feel a warm sensation running down my face and neck.

I try to blink my eyes clear but my vision remains blurry and tinted red. I try to lift my arms and wipe my eyes but they won't budge. I keep trying to blink my eyes clear.

"Shit!" I can't hear myself, There's a ringing in my ears that won't stop, and my body is dead weight.

When my vision finally does clear, I look up and I can see the dragon. Its neck is cut open and large spikes of ice, and half my sword, protrude from the wound. It lies dead on the cave floor. I smile widely, tasting the iron taste of blood in my mouth.

As I bask in my victory someone steps in my line of sight. I can't make them out at first, but as my vision focuses I recognize my party's cleric. Her fiery red hair,loose from its normal braid, is stuck to her face by sweat. Her emerald green eyes wet with unshed tears.

She's talking to me, I see her mouth moving, but all I hear is the ringing.

Her hand is hovering over my chest, bathed in golden light. I try to lift my hand but it still won't budge, my eyelids feel weighted, and my breathing has returned but is labored.

"Did you see that, Nell?" I say to the now crying woman. " I T-totally kicked..it's ..ass." She nods. My vision starts to fade. I can feel my life start to slip away.

"Stay with us Jim!" I faintly hear her say, the ringing clearing up. Probably due to the healing magic.

I smile at her, but that makes the tears flow more.

"Damnit, Jim." She cradles my head with her other hand. "You're so stupid."

"Mom always did say, I was the brightest crayon in a box of black ones." I laugh and instantly regret it. "Oh god that hurts."

She frowns and concentrates harder. "Yes, yes. Now you just concentrate on resting and living through this."

I sigh. "sorry red…don't t-think I'm making it o-outta this on-" I don't get to finish. My world goes black. I let out a final, hissing breath, and start to fade.

"James!" I hear the echoey voice of my friend shout as I slip into the ever after.

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"That's all very sad James but that still doesn't answer my question ."The Goddess siting in front of me says.

She is the Greek goddess Athena, patron of heroic endeavors, and my closest friend.

She flips her blonde hair over her shoulder. Her storm grey eyes stare deep into my soul.

I frown at the deity before me. I just got done telling her, over the course of an hour, how I ended up back here in the afterlife.

"what?" I ask her flatly.

She rolls her eyes and blows out a puff of air. "I mean you've already been reincarnated once, you shouldn't even be here."

I raise an eyebrow at that. "And?" I do a get-on-with-it hand gesture.

"I'll ask again, how are you here?" The goddess folds her arms and mean mugs me, her polished golden armor clanking as she does so.

I shrug my shoulders and lean back in my chair. "How am I supposed to know?"

She opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by another woman's voice. "I think I can answer that."

We both look around the large, empty room.

"that wasn't me."I blurt. The goddess snorts out a laugh.

Then the already unusually white room is suddenly filled with pale light, nearly blinding me. I have to shield my eyes with my hands.

I hear the goddess shift her position then quickly stand and face the light. "How?!" She mutters.

Next comes the shimmering metallic sound of her celestial weapon being summoned.

"oh fuck" I think to myself.

The light dies down slowly and I lower my hands. I immediately spot the goddess with her golden spear in hand, ready for a fight. I follow the shaft of her spear, along the tip, to the target of her ire.

There stands a woman, or at least the outline of one. Her featureless face constantly shifting and moving in and out of focus.

"Calm yourself Athena," her voice is distorted and overlaid with multiple.

Her attention shifts to me, " I mean you no harm."

Athena scoffs, " unlikely Raava, you break the accords just by being here!" The tension in the air is palpable, thick and ready to spark aflame at any second.

The shining being chuckles softly.

"Fret not Athena I am merely an astral projection." She finally looks at the goddess directly. "therefore I haven't set foot in this realm, and have broken nothing."

"Ok , I'm confused." I decided to finally do something other than stare like a deer in headlights.

Raava smiles and tilts her head at me. "Of course you are, but all will be revealed with time."

She turns back to the goddess. "I have need of this soul."

The goddess frowns and shakes her head. " what makes you think I'll let you take this hero?"

There is a pause as the air becomes thick with tension.

"Because what use do you have for him, hmm?" The glowing figure gestures towards me. "As you've said he's already been reincarnated once and thus cannot be again, at least not in your world."

Athena pauses. "That is true." She finally loosens her grip on her spear and seems to think it through.

"I may let you have him," the goddess glances at me, "if you tell me why you want him."

Raava sighs deeply

"I have had a vision of my world's future." She waves her hand and a shimmering image appears before us.

The image shows a great battle taking place in the air, over a rocky plateau. Two figures fly around trading blows with fire and air, while airships of some kind shoot flame at the landscape below. A meteor or some other flaming celestial body flies through the sky.

I somehow recognize this but can't quite figure out why.

"This is the day of sozin's commit second coming." The woman waves her hand again and the vision changes.

It starts to click in my head, I know this from my first life.

A buff looking man with an odd looking hairstyle and pointy beard holds a young bald man by the throat. His fist is coated in fire and he seems to be gloating.

"This is Aang and firelord ozai's final battle, but something is off "

Raava continues, "Ozai, self proclaimed phoenix king, will kill My current vessel Avatar Aang, while he is in his avatar state."

She waves her hand once more. "Thus severing the cycle and balance in my world will be lost forever."

The image changes to that of a barren wasteland, charred and lifeless. Ozai sits atop a giant golden throne. The man cackles maniacally as a legion of soldiers, clad in red spiky armor, salute him.

'That's not right. Aang is supposed to win.'

"I seek to prevent this." Raava's hands drop and the image fades.

Athena nods and goes to put away her spear. With a metallic clang and a flash of light it vanishes. " very well."

She turns to me, " looks like you get to try again Jim."

Her warm smile graces my eyes.

"I don't know what raava's world holds in store for you-," she bites her lips and looks away, "-but I wish you the best of luck great hero."

I nod and smile back.

'This is nuts' I think to myself.

I was surprised the first time I was reincarnated, by the Greek goddess Athena no less, but this is insane.

"Come hero, we have much to prepare for." Raava gestures with her hand and a circular portal, teaming with blue light, appears

I take a deep breath and take one last look at the goddess who had been my spiritual guardian and closest companion for over ten years now.

"Thank you Athena," I smile wistfully. "For everything."

She blushes and looks away. "Just go dummy."

I laugh and turn for the portal, only to be stopped by a strong grip on my shirt sleeve.

"I'll keep in contact, I promise." She says, tears threatening to form. "And you better answer whenever I call."

I grab her up in a hug. "Of course my lady."

When I'm certain she is satisfied I let her go and start for the portal.

when I reach the portal I sigh and look down, "Goodbye Toril, you will be missed."

I think back on my adventures here. My friend's faces flash in my mind and I smile. 'Goodbye guys I hope you beat that demon bastard.'

"Quickly young hero." Raava rushes me.

I sigh. "I'm coming!"

Determination sets in and I step into the blue light and into my next adventure

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AN:

so yeah, I'd like to take this time to say that this is my first fic, So any and all critiques are welcome but please be civil. This first chapter is just a test the waters kind of deal hence it being a little short.

Some info: James is one of my joke dnd characters. He's from our world(obviously) and was isiekai'd there knowing absolutely fucking nothing about dnd(i was new to it at the time of making him). We were playing out of the abyss and the dm wanted me to experience it all in one session. Long story short James died fighting a red dragon( which I have dramatized here).The parings are pretty much the cannon pairings and the gaang has been aged up a little to fit my "vision".

Anyway, until next time.

-Sage