Chapter I:

Another Life

Everything was red.

A searing pain tore through Subaru's body, a fury unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was as if every scrape, gash, and wound had come alive, pulling apart his flesh and bones, as though he were being ripped in half. He tried to scream, but his lungs were filled with a suffocating liquid that choked any sound he might have made.

Am I in hell?

The thought surfaced in his mind, fractured and fleeting, as the pain reached an unbearable crescendo. If it were possible, he was certain he would have blacked out by now, but his mind remained cruelly conscious of every second.

The agony felt eternal. Time dissolved into a meaningless blur, distorted by the sheer intensity of his suffering. A second stretched into what felt like a century, the unrelenting pain rendering him completely adrift. Through the miasma of his burning vision, a shadowy figure emerged, looming above him.

The figure hovered for what felt like an eternity, its presence heavy and suffocating. Then, as it leaned closer, everything went dark.

Subaru felt himself spinning, tumbling through some void beyond comprehension. Gasping desperately, he realized the liquid had vanished from his lungs, replaced by an all-encompassing panic. The pain fled as abruptly as it had arrived, snuffed out like a match extinguished in the wind. All that remained was the pounding of his heart and a cold sweat soaking his body.

Subaru sat bolt upright, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. His hands trembled uncontrollably as he stared at them, his vision blurred by tears forming in his eyes.

"W-What the hell was that?" he managed to whisper, his voice shaking. He felt small, and vulnerable in a way he hadn't since childhood. Memories he had long buried surfaced unbidden, and for the first time since his parents' funeral, Subaru found himself wishing to be held. He longed to cry in his mother's arms, to let go of the fear consuming him.

It took him a long while to regain his composure. When he finally did, Subaru looked down at himself and froze.

His clothing was still his combat gear, though it was in complete disarray—a mess of soot, burn marks, and tears. Ripped fabric hung loose, and dried bloodstains painted nearly every inch of his uniform.

A sick realization gripped him as he remembered the state he had been in just moments before. He should be dead. His body had been broken, shot, shredded by shrapnel. Yet as he trailed his hands over himself, he found no wounds, no pain. Despite the blood coating his gear, his body was unharmed.

Subaru's hands trembled as he traced the truth with his fingers. "What... what happened to me?" he whispered; his voice barely audible.

For the first time in his life, Subaru felt utterly unmoored, trapped between the horrors of what he had endured and the impossible reality of his survival.

I must be dead… Subaru thought, his mind racing as he grappled with the impossible. I was full of more holes than Swiss cheese, for God's sake!

The idea of his survival felt absurd. Perhaps he was dead. Maybe this was hell. Or… could it be heaven? The thought almost made him laugh—an idea so preposterous that it bordered on insulting. Subaru had never been a religious man, and while he'd heard Myles quote verses from the King James Bible often enough to recite a few himself, he was fairly certain he didn't qualify for entry through the pearly gates.

Slowly, Subaru pushed himself off the ground, his legs unsteady. The memories of his supposed death loomed large in his mind. How am I even standing? Shaking off the haze, he took a good look at his surroundings for the first time.

He was alone in an alley, the narrow passage flanked by old stone walls. Sunlight spilled in from an opening leading to a cobblestone street just ahead. The architecture struck him as European—aged but well-preserved, though he couldn't pinpoint a specific country. He'd never been good with that sort of thing.

"How did I get here?" Subaru muttered to himself. His voice sounded foreign in his ears, shaky and uncertain. "I don't feel dead. But then again, who's ever been able to explain what the afterlife feels like?"

With a deep breath, Subaru stumbled out into the sunlight, raising a hand to shield his eyes. As his vision adjusted, he froze in place, wide-eyed.

Before him stretched a vast city built into the side of a mountain, its towers and spires climbing skyward. At the very top loomed a massive castle, its silhouette framed against the azure sky. The city was alive with movement, bustling streets filled with activity.

"Where… am I?" Subaru whispered, awe and confusion mixing in equal measure.

His amazement quickly turned to bewilderment as he took in the details of the scene. Carts rumbled up and down the stone roads, but instead of horses, massive lizard-like creatures pulled the passengers along. That alone was jarring, but what truly struck him was the crowd.

Anthropomorphic creatures mingled seamlessly among ordinary-looking humans, the two interacting as though it were the most natural thing in the world. A lion-headed man chatted animatedly with a merchant, while a rabbit-eared woman darted through the throng carrying a basket of goods. The humans didn't bat an eye.

"What the fuck…" Subaru murmured, stepping back instinctively. His gaze darted around the bustling street. "This is crazy."

"Mommy, what's wrong with the funny-looking man?"

The voice startled him. Turning, Subaru spotted a small girl peeking out from behind her mother's skirt, pointing directly at him. The mother quickly shushed the child but then took a moment to study Subaru herself.

Her eyes narrowed, her expression wary as she took in his soot-streaked face, tattered gear, and bloodied uniform. Subaru suddenly became painfully aware of how out of place he looked.

"My goodness," the woman gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Are you alright?"

Still reeling, Subaru stood dumbly for a moment, his mind scrambling for a response. His gaze dropped to his blood-soaked uniform; the dried stains now painfully obvious.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," he said finally, forcing a nervous laugh. "I just… made a mess at work." A bloody mess.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flickering across her face. She didn't seem entirely convinced, but thankfully, she also didn't appear eager to probe further.

"Oh, alright," she said awkwardly, tugging her daughter by the arm. "Come along, dear."

The little girl peeked over her shoulder at Subaru as her mother pulled her away, her wide-eyed curiosity only adding to Subaru's discomfort. He watched them go, feeling their suspicious glances lingering on him as they disappeared into the crowd.

I need to wash this blood out of my uniform before someone calls the police… or whatever passes for law enforcement here, Subaru thought, a chill running down his spine. I don't know what the customs are in this fever dream of a city, but walking around like this can't be inconspicuous.

Sliding back into the relative safety of the alleyway, Subaru wove his way through the maze of narrow passages. Along the way, he passed several rough-looking characters who eyed him warily, as well as clusters of cat-like humanoids huddled together. The sight of them added another surreal layer to the day's events, but Subaru pressed on, keeping his head low.

Eventually, he emerged onto a sparsely populated street running alongside a narrow creek that wound through the city. Checking both directions to ensure he wasn't being watched, Subaru darted across the road and crouched by the water's edge.

The creek appeared clean, at least on the surface, but Subaru hesitated. If there's one thing I know about cities, it's that these creeks aren't usually the cleanest places. Despite his reservations, he didn't see any other options. With a resigned sigh, he glanced around once more before beginning to strip out of his bloodied gear.

Everything was ruined. His uniform was shredded, stained, and beyond salvaging, though he decided to keep his boxers on—he wasn't about to strip completely in public, even here. Opening his plate carrier, Subaru inspected the armor inside and grimaced. The plates were shot to hell, riddled with holes and cracks. For a moment, he considered keeping them, but the weight wasn't worth it.

With a sigh, he tossed the ruined plates into the creek, watching as they disappeared beneath the water. He crouched down and began scrubbing his clothing as best he could, though the blood had long since dried into stubborn stains.

As he worked, Subaru's mind churned with questions. He knew one thing for certain: this wasn't Earth, at least not the Earth he'd known. The architecture, the creatures, and the lizard-drawn carts all pointed to something far beyond his understanding.

Maybe this is the afterlife, he thought, but the idea felt hollow. He had no concrete answers, just vague possibilities. What he did know was that he was completely out of his depth. In a world like this, ignorance could easily land him in trouble—or worse.

For now, he resolved to stay as inconspicuous as possible, blending in until he could learn more. But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that his arrival here was anything but random.

If I know anything about foreign cultures, Subaru thought, it's that what seems perfectly fine to you might be a grave insult to someone else.

With that in mind, Subaru approached his situation cautiously. After what felt like an eternity of scrubbing, he finally managed to clean most of the blood from his uniform. The stains were still faintly visible, but they no longer screamed murder scene. Sighing, Subaru spread his clothes out to dry, using the time to take a more thorough inventory of what little gear he had with him in this strange new world.

The results were bleak. Most of his belongings were back on the mountainside, presumably still with his body—a morbid thought he quickly pushed aside. What he did have, however, was a small collection of essentials: his tourniquet, compass, multitool, IFAC, flashlight, and combat knife. Reaching into his pockets, he found a windproof lighter and a pack of spearmint gum.

Not much to work with, Subaru thought, frowning. "What I wouldn't give to have my sidearm and a few magazines right now," he muttered, slumping down against the creekside to wait for his clothes to dry.

The sun had passed its peak by the time Subaru was dressed again; his now "clean" but tattered clothing draped over his body. His gear was packed into his carrier, though it felt woefully light compared to what he was used to.

Feeling aimless but determined, Subaru wandered through the city streets. His strange attire earned him the occasional glance, but for the most part, people left him alone. He had set his priorities: water, food, and a safe place to rest for the night.

Eventually, Subaru found himself in a bustling market district, the vibrant energy of the place cutting through his weariness. Stalls lined the streets where vendors shouting over each other to advertise their wares. One stand caught his eye—a fruit stand displaying apples, bananas, lemons, and several fruits Subaru didn't recognize.

As he stepped closer, he noticed small signs labeling the baskets and crates. The writing was entirely foreign to him, but the numbers—presumably prices—were written using the familiar Arabic numeral system. He squinted at the sign in front of the apples: 128.

But 128 of what? Subaru thought, realizing he had no clue what the local currency was—or its value.

"Hey, man," a deep voice rumbled, snapping Subaru out of his thoughts. He turned to see the stall's proprietor, a large, bare-chested man with arms like tree trunks and a thick black beard. The man gave him an appraising look. "Those are some weird-looking clothes you've got there. Are you some kind of traveler?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Subaru replied bluntly, crossing his arms as he looked back at the stall. His stomach growled faintly, reminding him of just how long it had been since his last meal. "How fresh are these apples?"

Apples? You must be a traveler. Never heard anyone around here pronounce appas like that." The man let out a deep chuckle. "I hope you've got some Lugnicainan coins on you, these are some fresh appas after all, picked these this morning."

So, this nation is called Lugnica? Subaru thought. "Unfortunately, no. I just arrived here actually."

"Huh, no money you say?" The man's tone immediately shifted. "If you can't buy anything move along, you're messing with my business just if you are just loitering around!"

Offput by the man's tone shift, Subaru turned and left him to sell his off-brand apples to someone more financially inclined. Heading aimlessly for a bit, Subaru wandered around, for a while. He found himself entering lost in this alien world. He'd gone from street to street trying to find some goal or perhaps a way to gain some information. Though all he'd managed to do in his wandering from that point was wander into a restroom full of cat women where he'd been nearly clawed in the face by the ladies there, and into a bar that was apparently for "demi-humans only".

Defeated, he'd found an abandoned alleyway with a small flight of stairs and sat down to rest his aching legs. Well, it seems there's some form of speciesism going on here. Good to know that bigotry exists even in other realms. Subaru thought coldly as he stretched out his legs.

"Well, this sucks big time." Subaru grabbed his stomach as it growled in protest. "I've gone days without food before, but for some reason, I'm more ravished than I think I can ever remember. Maybe teleporting to a new world takes a lot out of you?"

"What are you babbling about?"

Looking up from his aching stomach Subaru saw three men a few meters from him blocking the entrance to the alleyway. They seemed an odd bunch, the one who'd questioned him was a short child-sized man with a bowl cut on the left end of the trio who was wearing an orange cloak that covered most of his body. In the middle was a thin man with light blue hair that had streaks of pink running through it. Though he was dressed in plain clothing, Subaru thought the collared chain around his neck was an odd accessory. At the left end of the group was the meat of this band, a large beefy man with a smashed face and wrapping around his braided hair.

Before Subaru could brush off the short thug, the middle one stepped forward aggressively, his posture signaling trouble. Subaru reacted immediately, standing to his feet, and smoothly drawing the combat knife from its sheath at his side.

"Just stay right there," Subaru said, his tone calm but edged with warning.

The middle thug sneered, baring his teeth before letting out a curt laugh. "I'll make this simple: if you don't want to get hurt, cough up everything you've got."

"I don't have much," Subaru replied coolly, tilting his head slightly. "Maybe that'll help you change your mind."

The smallest thug chuckled darkly, his eyes darting to Subaru's chest rig. "That thing's got a ton of pockets. Bet you've got all kinds of good stuff stashed in there." His grin widened, mean and predatory.

Subaru's gaze hardened. "If we do this, you're going to regret it. I'm ready to go right here, right now. Last chance to walk away."

The shortest thug hesitated, glancing at his companions uncertainly. But the middle one wasn't fazed. Instead, his grin widened as he reached behind his back and pulled out two long knives.

Without another word, he rushed in, his tongue darting out between his teeth in anticipation.

From the way the thug held his blades, Subaru could tell he was untrained. His movements were wild, reckless. But Subaru wasn't about to underestimate him. As the first knife came down, Subaru sidestepped, slapping the thug's wrist to throw the strike wide. The second swing followed immediately, but Subaru ducked low, sliding inside the thug's reach.

Before the thug could react, Subaru brought his knife up under the man's chin, pressing the blade firmly enough to draw a bead of blood.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Subaru said softly, his voice carrying a deadly edge.

The other two thugs froze mid-step, their bravado evaporating as they saw their companion immobilized. Subaru didn't look away from the middle thug, but his words were directed at the group.

"I'm guessing you're the brains here," Subaru said to the man he had pinned. "So, use your head. Drop those knives. Any sudden moves and I won't hesitate."

To emphasize his point, Subaru pressed the blade a fraction deeper, eliciting a panicked squeak from the thug.

It didn't take long for the clatter of blades hitting the ground to echo through the alley. Subaru let out a small breath of relief but kept his guard up.

Just as he was about to bark orders, the sound of hurried footsteps reverberated through the narrow alley. Subaru's instincts took over. With a swift motion, he shoved the thug hard against the wall, pinning him there as he turned to face the noise.

His tension gave way to confusion as a small blonde-haired girl came into view, bounding down the alley with a red scarf trailing behind her. Her carefree, almost playful movements were a stark contrast to the tense standoff.

Subaru blinked, his grip on the thug momentarily tightening as his mind tried to process the unexpected sight.

"Hey, out of my way!" the girl shouted.

Subaru's eyes widened in shock as she darted between the thugs, who parted like the Red Sea. In a blur of red and yellow, she leaped from one wall to the other, her movements fluid and impossibly quick, before landing gracefully on a nearby rooftop.

What the hell was that? Subaru thought, stunned. Her display of agility was unlike anything he'd ever seen—yet another impossible event to add to the growing list since his death.

"That was… interesting," Subaru muttered, his grip still firm on the thug in his grasp.

"J-Just let me go, man," the blue-haired thug stammered, his bravado now completely gone.

Subaru tilted his head slightly, feigning consideration. "Well, seeing as how you and your friends were planning to rob me…" He pulled his knife away from the man's throat and, in one swift motion, cut the coin purse dangling from the thug's side, snatching it from the air. "I think it's only fair you pay me for the trouble."

Without waiting for a reply, Subaru shoved the thug back toward his companions, his expression cold and unyielding.

"Now," Subaru said, his voice low but firm, "get out of here before you make another dumb decision."

"Y-Yes, sir!" the smallest thug squeaked, scrambling to help their leader to his feet. The trio didn't waste any time, retreating quickly into the bustling street beyond.

As they disappeared, Subaru let out a heavy sigh, the tension draining from his body. He crouched down, picking up the knives his assailant had dropped and looping them into his belt.

"This day is just going great," he said to himself, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Turning toward the exit of the alley, Subaru froze.

Standing there was a woman—her presence so striking it felt like the world itself had stilled around her. For a moment, Subaru forgot to breathe. A strange, inexplicable longing washed over him, as though some deep part of his soul recognized her.

Her silver hair cascaded down her back like flowing silk, shimmering faintly even in the dim light. Her violet eyes seemed to glow softly, like distant stars against a night sky. Her skin was flawless, smooth, and radiant, without a single blemish to mar its perfection. She wore a flowing white dress that trailed behind her, each movement impossibly graceful.

Subaru could do nothing but stare as she approached, her gaze focused and urgent.

"You there," she said, her voice calm but tinged with urgency. "Have you seen anyone suspicious come through here?"

"Suspicious?" Subaru repeated, snapping out of his daze. "Uh, yeah, there were these three guys who tried to rob me just now." He gestured vaguely toward the street. "And… there was a girl with a red scarf. She went bounding up onto the rooftops. She seemed like she was in an awful hurry."

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly at his words, her gaze flicking toward the rooftops. Subaru couldn't help but notice the determination etched into her expression, as though she were chasing something—or someone—of great importance.

"What did she look like?" the silver-haired beauty asked, her tone sharp and focused.

Subaru scratched the back of his head. "I was a little preoccupied with the guys trying to mug me, but I remember she looked young, had yellow hair, and was wearing a long red scarf."

"Did she have my insignia on her?"

"One of those badge things that show your affiliation, right?" Subaru asked, raising an eyebrow.

The girl nodded, holding her fingers a few inches apart to indicate the size. "It has a jewel in the center and is about this big."

Subaru shook his head. "I'm afraid I didn't see anything like that. Then again, I didn't exactly get a good look at her. Sorry."

The girl sighed softly; her disappointment evident. "Well, you've been helpful enough. Thank you." She turned curtly, her silver hair flowing behind her as she headed toward the main road. "I'm in a hurry, so I'm going now."

"Hey, wait up," Subaru called, stepping forward.

She stopped in the middle of the alleyway, turning back to him with a look of impatience. "Have you remembered something?"

"What? No." Subaru shook his head. "I was thinking that since I know what she looks like, I could help you find this girl."

The woman tilted her head slightly, considering his offer. "Hmm. I don't exactly have any way to repay you," she said after a moment, "and you do seem a bit… strange."

"I'm not asking for anything," Subaru said with a shrug. "I just think it's the right thing to do. You seem desperate to find this insignia, and I might be able to help."

She studied him for a long moment, her violet eyes narrowing slightly in thought. Before she could answer, a voice broke the silence.

"I don't sense any malice in him. I think you can accept his offer."

Subaru blinked in surprise as a small gray kitten materialized out of thin air, settling gracefully on the girl's shoulder. It was an oddly adorable sight: the feline had a sleek coat, a purple satchel strapped to its side, and a gold earring dangling from its left ear.

If Subaru hadn't already experienced enough impossibilities today, he might have been stunned. But instead, he simply watched as the cat stretched lazily, its tail curling as it spoke.

"After all," the feline continued in a pleasant, almost playful tone, "the more shields between you and the city's ruffians, the better."

"Fair enough," Subaru replied, his lips curving into a faint smile. He didn't mind the idea of protecting her from more thugs like the ones he'd dealt with earlier.

The girl sighed, a touch of reluctance in her expression. "Fine," she said at last, though her tone carried a warning. "But I meant it when I said I can't repay you."

"That's fine by me," Subaru said with a casual shrug.

"Good," she said, turning her attention back to the road ahead. "Try to keep up."