There is a peculiar shore in this world. This shore is circular in shape, forming a ring-like geographic formation. If looked from above, there is a dense layer of crimson fog obstructing the structure of the land.
This shore resembled an old worn ring with varied ridges.
At the center of this ring-like shore, is a vast lake. No one know what is hidden within this lake because there is an even deeper layer of fog obstructing one's view.
Somewhere within that layer of fog, is a projection of a giant tree which give off golden light. This golden light diffuse into the crimson fog, producing a reddish twilight color.
Meanwhile, this peculiar shaped shore was given the name "Crimson Shore" due to the existence of the crimson fog.
The Crimson Shore was split into four different luminant, east and west, north and south.
In the eastern luminant, there is a small clan with the surname Yin settled in the mountain. Strangely, the fog seemed to retreated as it surround the mountain in a circular manner, not treading an inch inside.
"Where am I…"
He murmured softly, there was an intense headache that struck his head, and for a moment, he failed to grab a hold of his balance and fell flat on his bottom.
"Did that brain dead young master fall again?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, he might hear you!"
The servant who saw Yin San fell let out a series of mockeries in low voices. Their pronunciation were strange and twisted. It was a language that was foreign.
His body didn't need to listen to know that this foreign language was londric, the common language of the crimson shore.
He was like a deaf man as he raised his head toward the sky, taking in the deepest shade of black. Due to the radiance of a yellow hue, he could see a storm of clouds covering the nonexistent stars.
The smell of moist wood as well as scent of moonlit grass linger in the air.
I'm back, again.
His eye lashes flutter as he blinked. He had returned by death.
Instinctively, he raised his hand to rubbed his eyes. For some reason, his hand can't help but moved with great cautions, as though his eyes were fragile as glass.
I have been blind for so long... He sighed, there was a rising excitement pounding his heart.
Then, an invisible change occured. His eyes was as though it had swallow the deep shade of the sky, forming that same darkness.
For a moment, his eyes became no different from the black sky as he stood up to pat the dust off his clothes.
He touched the side of his head to quell the raging headache that drowned his hearing then looked at one of the servant.
The servant were startled as Yin San's gaze drown him, it was like being stared at by an abyss, quickly, he scurried away in fear with an excuse.
"A-Ah, I remember the second young master called for me!"
After that servant disappeared from Yin San's line of sight, he recovered his breath and murmured," What was that gaze? I must be imagining it!"
Yin San remained silent, not paying the servants any attention and returned to his courtyard.
Along the way, the last scene of his past life resurfaced.
The golden tree, high spires, abandoned cities, as well as crimson castle appeared in his mind. These knowledge surges forth, forming tidal wave in his mind as an uncontrollable urge slowly emerge.
As they appear in his mind, he suddenly quell his rising thought, burying them deep in his heart without any signs of emergence.
Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
That was close! I almost died on the spot after my revival! A wave of cold sweat lingered on his back as he entered his own room.
He was once a powerful figure, but now, he is reduced down to an ordinary person. This reminded him of his first transmigration.
Back then, didn't I commit suicide after realizing the nature of this world? Thinking about that bleak life, he shook his head.
As he lay down on his head, a wave of caution crash his mind.
Until I recover my powers, these knowledge from my second cycle is no different from poison!
He stared outside the window, feeling the familiar warmth of the golden hue. Seeing this familiar light, he sighed.
As he stare toward the sky, there was a shocking sight.
There is only emptiness, neither sun or moon were above the black ceiling. The sea of crimson fog mixed with golden light produced a color that words cannot describe.
He kept looking around, savoring the sense of sight that he once lost for a short moment of time before calming his thought.
Is it during the coming of age rites? He wondered as he tried to recall the current period of time.
If he remembered correctly, the coming of age rites should be around the corner. This third cycle of revival seemed to be the same time and place as his second cycle revival.
Upon remembering the coming of age rites, his face darkened for a moment. There was a rising sense of urgency growing in his mind.
This coming of age rites were not unique to the Yin Clan. Various powers of the Crimson Shore would hold this rites. This was meant for the young members of the clan to undergo a trial and have a chance to walk the path of the extraordinary.
Dustborn… Was he not a powerful dustborn in his past life? In the end, even he failed on the path of extraordinary.
If he wanted to walk the path of extraordinary, he needed to participate in the coming of age rites. This is the commonly accepted thought.
On that thought, the scene of the final dreams during his advancement ritual linger in his mind.
I thought that by using those creatures as an anchor in the dream, and undergo my ritual under those condition, I would be able to remained lucid within the dream trial and have time to complete it… Upon thinking about the scenes in the dream, he shivered. It was like a cold wave of wind blew against his face.
It's not enough, what else did I missed? There was a lingering regret in his heart. Not because he failed, but because in the end, he couldn't find a clue regarding earth even after hundreds of years of research.
Wasn't his goal of walking on the path of extraordinary is to one day find a way home?
In his first life, he obtained an opportunity, but after realizing he couldn't find a way home, he committed suicide, this was his first madness.
In his second life, he didn't gave up and obtain that opportunity again, then walked on the path of extraordinary, in the end, he almost reached the pinnacle. Only to fail during the most crucial moment.
In this third life, I need to be more careful, there are many hidden figures and entities in the Crimson Shore… He murmured under his breath.
For example, the golden hair man that appeared near his advancement ritual. In his long life, he never seen or heard of that entity.
Fortunately, he didn't show any hostile intent… If he wanted, perhaps even Madam Arianna would find it difficult to stop him. He didn't have any lingering thought regarding the golden hair man and distracted himself to focus on the present.
Forget about the failed advancement ritual or the mysterious golden haired man from the past, the most pressing matter to him right now is the present!
His current predicament is perilous, and after the coming of age rites, it would only get worse.
At this moment, Yin San laid on the bed. The thought of his current situation rise as the concern of his past life were tucked in the back of his mind.
I must obtain that opportunity again!
The weather outside seemed to pick up his thought as the clouds gather. Not long after, countless droplet of rain started to pour against the wooden window. Even the golden hue in the distant starts to dim as the light get diffuse within the droplets.
Gradually, he calm his body. His ears twitches as the sound of rain hit the floor. The wet scent of the earth combined with the wood in his room quell his heart.
His consciousness descend into darkness. It felt like his body was free falling into a vast empty space. Before long, he greeted a white spark of light.
This light seemed to notice his existence and turned toward him.
His mind manage to retain a moment of lucidity as he willed his subconsciousness to chant the a phrase. Its pronounciation bear some semblance to the Londric the servant uses, but if listened closely, there are subtle differences.
"Lord above the white land."
After the initial chants, there was no changes. But he continued in a low voice.
"Lord of change and chaos."
"Lord of the Dreaming above spacetime…"
Suddenly, the white spark grew in size, as though someone grabbed it and started stretching it to cover Yin San's subconscious body.
When the spark cover his body, he couldn't see beyond the white light.
Gradually, an unknown amount of time passes, his vision recovered and the white land became dotted.
"Sand…" With a closer look, these dots were granular white sand. There was a sea of white sand, he finds himself standing on top of a sand dune.
From afar, he was like a black stain of ink splashed on the white canvas, except this canvas was rough and grainy, while he was transparent and smooth!