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  WIEDERGEBURT: Legend of the Reincarnated Warrior

  Volume 6

  Brandon Varnell

  Illustrated by

  Mykel Ferguson

  Edited by

  Crystal Holdefer

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  WIEDERGEBURT: Legend of the Reincarnated Warrior, Vol. 6

  Copyright © 2021 Brandon Varnell & Kitsune Incorporated

  Illustration Copyright © 2021 Mykel Furgeson

  All rights reserved.

  Brandon Varnell and Kitsune Incorporated supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce creative works that enrich our culture.

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  Website : www.varnell-brandon.com

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  ISBN: 978-1-951904-19-7 (paperback)

  978-1-951904-20-3 (ebook)

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  Dedication

  This page is made in dedication to my amazing patrons. Without them, my characters would never get lewded by so many wonderful artists:

  Aaron Harris, Abraham Madsen, Adam, Alarinnise, Armando Pastrana, Arron Cortrighr, Benjamin Morgan, Brendan Smiley, Bruce Johnson, Bryce McClay, C.L. Holgrahm, Casey G. May, Catcrazy9, Chace Corso, Christopher Gross, Cody Woodard, CosmicOrange, Daniel Glasson, David Bell, Dhivael, Dirheim, Dmc1234, Edward Grindle, Edward Lamar Stephenson, Edward P Warmouth, Emery Moore, Feitochan, Forrest Hansen, Forrest Hansen, Grant, Green and Magenta Beast, Ine Airlcana, IronKing, Jacob Floores, Jacob Wojno, Jeremy Schultz, John Torres, John Patton, Johnathon Jay, Joseph Thibodeau, Larc85, Lucid Fayt, Mark Frabotta, Masta Matna, Matthew Wallace, Max A Kramer, Michael Erwin, Michael Moneymaker, NA, Nathan S, Nathrielos, Phillip Hedgepeth, Rafael, Raymond T, Red Phoenix, Reent Dopychai, Repooc Ilahsram, Richard Garrett, Rob Mcdagg, Rooser45, Roy Cales, Samuel Donaldson, Sean Gray, Seismic Wolf, Sho_36, Smudi Corp, Starwarscout Jon, T, Thomas Jackson, Thomas Lindsay, Tim Nielson, ToraLinkley, Travis Cox, William Crew, xy172, Yuriy Snyadanko, Zach Miller, Zak Whitaker, Zenn Barger

  Contents

  1. The First Journey

  2. Water Nymph Lake

  3. Return Home

  4. Blood Replenishing Pill

  5. Battlements

  6. A Meeting With the Empress

  7. Alchemical Interactions

  8. An Empress’ Life

  9. Learning With Lin

  10. Catalyna Kriger’s Quest

  11. Preparing for Another Journey

  12. Jealousy Burns Bright

  Thank you for reading!

  Afterword

  Sneak Peak

  Manga Page 1

  Manga Page 2

  Manga Page 3

  Manga Page 4

  Manga Page 5

  Hey, did you know?

  Brandon’s LNs

  American Kitsune

  WIEDERGEBURT 2

  A Most Unlikely Hero

  Arcadia’s Knight

  Journey of a Betrayed Hero

  Rift

  Executioner

  Follow me!

  Chapter 1

  The First Journey

  We had been traveling for what I estimated to be two days, though I only assumed two days had passed because we slept twice during our journey. The sky remained a blood red. There was still only one moon. It didn’t change, no matter the time.

  The small men who reached no higher than my waist led us up a mountain. There was no set path. Sometimes we would walk on ground with a slow elevation, while others we would have to climb sheer cliffs. Those moments were hard for Kari, Erica, and Tungsten, who all wielded massive weapons. I had it relatively easy compared to them.

  At that moment, our group was walking along a natural path. We were traveling in the center of the formation—all except Kari, who was speaking to the small man with red hair and a long beard.

  “So this world is called Niðavellir?” she asked. “And your people are known as the Dweorg?”

  “Aye, this realm is known as Niðavellir,” the redhead, who called himself Samraek, said with a nod.

  “And Sekbeists are your natural enemies?”

  “Not quite.” Samraek shook his head. “The Sekbeist are creatures that don’t belong in this realm—or any realm. They invaded our realm thousands of years ago and began a war ter conquer our lands and people. I’m sure ye’ve noticed how desolate this land is. It’s like this because of them. Not even we know where they come from.”

  “Oh…” Kari paused as she considered this information. “It sounds like these Sekbeist are otherworld conquerors who travel between worlds to fight.”

  “That is the conclusion we have reached as well,” Samraek said.

  “You mentioned something about this being a realm. What is that?”

  “I’m sure ye understand te basics. This realm is a world separated from yer own. We call ‘em realms because ye need to traverse space te reach ‘em… though most of te knowledge on realms has been lost ter the passage o’ time. If ye want ter know more, ye should talk to Immig or our king.”

  “So I see.”

  Kari seemed to enjoy learning what she could about this world, this realm, so I didn’t stop her from talking to Samraek and the other Dweorgs. Erica and Tungsten didn’t seem as enthused. Well, Tungsten was always stoic, so that was par for the course, but I was surprised by how reluctant Erica was to engage in conversation with these Dweorgs, considering how useful their knowledge could prove to be.

  It took a long time, but after traveling until we were nearly halfway between the peak and the base of the mountain, we came upon a large door. Kari and I stared in surprise. The door was massive, easily several times larger than me, and it had runes etched into it, an array so complex I couldn’t begin to understand it. While Erica and Tungsten also seemed impressed by what they were seeing, the two of us were shocked, because this was the same kind of door that led into the ruins located on the mountainous region between the Northern Plains and the Rotfang Forest.

  Samraek raised his axe and several runes lit up when he did. I felt a surge of Spiritual Power. It had an earthen feel, though it was also quite hot, causing sweat to break out on my skin. The runes etched into the door synchronized with the ones on his axe and glowed a bright blue; then the door split down the middle and opened.

  “This be our home,” Samraek said to us. “The last bastion of our people… Jordiskger.”

  Along with the other Dweorgs, Samraek led us through the door, which opened into an entrance hall that was even more massive than the one Kari and I journeyed through with the Explorers Guild all those months ago. Massive columns that reached unimaginable heights jutted from the ground. I followed one of those columns with my eyes all the way to the ceiling high overhead, which I could barely see.

  Unlike the entrance hall we’d seen back in our world, this one was filled with people. They were all Dweorgs. The stout men littered many areas of this hall. It look
ed like many of them had formed groups and were holding conversations, though most of them stopped when they caught sight of us.

  “It seems we’re quite the rarity here,” I murmured.

  Samraek grunted. “What’d ye expect? No human has ever set foot in Niðavellir before—‘cept the Great Overlord o’ ter First Realm—but that be a long time ago, before I was even a glimmer in me great great great grandad’s eyes. And yet now we have four of ye. Anyway, follow me. I’ll lead ye ter our king. He’ll want ter meet ye fer sure, and he can answer yer questions better than I can.”

  The other Dweorgs split off from us, seemingly more than happy to leave us to Samraek. He began walking without hesitation. We had no choice but to move quickly to catch up.

  We were fortunate his legs were so short.

  At the far end of the massive entrance hall was another large door, which a pair of guards opened for Samraek. On the other side of the door was something I could scarcely comprehend. Walkways that looked as if they’d been carved out of the surrounding rock meandered across the interior. This myriad of walkways led to what looked like numerous forges. Dweorgs worked away in several of these areas, melting ingots and hammering molten metals against anvils. However, perhaps even more shocking than the walkways, staircases, and forges, was the lava flowing everywhere. Numerous waterfalls of lava flowed into a gigantic lake at the bottom of the mountain.

  I wasn’t the only one who was shocked. Kari, Erica, and Tungsten all looked at their newfound surroundings in complete astonishment. Their eyes had grown wide, mouths hanging open. I bet even in their wildest dreams, they never expected to see an underground city built on a lake of lava.

  On that note, it was sweltering hot. Sweat had already broken out on my skin. I had no idea how these people could stand to remain in such heat.

  “Don’t just stand there,” Samraek grunted at us. “Let’s go.”

  We were led across one of the walkways, which took us to a set of stairs that went down. As we descended, a sweltering heat made more sweat break out on my skin. My three companions weren’t much better. Erica and Tungsten looked particularly miserable in their steel armor. The stairs soon tapered off into a walkway with stone tiles and a railing. By this point, we were only a few dozen or so meters above the lava lake.

  At the end of this walkway was a large entrance that led into a hallway, intricately decorated with gold and numerous runes. It was a surprising work of beauty. However, Samraek paid it no mind as he walked through the entrance and into the hall. Left with no other choice, we dutifully followed him.

  “This place is pretty amazing,” Kari said as she walked beside me. Her eyes were shining like a child’s during their coming of age birthday. “I never imagined we’d get to see something so incredible.”

  “Me neither,” I admitted. “I wonder… do you think those ruins we visited in our world looked like this at one point?”

  “Maybe.” Kari looked at the smooth walls on either side, then at the flat ceiling overhead. “The architecture here is definitely similar to those ruins. I imagine they were also built by the Dweorgs.”

  I nodded, having reached a similar conclusion.

  As we reached the end of the hall, where another door guarded by a pair of Dweorgs stood, Samraek stopped before the door and announced himself. “Samraek, Son of Sakreon, ‘as returned home from ‘is expedition and brings otherworld visitors! I would seek an audience with King Hreidmar!”

  The two guards at the gate were, like the others, stout members of the Dweorg race. Their gleaming armor looked like silver, but there seemed to be something more mystical about it that made me feel like it was made from something else. Each of them was wielding a massive poleaxe, which they tapped against the ground once.

  “Ye have been granted permission te enter,” they announced at the same time.

  The doors opened without any outside assistance, making me wonder how such a thing was possible, but I heard strange cranking noises and assumed they were using some sort of pulley system. The ruins back in my world had used similar contraptions.

  On the other side of the door was something that I could only assume was a throne room. The floor was made of polished marble, the columns on either side of us were intricate and beautiful, and on the far side was a set of stairs leading to a grand chair. Samraek traveled unhesitatingly to the end of the hall. We followed.

  As we got closer, I finally realized that someone was sitting on the throne. Like the others, he was a stout man, a Dweorg with flaming red hair and a beard. He wore clothing far more extravagant than anything else I’d seen as yet. His golden armor gleamed brightly. A battleaxe of the same golden color leaned against his chair. He stared at us with unfathomable eyes that seemed to radiate power and wisdom in equal measure.

  “Samraek,” the man—Hreidmar, I assumed—said in an aged but powerful voice. “It seems ye have returned with interesting company.” He looked at us, paused at me to frown, and then moved on. I frowned as he spoke again. “It has been a long time since I last saw a human. I’m surprised yer kind was able to arrive at Niðavellir. The nine realms were supposed te have been sealed off from each other by te Great Overlord o’ te Second Realm—my master. Tell me, how did ye four manage to arrive here?”

  Since Kari seemed the most comfortable with talking, we let her explain what happened in our own world, about how the Sekbeists had invaded one of our cities, how we fought to clear them out, and how we’d been struck by darkness when the Warp Gate destabilized. Hreidmar listened to her story with a frown, his eyes flickering to me every so often. When she finished, he released a deep, rumbling noise that somehow sounded thoughtful.

  “It is not possible fer humans to pass through realms even with te aid of a Warp Gate,” he announced, his eyes on me. “Unless, of course, one of ye is not human.”

  At those words, Kari, Erica, and Tungsten glanced at me as well. All of them seemed surprised. Even Kari was looking at me with shock.

  I stared at Hreidmar. “Are you saying I’m not human? And if I am not human, then what am I?”

  “If ye do not know yerself, then I’m not sure how ye would expect me to know.” Hreidmar stroked his beard as he looked at me. “My kind are not knowledgeable in te ways of Spiritualism. We are crafters and warriors. Te only thing I can say is that yer hair color is definitely not one a human can possess.”

  I reached up and grabbed a lock of my green hair, which I did recognize was an unusual color. No one else I’d met had this color of hair. Among the many people Kari and I made contact with, the only colors we’d seen were black, brown, blond, red, and the varying shades corresponding with those colors. Green was not a natural hair color, as far as I could tell.

  “Do you know of a way for us to return to our worl—our realm?” asked Tungsten.

  “There is a way,” Hreidmar admitted. Tungsten and Erica both smiled, but his next words put a damper on their enthusiasm. “But at present, it is impossible.”

  “Why is that?” asked Erica with a frown.

  Hreidmar released a large gust of wind from his mouth. “Because the only gate capable of traversing dimensions is located in Hovebrann—our capital, which has been taken from us by the Sekbeists, and we are incapable of creating another one. That gate was made by my master. Sadly, Barikfrek was slain several hundred years ago when the Sekbeist invaded Hovebrann.” His face darkened. “My master was weakened after sealin’ te nine realms from each other. They took advantage of my master’s weakened state. Bloody bastards.”

  “So the only way to get home is to reach this gate in your capital city,” Tungsten said. “However, the city is currently overrun by Sekbeists.”

  “That is correct,” Hreidmar said.

  “Damn,” Tungsten muttered.

  “Can you tell us more about the Sekbeists?” I asked.

  “We do not know much about them ourselves,” Hreidmar admitted. “All we know is that many thousands of years ago, they appeared on Miðgarðr—te re
alm of the human—and from there invaded the other eight realms, instigating a great war that embroiled all Nine Great Races. Legends tell us that te Sekbeist leader was sealed away by te leaders of eight of the Nine Great Races. Te eight who sealed the Sekbeists were known as the Great Overlords. My master was te one responsible for creatin’ te seal—te Great Overlord o’ te Second Realm.”

  “The Great Overlords?” Kari suddenly perked up. “So these Great Overlords sealed away the Sekbeist leader. Then I’m guessing those ruins on our world were made by the Great Overlords?”

  “Ruins?” Hreidmar tilted his head as though she’d said something funny, but then his expression cleared. “Ah, if ye be talking about te ruins on Miðgarðr, then those are likely temples created by us Dweorg. Ye see, the Great Overlords realized we were outnumbered by te Sekbeist. Te fix their numbers advantage, my master sealed te realms off from each other, cutting off te Sekbeist’s supply chain and making it impossible te communicate with each other. Course, it also cut off our own supply chain and communication. We needed a way te travel from realm te realm.”

  “And that’s why you created the Warp Gates and those temples?” asked Kari.

  “Yes.”

  So much information was being delivered to us that I was having trouble following it all. The Sekbeist, the Great Overlords, the ruins in our realm, this realm, and me not being human. I felt like my mind was being crammed full of knowledge. It was causing my head to spin.