Chapter Text
Cale knew the world tree dagger cracked his soul the minute he stabbed himself, he could feel it. A cracked soul wasn't painless after all.
He was lied to by the tree and that damned God. Now he will leave this world too early. He wanted to see his children grow, Alberu become emperor, Lock grow as a person, Rosalyn gain her own mage tower, Choi Han continue to the best swordmaster, Basen taking over the dukedom, Lily becoming the knight she was destined to be.
But now he can't.
Cale didn't care about leaving his previous life, he had nothing. No family, no friends. But now, but now…he had family, children that he didn't want to lose.
His family didn't notice at first, he was good at hiding the pain as he didn't want to process the thought of losing everyone.
But over the next couple days, Cale grew weaker and weaker from the cracked soul. His family quickly noticed though and it was confirmed his soul was heavily cracked, the crack running deep within.
His family was devastated and angry. Mainly at the tree and GoD for lying to Cale.
Only after a couple of days, he's bedridden. Cale hates it. Despite this being his dream, he wanted it on his terms not like this.
But, Cale still tries to be there for his children. Raon had become extremely protective after witnessing his fairly rapid decline. Ohn and Hong too, Cale had witnessed them upping their own training.
Cale still eats with them, plays when he can, read to them, he even still lets them sleep in his bed. He still wants to be there for them….
It started as a normal day for him. He woke up, feeling way weaker than the last. It's been a pretty fast progression. Ohn helped him sit up and went to go get Ron for breakfast.
Cale hates that Ohn has to help him with basic things like sitting up. He should be the one taking care of her.
Once the food came he let his children's voices wash over him. He wasn't hungry, which was odd as just the day before he had at least a small appetite. Cale kept dozing though even though he just woke up.
So he didn't notice when Ron came in to collect the dishes and check on him, he didn't notice Ron's worried expression.
Cale just laid back. He blinked his heavy eyelids as he felt a cool, scaly body fit right next to him. It was Raon, looking up with his sapphire blue eyes. He let his hand rest softly on the small dragon's head.
He then couldn't keep his eyes open much longer. Strange, he had just woken up.
Once Cale fully closed his eyes, peaceful sleep greeted him.
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Cale opened his eyes a long later. He moved his hand by his side, expecting Raon like he did when he fell asleep.
But he felt nothing, just a blanket. The blanket felt different too.
He sat up fast and looked around. He recognized his surroundings, well recognized is a strong way to put it.
It was so clearly modern.
He paused and furrowed his brows. Cale looked at himself and his hands, they had a healthy flush to them. During his health decline he became paler and paler. But now he had a normal human flush.
Cale can also move . His tiredness is gone, his mind isn't dull. It's now back to its sharp glory.
He then lifts his shirt and blinks. He was muscular, not as much as he was when he was Kim Rok Soo but it was clearly there. He had a sleeper build, at least that's what he thinks it's called.
His hand then moved to his chest, over his heart. Cale's eyes widened a bit.
The injury from the world tree is a scar. Despite the world tree's words, the stab wound never healed. Crybaby wasn't able to fully heal it.
But now it is a fully healed scar.
Letting his shirt go so it fell back down. He looked around, it looked like a normal modern bedroom. Clear signs of being lived in, but only by one person.
There should be other things about, the children's piggy banks, the children's books, clothes, little knicknacks. But there was nothing.
Cale also hears nobody else, just his own breathing and the city outside.
…City?
Cale quickly got up from his bed and walked to his window. It was large. He pulled open the curtain. His eyes widen again.
He woke up in a dark city. It looked like one of the more rundown parts based on the surrounding buildings and street below. But from this bedroom, this looks like a very nice apartment.
As Cale thought he suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye. When he looked he saw two people on a rooftop close by. A tall man dressed in all black with…bat ears? Beside the man was…
A child dressed in bright colors, so bright that it clashed with the darkness of the city with a black mask that covered his eyes.. And the boy had very short shorts.
Just what world has he been transferred to???
Cale closed his curtains and walked back into his room. Looking around for any sort of answer. It had to be that damn god that pulled him here.
While looking around the room he spots an envelope on the nightstand. It was black with gold lettering. He could sense the familiar aura of death. He walks over, picking it up. He opens it smoothly and unfolded the paper inside. He started to read.
The handwriting was like chicken scratch and clearly written in a hurry. As Cale read, the more he learned about what happened and why he was here.
Apparently, he had finally passed due to his fractured soul. God of Death managed to grab his soul before he disappeared completely. Saying that he wanted to make up for lying, by shoving him in an echo. A very similar person in another universe.
To give Cale another chance of a life. As the redhead couldn't go back to Nameless 1, because since his soul was heavily injured there it would reject ever going back there.
Cale heavily sat on his bed, setting the letter and envelope next to him. He put his head in his hands. He won't be able to see his children ever again. Basen, Lily, Choi Han, that sunny crown prince.
None. He won't be able to see any of them again. And this damn God thinks putting him in a different world will get Cale in his good books? Fat chance.
But luckily this city seems to not allow much godly interference, so he won't be able to meddle much. Odd but not unwelcome.
Cale folded up the letter and stuck it in the drawer of his nightstand. He then spots a phone, he hasn't seen one of these in years since his time as Kim Rok Soo. He grabbed it, luckily there was no password. So he swiped it open.
Since the letter didn't include just what this world was and his own status in this world, he had to do it himself. He first started with the world, it would help him to know just what is normal here.
As he searched, he came to the conclusion that this was just some superhero comic world. With just Cale's luck he ended up in one of the more dangerous cities, Gotham. He could appreciate the vigilante helping out around with how corrupt the police are but…
Did a child really have to be involved? Based on appearances alone Batman's side kick couldn't be more that 8 or 9. Just what was that man thinking?
He couldn't get the image of Raon out of his mind. A bright, bubbly boy who just wanted to help. Cale tried his best to keep the worst of the war away, as the small dragon deserves to be a child.
Cale sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. Whatever. Let's just research himself. He clears his tab and starts.
….Why is he on a build board?