"Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen." Ikaris, a genius student admired, exploited, and hated all his life for his brilliance, suddenly finds himself transmigrated into The Forsaken Lands, a fantasy world of myriad species born with the ability to use magic with imagination as their only limit. Alas, this gift carries a curse. The more you use it, the closer you are to death. After thousands of years of decline, the Free Races are fast approaching their demise, their survival threatened by this curse and an enemy that will not rest until it has devoured them all. Literally. Former allies and enemies, prey and predators are now cornered behind a huge wall, forced to collaborate to resist their invader. But can so much resentment and hatred be washed away so easily? Can predators and prey really overcome their instincts in the face of a common foe? Follow him on his journey from an ordinary human to a shining existence that will overturn the order established since the dawn of time. From an innocent soul to a merciless demon. From a human to something else. ----- Discord link: https://discord.gg/d8udP7Q
His first reflex after waking up was to jump up and stretch. Ikaris wanted to sit up normally, but by gently pushing the mattress with his fingertips his body lifted off 20 centimeters. He was so surprised that he toppled forward, but instinctively he restored his balance with a front somersault.
'Weird.'
He then inhaled sharply to oxygenate his brain and hundreds of different smells flooded his olfactory nerves. The scent of wood, pheromones, his own sweat were magnified, but most of all he smelled a nauseating stench coming from a sticky substance coating his body.
'What the hell happened to me?' He paused in puzzlement. It wasn't like this the last times.
Soundlessly, he headed to the bathroom and filled the large wooden tub with cold water and jumped in. He scrubbed himself energetically with soap to remove the grime, but the smell still stung his nose and eyes. Within minutes, the clear water became cloudy and he had no choice but to give up.