The Lucky?

In a vast ethereal realm, there sat an expansive divine tree emitting a radiant golden glow. Covered in an ancient divine bark, its thick and sturdy trunk served as a pillar in this vast expanse. Its titanic branches stretched in all directions, filling the infinite space. Acting as the matrix of this void, a silvery, translucent substance flowed through the tree's gaps. A dark veil concealed faintly noticeable all-seeing eyes underneath a golden path positioned above everything.

As consciousness returned to his mind, Damian felt a throbbing ache threatening to tear through his skull. The world appeared as distorted shapes and muted colours, creating a blur. A faint and persistent ringing echoed in his ear.

With a puzzled expression, he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Blinking was a challenge as he tried to grasp his predicament.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed, his voice muffled, adding to his confusion. A wave of panic overtook him, leading to futile attempts at gasping for air and the frantic thrashing of his limbs. The splashing and rippling of water around him amplified his fear.

The desperate craving for air made his lungs burn, leaving him feeble. Despite that, he could sense his energy slowly recovering. With determination as his fuel, he worked to orient himself and ascend through the water. Ignoring the gentle tug on his left foot; he pressed on. Exerting a substantial amount of effort, he finally released his foot from what looked like a root and broke free from the water's lethal hold.

Inhaling deeply, he immediately succumbed to a coughing fit as water trickled down his face, merging with his drenched hair and soaked garments. Overwhelmed by extreme fatigue and weakness, his heart raced in his chest.

"I can't faint again," Damian weakly muttered as he collapsed on the damp ground at the pond's edge.

I'm still alive... Lucky me, he acknowledged, attempting to uplift himself. He felt lost. He didn't recall venturing into a forest today. Suddenly, a sharp headache struck him, interrupting his moment of respite.

"Give me a fucking break," he groaned, his teeth clenching tightly. Despite his efforts to relax, the headache grew more intense. As he tightly gripped his head, he felt like he was losing his mind.

In an effort to regain his composure, he urged himself to stop thinking and simply relax. Seeking solace, he sealed his eyes shut and focused on the forest's ambient noise. This helped him gradually escape his hyperactive state and regain his momentary reprieve.

Exhaling deeply, he sprawled on his back, limbs spread out. His right forearm partially plunged into the pond. Maintaining his steady breath, he looked up at the serene midday sky, further bringing peace to his troubled thoughts. He noticed a faint, large, and colourful cloud in the sky that drew his attention. Doubt filled his mind as memories resurfaced and his pounding ache regained momentum, causing him to question the cloud he saw.

… T-This isn't a cloud? He braised himself, resisting the inevitable wave of pain piercing his mind. 

It seems like trying to recall anything causes a headache… He weakly discerned as he winced in agony.

Feeling his head throb, he remembered what the colourful cloud was. 

The Anti-Nebula—This makes no sense. I don't remember such a thing back on Earth!

A wet strand of his red hair fell onto his cheek, interrupting his train of thought. As the throbbing increased, it furthered his bewildered state. 

"W-What!? Where am I!?" He questioned out loud, not seeking a response. Briefly ignoring his affliction, he rolled on his back and faced the pond.

The reflection on its surface showed him an alien, yet familiar, face.

"Huh? Who is… Is that me!?" Damian's eyes widened as he studied the view. 

Looking back at him was a stunning freckled redhead with soaked hair laced on his rosy, soft cheeks. His eyes, wide and grey, along with his furrowed brows, revealed a mix of genuine uncertainty and a painful grimace. In this puzzling moment, his facial features appeared all the more captivating with their softness and youthful beauty.

As the word "beautiful" echoed in Damian's mind, an unimaginable headache struck him, causing him to stumble back onto the ground. Clutching his head tightly, he sensed the fog clouding his mind dissipate, his eyes bloodshot and weary. In one last bid to save himself, he struggled to halt his thoughts, contorting in pain and muted screams.

As the pain faded, Damian opened his teary eyes cautiously. 

"Am I dead?" He questioned, but he knew it was impossible as the pain felt all too real. "Then... am I in another world?"

The logical part of his mind dismissed this notion as absurd. He clearly remembered peacefully dozing off in his mansion, lulled by the soothing sound of pouring rain… Then, it came back to him—a faint sound that he had picked up while drifting off. 

He plunged into his memories, striving to recollect.

So, I don't get a headache when recalling my past life?

Suddenly, everything became clear as he recollected a sound. Moo!

Yes, I remember this sound. I heard it as I was drifting off to sleep.

Feeling confused, he pondered the reason behind hearing a cow while he slept. But before he could delve further into his thoughts, he heard the cow's moo clearer.

Wait, it's getting closer!? Damian didn't have time to contemplate the reason behind reliving this moment as a loud crash followed by darkness engulfed him.

"What the hell!?" With a sudden shout, his eyes flew open as realisation dawned upon him. "... D-Did I just die from a freaking cow falling from the sky!?" Damian lay speechless, grappling with the absurdity of his demise.

"How unlucky can one be?" 

"Is this karma?" He questioned, his head persistently throbbing.

By sheer luck, he had pulled himself out of homelessness in his early twenties and enjoyed a luxurious decade following that. At present, he couldn't help but believe his unlikely death counterbalanced his accumulated good fortune. Overwhelmed by shame, he couldn't resist covering his face, pondering his lasting impression on others.

Breaking News: Bizarre End for Eccentric Young Millionaire as Cow Smashes Through Mansion roof.

He couldn't refrain from whimpering in anguish at this thought. Hopefully, they can cover up the news for me.

He was referring to his close acquaintances, adept at manipulating the media.

Subsequently, he redirected his attention back to the colourful cloud, also known as the Anti-Nebula. The sight stirred a contradictory impression of being both familiar and foreign to him.

"Based on some random YouTube tidbits I've, I'm pretty sure a nebula shouldn't be visible to the naked eye, let alone one so close to Earth," he pondered, but then brushed aside the thought. He could revisit it at an opportune time.

Adjusting his posture, he approached the pond once more to appraise his appearance. The image he saw was that of a young woman, exhausted and now smeared with mud.

"More like a guy, I guess," he lampooned, trying to lighten his mood. He was used to his surprising physical features, as he had technically lived his entire life with it.

Moira of Keiros, huh? That was what he went by in this world.

While scrutinising his appearance, an idea struck him as he broke into a grin. "With a face like this, charming the ladies will be a breeze."

His eyes then moved to his clothing. He wore a loose, rectangular brown garment that draped his body, fastened at his right shoulder. Over it was a large, outer brown rectangular garment acting as an extra layer of insulation. They were both drenched from the pond.

A Chiton and a Himation? He recalled their names. 

Next, he patted his sides, searching for something.

"Where are my pouches!?" he exclaimed frantically, searching through his garments. All his hard-earned money was held within them. He had to find them!

Pausing, his eyes fell back on the stillness of the now clear pond. He could faintly discern four pouches due to its shallow depth. He sighed in relief as he also spotted his walking stick and his headscarf leaning on a large tree in front of the pond.

Yeah, I remember now. He absentmindedly scratched his chin as he jogged his memories.

I was travelling through this forest when I discovered this pond in the middle of this clearing. Naturally, my instinct as an Aeternal, who adores baths, took over, and I eagerly prepared to clean myself. Only to fall into the pond and fucking drown.

Remembering the last bit, he couldn't help but facepalm. "Idiot, what was I thinking? Trying to travel solo through a forest."

He, an Aeternal citizen, lived in a small village within the southeast of the Aeterna Empire. Like most young men his age, he had a strong desire for adventure and wanted to explore the vast world, regardless of his elders' disapproval. Despite lacking adequate preparation, he still plunged into the "Outside World" equipped only with his money. Realising how foolish that was, he facepalmed once more.

How could I make the same mistake in both lives? Recklessly diving into the larger world on my own? Damian couldn't stop himself from letting out a sigh of disappointment.

Is this what it feels like to cringe at your past self? Though, the difference in this life was that I was incredibly unlucky.

He stood up shakily, as he shook his head, and then froze. 

Both of my lives? He couldn't help but contemplate his previous musings.

Am I Damian Cillian, the Lucky, or am I Moira of Keiros? Confusion etched his face as he questioned himself.

The memories that stick with me the most are from my time on Earth as Damian, while there's a lingering sense of oddness to this somewhat familiar world… He linked the cause of this sensation to his fragmented and recovering memories of his current life.

Suddenly, a dreadful thought crossed his mind, one he couldn't ignore. Could I be some kind of body thief who possessed a corpse?

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he analysed this question.

No, calm down. He quickly dismissed this possibility.

It's not something I did... Besides, I don't think I died here at all!

As he reflected on his near-drowning incident, he recalled his desperate but futile attempts at freeing himself. 

Looking down, he noticed a bruise on his left ankle. He assumed a plant root had most likely wrapped around it. It had felt like a thick cord had tightly wrapped around his ankle.

This!

Startled, he abruptly stopped himself from surveying the area with suspicion.

The pond didn't have enough depth for me to realistically drown unless someone actively prevented me from escaping. With a hiss, he warily glanced back at the pond.

Was it inside, or… He interrupted his train of thought, feigning ignorance as he reached for his cane and headscarf.

He carefully used his cane to recover his pouches from the pond, ensuring no spills. As he collected his five soaked pouches and assessed their weight, a smile formed on his lips. A common thread in his two lives was his passion for money.

He chuckled to himself as he spoke affectionately to his pouches, "Don't worry, darlings, Daddy won't leave you ever again." He caressed them and shoved them securely in his soaked pockets.

Looking up at the midday sun, he smiled and gracefully moved his feet, while raising his arms as if to embrace its radiant light. 

He then solemnly declared, "Laudate Solem!" 

"Huh?"

As he snapped out of his revering state, he recalled something. Similar to most residents of the Aeterna Empire, he revered the sun as the embodiment of the Sol Invictus Imperator.

I guess old habits die hard. Also, religion is prominent in this world… He thought, moving away from the pond, as he tried retracing his steps.

From what I remember, the village is about a two-day journey north from here… I'm not stupid enough to keep travelling alone.

He acknowledged that his past actions were incredibly foolish, especially considering his extensive experience navigating dense rainforests on Earth with professional guidance. 

"Man, there's a limit to stupidity. I should've just asked the elders for a custom map…" 

"Well, I suppose doing so would've hindered my escape." He muttered as he made his way out of the clearing; his eyes squinting for a second.

Come on, I know you're there... Going to keep peeping forever? He taunted the lurker with his thoughts.

Another trait seemed to have accompanied him, or rather always coexisted with him in this world—his Sixth sense.

Regardless of obstacles and to an extent distance, he possessed an uncanny ability to sense prolonged observation. This perception extended beyond living sapient beings, to include cameras and other observation tools.

Since regaining composure, he'd been under the weight of an intense gaze. The gazer, initially shocked, then confused, now displayed a clear sense of curiosity.

Trusting his unique intuition, he had performed accordingly to mislead the onlooker.

Was this the reason I almost drowned? Perhaps it's wondering how I survived? He racked his brain for answers.

Why didn't I feel it before when I was attempting to bathe in the pond? 

He remembered always having his sixth sense, even in this current life. However, for some unknown reason, he hadn't realised it had vanished shortly before almost drowning.

Sensing an incoming headache, he stopped overthinking. 

Okay, let's test your patience.