[Blood Loss Detected. Initiating Emergency Healing Sequence.]
The words, stark white against a backdrop of swirling darkness, seared themselves into Alex's consciousness. His head throbbed, a dull, persistent ache that echoed the phantom pain lancing through his body. He registered a sensation of being held, almost cradled, but his limbs felt alien, unresponsive. Blurry shapes swam into view, coalescing into the dull grey of a smoke-filled room, and a sliver of pale, pre-dawn sky visible through a grimy window.
Where... what's happening?
He struggled to piece together fragmented memories: the blaring horn of a semi-truck, the screech of tires on asphalt, the sickening crunch of metal... then oblivion. He'd been crossing the street, distracted by a notification on his phone about the new Elden Ring DLC... and then... nothing.
[Reincarnation Complete. Binding to New Host: Aric Stoneson.]
Reincarnation? Is this some kind of cruel joke?
His mind struggled to reconcile the impossible. Reincarnation was fantasy, a plot device in cheap novels and video games. It couldn't be real. Yet, the throbbing pain in his side, the chill seeping into his bones, the smell of woodsmoke and something vaguely...fishy...were all undeniably real.
He tried to speak, to scream, to demand answers, but only a weak, gurgling sound escaped his lips. He felt a strange disconnect, as if his mind was trapped in a body that wasn't his own. He was lying on something hard and lumpy, covered by a rough, woolen blanket that smelled faintly of sheep.
[Welcome, Host. Activating Dragon Evolution System.]
This time, the words were accompanied by a distinct chime, a clear, melodic tone that resonated deep within his skull. It was followed by the sudden appearance of a blue, semi-transparent interface that hovered in his field of vision. The words were crisp, clean, and eerily... organized.
[Dragon Evolution System]
Host: Aric Stoneson
Age: 5 (Viking Years)
Race: Human (Berkian)
Skills: None
Stat Points: 0
[Tasks]
• [Main Quest]: Survive the First Five Years of Life on Berk (0/5) - Reward: 100 Stat Points, Basic Dragon Taming Skill.
• [Daily Quest]: Consume 500 Calories (0/500) - Reward: 5 Stat Points.
"What... is this?" Alex thought, the question a silent scream in his mind. The information slammed into him, overwhelming his senses. Five years old? Viking Years? Berk? This... this is How to Train Your Dragon!
He knew the story. He'd seen the movies, read the books. Berk was a remote island in the Viking archipelago, constantly under attack by dragons. It was a harsh, unforgiving place, where survival was a daily struggle. And he was five years old in this world, with a system interface floating in front of his eyes.
He craned his neck, trying to get a better look at his surroundings. He was in a small, dimly lit room, no larger than a closet. The walls were constructed from rough-hewn logs, chinked with mud and moss. A small fire crackled weakly in a crude stone hearth, casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and stale ale.
An older woman with tired, weathered features sat beside him, her face etched with worry. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid, and her hands were calloused and rough. She was dressed in simple, homespun clothes, and her eyes held a weariness that spoke of a lifetime of hardship.
"He's awake!" she called out, her voice hoarse with relief. "Torvin! He's finally awake!"
The doorway darkened as a massive figure filled the frame. A man of immense size and power, his presence seemed to shrink the already cramped room. He was built like a mountain, with broad shoulders, thick arms, and a chest that looked like it could withstand a battering ram. His face was etched with deep lines, a testament to years of battling dragons and weathering the harsh Berkian climate. A thick, braided beard cascaded down his chest, interwoven with silver threads. His eyes, though, were a startling shade of blue, piercing and intelligent. He looked like a Viking straight out of legend.
"Aric," he said, his voice a deep, rumbling baritone that resonated in Alex's chest. "You've been out for days. A bear got to you near the forest."
A bear? Alex vaguely remembered a sharp, agonizing pain in his side, a searing heat that had blotted out all thought. He'd been wandering too far from the village, driven by a childish curiosity, ignoring his mother's warnings about the dangers of the forest.
He winced as the memories flooded back, bringing with them a fresh wave of pain. The bear's claws, sharp and unforgiving, tearing at his flesh. The smell of its musky breath, hot and suffocating. He had been lucky to survive.
He knew the timeline. He was on Berk, before Hiccup, years before the dragons were tamed. This means that it would be several years after he completes this quest until the actual story starts. And he was five years old and had five long, potentially painful, years until the system completed its quest. He didn't know what to expect after the quests were over.
Alex stared at the blue holographic stat screen, his mind racing. He had to survive. He had to learn to fight. He had to find a way to navigate this brutal world, armed with nothing but a basic knowledge of the future and a mysterious "Dragon Evolution System."
The system... it was like something ripped straight from the pages of a fantasy novel, a game mechanic thrust into the cold, hard reality of Viking life. But it was real. He could see it, feel it, interact with it. And if he wanted to survive, he needed to figure out how to use it.
He knew what Berk was like. Dragons were the enemy, a constant threat to their lives and livelihoods. Every Viking child was trained from a young age to fight and kill dragons. He had to get stronger. He had to learn to survive. And he had to figure out how to use this system to its fullest potential. Because if he didn't, he wouldn't last long in this brutal world.
[Daily Quest: Consume 500 Calories (0/500)]
A wave of weakness washed over him. He was starving. He hadn't eaten in days.
"Mom..." Alex croaked, his throat raw and dry. "Hungry."
His 'mother' -- he still struggled to think of her that way -- offered him a weak, weary smile. She reached for a dented metal bowl on a nearby shelf and ladled a portion of thick, grey porridge into it. The smell was bland and unappetizing, but Alex didn't care. He was too hungry to be picky.
He took the bowl with trembling hands and began to eat, shoveling the porridge into his mouth with desperate eagerness. As he ate, he kept one eye on the blue interface, watching as the numbers slowly ticked upward.
[Daily Quest: Consume 500 Calories (250/500)]
He still had a long way to go.
Torvin watched him eat, his expression unreadable. There was a quiet intensity in his gaze that made Alex uneasy. He knew nothing about this man, this 'father' he'd inherited. He only knew that he was a Viking, a warrior, and that he expected strength and obedience from his children.
The weight of his new reality settled upon him, heavy and suffocating. He was Aric Stoneson now, a five-year-old Viking boy on a dragon-infested island. He had a system, a strange and potentially powerful tool, but he also had five long, dangerous years to survive before he could even begin to understand its full potential.
This was going to be interesting. And terrifying.