The Tale of Two Reincarnations

Chapter 1

(Somewhere in New York)

I wasn't really looking forward to go to school. It has been like this forever. I just wanted to quit school but my parents weren't having any of it. Its just too much for me. I couldn't bear it anymore. As these thoughts continued to float in my mind, I saw a woman who's about to cross the road while the signal was green. She wasn't really looking because her eyes were glued to her phone screen. Around the same time, like a clichéd scene straight out of an anime, a truck came speeding on the road. It might be that all my pent-up feelings suddenly got burst opened, but the prospect of dying heroically rather than a coward, seemed intriguing. Uncharacteristically, I pushed her out of the way and got hit by the truck. The impact sent me flying. My head hit the pavement and blood began to flow from my head. My vision got blurred and the last thing I saw was someone in monk robes standing at a distance, seemingly smiling at my fate.

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(Elsewhere, as in another world)

I was riding my horse along with my hunting party. Today seemed like a good day for a hunt.

"My Prince, please don't go speeding off leaving us behind."

"Worry not, my friend. Nothing bad ever happens to me."

"That might be true for the moment, Your Highness, but you'll never know what the future holds."

As I further speed up, his voice was fading. Of course, none of my companions could ever hope to reach me, for I'm the best horseback rider in the kingdom. Save for my father, maybe. I soon reached the shores of a raging river. A deer was drinking water alone. Not one to miss the opportunity, I aimed my arrow at the deer. It seemed a wild hunter also had the same idea, as a panther jumped from the tree above, startling my horse. It started to run towards the river, the deer has long since vanished. The horse suddenly stopped to switch directions in order not to fall in to the river. I was flung of the horse and in to the river. The raging current made swimming futile and, in the distance, I could see my companions on the shore. They were trying to find something for me to hold on to. My consciousness was fading slowly when the river broadened, slowing the current a little. But I was too tired to swim. Before getting unconscious, a monk was smiling on the river bank, and everything went dark.

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(On the river banks of the other world)

I slowly came back into consciousness. My eyes were slowly adjusting to the light. I woke up on sand. Strange. As I looked around, I saw faces that I have never seen in my life. Instead of being waking up in a hospital, I woke up in the middle of a forest. I was dressed in strange clothes. I looked around and asked,

"Who are you guys?"

"Are you asking who we are, Your Highness?"

"Your Highness?"

"It seems you are confused after your strife in the river."

"The river?"

I was confused. I remember clearly getting hit by a truck. But I had no injuries, and also woke up in a strange place. Everything seemed rather bizarre.

"Umm... who am I?"

The people around me seemed shocked, but one of them answered me sincerely.

"You're Prince Eldritch Olso Broxham of the Broxham Kingdom, first in line for the throne."

Now I'm completely flabbergasted. This is a scene straight out of an isekai anime. At least, that's what I think this is. Am I about to receive cool new super powers? Is this my chance to finally shine? Pushing those thoughts aside, I began to speak to them.

"Oh, now I remember. Sorry, I was a bit dazed from almost being drowned. Thanks for saving my life."

The others gave each other weird looks before speaking to me.

"No need to thank us, Your Highness, it was our duty after all. But I think that's enough hunting for now. Let us head back to the palace."

I nodded and got up. Everyone else mounted their horses. One of them looked at me and said, rather timidly.

"Get on my horse, Your Highness, yours seemed to have run off into the forest."

I nodded and climbed on his horse. And thank God for that as I have no idea how to ride a horse. The one who asked me to climb on to his horse seemed surprised but said nothing. We rode out of the forest. Just as we were about to exit the forest. I heard static in my head. Then a strange voice asked,

"Establish link? Yes? No?"

I mentally replied yes, then I said,

'Hello'

"Who is that?"

A strange voice asked me. Then I heard what seemed like my mother's voice say,

"Clam down Ben. No one said anything."

"Enough with this nonsense, my name is not Ben. I am Prince Eldritch Olso Broxham of the Broxham Kingdom, first in line for the throne. Release me at once."

I heard my own voice shouting at my mom. I mentally face palmed.

'Oi you, listen to me.'

"Stop giving me orders, you sorcerer. This was your doing, was it not?"

'Stop saying things out loud and listen to what I have to say if you want to get out of this situation.'

This seems to have calmed him down, and he finally began to speak mentally.

'What is it that you want to say, you sorcerer?'

'First of all, I'm no sorcerer. I am the Ben they keep...'

"What kind of sorcery is this? Come back right now, you ..."

'Calm down moron. Let me finish. It seems we have switched minds with each other.'

Seemingly calm, he replied.

'How so?'

'I don't know. It seems that we both faced near death at the same time and that somehow that triggered our switch. What was the last thing you saw?'

'A monk'

This surprised me, for he was the last thing I saw too. But before I could reply, a static noise broke contact and the voice stopped coming. By this time, we were near the city walls.

The guards opened the gate to let us pass and bowed when I passed thorough. This seemed surreal to me, as I never hoped to even have a decent life, let alone this. We soon reached the palace.

It was an extravagant building, no doubt about it. My companions led me to a grand room and then one of them said,

"Change your clothes, Your Highness. You have to get out of your wet clothes, should you catch any sickness. We will meet you after you're done."

I got into "my" room and took a change of clothes. As I got out, I forgot that I don't know where the bath is. I asked a random person who was first shocked at my state but pointed me towards it, confused. I made my way to the bath and began to evaluate my situation.

I've seemingly switched minds from a prince from either the past, or in another world. The latter seemed more likely as I've never heard any Broxham Kingdom in any of the history books. I then went on to enjoy the bath, looking for to the new life ahead of me, as my old own wasn't any good. The random telepathic link with him would be a problem, but I couldn't care if I never switched backed.

At that time, I never knew how much I would regret those words. My name is Benjamin Tammer, and this is the story of how I got my mind switched with a prince from another world.