The world exploded into a burning agony in the pitch-black darkness that surrounded me.


    ‘H-help,’ a pained voice inside my head said.


    Blood?


    Burn scars? I thought.


    It’s over…right? Right? I shuddered and shook the painful thoughts of the void away.


    My hands... these aren’t mine.


    A mirror. There’s gotta be one near here, right? Something I can use to see. I felt my palms sweat. My mind raced.


    What the hell?


    Green hair? Who am I? What in the anime is this? I thought, hearing my voice echo in my head. I could feel my pulse quicken. Blood pumped in my ears loudly with each heartbeat.


    I’m…in someone else’s body? I gently tapped my face, tilting to examine each new angle.


    Ground yourself, Erik, deep breaths. One, two, three, deep breath in and deep breath out.


    Well, shit. Two moons, a canyon city, and no streetlights or cars. I’m not on Earth anymore.


    ‘What happened to me?!’ Words echoed painfully inside my skull. Words of a young man.


    ‘I demand my body back!’ The voice in my head roared.


    ‘Please, Mother! I’m sorry, it wasn’t me. I swear!’ The voice quivered.


    Holy shit, that hurt.


    ‘Mom, please don''t!’ The voice choked up with tears I could not see.


    Mom? Really? I asked the voice.


    ‘Stop talking,’ the voice sniffled. ‘I can hear your thoughts. She can’t.’


    My name is Erik. I don’t know how I ended up in your body, but I’ll tell you what happened to me.


    ‘That’s…impossible. There’s a world other than Morne?’ Fern said.


    Morne? That’s the name of this planet? I asked Fern.


    ‘Um, yes? I suppose it makes sense why you wouldn’t know if you come from this…Earth?’ I could feel Fern nod as if I could see him.


    I have so many questions. I scratched my head and gazed up at the short ceiling.


    ‘Well, you should probably try to blend in like you’re me before you get distracted with your questions. It’s almost time to get up,’ Fern said. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I still want my body back, but I’d like to avoid another beating by Mother.’


    Already? But, it’s still dark out.


    ‘I always get up this early to start the forge again for Papa,’ Fern prodded in my mind as if he was pushing me out of bed.


    ‘I need my body back, Erik. I hate this feeling. It’s like I am trapped in the darkness looking out at a window of what you see.’


    I understand, Fern, I do. And I’d give it back to you if I could, but do I look like some wizard?


    ‘A what?’


    A person who uses magic, ya know, like your mom?


    ‘She is a Mageblood.’ He said.


    Okay, well, then that. Same fucking thing. I rolled my eyes and finished setting up the forge before walking over to one window to see the canyon city light up with the morning sun.


    Hey, what is this place? This city? I asked Fern.


    ‘It’s Corello. The central trade city of Stylos. Now, stop gazing. I would never do that and we don’t know when she might come in.’ Fern grew tense, and I walked back to the forge prodding the lit coals.


    Are you a Mageblood? I asked.


    ‘If I was, do you think I would be a slave to my parents? I am a Voidblood, the unfortunate minority of the population born without magic. Therefore, I am only useful as manual labor.’ Fern’s voice was rigid.


    Of course, you are…why would I get put into a cozy new life? I thought sarcastically.


    ‘My brother, Lotrick, the pride and joy of my parents.’ Fern said sternly.


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