《A new life of a boy (working title)》 Prologue: ¡°Hmm? Where am I?¡± I said as I look around. Darkness, I was surrounded by darkness and although it''s faint there''s light shining to the room. ¡®How did I ended up in here? The last thing I''d did before I get here is¡­ what did I do again?¡¯ Why is it that I can''t remember? I tried my best to remember what I did before I got here, however I can''t seem to remember who am I, where do I came from, nor any of my memories. As I keep trying to recall my memories slowly, but surely I manage to adjust my eyes so that I can see while I try to move around. When my eyes finally adjusted, I look around the room once more. The place has nothing but stairs leading upstairs. Since I don''t know where I am, nor do I know if there is anyone here I assume that it''ll be best for me to go. I stood up, and start walking toward the stairs. The stairs were old, but strong enough to withstand me. I walk, and walk, and walk for God knows how long. Soon I saw light! Have I finally reached the exit? What thing that lies ahead of me? I don''t know the answer to that. Regardless I walk to there, when I did I saw something that made me speechless. A ruin is what I saw. Filled with many collapse building, and filled with many corpses. From the looks of it most are killed because of the collapse building. While others are killed with scratch mark all over their bones. ¡°Hm? Wait, is that me?¡± I asked myself disbelieving on what I have seen. From the reflection of the water, I can see that I have a gray hair, and eyes colour. Not only that, but from the way my face look it would seems that I''m 4-5 years old. ¡°But that shouldn''t be possible..¡± I muttered. I don''t know why, but I just had this feeling that I''m not supposed to be this young. ¡°Urrgh¡± Quickly I take a look at where the sound came from, and was practically panicking. 3 beasts, at the size of a lion came. All of them have black furs, and sharp teeth, and claws. All of them are looking at me with sharp eyes, as if I''m their prey. The 3 of them run to me, before I know it one if them already got close to me, and attack me with it''s claws. Somehow I manage to dodge it by taking a step back at the last second. In an instant my clothes got torn apart including my skin, fortunately it''s not that deep. Seeing that they didn''t stop approaching me. I run, hoping to get away from them. I run, and run, and eventually they stop chasing me.I don''t know why they did, but deep in my heart I was relieved when they stop. However I soon felt fear once more. In front of me is a beast that''s about 10 feet tall glaring at me, as if I am it''s meal. ¡°*Roar*!!!¡± The beast roar. I was terrified as I hear the beast roar. Who wouldn''t be when a 10 feet beast glaring at you close up. The beast then wags it''s tail and smash the ground, making the debris came down crushing at me. I want to retreat, but seeing that those 3 beasts behind me I stop myself from doing that, and comfort the beast instead. Even I know that this is foolish however.. ¡®If I''m going to die, then I might as well die quickly and bravely! (even if there''s no one to see me die heroicly)¡¯ I stand tall, and glare back at the beast. I''m afraid, however I decided that I''ll fight until the very end. The beast came right at me with great speed, and open his mouth filled with sharp teeth as it came closer. I tremble, knowing the fact that I will die, yet still look at the beast as he came closer. As he try to bite me with it''s sharp teeth, an image flash right through my mind. I could see a man wearing a cloak, surrounded by beasts. As the beasts came closer the man mutter something, and a ball of flame appear and blast the nearby beasts. As the flame touch the beasts, all of them have their bodies burst into flame, and burned to ashes. When all of the beasts die, the image came to ceased and I was brought back to reality where I''m about to be eaten by the beast. I panicked, and start imitating what the man did, imagining a ball of flame to suddenly appear The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Somehow it did work! A ball of flame appear, and blast the beast. When the ball of flame hit, the beast howl in pain, and fall down. ¡®Was that magic? Awesome! I don''t know how did I do it but in any case I''m just glad that-!¡¯ As I rejoice in my heart, knowing that the beast had die. My head become dizzy, and I fell down. ¡®Uggh! I need to find a place for me to hide, and rest for a while.¡¯ I search around, and found an empty building. Although half of the building has been destroyed, it still stand. Moreover I found a lot of place to hide in there. I took a rest on the building, and as I rest. I''m thinking of what will I do now. ¡®Now then, what should I do? Should I wait in here for a few days, or maybe I should leave this place and venture outside.¡¯ I pondered, and think which route should I go with. Chances are, if I stayed then I''ll be discover by more beast, and be killed. Even if I didn''t get kill, and kill them instead I don''t know how many beasts in here, and continuous battles are impossible for me right now. Then that leaves me to the other route. Leave this place and venture to the outside world. It might be more dangerous then staying here, but if I manage to survive maybe just maybe I can find signs of civilization. That is if I didn''t get killed before I do find one. In the end I get killed in worst case scenario. I guess with that being considered leaving this place will be more profitable. After the plan has been set, all I could do now is rest. After making myself comfortable, and after seeing that there are no beast around I sleep. ------------------------------------------------------ I woke up in the middle of the night. The cold wind not only made my body feeling cold, but it also makes my breath visible. ¡®I didn''t think it will be this cold. I need to make a fire, otherwise I''ll ended up getting frozen to death.¡¯ First I try to create a ball of fire like I did before. However that doesn''t seems to work, I don''t know the reason for why it didn''t work. All I know is for now It would seems I won''t be using magic for a while. With the thought of using magic came to a close I decided to make a fire using wood, so I went out of hiding to collect some woods. ¡°Uurgh!¡± I went to hiding quickly as I heard a beast growl. When I look to the place where the sound came from, I was getting cold sweat from the sight of it. The 3 beasts that came to attack me before are now back. Not only that, but there''s more of them ¡®This is bad, I need to go back quickly.¡¯ When I retract my steps, I felt something getting broken, and it made a sound. ¡®Are you kidding me! Why do I have to broke a branch now of all time!¡¯ The beasts looked at me, and judging from how they look it would seems that they took a notice of me. Quickly, I turn back, and run away. The beasts follow me, and got closer with each passing seconds. I try hiding, but the beasts was still able to track me down from my scent. I also tried to use magic and make a ball of flame appear once again but no such luck with that one either. Now that I know I can''t hide, nor attack I kept running in hope I got away from them. The scenery soon change from a ruin, to a forest. I suppose I have run so far away that I ended up in a forest. But even so the beasts didn''t gave up on chasing me. One of the beasts then manage to get close to me, and bit my legs causing me to fall down in pain. I kicked the beast, and try to get away. But before I did, it''s friends surround me and start to attack me. They bite with their teeth, and use their claws to cut my body. I felt pain, I scream in pain as they hurt me. Unable to contain the feeling of pain, and due to the lost of blood I can feel my consciousness leaving me. Just as I close my eyes, I can hear the beasts howl in pain. After that I can feel something warm flowing throughout my entire body. I try to open my eyes, but wasn''t able to, and soon I fall unconscious. Chapter 1 The moment I open my eyes, I was looking at the ceiling that''s made out of wood. I glance through the entire room, and from the looks of it I''m currently in someone''s house. The room had a lot of books, there''s also a lot of herbs here as well. I guess the one living in here is someone who works as an alchemist or a doctor. I try to move my body, and felt pain as soon as I try. Wondering why, I look at my entire body, and I find bandages cover my entire body. ¡°I look like a mummy aren''t i?¡± I said to myself. ¡°Yes, you most certainly are.¡± said an old man while reading a book. The old man are wearing ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Shouldn''t the first thing you said to the man who rescurd you is ¡°thank you¡±? Kids these days, truly lack manners.¡± he said as he closed the book. ¡°Umm, thank you very much?¡± ¡°How did that ended up being a question? Anyway you must be pretty hungry right? Here, eat this.¡± The old man then gave me a slice of bread, a soup, and a glass of water. After I finished eating them, the old man took the dishes aside. ¡°Now then, although it might be quite sudden but there are a few things I need to ask you.¡± ¡°O-okay..¡± ¡°First of all, can you start by telling me your name.¡± ¡°My name..¡± I try to remember it, but like last time nothing shows up. ¡°I-i don''t know..¡± ¡°I see.. I''m sorry for asking that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. By the way, who are you? Why did you help me? And where am i?¡± ¡°Hmm, my name is Nazen. The reason I help you is because it''s natural for one to help someone in need no? And right now, as you can see you''re in my house.¡± After answering my questions, he took the dishes away, and left the room. ¡°I think I''ll rest for now.¡± I said, as I make myself comfortable, and close my eyes. ------------------------------------------------------ A week has passed since Nazen treated me. And in that time the few things that I did are stayed in bed, have a chat with Nazen, and sometimes I read Nazen¡¯s books. It took quite a while for me to recover, even now I can barely walk straight. I guess the wounds I receive are quite severe. After a week of talk with Nazen, I have gathered up few informations. The first one is that the ruins, are a remnants of a city. It turns out the city was destroyed during a war a millennia ago, and been like that ever since that. It might be quite stupid, to why not just rebuild the city? You see, it turns out now that the place has been turned into a nest of beasts. I don''t know how strong the beasts are suppose to be, but from the way Nazen speak it seems quite dangerous. Also it turns out that right now we''re in a village in a remote region of the Bluersh kingdom. As of now that''s the only thing I know about kingdoms. Another information I got is that what I used in the ruins back then was indeed nagic. I ask for him to tell me more, and teach me magic but he said he''ll do it after I have rest quite enough. The last thing, is about myself. I don''t know why but I always have this basic knowledge about everything I did, and sometimes an image just like the time I used magic appear out of nowhere with a different person. For example is the time when I tried to read Nazen''s books for the first time. When I open it, I didn''t recognize any of the words, much less the languages, that''s because almost all of his books are written in a different languages. But after a few minutes of looking somehow I managed to read, and understand the language as if it was natural. I don''t know why, nor how do I came to understand it but I was thankful for this. I can''t help but to think that this will be useful in the future. Anyway, today is the day where I go out from this house. No, not permanently I''m just accompanying Nazen shopping. ¡°So, are you ready yet?¡± Nazen asked as he reach the door. ¡°Yes!¡± I reply. He then open the door, and left with me following him. Outside, there are many houses, and kids playing around. There''s also a lot of adults working on the field. We went to the market, and I must say that there¡¯s quite a lot of people in here. After a few minutes of walking both of us stopped on one of the many stalls. ¡°Ahh, Mr. Nazen we just receive some fresh Epplas, would you like to buy one?¡± asked the stall lady. ¡°No, maybe sometimes later. Just the usual would be enough.¡± ¡°Alright then, that will be 10 silvers and 30 coppers.¡± Said the lady, as he gave Nazen the foods. He then took out his money from his pouch, and give them to the lady. ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Said the lady as we left. We then head to a stall with a lot of herbs, and after that we went to a book store. After we finished shopping, the two of us go to the church. We were greeted by a nice lady when we did. Nazen the speak to the lady for a while. The lady then left for a while, and return with an orb on her hands. ¡°What is this?¡± I asked while staring at the orb. ¡°This orb here, is something that can tell how much mana you have in your body.¡± ¡°How much mana in my body?¡± ¡°Yes, the brighter it shines the more mana you have in your body. Now try to hold the orb here.¡± At her words I put my hands on the orb. When I did just like what the lady said the orb shine brightly to the point where it shine the whole room, and blind me. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Then I heard a cracking sound, and as the light came to cease more cracking sound appear, and when it''s all over the orb was were destroyed into million of pieces. ¡°... Is that suppose to happen?¡± I ask as I point out my finger to the destroyed orb. ¡°... In all my life I have seen many people with great amount of Mana, but never and I mean never have I seen someone with so much mana to make the orb smashed into pieces.¡± said the lady as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°... Yes, me too. Never in my life have I seen someone with so much mana in one''s body.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I take it that''s not supposed to happen.¡± ¡°Yes, now that I have confirm this boy manapool, we''ll be leaving now.¡± Both of us left the church after Nazen gave the lady a few silvers, you know as compensation for the broken orb (maybe). At night, I just can''t help but have this d¨¦j¨¤ vu kind of feeling. Like this had already happened before. I wonder if it had to do something with my memories. After a few moments of thought, I got tired and just went to sleep. ------------------------------------------------------ The next morning After we had breakfast, Nazen suddenly asked that if I want to learn magic. I don''t know why he suddenly ask that, but I didn''t refuse, and accept it. We went outside, and he started to teach me magic. Before he did teach me, I ask him the reason why he decided to teach me outside. He said that it''s to prevent any accident from happening well I guess it''s true now that he mention it. ¡°*cough*before you learn how to use magic, I''ll tell you what are the things that one required to use magic.¡± He said as as he touched his beard. ¡°First, is mana. Mana is like some sort of fuel, or energy that you need in order to use magic. There 2 ways that you can use mana. The first one is to use your own mana, while the other one is to use mana in your surroundings.¡± I raised my hand, and ask ¡° how do you use mana front your surroundings?¡± ¡°You''ll learn that later. Now then on to the second one.¡± he reply. Oh well at least I know that I''ll learn it eventually. ¡°The second thing that you need is control. The better your controls are the better magic you can cast. You''ll get more experience in controlling them, as you use magic.¡± Hmm, I guess that''s reason I wasn''t able to use magic when I got chased, and when I try to make a ball of fire. But if that''s true, then how did I manage to cast one when I was about to be eaten? After a deep breath Nazen continue ¡°The last but not least is the image. If you don''t have the image then you won''t be able to cast magic.¡± Ahh, I guess that''s the main reason why I can''t use magic before. When I was chased the only thing I can think of is running afterall. After explaining the requirements to cast magic, he then showed me an example by casting magic. ¡°There are many ways to cast a magic. Whether you''re using magic circles, or chants the most basic thing that you need is the image.¡± ¡°Huh? But the books said..¡± ¡°Yes, I know what the books said, and it''s not entirely wrong, but not true at the same time.¡± My mind became slightly confuse because of how he talk. Not wrong but not true? What does it mean? As if noticing my question, he continued to talk. ¡°The thing is, you can cast magic using magic circles, and chants but they only enhance the image of what you''re going to cas. So, as long as you have the image then you can use magic. Although some magics won''t work unless you use a magic circle.¡± ¡°So basically I can just skip the chanting part right?¡± ¡°In short yes, though in exchange you need a vivid image of what you''re going to cast. Now then, I''m going to cast a simple magic. What I want you to do is to watch closely on what I do, got it?¡± ¡°Umm, got it.¡± I said as I nod. As he put out his hand, I can see, and feel something gathering on his hands I suppose that''s mana. Then the mana slowly change into a ball of water, and blast to a tree branch to the point it broke. ¡°Awesome!¡± ¡°It is, isn''t it. Now then how about you try?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± And so I try to cast a simple magic. First I imagine a ball of water like what Nazen had showed me before. After gathering the mana on to my hands, the mana change to a ball of water and blast to a tree branch, and broke it. ¡°Whoa! It''s easier than I thought it would be!¡± ¡°My, I didn''t think that you''ll be able to use it in the first try. Well done! Now then how about we have a little match?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I said to him. Then, until the end of the day both of us started to play a little match. All we need to do is to copy the magic the other one used, if you failed then you lose, if you success then you win. I gain more control over magic thanks to that little game, but in the end I lose. At the end of the match Nazen start to make an ice spear, which resulted in my lose. Another thing that did happen, is that one of the neighbour complain because we broke all of those tree branches. To make them stop Nazen taugh me how to reattached them using earth magic, and the both of us start to reattached the broken branches. Later that night, I quickly went to sleep because of how tired I am. Chapter 2 2 months has passed since I have learn magic from Nazen. It was hard, truly hard to control my magic, and was tiring as well. However I didn''t give up, for this is something that I need in order to protect myself, and this is one of the few things I have to keep myself amuse. Life here, in the village is.. How should I say this. Quite boring? After 2 weeks I have stayed here I feel that things didn''t seems right for me, it''s a little bit dull. It''s not that I think it''s a bad life here, I actually quite enjoyed it but I just feel that each day have been getting longer, and more boring. Maybe it''s because I find nothing that interest me except magic. Or maybe it''s just I find it boring to be coped up in Nazen''s house without doing anything outside. It''s not as if he forbid me go out, more like he told me to go out once in a while and play with the other kids. Of course I tried that once, when I did I wasn''t able to get along with them, and soon after I gave up the idea of playing with them. After the failure of playing with them, I pass the days by practicing magic, and reading Nazen''s books. He has many books, more like he owns a personal library. Most of the books are things about the outside world, and many of them were in different languages. There were books about herbs, history, and there were some story books as well. Not only that, but he also have books with the same topics but different languages which is quite interesting. Learning the languages were pretty challenging as well, even now I can''t barely use them. Except for the language I use to talk with Nazen, and the one that the ¡°image¡± showed. This thing called ¡° image¡± is something that had happen when I first cast magic. As it says, this phenomenon shows me an image of someone, and somehow I learn the basic knowledge after the image came to cease. I don''t know much about this, even after I experience it 2 times but somehow I just can''t shake the feeling that it seems to be link to my memories. Even now after I try to remember my past, nothing shows up. So you can see why I thought that those ¡°image¡± has something to do with my memories. Anyway, the language that I saw in this ¡°image¡± is quite¡­ weird. The words are simple, and looks pretty old. But when I saw them in the image they were complicated, and look advance. It''s quite weird you know.. Usually it''ll be either simple, and advance looking, or complicated, and old looking. ¡°Alden are you here?¡± Said Nazen Who is this Alden you might be wondering. Well that''s me! That''s my name now! Since I don''t remember who I am, which means I don''t have a name. Since I don''t have one Nazen decided to gave me one. He said it would create a lot of troubles if I don''t have one. Personally I quite like the name. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± I said as I walk to him. He¡¯s on his room, reading a book while writing something in a piece of paper. ¡°You know, I think it''s time for you to get some fresh air, have a walk around town, and maybe buy something you want to. It''s bad for your health if you''re cooed up in here all the time you know. ¡° ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts! Just go outside and enjoy the outside world.¡± He said while pushing me outside. Now that I''m outside I guess I should just walk around the village, and maybe buy a few snacks. So, I walk around the village taking a look at all the stalls, and items around the village. But I didn''t didn''t buy anything since there''s nothing that seems interesting. After a minute later, found a girl playing with her doll, near the lake. The girl has blond hair, and green eyes. She also has a fair skin, and looks to me that she''s around my age. She''s now playing playing with her doll as if they''re alive, and talking to herself as if there''s another person over there. Creepy.. Is my impression of her. I know it''s rude but it really is creepy. ¡°Who''s there?¡± The girl turn her head, and saw me. Should I greet her? Nazen did say that I need a friend or two, and from how she¡¯s all alone maybe she doesn''t have any friend. I wonder if I should become her friend, and if she''s willing to be mine. Then again, he did say not to be friend with someone creepy or weird. So should I walk away instead? That girl did gave me a lot of creeps, yeah I should probably run away. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Then again, if I leave her then I won''t have any friend. But then again there''s no guarantee that she want to become my friend in the first place, plus she''s creepy, and weird. Should I go, and ask her to become my friend afterall? Or should i just walk away, and pretend never see her in the first place? This is quite hard to choose. ¡°Hey, what are you thinking about?¡± Before I decide whether I should call her or not, she already got near me, and ask me a question. ¡°I''m thinking whether you''re a weirdo or not.¡± ¡°W-what? What makes you think that I''m a weirdo?¡± ¡°First of all, you''re all alone playing with your doll as if they were real. Second, you just talk yourself as if there was somebody else. Third, you just gave me the creeps. ¡° ¡°Wait,wait what''s with that last one? It''s wrong, just wrong you know! A-and it''s not I''m talking to myself, it''s just no one can see them!¡± ¡°Isn''t that basically the same?¡± ¡°It''s not! Anyway, you still haven''t answer my first question. Who are you?¡± ¡°Alden, and you are?¡± ¡°Felice. So, Alden wanna play with me?¡± ¡°If what you mean is playing with dolls, while talking to yourself then no. Weirdo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not weird! I''ll show you that I''m not weird!¡± She grab my hand, and force me to come along with her. ¡°Here!¡± She hand me the doll that she was playing with. Hmm, the doll is pretty well made. The design are good, and the stitches are all in the right place. But what''s up with this doll.. It''s face is to much humanlike. Not only that, but the hands,legs,body, and even the clothes are human like. It''s good, but I wonder if a doll should be this much humanlike. That aside.. ¡°What am I suppose to do with this?¡± I asked her. It can''t be that I''m suppose to talk with the doll. No way right?.. ¡°Talk with it!¡± I can''t believe she just told me to talk with the doll, and I can see in her eyes that she really mean it. I should reject her right? Right? But the way she look, she really mean it. I suppose I should.. ¡°Hm? What''s this..¡± I didn''t see it before, but inside this doll there''s a lot of Mana in it. Could this doll really talk? ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Huh? No it''s nothing. So all I need to do is talk with the doll right?¡± ¡°Yeah, try to talk with it!¡± Oh well, here we goes nothing. ¡°Umm, hello?¡± ¡°...¡± I wait for a few minutes, and¡­Nothing. The doll didn''t talk, or did anything to me. You, she''s definitely a weirdo. ¡°Wait, wait why didn''t it talk?¡± ¡°Maybe because that it''s only in your imagination that the doll talked.¡± ¡°W-what? No, it definitely talk, believe me!¡± ¡°I don''t know, that''s a hard thing for me to do..¡± As expected, the doll didn''t talk. Which mean that the thing about how the doll talk is just get imagination. Aside that, I''m interested why is there so much mana in this doll. According to one of many books in Nazen''s house a doll shouldn''t have any mana unless they''re are being used by magic,or has something dwells inside of it. The girl doesn''t seem to be able to use any controlling magic, so I guess the latter apply to this one instead. Of course I could be wrong, but I don''t think so. Now the question is.. What''s inside? What thing does dwell inside this doll? Spirit? Someone''s soul? ¡°Hmm, this is pretty interesting.¡± ¡°Eh? You mean you think the doll is interesting? Does that mean you like dolls?¡± ¡°No, I don''t I prefer reading books, rather than playing with dolls. What I meant by interesting, is what inside this doll body.¡± ¡°Umm, shouldn''t there be cotton inside it?¡± ¡°Well yes, but that''s not what I mean.¡± ¡°Umm, I don''t get it.. Anyway, you didn''t hear the voice right?¡± ¡°Yeah, must be your imagination. Weirdo.¡± ¡°I''m not a weirdo! Try again, try and talk to the doll again!¡± And so I begin to try to talk to the doll while examining it. In the end I didn''t hear any voice, nor do I know what''s inside the doll. What''s worse is now my ears are hurt, because of how loud, and how much Felice shout at me and telling me to talk to the doll.