《Second Chance》


 Prologue: Gods

    I changed a few things......


    "Are you ready?" Mocked the golden figure, arrogant of his power, and ignorant of his enemy; the golden figure laughed.


    "Carlitos, a new God I presume?" The infintially old voice sounded tired, tired of idiotic new gods that think that they can challenge one of the 10 so easily.


    "Carlitos, a former human. Anyway, I shall challenge you, Gregrath, the God of Dimensions!"


    Bored, Gregrath waved a hand, closing his eyes he went back into his time hole, to rest and sleep like he been doing for the past few thousands years.


    "Hey! Wai-" choking the golden man-Carlitos, grew panicked. After all, of all of the millions of people, of all the elves, dwarves, demons, Angels, and humans; he was one of the few that ascended into Godhood.


    "Wait?" Gregrath said, saying it again, his voice grew from a tired monotone voice to a terrifying whisper, "Wait? Did you just tell one of the oldest Gods in time to wait? Child, I grow tired of your arrogance and your stupidity."


    Once again waving a hand, Gregrath destroyed the newly made God. The man simply disappeared, there was no blood, or messy bloody organs spilling out from his body. It was clean, and chilling, much more than a bloody massacre. Gregrath again, started toward his time hole.


    The pitch blackness made him extremely comfortable. Gregrath''s time hole is his true home, not some dimension called the Kingdom of God.


    "Oh Father of God, this is so tiring." Yawning, Gregrath accidentally nudged a collection of white orbes that was floating in the void.


    Blankly, Gregrath stared at it, "That isn''t what I think it is, is it? .........Noooooo!!! 546 trillions years old and I forgot to not touch Eris''s souls! Damn it! They are disappearing!" Paling Gregrath was extremely nervous. People might think one of the oldest Gods in the galaxies have nothing to fear, but he does, his very annoying sister; who is also one of the 10.


    Sighing, he spoke to himself. "Why can''t Eris create her own dimension already? All these floating souls are annoying." Gregrath looked toward the small group of whitish souls that are quickly vanishing.


    "Wait, one of them is stronger than the others..." A slighting bigger whiter soul than the rest floated in isolation.


    "I hope Eris''s forgives me if I save one of them... I''ll put it into one of the main worlds of this galaxy."


    Frowning Gregrath wondered; "What planet should I put it in? XiaLia, Thantos, or maybe Hialos should be good. They are the planets that contain magic, and are blessed by the attention of the 10 main Gods of the galaxies." Looking down upon the faint glow of the small soul, Gregrath winced.


    "I''ll have to make a deal with Hatantos though to make him change the destination of this soul, he is in disagreement with Eris anyways." Sighing, Gregrath looked back into his memories of all the massive world destroying fights the two had.


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    "But I guess this is to be expected, Hatantos is the God of Death while Eris is the God of Life. Still they''re twins, can''t they get along better?"


    Annoyed, Gregrath mentally called out to Hantantos. "Hantantos!" A few seconds pass, and suddenly a noticeablely chill is now felt. A black clothed figure appeared.


    "Brother? You haven''t called for me for thousands of years. What do you want now?" The figure asked, he sounded like he  actually cared, almost. I know he''s too lazy to care about what I have to say.....


    Who appeared was a tall dark haired man. Paled skinned and dark eyed with a head of silky black hair, he could be called handsome; if only he didn''t act the way he does.


    "Hantantos, this soul...." I said, "Can you help me change the world it''ll be reincarnated in?"


    Raising a brow Hantantos said, "A soul?"


    "Yes, yes, a soul, I destroyed a number of Eris''s souls, but if I save this one she will, at least, will forgive me in a few thousand years..."


    Closing his eyes Hantantos said, "Nope, I''m not helping you. There is no way I''m am helping you all because you are scared of Eris. Besides..... Changing a soul''s destination for its next reincarnation is too tiring, do you know how much divine power I''ll have to use up?" Glaring at Gregrath, he lazily layed back, on nothing.


    In the pit black space, there was "nothingness," it was a space only Gregrath himself can make so easily. Of course, the other "10" can make it too, it''ll just take a lot of time and power.


    "Hantantos.... You don''t want her to know the time when you brok-"


    Choking, he shuttered, "Wa-wait! I get it! I''ll help you! But, the soul will be helping me on some....favors, in the world of Thantos. Some minor God has been declaring himself the "True" God of Death recently..." His mouth twitched, a clear sign that he is annoyed to a person that had spend time with him for over 500 trillion years.


    "I have no care for mortals and their arrogant untrue gods they worship. Do what you want, but be aware, if the soul is destroyed from your antics...." Gregrath''s voice deepened to a threatening tone.


    Even though Gregrath and Hantantos are brothers, Gregrath is older by a couple billion years. And those billions of years made Gregrath the superiority of being the older sibling.


    The reason why Gregrath doesn''t want Eris to find out about the souls is not because of fear about her power, no, it''s because she is so annoying Gregrath doesn''t want anything to do with her.


    Smirking, the Death God vanished, and, in response, the soul slowly vanished along side with him.

 New

    Hi the readers of my fiction... I''m sorry if my prologue was bad, this is my first time writing. XD Anyways, I am going to write some more, but reviewers please restrain from writing reviews before chapter 10 ok? The story is just developing! I am a total noob at this so people please help me TT And thanks for people that are actually reading this!

 Chapter 1: Alexander Quin

    Hello readers! Here is chapter 2, I read the comments and I will try to add more details and descriptions. I agree that the prologue was too short, so I made this chapter a lot longer. :D And to the people who gave suggestions.... Thanks for the advice! And, by the way, the beginning is kind of creepy (At least I thought so.), but it gives insight to what Alexander is like! Enjoy!


    The breeze was cool and refreshing, it swept through the land, alive, free and happily. The land it swept through was heavy with tall monstrous trees that are at least 100 to 300 ft tall, they seem to be oaks, with big green leaves and dark brown trunks.


    The land was also thick with blooming flowers of all colors. Wild roses, tulips, sunflowers, morning glories, daisies, they were all here. Birds of all sizes and species chirp and sang on the branches of the trees. Everything was colorful and healthy with life. The land was bright with sunlight, warm against my skin. It was like a paradise for me.


    I ran, and ran, laughing with happiness of freedom. Laughing of not having to be chained down with boredom and expectations of being normal, of being average.  I ran like the wind. For hours, or was it minutes? I have no idea, after all, I am having the time of my life. Having no care in the world was exhilarating.


    But then, it started to shatter. At first, the the birds stopped singing, then what had changed was the sunlight. The warmth I felt turned cool, then absolutely frigid.


    Frozen to my core I looked around me. I saw that the cheerful birds that flew in the skies and had nested on the trees had disappeared. The trees stood impassively in front of me, I had stopped running, I had not noticed that I did.


    The trees around me that, at first, seemed to had protected me, now seem to cage me in. They stood tall, intimidating and ancient. What am I to intrude in their domain? Who am I to be able to run like this? I am not free, I am human, average, normal, I am not special. At that moment, it seem like everything was fake, everything is a lie, an illusion that is made by the Gods to trick you. A wall of glass is around me, trapping me, letting me see freedom, but never to reach it.


    The sight of "my" paradise started to fade, like the land itself is trying to kick me out. Chains, made of black iron, cold and hard started to rattle.


    The sound was soft, so you can''t hear at first, but now it echoed loudly in my fake scenery. The sound in the deafening silence made a chilling sound. The rattling grew louder and finally it appears. Around my feet, just around my ankles. The chain was long, it passed rows and rows of trees, feet by feet, meter by meter.


    I looked, but the source of the chains was nowhere to be seen. This feels familiar, like this had happened before, but I don''t remember when.


    The chains are moving, creeping up my body. From my ankles, to my calves, and inch by inch it surrounds me. It moves slowly, panic seizes me. What do I do?


    My breathing grew labor, I want freedom, but was barred to even have it.


    Minutes passed and the flow of time was agonizing. Why is it that when you have fun, time passes so quickly? And when you are hurting and suffering it passes slowly.


    Hours must have passed, but the sunlight had not disappeared. Rather, it seems to bleach itself, turning from a beautiful gentle gold to a harsh metallic color.


    Soon, I can''t see color, or the objects for that matter.  The trees turned hazy, the grey metal leaves turned into a blur, the grass like a swirl of grey and white. It grew exhausting to continue looking, so I closed my eyes; I felt a sudden fear when I did that, but it soon disappeared, like the wind.


    Never, ever, Did I knew that when I opened my eyes again, I was met with a pitch black darkness that never seemed to end.


    I want it to end. After what it felt like hours of being in the darkness I don''t feel afraid. What is there to be afraid? You can''t get out, you feel nothing, see nothing and can touch nothing. I feel like I am blind, deaf and paralyze from my head to my toes all at the same time. If I even can move, I probably won''t even know I am doing it. So, I closed my eyes, giving myself to the darkness.


    It almost seems gentle, the darkness. It gives no pain, just fear. Fear of the unknown I suppose? But, for me, I crave the unknown. It almost seem to know that, by not giving it to me. I smiled, or did I?


    Floating endlessly is boring, let me tell you, it is boring. If I look around me, I just see black, black, black, and of course, more black. If I try to touch something, well you can''t, you''re floating. I don''t where or in what direction I am floating, but I know I am. I mean, seriously, that black and this black seems different, right?


    One day light appeared, at first I looked blankly at it, it was a hazy looking doorway filled with warm soft looking light. For a long time I looked, just happy at looking. Then, I made a decision to move. It was a important choice, move or stay? For the first time; I fear the unknown. Thinking that thought, I grew serious, wasn''t I unhappy to be trapped from the choice of being free?


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    So, being the unknown seeking person as I am, I choosed to go. I tried to move; now that the light is here; I can see if I made any progress or not.


    Frankly speaking, I didn''t budge an inch. I tried to move my legs, faintly seeing a tan leg; squinting I thought I saw the leg twitch. Maybe. Signing, I frowned. Then I saw the light wavering, spreading shadows on my face and body. My head snapped up, it''s not disappearing, right?


    The light shined brightly, much more than before, and then suddenly dimmed sharply. Now I can barely see myself. I drew in a breath, fear crowded in the back of my mind. I blocked it out before, but now, it''s coming back. I quickly tripled my efforts in getting to the light. I managed to crawl a few inches, but that is extremely short compared to the 10 to 15 feet I need to walk to get in to the light.


    A few hours later....


    I am now 3 feet 5 inches and 3 millimeters to my goal. I tried to measure the distance with my imaginary ruler, but I knew that I can almost touch the door. I tried it, but unfortunately I was a few centimeters too short. That''ll take me around 5 minutes to do. I can almost taste it, the freedom of getting out of this hell of mine. I smiled, eyes wide in anticipation with a single arm reaching out into the light.


    4 centimeters.... 3.... 2....


    And, it disappeared. Vanished, it doesn''t exist, I waved my arms, acting out of sheer horror. It disappeared? Where is my freedom? Why am I here? I want to get out! My mind grew chaotic and after a few minutes I sighed. Breathing out carefully, in and out, in and out....


    "I needed 10 more seconds!!!!!!!" And for the first time in this hellish experience, I screamed.


    Startled awake I look around, breathing out a sign of relief. I am here, I am alive. Cold sweat was plastered in my back and I looked around me, I dreamed of illusions, forests and what else? I do not remember.


    Shaking my head I thought, ''I am relieved, of being alive? What did I dream? A nightmare, yes, it was a nightmare.... Let''s not think about it.'' I got out of my bed and looked at my clock next to my bed table, the numbers glowed a bright red, 3:38am.


    I softly walked to my ajointed bathroom. ''I shouldn''t wake up the others with my nosiness......''


    I flipped the switch and the lights instantly switched on. It burned my eyes a bit so they started to water. Blinking quickly I got used to the light. Staring in the mirror, I saw a familiar face.


    Normal dark brown hair, tan skin and green eyes. An above average face, but not a model like face, I snorted. ''I feel disgusting.'' I started toward the shower to clean off the sweat I got from my ever disappearing nightmare.


    When I finished showering I went downstairs, the floor was cool to my freshly washed skin and the darkness of night is now retreating. I looked out a window near the bottom of the stairs to see that the sun is coming up.


    Smiling I got ready to study for school later in the day, moving like a machine, it was a routine that I do everyday.


    ''The sunrise is always beautiful, I can never get tired of it, unlike other things.....'' His smile disappeared. He ignores a thought that is sneaking up in his mind and thinks of other things. ''Lets see, will today be Calculus or Physics...'' I took half a second to choose.


    ''Science obviously, math is like a torture session for me, learning formulas is boring and not interesting at all. Physics is new to me, much more interesting and fulfilling than math.'' Nodding to himself he goes to his living room to gets his backpack.


    Everyday he wakes up, always early, awaken by nightmares that he always forget in a few hours. He studies for at least a hour or 2, looking for more interesting things to learn and do the next day.


    At 6:30, his mother wakes up, she knows of her son''s habits of wanting to experience interesting things, so she also knows that he wakes up early, she just doesn''t know that he wakes up at 3:40 in the morning however.


    She just wakes up to cook for her children. At around 7, his sister and brother, both younger then him, arrives for breakfast. His sister is younger than him by 3 years and his brother by 2 years.


    "Hello brother." His sister says. He nodded absently, clearly absorbed in his "studying." Though, you can''t really call it studying if he is learning things months before learning them, but oh well.


    "Alex!" His mother calls, her long brown hair, like his, was tied, lieing on her shoulder, "Didn''t I tell you before to not study so much during breakfast?" Her surprisingly young face was frowning. His mother is 40, but she always look years too young to be 40.


    He smiled, "Yes mother." He is happy with his life, truly. But sometimes, when he is gazing  at something in the distance, he wishes that it is more exciting, more interesting.


    His mother notices the faraway looks he sometimes have, how he is always wanting something, but she doesn''t know what. She smiled, ''I guess it is because he is Alexander.

 Chapter 2: Disappearance

    It takes me forever to write a single chapter :) It''s probably because I am always doing something while writing... Hehe Anyways! Enjoy!


    Alexander Quin is strange, is what his classmates say. "He is always doing something, then drop it in a few days, whether it''ll be studies or clubs."


    His teachers don''t know whether to laugh or cry in his face. He sometimes pay attention, asking millions of questions that it''ll sometimes get annoying. And then in a day or 2,  he falls asleep in the same class that he was paying extreme attention toward. He always get full marks, if the subject interests him. The teachers don''t know what to say.


    So, Alexander is always friendless, he is someone different. And everyone knows it, even he himself knows it. In school, it usually passes like this, he goes to his first class 15 minutes early, alone. He pays enough attention to get a good grade. (His mother will kill him if his grades fall below 85%.) He does this to every class in school, arriving early with time to spare, paying enough attention to pass and then continue.


    At lunch, he obviously sits alone, he eats lunch that he gets from school and reads something that captured his interest for the time being or do something, like writing poetry; that never gets boring for a long time. You just write something completely different each time you write poetry.


    The only thing that he never gets bored of is fantasy, whether it''s books, movies or games. You are free and can do anything in these magical worlds, but the rules in games is annoying, and books are what other "people" do, not himself. So, he even got a wooden sword for his 12th birthday, during that time he wanted to become a warrior. (He still practice with it.) He sometimes wishes that he is in a fantasy world, but he always gets out of this daydream, thinking thoughts like, these worlds aren''t real.


    Alexander is in the photography club, he is the one who always get the most awe-inspiring photos. One time he got a photo of a beautiful sunset. The one thing that was strange about it was how he got it, the angle and surroundings were strange if he captured it on ground. When his club mates asked about it, he said, "Oh, I just climbed on the side of a cliff and took it."


    The nonchalantness his fellow club members dropped their jaws. He got the photo by climbing on a side of a cliff that was on the verge of collapsing! He is acting like it isn''t dangerous. From that day on, the members stayed clear of him; they respect him, but was still weird out by his behavior.


    The day at school passed like everyday, normal and boring. It was around 3 in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly above in this spring day, it was also very hot; the breeze was still, like it was holding its breath. Waiting for something. Then, the leaves suddenly rustled, and then from the back doors of the school; Alex walked out.


    "God, it''s so hot," I grumbled. I tried to fan myself with my hands to cool myself off. ''It is like 90 degrees! Well, it''s May, and with global warming it is a given that it''ll be hot.''  I snorted, ''I still don''t like this stupid heat wave that has been going on for days.'' I started walking toward my club room.


    I was at the back entrance of the school, the backyard was neat, and tended, with large trees that were quite tall, it provided some shade, but not enough in the heat. The tall trees were young when the school was established, which shows how old the school is. At the back of the yard there was a large building, it was modern, made mainly by steel and glass. The building contains at least 15 large club rooms in each floor in its 3 floor self. I was going to my club, the photography club, that is located on the second floor.


    I was about to open the large glass door when I feel a sudden pain in my chest. It almost felt like my heart is being pulled, no, the pain is felt behind my heart; it was a strange sensation. I stopped abruptly, stopping in the entrance way. I drew a ragged breath in, it hurt, badly. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. But then, the pain suddenly disappeared. Relieved, I walked into the cool air conditioned building. The rest of the day, I was constantly thinking about the pain.  I was disturbed, I felt like something is very, very wrong.


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    ''I don''t have any heart illnesses.... I wonder what that was?'' I muttered.


    I got home at around 6, club ended at 5:30, but it took 30 minutes to walk home from school. I creaked open the gate, entering the area that my house is resided in. My family isn''t necessarily rich, but we are wealthy enough to have large walled house. My father is a businessman that is on a business trip right now, my mother is one of the doctors in the local hospital. They both are often at work, so my siblings and I are always alone with each other. My sister and brother are both responsible, so they didn''t need me to look after them every hour or minute.


    I came upon my house. It was a large Victorian styled house, with 5 rooms, which fitted my 5 member end household nicely. We had an extra bedroom, so we turned it into a room that I and my siblings often hanged out in. I walked on the stone pathway, I remember that when I was younger, I helped my father put this in. I smiled, remembering fond memories.


    I entered my house, my feet echoed in the marble foyer. I looked around, puzzled. It was too quiet; my mother should be home by now, cooking a special dinner. She has Fridays off early. My siblings are always talking and chattering in the kitchen on Fridays, exited about what they were going to eat, which should bring noise toward the foyer. Suspicious, I looked around carefully.


    ''Tiffany isn''t pulling a prank again is she?'' I smiled, walking into the kitchen. No one was there,  a pot of water was still simmering, there is also a dropped spoon. I tilted my head, confused.


    ''Everyone in my family is always careful about these things, so why is the stove still on? It''s dangerous!'' I frowned, ''Is it my brother that was cooking? Plus there is a spoon on the floor!There was no way mother or Tiffany would do that, they would pick that up immediately, even if they are pulling a prank. They''re both perfectionists.''


    I continued searching all the bedrooms and bathrooms. Everything was neat, everything was normal, nothing was wrong. Finally, when I checked all the rooms in my house, I standed in the foyer, puzzled and confused. I said the question that is on my mind the whole time I was searching.


    ''Where is everyone?''


    Then, I felt pain, horrible, terrible, agronizing, pain. I never felt anything in my life. I was crushed to my knees. Gasping I wondered, ''What the hell?'' I trembled, trying to stop it.


    The pain was, only in the beginning, only located  at my chest, then, in time, it slowly spread through my arms and legs. Where the pain went, a burning fire followed. After it, I couldn''t move the places it touched. Panicking, I tried to stand up again, but by that time, I couldn''t move my legs anymore. I fell on butt, desperate, I tried to move my arms now, but they too, were not mine anymore.


    The pain soon grew unbearable, but I didn''t allow myself to faint. ''Don''t faint, don''t faint, don''t faint...'' I chanted the 2 words like a lifeline. I breathed in and out, a technique my mother always says that''ll calm me down.


    "Breathe in and then out Alex, it always works." She, at that time, was smiling gently at him. He was young, around 6 years old when she had said that.


    Tears started to leak out my eyes. ''Is this what happened to my family? What about father? Did he feel this? He is in New York after all...'' My sight started to darken. Everything grew hazy from my tears and the pain made me to have dark spots in my vision. In the darkness I heard a whisper. A quiet voice that speaks for itself that it spend its time in the shadows of life.


    "I''m deeply sorry about my brother, that fool..... Clumsy as always."


    Alexander''s soul was injured by the High God, Gregrath, the God of Dimensions. If somebody had their soul lightly touched by a person that isn''t the Goddess of Life or the God of Death, their soul would be partly damaged. And the pain that comes from the touch would be immense, even more so is this person touched the soul with force more than a light touch. Added to the mix is that this person is a God who has power beyond imagine. So Gragrath''s powers touched Alexander''s soul, which creates even more pain. It''ll be like spending in time in Hell. No one can imagine how much pain Alex is truly going through, not even the Gods.

 Chapter 3: Choices

    I know there''s a lot of pain in the past few chapters. :D But for the pain sick readers! This chapter will not have pain in it!! Enjoy!


    I don''t know the exact time I "woke up" I just, am here. I don''t know how to explain it, I guess the mysteries of death will always be shrouded in shadows....


    I smiled sadly, ''I guess I got used to this...'' Looking around I was in a dark cavern, there was rock above, below and around me. The cavern would be extremely dark if there weren''t any lights, but there were. Small balls of light are floating around above everyone, giving out a glow within a few meters.


    I could see lines and lines of people, people that I know don''t exist in Earth. There were elves that I see in movies and read in books with long ears and graceful movements, there are demons with their curved dark colored horns and wings that range from gray to pure black. Apparently the blacker the wings are the more noble blood you have? Anyways, there are Orcs with massive bodies and their scary faces. There are humans, identical to the people of Earth, except that they wore amour, iron, leather and bronze. They all carried swords, short swords, daggers and long swords; some carried two swords.


    ''Perhaps they are dual wielders? Wow, never saw one before...." Fascinated I stared at their swords, all the sword men handled their swords expertly, with no hesitation to touch it.


    I smiled, ''They''re very different from people from Earth; they are warriors. They seen blood shed; they have killed before. I run my eyes to other people.


    Between there and here, there were Angels. They all had massive wings the size of their own height, and angelic faces, all beautiful in their own right. There are serious ones, with swords beside them, gentle ones, wearing robes, they''re are also some that look like children, but they are few in the collection of few Angels.


    I also noticed something. ''It looks like the more wings they have the more power you have.'' I noticed this by how the other species steered clear of the 6 winged Angels, clearly nervous.


    I turned toward my line, I could see hundreds of people in front of me, I couldn''t see what we are waiting for. Inpatient I signed out a breath, "How much longer will this take?"


    Time passed, there were no events that had happened that had caught my attention, except maybe one. It had happened a hour or 2 ago. A human, dressed in golden clothes, had tried to escape. He had bright blue hair, something I have never seen in my life at Earth; that was how he had caught my attention.


    When he was caught after a few seconds he had shouted, outraged, "Unhand me! I am the crowned prince of the Shinqu Empire!" He was arrogant, and was smirking, thinking the guard would let go of him if he told him who he was. That smirk vanished when the guard, a type of beastman answered back coldly, this had probably happened many times before in his career.


    "Rank in your old world have nothing to do with me." Then, the guard had dragged him, who was screaming insults, into a unknown room. In the room screams had started immediatatly, but ended in 10 minutes. The silence was thick in the air of the cavern.


    That was the last I ever saw him.


    Now, the line has moved by a lot. I could see what everyone was waiting hours for. A single desk, old and made of heavy wood, stood in front of the thousand member line. A cloaked person sat on a chair behind the desk. I could not tell the age or gender of the person; the person was covered entirely from head to toe. This person spoke quietly, and is always writing on a stack of papers.


    When my turn came, I quickly sat in the chair that is in front of the mysterious person. Then person nodded, and then spoke, "Alexander Quin, was male, died at age 16 by the High God Gragrath." The voice was cold, and sounded young, but older than Alexander''s 16 years, the person also sounded male.


    "High God?!" I was surprised, ''A God killed me?''


    "Apparently, it was by accident." He sighed, "So, for an apology you can be reincarnated into a different world than what you are originally from, with your memories intact of course."


    "By accident?! What about my family?!" I stood up roughly, "Were they killed by him, by accident?!" I yelled, this High God can''t just kill off people, even if he was a god!


    "Yes."


    The bluntness of how the cloaked figure said it made Alexander calmed down considerably, I sat down heavily.


    "So where do I reincarnated into?" I asked, tired, ''My family was also killed by him.....''


    The figure looked down on his papers, they lied neatly in front of him. "The High God of Death, Hantantos have picked it out for you. You''re going to Thantos, it''s one of the main worlds of the galaxies."


    Curiously I asked, "Can you tell me anything about the world I am going to?"


    He looked down at his papers again. "The world is less technology advanced as yours, but it has magic. It will seem to be in the Medival Age to you. This world is also not dominated by only humans. There are many species, there are Angels, Demons, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Humans, Fairies, Beastmen, Dragons, and Draconians. These are the ones that have intelligence anyways." He looked back up at me, "If you want to know about the affairs of the kingdoms..... Well I can tell you about it, if you want."


    I nodded, wanting to know everything about the world I am going into.


    The person continued, "There is 1 continent that everyone is on, the continent of Wen, and it hasn''t even been explored completely yet. I can''t tell you how many continents there are, but be aware that there is more than 1, and that this world is almost 10 times bigger than yours."


    My eyes widen, ''10 times bigger than Earth? That means I can see so much more interesting things!'' I smiled excited to what is to come, for a second, forgetting about my family.


    "Anyways, there are 5 kingdoms, 2 Queendoms and 2 Empires. The 5 kingdoms are Serdeamon, Liae, Finley, Killua and Jante. Serdeamon and Killua are demon countries, Liae is a beastman country and then Finley and Jante are human countries. The two Queendoms, Ayo and Xiame, are both human countries. Both are isolated in the far north of the continent. The Empire of Canton, is the most powerful of the rest of the countries. It is made up of 4 countries that had united. There are 4 main houses, or families, that take turns ruling the empire. Currently, the empire is in war with Ayo and Xiame, who are allies. Canton''s wealthy nobles are raised to treat lower class like dirt. And slave trade is legal in Canton, which contributes to the empire''s immersive wealth. Ayo and Xiame illegalized slave trade, and all citizens are equal. The two countries aren''t as wealthy as Canton because of their isolation. Liae is also in war with Jante, Jante also deal with slaves, and since it is close with Liae, they deal in beast people slaves. They say Beastmen are lower beings, that humans are more superior. That caused a massive war. So the north and the the center of the continent is in war, and the southern part as well. The Demons, which are located in the west, don''t have anything to do with it. The war and them are separated by a mountain range after all." He told me the affairs, but one particular empire was missing.


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    "What about the second empire?"


    "Well, it''s the Aero empire. The empire of Aero are located in the far east, they are high on top of mountains. Only dragons, Angels, demons and draconians can go into the empire. Humans can, but only if they have the power to do so. Elves, fairies and Orcs live in the empire''s territory too; they live on the bases of the mountains. The Aero empire is the most powerful empire by far, but they don''t interfere into the doings of mortals." He said, "Now that I have explained everything, let''s get on with your life, what do want to be?"


    "What? What do you mean?"


    "You have the choice to be a Human, Elf, Fairy, Beastman, Draconian or Orc. Angels, Dragons and Demons don''t allow reincarnation."


    "I see, then human please." I choosed human because of it is familiar to me.


    "Male right?"


    I nodded, "It''s not like I want to be female...."


    He ignored that statement and continued. "Since you are a good soul, not a saint, but good, you can choose a few things, like looks, family and magic ability. That sort of thing. Better things cost more karma though.... You have 29,000 by the way, 18-20,000 is an average person''s amount."


    "Uhhhh..... Magic?"


    "Average ability cost 3000 karma, only 1/10,000 people get average abilities in magic. Good abilities cost 6000 karma, only around 1/100,000 people have that much power. Great abilities, which almost only noble families''s children have. They cost 10,000 karma, only 1/500,000 people have that much ability. Powerful abilities which only appear every 50 years cost 20,000 karma. Lets say the rarity of it is around 1/1,000,000. God like abilities cost 90,000 karma, only a saint can get that much karma in a lifetime.  The rarity if 1/1,000,000,000,000,000,000."


    "I''ll take great abilities, it''ll cost 10,000 karma right?"


    "Yes, now on to family...." He scribbled hurrily and spoke again, "It is simple really, commoners cost 1000, low nobles are 4000, high nobles are 7000 and royalty is 9000. Low nobles are barons, counts and earls, high nobles also earls, but with more influence and money, marquises, and dukes."


    "Commoners I guess?" ''Doesn''t really matter...''


    He wrote even faster, and then said, "Hunters, merchants, farmers, blacksmiths, Warriors, mages, doctors or servants?"


    "I want to be in a farmer''s family." I smiled thinking, ''I never been on a farm before, wouldn''t that be fun?''


    "Okay, okay..... Anything else? Let me see.... I recommend to improve your appearance; it makes everything easier, and a stronger body of course is pretty nice. You have 18,000 karma left. Average looks cost 500, an above average face is 800, a great one is 1000 and an amazing, extremely beautiful one is 2000."


    ''I have 18,000 karma left, might as well get the most expensive one, it only cost 2000 anyways.'' Alexander doesn''t care about looks, he just choose it because of a passing interest and amusement.


    "The 2000 karma one."


    "Next is a strong body.... Average is 600, good is 900, great is 1500 and amazing is 2000, growth for strength and speed is included in this."


    "The 2000 one." He started to get impatient,


    "Now, it is time for random things! Name what you want and I''ll tell you!"


    "Can I have talent in swordsmanship?"


    "Swords? Okay....." With some rustling he said, "Average, good or amazing?"


    "Amazing."


    "That''ll cost 8,000 karma!"


    "I''ll take it." I wondered what I should take? Then an idea hit me, ambidexiterity! I want to dual wield, it''ll be nice to experience it. "How much will being ambidextrous cost?"


    The figure''s voice grew curious, but he force himself not to ask, it is part of the job. "1000 karma."


    "Can I also have good luck?"


    He was surprised, "Luck? Well, average, good, or amazing?"


    "Amazing."


    "It''ll cost the remaining of your karma,"


    "Can I have it?"


    "Yes! Now that this is done, let me tell you something. Even if you got great magic ability or great swordsmanship, it doesn''t mean you get it instantly. It means you have that much talent. So you still have to work hard. Now, let us move on to the next thing, to be blunt you''re special, Lord Death took an interest in you. So please go on to the next room toward my back." He stood up suddenly and turned around, bringing a stack of papers he had been writing on for the past hour.


    With his long black cloak swishing, I stood up and followed him. The people behind me went into an uproar.


    "What the hell?!"


    "I have been waiting for hours!!"


    "Who is that?"


    He ignored the comments and continued walking. When we reached a tall , metal door he turned to me. "Lord Death is behind this door, be RESPECTFUL." With a emphasis on the word respectful, he left, going back to his job and duty.


    I looked at the 10 feet door in front of me. ''How imtimadating...'' And with that thought, I entered.


    Inside, everything was dark. I couldn''t see anything, I squinted my eyes and try to get used to to dark. I walked crouched trying to walk in. Even though outside on the cavern was pretty dark, it was lit with blobs of light. It was nothing compared with this. And then; laughter was heard.


    "Hahaha!" A tall pale skinned man stepped into my view. He wore all black, black plated armor and everything, he even has long black hair, which is tied on his shoulder, his black eyes crinkled in laughter. "Haaa..... Haven''t laughed like that for centuries... Not since Liy-" his eyes sadden but then the expression disappeared. He pursed his lips; coldly he said, "I want you to humiliate someone for me."


    I raised a brow, "A god wants me to...."


    His face grew dangerously cold, "Some moronic deity is telling people that he is the real true death God. Frankly, I was angry, but I stopped myself from senting an undead horde to kill him, it''ll cost too much innocent deaths anyways.... Besides, since Thantos is a world that is mainly created by me, Lord of death, I thought people can tell a fake from the real one. But some are actually starting to believe him!" His face turned into a mask of barely contained fury. His lips twitched, "So, I need you to kill the fake." He stared at me seriously.


    I was speechless, ''The dude is a DEATH God.......'' I began,"..........Can''t you just kill him yourself?"


    He looks at me like I was stupid, "I am a High God, I can''t just walk onto a mortal world; it can''t contain my power..... Do you want me to destroy a couple of planets?" He sighed, "You won''t have enough power at first to kill a minor God, but it''ll happen faster if I will give you my blessing."


    Then Hantantos muttered under his breathe, I couldn''t catch all of it but I heard the words, "Stupid, First," and "Champion."


    He then abruptly smiled, "Well good luck with that! Remember kill the faker!!" He snapped his fingers and I suddenly started to fall into a black hole. It was underneath me and I look at it in horror.


    "What?!? The hell?! Waaiit!!!!!" I glared at Hantantos, "The Death God" was currently laughing like a person gone insane.


    And I returned to the darkness that I always seem to come back to, screaming.

 Chapter 4: Behind the Scenes

    More major characters!!! You guys will meet some gods and goddesses, and Alexander''s new parents! Not much is described about the parents. But you could pretty much know what the Gods and goddesses'' personalities are like by the end of the chapter though. Enjoy!


    Once again; everything is dark. Unlike the few times I have been in the dark, this time I feel restrained. A heavy liquid that almost felt like starch is around me, and when I try to move I couldn''t at all.  The strangeness of the feeling of being submerged in starch is frightening.


    ''Where am I? Where did that bastard make me go into?'' I thought uncomfortablely, trying to move my body to get into a comfortable body arrangement.


    My muscles didn''t follow my commands no matter how much I tried. After a few minutes of trying to move I was already tired. And just like that, I slowly fell asleep, though I tried to fight the drowsiness that penetrated deep into my mind.


    This is the 2nd time I awakened in the strange place. The darkness feels the same, and the liquid too. However, this time I could move my arms and legs. The mere twitching of my body I did made me happy; it almost made me cry.


    I am also bigger than I was before, at least 3 to 4 times larger. Now I can touch the walls that are around me. It felt fleshy and quite disgusting, but it was a thing I never touched before.


    ''I wonder what it was. It is like a bumpy cave wall, but it is softer than stone.''''


    My curiousity made me go touching it again and again, even though it felt gross. That''s when, with a flash of genius, I realize that I am in my mother''s womb. I mean I was reincarnated right? The simple truth made me embarrassed, I can''t believe I didn''t realize that the first time I was awake. Trying to avoid my dumbness, I turn to other subjects that will relieve me of my humiliation and my boredom.


    "Last time, I was only awake for a few minutes, my second awakening was much longer." I tried to say the sentence, but I guess you can''t talk in the womb?


    ''So this is how babies felt... It''s kinda boring staying in here for around 8 months; I feel bad for the babies of the galaxies, but I guess babies don''t have conscious minds to remember anyway so it''s fine?''


    This was how I spent my time in my mother''s belly. Thinking useless thoughts.  Mentally sighing, I try to go asleep for a couple days.


    Some time passed....


    How long was I in here? No idea..... Bored I floated around in the weird starch like liquid. Then an idea hit me.


    ''Lets try to kick the wall. Not a thought from a sane person, but that doesn''t matter when babies are suppose to kick right?'' I smiled in satisfaction, finally finding what I am going to do, I proceed to kick my time away.


    What is happening during this time.... In the God realm....


    "Damn it!! That Hantantos is so annoying! Just because he is a High God doesn''t make him be able to sent a champion to kill off one of major gods of Thantos. We were the rulers of this world for thousands of years!!!"


    The man speaking was sitting on a tall golden throne. He has long golden hair that reaches to his back and now, blue eyes flashing with anger. This man, Heuslios, is the King of the Gods of Thantos. He is a "major" God; meaning; he was once a person that was once human and then gathered enough power to turn immortal, then move up the ranks of the Gods like every God in this world. Of course these "major Gods" are consider minor ones in the eyes of the 10 who are the most powerful in existence except their parents. The 10 were created gods by the universe, and they created the worlds that ever exsited and the people that ever existed in those worlds.


    "Heuslios, why don''t we "see" this champion of his? I heard he is being born right now in the town of Reaspear, a boy I heard..." The person that spoke smiled mischievously, he is also a "high ranked" God. "Of course, we do this secretly, besides! The champion is just a baby! He''ll be easy to kill... For now." The man was laughing sinisterly at first, but then his voice faded into a worrying tone. He was sitting in a throne to the right of the larger golden throne. The throne was tall, not as tall as the King''s, but still tall, around 20 feet high. Made of skeletons of steel, it had a very intimidating look to it.


    The man is like the opposite of Heuslios; he had black, short, chopped hair, and while the King of the Gods have blue eyes; he had eyes the shade of bloody red. Currently, the red eyes were worried about the future.


    "Of course, Vahai! We can play with this champion of Hantantos!! Hahaha!" The king laughed, not noticing the last 2 words of his fellow God; the annoyance at his boss has also fading a bit.


    Both men, both stupid in their own ways, didn''t notice a figure that was hiding behind the statue of Heuslios.


    The figure muttered, "Those idiots; they are powerful, but are morons, don''t they know the Lord is going easy on them? Still, Champion of Lord Hantantos? That, sounds very intriguing.... I''ll find things about that later, but for now I need to protect the boy.... The easiest way is to change his appearance so they don''t know who the he is." With confidence in the figure''s voice, the Goddess speaking vanished.


    The Goddess is the God of Trickery, Love and Family.  A loyal retainer of the 10, she is obviously going to help. Though whether the help she will give is good or not is questionable. She is the Goddess of Trickery after all.


    The Godess appeared, invisible, in front of a small stone house. It seemed poorly maintained, but lots of planted flowers of all kinds surrounded the house; making it seemed eternal somehow. The ivy that hanged from the roof deepened the expression. A large tree, perhaps around 70 to 100 feet tall, provided shade in the backyard.


    "A commoner''s house, a farmer''s?" The Goddess looked surprised, she had though the champion would be more arrogant, stuck up somehow. "Is it because the boy wanted to be born as one, or because the boy lacks karma.... Better be the first option." She muttered, the lack of karma for a better status..... That''s not good; it would mean that the person isn''t a good person in their last life. The Goddess walked on the dirt path leading to the single floored house, the door of the house barely hanged on its hinges, it was scratched with dirty white paint stripping off.


    "So poor.... Well the war has caused many families into poverty." She shooked her head sadly, "This is one of the families huh...."


    She passed the wall like a ghost and arrived in the foyer, well it''s more like the living room plus kitchen and a dining room. The room contained only a stove, a shelf for spices, which is currently empty it contained nothing but salt, a tattered couch, a wooden table and 4 chairs. One of the chairs had a leg chopped off. The room also had a fireplace, but it layed unused.


    The Goddess made a stained expression, but said nothing. She floated toward one of 2 entrance ways. It was to a bedroom, the room was very small, it only could fit a single double bed.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Can this family even afford a baby?!" The Goddess frowned, "What is the Lord thinking, sending his champion to this family?"


    There was just one more entrance way to visit to see the whole house. It was a connection to another room, larger than the room that contained the bed. Inside was another double bed. There, a woman layed. She seems sickly, with pale yellowish skin and sweat that drenched her long blond hair and her old dress that she was wearing.


    Beside her was a man sitting in a chair. He was large and muscular. Black haired and grey eyed he was very handsome, enough to make male models at Earth hide in shame.


    "Victoria..... Hang in there, I will find enough money to buy food for you and the baby." The man said in anguished voice.


    "Milas.... We both know that you have no money or things that we can trade.... The nobles has taxed us dry...." The woman blinked her teary blue eyes tirely. "This is our first child too, and you wanted a son so badly too...." Soon, she couldn''t hold her tears back anymore.


    In anger the man, Milas, stood up, "I''ll go find some things to trade!" He lumbered off, frustrated that he couldn''t protect or feed his family.


    The goddess looked on sadly, she is the Goddess of family after all. "Maybe I could help..." Frowning in concentration the Goddess didn''t notice another Goddess sneaking up.


    "Gaia!!"


    Jumping at the shock; the Goddess turned around, and met the eyes of her older sister, Luna. "Luna...."


    Luna is the Goddess of the moon and hunting.


    "Little sister, what are you doing?" Luna, almost identical in looks to Gaia, with black silky hair and gold eyes. Luna was taller and had more muscle though because of being the goddess of hunting.


    Hesitating, Gaia told her about the Lord''s champion. ''Since Luna is also a loyal servant of the 10, it is okay to tell her right?''


    After the explanation, Luna with widened eyes said, "And you think I could help with that? How?"


    Thinking Gaia said, "I looked around the house, and there are no herbs, any food for that matter, and the house is broken down, that doesn''t matter now but what if it turns winter? The champion''s parents will freeze to death!" Annoyed at the lack of comfort in the house Gaia ranted. "Heuslios and Vanhai are also aiming to kill the champion of Hantantos too!"


    Amused at her younger sister Luna said, "Food huh.... Well that can change easily. From my senses I can tell that there are a lot of animals in the forest behind this house. The animals are strong, but I think I can put a blessing on that man over there." The Goddess waved a pale hand at the direction of where the market probably is in this town. "The forest also have a lot of herbs. I don''t know why people haven''t went in the forest yet? About the champion.... Why don''t you visit the mother''s dream and tell them about the baby? You can change the gender of the baby to hide him from the other gods.... But I guess you need to get the mortal''s consent?"


    In realization, Gaia smiled brightly and said, "That is a great idea! And.... For why people in this town now hunting....Well this is a farming community, so hunting isn''t popular here.... Most villagers probably don''t know how to hunt, the animals in this forest are also dangerous to new hunters too."


    In disbelief Luna exclaimed, "What?! My influence hadn''t reach here?!" Now determined to spread her influence Luna sped toward the man that was the champion''s father. Luna muttered, "I will make him my first hunter in this back water village!"


    So, the goddesses work to improve the condition of Alexander''s family. Luna blessed Milas, the father, to have good agility and hunting prowess. She even, in her goddess form, taught him how to hunt and to find herbs that are good for eating. Milas, who used to worship no God, now worships Luna, the Goddess of the moon and hunting.


    Gaia blessed the mother to be more healthier and more fertile. She also changed the baby''s gender, in the dream Victoria was shocked at the Goddess appearance.


    "Go-Goddess?!"


    "Yes, mortal, I am the Goddess Gaia, mother of the mortals. Now, listen. For the safety of your son, I need to change his gender to female." She had said this very bluntly.


    "Fe-female? I guess that is okay, but Milas always wanted a son to carry on the Arazel name...."


    The goddess had a confused face on. "Couldn''t you have another child?"


    "That''s..... Well I don''t know if we could support another child...."


    "That''s fine, your village will prosper, your first child and Iwill make sure of that!" With a laugh the goddess had smiled widely. "I can even bless you of fertility; you can just have another child! That''ll fix problems right?"


    Amazed at the offer, Victoria had accepted with no hesitation.


    Gaia also seemed to influence Victoria by her presence, Victoria could see through lies more often, and in turn, can tell better lies, Victoria can sense people''s intentions too. She is also now much healthy in her pregnancy.


    The villagers are now often surprised by the appearances of Milas and Victoria; they don''t seem like they are depressed like the rest of them. The village turned less depressing, the villagers try to follow the couple''s example. Whole hordes of men and women flock to Milas to train how to hunt, and fellow pregnant women met each other, becoming much closer than before. They supported each other so each child could survive through these hard times.


    Milas and Victoria, when asked what caused the change in themselves, they had said, "The Goddesses Luna and Gaia had appeared in our dreams. They had, in their Godly glory, helped us, blessed us. The lord, Hantantos''s favor of our child had brought our child to the servants of the Lord''s attention."


    These words spread, the Arazel family became respected and the village of Reaspear soon completely and utterly worshiped 3 deities.


    Hantantos, the High God, Luna the huntress and Gaia the Goddess of Trickery, Love and family. The village even build a temple for the 3 gods, with the statues of them carved in stone, even though the village have fallen on hard times. This delighted Luna and Gaia, even Hantantos was pleased. The statues were given a divine aura by each respected God. Of course the King of the Gods, Heuslios and Vahai were not pleased, but they could do nothing about it because they couldn''t interfere in Hantanto''s way so bluntly.


    The village was still poor however, they had no trade from major cities and they don''t have proper security. So bandits could steal anything they wanted. They do have a stable food supply now, and that counts for something at least.


    He looked down from far above, and in wonder had said, "Wow, Alexander you have influenced so much, even before you were born!" He laughed, but no one heard him in his black void.

 Chapter 5: Birth

    I will probably write and upload a chapter every 2 days, regents are coming soon. Which I am not happy about, I really, REALLY hate studying..... But for my grades, grades, grades..... :( I''ll stop rambling now, on to the story! Alexander will be born this chapter!! I hope you are excited! Enjoy!


    One day of the thousands of days of being inside of a woman''s womb, I feel strange. It''s the feeling, that something will happen, something good or bad? I don''t really know. But it is something, and guess what. It came true.


    It was just another "awakening," if you call it that. I was conscious, that, I know for sure. The feeling of liquid surrounding me head to toe is now familiar, and the darkness? Well I already got used to it a long time ago.


    I was floating, daydreaming about magic and happy days with my old parents.


    ''I wonder where they are right now....''


    Then, it happened. The "ground" I was floating above and the walls around me were trembling. The first time, it was soft and light. The shaking was barely noticeable; it also only occurred for a few seconds. The second time it became worse.


    The thought I had was, ''What is going to happen?''


    Then I knew, I just did; it was like an instinct. I was being born. After all the time, months and months of waiting, I was being born! I was bored out of my mind, and just when I was about to touch my skin to see what I feel like. I mean hey? No one really knows what a baby that hasn''t been born feels like right? But still, I knew I was becoming a bit creepy. So, I was glad for the development.


    Near the bottom of the "floor" was a faint light. And I know what it is, the exit. Grinning excitably I dive head first into the circle of light. I really don''t want to remember where I am being exit out of.... Shaking my head to remove the thought, I grimaced.


    "Don''t think about it, don''t think about it...." I chanted. "Think good thoughts...." While gurmbling, I didn''t notice, but I was already at the exit. Caught off guard, I started screaming when my head hit the cold air. The light burning my skin, and I couldn''t open my eyes at all.


    "Holy!!! Craaaappp!!!"


    I heard mummers all around me.


    Milas hfdj jkndc and Kahn jab mind ngajud. Sdd jam do lshne Janet Jayne Kahn." The first voice sounded like an old woman, she probably is one. She sounded like my grandmother, always warm and happy.


    "Kshyauko liem Kushan ksggb Victoria?" An male sounding voice then ranged out.


    "Om isnkij ljou Zana, mags qpeinesn....." This time, it was a higher pitched voice, a female. The voice was like crystals chiming, it was sweet and almost innocent.


    ''My parents?'' I tried to speak, but only the cries of a baby could be heard.


    "Heiska naume kia bska Zana." My mother seemed happy, but tired. I wish I could see my parent''s faces, I was nervous, they are my new parents after all.


    ''What will they look like? What are they like? What will happen to me after this?'' I was getting uncomfortable, worried, and relieved at getting out of my safe haven.


    I slowly got tired, using my brain so much at such a young age will obviously tired me out. The worry and stress also added to the mix. But in the mess of worry and uncomfortableness, I feel happiness. At having a second chance in life, at the chance of starting over. And, for once; I do not feel hate toward the God that caused the death of my family and I. I fell asleep, with a smile on my baby face.


    Milas''s POV


    It was perhaps around mid-late spring when my wife, Victoria, went into labor. I immediately called for the mid wife when my wife said so. Panicking, I had ran as fast as I could to the healers building. The building was made of wood, like most of the buildings in the village. It was only a floor high, but it worked well for the few healers we even have in this poor village. I ran like the wind and arrived there in no time at all.


    "Vi-victoria, b-baby!!" The two words I managed to shutter out were enough to have a healer to run with me to the house. When we arrived, the old healer had turned toward me and said, "Stay outside, this will take around a few hours...." She had said this grimly. So I had frozed in front of the door.


    The old woman was called Isna, she was a woman of the healing arts. She is turning 68 next year, but she is still as active as she was 20 years ago. She grew up in the town of Reaspear, and left at age 14 to learn healing. She returned when she was 23, and had graduated from an academy of magic and warriors. She had brought the town the luxury of healing and medicines. For healers are rare and expensive. She, later in her life, taught a few orphans and poor children the arts of healing.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Now, Reaspear has 6 healers. The number might seem small, but it is actually an amazing number. Magic is rare enough, but an above average talent in light magic? Well, the possibilities got cut down by a lot. So having 6 healers in a small village that has a population of less than 800 is mind blowing.


    It took 3 and a half hours for the baby to get born. I had barged in instantly when the cries of a child could be heard.


    My wife laid in the old bed in our bedroom. Tired and breathless, her gold hair was a mess, different from her usual neat appearance. She blinked her eyes in my direction. She was holding a brown cloth bundle in her arms.


    "Milas," Isna noticed me and waved a old wrinkled hand, she smiled, she said, "What do you think the baby will be called? Your child is a girl, a beautiful one." The woman nodded, amazed at the beauty of a newborn baby.


    I looked toward my wife in bed, holding a bundle of cloth in her arms. ''That cloth was the few we have left, how are we going to care for my precious daughter? How will we raise her well? This town needs to prosper, I hope the Gods and Goddesses had blessed Reaspear well...." The sobering thought was frightening, but I ignored it and said, "What do you want the child to be called Victoria?"


    She had smiled brightly, she lovingly looked at our child. "Her name will be Zana, she will be my little princess...."


    Isna, smiling muttered quietly in the background, "Well, the Arazel family got an addition huh? Well! I''ll run off now...." The midwife sneaked off, and the couple stared dazed at the child, not noticing at all.


    The child was crying, but she suddenly stopped. She soon fell asleep with a small innocent smile in her face. I nervously said, "Can I hold her?" ''She is my daughter. My child....''


    My wife smiled warmly at me and nodded slightly; she carefully held the small newborn child toward me. I grabbed the cloth, and saw the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.


    The child, my child, had inherited her mother''s golden hair, it was a few shades lighter however. It was still gold, but almost white. You couldn''t tell if her hair was yellow if you put her hair near bright lights; it would seem white.


    White, the color of Finley''s royalty hair. ''Well, it''s not really white, so it''s fine.'' I smiled, ''Finley is a peaceful neighboring country, it is not like they will attack us if they found out.''


    Her features aren''t developed yet, she is still a baby. But I could tell, her features will be elegant and beautiful, large eyes, and high cheekbones will exist.


    "Her eyes are purple."


    I looked up at my wife, startled. "Purple? Do you have heritage other than human in you?"


    She frowned, "No, no, her eyes are a purple border on blue. Much darker than my eyes... We both have completely human ancestors."


    I tilted my head, "She is beautiful...."


    My wife laughed, "She is a princess, well theoretically. But......" Victoria''s voice faded a bit.


    "Yes? What is the matter?" I asked, worried if she is feeling bad. ''She just given birth a few minutes earlier....''


    "It is just that I am surprised she has hair that is almost white.... You know Finley has royalty with white hair? White in all shades, to yellowish to a grayish white, only people that are related to the Finley''s royal family has such a shade of gold. And Zana isn''t related to them at all."


    "....... It isn''t like Finleyian soldiers will attack us right? It''s not like the king from Finley will know. Reaspear is a small village of 700 that is located in Jante."


    She looked at me, "We are on the border of Finley...."


    "Well, the Fae Forest covers us. We can escape to Serdeamon if we need to Victoria." I tried to reassure her, but I was nervous too. But I manage to convince myself. Finley''s King was a rumored nice man. A person of wisdom and strength. Finley''s king hated war and bloodshed, so he''ll never order his soldiers to hunt us down.


    I have heard that, even though other kings and emperors, like Canton''s or Jante rulers had multiple wives and concubines, he only kept one wife. He loves one woman, that adds to his trustworthy nature. I also heard that his youngest son is ill. I don''t think such a kind man will leave a 3 year old son alone to fight because of a girl having white hair.


    "You are sure?" Victoria was still fearing for her child. Her face turned protective, "I will protect this child!"


    I looked at my fierce wife, with her messy gold hair and slim pale body. I smiled, "We will both protect her, my wife." I sat down on the creaking old bed and continued. "This is our child...."


    Wonder on both of the parents faces, Alexander slept soundly in the new, different, magically world on the Continent of Wen.

 Chapter 6: My new Life

    I have nothing to say...... :) Enjoy!


    Waking up, I see a ceiling. To be specific, a old woodened ceiling. The unfamiliar sight dumbfounded me a moment. I struggled to turn my head to the right, and the low point of view made me realize that I am actually reincarnated. For some reason, being in the darkness for 8 months didn''t made myself truly realize that this is my second life. It seems so unreal.


    I turned my head to see a woodened wall, woodened floors and a window. So far, as a baby that is probably less than a few days old, I can not move much. I randomly thought, ''The window is open, is it not dangerous for a newborn child?'' But I then realize, ''I can''t even move; the window isn''t large enough for a person to crawl through to kidnap me anyways.'' I turned my thoughts elsewhere.


    ''I have to move carefully..... This body is fragile.'' I thought grimly, ''It sucks to be a baby....'' I look through the window, and was startled. I saw a sight very different from my usual home in the city.


    In front of my eyes is a tree. Taller than many I ever got to see in my old life. The trunks are 4 to 5 feet in diameter, and that is very big, at least for me. Looking out the window, I couldn''t see the canopy.


    ''Are babies''s eyesight bad when they are just born?'' Disbelieve made me drop me jaw, as far as it can go when I am a baby of 1 day. ''Yes, yes perhaps that is it.''


    The grass around the tree was unusual as well. They were an unnatural green. Actually, everything outside was bright and healthy, more so than the environment in Earth. It was beautiful, nothing was dirtied by pollution. A few flowers grew outside, a happy splash of pink, yellows and blues. The sky was a blue, and fluffy white clouds floated in the sky. Everything seems like I am in paradise. The sun was shining brightly and it was warm. The time seems to be around early summer.


    ''I never had time to really enjoy nature.... I thought it was boring and that it was the same everywhere, photographing at the time was fun only because I enjoyed the feeling of getting the photograph in unusual, dangerous ways. This world though, seem to prove my thoughts wrong.'' Smiling Alexander fell asleep peaceful, taking time to admire the new world he is in.


    2 Months later...


    I am now around 2 months old. I have met my parents, Victoria and Milas. At first I didn''t understand the language at all. Then, slowly over time I learned it. My parents have spoken to me so much I can understand the language perfectly, my amazing baby brain is also very helpful. After some time I could finally understand full sentences. The first sentence I could fully understand shocked me.


    She was cuddling me before bed like any usual day. I was perhaps around a month old.


    "My little princess." That was the sentence.


    Yep, princess. I thought I had heard wrong, but my mother continued by saying, "My daughter, I hope you grow up magnificently....."


    That shattered everything, my old MALE world. I was a freaking girl!! I didn''t start swearing of course. That would be extremely weird. My vocal cords also would have stopped me. So I made panicked baby noises.


    "Ahhhhh so cute!! Zana you''ll grow up a beautiful girl!!"


    That was the final blow to me, and like most people would do, I fainted, I was sleepy, so it was like a faster version of falling asleep.


    So, at 2 months old. I tried to get used to the concept of being a girl. Thinking of females in my life, my thoughts about the opposite sex was very vague. My sister was a total tomboy, and my mother was a person that never liked wearing too much makeup or wear skimpy clothing. She wore plain, practical clothing and some elegant clothing for more formal affairs. And my brother had said that girls are annoying. So my other impression of females are that they are annoying and clingy.


    Soon, I got tired of how I am suppose to act. ''I''ll just act myself, I''m me, that''s it.... It''s not like I was a macho manly person in my previous life anyways."


    Another 8 months later....


    I am a year old! I was so sad for my parents that they were so poor. The roof had some leaks in it and there was few furniture and comforts. I had learned that this was much better compared to when my mother was pregnant with me. Some Goddesses had blessed this town or something.


    For the past few months I have done few things. I was not allowed to go outside because it was too dangerous. I asked, in baby words, if I could. I asked as sweetly as I could, I even tried to impersonate my sister when she begged something from me.


    My mother was cooking lunch. She was carefully dicing carrots because her knife was very old. When she heard my question she turned nervous and said no very firmly. "No, you can''t Zana, it would be too dangerous!!" She stopped cutting and turned toward me, her long dirty dress swaying. Her worried expression was too much even for a protective mother.


    "Why?"


    She looked around the room cautiously. She bend down and picked me up, resting me on her hip.


    "Zana, my little girl, you know how our town mainly worships 3 deities?" She asked me softly and slowly, making sure I could understand perfectly. I nodded in response.


    "The first one is one of the most powerful Gods in the world. He is Hantantos, the God of Death." Her voice soften in awe. "The other two gods are lower than him, but are still major gods..... The two sister Goddesses Gaia and Luna."


    I smiled, ''Earth and the Moon huh, how amusing. Where''s the Sun?'' I thought secretly.


    My mother continued, with a far away look in her eyes. "Gaia, the Goddess of Trickery, love and Family and Luna the Goddess of Hunting and the moon. These 2 gods work under the High God Hantanos, and you my love, caught the favor of the Lord. And this led to the attention of the 2 Goddesses. You see, you are in danger. To what I don''t know...." Her face turned fearful, "But the Goddesses warned me.... They are also helping the town too. In the end, Reaspear has the protection of the Gods, at least 2 of them! So honey, please let me and your father protect you from the little stuff at least."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I widened my eyes in shock from the sudden information. ''So I''m in danger?'' I frowned in thought, ''Could it be the person that is faking being the "True Death God"?''


    My mother seeing me frown grew flustered when I hadn''t spoke. "Honey, you don''t have to worry.... When you turn 4 you''ll undergo your blessing ceremony!"


    I tilted my head in confusion.


    Relieved that Zana was responding again she said, "Your blessing ceremony is when the church receives the Gods approval to show everyone who''s child they are blessing. Some people don''t get blessed though.... Especially commoners. Nobles have bloodlines that have talent in magic in them. So the Gods pay more attention to powerful talented people.... You can  also have more than 1 God that blesses you. But usually it is 1 or 2, and 3 for more talented children. But there are very few people that are blessed so much.


    Interested I said, "Can a High God bless you?"


    "Well there are 10 High Gods that exist. And there is only 2 people that got blessed from them ever in our continent''s history. It was the Hero Randin and Queen Azrael. The Hero was blessed from Kinjan and the Queen from Gregrath."


    "Kinjan?" ''I knew who Gregrath is, the dude was my killer after all. But Kinjan?''


    "Ahh... Kinjan is the High God of Justice and War." My mother smiled, "So wait patiently okay? Wait until you are 4 years old."


    I was crestfallen. ''I have to stay in a small house for another 3 years?''


    My mother sadly said, "Well, the Goddesses didn''t say you couldn''t play outside for a hour or 2..... But still, you are too young!" She put me down and turned toward the stove again. She was stirring a pot when she snapped her fingers and the light from the stove flickered more strongly.


    With my interest piqued, I tugged my mother''s dress and pointed at the flames.


    "Mmmm?" She followed my finger and stared at the flames and then back at me.


    "Magic?" I asked.


    She laughed in surprise, "You don''t look over any detail do you Zana? Well I can use a bit of flame magic, but that''s it. I have very low talent, but I was still of the few that could use magic...."


    I looked brightly at her in an eager manner. She smiled faintly. "Don''t get your hopes up..... You might not have any talent at all."


    I stared very hard at her, like I was saying I will get to use magic. But she just shook her head, smiling.


    That night, when my father returned from the woods, my parents have discussed important topics that I payed attention to. I needed to learn more things about the world I''m in.


    My father returned a hour after the talk with my mother. His face was a bit worried. My mother had taken one look at his face and brought him to the dinner room table. I followed and avoid the wobbly chair.


    "Tell me what is wrong." My mother firmly said.


    He said, "After the Goddess Luna told me about the woods.... We got much more food. But we are hunting too much for the past few weeks. I was warned by Luna in person in the woods."


    My mother''s jaw dropped, "You saw the Goddess...."


    "Yes, she said the animals need to breed more animals..... We should wait for another few months... I have told the village chief. He asked me a solution to our problem." He sighed, "What am I going to do?"


    For a few minutes only silence was heard.


    My mother stood up, "First, let''s eat while thinking. Maybe the food will help improve our minds...." She walked to the now extinguished stove. The embers of the fire still glowed orange softly. With a slightly cracked woodened spoon; she stopped a bowl of meat stew for each of us.


    My father stared off the space silently, muttering quietly, "What am I going to do..... The Chief had asked me this...."


    With a clay bowl in my small hands; stared into the carrots, potatoes and little pieces of meat. I thought, ''This almost look like curry. I wish I have rice...." My mouth opened in inspiration. ''Farming!'' I turned toward my father and asked in an innocent voice, "Daddy, what do you farm in the fields right now?"


    He answered, "Well, some strawberries....."


    I stared at him. "Why strawberries?"


    He answered embarrassed, "Ahh, well, just because?"


    I said, annoyed, "Why don''t you farm some carrots or lettuce?"


    My father nodded in realization, but then his face falls. "We only have 4 fields...."


    I looked at him in horror, "4 fields for a 700 people village?" I closed my eyes. "That''s not a lot of food, especially if all of it is strawberries for a few months. Pests and disease could destroy some of the food too. No wonder the village could never exceed 1000 people....''


    I said, in a tone that could make my siblings back away in my past life, "Father, please make another 2 fields as soon as possible, so you could have 6 fields by the end of summer. You could grow lettuce, it only takes a month to grow, and peas! Those take 2 months! Carrots only take a month and even potatoes would take 3 to 4 months.... Why pick strawberries!!"


    "A-ah yes.... So one each?"


    I glared at him, "2 for potatoes, and one for the rest. No strawberries until we can make another field. Aren''t there wild berries in the woods?"


    My father blinked in surprised, "There is?"


    My mother while watching in laughter finally said something. "There is..... I pick some when Zana is asleep sometimes...."


    My father slumped in defeat and muttered, "We have such a smart daughter...."


    I smiled proudly. Happy with my family.

 Chapter 7: Newcomer

    Continue~ Enjoy!


    I am now 3 years old! Being a girl still scares me, but I am slowly getting used to it. Wouldn''t it be interesting to see what''ll happen in the future? This is what I tell myself. And it isn''t like my siblings from my past life will come to this world to laugh at me.


    Slowly opening my eyes I squint at the bright light that shined through the single window coming from my right. The small room only the size to fit a double bed is extremely bright. I sit up, my chin length white-blond hair slightly brushing my cheek. I blinked my eyes sleepily and once again was amazed that I am here. Even after all the days I spent on Wen, I am fascinated and amazed in how I am here, existing. In this new world, in this new life, I will live my second chance. With a smile emerging in my face, it suddenly collapsed.


    "Well, if I can get out of my house in this small town of Reaspear," I frowned.


    In the 3 years I have lived in this new world, I have not come out of this house once. It was incredibly boring, with no books. Books were, after all, expensive because of the prices of paper and ink. There is no way my poor family could afford books.


    My mother had tried to entertain me with magic. The small fireballs were interesting, but after looking at them for days I have gotten bored.


    Worried of my confinement my parents had hired a tutor from the town. An old woman from the neighboring village named Vena. She was hired with a single bushel of strawberries a day. When I have heard that, I have laughed. The strawberries now had a use didn''t it? Anyway, she apparently knew at least some math and history. And that was enough; she teaches me things in the afternoon for a few hours.


    Sighing, I quickly got out of the wooden bed. I slipped on a itchy cheap wool dress. At least it was dyed, from berries, but still. I opened a creaking door and entered the "living space," that''s what I called it. The room is a living room, dining room, and a kitchen in one. I can''t really call it one or "living-dining- kitchen room can I?


    Smiling, I walked on the dirty floor. I silently sat down on a dining chair and waited. Looking out to a nearby window, I can see that it is around 8 or 9 o clock from the position of the sun. My father had probably already gotten to the fields or the woods. My mother is probably doing some shopping in the central market. Waiting patiently, I looked down at the scratched table. Sighing of the everyday routine.


    Time passed and a creaking door signified the arrival of my mother. Quickly turning around I see her. With her blond hair bounded in a bun, and a basket holding eggs, bread and some spices. She was turned around so I couldn''t see her face. She nodded and whispered something. She turned and jumped, surprised at the sudden appearance of myself. She quickly brightened up and put the basket down on the dining table.


    "Zana! You have wokened up!" She had a slight glint in her eye. "Zana I want you to meet someone." She took her bread from her basket, carefully picking it up. A single loaf of bread can feed my family for 3 days.


    Tilting my head, I said, "Someone?" Interest lighting in my eyes, someone to "play" with!


    My mother smiled widely, "Yes!" She looked at the door and said, "Heia! Come in with your family."


    With the invitation, a tall black haired woman with a even taller black haired man came in with a small girl sandwitched in between them. The whole family was black haired and pale skinned. Their eyes was a lovely gold, rich and bright.


    The tall woman smiled, stepping forward. "Victoria, this is your little girl? Zana wasn''t it.... What pretty white hair." With a graceful step, she was in eye level with me. "I heard you were favored by the gods..." With a question in her eyes she muttered.


    Then the man also stepped forward, "Victoria, where is Milas?" With a polite question and a slightly cold air, he asked a question. His eyes flickered to me and then back again to my mother.


    Not bothered by any of it, Victoria just smiled even wider. "Ahhh..... Long time no see Lucas, hasn''t it been 6 years?" Laughing she continued, "Milas is in the woods today."


    The woman looked up, "Isn''t he a farmer? Why is he in the woods?" Surprise colored her tone and voice.


    "Yes, but the Goddess Luna taught him how to hunt." With a glance at the surprised woman she continued. "It''s a long story....." With a sigh, she starts to put away the spices from the basket.


    With silence as a reply from the couple, Victoria, happy by their arrival to Reaspear just told them to sit. She just started to begin speaking until she noticed the children again.


    She looked at me, "Zana please play with the little girl a bit okay?" At the end of the sentence she started to look back at the guest, Obviously wanting to talk to them.


    I raised a brow. ''What''s this "little girl''s" name?''


    Turning to the girl, I said, "What''s your name?" ''Being blunt is nice. It get rids of awkwardness.


    ''The girl also seems to be around the same age as me. Will she be a good friend to hang out with?'' I looked at her, to her silky black hair to her seemingly expensive black shoes. I grimaced, ''She won''t be snobbish right? I don''t like those kinds of people.'' I glance at her head to toe once again. ''Maybe not, she''s still too young, if she grows up with me there''s no way I''m going to allow that! It''s annoying!''


    She shyly bowed her head and with a quiet sweet voice she said, "My name Daina...." She faded a bit in the end. I can see that she is very nervous, I bet she hasn''t been speaking to a lot of people in her life.


    ''Not a snob!'' I nod in approval, not that the girl really needed it.


    Brightly I said, "My name is Zana! I''m 3 years old; how about you?" With a child like curiousity I asked. I made sure to be as positive sounding as possible. She is really nervous, clearly with her blue dress crinkled from her hands holding them tightly. On her head, it almost seem the black bow on her head bowed too. It was a comical sight.


    "I-I am 3 too....." She tilted her head up in the end and I could see a small nose and mouth with wide gold eyes. Her short black hair, like mine, covering most of her eyes. Currently, her pink mouth is in a frown.


    ''Oooo~ how pretty.'' With a thought I smirked, ''I wonder how she''ll react when she is older with that personality.''


    I nodded, happy with her response. I dragged her by the hand into my bedroom. The room was plain and small as always. With a single bed and a window.


    She looked around curiously. "What a small room...." Realizing she had said it out loud, she flushed and ducked down her head.


    I laughed, amused at her out of personality remark. "Hahah! It is a small room, you''re right...." Turning to face her. I said with a shrug, "Where are you gotta live?"


    "Ah, well, next door...." Nervously she looked down.


    ''Next door? The house next door is almost 3 times as big as mine. Well, her parents seem strong. And strong people usually have connections, and money.''


    While I was thinking, Daina was looking around to sit. She sat on the bed, her silk blue dress pooling on the cheap wool.


    "Hey Zana, my parents are moving here from the Capital."


    "Yeah? What do they do?" ''They moved from the Capital from here? I heard the Capital of Finley is the most beautiful place in the Country, but that is a given. It is a capital after all.''


    Daina smiled proudly, "They are warriors of the kingdom of Finley!"


    "Warriors!? Really?!" I yelled, ''If they are; it means they can teach me swordsmanship!''


    Her face was bright from the awe she felt toward her parents. "Yes! Mommy told me that I''ll join her in the path of swords! She said that I have to go to an Academy though....."


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ''It seems like she is reacting happily to her parents. Her nervousness is gone.'' Daina''s face is glowing with happiness. Her cheeks flushed and eyes twinkled.


    "Academy?" ''Like academies for magic and swords? This is interesting.... I''ll like to go....'' I proceed with a thought about what she had said.


    "Yeah! I heard from daddy that it is like a school? I wonder what a school is though...." She tilted her head, not knowing the difference.


    I nodded in confusion. ''What''s the difference between an academy and a school?''


    Daina smiled, "I know! I can ask my mommy!" She quickly and agilely hopped off the bed and ran toward where her parents are.


    After a minute or 2 passed, Daina came back as bright as ever.


    She said, "Well! They said a school is a regular peoples'' place for learning, but academy is where people with talent go to learn things!" She smiled.


    ''I guess magic talented people have higher status than people who can''t learn magic.'' I opened my arms and fell on my bed. ''I can use magic; I made sure of that with the judge. But he turned me into a girl, so I don''t know is he screw that up too. I turned my head to Daina and said what came into my mind. "Hey Daina, let''s learn magic!"


    With that sudden outburst, Daina was shocked still. "M-mag-gic?! I don''t know if I can use magic?!"


    I ignored her and said, "Well you will! Let''s pray to the gods above that you''ll have a talent for magic!"


    Daina didn''t notice that Zana didn''t include herself. She doesn''t need to; she is blessed by at least 2 gods.


    "Y-yes!" Daina nodded eagerly. She closed her eyes and put her hands together, similar to how people pray at Earth. Daina however, started glowing. Which clearly does not happen on Earth.


    "W-what?" I jumped up from the bed in shock. I clearly did not know praying actual works for something here in this new world. It didn''t on Earth, at least I don''t think so.


    Daina''s eyes flew open and started looking around frightfully. "What''s happening?!"


    "I''m sorry. I was scared from your sudden glowing." I sheepishly said.


    She looked at me and sighed. "Ahh~ that''s a relief that it''s nothing." She smiled gentlely. "The glowing is what happens when you meditate, you need to meditate to pray to gods. That''s what mommy tells me."


    I look with interest at her; she sees this and continues to pray sitting down. The glow was like an aura I see in movies. Hers has a blueish tint to it. With swirls of milky white in them. It moved slowly and almost chunks of blue churn in the sphere. The blue doesn''t move smoothly at all.


    She smiled in relief a hour later. "There, I prayed."


    ''That took forever for a simple prayer, but awfully fascinating as well.'' Lost in my thoughts I didn''t hear anything.


    "Hey! Zana?! Hello?" When her eyes met mine her cute face scrunched up in annoyance.


    "Yeah?"


    "You mommy is calling you."


    I looked out the window. I could see that it is time for my daily lessons with Vera. I nodded toward Daina and walked pass her toward the living space. Diana''s parents, Lucas and Heia, were on the ragged couch with my mother. They are still talking, not paying attention toward me standing there at all. Heia slyly gestured toward my direction, and with my mom''s dazed face faced my direction I waved.


    I walked toward her and said, "Is it time for my lesson mom?" Her skin flushed in embarrassment for not noticing her own daughter.


    ''Mother is not really aware of her surroundings......''


    Keeping her dignity in check she replied in short sentences, "Mrs. Vera is coming in a few minutes. Zana, please get ready." Her face was smiling, so her somehow harsh words are not having as much as a effect.


    "Yes mother." I too was smiling, joining in the fun.


    The tall couple were having trouble keeping up though.


    Heia looked between us, back and forth. Lucas was staring way to intensely at me. Particularly my hair.


    He interrupts and said, "Your hair is white."


    """................................."""


    I slowly replied back. "Yes...?"


    "Only Finley''s nobles are suppose to have whiteish hair."


    I smiled back at him. "Technically it''s blond, a pale blond."


    "A shade of white nevertheless."


    ".............."


    My mother then tried to turn the conversation away from my unusually pale hair. Lucas allowed it, and didn''t speak throughout the day at all.


    The rest of the day passed as usual. Mrs. Vera taught me the names of some villages near Reaspear, some rivers and some animals.


    One subject I particularly liked was the Fae forest. Reaspear is almost inside of the forest. The Fae Forest runs from the north of the continent to almost the bottom most tip of Wen. It was the largest forest in the continent running thousands of miles. The forest also cuts between the demon kingdoms and the human''s ones, separating them. There were also rumors of faries living in the forest, but no one ever reported to have saw one.


    To the west of us were the demon kingdoms Killua and Serdeamon and toward the east, is the Empire of Canton. The south is Liae and to the north Finley. These are the neighboring countries.


    Jante, the kingdom I am in right now, is splat in the middle of these powers. I have marveled at how Jante survives in the middle of the more powerful nations. The thing that sickens me though. Is the fact that slavery exists in this world. And that my own country are one of the kingdoms that particularly depend on the slave trade.


    Once, I had asked Vera about slavery, but she had answered with a blank stare.


    "Slavery? Slaves are lower beings, it is natural for superior people to be their masters." Her eyes were glinting like I was a child that thinks very little and knows nothing.


    That disturbs me. In this world women and men aren''t equal. Slaves exist, and corruption runs free in the open. I had been disturbed and was then scolded by the teacher.


    "Don''t think slaves like they are equal. They aren''t."


    Vera was borned in a low noble household. Even though her family only controlled a small backwater village, they were still nobles. That mindset was pounded into her since she was a child. It isn''t that she is evil, it''s just that she is use to thinking that. Her parents, grandparents, and siblings probably all thought the same way she does or at least did.


    My mind was wavering from deciding whether my teacher was good or evil, but that day. I decided. Nothing is purely good or purely evil. The world is full of the shades of gray. But sometimes being too evil is bad. Considering slavery. Keeping one might be considered to be in between, tilting toward the "bad" side. This is the Middle Ages. It would depend on the way people treat them. You''re used to it, there is nothing else to do about it.


    But if you are treating them badly, it''s evil. People treat animals better sometimes, if what I heard the things in history books on Earth are right. I guess I needed to see.... Is a "slave" here on Wen is the same thing as a "slave" on Earth in the last?


    ''But, no person should be born in slavery. Being a servant that gets paid is better!'' My mind tries to grasp these little concepts in my mind that I never had to on Earth. ''I have years, I have time to live my life and to spend my time thinking random thoughts. Slave trade interests me, I have to say it, it sounds disturbing when I say it like that.... But, truly, it does. Why do people do it? There is no such thing as "superior blood." How can people do this? Am I that different from people here? I have so many questions. And this is just about one topic here in my new world.''

 Chapter 8: Nebell

    Things are just getting started :D Enjoy!


    In the continent of Wen; a child''s 4th birthday is one of the most important things in their life. Your 4th birthday tells you, vaguely, if you have power. On your 4th birthday, the gods of the world show everyone watching who they are blessing. Who they are favoring. And usually, the child they taken a liking to has enough talent to please the particular God. Some gods'' requirements are stricter than others, but if you are blessed from one than 1, it pretty much mean you are set for life.


    And today is my 4th birthday in my new life.


    I am sitting in my small bedroom, that is currently very crowded. The springs on my bed creaked when Daina hopped onto it with me.


    "Zana! Our ceremony is tonight! Aren''t you excited?" She was practically bouncing on the bed, on the very fragile old bed. I looked at her and gave her a cold glare. She just smiled mischievously in return.


    "Stop bouncing." I grumbled under my breath. She ignored me, Daina already knew what is making me grumpy this morning. It had happened to her this morning too, but over the excitement, she is now less grumpy.


    Early this morning, the day hadn''t started yet by the sunrise, I was wokened up by my parents. They whispered and urged me to get ready for a ceremony that will start 13 hours later!


    So, in around 5 in the morning I am being dressed up like a doll with Daina, who has been my friend for a year. My mother had, marvelously, pulled out a dress from nowhere. When I had asked where she had got it she answered with a fond smile.


    "Haha.... This was my dress from when I was a child."


    The dress was a pretty blue, like the sky. Commoners couldn''t afford white clothing, which is extremely hard to keep clean. The light blue dress probably cost a fortune; it is almost the color white.


    The dress fell to the middle of my shins, the dress was a bit small but not enough to make me irritated. It was beautiful, with black trims and a simple design. ''It suit me perfectly.''I nodded in approval to myself.


    ''Even though I was a guy in my past; it doesn''t mean I have no sense of taste.'' I smirked.


    When my mother saw that it was a bit to small; she had coughed out a embarrassed laugh. "Zana, you are much taller than me when I was the same age...."


    I just smiled in response; some people just get taller than others. It is because of proper nutrition. Of course my mother doesn''t know any of that stuff. She doesn''t have a proper education, it also seems that this world is less technology advanced than Earth. She is bound to not know.


    Daina was being dressed up by her mother, beside me. Her black hair was smoothed down perfectly from the hours of brushing, combing and oil, like mine. We were completely woken up by the cold water that was dumped on our heads.


    ''Hair is a pain to take care of....'' I thought while looking out the single window. The large tree outside once again has bright green leaves swaying in the wind. The flowers bloomed in the unnaturally green grass. I smiled, ''This time was around the time I was born huh...'' My mother hummed in the background, busily looking at my dress to see if anything needs to be fixed.


    It was a peaceful scene. 2 children getting dressed by their mothers. Being fussed by them for being cute, like children were all the time.


    "Zana....."


    I look up to see my mother looking at me in a guarded expression.


    I blinked and stood up. My dress was smoothed out by her hands. She looked down at my feet on the bed, with her blond hair hiding her face.


    "Zana, you see. The blessing ceremony is held in the church that''s located in a different place. The city name is Nubell, it is a city in Finley." She looked up at me with a serious look in her eyes. "Nubell is large city of over 300,000 people, people who are mostly from Finley. So don''t cause trouble okay? We don''t want to attract even more attention with your white hair....."


    My face twitched slightly. "My hair is not white, it is blond."


    Daina giggled beside me with her mother slightly smiling while she combed her hair.


    My mother smiled and then laughed. "Zana, your hair was originally a very, very pale blond. People can tell a difference if they look carefully. But now, for some reason, in these 4 years since you were born, your hair is turning white. Now it is even harder to tell if it is even blond anymore!"


    I grimaced from her blunt statement. ''I do NOT want old people hair.'' I hopped down from the bed and huffed out a frustrated breath.


    Daina sighed and while dangling her feet on the bed casually she asked, "Mommy? Aunty? When are we going to leave to go?" Her jewel green dress shimmered from the sunlight. She tilted her head up to her mother with a tired, teary eyes.


    Heia patted her head gentlely. "We are going to leave in a hour, just wait a bit more okay?" Her gentle golden eyes turned toward me, "You too, just wait for another hour."


    A hour passed with my parents and Daina''s getting a suitcase. They put some clothes and a bag of coins. The adults also carried a smaller bag of coins. My father was wearing clothes that he would never wear while farming or hunting. He also brought along a sword in a shabby sheath. It is clear that my father hasn''t been using it recently.


    Beside him was Lucas. He wore a military like uniform, the color of it was white with black trims and buttons. On his hip was a much better looking sword compared to my father''s. It was in a shining white-black sheath with metal shining on the hilt that was peeking out from the sheath.


    ''An emergency bag for money I get, but why do we have to bring swords?''


    I was standing outside my house by the dirt road. In front of me were poor shacks that was similar to what I lived in.  I stared at the men swords; Lucas noticing the stare, said "The swords are for protection, you will need it. He stared intently at my hair, "It is Finley after all." His usually emotionless voice had a tint of amusement.


    I narrowed my eyes, ''I know Finley''s nobles have whiteish hair..... But I obviously look like a commoner. No one will pay attention to me with my shabby clothes.'' I took my thoughts to another direction. I look more carefully around me. I didn''t get out of the house much in my life. I took in the sad sight around me.


    The roofs of these houses were almost collapsing. One even has a piece of their wall gone, the poor environment was from the war that Jante is in with the Liaeians, the beastmen and the war in the northern section of the continent by Canton, Ayo and Xiame.


    ''Mother had said that the noble family that rule our town had been taxing us because they wanted more money to keep their lifestyle. The noble family of Gregory wasn''t it? I heard that they held fancy parties every month, that they eat 3 times a day. With half the food on the table thrown away. They seriously couldn''t save some money from preparing less food?'' Angry, I crossed my arms with a foul expression on my face.


    My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of horses running. I jerked my head up to find a small figure of horses that is alarmily growing larger in a very short time. I am almost in the way they were coming. My mother beside me grabbed my hand and started backing away from the road a bit. The same thing happened with Daina and her mother, with both of them backing backwards quickly.


    The carriage was, like everything else, shabby. The blue paint was peeling and the walls having some cracks, but I noticed that the wheels were stable and in good condition. There are also windows covered in curtains.


    The horses were also in good condition. The two horses are healthy with shiny coats and good breathing. They don''t look like they weren''t feed for a long time. The owner of the carriage obviously takes care of his horses, poverty downgraded his carriage, but it is safe.


    I smiled happily, ''I guess there are still good people in the world.'' Zana forgot about the accident that almost happened.


    Entering the carriage, I see 6 seats. Perfect for our group, Daina climbed in next. She had to stretch her legs a bit to reach the floor. She grumbled a bit, but she was smiling, eager to go.


    Soon everything and everyone was ready. The carriage man nodded at us and shut the door. This started my journey to Nubell.


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    A few hours later....


    The scenery is starting to get boring, the green trees passing like blades of grass in my backyard. I turned to my left, my mother was siting there. Quietly knitting with blue string. Her hair was up on a bun, but it was a style much more formal than before. She was also wearing a dress she just finished sewing 2 weeks before.


    It was in a simple style with no lace or fancy ornaments noble women like to wear. In a dark purple, she still looked noble like any women, no matter the status. With soft clicks and weaves, her pale slight hand moving quickly.


    I leaned on her shoulder, my "white" hair spilling over her arm. My hair reached down nearly to her hand. The length of my hair is ver long. It reaches to my mid-back and almost to the curve of my waist.


    "Mother?" I softly called.


    "Yes Zana?" She mummers equally softly. She put away her sewing tools into her suitcase in my father''s arms.


    My father on her other side was sleeping quietly. Not even waking from the slight movement.


    "Mom? When are we arriving?"


    Daina turned quietly to us at our question. Also interest in the answer.


    My mother smiled, "It is around noon isn''t it? We''ll arrive at 2pm. The ceremony is at 5."


    2 hours later.....


    We arrived at the gate of the city, almost. The looming stone walls was an impressive sight. Lines of people and carts blocked our direct entrance to Nubell. Peering out the window I caught a few peoples''s attention, but I waved that off. I can not see the gate to the city. Even though my eyesight is pretty good.


    Daina, sitting across from me, also tried peering to the gate. "Huuuuuu? We have to wait even longer?"


    I sighed and plopped down on my seat. Lucas quietly said "Patience is a virtue. Diana, learn some patience and Zana, your posture is a mess....." He looked coldly at us and Daina shrinked behind her mother a bit. I straightened my back, my fave reddening in embarrassment.


    Heia laughed and said, "They are still children Lucas." She smiled broadly, "But I guess they need some scoling once in a while...."


    My parents stared at me in shining eyes. I quickly turned my head away from them and out the window. The carriage moved slowly.


    I stared outside, finding something that will relieve my of my boredom.


    People were in two lines, I now notice that because it was so packed, I though it was just one massive line. Carts, carriages and people riding horses were in one line. While people in groups or alone is in another.


    ''Ohh? A system of organization it seems." A smile lighting in my face, "How interesting...."


    Daina looked at my face and shook her head. She looked away, already used to her friends weird actions in the past year.


    I continued looking, enough to have some people beside me in line to shift uncomfortably. They couldn''t clearly see the person''s face, only the dark blue-purplish eyes staring, and that the eyes looked bright, and strangely eager.


    Beside the carriage was a young boy, probably around 8 or 9 years old. He was wearing rags wore no shoes and holds only a little bag. His dirty brown hair was hanging onto his face in greasy threads. So I couldn''t see his face. He was alone. And when I stare closer, I can see specks of dry blood on his teared tunic.


    Tilting my head in shock, I yanked open the curtains and yelled, "Hey! You!"


    The boy widened his eyes in shock. He looked around him and then back to me again. Even more confusion filled his eyes.


    My mother gasped at what I did. "Zana!? What are you-"


    I ignored her and stared at the boy. "Yes, you, boy with brown hair and no shoes."


    His jaws closed and opened like a fish. It was so amusing I smiled a slight smile. My white-blond hair was hanging down, I looked down at the boy a few inches up.


    Smiling, I was yanked back into the carriage by my mother. The curtains were uruptly closed in the boy''s face.


    The adults started yelling.


    "What?! Seriously-"


    "Zana what did you-"


    "Girl we-"


    "My daughter what-"


    I inturupted them all by saying, "The boy had blood on his clothes."


    Silence sounded. It was brokened by my mother. "........I am sure the boy can take care of himself...."


    I respond with a strange calmness. "He looked to be around 8 years old."


    My mother leaned across of me and opened the curtains. She muttered, "Zana talk to him while I see if he is injured...."


    Everyone except Lucas and my father peered out the windows. I saw the boy again. Everyone was speaking loudly, I didn''t notice it when up the curtains were closed. The noise stopped when the curtains opened again. I, at the center of the group at the window, said "Boy, what is your name?"


    He hesitated but then said, "Tilan. My name is Tilan......lady?"


    I laughed in response, ''The boy-Tilan is really interesting, he''s easy to play fun of.''


    The carriage started to move again, so I smiled and waved at him.


    In the carriage I turned toward my mother. "Is he alright?"


    "If it was a grown adult I am sure to leave them alone.... But it was a child..." My mother frowned at her lap sadly. She looked up to the whole group and smiled. "He is fine, just a little blood, I don''t know where that came from. But he just got some scratches. He''ll live."


    Relieved, the atmosphere in the carriage turned relaxed again.


    Looking very carefully out the window, I see that we are heading toward the gate. The white gate was manned by 2 guards in white and brown leather armor. Both carried a spear with a black tip.


    When we are a meter away from the large 12 foot gate, one of the guards yelled out, "Stop!"


    The carriage immediately stopped.


    The guard that yelled looked around to be 6'' 3'''' and had huge muscles that were clear under his armor. He walked to my father and Luca''s side of the carriage. Through the window of the door we see that he bent a finger. Indicating for us to go out the carriage.


    He yelled through the door. "I must see the travelers!"


    One by one we climbed out. I was last, I bend to go under the small carriage door. The sunlight hit my face and I looked up, and met the face of a startled guard. I smiled and climbed out the carriage.


    I yawned softly, "Haaa...... So tired." I stretched gentlely.


    Lucas walked to the guard. "I am sorry, but can you let us through? My daughter and my friend''s child are having there blessing ceremony today."


    The guard stared at the white and black uniform of Lucas''s. The metal of it shined brightly in the light. I walked toward Lucas and the guard.


    I sweetly said, "Yes! Today is Daina''s and my 4th birthday!" I see out of the corner of my eye that Daina was walking up too.


    She frowned, and managed to look extremely cute, and said, "Daddy? Aren''t we going in? I''m hungry...."


    Lucas had a flash of amusement in his eyes, but he maintained the cold expression in less than a second. "Mr.....?"


    The guard nervously look at him and me. "My name is D-damon."


    "Okay, Mr. Damon, could you hurry and let us through?"


    ''Lucas is laying on the pressure really thick....So scary.....'' I thought.


    "We n-need to check criminals and get my superior to-"


    "I am sorry, but we really need to hurry or we won''t get to the ceremony in time. It is around 4 isn''t it? And it is your fault that we are going to be late. You don''t want for me to ask the king to fire you right?"


    Paling, the guard sidestepped and helplessly waved a hand. "You may pass......"


    My mother and Heia had a scarily calm smile on their face while stepping on the dirt in fancy dresses and Milas had this carefully blank face while staring at the sky. I was smiling sweetly with Daina. In truth, I made a surprisingly scary combination.


    ''I pity the guard....'' I tried to smile to reassure him, but he turned even whiter and smiled weakly.Laughing inside my head, I cheerily waved a hand and got into the carriage again.


    We entered the city of Nubell a few minutes later. And the scene inside took my breath away.

 Chapter 9: Blessings

    Hello readers! I know I took a fair amount of time to write and then upload this, but I lost all my work for this chapter yesterday! :( so I had to rewrite the chapter, it is a bit different from the original one, but it is perhaps even better! And by the way, are these chapters long enough? I tried to not make them too short......And.......It''s finally time for the ceremony! Enjoy!


    When I entered the city gates the view blew my mind away, in a good way of course. The wide densely populated stone road was surrounded be wood houses. Houses that are obviously in better condition than the ones in my town. Just a few hundred miles away from Reaspear is a city much wealthy than itself. This clearly how poor my town really is. The noises of yelling merchants, laughing children and shuffling feet made it painfully clear the differences between the two towns.


    The main material I see is wood, every single house along the main road is made of wood. The booths of shops and merchants are located near the main gate for obvious reasons are also made of the same material. I can see a few flags of the Finley royal family. The bright colors of white and gold made the city glow like an angelic city. The flags had a symbol of a gold hilted sword with a white edge. The sword is pointed up into the white clouds.


    ''I wonder who made the national flag.....''


    The crowded street made it hard for the large carriage to move through. But the driver managed to move a few feet every few seconds, ensuring that the journey to the destination will be reached in a short time.


    I looked out the windows without revealing much of my face and hair, though there would be some random person peeking in. Those "peekers" were dealt with a uncanny  precision by my mother. It was amusing, but also scary to watch my mother''s unusually emotionless face.


    A few minutes later the carriage stopped abruptly, slamming me heavily to the back of my seat. Instantly I heard some hurrying footsteps and saw the door being opened. I stared with the rest of the group toward the figure.


    "Excuse me? We have arrived at the church." The door opened to reveal the bearded carriage driver.


    My father and Lucas got out first. Eventually I was helped down by my father''s hand. I was slightly confused when I saw the large hand, but then realized I am a girl of only 4 years. I would need help from someone if I want to get out quickly.


    ''Oh yeah, I am a young girl now.'' I smirked to myself.


    I took the hand and stepped down from the carriage. A soft thump and a dust cloud appeared, indicating my foot hitting the ground. I dusted a bit of dust from the trims of my blue dress and sighed. ''I''m I getting too girly?''


    I cringed and finally taking my surroundings in with attentive eyes. I look at my destination with interest and a beginning hopes in the place where my ceremony is being held.


    ''This is the church that my blessing ceremony will be held?'' The church was made of a whitish color stone. It was 3 stories tall, massive compared to the single stories buildings around it. A single large stained glass window was in the front. One object that caught my attention was a large, black statue of a male standing near the peak of the roof of the church next to other statues of different colors.


    ''Hantantos? Who is the other statues next to him?'' I stared at the 3 statues.


    The first statue beggining to the left was made of a stone material like marble, it was a color purer then the church''s stone.


    ''Do they clean the statue daily? Jeez, it''s so clean.''


    The statue was a woman with beautiful wide eyes, straight nose and delicate cheekbones. She had long wavy hair that seem to float, even in a statue of stone. She looked innocent and beautiful, especially when she is holding a little bird in her hands. Even though she was a statue of stone, she seemed full of life.


    The statue in the middle was a man. The statue was standing above the other two, he stood directly on the peak of the roof. He had hooded eyes that seemed sleepy, long, straight, strangely silky hair that hit mid back. He was also very tall, taller than Hantantos, in statue form at least.


    The man is handsome, but in a way that is incredibly irritating, at least to me. The figure was made of gray stone, making the statue slightly eerie.


    I pursed my lips at the particular statue, but I shook my head and stared to the right of the annoying man that probably haven''t done anything to me.


    The next statue was obviously Hantantos. The statue was completely black head to toe, alike how the High God actually dresses.


    ''I would know this because I had actually saw him in person, once, still.''


    I shook my  head to throw trivial thoughts out my mind. I looked toward the 10 feet double, white double doors of the church. There, I saw 2 white and blued armored Knights holding spears. They nodded to our group before opening the doors. I took a deep breath and I entered the church.


    I widened my eyes when I entered the building. Everything was glittering and white. Pillars of marble was standing side by side by the walkway toward a slightly raised platform. The 20 to 25 feet pillars made the sight majestic.


    Benches filled the area, most of them were filled to the brim because of how much people that are currently in the building.


    I look around to see all kinds kids in little groups. There are the stupidly wealthy groups with adults and children dressed in heavy ceremony clothes, all that had expensive patterns and brightly colored silk. Some of the families were surrounded by a protective squadron of warriors. These groups were usually separated from the other nobles.


    ''More influential people?''


    There were also the poor. The poverty sickened people, some of the children actually look older than the minimum requirement of 4 yrs.. They were probably down with illnesses during their 4th year of life that prevent them to walk or be awake for days on end, or even for months. These are some sicknesses that people of poverty have during the time of war.


    And of course, there were the middle class. The middle class that like the poorest during the peaceful because of the wars going on in the continent.


    I sighed sadly and followed Lucas to a group of empty benches. The sea of people seem to go apart unconsciously for the cold and frightening Lucas, with his stark uniform and gleaming sword. We followed him and sat down on the benches that was located in the middle of the middle class.


    A young looking priest in a long brown robe came to our group and gave Diana and I a slip of paper. My slip read, "655."


    After a few minutes, a old man came out from the large double doors, entering the platform like a king. His long white beard and deep wrinkles on his face made him look extremely wise. He wore long heavy looking robes and held a long staff with a large fist-size white jewel. The gem glowed with a dull light in the milky-white orb.


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    "The high priest...."


    "One of the 100 high priests in the continent?"


    "Wow....."


    He raised a hand and silence quickly overcame the originally noisy church. His aura of wisdom calmed everyone down easily.


    "Today is the day the blessing ceremony will began. I will call a number and read the words of gods from my orb when a child touches it. Please be silent during this ceremony." His voice echoed across the large space of people.


    As the silence continued, he smiled and began again. "Number 1!"


    A second later, a tall boy that is obviously older than 4 yrs. walked up to the steps of the platform. His brown patched clothing and dirty face clearly tells everyone that he is poor. His face would have been handsome if he hadn''t  look so skinny.


    ''Poverty'' my heart ached and I remembered the people at my town.


    A few snickers came up, probably from the spoiled rich kids. The old man shot a glance to the group and the snickering died down.


    ''Why laugh?'' I glanced unpleasantly at the laughing group and saw that they had a squadron of knights around them. Which prevented me to stare any closer.


    The old man then began, "Boy, in my staff is an orb. An orb that can tell me which God blessed you. Don''t be sadden if you don''t get a blessing. But I''m sure you will." He said it quite bluntly and then held the orb out.


    The child touched the sphere with no hesitation.  The orb stayed the same shade of white for a few seconds, but it reacted and glowed a deep royal blue.


    "Boy, you got the blessing from a major God. The God of the seas and the water element, Seaigen." The high priest showed a face of surprised. "Boy, the water element means a calm heart that can change very rapidly and suddenly."


    Some whispers were heard when he had announced the results.


    "Seaigen?"


    "I heard the God is one of the most powerful gods in the Major gods group."


    "A new king?"


    "Shhh! You don''t want him to kill you!"


    "Be quiet!" The old man yelled out, his voice vibrated in the open space. "Now! Number 2!"


    The ceremony moved from the incident and it continued without further mishap. When my turn came it was almost 8 pm. The people in the church was cut down by half, and it was much less noisy than earlier in the morning.


    "Number 655!"


    My parents looked nervously at me and smiled faintly.


    I smiled at them and turned away from them. I look at the orb in the priest''s hands with an eager glint in my eyes and  I stepped up to the platform.


    The old man smiled faintly with tired lines on his face.


    ''I guess anyone can get tired of using their powers for hours, even if he is a powerful priest.''


    The man inturrupted my thoughts by saying, "Do you know the instructions by now? Just touch the orb okay?" The old man smiled gently.


    I nodded absently while looking at the milky white color and reached out to the ball.


    The instant I did I got a painful shock. The old priest recoiled back a few inches by the slight unexpected pain. He kept his emotions in check by not showing them on his face. He gave me a quick glance and motioned with his chin to the orb. I heisantly touched the orb once again with slow movements.


    This time however, I didn''t get a sensation of pain. I was feeling amazed actually at what did happened.


    The orb made me have an image. An image of a wavering picture of black attired man with a pale blue blob. Then before the image could become clearer another image replace it. And strangely, this picture was extremely clear; it was like I am staring at a realistic photograph, but unlike a photograph, I was in another body.


    It was of a dark forest and my vision was in an "another person''s" viewpoint, I was exprencing something I never actually did in my life. I couldn''t control my actions and I let "myself" run in a panic deeper and deeper into the forest. It was an unusually experience, I could occasionally saw a flash of white hair. It was a familiar sight.


    ''My hair? So, this is actually "me"?''


    I continued running through the tall trees and I saw a bright light ahead. I stared at it curiously in my mind.


    In "my" body I can feel relief, even if I could only feel it distantly. But I felt a flash of pain in my legs and with my consciousness, not my other "me''s", I blacked out.


    I "woke" up in the middle of the exact time I "fall asleep." I looked around to see that everyone was acting like I didn''t just see myself in a vision. I heard a cough and I turned around to face the priest when I saw his face. It was telling me not to tell anyone anything I just saw. I nodded slightly in a way that doesn''t seem suspicious. The priest''s face relaxed in relief, the slight change in experience was barely noticeable.


    While this was all happening, my hands are still on the fist sized orb. I looked down toward it and saw a glowing of multiple colors. I looked up to see a slack jaw priest. I coughed a bit and he glanced at me sharply.


    "Child, you have been blessed by 2 major goddesses and a High God. You have been blessed by Luna of the moon and the art of hunting with a minor blessing, Gaia the goddess of Trickery, Love and Family with a minor blessing. And the God of Death, Hantanos have given his minor blessing."


    """".......................................""""


    The silence grew into uncomfortable length. So I hopped stepped down from the platform and walked toward the group. I sat down next to Daina.


    "Diana, I got 3 blessings!"


    "That''s amazing!" Her eyebrows then pushed toward each other. "Do you think I will get a blessing from a detity too?"


    I nodded at the young girl. "I''m sure you will!" My enthusiasm made her smile brightly.


    "Haha! Thanks Zana!"


    Daina got blessed from a single God.


    "You have been blessed by the Major God of Nature, Virajay."


    The cheering from me and everyone else from our group was kinda embarrassing. Especially for Diana, but she just smiled happily in front of everyone with a bright red face.


    My parents and I congratulated her while we started walking out toward the doors leading to outside. My father laughed and joked with Lucas and I stared in surprise.


    ''I never notice until now, but my father and Lucas are actually good friends. It didn''t really seem that way at first....'' I tilted my heads in thought. ''Haaa..... No use thinking about it. It''s my father after all."

 Chapter 10: Dark Angel

    I don''t really know clearly what is going to happen after her blessing ceremony..... I don''t know what to write! Is this the so called "Writer''s Block?" I''m taking some time to think, so the upload time is slowing. Zana doesn''t have a goal in her new life, not really.... Any suggestions for the future? Enjoy!


    After everyone left the doors of the church, my father was the first one that began speaking. "Well! Hahaha! It seems that my daughter is amazing, she''ll be a genius in the future!!" His tanned face turned towards me and grinned. "Grow up well Zana and don''t become like me!"


    ''........That''s kinda sad......'' I sighed out loud with a shake of my head.


    My mother snorted at him and then stood at my other side. Opening the large white doors, her face was twitching slightly. She seems to be in deep thought. Then, with a sudden smile on her face she said, "Zana! You''ll learn a bit of magic!"


    ''Heeeeeeehh???! She is going to teach me something about magic? That''s sudden....'' Staring warily at her, she smiled in response.


    "It''s nothing amazing, it''s the first thing anyone who wants to use magic will learn!" She began walking on the loud streets of Nubell. "It''s better to start laying your foundations for magic at a young age. Of course, not too of a young age. Magic can destroy your internal veins....." My mother stared backwards toward Heia. She quickly snapped back from her daydreaming and faced ahead. "Anyways! That''s tomorrow, let''s find a place to spend the night." She speed up from her originally leisure-paced walk.


    With steady, quiet steps, Diana and her parents walked slightly behind us. My father, Milas, was talking softly with Lucas. I can hear soft conversations behind me.


    "Yes, I know......"


    "The king has....."


    "Canton......."


    I turned my eyes upward to stare at the sky.


    ''It looks the same, Earth''s sky and this one. This one might be more beautiful.......'' The blackness of the night sky wasn''t frightening. The bright stars twinkled and was spread out generously. ''The object missing is the moon......'' With an interest I asked my mother, wondering about the moon.


    "The moon? Ah.... We have a moon, but it only appears once every 3 days.'' My mother look up at the sky and smiled gently. "And the sight every 3 days is breathtaking." Her face was beautiful with a glow from nearby candles and lanterns. She smiled at me, "You haven''t seen the moon with the stars in the night sky have you?" With a sad look in her eyes she pat my head. "You''ve been confined in the house...."


    With a sudden stop she turned to the right of the direction we were walking. Following the ahead figure; we weaved passed a few people who were shopping in the main streets. The place we finally stopped by was a old building.


    The building we faced was a 2 story wooden building. It was extremely, what do I say, it''s really plain. Or would boring be a more suited word?


    There wasn''t any paint on the door or walls of the building like most inns and houses. The single sign above the doorway reads, "Daniel''s Inn and Tavern." A simple name to suit a simple building. The place exudes a simple homey feeling. It was somehow perfect for a low-key inn.


    "This is where we''ll stay at." Turning to face us, my mother smiled. "I know the family who owns this place."


    Daina, behind me, asked, "We''re staying here?" With soft muttering she stood next to me.


    Heia patted both of our heads with a laugh. "Victoria, is the inn owned by Daniel and Yomi?"


    "Yeah, they left the country''s guild a few years ago. Yomi was pregnant then, so it''s been 7 years now...." My mother pursed her lips.


    Lucas walked up behind us and continued. "Daniel is now a guard for this town." With an emotionless face, he started walking toward the doors of the building.


    Entering the inn. I saw a couple of wood chairs and tables with a counter right when we enter. A petite woman, probably 5''4" stood in front of a cash register. She had vibrant red hair and brown eyes, in her arms was a small baby that seem less than a year old.


    She lifted her head when she heard a bell ring. Her face showed her shock, but it quickly showed her joy at seeing long time friends. "Victoria?! Well! There''s Milas, Lucas and Heia too! Hello, how have you been!" She smiled brightly. Cheerily she walked toward us with a bounce in her steps.


    "Yomi, got another child recently?" Pointing to the baby, my mother walked toward Yomi with her arms open.


    "Hahaha! This time it''s a girl! I named her Shayial, it''s my grandmother''s name...."


    Heia gracefully joined the women. "So cute, a lovely name for a lovely girl."


    Cooing at the sleeping child, the 3 women laughed and started to catch up with information on their new lives,


    The men stood around awkwardly until a stocky man stepped out from a doorway across the room. The man was a bit shorter than my father. Another difference was that he had a beard.


    With heavy steps his short, army styled-like hair was gripped by a small child. A 6-7 year old boy with a wide grin on his face sat on the man''s shoulders. The boy also had his red hair in a buzz cut like style.


    ''That''s what you call a buzz cut right? I didn''t study up on haircuts......'' I stared at the men in interest. The boy on the man''s shoulders stared back.


    With a deep grumbling tone, the muscled man said, "Yomi? Do we have visitors?" When he got closer he stopped in his tracks. "You! Lucas and Milas, we have met again......" He sighed a deep sigh when he said the last name that was mentioned.


    My father frowned, "Why does that sound so depressing....."


    Lucas next to him answered in a very uninterested voice. "Because Milas. You were an obnoxious idiot in the local army. For the one year you stayed you practically toutured him."


    Answering quickly, my father folded his arms almost proudly. "That was years ago.......I wasn''t that annoying."


    "You were annoying." Closing his eyes, Lucas attacked him with his blunt words.


    "Yes, you were,"


    "............................"


    The silence stretched between the men. In the background, the women chattered. Finally, in boredom I broke the silence, I stared away from the boy to stare at the adults.


    "Hey, when are we going to sleep."


    "............Girl, are you Lucas''s or Milas''s. Lucas''s right? I mean, you''re not annoying as Milas, no wait. You''re Milas''s? You look like Victoria." With a strangely serious look in his black eyes, the man bend down on his knees and look me over.


    The boy on his shoulders look at me seriously like his father. Both nodded.


    Staring back coldly, I said, "My father is Milas. What of it?"


    "Nothing, nothing." With the words he turned his back to me. He muttered a few words that I couldn''t catch. "Good thing...... She''s......Victoria......"


    I ignored him in my 4 year old bravery to stare at the room more closely.


    It was quite furnished scarely in the inn. There were a few sets of tables and chairs. There was also a large bar that also worked as a counter for the cash register. The large windows next to the entrance flooded the room with light. If it was daytime of course.


    I started to get sleepy in my young body. My mother, noticing from her chattering, walked over to me after waving her an arm toward me to her friends. She picked me up and started walking toward the sets of stairs in a secluded corner of the large room. The stairs were hiding between the end of the counter and the doorway that the buzz cut man stepped out of.


    Creaking softly, she opened a room that was empty. She layed me down on a soft bed and I slowly drifted off to sleep. In me hazy mind, I could hear a soft click of a door being shut.


    The next morning......


    I woke up to a new, different looking ceiling. Turning my head, I could see a patch of bright sunlight on the wooden floor.


    A random thought flashed through my mind. ''Why is everything here so, so, woodened?''


    Sighing, I sat up on the "soft" bed. In actuality, it was not very soft, at least, compared to my old world''s bedding. It was a bit stiff and tough to the skin, but it was much softer than cheap old wool in my current life that I''m living.


    Once again, I realize how different this world is to the world I was from. ''I didn''t appreciate the things like bedding and lighting enough in my old life....''


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    Shaking the trivial thoughts from my mind, I stepped from the warm bed into the cold air of the room. The window next to my bed was open a few inches. The aroma of fresh baked bread and flowers drifted through.


    Staring out to the Main Street, I can see the crowds naturally parting around horses and carriages. The stone road was heavily packed to the brim. Much more from the day before. No one noticed me because of their own business they needed to tend to.


    I hummed to myself peacefully because of the new day. I layed in comfort in the warm morning sunlight by the window and lazily gaze at the people passing by below.


    With loud yelling, the peaceful morning was shattered. In the far end of the street, I could see a man wearing blood stained armor and a purely black cloak yelling at a small dark haired boy that was no older than 9 or 10. The tall man was holding the child''s hand while the boy was trying to pull away. In the man''s other hand, was a long black sword that gleamed in the bright morning sun.


    The other black cloaked men that was clearly related to the man was walking away with no interest what so ever.


    I couldn''t see the yelling man''s face very clearly because of the covering cloak, but I caught a flash of his face and saw a long scar than ran from the corner his left eye brow to the corner of his chin. In horror, I saw his face sneering while bring down the sword.


    Everyone around the group backed away farther from them and started mummering. I saw the boy was going to cry, his legs were already collapsed on the stone ground in terror.


    In outrage, I saw that no one is going to help the child, but before I could even think of an idea to help the child. I heard screaming, and a bloody stump of a hand. The mysterious man started laughing and started walking toward the already far away group of other cloaked men. From the behind, I could see a a blood-red mark on each of the cloaks of the people in the group.


    I saw a single bony hand dripping with red blood in a background of 2 black feathered wings.


    In blankness, I backed away from the bloody, horrifying sight and turned to my room. I crouched down and slowly began to breathe in and out, trying to calm myself. Closing my eyes, I once again, saw the skeleton hand dyed in red. The realistic sign was chilling.


    I frowned in thought from the cruelty in the man''s eyes, and fact that nobody really were angry at the treatment of the child. ''Are people so used to this, this...... Craziness?'' Sighing, I opened my eyes to the now, strange happy brightness of the morning sun.


    Trying to push the experience behind me, I stood up to walk toward the door. I put on my shoes that was somehow removed during the night and opened the door.


    Walking down the stairs I stumble upon the red haired boy from yesterday. He was laying on the middle of the stairs with closed eyes.


    In silence, I stared down to him. His thick red hair looked vibrant and bright, like freshly spilled blood.


    ''Red.......'' Shuddering from the image the word reveals, I stood on the tops of the stairs, shifting uncomfortably.


    A few silent seconds later, tired from the boredom of waiting, I nudged him on his shoulder with my foot slightly.


    "........................"


    I sighed and began speaking. "Kid, are you awake."


    ".........I''m older than you by at least 5 years......Kid."


    "Oh, you are awake!" In a bright voice, that obviously sounds fake, I kicked his arm, "Can''t you move out of my way?" In a sweet voice, I bend down next to his head and poked it.


    "............" With a sigh he stood up, his unhappy face was almost funny to look at. He scratched his face and laughed in embarrassment. "My name is Haruin." Shaking his head, he grabbed my arm and dragged me to the bottom of the stairs. "My parents wanted to know you better......."


    I started from his closeness despite him knowing me for less than a day. ''He doesn''t even know my name.....'' Hesitant, I spoke in a soft voice, "My name is Zana."


    With a quick nod, he turned to smile at me. He led me to a room adjoining the main room. The room was the kitchen, on the one table in the kitchen was my parents, Diana, her parents and Haruin''s. Since it can seat such a large amount of people, the table was large.


    Beside the large 6 foot table were chairs. Out of 10 chairs, 7 were filled. Beside my parents were 3 chairs, which I quickly sat upon with the boy, Haruin, next to me.


    My mother with her shining complexion, was happy. Anybody could tell. With a bright, sun-like smile, she turned toward me.


    "Zana! How are you this morning!"


    I replied As sunny like as possible. But, with her keen eye my mother frowned.


    "What''s wrong?" Spoken in a whisper, only I could hear what she had said.


    I shook my head slightly. "Later...." I do not want to spoil the good mood of the table of old friends. My father, next to mother was happily talking with his two friends. Yomi and her husband in front of Haruin were also joyfully talking with everyone. That was no way I am going to ask about the men on the streets and what had happened earlier this morning.


    With a glint in her eyes, my mother turned away from the topic and began talking about random peaceful topics. Like the nice weather and the recent lack of rain despite it being mid-spring.


    I was also introduced, formally, to Haruin and his family. Yomi''s husband was named Daniel. Which I could already guess at, the inn''s name is "Daniel''s Inn and Tavern."


    Haruin was turning 10 next month in the late spring season. He totally does not act like a older brother to me. A younger one would be more accurate.


    That night


    It was around 8 or 9 at night, in my room, I was lieing in my bed when the door creaked open.


    "Zana?"


    With a whisper, the feminine voice came in.


    "Mother.....?"


    In the dark room, her figure walked toward the bed with soft thumps. She sat down on the bed with caution, almost like she didn''t want to hurt me.


    ".....My daughter, what has been troubling you?" With careful slow wording, my mother asked the question that I had not wanted to hear during the morning.


    "Hmmm......"


    "....................." The silence was comforting.


    I began a few minutes later.


    "This morning......I saw a group of men."


    Confused, my mother said, "And this group of men......?"


    "T-they chopped off a kid''s hand with a sword."


    ".......Zana, honey, this is what has been haunting you for the past few hours?" Her voice was sad. Sad in what, I do not know.


    "The group of men all wore cloaks, black ones, with a skeleton''s hand dripping in red."


    With a gasp, she stood up. "T-this..... Had you seen a man with a long scar on his face?"


    "M-mother?"


    With a serious expression on her face, the moonlight lit up her hair and part of her face. Seeing this, I nodded quickly. "Yes, it was the man who had cut off the child''s hand."


    Her face grew grimmer. "I was already horrified when I heard a child''s hand was cut off, but by the Dark Angel group itself....." Muttering to herself, she shuddered.


    "Dark Angel?"


    Snapping her face toward me, she began in an extremely serious voice. "Zana, the Dark Angels is a group, an organization filled with the most dangerous people in the continent. They take assignments, whether it is to kill someone, steal something or protect someone or something, they will do it. For a price."


    "Are they........ Bad people?"


    "That...... I don''t know really. I know, that man you saw earlier, he is one of the most dangerous and wanted criminal in the world. But, in the same organization is a known person who is extremely righteous and uptight. Haaaa...... Still, the Dark Angel organization is dangerous. Don''t anger the group of people you saw today okay?"


    "Yes, mother."


    With a shaky smile, my mother patted my head and walked out the room. In the moonlit darkness, I muttered to myself. "Dark Angel, Dark Angel........" Falling asleep, I dreamed hazily.


    The next morning, I only remembered a vivid, but somehow indistinct picture in my mind. Of a beautiful figure of a man in black. With terrifying large black wings spanning at least 6 feet, and colorful splash of bright red everywhere.