Waking up in the morning the sun had barely begun to rise as I walked over to my table that was almost collapsing under the weight of gold and began to continue making gold coins before I was left with a grand total of 500. 200 for me and 300 for my mother. Curiosity overtaking my need to leave, I decided I had the time to test one last thing.
[Kai] "
Next to the table, a black gate-like hole appeared, seemingly endless as I looked into it, feeling as if I were about to be sucked into it with no means of escape I looked away, a bead of sweat escaping my skin and rolling slowly down my forehead. This reminded me of the current state I was in. Dirty...
After placing a piece of splintered wood in the storage, testing to see whether it was possible to remove things I placed in there and finding it was possible, I just had to stick my hand in and picture what I wanted which was terrifying in its own right but after finding out it worked, it will definitely be useful in the future.
After placing my 200 gold in the storage, I walked out into the main room and, after making sure there were no windows nearby, left the 300 gold on a table and left before anyone else in the vicinity woke.
Looking around, under the peaceful dawn light, no one would suspect that just yesterday someone had been reborn (sort of) and an elf had been murdered after trying to capture and dissect that reborn person.
The surrounding houses where marginally better than my parents leading me to assume that they didn't have to deal with having a comatose teenager to take care of. The difference in landscape from my previous world though, is a breath of fresh air, literally. The air is much cleaner, the grass is fresh and green as are the trees.
Time to get going. I figure that if I just follow the cleared out path for a while I'll eventually find a town or a city or perhaps just a place that I can clean myself and my clothes. Though I'd rather get new clothes if I had the chance since the ones I'm wearing now are even more raggedy than my parents, just a white cloth shirt and trousers. Not to mention the fact that they're slightly covered in dried elf blood which I can imagine being a total bitch to get out without some sort of washing liquid which probably doesn't exist in this world. Okay, I think I have my order of business about right. First is to find a new city or town, second is some new clothes and a place to wash, third would be finding an inn or something similar to stay in, fourth is finding books to learn more about this world and fifth is to learn more about my ability. This is, of course, subject to changes with the situation.
Continuing forward with a proper goal in mind and new found vigour in my steps I kept walking down the path in front of me. And walking, and walking, and a little more walking... I should have tried to find a carriage or something.
*rustle*
[Kai] "hm?"
The sound of something rustling in the bushes to the right of me could be heard, from how loud they were being, it was either an animal or a rather heavy footed follower. Surely an animal. I haven't made enemies that quickly have I?
I followed the sound through the bushes, eventually coming across a large lake in the middle of a clearing. White rocks outlined the water as it flowed calmly while a small animal was drinking from it.
*rumble*
I grip my stomach whilst looking towards the small fox-like creature. It had the stature and face of a fox but lacked the fur which was replaced with skin resembling that of a deer with small antlers protruding from its head. What should I call this thing? A dox? A feer? My stomach rumbled again. I'll just call it lunch.
After picking up a nearby white stone I looked at it, then to my lunch before coming up with a word to make this a little easier.
[Kai] "
As I aimed the stone towards the animal, my sense of sight improved to the point that I could make out the smallest details of the creature, there was a small scratch on its back thigh and a small amount of dried blood on its jaw. Seems like you've just eaten, makes me feel less bad about this since you killed something too. Following my sight, my dexterity seemed to improve greatly and I felt that no matter what I aimed for that I would hit it exactly where I aimed.
Looking for a weak spot on the creature, nothing was blatantly obvious so I decided to go for a tried and true weakness that most things back in my world had. The temple, or temporal bone, and with my current abilities, the most likely spot to achieve a one-hit-kill.
[Kai] "
I felt my muscles contract and expand multiple times in a surprisingly painful manner before a feeling of relief and new found power filled my being. I aimed the stone at the creatures temple as it continued to sip from the lake.
[Kai] "you'd better taste good or I'll kill you."
I threw the stone at a speed that surprised even me as it pierced through the animals head rocketing out the other side like a bullet until it lodged itself in a tree at the other end of the lake leaving me ever so slightly flabbergasted. The helpless animal fell limp on the white stone causing it to turn a partial red as blood seeped from the open head wound.
And lunch is served. Who knows, maybe you'll get reborn in another world.
I let out a small laugh as I sauntered over to the dead deer fox and knelt over it.
[Kai] "now, the big question. How do I eat you?"
Do I eat it with the skin or without? Do I cook it or eat it raw? Oh, I could try that..
[Kai] "
The skin of the animal practically fell from its body, leaving the muscles, among other things clearly visible. The skin peeling away would probably have made a normal person from my old world throw up.
[Kai] "alright then. That worked now what about the cooking? Hmm, I think I'll just prepare a fire."
I gathered some of the larger nearby stones to create a makeshift fire pit with what little camping experience I have from before I got really sick. After I felt satisfied with the pit, I left to go and gather some fire wood.
On my way back I got a very bad feeling and hurried back towards where I left my meal. My feeling was right as when I rushed out of the bushes a strange black bird was in the middle of diving towards it, no doubt thinking it was a free meal if it could get away before the owner came back.
[Kai] "
A bright white and blue light suddenly filled the area for a few seconds and a sharp pain ached in my head before calming down as the light vanished, leaving behind a slightly charred, feathery body lying next to the fire pit.
[Kai] "I don't care what you're really called, you'll always be a vulture to me- gkh.."
Looks like I overstepped my capabilities. My enhancements have all vanished and I'm suffering from rebound as sweat is drenching me and my clothes and the sharp pain in my head came back as I fell to one knee.
[Kai] "th-this is nothing. I'll just cook myself some food and get cleaned up in the lake."
I plucked the bird with a word similar to before but started the fire naturally after placing the bundle of sticks where I felt they would light the best and continuously struck some dry rocks against each other until enough sparks fell into the pit to start the fire.
After setting the animals over the fire I proceeded to strip down to nothing and step into the lake. The clean, clear water became an unfortunate murky brown and red colour as the dried blood was washed from my skin, however once that was gone I decided to sit down in the water cross legged and meditate. This was something a former friend taught me to do when I was stressed, angry, sad or anything like that and honestly, most of the time it worked. It's regrettable that I don't have any headphones or gentle music to play but I am outside in the middle of nature so that should work just as well.
As I focused with my eyes shut, I felt like I was floating in a sea of nothingness. It was a calming feeling, like I was the only one in the entire world, all my worries were being swept away by the tide.
[???] "Greetings once again."
[Kai] "who-?... you."
[Entity] "indeed. It is a pleasure to speak with one as entertaining as yourself again."
I was about to reply with a snide remark but I remembered the help it gave me in finding out what my ability was.
[Kai] "it's a pleasure to speak with you again as well."
[Entity] "my this is odd. You're actually showing me respect?"
[Kai] "with all due respect, don't push it."
The space we were in shook with Entity's laughter.
[Entity] "you truly are an interesting existence."
[Kai] "thank you? Anyway, why did you decide to contact me?"
[Entity] "you've done something that surprised and pleased me, so I thought I would give you a reward."
The voice this time didn't come from everywhere but a certain point. Behind me?
I turned to see an androgynous humanoid figure with no face, hair, clothes or skin. In place of all of that, looking at it, it was like looking at multiple cosmos, stars, planets and galaxies all moving around within its body.
[Kai] "is that your real form?"
[Entity] "by no means. I simply thought you would appreciate a physical being you could speak to."
[Kai] "ah, so... is this my reward? And, what exactly am I being rewarded for?"
[Entity] "you are being rewarded for the way you handled the situation with your parents in this world."
[Kai] "so I get rewarded for doing good things? Doesn't that go against what you said before? That I could bring peace or destruction?"
[Entity] "if I'm amused at what you do I shall reward you regardless of morality."
[Kai] "oh, well that's good to know."
[Entity] "now, as for your reward. I shall answer one fair request of yours."
[Kai] "get rid of these headaches."
[Entity] "that...was fast."
[Kai] "yeah well, they're annoying. And painful.
[Entity] "my deepest apologies but this is a request I cannot grant."
[Kai] "what? Why?"
[Entity] "the headaches, as you call them, are your body telling you that you are near, at or past the limits of your ability and are necessary to keep you from killing yourself from overuse. I can however, tell you how to increase the limits of your power."
[Kai] "please do."
[God] "magic in this world uses something called mana. This you will find more about in the future I'm sure. Your power uses something different. It tugs on your very conscience, your mind, your "mental power" if you will. This can be increased by working out your mind. Things like meditation or continuous use of your abilities can help do this."
[Kai] "so training my mind and power will make it stronger, got it."
[God] "now that I have granted your request it is time for you to go back. You have an interesting future waiting for you I'm sure."
A wide, unnerving smile appeared on gods blank face sending a chill down my spine before my eyes opened, revealing the familiar lake and fire. I got up, put my underwear and pants on leaving the bloody, sweaty shirt on the side and walked over to my food.
Surprisingly tasty. That was my thought as I bit down on the last of the deer fox before starting on the vulture that had the familiar flavour of chicken. Once that was done, I sat cross legged next to the fire pit for an hour before spending another hour working on my ability and wash, rinse, repeat. By the time I decided to stop, the sun had set and the moon was shining brightly in the sky. I went over to wash my face in the lake before going to sleep but as I did so, I noticed a pair of glowing red eyes reflecting in the surface of the water before I felt a pain in the back of my head, then nothing but blackness.
That damn 'god' knew this was going to happen, didn't he.