When I woke up, I had no idea how much time had passed since my talk with the God of Life. Now I found that I was somewhere warm and dark, it felt like my body was suspended in a warm liquid. Yet, I couldn't really move at all or see anything.
Just where had this God sent me?
No matter what I did. It seems that I couldn't make my eyes budge at all. They wouldn't open it was as if someone had glued them shut. Other than my inability to open my eyes, I was quite comfortable. And before long, I felt the sweet embrace of sleep wrap itself around me. Soon my consciousness again began to fade into darkness, and I slept.
I didn't dream at all. If I did wake up, it was just that like someone had turned my brain back on. I woke up and became alert every now and again. This time I'd woke up, I found that I could move my limbs a little bit better. It was like the space that I was in had expanded a bit to accommodate me.
But the darkness that surrounded me hadn't lessened in the least. It was still pitch black, but my eyes didn't feel as glued shut as they had before. Maybe I would soon be free of the darkness, and the confined space that I found myself inhabiting.
A few more times I went to sleep and woke up. Rinse and repeat.
Each time a few things had changed in my immediate surroundings.
The dreamless sleep remained, it was a little frustrating. It was as if I went to sleep and then woke up. It was as simple as if a light switch was on and off. The feeling really made me feel like time was standing still.
I noticed a difference this time I woke up. I seemed to be able to move my arms and legs slightly. Testing my luck, I kicked out with my leg and my foot struck out and hit something soft but firm.
It was soft and flexible…
That was strange, I wonder where I actually was?
However, I didn't have a lot of time to ponder or to process this information. Before a wave of sleepiness washed over my body. After just exerting the tiniest bit of effort... I had completely drained my body and energy.
The familiar feeling of exhaustion cloud my mind and sleep washes over my body.
However, to my surprise this time I did dream.
In the dream, I could hear the voices of a man and a woman. They are soft and muffled but I could tell that they were kind and warm.
"…our child seems very active," it was the voice of the woman. For some reason, her voice felt familiar and then not familiar. The tone was soft and gentle, a lot like a caring mother.
The voices went in and out. I was only able to hear a tidbit of their conversation.
"…seems she takes after her mother," this time a man's voice sounded. It was a deep voice that was full of warmth and loving.
They seemed to talk for a little while longer, but I couldn't hear anything that they were saying. After a while, I couldn't hear their voices anymore.
The dream seemed to have awakened my sense of sound. Because after that I could hear voices while I was awake. Which I hadn't been able to do before.
Muffled sounds and voices, it was refreshing. Even though I wasn't able to understand them, I was happy to be able to hear again. After the countless times of being asleep and then waking up, I found that none of the voices were as clear as the voices that I'd heard in my dream.
I'd soon, after this repetitive cycle of being asleep and then awake, grown accustomed to my surroundings. I'd surmised that at this point, that I was most likely in the belly of a woman. That could be the only way to account for the liquid environment that I found myself in.
That 'God' had said that I would be reborn, I wonder how much longer I'd have to wait to meet my new family. I felt a bit of excitement at the thought of getting to meet my family. I'd been born an orphan in my last life.
I'd hope that this life maybe, I'd experience the warmth of a family.
With these thoughts, I found it extremely hard to wait to be born.
....Somewhere else...
Within a great house, a maid was quickly rushing down the hall a basin of water in her hands. Alongside her numerous other maids were running around like mousse, they all had been preparing for this day.
The time had finally come.
A man with a plump disposition was quickly hurrying down the hallway. He was completely bald and held a bag in his hand. A pair of circular glasses rest on his nose. They look as if they could slip off his nose at any moment.
With his free hand, he pushes the glasses up onto his face. He moves faster and faster down the hallway. His movement are quick, and short and fast-paced steps that alluded to his short stature. Beads and beads of sweat tumble down his face, and he quickly reached into his pocket and produces a handkerchief to dab at the sweat.
"The day has finally arrived," he mutters to himself as he rounds the corner of the hallway. The sound of people intensified as he rounded the corner. The hallway was full of people, a great deal of people so much so it was hard to tell who was who…
Grunting to himself he pushes his way through the throws of people and made it to a door that was at the end of the crowded hallway. Everyone's eyes rested on the small bald man. He paid no mind to them, he only had one thought on his mind and that was of the lady of the house.
Pushing the great door open, he slips into the room. He firmly closes the door behind him and continues to make his way forward through the great house. Walking quickly along, a plethora of paintings hang on the wall as he pads forward. It felt like all the eyes in the paintings are staring dead at the bald man.
The sound of people had lessened in the room, although, within this room were about ten people, all of which the small bald man knew quite well. Each of these people were individuals that made the bald man sweat even more.
They are all great figures and he could not afford to insult any of them. All of their eyes turned to the small bald man.
Ducking his head, he pressed onwards, arriving at an even grander door, this door had the image of a great lion carved into it. The lion almost seemed alive in the wood, swallowing a bit of fear he pressed the door open.
Muffled whispers assaulted him as he stepped into the great room. In the center of a huge room was a woman, and all around the woman are a myriad of nurses and butlers. All of them are attending to her.
The woman at the center of all the commotion is beautiful. Even though her face was contorted in pain, and sweat rolls down her face. Black hair stuck to her forehead, and around the back of her neck. She's propped up in the bed with a great many pillows supporting her.
Her chest heaved as she took short and fast breaths of air. Her ivory hand was wrapped around the Masters of the house's hand, he stood next to his wife, nothing but concern etched onto his face.
Seeing the scene before him, the small bald man took a deep breath and quickly bounces forward.
As he got closer, he saw the thin layer of sweat that coated her skin, the bead of sweat running down her arms. Her thin gown had been moved all the way up around her inflated stomach, as one of the maids was checking her contractions.
Sensing his approach, the Master of the house looks towards the bald man. The concern he had towards his wife vanishing, and in its place an angry look appeared on his face.
"Hurry Clovis, my wife's struggling with the child," the master snapped at the bald plump man.
"Yes, Sir Astley," the bald man assented as he rushed forward.
"Ahhhh!" A scream pierced the air, as the lady bite down hard on her lip, causing blood to run down her face. Making this beautiful woman look just a bit mad. Her vibrant emerald green eyes began to turn a crimson red.
...at the same time...
A loud scream wakes me from my sweet sleep. The normally calm and warm liquid that I resided in was now churning violently. I heard a great many voices all melding together. It dawned on me at that moment.
It was finally time!
Finally, time for my Mother to give birth to me. Many emotions wash over me at that second. I felt a mixture of fear and happiness.
A fair bit of time began to pass and I found that I wasn't coming out. It seems that I was stuck, and just didn't want to come out.
It seems that my mother was having a tough time, I could hear every scream and it seemed like her body didn't want to release me.
I needed to help her!
But how in the world was I supposed to do that?
As if in answer, I felt my body move forward slightly, and then a hand began to close around my leg. I did the best to move with the flow of my mother, and soon enough, I found my body completely free of my living quarters.
I opened my mouth wanting to say something. Instead of a voice, a loud cry comes out of my mouth, to be exact it was a wail. The wail of a child that had just been born. I tried a couple more times, but the same result happened. It seems that I wouldn't be able to talk right now.
Someone began to wipe down my body and I felt a cloth pass over my eyes, a sticky film was removed, and I was able to blink my eyes, I blinked a couple more times and a fat bald man's face came into view.
This couldn't be my father, could it?!
I felt a bit distressed as I stared at the fat man, he had sweat pouring down his head and some blood that matted his face. His eyes are a bright red as he looked down at me.
I wanted to go back into my warm confines!
"Clovis! Clovis, how is my child?!" The whimsical voice of a woman drifts through the air like a soft note of music. It was beautiful, I felt my little heart pound ever so slightly at the sound. I wanted to twist my way out of this fat man's arm and get to the woman, I knew her voice!
She had to be my Mother! The man holding me cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Lady Astley, you've brought a healthy baby girl into this world! May the blessing of the Goddess Muheia, bless this child," the fat man warps me in a black cloth and moves towards a bed.
I could smell the strong scent of blood.
Looking around as he walks me over to the bed, I found that a lot of people were in the room. All of them had glowing eyes.
"Hand her to me Clovis," the musical voice of my Mother sounds again. Soon I was transferred from the fat man to my Mother's arms.
Her face came into view and I thought that she had to be the prettiest woman that I'd seen in my life. Not even the supermodels from my previous life could compare to her beauty.
She had long inky black hair that was matted to her forehead and emerald green eyes that are framed by thick black lashes. Her facial features are all delicate and angular, she had the looks of an elegant lady.
I noticed a small simple lotus flower was tattooed onto her forehead. It was golden in color.
Her pale skin was a little flushed as she smiled at me, that when I noticed that she had two large fangs peeking out from her lips.
"Dear she's beautiful," my mother gushed as she caressed my face with a finger, I smiled.
"She looks just like you dear!" The man on the other side of the bed spoke, he was leaning down and looking at me.
He was a big man. He was a far bit darker than my mother, his skin was a warm brown. His face was drawn into a warm smile, even though he looked like a giant. A giant that could easily squash someone.
One of his eyes was a light golden color, while the other eye had a large scar that ran through it. To be exact the scar ran from his mouth all the way through his eye and to the top of his hair, vanishing in the hair. It would appear that he lost the use of that eye.
His hair was short and brown, he wore a simple shirt and pants. So, this man was my father.
I glanced over at the other person that was standing behind my Father. He had dirty blond hair. A strained expression dotted his face. His eyes are the same emerald green as my mother. He didn't look anything like my Father.
Was he maybe... a brother or another family member?
"What shall we name her?" My Mother asked my Father.
"Hollis," she spoke as she looked down at me with her emerald green eyes.
That wasn't a bad name, it looked like I was Hollis in this life.
Boom!
I was startled at the loud noise, but another shocking this happened.
"May the Young Miss be blessed by our Goddess Muheia," it was a booming echo as everyone had gotten down on their knees and had spoken.
"Thank you," my Mother's voice sounded again. "If you could I would like a moment alone with my husband," she spoke with a kind voice.
In a couple of seconds, all the maids and doctors had left the room. The last one to leave was the man that had been standing next to my Father, he glanced back at us before he too left the room.
The door closed behind him.
"My pretty, pretty baby girl," my Mother gushed as she rubbed my nose and I open my mouth a light laugh left my mouth.
I felt embarrassed at myself.
"Dear, give her to me," my father's deep voice sounded as he reached out a hand. My Mother smiled and passed me to him.
Being up close to my Father, I found that he had even more scars that dotted his body. Was he an adventurer? The God of Life had said that this was a world of magic and monsters…
It was only logical that my parents could have been adventures.
My Father rubbed my feet as he smiled down at me.
I felt warm, I'd finally gotten parents.
I planned to live this life to the fullest!