The next day Calais awoke to the loud sounds of the clanking of wood. He was still 1 year old and sleeping in his parent's room on the second floor of the Ithai home.
This is unusual. Mom always wakes me up and walks with me either to the garden or the kitchen. I wonder what those sounds are?
Calais left his parent's room and walked down the stairs. following the sounds led him to the open part of the garden. There Genghis and Kaylessa wear fighting with wooden spears.
Seeing him Kaylessa immediately dislodged Genghis's spear.
Then said, "good work Gehnghis take a break while I talk to your brother."
"Good morning little Calais, your father and I discussed some things last night. We decided if you were gonna prepare yourself for the world we might as well start right away. Although it may be early, especially for you. You have shown to be very smart, so we planned to get you more mental skills first. Understand?"
"Yes, you and Father are gonna get me nonphysical skills," Calais asked unsurely.
"Yes, you are 1 after all. If anything we would be stunting your growth by overworking your body. Your head on the other hand, especially with that tier 4 skill. You will have no problem picking up skills and reaching the threshold to prestige." Kaylessa said.
"Okay, I'm ready when you are," Calais responded
"First, tell me the tier 1 skills you have."
Uh oh, Calais thought.
"I have Swimming (LV10) Meditation (LV10) ) Time Sense (LV10) Listening (10) Mathematics (LV10) Reading (LV10) English (LV10) Economics (LV10) Spanish (LV10) French (LV10) Russian (LV10) Italian (LV10) Japanese (LV10) Arabic (LV10) Mandarin (LV10) Composition (LV10) Sense Mana (LV10) Acting (LV10) Breath Control (LV10) Atillin (LV10) Humming (LV10) Ambidextrous (LV10) Hide (LV10) Balance (LV10) Sneaking (LV10) Reading (LV10) Crawling (LV10) and Lie (LV10)." Calais listed nervously.
After a moment Kaylessa responded, "Okay... I'm gonna ignore the skills like lying and acting for now. What are these other skills, I've never even heard of them before?"
"They are different languages," Calais said.
"Calais... are trying to tell me you know 9 language skills?"
"Yes."
"And how have you learned these 9 languages as a 1-year-old? 8 of them I've never heard of," Kaylessa questioned seriously.
Uh oh, I don't think anything I say can explain this. Fuck it, all in on the genius card.
"I created them." Calais tried.
"Calais. I am 47 years old, I'm not going to sit here and be lied to by my own child." Kaylessa said with a frown.
"Most 1-year-olds can barely say 9 sentences. I know you are smart and on top of it, your eidetic memory makes you a genius in every sense of the word. But you did not create 8 languages and learn 1 in after 16 months of being born. Tell me the truth. And do it now."
Fuck, should I double down? If I could learn another language from my past life and say I created it. I could prove it but I don't know any other languages..... Actually. Game of thrones had 2 languages, Uh let's see. Valar morghūlis, valar dohaeris, drīvose, kostilus, geros ila, Fuck I'm not getting it.
"Calais..."
"I created them and can prove it," Calais said hurriedly.
Skorverdon dekuroti Dōros hen kesīr ilza? Skoriot dīnāzmot geron ilza? Sparos Āegenkon Dēmalion dēmassis?
"Calais... Show me your status page then," Kaylessa said coldly.
"How do I do that?"
"Hold my hand for 10 seconds and say "share status with Kaylessa Ithai" she explained now touching his hand.
Kesy Dornīhor averilla issa? Kaerīnvesse Dāroti Viliniot mazōreksi?
5 seconds had passed.
Sōnarurlio gōviliria rēbagon rakegon kostan? Fuck, Fuck, why am I not unlocking it.
10 seconds had passed and his status screen was now in front of him, but Kaylessa could see it as well.
Riña dōre brōzi ēza
"Hmm, well you were honest about your skills, but now you need to explain how you created 8 languages. So I'm waiting."
Zaldrīzome arrikson kostan? Come on, I've said just about everything I remember.
Skorī dēmalȳti tymptir tymis, ērinis iā morghūlis!
Ding! High Valyrian Unlocked!
Ding! Polyglot Unlocked!
What? Calais thought.
Kaylessa's jaw dropped at the additional skills being added to Calais's status.
"Wow, another language I assume, and polygot..... another tier 4 skill. My 1-year-old child has more tier 4 skills than me." Kaylessa mumbled in a daze.
Quickly snapping out of it she focused on Calais again.
"Calais, I don't even know what to say to you. This is beyond impressive, I was actually really concerned about why you would lie to me. But if you can just create languages as you say...I...I don't know Calais. You are just a baby, and are learning and growing faster than any child I have seen or heard about. You act like a system-dammed adult, for crying out loud." Kaylessa said with a sigh.
"Just come here for a second," Kaylessa said while embracing Calais in a hug.
"This is a lot for me. But I want you to know… It was just...I know you were lying about something, and I wanted you to come clean with me. Calais... I trust you...you will always be my baby okay." Kaylessa said while tears started dropping from her eyes.
Maannn. Now I feel really bad. I lied to my Mom, who knows I could have taken over the body of her son-to-be. Took the joy of having a child from her...Damn.
Calais's thoughts continue as he embraced his Mother as well. Falling into his emotions and letting tears rain. Then Calais's eyes went wide.
Could she be using her…..No... she wouldn't right? She wouldn't use her active on me, right? Shaking his head at those thoughts Calais continued to comfort Kaylessa.
But the thoughts came back.
Her active is emotion-based. She mentioned inducing loyalty with emotions. Specifically, on the slave Miadithis is planning to buy. Calais speculated.
I don't know, she wouldn't do that to her own family, right? Her own son. Unless she thinks I'm not. Unless she thinks I'm lying... and untrustworthy.
Unless she doesn't trust me.
...Or I'm just being paranoid. Not trusting my own Mother, someone who has nurtured me, and taken care of my every need for a whole year. I don't trust her because I'm scared to be vulnerable….
I don't trust my Mother because I'm scared of what will happen if I do.
…I think I'm a terrible person.
Calais had these thoughts while embraced by his Mother, making him cry just as much as her.
He had been in this world for a year now. Been in this family, been in this body. But was still plagued by his past life's negative traits. Plagued by his past life's negative characteristics. Dragged down by these chains because he had yet to truly change. He had found his motivation though. Knew what he wanted. Calais wanted power, power to do as he pleased and to protect the people and things that he wanted. Wealth to do as he pleased, wealth to be able to make anyone he wanted happy. Lastly and most important, Calais wanted a family. A family with a name known far and wide. Not just with respect, But awe.
After a few minutes of crying, Kaylessa released Calais from her embrace.
Calais having steeled his resolve meet her eyes.
"Mother... I was lying." Calais said
With concern in her eyes, Kaylessa said, "What did you lie about?"
"Everything... Mother, I remember my past life. Have for a while, that's why I'm so high-level and smart for my age. That's why I have so many different skills and coinciding levels."
Eyes slightly trembling, Kaylessa said "what does that mean though Calais? You're still you though right?"
"Yes, as far as I know, I'm Calais." He said smiling slightly.
"Even in my past life I had the same name, so I guess me being your son is no coincidence."
Nodding her head slightly, and taking a second to process what was being said to her. Kaylessa seemed to have confirmed something.
"Calais this might be some sort of side effect of your tier 4 memory skill. I want you to know that no matter what you are part of this family. You are my son, and I love you. No matter what am I clear? You can tell me anything, but that will never change."
"No matter what?" Calais said.
"No matter what," Kaylessa confirmed
Hearing this Calais felt the chains that were holding him back disappear. The weight on his head lifted and he immediately hugged his Mother as hard as he could.
Today he was going to start his new life with renewed vigor and renewed determination. No matter what no one was going to do anything to his family.
Smiling as she hugged her little boy. Kaylessa said, "I trust you Calais, and will always love you. Come on now I had a whole plan to get you mental skills. Let's go to the lounge."