6 months had passed since then, being a baby meant I didn't have much to do everyday.
However I wasn't completely idle either, looking back at my past I realized the only reason I had died was because I lacked the strength to properly defend myself… And seeing as this world had magic I decided to start looking for a way to possibly use it.
I tried several methods based on my knowledge from fantasy reincarnation books in my past life. From trying to breathe, feel, and so on. At first nothing worked, it was only when I decided to start meditating when both my parents thought I was sleeping that things started to go my way.
With a clear mind that I started to be able to feel a foreign energy circulate within me, it was empowering! I would accumulate little blue particles of energy that I could sense around me when I had my eyes closed and guide them towards what I decided to call my 'mana core'. A name I derived from the numerous fantasy works I would read in my spare time.
It was a pea sized, spherical core right above my belly button. Based on what I felt, the more I gathered these little particles, the more filled it was and I felt better. It felt like collecting little pieces of myself that made me feel whole.
All of this required so much concentration to the point I often ended up 'sleeping' for real. Cursed baby body! I couldn't wait to grow up.
Other than that, I was slowly learning the language they used, I didn't want to end up being categorized as a retard by my parents for not understanding the language until I was much older. I had to learn as much as I could, at least when it came to speaking. I need to, no, I have to be ahead of everyone my age. I couldn't afford dying like that, especially to nobodies. Never again.
Nevertheless, nothing much had happened apart from the fact I was now off breastfeeding! Thank you, God.. Or whoever they worship in this place. My mother started weaning me and putting me on baby food. It wasn't gourmet food but at least it was better than… Ugh, just the thought of it weirded me out despite the fact she was my mother. I'm an 18 year old mentally!
Anyhow, I also found out from eavesdropping that the village we currently live in was called "Lumen". Other than that, I didn't know much apart from the number of rooms in the house. We lived in a small house, enough for 3 people. There was my room with my crib, my mother's and father's, the kitchen and living room, as well as the bathroom. It wasn't up to the same standards as in my past life, but I understood that we were of humble origins. It was hard at first for me to accept the change but I wasn't Jason anymore, I'm Darian now. My mother, father, and sister, I miss them all, and everyday since then I wished I had spent more time with them but I couldn't let my past tie me down, I had to move forward with my present. Or at least that's what I've been telling myself.
My mother still hadn't brought me anywhere else but just outside the house for fear I would fall ill, et cetera. It was understandable I guess, but I was really hoping to learn more about this world eventually.
What was interesting to see was my parents themselves using magic to clean up the house every now and then. But the spells they used didn't require a wand like that woman did! Just a quick wave of the hand and a quick chant was all that was needed to clear the house of dirt, and whenever they did, a black wave of energy would appear looking like it had consumed the dirt and made it vanish. Incredible! Magic was incredibly practical. I couldn't wait to be able to use it one day!
…
On rare occasions, I'd be brought outside to sit and watch my mother on our porch as she would hang clothes to dry. Our house was surrounded by stone half-walls, we had a few trees here and there as well as bushes. Our home was basically a countryside house from what I could see.
I couldn't creep and crawl yet, but I was getting better day by day. I never thought of walking as a luxury until now! I miss being able to walk, talk properly, and more!
During the mornings, my father would go out to work bringing a bow, some arrows and a single dagger. From what I understood he was a hunter, he would set out early in the morning and come back late in the afternoon almost everyday. His hard work put food on the table, and sometimes he would bring back a deer which he'd bring inside to a shed outside, most likely to gut and butcher the carcasses.
My days were peaceful and quite fruitful in my research on magic.
…
Just like that another 3 months had passed, and my mana core was close to being full. I had been practicing everyday and the better I got at it, the more mana particles I managed to 'guide' toward my core.
The seasons were changing and so was the temperature inside the house, it was getting colder. Winter was coming, and judging from the conversations I heard between my parents, we needed to start stocking up on food and wood to burn in the fireplace, or else we would freeze.
My mother didn't want to leave me alone in the house while my father was out, so she brought me with her.
"Dari, my baby," she smiled. "Let's go to the Winter Market".