I awake to the same bedroom ceiling, in the same room, in the same exact house I remembered from days before. I look at my hands in the morning light and smile; perhaps today I'll learn magic.
When I arrive down to eat breakfast at the table, my mother absent, her tea cup empty.
Adela arrives with a plate of mixed vegetables, fruits, and meats, all vaguely familiar yet new. Before I can open my mouth to ask, Adela answers my question.
Our Lady Silda is awaiting m'lady in the meadow behind the foyer. Enjoy," Adela smiles, bowing and backing away towards the kitchen.
I quickly pick at my food before heading out the back, perhaps disappointing Adela with a half full plate of food. I'm not hungry for food — I'm hungry for knowledge! I race out the back, already imagining the beginner level spells I'd get to learn and actually use. Although not exactly exciting or explosive, there would be more meaning to them. To actually wield it in my own hands. A "waku waku" from an old martial arts character clad in orange plays in my head.
I arrive in the meadow slightly out of breath, my mother standing there, looking off toward the fields that spread around our home. Astoros Manor (as I had nicknamed it in my head) was several miles from the next town — not too far enough to travel on foot in a few hours (even sooner by horseback). It gives home a solitary but wide open feel. It's refreshing after a life of congested roads, smog, and towering high rise apartments in a chromium jungle, bereft of natural light.
"Let us begin," my mother, Silda, says as she turns around.
. . .
I fall onto the grass, taking in deep labored breaths. I wasn't learning magic yet after all.
"Why . . . do . . . I have to . . . keep practicing . . . Resonation?" I let out in between my huffs. "This . . . is . . . too . . . easy"
Liar. The first three or so sessions. But hardly the seven we had just done. It feels like my heart is literally pounding through my ears, aching through my chest. I'm literally relearning having a beating heart sans running high school track.
"You are getting better, my blood," Silda says. "But we must build up your stamina. We will rest for the afternoon."
You'll have no complaints from me, especially if we're just going to do the same thing.
We head back up to the manor for lunch and I am allowed the rest of the afternoon to "play." I haven't played in years (unless you count the thousands of hours I had spent questing on the game); I have almost forgotten what it's like to even play, whether by myself or with an imaginary friend. No other kids lived around these parts after all, and I could hardly walk all the way to town to ineptly befriend strangers.
There are the woods however. Those I didn't recall having any memories of exploring. Really the only memory was to steer clear of them during nightfall. With the sun still high up in the air, I decide to head that way and participate in the oldest outdoor, kid pastime other than riding a bike. Did those even exist in this world?
The woods are just past the crest of a hill westward from the manor. Although I am spiritually tired, I am still left with enough physical vigor that a jaunt wouldn't be too bad. I had never explored the outdoors before, and the only "woods" that existed were the synthetically made, aesthetically pleasing parks that dotted the inner machination of my city. That's not to say Earth no longer had woods and forests, but rather they were so far removed from my "world" that you'd have to travel if you wanted to visit them.
An ease settles over me as I step through the woods, walking aimlessly in between trees, touching each one briefly. I can feel life, however faint, flowing off of the trees and within the air. It's not as strong as the ether around the oak, close to our home. However, the energy is faintly tangible. I relax my back against one of the trees, taking in a refreshing breath. All I have to do is reach out to it with my min—.
My ears twitch and head swivels as I hear a branch crack beneath foot falls. And then a voice.
"Halt! State your business in these woods!" a boy's voice rings out.
Huh?
I peek around the tree, spotting a figure no taller than I standing on an incline further up ahead, a wooden sword in his hand, pointed towards me. What the —-
"Name your intentions, Nassin dog! Or fall before the blade of I, the Great Sir Fvenn Amarent the Stalwart!"
Huh!? Ugh, who is this kid? And why the Don Quixote cringe?
The self-proclaimed knight jumps down from the incline and approaches me, wooden blade blunter than a toy butter knife held toward me.
"What are you doing all the way out here?" I ask, my eyes blinking in dumbfoundment.
"Tis I who shall ask the questi-" he replies. He suddenly trips and lands in a pile of leaves.
I let out a short laugh, the red rising on his cheeks.
"Seriously though," I repeat. "What are you doing all the way out here? Did you travel all the way from town?"
He pops up onto his feet, lowering his wooden toy and dusting off his tunic. He's the first human boy I have seen in this world – in my memories I can recall having guests, but most guests were adults; various friends of her parents, sometimes others in political office or similar in noble rank. Seeing him closer up, I notice underneath his shaggy blonde locks are a pair of green eyes. He is only marginally taller than me by about a half inch so our heads are mostly eye level.
"Um . . . we have a place not far from here," he says, averting his eyes, his face still flushed.
"And you came to play out here in the woods all by yourself?" I ask.
"Well . . . aren't you doing the same exact thing," the boy says defensively. He isn't wrong there. Still, if he's the only person my ag– scratch that, my height rather. How am I going to explain that I'm only three? Nevermind, let sleeping dogs lie.
"I'm Raelle," I say, extending a hand outward.
"I'm not going to kiss your hand," he says.
"I was trying to shake your hand," I let out with a sigh.
"Oh," he nods, gripping my hand in a firm handshake.
"My name's Fvenn." It's good to see that the concept of handshakes existed in this world as well.
"I thought your first name was Sir," I poke fun at him.
"Hey, I was just messing around!" he scoffs.
"Right," I reply with a chuckle.
We decide to wander through the woods for a bit, sharing details about our lives. Apparently, his father worked as a blacksmith in the nearby town – Esterly. However, they had to move out here due to him being unable to continue to afford the Guild fee for selling his products. Thus, he could no longer sell in the city proper. The woes of capitalism, even in this once fictional, now very real world. As the sun starts to settle towards its western descent, I decide to part ways with Fvenn.
"When will we meet tomorrow?"
"Huh?" I ask as I turn away from him.
"Same time?" Fvenn asks.
"You want to meet . . . again?" I ask, bewildered.
"Yeah, so we can keep playing."
But all we did really was walk around and chat. However, the earnestness in his face makes me reply.
"Sure, after my morning lessons. I'll see you then," I say with a smile.
We part ways and I silently wonder why that would even put a smile on my face. Had I just made my first friend? The trees cast odd shadows as the sun dips toward the horizon and I finally reach the outskirts of the final copse within the woods. I stop for a moment and smile. Maybe being a kid again isn't that big of a deal – I mean, not only am I learning how to do magic, but I get to be free without the worrisome thoughts of not being taken care of. Not that I never felt I was being cared for in my past life; it's just that no one tried hard enough to reel me back into reality, only letting me toil away my last days in a fucking fantasy world. A world that is now as real as any other. The smile falls from my face and I let out a sigh. No need to feel anger now.I make it back to the house as the final dregs of light fell over the hill. My face isn't sullen for long – in the main entryway the maids and my mother form a small crowd over a tall man with a brutish body but a handsome, auburn bearded face.
My father, Leongard Astoros, has finally arrived home.