"Läry!" called my mom.
"What is it?" I asked her.
"Where are you going?"
"To the marketplace."
"Aren't you a bit young for that?" she asked ironically
"I'm almost a grown-up!" I said, with arms on my hips and a broad grin.
My mom smiled and went back to her pottery.
Then, she said while shaking her head, "You've just hatched, it feels like! Look at your siblings; they still love to play."
"They're still children's," I replied.
She sighed, and I walked away from our clay house.
The marketplace was a large circle in the center of our bay, built just before the great flood.
My mom often told the story of the storm she had experienced.
She and the other 2,178 Skalaris had fled to the quarries and survived, but the rest were said to have perished.
She told me this story frequently, and I listened with excitement and awe.
I was heading to the marketplace because the temple priest taught the children there every day for a certain time.
My mom said he was beloved by the Dungeon because, although he hadn't sought safety in the quarry back then, he survived, unlike everyone else who hadn't sought refuge there.
When I arrived at the marketplace, I saw an older person with a burned half of their face, the left side, surrounded by other children about my age who didn't seem very enthusiastic. I only knew some of them by seeing.
I quietly joined them, trying not to disturb anyone.
The temple priest was currently teaching math, and I listened attentively. After a while, he changed the topic and began talking about our religion.
"Everything has a beginning and an end," said the priest. "What's an end is also a beginning. Rebirth symbolizes this cycle. Mephisto, the God of the rebirth, created the Dungeons, which are a symbol of it. Do you know why?"
I eagerly raised my hand, and the temple priest smiled and called on me.
"A Dungeon draws life from its surroundings to create a new world and offer all living beings a fresh start," I said enthusiastically.
"Not entirely wrong, little one," he replied, "but a Dungeon doesn't take life from its surroundings; it purifies them so that new life can eventually flourish."
I nodded energetically and said, "I'm not little anymore," but I continued to listen attentively.
The temple priest just smiled and continued.
"Rebirth is reflected in everything—in objects, plants, animals, and even us. But rebirth isn't granted; everyone must undergo a certain test. Does anyone know an example?"
Some children yawned, and the first ones started leaving. They were probably only there because their parents made them attend.
Once again, I was the only one who raised my hand.
The temple priest smiled and called on me again.
"What do you know, little one?"
"Don't call me little! I'm almost 7 years old!"
"Of course," he smiled. "Alright, kids, if you don't want to listen, you can go play. I won't force you to pay attention."
With that, everyone else got up, except for me and two other children. One of them was asleep.
We didn't wake up the sleeping child, while the other child, visibly younger than me, had a curious expression on their face.
The temple priest smiled and continued, "So, little one, where did we leave off?"
I suppressed the comment about not being little because it didn't seem to help.
"I was supposed to give an example of a rebirth test," I said.
"Then let's hear it."
"Well, I thought of birth! Every baby has to break out of its egg!" I said confidently.
"Hahaha," the temple priest laughed lightly. "Correct! Every birth is both an end and a beginning. Every living being being born anew has a specific test because it's a rebirth—life before has ended, and a new one begins."
"What other tests are there?" the other child asked.
"Good question! For other creatures, it could be taking the first breath or their appearance. However, the most significant test is during the lives of all living beings."
"Really?" I asked in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You surely see your status, right? Take a look and tell me what you see!"
——————
[Status]
Name: Läry potter
Title: /
Age: 6 Years 10 Months
Species: Skalari
Level: 1/3
Exp: 0/200
Mana: 30/30
Muscle Strength: 2
Muscle Agility: 3
Body Control: 2
Stamina: 5
Skills: /
—————
"Um, I see my status," I said
"Hahaha, and what do you see on it?"
"My name, my level, Mana, and my strength!" I said.
"Close enough!" the temple priest responded. "As you mentioned, you see your level and, consequently, your EXP."
The other child and I nodded.
"Good. And do you see that it only goes up to Level three? Do you know what happens after that?"
Silence.
"It seems like you don't! Let me tell you. The levels are a test, and if you pass them, you can become a Reborn with three options. You can either be the pioneer of a new species, which happens very rarely. You can adopt a new species, or you can stay with your current one. The commonality in each option is the start of a new test and the reward for completing it. Your limit grows stronger than with each level up, and you can grow older. Furthermore you get strengthened to some extent!"
"Cool!" I said, and the other child agreed.
The temple priest smiled and asked us, "Do you know how much Mana you have without training?"
"20," said the other child.
"30," I replied.
"Wow, do you want to become Seekers?" he asked us, his eyes wide.
"Um, what's that?" I asked cautiously, while the other child furrowed their brows at me.
"Seekers are the first step to a life dedicated to Mephisto's. I myself am a temple priest of the Connection and started as a Seeker many years ago. My journey is not yet complete!"
"I want to!" the other child said.
"Good," the temple priest smiled. "What's your name?"
"My name is Emma! And yours?"
"I? I'm named Philip! Welcome to the Mephisca Temple. What about you, little one?" he asked me, still smiling.
"I don't know. My dream is to see the Dungeon Core!"
"Ohoho, but you seemed quite interested in our religion?"
"Yes, I am! Do you think I can do both?"
"Of course! Dedication to Mephisto is eternal, but conquering the Dungeon happens faster than you might think!"
"Hmmmmmmmm, well then, sure!" I said with joy.
"Great! What's your name? You already know mine."
"I'm named Läry!"
Pfft, Emma laughed.
"What kind of name is that?" she grinned then she looked up and down my thin body.
„Oh, really fitting!" she smiled evil
(A/N: I hope you know Larry from Clash Royal)
"Why are you being mean? Just a while ago, you were quiet!" I protested.
"Calm down, children," said Philipp. "Now go home. We'll meet at the Melting Point tomorrow!"
"Alright, see you tomorrow!" Emma said and disappeared as I shot her a silly grimace.
I stood up and said my goodbyes as well.
Then I headed towards our house, which wasn't far away. It was almost right next to the marketplace, like all the other houses that had been built.
They formed a circle around it and were surrounded by small trees.
I strolled home slowly, humming a song my mom occasionally sang.
...
A short while later, I arrived home and saw my mom still working. She sat in front of our door, shaping a new vase from clay.
"Welcome back!" she said.
"I'm back!"
"And did you learn something?"
"Yes, a whole lot!" I said, gesturing with my arms. "And the temple priest asked me if I want to become a Seeker!"
"Really? That's wonderful!" she smiled.
Then she came over and hugged me. With her dirty hands, she cupped my cheeks and gave me a kiss on the forehead.
"Ew!" I exclaimed. "Now I'm covered in clay!"
"Hahaha, go wash up; I'll prepare lunch shortly!" Mama chuckled.
I nodded and trudged towards the nearby stream.
I weaved my way through the small trees, and after a 10-minute walk, I arrived.
A clear stream with a small pond in between.
My mom mentioned that most likely a lightning strike had hit this spot during the storm, which was why the ground was so smooth in the hollow.
I removed my old, almost-too-small leather and grass clothes and slowly stepped into the stream.
It was pleasantly warm as the sun had been shining on it all day, and the shallow water had absorbed the heat.
The bottom was a bit darker, allowing me to see my reflection.
I would describe myself as a young man with sharp, distinctive facial features.
My eyes were sharp, and my mouth, nose, and other facial features were well-defined.
Additionally, there was a grass-green soulstone on my forehead.
According to Mama, I had a condition that made me pale and sensitive to the sun.
It was only mildly pronounced and appeared sporadically. I preferred to think that some areas had drained the color from others.
I had darker and lighter patches all over my body. One of my eyes was completely crystal green, while the other was a crystalline red with occasional blue, brown, and green lines or dots.
Unfortunately, my head scales weren't as colorful as those of others; they shimmered faintly in an indistinct color.
"Ah!" I yelled at my reflection, raising my arms into the air.
I could see my sharp fangs and my thin physique. As compensation, for my age, I was relatively tall, almost 160 cm at nearly seven years old.
However, my appearance was flawed, which led to my frequent exclusion. That's why I had no friends.
*Splash*
I slapped the water and dove under, vigorously rubbing my face to wash away all the dirt. Afterward, I left the small pond and let the gentle breeze and sunlight dry me off.
I got dressed and returned home.
Upon arrival, I could already smell the food. It was porridge, much like almost every other day.
There were some fields in the bay, including oat fields. Oats were currently the cheapest, and we traded some sacks for pottery.
We cooked the oats with water and added some edible flowers for flavor.
"Oh, you're positively shining!" Mama exclaimed. "Come, sit down and eat up!"
I nodded and sat beside my only sibling, a brother one day younger than me.
"Hi," I whispered to my four siblings.
"Shh!" my brother warned me. Mama shot me a reproachful look, indicating the usual silence during meals.
We touched our foreheads with both thumbs, stretched our hands towards the sky, and thanked Mephisto and the Dungeon for our food.
There was no set prayer; it took about two minutes, during which we expressed gratitude and briefly discussed our day.
„Krasas!" we said together at the end, the only word spoken during dinner.
Afterward, we quietly ate our oatmeal.
Once we finished, my siblings went back to playing, but I wanted to change. I wanted to stop being thin, so I went into the forest to train.
I wanted to confront the thing I faced most often—crazy how we all came from the same egg batch.
...
The next morning, I headed towards one side of the marketplace, where the lightning struck during the storm.
The Melting Point, as we called it.
Philip was already there, waiting for me.
Surprisingly, Emma was there too.
I had thought she was a boy because, without the scent she would eventually emit, you rarely could tell the difference.
I noticed her fragile structure and small stature; she was probably only 110 cm tall. However, her head scales shimmered in the most beautiful rainbow colors I had ever seen, which made me feel embarrassed.
Nervously, I ran my hand over my head scales and said hesitantly, "G-Good morning!"
"Good morning," they both replied simultaneously.
"Now that everyone's here, follow me," Philip said, getting up.
We nodded and quietly followed him.
"Don't be so shy," Philip said. "I won't bite!"
He had to chuckle lightly as he walked slowly. He already had a walking stick, as he was no longer the youngest.
"Philip?" I asked, "How old are you?"
"Me? Hahaha, I'm older than you!" he joked.
I remained quiet because I didn't find it funny. I stared at him monotonously and said after a while, "That's hard to miss."
*Thud*
"Ouch!" I said. "What was that for?"
"Hahaha, don't be so cheeky with your new teacher!"
"Do you have to hit me with your cane for that?" I retorted.
"Oh, don't be such a baby! That wasn't even hard!"
Emma couldn't contain her laughter and burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha."
"What's so funny?" I asked her.
"Haa, haa, you have a wooden head!" she said during a pause in her laughter and continued to laugh.
I looked at Emma and then at Philip, who also started laughing.
"Huh?" I wondered.
The laughter continued until Philip came over and gave me another hit on the head, this time quite hard! Ouch!
It seemed like he'd found his age-appropriate behavior again as he said, "Alright now, kids, follow me properly!"
He shook his head and limped ahead.
I stuck my tongue out at Emma, and she growled back at me.
It's crazy how you can misjudge people, I thought, trying to act like an adult.
She seems nice and calm during the lessons, but she's a mean witch!
I turned my gaze away from her and followed Phillip with a stubborn look on my face.
After a while, we arrived at a clearing, somewhat secluded from the marketplace.
There stood a stone temple.
"What do you see?" Phillip asked.
"A temple!" I said.
"Are you blind? It's clearly a place of rebirth!" Emma retorted.
Phillip nodded in agreement. Now that Emma mentioned it, I saw it too. The graves with the symbol of our religion.
A simple circle that burned within itself.
"Phillip?" I asked. "Why is the 'Eternal Flame' the symbol of our religion?"
"Oh, you don't know?"
"No, I never really thought about it," I replied embarrassed.
"Fire, fire brings both the end and the beginning," Phillip explained.
Emma and I looked at him with puzzled expressions.
"Fire destroys. But what remains is a new beginning."
"Huh?" I asked, still not getting it.
"I understand!" Emma proudly chimed in.
"Then go ahead and tell us!" Phillip chuckled and asked, "Why do we burn the bodies of the Skalari?"
"Fire destroys their earthly bodies and gives them the chance for rebirth!"
Phillip and I looked astonished.
Phillip nodded in agreement, and I clenched my teeth. Why is Emma so smart?
"And as a memorial, we bury their ashes," Emma added.
Emma noticed my bewildered look and provocatively stuck her tongue out, probably as revenge for me sticking my tongue out at her earlier.
"I would've known it too!" I snapped at her and stuck my tongue out in return.
"I don't believe you!"
This back-and-forth continued until Phillip had enough and...
*Thud* *Thud*
"Instead of arguing, you'd better take a look at the temple; this is also a symbol of rebirth! It was built on the walls of the first temple, which was destroyed during the 'Reditus Diluvii.'"
"Reditus Diluvii?" Emma asked.
"The 'Reditus Diluvii' was the heavy rain seven years ago."
"Oh, my mom told me about that!" I and Emma said simultaneously.
"Well, then you know!" Phillip said. "Come and follow me!"
We followed him into the stone temple, likely the only stone building in this bay.
Inside the temple, we admired its simplicity, made entirely of plain stone.
"Come here!" Phillip said, standing next to the altar.
"Luckily, this altar wasn't washed away! Truly a blessing from Mephisto!" Phillip exclaimed. "Come here and kneel before 'ludus'!"
We approached the stone altar and knelt before the beautiful clear sphere on it.
Then we waited for a moment and watched Phillip draw a knife, which immediately lit up green.