As I perused the bookshelves in my family's library, a mysterious force seemed to compel me to continue reading. The book contained more information about Soul Forces and Flesh Recomposition than it did about traditional magic.
I couldn't help but notice that my access to Soul Forces appeared limited, but the structure of my Soul Forces was notably unusual. Seated on a chair with my legs crossed, I gazed at a book with a perplexed expression. With my tiny infant hand, I pointed at the words written before me, attempting to read them aloud.
Then… "Ahh, Hiro. You can read it! That's amazing!" My mom clapped her hands with excitement. This moment occurred two years ago when I first learned to read.
I had been reading this book for three months now, and it still puzzled me. My mother picked me up, and together, we walked toward my bed.
"Hiro, are you tired? Do you want to go to sleep?" she asked.
I nodded my head eagerly. She gently laid me down on my bed and covered me with a blanket.
"Goodnight, Hiro."
Hiro
Today marked my fourth birthday.
My body has been growing, and I'm finding it easier to control my motor functions. I've been diligently reading books and practicing magic, even though there aren't any spells to practice yet, so I've been doing everything manually. I'm not entirely sure why I'm learning magic, but I don't mind the endeavor.
Sometimes, my mind tends to wander, making it difficult for me to fall asleep. In this world, Mages can wield magic through their sheer willpower, creating spells without the need for incantations. Their strong wills make magic usage seem effortless. But I wonder, why haven't I gained access to Soul Forces? I did meditate for a while, but perhaps my early age played a role in my lack of success.
Despite their incredible powers, Mages can't always harness their magic to its full potential. Learning magic is challenging, especially for a child like me who is still developing motor skills. I've read extensively on the topic, but some concepts remain a mystery to me.
It appears that using magic might be simpler than I thought, but my mother has always emphasized that magic is a difficult skill to acquire. Even if I diligently read books and study spells, my brain's composition doesn't seem to support learning magic. My brain cells have sustained significant damage, and using magic could cause the information I've stored to dissipate and be lost.
Could meditation be the key to unlocking my Soul Forces? My soul doesn't lack the force; it's just hindered by numerous barriers and closed doors.
"Maybe there is something holding back my powers," I mutter to myself. I nod, affirming my thoughts, and bite the inside of my lip with determination.
In a peculiar seated position, I gradually open my eyes and blink rapidly. A long yawn escapes me, and I drift off to sleep for a brief moment before awakening once more. There's something unfamiliar stirring within me—a sensation of being filled up.
Images materialize in my mind's eye. I assume my usual crossed-leg position, inhaling deeply with my eyes shut, entering a meditative trance. The image reveals my spiritual world, the dwelling place of my Soul Forces and Zone energy. Typically bathed in bright light, it's now tainted by a creeping black haze.
This dark haze dissipates, and my veins begin to emit a radiant blue hue. Inside my mind, a lotus flower unfolds its petals.
The brilliant blue light gradually wanes and leaves my body, replenishing my Zone. The peculiar dark, wispy energy reappears, enveloping my zone in an enigmatic aura.
My Zone's link connection starts to expand, accommodating the increased pressure from the Soul Forces, causing it to grow larger as my internal Mana pool expands.
Suddenly, I sense myself rising. The ground beneath me vanishes, and I find myself suspended in mid-air. It feels as if I'm floating, suspended and immobile, devoid of any sense of orientation or direction. I can perceive the presence of gravity, but I cannot establish an up or down.
All my senses become distorted. There's no sensation of heat or cold, sound or silence, light or darkness. Gradually, a strange pressure gathers around my chest, and I become aware of something unusual. There's a cold metal chain wrapped tightly around my neck, a thick iron collar. The chain tugs at me, pulling me in, and I struggle, but for some reason, I'm unable to move.
"No… this must be the result of discovering Soul Forces and Connection in my Zones.
I try to understand it, but it's such a strange sensation.
Then it tightens, and it's a bit hard to breathe.
Until...
"Ah… Aaah!" I exclaim with surprise, my hand unconsciously touching my neck. There's an odd feeling as my skin seems to change, revealing something unusual beneath it.
A curious sensation tingles in my hand. There's no pain, just a surprising transformation of my skin.
Tears well up in my eyes, not from pain, but from the unexpected experience. It's a strange feeling, like a tickle that doesn't go away.
I notice I can't move as freely as before and start to wonder about what's happening. My joints become stiff, and I'm compelled to look at my head.
It's a mysterious moment, and I can't help but wonder if it's connected to my transformation."
I can hear my voice calling for help, but it's only a whisper. My body feels weak and fragile, as if it's on the verge of falling apart. The sensation is so vivid that it feels like it's actually happening. I reach out, but suddenly, my heart seems to stop beating, and a thin layer of sweat forms on my skin.
A noise behind me startles me, and my vision is shrouded in a deep blood-red hue, overlaid with shadowy darkness. My eyelids feel heavy, and I squeeze them shut.
Inhale...
Exhale...
Gradually, I began to regain some of my senses. Time seems to pass quickly, and my consciousness returns. I open my eyes and scan my room for something to ground myself. My hand is empty, and I find myself craving something sweet, like candy.
Not finding anything within reach, I settle at the head of my bed, spreading my hands apart, one to each side. A sensation akin to the tingle of static electricity in the air before a storm begins to build between my outstretched palms. My right hand is directed towards an empty water glass. A white sphere takes shape between them, growing rapidly, followed by a sudden, brilliant flash of white light, and then it's gone.
What should have occurred was the glass gently lifting a few feet into the air and then descending.
But what actually happened was the unmistakable sound of shattering glass, accompanied by my blood-curdling scream that seemed to echo through the room.
The noise was deafening, making my heart race and causing sweat to pour down my forehead. I heard every sound imaginable—cries, weeping, drowning, stabbing, flesh being devoured, hitting, kicking, breaking, and bashing.
It happened every time I blinked, every time I took a breath.
But then—
Suddenly, everything vanished. I could still smell, see, speak, taste, and hear, but it was as if my senses were confined to my mouth. I could perceive the world, but only through a muffled voice, speaking without words. A warm summer breeze gently rustled my hair as it wafted in through an open window.
Had I unlocked Soul Forces? It felt like an experience both familiar and brand new, akin to a child trying a new food for the first time. Yet, I possessed the mind of a man in his thirties, despite my physical appearance being that of not even a year old.
Could this be a regression in my Soul Forces?
But the existence of Soul Forces remained an enigma, with no concrete answers.
Hiro
After successfully completing the core of my Soul Forces, I proceeded with the rest of the experiment. Further meditation had become a more straightforward process, though it remained a somewhat terrifying endeavor. While I didn't entirely comprehend the intricacies of this newly discovered magical system, I was aware of its potential dangers.
Each day was a test, every day a struggle.
It seemed that I had successfully completed the unlocking of the Soul Force Core, yet I couldn't feel any energy coursing through me, only a profound sense of enlightenment.
Lightheaded and weary, I stumbled back into my crib, eventually succumbing to sleep. The moment my head touched the pillow, I slept like a baby for the first time since arriving in this unfamiliar world.
+Memories Restored….+