Ethan lounged on the worn brown couch, his small hands sinking into the soft cushions as his eyes traced over the unfamiliar living room. A large TV hung on the wall, casting flickering shadows across the room as a program he couldn't name played. The dim glow of a crackling fireplace below it bathed the space in a cozy warmth, contrasting sharply with the chill seeping from the untouched mugs on the coffee table, their contents long gone cold. The room felt plain yet comforting, like a place that had always been lived in, despite its lack of familiarity.
He laid back against the couch and let out a soft sigh. 'I'm sure if people saw me, they would think I'm no ordinary baby.' He thought as he closed his eyes and began to think silently to himself. 'There is no other explanation for whatever this is...I've been reincarnated.' He concluded as he folded his tiny arms, though struggling a bit still not used to such small limbs.
Reincarnation? It sounded like a fairy tale—something he would've scoffed at in his past life. But what other explanation was there? He was clearly in a baby's body with all his memories intact. The absurdity of it all would have made him laugh if he could have managed more than a feeble gurgle. Though, he would say he is a rare case. He thought when you were reincarnated, you didn't have memories of your previous life. But, that definitely wasn't the case now.
He looked up as he noticed the woman walking toward him, who he knew as Aerith, his new mother.
"There you are, my little troublemaker," Aerith cooed. She carried a bottle as she sat down next to him and lifted him into her arms, "Hungry? Oh, I know you are." She said as she lowered the tip of the bottle into his mouth. Alaric sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to squirm away. He hated being fed like this, but he was too small and weak to do anything about it. 'One day', he thought. 'One day, I'll be able to take care of myself again.'
So he just let her, but this gave him time to think to himself.
He began to think, why was he different from most reincarnated people? 'Maybe...' He began to think, maybe this was his chance. His wish was to live a more exciting and fun life compared to his first. And, maybe this was his chance to achieve that dream! As he drank the milk, a small smile tugged at his lips at the thought. Aerith's eyes softened as she caught the sight, returning the smile without a single word.
But, something cut through the silence, a news broadcast. This gained Aerith's attention as she focused on the TV. Alaric eyes drifted towards the large flat screen, the buzzing ranging through as a soft chime played. The screen switched from the news logo showing a news reporter standing in a decimated cityscape, ruins towering behind him. Smoke and ash hung in the air painting the scene in shades of gray.
"Breaking news everyone! Yet another Alien attack has rained down on the heart of the city, leaving devastation in its wake. Police and Authorities confirm that casualties have been minimized thanks to swift intervention by our heroes of the subspace." The news reporter said as a wave of shock ran through Alaric's body. Aliens? For a moment, he wondered if this was some sort of elaborate prank. But the reality hit him hard as he continued to stare at the scenes of destruction. Streets were cracked open like wounds, buildings stood on the verge of collapsing to dust and rubble, and there was a hint of blue flames in parts of the various craters. This was definitely not staged, this was what world he lived in.
He wanted to let out a shaky breath, but all that escaped his lips was a low and stifled gurgle. Thanks to his infant body, he couldn't express his true feelings, not easily anyway.
The woman let out a sigh like it was an everyday thing, "Thank goodness someone stepped in before it got worse." She said nonchalantly, which made Alaric even more confused.
This is something that happens regularly?! And, in what world do aliens attack? He didn't even think Aliens existed!
Nothing was making sense, and how are humans even alive if Aliens have been attacking?! They treated this like an everyday occurrence, when it should be a big threat! But even then, it doesn't compare to his biggest threats in his old world. Such as traffic accidents, natural disasters, and crime sprees!
But this was nothing like that or anything he'd ever encountered before. And worse, what could he do in this powerless body?
He turned to his new mother, his eyes showing shock and concern. His eyes were pleading for answers. She looked down and noticed his expression. "Curious huh?" She wondered, giving him a soft smile. Though there was also a hint of sadness behind her eyes. She smiled before shaking her head, "It's a lot to take in, sweetie. But don't worry, you'll learn more when you're older. All I can say is…it's complicated…" She explained as Alaric frowned to himself.
'Complicated? Really? This isn't just complicated!' He felt himself getting frustrated, he had no way to ask the limitless amount of questions racing through his mind. All he could do was clench his tiny fists. He closed his eyes, blocking out the images on the screen. 'This world... Is way different from mine…But…isn't this what I wanted…?' He wondered, but it was a no-brainer. Slowly, a smile crept across his face. 'If I'm really going to live a more exciting life, this is one hell of a start.'
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The streets buzzed with life as Alaric walked hand-in-in with his mother. Alaric was now four years old, and able to walk and speak. Now that he was able to walk outside, he found himself curious about everything around him, taking in sights that reminded him of his past world, but he also noticed the unique and fantastical differences.
The market was lively, full of colorful stalls displaying fresh produce, exotic goods, and trinkets. But that wasn't what caught his attention, it was the various people around the streets. Here and there, he spotted individuals doing things that were impossible back in his old world. It honestly piqued his curiosity, and he was a bit mesmerized. One person was floating several feet off the ground, rearranging items with a flick of their wrist, not physically holding the items.
His eyes glowed as he watched them, and someone else caught his attention. Someone else casually created small glowing orbs of energy in the air, as it floated between their palms. But it faded before long. Alaric looked at someone else, it was an older girl, snapping her fingers, creating sparks before a full-blown flame roared in her palm. It was like it didn't affect her! She began to show off her flame to her group of friends.
"What is that?" Alaric muttered under his breath, his soft voice barely audible. For the past four years, he's been observing these strange abilities that people have been showcasing, but it was from a distance, he's never been this close. His curiosity burned hotter than ever!
Aerith noticed his gaze and smiled knowingly. "You'll get to do things like that one day, Alaric. When you're older, ten years old to be exact, you'll awaken the power inside you and gain a gift from the subspace."
That term stood out to Alaric, Subspace. His mind began to ring with various possibilities. 'So, was this how people gained these powers?' He wondered if he remembered the mention of this subspace during that news show years ago, but he didn't think to question it at that moment.
He reached up and tugged at her sleeve, silently wanting her to continue her explanation. She sensed his overwhelming curiosity which caused her to laugh a bit. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to explain a bit more about it, you're getting closer to that age. So, when you turn ten, you experience your first connection to this magical subspace. It's a vast endless void filled with thousands of statues. Each statue represents a unique power that's waiting for someone to bind with." She explained as Alaric's ears perked up.
'Statues?' He thought to himself, wanting to picture this subspace filled with statues. But, the thought was super outlandish and there was no way to imagine it without seeing it for yourself. Aerith looked up, reminiscing about her own experience in the subspace. "When you enter the subspace for the first time, you're drawn to one statue. No one knows why certain people connect with certain statues. Once you bind to a statue, you gain a set of abilities linked to that statue. From there, you train, and grow stronger, while unlocking even more powers as you progress."
Alaric's mind twisted around, as he processed the information. So these explanations cleared up more questions he wanted to know, 'It's not just random, but a whole system behind these abilities…' As he said that, something rubbed him the wrong way about the whole system.
He glanced up at his mother, "What if you pick a weak statue? Are you just stuck with bad powers forever?" He wondered as she looked down and her expression softened but there was a lingering sense of seriousness in her eyes. "That's the tricky part, Alaric. Not all statues are equal. Some grant super powerful abilities right away, but others might start off weak, but with training and dedication they can evolve into something formidable." She placed a hand on top of his short and seemingly glowing white hair, "It's honestly a gamble, Alaric. You don't always know what you're getting. Though, no matter which it is, as long as you can work hard enough, you can achieve the same feats as even the strongest users."
This seemed to stomp out that lingering doubt he had, he was worried that when he eventually awakened his powers, that he would pick a weak statue. He let out a visible expression of relief.
They continued walking down the bustling street. Alaric noticed something, a small commotion up ahead. The two walked closer to see what was happening, and it was a man demonstrating his abilities. He was sending small bolts of lightning from his fingertips across each other, while also manipulating a hovering orb of water. The small crowd seemed impressed with this display of skill and power, their hands clapping together.
Aerith paused and smiled. "See? That's someone who's trained with their statues' powers for years. The more you practice, the more you unlock. It's not just raw power; it's about control and understanding your connection towards your God-given powers."
Alaric looked back towards the display, lightning crackling and dancing around the man's fingertips. His gray eyes glowed with fascination. 'So, having brute strength isn't enough…You also need skill and knowledge. And there's the added bit of luck to what statue you bind to.' As Alaric continued to watch the display, his mother smiled, "Come on Alaric. We still have to pick up groceries." She said, grabbing his hand again and leading him away from the display. He sighed and followed beside her.
But this trip was really worth it, he was able to learn a lot. This power system was more complicated than he had originally thought. And with the added additional information about the subspace, it made it even more complex. You can't just pick a statue and instantly become powerful, well, maybe that was the case for some, but not all. You had to grow, adapt, and make choices that would ultimately affect your journey. If he wants to make this new life exciting, he needs to be ready for when his awakening comes. And he will.