The world around him was vast, overwhelming.
Ernest blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light, his vision still fuzzy. Shapes and shadows danced before him, unclear but moving. He could feel the soft warmth of someone holding him.
A woman's voice murmured nearby. It was soothing, filled with tenderness. He couldn't make out the words yet, but the tone was enough to calm the confusion swirling inside him.
"Palim," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. The word felt foreign and familiar at the same time.
Palim. That's me, he realized.
The word repeated in his head as he blinked again, trying to focus. The figure above him slowly came into view. She had soft brown eyes, filled with warmth. Her face was round and glowing, a smile touching her lips.
His mother.
Elena, he remembered. He had heard someone call her that. His new mother.
Her hands gently cradled him closer, and for a moment, everything felt… right.
There was another figure next to her, larger, with broad shoulders and a low, hearty laugh. Palim's gaze shifted to him. His father probably. He looked strong, but his eyes softened whenever they landed on Elena and him. His mother called him. His name was "Ruth".
Ruth spoke, his deep voice vibrating through the air, though the words were lost on Palim.
Elena laughed softly, and Palim felt her warmth all around him. He could sense the love they had for him, for each other, in every gesture. It was strange, yet so comforting.
But even as his new family surrounded him, Palim's mind buzzed with memories. Memories that didn't belong to a newborn.
He remembered being Ernest Light. Old, frail, lying on his deathbed. He remembered his children, his inventions, the legacy he left behind. The faces of his past life flashed before him, haunting yet distant.
Was that really gone now?
Palim felt a strange mix of loss and wonder. His former life was still vivid, but here he was, starting anew. How was this even possible?
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft giggle.
A smaller figure appeared, her face bright and full of energy. She looked down at him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Becca," he heard her mother say. His new sister.
She was young, maybe five years old, with lively eyes and a mischievous smile. She leaned in closer, her small hands hovering above him.
"Careful, Becca," Ruth warned gently, but there was no need. Becca handled him with a surprising amount of care, holding him like a delicate treasure.
"Hi, Palim," she whispered, her voice full of excitement. "I'm your big sister!"
Palim didn't get what she said, but felt her joy wash over him. She seemed so proud to be his sister, and he couldn't help but feel a strange connection to her, even in his helpless state.
The days passed slowly, each one bringing new sensations.
At first, everything was blurry. Sounds were distant, distant shapes undefined. But slowly, the fog in his eyes began to lift. His senses sharpened, and the world around him became clearer.
Elena's touch was always soft, and her voice, even when he didn't understand the words, was filled with love. She was always there, feeding him, holding him, singing to him in a language that sounded so alien yet comforting.
Ruth visited often, his presence solid and reassuring. He wasn't around as much as Elena, but when he was, his laughter filled the small house with warmth. Palim felt his strength, even though Ruth rarely held him, leaving most of the care to Elena and Becca.
Becca was always a burst of energy, talking to him constantly, even when he couldn't respond. She would sit beside him, telling him about her day, about things he couldn't grasp yet. But he liked listening to her, watching her move with endless enthusiasm.
The days were peaceful, but Palim's mind never rested.
He tried to understand the language they spoke. It was slow at first, like trying to piece together a puzzle without knowing what the final picture would look like. He picked up a few words—his name, the simple commands, the affectionate phrases his mother always said.
But the language was strange, unlike anything he had known before. And even though his baby body struggled to keep up, his mind, filled with the intellect of his past life, worked constantly to make sense of it.
There was something else that caught his attention, something he couldn't quite explain.
Becca.
She sometimes acted strangely when she thought no one was watching.
Several times, he noticed her sitting quietly, her lips moving as if she was speaking to someone. But no one was there. Then she would start staring into space,
At first, Palim thought she was just playing, lost in her imagination. But then she started using the same word, again and again.
"Pakhir" she whispered. At least that's what is sounded like.
Every time she said it, her eyes seemed distant, like she was looking at something invisible.
It bothered him. There was something about that word.
Days went by, and he couldn't shake the feeling. Becca wasn't just playing. There was something more.
And that word—Pakhir—it stuck in his mind like an unsolved riddle.
One afternoon, after hearing it again, Palim grew restless. He lay in his cradle, his mind whirling. What was Becca doing? What did Pakhir mean?
The curiosity gnawed at him. He had to know.
He focused, trying to mimic the word in his mind. Pakhir.
As soon as the word echoed in his thoughts, something changed.
There was a sudden shift, a pull from deep inside him. A flash of light flickered in the corner of his vision.
Startled, Palim blinked, but the light didn't go away. Instead, it formed into words—clear, unmistakable words—written in English.
[Palim Evander]
Race: Human
Age: 0.05
[Attributes]
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Mana: 1
Stamina: 1
Intelligence: 100 (Capped)
[Skills]
Recycle - EX Rank: (MAX)
Palim's eyes widened. His heart, already fast in his tiny body, raced.
He had seen something like this before. It looked like a status screen, like from a game, but real. Right in front of him.
The words floated in his vision, impossible to ignore.
He stared at the words, trying to process them.
This was… impossible. But this screen was still here…
It confirmed what he had started to suspect. This wasn't Earth. This wasn't a normal world.
But why? Why had he been given this? And what did it mean?
And this.
EX Skill: Recycle.
His mind raced.
The screen hovered there, silent and strange.
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My first Original Work !
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