The warmth within my mother's hands as she held me whilst gently comforting me, but her gaze was still looking intensely at this body's father. My mind, however, was a whirlwind of confusion, panic, and disbelief rampaging within me, clouding every thought I had. I was in a strange body—one that wasn't mine—but that wasn't even the strangest part. What shook me more was the overwhelming feeling that I had just been somewhere else. Somewhere dark, cold, and silent. A place with an eerie, uninviting air. And now, I was here, in a world I couldn't place.
I hadn't even realized it, but I was back in my father's embrace. It seemed that while I was lost in thought, he had calmed my mother down.
'Hmm... are they my parents?' 'And am I meant to be in this baby's body, or am I just an invader? A parasite, eating away at this child's body.' I thought.
My mind was racing with fearful questions.
Suddenly, my father Lifted me closer to see his rugged face. I stared into his emerald green eyes, which seemed to carry a lifetime of wisdom and battles. He was nothing like the father figure he had appeared to be just moments ago—there were no comforting smiles or softness in his demeanor. No, he looked like someone who had lived on the battlefield for years, someone who had endured countless hardships. Yet, when he spoke to my mother, his voice softened instantly. I couldn't tell if it was because of his love for her or if she was simply that terrifying, but I knew I wasn't about to find out anytime soon.
Elias smiled as he cradled me, but there was something more in his eyes—pride. A deep, unwavering love for both me and my mother, even though I was just a baby who couldn't even say a word. His voice carried confidence, and it put me somewhat at ease.
"Don't worry, Mira," he said, his tone full of warmth and assurance. "I'll take care of him."
But my mother only just narrowed her eyes, unaffected by his words. This sudden change in her behavior had sent a shiver down my infant's spine. She was no longer the soft, nurturing figure she had been just moments ago. A flare of fire materialized in her hand, flickering brightly as if it were a miniature sun. She seemed completely unbothered by the heat it radiated, which was strange considering how much the temperature increased.
"If my son is anywhere near a sword before he's six years old," she said, her voice still gentle but now laced with an icy tone, "I'll turn you into charcoal."
For a moment, it looked like the room had frozen, as if the very air had held its breath. Even Elias didn't move. The fire in my mother's hand burned brightly, a clear warning to anyone who dared to defy her.
Like any survivor, my instinct told me to run. I tried to struggle in my father's arms, wanting to escape from this tension that seemed to thicken the air around us. But my now new body couldn't move; I was too weak, too helpless; I felt trapped, and the realization finally hit me that I had no control over anything. I was a defenseless baby.
'How did I end up like this?' I thought as I tried to recall something to explain my unanswered questions. 'But I'm a baby now, what can I even do? Is this real? If it's not, I don't want this dream anymore. I want to wake up.'
My mother's gaze softened, and the fire slowly began to die out. She seemed to return to her usual self, reaching out to gently stroke my head.
"Be careful," she said, her tone now light, almost amused. "I don't want him becoming like you."
Elias chuckled at that, whilst adjusting me in his hand, giving my mother a knowing look.
"I'll keep him safe, you don't have to worry."
"Fine, you can take him to the workshop this time," she said with a sigh. "I'll be back once I'm finished at the shop."
A wave of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. My mother was leaving, and I was about to be left with this man. Yes, he was this body's father, but he was still a stranger to me.
As my mother left, I looked up at Elias, trying to decipher his features. His green eyes were bright with excitement, but there was an underlying hardness in his gaze—as if he had seen too much of the world and learned to distrust innocence. Was he a knight? A warrior, perhaps? But what was I doing in the care of a man like him?
"Alright, Kael," Elias said, lifting me higher, his voice warm and cheerful. "Let's take a walk to the workshop. I'll show you how to craft a sword."
The words hit me like a blow. A sword? No, I couldn't understand it. A sword? A weapon?
The words themselves weren't what troubled me—it was the idea that I was being raised in this world. A world of weapons, violence, and magic. What kind of world was this? I didn't have time to process further as Elias began walking, carrying me toward the door. I tried to wiggle in his arms, but it was pointless. My tiny body had no strength, no coordination, and certainly no way of articulating the surge of emotions racing through me. As we stepped outside, the warm light of the sun washed over us, replacing the once-cool shadows of the room we were just in. My surroundings came into focus, though the world around me still felt foreign. But I must say it was beautiful, numerous people bustling about this busy little medieval village. A village which had stretched out before us, nestled among rolling hills of vibrant green to the east. There were wooden buildings everywhere, their thatched roofs and stone foundations speaking of a time long past. It felt ancient, yet alive—teeming with life.
People walked the streets, some with bags slung over their shoulders, others busy carrying crates of produce. In the distance, I could see a large gathering of people in what looked to be a large marketplace. But something was off. The air here was different it was thicker, almost charged, humming with energy as if the very land itself was alive.
I caught sight of some small floating orbs of Light. 'How were they floating?' As if unbothered by the winds and the busy crowd of people. The floating lights drifted above a nearby field, each of them pulsing softly like miniature stars. I just stared at them in disbelief.
'Was it always like that? I thought, 'Were these small orbs of light always like that?' gazing at these surreal, magical lights.
Elias, while walking confidently, seemed to have noticed my gaze. He smiled softly.
"Ah, those are spirit lights," he said, glancing up at the floating orbs. "They're a common sight around here. The spirits of the land. They help with the crops and keep the plants healthy. You'll get used to them."
'Spirits of the land? The hell is that?' I thought. 'This place isn't just a medieval fantasy—it's something much stranger. Floating orbs, magic, spirits... what else am I going to see?'
The questions just kept piling up with little to no answers. But before I could voice any of them—if I even could—I felt a strange pull. A subtle tug in the back of my mind.
Something was calling to me, but I couldn't quite tell what it was. It felt like a gentle hum coming from the very earth that I was on the world, just a faint whisper of energy.
'Was it connected to that bright flash of light I had seen when I was in that dark place?'
I didn't have time to dwell on it as we arrived at a stone building on the edge of the village. Inside, the air smelled of metal and wood. Tools were scattered across workbenches, and the sound of a hammer striking an anvil echoed through the room.
"Welcome to the workshop," Elias said, setting me down on a nearby table. "This is where it all begins."
I blinked, taking in my surroundings. The tools in the workshop looked like something out of a blacksmith's shop, but there was an eerie sense of magic in the air. The tools shimmered faintly, as though they were enchanted. The metal gleamed with an unnatural luster, and the flames in the forge burned brighter—warmer than they should have.
"One day Kael, you'll learn to craft weapons like these," Elias said proudly, his voice full of hope. "I'll teach you everything I know."
I didn't respond. What could I say? Was this my life now? I had no idea where I was, what I was meant to do, or how I was supposed to live.
But amid the confusion and uncertainty, I felt the presence of something ancient, something calling me. This world was brimming with power, and I was at the center of it.