5 years have passed by and life in the village is starting to get rather boring. I spend all of my time practicing magic but simply casting spells and hitting targets isn't enough. But still I'll give myself a little more time before any combat training begins.
I was out in the forest practicing a new earth spell I made. By tightening my mana into thin string and converting it into titanium and reinforcing it with more mana I was able to create wire. I can control the wire however I like and when wrapping it around objects I can break them with ease. It works amazing as a weapon but it's also a great way to train my magic control and efficiency.
After a few hours of practice I started to head home. Walking through the forest is always peaceful. When the sun hits the trees just right it always looks so beautiful. I was getting closer to my village and saw my mother waiting for me by the fence.
"You sure took a long time to find your way back today didn't you?" she said with a smile.
"I'm sorry I got lost." I said with my head down. I couldn't let her know a 10 year old was practicing magic, she'd freak out at the thought of me hurting myself.
"Well let's get you cleaned up for dinner. Today's meal is extra special, steak!" my mother exclaimed with a goofy smile. That made my eyes open a little wider, even in my past life steak had always been my favorite food.
Lila noticed her son had been out for quite some time now. He enjoys playing in the forest behind their house everyday but he usually makes it back after an hour or two. Lila, worried that something may have happened to her poor boy, went outside to check on him.
Once she had reached a close enough distance she casted a spell to strengthen her sight. Looking through the trees there was Sebastian. But there was something floating around him. There were thin shining threads all around him but not only were they around him, he was the one manipulating them.
He was using the threads to break targets placed on tree branches. But what were these threads? Lila had never seen anything like it. Was it magic? If so, how could he manipulate it so well and with such accuracy?
Lila always knew there was something strange about her son but she loved him either way. He never seemed to act very childish and alway spoke maturely and properly but she always thought he was just a good kid. But this was more than just being a good kid. To be so skilled at magic yet at such a young age simply wasn't possible.
The only possible explanation was reincarnation. It was an extremely rare occurrence but it wasn't unheard of. In fact Lila had once met a young boy with the memories of her late grandfather. The boy had come up to her one day while visiting his grave and spoke to her about all the good times they had together.
If the answer really was reincarnation she didn't want to ask. If it was true it would mean her son is not her own, that he would never see her as his true mother. It hurt deeply to think about.
This was the boy who was always so kind and gentle. The boy she kissed goodnight every night. The boy that took care of his little brother when he was sick. If this was true would he really be her son still?
She made the decision to keep quiet, she didn't want to lose her son. Right after she made up her mind she saw the unthinkable. Sebastian shot multiple fireballs at the surrounding branches but from the looks of it he hadn't said a single word.
Were her eyes deceiving her? Spells without incantations weren't possible for humans. They came naturally to monsters but only as instinct. But for humans to cast without incantations they would need an unbelievably formidable mind. Countless attempts have been throughout time which only resulted in the loss of sanity of whoever attempted it.
Just what was her son?
Lila noticed that Sebastian started heading her way. She does her best to remove any shock left on her face. She greeted him with a smile and told him dinner was ready. Today's dinner in fact was made specially for him. It's an important day after all.
I washed off all the dirt that had accumulated on my face and arms and made my way to the dinner table. Emil was already sitting at the table sitting next to Dad. When I got there both Emil and my father wouldn't take their eyes off of me. It was like walking past one of those optical illusions that follow your every move.
When my mom passed out the plates to each one of us I got the biggest steak. I bragged to my brother and father about it and ate each bite with exaggerated expressions. It seemed strange though, no matter how annoying I was, everyone dealt with it surprisingly well.
Everyone finished their food and I started to pick up everyone's plates.
"Hey you, sit back down, we aren't done here." my mother ordered me. She got up and went into the kitchen to retrieve something.
"Man you're so lucky you're going to get ca-" Emil tried to say before my father kindly pinched his arm. My mom came back with a cake covered sloppily in chocolate frosting and two candles on top. When my mom set down the cake they all began to sing this world's version of the happy birthday song.
"It's your day. It's your day. The day that we were blessed with you. Say hooray it's your day. The day that we were blessed with you." I guess the words fit. Though it's still a little off.
That's right, today was my birthday. How could they remember? I even forgot myself. I mean it's been years since I've even thought about my birthday. But how could they remember? It's not like I'm a person special enough to them to remember is it?
It was there when it finally hit me, I don't know how I could've been so ignorant for so long. I'm a part of this family too. These people genuinely see me as their own flesh and blood and that's because I am. How could I ever forget that?
"Go on, make a wish and make sure to mean it with all your heart." my mother told me. That night I made a wish that I'll never forget. I wished that one day I could love my family more than they even loved me.
Sadly that wish will never come true.
I blew out my candles when suddenly the whole room lit aflame. "Quick come with me." my mother grabbed both mine and Emil's hands and rushed us out of the house.
When we got out my mother and Emil were horrified to see the entire village was surrounded by fire. What had caused this? The fire spread too quickly to have been anything natural. The screams of the villagers were deafening but through them I could faintly hear the sound of swords tearing through flesh.
My mother continued to lead us out of the village as fast as she could with our father following behind. We'd nearly made it out before a knight in blue armor wearing the imperial flag (a dark blue background with a sword with an eagle on the left and a lion on the right) got in front of us with his horse. Something didn't feel right, I tried to stop him but my father began walking toward the knight.
"Thank goodness you're here, you have to help there's still peo-" The knight brought his sword down and in one strike split my father in half. The three of us started running as fast as we possibly could.
It wasn't enough, in a second I fell to the ground. There was a burning sensation at my waist and it only kept getting hotter and hotter. I couldn't feel my legs anymore. This was the first time I had ever bled and there sure was a lot of it.
I looked up and watched as the knight continued to chase down my mother and Emil. He got to my mother first, impaling her from behind and when he pulled his sword out of her he swung it at Emil, decapitating him. Is this real? What's happening? Why is this happening?
The knight rushed over to a giant salamander, it must have been what they used to start the fire. I tried to drag myself over to where my mother was as pain at the waist grew more and more unbearable. It took everything in me to get beside my mother. When I got there she was still alive. I heard her mumbling some words but I couldn't make out exactly what she was saying. When she stopped she immediately grabbed my hand.
At the exact moment she touched my hand I felt myself sink into a deep sleep. When I awoke I found myself in an all white room and there was my mother sitting in a chair in the middle of it. It wasn't really my mother, more like a doll imitating her appearance. Her face has a blank expression which makes looking at her slightly uncomfortable. As I approached her she started talking.
"This room Sebastian is a message I made in my final moments." Her voice is monotone and bland like artificial intelligence.
"I made this message so you can know the truth before I go." She stands to her feet still keeping the same expression.
"Your father and I are not just simple villagers, many years ago we were once royalty. I was a princess of the Empire and your father an ex-knight who would soon become Emperor." Royalty? While it is a surprise I don't exactly feel shocked. But if we were royalty why are we living in poverty? Shouldn't we have been living in some huge castle or something?
"One day a famed oracle known as Matilda the Prophet, known throughout the world for her accuracy barged into the castle screaming like a madwoman. She claimed the end of peace times were nigh and the unity created after the war would be destroyed. The guards seized her at once and when the Emperor ordered her to explain herself she said that a child was going to be born. A child who would bring the world to chaos and that child would be the first born son of the princess, me and the next Emperor, your father. That child is you Sebastian. Afterwards the castle fell into disarray. A decision was then made to execute you right after you were born but your father and I couldn't agree to that. In a panic we fled the country without any necessities but eventually we found a village. We were welcomed with open arms and your father offered to help with the farm in order to have a place to stay. We built a beautiful life for all of us, we thought we were safe." In that last sentence I heard in her voice what sounded like hatred.
"Those bastards took everything from us, Sebastian. Now please make them pay. I know you're not an ordinary child Sebastian and if anyone can do it, it's you. Please my son bring that oracle into reality."
"Don't worry mother, I will.." Because of those sons of bitches my family is gone. I'll never have the chance to see my mother's warm smile again. I'll never know what my father's praise feels like. I'll never have my little brother look up to me. I'll never know what it feels like to love my family.
I'm suddenly back at the village and the fire hasn't stopped yet. My waist has started to heal but not fast enough. I tried to drag myself away from the fire but it's no use, the fire caught up. The pain is more agonizing than I thought it would be. I can hear my skin bubble as my blood starts to boil. My screams get louder and louder until my vocal cords are burned too. The pain is so much I can't even move anymore. And eventually I go unconscious.
When awake there are burns that remain on my scalp, back, and arms but the rest is healed. From what I can see there is no visible scarring. My hands won't stop shaking from the amount of pain I'm in but it lacks in comparison to having my entire body burning.
I stand up as best as I can and try to walk over toward the direction of the forest. Inside I spot a lake. Right now I need water more than anything. During the time it takes to get there the rest of my wounds heal. When I get there I cup the water in my hands and drink like there's no tomorrow.
The water is clear enough for me to see my reflection perfectly. It's the first time I've seen myself with such clear colors. My reflection looked more feminine than masculine which I honestly preferred. The fire burned my scalp so badly that when my hair grew back parts of it lost its pigmentation. I guess immortality wasn't enough for that. It gives me a sort of dirty blond look but it's pretty cool.
Looking at my eyes reminds of my mother, we share the same emerald green eyes. I remember her final request as a look towards the sky. There's a feeling in my chest, I can't call it anger, sadness, or fear. Those feelings have been long gone. But this feeling… is still burning hot.
You know I was starting to wonder what role I would have in this world, how I would have my fun. And I finally have my answer.
"It looks like I get to take down an Empire" My face contorted into a smile as I started to laugh uncontrollably. I swear I'll make them pay and anyone who tries to stop me can join them in hell. There's a fire within me now. One a thousand times hotter than the one that seared my skin.