Into The Light

Apollo Keating

It has been two years since I was transported to this world from my own. I have picked up a few things along the way, one thing is that this place is nothing like the Earth I was accustomed to. This place was filled with magic of all different sorts and odd creatures. My father was a human of high stature here, he worked for what seems to be one of the royal families as a dungeon raider.

“Hello, my little sunshine.” My mother scooped me up into her arms and gave me a giant kiss on the cheek. “I see you broke into your father and I study again to read huh.” How did she know I was here, I made sure to close the door and set up a decoy in my crib.

From behind my mother in the doorway, I could see my sister sticking her tongue out at me. That traitor, when I am old enough I will hang her by her toes. She quickly darted away as my mom checked to see if she was eavesdropping. “You know sunshine, we don’t allow you in here because we’re evil and mean. We do it because we want you to grow up as a little boy and not be as focused on magic as everyone else. Magic is beautiful, however, it isn’t as beautiful as the world around us.”

She set me down and made for the door. “Since your father isn’t home though I will give you twenty more minutes to read okay.” With a kind empathetic smile, she shut the door to leave me to it.

Our house wasn’t too big for as much money as my father made. We lived just outside the capitol in a smaller town but no countryside village. My parents were very happy with it and seeing them happy was all that mattered right now. In my previous life, my father was an alcoholic and my mother was a prostitute. Neither of them wanted me, and to this day I still am unsure if he was my real father or if I belonged to some stuck-up businessman. Either way, I would do everything in my power to make sure this family stays happy.

I went back to reading the book I had been reading, basic Aether manipulation arts. Unlike in some shows from my world that had mana and ki, this place had Aether flowing through it. Aether here is the source of all life and all death, it flows through the rocks, trees, rivers, and even the air. People are constantly taking it in through their bodies and then manipulating it into magic.

“How much longer are you going to waste on those stupid books huh?” I turned to notice my sister in the doorway peering in on me like before. I was still annoyed that she tattled so I did what any kid would do. I stuck my tongue out at her and went back to reading. She took that as an invitation to come in because the next thing I knew she plopped down beside me.

“You know you won’t have to read these being my little brother.” I looked up at her curiously. “I haven’t read a single book and I’m a natural at it. I’m not sure if that's true but I like to believe so.” I didn’t pay much mind to her and went back to reading. I mean why would I believe her, every parent probably tells their kids that they're naturals and they’ll do great things. At this point, she is six so she is more than likely developing her first of the four attributes.

Aether when being manipulated into magic can take the forms of the elements fire, water, wind, and Earth. Almost everyone from what it seems can use magic however a lot can’t control it or have too little stamina to use it for long. All knights and mercenaries can use at least one form of magic and even one of its refined versions.

The scary people are the officers and high-ranking mercs who can use two forms, some even a third, and either one or two refined magics. I was so deep in thought about this stuff I didn’t even notice my sister next to me juggling a ball of fire and water. It startled me and I fell back a little bit before looking back in shock.

“I can create some spells with these two elements, they are mostly only good for pranks or showing off though. I wanted to speak, to say something however the fear of not knowing how I would sound in this body held me back. I hadn’t even attempted to speak privately, scared my voice will be the same as before and someone will overhear. But I was fascinated, a girl only at the age of six was so casually using two elements at once. Even some dual magic knights can only use one of the elements at one time.

“I want to get into Zakore (Za-core) Academy in Atlantis.” The place she was speaking of was the highest learning one could receive. It was an institute developed for the Triad Army's future officers who lead units and eventually entire battalions. It is filled with royals from the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and a lot of other highly gifted kids. Most of which are training hand to hand at this point in her age.

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“If I can make it in there and then become an officer, I can make lots of money so Dad can retire. I just want to be strong enough to keep our family safe and happy.” She sounds like me in my last life. I want to be as skilled as possible to protect my friends in combat.

“Enough of that though come on let's go on the swing outside!” She had a large smile as she picked me up and began to carry me out. This angered me a bit because I was hoping to continue my reading on the refined magic but I suppose it will have to wait till later.

We sat outside, me in her lap as we went back and forth slowly on the swing. Staring out at the Ikela fields, we could see in the far distance the beginning of the Elven forest. “You know, even though you have weird hair, you’re a pretty cool little brother, though I suppose you could be adopted.”

It was true that my hair was blonde, unlike a single one of my family members. Even our cousins didn’t have blonde hair, only me. Like most elves, my mother had snow-white hair, and though my sister was a little closer to silver it was like hers. Also like a lot of elves, they both had the same bright orchid-purple eyes. On the opposite end was my father who had messy light brown hair and sky blue eyes. Because of that mixture for whatever reason I ended up with blonde hair and a mixture of purple and blue eyes. It looks a little unnatural, especially for the world I came from.

“You know Apollo, even if I pick on you, well. Don’t tell anyone I said this but I do love you a lot.” I looked up at her in awe, it was the nicest thing I had ever heard come out of her mouth. They were words I hadn’t heard in my previous life, and though my mom and dad said it quite often it felt natural from them. However, this one felt different from all the others, it warmed my heart a little and so I decided to try something I didn’t expect to do for a few more years.

“I-I- I love you too.”

She looked at me, eyes wide in disbelief. To be honest I was in disbelief as well, I sounded like a normal baby boy. Though I suppose her shock was that being my first words.

“AAHHHHH YOU SPOKE!” She picked me up and spun around with me, almost enough to make me vomit. Though seeing her happy did bring a smile to my face. Also, I now know I can speak and not sound like a grown man.

Michael Keating

“How were the kids today love?” My father kissed my mom on the head as he entered the door.

“Not too bad, your son snuck into the study again to read. I swear that boy is trying to grow up on us way too fast.” She held out a pot for my father. He used a flame on his finger to heat it from the bottom.

“He does have a large imagination, so it surprises me a little that he hasn’t spoken yet. Most human kids start talking at around one.”

“And most elves at four months, and some dwarves at three years, it’s fine Michael. And besides, he did start speaking today.” She had a grin on her face as my father’s eyes lit up like the sun.

“That's amazing! What did he say? Definitely da da, or papa, or I miss dad when is he coming home to shower me with attention because I am such a smart hard-working son!”

“No, nothing like that, and why would he say something so long the day he started speaking?” My dad’s face dropped a little.

“So… no da da.”

She laughed as she put his food on the table. “He told our daughter he loved her,

and as you can imagine she was overjoyed with that.”

“I’m sure, how is she doing as well?”

“We’ll as we already know she's advanced for her age. But she is our daughter so it was to be expected.”

“I see, so I was thinking that, we. Umm, we move out of here.”

My mom shot around so fast you would think she used magic to do it. “Excuse me, why would we do that?”

“We’ll with our daughter advancing so fast, and our son already able to read and learn he might end up like her. I was thinking we should move to the capitol, get them real tutoring, and someone to help you with overseeing them since I work so much.”

“I do not want some stranger watching over my children Michael.” Her face started to flush with red from anger.

“My love calm down, I found a solution to both of those things. Someone willing to tutor and watch over them. And they are already paid by the Thorne family so we won’t have to.”

“Ruby volunteered, didn't she?”

“She did, and the kids love her so it will make the transition easier. Plus in Atlantis, there are more kids gifted like them. I’m sure it isn’t making friends in this village when you’re gifted like them.”

“It’s not a terrible idea but how would the kids react to it?”

*Simultaneously* “Yes”

Both turned to see me and my sister peeking around the corner at the. We also forgot in that instant my mother had a rule about eavesdropping. And the next thing we knew a ball of water was forming in her hand to drench us.