"Where am I... why does my head hurt?" I muttered, reaching behind my head and feeling something warm and wet. My vision fluctuated, coming in and out of focus as I observed a tall tree above me, accompanied by distant screams ... who are you screaming for? Before I could comprehend, darkness enveloped me once more.
——
"El...Elias... please wake up soon." Slowly, my eyes opened to reveal an unfamiliar, dark room. Attempting to sit up, a sharp pain in my back and head forced me to wince. Despite the stiffness and soreness, nothing seemed broken.
Surveying the worn yet warm surroundings, a table with a burnt-out candle and a bucket containing bloody rags stood beside me.
"Where the hell am I?" I exclaimed, only to notice my voice sounding peculiar, almost childlike. "Hello, testing 1, 2, 3. Ba ba ba." Looking down at myself I see two stumpy arms and legs, and my eyes widen. Jerking back in astonishment, the forceful motion sent pain through my neck and back, resulting in a loud BANG as I tumbled from the bed to the floor.
Groaning loudly, I forced myself back up, leaning on the bed's edge as voices outside the door and approaching footsteps caught my attention. The door swung open to reveal a young man and woman with worried expressions Who are these people now? I think to myself.
"Elias! Are you alright?" the woman exclaimed too loudly, rushing towards me. "Calm down, lady. I don't think..." I began, interrupted by her tight embrace. "Ouch! Too tight! Too tight!" I grumbled as the man gently intervened. "Be careful. He must still be hurt from the fall. How are you feeling, Elias?" he inquired with genuine concern, leaving me puzzled, ...who the hell is Elias?
——
As it turned out, Elias was me! Well, I could have guessed considering their questions, if only my throbbing head allowed. After being lifted back onto the bed, they bombarded me with questions about how I felt, what had happened, and what I remembered
"Who are you?" I cautiously asked, leaving both of them looking as if they'd been slapped. Surprisingly, they claimed to be my parents, though they didn't appear much older than I did before... "Agh!" I screamed as a sudden ringing in my ears disrupted my thoughts. Warm blood trickled from my nose, and as I wiped it away,
“Elias?” The woman my mother leaning forward looking at me with a worried expression, Her eyes started glowing a light yellow as a blue and orange circle started forming above my head, My eyes widened as the circle went up and down my body several times emitting a pleasant warmth before disappearing in a burst of colors.
That's... that's magic! that is truth to honest magic or something like it?! what?! “His head is still badly shaken but his body is already on its way to getting better, i think he can drink the full potion now to prevent any more problems,” she said looking at my dad... What the hell?! That was so cool! I didn't say aloud as my eyes refused to stop looking like big saucers.
My dad reached for a box, producing a bottle with a dark purple liquid and glowing blue swirls. Pouring it into a cup, he handed it to me, instructing me to drink slowly. Suspicious, I examined the cup, noting an aroma resembling slightly sour lavender. Taking cautious sips, I found it surprisingly refreshing, like drinking lukewarm tea.
The elixir worked wonders, calming my nerves, easing the pain, and bringing tranquility to my head.
After talking with the two of them before they left saying good night I found out some information. My name—Elias, an eight-year-old residing in the countryside of Bode. Much lay ahead for me to unravel, pondering questions about my existence why memories of another version of me lingered, and why “AGH! And why does my head hurt so bad when i try to think about my past!” I said to myself wincing before the pain went away.
I also feel oddly calm with this whole situation. Sure, I've read and watched countless series with this exact plot, but that doesn't just happen to people, does it? I mused to myself before succumbing to sleep.
——
The next day, I awoke feeling remarkably better. The pain had subsided, allowing me to sit up without the ache in my back and neck. As I stood and stretched, before taking a closer look around the room I found myself in.
This was undoubtedly my room. A closet and a box of wooden toys were present, but what caught my eye was a massive hand-carved wooden sword leaning against the closet. That reminded me of oversized swords from anime I used to watch, worn and bearing the marks of overuse, huh i guess I like swords. I mean what eight-year-old doesn't?
Discovering some clothes laid out, I began dressing while thinking about what I could remember. My name used to be Karl. I remembered my old self, attending school, working, pursuing hobbies, and living life. However, certain parts felt like a blurry haze. I couldn't recall what had happened or why I found myself here. Attempting to delve into these memories, I groaned, gripping my head. It seemed that line of thinking was inadvisable... great.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
——
"Good morning, Elias! How are you feeling?" my mom exclaimed as I opened my door, and entered the common room. The quaint setup reminded me of a small cottage, with the main room serving as the kitchen and communal area. Two other doors presumably led to my parent's room and another unknown space. "Elias?" She inquired when I didn't respond immediately. "Oh yeah, I'm okay, just tired," I answered awkwardly.
"Come and join me for some breakfast. Your father is already out working," she invited with a smile. Still adjusting to this unfamiliar body, I moved to the table, jumping up on the long bench beside it.
After settling in, my mother placed a steaming pot of what appeared to be porridge before me, filled with ingredients I couldn't recognize. A tentative sniff revealed a mouth-watering aroma. I didn't understand why, but perhaps this was Elias's favorite food? An intriguing question lingered where did my mind and emotions intersect with this body? While I lacked residual memories from Elias, conflicting emotions and sensations persisted. Regardless, it was a mystery to explore later, for now, it was time to dig in.
——
The day passed without much excitement. My mom, whom I discovered was named Anna, kept a close eye on me, understandable given the recent events. I remained quiet, unsure of what to do. Should I embrace the persona of Elias and pretend? It was a confusing situation. Every time Anna spoke to me, I sensed happiness and excitement rise in the back of my head, as if I should run towards her and bask in her love. However, the part of me in control resisted, pushing these emotions aside.
Later that night, my dad, Lavi was his name i found out arrived home. Opening the front door to the cold night air he entered. Covered in dried and fresh blood, my eyes widened at the sight. "Elias!" he exclaimed with excitement, stretching out his arms for a hug. Instinctively, I took a step back, but before I could react, Anna intervened, hands covered with a rag, pushing him away. "No, no, not again. I already cleaned the floor today. Go wash yourself off. Don't you dare come in looking like that!" she exclaimed,
noting my alarmed expression. "Don't worry; he's fine, just not smart enough to realize he would scare his son coming home like that!" the last part she added with a harsh tone that made my dad flinch back in embarrassment, making him retreat to clean up. Well, he seemed like a goofball, but evidently, he cared about his family—a trait I could respect, I mused while observing the small puddle of blood left outside. That, however, I frowned, was something I needed to inquire about.
——
After his return and an unavoidable forceful hug, Lavi began recounting his day. Apparently, he worked as an adventurer or a monster hunter, though the exact title remained unclear. Today's job involved a pack of "wolf rabbits! They were massive” he said laughing. holding up both hands to show the size as he gestured. As he continued talking, Anna prepared dinner, and I noticed their expressions turning gloomy whenever I failed to respond fully. "He still doesn't remember anything?" my dad asked, to which my mother slightly shook her head. "The potion should have healed him right up, but I suppose we never know how bad it is, even with your scan," he remarked. "Yeah I still only know a basic field spell but we need a real healer to take a look at him, I'm just glad he's alright, even if he doesn't remember anything," She said with a tight smile, glancing at me. The pain they must be feeling... if only I knew how to switch back with Elias I would, but easier said than done. “I will go tomorrow to see when the healer will return to town, of course, he is gone when something like this happens, just glad we knew a bit more about the basics,” my dad said. I still didn't know what had happened. Looking up, I gave them both a smile, doing my best to hide its forced nature. Surprisingly, that seemed to make them happy, and before I knew it, the emotions in the back of my mind spilled over, and my smile didn't feel as forced anymore.
——
"So, how did you fight those monsters?" I finally asked, settling down next to them at the table.
"Hahaha, well, let me tell you! It wasn't easy!" He proclaimed with great excitement. "We started by tracking them down and setting up spell traps around their home, the usual routine. But, as it turned out, they weren't home!" he exclaimed. "They had caught our scent hours earlier and were tracking us!" he laughed, slamming his hand into the table. This man is insane, I thought to myself. "You make it sound like you had no idea what you were doing," my mom said with a knowing tone.
"Haha, no. We were training one of the recruits today. It was his job to track and ensure the team's safety. It was his opportunity to step up and start taking charge, but he never thought to stop and look around. Thankfully, we all knew what was going on but weren't about to stop the kid's test," my dad said with a seriously
"He did fine up until they attacked us. He was confident, followed the tracks, and set up the traps correctly, just never saw how old the tracks were, and there were fresh ones leading out. He is back at training for the remainder of the year to sharpen up those last rough edges." he finally said.
As he concluded the story, Anna brought over a large iron pot and placed it on a stand on the table. She arranged two pieces of wood under what looked like a miniature fireplace. My dad's eyes lit up, turning a bright red as he snapped his fingers, igniting the wood.
"Wooow," I exclaimed a bit too loudly. My dad looked at me with a goofy grin. "Like that, huh? Well, check this out!" His eyes transformed into a shimmering array of colors, and sparks shot out of his hands like miniature fireworks. My mom quietly giggled, enjoying the display.
"We should practice some later; maybe that will help you remember again," he said with a smile. "Can I do that too?" I asked excitedly. MAGIC! I'M GOING TO LEARN MAGIC!! "Well, let's hope so. You never were too interested before, only playing with that sword of yours. That being said, it's important to train both your body and magic; they go hand in hand in the real world," he proclaimed like a great sage. "Yeah, yeah, eat now, talk training later, boys," my mother said, ladling up stew from the pot into three bowls for us to eat.
——
After finishing our meal, we ventured outside to see our yard for the first time. It was more extensive than I had imagined, bordered by a fence with a storage house on the yard. I noticed my dad's previously bloodied clothes hanging from a line on the outside.
"Alright, Eli, let's get started!" my dad said with excitement. Eli? That's new. "Alright, what do I do?" I said, matching his enthusiasm.
Smiling he said "We are going to start by casting a simple mana orb in front of us. Draw the heat from your inside, moving it towards your hand, and imagine an orb of light shooting out of it," my dad instructed. Holding his hand out, both his eyes and palm started glowing a light blue as an orb in the same color manifested. "Give it a try," he said, making the orb spin on his finger.
I looked at him, expecting a more detailed instructions, but I guess that was it. I started thinking of where I've seen orbs of light shooting out of people's hands, immediately picturing scenes from Dragon Ball where they shot Ki blasts during their epic fights.
I smiled keeping the picture in my head, raised my hand, and closed my eyes, trying to imagine the burning heat inside me making it manifest. I could feel something warm above my belly button. I forced it to move towards my hand, envisioning it forming and spinning, concentrating on the visuals from the show I used to watch. Then I heard it, a high-pitched sound leaving my hand. I timidly opened one of my eyes and saw the yellow bolt shoot forward with crazy speed, colliding with a tree only a few meters away with a loud and bright "BANG!!!" The tree was reduced to a smoking pile of ash...