As a soul had left a body, through the art of Reincarnation, it raced towards another body, where the soul had already detached itself, yet, the body was still alive. As the soul inserted itself into a new body, the earth rumbled everywhere, this was indeed a sign! Every time the earth rumbled like this throughout the whole lands of Roneglaise, some knew that someone powerful had come! It had happened sometimes twice in a lifetime but this time it had been 95 years and people who didn't know about it were a little shocked, as they fell to the trembling earth.
When the earth stopped shaking, the soul was finally complete within its new body. Greedy people started to look towards new children that were just born, to see if that powerful person was close by. Many had read upon some books of legends that had come and gone, they had been strong indeed and the books didn't have too many false truths. At least three of the books stated that the earth had trembled when this powerful person had come! And when those three people had grown and become someone...They were known throughout all of the four continents of Roneglaise!
These books were everywhere, they were even people that knew them by heart and people that wanted to become a legend themselves, just like the person in those three books!
Now, the race was on to find this person and the easiest way to look would be to see if a child had been born at the same moment that the earth had started to tremble.
But that wasn't the case for Anonym...This time, the body was that of a small girl that seemed to be of the age of ten, who had been mind controlled by the Hydra Clan. Presently, the Hydra Clan was on the continent known as Murkcloud and it was on the southern part of the planet. The reason for the name of the clan to be this, was simply because it looked like an eight-legged town on top of the water. This clan seemed to be a popular, greedy and secretive set of people. The outside looked quite normal, but in the inner parts of the town was where the main family held their most precious people who knew of the art of Mind Control. And this little girl had been mind controlled for the fact that she had a very rare talent of invisibility. This art had been born as part of her, so her talent of Psychology was already decided and she could choose no other talent. But, now that Anonym had come inside of her soulless body, Anonym was able to use her other previous life’s talents, now that she could remember them.
What seemed to be unnecessary information, was that Anonym didn't particular care for names. In the first memory she remembered, which at that time she had been a male, there wasn't even a name given to him until adulthood. And that name had been Anonym...
The reason someone had called him that, was because no one had known how he had come to be at the desolate place they had been in. Anonym also didn't have any parents, so they thought of him as anonymous…
Since, she had many names, both male and female, but had always gone back to Anonym of her own accord just before death, because of the memories that would flow through her mind.
Anonym wasn't worried that she was now female, it was far from being a thing that she was worried about. Actually, now remembering her previous life's, gender meant nothing after the first couple of times of changing from male to female and then back again. But that was the same as a lot of things, as Anonym had been reincarnated so many times, there was little that seemed to faze her now. Remembering her past, she knew that she could now finish all the other talents, that she had started to previously learn, and now she could include the art of Invisibility to her list. It was time that she let herself get excited! She felt like she was finally awake and free!
From the first moment of being complete inside of this girl's body, the body changed slightly to become healthier, as Anonym's talents started to flow through her mind. With the body being close to starvation and dehydration, Anonym knew that this little body would have probably died within the next day or two, but the soul had seemed to have perished earlier. Because in a previous life Anonym had accomplished the art of Rejuvenation, she never really had to eat or drink anymore. With knowing the next step of the art of Rejuvenation, sickness would also be something that could be recovered of quickly. That would definitely be something that Anonym would want to learn!
Ah, so much to do and learn!
As for living longer, or to stop from growing old in the first place, a previous life had mastered that already but it had never worked. That was a previous life that was indeed one of the legends that was in one of the three books!
Because it hadn't worked, people had been very sad to see the death of that previous life at that time. Anonym still is unsure why it hadn't worked and could only guess that it may not work since I will always reincarnate and that the two talents or arts can't overlap each other. That took a lot of time to think up for Anonym, and she seemed pretty sure that the reason for it. After 'figuring' it out, she had no longer cared to think about it anymore...
Now, there was too much to think about!
So, this was indeed, just the beginning...
***
From merging with the body, the Mind Control had been interrupted and her body had become free. With this, Anonym made sure to leave the immediate area so that she could figure out what she was going to do first without any interruptions. She was also a little foggy, as so much was going through her mind, time was needed to take it all in and decide on what her next plan was going to be.
She hadn't gone particularly far before she realized that she didn't know how to become visible again. Unable to see the former's memories, as they had gone to be locked within the previous body’s soul, there was nothing Anonym could do right now, except try to find the former's family or go to a record library that would be able to contain information to this kind of power.
Searching the strange surroundings, she realized this place was more like a dungeon. There were long hallways that lead in different directions with only a little bit of lighting from hanging lamps on the walls. There was a slight wind coming through the hallways, making them look and feel quite scary…But all Anonym was worried about was getting lost...
People started to run frantically around moments later and she wondered if that was because she had been set free. It was only a good thing, she thought as she followed them, they could be told about her invisibility and she'd be able to know more too!
Following behind them, the tunnel shortly ended to become a room that had a door wide opened, but looked liked it was normally locked with three enforced locks. This place was the middle of the inner section of the Hydra Clan. Walking past the two guards on each side, she continued to look, to find many people come into the room from a few different areas.
Not having to wait long, someone rushed in, stating that the invisible girl Marissa had disappeared and that they were to find her. Some were unhappy with such an impossible mission and grumbled, but the glare, from what seemed the leader of the group, stopped them short. The leader then gave out the words that Anonym had been waiting for, where it was that the former body's parents lived!
After getting a group to scout out the family, the boss continued to talk to the others but Anonym started to follow the group out and didn't bother to care what was said next.
The art of Reincarnation had flaws, one was that your memories were to be swiped clean, as they got locked inside your soul. Actually, no one else knew that they didn't vanish but instead got locked up, as Anonym hadn't the chance to tell anyone. The fact that the past becomes known just before death is a part of the art itself, but Anonym called it yet another flaw. If she could forget what had happened previously, she would probably just live and die countless times without feeling vexed about being stuck here. But before death, each time, she feels hopeless and resentful to the extreme, of having to spend such a large amount of time doing the same thing repeatedly. Quite a few times she had died to the same event or reason and that infuriates Anonym and makes her want to get revenge faster!
Countless times she had died in infancy, countless times she had died while a small child. With her talents being locked with her memories, there was no way to have been able to defend or to help prevent her death. The past experiences would always happen and while a small child, the memories would tear her apart upon remembering her past, because she felt like she had just wasted that life time.
Then, after growing older and then dying to find out that she hadn't been able to learn the art of Soul Scribing, felt like more wasted time! As it was, it had taken about a century to realize that she could use Soul Scribing to scribe her soul...To have seen some hope to finally be free of the endless lives, that felt like fate that she had no control over, a mission to learn this art had been formed. It didn't matter though, when she had been reincarnated all those thoughts were lost to her and it became a brand-new life that she had to endure not knowing until death, once again, that she hadn't done what she had wanted...It was endless torment.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Then there was one other time that she had gotten to learn the basics of Soul Scribing, but had never mastered it! Upon the realization of when her memories had returned before that life’s death, rage had built inside her so deep that the anger seemed to have merged into the next person that she had become...In that life she had taken many lives, as a man that was totally and utterly ruthless. His villainous ways rocked the whole continent that he had been on and his stories were still told today. He raped and pillaged, killed innocents and never seemed satisfied...Then, upon death, he hadn't felt guilty or felt any kind of remorse knowing of the previous memories. It had been quite a pleasant change and he had smiled in his last breath, thinking that his anger may have played a role in it. Centuries after that, she had tried to use that kind of technique again and again, but had never worked...Hopelessness had entered her thoughts every time, in finding out that she hadn't been able to reach her goal.
All this time, upon each death, she would be tormented because of a wasted life.
But, not anymore, this child's body was only ten, I would have many years to learn many things and should be closer now that I'll reincarnate and remember everything...Closer to being powerful enough to stop this endless routine!
Another flaw that she sees now, was that she was running endlessly to follow behind people with her little legs...Her personal cultivation also does not continue through the art of Reincarnation. It makes sense that it doesn’t carry on with your soul, because it is mostly about the body itself, meaning that person’s mind or body…But to Anonym, it was still a flaw!
Gasping for breath, she pushed herself to keep up with the big men, that continued to go further and further ahead of her.
Anonym knew that she would have to work first on her stamina, so that she could run longer! Or should she work on dexterity instead, so she could run faster?
Knowing that they both matter, she already started to think of a way to cultivate both at the same time.
The men were quite a distance ahead of her now and she watched as they turned around a corner and exited the town and went over a bridge, towards a place that held quite a few trees. Her breathing was becoming so difficult that Anonym fell to the ground and put her hand to her chest. There was just so much a little ten-year-old could do!
With all the talent one could possess, Anonym knew that it didn't change the fact that things could still be difficult!
Looking up, to see the men disappear into the trees ahead, she waited a brief time for her breath to become a little better. The art of Rejuvenation helped and before she was even breathing normal again, she set off towards the direction that the men continued to run in.
***
Having had lost the men she was following, Anonym was unsure how to proceed. She didn't dare go too far away from that location, as she might miss them either coming back or get lost by going in another direction. So, after she was sure she could see them in each direction if they were to return, she sat down to get her breath back and kept a look out.
Was there really any reason to rush?
Questioning herself, she wondered why, so quickly after reincarnation, she was running like her life was on the line...After a while, she had concluded that she didn't seem to mind running like this, that she felt alive and wanted to make the best of her time. So much time had already been wasted! What was the point of wasting more by walking or standing still! If she happens to find this place and finds more information about anything that could help her, then she thought she was doing the right thing!
No, she wasn't in a rush. She was just happily following a plan that seemed to be going very quickly...Right? She let out a laugh, what does it matter! I'm going to do whatever I want from now on! This whole planet...Is mine...And first things first, finding this place to gain information. That was it, that was her plan and Anonym stopped thinking about it after that.
The sun was setting an hour later, and Anonym hadn't moved. She was not worried at all about the darkness, as it was also another way to cultivate Dexterity and Senses. But, the men hadn't returned...Was this place that far away? Even if they come back now, would it still be possible to find the former body's home? Here she was saying that she hadn't wasted any time…But doing this...Was she really not wasting any time?
Anonym was sure that the art of Invisibility was quite rare and that, at this moment, it was important that she try to find the family home because that would be the best way to obtain any information about it...But another half an hour went by and she started to think that she might have to wonder for a few days before she could find this place, which may mean she might not find it because items might be stolen by then!
It was very common after all, that little thieves wonder around and check houses. The place she was in now only seemed more of a place thieves would hide in.
Hadn't she learnt some kind of tracking in her past life’s?
Sighing, Anonym tried to think about the past to see what she could do in the form of tracking instead of sitting around. One of her past lives had indeed learnt the art of Tracking through the talent Traveller, but it seemed to coexist with personal cultivation, such as Senses. Your eyes needed to sharp, just like your hearing. So, there wasn't anything she could do with her personal cultivation being so low...
Closing her eyes, Anonym decided to cultivate Senses, while waiting to hear footprints. If she were to cultivate her senses, she could be able to hear better and, hopefully, be able to tell a bit more on which direction they were coming from. But in such a fleeting time frame, how could anyone cultivate to such a degree?
She really was just too excited because of her new-found freedom! She wanted to do everything right now! She must have stored up any kind of excitement for this moment...This time...This life.
It was finally happening! Anonym tried to calm herself down and relax, so she could, again, attempted to cultivate Senses.
But it wasn't long before she finally started to cultivate seriously, that she started to hear running footprints...
Anonym sighed and looked towards them. Seeing them with blood on their clothes, Anonym shook her head. The Hydra Clan aren't entirely that smart, shouldn't they have taken a hostage?
As the men came running towards her, she did indeed see a hostage. It seemed to be an elderly guy, that would make sense if it was to be the former body's father. Maybe they weren't stupid after all...
Sighing, Anonym by passed them and went towards were they had come from instead. Surely, the father should be safe for a time, I will see him to get information next.
It was now time to go running towards what the former body called home...
Stopping a few times, to catch her breath, Anonym could see herself falling into frustration! She had decided to travel an hour in the direction the men had came from and circle that area, then go further in that same direction to do the same. Becoming tired after the first trip, she had slept in a hollow tree that made her cold and dirty.
When she had woken up, the sun had come up for at least an hour and she continued her journey not even thinking on how lucky she was to have survived the night in an untamed land. She hadn't thought it luck, she was small and fit into a place no big things could fit in, so what was there to be afraid of? Not only that…She was currently stuck as being invisible! Being unseen was not something she wanted to get used to! Normally, she was the life of the party! The loudest, funniest person in the clan! People liked her nature, they wanted to be close to her….
But still, during the night, a few insects had bitten her, making her grunt in displeasure. Her blood was special! How could she let them get away with taking her special blood!?
Vexed, she planned to kill many insects in retribution when she became stronger!
Circling an area twice now, she continued to go further away from the Hydra Clan and into the tree area that had more moss and vines in random areas. Did someone really live out here? What a stupid place to make a home!
She hadn't come across any kind of normal vegetation that could grow food, and fruit seemed to be scattered and limited. The best thing to live on here would be that of the animals that scavenged for bugs...
This was probably the reason she hadn't come across any homes yet, to live out here is obviously to hide away, so you weren't found…And for silly people!
Now that she thought about it, many arts had gone into hiding and invisibility had already been so rare, so it seemed quite normal, now, for her to take a long time to find this blasted home!
As she stumbled, she grumbled. It was displeasing to her eyes as she had to slow down in intervals, to continue over slippery and dense areas. Remembering some of her previous times in extravagant places, she could not help but want to get away from this place as soon as possible! She missed the comfort of a bed and that of someone to serve her. Food cooked, clean water, fresh clothes and fresh air! Looking around now, she felt out of place with discomfort and she trudged on with a face that looked utterly disgusted...
Anonym remembered her previous lives and tried to think of where exactly she was, but the Hydra Clan didn't really give her any kind of familiarity. Also, being in this forest, also didn't seem to be a knowledgeable existence at all...Considering she had retired for about fifteen years in her previous life, the continents might have changed since she'd last seen them. It made her more frustrated that she, being someone that continued to relive her life, didn't know where she was!
But one point did make her think, as it seemed quite a humid place, she wondered if this was Murkcloud Continent.
The continents had broken up into the type of climates they were in, but sometimes wars had taken place...So the continents borders might have changed on all sides. It was still quite easy to recognize the differences though, as Murkcloud continent was humid and consisted of a lot more water than that of the other three continents. Waterfalls, steam pools, marshlands and spring waters mostly existed on Murkcloud Continent. This type of humid climate made specific arts here, better as well. For instance, the talent of Chemistry has arts under it that the vast amounts of water on this continent would help improve on them, like that of Farming, Irrigation and Cosmetics. Obviously, the products from the farms and people who make cosmetics here, would be slightly better than that of anywhere else. It did indeed help equalize each talent and continent as the other three continents helped other arts. And because of that, trading will continue, as it had done so for many, many years.
As Anonym continued to trudge along, she tried to remember what she could do on Murkcloud continent. Water was also a useful source for improving particular personal cultivation, and not only that, there were obviously arts that would only be on this continent. And that was enough reason for her to stay for the time being.
Oh, how she couldn't wait to learn everything and teach that old man a lesson!
***