An imposing figure stood outside Micah’s shop. When Jiran and Niya continued to approach and their destination became clear, the figure turned its full attention to them.

"You, children, harken to me." The man spoke in a whisper they should not have been able to hear from such a distance. Yet the voice reverberated in a unique way that set alarm bells ringing in Jiran’s skull.

As if in a trance Niya sprinted to the man, moving so quickly she barely gave herself time to stop without running into him. Then she stared at the man’s chest, not saying a word or moving a muscle.

Can this day get any worse!? What now? I almost died twice, no three times, I haven’t had even five seconds to sit down and consider the fact I have memories from two people in my head. I need to plan out how I’m going to fix my mana. Do I even have a safe place to sleep tonight?

Whatever higher power dialed this day up to 10 then ripped off the knob needs to take a lunch break!

Jiran suppressed the sigh he felt building in his lungs. Resigned to his fate, he followed Niya as quickly as he could. Arriving several seconds later, he gave his best bow as if addressing an elder.

"How may we serve you M'lord?" he inquired. Jiran did his best to utilize the training Micah had drilled into him.

The giant man's fine clothes screamed of wealth. With the strange way he talked that tried to pull your brain out of your skull, this was definitely a man to be given the royal treatment.

What the heck is going on with Niya, she’s just standing there like a zombie? Hopefully this guy is used to it, his voice is obviously doing something to her. Wait, am I attracting attention to myself by not acting that way too? Wonderful.

The stare Jiran received from the enigmatic visitor lasted far longer than was comfortable. Jiran’s eyes remained glued to his feet. Not daring to look up, but knowing all the same that those golden eyes, he had glimpsed under the hood, were boring into him.

After the uncomfortable pause, the man spoke. "Tell me boy, do you perchance know the proprietor of this business?"

Why is he whispering everything? Also, If you're going to talk like that at least wear a top hat so people have a little warning.

Sweat had begun to form on Jiran’s brow. "Yes M'lord, my Uncle Micah runs this courier service. If it pleases you I can fetch him."

"I see, that won't be necessary quite yet. However, I do have a mission of utmost importance that you will assist me with, after which you may fetch your uncle."

He paused just long enough for Jiran to process his words before continuing.

"You will find each of this village's elders and direct them to the lord's manse post haste." I expect them to arrive there before myself, is that clear?"

"M'lord has instructed me to find each of this village's elders and direct them to the lord's manor without delay, then I may find my Uncle, would you like me to direct him to the lord's manor as well?"

“That will be acceptable. Now, child, before you depart.”

He held out a silver coin that glinted in the light of the Fathers. Jiran didn’t move a muscle as he waited for a command.

Seconds ticked by as the man held the coin just within view. Jiran waited, and waited, and waited. He knew etiquette demanded he not interrupt the man, who was likely testing him in some way.

Finally, after ten breaths the man continued. “Take this coin as payment for after you complete your errand.”

He grabbed Jiran’s wrist with one gloved hand, a glove softer than any fabric Jiran had ever felt, and placed the coin in his palm with the other. Once done, the intimidating man immediately turned and left.

Letting out the biggest sigh of the day, Jiran allowed his body to release its tension after the golden eyed man disappeared from view.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

He then elbowed Niya in the side which shocked her out of whatever trance she had been in. The look of confusion on her face told Jiran she wasn’t going to be of much use, but he needed her help if he was going to resolve this new issue quickly.

“Niya, I need you to go to the church as quickly as you can and find Elder Donnas. Tell him we finally got a new magistrate and that he’s requested all the elders to present themselves to the lords’ manor without delay.”

The girl looked at him blankly for a moment before realization struck her. With a gasp accompanied by widened eyes, she nodded, turned toward the church, and took off in a mana fueled sprint.

Jiran wasted no time, he dashed into the shop, dropped his belongings in a heap and donned his uniform as quickly as he could.

He was only slightly delayed by the coin which was still stuck to his palm. He shook his hand and pulled at it but the dark silver offender held fast. With little choice but to carry on, Jiran took off to the market to find Elder Mireg.

Frustration filled Jiran as he dodged and weaved his way through the slightly crowded streets.

What once had been an easy task, with the small amount of mana he had, was now significantly more challenging. By the time he reached the market and saw the Elder Mireg, he was breathing hard and his muscles were aching.

What the heck! She’s not even that old, she has barely one wrinkle, and I thought she was the oldest lady in the universe. Now that I think about it, everyone is way too attractive in this village. Is it a local thing?

“Elder Mireg I have an urgent message for you!” Jiran spoke quickly between gulps of air as soon as he arrived behind her.

Taken completely by surprise, the elder turned around in a flash, fumbling with the necklace she had just been inspecting.

“Mother’s Watcher boy!” She exclaimed in surprise, “don't scare me like that, how rude. What's this emergency that has you —" Mireg's question died on her lips as she got a good look at Jiran’s scarred features.

With no desire to draw out the conversation or get distracted Jiran continued, "Elder Mireg, your presence has been requested at the lords’ manor without delay. I have been given instructions to inform all the elders, so I will be off."

While he spoke Jiran flashed the coin stuck to his palm at the woman, whose eyes flew open at the sight.

After a quick but well-executed bow, Jiran turned towards the dock and his next target. He was already gone by the time Mireg came to her senses.

"So it's true, what a waste," Mireg said. She clicked her tongue and then set off toward her own destination with a look of resolution on her face.

Jiran forced himself to slow down as he descended the lower area of the village toward the pier.

The village was separated from the ocean by a sharp slope. Too steep and rocky to build on, with an alternating narrow path that was the most common route down. He had learned the hard way that running this path was dangerous.

Jiran was stunned by the scenery laid out before him. The ocean stretched endlessly. Framed by two crooked fingers of rocky ledges, each a mile long. They reached out in nearly a perfect circle which created the cove sheltering the village pier. Birds frolicked in the thousands all along the tall rocky outcroppings.

However, what truly took his breath away were the colors. First Father was a giant red hole in the heavens. As he came up in the morning, the world was washed in hues of red which lasted until First Mother’s serene blue ascended. The combination created a fluctuating purple kaleidoscope across the sky.

Second Father was a familiar yellow that combined with First Mothers blue, to throw green light across the world.

However, instead of the two fathers working together to create a dull brown, the colors of First and Second Father refused to mix. They simultaneously blended with Second Mother but the merging of colors ceased there. As if the two orbs operated on completely different principles of light wavelengths.

The result of purple and green clashing and reflecting off the water and clouds was both alien and familiar. For the first time since waking up in agony, Jiran took a moment to truly appreciate his life.

He had been flooded with uncertainty about his future. However at this moment, he truly felt there were no limits on what he could become.

I’m not going to let this rough start stop me, I’m going to figure out my mana, then explore this insane planet. There is truly magic here! How does it work? How can it bend or even break the laws I know from Earth?

I have the chance to challenge everything I’ve ever known. I can make a life for myself where I have actual power at my fingertips. Something real, not given to me by others like money or fame but actual magic.

How strong can I become? How much can I learn? What crazy wonders is this place going to throw at me next? No, not ‘this place’ but my home.

I don’t know what these memories mean, and I don’t have all the answers, but what I know for sure, is that this is exactly where I want to be.

This is my home.

A scarred child, with the smile of a crazy man, carefully walked down the back and forth path.

Not a single villager talked to him or even looked at him for more than a second. Shivers ran up their spines as they were forced to pass him on the narrow path.

Jiran had never been happier.