The Time Before

I don't know if the now fuzzy memories I have had since birth were a dream or a reality. I recall being someone in another place before I am... was... became? Became. who I am now. The name I was before did not stick with me before I could learn to write this all down. Much of the specifics are all lost. Broad impressions and ideas remain. This place of a previous life or lost memories or childish dreams was vastly different than the world I live in now. A place with towering buildings of fanciful glass, machines of convenience, no magic, and where I was utterly, hopelessly alone.

I had no family and was raised in some sort of shared building with other similar children. Though I was rather small and helpless. I was kept alive, but that is about all you could say for the place. When I went to school and returned to this building from childhood to adulthood. I had no real close friends that I could tell. Once I reached what was considered adulthood I was tossed out with little more than the clothes on my back and a few meagre possessions.

I managed to enroll in the school for adults and there I found a measure of happiness previously denied to me. It was a place of learning what I had wanted to learn in contrast to the enforced rigid learning of childhood. Though a small part of me was grateful in some ways that the childhood school had prepared me for this adult school. I tried to become close to people but was never particularly good at it.

At some point I passed away, alone and depressed. My last memory is perhaps my clearest, the wish for a family and to be less broken.

Journal Entry January 23rd, 1833 to January 22, 1834 of the Third Era

This was my first year in the world I would learn would be called Aerth (pronounced Air-thh). Memories of this time are fuzzy as I write this now at the age of five. I was born into the baronial family of Lefantome to baronesses Lucie and Eloise. Our family is a rather large one and I have eight siblings, all older sisters. I will briefly summarize what I know of them here and update it as my journal goes on.

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Aurora - the oldest sister, seems to be very responsible and is kind to the maids of the house. She is fourteen and has already made her social debut in society that was well received. She is an overall genius in my opinion, my other sisters may out excel her in a specific field, but she seems to have it all otherwise. Her mana talent is [Grace], though I don't really understand what a mana talent is yet.

Severa - the next sister is the reclusive sort at the age of thirteen. She grew up most directly in the shadow of Aurora and that seems to show in her personality. She tends to read a lot and tuck herself away. Though she broke out of her shell a little when she taught me to read and write. She is also a bit nearsighted and wears glasses. She also made her social debut and her mana talent is [Gloom].

Marina and Marana - the older twins at twelve years old. They are boisterous and outgoing always active and about. They are not very good at reading others emotions and tend to just bulldoze situations with their bright and cheerful personalities. They will be making their social debut in a few months from this time. Their mana talent is [Alacrity].

Natalyn - the next child, and perhaps the most middle child at ten years old. She tends to try to dress as fashionably as possible and is very outgoing, but with a competitive aspect to her social encounters. She wants to stand at the top and be admired. Some strange words from the before that come to mind when thinking about her are Chunni or Ojou-sama. She will be getting tested for her mana talent once the snows clear up.

Holly and Hallee - the younger twins at six years old. They are nearly indistinguishable from one another, in contrast to Marina and Marana. Also contrasting the older twins they tend to being more quiet and observant. Though with a solid bit of kindness to them. They often played quietly in the room where I was most commonly kept.

Emelia - the next youngest at four. A bright clumsy child with a sunny smile. She tends to be clingy towards her older sisters, always wanting to follow them and do what they do. Though she tends to take her role as my older sister as seriously as she can.

Lastly, there is me Jayru Lefantome. Not much to say about myself in the first year. I ate. I slept. I pooped. And the world turned to a new year.