Granny Baba POV

Baba shielded her eyes once more, and as the blinding light receded, a world beyond comprehension unveiled itself.

Familiar yet distant songs of birds filled the air. The sight of a sun veiled by clouds comforted her as her gaze trailed down to the neatly trimmed grass beneath her feet. Yet what deeply befuddled her was the sight of these towering structures of shimmering glass piercing the skyward planes above.

They stood immense in height and were framed in an unknown, metallic-like essence. Baba craned her aged neck hesitantly.

"What in the Goddess...?" she mouthed in disbelief, her mind racing to draw parallels from her world to this one.

These glowing grey giants, the chorus of lights, the throngs of oddly dressed people moving along unfamiliar stone paths, all of which felt completely alien.

The still faces and flashing colors adorning vast boards only deepened her unease; she could never have imagined such a place existing.

"Where am I? Is this...another world?" she whispered, instincts telling her this bizarre atmosphere was assuredly another realm entirely.

The overlapping blares of strange horns caught her attention. Narrowing her gaze, she beheld the horseless carriages gliding on enigmatic wheels, creating those blaring noises. Everything here defied the natural order she knew.

As Baba watched, trying to find any semblance of familiarity in the chaos, a foreboding feeling enveloped her in this strange new world.

"Little Su...did you do all of this?"

She found no sense in how this could be remotely possible. Worse, a growing inkling against her deepest thoughts whispered that this was exactly the fear she'd rushed to ignore.

If, by some disastrous miracle, it was all true... "H-how do I handle this..." she asked herself

Suddenly, a loud explosion quaked across the air.

Baba's gaze snapped upward as a shimmering portal started to emerge, heralded by the downpour of a baleful aura's arrival.

Yet what delicately emerged from that ominous rift was not what she expected.

Her eyes widened, catching the sight of something she couldn't believe had appeared here.

"By the Gods...how did you...how did you g-get here?"

***

Suta POV

When Suta finally awoke from what felt an endless dream, he was filled with a renewed clarity of mind - one he hadn't known since reincarnating into this new world.

Memories of his youth resurfaced as he maneuvered onto his back. For long minutes after unveiling himself from sleep's comforts, he stared at the empty ceiling, recalling a past locked away in the folds of memory.

There were times in childhood when random migraines coupled with bouts of anxiety would render him bedridden for days. As it grew more volatile, doctors and specialists were summoned, all at a loss to explain why the once happy-go-lucky boy suffered these spells of depression and intense head pains.

It took his mother taking leave from work, aiding him in rebuilding a safe mental space, for Shoba to find stability once more. His father, too, spent more time with him, they both would spend the weekends practicing daily meditation, encouraging him into active sports he showed aptitude for, and immersing himself in music, sciences, and arts.

Gradually, Shoba found a feeling of inner peace by engaging with life's myriad of beauties. And gradually as he grew a little older he forged methods to overcome the crippling anxiety attacks.

From that point, he excelled at whatever captured his focus. Anxiety would always be a dark passenger, but he refused to allow it to strangle him as it once had.

Staring at that all-too-familiar ceiling, Suta found it strange to be recalling those early days so vividly. He wasn't sure whether to feel regret or sadness over them, as his days on Earth faded into distant memory.

Would a time come when he never thought of it at all, he wondered? He could still hear the screams from that long, terrible night.

Closing his eyes, he saw his mother's bloody smile again.

'Find and protect your sister.'

The surge of emotion jolted him upright. He slapped his cheeks lightly to rouse himself fully.

'It's time to wake up...Suta.'

Another slap, stinging his face, driving the final vestiges of the past away.

'I need to get stronger… and quickly. Ringo needs me. '

A cold light flashed across Suta's eyes. Inwardly, he was already adapting to this new world, and perhaps it was too late to return to how things once were.

He took a casual look around, strangely unable to recall how he'd gotten back to his room.

'Wasn't I with Granny Baba? We were...wait, what were we doing again?'

Suta couldn't remember anything past walking alongside her to the storehouse behind her cottage. 'Hmm, maybe she made me eat something strange again. I best ask her what happened. But first...'

He'd gotten into the habit of summoning and checking his Adventurer's badge each morning. Holding out his right hand, Suta performed the inner focus to call forth the familiar dark emblem.

Upon its arrival, all seemed the same at first glance. But then his eyes flashed with wonder, noticing two distinct changes. The first:

{ Age : 17}

'I'm 17? I was 16 a few days ago...which can only mean

A knowing smile creased against his face. Before a childish chuckle broke free into the morning air.

"Happy Birthday...Raito Suta" He announced to himself

But secondly, and what he considered the most important.

There was a brand new entry within the Skill section.

One which left him with more questions than answers.

{ Skillset : Glitch: First Ring}

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Suta stepped out of his room, immediately greeted by the embrace of the morning sun from above. Its almost blinding brilliance prompted him to raise a hand in defense, squinting against the light that painted the world in hues of gold.

He turned his gaze southward, where the familiar figure of Toto was etched against the backdrop of the sprawling fields.

The sight of him, plow in hand, weaving between the rows of budding crops with the care of a seasoned farmer, delighted him greatly.

Toto's whistles, harmonious and light, melded with the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of morning birds. Every so often, he paused, his attention captured by the dance of butterflies. Their vibrant wings fluttered in the sunlit air, painting streaks of color amidst the green.

Watching Toto's playful attempts to catch them, only to resume his work with a joyful spring in his step, brought a warm, unbidden smile to Suta's lips.

This very moment, so full of life and simple joy, was a balm to Suta's soul.

It was a reminder of the enduring beauty of this new world and the familiar saying, that sometimes even in manic disasters, there still exists, small wisps of beauty and gratitude.

As Suta watched on pondering on whether or not he was too grumpy these days, the weight of his responsibilities seemed to lighten, replaced by an appreciation for the day's gentle beginning and the promise it held

'Perhaps I should try spending more time with the jovial Toto these days.' He thought warmly to himself

He still couldn't shake the feeling of not understanding what that new skill he suddenly acquired meant, but now he was even more certain that something had occurred with Granny Baba yesterday. So his best chance at discovering an answer was by asking her.

A gentle bell chimed overhead, capturing Suta's attention.

Following the gentle sound upwards, he slightly widened his stare upon seeing the presence of a snow-white owl gliding across the field, its path seemingly directed towards Old Baba's cottage.

The sight piqued Suta's curiosity, an owl so white was a rarity in these parts and so he hastened his footsteps in a bid to follow it.

As he approached the cottage, the murmurs of an odd conversation reached his ears. Peering through the hazy window, Suta was puzzled to discern Granny Baba's voice mingling with what sounded remarkably like the chirps of a bird.

He rapped lightly on the half-open door before stepping inside, only to be met with an astonishing sight inside.

A majestic snowy owl, feathers pristine as new-fallen snow with piercing azure eyes, perched defiantly on the table's edge. Granny Baba stood opposite, arms folded in mild annoyance as if negotiating with a stubborn old friend rather than a bird.

The owl pleaded its case with incessant chirps, dramatically flapping one wing toward the open sky. Suta, taken aback by the scene, sensed its agitation and gestures pointing to some urgent matter bothering it.

Granny Baba responded with a dismissive harrumph once the owl finished.

"Don't give me that excuse. I tied that ribbon tightly to your leg with extra care, and placed a small charm on the knot to keep it from breaking. You were reckless...admit your faults!"

The indignant owl would not be cowed, chirping more insistently. Suta watched this continue for several minutes.

'Such a strange world, where the owl understands us? Or is Granny the one who talks to animals?' he wondered.

Clearing his throat announced his arrival.

"Ah, Little Su, you've finally awoken! Come, come, sit down."

Granny beckoned him warmly to the empty chair beside hers. As Suta approached, his eyes sparkled with curiosity at the snowy creature up close. It returned his gaze with an almost human-like incredulous tilt of its head as if perplexed by him also.

"Ah...wh-who's the owl?" he asked, lacing his words with amusement at its cute, near-responsive features. Its feathers bristled with seeming indignation before turning back to emphatically chirp and gesture a wing at Suta.

Granny chuckled softly.

"No, no, he's not my slave, you cheeky madam. Since when did I own slaves, you scoundrel? Be nice - Little Su is family. You'd know that had you not vanished near the Blue Mountains for so long."

She gently chided the owl over its long absence, filling Suta in on their unspoken history. He pondered how the snowy bird could have been away for most of his fractured life.

The owl seemed to consider her words, then bowed its head slightly in acquiescence.

Granny's laughter filled the room. "There, there, you're home now with perfect timing." She stroked its head fondly before turning to Suta.

"You two haven't met. Well, no time like the present! Little Su, this is my familiar - ahem, I mean dearest companion, Lady Winter.

Lady, say hello to Suta, whom I've raised since he was a boy. Now don't be shy."

Suta watched, pleasantly intrigued, as the owl hopped closer with precise, deliberate movements, scrutinizing him with a penetrating gaze. It seemed to deeply observe and judge him for a moment before hopping back, leaving the distinct impression he'd been evaluated and found lacking in some unspoken way.

Granny Baba, however, seemed unfazed by Lady Winter's antics. Leaning forward, her eyes alight with pride and something deeper, she began,

"Little Su, today you've achieved what many dream of but few can attain. The ancient tongues of magic are not just words, but gateways to the very essence of the Arcane. And your ability to decipher them, coupled with your resilient spirit, speaks volumes of your potential."

She paused, her aged gaze brimming with countless thoughts. Suta sensed something different about her today, though he couldn't place it. More importantly...

'Did she just say I can understand the ancient arcane languages?'

Amid his whirling thoughts, a fleeting scene emerged within his thoughts, of himself standing in a dark, cold crypt surrounded by tall pillars. A thrumming pain pulsed in his temple as he clutched his brow, a wince escaping his lips.

Luckily, Granny's wistful stare into her teacup missed it.

"In my long life, I've seen many bow to fate's whims, their talents withering in complacency's shadow. But not you. You've chosen to forge your path, to listen to magic's whispers and make them your own. That, my dear, is the mark of true strength."

A wide smile creased against Suta's face, he understood this brought him a step closer to the arcane world and fulfilling his vow to that fishbowl-headed guardian.

Finding his family remained his main goal, and somehow he actually managed to understand the Ancient languages, meaning at the very least he could now read incantations, although casting them might be difficult without a properly formed mana core.

Despite his inward elations, Suta still strained himself to recall that evening clearly. He vaguely remembered following Granny into the crypt to test the language potion, and seeing those five pillars...but after that, everything blurred.

How had he returned? And had he truly read those pillars as she assured?

Worry gnawed at him over this inherited body's peculiarities. First, the inability to handle mana, now this? Every day revealed something new about Raito Suta...or was it he corrupting this form? He sighed deeply, one step closer to his goal yet the road remained daunting and still plastered with mysteries.

Granny secured a small scroll with black velvet ribbon into a tiny finger-sized pouch, which Lady Winter extended her leg to receive. The owl examined it carefully, shifting her weight and hopping about, even executing tiny slides across the table's surface, drawing a groan from Baba at her fine redwood table being scratched.

Facing Baba's stern look, Lady offered a salute, acknowledging the pouch's secureness.

"Great! Little Su, in the coming days I'll be sending you with Toto to a nearby village, there is someone interesting I'd like you to meet." Granny smiled warmly.

Suta's eyes lit up. Leaving the farm to meet someone recommended by Granny? Could it be...an arcanist? He was excited in thought, noticeably blooming a childish grin against his face

"Fufufu, don't get too excited.

Pack for the journey, but lightly, you'll only need a few days' supplies.

Oh, and before I forget...Happy Birthday, Little Su!"

A small look of surprise appeared on his face.

'Ah, that's right. It's Suta's birthday'

Noting his age changed to 17 on the Adventurer's badge, today was indeed his birthday.

"Today I absolve you of all chores and duties. And most importantly..." Her gaze seemed to linger on something far away out the window.

"It seems someone has arrived to greet you." The corners of her mouth tugged upwards slightly.

"But enjoy the day for now. And remember...Don't overpack."

Granny kept an eye on the still-sliding Lady Winter, ensuring the black pouch remained secure, the owl seeming quite content with her task. Whilst Suta could only watch on, feeling a sense of delight at this very unusual but amusing scene.