After being whisked away, Leo found himself in a crib. Specifically, a crib made of twisted branches, twirled twigs, and an assortment of leaves. This crib was inside of a small tent. Inside, some tiki torches burned in various colors. Leo wanted to know what was happening. He could still hear the discussion going on outside, but unfortunately, it was now completely unintelligible.

He tried to hone his newborn ears to make out anything, but it was to no avail. Instead, it just made his tiny brain hurt. A tiny sigh left his lips. He would go to sleep, babies need rest anyway. As he closed his eyes his ears opened up, filling in the sensory loss from his vision. With this, he could hear the conversation.

Aram was speaking. "My son's name will be Leo. There will be no more debate on this, understood?" A few new voices spoke, they were older and sounded wiser.

"Aram, I get that you would like your son to have the name," one of the voices said. "yet, you must understand the future consequences it may bring."

Another wise voice spoke, their voice flowed like a cool, running river. "Yes. This new generation of ours will not desire to be recluses anymore. They will lust for the things the world has to offer." Leo heard Aram sigh at the statement, perhaps rubbing his temple.

"I understand. Despite that, I want to give him a name that will serve him well," his father said. It was silent for a while. Leo could hear the bonfire crack and whip as they contemplated. After what felt like ages, someone cleared their throat.

"Alright. Just remember, names hol—" The tent fabric rustled behind him. His eyes snapped open along with his mouth as his body contorted in shock. What was that? Leo tried to turn to look behind him, but his newborn muscles were not developed enough yet. Sadly for him, he would never know what was going to happen, so he did the only thing babies could do: cry.

A wail pierced through the tent, bouncing off the fabric and back towards him. Footsteps rushed towards him as they heard the cries. Whatever was in his stomach now raced towards his exit, wanting out. His lips quivered as his eyes pressed shut. He prayed that someone would save him.

His head tilted back as his body was suddenly lifted into the air. A pair of delicate fingers wrapped around his ribcage and underneath his armpits. The sudden elevation change stopped his cries for a moment as his breath hitched.

"Shhh, shhhh. It's okay! Don't cry!" a sweet voice reassured him. "It's me! Your big sis!" He opened his eyes and sure enough, in front of him was a young woman. She looked to be around 16, but he couldn't be sure, since he didn't know how ages worked here. His sister had the trademark blue-gray skin of Dwendols, but, unlike their father, she had jet-black hair that was up in two buns. It seemed like she had just returned from work. Dirt and mud marked her cheeks, green stains on her beige shirt and navy blue overshirt, and deep, dark dirt marks were on her pants. Despite this, her green eyes were full of warmth and maybe even more joy than his parents.

Leo stopped crying, seeing that it was his sister. Seeing this, a bright grin spread across her face and her eyes glowed even brighter. "Now, say 'Anna!'"

"Anna put him down," she turned to face the voice. He recognized it, a voice calm and soothing, like honey.

A pout formed on Anna's face as she spun on her heel to face their mother. "But Mom, he's so cute!" She pulled him closer to her, squishing him against her chest.

"I get it, but you need to clean up. You'll get more time with him later," Mom said. Anna sulked before handing him over.

"Alright, I'll see you later baby brother!" With that, Anna disappeared.

Leo took this time to look at his mother. His tiny eyes scanned her face as she cradled him in her arms.

Her skin was a little different, more of a pastel blue than the typical blue-gray, while raven-colored hair adorned her head like a silk curtain. Her eyes were gold like the sun. A few wrinkles creased her face, a majority under her eyes, resulting from being in labor for hours. Despite this, Leo found himself astounded by her beauty. How were they any lesser than humans? It didn't make sense.

"My little lion," she whispered with a smile. His mother leaned forward, kissing him on the forehead. "Grow up to be a good boy, okay?"

A nostalgic warmth rushed through his body, it felt like it had been so long since he'd been a child. Somehow, here he was again, as an infant. He had forgotten how it felt to be held by his mother and loved again like a child. His heart throbbed in pain, he didn't know if it was mental or physical, but he remembered his old life. The regret still lingered, not about what he could've done, but what he should've done. He should've loved and cherished his family more, because now he'll never be able to see them again, and soon, he'll forget about them, forget about everything.

The curtain opened again, for the third time. This time, his father walked in. Everything about him was still the same, except that he looked calmer. The muscles in his face were relaxed and smooth, and no veins were threatening to burst through his skin.

"How's the child?" Aram said as he walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He leaned forward, resting his head against hers.

"He's fine," she answered. Her voice was soft and velvety as the words left her mouth. Their faces were flush and their eyes shone with adoration, like Leo was their first child.

Aram nodded, reaching forward with a calloused hand to gently pinch his cheek. "Leo it is." With satisfied smiles, his parents nodded in unison.

C2

Leo had wondered how life was for a newborn and now he got to find out. Having consciousness before he should wasn't very fun. Each day was boring, the same things over and over again: wake up, nursing, playtime, eat, and then sleep. So with all this time, he decided it was time to learn.

Unfortunately, it was going to be harder than expected. He did get carried around a lot on his mother's back or in her arms, but quite a lot of time was also inside their home. Their house was a small wooden shack, although, it was quite nice. The wood was sturdy and uniform, it wasn't just random pieces of lumber cut into planks and assembled. Instead, it was polished and quite thick. Their roof was also made up of some dark gray tiles. Despite the small interior, the living space was cozy and always bright. Their home was located in the outer parts of the village, meaning that a majority of the things inside the village were behind their house.

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While being carried he did learn a few things: that they lived on the outskirts of the kingdom of Aldergon, his father was a council member but not an elder, he had two siblings, and that Dwendols are not well-liked.

It wasn't long until he found out why.

"Mom, why do they always do this to us? We all worked so hard and we're just going to let them walk in and take all of it?" Anna's face was a mix of anger and anguish. All the hard work she and the others put in for this harvest was about to be taken away by a bunch of thieves. Her fists were clenched so tight her knuckles were bone-white. If they were lucky, they'd be left with a few grains. Her eyes closed as her body trembled in rage.

"Anna, we all hate it. I know how hard you've worked, but we can't do much about it. The kingdom has forbidden us from any form of retaliation against people from the city when they're not physically harming us," their mother explained. She rubbed her forehead before continuing. "They don't see us as anything. I don't even know what they could consider us, we're less than the dirt they stand on."

Anna took a deep breath and spoke, her voice shaking. "I don't care what the kingdom says! Are they not causing us physical harm? It's been going on for months, and I'm sure we've all had enough. Winter is just around the corner, and it's going to be hell! Have you seen how skinny many of us are? I don't care about how high-level or high-ranking they are. We have to do something." Their mother sighed, clearly in agreement, but it was easier said than done. She cleared her throat, but before she could speak, someone stepped inside.

An older man walked in, his gray beard had been recently trimmed and his salt-and-pepper hair slicked back neatly. Hard brown eyes, surrounded by deep creases surveyed the room. Despite his age, he was still built quite well, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. A distinctive notch marked his lower lip. Leo had seen this man often while he was being carried around, he seemed quite important.

"What brings you here, Elder Naud?" his mother asked with a head bow. Elder Naud closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath.

"Ela, it seems like those thieves have arrived. However, a few men have overheard something," he said. "They're looking for slaves." Elder Naud's deep voice rang with fear—not from weakness, but of the consequences of what might come.

The room was silent, there was no more space for words. They knew what this meant, even Leo. It seemed like the walls around them were closing in with each passing second, suffocating them.

Finally, his mother spoke. "I see. Thank you for letting us know."

Elder Naud rubbed his temples as he sought the right words. "If what they say is true, then I'm afraid we must be prepared to fight. Ela, we've already instructed everyone to send their children into the forest. Those who can fight will stay back. I hope this is all false, but we must be ready."

Ela nodded, knowing what this meant. It seemed like she had known this day would come. She picked Leo up, looking into his eyes with her warm golden eyes. "Be a good younger brother okay? Mom and Dad will be back for you two soon." Leaning in, she kissed his forehead before handing him over to Anna.

Leo wobbled as Anna took him into her trembling arms, a stunned look on her face as she digested the information. Her lips quivered as she opened them, but nothing came out. She realized this and pulled him close.

"It'll be fine Anna," their mother said. She reached forward, patting Anna's head. "There should be a big group; go there and they'll lead you to safety."

Anna's eyes began to glimmer as tears swirled and formed in her green eyes. She nodded, slowly stepping backward towards the back door. "I love you, Mom." Her voice was frail, barely more than a whisper. A click sounded as Anna's heel nudged the door open.

"I love you too, Anna, and you too, Leo," they heard their mother say as the door shut. Anna spun around, sprinting towards the center of the village, tears trickling down onto Leo. It had all happened so quickly. He barely knew his father, mother, or sister and now it seemed like they were about to be taken away from him. Maybe this was the end for him too.

Suddenly, a feeling of warmth spread over his body, and the world blurred. Gold words burned across his vision. It read:

[2 TIMES EXPERIENCE GAIN]

LEVEL: 0

He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was because he was just born? Or was it a perk of being a dwendol? Whatever the case, the words faded away, reinstating himself back into reality.

As Anna raced towards their destination, other children ranging from her age to infants like Leo appeared beside them, their faces pale, taut with fear and uncertainty. His eyes darted around as he rocked up and down in Anna's arms, taking in their surroundings. There was no knowing how long this time of peace would last.

"Anna!" a voice huffed as they sprinted up beside them. Anna turned to look at the voice, her eyes widening in recognition.

"What is it?" she asked. Leo looked up at the person, a young man, around Anna's age. Light brown hair adorned his face as his bangs flew in the air, and his brown eyes shone with anxiety as they stared into Anna's.

"Do you know where to go?" the young man asked. Anna nodded before answering.

"My mother told me there'll be a large group of people," she explained. "So we just gotta keep running to the middle.*

"Okay, thanks, Anna," he said, running alongside them. A small blush formed on the young man's face as he stole a glance at her again, Leo gulped mentally, realizing this guy had a crush on his sister. Before Leo could process his feelings, the constant rocking turned his stomach inside out. He hated throwing up, but unfortunately, babies can't help it. A feeling of impending doom surged up his throat.

With a bubbly burp, he vomited over Anna's shirt and his own. Anna gasped as she looked down, her eyes wide. "Leo! I'm sorry, I'll go slower," she apologized, slowing her pace, and eventually stopping and cleaning both of them up.

Anna looked up at the guy, noticing he had stopped in his tracks. "Go on, Markus," she said, puzzled by his actions.

"It's okay, I want to make sure you're okay," he explained. Anna squinted at him as she stood up, patting Leo on the back a few times.

"I'll be fine," she sighed as started running again, this time trying not to rock Leo too much. Markus rubbed the back of his head as he ran, a bashful look on his face.

Despite being just a baby, Leo felt a protective instinct towards his sister. His body responded to this by beginning to cry. Anna wiped his tears away and soothed him with gentle words.

"It'll be okay, big sis is here. You're safe with me, I'll protect you," she reassured him.

A feeling of warmth spread over him as she comforted him. He had always wondered how it would be to have an elder sibling. In his past life, he was the eldest, and it didn't mean too much to him, he had always felt like he failed his siblings. Now, he had the chance, it was different, now, he was the youngest. His heart swelled, this time, in anxiety, pleading not to let this be taken away from him.

Tears welled up in his eyes again as he reminisced on his failures. He thought of how badly he had failed, and how Anna was already an example of how he should have been to his past siblings.

"You look so sad, Leo," Anna said, her voice warm yet her smile sad but warm. "Don't look so sad, okay?" Her voice cracked as she gulped, fighting tears. Leo blinked his tears away, not wanting to make her cry, trying his best to nod in response to her request.

Markus patted Anna on the shoulder reassuringly, looking quite solemn himself. "Anna, it seems like we've arrived." As Markus finished his sentence, they looked up ahead, and sure enough, before them was a crowd of distraught children.