All I see is darkness.
But it’s different this time.
There’s no pain. Just a strange warmth feeling I never had before. And then suddenly in front of me, there’s aa light that appeared.
It’s not blinding, though.
It’s calm, almost comforting, like it’s calling to me. I try to reach for it, but I have no hands, no body. Just… awareness.
“You are being reborn,”
The light whispers, though the words are more of a feeling than a sound.
Reborn?
I’m not sure I believe it.
I should be dead. I remember the darkness, the blood, the betrayal. But here I am, bathed in light.
Then I feel it—a pull, like something is drawing me back, threading me through time itself.
Searching…
Locating vessel...
A blur of images flashes by—faces, people, places I don’t recognize. It’s like watching memories that aren’t mine. And then, everything halts.
[Target found]
The light grows brighter, and suddenly, I’m like being pulled or falling to a deep, unknown place.
And then, after few minutes inside the light.
Air touches my skin. I feel it.
I’m… I’m alive?
As I open my eyes. The light fades, and then I saw a blurred shapes, and slowly, those shapes become faces.
A woman’s face, glowing, gazes down at me with soft, loving eyes.
Beside her, a man, his smile wide, his eyes full of something I don’t quite understand.
It’s kindness. Happiness.
They’re looking at me like I’m their whole world. Like I’m… wanted.
“Oh, he is so cute! Alistair…” the woman whispers, her voice thick with joy. Her hand rests on my chest, so gentle it almost feels like she’s afraid I’ll break.
Alistair? That’s… that’s me now, isn’t it?
The man’s laugh is warm, full of pride as he glances at her. “Look at him Hahaha! Strong little one, isn’t he? Didn’t even cry.”
They’re confused, I realize.
For a moment, they stared at me, curious that, as a newborn, I’m so quiet, as if they’re expecting more. I know what they want. I should cry, right? Babies cry.
So I close my eyes, take a breath, and let out a wail, shaky cry. But I know it sound more like a duck in my perspective.
But it works.
They both laugh, their faces filled with relief.
My new mother pulls me close, wrapping me in warmth, while the man—my father, I assume—reaches over, gently patting my head with quiet pride.
They hold me close, their love so strong it feels like I could reach out and touch it. For the first time in my life—or maybe this new life—I feel a strange, unfamiliar comfort.
The warmth from my new parents surrounds me, soft and comforting. Their voices, full of love, hum in the background, but my attention is elsewhere.
Something is… appearing in front of my eyes, it’s like the same light that appeared when I died.
Welcome, Alistair.
[System Activated]
I try to reach out to touch them, but my hands remain still, as if the screen is inside my mind.
I hear the voice of my mother, soft and warm, cooing at me as she rocks me gently. "Look Jorin, our baby is enjoying himself."
But my attention is fixed on the screen. Trying to make sense of what’s happening.
Then the screen displayed more words.
----------------------------------------
Name: Alistair Quinlan
Level: 1
Strength (STR): 0
Agility (AGI): 0
Stamina (STA): 0
Intelligence (INT): 0
Aura (AURA): 0
Perception (PER): 0
Endurance (END): 0
----------------------------------------
I stared at the numbers, confused.
The silence stretches, heavy, until I hear my father’s voice, trying to make me laugh.. "muh-muh, bah-bah."
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
But my focus is entirely on the screen.
I imagined tapping it with my mind.
It responds. A new set of words appeared.
[Help Menu]
I figure it might be useful since it says "help menu," so I select it.
----------------------------------------
Flux System:
The Flux System is a special system unlocked upon your rebirth. You are currently able to view your status, attributes, and basic information. Further unlocking will allow access to more advanced features, including skill management, quests, and personal progression.
----------------------------------------
The key word stands out to me: "progression."
So, I can get stronger using this system? Yeah, I’ve figured it out.
This is real. It’s... it’s happening. The confusion builds, but along with it, something else stirs: curiosity.
I shift slightly in my mother’s arms, trying to focus on the screen without her noticing.
I can’t explain it. I feel a need to understand this system more and more.
This system.
It’s mine. But… not fully. Not yet.
I search into it more, trying to navigate. I reach for the Attributes tab. More numbers appear, but they’re all zero.
----------------------------------------
Strength (STR): 0
Agility (AGI): 0
Stamina (STA): 0
Intelligence (INT): 0
Aura (AURA): 0
Perception (PER): 0
Endurance (END): 0
----------------------------------------
Nothing. Just numbers.
I guess I’m still a baby after all. All these zeros make sense.
I scroll down, searching for more information that might satisfy my curiosity.
The next message comes up:
----------------------------------------
Note: Your Flux System is in its initial state. It is not fully unlocked. You can only view your basic attributes for now. Unlocking requires growth and experience.
----------------------------------------
Growth? Experience? Hmm. It looks like I’ll have to be patient and figure it out as I grow.
I’m so focused that I don’t even realize my parents are still talking.
My mother’s soft voice continues, unaware of what is happening inside my mind.
"He’s smiling, looks like he likes his beautiful mom. But why don’t you smile at your dad, huh? Are you scared of his face? Hahaha."
"Don't joke about me, darling. He smiles at you because he thinks you have a funny face."
"What did you just say?!" My mother replied, keeping a straight face as she tried to hold back her laughter.
I blink, finally pulling my attention away from the screen.
I glance at their faces, laughing and smiling, and I feel at ease watching them. So I look at both of them and manage to smile.
"HEY! LOOK! He’s smiling at both of us!" my father shouts, incredibly happy.
"Well, it seems we both have funny faces after all," my mother replies, teasing.
The days pass, and I slowly get used to this new environment. I wake to the sound of my mother’s humming, her hands lifting me from the bed.
Gentle greetings of her greeted me everyday, "Good morning, Alistair."
I don’t speak yet, but I smile at the sound of her voice.
Afterward, we play. Jorin, my father, always lifts me high into the air, his strong hands cradling me. I giggle, and he laughs too, his big belly shaking with the sound. "You’re getting big, Alistair. Almost ready to run!"
I don’t feel weird or awkward being treated this way. In fact, I’ve never been treated like this before in my childhood.
Sometimes, I watch them work too.
They take me to the fields after breakfast. The land is vast. The soil is tough and dry, the sun relentless.
My father digs, lifting his spade and driving it into the earth, sweat beading on his brow. My mother works beside him, her hands steady as she plants seeds in the soil. I can tell it’s a struggle.
Every step seems heavy.
They never complain, though. They just keep going. Always. And as I watch them, I remember my past self through their hard work.
Sometimes, I sit on the side, watching them. The sun burns on their backs, but they don’t stop.
They never stop. It’s a quiet kind of struggle. The kind you can’t escape.
~
The months slip by so fast, each one another step in my growth.
I can feel it in my body, in the way I stretch and pull. I begin to sit up on my own, then crawl, then stand. One leg after another, unsteady, but I try again and again.
I hear my father’s encouraging words everyday, kind and patient.
"You’ll get there, kiddo. Keep trying."
Then one day, after falling countless times, I take my first step.
“Did you see that? Jorin, he walked!”
I look up at them, and they smile, their faces glowing with pride. My father claps his hands.
"There you go, little one! I told ya!"
And in that moment, the system again appeared.
Bing!
----------------------------------------
System Reward:
Milestone Unlocked: First Step
+1 STR
+4 AGI
+2 STA
+3 END
----------------------------------------
Woah!
Strength. Agility. Stamina. Endurance. They’ve all gone up.
I didn’t expect this at all.
Then another appeared.
Bing!
----------------------------------------
Flux System Progress:
Milestone: First Step Complete
Bonus: +3 Intelligence
----------------------------------------
What the!
Intelligence. It’s a small boost, but it feels like a key turning in my mind. The world opens just a little bit more.
Day's past and I learned more and more.
"Mama," I said one day, my voice clumsy but clear. My mother’s face lights up, her hands gently cupping my cheeks.
It's a reaction I expected but I felt so happy!
"Yes, Alistair," she whispers, her voice sounds like she's about to cry. "Mama."
And the system appeared again.
----------------------------------------
System Reward:
Milestone Unlocked: First Word
+5 INT
+5 PER
----------------------------------------
Months later, I’m running.
My legs feel stronger now, my steps more sure. I race through the fields, my parents close behind, their voices calling my name, full of pride and encouragement. "Go, Alistair! Keep going!"
"Oh, I can’t keep up with that little kid. He's quick—what are you feeding him?" my father asked.
"No, I’m feeding him just fine. He's just so scared by your expressions, haha,"
I feel like I could run forever.
But as I push forward, the system again rewarded me.
Bing!
----------------------------------------
System Update:
Milestone Unlocked: Full Mobility
+2 STR
+5 AGI
+4 STA
+4 END
----------------------------------------
I feel stronger, faster, more alive than ever before. It’s not just the physical changes—it’s the feeling that comes with them.
----------------------------------------
Name: Alistair Quinlan
Level: 1
Age: 1 year old
Strength (STR): 3
Agility (AGI): 9
Stamina (STA): 6
Intelligence (INT): 8
Aura (AURA): 0
Perception (PER): 5
Endurance (END): 7