Kei is at the edge of the woods by the other side of the river, outside of Lord Kolodor’s territory. In front of him is a tree with a freshly cut X mark made by him with an old knife. Though outside of Kolodor’s protection, it should still be safe in broad daylight. Besides, he wants to be alone. Thinking of all the things he can’t talk to anyone about.
True Fantasy, the title of a very controversial game series in Kei’s past life. The very first game of the series was a visual novel covering the years of the protagonist’s birth to age 10. It was a game where the player can decide what kind of day-to-day activities the protagonist would go through. Depending on what the player would have the protagonist do, certain stats and personality traits would rise. One of the main features was to not show the status of the main protagonist, making it difficult for the player what the outcome would be. In the end, there would be the “approval ceremony” and finally the stat and or element the player has raised throughout the game will be shown. Then a decision is presented if the protagonist can go to the magic academy, military academy, or no further education. The game play was easy enough to understand, but the story was very complex. This is where the problem lies. There are events where few of the main characters would die, some avoidable, some not.
The conclusion Kei came to is that he must get the light attribute. In the game, there were 8 magic elemental types: Water, fire, wind, earth, lightning, ice, light, and dark. The protagonist’s element was determined by his or her personality traits that were raised by the end of the first game. If the player played with positivity and kindness the protagonist will most likely end with a light magic attribute. Light is the only element with healing properties among the magic types. Knowing what’s ahead of him, he wants to prevent certain people’s demise. Now the true mess arises.
“Who is going to die? Was it one of the children here? Is it one of the villagers? Was it Halinia? Or her parents?” He can’t seem to remember. He played this game when he was around 10 years old in his previous life and as far as he can remember he lived up to his mid-30s. He sighs with dissatisfaction. He decides to push the thought to the back of his mind, for now. The event is not going to happen anytime soon. Besides, what can a 4-year-old really do?
His attention falls to the marked tree once more. This world is not exactly the same as the game. He remembers Halinia was in the game, but she wasn’t an active character like she is for him now. Even Ji is someone he didn’t recognize because, in the game, Ji was a side character the player could name themselves. So, he thought he should think of magic differently from the game as well.
He straightens his arm with his palm facing towards the cut on the tree, yelling “heal” multiple times. But nothing happens.
He rubs his chin and his mind fills up with thoughts about how magic really works in this world. “Is it imagination? How clearly does one's imagination need to be? Is it an incantation? Does one have to be clear about what they want? Then to whom? Is it mana? Do I not have any? Is it really personality traits? With the way I lived my life in this world leaves me with no attributes? Is it the wand? Halinia has one and would use it whenever she casts magic. But in the game, characters can use magic with or without one.” He sighs, “Okay, let’s start smaller, more focused.”
“How does healing magic work?” Kei thinks to himself. He has seen Halinia use healing magic up close many times for small things like little cuts or bruises. “It’s definitely not turning back time, the blood lost does not drain backwards. Fast regeneration? It does leave behind a scar after being healed. Fast? TIME! They did tell me that lost limbs can’t grow back with healing magic. But… Only those who have mastered light magic can bring back lost limbs. Is it because they get powerful enough to turn back time? Is light magic actually time magic? Wait, wait, wait… Then what about barrier magic? Barrier magic is also categorized under light magic. But what if I said barrier magic is time magic…? How can one prevent an object from passing through thin air if time is controllable? Time…? Thin air…? Put the time in thin air? PUT A WALL OF FROZEN TIME IN THIN AIR!! Since the air is frozen in time even if it’s air, nothing should be able to penetrate through! Light magic is time magic!” Kei’s eyes glow with delight at his amazing discovery, but how can he test this though? What if he doesn’t even have the attributes for light magic? But he must have light magic. He needs it, that’s why he is so fixated on it.
While Kei was busy going around in circles about magic physics that’s completely outside his understanding, someone was watching and listening. Listening to his thoughts. They giggle childishly, perched on a branch of the tree Kei was testing magic on. A young child-like spirit with white feathery wings wearing white a robe, dancing around her are small orbs of light. She glides down towards Kei, in comparison the spirit is just about the same height as him. She gets close enough to touch his cheek, listening and chuckling at Kei’s struggle. But her very existence doesn’t follow natural physics. The wind from her fluttering wings don’t affect her surroundings nor can her touch be felt. Her light chiming laughter can’t be heard and her form can’t be seen, but she smiles gently anyway and touches his cheeks with her fingers from both sides.
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“Heal!” Kei calls out loud. Then, darkness.
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Kei wakes up to a golden orange sky. He starts to panic, he realizes what happened. He was out cold still outside of the protected territory. He tries to stand up but he feels numb all over. “AH-! SHIT! WHAT DO I DO NOW!?” Kei thought.
Kei realizes what has happened. In the game, even if the protagonist runs out of mana points the player can use magic in the cost of health points.
“Did I almost kill myself!? At age 4!?” But before he starts resenting himself for not realizing such an annoyingly memorable mechanic from the game, he needs to get back to the territory. He was lucky enough that he wasn’t eaten alive in his sleep out here in the woods. He crawls with all his might, as fast as his shaky arms and legs can take him, towards the bridge crossing the river. He wants to scream for help, but what if the scream becomes a dinner bell for the monsters… He screams on the inside.
“Kei!” Thankfully a voice calls out from the other side of the river. It was Halinia. Kei waves back with one of his hands weakly while still on his hands and knees.
“I-I can’t move. Help me…” Kei tries to control his volume, not too loud so the monsters won’t hear, but loud enough for Halinia.
“Over here,” as she yells she waves in a different direction. “I found Kei!” Halinia calls out. Kei notices 2 knights and 2 lightly armored guards running towards her. Kei sighs in utter relief. He can almost cry from his near-death experience.
But Kei didn’t realize this during his panic. The X-mark from the tree was gone. Gone as if it was perfectly, smoothly, scooped out of the tree. As if a hot ice cream scooper scooped out an ice cream. And the wedge bearing the X mark is on the floor rocking back and forth from the wind.
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Kei was taken to the lord’s manor and put in bed in the guest room to rest. The room was slightly smaller, but just as grand and clean as the lord’s room. Big enough to fit 2 families, Kei’s family and Halinia’s. They were watching near the door while giving room for the examiner to take a look at Kei’s condition.
The one examining was Malicra Faifer. She was wearing a long white one-piece nightgown. Guess she was already asleep before Kei got here. She had dark tan skin, slightly elongated pointed ears, and short white hair. She’s a dark elf from the looks of it. She looked like she could be in her late teens, but who knows how old she actually is. Her facial features alone makes it difficult to discern if she is a man or a woman. Her voice was what gave it away, but her way of speech is not very feminine.
“Ah… He seems to have over-exerted his mana… Luckily he’s still young… If it was me using as much as he did… I would be bleeding from my eyes.” She says tiredly, shocking everyone present.
“FOR REAL!?!?” Kei thought as he lay in bed distraught, unable to do anything. Every movement, every touch sent jolts up his spine.
“Well… He’s going to be fine after a few days of rest… Even faster if he takes some prescription,” Malicra rummages in her bag, taking out a piece of parchment with a thin piece of charcoal covered in cloth, and starts scribbling something down. After she’s done she stumbles over toward the exit and shoves the paper to a maid’s hand. “This is going to cost you…extra,” Malicra remarks to the lord tiredly.
“Oh, come on, he’s going to be under your care,” Halakar lightly chides.
“Not yet,” Malicra retorts, giving a sharp look to the Lord. Not able to talk back, the lord laughs it off coming to some sort of understanding.
“Wait, what are you talking about…?” Kei asks, feeling as if he’s been left in the dark. Everyone looks as if he should already know. The dark elf leaves the room thinking the subject isn’t any of her concern.
“Did nobody tell him?” Salishia asks. Everyone in the room looks at each other to see if there is any response. None. Salishia giggles behind her hand, “We have come to take you under our wings. That’s what it meant when you joined us and watched Halinia’s approval ceremony,” She says as she gets closer to Kei’s laying figure.
“Huh? Is that what that meant?”
“You're going to be living with us from now on!” Halinia says excitedly as she slams her hands on the bed with much of her weight, jostling Kei in the process.
“Ah! Don’t move the bed! And What!?”
“This isn’t just to your benefit,” Lord Halakar starts. “Halinia has grown very much thanks to you. We are hoping the same for Kaber.”
“Huh…?”
“You’ll eat with us, breakfast, lunch, and dinner and play together too! ” Halinia says with even more enthusiasm, her eyes practically shimmering with glee as she bounces with every word.
“AH! The bed!”
“And we’ll take lessons together!”
“AHHHH! Huh?”
“We’ll take language lessons, art lessons, math lessons, history lessons….” She counts off her fingers as she lists off all the lessons.
“Ohhhhh….”
“And Magic lesson!”
“OHHHHH!” Kei suddenly sits up and lightning strikes his spine. A scream is heard throughout the manor, even the guards outside under the night sky.