“Young male, Human, 2nd-degree burns, heart failure, and spinal damage.” A teenage boy with fatal injuries is being rolled on a gurney through a state-of-the-art hospital while a computer reads out a diagnosis.

The last thing I remember was my friend asking me to play his new game, followed by pain. That explains why I’m in a hospital. Mom can’t afford this.

“Don’t you worry kid. I’m going to do everything I can. You’ll be fine.” The doctor’s tall and has pale green skin. Her words and soft smile were to comfort the kid as they rushed him through the hospital.

Fine? How can I be fine? Everything hurts. Please make the pain stop.

The doctors cart the boy into the surgical room, prepared for a very bloody night. If they don’t succeed here, two boys will die tonight.

— — —

Judge approval granted for experimental Soul Sustaining Measures. Initiating program. Query for client’s subconscious: Do you wish to live?

What kind of question is that? I want the pain to stop.

Adjusting query. If the pain stopped, would you wish to live?

Why am I being asked this? Who’s voice is that? Stop asking questions and just help me!

I don’t want to die.

Was that my voice?

Client approval granted. Initiating Soul Sustaining Measures. Imbuing new body with [Pain Resistance].

The pain was suddenly washed away along with my mind. I can feel my thoughts, my memories vanishing. I only hear that voice again.

[Pain Resistance] grants 10 points. 

[Increased Health] selected with 4 points. 

[Death Resistance] selected with 3 points.

[High Pain Tolerance] selected with 3 points.

I don’t understand, but that sounds nice. 

Link established. Transferring the client’s soul to a new body. 

Destination: The large island, Thule; year 84 of the 7th age.

Tribe: Common Midlander, Male

Name: Rose Smith

We are sorry for the inconvenience. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask the observer. Enjoy your new life, Mr. Smith.

That was the last thing I heard. After that, more and more of my mind was stripped away. So I’m going to be called Rose Smith. What a weird name. They did say male, right? I hope I don’t die like this in my next life too.

— — —

A young man with black hair and gray eyes packs his bags in a dimly lit room. None of the lights work, the only light coming from the reddish glow outside, along with the sounds of commotion. The room looks more like a workshop than a bedroom. An old workbench sits lonely after being cleared of most of its goods. A small bag sits there instead. The man tosses a large bag over his shoulders and grabs the small bag before heading down the stairs. He makes his way through the common room, heading for the door.

A small woman stops the man from leaving, “Where are you going?” She demands an answer while holding back tears and cradling a baby.

“I’m heading to the capital to become a smoke-master. The Iron Army is recruiting.” He avoids the woman’s stare, but his voice ripples with conviction.

“Why would you do such a stupid thing? No son of mine will work smoke.”

The young man pushes his mother aside and opens the door. Outside the sky is ablaze with fire and falling stones. The roar of the sky can be heard everywhere as the stones tear the air asunder and impact the ground with massive shakes. 

The heavens above shine a brilliant gold on a normal night, but tonight those heavens were falling down around them. Even the Hjartaöy are hidden by the smoke. Something truly terrible must have happened. It’s only been 90 years, but things like this still happen sometimes. Thousands of people must have died today, but if it wasn’t for our army’s mages, many more would have died in this city.

“Ever since I saw the sky today, something inside me changed, felt different. Something is stirring. I need to know what it is.” 

He looks back into the house one last time before stepping outside. This well-sized common room was the only part of the house on the first floor; the rest of the floor was taken up by the shop and the forge. As a kid, he had spent a lot of time playing here, too afraid to go outside. So when his brother was born, he would take care of him here too.

“The priest can help with that.” During this commotion, the woman refuses to step outside the house, so she continues to shout to her son while clutching onto the baby.

“That mage hasn’t once been able to help me. He won’t help my brother either.”

That mage was a member of the Light. He calls himself a priest, but they’re all just mages that lick the boots of the higher-ups in Aeaea. Nothing but a bunch of fanatics. This town is right between a bunch of farms and a mine, so we used to worship Deo and Hephy. A priest showed up not long after the war ended. Now it’s all about Zagreus, lord of light.

“He’s only six, you don’t know that he won’t discover his magic.”

“I’ll make sure to write and send a part of my wages home. Dad will be busy after this, so keep a close eye on Rose. You don’t know half the trouble he gets up to.” And with those final words, the man leaves.

Rose. I’m sorry to leave you like this. There is a light in your eyes, such a curious child you are. I doubt anything could take your light away, but I can’t risk my anger being what does it. If you end up like me, I’m sure you’ll find a solution better than the one I’m choosing. 

Walk a bright path.

— — —

On the second floor of the building is the family’s home. The room at the front has two large beds, a rug, and a few clothing chests, with not much else except for a few toys and baby supplies. The downstairs common room is much better furnished and decorated. Sitting on a bench by the window is a little boy with tufts of silver hair and a face adorned with gold eyes.

The sight outside my window is mesmerizing. The golden sky with its azure stripe that I’m so used to has turned the same color as dad’s forge. The air also smells just like the shop. It’s as if the whole town turned into his forge. Staring at this new sky makes me feel weird though. My head hurts, but I can’t look away from it.

Mom and big brother are yelling downstairs again. Despite everything, River isn’t crying; she’s weird. I don’t know what they’re arguing about, but it’s been going on all day, and big bro seemed really mad. Dad would usually stop them, but he’s out helping the town. Finally, my brother walks outside carrying a large bag. I don’t know why, but my stomach hurts. There’s something telling me not to look away from him no matter what. Eventually, he starts walking and is soon farther than I can see, but I keep looking.

My chest hurts and my stomach is in knots. I can barely breathe and tears stream down my face. I don’t understand this. Why does seeing my brother leave the house hurt so much? I turn my eyes back to the sky and see a very large rock falling towards where my brother was heading. Before I can scream for him, the stone shatters and sends shooting stars in every direction.

I sigh with relief and then am filled with pain and fall down. Pain shoots through my entire body like electricity. It feels like someone is pulling my heart out of my chest and someone else is crushing my head.

What’s happening? 

Health reduced to zero. 

Death save failed. 

Death save failed.

[Death Resistance] used.

Death save successful.

Health returning to above critical range.

[Pain Resistance] used. Pain successfully reduced.

I gasp for air. I don’t understand what the voice just said. I remember seeing the angry face of a woman then everything went black. I pull myself off the floor and take a last look outside. Instead of the red sky, my vision is overtaken by sights and sounds I’ve never seen before.

I can’t make sense of any of them, but my mind is suddenly becoming clearer. I understand why mom and brother were fighting and why it hurt to see him walking away. I even understand that I died just now, or nearly did at least, but I still don’t know why.

I try to sort through what I saw. They feel like my memories, but I don’t recognize any of them. They don’t make sense either. The only thing I can understand was that whoever the memories belonged to was killed by their friend. If that’s the case, I don’t really want to look through the rest of those memories.

I’ll be able to see the priest again in a few days so… No I shouldn’t let anyone else know about this. I’m not sure why, but something is telling me it would be a bad idea, especially the priest. He teaches me math and letters and even gives me candy, but my brother didn’t like him.

These new thoughts, this clarity is weird. It’s like my mind was underwater before. I try to think more about what happened but I’m suddenly dizzy. I catch myself before I fall, but I still throw up. Then everything again goes black.

I wake up in the morning in my bed. It’s actually long past morning. I go downstairs and mom welcomes me.

“Good morning, sleepy head. How’re ya feeling?”

“Weird.” I don’t know what else to say.

“Well, that’s fine. I’ve heard that a lot of kids got sick last night. You weren’t the only one.”

Even if every kid got sick, I don’t think I passed out for the same reason. It was definitely because I was messing with those new memories. This new clarity is driving me to want to find out more, but if I do, I’ll probably just end up sick again. For now, I’ll wait.

Mom has some important things to talk to me about. She sits me down with some breakfast and tells me everything in words she thinks I’ll understand. My brother went away to the capital to study, I know that’s not true. He mentioned the army; he probably enlisted to get a job that doesn’t require magic. I doubt he’ll ever come back to this town. It hurts, but I know this is his choice. Dad’s going to be very busy forging tools and weapons from the meteors, and because brother left I’m going to have to help.

It’s going to be very busy here for a while, but I won’t complain. The extra money means more sweets. Big bro would also be upset with me if I cried about this. I’ll see him again someday. For now, I have to help my family Huh, how am I going to help in the forge? I’m only six.

Turns out I get to do all the cleaning in the workshop and watching my little sister. Sometimes they’ll let me watch the storefront. I thought I was going to be helping with important things. This sucks!