First Week
Location: Gloria's Temple / Serina's private chamberTime: Y1500 - 21th day of the Harvest Moon
I'm in Mother's chamber. There are no windows, so it's hard to tell the passing of time, but I can tell night from day since Mother sleeps with me. As a baby I can't really do much, but at the very least I can count the days! It's been one week since I awoke in this new world. Luckily, nothing happened since the baptism.
[No, it's been one earth week. The concept of week is something our culture came up with. In our world was the fourth part of a lunar cycle. Who knows what unit of time they use.] (Science Me)
What the Me who was into science said... He sure likes to explain things.
I sleep, I eat, I sleep again. I'm actually bored, if you can believe it.
On a better note, Bookworm Me and I made some progress with the language!
We think we got two words.<Liara> and <Sister>.
I'm pretty sure <Liara> is my name. My mother often speaks that word to me. It's has a nice ring to it, but it feels somewhat feminine... I would have liked a more masculine sounding name since I'm a boy, but I guess it's a culture thing as well. It's not like I can choose my own name.
Others Me all had different names when they were alive. Science Me was called Einrich. Doctor Me was called Ansel. They all lived their lives, and were merged with me at the natural end of their lifespan. They are fine with me calling them with nicknames. This is a new world for all of us.
And about myself... I don't even remember my own name. My worthless mother might have given me one, but... Who cares!
[Don't think about her. This is a new life. You got a second chance at life. That's more than most get. Make the most of it.] (Doctor Me)
Doc is right. As usual. My original mother won't ruin my new life as well!
Ah. I got sidetracked by my own thoughts again.
The second word I learnt is <Sister>, I think it's my mother's name. That word was spoken several times when other women came to this room to talk to her. Bookworm Me think <Sister> might be a title, not a name. Mother used it herself when talking to others.
[For the records, I want to say that this is exactly what <HUD> was meant to help us with! The super realistic RPG I played had the NPCs speak many different fictional languages. The Virtual Helper would automatically translate them as you learnt new words. Of course, we integrated this translation function inside <HUD> as well. If only we could activate it!] (Gamer Me)
I get it, Gamer Me. <Voice> laughed at us, but I thought <HUD> was a great idea as well. The problem is that <HUD> is a magic enchantment. I'm pretty sure we need to learn magic before we can access it. And I'm pretty sure learning the language will be easier than learning magic.
If only there was a Mage Me amongst us.
"******* **** ** ***** Liara." (Serina)
It's feeding time! It was embarrassing being fed this way at first, but I love it now. Mother is so pretty.
[Remember that she is your mother.] (Doctor Me)
Did I hear something? Surely not! Hi hi hi.
[Sigh...] (Doctor Me)
First Month
Location: Gloria's Temple / NurseryTime: Y1500 - 44th day of the Harvest Moon
I'm Liara, and it's been one month since the day I arrived in this world..
[No. We went through this already. One Earth month of 30 days has passed. Months purely depends on culture. We have no idea on how this world calendar works. Yet.] (Science Me)
What he said...
One week ago, sorry Science me. One earth-week ago, I left Mother's room for good.
I have been moved to a large room, there are about twenty children here. And they are noisy!
[They are not noisy. They are babies. If anything, it is you who are too quiet. You should cry more. You don't want to stand out even more, do you?] (Doctor Me)
I remember the ritual the older woman did on me on my second day here. Doc is right. I have to lay low.
Still, I feel bad for the nurses. Once I woke up Mother in the middle of the night. She looked so tired, but lulled me with a smile anyway. I wish my original mother was more like her...
[You think too much. You are a baby, relax! Enjoy your new life!] (Gamer me)
Gamer Me sure is easy going.
I'm lucky to have the others Me around. I shudder at the thought of being alone trapped inside a baby's body in a strange world! Thanks to be, others Me!
[[You're welcome!!!]] (others Me)
My body is growing steadily. I still have some trouble telling the distance but my sight is sharp now. Thanks to that I discovered that my mother is real beauty! She is young, has long flowing silver hairs, blue eyes and her face has gentile features. I'm happy she is my mother! Well, I'm pretty sure she is not my biological Mother, but she is the one who cares about me. In the end, isn't this the only thing that matters?
Ah. There is something troubling that I found out about two week ago. I was shocked when I realized.
I'm a girl!!
I had thought my wee wee was small because I had just been born. It's not like I could look down there. But now that I have grown up a little, it's become painfully obvious that my manhood is not there anymore.
I now know why the name I was give, <Liara>, sounded so feminine. It's because I'm a girl!
... There is magic in this world, right? I might be able to do something about it!
[Don't... It's a new life! And no one of us ever experienced being female. Go for it!] (Doctor Me)
Even Doc! I still like girls, you know? I'm a man, inside. I can't even think about... Enough! I'm still a baby. I have many years to figure this out. I should focus on the matters at hands. Growing and learning. Yes! I'm not escaping from the problem at all!
[Cheer up! The nurses talks non stop here in the nursery! Thanks to that I got a several words down, and I'm working out even the grammar of the language! Every day we understand a little more. Give me two more months and you'll be able to understand them!] (Bookworm Me)
Great job, Bookworm Me! Keep it up!
[As I said it's...] (Science Me)
You are such a party pooper, Science Me! We get it, it's earth-month, not month. Give us a break.
The thing I lack the most now, is information. Strange new world, unknown language, and magic. There is so much I have to learn. As a baby I can only observe. And that's what I'll do!
First the language, than magic, and finally I'll be able to activate my totally broken unique power. <HUD>! Wait for me, new world! Liara is coming! He he he.
First Moon
Location: Gloria's Temple / NurseryTime: Y1500 - 14th day of the Wither Moon
Fifty days have passed since my awakening in this world.
A world I have a name for now. <Arcania>.
Many words are still a mystery to me, but I can understand the general meaning of the conversations around me. Bookworm Me did a terrific job!
[All of us cooperated. I don't deserve all the credit...] (Bookworm Me)
Bookworm Me sure is humble. Anyway, this is what We found out:
I'm a girl named <Liara>. My mother is called <Serina>.
This world is named <Arcania>
This is a temple. They worship a Goddess called <Gloria>.
The current month is called <Wither Moon> in retrospect i can tell that the month before that was called <Harvest Moon> Wherever they are special words or they actually mean something, I don't know yet. I need more vocabulary. The previous month had fifty days. Whether all months have fifty days, I don't know. Yet.
As Explorer Me speculated soon after our birth, this temple raise children gifted by families. <Serina> is not my biological mother. My parents abandoned me. Sounds familiar, right?
[Your situation now, and your situation back then are worlds apart. Literally. <Serina> loves you.] (Doctor Me)
Yes. Doc is right. As far as I'm concerned <Serina> IS my mother.
Who needs useless biological parents anyway??? ... Lets think of something else.
My body keeps developing. I can see perfectly right now. That's sooner than a normal baby. My body moves a lot better now. I can walk on four. The <Sisters> let me walk freely on the floor of the nursery.
[I still think you should have stayed put in your bed another month.] (Doctor Me)
Come on, Doc! Staying in the bed all day was killing me! Plus I learn a lot more walking around.
I can come close to the nurses, and hear interesting conversations!
I'm pretty sure I could walk on two if I really wanted to.
[Don't you dare! On Earth a baby take at least nine months to walk on two legs! Barely two have passed. You walk on four until I tell you otherwise. Doctor's order.] (Doctor Me)
I'm just joking! Calm down! Doctor Me is Scary.
[This is no joking matter. Based on their tools, they are a pre industrial civilization. And this is a religious institution. I don't have to tell you what superstitious people do when there is something they do not understand, right?] (Explorer Me)
*gulp* Alright. Alright. I get it. I'll be more careful from now on others Me. It's just that being a baby is really boring. i want to grow up and explore this world!
An handful of the children here can walk on four as well. I play alongside them to train my stubby hands and arms and improve my coordination.
it's boring, but relaxing to live like this, without a care in the world. I don't remember ever feeling like this in my previous life.
Not everything is as I want though. My voice is not improving at all! Whenever I try to speak, only weird sounds come out.
[The organs that gives you your voice are still developing. There are so many muscle to coordinate. It's much harder than walking. You can't rush this. It'll be six earth-months at the very least before you can physically speak. Even then, you should wait at least one year before you actually start speaking. Children on Earth starts speaking when they are two.] (Doctor Me)
[Why be so cautious? Being special is good! Maybe they'll even worship Us if you claim to be their Goddess incarnate, or whatever.] (Gamer Me)
[What if this goes badly? We might be burnt at the stake.] (Science Me)
It's rare for others Me to argue. Still, the final decision is mine. I'm the Main Me.
For now I'll play safe. A secret can't be unrevealed after all. I already went through that weird baptism on my second day here. I don't want any more weird magic to be forced onto me.
I'm just a clueless baby. Leave me alone. Please?
Winter Checkup
Location: Gloria's Temple/NurseryTime: Y1500 - 1st day of the Ice Moon
This is the 87° day since my awakening. Yes, I'm counting. It's not like I have anything better to do all day long. Today is a special day in <Arcania>. Today is the first day of their winter.
Bookworm Me worked hard. His results are terrific. I now understand about three quarters of all the words they speak!
The <Sisters> often talk about the day and the moon, I'm learning much of their calendar. I know the day, and the month. I also know that the names of the months is composed by word + moon.
<Ice Moon> and <Wither Moon> were both fifty days long. For now I'll consider all moons as fifty days long. I still don't know how many <Moon> are in a year, but I'll find out before long.
[In our world we used the phases of the moon to mark the passing of time. But it wasn't perfect. There were leftover days that accumulated over the years. I wonder if the moon orbit is synchronous to the planet's revolution around the sun in this world.] (Science Me)
What Science Me said.
Some of the <Sisters> look fanatics. They might even have inquisitors. Playing it safe and faking to be a clueless baby is for the best.
Some of my brothers are male, but I have yet to see a single grown up man here. This might be a all-female religious institutions. There were many in my old world as well, so it isn't strange.
!!!
Speaks of the devil! Two bald man just entered the room! They are well built, and not old enough to be actually bald. They must be shaving their heads regularly. They wear a matching set of cheap looking one pieces. They are carrying a wooden box that looks fairly heavy.
A woman is following after them. She is maybe around fifty years old, she is very tall, taller than everyone around her. She has long red hair, brown eyes and her defining feature is a remarkably long nose. Her skin is incredibly pale. She is not ugly by any means, but she is not a beauty either.
She wears gaudy red clothes with golden linings and wears several expensive looking pieces of jewellery. A large triangle shaped medallion made of gold and with a small clear jewel in the middle. An elaborate golden tiara with a large glowing red stone and two smaller clear stones at it's side.
Two dull looking wooden bracelets that have no place near all those expensive gadgets.
She is the woman that performed the baptism on me on my second day in this world.
""********* ******* One."" (All Sisters)
The <Sisters> kneel and greet the woman. She obviously hold a position of power in this temple.
"Let the ******** of **** begins." (Important Woman)
""May Gloria's **** be done."" (All Sisters)
I guess it's too much to hope that she won't be performing any magic on me... And things where going so well!
[Weren't you complaining about how boring it was just five minutes ago? Well it's not boring anymore! Rejoice!] (Gamer Me)
This is serious!!!
[We went through a ceremony already, and it was harmless. While true that a single case does not make a law, I am confident thing will turn alright once again] (Science Me)
And what if they don't???
[What about it? Are you going to cry and wriggle your stubby arms at them? or run away on four? There is nothing you can do anyway, so just relax.] (Science Me)
On which side are you, exactly?!?
[Science Me just mean to say that things will be alright. In his own way. Plus Serina is over there. She will protect us.] (Doctor me)
Doc is right, as usual. Just make happy thought.
While I was arguing with myself, the older woman undressed... Wait what???
**murmur** (Sisters)
[You dummy. Babies don't care about nakedness. You are standing out.] (Bookworm Me)
Damn! I blew it! But I can still salvage it!
"Ga... ga!!!" (Me)
I try to reach her breasts with my stubby arms. She is far, but the meaning should be obvious. I'm just an hungry baby hoping to drink from her bosom. I'm not surprised you are undressed at all!
It works! Silence falls over the room, only the cry from a baby breaks it. They must be embarrassed they even considered a baby like me to be aware. That's right! It's silly!
The older woman approaches the first bed in the nursery. This might take a while....
Winter Checkup 2
Location: Gloria's Temple/NurseryTime: Y1500 - 1st day of the Ice Moon
The <Sisters> keeps calling the older woman <High Priestess>. That will do as name for now.
[I'm pretty sure that's her title, just like <Sister>. Well, it's still better than calling her <older woman>.] (Bookworm Me)
<High Priestess> and her male attendants spent the morning casting magic upon the babies. The lights, colors and shapes she makes with magic are so very pretty! I hoped to gain a clue about handling magic from her, but that's was a fool's hope. No chants. No gestures either. Just lights. i guess real magic doesn't obey to words like in fiction..
[It would have been awesome if you learnt magic like that! Imagine a baby taking out all those grown up with spells from her cradle!!! Even better! A baby facing an entire army!!!] (Gamer me)
You sure have weird ideas, Gamer Me. Like that's gonna happen....
Anyway, <High Priestess> used a variety of magics upon each child. She also used golden tools passed by the attendants. But she didn't perform magic on all children.
[The five she didn't perform her magic on, seems the youngest amongst us. Maybe this magic can't be used on babies that are too young?] (Bookworm Me)
[Can't be. She performed magic on us on our second day of life.] (Doctor Me)
[An exception to the rule, surely. We are special, they are not. We even were in a special room during the ritual.] (Science Me)
It's my turn at last. <High Priestess> approaches me. Her cheeks are reddened, and she is sweaty. She look somewhat tired. She is glaring at me. I'm actually scared. The room is as silent as a tomb. The nurses who were chatting in low voices are now focusing on me. I'm weirded out!
[The nurses gave you long stares when you were analysing <High priestess>'s magic I think a baby is not supposed to even see magic at all. Our brothers and sisters were unfazed by those lights even when they were dancing in front of them.] (Science Me)
Why didn't you warn me?!?
[I did. But it's not like you ever listen to anything i say.] (Science Me)
...
The woman becomes rises her arm forming a T with her body. She becomes enveloped in a rainbow light.
What happened next blew my mind.
All around me colored shapes of all kind appeared out of thin air and started rotating, moving, growing and shrinking.
The most beautiful spectacle I have ever seen.
The most beautiful spectacle any Me has ever seen!
Even my Gamer Me was taken aback. I can't help but try and grab the lights. So incredibly beautiful!
"Nhahn!!!" (Me)
Blast! It's over already! I'm disappointed.
I look around me and freeze. Every present looks shocked.
"She saw." (Sister)
[I'm now sure that a baby is not supposed to be able to see magic.] (Science Me)
No shit Sherlock.
I really blew it. i hope the stake is not a thing in this world.
I'm scared.
[What is done, is done. That spectacle was too unexpected. All of us were ensnared by it. Me as well...] (Doctor Me)
[<High Priestess> and Serina knew we could see magic already. They must have noticed during the first ritual. They didn't do anything to us back then. There is no reason they will now.] (Science Me)
The tall woman speaks.
"Sister Serina, This child is ready for the Ceremony of Gifts. I'll be ready in seven days." (Blessed One)
"As you will, Blessed One." (Serina)
A few strange words here and there, but I got the gist of it. They'll perform a magic on me again.
"The children are developing well. Everyone, keep up the good work. This is all. May Gloria bless us." (Blessed One)
""May Gloria bless us!"" (Sisters)
The male attendants helped High Priestess wear her dress. Then they left.
As soon as she left, every nurse surrounded me, looking at me with strange eyes. Gossipping. "Who is she?". "How can she see magic?". I cry. Genuinely. I'm really scared.
"You are scaring Liara! Leave her alone!" (Serina)
The nurses looked at each others, and left. Launching glances and me and Mother.
Serina embraced me in her arm, and started chanting a lullaby. Her smile looks so gentile. Thank you for being my mother, Serina.
I am really tired. As soon as the adrenaline settles down, I fall asleep in her arms.
Revelation Omnia
Location: Gloria's Temple/Ritual ChamberTime: Y1500 - 8th day of the Ice Moon
This is it. Today Mother is carrying me outside of the nursery. She took me outside a few times, but this time is different. We are going to same place she took me on my 2° day here. A place called the <Ritual Chamber>. It's night this time as well.
Four Sisters walk ahead of us. Four Sisters walk trailing us. In rows of two.
It's a procession. The two in front are carrying golden censers that leave a strong smelling smoke. Religions people love smoky substances with strong smell in this world too, apparently.
We descend the spiral stone stairs. We are deep underground. At the end of a corridor, a wooden door coated in gold plates is opened. On the inside the scene is unreal.
The room is a dome, fifty meter in diameters. A dozen naked women of various ages are lined up near on the wall, forming a ring. The High Priestess is naked as well, and is waiting at the centre of the room near a suspicious wooden pillar. This is not a human sacrifice, is it?
The two male attendants stand by her side. Is this really alright?
[They might be eunuch. In many cultures, man that attends women are cut.] (Explorer Me)
Ouch!! For the first time since my rebirth, I'm glad I was born female!
The two males walks forward. My mother hands me over to them and join the others. She undresses, like the eight woman that came with her. They take their place near the wall, along with the dozen women already there. The sight would be nice in different circumstances.
The male attendants clean me with a towel. They put a golden tiara on my head, bracelets on my wrists and anklets on my legs. They leave me in the puddle of water atop of the pillar and leave the chamber, closing the door behind them.
The scene is terrifying. I'm a baby on top of waist height pillar in a large circular chambers coated in gold, surrounded by twenty one naked women and with the High Priestess hovering her hands over me. I can't take it any longer. i cry.
[[It will be just like last time. It's not a human sacrifice. Hold it together!]] (Others Me)
A few minute passes. I am somewhat calm. It seems this is what the High Priestess was waiting for.
"I shall now commence the Ceremony of Gifts. Sisters, starts refining magic threads. Serina, if the spell breaks, tend to me." (High Priestess)
""As you will!"" (All Sisters)
The High Priestess is enveloped by light. One by one symbols arranged in concentric circles light up on the floor. The caster is as still as a statue, her hands still hovering over me.
Ten minutes passes by. The symbols started moving, rotating and dancing. I couldn't see well back then, but there are definitely more, this time. Again, the sight would be nice in a different situation.
Then, the moment I feared arrived. I felt the High Priestess magic entering my body. A large crystal, at least two meter tall descends from the ceiling and light up. It's the strongest magic light I have seen so far. It should be blinding, but my eyes are not hurting.
My bracelets and anklets light up as well. Complex patterns showing on them. I guess my tiara light up too, but I can't see it since is atop of my head.
<Revelation Omnia!!!> (High Priestess)
It's uncomfortable, but I manage not to cry. I feared the spell would be different this time, but it's not. It's the same. Just stronger, I guess?
[If they were unsatisfied by the results of the previous Ceremony of Gifts, it's only natural they increase the output. It's like what we did with particle accelerators. Fascinating.] (Science Me)
Science Me is enjoying this!!!
[We understand the name of the magic now. I think it's a spell designed to see the magic in a human being. It seems harmless.] (Bookworm Me)
[Wait a minute. Gifts! We have A BIG one! We asked for a unique power from <Voice>, remember? A totally broken one at that. The previous spell must have detected traces of it! The High Priestess want to see this matter through. This is why she is going all out this time!] (Gamer me)
[At this point there is nothing we can do. Whatever happens depends on what they see and what they chose to do about it. They might fear us. They might worship us. They might use us.] (Explorer Me)
Is there really nothing I can do?
[<%$(%"(/$))!=£(**] (???)
And what was that??? A thought not my own. Garbled and incomprehensible.
[It... It wasn't us! Maybe it was <Voice>?] (Others Me)
[Partial activation of our unique power? How intriguing!] (Science Me)
Science Me, can you sound less delighted at least? Our life is on the line, here.
[************ ... (???)
Great. Now that thought is stuck in a loop! It's like hearing a broken record with statics in my head.
It's annoying, but it doesn't hurt. I hope <High priestess> knows what she is doing. I mean... Things can't get much worse.
[Don't jinx it!!!] (Gamer Me)
*creak* (crystal)
Is that big crystal supposed to crack?
[You HAD to say it, right? Nothing good ever happens after saying something like that.] (Gamer me)
Something is happening. The symbols got much brighter, and they are flickering now. Noise like glass cracking can be heard.
Ah! Magic is leaving my body. Finally! The magic lights around me flash strongly, and quickly disappear. High Priestess collapses on her knees. Are you alright?
"High Priestess!!" (Serina)
Mother rushes toward the High Priestess. She is unconscious. The women all around are enveloped in light. They look in pain? One after the other, they fall. I do hate the ritual, but I didn't want them to suffer... I hope they won't blame this on me! Please? I didn't do anything! At least I don't think I did..
Darkness falls over the ritual chamber. The lights dotting the circumference of the room are now dark.
I can hear screams of pain and shouting. It's real chaos! I had no idea magic could be dangerous!
<Lumia!> (Serina)
Beautiful! My mother is enveloped in red light, and is helding a globe of pure white light in her palm. She places it over her head, where it stays, following her. She carries the High Priestess outside the room. The male attendants came in from the door as they heard the scream, and are helping High priestess alongside Mother.
The sisters still concious are helping the ones on the ground. This looks like the scene of a disaster.
I actually feel bad for them. But I can't do anything.
Abandoned
Location: Gloria's Temple/Ritual ChamberTime: Y1500 - 8th day of the Ice Moon
An hour passed since the disastrous ritual.
The last Sister was carried away a while ago. There are no more magic lights. It's pitch black.
I'm alone, wet and cold. Still in the pond atop of the pillar.
It's to high for me to climb down with this body. It's too dark for me to move.
I'm alone.
Please don't abandon me! Not again!!
*cry* (Me)
A light!
It's Mother!!!
She rushes to me. Tightly embraces me. Thank you Mother. I'm sorry I doubted you.
"Don't fear, Liara. I would never leave you." (Serina)
She carries me to her chamber, she must be very busy, and I can see she is tired and preoccupied. Even so, she take the time to take care of me adn ensure I'm alright. Then she leaves in a hurry.
This was big. Was this somehow my fault?
[I think <High Priestess> partially activated <HUD>. It's speculation, but unexpected interference from our unique power might have disrupted her magic. This might even have been a defense mechanism embedded within <HUD> itself. At this point, I can't be sure.] (Science Me)
[Babies are not supposed to worry. You had a long day. Try your best to calm down and rest. Doctor's orders.] (Doctor Me)
My body is fine. I'm unharmed. but I have been awake for a while now and this ordeal took a lot out of me. I fall asleep once my tiredness overcomes my fears and doubt