Chapter 2: Some World Building and a System
"When life gives you a second chance,
To break the bars of a cage
And glide towards the Arctic!
When life gives you a second chance,
Like a magic potion,
To march faster towards your dreams.
When life gives you a second chance,
To breathe in fresh air of hopes,
And dream higher and higher!
When life gives you a second chance,
Just grab it
And kill all uncertainties!
Leave the world behind, and plunge into infinite happiness!"
(Sujatha Bhat)
This poem streaming its way through my mind was the first thing I registered when regaining consciousness—words that seemed so simple, words that I knew came from my life before, yet felt so right in this moment that it seemed like this poem was becoming a universal law. As I was contemplating this, I was suddenly ripped away from my thoughts by the sound of a bird's call that I had never heard before. Only then did I realize that I was face down in the dirt.
I slowly picked myself off the ground and started to take in my surroundings, and only then did my mind process all the information my body was being subjected to. The same instant, I screamed out in agony due to the overwhelming and sudden flood of new sensations, vomiting from overstimulation as all my senses returned to me after so long in complete and utter sensory deprivation. It took me a full ten minutes just to adjust to senses that should be normal and natural to me, and then another five minutes to gain my bearings.
I found myself in a forest—a seemingly magical forest. The trees seemed ancient. The largest one I could see was around 45 feet in diameter, and the average size was 35 feet, which was already close to the largest tree ever recorded. The grass was a strong and vivid green, giving off a sense of health and vitality I had never known before—not to mention the countless flowers with colors ranging... well, ranging in more forms than I could describe. It seemed like every color was represented around me, each having many variations in tints and shades. Some flowers even had gradients to them.
My favorite one looked similar to a blooming rose, but its overlapping heart-shaped petals started with a magical, almost glowing azure blue—just a bit darker—with a gradient leading up to the palest violet purple. After taking in my surroundings, I focused on the voice of the forest. I could hear the flapping of insect wings, the multitudes of bird songs that seemed to come together in one larger song—a song I could not fully understand. Then, in the distance, I heard a pair of foxes yipping and chirping at each other. I heard the scampering of squirrels or chipmunks in the trees around me. Then, hearing a twig snap, I turned around to see a horde of doe led by the largest deer I had ever seen.
If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a moose just based on its size—and even then, a big one. Its antlers were massive, weaving in and out of each other, creating the most beautiful and majestic pair of weapons nature had ever created. You could see the perfectly toned muscle, perfectly proportional to its body. Then there were its eyes. Its eyes were almost completely black, yet they shone with a vigilance and confidence that struck a chord in me. It seemed to say that no matter what, it would protect and guard its mate with everything it had—and that anyone or anything that faced it would come out worse for it.
Looking away out of respect and caution, I finally heard the sound of flowing water. The only word that I could reasonably use to describe the place I found myself in was heaven. Turning toward the sound of water, I began walking toward it while thinking to myself how I got here—and where "here" even was.
Well, that's what I would have done if I hadn't tripped and fallen first. Looking around in confusion, wondering what tripped me, I finally noticed that I was significantly smaller than normal. Bringing my hands up, I could see that they were small—no, my hands were the size of a 10- or 11-year-old's. Although I didn't remember my full age, I knew that I was at least an adult. Yet here I was, seemingly in the body of a ten-year-old.
Realizing this, I ran as fast as my little legs could take me. After about a minute or two, I saw the river I had heard in the forest and skidded to a stop. I slowly started to walk toward the river, leaned over, and looked at the translucent reflection.
What was looking back at me was a kid around the age of ten. His hair was a dark brown—such a deep shade that it looked black unless light was shining on it. He had a more oval-shaped face with a near-perfect golden ratio in his facial features. I would say he looked like an Asian-American mix. But what was most eye-catching were his eyes. The iris had a background as black as Vantablack—one of the darkest pigments ever created—while the stroma that laced so elegantly in unique patterns and textures was a near-mythical shade of glowing silver and platinum. The pupil was a shade of black even deeper than the black of the iris.
"Well, crap, I'm a kid again," I said, falling back on the bank of the river. "Well, at least I have some unique features—and it does mean I have a second chance."
Idly thinking about this, I was suddenly struck with realization. It was a second chance—a chance to finally protect everything that I love and will love, a chance to make a life again, to find friends, and even maybe a family. Thinking this, a gust of air gently caressed my face like the fingers of a greater being, bringing warmth to my skin but also highlighting the seeping cold of the tears streaming from my eyes.
Ding
System fully activated.
Analyzing Host.
Analyzing complete.
Analyzing Host memory.
Error.
Analyzing Error.
Complete. The Host survived the Nothing.
Analyzing awards.
Error. Awards can't be given until System unlocks. All rewards will be stored until System unlocks.
Note: All attribute points gained by hard work will be assigned based on the activities used in acquiring them. All points gained before System unlock will be half as effective until the unlocking of the System.
Note: When Host gains a Falna, the System's attribute point structure will be used as a foundation while the System then follows the Falna strength format.
Analyzing.
Analyzing.
Congratulations. Host, due to having partial memories of a past life, will be granted the privilege to view status before the System unlocks.
STATUS:
Name: Unknown
Race: Huma… error. "Human but more." Analyzing.
…
STATUS:
Name: Unknown
Race: Unique Human
Age: 10
Gender: Male
Strength – 3
Dexterity – 4
Control – 3
Intelligence – 5
Vitality – 4
—
Locked
Locked
Locked
Welcome, Host, to the Soul Desire System—a system meant to help the Host gain the power to fulfill their truest desire. The Host's desire is to find, protect, and never lose anything again.
—
Overwhelmed by the sudden influx of messages, I closed my eyes, trying to organize my thoughts and process everything. After a couple of minutes, I organized and accepted it all—because what else could I do? So I accepted it and made a vow out loud:
"I will do everything in my power, no matter what I face—no matter human, monster, gods, or even Nothing itself."