After the ground-shattering news was delivered, his parents, not knowing how to handle what they were told, sat still, not wanting to let him go.  What do they do? How in the world should they handle this? They were at a loss, they weren’t expecting this, how could they, until now they thought he was just their sweet little boy.

No, he still is, they thought, as they wrestled with themselves, this is our boy, our sweet innocent boy.  They couldn’t stop their shaking, their whole bodies, wrought with panic.  Has he been shouldering this all on his own? For this long? His father thought to himself.  What do I say? What do I do, his mother panicked.

“I’m, I’m sorry, mom, dad, i didn’t want to keep this from you, but I get it.  I’ll leave, why would you want to be in the same house as a monster like me.” “If, if you just give me an hour to gather my things, you’ll be free of me.” Christopher says sheepishly.  What have I done? I should have kept this locked away, then they would still see me as their boy.

His parents, who had been shaking and panicking till then, unable to speak a word, are taken over by maternal instinct.  His mother grabs him by the shoulders in a fury, crying, and looking at him intensely.  “How could you say such a thing!” She yells.  “Why would you leave?” She continues, “Answer me! Why would you say that?!” She demands.  “She’s right!” interjects his father.  “Why would you say something so awful?!”  He yells.

They sat around him, clearly frustrated, yes, the news was heavy, yes, they were shocked, but never would they abandon him.

“We would never abandon you!” they shout.  “It’s not even a big deal!” His father shouts, “You think something so trivial would make us abandon you?!” He continues.  It was a big deal, and it certainly wasn’t trivial, they knew this.  However, they needed to lie to him, they needed to make him believe it wasn’t a big deal to them; they are his parents.  It’s their mission in life to affirm and reassure, to love, and to cherish him.

His mother holds him tightly, crying again, the news that her son had suffered such a horrible life previous, it’s enough to make any mother cry, especially such a loving mother such as Abigail.  Both, emotional, his father, angry at himself.  How could I have allowed my son to suffer so much, even if he was in another world, I should have been there to protect him, he thinks.  Irrational, but from a place of immense love.

“Why would you try and shoulder all of that yourself?” His mother asks, “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“I, I didn’t want you to abandon me.” He says scared; “I thought if you knew you would hate me, I just didn’t want to trouble you.” He says.  “We were already troubled!” She yells, “You passed out! And if you didn’t tell us, we would have been even more sick with worry, because our precious son would keep passing out without a reason!” She yells.

His father, having collected himself, at least enough to appear strong for his son, says; “Besides, who cares?” His mother taken aback by her husband’s words, gives him a look and yells; “Hey!” Flustered he says, “Well, no, I mean, who cares, as in, it was in the past, you’re our kid, and no divine intervention or past life, would ever change that!” “We love you kid.”

“I’m happy you told us.” He says, “That is far too much for a kid to bear alone, and don’t worry, as I said before, we would never abandon you, we love you just as much as we did an hour ago.” “You are in no way a trouble to us.” He says with a warm smile.

“Now, we wont have to worry so much when you suddenly pass out” His mother says with a smile.  “although we will probably still worry about you, but at least now we know why.” She continues.

“So, what are they like? The gods?” His father asks.  Trying to change the subject, hoping to lighten the mood in the room; “Their really nice, especially Isabella.” He says with a blushed face.  His mother’s face suddenly changes. “Who’s this Isabella?!” She asks jealously.  “Oh, no, mom, she’s the goddess that reincarnated me remember. That’s it!” He says in a panic.  His mother, while incredibly loving, is prone to jealousy when it comes to her role as a mother.  “Hmm, ok, if you say so honey.” She says suspiciously.  “Now, now, honey, she’s a goddess, no need to get jealous.” He says with a hesitant laugh.

The tension in the room seems to break, as they all begin to laugh at Abigails slight jealousy towards the goddess.  “So, the gods are real huh?” His dad says after the laughter dies down.  “Who would have thought that the legends would be true.” “The gods of mythos, the creators of the world.”

He looks at his son with sincerity and overwhelming seriousness.  “Son, listen, do not, under any circumstance tell anyone else about this.” “I’m happy you were brave enough to tell us, and we love you for that." He says.

Some years passed, all the while I honed my magic.  Day in and day out, some nights without sleep, I worked.  If this magic, this life, could be used to help those I care about, I wont stop for anything. 

I first tried my hand at fire magic, the most volatile.  I closed my eyes and envisioned my core, the center of my body.  The mana that flowed could be seen so vividly, swirling and rushing through my body.  I focused the mana to my hand, the light waves of mana rushing to my fingertips, the heat.

“Listen Chris, when you use magic, you have to imagine the form you want it to take, focus your mind, and picture it.” His mother’s voice echoed in his mind.  It wasn’t just literature and mathematics that she was knowledgeable in, she also knew magic.

Focus, focus.  Christopher thought to himself.  Imagin a ball of fire, a tight symmetrical sphere of fire.

Just as my mother said, my imagination was brought into reality.  Hovering in my palm, a ball of fire.  My hand unaffected by the close flames, magic truly is incredible.

“Wait, what do I do with it now? I can’t just throw it, I’m in my room!”

“Honey! It’s time for dinner!” Yells his mom from the other side of the door.  “I’m coming in” She sings.  His mother is met with the sight of her son, in his very flammable room, using fire magic.  On his bed no less, what is she going to do with him.  She lets out a sigh of exacerbation; “Chrissy, didn’t I say no fire magic in the house?” She asks.

“Yes.” He is disappointed in himself.  “But, mom, what do I do with it?” “I’ve never made a fire ball before, and it wont go away!”

“Hold on, let me open a window.” She tiredly says.  She walks over to his window on the right side of the room, locking it open.  “Come, come.” She says waving him over.  “See that tree? Toss it there.”

Christopher reaches his arm back to toss it over, trying not to lose focus.  “Not too hard, ok?” She says.  “Ok mom.”

Christopher lightly tosses the ball of fire towards the tree, hitting the lower part of its trunk.  The flame doesn’t seem to do any damage however, it just fizzes out at impact.  “Huh? Why was it so weak?” He asks his mother.  “That’s what your worried about!?” She scolds.  “Just be happy you didn’t light your room on fire!”

“I’m sorry mom, I won’t do it again.” He says, looking at the floor.

“That’s what you said last time Chrissy.” “This is the last time, ok? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”  She looks at him, holding his face with her hands.  “I know you have a lot on your plate, too much in fact, for a six-year-old, but listen, don’t push yourself to hard.” “Don’t be so quick to grow up! Your still my little boy!” She says with loving words.

After dinner, I went back to my room.  The beast sightings have been few and far between, but still my father doesn’t allow me to go outside the town after dusk.  He means well of course, he’s just overprotective of me and mom.  I really want to practice my fire magic though, I cant do it in here, mom would be upset so, I must go outside.

It’s not like I’m a kid anymore, It wont be long till I turn seven and I need to get stronger.

Just for a minute, I’ll just pop in and out, five minutes tops! I check my room and the outside of the window, no guards, fathers in bed with mom, now is the best time to do it.  I check once again, scurrying over to the door of my room to listen.  No footsteps, no voices.  Let’s go!

Opening the window, I crawl through.  Theres still the guardsmen to worry about, they may not be around the house, but they will be at the gate.  Knowing my father, all the men know about me, and knowing the guard’s loyalty to my father, they will capture me and drag me home to him.

I need to be careful.

I don’t know their schedules, and I never really paid attention to their patrol paths.  This is stupid, really stupid.  Should I just go back to my room?

No, no I need to do this, I must become stronger.  There are so many people relying on me!

Two guardsmen stand at the gate, wearing their full plated steel armor issued to all the soldiers, and their swords at their hips.  With no sign of exhaustion, they patrol one after another, switching off to inspect around the inside and outside of the gates.  The lanterns light their paths, as the sound of steel makes impact on the ground with every step.  It’s enough to deter any kind of bandit or bad intentioned person.  They look strong, and very menacing.

Ok, think.  What can I do here, how can I slip past?  Maybe I could scale the wall?  I don’t see any light from up there, it may be the best option.

Christopher tiptoes over to the large wall to his right, looking for any kind of crevice or foothold.  While made of hard stone, there doesn’t seem to be anything to hold onto, and it’s at least thirty to forty feet tall.  If he falls, its his death, or at the least a very severe injury.

The walls a no-go.  I have to sneak past somehow.

In the distance, at the gate, the guards begin to speak to one another.

“Hey man, having fun?” Says on guard to the other.

“Fun? I wouldn’t call this fun man, what do you want?” He says in response.

“Woh man, I’m just jokin with ya, trying to make conversation to help the night go by, that’s all.”

“Take this seriously, we are the only thing between the beasts and the sleeping townsfolk.” He says with a serious look.

“Aye ay, gotcha.” “I’m payin attention, don’t worry, I’m the one that has to report to Sir Ashbourne in the mornin.” “Little convo won’t hurt ya.”

“But he will.” The serious guard states.

“Eh!” The talkative guard flinches. “True.”

“I’m going to do my third rounds, if you need to talk do so to yourself.” Says the serious guard as he steps away.

 Is my dad really that scary? He’s always so giddy and cracking jokes and stuff.

All the guards of the town know of the story, most of the newer guards joined because of his father.  The slayer of beasts, the savior of the town, the man who single handedly defended the whole town from a giant swarm of beasts.  The serious guard was one of the injured, he was there, he saw through the blood dripping from his brow.  The valiant warrior Ashbourne, cutting down beast after beast, never tiring.  Christophers father, was the one who inspired his seriousness, he vowed that day on the cobble stone road, that he would never bring such shame to his name nor to his self-proclaimed master, his idol.

While he didn’t have a family of his own, he vowed to protect his master’s family, he would fight to his death to do so.  Christopher doesn’t know this, neither does his father.  It is the guard’s secret, his eternal vow.

Theres no way he would let Christopher just sneak past.  He was in a serious predicament.

“What are you doing?” says a voice from behind Christopher.

He shoots a look towards the gate, the guards swtched places! Where did the other one go?

Oh no, he’s behind me, I’m dead.  His head hesitantly creeks around to face the voice.  The serious guard somehow saw his, and by some kind of twisted miracle made it all the way behind him without a sound.  The guard with his arms crossed, stands there menacingly.  “Christopher, does your father know what you are up to?” He asks deeply, as he already knows the answer.

“Uh, um, n, no, no he doesn’t.” Christopher says shuddering.

 What feels like hours pass, as the guard stares at him, his eyes piercing his guilty soul.

The guard lets out a loud harsh sigh, “Why are you sneaking around after hours?” “Are you trying to give your father a heart attack?” He asks, as he crouches down.  The menacing aura around him disappearing.

“Uh, uh, no, no.” Christopher can barely say anything in defense due to the shock of being caught.

“Answer me kid, why are you sneaking around.” He says seriously.

“I, I, I need to train!” He forces out, “I need to train, and I cant do it inside.” He says, anxious of the coming consequences.

“Train?”

“Yes! I need to train my magic!” Christopher follows.

“You can’t do that during the day?” “Do you even realize the extent of your actions? Sneaking out at night?” “Your parents, my boss, fast asleep, thinking their only son is safe inside their home?” “Only to be outside, sneaking around, to what? Go outside the town?” “Are you stupid?” His words hit Christopher in the chest.

He’s right what am I doing, after everything I’ve put them through, now this? Why am I so selfish, I thought about everything but forgot what’s most important, my family.

“Listen kid.” The guard stands.  “Follow me.”

“I’m back, go do your rounds.” He says to the once talkative guard.

“Oh, who’s this? Wait, this is”

“Go do your rounds, and forget what you saw, I’m handling it.” He cuts him off.

“Ok”.

The serious guard walks him over to the gate, looking out over the open field in front of them.  “You see all that?” He asks.  “That’s unprotected land, what would happen to you, if you did sneak past me and went out into the open fields?” “I wouldn’t know you were out there, what happens when you come face to face with a bandit, or a beast, what do you think would happen?”

Christopher stands there, hand in hand, looking at the ground.  His shame clearly displayed on his face.

“Here’s the answer, you would die.” He says, looking at Christopher.  “You would die, and no-one would know until your kind mother would come wake you up in the morning and be met with an empty room.” “What would happen then? What of your mother? Your father? How would such a loss affect them?”

“I,”

Christopher couldn’t answer, The serious guard cut him off.  “It would kill them.” He says.

“You want to train and that’s fine, getting stronger is honorable.  Sneaking off without any consideration for your loved ones, is not.” He says.

“I wont tell your father about this, don’t worry, go home.” He says kindly.

Although serious, he considers his commander’s family as his own, he would do anything for them, although Christopher doesn’t know it.

“If you must train at night, ask your father.  I would be happy to watch over you as you do, but not, without your parents knowing.”

“Yes, sir.”