Today marks eight months since my reincarnation. My life as Kairon has been peaceful—comforting, even. Most of my days were spent sleeping and making my father read to me. Over time, I began to understand the books on my own. It wasn’t easy, but his voice and patience guided me to it.

For the past few months, I have been following the same routine, making dad read and I’d listen to him reading aloud, studying the way his lips took shape for every word, then comparing them to the words in the book. Slowly, I learned the alphabet, one word at a time. 

At the moment I was sitting on the cold wooden floor, a book was lying open in front of me, its pages were rough and old—made up of leather. I was reading about the tier system of this world, which was completely different from Earth's tier system. 

On Earth, we used alphabets to rank soldiers like S, A, B, C, D, and E. But in this world, they used a tier system known as the “Phase-layer” tier system. It’s rather intriguing; the core structure was almost the same as the atomic structure on Earth.

There are a total of eight phases of the arcis core, each phase requiring its own level of mastery. And the layers are like the shells that are in an atomic structure.

The eight phases had layers bound to them; in each phase, there are different amounts of layers. In the first phase, there are two layers. If you wish to move on to the next phase, then you’d have to break through the layers first. In the second phase, there are four layers; the layers will increase by two with every phase. Like, six layers in the third phase, eight in the fourth, ten in the fifth, twelve in the sixth, fourteen in the seventh, and sixteen in the eighth phase.

Those who have high phase levels are feared and respected everywhere. There are two ways to enter the next phase: first is training or fighting against the beasts that roam freely in the forests. The second was to absorb the arcs present in a beast core. Though the second method is a speedy way to enter the next phase, it is also very risky. The success rate of entering the next phase is very low and comes with severe consequences. I flipped the page over, and on the next page, there was a drawing of how a beast core works.

My eyes narrowed as I tried to decipher the drawing. What I learned surprised me a little; some of these beasts don’t have a core, but the core structure is very different from the core structure I and the other people have. Their core consists of a single sphere; the sphere grows with every core they devour, just like the second method, but its core will grow without any risks.

Then I learnt about the goblins, they don’t have a core. The goblins rely on nothing but brute strength and weapons; they are known for their aggressive and blood thirsty demeanor. I turned to look at the other page, which stated that the goblins have been an enemy of every race, and always wanted to dominate the continent humans live on—Solmere.

I heard footsteps, just when I was about to read the history behind these goblins and their obsession with dominance. I turned to look at who it was, and it was my mom. She stood just behind me, looming over me. I could sense the annoyance that emitted from her.

“Kairon, how many times did I tell you not to sit on the floor like that?” Her voice was soft yet firm. She swooped me up in her arms. I whined and tried to reach for the book, but she didn’t let go. “No, you’ve been flipping through it since you woke up. I’m taking you outside, the weather's really nice today!" She started walking towards the door., I pouted and glanced at the book. I’ll be back for you, my treasure trove! And with that, we stepped through the door, the bright sunlight making my pupils shrink slightly. 

I glanced around. The world outside was the same as usual. The sun rays lit the world in a warm golden hue, the wind was blowing softly, and the village folks were either sitting under the sun or working. My father was working on his crops, as usual, and he was moving some of the crops he had harvested to a shelter.

Mom started to walk towards where he was; the ground under the steps crunched as she kept moving ahead. She stopped; the action was sudden, and I almost fell from her arms. I looked up at her, curious about the sudden stop, but my curiosity faded when I looked at her expression; she was calm, but her eyes burned with something I hadn’t seen. What’s going on? I thought, concern bubbling up in me.

I glanced at the ground, the pebbles on the surface were vibrating—as if an earthquake was happening. But an earthquake wouldn't make her stop like this. My thoughts were distorted by a roar, and my heart skipped a beat as I gripped my mom more tightly. After hearing the roar, everyone in the village stopped what they were doing, even the wind seemed to have come to a stop. My mom continued to walk towards Dad. Once we were close to him, I saw his expression; he looked concerned and panicked.

She handed me over to my father, and he held me in his arms. “Don’t worry, Kairon. It’s fine, everything’s fine.” He said, panic evident in his voice. I glanced at Mom, she smiled at me, and gave me a pat on the head.

Another roar rippled through the air, closer this time, more loud. The ground shook as the source of the roar drew closer and closer. A few seconds passed, then—a large beast appeared, bursting through the thick horde of trees, knocking some of them down with its huge tail. 

The sight in front of me made me feel fear that I haven’t felt in a long time. The beast was breathing heavily; each breath it let out made the grass on the ground burn to ash. It had four legs with giant claws, each of which had sharp nails that almost looked like knives; the nails were large enough to dwarf my infant body. Blue veins of light were traced all over its grey skin, pulsing faintly with acris. Rows of fangs filled its mouth, some jutting out at odd angles, like daggers desperate to taste flesh. Its flame-covered jaw blazed with every breath it took, and it had five eyes—each evenly apart—that gleamed with feral hunger. 

“T-that's an Emberjaw!” Someone shouted from behind. An Emberjaw, a beast I’ve read about in the book, a beast that no ordinary human could defeat, a beast that’s considered the most feared beast in Solmere.

It let out another roar, as if commanding us to bow before it. My heart hammered against my rib cage, and everyone else backed away from the beast, except for one individual—my mom. She didn’t move, didn’t double over the intense pressure in the air, just stood there, calm and collected.

She took in a breath, and a person whom I didn't recognize threw her a sword that was still in its sheath.

I watched as Mom drew the sword out of its sheath, the silver coloured blade glowed under the sunlight. The beast let out another roar and started to charge towards my mom, the crust of the surface cracked with every rushing step it took, the ground shook, flame dripped down from its jaw, burning the grass on the surface.

A green glow formed around my mom as she raised her sword; her hair started to flow, as if the air had gathered around her. Her form got tense as the beast was now nearly six feet away. She took in a breath through her mouth, letting it out through her nose.

The beast raised one of its claws, its movements swift despite its hulking form. With a deafening roar, it brought its strike down on my mother, an arc of power that split the air itself. Before the strike could reach my mother, she raised her sword in one fluid motion, deflecting the attack and taking a few steps back.

The beast growled, but before it could react, Mom moved swiftly, too fast for my eyes to follow. She appeared under the neck of the Emberjaw; the beast sensed it instantly; it swiped its claw at her again, the thick nails it had were drawn out like knives, ready to tear through anything in its way. Her eyes widened slightly, not expecting the beast to react so quickly.

The green glow around her intensified as she burst ahead, dodging the attack efficiently. Her skills looked like seasoned warriors; her footing and strikes made it obvious that she had trained before. I kept my eyes glued on her, fear and awe swirling within me. This is something else. I’ve never seen someone fight like this since the war against the Ashborns back on Earth. 

I watched as she took a few steps back, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand, and she let out a breath. The beast let out a frustrating guttural roar, an orange ball of flame forming in its mouth, the flame around its jaw rose in violent fumes, dripping down on the ground like rain, and the smell of burnt grass filled the air. She lowered her sword, closing her eyes as she focused. She lifted her palm, pointing it towards the Emberjaw, and a blue ball of water formed in it as she waited for the beast to attack first.

The Emberjaw's eyes gleamed with anger as it released its attack, an orange beam of fire rippled towards my mom. She waited for it to draw closer, just when it was a few feet away—she unleashed her spell, the water ball surged forward, colliding with the orange beam. The air between them distorted, shockwaves rippled through the ground, each force struggling to overpower the other.

The wind itself didn’t dare to blow; every gaze was fixed on the clash of the two spells. The beast growled, pouring more power into its attack. My mother's spell disappeared, and my heart sank as it did. I quickly glanced at where my mom was, and my eyes went even wider as I saw that she wasn’t there.

Where'd she go?! I thought, now fully panicked. The orange beam of fire crashed into the ground, sending bits of shattered earth and sparks of flame into the air. The ground where the spell crashed caught fire. Everyone let out gasps, some yelled, and some ran further away. 

My eyes darted around. Dad's grip on me tightened as he also searched for Mom. I spotted a familiar silhouette above the Emberjaws' spine—it was Mom. The green glow around her was gone, replaced with a blue glow. She lifted the sword above her head, holding its hilt in both of her hands. The blade gleamed blue, and the Emberjaw sensed it again, but it was too late.

She dug the sword straight into the beast's spine, and blood gushed out in a spray as the sword dug deep into its spine; her teeth were gritting together. “Die!” Mom shouted, it roared in response, trying to get the sword out from its spine, it jumped up and down, desperately trying to get her off of itself, but Mom didn’t move. She dug her sword deeper into it. She groaned as she twisted the sword; the blue glow around her spiked up. Mom let out a yell as she slashed one side of its spine, crimson liquid poured out of it like an open tap, covering the ground in deep crimson shade. Emberjaw groaned; its roars started to die down.

I couldn't help but feel awe and fear at the sight. The beast wobbled as it still tried desperately to live, but it was too late. Mom stood slightly atop its spine. She raised her sword again, and her breath seemed heavy. The flame on the sword intensified as she slashed the other side of the beast's spine, along with the bones of the spine, and the bones cracked sickeningly. The Emberjaws' head fell to the ground with a loud thud, blood pooling out of its head and its remaining body. The body collapsed, and dust flew everywhere as its heavy body collided with the ground.

Mom sat down on the ground, digging her sword in the soil; her breathing was ragged. For a moment, it was silent, no sounds, not even the whisper of the wind. Then, the village folks cheered and rushed over to her, and Dad started to walk towards her too. I held onto him tightly, still shaken up by the brutal scene that had just happened. The village folks offered their gratitude, giving her pats on the shoulders. Soon, they left and went back to what they were doing. Dad passed me over to Mom. I held on tightly, fear still swirled in me, but it was starting to give way to relief.

She patted my head, planting soft kisses on my forehead. My eyes started to water up I remember how my parents were killed in my previous life; the thought of losing my parents in this life was unbearable. I glanced up at her. She seemed exhausted, but didn't complain. My eyes darted towards my father; he was examining the dead beast.

“I’ll handle its body. The Adventures guild isn’t that far away.” He said, casually lifting the tail of the beast in one hand. My eyes went cartoonishly wide. He’s lifting the tail that knocked down several trees when the Emberjaw appeared like it’s nothing. Another wave of disbelief washed over me when he let the tail go, and it slammed into the ground, sending the dust into the air. My mouth hung open, bewildered by his strength.

My eyes darted towards the dead body of the Emberjaw; the memory of how it attacked and how strong it was kept repeating in my head. I started to overthink it. What if Mom wasn’t able to defeat it? What if she had gotten injured? What if—“Which phase are you on right now, Amilia?” My thoughts were cut off by my dad’s question. I was also interested to know about her core level.

“I’m at the last layer of the fifth phase.” She said with a slight smirk. I was surprised but it all melted away. It made sense that she was at that level. So, she’s at the level of a soldier.

The susurrus of the leaves and the apricity of the sun blessed the environment with a peaceful numinous air after the brutal and tense atmosphere. Mom started to walk towards the house. I could sense her need to rest. I relaxed in her arms as she entered the house. 

—— ✦ ——

I was sitting in the living room, the beast core was resting in front of me. My dad bought it with him after he returned earlier. My mind to absorb it was made up; I was aware of the consequences, but I had to do it, for the sake of my curiosity. I took in a breath and reached out to touch the core.

When my hand connected with it, a ripple went through my body. Bolts of lightning formed around me. I heard a muffled yell. My consciousness started to fade.

Darkness, the same darkness that trapped me before I got reincarnated. I studied my body, the body I have now is a body I had left behind, Sievert's body.

A roar, I recognized it immediately. I glanced back and there it was, the Emberjaw. It growled as the void hardened beneath us.

I took many steps back, trying to get as far away as possible. I felt fear wash over me.

The Emberjaw raised its head and opened its mouth; the same beam of flame formed in its mouth. My heart sank as I realized it was going to launch at me.

The inferno hurled towards me, I had no time to dodge...

(Hey, Ruvox here! Chapter four drops next Wednesday! Be sure to read it!)