《The Immortal》2: New Opportunity
Advertisement
It took some time to fully realize, but it has become evident to me. What first was so alien and bizarre is now a fact, I have been born for the second time in my life from a second mother. Part of me is excited, exactly due to the thought I made when the glowing child made me the offer. I get to be better this life, I thought. I get to be the best me, unlike all other, I get the opportunity to plan my life from the beginning and build myself up to whom I want to be.
It's not all sunshine and roses though. It is evident to me that there are more than a few problems in my way. First off, the location I have been reborn in. I have not yet seen the outside world, but is apparent that this is some third-world country. The walls are made of bare stone stuck together with some sort of mortar, framed by wood. The floor appears to be merely packed dirt. There are no windows, only wooden planks that are either open or closed. I have tried to look outside but they are too high and all I can fathom from my vantage points have been a blue sky. There are no electrical appliances in sight and night is completely dark. It is not too much of an issue though. If I can truly show world-class "talent" in this second life of mine, I should easily be able to receive the help I need. There are always organizations looking to bolster their nations reputation through these international event.
Secondly the language is unintelligible to me. I would have been able to manipulate my surroundings to better achieve my goals, but the language is neither English nor the Spanish I had a cursory understanding of from high school. It is going to be annoying to learn an entire new language, precious time that could have been spent building up a better foundation from running.
Advertisement
Thirdly, and perhaps the biggest obstacle, is that I am a baby. One of the first things that happened upon my birth was a nipple was shoved into my mouth, and despite feeling grossed out and wanting to escape I found myself instinctually sucking on the teat. In addition, one of the first efforts I made was to try and have a look around, but my head wouldn't follow my neck and it hurt so much I was seriously afraid I had caused some permanent damage. I also instinctually cry when I get hungry. I shit and pee myself constantly and it is incredible embarrassing having my second mother or the old lady (my grandmother?) wipe me as I am incapable of doing so myself. I can't even move my legs and arms the way I want to or make my mouth make sounds I want to make. I constantly fall asleep even if I try to stay awake, making it impossible for me to keep track of time. It is truly a humbling experience and I can't wait to have some agency over my bodily functions.
Speaking of my mother, there is a total of 5 other people in the house. My mother is quite plump, but the way she nuzzles me and what I assume to be my older brothers with a delighted expression in my face makes me confident in saying she is full of love and care. She seems to be somewhere between late twenties and early thirties. She was bedridden sometime after I came to be in this place, but she was soon up and doing all manner of stuff. She seems to make and mend clothes, cook food, clean, and carry firewood. Often with me in a sling around her torso. It is both warm, comfortable and slightly unnerving, with all the movement I feel.
Advertisement
The person I spent the next-most time with is the old lady. I presume she may be my grandmother. She is rather thin and looks stern when working or resting, but often makes a wonderful smile when she handles me. She mostly just rocks me asleep or changes my diaper cloth and hands me back to my mother or the crib, but she also talks to me and is the one to do so the most. She also often seems to be sewing or knitting something.
Then there is what I presume is my two older brothers. I have a hard time pinpointing their age, but somewhere around 4 and 6. They don't pay much attention to me and seem to be off playing most of the day and returning for lunch and in the evening.
Lastly, there is my father, whom I barely see. He seems to leave early morning and return in the evening. He must be a hunter, since the few time I have observed his return, it is with a burlap sack, revealed to have meat inside. He has only ever held me twice. He seems to have a permanent stubble, is quite broad of stature but not muscular and feels a decade or so older than my mom. He does have incredible strength though, as I have seen him rather easily handle what looks like quite heavy furniture.
All are fair-skinned. My brothers and mother both have blue eyes and blond hair, while my father sports a short red tuft and green eyes.
Now, let's focus on getting grandmother to speak to me so I can learn the language!
Advertisement
- In Serial20 Chapters
On the Road to Elspar (Book 1)
The year is 1329. The Huntress' War has entered its tenth year, inflaming competing nationalisms and pitting the Confederacy of Caldrein against one of the continent's superpowers, the Tenereian Union. Desperately outnumbered, the Confederacy has relied on the prowess of its famed Caldran mercenaries, with highly-trained and experienced warbands returning from foreign conflicts to the defense of their homeland, and it is on their backs that Caldrein has successfully mounted a valiant defense for a decade. But they are losing, and day by day, with all the grace of a sledgehammer, the vast Tenereian armies take one more bit of Caldran territory, one footstep at a time. Sixteen-year-old Neianne from the village of Caelon has submitted herself to Faulkren Academy, one of the centuries-old institutions established to train the next generation of Caldrein's elite soldiers of fortune, to learn the ways of wars for three years before embarking upon the defense of her country. Her dryad family once hailed from reclusive woodland communes isolated from Caldrein's complicated mainstream society, and her upbringing leaves the shy village girl unprepared to suddenly train alongside other apprentices from backgrounds as low as the dirty slums of Caldrein's cities and as high as the halls of aristocratic power. Yet the war is eroding the norms and traditions that the Caldran people have long considered part of their national mythos, and the tensions within the confederacy that have long simmered under the surface - race, class, community, identity - are slowly but surely dividing its people, and Neianne must grow and discover who she really is, even as the war that she is steadfastly training for comes to its inexorable end... On the Road to Elspar is a fantasy quest - a work of interactive fiction wherein readers get to vote on what happens next at critical junctures - that is the first entry in a story that follows Neianne of Caelon, which first began on July 20, 2016. Originally a three-part in medias res prologue to a larger story titled On the Elsparian Road, it was eventually decided that this section - which covers Neianne's three years at Faulkren Academy - become its own independent story due to length, structural, and accessibility reasons. Despite this being a reader interactive work of fiction, due to logistical and verification concerns, voting will only be counted on its thread on the forum Sufficient Velocity, where this story originally began. As such, the content here on Royal Road serves as a story-only archive. You are, of course, entirely welcome to enjoy On the Road to Elspar as a conventional work of fiction, just as you are welcome to comment, discuss, and provide critique. But if you would like to participate in the voting, then I would be honored to welcome you on Sufficient Velocity. To facilitate accessibility and to ensure the best reading experience, this story-only version of On the Road to Elspar will be updated at a periodic pace, even though further content exists, so as to not overwhelm new readers on Royal Road. If you enjoy this story, wish to binge it, and/or want to participate in voting immediately, you may of course read all additional content via the link provided above. This paragraph will be removed once the content on Royal Road catches up with what has already been posted in its original thread. Cover artwork by DreamSyndd.
8 337 - In Serial10 Chapters
Paradise Unto Us, Virtual
Mit-Han-Rou was given a chance to take on the role as a dungeon master in a VR-MMORPG, Paradise Unto Us. Failing multiple times in real-life, he set his eyes onto virtual reality with the goal of creating his Shangri-La. To once again attempt to create his envisioned paradise, he sold all his valuables to purchase the newly full-feedback diving-casket (FFDC). With the launch date set at midnight, Mit-Han-Rou prepares to dedicate his time to a second life, a world made of data.
8 167 - In Serial41 Chapters
The Heptagon Mage
Gilliam is an average nerd from the UK, one day on the way home he is hit with a truck only to suddenly wake up in a new world. Finding out that it is filled with swords and magic, people who can perform amazing feats as well as beastfolk. And on top of this; he's part of some prophecy to save the world with great power from something horrible? What is this great event he will save the world from, what is the great power he is to use and how will this change him?********************Overpowered protagonist in an Isekai setting.********************Updated cover!**New cover Partially generated by the DALL-E AI. Lots of editing was done**This started as a story to develop magic in my setting, but became a hobby that I do for fun.The first three chapters were written a solid year before the fourth and newer, so there is slight improvement in writing at that point.I’ll be glad for any input or thoughts, but I’m by no means a professional. :)
8 68 - In Serial8 Chapters
mist für denn ich aus Langeweile und Ahnungslosigkeit ein buch beginne ^^
okay aalllso ja das ist mein erstes buch in dem ich so Sachen wie wenn ich getaggt wurde rein schreibe ist nicht groß spannend oder so aber falls ihr zu viel Langeweile haben solltet würde ich mich trotzdem freuen wenn ihr rein schaut wenn nicht tja dann habe ich halt verkackt XD
8 202 - In Serial43 Chapters
My Hero /L.H.
Амбър Смит е нормално 19 годишно момиче. Живее в Сидни Австралия заедно с родителите си. Има дълга до кръста руса коса и сини очи. След като отказва да изпълни заповедта на майка си, тя се озовава сам-сама на улицата. След една дълга нощ, тя среща момчето на мечтите си и само час по-късно, се оказва в една къща с 4 почти непознати момчета.
8 199 - In Serial31 Chapters
Five's little sister
The love story about Ben. This is a story about a girl, who finally found her love, even though he was a ghost.
8 133

