First Week

Location: Gloria's Temple / Serina's Chamber

Time: Y1500 / 21st day of the Harvest Moon

POV: Liara

I'm in my mother's chamber. There are no windows, so it's hard to tell the passing of time. I can tell day from night since Mother sleeps with me. As a baby I'm basically powerless to do anything, but at the very least I can count the days!

It's been one week since I awoke in this new world. Luckily, nothing worth mentioning 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 in this world.] (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 lighter note, Bookworm Me and I made some progress with the language!

[I think we got two words! and ] (Bookworm Me)

I'm pretty sure 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, but I guess it's a cultural thing and it's not like I can choose it on my own...

Others Me all had different names when they were alive. Science Me was called Heinrich. Doctor Me was called Ansel. They all lived their natural lives and were merged with me when they were at death's doorsteps.

They are fine with me using nicknames. This is a new world for all of us. A fresh start!

As for my old name... I don't even remember it. My worthless original 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. You should make it count.] (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 , I think it's my mother's name. That word was spoken several times when other women came to this room to visit. Bookworm Me think might be a title, not a name since mother used it herself when talking to others.

[For the records, I want to say that this is exactly what was meant to help us with. If we could activate it, we could use the translation function embedded inside.] (Gamer Me)

I get it, Gamer Me. laughed at us, but I thought was a great idea.

[The problem is that is a magic enchantment. it's likely that we need to learn magic before we can make use of it.] (Science me

[And I'm pretty sure learning the language will be easier than learning magic.] (Bookworm Me)

Sigh... If only there was a Mage Me amongst us! But Earth didn't have magic at all, so that's impossible.

"******* **** ** ***** Liara." (Serina)

Mother's calling! It's feeding time!

It was embarrassing being fed this way at first, but I'm loving it now. Mother is really pretty.

[Remember that she is your mother.] (Doctor Me)

Did I hear something? I don't think so! Hi hi hi.

[Sigh...] (Doctor Me)

First Month

Location: Gloria's Temple / Nursery

Time: Y1500 / 44th day of the Harvest Moon

POV: Liara

It's been one month since the I arrived in this world.

[No. We went through this already. One Earth-month of 30 days has passed. Months purely depends on couture. We have no idea on how this world's calendar works. Yet.] (Science Me)

Whatever you say, Spock...

One week ago, sorry Science Me, one Earth-week ago, I left Mother's room for good. I have been moved to a large dorm and there are about twenty children here.

And they sure 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. I do 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. There is nothing to do here but monologue inside my head!

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! I would have freaked out for sure. Thanks to be, others Me!

[[You're welcome!!!]] (others Me)

My body is growing steady.

I still have some trouble telling the distance but my sight is sharp now. Thanks to that I discovered that my mother is not just pretty, she is real beauty! She is young, has long flowing silver hairs, blue eyes and a 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, and 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. I now know why the name I was given, sounded so feminine.

... There is magic in this world, right? I might be able to do something about it!

[Just 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, !

Wait for me, new world!

Liara is coming! He he he.

First Moon

Location: Gloria's Temple / Nursery

Time: Y1500 / 14th day of the Wither Moon

POV: Liara

Fifty days have passed since my awakening in this world. A world I have a name for now. .

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 . My mother is called .

This world is named

This is a temple. They worship a Goddess called .

The current month is called in retrospect I can tell that the month before that was called Whatever they are special words or they actually mean something, I don't know yet. I need a deeper vocabulary. The previous month had fifty days. Whatever all months have fifty days or they have variable length, I don't know. Yet.

As Explorer Me speculated soon after our birth, this temple raises children gifted by families. is not my biological mother. My real parents abandoned me. Sounds familiar, right?

[Your situation now, and your situation back then are worlds apart. Literally. loves you.] (Doctor Me)

Yes. Doc is right. As far as I'm concerned 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 according to Doctor Me, but not too extreme a development.

My limbs move a lot better now and I can walk on four. The let me walk freely on the floor of the nursery. So much fun being finally able to do something!

[I still think you should have stayed in your bed at least another month.] (Doctor Me)

Come on, Doc! Staying in the bed all day was killing me! Plus I learn a lot more if I walk around. I can go 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 needs at least nine months to walk on two legs! Barely two have passed. You walk on four until I tell you otherwise! Doctor's orders.] (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* (Liara)

Alright. Alright. I get it.

I'll be more careful from now on. It's just that being a baby is really boring. I want to grow up and explore this world!

An handful of 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. I don't have 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 let you speak are still developing. There are so many muscles to coordinate. It's much, much harder than walking. You can't rush this and there are no shortcuts. It'll be six Earth-months at the earliest before you can physically speak. Even then, you should wait at least one year before you start actually speaking. Children on Earth need two to four years.] (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 in control. The only one who can move my body. The others merged with me. Not the other way around.

Of course I listen to them. We are all in this together after all.

I'll play safe, for now. A secret can never be unrevealed.

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.

*nghe!* (Liara)

Look at me! I'm just a clueless baby girl! Leave me alone. Please?

Winter Check-up

Location: Gloria's Temple / Nursery

Time: Y1500 / 1st day of the Ice Moon / Morning

POV: Liara

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 . Today is the first day of their winter.

Bookworm Me worked hard. His results are terrific. I now understand about three quarters of all words they speak!

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.

and were both fifty days long. For now I'll consider all moons to be fifty days. I still don't know how many are in a year, but I'll find out before long.

[In our world some cultures 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 in this world is synchronous to the planet revolution around its sun.] (Science Me)

What Science Me said.

Some of the look like fanatics. They might even have inquisitors lurking around. Playing it safe and faking to be a clueless baby is the best course of action after all.

Some of the children are male, but I have yet to see a single grown up man.

[Maybe it's a female only religious institution. Separation of genders was common in our world. There were many such places in the my old world, so it wouldn't be strange.] (Explorer Me)

!!! Something is happening.

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 piece dresses. They are carrying a wooden box with handles 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 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. She also wears 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."" (Sisters)

The kneel and greet the woman. She obviously hold a position of power.

"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 that it will be fine.] (Science Me)

And what if it goes badly???

[Are you going to cry and wriggle your stubby arms at them? Or run away on four? There is nothing you can do. Try to 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. Just have 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 point at 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 cries from a baby breaks the awkward silence. They must be embarrassed they even considered a baby like me to be aware! That's right! It's silly! I'm an evil genius!!! Mwhahaha!

The older woman approaches the first bed in the nursery. This might take a while....

Time: Y1500 / 1st day of the Ice Moon / Midday

POV: Liara

The keeps calling the older woman . That will do as name for now.

[I'm pretty sure that's a title, just like . Well, it's still better than calling her .] (Bookworm Me)

and her male attendants spent the morning casting spells over the babies. The lights, colors and shapes she makes with magic are so very pretty! I hoped to get clues about magic from her, but that was asking too much.

She makes no chants, no gestures. She just stands there and lights come out of thin air. I guess real magic doesn't obey to random words like it does in fiction.

[It would have been awesome if you learned magic like that! Imagine a baby taking out all those grown up with spells from her cradle!!! Even better! A baby floating over a plain and facing an entire army!!!] (Gamer me)

You sure have weird ideas, Gamer Me. Like that's gonna happen....

Anyway used a variety of spells. She also used golden tools passed to her by her attendants. But she didn't perform magic on all the children, skipping some cradles. I hope she'll skip me as well!

[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 used magic on us on our second day of life.] (Doctor Me)

[An exception to the rule? We are special, they are not. We even were in a special room during the ritual.] (Science Me)

It's my turn at last. approaches me. Her cheeks are reddened, and she is sweaty. She looks 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 staring at me. I'm weirded out!

[The nurses gave you long stares when you were analysing the magic too. 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 me.] (Science Me)

...

The woman becomes rises her arm forming a T with her body. She becomes enveloped in a rainbow light.

All around me colored shapes of all kind appears out of thin air and starts 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 reach out and try to grab the lights. So incredibly beautiful!

"Nhahn!!!" (Me)

Blast! It's over already. I'm disappointed!

I look around me and freeze. Everyone look 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 stakes are 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.] (Doctor Me)

[ and Serina already knew we could see magic from the first ritual. They didn't do anything to us back then. There is no reason to think they will now.] (Science Me)

The tall woman speaks.

"Sister Serina, This child is ready for the ******** ****. I'll be ready in seven days." (High Priestess)

"As you will, ****** 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." (Blessed One)

""May 's warmth embrace us!"" (Sisters)

The male attendants helped High Priestess wear her dress. Then they leave.

As soon as she does, every nurse rushes toward my cradle and surrounds me.

They are looking at me with strange eyes. Gossiping. "Who is she?". "How can she see?".

*cry* (Liara)

I'm really scared.

"You are scaring Liara! Leave her alone!" (Serina)

The nurses look at each others, then leave.

They glare and steal glances at me and Mother as they walk away.

*pick up* **chant lullaby* (Serina)

Mother's smile looks so gentile. Thank you for being my mother, Serina.

As soon as the adrenaline leave my system and I settles down, I fall asleep in Mother's arms.

Revelation Omnia

Location: Gloria's Temple / Ritual Chamber

Time: Y1500 / 8th day of the Ice Moon / Night

POV: Liara

This is it. Today Mother is carrying me outside of the nursery.

She took me outside a few times before, but this time is different. We are going to same place she took me on my 2° day here. A place called the . 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 the front of the formation are carrying golden censers that leave a strong smelling smoke. Religious people in this world love smoky substances with strong smell too, apparently.

We descend the spiral stone stairs. We are deep underground. At the end of a narrow corridor, a wooden door coated in gold plates opens. On the inside the scenery is unreal.

The room is a dome, fifty meters in diameter. A dozen naked women of various ages are lined up near on the walls, forming a ring like formation. The High Priestess is naked as well, the two male attendants stand by her side. Is this really alright?

She is waiting at the centre of the room near a suspicious wooden pillar. This is not a human sacrifice, is it?

[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 walls, alongside with the others 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.

*cry* (Liara)

[[It will be just like last time. It's not a human sacrifice. Hold it together!]] (Others Me)

A few minutes pass. I am somewhat calm, now. It seems this is what the High Priestess was waiting for.

"I shall now commence the Ceremony of Gifts. Sisters, starts ****** *******. Serina, if the spell *****, 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 pass. The symbols starts moving, rotating and dancing. I couldn't see well back then, but there are definitely more this time around. Again, the sight would be nice in a different situation.

Then, the moment I dreaded, arrives. I feel the High Priestess' magic entering my body. A large crystal, at least two meter tall descends from the ceiling and lights 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 lights up too, but I can't see it since it's over my forehead.

(High Priestess)

It's uncomfortable, but I manage not to cry. my fear was that the spell would have been 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 , 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 , remember? A totally broken one at that. The previous spell must have detected traces of it! The High Priestess wants to see this through. This might be why she is going all out this time!] (Gamer me)

[There is nothing we can do either way. 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?

[You can wriggle your limbs and cry?] (Gamer Me)

[<%$(%"(/$))!=£(**] (???)

And what was that? A thought not my own. Garbled and incomprehensible.

[[It... It wasn't us! Maybe it was ?]] (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 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 ominously crack like that?

[You HAD to say it, right? Nothing good ever happens after saying something like that!] (Gamer me)

The symbols are much brighter now, and they are flickering.

*creeeek* (crystal)

Ah! Magic is leaving my body. Finally! The magic lights around me flash strongly, and quickly disappear. collapses on her knees. Are you alright?

"!!" (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 me for this! Please?

I didn't do anything! At least I don't think I did..

Darkness descends over the ritual chamber as the magic lights near the walls flickers out and fade. I can hear screams of pain and shouting. It's real chaos! I had no idea magic could be this dangerous!

(Serina)

Beautiful! My mother is enveloped in red light, and is holding 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 screams. They help Mother carrying the .

Sisters still conscious 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. I'm stuck on top of the pillar.

Abandoned

Location: Gloria's Temple / Ritual Chamber

Time: Y1500 / 8th day of the Ice Moon

POV: Liara

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. I'm wet. I'm cold. I'm stuck 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* (Liara)

A light!

It's Mother!!!

*rush* *pick up* *embrace* (Serina)

Thank you Mother. I'm sorry I doubted you.

"Don't be afraid, my little Liara. I would never leave you." *kiss forehead* (Serina)

*sniff* (Liara)

Location: Gloria's Temple / Serina's Chamber

Mother carried me all the way back to her chambers.

She look so tired. Even so, she took the time to make sure I was ok.

She leaves as soon I'm safely on my bed.

This was big.

Was this somehow my fault?

[I think partially activated . 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 itself. At this point, I can't be sure.] (Science Me)

[Babies are not supposed to worry. You had a long day. Calm down and go to sleep. 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 doubts.