Crack. Crack.

I heard some crackling and popping noise, waking me up. I could feel warmth coming from my side. I slowly opened my eyes and gazed at the wooden ceiling. My head was spinning, distracting my thoughts.

Where am I? When am I? What am I?

I rub my eyes and massaged my temple for a bit. Or that's what I tried to do. My arms... Was gone. I can see the end of my forearm, smoothly covered by soft skin as if I was born with it.

'My hand didn't grow back?'

Well, that would be too ridiculous even for me. I start recollecting what happened as memories finally surfaced. I remembered I ran away from that place. And I fell into a cliff, into the water beneath. I turn my head sideways to check my surroundings.

The warmth came from a hearth made of stone with smokes going up through a hole above allowing ventilation. It was a humble house with some parts having wooden walls, and floor with smooth stones and bricks used in some part. I can see hunting trophies, heads of beasts that looks like a bear, a deer and some sort of stuffed dead rabbit-like creature decorated the wooden wall. There's also a worn out blue vase filled with twigs, or I suppose wilt flower, on a drawer. The space was clean, but it seemed a bit messy with unorganised furniture and unwashed dishes and cups made of of metal and porcelain in a corner of the room.

I didn't know where I am. I had a fear that I was caught and sent back to that damned family, but thankfully it doesn't seem to be the case. I would have died or would have been in that cage, chained, even if I was kept alive. Someone must have saved me. While embracing the warmth radiating from the fireplace, I muttered- 'Status'.

---

Name: Cassius Bloodfallen

Level: 2

Mana: 260/260

Attribute: Water (S+)

Talent:

Mana flow (A)

Mana control (A)

Mana acceleration (B)

Mana agglomeration (B)

Regeneration (A+)

Skill:

Self-regeneration

Mana Threads

---

My mana was full even though I was sure I was running really low on them before I fell. And my regeneration was upgraded too. I can assume survived the fall thanks to it, and I had passed out long enough to regenerate my mana naturally even while unconscious. I closed the status. I noticed a new clothing I had on.

The cloth I had on before was a simple shirt, which was ragged and torn apart during my escape. The guards was kind enough to give me a new cloth after it got burned along with me when that crazy woman torched me. Currently, I had a white long-sleeved shirt, layered with a white, warm knitted sweater. The white clothing paired with my naturally snow white hair and sapphire blue eyes.

While in deep thoughts, I heard creaking from door opening. I raised myself in a sitting position to see the figure coming. It was... A child.

'Are you awake?'. He asked. His dark brown eyes stares at me, checking my condition. He wore a coat of brown fur, with hood covering his head and carrying a short bow and quiver behind his back. He pulled down his hoodie to reveal his figure. Vanilla toned skin, oval-shaped eyes, chubby cheeks with a hint of blush, small raised nose, slightly pink lips, and black hair.

I nodded at his question. 'Where am I?' I asked.

"You re in Wolford village, in Silverstein." he replied. "Mr. James found you collapsed at the river bank. He brought you here and the village chief asked me to take you in."

'I see'.

"What is your name?" the boy quickly asked. I know I cannot use the name given to me. In a moment, I tell him my old name, the name that I use in my previous life.

'I am... Bell. Thank you for taking care of me'.

'What do I call you?'

With a smile, he replied "You can call me Lucas!". He starts to think about what he should ask.

"Mmm... Where are you from? How did you end up in the river?".

I hesitated to answer. After few seconds thinking, I came out of with an answer.

'I can't remember'.

Of course its a lie. Given that my family disowned me somewhat, I didn't want to use that name. And it would be dangerous. And so I used my old name from my past life.

"That's too bad. No worry, Bell. The chief tasked to take care of you. Uhhh, I guess you will be living here until you remember! I am sure someday you can return home. I will report to the chief later".

'S-sure'. I slightly feels bad when he said it like that. I don't have a place to return to. It feels heavy knowing I was being a burden.

"You must be hungry. I will cook something for you. Just stay in bed and lay down kay?".

I simply nodded and lied down as he said. Yes, I was so damn hungry. It felt like I haven't eat anything for days making my stomach grumbles. I noticed he brought with him some rabbit-like creature tied to some ropes in his hands. He then went to the back of the house through a door in the kitchen. Seemingly doing something as I heard sounds of cuts.

After a while he came back in with some sloppily diced meats in hand. He place the meats besides the fire place. An iron pole hanged above the fireplace, with a iron pot hanging by chains above the fire. He took some water from a large cylindrical wooden container nearby with a ladle, pouring them into the pot. He then went to a small room, coming out with some vegetables that I can't recognise in hand. As the water boils, he placed the colourful vegetables and the diced meat one by one in an order, letting each different ingredient cook perfectly without overcooking any of them. With the last stir, the stew was done.

'Here comes Lucas Special Stew!'

He brought with him two bowls of the stew and sat next to me.

'Here! You need to eat! My dad said, a hunter with an empty belly is a dead hunter'.

I frowned at hearing his words. What kind of quote is that? He placed one of the bowl on his side, then took a spoonful of stew with a big piece of meat and slowly blow the steams off to cool it down. He then bring it closer to my lips. The smell of meat and vegetables teases my senses. I gladly took his offer, and chomp it down.

After eating so much bland soup and stale bread for weeks in the underground cell, I feel really grateful to him. This sense of comfort, the warmth of this place, and the savoury stew filling my mouth. I feel alive. I had been through so much. I feel thankful. Without realising it, tears drop down my cheeks. 'I am alive' thought me.

The warm feelings I had forced a curve on my lips, showing my dimples as I gaze at the kind boy with a shimmer in my jewel-like eyes.

"It's really yummy". I thankfully praised his stew.

Lucas returned my gaze, seemingly dumbstruck as he froze. Then, for some reason, his ears turned red and he averted his eyes from me. Maybe he was sick?

'Y-you are welcome'. He replied in a much quieter tone.

I asked him where were his parents. Upon hearing my question, a sad look starts to appears on his eyes, looking away and staring at the ground.

'They are in a better place'.

'My mom left when I was still a baby. I don't really remember her. My dad... He left me a year ago'.

His voice shows a hint of loneliness in him. I can assume he lives alone and hunted for food on his own. I feel bad for him. Lucas had to hunt on his own, cook on his own, and live on his own. Now that I think about it, I guess the village chief, whoever he is, make Lucas take care of me to accompany him.

I placed my arm on his head, patting him, I mean, I tried to pat him. I keep forgetting I didn't have a hand anymore so I use what left of my arm.

"You re kind and strong. I am sure your mom and dad is proud of you".

'Don't treat me like a child! I am older than you!' he shyly spoke out of embarrassment as he removes my arm from his head, with blushes clearly visible on his chubby cheeks. Hearing that, I chuckled. He tried to spoon-fed me again, but I refuse this time.

"No worry. I think I can feed myself".

With his brows frowning, he doubts that I can do it myself.

'But your hands-'

"Just watch"

I channelled my mana around arms, and form threads of mana around my arm. The threads seems like it grows out of my flesh and skin. With it, I wrap the handle of the spoon holding it firmly. Then held the bowl of stew up with magic from another hand.

"See?"

Lucas eyes grows wide at the sight of this.

'Wow! It's so cool! Is that magic?! I have never seen anything like it!' Lucas shows an expression of excitement and surprise. His eyes was glistening with amazement.

"Well, I don't really know much about magic. I learned to do this myself".

Lucas has a curious look on his face and keep staring at me eating using the threads of mana, fascinated by my use of magic. We ate together and chatted until we both finished the meal in our hands. Through our small talk I figured he was 3 years older than than me. It just that my body is smaller, and shorter. And I figured I was 4 days away by horse-drawn carriage to Ruberia, the territory from which I was from. The river current has brought my petit body quite far. It doesn't seem too impossible, given the river has a long steady current from what I heard from Lucas. And given that I had inhuman regeneration, even if I crashed into some drifted wood or stones I came out just fine. Thank God I was unconscious or it would have been painful.

I offered to wash the dishes, but he refuse at first. After insisting I was fine enough and did star jumps he finally let me do so. And I was actually annoyed that he let so much dirty dishes and bowls stacking there disturbing my eyes. As I gently wash all the plates and bowls, he went out to clean the waste left from the beast he got meat from.

He did asked me to show him more of the magic during our small talk, with an anticipated look. I start to experiment more of threads of mana, spending some times perfecting the art while he was away reporting to the village chief about me and getting some firewood and groceries. I managed to make small shapes of butterflies using them and can move them around fluidly and flap their wings as if they are truly alive and flying around.

It was night-time, as the darkness envelopes the sky, bright stars decorated the black canvas. As threads of mana grows about, glowing butterflies roams the air, flapping their wings gently as I make them move by focusing using the magic. It was such a beautiful sight, the blue butterflies made of mana seems like creatures out of this world. Lucas, as expected, looked excited and in awe. I can't seem to make anything big though. The threads always unravel by itself.

We played around some more and he never seemed to get bored, kept on being impressed at what he sees, holding the creatures I made wowing at everything. He touches the threads of mana and he can tell even though its smooth and seems soft, it's very hard to break as he tried to stretch the strings only to irritate his hands making his palm red. It was such a nice day. At some moment, I completely forgot about what I went through. I guess, he was the first person I can call a friend. Perhaps, we were both lonely, that's why we could have so much fun together even though we had only knew each other less than a day. Perhaps it was my child body making me more child-like even though my mind is of a teenager.

I did meet some children of my age, son and daughter of nobles during my stay with the Bloodfallen. But... they are too immature and annoying so I eventually refuse every kid coming to play (which I know was nothing but an excuse for the parents to meet and establish connection or political something nobles stuff). We both get tired soon enough, and we went to sleep.

He took out a thick cotton wool sleeping pad from a big drawer, and laid it down next to me. We sleep in the living room together, few meters away from where the fireplace was. It's been awhile since I had such a peaceful night. I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion drift me into deep slumber.