"Hmnm, huh? Why am I sleeping on the floor?" I wake up lying on an expensive looking purple-blue carpet that seems to depict something like a glacial with a demonic being trapped in it, interesting.

"Finally you woke up you freaking brat, do you know how much trouble you caused me just now? Astrid tried to claw her way to second floor with her bare hands then you passed out, had to put her to sleep forcefully" Beata said straight to my face seriously pissed with dark bags under her eyes.

"Eh? Why?"

"Why? Because she is your mother you dumb shit, even if you have memories of a different life don't you dare to forget that."

"If you asked why she tried to 'claw up', that is because I tried to turn this tower similar to the one I had in Caeruleus Towers as much as possible, all true wizards there must learn water and void magic, with them having learned advanced lever spell [Levitation] it turned to both a test of skill, rank and a defensive measure, we do not have stairs to our more important floors."

"Oh, I see."

"Oh my ass, that did you do?!" she shouted and kicked me lightly to force me up.

"You witch, do you kick 3 year old children?"

"Oh, finally grew some balls did you?" She said, activating her pressure. but keeping her weapon shieved.

"Ok, ok, I will talk, calm down, but I want some questions answered too."

"So you did grow balls, ok, if they are simple enough"

"By the way what is that noise?" I ask hearing some noise sounding like shouts and shuffling.

"That, my dear boy, is a rioting crowd that converged on my tower demanding you, they seem to think you got possessed"

"Shit, so it's a bad end for me..."

"Don't worry so much, unlike in the youth days of my parents some 600 years ago, when inquisitors were present in Valvinar, now they at most will chain you up in some dark cell." Beata says trying to spite me.

"If you talk to me property about what happened, I might back you up, no demonic presence is coming from you, and I already deemed you not a threat to Astrid yesterday, so speak." She says in a tired voice.

"Understood" and so I told her about my skills and traits, and how I bought two of them.

"... I thought you were something, but this is way too much. Three gods, two major and a freaking God-King, 5 affinities, just how special are you suppose to be? That's huge talent, greater than mine, and I, after all, am the oldest and most powerful active mortal Archmage of Caeruleus Towers."

"Sound big."

"Of course its big, I am 4th in Caeruleus and 8th or 9th in whole Valvinar, and that's including those four angels that protect the capital! Only two mortals in Valvinar are a mach for me, Archmage of the Academy being an equal and Grandmaster of Paladin Order being somewhat superior through his mastery of both magic and might."

"Eh, if you are so powerful why are you living in this frontier town?"

"Tch, you sure are asking the most annoying questions. Fine, I am here because I want to spend my last days with those that feel like family to me, my blood related family is... different, even if I have 6 affinities, that's most a mortal can have, my magics are different from standard, I am an irregular there, as such not really welcomed."

"You too had a complicated life..."

"I need no sympathy from you boy, better say what are you planing to do about your future, Astrid and Baldr are your parents, and knowing them they will support you, the short term problem is father Arthos, the priest of this town, even if I vouch for you you should be determined to be detained for a month or so, until someone with purification magic arrives from the south."

"Ge, a whole month?"

"You still seem not to know how stupid of an action you did, [Troll blood] you could cover up, but the eyes are a bad thing, only three mortal races have [Night Vision] eyes, and that is connected to your long term problems. Cave Dwarves will rob you through their trade prices, Cycorin will rob you by stealth and goblins will simply kill and eat you, most people have such impressions on people with eyes like yours, so even if you are free of suspicion about being possessed you will definitely will be fared and hated, that I know from experience. Then there is the case of your grandfather..."

"Didn't my grandfather pass away during his travels in the south with father?"

"I mean from your mothers side. Her father Tychus is very different from others of his line, he craves for power and find other races... distasteful. To have an 'abominable' grandson will not sit well with him. nor with the racial purists he associates with."

"He would not harm me would he? We are family after all." I ask in a disturbed tone.

"If he is the same as last time, then no, but people change, and those 'friends' of his will not spare effort to change that."

"Enough of chatter, tel us go outside, if we wait too much this might get out of hand."

With those words we levitate town to first floor, where I saw mother lying on a sofa, sleeping soundly.

"Don't worry, she is fine, better to let sleep through the commotion to not ad oil to fire."

"True."

After we leave the tower we see a sea of people all around, many hold torches to light their way in the dark, but no weapons, they are rather calm and do not shout, but still whisper. It's more like a demonstration than a riot, thank the gods.

"~Look at those eyes~""~I always though he was strange~""~He might be possessed, good thing father Bertrand is in the city~" I hear whispers in the crowd, father Bertrand? Who?

Beata widens her eyes as an old, kind looking person with black-grey hair approaches us.

"High Priest Bertrand, what brings you to this town?" she asks cautiously.

"Ahh, Archmage Beata Bluetear, I did not know you reside here. As for my purpose, it is to travel north to the fortress of Zenon, it seems second-in-command there is returning to his post after a long break, so commander Hans asked to to visit and bless the troops."

[Eh?! High Priest! as in an adviser of the Pope and controller of the faithful of a whole district?]

"I was to leave there tomorrow, but father Arthos informed me of a commotion, some people talking about a child being possed." He looks straight at me, with a sharp gaze unfitting his kind looks.

"He is not possed, I have just now examined him High Priest."

"Lies! Like always you tell lies!" Father Arthos shouts standing behind the crowd.

"Let us see" Says the High Priest as he approaches me. I instinctively try to back away, but Beata grabs me by the shoulders and restrain my movements, and you said you'll help me, shit.

Bertrand gently grabs my head with his hands and emits a white-yellow light from them. The sensation is a bit ticklish and disorienting, but no pain or harm.

"Oho, divine protection is it? Not of light nor of darkness... Beata Bluetear, that divinity favors this young man? You saw it did you not?"

"Ascended Valor, Mother Nature and... Reaper of Souls."

"Is that true?! This explains much, protection of opposing divinities often produce physical change, both Ice King and Lady of the Monster Caves were so before becoming immortal themselves were they not?"

"You know much of the history and the truths of the world High Priest, many of the faith close their minds to the truths of others" Says Beata looking at father Arthos.

"Listen people of Schnell! This child was blessed by great divinities, while not of Pantheon of Light those three are part of natural world, and their gifts, even if strange, will not harm you. You can leave calm that there are no possesed here!"

With his words a collective sight came from the crowd, and they left one by one.

"Now I must go and rest before my journey, child, if you find yourself without place to go, come to the great temple, we are always searching for able people with bright futures to join our cause." He smiles looking at me.

"I will think about it, and thank you sir."

After everyone is gone we go inside again.

"Well, this went better than I hoped, if left to that ignorant snob Arthos commotion would probably had went for a month at least."

"You seem to dislike father Arthos."

"No, it is the other way around, he is kind and compassionate, a true example of all the virtues church of Gericht, but also full of its greatest shortcoming - ignorance and stagnation, he can not imagine there is more truths in this world that the one his god says."

With our talk over we wake mother and fill her of all the things that transpired, Beata did not reveal the existence of my previous life, stacking it all up to conflicting blessings like the High Priest.

After she calms and comprehends that my change is not really harmful we go back home followed by Beata.

Father was already waiting for us near the gate, urging us inside.

After the same explanation is given to him the only thing he says is "I see...".

The four of us dine in silence and contemplation.

"Egil, I think you should go live with Shalala for a while."

"Dear?!"

"Astrid, you know full well how people will look at him now, I must leave and will not be able to defend him, so he should continue to train with Shalala and become strong enough to defend himself from all the fear and discrimination people will direct at him."

"But..."

"Do not fear, I will visit you both once a month, and Shalala will bring Egil to you weekly on his meat and herb deliveries."

"Do not fear Astrid, I will to go with your son, he is very gifted and blessed, I shall make him my last disciple."

"Aunty Beata, *hick* thank you"

It seems my life will turn a new chapter in my road to redemption.