After the initial shock of his situation, Elyon felt overwhelmed. The strange sensation of his tiny body—his infant form—hadn't quite worn off yet. He had been placed back in his cradle, and his parents had left the room. The soft white curtains fluttered in the gentle breeze coming from the open window, casting lazy patterns of light and shadow on the floor. The room was peaceful, furnished with simple, warm wooden pieces—a rocking chair, a small dresser, and a crib. It smelled faintly of lavender and fresh linen. Outside, the faint sounds of birds chirping filled the air, mixing with the occasional rustle of leaves from the trees just outside the window.
Caled, now in Elyon's body, felt his thoughts racing as he tried to process what had happened. I guess I'm Elyon now. But what is this world? His gaze drifted toward the wooden beams of the ceiling above him. There are things here I've never seen before, things that belong more in fantasies than reality. Well, it's clear this world isn't Earth.
His eyes darted back and forth, observing the strange surroundings—the soft pastel colors of the room, the delicate embroidered designs on the curtains, the intricate carvings on the crib's posts. The whole setting felt alien to him. It wasn't like anything he was used to. The strange sense of being out of place lingered in the pit of his stomach.
Okay, then, what should I do now?
He pushed himself up with his tiny arms, feeling the unfamiliar weight of his infant body. His hands were clumsy, his movements slow. He quickly realized just how weak and uncoordinated he was in this new body. The weight of his small frame made it difficult to get any leverage. His limbs felt stiff and unresponsive, and before he could gain his balance, he fell flat on his back with a soft thud. A small, frustrated sigh escaped his lips.
Ah, even though I'm just a baby, I feel so heavy. Maybe it's because I have no stamina, Elyon thought, as he lay there staring at the ceiling above. The light filtering through the window made a gentle pool on the floor, and he could see the dust floating lazily in the air. He couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness wash over him.
Well, the only thing I can do is grow up until I can walk, he thought bitterly. At least I don't have to lie here forever, right?
As he continued to gaze lazily at the ceiling, something strange happened.
A screen suddenly popped up in front of him, catching him completely off guard. It appeared out of nowhere, and Elyon quickly rolled back, startled. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his tiny hands instinctively reached for it, but the screen was too far for him to touch. What is this?
The screen flickered to life, the edges glowing faintly in the dim room. It was sleek and transparent, like a hologram. The voice that followed felt almost mechanical, but there was a strange warmth to it. "User must input a name for the system."
Elyon blinked in confusion. System? He stared at the screen, unsure of what was happening. I'm supposed to name it, huh? Okay, let's see...
He furrowed his brow, trying to gather his thoughts. The screen didn't seem threatening, just... unusual. He didn't even know if this was some kind of trick or if he was simply imagining things. But there was no denying that the words on the screen were clear and direct.
"Okay, I'll name you... Elren," Elyon said aloud, his voice tiny and innocent. His words felt odd coming from such a small body, but he could still sense the weight of his decision.
The system's voice responded immediately. "User has input name. System's new name has been set to Elren."
The holographic screen shifted, and the words "Welcome, User" appeared, making Elyon blink in surprise. He hadn't expected it to respond so quickly. His heart raced a little as he tried to make sense of the situation.
"Hm. Hello. Who are you? What are you?" Elyon asked, his voice unsure as he gazed up at the floating screen before him.
"I am Elren, your personal assistant," the voice explained. The tone of the voice was soothing, almost comforting, and it made Elyon feel as if the system wasn't so strange after all. "I will assist you with whatever tasks you need."
"Assist me with what?" Elyon asked, his curiosity growing.
"I can help you by giving you tasks that can improve your strength, help you find materials, and much more," Elren responded. The voice was calm and measured. "I can also provide you with any information you need, as long as it's within my reach."
Elyon's brow furrowed. Information, huh? He wasn't sure what to make of it. Well then, tell me... what is this place?
The system's voice answered promptly, "This is the village of Vender. It is located on the Valoria continent on the west coast, at the edges of the Liria Kingdom and the Doroska Kingdom."
"Would you like me to go into more detail?" Elren asked, sounding polite and considerate.
Elyon blinked. Vender? Liria Kingdom? Doroska Kingdom? These names didn't sound familiar at all. This world is so foreign to me...
"Sure," Elyon responded, his curiosity piqued.
The system began explaining, its tone never faltering. "Vender is a village founded by Karaz Vandenr during the 4th Era. It is known as a peaceful and cheerful place, rich in animal and plant life."
Elyon's mind tried to process the information, but he still didn't have a clear grasp of what any of it meant. He had never heard of this Karaz Vandenr or the 4th Era. The world he was now in seemed so distant from everything he knew. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't deny the curiosity that stirred within him.
"Would you like me to elaborate on the plant and animal life?" Elren inquired, its voice filled with an offer of further knowledge.
Elyon shook his head, a small frown forming on his face. "No, that's enough for today," he said, feeling overwhelmed by the new information. He needed time to process everything, and he wasn't sure if he could handle more details just yet.
"Very well," Elren responded, and the screen disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared. The room fell silent again, and Elyon was left in the quiet, with only the gentle rustling of the curtains and the distant sounds of the village to keep him company.
Lying back down in his cradle, Elyon reflected on what he had learned. This world is full of things I don't know yet... he thought to himself, his mind racing. I'll have to learn more another time.
His eyelids grew heavy, and the exhaustion of his small body caught up with him. With a soft sigh, Elyon closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
"I can finally crawl!" Elyon said, excitement bubbling in his voice. "Finally, I don't have to just sleep and eat. I can finally do things!" His heart swelled with pride at his small but significant achievement. He pushed himself forward with his hands, awkwardly navigating the space of the cradle. Every motion felt clumsy, but for the first time since waking up in this body, Elyon felt some sense of independence.
Maybe it's about time I find out more about this world, he thought, his mind racing with possibilities. But just as he was about to call on Elren for more information, his mother walked into the room.
Her presence was graceful, almost ethereal. She moved with a soft elegance, her movements filled with warmth. She bent down to Elyon's level, a playful smile on her face. "Elyon, come to mama," she cooed, her voice soothing and tender.
Elyon couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort wash over him as he crawled toward her, excited to be close to the one who had cared for him since birth. When he reached her, her face lit up with joy as she scooped him into her arms. The soft fabric of her dress brushed against Elyon's skin, and he could feel the warmth of her embrace.
She walked out of the room with Elyon in her arms, her gentle steps light against the wooden floor. Elyon's eyes wandered curiously as she carried him down the hall. Where is she taking me? he wondered. The air in the hallway was slightly cooler, but still comfortable. The walls were lined with simple tapestries and paintings, and the scent of fresh bread and herbs seemed to fill the air.
She opened a door to a small room that resembled a reading nook. It was cozy, filled with shelves stacked with books. The soft glow of a nearby lantern illuminated the space. She selected one from the shelf and sat down, cradling Elyon in her lap. "Do you want me to read this one?" she asked, her voice gentle and full of affection.
Elyon couldn't quite understand the words on the pages, but he nodded and made a few baby noises, his interest piqued. His mother smiled and began to read aloud.
"The System of Essence, Part 1," she read. "Essence is a magical energy that all living creatures harness to use for abilities. These abilities can range from a multitude of things, and there are a total of five types of essence. Every ability corresponds with a specific type."
As she was about to continue, Elyon's father walked into the room. "What are you two doing?" he asked with a chuckle. His mother glanced at him playfully. "I'm reading him about the basics of essence," she replied.
His father smirked. "Try not to make him into a nerd, will you?"
His mother raised an eyebrow, her playful expression shifting into mock indignation. "NERD?" she said with a grin.
His father immediately backpedaled, the playful tension in the room lifting.
Elyon, meanwhile, was left in a state of quiet curiosity. Essence? he thought to himself. Is she reading me a fairy tale? But why does it sound like it's something real?
As his eyes grew heavy, he yawned, his small body beginning to feel the pull of sleep. His mother, noticing this, smiled softly and took him back to his room, placing him gently in his cradle. The warmth of her arms lingered even after she left the room, and Elyon lay still for a moment. As the door clicked softly shut, Elyon opened his eyes again and thought, Essence, huh? Maybe I should ask the system, Elren, about it.
He whispered quietly, "Elren."
The system appeared almost instantly. "Yes, what do you need?"
Elyon sighed. "Explain essence to me."
"Very well," Elren replied. The screen shimmered to life again as the system's explanation began.
In this world, there is an energy source called essence. Essence is the natural power used to create spells and is also the core energy of all monsters. Essence is divided into five groups: arcane, elemental, vital, astral, and spirit. Each group has a set of abilities bound to them."
Elyon listened carefully, his mind absorbing the information. "Elemental essence is used to control the four elements and their deviants. It is bound by the natural forces of the world. The advanced forms, Chaos and Order, govern the balance of all things. Vital essence focuses on physical abilities and life, including healing, regeneration, and even mental abilities like telekinesis. Astral essence deals with the metaphysical, allowing access to the astral plane and the manipulation of illusions and the soul. Spirit essence allows users to summon spirits to assist in tasks and combat, and Arcane essence is driven by creativity, enabling users to invent their own spells."
Elyon processed all of this, trying to grasp the vast scope of essence. Okay, that's a lot to take in, he thought, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
"Okay, but make it short," Elyon requested, his voice small but clear.
The system responded quickly, "Essence is the core energy in this world, divided into five types: elemental, vital, astral, spirit, and arcane. Each type governs specific abilities, such as manipulating elements, enhancing physical abilities, controlling the metaphysical, summoning spirits, and creating spells through imagination."
Elyon absorbed the information and nodded. "Okay, that's all for today."
"Very well," Elren responded before vanishing once again.
Elyon lay still for a moment, the weight of the information sinking in. Well, that was an entire information dump, he thought. Okay, for now, I should rest. I don't know when I can harness essence myself. With that, his eyelids fluttered closed, and he drifted off to sleep, the peaceful quiet of the room embracing him as his thoughts turned to the world beyond.