The Other Side: A Second Chance

Time is a fickle thing as a child. Even now, despite having the mind of an adult, it just seems to flow fluidly. It's been another year since I cracked my head on the floor and learned of the existence of magic. A lot has been on my mind since then. First off, I have the imaginative idea of building a house in mind. That has been great in terms of helping me get by; now I haven't been making a house in my mind. Instead, I've been roleplaying with myself in my head. Imagine what it would be like to explore a fantasy world in my mind. Essentially, I've been playing D&D with myself.

Though that isn't all. I've also been thinking about the spell my mother had cast on me the day I cracked my head, and I couldn't help but wonder. How does magic work in this world? Is it like in D&D? Do we have spell slots? Can anyone do magic?

Since I was reincarnated, does that mean I'm special? Do I get to have all the cool superpowers like in all those Isekai stories? Is this some form of litrpg world with stats and shit?

How would I even start to try and see if I could do magic? I've tried meditating a lot as another way to calm my anxious nerves about being locked in a perpetual prison. Yet I haven't seen anything. Nor have I found the character sheet screen, if there is one.

Maybe it is like D&D; my mom used a scroll on me and seemed to be chanting something. Alas, I don't know the hocus-pocus words to cast spells.

Damn, these baby vocal cords. Even then, I'll need to learn the language first.

Yet as time marched on, as a fresh two-year-old, I've gradually begun to learn how to walk. My daily exercise of standing up and falling on my ass repeatedly has paid off. Now I'm fully capable of waddling around at an impressive speed.

I've even begun to pick up on the local language slightly. I'm still rough around the edges, but I think I'm starting to get a grasp on things. First off, I think I know the names of my guardians.

My mother's name I learned sounds like Cairynn

My father's name sounds like Sryran

As for my older brother, who was now speaking quite clearly for a four-year-old, his name was Varis. So far, when converted to English, these names sound exactly as they're pronounced, which should make things easier.

Trying to speak is also another thing I tested out as well. I've tried speaking English sometimes in this new form, and so far, it's interesting. These childlike muscles weren't ready to form the words of a Shakespearean play, but I've been able to speak softly to myself during my lonesome periods in the crib. Hearing a child's voice speak the words of my mind is still something I'm not used to, and neither are my parents.

I've been caught a couple times muttering phrases to myself when waltzing around the house. My parents find me immensely adorable, thinking I'm babbling to myself. which, y'know, I kind of am in a sense. The part that stunned them was when my mother caught me reciting her name. It started about a week ago.

I had gotten into the rhythm of walking around the house early in the morning when my mother came to my room to take me downstairs. By this point, my father had already left for his job, which I assumed to be some sort of guard or police work, as I had seen him come home a few times in the morning wearing some form of uniform along the lines of what you'd see in an old Victorian photo of a police officer.

Mother would place me down in our wide, open living room and put up the typical baby gates to keep me in while she tended to her morning chores. I always wondered why the folks have never bothered with getting a maid or something. The thought always made me smirk. The idea of a woman in a pretty maid's uniform taking care of me was quite amusing, if not a bit degenerate. But hey, a man can dream. From what I've seen from the house windows, we're in a rural town, so such luxuries probably don't exist out here. Unfortunate.

During this pondering, however, I decided to pass the time by looking at some books and practicing speech. While I can't exactly read, Mom and Dad had dozens, if not a hundred or more, of books in this house, many of which had pictures and maps. My parents at first detested me going through the books, but when they noticed how delicately I treated them at the time, they both shared a confused look and left me to it.

One book in particular I was fascinated with was this one, which featured on the cover a massive, red-scaled dragon battling a group of wizards surrounded by soldiers armed with what looked like muskets or some kind of rifle that fired lasers. Either muskets shoot energy bolts in this world, or the artist was just having a whirl with this.

I had pulled the book off of the lower shelves and let it fall to the floor with a thud before getting down and opening it. As I flipped through the pages, I could feel my excitement growing. The illustrations inside were just as captivating as the cover, depicting epic battles and breathtaking landscapes. It seemed like every turn of the page revealed a new adventure waiting to be explored. With each beautifully crafted drawing, my imagination ran wild, imagining the fantastical creatures and magical spells that filled the pages. Completely engrossed in the book, I lost track of time, and while I turned each page, I began to mutter to myself.

To be specific, I kept saying, "Cairynn... Ca-Cairynn..." I was repeating what I overheard my dad say to Mom last night. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was saying the name of someone, but was it hers or someone else's? Still, I didn't notice my mother watching me from a distance while I kept repeating that name.

"Roona?" I perked up at what she said and turned to look at her. She muttered something to me in a questioning tone, cocked her head, and then gestured about her as if to suggest, "Keep going."

I had a sudden flush in my cheeks and was put on the spot. I understood her perfectly; she was curious as to what I was up to. Maybe she was trying to get me to say it again. Oh my goodness, have I just used a racial slur? The only way to know for sure is to try it out.

"Cairynn..." I said it again, and to my shock, my mom's face lit up with happiness! I was sitting on the ground when, all of a sudden, she hurled herself at me and picked me up. While she was giving me a forehead kiss, I heard her repeatedly say my name joyfully!

In the subsequent days, my parents doted on me. Hearing his name repeated back to him softened even my tough-looking father. He invited me to sit down, and then he started pointing to his chest and said, "Syrran. Syr-ran." Before indicating my chest and pronouncing "Roo-na."

At first, I played along, pretending to not know what was going on. Eventually, I decided to be a bit cheeky and go full-on in. "Sryran!" I chirped gleefully, and my father instantly melted into putty.

My parents must've seen me as some genius at this point. They had watched me practically learn how to crawl on my own and even walk. Every milestone must've been coming at them rapidly, and already I was beginning to practice basic speech. They were overjoyed, yet at the same time, I couldn't help but also notice a bit of uneasiness.

My brother didn't seem to care, though. Varis was more than eager to play with me now that I could run around. I was nowhere near as strong as him, but he and I occasionally got into wrestling matches. My parents were quick to shut down when caught. He always got a huge scolding, probably because I wasn't a boy like him.

Aside from the occasional accident or potty break, I tend to forget that I'm not a boy anymore. I should probably keep that in mind; I don't want to get Varis in trouble. I wonder how this world treats women. If it's anything back like home during this sort of time period, things were pretty bad. Let's not think about that now. Let's just keep being kids.

Speaking of which, Varis was actually growing on me. Like me, the kid was maturing rapidly—not as quickly, but still pretty fast. My parents weren't the strictest, honestly; they were very lenient. The boy just seemed to be maturing at his own pace. Maybe it has to do with elves? Maybe they—we—gotta remember I am one now, mature faster than humans? I dunno, but the point is, he's becoming a lot more tolerable.

Although he may occasionally behave poorly, he remains my little shit.

I should also note that this world also seems to have its own holidays. Some seem awfully similar to the ones I'm used to back home. I don't know the names of them yet, but there seems to be one in winter in which Mom and Dad took us out to town for the first time this year; apparently, we hadn't gone the years before due to us being too young, I assumed. Yet now we were bundled up in suits and coats. Or, well, I wasn't.

Mom had put on this beautifully tailored dress suit with a matching coat, while Dad wore a sharp tuxedo. Over these, they had heavy winter jackets, while Varis and I had our outfits. Varis was dressed in his little tailored suit similar to his father's, while I had a frilly purple and blue dress. Of all my years of living, I never expected to wear something like this back in my prior life. Though I would be a liar if I said it wasn't at least comfortable, the coat I was bundled in was very heavy.

After we were dressed, mother and father stuck me in a stroller while dad hoisted Varis up onto his shoulders, and we began to make our way out of the house. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. For two years, I haven't set foot off of this property. Even the front and back lawns were still mostly unexplored territory, yet here we were.

As we left the house, I shivered a little in my stroller. Father Winter has been kind to us this year, it seems. There was about a couple of inches of snow sprinkled across the ground across the landscape, giving it this blinding light as the sun reflected across the surface of the snow. It was a clear morning. The air was crisp and refreshing, causing my breath to form small clouds in front of me. The silence was broken only by the sound of my stroller's wheels crunching through the snow, creating a rhythmic pattern. It felt like stepping into a winter wonderland, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and excitement as we embarked on our exploration of the unfamiliar surroundings.

I could hear my father and Varis speaking as they took the lead, and occasionally my mother would bend down and whisper to me only to point towards areas of interest. Specifically, a large windmill on a nearby hill, where even now the massive blades churned slowly, and up ahead, I could see smokestacks coming from the houses down at the town, where I could finally see a large gathering in the town square near the main road. The town itself was beautiful, almost like something out of an old European painting from the 19th century. Brick houses and buildings huddled close together, their facades adorned with intricate carvings and colorful shutters. The cobblestone streets meandered through the town, lined with charming cafes and quaint shops that seemed frozen in time. It was a picturesque scene that transported me back to a bygone era, evoking a sense of wonder and awe.

Yet as we drew closer, I noticed the main road was clear and swept; not a single person stood on it. I could also see stalls and shops along the way. I couldn't help but wonder if this was perhaps a set-up for a parade—a show, maybe? The anticipation grew as we approached the town square, curious about the purpose of the gathering. The vibrant decorations adorning the stalls and shops hinted at a festive atmosphere, fueling my excitement and curiosity even more.

Not to mention, I got to see other people! Like actual people who weren't just family. As we approached the main road where a majority of people gathered, I saw all sorts of other species and races. I even saw humans within the crowd! There were elves, dwarfs, and even a few halflings, along with some folk who looked like demons. I hope that isn't racist. They were folk with Elven ears like my own, but their skin was either dark or red, their eyes were a vast array of colors, and they had these twisted horns. Some of them even have wings and tails!

It was a bit unnerving at first as we got close to them, but over time I became fascinated, and soon my eyes were darting all over the place, trying to soak in as much detail as I could. Yet as I explored, my attention was soon drawn to what sounded like music and heavy drums, and suddenly a booming voice echoed over the crowd. An announcer that I couldn't understand called out to the crowd, which erupted in cheers and hollers as the drums and music grew louder along with the rhythmic sound of marching.

As the audience started clapping and singing together, a deafening noise erupted. As I glanced about bewildered, my mother leaned down, unclipped me from my stroller, and cradled me to her chest. She flashed me a grin and gestured toward the street, and my jaw dropped at what I saw. I didn't just hear a marching band; it sounded like an entire army.

Soldiers in gray, white, and yellow dress uniforms, with tall black hats atop their heads, marched in unison. The men sang and paraded in time with the music, making a deafening racket as their boots pounded the cobblestone streets. The sheer number of soldiers seemed to extend indefinitely down the road, making for an impressive and frightening image. As I saw the impressive exhibition of military precision before me causing me to feel a sense of awe and fear. What I saw next as the column of marching soldiers passed by caused me to gasp in shock.

I was reminded of dinosaurs as I saw huge reptilian animals following the troops, complete with gigantic pieces of artillery strapped to their backs or pulled by carts. There was no way for me to discern if these men were participating in a military parade or preparing for battle. I would be lying if I said the possibility of war or strife hadn't crossed my mind here, but maybe I secretly hoped that it wouldn't.

This parade of soldiers and displays of military hardware went down the main thoroughfare of the town for several minutes. Other than the armaments, the displays of officers and what I took to be high-ranking generals riding what looked like enormous velociraptors were very fascinating. This big bird predator had scaly black and gray feathers and glowing red eyes, making it a very terrifying creature. The beast wore heavy armor and carried a plump human man on its back. His face was pale, and his little, icy eyes were terrifying. Aside from a thick, blonde mustache, which hid his mouth, he was completely bald. As he sat atop the terrifying beast, the man exuded an air of dominance and power. The elaborate insignia and medals on his uniform suggested a high position in the armed forces. This towering man had obviously achieved a high level of authority and was playing a pivotal role in the spectacular show I was witnessing.

Yet, as if on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, beside the pristine general, a smaller dinosaur was riding next to him, and on top was a beautiful elven woman wearing a similar dress uniform to the soldiers. Yet instead, she had a white cloak over her shoulders and a hood adorning her head, where I could faintly see snow-white bangs that shielded her eyes. Strapped to the side of her reptilian mount, I saw she had an ornate staff with a blue orb mounted to the tip. Is she a wizard? I wondered to myself as the crowd cheered and roared around me.

Like the universe knew what I was thinking. I heard the announcer over what sounded like a megaphone, and the beautiful elf pulled her hood back to reveal her short, white hair, as she parted her bangs to reveal her striking sapphire eyes, she took her staff and held it aloft. I saw her lips form an incantation, and then the very tip of her staff burst into a kaleidoscope of colors and arcane particles, shooting energy skyward with an explosion reminiscent of a fireworks display. The general puffed and scratched his mustache as he passed, and the audience went berserk. The magician grinned devilishly at him as he rolled his eyes.

The parade continued for another hour or so. Among the armed forces were a wide array of magical weaponry and what I assumed to be nationalistic emblems. I saw that much of the armor, weapons, and flags were symbols. A symbol displays a black shield with a yellow outline on a white flag; decorating the inside of the shield was the yellow shape of a roaring dragon. I assumed this was the nation's flag. As I clung to my mother, I could hear her talking to many of the strangers around us; even my father partook as caterers walked amongst the crowd, selling and handing out what looked to be some sort of kebab and sandwich, which Father did for Varis and himself. In contrast, I received a delightful lollipop that was both sweet and fruity, but unlike any fruit I've ever tasted before, and to be honest, I couldn't think of a comparison.

Later that evening, as the sun began to settle, Mother and Father took us back home. Varis seemed to be ecstatic about everything he saw. He and Father seemed to be talking about the events as Varis hoisted his arms up and roared, possibly mimicking the dinosaurs we saw. My mother had placed me in my play area in the living room. As Father looked to Varis and motioned for him to stay put, he said something that made Mother place her hand on her hip and sigh, though she smiled lightly as Varis seemed to get very excited.

Father went upstairs, and after a few moments, I blinked in surprise as he came down the stairs wearing a very similar soldier's uniform to the one that we saw at the parade. Ah, so Father is a war veteran, I thought to myself as he began to strike some silly poses. He even had strapped to his belt an iron helmet with a five-sided star etched into it, which he placed on Varis's head, which was too small for him.

Father then turned in my direction and smiled at me. "Roona!" He called my name as he came over and scooped me up off the ground, just as I let out a startled squeak. Oh God, no! He always treats me like a football! I yelled as he tossed me in the air before catching me! I could feel my heart racing as Father swung me through the air, my squeals of both delight and fear echoing in the room. Eventually, though he slowed down and cradled me close to his arm, he muttered my name and kissed me on the head as he turned to Mother and pulled her in close as we hugged each other as a family.

I blinked as I was pressed gently into my father's side. I felt an odd sensation as I felt completely out of the loop about everything before my father announced something and shook the others off gently. Mother snorted a giggle as Varis squawked something and stepped back before giving a playful salute while still wearing the helmet. Father returned the salute and barked what sounded like an order, and Varis turned and ran upstairs, giggling, while Father turned to Mother and kissed her gently on the cheek before carrying me upstairs.

Hey, hold on there! I wriggled and fussed in his grasp. I'm not tired enough to go to sleep! Usually, I don't go to bed in like another hour! I fought against my father's strong embrace and moaned the whole way to my room...