Another World

Three people were in the room when I opened my eyes. It was a little difficult to distinguish their features, as I could not see clearly. After a while, I was able to identify these three mysterious figures with certainty. They were two women and a man. All three were smiling with a big gleam in their eyes as they looked at me, they seemed happy. They were exchanging words with each other. Words that I could not understand. Which was extremely strange, since I knew practically all the languages of the world, from the oldest to the newest and most complex.

I was in a room whose floor and ceiling were made of wood, and its walls, on the other hand, of stone, supported by large planks that ensured that the structure would not collapse. The environment was illuminated by candles, and by the sunlight that peeked through a window. On the other hand, the clothes of the strangers were simple, but well made. From the place where I was and the clothes they were wearing, I deduced that I was not in a modern world, but rather in a medieval one without advanced technologies.

I had lived a couple of times in this type of world, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem for me to adjust. While it could be a bit nerve-wracking to live without the comforts of new appliances, once you got used to it, it wasn't so bad. These kinds of universes had their own advantages.

...

Six months passed, and I was beginning to understand the language a little more. It was a very interesting one I had to say. What world had this crazy god sent me to this time?

The three people at my birth were, so to speak, my parents. That's right, all three of them

That woman who gave birth to me was named Catelyn. Her hair was blue in color and used to be somewhat disheveled. I wondered how she got that shade of color in her hair. It wasn't natural, I didn't know how but she must have dyed it. If that wasn't the case, I had no idea how that was possible. At the same time, there was a small mole protruding from the lower left side of her lip, and her body was well defined, so she must have worked out quite a bit.

My father's name was Poe Tresselyan. His hair was brown and somewhat short. He was stocky and well built. Many would wish they had the same build as him. He always made strange faces when he saw me. He must have wanted to make me laugh since, technically, he was a baby. Sometimes I felt a little sorry for him, but I could tell he was a nice guy.

Finally, the second woman who was there when I was born was named Alice, and it seemed that she was my father's second wife. Her hair was blonde and her eyes were light blue, not to mention her figure, which exalted all feminine features. She was the stereotype of perfection for many. No wonder Poe liked her. On top of that, she was a quiet and somewhat shy person, but quite caring and attentive to detail. Whenever it was her turn to take care of me, she did it with the utmost care.

On the other hand, it turned out that they were both sisters. Something very strange in my opinion. But hey, if they were able to live with that, who was I to judge. I didn't know much about their past, only that the three of them ran away from where they lived to start a family together, far away from there. From time to time they used to say it out loud and laugh about it. What a trio of weirdos. Although, when they finished laughing, their faces used to turn a bit serious. Even though they were smiling, it must have been hard for them to remember.

It was also worth noting that... they were very noisy at night. My God, they are active. Don't they know that a baby should sleep well? So I can't clear my head and plan my life. You already have one child, wait a bit for the second.

...

A year had passed since my birth and I was able to move more easily, thanks to the fact that my motor skills had been able to develop, even if only a little. This allowed me to observe my surroundings clearly and understand them.

Whenever I was not being paid attention to, I would run away to observe the house. This one was of quite a considerable size. Let me give you a tour.

First stop, the dining room. It was located on the first floor, near the front door. It had a large table in the center, so that more people could join in for meals when necessary. Perhaps it was that size because they already had a large family in mind. That would explain the nightly activity.

Next to the dining room was the kitchen. In this there were shelves and storage places, either for food or utensils, and a large countertop for preparing food at leisure. In the absence of exponential technological advancement, one would expect them to cook on the floor, as with a campfire. However, this was not the case, and they prepared everything in what looked like a modern oven.

Finally, the living room could be accessed. This was a small space to relax, where there were some armchairs arranged around a fireplace.

Next stop, the second floor. That's right, as I had said, it was a big house. This floor consisted of a hallway where three rooms were distributed. The first one was at the back and was the main room, where my current parents were staying. On the sides of the corridor were the other rooms. One of them belonged to me, and the last one was a room dedicated to the storage of objects and books.

Finally, the house had a garden around it. I hadn't gone there many times as I wasn't taken out much, and I couldn't access it on my own as I couldn't reach the doorknob.

Anyway, something that had been intriguing me was that some elements, like water and fire, came out of nowhere. For example, as I had mentioned, when they were going to cook something, they didn't do it in the traditional way. I had no idea how they did it, but they would generate a continuous flame of fire out of nothing.

If I wanted to increase my chances of surviving and adapting to this world, I had to find out what it was all about. I could be looking at something I had never seen before.

So that's what I did. I was in charge of Alice, who was technically my aunt, but she was always referred to as being my "other mother," so I refrained from that term. Meanwhile, Poe and Catelyn were in the garden, under the pretext that they were going to train. Who knows what they were doing.

-I'll be right back, honey. Wait here for a second, okay?

Alice went to the bathroom for a moment, so I took the opportunity to investigate. In order to satiate my greatest intrigue, I got as close as possible to the table where they were cooking a wooden box, which was located nearby. Once established, I climbed onto it and climbed the table as best I could.

It was exhausting to reach the top. Doing all that at only one year old was complicated. My body was not yet developed enough, so every little movement required a high amount of energy.

Standing on top of it, I looked around for the cause of the mysterious spontaneous ignition and it continued. I could not see anything noticeable. I managed to contemplate a small hole where the pot or pan was placed. I approached to analyze it better. I managed to distinguish that there were some symbols drawn on it. I did not understand them, but there they were.

There must be something else. There is no explanation as to why they can do what they do. I kept looking around me, searching for something else.

A small stick was sticking out of the side of the hole, as if it were a lever. So, out of curiosity, I pulled on it and out of the first hole a glowing stone peeked out. Next, the symbols lit up, and out of nowhere a small flame emerged.

Whoa. I startled and the weight of my body caused me to fall onto my back.

-Waaah, Al. -Are you okay?

Oops, it seemed that my "other mother" had returned. She had a worried face, and her tone of voice was somewhat alarmed.

-Alister, Alister. Are you all right? -How did you get here?

That's right, in this world I had been given the name Alister Tresselyan. It was something particular, but I didn't dislike it at all. I had been given worse names.

-Your finger, you got burned!

I looked at my hands. It was true, I had burned my index finger a little. It was nothing to worry about. In the past, I had received much worse injuries. Looking at her, though, it was clear that she didn't feel the same way. She seemed anxious and distressed.

-Oh, my sister will kill me if she sees you like this. What should I do? What should I do?

He moved his hands back and forth with great speed, as if trying to find the answer somehow. Then he brought his right hand to his chin and closed his eyes, making a thoughtful face. After a few seconds, his expression changed dramatically and he exclaimed:

-I know! I'll cast a healing spell on you!

Huh? What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? All that thinking to come to that conclusion?

-Light of life, heal and comfort, bring healing and pain... -While I was thinking that, she had already put a hand on my head and started to say a few words.

Yes, she had gone crazy. Or maybe it was one of those rituals that used to be done to children to make them feel better, like "sana sana". No matter what space-time I was in, there was always that sort of thing, so that must be what it was all about. I had never heard the one I was reciting, though.

-... Now removes scars and wounds, brings the body to the light of health... Healing!

Despite all the thoughts that were going through my mind, when he finished speaking, a green light began to emanate from his hand and, little by little, my burn was disappearing.

-Ready, you should be better now. -Now her face had a smile on it, and the worry that was on it before vanished.

I didn't know what to think. My eyes were wide open and my mind was confused by what had just happened. I had seen many things throughout my entire existence, but never anything like this.

With a few words she healed my burn. Witch! That must be it, a witch. There was no other explanation. Be careful, Alice, they might be looking for you to burn you if anyone finds out about this. I've seen it done to many people on mere speculation, I don't want to imagine what they would do to you.

-What do you say we go outside and watch your parents train? I'm sure that will cheer you up and take your mind off the whole thing.

Huh? No, no thanks. I don't want to watch them do their "stuff". I already listen to them a lot at night, you included, that's more than enough for me. Besides, right now I'm thinking about what just happened, don't change the subject.

However, as I was not able to communicate yet, he grabbed me in his arms and took me to the garden. Ahhh, let me go, witch! I don't want to see them, I refuse! Show me what you just did. No matter how hard I tried to struggle, I could not get any result.

When we walked through the door, I was not faced with a situation I had imagined. On the contrary, I was faced with a scenario I would never have foreseen.

A thunderous clash of wooden swords filled the air. Poe and Catelyn were engaged in a fierce duel, their movements a whirlwind of skill and precision. Each blow was returned with an almost impossible elegance. Every tiny movement they made defied all logic.

I had never witnessed anything like it. The speed with which they moved escaped my comprehension, their bodies reacted with an inhuman synchrony. I knew fencing, I understood it, I mastered it, but this... this was something else. Their attacks were fluid, their defenses impeccable. It wasn't just skill, it was as if they were defying the very rules of combat. In my life I had never seen anyone move in such a way.

Each clash of wood resounded with a vibrating echo, as if the air itself was shaking with the intensity of the duel. My eyes tried to follow the action, but they could barely catch the gleam of the movements. How was it possible? What kind of technique were they using?

And then, in an instant that seemed eternal, both launched the last blow. Their swords stopped a breath away from each other's skin, immobile, perfect. A draw.

I held my breath.

I could not believe what I had just witnessed.

When they came back to their feet, they became aware of our presence and approached us. Sweat covered their faces, dripping on their clothes as a witness of the enormous effort they had made. It was not for less, after such a demonstration.

-Hi, Al. What did you think of our fight? -asked my mother with a gleam of pride in her eyes. Mom and Dad are strong, aren't they?

There was a natural confidence in her voice, the assurance of one who knows her power and enjoys showing it off. And I didn't blame her. What she had just seen was more than a simple display: it was the reflection of a mastery that defied everything she thought possible.

Poe then came up to me and started making ridiculous faces in front of me.

-Who are strong? Yes, your parents are.

Let me go. I'm too old to suffer this kind of humiliation.

...

After reflecting on what had happened that day, I came to a conclusion and understood exactly why White wanted to give me a warning. This world was something completely unknown to me, one that surpassed the laws of my imagination and logic. If I wanted to survive and adapt, I was going to have to try harder than I already had.

From all this I had witnessed, I could only think of one thing. I was in a world where sword and magic coexisted, where physical prowess reached levels that bordered on the unreal. Here, fiction was not a mere concept; it was the very essence of existence. Basically, I was in a fantasy world. What would the future hold for me in this new life?

Mental stability: 20%.