2

My new life has certainly been very different from my last one. I suppose the biggest thing is that I'm not in the same time period as my old life. Hell I'm not even in the same universe! Crazy to say, trust me I know, but I have irrefutable evidence, that will not only shock you, but has shocked the shit out of me. In the six months since I was born to Paul and Zenith I've seen a lot to tell me I'm not in Kansas anymore such as the fact that we don't have power or indoor plumbing. But one thing has stood out more than any other thing that has happened yet.

Magic!

It sounds crazy, I thought I was crazy for seeing it and for a minute thought that my child's eyes were playing tricks on me, until I realized something. I died and was reborn as this boy. If that was possible, but then after all, why isn't magic possible? I suppose I should explain.

It's been six months since my birth, and it is now winter here in this land. There isn't much to do without electricity such as there was in the UNSC, even with the Covenant rampaging their way through human space. I am also too young for other activities such as reading, at least according to Lilia and Zenith. 'I can probably read and analyze books better than either of them!' It was rude, yes, but frustration and boredom did not sit well with spartans. Mohamed B-249 had often started fights in the training bays when we'd been between exercises just so that we would have something to do. Back to what I was saying, it was winter, and I was sitting in the kitchen watching Zenith and Lilia work on our lunch and reflecting on the two.

Between being a child and having to feed from Zenith I'd retreated into my mind somewhat and let time fly by. Day after day was spent in contemplation and observation of my new family. First, there was Zenith who I'd spent the most time with. It makes sense, she is my mother and obviously cares for me. It's been difficult for me to accept that to be honest. Zenith is a wonderful woman to be sure, and I can't thank her enough for what she's done for me these last months. But I had a mother before as well. I can't remember what she looks like anymore, but I can remember she made an amazing apple pie and that her smile was bright enough to light up a room. Much like Zenith's I suppose…

Turning to Lilia, my thoughts changed direction. She was standing next to Zenith, a small smile adorned her face as my mother continuously raved about having a well behaved child such as me. It seemed odd to me, for us to have a maid. We were obviously well off, if not outright rich with how much food we had, but to have a maid was counter to all way of life in the UNSC. After all, it was hard to afford to pay for your own family to live in the war time economy, let alone house and feed another person such as a maid. Here however, it seemed like we could have the stern woman live with us and afford to pay with us as well. She's a fine woman, always proper and on time when running errands. She's even helped take care of me, spending the nights reading with me as Zenith and Paul were otherwise engaged. Honestly, she's been a close and good friend to me during the time that I've been here, though I'm sure that she just views me as her employer's child.

From outside I heard grunting, and the clacking of wood striking wood. Looking over to the window it continued. Hopping down from the chair I'd been placed in, I toddled my way to the box seated underneath the pane and climbed it. 'Damn these small legs. I used to be able to climb mountains, even without my MJOLNIR! It's unfair damnet.' With a final grunt of exertion, I managed to pull myself on top of the box to the giggles of Zenith and Lilia behind me. Having given them a stink eye, to their continued giggles, I turned back to look outside.

Poised in a ready stance, Paul held a wooden sword aloft in front of him. His face was a mask of total concentration as he stared at the wood and straw dummy about ten feet in front of him. 'It makes sense that he's practicing, he's our town's knight after all. He has to st-WAIT. There!' His eyes narrowed in the slightest, anyone else without the years of battle experience I'd had might have missed it, but I'd fought long enough, dueled enough Sangheili that I could see the signs. 'NOW!' On cue Paul launched forward. Power shooting through his legs, the ground cracked as he closed the distance to the dummy. His combo started with an overhand strike, slashing across the dummy's chest. In an astounding display of strength and dexterity, he managed to redirect the downward energy, coming back into his second and third strikes with an underhand slash and cross way cut to the chest. With a final yell, his combo finished with a diagonal slash from the dummy's left shoulder to its right hip, spilling the straw from its casing and blunting the wooden sword more than it already had been.

My eyes narrowed as I stared at Paul. He was obviously in his prime, and yet I couldn't help but think that he was merely adequate. 'He has skill, that's not a matter of contention, but his form could use improvement. He burned too much energy in his launch.' With a sigh, as much as a six month old child can sigh, I looked back over my shoulder to see Zenith staring at me and smiling brightly. Her eyes shown as she spoke, "That's right darling, your father is a strong knight. One day you'll grow up to be big and strong like him. Maybe you'll even become an adventurer like we were!" She exclaimed with a smile and a skip. It was then that it happened.

As I turned back to continue looking at Paul, I lost my footing. Only later did I learn from Lilia that snow had blown in through the windowsill and melted before freezing due to the draft, becoming black ice. If I'd still had my augmentations then it would have been no problem, but alas, I was no longer the six foot nine inch super soldier with carbide titanium bones that I was so I fell off the box, weird right? Even as I fell though, it seemed like something of my previous life was with me still because time slowed. It'd been coined spartan time by the II's, or so I'd heard. Time stretches for us due to our augmentations, or in this case because I was so used to the ability that I must have retained it. The problem was though, that despite my brain retaining the ability, my body was in no condition to react. It did offer me a picturesque view of both Zenith and Lilia as my six month old body tumbled to the ground. 'Oh no…I'll be fine. It isn't that far of a fall in all reality but they don't deserve this kind of shock.' My thoughts were clinical, emotion didn't factor in when spartan time happened. Horror was splayed across my mothers face as she reached out trying to grab me. Similarly, Lilia was looking on in shock as I fell, the half chopped onion in her hand forgotten.

The ground got nearer and nearer, time finally seeming to speed up again as my brain must have realized that this wasn't like before. 'I wonder if I'll bounce?' It was such a dumb thought, and yet right as I hit I smiled at it. And you know what? I did bounce.

"RUDEUS!" There was a crash as the crate tipped and Zenith and Lilia rushed me. In an instant I was picked up and heard quite cooing as the back of my head was rubbed by my distraught mother. "It's okay baby, it's okay I have you.". Really, I was fine…the rubbing felt nice sure, but I was going to be okay. The door opened to Paul who stormed in, looking harried at the women's shouting. He immediately began talking animatedly to Lilia, probably asking what had happened but to me everything was drowned out. With more care than I really needed, Zenith placed me down on one of our chairs and stepped back. 'She's crying,' Tears were indeed leaking down her face 'she should never have to cry, let alone over me.' Reaching out, I tried my best to wipe them off, without the muscle control I desired, it was really more of slapping at her cheeks but she seemed to get the message and smiled.

"I'm okay baby, I was just worried about you is all." With a quick wipe of her eyes she chuckled and looked back at me again. "Now! Why don't we fix that bump on your head? Hmm?" I wasn't sure how she planned to fix it, really all I needed was some ice or something. It didn't even hurt for Christ's sake! But instead she stood and put her hand out over the bump, and then began to speak. "The power of the who is the god of sustenance of which is superior," to me it was nonsense, after all words were nothing, spoken dust on the wind of time that couldn't be taken back once said. And yet I was enraptured staring at her face as she spoke, smiling and looking into my eyes with her, full of love and caring. "To the one who has lost their power, I bestow it upon them again," It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen in my life, and given I'd seen a lot it held some weight. "HEALING!" Her incantation, because what else could that have been, finished and it was like a weight that had been gathering around us released, almost with a pop.

The green glow which had gathered around us slowly dissipated, and the lump which had formed on the side of my head was slowly going down. My mouth must have dropped open in my amazement because I could hear her giggle as I felt the side of my head. 'She really did it….SHE USED FUCKING MAGIC!' I slowly looked back up at Zenith in amazement. She'd broken every fundamental rule of physics and nature that I knew. Magic was impossible! At least by my previous life's standards. Sure, we had medicine and technologies that so far surpassed everything I'd seen here, but that had taken millenia to achieve. What she had done was so far beyond anything I'd ever seen that I was blown away. Her eyes twinkled mischievously and she smiled coyly at me. "That's right baby boy, your mama can use magic." she finished proudly.

The feeling of being agog and lost was there, and yet there was something else. A feeling that I'm not sure I'd felt for anyone beside Sasha in almost two decades. I would best describe it as adoration or endearment. 'She broke the laws of nature….just for me..' Looking down at my hands, and then back up to Zenith. There seemed to be hope in her eyes, and I knew why. I hadn't been a normal child from the start. How was I supposed to be? This is my second life, and my first not a good one. It'd been filled with hate, horror, and pain for the entirety of it. Most of my brothers and sisters had died to destroy a refinery. We'd continued to lose planets and people, always fleeing glassings. I'd even gotten my best friend killed in a desperate gamble to get us off of Reach. My life had been filled with horror and pain, how was I supposed to be a good child, after everything I'd endured? 'Well…Sasha always did say there was no time like the present right? God she's probably laughing at me right now but oh well.'

Steeling my face into what I could only hope was a determined expression, I stared at Zenith and raised my arms. 'Time to stretch the good old vocal cords eh Sasha?' There was hope In Zenith's eyes, and both Paul and Lilia were quiet too. "Mama. Up."

'God I sound ridiculous, but for her….for what she's done I can do better and be a better son.' Inside I was sweating, here I was opening up to my new mother. This certainly wasn't easy for me, but if she were to reject me now then I think I might break. Afterall, if I was to get this second chance I couldn't afford to fuck this up as it were. For all the beautiful smiles shed shown me so far, none could compare to the one she wore now. The only thing that I could compare it to would be if someone had told me that every single Covenant bastard had died in the most painful way possible. 'Jesus I am dark, Mohammed was right.' Shaking my head I stared back at my mother and shook my arms, letting her rush forward and scoop me up.

"Oh Rudeus!" Her joy was easy to tell as she twirled us around laughing before pulling away and kissing my forehead. "My sweet sweet baby boy, I love you."

'Love huh? Well…If this is what love is like then I suppose I could get used to it.' Laughing, Zenith pulled both Lilia and Paul into her embrace. She spoke animatedly to them, smiling and laughing as Paul brushed off the fall and Lilia smiled and brushed my hair. 'This is my family. Strange. I never thought that I could be close with people again, not after what happened, these people are strange for sure.' Paul liked to drink too much, Zenith was an open woman, and Lilia was a maid who seemed closer to our family than any other maid I'd ever seen or read about. 'But, they're my family, and I'll protect them. No matter what. I am a spartan after all, and we never fail.' My resolve was determined, now it was time to become who I was meant to be, Rudeus Greyrat, son of Zenith and Paul Greyrat.

It's been two and a half years since the incident in the kitchen. I'm a genius by my family's standards, but by my own I'm still lacking in most aspects. I'm talking in full sentences and can walk and read, but it still doesn't feel like it's enough to me. So, to improve I've taken to exercising my body and mind in the evenings, after my family has fallen asleep. The biggest thing that I've done to start improving myself and honing my skills is that I've started practicing magic in our attic. The book I've been using as the foundation of my knowledge is fairly dated from what I can tell, and rather closed minded if I'm being honest. However, for a basis of knowledge it has been helpful.

'There's been two major issues at this point. Firstly, the size of my mana pool. And secondly that I have to say the name of the spell to use it. Neither are good if I ever get into a fight…' Looking at the book I found the passage I'd been frankly annoyed with. It read as the following 'Each individual born to this world, be they human, beast, or even demon, has the capacity for magic. However, each individual is granted a fixed amount of mana when they are born. This capacity for magic cannot be increased, nor can it be decreased, even with age.' I snorted having read it again and looked back to my hands "Waterball, Fireball!" The words, spoken quietly and firmly, ignited the mana within me, traveling through my body until it coalesced about each of my hands. Sweat dripped from my brow as I struggled to maintain the spells. 'The book is full of shit as far as I'm concerned. Mana is like a muscle, it can be strengthened and become more efficient through use. Chief Mendez would tell the writer to shove it they ever met.' with another snort, this one of laughter I let the spells peter out and the mana in my body to calm its turbulence. Falling onto my butt, I laid down and stared at the ceiling. 'This is absolutely exhausting, it'd be easier to outrun a glassing beam I swear!'

With a groan I sat up and looked at the buckets full of water around the room. I'd been practicing for about two hours, just as I did every night attempting to increase my capacity for magic. It had worked thankfully, from the time I'd started, just before my second birthday, I had gone from being able to do magic from just under five minutes of casting to a whole two hours. 'Sure, I may have gotten more efficient at using my mana, but there's no way that could account for the increase in time. Take that dumbass!' Grinning, I looked back at the book. I'd managed to prove it wrong on one subject, but the other still eluded me. My face shifting to a frown, I flipped to a page further in the book I'd marked and started at the passage in frustration. 'Magic is the extension of the individual's mana. Raw mana is wildly dangerous and has been known to cause disasters of unmitigated proportions. It is for this reason that magic users are forced to use two methods of casting. Firstly, magic circles. Through the use of ancient runes, first developed by the demons, can we describe the effect and shape of the magic that we want to channel. Circles are often used for large-scale magic or rituals due to the time and reagents that must be used in construction of the circle.' 'Not unreasonable, kinda like the old stories about ley lines and how they'd be used for magic in fairy tales.' I focused back on the text and continued to read.

'The other form of casting is through the use of incantations. Incantations, similarly to circles, shape and form magic to the desired effect through the use of words to describe the end result. The only difference being that spoken word is the medium instead of written word. While this allows the caster to increase with speed at which they may use magic, particularly offensive and defensive magic, the tradeoff is that magic cast in this method is weaker than a magic circle. Additionally, should a caster be interrupted during their incantation there can be consequences. Spells, especially higher level magics are exceedingly dangerous and can backfire if not properly shaped. It is this author's solemn warning, as well as mages of time immemorial that any spellcaster does not disregard this warning! Doing so may bring harm not only to yourself, but others!'

I stared at the text in frustration. The warning was clear, there could be consequences to shaping mana without a proper destination in mind. 'Wait! That's it then isn't it!? It's not the process that people get wrong, it's they lose their destination. If you have a clear goal in mind, it isn't necessarily the path you take. Like with fire! You can get a flame from combusting all sorts of materials, through a variety of ways!' I grinned, it made so much more sense now. That was why people hurt themselves during an interrupted incantation because they hadn't internalized the process! 'Sure, I could go through the process of learning lots of different ways of combustion, or how water can be formed, but I already know lots of different ways, Sasha you fucking genius thank you for making me learn facts!' I chuckled, it was time to put my little theory to the test.

I closed my eyes, having found it allowed me to visualize my mana better. Letting out a deep breath, I found myself deep within my mind. It was odd to say the least, this type of inward reflection was never my sort of thing in my previous life, but as Rudeus Greyrat I found myself doing it more and more. Before my thoughts could change again, I found myself standing upon a lake. The waves were much calmer than they had been the first time I'd been here, then they'd been in a rage, violently thrashing about as I attempted to work with the force inside me. Since then through repetitive exercises and working on my casting it'd become much calmer. 'Alright, this can't be that hard. Water molecules form through covalent bonds, enough bonds you have a drop, enough drops a sphere of water. Fire can come from a number of sources, hydrogen reacts with oxygen, creating water and fire!' Letting the mana inside me flow up and through my feet I held my hands out and opened my eyes. Hovering above my left hand was a sphere of water the size of a soccer ball, and above my right was a flame the size of my fist. I'd done it, I'd created and powered a spell without a circle or an incantation. 'I already said it, but it bears repeating. TAKE THAT DUMBASS!' With a whoop, I eased the flow of mana and began to clean up and celebrate my success. 'I can only keep going up from here!'

I would be turning four years old in a few weeks. It wasn't anything particularly interesting, I had already made it to twenty-two in my last life, chronologically speaking of course. But to have been free of the stress and terror of the covenant for almost four years? It was something that was indescribable to me. I suppose that's the reason I let myself relax as much that day. And then proceeded to accidentally blow up the attic and destroy the wall. I should probably explain.

Paul was outside, practicing his sword moves after patrolling with the militia this morning. I'd sat watching him from the windowsill for a time before going back upstairs, passing both my mother and Lilia as they discussed chores and other matters. I had a goal in mind today, and I was not to be stopped. Smiling as Zenith ruffled my hair, I made my way to the attic, it was my sanctuary after all. The place where I'd practiced and perfected my incantation-less magic, where I'd experimented with magic circles and runes. The attic was my home within my home, it was only natural that I felt the most relaxed and at peace there. So, it was obviously the place I was going to attempt to begin mixing branches of magic.

Entering the room I took a deep breath and smiled. Scattered around the room were various things I had used to either improve my mana capacity or control. Several earthen dolls of various make sat on a shelf next to plants I had cultivated using magic as a medium for growth and cross breeding. Walking closer, I examined the two models that were the most perfect. The first was of Zenith. It was of the day that I had fallen from the box. I'd managed to work details as small as the tears flowing down her cheeks and the watery smile she had on her face as she held me on her hip. It was the latest in my attempts to emulate the love and care she had given to me that day, and I planned on giving her another, more refined version with colors of us on her next birthday. Shifting my attention to the other figure, a small smile worked its way onto my chest. It was of Sasha. She stood looking over her shoulder at something, enigmatic GUNGNIR helmet betraying nothing of her thoughts. Cradled in her arms her SRS99. 'You always were the better shot, even if I was faster and stronger.' It was a pose I'd seen many times, letting her take the lead in the mountains as we'd hunted prophets and high ranking elites alike. Reaching out, my hand gently brushed along her helmet, before I walked away towards the window.

Opening it was easy enough. A pop of the latch and I was entreated to the countryside that we lived in, as well as the Red Wyrm Mountains in the distance. Below me Paul continued to work out to the fascination of the village women. My eyebrow raised in response 'Honestly, Mother is much better looking than those women. Not that she wouldn't destroy him and them if they did make a move.' Chuckling at the thought, I walked back to the center of the room. I looked down at the floor. Inscribed over the floorboards was a series of protection runes I had researched and cobbled together to protect myself in case something bad happened. 'I haven't needed them though…everything I have worked on to this point has been safe and beginner level magic. All I'm doing is combining two types of magic and seeing what can happen. The window is open too, it'll be fine.' Decision made, I turned to face the window again.

Closing my eyes, I returned to the projection of my mana. It had changed more in the year since I'd developed my ability to cast silently. Instead of an endless ocean, there was now land. It was mostly barren, but patches of grass had begun to grow on it. Additionally, the lake had taken on a deeper blue color, similar to Zenith's eyes. I had no way of knowing at the time that there'd be a correlation, all that I knew was that things kept changing and I was at a loss as to what it could mean. I relaxed even further within my mind, and allowed the mana to flow through me. It was always best to go into any sort of training as relaxed as one could be in my opinion, and this was no different. Allowing the mana to travel through my body, it began to coalesce at my hands. From there, with a little nudge it took on form. A sphere of water in my left hand, and steady flame in my right. Excitement began to build within me as my hands came together and the two merged into a swirling ball of heat and water vapor in my right hand. The energies clashed for a moment before stabilizing, allowing me to pump mana into it. The ball grew no bigger, but I could feel within it that its power and capability for destruction increased, becoming ever more potent as I fed it. Opening my eyes, I extended my hand ready to let fly the ball of steam, fire, and water. And that's when It happened.

"Rud-" The door behind me opened. Normally it would have been fine, but this was the first time I'd ever attempted this spell, and I was doing it wordlessly. Time slowed to a snail's pace and now I was in a precarious position. Zenith was behind me opening the door and, unfortunately, disrupting my concentration while I held a ball of death in my head. 'fuck, Fuck, FUCK! I gotta figure out how to make sure we're both okay. Think Rudeus think!' This was the exact sort of situation dthe instruction book had warned about when talking about speechless incantations. I felt my control starting to slip, the mana I'd been pumping into the spell was starting to go haywire and conflict without my guidance as it began to exit my hand. I could see the ball begin to expand in front of me as it drew closer to the wall. 'Alright think about what it is, its heat, steam, and water right? Alright that's it!' The idea slammed into me in a heart beat, I'd use a wall of water to protect us from the blast. The ball was three fourths the way to the wall now and I could feel time speeding up again. This was it, now or never.

Time resumed. I molded mana the fastest I ever had. My spell hit the wall.

BOOM!

"ZENITH! RUDEUS!" Paul's screams were muted, after all I could feel the blood running down the side of my head from my burst ear drums. 'Note to self, thats really fucking loud.' Staring at what used to be a wall as the water from my barrier flowed out of the attic to the ground below. I'd done it, I'd managed to not kill either of us, and honestly? I'd accomplished what I set out to do! I'd combined my flame and water magic, and produced something even more powerful! A smile split my face, even as I felt my ears heal from Zenith's spell and hear Paul burst into the room. A slender hand turned my face, and there she was. My mother. What was weird was that there was none of the anger I'd expected to see on her face. Instead, she had an impish grin on her face and there was mirth in her eyes.

"Rudeus?" she began, "Were you practicing magic up here?"

I was flabbergasted. Was she not mad? I did just destroy a large part of the house after all…seeing no reason to lie I nodded. "Yes mother. I was practicing combining water and fire magic." The words seemed to tumble out of my mouth without realizing. 'Shit Rudeus, dig the hole deeper why don't you?'.

She chuckled, and turned to look at Paul and Lilia. Following suit, I was blown away by the astonishment on their faces. I inwardly cringed. Paul was sure to be pissed. "Well Paul! It would seem I won our bet and he's going to be a mage!" My head snapped up to Zenith, was that really what she was thinking right now? I'd almost gotten the two of us killed with my experiment and all she could think was that I was going to be a mage? My mother was certainly of a different breed if that was the case.

Turning back to Paul, I watched his mouth work up and down a few times before he finally managed to shut it and look at Zenith. Almost fifteen seconds of silence later did he finally manage to speak, no roar back a reply. "We agreed I'd get to train the child to be a knight if it was a boy! I don't care how proficient he is at magic!" I dropped my head into my hands and groaned, only my family would care about that right after I'd destroyed the wall.

"Come now master Rudeus, it would seem you need a bath drawn after this ordeal. Let's allow your parents to discuss whether you will be a mage or knight, as well as speak about fixing the house, hmm?" Being carted away by Lilia was a relief. Honestly it felt like I was being saved from getting caught up in their discussions.

Fast forward two weeks to my fourth birthday, I sat waiting on our front steps with my mother while Paul practiced his forms and Lilia did laundry. Zenith was casually running her fingers through my hair while she read and I stared at the road. In the aftermath of the explosion Paul had been angry, but not at me for destroying part of the house. No, he'd been angry at the proposition that I'd be trained as a mage instead of learning under him. He and Zenith had almost been shouting by the time Lilia and I had intervened. It'd been her idea, but my asking that had got the two of them to calm down. In essence, I didn't want to neglect either being a warrior or being a mage, so I would train as a warrior in the morning and as a mage with my mother and a tutor in the evenings. It took a bit of work on Paul's part, seeing as he had to both hire a magical tutor as well as adjust his patrol schedule to train me in sword and melee combat. 'Not that I couldn't beat him if I had my old body. You win this round though Pa-no. Dad.'

The special thing about today however, was that my tutor was supposed to arrive. This world only celebrated every fifth birthday, but this almost felt like a special gift just for me. Sitting there looking out at the road though, I couldn't help but get curious. "Mom…why did dad get me a magical tutor? Can't you teach me everything that you know?" Hearing her sigh in response I awaited the response.

"The simple fact of the matter is Rudy, that I'm neither a very good teacher, nor am I particularly advanced in magic. The one book we have about magic in our house came from my side of the family," she explained in a defeated tone, continuously running her fingers through my hair. "On the best of my days I can teach you low Saint level healing magics. If you want to advance in other areas then you'll need a tutor, even if you are my little prodigy!"

'I see…she was the healer of her and dad's party then.' My ears perked up, coming up the road I could hear the clopping of horses feet and turning of wheels. My focus narrowed, and it seemed I blocked everything out as I moved and stood in front of our steps. What would my tutor be like? Would they be as harsh as Chief Mendez, with his grueling training routines and harsh voice? Or would they be like Commander Ambrose? Charming and charismatic, always willing to lend an ear and teach you even after you felt like you'd failed worse than anyone else. These thoughts and more ran though my head as the carriage pulled to a stop at the end of the walkway. My heart beat so loudly that I could hear it in my ears. Would they hate me? Would they think this was some sort of joke and walk away? I was only four after all. But then the door opened up, and she stepped out and down the steps, staff in one hand and briefcase in the other. The first words I ever heard out of her mouth somehow seemed to sear themselves into my brain despite how plain they were.

"Hello, my name is Roxy Migurdia. Is this the home of the Greyrats?"