[The host has recovered 50% of the previous owner's memories.]
We were on our way to the orphanage. Sister Mariya was holding my hand, gently pulling me along. I couldn't say a word my mouth felt heavy.
After about five minutes, we reached the orphanage. It stood on a small hill overlooking the town below. The whole way there, Sister Mariya didn't say a single word, and neither did I. My mind was too busy replaying the memories I had just regained.
In those memories, I saw a woman picking me up from the ground ... she had the same hair as mine but black eyes. She smiled softly and said, "Oh my boy, you fell down again. Don't worry, Mother will help you." That woman was the mother of this body.
I also saw a man with brown hair and the same brown hair . His face resembled mine so much .... he was the father of this body I now inhabit.
But Joren told me I didn't have a father, that my mother had burned herself alive in our home.
Then, in the second set of memories, I saw a longer story unfold ... how Sister Mariya found me when villager are about to kill me and brought me to the orphanage, how I met the other children who became like brothers and sisters to me.
I learned that I couldn't visit the village often. The villagers despised me for my red eyes ...the eyes of demons, as they said. In their stories, demons were the ancient enemies defeated three times by human heroes, the last battle ending 300 years ago when the Heroes of Time and Light sealed away the Demon Emperor. From childhood, every villager learned to fear and hate demons so they know about how demons looks like....and because of my eyes, they hated me too.
That's why Tyler, the boy whose body I now inhabit, rarely left the orphanage.
From his memories, I know he was always quiet. His only real friends were the other orphans .... especially Joren. They were inseparable once, but over time Joren changed. He grew distant, stopped talking to Tyler, and eventually looked at him with the same disgust as the villagers.
At the orphanage, all of us children helped Sister Mariya with daily chores. She wasn't from the village .... she'd been sent here by the Main Church to care for the orphans.
Now, as I walked beside her, she still hadn't said anything.
"I'm sorry, Sister Mariya," I whispered.
She stopped walking and looked at me, guilt heavy in her eyes.
"No, child… it's I who should be sorry. Because of me, you have to go there. Because of me, our Joren was killed. If only I had known this would happen, I would have reported Baron Holts to the Main Church myself." Her voice trembled with regret.
Then she added, "But don't worry, Tyler. You won't have to go with Lord Tev. I'll speak with the Church. I won't let any more harm come to my children."
I hesitated before replying, "No, Sister Mariya. I'll go with Lord Tev. If he comes for me, I'll go."
She looked alarmed. "No, Tyler! You nearly died last time and only survived by the Goddess's miracle. Why risk your life again? Do you think becoming one of the Duke's knights is easy?"
Before I could respond, the sound of children's voices echoed from the yard.
"Look, it's Brother Tyler!" said Nina, a seven-year-old girl.
"I told you he'd come back!" shouted William, who was ten.
"Really? Tyler's here?" said Terven, a six-year-old boy.
"But what about Brother Joren?" asked Mira, twelve years old.
"Yeah, isn't he with you?" said Goden, eleven.
"Oh, he's probably with his friends," added Robin, the oldest at thirteen.
I recognized them all from Tyler's memories.
They ran toward me, and little Nina leaped into my arms.
"Tyler! I missed you so much!" she said, hugging me tightly. She was especially close to Tyler ... but I'm not him.
The others crowded around.
"Did you get hurt, Brother?" Robin asked.
"Tell us what happened in the forest!" said Goden.
"Yeah! Did you really see a dragon?" asked Terven.
"Terven, you still believe that story?" Mira teased.
"Brother, are you okay? You look pale," Nina said, worried.
I didn't know how to answer. Should I talk to them like Tyler would have? To them, I am Tyler ... the same face, the same voice. But inside, I'm someone else… and I killed their Joren ... a boy who only wanted to live.
Sister Mariya saved me from answering. "Alright, children, let Tyler rest. He's tired from the competition."
"But I want to hear the story!" protested William.
"No, William. Let him rest for now."
"Okay…" William muttered.
I smiled weakly. "Don't worry. I'll tell you everything about the forest later."
"Go on, Tyler," Sister Mariya said gently.
I went to my room ... I knew the way from Tyler's memories. Inside were three beds: one for Tyler, one for Joren, and one for Ben, our eldest brother figure who was now studying at the city academy.
I placed my swords on the table and glanced around. The smell of blood and dirt clung to me, so I decided to bathe.
After washing and changing into clean clothes, I looked at myself in the mirror.
For a fourteen-year-old, I had a surprisingly sharp jawline. My red eyes glowed faintly .... the reason for everyone's hate.
I sat on the bed, and my stomach growled loudly.
"I'm really hungry," I muttered.
A knock came at the door.
When I opened it, Sister Jun stood there with a tray of food.
"Oh, Sister Jun, I was just about to come downstairs to eat with everyone. You didn't have to bring it," I said sincerely.
"It's alright, Tyler. You've been through a lot. Eat and rest," she said kindly, smiling.
She set the food down and then looked at me seriously.
"Can we talk for a moment, Tyler?" she asked.
"Of course, Sister. What's wrong?" I replied, gesturing for her to sit.
"What did you want to ask?"
Her eyes softened. "It's about Joren, Tyler. Sister Mariya won't tell us anything. Is he… is he okay?"
I hesitated, just for a second, then said quietly but firmly:
"He's dead, Sister Jun by a B-rank tiger killed him in the forest."