I screamed loud and hard, not knowing where I was or what was going on. The last thing I remember was… shit, I don't remember anything! Everything around me was so big! People I didn't know were watching me, and the big green lady in front of me didn't help calm me down.
"What's the matter, Ajani?" the big green lady asked, leaning in as if going to pick me up.
I screamed as I got up and ran, but it was as if I had shrunk. I had become so much weaker than I usually was.
"NO! STAY AWAY!" I screamed.
The green woman gasped in surprise as I crawled away. The room I was in looked like a toddler's room — kids either playing or listening to a black-haired woman reading, who at the moment was staring at me in surprise.
"WHERE AM I!? STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU MONSTER!"
The green woman looked hurt.
"Monster?"
The black-haired woman stood up and patted the green lady's shoulder.
"How about you take over story time? I'll deal with him," she said, still looking a bit hurt.
She went to read to the other children while the woman with black hair and a green Victorian dress picked me up rather easily.
"NO! Put me down! I don't know you!"
The woman held me in her arms as I squirmed and screamed, but she ignored my protests.
"Speaking? Already?" I heard her mumble. She looked back at the green lady. "I'm taking him to my hut for a bit. Can you manage?"
The green woman nodded.
As I was taken outside the building, the black-haired woman said, "Calm down, Ajani! What's gotten into you!?"
I pushed her face away from me. "Who the hell is Ajani!? My name is Axel! Now put me down, you crazy—"
"Gloria!"
A voice called out, and a woman rushed toward us rather fast. A tanned woman with more muscles than I knew existed, covered from head to toe in dirt, and holding a shovel.
"Is something wrong? I heard Ajani screaming," she said, looking at me with amber eyes full of concern.
"Come to Mommy, dear," she tried to pick me up, but I smacked her hands away with my small hands.
"I don't know you! You're not my mommy! Stay away!"
The woman's face contorted in confusion and hurt. "H... he's speaking?"
The black-haired woman covered my mouth before nodding. "I told you he was a smart one, Briar, but he's a bit fussy after a nightmare."
Before the muscular woman could say anything, she whisked me away.
"W... well, okay. Mommy loves you, Ajani! I'll see you after work!" she called out to me.
Who the hell is Ajani?!
I was brought into a big wooden hut. Inside were shelves of small bottles and jars filled with different things — animal body parts, powders, and liquids. She set me on the counter in the middle of what looked like a kitchen.
"Who are you?! Where am I?!" I shouted at her, only for her to ignore me.
"Answer me, lady!"
She looked at me with confusion and even a bit of desperation. "How are you talking?" she asked.
"What do you mean, how am I talking? Of course I can talk!"
She paced the room. "Of course, you were a smart kid, but now you're speaking fluent sentences for only a year and a half?"
I looked at her, confused and irritated. So many things were happening right now, and none of my questions were being answered!
"A year and a half? Lady, I'm sixteen. And I'd really appreciate it if you start answering my questions!"
The woman looked back at me. "Sixteen? Wait a minute, Ajani, what are you talking about?"
I rolled my eyes. "And there you go again with this Ajani guy. My name is Axel. Axel Naywood. Who the hell is Ajani!?"
She pointed at me. "You. You're Ajani. Ajani Collins. A year and a half old, so watch your mouth, young man."
I went to argue when I noticed the mirror out of the corner of my eye. To my horror, what I saw wasn't who I was staring back at me. Gone were my usual red hair and blue eyes. In their place was a toddler with tanned skin, brown hair, and purple eyes.
"AHHHHHHH!" I screamed once again as my reflection copied me.
"Who the freak is that?! That's not me!"
I grabbed my baby face and mushed it around. "You did something to me, didn't you?!"
She sat down beside me. "Language! Please, just calm down and let me think."
I laughed condescendingly. "I'm stuck in a strange baby body, and she's asking me to calm down."
I didn't remember anything! All I remembered was... something about stars and twigs.
I noticed her looking at me. "What?"
Her amber eyes poured into me. "Just checking something. Ajani—"
"Axel."
"The only conclusion I can come to is that you're an 'Otherworlder.' A rare but not uncommon phenomenon."
She scooted her seat to sit in front of me. "Axel, is that your name, dear?"
Her tone softened, and I noticed she had a Russian-like accent. I nodded at her, recognizing that tone as pity and bracing for the worst.
"My name is Gloria. I'm your aunt. That muscular woman outside is Briar. That's your mother—"
I scoffed. "No… no, that's not right! My mom—her name is Susan Naywood! You're lying!"
She sighed. "Let me finish." She cleared her throat. "I am afraid to say, but you have died and are experiencing reincarnation."
My eyes widened, and my breath caught in my throat. I died? But… I was so sure I was going home! What does that mean?!
"N... no, I can't be dead! I…" I shook my head as if trying to scramble the thoughts out of my head. "NO! I'm not dead! I can't be dead!"
I saw the sympathy behind her eyes as she stood up to go over to a bookshelf.
"I'm afraid it's true. I have a book here to explain it."
She looked for her book as I began to panic. I'm not dead. I'm not dead… I'M NOT DEAD!
I jumped down from the counter and tried to run, my legs wobbling as I rushed toward the door left slightly ajar.
"Ajani, no!"
I barged out the door into the outside. I looked around, not recognizing anything I saw. People looked at me like I was something to worry about. I didn't know anyone here. The houses were nothing I recognized—a glorified gated community, but less modern.
But what caught my attention most was what was outside the gated community. Wherever I was, it was perched up a hill, and down below was a forest. There was no greenery, no life—but it filled my stomach like a pit of dread.
I walked close to the fence, filled with awe—or more along the line of horror. Why was the forest so dead? The hill this place was built on had green grass and green trees, so why was it so different from the forest?
I pondered this question, forcing my brain to forget everything else. Because I knew once my question was answered, my mind would fill with existential dread.
"I'm not dead... am I?"
"Ajani!... I mean, Axel, get away from the fence!" Gloria called out.
I turned slowly to look at her, my hands still on the wooden fence.
"I... really am dead... aren't I?"
I didn't notice how loose the ground was around the gate.
"A... Axel, come to me very slowly, and I promise we can sort this out—"
"What is there to sort out?!" I shouted, my emotions getting the better of me. My eyes burned with hot tears.
"I'm dead... I'M DEAD! AND YOU EXPECT ME TO SORT THIS OUT?!"
Crackle! Crack! Doosh!
My feet felt light before I realized the ground around me crumbled away as I fell down the cliff.
"Ajani!"
The air roared in my ears as I tumbled down, flipping a few times before landing face-first in the mud. I pulled my face up, coughing and spitting out mud. Great. Just freaking great.
I tried to wipe the mud off my face and noticed my nose was bleeding, dripping into the ground. The forest had a putrid smell to it, as if the trees were planted in rotten flesh. The trees were twisted and frail-looking, covered in black mold.
The air felt cold and unnaturally quiet. I could hear my heartbeat. Suddenly, I felt panicky and queasy, as if I knew deep down I wasn't supposed to be there.
I tried to pull my hand from the mud, only for it to be yanked back into it.
"Wha—?"
Slop! Plop! Slorp!
The mud climbed up my arm while simultaneously pulling me down deeper.
"H... hey! Let go!"
I struggled against the mud as the ground shook and bubbled beneath me.
"G... Gloria! What's going on!? The mud's bubbling!"
Suddenly, a lump of mud emerged from the floor. I watched in horror as it grew a face.
"Muuuush!" it roared.
I struggled against the mud. "AHHH! Gloria! Help!"
The mud monster reached its hand out toward me.
"The Mold Mother will have your soul."
"AHHH! HELP!" I screamed.
What the hell was going on?! Mud monsters?! Mold Mother!? What the fuck is going on!?
Its muddy hand reached for me as I flailed and struggled hopelessly, but before it could touch me—
"Flamma Fulmen!"
A bolt of fire pierced through the mud man, causing it to dematerialize. Gloria landed in front of me and waved a misshapen wooden staff at me.
"Flamma Fulmen!"
Another bolt flew, blasting the mud holding me down.
Oh my god... WHAT WAS THAT?!
"Ajani... Axel, are you okay?"
I stood up and nodded at her before noticing the mud bubbling behind her.
"Look out!" I warned as more mud men emerged from the ground.
"The Mold Mother shall have his soul! It is inevitable! Hand him over, witch!"
Gloria's face grew cold. "You won't lay a finger on his head. This boy will not be yours—I swear by it!"
The mud men hissed at her before attacking, running toward her on all fours, wailing an unholy screech.
"Non-believer!"
They tried to attack me, but Gloria obliterated them before they could. I had no time to think about what was going on—I just watched the action.
Gloria's moves were flawless. Not a drop of mud stained her cloak as she dodged their attacks and followed up with blasts from her staff.
What the hell is going on!?
I felt something cold and mushy yank my arm backward.
"Your fate is sealed, boy!"
I screamed as I was held up by my arm. "Fuck you, you muddy bitch! Let me go!"
It laughed. "Foul-mouthed child, aren't you? I'll make sure to cut that tongue out before handing you over to the Mold Mother."
Gloria's eyes widened when she saw me being held in the air.
"Aja—"
SLASH!
A mud monster caught her off guard, smashing her before jumping on her, wrapping its muddy hand around her mouth. As she struggled and squirmed to breathe.
"Gloria!"
The mud monster grabbed me by the throat, its putrid stench filling my nostrils.
"Do not be afraid, child. If you're lucky, the Mold Mother will smile upon you and bless you with her gift."
I looked over to Gloria as she struggled to free herself from the mud people.
Am I seriously gonna die a second time? So fucking pathetic... and to make matters worse, Gloria's gonna die because of me. I don't even know her, but I know she cares for me… I'm pathetic.
It was as if time slowed down and I had an epiphany. It's not life that's too hard... It's that I give up too quickly.
I mean, seriously, who dies to mud?
If I'm going down, I'm going down to my last breath.
I got an idea and put my hand to the side, praying to God that it would work.
"F... fl..."
The mud golem laughed. "What are you trying to say, boy? Say your peace before meeting the Mold Mother."
I could've sworn I felt the mud loosen around my throat as if it had given me a moment to speak. I proceeded to shove my hand down its throat.
"M... make sure to gargle and swallow, bitch! Flamma Fulmen!"
I didn't expect it to work, but a flash of light grew from inside its mouth as its muddy head exploded, knocking me backward onto my back. It felt as if lead was pushed through my veins.
I held back a scream as burning pain filled my hand. GOD THAT HURTS!
But I knew I didn't have time to waste. I stood up, clutching my hand as I ran toward her staff, snatching it out of the mud.
"Gloria, catch!"
I tossed the staff toward her. With a final push against the muddy tendrils climbing all over her, she grabbed it, freeing her mouth.
"Flamma Slam!"
She slammed the staff on the ground as walls of fire disintegrated the mud, drying the ground and the muck around us.
Everything was quiet.
The only thing I could hear was the racing of my heart and the footsteps of Gloria walking toward me, picking me up in her arms.
"Terra Spica!" she says as a large chunk of the ground erupts from the earth, blasting us into the air.
"AHHH!" The wind rushes against my ears before we land safely back in town. We land safely on the ground as Gloria kneels over me.
"You're hurt," she says, using her cloak to try and clean the mud off of me.
I did it… I survived… somehow.
But as the adrenaline left my body, the feeling of reality crept up on me. I couldn't escape the truth—especially after what just happened.
"I… I'm not in Manhattan anymore… am I?"
Gloria looks at me with sympathy. "I'm afraid not. I've never heard of this place, Manhattan—but it's not here."
I close my eyes and sigh. That's all I could do. All I wanted to do.
I feel a gentle hand on my head.
"I'm so sorry, little one."
She holds me close and hugs me. I wrap my small arms around her, afraid of what's going on. Afraid to know. But I've got to know. Ignorance is bliss… but right now, answers are enlightenment.
"You hungry, kid?" she asks.
The moments that happened so fast yet so long made me realize how hungry I was.
"Starving."
Later
I sit back in Gloria's hut, eating a sandwich—still anxious but much calmer than I was earlier.
"Is it good, Ajani… or is it Axel? Whatever makes you comfortable," she says, taking a seat.
She was able to clean the mud off of us, but I was still concerned about what the hell happened and why the mud tried to feed me to mold or whatever that was.
"So uhh… You said I was reincarnated? Could you tell me… who I am?"
Gloria smiles warmly but with a hint of sympathy.
"Your new name is Ajani 'Maverick' Collins. Your mother's name is Briar Collins, and your father's name is Derrick Colins."
It was all so strange. New parents. New name. New body… new world. How am I supposed to deal with that?
"So uhh, about the elephant in the room—"
Gloria looks around the room. "There's a what in the room?"
I look at her like she's crazy. "An… elephant?"
She tilts her head in confusion.
"An elephant! A big gray mammal? Floppy ears? Long trunk for a nose?"
She shakes her head. "I don't believe a creature like that exists."
My eyes widen. Elephants don't exist here?! But mud monsters are on the table?!
I shake my head. "Let's get back on track. What were those things, and what is this Mold Mother?"
Gloria sighs, placing her sandwich down on the table.
"About seven years ago, the forest wasn't like that—constantly decaying and dangerous. It was a peaceful place…"
She has a far-off look on her face.
"It was… paradise. The pure definition of harmony. Beautiful trees, vast flower valleys, and fresh magic around every corner. But it's all gone now. Something came—a sickness. A mold that affected everything around it. Anyone who goes into that forest will die. We're just lucky we made it out."
I groan. Reincarnation is one thing, but being reincarnated in the middle of a dangerous forest is just bad luck.
"H… how did the forest not get us then? We're just sitting ducks!"
Her hand waves off my suspicion. "We blessed the area and the roads with holy water. Nothing the forest sends can get us."
I take a bite of my sandwich before bracing myself for the next question.
"What was that thing you did? Blasting fire and all that—was that magic?"
She nods before smiling. "Yes! That was magic, and I'm so proud of you! Only a year old and you're already showing magical prowess! I was doubting it a bit because of my aura—but you cast a spell!"
I tilt my head in confusion. Magical prowess? Aura?
Gloria notices my look.
"Oh! You're still learning. Well, I was born with the ability to see the different auras of people. An aura color shows their aptitude in one of many magical fields. For example, your mother, Briar, has a yellow aura, which means she can enchant and embed magic into weapons and items."
She explains, "Red is Bulwark magic. Yellow is Enchantment. Green is Elemental. Purple is Psionic. Black is Grave Calling. Orange is Alteration. Blue is Summoning. Pink is an Illusion. And Gold—which is my color, if I do say so myself."
She giggles proudly, placing a hand on her chest. "Gold is the best. It means I have control over each magic type instead of just one."
As I listen, I think that most of what's going on feels like anime. Being reincarnated into a world with a complex yet familiar magic system. I've always wanted to be isekai'd in my old life… but now that it's actually happened, I want nothing more than to wake up in my previous weak body.
"So what color do I have?"
She looks closely. "It's hard to say… It's gray. It's faint, like you're surrounded by steam or light smoke."
I look at my hands, expecting to see this smoke or steam, but I see nothing but a hand that's not mine clenching a fist.
"And what exactly does gray have?"
"Gray doesn't really have any magic. It means you're not affiliated with any sort of magic. No alignment. But that doesn't make it a bad thing."
I take a deep breath to stop the tears from falling.
Gloria looks confused. "What's wrong—"
"I don't want to be here," I interrupt. "I don't want to be here. I want to go home. To my home!"
Gloria tries to speak, but all my pain and fears come out at once.
"I don't want to be here—with a new mom or dad or magic. I don't want a new name. I don't want to be here with mud monsters attacking me, feeding me to mold mothers or some shit."
"Langua—"
"I am too fucking stressed to worry about my language! I had a friend! I… I had a good life! I had parents! They weren't the best, but they were still mine, and I loved them!"
Hot tears stream down my face as I start breathing heavily.
"I can't breathe… how am I supposed to get over the fact that I will never see my loved ones again!?"
I choke on a sob. "HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO FORGET ALL OF THAT!?"
I can't breathe. Everything hurts. It's as if the existential dread is weighing on my chest, trying to crush my lungs.
Suddenly, I feel a gentle warmth covering my body—Gloria hugging me close to her chest.
"No one is forcing you to forget your old life," she whispers.
I shakily wrap my arms around her, embracing the warmth.
"No one wants you to. I know this is hard. Everything is so new… so different. But I am here for you. Briar is here for you. The village is here for you."
She cups my face in her hands and tilts my head up gently. Her smile is soft, and her eyes are understanding and kind.
"No one is expecting you to forget. Instead, hold everything close to your heart. Never forget the things you loved—but accept that those things are gone. It might seem hard at first, but I'll be here for you every step of the way."
My heart is in turmoil. I know change is scary, but I didn't know it was this bad. I don't want to accept it—but I know deep down she's right.
BOOM!
The door swings open, and standing there is my "mother," Briar, still covered in dirt.
"Hey, I was able to come on my lunch break—" She looks at my face, analyzing me. "Gloria? Why is he crying?"
She kneels in front of me, reaching for me but stopping at the last minute, as if afraid to hold me.
I did yell at her earlier. She still thinks I'm her child. Even if I'm not… I can't hurt this lady's heart.
I rush forward and hug her. "Mommy!"
I say it in my best kiddy voice to keep up appearances.
Her eyes widen, growing teary-eyed before she squeezes me tightly in a bear hug.
"My baby! He called me mommy! You hear that, Gloria?! He called me mommy!"
Gloria smiles warmly through gritted teeth. "Oh my god, that's wonderful." She seems to understand what I'm doing and goes along with it.
"He was crying so much because he missed you."
Briar's eyes grow misty. "Oh, my little boy needs me. Don't worry. Mommy's here."
Briar picks me up in her arms and takes a seat where I was sitting.
"Gloria… can we talk?"
"Of course. What's bothering you?"
Briar kisses my forehead, sighing. "I'm… afraid."
As I sit in her arms, my eyes widen, but I try not to show it. A woman like this—scared? She's afraid of mud monsters, too?
"I'm afraid of being a bad mother. I… I love my son. And I understand Derrick is still in the king's military. But I always have these feelings as if I'm doing something wrong. What if he gets hurt because I don't know how to be a good mother? I couldn't live with myself if he got hurt because of me or wor—"
Gloria flicks her forehead. Briar flinches. "What was that for?!"
Gloria glares at her, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me and listen clearly. You are a good mother. You're not just a good mother—you're a great mother. And you have me, Hyun, and the entire village for help. We're here for you. Remember that."
She places her hand on my back as if to say that goes for me as well.
Gloria stands. "I've been away from the daycare for too long. I should take him back."
Briar smiles and looks at me. "Mommy will be back. When she's done with work, she'll make your favorite meal."
Gloria takes me from Briar's arms, and I decide to hit her with my best "Bye-bye!"
She squeals with joy. "I'll see you later, my sweetie!"
Gloria takes me out of her hut, back to hers.
"I'll be with you… every step of the way, Axel."
I know this life is going to take some getting used to… but maybe there's a chance for me to go home—or I'll get used to this world altogether.
"If I'm gonna be a kid, there's a question I wanna know first."
She looks at me, waiting for me to continue.
"My mom Briar… she doesn't breastfeed me, does she?"
Gloria stares blankly at me before bursting into laughter and continuing to walk.
"G… Gloria? Gloria, answer the question! This is something I need to know! Can't she use formulas or something?! GLORIA!"