Her name was Selene Velara; she was part of my adventure party back when I was grouped with others. She was one of the best at spirit control.
Now, I had just been reborn into her family. If I had inherited her ability to manipulate spirits, I could easily become a Paragon again. With that power, I could wage war against Quill. The room they placed me in was a basic blue, and the crib made of soft wood suggested I was part of a noble family—not that I expected Selene to settle for anything less.
If I could awaken my spirit, I could begin the bonding process.
**Five Years Later**
Most kids my age couldn't even communicate with their spirits yet; however, I—Leon Mercer, the prodigy—had done so five years earlier than any typical child. Of course, there were exceptions like Selene or my past self. Fate was cruel to me: first my own brother killed me, and now I was reborn into this cursed family.
It didn't matter what the prestigious schools tried to teach me; I would soon be able to outperform some of the teachers if only my spirit would accept that it was just a tool.
I had been idly staring at the chalkboard while the teacher was speaking. "Mr. Mercer, could you tell us what happened during the raid on Heaven's Gate?" she asked. She was an arrogant, stuck-up figure who believed in the class division that I detested and sought to destroy.
I heard murmurs from my classmates.
While looking out the window, I spoke, "My ancestor, Reed Mercer, entered Heaven's Gate alone. He knew the risks, of course; he killed all the angels inside except for two." As she walked between the desks, she addressed the class, saying, "And this is why you must pay careful attention, kids." She stood right in front of my row of desks, wearing a smile that most demons wouldn't dare show, and directed it at me. "Who can correct Mr. Mercer?"
A few students raised their hands, but she called on Kaela, who was surprisingly smart for a five-year-old. "Reed Mercer left nothing alive," she spoke quietly, unlike me.
"Now, Leon, who told you that he left two alive?" I straightened my posture. "I must've heard wrong, I guess." Her eye twitched as she turned her back on me, and a massive grin sprung up on my face. She continued speaking on the false history.
Shortly after, the bell rang, signaling that it was time to go home. When I reached the front door, Selene was waiting for me. She had figured me out immediately; I guessed one of her numerous spirits could let her see souls, and she knew mine quite well.
I didn't tell her how I died. To be honest, I told her I didn't remember, which seemed to satisfy her curiosity about how someone could kill me.
Once we got back to the Mercer compound, I went straight to my room, which reminded me of my old one. Even the door squeaked like my old one. I sat down in a cushioned chair and began to converse with my spirit. Whatever type it was, it had to be a dark one.
I was definitely close to being able to use it.
I just needed to touch it for it to be done.
I pushed past any limits my body had, and when I finally made contact, I could feel it. Even being near it caused me to sweat, and my arms were covered in cold bumps.
It spoke, its voice grave and serious. "You, I've been waiting." I had mere milliseconds to react, but my reflexes weren't what they used to be. It had coated my arm in a substance that made me feel as if just looking at it would pull me in, and I was.
Suddenly, I found myself back in the field. "Good, little one. It can begin."