PART 1: WHITE
Chapter 3 – New World
"Huh?"
"Where am I?"
Mahey's voice echoed in the void. His eyelids were heavy, his body felt like stone from exhaustion. As he tried to make sense of what was happening, he attempted to see his surroundings—but quickly gave up. His eyes were overwhelmed by a fatigue he couldn't even explain; his pupils were dull, and even the light filtering through his lashes pierced like a headache.
After a moment of hesitation, he closed his eyes. Deep in his chest was a strange feeling; an emptiness gnawing away inside him… The distant sound of cicadas seemed to whisper that time was slowing down. A gentle breeze touched his face as it passed through his hair; the scent of earth mixed with pollen filled his lungs. Behind his eyelids, it was a peaceful late afternoon. The weather wasn't too hot nor too cold—perfectly balanced.
...
Mahey had no idea how long he had been dozing. But when he opened his eyes, he felt different. He looked around. The trunks of the trees shimmered in golden sunlight, and the grass swayed gently with the wind. He took a deep breath.
"What a beautiful view…"
But then, something caught his eye.
"What!?"
"My hands… Why are they so small!?"
He raised them, looking at his palms, his fingers. Small, delicate, smooth… These were a child's hands. In panic, he looked at his feet, his arms. His heart started racing. This wasn't an illusion.
And it didn't take him long to realize the truth:
"I… I'm in a child's body…"
He was in shock. Then, from deep within his mind, something whispered. He recalled the conversation with the flame. That blue flame… It had told him things. He couldn't remember everything, but some of those words still lingered in the corners of his memory.
"That's right… The blue flame said this…"
He looked around. He had no idea what to do next. Still dazed. But he couldn't just sit there in this strange world. He stood up, struggling to find his balance. Then, following some inner impulse, he began to walk in a random direction. As the grass crunched under his feet, Mahey's mind swirled with thoughts.
"Didn't I… die?"
"How is this possible?"
He felt like a prisoner saved at the last second from execution. His heart was full of life, but his mind still lingered in the past. And this body… To be a child again might give him another 80-90 years in this world.
"A second chance, huh?"
But then he shook off those thoughts.
"I've been given a chance… No need to overthink it for now."
...
He walked for a long time. The wind occasionally picked up, strong enough to make the grass ripple. Then he came across a small stream. With the sunlight reflecting on its surface, it sparkled like dancing lights.
"A stream…"
After a brief moment of thought, his eyes lit up.
"Perfect… If I follow the water's flow, I'll probably find a settlement."
It made sense. Besides, the blue flame's words hinted that people lived nearby. But every possibility came with risk. What if he was disappointed?
He stopped. Should he really go?
Was joining society the right move?
What if it led to trouble?
But if he didn't go… What else could he do?
He knew nothing about this world. He was swimming in an unknown ocean, and only courage could help him find his direction. He sighed deeply and muttered to himself:
"I just got here, and trouble's already piling up…"
Still… there was a faint happiness inside him.
This second life… at least, it held promise.
But before continuing his walk, there was something he wanted to do:
See what he looked like!
He approached the stream and leaned over.
- No way! Is that really me!?
His hair was golden… and not too short. His eyes were light brown and looked large compared to his face. His skin was clean and fair. He looked far more handsome than in his past life. His height matched that of a 7 or 8-year-old child. There was a thin piece of clothing on him.
- How is this possible!?
- Why is my appearance different!?
...
Eventually…
He managed to get over the shock of his new appearance after quite some time and slowly started walking again. Yet he still hadn't fully pulled himself together.
Hours passed. The sun began to set slowly. The sky turned a rich shade of orange. Mahey drank from the stream when needed and kept a close eye on his surroundings.
"I was reborn as a child, but… why don't I have a family?"
"That's strange…"
He thought the blue flame had given him the chance to get everything he wanted. So why was he alone? Maybe he had a family but lost them upon reincarnation.
"A family is necessary… Love or friendship is one thing, but… family is something else…"
His mind was confused, but his feet kept moving.
Around him rose ancient willow trees. The soil wasn't damp, making it easier to walk. Apart from the hum of insects, it was completely silent. He saw no animals. Other than a few flies, there was hardly any sign of life.
He remembered the blue flame's words:
"I wonder what's magical in this world?"
"Animals? Humans? Or something else entirely?"
...
Eventually, he sat under a tree to rest. He leaned against its trunk, running his fingers over the soil. As his eyes drifted to the sky, his mind filled with questions:
"How big is this world?"
"And more importantly… Why was I reincarnated?"
There were 8 billion people in the world. Was reincarnation common or unique to him?
If it was unique—or simply random—then…
Had someone planned it?
THUNDER!
He shot his eyes up to the sky. Dark clouds were quickly gathering.
"Damn it!"
"Rain will probably start in half an hour…"
He forgot his fatigue and began to run. He needed shelter—but couldn't find any. Then the rain started, hard and fast. The drops pelted him, running down his hair and dripping to the ground.
He looked around in panic.
He didn't expect his new life to go downhill this quickly.
Then, he spotted a hollow in a rock nearby. He headed straight for it. As he got closer, he realized it was actually a cave. Its entrance was covered in moss; inside was cool and dark.
"I'm lucky…" he thought.
But it didn't last. Once his eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed animal bones inside. Among them was a long, straight horn.
"Damn it!"
He immediately ran back out. Wet, cold, and furious. Night was falling.
What could he do?
"I could try sleeping in the branches of a tall tree…"
"If I fall… I'm done for. But there's no other choice."
He looked for a suitable tree. Then he found a strange one—it looked like an umbrella. Its fruits were round and yellowish. The branches were thick and strong.
"It'll be hard to climb, but… these branches will hold me. This way, I can secure both my life and my dreams!"
He began climbing.
THUD!
He immediately fell.
"Ow! That really hurt!"
But he didn't give up. He tried again. Fell again.
Then again… same result.
"Damn it! I can't even climb a tree…"
"Should I give up? No!"
He clenched his fists.
"This time, I won't give up!
This life… I won't get another chance like this!"
And he climbed again.
...
After a few more tries:
"I did it!"
It cost him a few scratches and bruises. But that was acceptable.
He had seen far worse in his previous life.
By now, the rain had stopped. Thanks to the warm weather, he was drying quickly. He lay down among the branches. Through the leaves, he watched the sky.
"The sky… it's so beautiful…"
He raised his hand, reaching for the stars.
"The stars feel like they're in the palm of my hand…"
He smiled.
"Wow… I haven't felt like this in so long…
This is amazing…"
He watched the stars a little longer. His eyelids grew heavy. The warmth of sleep wrapped around him. As he slowly closed his eyes, he whispered one last time:
"I've gotten used to life in this world so quickly…"
And then he clenched his fists:
"This life will never be like the old one.
No matter what!"
End of Chapter 3