Memories of Anamesa

When I turned 3 months old, I was brought into the village for the first time.

It was... a lot.

Bright lights. Loud voices. Not so bright people. Looking around, I took in the view.

It was beautiful. My village was nestled in rolling hills surrounded by a lush forest. Wooden cottages lined cobblestone streets, and the air was filled with chirping birds, laughter, and the distinct smell of pine. It was a calm and welcoming place, isolated from the outside world.

Hold on. Why was everyone looking at me?

Creepy.

My mom smiled at me, whispering, "It's time for you to get named by the chief!"

Huh... maybe it's not creepy? I quickly twisted my head around to get a better look.

As I looked, an ancient, short, withered man came out. He was wearing an embroidered robe twice his height and it dragged behind him on the dirt. As he walked over to me, the villagers calmed, becoming silent.

He grabbed me and looked me in the eyes and gently smiled. In his eyes I could see wisdom, kindness; I felt oddly comfortable in his thin arms. Definitely not creepy, I resolutely thought to myself. Then, he raised me up - as if I were in Lion King - and loudly exclaimed: "His name will be Alex, son of Gerald! May he live a long life, filled with adventure and exploration. May he bring his family happiness!" Okay, maybe it was a little odd.

With that statement, I felt a weird sensation pass through me. From my head to my fingertips, it zinged. Not herpes, I thought to myself. Then, I heard a chime and in front of me I saw a message:

[You have been named: Alex, son of Gerald]

Around me, the torches which had been off burst into life, pulsing in synchrony with the power I had felt pass through me. Their flames grew larger. And larger. I could feel their heat. Okay, this was really, really odd. What had just happened?? I squirmed in discomfort.

My mom quickly came and grabbed me and held me close to her bosom and whispered softly into my ears "Oh my Alex, I love you so much! I've truly been blessed to have such a wonderful son!" In that warm, loving embrace, I groggily calmed down and thought to myself "Huh, my name is the same as it was on Earth," before happily falling asleep amidst the villager's celebration. Life was good.

....

With time, I grew. I celebrated my first birthday; once again, I visited the village center, where they held a gathering in my honor. I watched people dance about the bonfire, mirroring the flames within the pit. I was surrounded by family. They laughed and sang and joyously lived every second to its fullest. I felt a profound sense of belonging, of being a part of something great.

By the time I reached the age of two, I had achieved many milestones – the biggest of which was walking! I could now go anywhere I wanted!

No more crawling!

Secondly, I could now string together words, which meant I could finally address the chimes in my mind. They had been a constant presence, notifying me of the skills and powers I had acquired. And now, I could finally see my status!

....

"Status," I whispered to myself, hidden in the shade of my parent's wooden hut. I glanced around to check that no one was watching. Left. Right. Behind me.

For now, I had kept it all a secret. I had no plans to go back to Anamesa after being burned at the stake. By carefully listening to other people, I had discovered that others could not hear, nor see the system. I was not going to die again.

A familiar chime resonated in my mind as a translucent light blue screen materialized in front of me.

My heart raced as I beheld the information that appeared. It was a glimpse into the core of my being, the essence of who I was. Lines of text formed and coalesced, forging a connection between the hidden truths of my existence and the tangible words that unfurled:

==============================

Name: Alex, Son of Gerald

Age: 2 years old

== Overall Stats ==

Strength: 4 (+3)

Agility: 3 (+2)

Stamina: 1

Mana: 1

Charisma: 5

== Traits ==

Infant, [■■■■■]

== Skills ==

[N/A]

==============================

As the words floated before me, I mulled over the numbers shown to me. I couldn't tell if they were high or low for my age, as I had not yet interacted with other children of my age. I was weaker than my mother, but that was normal, wasn't it? She was abnormally strong. Probably because she beat my woodworker dad every day.

I was only two after all, hence the <> trait. What could I expect from myself?

And, what was [■■■■■]? What did it mean? Did it have something to do with my rebirth? I couldn't shake an uncanny feeling that there was so much more than I had thought hidden beneath my existence here on Wardenas. Perhaps this had something to do with it. After all, something was off. But, with a tired sigh, I acknowledged to myself that I would be unable to answer this question as well. All I could do was add it to a growing list of mysteries I had to explore.

First, I needed to figure out why I had chosen this world... thoughtlessly. What had drawn me here? Next, what was my plan? I didn't want to cut wood in this life like my father. And... well.. I didn't like fishing.

Also, life here was medieval. It was incredibly uncomfortable. A part of me missed the modern world. Sleeping on a bed of hay was not comfortable. I don't know how Jesus™ did it.

With a final, lingering gaze at the light blue screen, I blinked and the words faded, dissolving into the air like mist scattered by the wind. The chime that had heralded the appearance of the screen echoed in my mind, leaving behind a sense of possibility and a myriad of questions that begged to be answered.