Chapter 01: The Beginning

The glare of the light blinds me as I emerge from the depths of unconsciousness. My last memory is of the familiar comfort of my royal chamber. Did I perish? Was I the target of an assassination plot? Despite my best efforts to rule justly, the power and influence I wielded made enemies inevitable. Well… If I did get assassinated I sure hope it was a cool death haha…

As I drift towards the radiant glow, I resign myself to whatever fate awaits me beyond. Strange thoughts flit through my mind, sidestepping the existential dread I should be feeling. Maybe I fell into a coma? Whatever's the case, this really sucks.

As my small eyes finally open up, being all blurry for a second it sharpens up and I start to see two middle-aged people looking at my body in an exciting way… Not that I blame them of course, I do have a muscular physique… Wait… WHY AM I SO SMALL?! Is this some type of a coma dream? Oh wait, they're talking…

"My son looks so pretty and healthy!" My mother, Nora, exclaims excitedly. I couldn't help but feel a surge of confusion mixed with a dash of amusement at her words. Pretty? Healthy? I was more concerned with the fact that I seemed to have shrunk in stature.

The other figure, a man with a rugged face and a kind expression, nods in agreement, his eyes shining with pride and wonder. "Our son!" Sigurd yells, his voice choked with emotion. "Our beautiful son!"

Well, I guess this peasant-looking guy is my… dad? Whatever may be, it seems I know the language of this other world pretty well.

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I try to make sense of my surroundings. The room is dimly lit, with flickering candles casting eerie shadows on the walls. There's a warmth in the air, a sense of familial love that envelops me despite my confusion.

My mother's gentle touch brushes against my cheek "You're such a beautiful boy, aren't you, David?" she says in a childish tone, my name is David now? Not such a flashy name for a king but I'll go along with it. My mother it seems she's some sort of a mage and I can't help but feel a surge of fondness towards her, of course not THAT type of fondness… Despite the strangeness of the situation, there's something comforting about her presence.

As I struggle to come to terms with my new reality, a myriad of questions swirl through my mind. How did I end up here? What happened to my old life? And most importantly, how on earth did I shrink into this tiny body?

But for now, amidst the uncertainty and confusion, there's one thing I know for sure… I need a change of clothes. "Quick honey, I think David has soaked himself." whispers the dad, I suppose, being a baby, I'm not quite in charge of my bodily functions yet.

As I sleep through my first night I am awakened by the soft cooing of my parents, their voices like a gentle lullaby that soothes my troubled mind. I stir from my slumber, blinking my tiny eyes against the dim light filtering through the room. My mother leans over me, a warm smile lighting up her face as she cradles me in her arms.

"Good morning, little one," she murmurs softly, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

I gurgle in response, the sound barely more than a faint squeak as I try to communicate my newfound sense of wonder and confusion. My father chuckles beside her, his rugged features softened by the light of dawn.

Three long years had passed since I first entered this world, a tiny bundle of innocence and wonder. Through these three years I had also learned that this world is a world of magic. The magic in this world is called… Essence.

See in my world, Ki was sourced from within but it flowed within the body as a sort of boost to empower ones body, however here, essence is also from inside but it is then released outward as a form of energy, be it a spell, healing enchantment, or even a magical attack. Essence in it of itself is purely energy, however when Essence is released it will be shaped and formed to the will of it's bearer. Some royal houses are renowned for their fire manipulation where as other minor nobilities control over matter. Most of the peasantry have a very low level of essence and even when conjured it was usually something minuscule like the power of a torch in your fingertips. But yeah this is all I gathered up from spying on my parents' long conversations over the countless sleepless nights. And now, after countless tumbles and stumbles, I had finally mastered the art of… walking.

As I ventured through the familiar corridors of our small house, a sense of excitement bubbled up inside me. And then, as if by some stroke of fate, I stumbled upon it: a library.

My eyes widened in wonder as I took in the sight before me. Rows upon rows of shelves stretched out as far as the eye could see, each one laden with dusty tomes and leather-bound volumes. Hmmm... these are some interesting books, although I never really liked reading books as a king, my curiosity piqued by the titles of some of them.

With trembling hands, I reached out to pluck a book from the nearest shelf, my fingers tracing the intricate patterns etched into its weathered cover. As I flipped through the pages, a sense of awe washed over me. So, it turns out this world is pretty straightforward. It's got one big continent, and they call it Ashber. Not a bad name, if you ask me. Kinda rolls off the tongue, you know? Anyway, what's interesting is that this continent isn't just one big happy land; it's divided into five different kingdoms.

Now, when I say kingdoms, I don't mean your typical fairytale stuff with knights in shining armor and princesses locked away in towers. Nah, these kingdoms are more like a bunch of cool clubs, each with its own vibe and style.

You've got the High Kingdom of Valoria, with its fancy castles and noble knights. Then there's the Elven Kingdom of Sylvanwood, where the trees are tall and the elves are, well, pretty elfy. And let's not forget about the Dwarven Kingdom of Stonehammer, where they've got mines deeper than the Grand Canyon and beards longer than your grandma's knitting.

But it's not all about knights and elves and dwarves. There's also the Coastal Kingdom of Meridian, where the sea breeze blows salty and the fish are fresher than a daisy in spring. And last but not least, there's the Desert Kingdom of Sunfire, where the sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see and the sun beats down like a fiery hammer.

So, in this world, they've got their own currency system, but it's not your typical silver and gold setup. Nah, they've named it after their late king, Frank. Now, if you're scratching your head confusedly, let me give you a few examples:

A hundred Franks could fetch you a solid horse. Not bad, huh?

Boost that up to a thousand Franks, and you're covered for food for a whole year. Pretty decent deal if you ask me.

But when you're talking ten grand Franks, you're in the big leagues. Only the high rollers like nobles and royals throw that kind of cash around.

I could dive deeper, but I think you're catching my drift, right?

Now lets go through this… Essence Manifestation book, how can I manifest this… magic? So, here's the deal. This book's supposed to teach me how to pull off some fancy magic tricks. But flipping through the pages, I gotta admit, it's a bit more complicated than I thought. There's talk of channeling Essence and visualizing energy flows, sounds like something out of a wizard's handbook.

But hey, I'm not one to back down from a challenge. So, I roll up my sleeves, grab a seat, and start digging into the nitty-gritty. Turns out, manifesting Essence isn't just about waving a wand and shouting some fancy words. It's all about focus, concentration, and tapping into that inner wellspring of power.

As I read on, the instructions become clearer. Step one: visualize the Essence flowing through me, like a river of energy waiting to be unleashed. Step two: channel that energy into a specific form or shape, whether it's a fireball or a healing aura. And step three: release it into the world, with intention and purpose.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not exactly. Turns out, mastering Essence manifestation takes time and practice… lots of it. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, right?