Ancient Pasts - Tbate

Suspicion

Cathan Leywin

My father was a much better fighter. When he put on his two iron gauntlets, he fought with quick and firm movements that were surprising for his build, his fists carried enough force to break the sound barrier, but were fluid enough to not leave an opening. In my world, he would have been classed as a high-tier fighter, leading a squad of soldiers, but to me, he was my idiot father.

From what I learned, this world seemed to be fairly straightforward on filled with magic and warriors; where power and wealth decided one's rank in society. In that sense, it wasn't too different from my old world, except for the lack of technology and the slight difference between magic and ki.

In my old world, wars had become an almost obsolete form of settling disputes between countries. Don't get me wrong, of course, there were still smaller-scale battles, and armies were still needed for the safety of the citizens. However, disputes concerning the wellbeing of a country were based on either a duel between the rulers of their country, limited to making use of ki and close combat weapons, or a mock battle between platoons, where limited firearms were allowed, for smaller disputes.

Therefore, Kings weren't the typical fat man sitting on the throne ignorantly commanding others but had to be the strongest fighter to represent their country. And Grey was the strongest of them all.

It's been a few months since I was reborn, I was the disciple of the strongest. I could have my country's army assemble at my feet, kneeling down with the snap of a finger. I've outduelled my competitors from different countries as well as my own people to settle disputes and maintain my position. In terms of swordsmanship and controlling ki, I was second to only Grey, for having personal strength was essential to becoming a figure in my past world on Earth. Fighters weren't born but raised. Yet, I couldn't think of a prouder moment in my two lives than now.

I can crawl baby!

'Till now, I had to make do with the stories mother would tell me while trying to make me fall asleep. I grumbled out noises of complaint when she stopped too early. My father would sometimes sit me on his lap while idly talking to me about his old days, which gave me some hints as to what kind of world this was and what it was filled with.

Reynolds Leywin, a former adventurer, had quite a lot of experience in this field. He was a part of several parties that went on expeditions to search for treasure and fulfill missions they acquired from the Adventurer Guild. He eventually settled down when he met my mother at the Kingdom's border in a city called Valden. He proudly told me how my mother fell head over heels for him at first sight when he visited the town's Adventurer Guildhall that she had been working at that time, but Arthur and I suspected it was the exact opposite from how my mother slapped him across the back of the head and told him to stop telling us lies.

My name was Cathan Leywin now, by the way. Cath for short, which, as a former warrior, sounded a little too cute, but hey, after getting a glimpse of myself in the metal sheet they used as a mirror in the washroom, I looked absolutely adorable. I got my mother's glowing auburn hair while my eyes were a bright azure color, inherited from my father. I don't know how my facial features are going to turn out as I mature, but as long as I don't turn out fat, it'll be okay.

Watch out, future ladies! Prepare to be heartbroken!

It seemed Arthur had the same thought process as he stared at himself in the mirror, a few moments later we started staring at each other, I seemed to be a little taller than Arthur, aside from that we looked exactly the same.

After weeks of attempting to crawl, yet only achieving an uncoordinated scuffle in place, I had finally succeeded; even managing to sneak into the family's library/study room while my mother was hanging the laundry out to dry. Mother rued the day I started to become mobile, sighing, "I swear, you two are going to become as hard to manage as your father."

I closed the encyclopedia and situated myself more comfortably on the ground basically I just laid on my belly because crawling and sitting upright was so damn tiring.

exchanging glances with Arthur who was reading another book I wanted to read I waited for him to finish reading, as he finished I crawled over as fast as I could and opened the book, I could see Arthur eyeing me with surprise before shrugging and reading the book I already finished reading.

This reaction was within what I expected as even Grey was shocked by how fast I could read, it was one of few things that allowed me to have the optional to surpass him in the future, alongside my unnatural instincts which were as fast as his own, while he had far less ki than any normal person I had a little over average ki, with instincts on par with Grey.

Suddenly I got an idea, from what I understood mana behaved in the same way as ki, but unlike ki, it was in the atmosphere as well, then maybe...

I closed my eyes and began to meditate, I could see a lot of pretty white lights and began to gather them near my abdomen, an hour or two trickle by as I make some progress in forming my mana core.

"There you are! Art, Cathan. Are you having trouble taking a poopie?"

Glancing over at Arthur who seemed to have been meditating like me, his annoyed expression turned into one of embarrassment quickly, as our mom picked him up.

I had a suspicion that maybe Arthur was Grey, but now that he pooped himself while meditating I'm doubting that he was never that good at meditating, but it does seem that Arthur was reborn as well, and from the way he looks at me he already knows I am as well.

Our mom picked me up and left me in my crib while she changes Arthur's diaper, while she does that I have some work to do, sitting up I started to meditate and drag the white lights towards my abdomen, I shouldn't finish forming my mana core in the house, seeing as according to the books I read it causes an explosion.

Elves can awaken at the age of six, which leads me to believe that awakening at an earlier age could cause my understanding of mana to be different. For almost everyone, mana felt like a borrowed power. Could mana become my own power if I awaken early enough?

A/N: Join the Fanfic Haven discord: https://discord.gg/zwZvj5fXms.

Sorry for the short chapter.