Foxtails and Fairytales: Reckless Adventures in Another World

[Arc 1] Ch. 4 First Chant

Sebas Asmos Ti'en

It's been half a year since I've come to this new world. Crawling, that thing is amazing. After being crushed to death by my new mom when I showed up, and not being able to move, crawling is a welcome feeling. I can now checkout my new world.

So far, my investigation has only gone as far as a few rooms including the ones that have the doors open.

I have been able to pick up a few things as far as language. I guess I had it wrong it wasn't Sebastian it was Sebas Amos Ti'en. A Three word name but for the most part I'm just called baby Sebas.

Since I've been here for so long I've decided to call the couple here Mama and Papa. I live with five people, six if you count me.

I haven't learned everyone yet, but mama has been abnormally attached to me. I feel like I'm having my privacy invaded.

*

It's been a year since I've been born or at least it's summer again. They have all four seasons in this part of this world, so it's been easy to get my bearings that way. I can't walk on my own yet, but I can climb just about anything and I can almost outrun mama when I'm clever.

But I've keep you waiting. I've learned the spoken language and have discovered the identities of my caretakers. Mama and Papa are the heads of house. Amelia and Vandiver Ti'en. Their original maid is Hilda a catgirl. My wet nurse, the nipple lady, is human named Iliza. And the knight is a grumpy elf named Zorlo.

Zorlo doesn't talk much but he seems capable enough. He secretly loves to cook and not-so-secretly fights Hilda over the right to cook the meals.

Iliza is a woman of maybe 30 years old. She is kind and is often at odds with mama over who gets to hold me.

Hilda is a young girl in her early teens she has brown hair and is surprisingly perky.

Mama is... well mama. I think she's 22. She definitely has separation anxiety when it comes to me. But she is smart and I often catch her reading.

Papa (24) is a man of action, you can tell just by looking at him that he has lived an adventurous life. That's because he is was an adventurer. Before bed he tells me bedtime stories about the adventures he's been on. I listen intently, mama does too. I think there is a little bit of hero worship between them.

I also learn that the Ti'en are a large family of noble foxkin and that the number of tails has a lot to do with status and ability. Mama has two tails and Papa has three. The most you can get is nine and at that point you're basically a god.

But I don't care about that, I want nine tails and I'm going to figure out how to do it. I'll become a super strong adventurer. But mostly, having nine tails just sounds so cool!

I've also begun to be able to speak a little. It's actually really hard since I don't have full control of my vocal chords.

Papa is only around in the mornings. By the evening he is gone, I'm assuming he's going to his job. Good work dad. I can't imagine that he's cheating on mom. They are like a storybook couple, their eyes sparkle when they look at each other. They fawn all over each other, and at night I know I hear them making my siblings. I not that dense! Keep it down I'm trying to sleep!

At night I'm not actually trying to sleep. I'm training.

I say that like it's impressive, but really, I'm just holding my hands like I'm holding and invisible ball and trying to do magic. With no success. I haven't seen any magic yet, I've only heard papa talk about magicians. If I don't make any progress I'm going to have to ask when I'm older.

*

Half of a year passes, I get to go outside for my first time because I can walk now. Mama wraps me up and we play in the snow together. I love it. I love her. I've never had anything like this. I'm still young but I love my life. I've seen my face reflected in the glass windows and I know I'm not ugly. It's a baby face, but if I look anything like my real mother I might be a hottie. But I promise to never let that get the best of me.

Something growls nearby. My ear flicks in that direction but I don't remember having a dog. Mama notices my reaction and turns to look.

"Zorlo!" she shouts. She sweeps me off my feet and begins running toward the house.

The elf who was nearby swoops into action.

He runs to us while chanting something. Then finishes with, "Air bullet!" A gust of wind shots from his hand. A white wolf jumps from the snow but is knocked away by the air bullet before he can pounce on me and mama.

Zorlo pulls out his thin curved sword, it glows and before he swings it. "Wind slash!" He swings the blade and draws a line in the air that flies at the wolf and slices off its head.

Magic! Real magic!

My eyes sparkle at the amazing scene. You know in spite of the mortal danger.

"Madam, take the boy and go inside!" Zorlo holds his sword as several more wolves come out of the snow. But I'm unable to see the remainder of the fight.

Mama runs into the house and locks the door behind her.

"Madam?" Hilda comes out of the living room.

"There are wolves outside. Quickly, to the cellar!" Mama screams while grabbing Hilda by the hand and shouts at Iliza. Together we make our way to the basement.

The door to the cellar is thicker than any other door in the house.

"But isn't Zorlo outside?" Hilda asks.

Mama locks the door behind us and pulls us down the stairs.

"I've already lost two of my children! I'm not losing another!" Mama shouts.

Now I understand why mama is so attached to me. Poor mama.

Iliza lights a lantern and hands it to Hilda. She then grabs a pitchfork being stored in the corner. She puts us in the corner and stands in front of us with the pitchfork aimed at the stairs at the other end of the room.

We wait in silence, until we hear the sound of the back door breaking down. Something big clatters around and runs through the house above us before stopping at the cellar door. Which shakes.

The wonder of the magic wears off, and the severity of reality kicks in. Is this going to be another massacre? Am I just going to stand by and watch while people get murdered in front of me again? No! I refuse!

I slip out of my mom's grip and run to the bottom of the stairs.

"Sebas NO!" mama screams. The cellar door is shaking even more now.

I may not be able to do much, but maybe I can buy time until papa gets home. My little legs carry me where I want to go. I hold my hand up the stairs and aim my palm at the door. I have not been able to do magic yet, but now I'm able to visualize it better and I even have a key phrase. I visualize a large ball of air in front of my hand.

Maybe if I make something up. Shit, I don't know any spells.

"Mother Gaia, lend me thy voice to blow away my enemies, help me protect my family."

It... It's working! I fell air circulating around my hand. My voice is weak because I'm still a infant, but I don't care. Mentally I am still a man. When the cellar door opens I shout with every fiber of my being. "AIR BULLET!"

The force of the spell sends me flying against the wall behind me and everything goes black.