Lacking Emotion

Chapter 3

It is dark, a bone chilling darkness. One that many would call the home of madness where insanity and sanity clash. But for some reason it held warm to it as though the phoenix that inhabitants the heavens embraced those that dwelled through this abyss with a feeling of safety that only a mother can provide. James couldn't move, it was as if he was trapped by something. Though the feeling of fear was not something that came to mind, instead a stronger feeling took it place. One of protection.

"What happened?" he asked himself. He felt weak, tired, all he wished to do was rest. But he couldn't bring himself to submit to the urge for he had a rough road ahead of him.

"... strip your soul of any destiny, leaving you vulnerable... "

The words echoed in his mind like a recording on loop, constantly repeating itself and branding it in his thoughts.

James's head was filled with rage, the name of the worthless god Brandus was carved deep into his heart. He would never forget this name. He'd make sure to correct his ways for him.

Like how the light of a flame drives away the darkness, his surroundings began brightening up to a claiming shade of red.  A shadow of a hand appeared on the other side of something he couldn't quite describe. He moved his tired arm and placed his hand on against it, hearing a heavenly voice softly giggle.

The voice started humming the melody of a song he didn't know, but it didn't matter. His eyelids grew heavy and his body relaxed, and before he knew it he was drifting off to sleep.

When he woke up, he wasn't in the warmth of that save place anymore. He looked around, until something strange caught his eye. His hands. They were small and chubby.

He was covered in a blanket, lying in a small weaved basket in what seemed to be a large empty room. He tried calling out to someone but no one came as no proper words could be formed. He decided to explore, and since no one was there he wouldn't get caught.

He struggled but eventually tilted the basket, just a little to far. The basket fell on top of him, trapping him inside.

Lil mother f*cker!

He tried his hardest but it wouldn't budge. He sighed (that is, if babies can sigh), giving up on that idea but luckily got another.

He started pushing against the basket, and like his plan, it moved. He pushed it until he couldn't feel the ground underneath him anymore.

Should've known I was near the stairs.

After his little joy ride, he landed— inside the basket —with a thud. He shook his head, makeing sure it's still there and climbed out of the basket.

He put one knee in front of the other, balancing himself with the help of his hands. After a while of practicing and loosing his balance numerous of times, he was able to successfully crawl around.

He crawled into a room that he suspected was the kitchen but stopped when he heard a girlish scream.

"MASTER?! Master?! Master Soma?! Where are you?!" footsteps ran down the stairs.

Who's master Soma? James thought to himself.

Crash

"Ugh! Who put that basket there? Wait... BASKET?! *gasp* It's master Soma's! Master! I know you're here! Come out already!" a slight squeaky voice yelled.

A small green blur ran into the kitchen but froze the moment it saw James. It —turned out to be a goblin— panted heavily before it looked back at James.

It was small —probably knee hight— and bold, his face was covered in sweat. It was wearing a long sleeve brown coat thingy with a rope as a belt around his waist. He also wore wooden sandals, where he got those, meh...

"There you are! You almost gave me a heart attack! I beg you, master Soma, please don't do that again" the goblin said as he approached him.

He picked him up and walked over to the basket before placing him in it and taking the basket. He walked into the same room James woke up from and placed the basket onto the floor. After that he got another blanket and threw it over James.

The goblin gave James a bottle of milk and helped him with it. After two minutes the bottle was empty and James's stomach was full.

He keeps calling me Soma... Oh yeah, I got reincarnated with a new name. Guess I'm Soma now.

"Now, now, little master. You should get some rest" the goblin said and tucked him in. Soma just stared at him, not knowing who he was and it seems the goblin realized it to. "I'm so sorry, master Soma, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Granzoul, your mother told me to protect you at all costs" Granzoul smiled at the baby.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day" Granzoul said as he pulled another blanket over himself and fell asleep next to the basket, on the floor.

Huh, I'm the baby and he fell asleep before me.

Little Some just stared at the ceiling, wondering about what Brandus said. "one of the twelve gods". Is there really other monsters like him out there?

He wondered to himself, why isn't his parents here? Where are they? But his thoughts was cut short by a sudden yawn.

All of that exploring from earlier... Is...*yawn*... Catching up to me... Guess it's something I as a baby should get used to.

He rolled onto his side and hugged his blankets before dozing off to sleep. This life isn't so bad...