I do not know how it happened.But I was reborn in another world.
At first, I thought I had gone back in time, because everything looked medieval.So I began living as carefully as I could, trying not to show anything strange or an intellect beyond what was normal — just a child.I did not want to be accused of witchcraft or anything demonic.
I lived like that for four years.Until I heard a merchant say a word that changed everything:
"Alagaësia."
That name awakened memories I used to visit only to escape boredom.The books of the Inheritance Cycle.Desecrated by the Eragon movie, but still a world of dragon riders, elves, and magic.
It took me some time to accept what I had discovered.To learn more — and to clear away any doubt — I began paying close attention to every story, rumor, and piece of news the merchants brought.
That is because the village where I live is Carvahall.
I found no child named Eragon.There was no storyteller named Brom.But I did see a young farmer named Garrow, recently married.
Because of that, I now have an idea of where I stand in the timeline.
Now, lying in bed, there is only one question left.
What now?What should he do?
I know what is supposed to happen — or perhaps I do not.My very existence is already a variable outside the original story.
This is real life, not a book, where an author can erase a line or rewrite part of the plot.So it is very possible that things will change: Eragon might never come to Carvahall, or Saphira's egg might never arrive.
But discovering that this is a world of magic made living an ordinary life feel wrong.
For now, I will strengthen my body — lightly at first, after all this body is only four years old.It is better to prepare physically, since magic uses stamina.
Nearly three years passed.
Now, close to my birthday, my body is at the peak for my age.I began helping my father in the carpentry shop as strength training.Everything looked like nothing more than an overly energetic child.
I also learned from the villagers how to skin and tan leather — nothing professional, but I know the basics.How to track and hunt; my aim is still poor, but improving.Recently, I started forging — only crooked nails for now, but it is a beginning.
Through all of this, I realized something about myself: I love learning, building things with my own hands.There is a pleasant satisfaction in every finished task, in every new piece of knowledge.That never happened in my previous life.
Maybe it was because of pressure, or because of how things worked — everything too systematic, everyone learning at the same pace, leading to boredom and disinterest. I do not know.
Now I feel confident enough to begin learning magic.
I spent these years gathering theories from other worlds, observing their common points.
Paper is very expensive, so using clay tablets I wrote my ideas down for comparison.In the end, I had built a small clay library — hidden inside a small cave I discovered after removing some stones while trying to make a hideout.
Returning to the research on magic:
After comparing many theories about unlocking magic, they all share a single principle — the mind.Whether it is to find your core or to draw magic from the environment.
That led to my second field of research: meditation.Something also used in this world to sense one's magic.
I had already decided to wait until I turned seven, so I had to restrain my enthusiasm for now.After all, there is the possibility that I do not have any magical aptitude.
The days before my birthday passed with agonizing slowness, but I endured.I kept my normal routine until the day finally came.
I turned seven.
I could barely sleep from anxiety.
Because it was my birthday, I was given the day off to do whatever I wanted.So I disappeared into my library, planning to review every meditation theory — all to avoid mistakes.
I wanted to take the tablets home, but I could not explain where I had learned to write.My father knows a little, but he has not started teaching me yet.
Maybe I should ask him about it.It would be one less problem if my library were discovered. I could say I was practicing.
Arriving at the library filled me with satisfaction.
Shelves I had secretly built myself.I made a few for home to disguise my use of my father's tools — he was impressed by the joinery method I used.
It took time to get everything right with such crude tools, but I managed.
Reviewing all the theories on meditation and unlocking magic, I reached a few conclusions.
First: the mind must reach calmness — the absence of thoughts — to achieve self-visualization, or as Buddhist texts call it, enlightenment.
For this, I chose a method I remember but do not know from which story.It consists of visualizing a flame and focusing all thought on it, using every stray thought as fuel, until the flame burns everything away, leaving the mind empty.
I do not know if I will reach magic with this method, but I must try.
I also want to discover whether it is possible in this world to build a memory palace — and if it works the same way I remember: improving memory, providing mental defense, and best of all, allowing research while sleeping.
That would be fantastic. But for now, everything is still theoretical.
Night came quickly.I barely noticed time passing.
With all the theories I want to test, twenty-four hours a day feels far too little.
Sitting on my bed, I lie down normally.Despite many stories mentioning meditative poses, I have a theory that posture does not affect the result.
After all, what I will use is the mind, not the body.
Let us begin.
I close my eyes and imagine a flame, trying to maintain the image.
But I did not expect it to be so difficult.
When I try to keep the image of the flame, I begin thinking about theories, or what to do next.Everything turns into a vicious cycle, preventing me from reaching a clear mind.
Sometimes I even get lost in a thought, making the flame collapse.
I tried this for many days, unable to reach my goal.But as far as I remember, this is not something achieved in just a few days.
The practice, however, was not in vain.
After two weeks, I began noticing improvements: my mind seems to work faster, and my memory has sharpened, allowing me to recall details that used to pass unnoticed.
That was one of the reasons I did not abandon this method.
Another was that it was becoming easier to maintain the flame.
I theorize that the improvements are helping with that.
So I will follow this path and see where it leads — whether I reach magic or only mental enhancement.Even that alone excites me.
Half a year passed since I began meditating.
The gains far exceeded my expectations.My memory sharpened to the point where I can record and retrieve information extremely quickly.
I wonder if this is how the minds of geniuses work.
When I think about something, information I have about it begins to surface.Because of that, I had to remodel my library.
And that created a problem: space.
One might ask why I even need a library, since I have such an absurd memory.
I cannot really explain it.It feels as if I am building something — something meaningful.Imagining someone reading and learning from what I created gives me deep satisfaction.
To solve the problem, I began gathering what knowledge I had about making paper.
It took two months of experiments.My information was limited, but I succeeded.I used cattail stalks that grow along the river. The hardest part was pressing them, but I built a wooden press that helped.
Now with paper, my library is much more organized.I think I have written more in this life than in my previous one — and I do not regret it.
Thanks to what I learned from Tim, one of the village hunters, I now have more freedom.I even made myself a bow. It is not very good, but I plan to improve it.I have almost no information about bows, so this will be an experiment from scratch.
Thanks to that — and to three rabbits I managed to hunt — I now even have a backpack.
The last six months were very peaceful.I was almost forgetting the dangers of this world.I was so euphoric with my learning and achievements that I nearly forgot where I am.
This world is not peaceful.Although Carvahall is far from the great events for now, there are still other dangers.
I was reminded of that by a passing merchant who told the story of a village farther east that had been attacked by Urgals.
So it is time to add combat training to my list.
There are no soldiers here, and no one would waste time teaching a child to fight.So I must rely on what I have.
My knowledge.
My first focus must be survival.I should accustom my body to flexibility and agility, so I can dodge and escape effectively.
Then I must improve my reaction time to properly use those enhancements.It is also time to increase my physical training.
From my memory, I can use forms of Chinese boxing to train everything together.It will be difficult to learn alone, but I have no choice.
I also need to find a suitable place for all this training, since I cannot explain the source of my knowledge.
I must plan my time carefully.Although my family is not struggling, I am already at the age when it is expected that I contribute to the household.
Maybe using hunting as an excuse will help — or better yet, fishing.I can make fishing traps, so while I say I am fishing, I can train.
But I cannot go fishing every day.So the best disguise would be to alternate: one day I go out, the next I help my father or another villager.
Yes. That is a good plan.
And I have not forgotten about magic.I am simply at a point where there is nothing more I can do except continue practicing and wait until I reach it.Forcing myself will only frustrate me and waste time.
So it is better to let it be.
But I hear a small voice in my head:
"What if I do not have magic?"