Chapter 2: Not a dream
The warmth was intoxicating, the sensations overwhelming. I drifted in it, letting the rhythm of the world carry me like a current. For what felt like an eternity, I surrendered to this ocean of touch, sound, and scent.
But then... something shifted.
A sharpness pierced the haze, an awareness, crystalline and undeniable. My senses, once awash in wonder, began to focus. The muffled voices, the heartbeat, the rocking motion, it all sharpened into clarity. I felt the pressure of fingers against my skin, the weight of a blanket, the subtle friction of cloth against my cheek. I could even feel the faint ache in my tiny lungs as I drew in the warm air.
This was no dream.
The realization struck me like starlight against a black sky. Dreams were supposed to be fleeting, intangible, made of thought and whimsy. This was too solid, too vivid. Each sound and touch left a lasting echo in me. I could feel my body responding, my heart beating faster, my lungs filling with air that tasted of milk and life.
I wasn’t imagining this.
I was here.
The hum of the deeper voice reached me again, and this time, it wasn’t just sound or a ripple through my core, it was real, vibrating through the fragile bones of my new existence. My fingers twitched, and I felt the slight resistance of the fabric around me. I was no longer a distant watcher in some ethereal void.
I had crossed the veil.
A flicker of panic and wonder intertwined in me. If this wasn’t a dream, then... I had fallen into reality. A mortal reality. The very world I had only ever observed from my sanctuary of starlight.
It was terrifying.
It was exhilarating
Until a familiar sound echoed through my mind.
[EMERGENCY PROTOCOL]
[Main system initializing]
[Synchronization complete]
[Welcome, Alash Vortex]
’Alash Vortex?’
[Alash Vortex is the name of your current body.]
’Just explain what exactly happened?’
It took a while for the system to explain the most important point. I didn’t interrupt it, and once it finished, I was able to grasp a bit of the current situation.
In the aftermath of a catastrophic invasion, the Celestial Realm, once a sanctuary of divine splendour, fell under assault by demons intent on seizing the Akashic Record, the ultimate repository of all knowledge and fate. The gods, bound by their own limitations, proved powerless against the relentless onslaught.
In a desperate bid to preserve its existence and safeguard the Akashic Record, the System enacted its emergency protocol. The divine consciousness guiding it fused entirely with its chosen host, severing ties to the Celestial Realm. In that moment, the host’s mind was wrenched from its luminous, ethereal form and hurled into a new existence, a fragile mortal body, a newborn in the material world.
This unprecedented reincarnation rendered the divine into the mortal, hiding the Akashic Record within the vulnerabilities of life itself. Through the eyes of its new vessel, the System would awaken again, reborn amid warmth, breath, and the pulse of human existence, an eternal guardian cloaked in the innocence of infancy.
’But why me?’
[Host was the only celestial who didn’t resist when the system tried to fuse the Key of the Akashic Records]
’So you are telling me that the key was fuse with my mind because I was too lazy to resist?’
[...yes]
The irony was as clear as day. The key to the Akashic record, the universe’s most crucial artifact, could only merge with the most lethargic mind among the celestial beings.
Before I could ask anymore question, I felt a sudden warm around my body.The warmth of the arms holding me was unlike anything I had ever known. Gentle, steady, and alive. For a moment, I simply let myself sink into it, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of the chest beneath me, the faint, muffled thrum of a heartbeat that resonated through my tiny form. My senses, sharpened by this new existence, drank in every detail: the faint scent of soft linen, the tender press of fingers against my back, and the soothing sway that lulled me in waves of comfort.
Then, with effort, I pried my eyes open for the very first time.
Light flooded my world, soft yet dazzling. Everything was a blur at first, colours bleeding into one another like a painting awash in sunlight. Slowly, the haze gave way to shapes, and I saw the world through mortal eyes for the first time.
It was magnificent.
Above me stretched a ceiling of intricate carvings, gilded in gold that shimmered under the glow of a crystal chandelier. Velvet drapes framed tall windows, their fabric rich and heavy, swaying gently in an unseen breeze. The walls were adorned with paintings and tapestries, and every surface gleamed with polish and care. The very air carried the faint scent of fresh flowers, mingling with something sweet, warm, and home-like.
I realized then: I had been born into wealth, a world of luxury and comfort that many mortals would only ever dream of. The arms that cradled me were wrapped in silk, and the voice that hummed softly above me belonged to someone of gentle refinement, their tone warm and protective. Another figure approached, dressed in finery, and though I could barely make out their features, the way their hands reached for me was cautious and reverent.
This was my new reality.
No longer a distant observer of mortal lives, I was now part of one, born into privilege, swaddled in care, and shielded from the hardships I had only ever watched from afar. Wonder and disbelief mingled within me, and as I blinked up at the glittering ceiling, a fragile, instinctive coo escaped my lips.
I was alive, I was seen, and for the first time, I felt the world truly holding me back.
"He’s so adorable," whispered the first maid, her eyes bright as she peeked at my tiny form bundled in silken blankets. "Look at those little fingers! I swear, he could melt anyone’s heart."
The second maid smiled softly, brushing a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "Mmm, he’s the spitting image of the late Lady. It’s uncanny... like she lives on in him."
A brief silence fell between them, heavy yet tender, broken only by the faint creak of the rocking cradle.
The first maid sighed, her voice lowering to a mournful murmur. "It’s such a tragedy. The Lady gave her life bringing him into this world. The whole mansion feels... quieter without her."
The second maid nodded, her lips trembling slightly. "I still remember the night. The doctors tried everything, but... when the baby cried for the first time, she was already gone."
The first maid’s fingers traced the edge of the crib gently. "He’ll grow up loved... but without knowing her touch."
From my swaddled cocoon, I listened. I understood their words, their sorrow, their reverence for a woman who had given me life and yet... I felt nothing. No grief, no weight in my chest. Only a quiet detachment, as if their sadness was a distant song carried on the wind.
I blinked up at them, my small eyes reflecting their sorrow, but my heart remained still. Their grief could not touch me, not yet.
Inside, a single thought drifted like a feather: So, she is gone...
* * *
Back inside my cradle, after being feed and change, my thought drift back to the system.
’System open status’
—————————————————————————————
Name: Alash Vortex
Age: 10 days old
Potential: -
Special constitution: -
Core: -
Stats:
[Available after awakening]
[More function will be available after awakening]
Special : Main part of Akashic key [1/5]
———————————————————————————
’System, explain the special part’
[The Akashic Key exceeded the cognitive and spiritual capacity of a singular mortal host.]
[Direct integration was impossible without catastrophic failure.]
[The Key integrity was divided into five discrete segments.]
[Each segment allocated to a separate newborn vessel to ensure stable containment.]
[Primary segment designated to HOST-01, possessing the highest mental maturity among recipients.]
’Hmm, does that mean there are 4 other new born babies in this realm with a system window too ?’
[No, The System is only available to the primary host]
’Then what will be different with the other vessel?’
[Their potential will exceed the highest potential of this realm after awakening. But they will not be able to access any function of the system nor will they realize that they process a part of the Akashic key]
I could feel that this was important information, something I should hold onto, but my laziness slowly swallowed me whole. My tiny body curled into itself, resting in the perfect cocoon of warmth and softness. It was as if the world outside had paused, leaving only the tender cradle of comfort around me. The blanket hugged me, the air was gentle, and every sound seemed far away, muffled by safety. In that moment, I was a baby again, floating in a little nest of serenity, my eyelids too heavy to care about anything but the bliss of sleep.
’System wake me up after a century.’
[...]