“You know it occurs to me that you don’t have a name.”
The little Mushling looked up at Ellephwen, who stood at her kitchen surface cutting fruit. Well, do Mushmen ever name their children? Even the smarter ones don’t talk. How do you name something when you can’t even talk?
A delightful giggle burst from the Dryad. She was turned away from her patient, making her an easy to digest and appropriate meal from a Mushling. Ellephwen turned around, bringing a carved plate filled with cute fruit shaped like various monsters.
“Be that as it may. I do talk, and if I am to look after you, I must call you something other than little mushling or dear, correct?”
Said Mushling looked deep inside herself. Being honest. That doesn’t sound bad at all.
A small Cooba fruit shaped like a frog's head was thrust towards the ex-humans mouth, who opened it without a second thought.
“As a human, did you ever learn the law of progeny? Or perhaps you would have known it by another name.”
She shook her head, mouth far too full to speak in polite company. Completely forgetting of course that she didn’t need to speak at all to continue the conversation. Or even that she couldn’t speak full stop.
Ellephwen wiped a few crumbs from the child's mouth. “It’s a simple thing really. Seems to be baked into the laws of our world itself. As a monster, if I were to name you, you would become my kin. Hence why I asked if your parents had named you first.”
The crunching stopped. The Mushling looked up at Ellephwen. Is being your kin bad or something?
“It’s declaring you as my family. I just thought you may have reservations given your circumstances.”
This seemed like something she should have thought about more. Weigh up pros and cons, but honestly. She couldn’t see the cons. It would make life just that little bit easier if she had an actual name. I see no downsides. I mean, I suppose I’ve only just met you a few days ago, but it’s not a name that's gonna change much.
Another fruit found its way into the child's mouth. Ellephwen’s smile changed a little, a little regret found its way into her expression. “My name. It comes with a little baggage. Baggage I would try my hardest to keep from you, but some may inevitably fall on you. Will you still accept?”
That wasn’t something she could really answer, but it also wasn’t as though it would bother her either. What baggage could there possibly be? I don’t really mind, you saved my life, now you’re even naming me. I’ll owe you a lot by the time I can move again.
Ellephwen giggled, handing another piece of carved fruit to the small mushling, letting her teeth wrap around it. “You will owe me nothing. This was all my own choice.” She sat back, and placed one slender finger on his chin. “Now let’s see. Do you recall your old name?”
The Mushlings face scrunched up, thinking hard. No. I can’t for some reason. I remember the name of the Dwarf that lived in my village and the tavern I would frequent, but not my own name? Is that weird? I don’t know what’s weird.
“Well, I’m afraid I’ve never been reincarnated, so it’s hard for me to answer that.” She sat back in her chair. “I suppose I’ll have to give you a completely new name then. How about we borrow from my own? Say… Ellena. How do you like that name?”
Ellena? Hmm. Yeah. I like it, I have no reason not to like it! Ellena. That’s a good name. She nodded her head and squeaked happily. I’ll take it!
Another giggle brightened Elephwen's face. “Ellena it is then. Kin of Ellepwhen.”
Now named Ellena, she decided to check her stats, she hadn’t really had a good look. Too busy grieving, or half dead. She certainly hadn’t gotten past the grieving phase, but at the very least she was no longer reaching over death's door.
Name: Ellena
Age: 38 days
Species: Forest Mushling, Mushman
Height: 1.5”
Sex: N/A
Level: 29 +23
Health: 10/10 +3
Mana: 2/2 +1
Stamina: 19/19 +4
Energy: 17/19 +4
Attack: 9 +4
Defence: 20 +6
Magic Attack: 2+1
Magic Defence: 8+4
Titles: Kin of Ellephwen
Skills: [Pain Resistance lvl 3] +1 [Night vision lvl 2] [{Mushroom Helmet lvl 3}]+1
[Tough Stomach lvl 1] [Unarmed Combat Novice lvl 1] Gained!
Wow. So, I now have a title? Never saw that before in my last life. I guess humans don’t get the kin title, it must be just a monster thing.
“It is, though only the God’s know why.”
Ellena looked across the rest of her stats. She now already had a level in unarmed combat, just from falling on a woman's head. Which was technically correct, but it just seemed too quick. What’s more, she gained so many levels just from that. If she aged, she would grow up to a normal Mushman regardless, but if she was quick enough and evolved, wouldn’t she get her choice of evolutions?
+
At this point, Ellephwen had pulled out knitting gear. A very human hobby, but she told Ellena that all her dresses had been knitted by her, though most were made of leaves. She had decided to knit the Mushling a small coat, which she didn’t really need.
“Evolution is a strange thing, Ellena. Our bodies shift and change, sometimes to a completely new form. For most monsters, they lack the intellect to decide for themselves when they first evolve, their instincts kick in and they merely choose the next step in their line. You will have quite the unique advantage over them.”
Ideas began rushing to the Mushmans head. Wow. I hadn’t really thought about it, but the choices I’ll have… Mushmen can go so many ways. Will I become a poisonous Mushman? Maybe a really tall one. I could even become something else entirely maybe? She stopped herself, frowning.
Her adoptive kin noticed her expression. “What’s wrong?”
To evolve. I’ll have to kill again.
Ellephwen put her knitting needle down. “Ah. Yes. Just as most monsters do,” she leaned over and patted Ellena’s mushroom head. “It’s almost as if you feel guilty for feeling no guilt, child. If you truly worry, then only fight those that attack you first, hmm?”
In all of her fumbling and thought bouncing, Ellena had genuinely not thought of that. Self defense to level up. She nodded. Yeah alright, when I get back out there that’s exactly what I’ll do! You do seem quite wise, Ellephwen!
“Well I have lived a very long time.”
Oh really, how long?
Out of nowhere, a slap flew at Ellena’s head, bouncing off her hardened mushroom helmet. She still felt it though. Ow.
Ellepwhen still smiled, just as sweetly as usual, but there was something menacing behind her eyes. “Ellena dear. As someone who was once a fellow woman, you should know not to ask one her age.”
That was something her mother had told her multiple times, but honestly she never cared much. Maybe because I only lived to nineteen… She shrugged. I suppose it wasn’t really that important, I was just curious. Sorry Ellephwen.
She bowed her head. “Apology accepted. Now, since we’re on the subject, if you do have any actual questions, I am all ears.”
There were many many questions the little mushroom had, about this life, this place and about monsters, but for now, there was one she was most curious about. Where are we?
“Ah, yes. This is my home. We’re right in the middle of the Great Rurrian Forest, at the thinnest stretch of the Central Continent.”
I knew it! The Mushling exclaimed in her heart. I thought to myself, there was no way a forest of this size could be any other forest, right?
Ellephwen giggled. “Well there is the Monster Continent isn’t there?”
Have you been to the monster continent?! Does it really have a great forest too?
“Every year more of that great continent is discovered, perhaps your village didn’t have the latest maps. Humans and Dwarfs have already found land equal in size to the Demons territory. Where was your village Ellena?”
Ellena sat up, smiling. A small village on one of the smaller Southern Islands called Sutherfell Island!
“Ah,” Ellephwen remarked, sounding surprised. She rubbed her chin. “Child. Tell me. What was the common year of your death?”
Things were getting strange now. That wasn’t a question Ellena had expected. Well. It was the end of 755cy, why?
The tall Dryad looked shocked, taken aback, then she calmed down quite fast. Instead, her eyes shined with a sympathetic arch. “Ellena. The current year is 996c. It would appear that over two hundred years have passed since your death.
Unsurprisingly, the Mushling was in turn quite shocked by this news. She stared up at the Dryad. Eh? She thought. Just a single thought.
“I have never heard of such a thing, but then I have also not heard of anyone reincarnating back into their own world.”
In truth, the passage of time barely affected Ellena. Her parents were already lost, and though she certainly had good standing in her village, there was no one that particularly stood out as family or friend. Well, that is except the dwarf. Even so, her home itself, that she had an attachment to. Ellephwen.
“Yes dear?”
What happened to my home? The way the Dryad had reacted when Ellena told her of her home. It was exactly how she had figured out something was off.
Just as expected Ellephwen looked a little uncomfortable, she smiled, but only for a brief moment. “It’ll be quite the evening child, there is a lot of history for you to catch up on.
***
Many hours later, Ellena found herself alone in the house. Ellephwen had gone out to collect berries and herbs. A lot of information had been thrown at her. Two hundred years of history in half a day.
Most of it was stuff that wasn’t exactly important to her. Political changes, the king of Demons disappearing off the face of the planet that sort of thing. Though, the demon king was related to the changes in her home.
They were gone, almost completely, now known as the Dead Isles. The Southern Isles; as they used to be known, were in an odd spot with the great Demon Territory to the east, south and west. Generally, demons would stay out of the mortal lands, her islands included. They weren’t on good terms per se, but not outright hostile.
Unfortunately, it seemed as though during her relatively short life, a demon civil war had already begun brewing. A particularly powerful and influential Demon Lord dissatisfied with the Demon King's peaceful ways gathered seven of the fifteen demon lords at the time and declared war on the king.
The Demon King was apparently kind enough to warn the lords of the Southern Islands that they may get caught in the middle, but apparently they didn’t listen. Completely ignoring him because he was a demon. The war inevitably reached their shores, with demons on average being far more powerful than men. Rulers panicked, some saving their own skin, some doing their best to save their people. In the end less than a tenth arrived at the central continent alive.
That wasn’t how the great islands were destroyed though, as powerful as demons were, they didn’t necessarily have the power to level an entire mass of islands. No, theDemon King was losing the war, having lost two of his loyal Demon Lords. So, despite his sympathy for the few human survivors on the islands, he did something drastic. Luring every rebel lord he could there.
Then, he released what has apparently been the Demon King's secret weapon for generations; according to Ellephwen. The God Attribute monster, The Kraken. There were not many God Attribute monsters, those that were born into power then evolved beyond any others, at the ankles of Gods themselves.
It was then that the Demon King destroyed those islands, to stop a war that could ruin the Demons and mortals beyond. He ordered the Kraken to use its most destructive skill, [{Apocalyptic Tsunami lvl 10}]. It was an evolved unique version of the already devastating [Tsunami] skill. Even with the mortals under his care and many of his subordinates' protests, he still unleashed that deadly wave upon them.
The islands were all but wiped out, along with anything that lived on them, mortals and demons alike. The Tsunami was powerful enough to carry on its assault to the Eastern Shores of the Demon Territory, where the traitors headquarters lay. The weakened leader of the rebels and any other survivors did their best to stop it, but it still managed to wipe a large portion of the land out.
Many innocents died, many not so innocent. His subjects understood, as did his friends and daughter, even those that protested could barely blame him, but it weighed heavily on his mind. The overwhelming guilt, so he disappeared, leaving his most trusted subordinate in charge of his child daughter until she was old enough to take the throne.
Ellephwen said that no one knows what happened to him, or where he went. Some believe that he threw himself in the brutal Dark Depths prison in which he kept the surviving traitors. Others say he wanders the lands as an unnamed warrior protecting his people where he can.
In any case, the war lasted just over fifty years and the Demon Queen took the throne around sixty years ago. Neither of which particularly affected Ellena, but it was still handy to know.
In truth she didn’t really even know how to process all of that. It was a barrage of information thrown at her. The likelihood was that anyone she did know is now dead anyway, killed by the traitors or the Demon King.
Before she left, Ellephwen asked Ellena if she hated the Demon King. She answered that she didn’t know, because she honestly didn’t. The Mushling had never met him, all she knew was that he did what he thought he had to, and if the war had already lasted fifty years, maybe it was the right call. It was one she didn’t know if she could make.
The Dryad seemed almost relieved by her answer. She was apparently old friends with the Demon King, but had not seen him since he disappeared. That’s when she left to get food, after giving Ellena a few maps to pour over. One, the closest to her death and the other, the closest to current knowledge.
The Monster Continent that once barely peaked on the edge of the map stood at the size of the Demon Territory if not larger. Some people had also begun to settle there, small kingdoms and walled cities. It was a wild and dangerous continent. Ellephwen explained that the small nub that humanity knew about was isolated, unlivable, so it had been left for decades, but when the Krakens tsunami hit, it rippled across the known world, sending one random merchant vessel to the shores of the Monster Continent. A far more liveable location.
Even with all the new and exciting information, Ellena couldn’t help but stare at the spot her home once stood. To be so attached to somewhere she now didn’t have any connection to, it was odd. She wanted to see it, to see if anything remained of her old home.
Another goal to add to the list, but one she was determined to achieve. For now though, the first thing she needed was to recover, to sleep. She had to be strong enough to begin adventure and level up. Evolve into something better.
Sleep already grew close. Close enough to take her and she happily let it. She heard the door open, but by that time she had already begun to fall deeply. A soft hand caressed her head as dreams sent her to a soft rest.
Sorry if you're not a big lore dump fan. This story always had a lot of it in the early chapters. Tried to lower it as much as I could for new readers haha