Metempsychosis

Nikolai's consciousness gradually awakened.

He had been in darkness for a very long time. He had spent a long time feeling his consciousness being suppressed.

His sense of self was in a muddled state and under a very suffocating ancient atmosphere… maybe a second passed, or maybe some millennia passed… But his foggy existence couldn't process the passage of time.

His soul seemed to submerge in a river of time that had threatened to scatter his entire being. But Nikolai always had a feeling that a higher entity was protecting the core of his consciousness.

At the few times when his sense of self had nearly shattered, he seemed to have heard an ancient but melodic voice jolting him awake… "Who are you? … Where do you come from? …And where are you going?" The voice would always ask in a hypnotic voice that prevented Nikolai's soul from scattering.

In this seemingly dull state of existence, he persisted and he survived.

Although he seemed to have lost some memories, the suffocating atmosphere had finally disappeared. And he didn't entirely lose himself.

Nikolai couldn't help but want to open his eyes, but the action was futile.

There was still some bit of darkness submerging his existence. But Nikolai wasn't worried, but instead happy.

Comparing the ancient atmosphere that had nearly shattered his soul with this new gloomy energy was like comparing heaven and earth. Despite this gloomy energy being a nuisance, it could easily be solved.

[This seems to be some kind of energy. Going by the law of conservation of energy, I can't easily destroy it. I can only change it into another type of energy that can be used by myself.] Nikolai deliberated after feeling the gloomy energy surrounding him.

[This should be the last barrier to my new life.] He thought, feeling excited and expectant.

It was at this time that another type of energy brimming with vigor and life pervaded his entire being. This kind of energy was comforting and intoxicating bringing his wounded soul a great deal of ecstasy.

[Surely, those idiots who are usually chasing skirts should feel this kind of feeling when they submerge themselves in those wicked acts. Only this kind of feeling can make men or women lose themselves into profanity.] Nikolai concluded as he quickly compared this feeling to the act of sexual intercourse.

This was in itself a funny analogy as he had died an '86-years old-virgin' whose only interest lay in the pursuit of knowledge.

Nikolai started to feel himself inhale and exhale. At the very start, it was labored, but with every subsequent breath, the action became easier and easier… thereby drowning out the previous atmosphere of gloominess.

He felt very refreshed and sensed that he was in a caring and doting embrace. This was a feeling which had disappeared for a very long time in his previous lonely life.

As his mind cleared and recovered from its foggy state, Nikolai was amazed by the queer state of his existence.

[It seems that those religious zealots were right. ...Somehow my body is not in pain… And I do not even feel the slightest discomfort? ...How is this happening? And what is this weightlessness of my body?]

[...Shouldn't I be feeling a lot of pain at the moment? ...I recall that pagans like me need to first visit hell before getting any chance to reincarnate!!] As Nikolai's state of mind started to recover, he couldn't help but question his existence.

[Calm down! Calm down! ...You have already survived the previous infinite torture. Maybe that was the hell referenced in many religious doctrines. Everything should get better from now on.] Nikolai encouraged himself in his heart…

Nikolai, at last, could open his eyes and saw that he was in a world filled with bright-green light.

[This should be the visual appearance of the energy that was filling me with life. It should be the opposite of the previous gloomy energy.] Nikolai's scientific mind couldn't help but draw comparisons.

After a bit of time, the green world started to dissipate. He could now visually analyze the new world.

At the moment, he was being held by a giant of a woman with a beautiful but listless face. Nikolai instantly understood that this 'giant of a woman' was so huge only because right now, he was a newborn being held by this woman.

The woman had disheveled brunette hair, and her deep blue eyes were looking at him with love and care.

[Oh. I've been reborn as an infant… and this should be my mother in this life]. Nikolai instantly understood.

Besides his mother sat another lady looking at him curiously with her bright green eyes. The lady was dressed in some kind of black religious-habit, with a shawl over her head.

At the moment he heard this woman say… "The kid is both healthy and maybe a bit special… that should be the reason why he didn't cry. And look at those bright blue eyes, they perfectly resemble yours, he should grow into a powerful mystic in the future."

His mother didn't answer, but kept on looking at him dotingly. [In this life I should treasure such care.] Nikolai thought.

He didn't try to cry as he deemed it unnecessary at the moment.

Although he was now an infant, the pride of an old inventor was still ingrained in him. Thus, he saw the act of crying as shameful - at least that is what he thought since he wasn't hungry yet.

His mind was instead filled with doubt.

[This language seems in some way similar to Latin and Italian from medieval Europe,… but why do I seem to understand it?]

[And why are the phonetics a bit similar to the European languages from my previous life? Is this place somehow connected to Earth?]

[...Was some knowledge directly transmitted into my mind when I was still drifting in the darkness?] Nikolai speculated, but failing to come up with any plausible conclusions, he cast those useless thoughts to the back of his mind.

After taking in the details about his mother, Nikolai set his sights onto his surroundings.

The place appeared to be spacious. From his mother's embrace, Nikolai could see a sort of dark-green energy field surrounding the whole place.

[This should be a highly condensed energy field that isolates a given area from prying eyes and ears. I wonder what kind of technology is used to generate such an energy shield.]

[...Could I have been reborn in a magical civilization?] Nikolai pondered feeling a bit amused by his thoughts. However, he couldn't make any conclusions as the array-plates were hidden by the formation.

"I think he wants to look at the surroundings. Don't you see him straining to look around?" Nikolai heard the other woman say.

At that moment, he saw his point of view change to a higher one. He could now look at the surroundings more easily.

Within the space enclosed by the energy field, there was a medieval-looking dresser, two seats of a vintage style, a bedside table made of a material resembling glass or marble, and a very wide bed.

On the bedside table, lay a device that looked like a reading lamp. The device fluoresced with bright-light illuminating the surroundings. It was so bright that Nikolai couldn't gaze at it directly.

[What kind of power can generate such bright-light? Even the incandescent bulbs with the newly invented tungsten filaments back on Earth can't produce that kind of brightness...]

[I see no wires transmitting electricity to the lamp. Is this some type of technology using wireless transmission of electricity? … Or does the fluorescent lamp have a portable energy source?] Nikolai mused in wonder about the beauty of the lamp.

For him, electric apparatuses had held a greater attraction than even women in his previous life.

[It seems that the way forward will be quite interesting… So many mysteries waiting for me to solve. This room alone has technologies that would be miraculous back on Earth.] Nicholas mused while also lamenting at his past circumstances.

Even a simple application of energy-beam technology as weaponry had led to his death. But here, a highly advanced energy shield is casually being used by these two women.

[Life is ironic! … Is destiny mocking me to show that I died for nothing in my previous life?] He thought.

Nikolai never stopped taking in his surroundings. He wanted to get some more information to deduce his circumstances.

He could see that all of the furniture in the enclosure was delicately carved from a sort of high-quality wood with marble-linings. The entire enclosed space was quite exquisite and gave off an ancient but beautiful feel of nobility.

The floor was covered by an enormous beast fur rug, which was spotless light-gray. Nikolai couldn't help but speculate about the origins of the fur.

[Which creature or beast was the source of this fur? … And who could hunt down such a beast?]

[There is no splash damage on the fur… So, a weapon with a wide area effect was not used!?… Canons, Bazookas, and other similar weapons can be excluded …This leaves only the possibility of a high-powered penetrative-attack on one of the vitals of the beast.]

[… How was that form of penetrative force generated and concentrated?]. The engineer in him couldn't easily come to terms with this seemingly simple information about this new world.

At a glance, one could say that all the accessories in this room were quite expensive. But Nikolai could tell that the two women were slightly insecure in this place.

[If this was a safe place, they wouldn't have set-up such a highly advanced energy field. And there isn't any other person here… It seems that they are guarding against some sort of danger. ...This probably isn't the home of these two women.] He concluded.

Nikolai could see that the energy field was an application of highly advanced technology. The religious-dress of the other woman also looked to be very expensive. And then he thought about the highly advanced life-energy that had easily scattered the gloomy aura that was previously affecting him.

All these characteristics pointed to one conclusion. That was the smell of money and influence.

[The women should be from an influential background.]

[But what I can't deduce is if they are away from home or being chased by enemies who might have destroyed their previous homes.] Nikolai's scientific mind started making some inferences to figure out his current circumstances.

[In both situations, we seem to be in dire straits. An enemy capable of antagonizing people with this kind of background should be wielding terrifying power and influence.] He thought.

[Dammit! Why can't powerful enemies leave me alone!?]

[...In my previous life, it was the Nazis… and now - in this life, we are being hunted by some other mysterious enemies. Can't they give me some time to at least be born in peace!?] Nikolai's now young mind was slightly dejected.

It was at this time that Nikolai heard his mother speak for the first time. Her voice was melodic, beautiful, and soothing…