Transcendence?

***Norfolk, Sarn-Valley***

Ascathon is sitting directly in front of me with an earnest face while holding my hands. After a few minutes he buries his face into my lap and starts to laugh like a maniac.

“Kukuku...hahahaha.... hihihihi!”

I am astonished by his strange reaction and start to pat his head. “Heey. Is it really that bad? Come on. It can't be that bad. It was my mistake. I shouldn't have tripped over that bowl. I will never again set a foot into your lab.”

Then he stops and sits up again. “There are good news. And there are bad news. And then there are news which are neither good nor bad.”

My expression drops. “The good news at last please.”

“Ok. The ritual went seriously wrong which resulted in our three souls being mixed and mashed together. The result is something which would be best described as a soul-bond between the three of us. I don't know the exact implications yet but most likely we are somehow bound together for ~eternity~!” His expression is really accusing.

“Et...ternity?” Forever? Always? Even the next life? “And what's with the third soul?”

“The other news is that there is a parasite inside your body!” He points dramatically at my belly. “This is a problem that concerns just you so I deemed it less......”

“Parasite!? What!? Which sort!? How can a parasite have a soul!?” This whole event took a heavy toll on me!

And now a parasite?

My head is spinning!

What horrible sorts of parasites are there in this world?

“Yes. It's the intelligent sort which can only be removed with dire consequences for our morality. The other choice is that you will slowly swell up as it is growing inside you. Then one final day you will burst open and it will leave your body. There will be blood and it hurts like hell. But a few healing spells should be able to fix you up right away. The whole story will be very messy and leave some permanent marks on your body. Afterwards it will leech on you until it finally grows big enough to be thrown out of the house.”

He raises a box with a lens and points it at my face.

*Klick*

A shutter opens while a flash of light blinds me.

I blink my eyes while the gears in my head finally start to turn again and I realize that he is making fun of me!

*SLAP*

“It's yours too! How can you call it a parasite!!!”

I cover my face with my hands. “Haaah. I thought I had always kept track of it. How could I make such a stupid mistake. I wanted at least a few more months as newly weds! I even made some medicine to stop it from happening!”

Ascathon rubs his red cheek while he pulls a sheet of paper out of his camera. “Actually it didn't really surprise me. You are like a succubus when you get frustrated. And I don't know how good your medicine is but I don't expect much from the raw materials which are available in this world.”

He starts smiling and shows me the picture. I look like I got told that I am going to die. Completely shocked. “I improvised this camera but it works better than expected! You can show this to the kid when it's old enough. Don't forget to mention that it was the moment when you learned about your pregnancy.”

I glare at him. “That's why I said that I had hoped for a few more months.”

“Well. The last news is that it looks like we all got away with no permanent mental damage. Our memories and personalities all seem to be intact. We won't know for the child but it should be fine too since we got away without obvious damage.” He stands up.

I get out of my chair too. “Let's go and eat dinner. We are seriously late by now.” This is horrible. hopefully this soul-bond wont become a serious hindrance in the future. Ascathon doesn't seem to be worried about it.

“Ah, I forgot. Stefan has a suspicion about me having knowledge beyond this world because he took a look at my clocks. He shared the knowledge with your mother and she will probably talk about it with your father. We should think up a good explanation for them.” He casually drops another bomb on me and I turn.

“Knowledge from another world? Those were their words?”

He nods with vigour. “That's true. They are probably thinking that I am some kind of demon or god by now.”

I sigh and turn to walk to the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen I find my parents. The kids are already done with their food and gone. Only my parents seem to have taken their time with eating. Their plates are still filled and they look with suspicion at Ascathon as he enters the room.

“It's nice of you to wait for us. Unfortunately it took longer than expected.” I sit down and start to eat my cold food.

Ascathon takes his place beside me and starts eating too.

“We have thought about many things Celestial.” Idala looks at me with suspicion. Eeeh? Why am I the target of mistrust now?

“These artefacts aren't of this world according to Stefan.” Arduin looks at Ascathon.

“Since when can you cook?” Idala arches an eyebrow at my direction and I stop chewing.

Aw. I guess I was never taught to cook. “I learned it when I was a slave. And I had a few months of training while living here.”

“We remember our past lives.” Ascathon mumbles the hilarious truth while stuffing his mouth with food.

“Hey!” I look at Ascathon with a shocked expression.

He shrugs his shoulders. “What's the problem. Tell them the truth. It's ten times better than what they probably imagined by now.”

Arduin starts to look like he has a real headache now. “Please explain that further.”

“Celestial was a big burly wrestler in her.... hgn!”

I immediately cuffed him into the side. Then I smile at my parents. “Sorry. But it's like he said. We both have memories of our past lives. He is a really old scholar despite his looks. That explains his expertise with machines, artefacts, magic, science.... and stuff like that.”

“And she is a genuine witch! Despite.... hgn!”

“Try ~again~!”

“She is my most beloved ~sugar cat~! And her knowledge in alchemy and medicine tops everything that's available in this world.” Ascathon is holding his belly now.

“You are not Celestial?” Idala looks a little destroyed now.

Aw. Damn. These situations are the reason to never tell someone normal about reincarnation. I stand up and walk over to hug my mom. “I am the same Celestial as always. There was just a little secret that I kept to my own. It doesn't change anything about you two being my parents. And Liandra is my little sister.”

“How did you two find each other? Are there many... reincarnated people?” Arduin looks at me and Ascathon.

“Luck! I actually never met someone like me before this life.” I smile at Ascathon.

“Misfortune. There have to be very few of us. And for me to end up with someone like...”

I glare at him another time and he shuts up. Then I turn to my parents again. “Mom, dad. Please acknowledge that we know what we are doing and that there are no problems with our actions. Everything should be fine in the end.”

Both of them still have troubled expressions. But they look a little relieved.

“And you should come to terms with being called grandmother and grandfather!” Ascathon swallows the last bite of meat from his plate.

Idala's and Arduin's heads snap back in my direction and I don't know what else to do than to smile. “There is still time. So no need to rush.”

“My baby!” Idala starts to sniff with tears in her eyes. “A few months ago I thought that our house would perish and now I find out that she has grown up and I will actually get to see my grandchildren.” Idala hugs me with tears in her eyes.

Huh? Mom? Are you happy or sad? That's nothing to cry about. I pat her back and realize that Ascathon is grinning at me with a stupid expression.

***

It took me until late at night to explain everything to my parents but I think that they got to terms with my revelations. They still were pretty sad that I hadn't told them anything about myself until now.

After wishing them a good night I walk with a tired face towards the bedroom. The stupid hermit found a reason to excuse himself halfway through and ran off. Curse him!

I throw myself onto the bed as I am when I arrive and close my eyes. Good night. Stupid world.

….

…

..

“Hah! There you are!”

I open my eyes and see that Ascathon came out of the shower. “Traitor!”

He walks over and jumps onto me. Wait? What? I am turned over and he starts to undress me. “What's wrong? Are you sick?”

“Shut up. I just feel like it and it doesn't matter by now any.....”

I don't let him finish his sentence and press my lips onto his instead.

.