In the sprawling urban landscape of Earth,
specifically in City Sector XX, a small rented room sat at the top of a building. Inside, a young man lay on the bed, his face pallid, his expression contorted in agony. His dream had taken a nightmarish turn, causing him to shout in anger and frustration.
Alex, for that was his name, had been jolted awake. He panted heavily, trying to shake off the remnants of the terrible dream. His experience had been one of sheer helplessness, a sensation that no one ever wants to endure. It was like being trapped, unable to open your eyes, and feeling an overwhelming emptiness.
Alex tried to calm his racing heart and steady his breath, but it took him a couple of hours to regain his composure fully. Eventually, he collected his thoughts. "What's going on?" he mumbled to himself, puzzled by his own vivid and painful experience.
Alex couldn't help but wonder if it was merely a lingering memory from his past. He harbored a faint hope that this dream might continue and allow him to live a life of comfort, free from the burdens he had carried for so long.
He remembered his last wish, a simple desire to save his planets and lead a life of relaxation, as though he were a king.
However, life rarely unfolds as we wish it to. Alex found himself lost in the memories of his past, reminiscing about the people he had lost and the choices he had made. A wave of sadness washed over him as he recollected how things had taken a turn for the worse and how his dear sister, Alicia, had sacrificed her life to protect him.
His mind, in a melancholic reverie, snapped back to reality when a notification chimed from his mobile phone, which lay in the corner of his bed.
It was a message from Alicia, his sister, that read, "We're meeting next week on Sunday, so be ready." Those few simple words brought a tear to Alex's eye, reminding him of the love his sister had for him and how quickly things had changed.
He glanced at the date on his phone and realized it was March 21, 2091. What struck him with disbelief was the recollection of his own past, where he had foreseen the sky turning dark red and witnessing the upheaval caused by the invasion of demon gods within the next five years.
It was a harrowing memory, filled with destruction, death, and suffering, leaving only one million awakened beings out of the world's population.
As Alex fought to suppress the emotions welling up inside him, he knew he had two possibilities: either he was reliving these memories,
or he had been granted a second chance, a rebirth. In his effort to distinguish between the two, he took a drastic step and slapped himself across the thigh , a sting that brought him back to reality. "Ouch," he cried, feeling the pain surge through him.
His personal predicament, the crushing reality of his memories, and the loss of his loved ones weighed heavily on his mind. The complexities of his emotions were interrupted by the chime of his mobile phone once more, reminding him of the obligations he had in the present moment.
And so, with tears in his eyes and determination in his heart, Alex was poised to face the mysterious twists and turns of this new life. He was acutely aware that this time around, he had the power to shape his destiny. The cosmic canvas awaited his first brushstroke, and the journey of a God reborn had begun.