A young man woke up with a groan, the sound of a clock ticking relentlessly like a hammer to his skull. "No… I just closed my eyes. How is it already time to get up again?" He dragged himself out of bed, fighting every inch of his body that begged for just five more minutes.
His apartment was a mess of cheap furniture and bare walls, but at least the rent was low. He stared at himself in the cracked mirror, taking in his bruised body and the familiar ache of exhaustion. His muscles were toned, a leftover from countless hours of grueling work. Black hair, dark eyes, no facial hair, just a face that looked too tired for its age. Not handsome, not ugly, just... there. He didn't have time to care.
A quick change of clothes, and he was out the door, stepping into the streets that never seemed to change. He caught a cab, paying in silence, his thoughts wandering as the world outside blurred by.
---
The construction site was as noisy and chaotic as ever, but Axel was used to it. The day stretched on as he stood in line with the others, most of them older, bigger, harder. They all carried their tools, their hammers—except Axel.
His tool was different. It wasn't just a hammer. No, it was a Grim Skyth. A weapon forged from a forgotten age, sharp and sleek, its curved edge gleaming like a predator waiting to strike. He picked it up carefully, the cold steel humming with some strange energy, as if the weapon knew what it had been made for.
The foreman shouted orders, and the workers scattered to their tasks. Axel didn't hesitate, walking to one of the walls that needed work. He swung the Grim Skyth in an effortless arc, slicing through the stone like it was paper. There was a kind of beauty in it, but he wasn't in the mood for beauty.
From behind him came a familiar voice.
"Hey, Axel... didn't expect you to show today. After that extra shift last night, most of us barely dragged ourselves here."
Axel didn't even look up as he spoke, his voice dry. "If I don't show, then who the hell's going to pay the rent next month?"
The voice behind him sighed. "You've got to stop burning yourself out. There are better jobs out there. Why keep doing this?"
Axel paused, wiping sweat from his brow, but didn't turn around. "Better jobs? Like what? This is the best I can do."
The foreman watched him for a long moment, pity flashing in his eyes, before walking off without another word.
---
The workday eventually ended. Axel didn't care much about the payment, but he was still glad to get it. After that, there was only one thing left to do.
The bar was crowded, just like always. Axel pushed his way through the sea of people, found his usual spot, and ordered his drink. And drink he did, until the world became a blur and his thoughts started drifting into the usual numbness.
But this time... this time was different.
Before he knew it, his vision swam, his head spun, and the next thing he knew, he was thrown out onto the street. The cold air slapped him awake, but just barely.
He stumbled, trying to get his bearings. What was it this time? How many drinks had he had? It didn't matter. He was in the middle of the road when it happened. Cars honked, people screamed, and then—nothing.
The world went black.
---
When Axel woke up, it wasn't the familiar streets of his city, or the loud noise of traffic, or even the feel of rough pavement beneath him. It was… nothing.
He blinked, confused. "What the hell…?" His voice echoed into the nothingness, but no one answered.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
And then, the voice came.
It wasn't male. It wasn't female. It wasn't anything Axel had ever heard before. It was... strange. A mix of both, and yet neither.
"Welcome, traveler. This is the Second Chance Platform."
Axel's confusion only deepened. "What the hell does that mean?"
Before he could process anything, the fog around him morphed. The void turned into a strange stage. In the middle of it all, a massive screen appeared, displaying two words: Race and Soul.
"Please, choose a race you want."
Axel didn't have to think twice. "Human. I choose human."
The screen blinked, the word "Soul" lit up, and a list of strange objects flashed across it. Weapons, tools, random items. His eyes skimmed the list until one word caught his attention. "Grim Skyth."
Axel felt a strange pull, like the weapon called to him, and before he could question it, the voice came again.
"Congratulations, you have successfully completed the transfer."
"Transfer? What transfer?" Axel barely had time to question it before his mind went blank, and everything faded out.
---
Axel woke up again. This time, he was at the bottom of a high cliff, blood pooling around him, pain shooting through every inch of his body. His surroundings were unfamiliar, but that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was when he looked down at his hands. He wasn't the same person. His muscles had shrunk, his body was smaller, weaker. He felt… younger.
And that wasn't all. A figure stood above him. A young man, just about his age, staring down at him with wide eyes.
"You… I thought you were dead," the stranger said.
Axel blinked, his mind a swirl of confusion. "Who the hell are you?"
He passed out before he could get an answer.
---
When Axel woke up again, he was in a church, surrounded by children. They were playing, laughing, eating. It felt wrong. This wasn't his life. This wasn't his world. Yet, he couldn't escape it. Memories—someone else's memories—flooded his mind.
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Axel… Thank the gods you're alive."
He looked up to see a woman with blonde hair, dressed in a simple but high-quality gown. Her eyes, however, held an exhaustion Axel recognized all too well.
"I told you not to go to the city center. It's not safe for people like us." She sighed, like she'd given this speech a hundred times.
Axel didn't even have the energy to argue. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." His voice was quiet, apologetic, but his mind was already elsewhere.
The woman, Elizabeth, just shook her head, muttering something about nature's blessing before placing her hands on him. Axel felt a rush of energy, green and soothing, flow into him. The pain in his body slowly faded.
After a moment, she let go, her face pale. "Promise me, Axel. No more reckless stunts."
Axel looked at her, then at the Grim Skyth in his hand, a reminder of everything he was. "Yeah, yeah. I promise."
But deep down, he knew the promise wasn't for her. It was for him.
He wasn't going to be that same guy again.
---
Three weeks later, Axel was napping under a tree, his thoughts cloudy. He didn't care about the passing days. The world had changed, and so had he. But before he could sink too deep into his thoughts, a small voice broke through.
"Big brother, Mat is having his Awakening!"
Axel's eyes snapped open. He was already running before he even realized it.