To understand what I'm about to tell you, you need to do something first.
You need to believe in the Impossible.
Can you do that?
Good!
Then let me take you back, to the day of reckoning, to the day it all began!
****
It was a normal mundane Monday night, in a seemingly unassuming office, a youth of about 28 years old, could be seen working fervently, typing documents on his computer, a tinge of sweat could be noticed on his forehead as if his life is on the line if he doesn't complete his work on time.
*Knock! *
"Hey Dave, are you not coming, me and the guys are about to head out and you're the only one we're waiting on." Said frank as he pushed open the door. He was slightly shocked to find Dave typing endlessly as if his life depended on it.
Dave seemingly still occupied with his work, didn't look up at Frank, obviously not acknowledging his presence and plainly responded, "Not right now, the boss is on my case about these documents which by the way I have to submit this very night."
"You guys go on without me, its pressuring but a guy's gotta make his Living somehow!"
Frank, initially startled by Dave's intense focus, let out a chuckle. "Oh damn, I bet it sucks to be you right now. Hehe, and we even invited Martha."
The mention of Martha, the office's resident enchantress, jolted Dave out of his work trance. He sprang to his feet, knocking over his chair with a clatter. "What? Martha's going?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening.
He took large strides and arrived in front of Frank holding his shoulders and comically shoving him front and back.
"You jerk, you're totally doing that on purpose, the timing is just wrong."
Frank recoiled slightly, taken aback by Dave's sudden outburst. "Hey, quit it, there's no way I would have known you would be occupied tonight, and it's not just Martha we're hanging out with, the other girls will be there. I'm sorry you're missing out, but jeez, don't make it weird!" Frank scoffed, creating some distance between them.
Registering the hurt in Frank's eyes, Dave instantly regretted his outburst. It was common knowledge around the office that he had the hots for Martha. His pursuit, however, had been more of a desperate puppy dog than a suave charmer. He'd showered her with awkward compliments, sent cringeworthy poems, and even attempted to "coincidentally" run into her at the coffee machine a little too often. His efforts, predictably, had been met with polite indifference, bordering on outright avoidance.
"You're right, forgive me," Dave mumbled, feeling a wave of self-pity wash over him. "I freaked out a bit. If you would excuse me, I'd like to get back to work, please. Close the door when you leave." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to calm the storm brewing inside him.
The incident with Frank was just the latest in a series of unfortunate events. Lately, everything seemed to be conspiring against him. Work was piling up, demanding longer and longer hours. He'd been surviving on caffeine and sheer willpower, the memory of Percy, his beloved dog, a constant ache in his heart. Percy, his furry confidante, had been tragically lost in a hit-and-run accident, leaving a gaping hole in Dave's life.
He leaned back in his chair, the lukewarm coffee growing cold in his hand. It felt like the universe was conspiring against him. The rejection from Martha, the crushing workload, the grief over Percy – it was all too much.
But then, he thought of something. "In this world," he muttered to himself, "there is no absolutely desperate situation, only people who despair." No matter how tough things got, he still had his life, his apartment, his family. He might be down, but he wasn't out.
And besides, he was almost done with the documents.
[40 minutes later]
"Hahaha! Finally, it's done!" A maniacal laugh echoed through the office. Dave jumped to his feet, a triumphant grin splitting his face as he held aloft a flash drive containing the crucial company documents.
He immediately shut down his computer, a sense of accomplishment washing over him. "Time to celebrate," he muttered, grabbing his bag and heading for the door.
****
Walking down the street, Dave breathed in the cool night air. The city lights shimmered, casting long shadows. The aroma of roasted maize wafted from a nearby vendor, a comforting scent in the evening breeze. He was exhausted but exhilarated. A hot bath, a green apple, a silent prayer of gratitude – that was all he craved.
But the tranquility of the evening was shattered by a piercing scream. "Somebody, help me!"
The cry was desperate, filled with raw terror. Dave's blood ran cold. He couldn't ignore it. With a surge of adrenaline, he sprinted towards the alley from which the scream had originated.
He wasn't a fighter, not really. A few years of karate classes in his youth had given him some basic self-defense skills, but he'd never had to use them in earnest. Still, he pressed on, his heart pounding in his chest.
The alley was dark and narrow, the air thick with the stench of garbage. At the end, he saw them – four hulking figures surrounding a cowering woman. One of them, bigger than the rest, leered at her, a cruel smile twisting his lips.
"Give us the money, you sniveling woman, or else," he growled, his voice a low, menacing growl.
The woman, her face pale and bruised, pleaded, "Please! I gave you everything I have, lawd have mercy!"
The big man scoffed. "Quit your crying and screaming, do you want us to be found, bitch?" He raised his hand, and the air crackled with the promise of violence.
"Guys, this birdie doesn't seem to have any more goodies, we should just take her worthless life instead, hahahaha!!" The bigger of the four burly men, with his tongue out and bloodshot eyes, declared to the other three by his side.
The helpless woman, hearing this declaration, tried to run, desperately crawling on the ground not even caring about her delicate hands being bruised by the cold hard floor. Tears and snot staining her face, thinking about her husband and the kids waiting for her at home.
*Flashback*
"Mummy, look what I drew, it's a picture of you, daddy, Sam and me" Her little daughter said as she showed her a drawing of their family on a picnic.
"Oww, that's nice sweety, now go show it to daddy, and come here give me a hug, mummy will always be there for you and Sammy." She tightly and warmly embraced her daughter as she strutted a long to her father to show him the drawing she made.
*Flashback End*
Just thinking about her kids, and the promise she made to her daughter, broke her heart. There seemed to be no hope, "I'm sorry, *Snivels* Mummy won't be there for you, mummy won't watch you grow and live happy lives. I-I don't want to die!" She broke down and cried even more.
"Guys, lets end her misery before someone sees us." One of them, violently grabbed her hair and brandished a small Swiss army knife at her throat, ready to finish her off, but….
*Cling! Clank! Clank! *
'Mistake! What have I done' Dave nervously shook as he accidentally knocked over a garbage can, alerting the oppressors in front of him.
He originally came to help the woman who was in danger, thinking it was only one guy but when he saw four big burly cronies, he immediately gave up on that idea. I mean he might know a thing or two about self-defense, but he most definitely cannot take on four big strong guys at the same time. Honestly, he really wanted to help the woman, but logically speaking he couldn't do it alone, so he thought he could quietly sneak off and call for help.
But fate had other plans in store for him though because that darn garbage can, came out of nowhere.
Startled, the four big goons, shifted their focus to Dave, observing a weak-looking young man with sunken eyes and bushy brows, with short dark hair nervously looking at them and the woman they were about to unalive.
"Ahem, Friends! I don't want any trouble." Dave awkwardly scratched the back of his head trying to keep it cool.
"Fresh Meat!!" They immediately, without any warning pounced on him, one of them quickly and expertly maneuvered his way to his back and captured him, limiting his movements whilst the other three stood in front of him, their eyes coldly thirsting for blood.
"Hahaha, it ain't your lucky day mister, looks like you were born to take a beating!" And with that declaration, he was beaten black and blue. His whole body tossed around as if he was a freaking ragdoll. Not to mention he was stabbed 14 times.
"AHHHH, F*CK F*CKITY F*CK F*CK, STOP IT PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU!" He experienced pain like none-other, he screamed but gradually he lost his voice and he cried but gradually he lost his tears
"Pathetic! Let's go guys, this one's done for, tch! A pity that woman ran away, I was looking forward to gutting her like a fish."
"Ah well, you can't have'em all boss, and besides, the noise this idiot made is bound to attract some attention, we should bounce while we still have the chance." The four horsemen of murder quickly and stealthily made their escape, leaving Dave bleeding out on the ground.
***
The metallic tang of blood filled his nostrils, a coppery taste assaulting his senses. His vision swam, the world tilting precariously on its axis. 'My blood,' he thought, a chilling realization dawning. 'So much blood.' Why was he born? Was he born to die, a pathetic insect crushed beneath the heel of fate? Why did he have to experience this pain? Why did anyone have to experience this pain? The woman, the one he had tried to save, had used him as a distraction, escaping while he grappled with the hulking thugs. It should have been her, not him. This wasn't fair. 'God, please save me,' he whimpered, his voice a mere whisper against the cacophony of his own racing heartbeat. 'Anyone, I don't want to die! SAVE ME!!!!'
[ACKNOWLEGED...]
[INITIALISING SOUL TRANSFER…]
[CHOSEN WORLD…ASCALON!]