Chapter 1: A Regular Life
I was just another guy, trying to make a living, doing what I had to do to get by. My name was Dabid, and in 2025, I was an engineer, working for a company that specialized in electrical design. It wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills. Most days, it felt like I was on autopilot. Wake up, go to work, come home, rinse and repeat.
But there was something more to life, something that kept me going. And that something was Lia.
I met her three years ago at a work conference. She was a few years younger than me, but there was a spark in her that drew me in. She had this incredible energy about her—a mix of ambition and kindness that made everyone around her feel like they could take on the world. I was never one for big, bold gestures, but with her, I couldn't help myself. Every moment we spent together felt like I was seeing the world in a way I never had before.
We'd spend hours talking—about our lives, our dreams, our future. She was the kind of person who saw the world not just for what it was, but for what it could be. She didn't settle for the ordinary. And it made me want to be better. With her by my side, I felt like I could do anything.
She'd often joke, "We're going to build something incredible together, you know?"
I'd laugh, thinking she was just being optimistic, as usual. But deep down, I knew she meant it. And I believed her.
My life was good. My job was steady, and I had the love of my life by my side. But little did I know, everything I thought I knew was about to be shattered.
The news came one evening, just like any other. The world was going through its usual political tensions, the kind we'd seen a hundred times. Countries arguing over resources, power struggles—nothing out of the ordinary. I was on the couch with Lia, watching the news, talking about our plans for the future.
"Maybe we should start looking at properties outside the city," she said, her voice filled with hope. "Something small, something we can make our own."
I smiled, imagining a little house in the countryside, a place where we could build a life together. It was a simple dream, but one I could see clearly in my mind.
Then came the broadcast.
"This is not a drill. All citizens are advised to seek shelter immediately. A state of emergency has been declared."
I glanced at Lia, confusion flooding my thoughts. "What's going on?"
The news anchor's face was grim, and the screen flickered for a moment. Then the words came: "A global conflict has escalated. The situation is critical."
I didn't know it then, but that moment would change everything.
The world had always felt far away, distant. But that night, the unthinkable happened. There was a blinding flash, a shockwave that rattled the ground beneath our feet. And just like that, it was over. The country was hit with a nuclear strike—one of many that would soon follow. There was no time to react, no time to say goodbye. My life, my future with Lia, the hopes and dreams we had—they were all wiped out in an instant.
And in that instant, I died.
I thought that was the end. I thought I was gone for good.
But as the darkness closed in, something strange happened. My mind didn't fade with my body. Instead, I felt a pull, as if something was yanking me away from the chaos. It wasn't death that awaited me—it was something else.
When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer in 2025. I was back in 1998, a baby once more, but with all the memories of the life I had just lost.
The future had been destroyed, but now I had a chance to change it. I had the knowledge, the experience, and the drive to rebuild—this time, to make sure that I would never lose what I loved most.
I wasn't just going to survive. I was going to build a future where everything I dreamed of—everything Lia and I dreamed of—would be possible.