The smell of rust and mildew filled the air of Cell 298. For over thirty years, it had been his home. A place of cold metal bars and unspoken regrets. Elijah Cole had been just eighteen years old when they convicted him—a child, framed for a crime he didn't commit, a crime that had torn his life apart. The world had moved on while he stayed locked away in his tiny cage, counting each day and hour as it bled into the next. Three life sentences. They had promised him he would never leave, never see the sun, or feel the warmth of freedom again. And for three decades, they had kept that promise.
But now… Now, as his frail body lay on the stone floor of the prison infirmary, a different promise was about to be fulfilled. Elijah's breathing was shallow; his eyes clouded with the weight of his years and pain. The infection had spread too far, and his life was all but over. No more battles, no more hope for justice.
And then, as if the universe had finally decided to show him mercy, a voice—deep and resonant—echoed in his mind. Not from the guards, not from the people he had spent his life with... but from something beyond.
**"Elijah Cole… You are about to pass, but before you do, I offer you a choice."**
A light, pure and blinding, filled the room, casting every shadow aside. Elijah squinted through his tears, staring at the radiant figure before him. Was he dreaming? Was this the end? Was this heaven?
**"I am God, and I have watched your suffering. It is unjust. But the time has come for you to choose your fate."** The voice continued. **"You shall be reborn in another world—one where magic thrives and powers unimaginable exist. A chance for you to live the life you never had, but in return, you must accept the consequences of your decisions. You may choose any skills or powers that you desire. But be warned, power always comes with a price."**
Elijah's mind raced. Could it really be happening? Could he truly leave this prison of a life behind and start anew? His body was weak, but his soul… his soul still burned with the desire to fight for something—anything.
He had been wronged, his life stolen, his dreams crushed. But if this was real... He would not waste this opportunity. He would choose the powers that would make him stronger than anyone. He would carve a new path.
A whisper escaped his lips, shaky and uncertain