In a seemingly smooth transition, Axel came to his feet in a room of blinding sunlight. He was in a large bedroom that had a beautifully quilted bed. Two women were standing beside each other blocking his view of the person lying in the bed. Light was coming in from the windows, illuminating the room with a golden shine. The quilt of the bed was a brightly lit gold color that was finely threaded with a small sheet of pure white underneath the quilt of. Lying beneath the white sheet of the bed was a woman who had just given birth. Axel was unable to see much of her however due to the two women standing by her side and the brightly blinding light.

The room filled with the subtle cries of a tiny baby. The mother of the child held the baby close to her rocking it back and forth radiating her love to her newly-born son.

“My Lady” the woman standing next to her asked “What are you going to name this child?”

“His father will have the final say…. But I would like to name him Axel.”

“What… Axel… IS that... my…”

Axel's head began to spin as he watched the woman caress the small child.

“Very well we will call for him immediately! Soon we will celebrate this Joyful day! Axel the 33rd son has been born!” The woman beside her said

As one of the women stepped aside he could see strands of blue hair trailing down the face of the young women with the child.

“Is that my…..” Axel said walking towards the bed “Mother?”

It was no use her face was completely blurred out. All he could see were her brightly shining strands of blue hair.

After a few moments a door opened up on the other side of the room leading him to his next adventure.

“I just want to touch her hand…” Axel said, extending out his hand.

“AXXXEEEEEEEL!!!!!!!!!!” He heard someone scream from behind the black doors.

“DAMNIT!” He said wiping his eyes.

Taking steps towards the door, he walked backwards towards it, never taking his eyes off his mother. As he came to the door he saw the woman’s head move in his direction. He couldn’t see any imprints of her face, but he could tell she was smiling at him!

“AXELLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!” He heard a voice call to him once again.

“Damnit I’m coming 6!” He said turning away from his mother.

“I am always with you” He heard his mother say to the baby.

Grabbing the necklace he pressed it to his heart and walked into the doors.

The next place Axel appeared in was quite strange. It was an open space with clouds and a bright blue sky. He could see the sun stretch its beautiful red light as its rays crossed the horizon. The weirdest thing about this place seemed to be how it moved. For some reason he seemed to be moving farther away from the clouds above without stepping away. Axel turned around to see what was going on behind him. Looking down he saw a sea of waves hundreds of feet below him.

“ Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” he screamed, he was falling from the top of Nautica Valley… Again!

Covering his eyes and his face, he plunged into the depths of the water. As he quickly began sinking to the bottom for some reason he couldn't move or control his body parts. All he could do was gasp for air as he continued to fall.

As the light from the surface slowly faded he felt a hand grab him and aggressively yank him up to the surface.

Within moments he was back on shore still unable to move, completely paralyzed as someone stood over him pressing down into his chest.

“You blue haired idiot!” The voice said “If you die on me baby blue I swear I'm going to kill you!”

“Is he breathing?” said another voice

Axel could barely see, the blurry images of a pink haired girl and black haired boy filled his view.

“No, his chests not moving! I’m going to keep at it until he comes to!”

She pressed his chest multiple times breathing air back into his throat.

“Well if you do anymore of that you're actually going to be the one who killed him!” said another voice”

Axel looked up to find a green haired boy standing directly over his him

“Hell are you doing here!?” B questioned

“Trying to make sure that you don't kill him idiot! Don't know what the heck you're doing!” Lance rebutted

“I’m trying to resuscitate him! He fell into the ocean-.

“Yeh! And all you're doing is pumping more carbon dioxide into his lungs! Especially with your enlarged chest you're probably doing more damage than good!”

“Why you little-”

“Unless you’ve read multiple books on medical science like I have, you should shut up and start listening to me!” Lance commanded

B hesitated, looking for confirmation from Reggie

“He’s right we don't know what the hell we're doing…. we both care about Ax… but we honestly don’t know” Reggie admitted

“Reggie…” B began

“Don’t get me wrong… I don't like this grandstanding show off… but he’s probably smarter than both of us combined and he's the best person take care of things like this” Reggie said acquiescing

“Yes! Well done Reggie looks like you can do more than just lift weights! Now stand aside before you kill him with your caring and kindness!”

Lance slowly approached Axel leaning over him.

“First let’s get this water out of your lungs” Lance said to Axel

He swiftly moved his fingers over Axel’s chest and dragged them to his mouth causing Axel to spit out the water and begin breathing.

“Axelll!! Regi yelled He picked Axel up and held him in his arms.

Axel tried to say something but words wouldn't come out. He continued to lie limp in Regis arms.

“Lance… Why isn't he opening his eyes?!” B alarmed.

Lance walked up to Axel and examined his chest before taking a few pulse measurements checking his pupils.

“This is…. insanity “he remarked “Is this possible?? Even for a shifter?”

“What? Is he okay? Did he DIE!?” Reggie asked.

“Yes Reggie….” Lance answered sarcastically. “He’s dead while having a beating heart and a rising breath…. Why don't you raise one of his eyelids and examined for yourself” Lance said stepping away from Reggie.

B and Reggie lifted up one of Axels eyelids and examined his pupils.

“What… What is this???” Reggie exclaimed

Axel's eyes seemed to have a mind of their own. They were bouncing around in all different directions like they were attached to a paddle ball.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“R.E.M, rapid eye movement, somehow he's in a deep state of dreaming… Don't ask me how but somehow that fall had no effect on him and even after being submerged into water he’s breathing as if he's lying in a bed! That makes no sense.

“Okay then all we have to do is wake him up” Reggie said shaking Axle

“No stop!” That’s the last thing you want to do right now! We saved him from drowning but if we continue any further we could all be at risk.

“What are you talking about?”

“I don't have time to explain but we need to get him home and somewhere safe and isolated? “Also we should completely dry his clothes so that he wakes up and thinks this is all a dream I think that's what's best”

“Why’s that” B asked

“I don't have time to explain or argue with you, all you need to know is that he is in a very dangerous place mentally not physically. We’re going to dry his clothes and make him believe that he had a dream and that none of this happened”

“Shouldn’t we try to reach out to him...? We should try to help him...” Reggie said

“There’s already someone else doing that…. As I’m sure you saw O'Brien is involved with all this. Whatever the case may be we need to take a step back… We have no idea what we are dealing with here!” Lance said

Axel almost blushed, he couldn’t believe the level of concern Lance was showing

“You keep saying that but what do you care!? You don't care about this stupid loser! You don't care about anything that he's going through! Why should we listen to you?” B said, grabbing Lances by his collar.

“Because like it or not, I understand him better than you guys ever will, as much as I dislike him... as much of a loser he is, he understands things that you guys will never understand, and if he's going to come out of this he has to look inside himself, and if he can't do that then he really is just a loser!

“Why you little” B said raising her fist.

“Stop bickering! We need to focus on getting him somewhere safe!” Reggie alarmed

B and Lance both nodded

“Okay… I'll blow dry your clothes using my air powers, you guys will have to carry him home” said Lance.

“Ok….Where is that exactly?” Reggie asked

“I have no idea but if you guys care enough about him as you say you do you'll be able figure that out”

As Lance said his words, a double sided door appeared behind him.

Letting out a sigh the doors opened and he walked through them.

On the other side beside B and Reggie were standing were another pair of double doors.

“Come on Jeffery! Where the hell is Axel’s house!” Reggie bickered walking through the double doors.

“Axel looked down at his necklace for direction. It seemed to be glowing in the direction of the door that Lance had walked through.

“Looks like this is the way” he said entering after Lance.

Upon entering the room he found himself in a small bedroom much like his own with an old woman lying in bed.

“Are you well? Do you want me to get you anything are you sure this is enough mother” A small boy said

“Yes that's good enough Son” the woman answered.

Axel got up and made his way around the bed to get a better look at who the people. As he walked over the view of a small green haired boy came into view.

“Lance!” Axel exclaimed. Lance was much younger, maybe 5 or 6 years old and had a much calmer expression than his usual stern face.

“Are you hot? Lance asked “I can give you a breeze if you want just say the word mother!”

Axel looked over Lance’s shoulder and saw a sick woman lying in bed. No it appeared this woman was much more than sick, she had red skin that seemed to be peeling off in a rather displeasing fashion.

If Axel had not seen her talk himself, he would have believed he was staring at a corpse.

Although her skin was red and disfigured, her eyes were calm and soft with her demeanor matching that of a caring mother. She reached out and touched Lances arm smiling

“Are you excited to go to SCS?” she asked

“Yeh mom! In just a little while I'll be an SPA agent just like you said I'd would become!

“Good! Now you return to your studies and be a good boy, don't worry about your mother … I’ll be ok.”

“Are you sure mother?” Lance asked earnestly.

“Yes child, now return to your books, I need some rest.”

“But mother… I want to go outside and play with all the other kids at the jungle gym.”

“Lance… the only thing I want for you is to become a strong agent. You can’t be distracted by things like that” She said.

“But mother”

“Ehhhkk” His mother coughed spitting up blood. She went into a fit grabbing her chest as she continued to cough

“Mother!” Lance said rushing to her side. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine…” His mother said rolling over in bed. “I just need some rest

“I’m going to study!” Lance said, hugging his mother. “I’m going to become the strongest SPA agent of all time!”

“And then I’ll get off this island and find a cure for you! I promise” Lance said crying into his mother’s arms.

“Son” she said as a tear ran down her eye, he embraced him holding him to her as a door opened at the other side of the room.

“Damn it” Axel said shaking inside, “So this is your reality huh.”

Axel quietly exited the room through the next doors.

As he came through the doors he landed in what seemed to be a military base. He was on a high floor of the base looking down at a bunch of soldiers carrying rifles below through a glass panel.

“Hup two hup two!” they chanted walking in formation.

Giant mechs and militarized drones zipped around the soldiers as a large holographic screen above them read out the mission objectives for the day. The words “NHA” in huge letters appeared above the holographic messages and seemed to be etched into every mech and soldiers uniform.

“Are you sure! “Axel heard from behind him.

His mother was speaking with a weird looking man. She seemed to have longer hair now that drooped down past her shoulders.

“Yes” answered a strange looking man. A man dressed in what seemed like a military uniform was speaking to his mother. He had blond hair but didn't have yellow eyes to match them like traditional Shifters would. Instead he had blue eyes as well as a strong pungent smell. It was as if some kind of damp cough syrup had spilled all over him. Axel was so put off by this appearance he almost felt sick.

“Inside of this city there is 0 Ether Emission.” “Nothing passes through from inside or outside without a ton of military checkpoints courtesy of the New Human Alliance!” The man boasted. Above us is a giant sphere of dark energy that contains all Ether emissions. Whatever you're concerned about nothing makes it in or out of that Shield.

“Thank you sir, I only ask one other thing.”

“And what would that be?”

“My child… can him go to the SPA or whatever you call it? I don't want him to grow up like the other Shifters around here… They lack… Purpose.”

“Any accommodations that you need we will provide!” The man answered “Your safety and comfortability is our number one priority, in exchange of course you will give us what we need for our Project Sentient correct?

“Yes….. Of course”

“Good, we will ensure you and your child live a normal life away from the fear and Terror that most Shifters deal with. I can't guarantee you'll enjoy the life of being restrained... but it will be one without death and suffering that plagues your people.”

“Thank you so much, so when do I leave for this island.”

“Tomorrow” the man said smiling. “I will accompany you myself” He said. SPA Atlantica has also offered a person bodyguard for you and your son. He's a capable one who goes by the name Vincent King.”

“I can’t tell you how indebted to you I am… I’ll give you everything you want on where I came from… as well as help for your… research.”

“I’m glad to be of help” The man said dismissing Axel’s mother

As Axels mother walked away the blond man walked off to a corner by himself.

“Hehehe its you I should be thanking Hera, from your blood a new power will be

Established in the world, a power that will serve me.”

After the man spoke his cryptic words another door opened leading to a new realm for Axel to explore.

Axel found himself in a peculiar place, he was in some kind of alleyway of an industrial city. He saw the buzz of the traffic and a large number of people crossing streets around it.

“Hey look at this bugger” A man said holding a child. He had the child in a headlock from behind lifting him off the ground.

“Hey let me go!” The child said, his tiny braids shuffling as he struggled to free himself.

Directly in front of Axel was Reggie, or rather a child-like version of him, being held up by strange looking people that he couldn't make out.

They were extraordinarily weird-looking. One of them had black hair and blue eyes a complete contradictory in the world of shifters. The other one was dark skinned and brown eyes with hair much shorter than Axels.

Who are these people, why do they look so weird and why are they grabbing a hold of Reggie?” Axel thought

“Heh we'll teach you for walking around these streets,'' the black haired one said. Reaching into his jacket he withdrew an orange looking knife that expanded and glowed, shooting sparks across the floor. The blade was extremely hot! Even from the distance Axel was standing he could feel the heat radiating from its surface.

The dark skinned human held Reggie from behind the back in a headlock holding out his right arm.

“Wait what you are doing!” The innocent little boy cried.

“Let this be a reminder boy! You're kind are not welcome up here!”

The black haired man raised the hot blade pointing it towards the Sky walking over to Reggie.

“REGGIEEEE!” Axel cried, running into the alley he stepped between Reggie and the man.

Letting out a yell the man dropped the blade down with all his might directly onto Axel. Closing his eyes Axel braced himself for the pain.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh” h heard from behind him. The blade had gone straight through slicing Reggie’s arm and tearing it right off the shoulder.

[https://i.imgur.com/b3SauLO.jpg]

Though his arm was cut off the blood had stopped coming out of his arm because it was badly burnt from the blade that had sliced them Reggie fell to the floor screaming in agony as the 2 Mysterious humans disappeared.

Axel tried to run to Reggie but his legs became heavy and he was unable to move.

From the corner of his eye he saw a silhouette of a man approaching Reggie.

“Do not hate them little one” the man said, picking Reggie up and caressing him.

“They just like you are misguided by this crazy cruel world.”

He withdrew something from his pocket and injected it into Reggie's arm causing his pain and shrieking to stop.

“Ether emissions… You’re a Shifter, how in the hell did you get here?” He said, examining the boy.

“Don’t you worry little guy I'll give you an arm that will protect you, and you'll never be alone again.”

The man picked Reggie up and started walking toward the end of the street.

In that same instant a door appeared behind on him to the next room.

“I see so that's how you lost your arm” Axel said watching the one armed Reggie get carried away by the man. As they disappeared around the corner Axel opened the door to the next room.

As Axel walked into the next room he came into a roaring coliseum filled with despicable looking people. On the far right of the stage floor was a giant man with a Metal jaw. He grinded what looked like shark teeth in the middle of his face filling the air with a reached screech...

His opponent on the left was a young 6 year old girl pouting holding a pair of brass knuckles in her hands.

“B!!!”! Axel exclaimed.