Frank Adler, Admiral of the Imperial Navy, opened his eyes with a light groan. The sunlight streaming through the window stung his already tired eyes. As a soldier, he was used to waking up early, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it, especially when he was on leave.

He looked over, seeing the form of his beautiful wife sleeping peacefully, and smiled. Even if his thrice damned internal clock wouldn't allow him to sleep past 6 A.M, that didn't mean his wife needed to suffer the same fate. He could let her sleep in a bit longer.

She deserved that much for putting up with a rogue like him. Chuckling to himself, Frank carefully extracted himself from their bed before making his way out of the room. Once he did, he gently closed the door behind him before stretching out with a groan.

Mornings really were the worst. Made him feel like an old man, and we just past thirty! But there was one thing that was sure to perk him right up, and that was a steaming cup of dirty bean water.

Making his way downstairs to the kitchen, Frank poured hot water into the coffee maker, yawning as it started up. How someone could start their day without this gift from the heavens he had no idea. Morning people were a complete mystery to him.

Soon enough he had a steaming cup of liquid black gold ready to perk him up. He gathered the paper which was waiting for him on the front porch, and made his way to the kitchen table.

He sat down, placed the paper on the table, and took a nice big sip of pure caffeine. Sighing in content, he could already feel his body start to wake up. But before he could take another drink, the phone began to ring. Grumbling to himself, he sat up and made his way over to it. As much as he would like to ignore the thing, if it happened to be work, then he needed to take it.

"This is Frank Adler, how may I help you?" he asked, perhaps a bit more gruff than he intended.

"Frank? This is doctor Eckhart. I'm calling because there's been a change with your son," stated the voice over the phone. Hearing it, Frank felt his stomach plummet to the floor. Looking over at a table in the hall, he saw a picture of a happy family. A mother, a father, and a son, all smiling with joy shining in their eyes.

But about a year ago, tragedy befell them. There was a storm, a rather violent one, with winds strong enough to uplift cars. A tree was uprooted and fell on the house, and their son was caught in the accident.

They rushed him to the hospital as soon as they could, but their son, little Markus, never woke up. The blow to the head sent him into a coma and he was still sleeping at the hospital. Nobody knew when, or if, he would wake up.

Frank always blamed himself for what happened, even if he knew deep down it wasn't his fault. They did everything they could to stay safe during that storm, but sometimes, your best just isn't good enough.

But still, he was a man, a father. It was his job to protect his family, no matter the cost, and he failed. No amount of logical reasoning could overcome those emotions.

His wife, Joanna, was naturally distraught, and the once bright light that shone from within her eyes dimmed. Everyday she hoped to hear good news, but Frank knew the likelihood of that was slim.

So he braced himself for the worst, ready to hear the news that his son was dead. Well, not ready per say, more like resigned. He knew this day would come eventually, but that didn't mean he was ready for it.

"Of course, doctor. Is he… I mean, my son, is he…" but he just couldn't bring himself to ask, "Is my son dead?" No parent ever wants to utter those words in that order.

"Admiral, I don't know how to say this, so I'll just come right out with it," Doctor Eckhart said, and Frank braced himself for the worst, gripping the counter in front of him hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"He's awake. Your son is awake. Markus woke up about an hour ago, and he seems to be in stable condition. We're running some tests, but so far everything looks good," the doctor said, but Frank barely heard anything past, "Your son is awake."

"Doctor… I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?" he asked with shaky hands. He didn't dare to hope the words he's longed to hear were being said.

"Frank, your son is awake."

Tears fell from his eyes as he collapsed to his knees. Frank wasn't known to be an emotional man… Ok, that was a lie, he was very emotional, but at least this time it was warranted. His son was back.

"Guess somebody upstairs is listening after all," he mumbled.

After speaking with the doctor some more and learning of a complication, he ran upstairs to wake his wife. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, if she found out he let her rest after finding out about their son, there would be hell to pay.

And that was debt he wasn't willing to accrue.

Opening the door, he stared at her slumbering form with a smile. She was sprawled out, hair flopping in every direction and drool coming from her mouth. She looked just like an angel.

Albeit one who drank too much the night before, but an angel nonetheless.

He walked over to their bed and knelt down, gently shaking her. "Joanna, wake up. There's something I need to tell you," he whispered. But for his efforts, he received a snort in response.

"Come on sweetheart, I just got the best news. It was Doctor Eckhart, he said our son is awake," he told her. That seemed to do the trick, as her eyes shot open faster than a bullet from a chamber.

"What did you just say?" she asked in an almost eerily calm voice. Her eyes were about as wide as they could get and she refused to blink.

"Uh… It's our son. The doctor called and said he just woke up," he told her, slightly nervous by the look in her eyes. She kept staring at him for a few seconds, seemingly not comprehending the words he just spoke. But as soon as they sunk in, life seemed to explode from her depths.

"Well what the hell are we doing here!? Come on, let's go!" she shouted, flinging the covers off of herself, hitting Frank in the face with them. He let out a yelp as he was knocked onto his back, his wife running into the bathroom to get ready.

He managed to get the blanket off of him, gazing fondly at the bathroom door. "What a woman…"

It took less than ten minutes for her to make herself presentable, a new record. Not that he would tell her that. The two of them got in their car and sped off towards the hospital, both of them with a light feeling in their chest.

Frank, seeing the nervous look on her face, reached over and grabbed her hand. She jumped, startled out of her thoughts. She looked at her hand then at her husband, who gave her a smile.

"Everything is going to be ok. So stop worrying so much," he told her. She sighed, giving his hand a squeeze. "I know, I just can't help it. Are you sure he didn't tell you what the complication was?" she asked.

"I'm sure," he told her.

"Tsk, asshole," she growled, making him chuckle. "Who? Me or the doctor?"

"Him! I mean, who says "There's been a complication, but I think it's best we speak in person." Just tell me, damn it! I can't handle the stress of not knowing!"

Frank chuckled at his wife's temper. That attitude is exactly the reason he married her. Made for some exciting nights in the bedroom.

"And just what do you think is so goddamn funny?" she asked, giving her husband the stink eye.

"Nothing at all. Just admiring my beautiful wife," he said with a smile. Her face went red, and she turned to look out the window.

"Damn him and that stupid smile of his. How can he still make me blush like this? It's not fair," she thought to herself. She remained silent the rest of the trip, a petulant pout on her lips as her husband snuck knowing grins her way.

She'd get him back for this.

But thoughts of revenge flew from her mind as they entered the hospital parking lot, being replaced by nerves once more. As the car came to a stop, Frank turned to his wife, face set in stone.

"Ready?" he asked. She gave him a scared look, but he could see the resolve shining through the fear. His wife was the very definition of the word brave. Taking in a deep breath, she gave him a firm nod.

The two exited the car and Frank turned to offer her his arm, but to his surprise, she was nowhere to be seen. Looking around in a panic, he heard the sound of cars slamming on their brakes and honking their horns.

Turning to see what all the commotion was, he saw his red headed, spitfire of a wife charging the hospital, screaming, "My baby boy!" at the top of her lungs.

"Honey, wait for me!" he shouted, locking the car and running after her.

Joanna entered the hospital, panting and looking around the lobby. Not seeing who she wanted, she ran up to the reception desk, scaring the hell out of the poor woman manning it.

"Um, yes, can I help you?" she asked nervously, ready to scream for the orderlies if she needed to.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Doctor Eckhart, where is he!?" she demanded, her eyes shining with a fire, scaring the poor young woman even more.

"Mrs. Adler, is that you?" asked a voice to her left. Turning her head, she saw the exact person she was looking for.

Dr. Henri Eckhart was an older man in his fifties, with receding, graying hair. He was of average height and build, with dark blue eyes and a mustache. He wore a pair of prescription glasses, along with a standard doctor's attire, consisting of dark blue scrubs and a white coat.

"Doctor, my son, how is he!?" she yelled, running up to the man. The woman behind the desk let out a sigh of relief as the red haired woman turned her sights on someone else. She wouldn't hold it against her, understanding a mother's concern for her child trumped pretty much everything else.

"Ah yes, young Markus is doing quite well, all things considered. But where is your husband? I thought he'd be with you," the doctor stated, lookin around the lobby for the elusive admiral.

"Huh, what do you mean he's right-" Joanna started, only to turn and see her husband was nowhere in sight. But that's when the doors slide open, revealing the missing man himself, panting for breath.

"Hey, slowpoke, over here!" she yelled at him, as the people in the lobby looked at him with a mixture of pity and amusement. Seeing his wife waving at him in annoyance, he hurriedly made his way over to her.

"Great, now he's here. So tell me what this complication is already," Joanna demanded, trying to hide how nervous she was. Frank stared at the doctor with an equally demanding look.

"Right. Well, there's really no easy way to say this, but, it seems young Markus has developed amnesia. He can't remember anything about his life before waking up," the doctor said, ripping the bandaid off as quickly as he could.

"So you mean… he doesn't remember us?" Joanna asked with tears in her eyes as her husband wrapped her in his arms.

"I'm afraid so. There's always a chance something could trigger a memory, but the chances of that are low. I'm sorry," Eckhart explained. Joanna couldn't hold the tears back, as she started crying against Frank's shoulders. How could her own son not remember her? Just the thought of those bright, fiery eyes of his staring at her uncomprehendingly was almost too much to bear.

Frank held onto his distraught wife, trying to calm her down. "There, there, it's alright. He's awake now, and we can always fill his head with new memories. Maybe ones without his dad crying so much," he said, rubbing her back. Joanna snorted at that last bit, stepping away from him and giving him a half hearted smile.

"You really are a crybaby, aren't you?" she joked. He wiped away the last of her tears, giving her a smile. He then turned to the doctor, "So, can we see him?"

Joanna turned her attention back to the doctor, who gave them a firm nod. "Of course. He's perfectly stable and cognizant, so I don't see the harm. It might even be good for him. However, he is very weak at the moment, his muscles have atrophied quite a bit since the accident, and he'll require extensive physical therapy. But other than that, he's perfectly healthy."

The two parents seemed relieved at that, as they followed the doctor towards their son's room. "Oh right, there's one more thing I should mention. While your son seems to have forgotten who he was prior to the accident, his intelligence seems to have shot through the roof. It's really quite remarkable…"

Frank and Joanna shared a look, confusion written all over their faces. "What exactly do you mean by that?" Joanna asked, giving the older man her full attention.

"What I mean is, conversing with him is like conversing with an adult. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was an adult man trapped inside his body," Doctor Eckhart said. The two shared another look before Frank asked a question.

"So does that mean he can do my taxes?"

"Frank!"

"What?"

*Line Break*

Thomas Miller, or as he was now known as, Markus Adler, stared at the pure white ceiling in contemplation. It had only been a few hours since he's awoken in this new world, and for most of that time he's been subjected to numerous tests.

It was all so exhausting. Compounded with his frail, weakened body from spending nearly a year in a coma, it was a miracle he was able to stay awake at all. But as much as he wished to fall asleep, the desire to find out more about the place he found himself in was even greater.

According to the doctor, his parents' names were Frank and Joanna Adler. His mother mostly stayed at home to care for him, but before that she was a nurse in the army. His father was currently an Admiral, or the Admiral as it was, the head of the Imperial Navy.

That news was not welcome to Markus. His parents in his past life were also diehard army types, and that was basically hell on earth. And now it turns out in his second life he would be subject to the same thing.

Damn those despicable aliens.

However, there was an even more pressing concern than his parents or his atrophied self, and that was the apparent game he found himself unwittingly a participant of. He'd barely had enough time to look it over with all the testing and the fussing, but he has managed to figure out a good deal of the rules.

First, it was mostly a points system, where he gathered points by yet unknown means and spent them on a myriad of things, such as increasing his Stats, or buying Talents and Perks. There wasn't really a level system involved, but there was a Tier System.

Basically, everything can be broken down into Tiers, with Tier 0 being the weakest, and Tier 9 being the strongest. For example, Markus himself was a Tier 1, being a child, and a weak one to boot, dropped it by a Tier. Normal adults were a Tier 1, with regular soldiers and athletes being a Tier 2.

Tier 3 was getting to the peak of what a human can achieve, as far as physicality is concerned anyway, being reserved for things like special forces or Olympic level athletes, with Tier 4 being the absolute highest a human can achieve.

This was based on a person's Stats, which were Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma and Magic. It followed basic D rules, besides the Magic Stat so that made it easy to remember.

Markus's Stats were as follows:

Strength: Tier 0

Constitution: Tier 0

Dexterity: Tier 0

Intelligence: Tier 3

Wisdom: Tier 3

Charisma: Tier 4

Magic: Tier 5

Yeah, he was pretty weak, even for a child. Every Tier had highs and lows to it, and he was on the low side. But at least he still had his brain, which was on the higher side of things.

The Magic Stat was the most surprising thing, and was probably why he was a Tier 1 character, rather than a Tier 0, but he hasn't had much time to investigate what the Stat actually meant beyond having magic.

But the Tiers didn't just measure physical prowess, there were other factors that could determine one's Tier Level, such as economic or political power. Extremely wealthy people could reach a Tier 4 or 5, with heads of state possibly reaching all the way up to Tier 7, depending on the strength of their county.

It was all a bit complicated, yet relatively simple at the same time.

He also had an Hp bar, but it was kind of like those in a Resident Evil game, just a green heartbeat that said good. Better than nothing, but he would prefer hard numbers.

But so far, that's about all he's been able to suss out. He's sure there was more to it than that, but for now, that's it. Whenever the war started, and he was sure there would be one, he would likely find out more functions.

The reminder of the impending conflict he would be forced into made his insides turn into knots. He hated the thought of it, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. Either he wins the game of war, or he loses, there was no middle ground.

And even if he tried to opt out, he figured those accursed creatures would find some way to get him involved, so it was better to plan for the inevitability of it. Which means he would have to whip his body into shape right, quick and in a hurry.

Maybe it was a good thing his parents were military types, especially one so high ranking. That was sure to open a plethora of doors for him that may have otherwise remained closed.

There was also one last thing. That second alien, the one with the wings, mentioned something about another person. If that was true, he might not be in this alone. If he could just find them, they might be able to form a coalition against those things.

Of course, they could always be from a different country, but even so, there was still a chance they could be convinced to team up. Regardless, he'd have to keep an eye out for anyone who might be from his original world.

Fingers crossed it was a cute girl.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. "If I remember correctly, Doctor Eckhart said my parents should be stopping by. Wonder if that's them?"

His question would be answered soon enough, as the door opened to reveal three people. One he recognized as the elderly Doctor Eckhart, but the other two were strangers.

"Hello Mark, how are you feeling?" asked the doctor in a kind voice. Markus tried to sit up to greet him properly, but his weakened body wouldn't allow him to, and he felt himself falling back. He heard the woman give a choking sob at that, and tried not to frown.

He hated being seen in such a pathetic state. It hurt his pride as a man.

"I'm doing as well as I can be doc," he said in a scratchy, breathy voice. His vocal chords hadn't been used in nearly a year, so they were as weak as the rest of him. The woman gave another sob at hearing his voice.

"That's wonderful. Now, I'm sure you're curious about the people with me. I'd like to introduce you to Frank and Joanna Adler, your parents," he said, as the two of them stepped forward.

Markus gave them a curious look, taking in their appearance. The man was about what he expected. Fairly tall and well built, expertly groomed and clean shaven with his dark hair cut short. The way he stood was also regimented, very militaristic. He was dressed in a casual manner, meaning he was probably on leave at the moment, with a white t-shirt, jeans, and a black jacket.

The woman, his mother, was somewhat on the short end, with fiery red hair the same as his own. Her eyes were a similar shade of red to his own, looking like they were made of rubies. She wore a yellow sundress, staring at her son while wringing her hands together, clearly nervous.

"I see. It's nice to meet you both," Markus said in his scratchy voice. But that seemed to have been the wrong thing to say, as the woman burst into tears. Markus startled back, eyes wide and wondering what he did.

"All I did was greet them? Why is she crying? Was it something I said?" he thought to himself. He didn't want to start things off on a bad note, but it looks like that's exactly what he did.

"You… you really don't remember us?" she asked, her eyes begging for an answer that he couldn't give. But it did make him realize his mistake.

"Of course she would be upset that her own son doesn't remember her! Stupid!" he yelled in his mind.

"Sorry, I don't," he said, giving her as apologetic a look as he could. She threw herself in his father's arms, sobbing loudly. Honestly, Mark didn't see what the big deal was. Sure he understood why she was upset and felt dumb for not thinking about it, but really, a child his age was unlikely to retain many of his memories into adulthood anyway.

But still, he needed to find a way to smooth things over. He couldn't have them think putting him up for adoption was the better choice. He needed to mend the relationship now. First impressions were important, and his was going poorly.

"Um, excuse me? M-mommy?" he stuttered out, feeling foolish for calling her such a thing. His own mother never allowed him to call her anything but that. Mother. He assumed this woman, who was from a military background would be the same.

Turns out he was wrong.

"Yes sweety?" she asked, staring at him through teary eyes.

This was it, now or never. He had to mend this bridge before it burned down completely!

"Can you… tell me about yourself? I'd like to get to know you," he said, hoping he properly expressed an appropriate amount of desperation and longing.

"Oh of course baby, of course. Anything you want to know," she said with a smile, walking towards her son. Frank was doing his best to hold back his manly tears, but it was just so sweet and touching it was proving to be difficult.

Doctor Eckhart watched this with a smile, glad everything was going smoothly. He was a bit confused about the way the child was conversing. He was so well spoken before but now, he almost sounded like a real child.

"Perhaps I'm simply overthinking it. He's probably just nervous to meet his parents for what is essentially the first time," he thought. After convincing himself of this, he turned his attention to Frank.

"I'll just head out for a bit. Give you some time to talk. I'll be back later to check on him. If anything happens, let me know right away," he said.

"We will, doctor. And thank you," Frank responded, shaking the man's hand.

"Think nothing of it. I was just doing my job. Now, if you'll excuse me."

With that, Doctor Eckhart left to continue his duties. Frank turned back around before walking over and joining his family, listening as his darling wife spoke eagerly about her hobbies.

"Hey son, want to hear about your dear old dad!" Frank asked as he approached.

"Oi, wait your turn old man!" shouted his wife.

"Who're you calling old!? I'm not even middle aged yet!"

Things were finally looking up for the Adler family.