Dying hadn't been the worst part.
The worst part was opening my eyes.
Screams, blinding lights, a cold that pierced straight through me. I wanted to move, to speak, to understand where I was… but the only sound coming from my throat was crying. Not someone else's
my own.
Because I… was the baby.
I understood nothing that first night. Much later I learned that I had been reborn in a world that wasn't Earth, and that the two adults holding me Ayla and Ren were my new parents.
The years passed quickly, and I adapted. I tried not to draw attention. I wasn't about to go around saying, "Hi, I used to be an adult on another planet." Nobody would believe me, and if they did… I'd end up in a mental facility.
So I lived as a normal kid.
Or as normal as possible in a world where cars floated, drones patrolled the streets, and holographic screens were as common as air. It was strange watching my classmates read books that shifted shape depending on their emotions, or use wristbands that analyzed their life force in real time.
Inwardly, I kept comparing everything to Earth.
Everything here looked more advanced.
Today I stepped into the classroom feeling more nervous than usual. The windows displayed a city suspended under a soft blue light. Everything seemed calm, yet my stomach was a knot.
Tomorrow was the Awakening Day.
When I sat at my floating desk, I heard Nolan's loud voice from across the room.
"Jian! Ready for tomorrow? I'm gonna awaken a world full of giant beasts, just watch!"
I shook my head, holding back laughter.
"If you don't awaken a couple of worms, that'd already be an achievement," I answered.
"Hey! My worms would be the best worms!" he protested, crossing his arms as if I'd insulted his ancestors.
Mira, sitting in front of me, let out a soft sigh. She always seemed exhausted by Nolan's nonsense.
"The odds are not in your favor," she said, adjusting her translucent glasses. "But if you get a decent race, it will be a miracle."
"Oh yeah?" Nolan made an exaggerated face. "You'll probably get a whole army of fairies to do your homework."
"I wish," she replied without emotion. "They'd be more useful than you."
I watched the two of them, wondering what tomorrow would really be like. Everyone talked about the awakening as if it were the most important event in their lives. And I guess it was. But unlike my classmates, I felt like I was living everything for the second time.
A restart.
A new life.
A new opportunity… or a trap?
"And you, Jian?" Mira suddenly asked, glancing at me. "What do you expect from your spiritual world?"
The question caught me off guard. I didn't know what to say.
"Something useful," I said at last.
She smiled slightly.
"Realistic. I like that."
The teacher arrived, and the class went by quickly. She talked about tomorrow's ceremony, the importance of keeping a calm mind, and how our lives could change completely depending on what we awakened.
She didn't go into deep explanations; I guess she thought we already knew the basics. Growing up in this world meant hearing stories since childhood about spiritual worlds, portals, strange races, and heavy responsibilities.
But even so… no one truly knew how it felt to open your eyes and see "your world" for the first time.
Except me, who was dying of curiosity.
When class ended, Nolan nudged me with his elbow.
"Bro, don't be so serious. Tomorrow we laugh together. No matter what."
"We'll see," I replied.
Mira packed her things with a calmness that was almost scary.
"Rest. Don't stay up late," she said while adjusting her holographic backpack. "A tired mind can affect the awakening's stability."
Nolan stared at her, horrified.
"Wait WHAT!? Don't tell me that's not a myth!"
"Find out yourself," she replied with a suspiciously calm smile.
"AAAHH! I'm going to bed at seven!" Nolan shouted as he ran out of the room.
Mira chuckled softly. I just shook my head.
"And you?" she asked before leaving. "Are you nervous?"
"A little," I admitted.
"Good. If you weren't, I'd think you were a robot."
She smiled, left me with that comment, and walked away.
I headed home as the artificial sun began to set. The city lights flickered on one by one, illuminating skyscrapers, floating bridges, and the moving platforms that connected the upper districts.
Sometimes this world felt too big. Too alive.
Other times… as if it were on the verge of collapsing.
When I reached my room, I threw myself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't stop thinking.
Tomorrow.
That day.
The awakening.
Which race I would get.
What kind of spiritual island I would have.
How much my life would change.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Tomorrow… it all begins," I whispered.
And with my heart racing, I forced myself to sleep.