Axel sprinted through the forest, his feet thudding against the ground, breath steady despite the hours of fighting and bleeding.
The cold night air sliced against his skin, a sharp yet refreshing reminder of freedom in its purest form. Branches whipped against his shoulders as the moon flickered through the treetops. His muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to slow down.
'Where do I go… now that I'm free?'
After years of torment, Axel had finally escaped the hellish facility that had held him captive for over a decade, snatched away when he was just eight years old. He had endured relentless bullying from the age of seven to eight, suffering through a year of torture. He nearly lost his life when his tormentors pushed him off a cliff, only to be rescued by the people from Soul Ocean who brought him to this place.
His memories of those bullies were hazy, but their voices lingered in his mind, faint yet unforgettable. All he could think about now was the emptiness he felt as he whispered to himself, "Right now… I'm nobody."
Then, a flicker of hope sparked in his mind something that might just help him. The letter that gave him the reason to even escape in the first place.
Folded and worn, tucked away in his clothes for all these years like a hidden glimmer of hope. He suddenly stopped, his boots sinking into the earth beneath him.
Axel reached into the frayed lining of his tattered uniform and pulled out a small, crumpled envelope.
Its edges were singed, and the ink was smudged, but the name was still clear.
Dr. Kristina Visscher.
The only scientist who had ever escaped Soul Ocean. The only adult who ever whispered to Axel,
"If you ever get out… find me. It's important for you to understand the outside world and seek your freedom."
Axel gazed at the letter penned by Ms. Kristina. Ever since he stumbled upon it in his room, it had been his constant companion, a reminder that he needed to break free to truly grasp what the outside world was like and what freedom truly meant.
Axel moved like a shadow through the treeline until the forest finally opened up, and he was momentarily blinded by the light. He found himself at the outskirts of Berlin, hidden behind the last row of pines, watching the city come to life. Cars rolled by slowly, and laughter echoed from somewhere in the distance.
The buildings stood tall and serene, untouched by blood or fear. The whole town felt peaceful. Axel's hands clenched into fists.
"So this is the world outside…"
Then he looked down at his uniform, stained with dried, dark blood. His sleeves were torn, and his boots were splattered. Anyone who saw him like this would panic… or call the police… or worse. He ducked into the first place he could find—a narrow alleyway wedged between two brick buildings.
Pressing against the cold wall, he took slow breaths, reminding himself that he needed to blend in. He had to look normal. That's when he spotted something that could really help him.
A man strolled into the alley from the opposite side, scrolling through his phone, headphones in, completely oblivious. He wore a 3D-printed short-sleeve shirt, sporty striped trousers, and clean, casual Mainalun mid-top sneakers perfect for blending into a crowd.
Axel's eyes narrowed.
"That'll do."
Without a second thought, he stepped out of the shadows and landed a single punch. The man dropped instantly, knocked out cold. Axel caught him before he hit the ground and gently leaned him against the wall.
Fortunately, the man hadn't even glanced up. He wouldn't remember Axel's face.
Axel quickly stripped off his bloody uniform and slipped into the man's clothes. They fit surprisingly well: comfortable, modern, and ordinary. He placed the man's phone beside him, leaving him unharmed except for the temporary blackout.
Looking at the unconscious civilian, Axel whispered,
"Sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore… but I need to meet someone who once saved me. Thanks for the clothes."
He stepped back into the shadows of the alley, adjusting the new shirt, tying the drawstring, and pulling the hood over his head.
Axel strolled along the dimly lit sidewalks of Berlin, his hands tucked into borrowed pockets and his hood pulled slightly forward. The night air was cool and crisp, a refreshing change from the stale, metallic corridors of Soul Ocean. Neon lights shimmered softly on the wet pavement, while the distant sounds of laughter and conversation floated from late-night cafés.
For just a moment… he allowed himself to breathe.
Peace.
He glanced up at the night sky, which stretched above him like a velvet canopy, the stars faint but still visible. The streetlights glowed in warm gold, and the windows of nearby towers twinkled like tiny constellations.
Axel didn't even notice he had stopped walking until someone brushed past him.
He pulled out an old, creased letter he had kept hidden away for years—the one piece of hope that the program had never managed to take from him. He flipped it over, his fingers grazing the worn edges, and there on the back was an address written in neat handwriting.
Axel focused on the address, committing every number and street name to memory.
"So this is where you ran to… Ms.Kristina."
He folded the letter and tucked it back into his pocket. With each step, he felt more certain, more determined, as he ventured deeper into the city. Every street brought him closer to something unknown.
"Alright," he whispered to himself. "Let's go."
And with that, Axel set off toward Ms. Kristina's address the first stop on his new journey, and perhaps the first person who might truly understand what he had become.