1 I've Been Stolen From Life

Arlo wasn't having a great day. He woke up early that morning for his archery tournament only to find his girlfriend Nala banging things up as she put them into a box.

"Good morning?" he asked it more like a question.

"No, sorry I can't." Nala said. Arlo was confused. Can't what?

"Nala, sweetie, I'm sorry for what I did…." Arlo started.

She turned to push her face directly up to his. "Your friend Jeffery told me."

"Told you what?" Arlo was getting more confused instead of less.

"That you like other guys. So why would you waste all my time." With that Nala left the house heading for Jeffery's car?

Arlo raced after her. "I love you!" he shouted. But she jumped into Jeffery's car. Arlo banged on the window till Jeffery rolled it down.

"What the heck man!" he shouted.

Jeffery raised his eyebrow in a smirky way, "What was I to say? After all you commented on the handsome guy in the store the other day." He pressed the gas pedal. "Later loser."

It wasn't till he said that line that Arlo understood. Yes he had been admiring the guy in the store but only because he looked like a supermodel. Jeffery had used it as an excuse though. Both of them had held a crush for Nala since middle school.

Arlo cursed under his breath. They had only been dating 2 weeks but still it wasn't fair. Nala had chosen him! Of course Jeffery would do something like this. That idiot never respected others. Honestly calling him a friend was something Arlo had done because Jeffery had no friends. Clearly he should of never bothered though.

Well as long as word of him liking guys didn't spread he could care less. He was thinking of breaking up with Nala the other day anyway. He had wanted to let her down gently though and not destroy his image.

Well whatever focus on the day. First work then he would deal with the drama caused by Jeffery.

He was only 21 and thus his job was currently keeping his sports scholarship for his college and a part time gig as a restaurant mascot. Today was an archery tournament.

He picked up his bow and other gear then headed out the door. Today was just filled by bad luck. A paint can fell from a window ledge and soaked his clothes a bright yellow. People stared at him as he rode the subway. Then they stared as the escalator gave out once he hopped on it.

Finally he got to the gym of the school holding the tournament. Luckily the paint hadn't gotten on his uniform. But that was also when the exit sign broke and landed on his head. He didn't get to even hear the gasps as he collapsed.

But he didn't even die! Yet anyway. He woke up in a hospital operating room. Of course first thing he heard was.

"There is no way we can save this patient his brain is too far damaged." Great they weren't even going to try to save him at this rate. He decided to just accept his fate.

"Oye just make sure my organs are given to children who need them." he muttered.

"He's conscious!" one of the surrounding people gasped. "I thought you used enough meds on him?"

Arlo didn't remember anything else.

.......

When he next opened his eyes he was surrounded by light. It didn't seem like normal light. He couldn't find a light bulb or a sun around. He looked down, there was no floor either. It was like he was floating in a pool of light.

Suddenly in the air a small light orb forms then it shatters revealing a mysterious being. Alro gasped, "Who are you?" he said.

The figure hesitated, "No wait why are you here?"

"Um, I don't know?" said Arlo.

The figure seemed to contact someone, although Arlo couldn't figure out how. He didn't see any phones. It spoke a few times in a language Arlo had never heard. It fact it didn't even sound like it was from Earth. Then it turned back to Arlo.

"Apologies, seems you died before planned." It said. Great well no surprise there thought Arlo. The figure continued, "Wait here awhile." Then it left.

At first Arlo was a good patient dead person. But it seemed like hours, maybe even days. He didn't seem to need food or sleep. Finally the mysterious figure reappeared, but this time it brought friends.

"Greetings we are four of the god's representing these parts." Said one wearing yellow. "I am the sun god Solarisa. Due to a slight accident it seems you came early. Judging by your past we have decided to reincarnate you. You will receive one special skill of your choosing, a special weapon, and you may keep your previous life memories if you prefer."

With that a thousand different types of weapons suddenly appeared before him. The goddess waved toward them. Arlo was thinking of a bow, he was familiar with it and he wasn't sure he could handle any other weapon anyway. For some reason the popular weapon didn't seem to be around. Although everything else under the sun was. Heck they even had a divine soda gun.

"Um" he tried to ask politely, "By any chance do you have any bow and arrow types?"

"Of course!" shouted the god she looked around for a second then muttered to a god wearing green beside her, "Where are the bows?"

The green dressed god shrugged in a clear I have no idea fashion. The sun god cleared her throat looking uncomfortable.

"Um it seems all the bows are temporarily in maintained. We will send you one later in your next life, for now please choose a second weapon on us." She was clearly not use to things going wonky.

Arlo however was use to it. He looked around. Something I can use with my pathetic skill set he thought looking around. In the back edge was a small knife blade of pure black. It wasn't metal or honestly any material he could recognize. He pointed to it.

"Might I ask about that one?"

"Of course it is a dark blade made of shadows an ancient favorite of the ninjas, now classified as a national treasure rank. Unbreakable and never dull, hard to pick a more useful and not flashy weapon."

"Made of shadows?" Arlo thought that sounded weird.

"Of course you can even store it in your shadow. Once bonded to a person it cannot be stolen."

Well it sounded better than hauling around one of the giant blades or axes. So Arlo decided to go with it. he picked it up and it instantly felt familiar to him. The blade was off to a good start in his book. He also found it surprisingly easy to store in his shadow.

"Thank you kindly." He said.

"Ah yes, and we have set up your new body to have a system similar to a video game so you will be able to read your status easily. The world where we are sending you has demons, humans, and monsters. The family I've set up will be more than happy to tell you anything else you need to know."

"My new family?" Arlo asked without realizing he said it aloud. He and his past family hadn't gotten along well.

"Yep! Due to the slight issue earlier I decided to make you the son of a noble in the human kingdom who recently lost their only heir. You will be classified as adopted since I will reincarnate you as a 21 year old but it shouldn't be a problem for you to live a very happy life!"

Arlo couldn't believe his ears what was the catch? It sounded way too good to be true.

"All you need to do now it pick a class and a skill. Classes available are archer, swordsman, wizard, ninja, thief, or priest. These are the human names for them, the demons call them differently but you shouldn't have to worry about them."

Arlo was about to say archer of course when he thought of his dagger. "How do classes work exactly?"

"They follow a level up system from F-SSS granted there is also an emperor class and god class, but with your nice life you shouldn't have to worry about leveling higher than A."

"Will skills from my last life transfer?" Arlo asked.

The god nodded "Yep if you have a skill like cooking or swordplay you will still retain it. if you pick the same class your skills will improve if not you will have double skills."

Arlo thought for a second trying to decide if he should choose archer or pick something new. After all he didn't even have a bow yet.

That was when a dark shadow suddenly filled the room of light.