18 Reminiscing II (Prologue Chapter Maybe)

Earth, Unknown Year

"Hey kid, cheer up. Even if you lost a match in the arcade, it's fine." Said a cheerful guy steering the car on the dark rainy night.

"That's right, Alen." A woman spoke.

The road besides them were an irrigation. The water streaming on it was just inches high as the rain just started minutes ago. Although dark, the car met no difficulty in steering ahead.

"But, dad, I don't like losing!" The young Alen cried.

"It's okay being weak, Alen. We're human after all." The woman tried to cheer Alen.

"You're really not good in cheering up our kid, Eva." The man laughed. "Well, I can't blame you after all, hon." He grabbed Eva's hand and kissed softly. He returned his eyes on the road.

"Alen, you did great. It's just a game. It doesn't matter if you win or lose. No matter what the outcome was, you're still the champion in our eyes." The man praised his child. He remained engrossed on the road and not looking back to Alen who seated on the backseat.

"Dad, you're not helping. I wanna go back! I wanna go back! I wanna go back!" Alen ranted and thrashed his arms around.

The man laughed looking at the mirror.

"It's okay to be weak, Alen. Because if you're weak, you can grow stronger."

Several minutes had passed.

The man kept his eyes on the road and steered with ease. But Eva started to panic, her body trembled. The man slowed the car and began asking Eva who is starting to have a hyperventilation attack.

"Honey! What's wrong?!" The man asked.

Eva muttered and stuttered in forming words. Her breath became heavier and her trembling became more severe. Her skin turned pale from fear and after several seconds, she finally her words that caused Alen who was sleeping to wake up.

"..t-truck! The truck behind!" She exclaimed.

The man looked behind and saw a lose truck sliding dangerously on the road. He saw a glimpse of a driver who was deathly pale and knew that he had no control. "Shit."

Crash!

The two vehicles crashed!

Alen's car steered violently on the road as the truck crashed on pole and crashed again on Alen's car. The car fell to the irrigation canal while the truck hanged on the electric wire of the pole on the slanting wall. The concrete canal was about seven meters deep. Luckily, the water level wasn't high enough.

The man woke up to find that he had no longer have the ability to walk and Eva had lost her consciousness. His vision turned red from his blood. He turned behind to see Alen crying with a bleeding nose and leg. A crystal had wounded his leg.

"Alen, kiddo. Hear me. I need you, to unbuckle, and escape through the window."

Alen continued to cry. Knowing that there wasn't enough time, the man finally screamed to his son.

"Listen to me! You have to leave! The truck above is weighing a ton, and I don't know if it can stay that way! If that truck falls, you die!"

Alen nodded and unbuckled.

"It hurts, daddy."

"I know, champ. But you've gotta live." The man spoke while shaking Eva. He tried to wake her up but received no response.

"I…I can be strong! I can lift the truck!" Alen gritted his teeth and left the car through the window. He fell on the concrete ridge where the four-feet waterline would meet.

"No! No, kid! Don't be stubborn! If the truck falls! You will die with us!"

"I'm strong, daddy!" Alen insisted. He began climbing the slant. On his path, he slips and hit his head.

"No…No, Alen. Champ, you've gotta go…" The man cried.

Alen was unrelenting. He stood while the blood trickling on his forehead and leg stained the rainwater. He began climbing again. After several slips and tries, and multiple cries from his father, he finally stood before the head of the truck. He placed his hands on the head, and with all his ten-year-old strength, he began pushing the truck upwards.

The truck creaked but it didn't budge. The creak came from the double-tires which had the electrical wire wrapped around it. The wire kept the truck from falling at the moment. The double-tire creaked as the beam holding it slowly bent.

Alen grunted and grunted but the truck just won't raise. His father cried and slammed his hand on the wheel. He continued to push even when his toes began to bleed. Alen believed he could win.

"God damn it, Alen! For fuck's sake! Leave!"

"No, dad! I-I can do it! I can win!"

Finally losing his reason, his father heaved all of his last breaths and spoke.

"YOU WILL NEVER WIN! BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A WEAKLING! AND IF YOU TRY TO WIN, I'LL NEVER CONSIDER YOU MY SON!" Tears cascaded on the man's cheeks as he utters his words. His chest felt like being crushed by a boulder. To speak something debilitating to his child had never crossed his mind. But he had lost all his reason. Time was running out.

Hearing those words caused Alen to lose strength and slip. He hit his elbow and cried out in pain. Alen landed on the ledge and desperately stood while crying to his father.

"No! No! Don't you go near me! Fuck it, Alen! Go away! Go away from this car! I don't want to die with a weakling like you!"

The child screamed and slammed his chest three times.

"It hurts, daddy! It hurts!"

"Leave! I don't want to see you!"

Alen walked several steps away and when he turned his back, the car had been crushed.

He grew up without his parents. His father's brother sheltered him and took care of him. Yet the years his uncle spent caring for Alen, he knew he couldn't be the father that Alen deserved. Alen didn't do well at school and spent most of his time playing video games, but luckily he graduated high school. With his father's remaining wealth and a small support from his uncle, he left to live on his own. Alen had lovers come and go. All had one reason. Alen was over protective.

But he didn't care.

The only problem he kept encountering was whenever he played videogames. He never won a single pvp, and his father was to blame. Whenever Alen would almost win, he would freeze and the words of his late father begins to haunt him. His heart felt like he was being chained to his past.

Before Alen had passed to his second life, he joined a tournament with his friends despite knowing him as the weakest gamer. They believed they could win but reality struck them as Alen's character Zeid stood frozen in the battlefield while his teammates asked for support. The loss caused him to be kicked out of their guild.

Because of his agonizing emotions, he wanted to breathe some fresh air once in a while and only to find him breathing his last breath as the helicopter crashed into his home.

---

"But now I have a strength. I can grow stronger! No more weakness! No more loses!" Zeid smashed the branch he stood with his fists and fell slowly from the height.

[Bouyant]

Escaping the smoke of saw dust, Zeid appeared with a low head.

"I don't care what you say, dad. I have a reason to grow stronger and prove you wrong."

[You Earned A Title!]

Yearnings of a Warrior

-You gain more experience from battles and now you can gain 15% experience when you train.

[End]

"No more, fear. I'm not who I used to be. I don't care if you won't call me your son, father. But the battles I will encounter in the future, I will assure victory!"

Zeid roared with both of his lungs. He released the pain lingering inside his chest and tears began to fall from his eyes. He touched his cheek and studied his finger damp from his tear.

"One of my emotions died."

He wiped the tear off his face.

"Funny, I've just recalled a memory and now I've forgotten my former name once again. Who was I again? Elon? Aron? Lance?" Zeid scratched the back of his head as he began pondering.

"And now that I think about it! My computer history! My monster harem folders! I hope my computer got caught in the crash!" He scratched his head even more and finally…

Zeid heaved a deep sigh of relief and slammed his chest three times, vowing that he will never accept losing ever again.

"Master, umm…" Altair sadly uttered. The star on his peripheral vision began to flicker, indicating that Altair was speaking.

"What is it?"

"Umm. I, how should I put it…"

"Speak up. Don't worry, it's fine." Zeid knew it had something to do about him. He simply propped himself onto the ground and sat.

"I am here for you, master. I know you will achieve many great things. Now I understand why you eagrly work yourself. When you recalled your past memory, I too saw it as well. I'm pretty sure milady Lilie had summoned a strong being. You will definitely protect her."

"There's no need for those emotional words, Altair. But I guess, I should thank you for understanding. But I've gotta remind myself that If there is a chance to go back to Earth, I will and I will delete those folders."

"There you are, kid. Sun is rising. We're going to clear this dungeon now." Cowl appeared before him and gave Zeid a pat on his shoulder.

"Right."