Awareness

Jody rubbed his eyes as he woke up in a dark room. Wait a second. Room? No, never mind, this wasn't a room. Less of that, not even his eyes were open. Did he have eyes? Why did he seem to doubt that? He couldn't even feel his face. Feel? He couldn't feel anything.

This was…nothing? 

Am I dead? This was Jody's first thought for some reason. No, that's not right. I had already lost my body, but somehow not my life. Logic dictates that if I were now dead, I wouldn't be able to think clearly or remember who I am, right? Am I still just a soul? Like a ghost? Well, this ain't much different from being dead, then… Damn it, I am dead.

Jody was utterly distraught, and he couldn't help but think in circles, as he couldn't be sure of anything. His last memory was being blasted into dust by a particle beam from an exaggeratedly complex and highly advanced weapon. One that Jody felt shouldn't even exist on the market. After all, the military had yet to finish weaponizing such a thing. 

Wait, for the military? Was I a soldier? That feels not quite right… why can't I remember… it feels so long ago somehow…

Suddenly, this remarkably obnoxious and powerful voice boomed in his mind, selfishly blocking out Jody's thoughts.

"T'ZHANË GREETS THE REVERED LORD. REVERED LORD, DUE TO MY SELFISHNESS, WE ARE NOW ON THE SAME KARMIC WHEEL," said the booming voice of T'ZHANË.

Okay, there, big guy. First off, I'm digging the form of address. Revered! LORD! Yes. This is nice. Okay, now, the second matter of concern. Um… loud much? Sheesh, lighten up. Now...  Jody paused his thoughts for dramatic effect, convinced he had gone nuts. Tell me, what is a karmic wheel? Can we maybe not share it? You sound mad manly, bro, and that's not how I like to use my bat. Also, why are you apologizing? This isn't a great sales pitch, yo.

T'Zhanë was speechless for a moment. He didn't know if this soul was scatterbrained due to just awakening or if he was honestly this way. He started to consider if he was making a good decision.

Jody wondered if he had hallucinated the mighty voice of extreme decibels. Death was getting exciting, and now it was lonely again.

"CHOSEN ONE! SOUL OF INFINITY! OUR DESTINIES HAVE BEEN TIED TOGETHER! YOU ARE THE ONE AND ONLY HOPE FOR MY PEOPLE NOW. FOR OUR PLIGHT, THE FAULT IS MINE! BUT WITH MY MIGHT, YOU'LL BE DIVINE! I WILL GIVE YOU MY COMPLETE LEGACY. YOU WILL BE MY FIRST INHERITANCE DISCIPLE, NO DIFFERENT FROM MY SON. THE TWILIGHT WILL BECKON, AND YOU MUST ANSWER ITS CALL! THIS IS THE COST OF BEING MY KIN. HOPEFULLY, ONE DAY, YOU WILL LEAD US TO OUR SALVATION." T'Zhanë's mighty voice sounded reluctant, but no one could tell the why.

Especially not Jody, whose nonexistent ears were ringing and making him dizzy. He barely understood the things communicated at such a volume. He had no idea what this guy wanted. Just as the presence of the artist formerly known as ETERNAL BOOM faded away, Jody's consciousness was directly flooded with a sea of information.

Just when he thought he would lose his mind, he felt like a burst of power washed over him. He suddenly was able to think much more clearly. 

Sudden enlightenment! 

Jody Trill was once a special operations agent for the U.S. military. However, the higher-ups soon discovered that he was capable of miraculous things. He could get shot in the head, but be okay the next day. He could get burned in a fire but wake up in the morning without a blemish. 

This was, of course, outrageous and not normal.

Life got complicated for Jody once word got out. The country he was from referred to people like him, those with unexplained natural abilities, as Meta-Humans. After being forcefully transferred to the secret unit for undercover 'Meta-Human' training, he endured daily torture due to the nature of his ability. They experimented on him frequently, pushing the limits of what he could recover from. 

Despite this, no one could pinpoint his ability's limits, nor were they able to weaponize it. They wanted to ascertain the battle properties of his mutation, which was honestly more of an exceptional physique than an ability. Every time Jody recovered, his body would become more than a bit stronger. The elements he was exposed to for prolonged periods would no longer affect him.

As a result, they just converted Jody into a high-level spy and assassin. 

Special Operative: Trill Jody!

Jody also had to undergo high-profile stealth missions. He even dressed as a ninja often, just for shits and giggles. In reality, such tough training and high-level operative work had made him just like an actual ninja. He couldn't easily separate and sort through this sea of knowledge he had been transmitted, but he was quickly adapting.

After pondering where he was briefly, Jody realized everything was dark and empty. Lonely and desolate. So quiet he almost wished the voice of maximum volume returned for another round of conversation.

Almost.

Nonetheless, Jody began to study the information in his mind eagerly. What else was there to do now that the voice of eternal boom and doom was gone? 

After an unknown amount of time had passed, Jody finally adjusted his thoughts. T'Zhanë had luckily left a more moderately volumed summary in this transmission. He had received the memories of a member of the Titans preparing to break into the Ancestor Titan Realm. Jody felt this was something insane that usually only happened in movies and books. He now knew without a doubt he was dead. Though he was finished, he knew there was undoubtedly a next life.

In this next life, Jody could raise himself as the descendant of a Titan if he chose. These memories seemed to include just the complete formulation history of a man named Jupiter Titan and his fighting experience. Only the first 300 years were currently available to Jody. However, he suddenly felt vexed as he was not a member of the sky-slaughter race.

Or was that where he would be born in the future? How did this reincarnation thing work exactly?

Before now, Jody didn't even know Titans were real beings, let alone just one clan of an alien race. He still wasn't so sure about that. Or any of this. After all, death could have driven him nuts. What if he was having his final mental breakdown this entire time? However, one subject, in particular, sparked Jody's interest. 

Spiritual awareness. 

It was using your spirit to sense your surroundings instead of your physical senses. It typically required a specific 'soul formula' to have been achieved. Unless your soul was powerful enough and not restricted by a mortal form, then it was also possible. Based on Jody's last memory, there was a strong possibility that this was his current circumstance.

After contemplating the Titan's method to use such a magnificent ability, Jody felt he had already done this once before. Then he came to a realization! This sensation was somewhat similar to his awakened survival instinct gained from military experience. 

And Sansa said that I'd never gain anything of value at the military, tsk. Following this thought, without delay, he cast out his spiritual awareness and felt like he had opened his eyes for the first time in countless years. 

Unfortunately, his first sight shocked him to the core.