Each glowing word pulsed with unique energy, radiating an irresistible invitation. As Axel immersed himself deeper into the dreamscape, an undeniable certainty took root - his impending choice would echo through eternity, irrevocably altering his destiny.
His consciousness brushed against each option, receiving distinct impressions:
"School of Blue and Red" sent alternating waves of fiery warmth and icy chill through his being
"School of Radiance" and "School of Brightness" assaulted his senses with overwhelming, contradictory luminescence
Yet the "School of Cognition" called most powerfully. When Axel focused on it, a torrent of intellectual energy surged through him before everything blanked out abruptly. The other options dissolved as a vibrant green field materialized around him. The sudden clarity shocked Axel from his dreamlike state, triggering panic - was this death? An elaborate illusion? Some unfathomable experiment?
"Listen carefully," the old man's voice cut through Axel's confusion. "Forget your earthly preconceptions. This elemental realm operates by different rules - similar enough to be navigable, but with complexities that will astonish you."
He continued authoritatively: "You'll develop unique affinities here. I can grant gifts and arrange noble birth...if you prove worthy."
The boundary between dream and reality had dissolved completely. If this was death, it bore no resemblance to any afterlife he'd imagined. If it was life, then the universe contained mysteries beyond human comprehension. Axel's scientific mind rebelled even as his instincts screamed that he was experiencing something profoundly true - a revelation that would redefine his understanding of existence itself.
His fingers (did he even have fingers here?) tingled with phantom sensation as he touched the glowing options before him. The "School of Cognition" had responded to his attention with an almost sentient awareness. Such phenomena defied physics as he knew it, yet felt more tangible than any earthly experience.
A cold realization settled in his gut: whether this was dream, death, or some transcendent reality, the consequences would be devastatingly real. The old man's words carried weight, the system's warnings implied genuine peril, and the choice before him would determine his actual fate.
For the first time since his academic days, Axel faced a mystery that both terrified and exhilarated him - the fundamental nature of his own existence hung in the balance, and the answers might be more extraordinary than anything his brilliant mind had ever conceived.
"But you said my Earth body remains intact!" Axel protested. "Why speak of rebirth?"
"Details, details!" The old man waved impatiently. "Such cowardice hardly deserves rewards."
Axel masked his irritation ('This bastard's toying with me') and replied politely, "Please continue."
"Better. Having chosen Cognition, you must decide: retain all memories, or select an elemental/weapon affinity to accelerate mastery. With your light/dagger potential, you'd become exceptionally skilled."
"Is there darkness magic?" Axel asked, fantasy-novel expectations surfacing.
"Darkness is light's absence, not an element," the old man deflected suspiciously. "Though...similar forces exist."
Axel's suspicion grew ('He's hiding something') but he maintained composure. "I'll keep my memories." said Axel after contemplating for a while.
The old man arched an eyebrow. "Certain? Very well. I'll gift you an interface system - but heed this! Its quantifications are crude; levels and scores mean nothing here."
He added pointedly: "Your elemental choice is crucial. Most master one element, but you...you might handle two. Begin with light, then add another. A dual-elementalist would be...fascinating."
Axel sighed. "Explain these elements properly. And how rare are dual-users? Stories suggest multi-element magic is common."
Axel was not used to making decisions on the go without any prior information, so the only way to proceed was to engage the Old man and extract as much information as possible.
And it looked as if the Old man had taken the bait.
"The elements - fire, water, earth, wind, space, light - form this world's foundation," the old man explained tersely. "Power determines survival. While hybrid elements exist, soul-bonding differs from mere affinity. Your Cognition choice preserves memories and enhances understanding - other Schools would have reshaped your soul differently."
He leaned closer. "Now...interested in a deal? I can imprint any skill directly onto your soul."
"No thank you," Axel replied coolly, sensing danger in the offer. The old man's demeanour darkened instantly.
The Old man had enough of Axel's antics, he seemed interested in one moment but changed his mind the other. The Old man has seen something in Axel but he has his own pride to consider.
"Prideful fool!" With a snap, the scene shifted violently - Axel found himself drowning in a raging river. As icy water filled his lungs, the old man's mocking voice echoed: "Good luck with your birth...hehe."
Axel's next awareness came in fractured sensory flashes: crushing darkness, blinding light, searing heat, numbing cold. When coherence returned, a stark system alert dominated his vision:
[CRITICAL ERROR: Soul rejection detected]
[Recommended action: Memory purge to stabilize vessel]
[WARNING: Memory retention risks permanent vessel damage]
Terror gripped Axel - his memories were his identity. He rejected the purge despite dire warnings, cursing the old man's deceit.
[Memory retention confirmed]
[Vessel corruption in progress]
The subsequent experience defied description - compression into embryonic darkness, violent expansion into light, then overwhelming pain as his newborn body struggled to contain his soul. More system alerts flashed:
[Catastrophic damage detected: Cerebral cortex, Spinal cord...]
[Emergency protocol activated: All non-essential functions terminated]
[Primary objective: Host survival]
[Estimated recovery: 4 years (memories/brain function may be impaired)]
Agony overwhelmed him. His last conscious thought was a vow: however long it took, he'd make the old man pay.
Axel returned to awareness as a four-year-old child, with no recollection of the intervening years. Though alive, he remained severely disabled - his right side paralyzed, barely able to vocalize. The system's survival mode had preserved his core memories but left him vulnerable in this strange new world.
As he assessed his situation, one truth became clear: his journey would be far harder than anticipated. The advantage of his memories doesn't seem much lucrative now, his body broken, his future uncertain. Yet within Axel burned a quiet determination - he would reclaim what was stolen, no matter the cost.