"Hey champ, second place isn’t such a disappointment to warrant that face." When I looked up toward the voice, I saw my coach—the only important person I had left alive.

  "They blatantly robbed me, and you know it." Even though I had calmed down after losing the match to what was clearly a biased decision, the anger still bubbled inside me. "You know I deserved to win. I was way better than him. Damn federation—they’re not willing to let their star lose to a rookie."

  "I know, champ, I know," he replied. I could hear the desperation and frustration in his voice. Suz was angry too, but he had known how this federation worked for years. "There’s nothing we can do. All that’s left is to accept that silver medal and prepare for next year."

  I gave in immediately after hearing those words. I had hoped for even a sliver of opportunity, but deep down, I knew it—there was no way to appeal or play any card right now. "Next year, right? It’s going to be a long one... but it’s settled. I can’t count on the judges to give me the win. I’m going to knock him out."

  Suz let out a stifled laugh, but after a moment, his face shifted completely. "Champ, I can see your firm resolve. Still, I feel obligated to say this: don’t underestimate yourself. You’re the youngest person in fifty years to win a silver medal. Your talent with the sword has only bloomed since the first time we trained."

  I stayed silent, waiting for his next words. After twelve years training with him, I understood the rhythm of his conversations.

  "Your uncle and your parents would be very proud of who you’ve become." I could predict his actions, but not his words. Even if it was something any coach might say to their student, it struck a deep chord in my soul. My uncle had died recently, and my parents when I was just a child.

  "Myke was a great man. Always seemed cold on the outside, but deep down he loved you like his own son. Before he passed, he left this for you."

  The news stunned me. My uncle had always been a man of few words. He treated me like family, though never quite like a father. His favorite phrase was: “Actions speak louder than words.” I accepted the USB drive in shock, barely able to process everything that had just happened. It was too much for one afternoon.

  "Thanks, Suz. You’re the only person I have left that I care about. I hope we can spend more time together." I saw his eyes go wide and a smile spread across his face. I don’t often show affection through words, but I’m not as cold as my uncle was either.

  "Hey champ, you alright? You didn’t take any damage thanks to the wrist guards used in the match, but maybe your mind took quite a hit." His sarcasm was obvious—especially with the way he started laughing so ridiculously.

  "Don’t look at me like that, I’m just kidding. Thanks for those words, champ. I hope I live long enough to see you become a legend."

  Become a legend, huh? That doesn’t sound bad…

  "Get your stuff ready. I’ll drop you off at home. We can have a proper celebration tomorrow."

  "That was a refreshing shower. Time to process everything that happened today."

  I took second place in the most important fencing tournament—and I’m only 20. I’m more talented than the current champion, though his experience was what ultimately kept me from beating him. I outclassed him in skill and reflexes, but lost completely in terms of experience. That was the deciding factor—we went to points, and I lost.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  My uncle would be proud. He was the one who pushed me to follow this path, and he supported me every step of the way. My chest aches just thinking about his passing. If he’d lived just two months longer, he would’ve seen me earn that silver medal.

  Though, knowing him, he might’ve started a fight with someone from the federation...

  I miss you, uncle... Now it’s time to see your final message. Ever since I received that USB, I haven’t stopped thinking about what might be on it. Maybe those are the last words you couldn’t say because of who you were...

  I lost track of how many minutes—or hours—I spent crying after watching the video three times. THANK YOU, UNCLE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

  My head kept spinning after all the crying. Not even the water could ease the pain in my chest.

  I went out for a walk with no real destination until I ended up in a small pub.

  The beers helped dull the emptiness in my heart. I managed to calm down a bit, though there was still a storm raging inside me.

  This time, thanks to the alcohol, I could at least flow with it. I couldn’t control it, but I could go along for the ride.

  "I think I’ve had enough to drink. Time to head home." I would’ve liked to drink with friends, but I never got close to anyone my age. In school and college, I had good classmates, but at the end of the day, I distanced myself from everyone to focus entirely on my training.

  "Kind of regretting being such a loner..." My uncle said it clearly in the video—go meet people. Beer tastes better with friends.

  "HELP!" "HELP ME, PLEASE!"

  Before I even realized it, my body was already moving toward the cries. It was close—just a little further down an alley. When I got there, I saw two guys trying to rob a girl. My body reacted on instinct—I ran up as fast as I could. The first one went down quickly with a hit to the head, followed by a kick to the legs. I’m no pro fighter barehanded, but my body and mind are fully trained for situations like this.

  The second guy noticed and grabbed a stick to defend himself. I had to be more careful approaching him, but I managed to knock the air out of him with a punch to the stomach. Though, I did injure my left arm blocking his strike.

  Not paying attention to the first guy, and seeing the second one vomiting from the hit, I turned to the girl. "Are you okay? If you can move, we need to go and call the police." She was clearly panicked, but managed to nod and follow me quickly. As we left the alley, I saw two more guys coming my way. They must’ve heard her screams at the same time I did.

  I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t. My body began to lose strength, and I felt my consciousness fading. In the final moments before collapsing, I saw one of the guys holding a large rock—and the girl screaming.

  That bastard must’ve hit me in the head...

  I felt like my body was sinking deep into the ocean.

  My memories were blurry.

  I knew I shouldn’t be able to breathe underwater, yet I could.

  But I couldn’t move a single muscle.

  Who am I?

  Where am I going?

  Am I alive?

  The pressure kept increasing the deeper I went, but it didn’t harm me. In one instant, I was looking at an infinite starry sky. The next, the depths of an abyss, and then, a blinding light that left me sightless for a long moment.

  When I could finally see again, I didn’t know how much time had passed. The good news was that my motor skills were returning, I still didn’t know where I was or who I was, so, I decided to just feel... and wait.

  If I appeared here, there must be a reason.

  A few seconds later, I sensed a presence behind me.I stood up and instinctively took a defensive stance.

  "Are you alright?" Those were the girl’s first words, I didn’t know why, but her voice was enchanting. It made me feel at peace instantly.

  "This time, someone with strong will showed up. Usually, it’s people who’ve already given up or are broken inside." I tried to respond, but I couldn’t.I felt my mouth move, but no words came out.

  "You can’t speak in this place. This is the Limbo."

  "I can’t tell you my name, but I can give you some information and leave the final choice to you."

  "You’re from a world completely different from mine. This place I come from gathers power over time and, when it reaches its limit, it brings someone from another world to offer a second chance. Almost always, it’s someone pure-hearted or who died unjustly. The only bad thing is the trip between the two worlds—it usually fries their brain or drains their will to live. Less than two percent arrive here in good condition... like you."

  "This offer is only for that tiny percentage: Do you want to reincarnate...or assimilate into this world?"