Revived: The Archmage's Return to the Urban World

Screeching sounds of tires and brakes, blaring horns, and sirens of ambulance and police cars filled the air, creating a mixed sound of chaos. Jake jolted awake, his heart was pounding hard like it would come out of his chest.

His mind raced as memories flashed through his mind. He remembered how he was hit by a trailer truck while saving a boy and dying on the streets. He thought that was his end but he was awakened as a mage in a different world. In a green and blue world of Eldramoria. A world of magic and majestic creatures. 

His recollections of living there were still vivid. He attained the highest rank of magician, Archmagus Maximus, and was regarded as the strongest arch-mage ever born. Then he defeated an evil ruler that wanted to control that world. He was honored as a hero and was celebrated by everyone.

He spent 30 years there creating and maintaining peace in that world. He married Thalara, a lovely forest priestess. He also had a right hand man, and a friend named Damascus, and the three of them ruled the said world.

On his 31st year there, he discovered a mystical book. From there, he learned about the existence of Aetherlock, a mystical ring that can amplify his power ten times. And so, he immediately went on a quest to get his hands on the ring. 

He brought his wife and his right hand man with him. And together, they crossed seas and climbed mountains. They fought monsters day and night until he got the ring in his hands. And he could clearly remember how he celebrated that moment.

But something unexpected happened. The ring hadn't been that long in his hands when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He turned around and he was stabbed with a broadsword. He fell on the ground, and the last scene he saw was the grinning face of his wife and friend. 

He was about to pull himself back to the bed when he saw himself in a mirror on the wall. He stopped, then he slumped his shoulders and sat back on the floor. His muscular body was gone, however, his beard and beautiful long hair was still there.

Jake had these stunning brown eyes that are framed by lengthy, curling lashes. He has thick, masculine eyebrows and a well-curved, pointed nose. His appearance changed a lot from what he knew and he was a bit disappointed to see his old self. 

“Ah!” he screamed while squeezing his head. “Death brought me back here?!”

His jaw dropped open as he stared at the woman who opened the door, who had long, wavy black hair, and was dressed in a stunning crimson dress. “Rosalie?” he uttered. “Is that really you?!”

“Uhm… Sorry… but…”

“She doesn’t want to hear it because she doesn’t love you anymore.” A deep manly voice interrupted him.Then a very familiar face appeared behind Rosalie. A tall, tanned man, with a well-groomed beard.

“Are you insulting me, you impotent piece of crap?!” Marcus shouted with bulging eyes.

“No. I am sorry. I am just stating the truth here.”

“As if that useless shit can hurt me!” Marcus yelled then he looked at Jake."Be grateful that you woke up! Because if you don't, you'll just rot in that bed because we're already going!"

Rosalie looked at him intently. “Yes, Jake. I’m sorry but I can’t take care of you forever. The doctor said you’ll not be able to walk again. I have a lot of dreams, and you know that.”

He slowly nodded his head while staring at her. Then he cracked a smile. “Alright. I understand.”

“R-Really? You’re not mad or anything?”

“No,” he replied while shaking his head. “Well, I am disappointed. But I, too, had dreams and goals, and I let go of the things and people who would hinder me from achieving them."

Rosalie  squinted her eyes while looking at him.  “ I don’t really understand, but that’s good to hear.. We’re leaving. Goodbye, Jake. And don’t worry, the nurse I hired to take care of you will be here soon.”

He watched as Rosalie closed the door. He listened to their footsteps as they left. Then he grasped his chest, he sighed deeply as he glanced at the door. “It doesn’t hurt that much. Those two… damn it.”

He grabbed a drinking glass from a nearby counter and squeezed it strongly with his jaw clenched and his eyes enlarged. But then he let it go and lay back down on his bed. “Why is this happening to me?!” he muffled while covering his face. “I was betrayed in Eldramoria and the same happened here!”

“But I can’t just stay like this. I must do something. There must be a reason..” He jerked himself up. He grasped for the crutches near the bed. Then he suddenly felt a warm and soothing presence outside the room.

Jake put the ring on, but he didn’t feel anything. He then touched his leg and closed his eyes, but still nothing happened.

“I think I need to concentrate more.” He closed his eyes again. His eyebrows were drawn together, and he began to sweat. But again, nothing happened.

“Ah! Why does it have to be like this?! Damn it!” He let go of the crutches and he sat on the floor, reflecting on what he had done to deserve what he was suffering now. 

He took a big breath, leaned back against one of the table's legs, and covered his face with his hands. "But there has to be a reason I'm here. According to the book, a sacrifice is required to unlock the true power of the Aetherlock. However, it is not specified what type of sacrifice is required. That's correct! I'm sure there's something I need to do here."

“Help! Help! Please! Get me out here!”

He took his crutches and staggered towards the door. Everybody on that floor was in panic, and running for the stairs. He followed them, till he heard another scream for help. And he's sure it was from a child. 

“Help! Please! I can’t open the door!” But nobody batted an eye. Everyone was hurrying down the stairs as the fire engulfed the door from where the explosion came from. “Help! Mom! Dad!”

“What happened to the door?! Why can’t you open it?” 

“I don’t know!” the child's voice became shaky. “It’s jammed, I don’t know!”

He reached for the door knob and tried to open it but it won’t even budge. 

“Okay! Stay away from the door!” he shouted. “I’ll take the door down in the count of three!

“Okay!”

Jake counted to three and with all his might, he tackled the door. But it didn’t budge. His leg started to hurt as well. But he didn’t give up. He took a deep breath, stretched his back and with all the strength he has, tackled the door once more. And this time the door collapsed on the floor. 

He fell over the door but he stood up right away to see the child. And he couldn’t help but smile when he saw a very beautiful blonde girl.

“Come o—” He was reaching his hand to the girl when another explosion came from the burning apartment. That made the wall collapse, and a part of it hit Jake right in the temple.

His hearing went out, and his vision blurred.  But he continued to look for the child.

He tried to stand up but he was forced back down again by the heat coming from the burning apartment. And it has spread already in that room. However, he continued to look for the girl, until he saw it on the floor. Unconscious. 

“Come on! I have to think of a way to get her out of here.” He forced himself to lift the girl but a huge cat figurine dropped from above and struck him in the head. 

Blood gushed out of his head then he collapsed on the floor. He touched the part that the figurine hit. “N-No! This can’t be happening. There must be a way! There is always a way!” 

He was about to pass out when he felt something hot on his hand. He glanced at it and he saw the ring covered with his blood. Then gradually a light came out of its red diamond. 

“Blood? It must be my blood! The Aetherlock is responding to my blood! !” he said with wide open eyes  and a smile. 

He could feel his strength slowly returning. His leg and head both stopped aching. His hearing was restored, and he felt amazing. He rose to his feet. He leapt three times before looking down at his hands. 

Wind began to whirl over his hands, forming them into balls. He hurled it at the flaming room, and the balls sucked up all the fire in a split second. 

“Finally! It’s back,” he said with a smirk on his face.