Once Jaxon

Earthiea to Earth

Elymion Ross War

The Enemy Camp

When the night falls, Jaxon started to move. He entered the enemy camp without anyone noticing him.

Jaxon Romov is a part of the Emperor's Shadow. It is a group of assassins directly commanded by the Emperor of Elymion Empire. He is also considered as the strongest of all his Shadow.

They are in a war right now. It is a war that has been happening for more than five years and the Emperor is grewing tired of it amd the damage to the innocent people is also accumulating. Corpses of those who doesn't have anything to do with the dispute among their country leaders are piling up.

So to end this long standing strife, the Emperor made a decision and ordered him, his strongest Shadow, to secretly kill the enemy commander. By killing the person in charge, the soldiers will lose their morale and will to fight. The current king of the enemy kingdom is a coward who doesn't want to dirty his hand woth blood that makes the army commander the leader of the soldiers.

Jaxon is wearing a black outfit, a clock and mask. He was all black, befitting his title as a Shadow. He is hiding in the dark corners of the camp, checking the parameter if there is an enemy who notices him.

He confirmed the area is clear. He made his way to the center of the camp where the commander's quarter is located. He passed by tents with guards but they didn't notice him for he is quick on his feet and is quietly moving.

Jaxon arrived at the backside of the commander's tent. The lamp is still on so he can still see the silhouette of a big man. This is their commander. He saw him multiple times so he knew it was him.

He readied himself to enter when he heard a rustling sound behind him.

'Did I got caught?'

He turned around and readied his twin daggers for the presumed enemy but when he saw who was behind him, he quietly sighed.

"Ven, what are you doing here?" He whispered to the man standing behind him. He checked the surrounding if there are enemies around. They might get caught if they are too loud, Jaxon whispered as quietly as possible.

Ven is a part of the Shadow just like Jaxon but as far as he knows, he is in a mission on a different country.

"Jaxon, I have something to tell you." Ven's voice is shaky, a sign of nervousness.

"Hmm? What is it? I have to finish my mission as soon as possible. " Jaxon frowned.

"I'm sorry."

Jaxon halted.

He looked at Ven. His eyes is wide open from shock.

"Fuck..."

Ven withdrew the sword he used to stab Jaxon in the chest.

Soon he fell on his knee and blood gushed out of his mouth. Blood started to wet his clothes.

He glared at Ven whose head was bowed down. Jaxon then heard a loud laughing inside the tent on his back.

"Who would've thought the Empire's strongest shadow to fall like this? Your emperor is truely an idiot." Said the enemy's commander who came out of his quarter. He stood infront of Jaxon and mockingly smiled at him.

"Shut it, Pig." Jaxon smirked at him. The commander's face turned red from anger. He kicked Jaxon on the shoulder that made him fall on the ground.

"Hey, Dog, I initially want to kill you fast and painlessly but ... I change my mind."

Jaxon glared at him. He then saw Ven behind the enemy's commander. He's shaking his head as if telling Jaxon to not talk or do anything.

'f*****g Traitor!'

He wanted to shout at him but kept his mouth shut. His stab wound was deep but not really fatal. He can still live if he were treated properly. Ven is known from his skill in killing a target as fast as possible so his every blow is always fatal. Jaxon's injury only means that Ven doesn't want to actually kill him, yet.

"My Lord, I gave him a fatal wound. I'm afraid he won't last for another 30 minutes." Said Ven

Jaxon looked at him coldly. What nonsense is he spewing? This kind of wound would make someone in his level live for atleast 1 and half day even without medical treatment.

"Hmm.. is that so? Too bad. I thought I could still torture him for a week." Said the Commander. "Oh well. Just throw him in the prison. Let him die slowly from loosing blood." Then he smirked at Jaxon and turned around and left.

All Jaxon could do was glare at him for he cannot do anything. He's slowly loosing strength and his vision is getting blurry.

When the enemy commander left, Jaxon's glare shift to Ven whose looking at him blankly. There is no emotion on the man's eyes.

He then drew his sword and pointed it at Jaxon.

"You have to die here, Jaxon." Ven said coldly. He then raised his sword.

"Why, Ven? Why did you betray us and our Lord?" Jaxon finally asked him. Eventhough he doesn't really care about a traitor's reason, he just can't help but ask. This will be his last words anyways.

" ..... "

The latter did answer. He opened his mouth but no words came out. He then sighed. "It's time for you to return, Jaxon."

Then he slip Jaxon's neck.

---

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

"Doctor!"

"The patient is not breathing! His pulse is weakening! Blood pressure is also rapidly dropping!"

Jaxon can hear different kind of noise and voices from his surroundings.

He can feel someone pumping his chest. He doesn't feel pain but he can feel the pressure from that person's palms.

'Am I being resuscitated? But there is no knowlegde about CPR in Eartheia? And I am stabbed in the chest so why would someone ....?"

"We'll do defibrillation!"

The pumping on his chest continued. He can still here all the voices around him when....

"200 ... Charged!"

"Clear!"

He felt a tingling sensation enter his body.

"Once more!"

"200 ... Charged!"

"Clear!"

What is happening? Though he is aware of his surroundings, he can't move even an inchi of his body. He can feel pressure and other senses but not pain.

And those words he heard from the people around him, it's not a word that can be heard on the seemingly medieval age Eartheia.

This can only mean one thing .... He is reborn .... Again?

The beeping sound above his head stopped.

"Vital signs?"

"Positive breathing rhythm. Pulse and BP are back to normal, Doc. No fever."

He then heard a person sigh. "If something like this occurs again, I'm afraid he won't survive. He is still a young man, why does he have to do that?"

"I just hope he wakes up soon."

--

From what he can remember in his first life, he was formerly living on a planet called Earth. He was an ordinary young man who likes to play video games watch animations, read light novel and graphic novels. He basically like anything that has something to do with 2D characters. He was called an 'OTAKU' or 'WEEB' or something like that in his past life because of his hobbies.

Jaxon can't fully remember his past self on Earth but he remembers are the things that can only be seen on Earth. The advance technology, weaponry, transport vehicles, the environment and many more.

"This ... Is Earth, right?"

When he woke up a while ago, he saw the familiar setting of a hospital room. He's been hospitalized before so he can remember. The smell of the room also says that he is indeed in a hospital.

His second life after dying on Earth, which he can't remember how, he was reborn as Jaxon Romov on a planet called Earthiea. That place is different from this world, it's not actually different but that world is like the ancient times here on Earth. A medieval time? He wasn't actually sure. But what's for sure is, Earthia is far behind Earth in terms of technology and way of life.

What he knew about that place was, there are monarchy on every country. The nations are often at war with each other and constantly conquering ones territory. There are also caste system in that place, a nobility and commoner classes.

Jaxon's parents died at the war when he was 5 years old. He, together with the other orphans of war, was taken by the orphanage supported by the royal family of Elymion. When he came of age, he started doing mercenary jobs and when he turned 20, he pledged his loyalty to his benefactor and savior, the Emperor of Elymion Empire. That is how he became a SHADOW.

But at the mere age of 35, after serving the emperor for only 15 years, he died by the hands of one of his comrades.

When he thought that everything has come to an end, he was transported back to his original world? It can't be a dream because of how vivid and long it was, so that is the only plausible explanation as to why he is here now.

Unless this place is just similar to his past life's world, Earth?

Jaxon was in deep thought when he heard a knock on the door. When it opened, the female nurse gasped when she saw him.

"M-Mr. Reynold?"

Jaxon frowned.

She then bolted out of the room after saying, "I'll just go get, Doctor Jekkins."

After a couple of minutes, Jaxon heard several footsteps on the hallway outside his room. There are also whispering even when the door is closed.

A person behind the door knocked.

Several people wearing white uniforms and lab gowns entered the room at they are all surprised to see him sitting on his hospital bed. Just last night, this patient stopped breathing for several minutes and he was on the verge of death.

But right now, just a couple of hours has passed and this patient, comatose of 6 months due to brain injury, has miraculously awakened. His doctors and even his family has prepared themselves to have him in life support for the rest of his life but here he is now, wide awake and seems to be healthy. As if he wasn't dying last night.

The doctor who was infront went to Jaxon's side and check him up. He also asked several questions to him.

"Hello, Mr. Reynold. Can you hear me? I am Doctor Jekkins." Asked the male doctor.

He remembers this voice. It was one of the voices he heard last night when he regained awareness of his surroundings couple of hours ago. It was the one shouting 'Clear!'.

So this is his doctor who revived his dying body?

As for his question, Jaxon nodded his head.

"Do you know where we are right now? How are you here?"

Jaxon shakes his head.

"Mr. Reynold, do you know what's your full name?"

Jaxon frowned. This doctor has been calling him Mr. Reynold but that is not his name. He can't clearly remember his past life name but he was sure, it wasn't Reynold or something.

Doctor Jekkins sighed lowly and stood up straight. "Nurse, have you called Mr. Reynold's family?"

The female nurse beside him answered yes.

"Mr. Reynold, I will have to talk to your family so I will have to ask you to rest first. Do you have any question or complain?" Jaxon shook his head. "If you have, please do tell it to this nurse, " He pointed at the female nurse beside him. "Then, if you will excuse me. I will visit you later on after briefing your family about your condition."

---

He was now alone in the room after the nurse left. Before she left, she instructed Jaxon to press the button above his hospital bed if he need assistance in anything.

He looked down at his wrist where an IV catheter was connected. The other tubes connected to his body was removed after Doctor Jekkins visited him.

While looking at his pale pair of hands, he frowned.

"Can a person properly function with twigs as limbs? And am I really this pale in the past?"

As Jaxon, he has a tanned skin. Back when he was young, farming was his job on the orphanage. He then does mercenary jobs so it is understandable that his skin wasn't fair.

He turned his head towards the window. Jaxon asked the nurse to draw the curtains earlier so he can see outside while still sitting on his bed.

Jaxon slighty frowned when he saw his reflection on the glass window.

On the reflection, he can see a beautiful young man. Possibly in his mid 20s. He has a pale complexion and his eyes are pretty. He has black and black eyes, typical of humans on Earth.

Jaxon was busy admiring his reflection when the door opened. A man in his suit and a woman wearing an expensive looking dress entered.

"Aiden."

Up until now, he wasn't sure if this was his past self but now, he is sure. He had possessed someone else's body. And that someone, is a person called Aiden Reynold.

--

"Mr. Reynold is amnesiac. But you don't have to worry, it is common for patients who suffered brain injury to have amnesia."

That was what the doctor said earlier this afternoon. Doctor Jekkins alsa said after a while he may start recovering his memories on his own. They shouldn't force him to remember or it may cause more damage.

For the mean time, his family was instructed to tell him stories about himself and his family to let him recover his memories by himself.

'But I'm not Aiden Reynold. How will I be able to recover non existent memories?' He sighed internally.

From what his 'mother' told him, he is 29 years old. He look young for his age.

According to her, he was the youngest child. He has two older brothers and one older sister. Since becoming an adult, he moved out of the house to pursue his dreams.

He is apparently an actor who debuted more than a decade ago.

From this information, Jaxon was sure that this was really Earth, his former world. He wasn't sure about this Aiden Reynold but he knew the Reynold family his 'mother' has been talking about. They are a prestigious, a rich family who own chains of hotels and restaurants. He knew about it because their family was often on the front page of newspapers and news.

"Aiden, do you need something?" Mrs. Reynold asked him when she notice him staring.

He wasn't sure if it was just him but this person seemed to be awkward infront of him. Despite calling him fondly, she appears to be so conscious about him. Like it was their first time meeting each other. Not only her but also the man with her, who is apparently his eldest brother.

But Jaxon doesn't feel like probing for more information right now.

"I'm tired. I'll just get some sleep." He laid down his bed after informing them.

--

"Aideeeeeen!"

Jaxon flinched as he saw a chubby man approaching him. He was teary and seems hysterical.

"I thought you'll never wake up again. Aideeeen~"

"Who are you?"

The unknown man flinched and looked at him, shocked. His eyes are wide opened.

"Aiden?"

"Yes? I'm Aiden but who are you?"

"Oh my gosh! How can you not remember me?! Oh my! Oh my! What happened?! Aiden, it's me! Jonas! Your manager!"

After hearing the explanation from Aiden's brother, the chubby man seemed to calm down. He turned to his side with sympathetic expression.

He then explained what Aiden needs to know about his past as an actor. His brother and mother may know one or two but his manager for a decade knows more about his profession. Apparently, when Aiden left their house this is the first time he met them after a decade.

According to the manager, Aiden Reynold also known as Aiden Gale was an actor for more than 10 years. He was best known for his blockbuster film when he debuted but after that, he was eventually forgotten by the people.

For the past years, he does minor roles on series and films. But last year, out of desperation to boost his name once again, he attempted to make a scandal with one of the hottest actress on showbiz. That ploy was eventually discovered and interfered with by the company's management and his plan was exposed to the media.

Allegedly, due to the embarassment and hate he got from the public as well as his hopelessness, he attempted to commit suicide by jumping at his company's rooftop building.

Jaxon nodded as the manager finished explaining.

"So right now, I don't have any projects?"

"Uhm .. actually after the news spread that you had regain consciousness, 3 project proposals for you was sent to me."

Jaxon frowned. What kind of .... Is the director or sponsors of those projects sane? Why would they want a foolish person like Aiden be casted? I mean, won't the public see those project in a rather negative light?

"Is that so? I actually can't remember how to act. I don't know how was I before so I might not be able to do it well."

"Right. And Aiden, you don't have to work anymore. We're here, we can support you enough for the rest of your life." Said his mother.

"But! .... But 2 of those projects .... You badly want to be part of the production that you did that thing."

"What? You mean the reason I did all that was because..."

Before he could even finish his question, Jonas nodded. " The directos of these series and film are well known directors in the industry."

Hmm ... If the original Aiden went to that extent just to be part of the production, he must have wanted it so badly.

Shouldn't he somehow repay Aiden for using his body? He doesn't know for how long he will be using this body. He may not have asked to possess Aiden's body but if the real Aiden really died in that suicide, there's a high chance that he'll be using this body in a long period of time. He could atleast show his gratitude thru making the original Aiden's dream come true.

And Jaxon doesn't have anything to do anyways.

"Mother ..." Jaxon faced Aiden's mother. "I'm grateful for your proposal of a life without hardships but, I want to regain my memories." His mother went to his side.

"I'm not telling you don't need your past memories but, isn't it better to start anew with your family?" He saw his brother nodding behind her.

"But that past is also a part of me. That is who I am before."

".... That ---- is ---- you..." She murmured something and Jaxon didn't hear her clearly.

'I am not yet in fronth of a camera but my acting skills are already being tested.'

Jaxon held his mother's hand.

"Mother ... I wan't to continue my acting career. It may become difficult because of my condition but I want to do what I used to do. You'll support my decision, eh?"

His mother looked at him for a long time before she sighed and nodded. He thanked his mother and looked at Jonas whose also smiling from ear to ear.

--

" .... Can you really do it, Aiden? I mean the role for the film?" Jonas asked for the nth time.

They're now alone in the room after his mother and brother left to rest in a hotel nearby. They where exhausted from the 10 hour flight but has to rush to the hospital as soon as the plane landed.

"... What role?" He was acting clueless.

"Your role! Aiden even before you never acted a role like this ...." Jonas' face was full of anxiety. " ... You've never had a psychopath role, let alone a serial murderer!"

" Jonas, you're overreacting. Don't worry too much, I can do that." Jaxon dismissed Jonas' anxiety as he was busy reading the script he brought him.

Hmm. This is quite interesting.

--

Author: Should I start using 'Aiden' or continue using 'Jaxon' when referring to the MC? ?