An unexpected downgrade

Chapter 1: An unexpected downgrade

The faint hum of circuitry filled the small, cluttered room, as tiny sparks of light flickered in the air like fireflies in a jar.

Seated next to the sparkling lights was a young boy with dark chocolate skin, a pair of glistening eyes, and a mouth filled with pearly white teeth who one wouldn't expect to possess such technical knowledge considering his appearance looked no older than 12.

Gift's nimble fingers danced over the components of his latest project, a crude but functional electromagnetic pulse generator, which was laid out on his workbench amidst an array of tools, wires, and disassembled gadgets.

His mother had always told him that he had a natural talent for machines, and as far back as he could remember, Gift had always been most at peace when he was lost in the intricate world of technology.

Unfortunately, His concentration was suddenly interrupted by the soft, familiar voice of his mother calling from the kitchen. "Gift, I need you to run to the store and pick up a few things for dinner."

Gift frowned, his eyes never leaving the circuit board in front of him. "Can't you go, Mom? I'm almost done with this, and I don't want to lose my focus"

There was a pause, and then the sound of her footsteps was heard as she left the kitchen and came upstairs, approaching the doorway to his room.

"Gift, you've been in here all day. A little fresh air would really do you some good" She smiled, though there was a weariness in her eyes that Gift didn't notice. As if she was worried about her son's unsocial habit's since he actually didn't have much friends or even friends at all, mostly preferring to spend his time working on his gadgets instead.

Gift sighed, pulling the headphones from around his neck and placing them firmly over his ears. The beats of his favorite music filled his mind, drowning out the world beyond his project. "Just five more minutes," he mumbled, already retreating back into his world of wires and microchips.

His mother lingered for a moment longer, the faint smile on her lips hiding a trace of disappointment. "Alright, I'll be back soon."

Gift barely heard the door close as she left, too absorbed in the intricate details of his work. Without him noticing, Minutes soon blurred into hours, and time became irrelevant as the project neared completion.

" Yes!, almost done..."

" Soon everyone shall marvel at my creation, hahaha, I can't wait " he chuckled.

Only for his hands to come to a stop all of a sudden, a sound pierced through the music in his headphones, a sharp, deafening crack that echoed down the street.

_What could that be?_

Gift froze, his heart pounding as a sense of dread washed over him.

_Wait where's mom‽_ He tore off the headphones, suddenly aware of how quiet the house was.

He rushed to the window, his breath catching in his throat as he saw a crowd gathering on the street, just a block away.

Without thinking, he bolted out of his room, out the door, and into the street, his feet barely touching the ground as he raced toward the source of the commotion.

The sight that met him stole the breath from his lungs. His mother lay on the pavement, a pool of crimson spreading out from beneath her as neighbors frantically tried to help. Her eyes were half-open, dazed and unfocused, as if she were struggling to understand what had happened.

"Mom!" Gift's voice broke as he dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he reached out but didn't know where to touch nor how to help.

While he was frozen in shock, Someone called for an ambulance, and before he knew it the world around him became a blur of panicked voices and flashing lights. But all Gift could see was his mother, her breaths shallow and her skin growing pale.

" Step aside we'll take it from here " One of the paramedics said as they brought the hovering stretcher over.

" Are you going to take care of my mom, please help my mom " Gift pleaded with teary eyes as he watched them carry his mother onto the stretcher.

" She's your mother?" A female paramedic said and Gift nodded.

" What about your father or big brother and sister's?" The lady crouched down to meet Gifts eye level, her eyes filled with pity as she questioned him.

" I don't have a dad and moms all I have.., please help mom, please help my mother" Gift sobbed, his voice growing louder.

" It's alright, don't cry, we'll take good care of your mom ok " she tried consoling him.

" Hey what's the hold up Shira?" A random paramedic walked over.

" It's this kid, he says she's his mother" Shira gestured towards Gift.

" Damn.., poor kid, Just let him hop on board with us to the hospital then "

" Hey kid don't worry, it's all going to be alright ok, your mom is in good hands" The male paramedic crouched down and patted Gifts shoulders with reassurance before standing up and going on to check on his mother like the remainder of the crew.

Gift nodded and as they left for the hospital, he stayed with his mother, holding her hand until they arrived at the hospital were they admitted her into the hospital before a doctor came to check up on her.

Gift stood aside numbly, his mind reeling with the horror of it all, with the crushing guilt that weighed on his chest.

_If only i had gone to the store. If only i had listened..., mom wouldn't be in this situation right now_ Gift clenched his little hands.

Hours later, he sat in the sterile waiting room of the hospital, his hands still clenched into fists as the silence of the night pressed in around him. The doctors did all they could and where able to take out the bullet. Although not before it had caused a bit of damage. She was alive, but the injury would require awhile before she could recover.

In the days that followed, as his mother struggled to recover, Gift made a vow. He would never be powerless again. He would use his talents to create something that could protect those he loved, something that would make sure he would never have to stand by helplessly again.

Years passed, and Gift's vow transformed him into a young man driven by purpose. He poured himself into his work, building a company from the ground up, his technological innovations pushing the boundaries of what was possible. By the time he was a young adult, about 18 years of age. He had become the youngest tech tycoon in the world, His name now synonymous with cutting-edge technology worldwide.

But even as his fame and fortune grew, the memory of that night never left him. It was the catalyst that had sparked his ambition, the fire that drove him to create more, to be more. He had created technologies that could change the world, but none that could change the past.

Then came the night of the conference, a celebration of his latest creation—an advanced nanotechnology suit designed to enhance human capabilities beyond natural limits. The event was supposed to be a triumph, a showcase of human ingenuity. But it quickly turned into a nightmare.

" As you can all see, My appearance is still the same yet within me are several trillions of sophisticated technologically developed nano bots, particularly fused with my own body cells several times over " Gift who had grown into a dashing young man, while wearing a splendid tuxedo, gestured towards the huge holographic panel that displayed his functioning cells.

" With this multitude of interconnected system of nano bots, I can easily fight of diseases, withstand extreme temperatures, possess astonishing physical capabilities, break evolutionary boundaries, create and obliterate matter to subatomic levels and so much more" Gift demonstrated the capabilities of his new invention, garnering a magnificent round of applause from the audience.

As Gift stood on stage, explaining the suit's features to a captivated audience, the doors to the conference hall burst open, and chaos erupted. A group of masked terrorists stormed in, their weapons trained on the crowd.

" Everyone down on your knees!!" The masked individuals issued orders while flashing their weapons at the crowd who quickly complied.

In the ensuing chaos, Gift saw their leader, a woman who stood audaciously

at the back of the hall, with cold, calculating eyes.

" Pixel, any leads?" Gift asked the Ai in his nano tech system, which was basically connected to his cerebral cortex (mind). The more he stared at the leading terrorist, The more he felt like there was something else, something familiar about her that sent a shiver down Gift's spine.

[Already on it]

[Match found: Shira Gonzalez, a notorious terrorist wanted in 35 countries. More likely known in the underworld for her ruthless efficiency.]

" Well I'll be a monkeys uncle, it really is her‽" In Gifts eyes he saw the figure of the female terrorist overlapping with the female paramedic he had seen 6 years ago.

*******

The leading terrorist seemed to notice Gifts gaze as she turned towards his direction.

" Long time no see kid, Care to step forward for a moment" She suddenly raised her weapon, a blaster of some sorts which had a wide short barrel and a structure similar to a hand gun.

_How did she get that and where‽_

Gifts eyes widened in shock, That blaster in her hands was actually one of his own creations, a Grim tech X-blaster.

It was a prototype not yet ready for the public that he'd been working on regarding the sudden spike in terrorism across the globe, ironically, it seemed like his plan had instead backfired on him.

Shira sneered on seeing Gifts expression, seemingly relishing the hint of despair on his face. " Hahaha, surprised right?"

"You thought you could change the world, Gift," she sneered. "But unfortunately, you still can't protect what matters most."

" Wait, let's talk this out. You guys want money right?, I can give you that-" Gift tried stricking up a negotiation but before he could react, she pulled the trigger, and a searing light engulfed him.

[Initiating Life preservation protocol] Miraculously, before the beam of light could get within 1 meter of him, Pixel attempted a last minute save.

Gift felt the world tilt beneath him, He felt the suit he was wearing activate in response, trying to protect him. But the blast was too strong, too unexpected.

The last thing Gift saw before his vision darkened was the terrified gazes of the crowd and his own mother, her terror filled eyes seemed to stab into his heart as his life flashed before his eyes. Recalling the tragic traumatic encounter he experienced years ago, he was suddenly overcome by a wave of frustration and anger.

Thoughts like:

_Was this the end_

_Would I die here?_

_What would become of mom and everyone else after my death?_

Plagued his mind till his vision blacked out.

***********

When the light faded, Gift found himself lying on the cold, hard ground. The air was different here, thick with the scent of earth and something else, something ancient. He groaned, pushing himself up, his head spinning.

When he came through, he realized that he was no longer in the conference hall. Instead, he was now in a forest, surrounded by towering trees and strange, glowing plants.

" What's going on?..." Gift said, felling a bit light headed.

As he tried to get his bearings, he heard a rustling behind him, and he turned to find himself surrounded by warriors dressed in armor that looked like something out of a medieval fantasy, their weapons drawn and eyes wary.

_The hell‽, did I end up getting transported to a shitty resonance fair or something‽_

Gift's heart raced as he tried to process what was happening. This was impossible. This had to be a dream, some kind of hallucination.

But the sharp edge of a sword pressed against his throat was all too real.

"Who are you?" one of the warriors demanded, his voice low and threatening. "And what are you doing in the land of Faeyrn?"

_The hell is he talking about‽_

Gift swallowed hard, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of it all. But even as the fear and confusion threatened to overwhelm him, a small, incredulous thought crept into his mind.

Had he really been sent to another world?.