From Ashes to Eminence

Chapter 3. Revival

Ethan's eyelids fluttered open, greeted by darkness. A sheet covered his face, heavy with an unsettling finality. His mind foggy, he lifted the sheet, and a faint hospital scent wafted in.

Realization dawned in an instant... Morgue.

With a jolt, Ethan sat up, sheet flying off his face.

A frightened shriek pierced the air.

He spun around, finding a nurse stumbling backward, eyes wide with terror.

Ethan reacted on instinct. In one swift motion, he swung his legs over the gurney and scooped up the nurse, cradling her in a princess carry.

Her eyes locked onto his, shock and fear mingling.

"Y-you're...you're alive," she stammered.

Ethan's gaze roved the dimly lit morgue, taking in the rows of cold storage drawers.

"How long?" he asked, voice low and rough.

The nurse trembled, "Y-you've been here for...for hours. You were pronounced DOA."

Ethan's thoughts began to spin as he sought for a solution to what happened to him. He knew he had been involved in an accident and should be dead.

What had happened? How had he come back?

The nurse's trembling broke his chain of thoughts.

"Easy," Ethan soothed, gently setting her down.

«Ding! Host has just saved nurse Susan from a fall that could have claimed her life.»

«Ding! Host has been awarded $10,000.»

«Ding! For every living being you save, you get a $10,000 reward!»

Ethan was stunned to hear a feminine voice in his head that sounded too human, but he didn't think much on it.

The nurse staggered back, hand on her mouth.

"I need to...to get the doctor," she stuttered, fleeing the morgue.

Ethan watched her go, questions swirling. What did his revival mean? Why did the goddess Gaia took pity on him, not like he's done any outstanding good deeds lately. It's like getting a present from Santa Clause when you did nothing to warrant it.

As the nurse vanished around the corner, Ethan's thoughts rushed to Emily, his three-month-old daughter. He had left her at Kids Haven daycare, innocent and unaware of the chaos that had unfolded.

Ethan's gaze fell upon his attire – a simple white gown, stark against the cold morgue surroundings.

With a newfound sense of determination, Ethan swung his legs over the gurney and stood up. The floor beneath his feet felt solid, grounding him.

He took a deep breath, resolving to leave the morgue, the hospital, and the mysteries surrounding his revival behind.

Ethan moved swiftly toward the door, his bare feet making barely a sound on the chilled tiles.

Just as he reached for the door handle, a harried doctor burst in.

"Wait!" the doctor exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise.

Ethan turned, his grip on the door handle tightening.

The doctor, a middle-aged man with a kind face, approached cautiously. There was no way he was letting go of this anomaly. No one had ever returned from the dead, but this man did. The doctor could dismiss this situation lightly.

"Mr. Wright, you...you can't just leave," the doctor explained, out of breath. "We need to run tests, understand what happened."

Ethan's expression remained resolute.

"I've been pronounced dead, and now I'm alive," Ethan said, his voice firm. "That's all I need to know."

The doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" Ethan asked, his gaze piercing.

"I'm Dr. Lee," the doctor replied. "I was on call when you were brought in. Your... revival defies explanation. I checked your body and it was already cold when you were brought in. How are alive again!?"

Ethan's grip on the door handle tightened.

"I have a daughter," Ethan said, his voice softening. "I need to see her." He didn't care to know what the doctor was saying. All that mattered right now was Emily.

Dr. Lee's expression softened. "Let me help you, Mr. Wright. We'll get you cleared, and then you can see your daughter."

Ethan hesitated, weighing his options.

«Ding! Host is advised to take up the doctor's offer, it will benefit Host in future if he is able to form a good relationship with the doctor.» The voice spoke again.

Ethan's resolve softened, he didn't know why, but he decided to listen to the voice in his head. "I'll cooperate, Doctor, but I need to see my daughter as soon as possible. Can we make it quick?"

Dr. Lee nodded, "Of course, Mr. Wright. We'll prioritize the tests."

Within the hour, Ethan underwent a barrage of examinations, answering questions and submitting to scans.

Finally, Dr. Lee handed Ethan a set of crisp, new clothes.

"Your vitals are astonishingly normal, Mr. Wright," Dr. Lee said, "Considering.. everything."

Ethan dressed swiftly, eagerness etched on his face.

"Thank you, Doctor," Ethan said, shaking Dr. Lee's hand.

Rushing out of the hospital, Ethan hailed a cab.

"Kids Haven daycare, please," Ethan instructed the driver.

As the cab sped away, Ethan's thoughts centered on Emily.

What would she look like now?

Had she missed him?

The cab stopped in front of Kids Haven. Ethan leapt out, his heart racing. He burst through the daycare doors.

"I'm here for Emily Wright," Ethan announced.

A warm smile greeted him.

"Mr. Wright! We've been worried sick."

Ethan's eyes scanned the room. And then, he saw her. Emily cooed in her crib. Ethan's heart swelled.

Ethan's hands trembled as he gently lifted Emily from her crib, cradling her in his arms. She cooed in joy, her tiny hands grasping his finger. Her bright, innocent eyes locked onto his, and Ethan's heart swelled.

Her smile shattered his defenses, melting his heart. In this moment, Ethan knew Emily was his everything. She was the reason he had to make a better life for himself.

As he held his daughter close, Ethan vowed to seize this second chance. He would leave his past struggles behind and forge a brighter future for Emily.

"Thank you," Ethan said, his voice choked with emotion, addressing the teachers. "Thank you for taking care of her. I really appreciate it."

The teachers smiled warmly, their eyes mirroring Ethan's gratitude.

"You're welcome, Mr. Wright," one of them replied. "We're just glad to see you're okay. We were worried when we heard..."

Ethan nodded, his gaze never leaving Emily's face.

"I'm fine now," he assured them. "Thanks to...second chances."

With Emily snug in his arms, Ethan bid the teachers farewell and left the daycare.

Outside, he hailed another cab.

"Oakwood Apartments, please," Ethan instructed the driver.

As the cab navigated through the city, Ethan held Emily close.

He whispered promises to her. "I'll give you the world, baby girl," he whispered. "I'll make sure you never want for anything. I'll be the father you deserve."

Tears pricked at the corners of Ethan's eyes. Emily's gentle babble was his anchor.

The cab stopped in front of their apartment complex.

Ethan paid the fare.

With Emily still in his arms, he climbed the stairs. Their apartment door creaked open. Ethan's gaze swept the familiar space. He placed Emily, who was now sound asleep, in the crib. He sat down as he thought on the events that had transpired today. In just a few hours, his wife abandoned him and Emily, his stepbrother sets up a sham interview just to trample on him, he gets involved in an accident and died, then gets revived by a goddess of nature and life, now he hears a female voice in his head.

«Ding!

Greetings Host, I am Eminence, your companion towards fortune..»