Chapter 1: A Fresh Start?

Damn. It appears this is how I die.

Set up, killed, and probably buried in an unmarked grave. Almost too good for me when you think about it.

I should probably introduce myself, my name is Keith Manowar and I am a career thief, as well as the world's greatest solo robber! Well, probably not anymore, since I've been caught and all.

Heisting, robbing, and stealing are a form of art, and I am a beautiful painter. Due to this, albeit small obsession of mine, I've been calling myself a heist artist for quite some time. Get it? It's like a con artist but for theft. Anyway back to the dying part.

This was both the riskiest, as well as the most profitable job I've ever been offered. The gig was simple, go into some rich douche's private mansion, take some weird-looking stone worth apparently millions, turn it in, and then retire as one of the richest twenty-three-year-olds in history! Ahhh, if only I'd been able to feel the murderous intent in that bald bastard's smile.

Anyhow, at this point, I'm in the middle of this rich idiot's secret basement, the strange stone in my arms, and suddenly, all the lights come on and I'm surrounded by people in black!

"Easy does it, Keith." A familiar voice says calmly.

Walking out from behind one of the men in black, was a small man, only reaching about 5'4", with pure gray hair, interlaced by strips of black.

"Take it easy now, Keith." The short-stack said. "I know the guy who set you up to this, we've had it worked out from the beginning, you come in expecting an easy job, I keep my stone, he gets rid of you and I pay him the difference. Easy right?" The man said with a confident grin.

"One problem here short-stack" I replied, pulling down my mask to breathe better. "You want your stone, right? Isn't it some ancient artifact you collected?"

"I'll just take it off your corpse, easy as can be." The zebra-haired man said, pulling out a Colt 1911.

"And what if I do this?" I said, tossing and juggling the stone in a carefree matter. If I'm gonna die, might as well have fun!

"Don't you dare! That is a priceless artifact!" The now angrier short man said.

"So it's priceless huh? Hmm, how about you let me walk and I don't smash this thing to bits." I said and I began sauntering towards the man.

However, as soon as I got within 10ft of the man, I felt a strange warm sensation run down my leg. Looking down, I could see a bullet hole.

"Fuck! What the hell did you shoot me for?!" I yelled towards the short man, clutching my leg in a desperate attempt to not crumble to the floor. Getting shot hurts way more than getting stabbed apparently. 

"Take one more step and everyone fires!" He yelled, gesturing towards his men, as they each pulled out a different gun.

"Well fuck this stupid rock then!" I yelled, palming the stone and giving it my best baseball pitch into another priceless artifact, shattering both on impact.

As the two artifacts cracked and broke, I heard a shriek come from the now pale short man, as an immeasurable pain overcame my body.

All of which stemmed from the bullets currently lodging themselves within me. On the bright side, the stone was now in fragments, and more bullets ricocheted and destroyed even more priceless treasures. The destruction of shit worth more than eight of my lifetimes? Fitting death.

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I collapsed to the floor as an unbearable amount of pain washed over me, and my body began to feel cold. Is this what death feels like? As the hail of gunfire stopped, I was able to catch a glimpse of the face of that smug prick, now completely devoid of color. At least I was able to wipe that look off his face. Serves you right fuckwit.

I really am gonna die like this huh? What a way to go.

I mean, it's not like my life has been much outside of this. Until about the age of nine, I was tossed from orphanage to orphanage, eventually being picked up by a man named Sarguet, after the impoverished orphanage I was in ran out of funds and I became a street rat. From there I got taught how to steal, "small hands make great sticky fingers" he'd always say.

After discovering I had a knack for it, I basically became Sarguet's hands, and mouth, until he died. From about the age of sixteen, I went solo and lived off the profits and seller connections from Sarguet, getting contracts and buying agreements from old business partners. Of course, if I didn't like them I'd step on their toes a bit. Only a little, overcharging, taking a bit extra than they asked and keeping it, etc. The bald man I was dealing with for this contract I'd stepped on twice, after this last one I was planning on skipping town with the loot and living off it for years. Too bad, I could finally live a semi-peaceful life.

A different thought, however, is how am I still alive and kicking? I've been full of lead for like thirty seconds, shouldn't I have died by now?

Suddenly, it feels as if in a sauna. I feel extremely warm all of the sudden, and the pain is gone? As I try to get up, I'm able to stand just fine?

Looking all around, all I could see is a white nothingness. Is this heaven?

"No, not quite little one." A warm voice spoke.

Jolting my head right, a large luminescent figure could be seen, staring right at me. Now THAT is a big woman.

"Hello young one, I must thank you. Although unorthodox, you did free a bit of my power from that horrible stone prison. As a reward, I'll grant your one true desire." The large motherly figure said calmly.

"AHHHHHHH!" I screamed, attempting to step back and ending up on my ass.

I would have continued screaming when suddenly a warm and fuzzy feeling replaced my fear, and my body returned to my control.

"That's how it usually goes, too many people have been too calm about this. What is it you desire?" The voice asked, remaining calm and professional.

"Hmm, can I be reborn?" I said, after thinking for about thirty seconds. If I get whatever I want, why not have a second life?

"Of course, on Earth or something different? I warn you, returning to Earth will not let you keep anything." The warm voice said as I shook my head.

"Nah, I like the stuff in my head. How about a world with magic and fantasy? I've lived in a modern hell hole for too long, gimme something new this time around. Oh! And can I keep my memories? I don't want to forget old man Sarguet." I said, speaking honestly. Even if I hate that old man's guts sometimes, I still miss him. Somewhat.

"It will be done, now goodbye. May your new life be more prosperous than your old." The motherly voice said, as her voice faded and the world around me began to disappear.

Suddenly, it felt as if my whole body was being compressed, as I blinked and it appeared as if my head was surrounded by thick cloth. Taking my head out of said cloth, it was easy to see it was a curtain, and looking down, I was a baby.

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