Elias never considered sleeping to be a dangerous thing. Sure, he saw sleeping people being swept away to different worlds while in movies, anime or comics. But those are imaginary, he didn’t think about it too much, he didn't want to add insomnia to his already long list of problems. 

Before his misfortune, he was a regular 21-year-old guy with golden brown skin and curly black hair, who always wore shirts in varying shades of orange. His name is Elias Wilson... at least it was, and this is how sleeping went very wrong for him.

Elias was an orphan, his early life was ok but pretty dull. He didn't have any expectations but he worked really hard from early on to get sponsorships from middle school all the way up to college. Everyone thought he would be a doctor or something but he wasn’t interested in carrying on with such a tiring routine forever. As cliche as it sounds, he always liked art. Colors, patterns and images always brightened his mood and gave him a little bit of hope. So he went to art school. 

Some people were... disappointed, like the caretakers at the orphanage but he didn't concern himself with that, especially since he was turning 18 and was going to live on campus, never to see them again. They weren't bad people but they never really cared much as long as the children weren't doing anything dangerous. So there wasn't any… emotional attachment.

Elias never had any deep friendships even in college but there were some chill people who he enjoyed hanging out with over the years and that's how he survived his somewhat loneliness. He was especially thankful for them because he always had a problem... he couldn't always tell how others were feeling and sometimes he unconsciously did things unconventionally which made him seem standoff-ish but in his mind, he thought it was something that was normal. This created conflict sometimes but he knew a few people who never took offense to his... weirdness.

He tried dating in college but he never felt any deep connection, enough to say he wanted a deeper relationship with them. He mostly just went on dates because everyone else was doing it but other than that his college life was enjoyable.

In the blink of an eye 4 years flew by and Elias was now in his final year in art school. He was building his final year exhibition for the school's art show. It was a set of 52 giant playing cards made of solid wood. The cards had paintings of famous activists and world-known good influencers but on the 2 joker cards were 2 of the most nefarious influencers currently known. 

The art show took place all over the college town so people could drive or walk around and look at the many artworks. He had set up his work and was just relaxing in his chair next to the 2 joker cards where he thought the most questions would be about. The show was great, many people came, maybe even too many. From excited college professors, students, professional artists and other people who just loved art, and he interacted with them all.

In the evening when things were quieting down Elias went back to his chair to rest. The air was cool, the sun was setting and he just sat there thinking about the great day he had. He also thought about his future ahead of him... and the many invitations he got from art studios during the show which were unexpected. Eventually, he went into a peaceful slumber. 

Earlier that day before the show started, the supervisor told the students that a bus would go around a little after the show ended to pick up everyone. Elias’ artworks were on the opposite road to where the bus would drive on so he didn't have to go far to meet the bus, but just to be on time for it. Elias had forgotten all about that and was enjoying a well-deserved sleepy time, unfortunately, he was literally sleeping on a sidewalk. People were driving by to get to where they needed to go. A few of them had caught a glimpse of Elias drooling all over himself.

Whether the bus had passed or not wasn't of concern at that moment. What was important was the bright light that was interrupting his sleep. A pickup truck was going towards the school campus and ended up on the road where Elias’ artwork was. The road wasn't large, it was a one-way street. The truck was trying to maneuver through his artworks and knocked one over which created a ripple effect aiming to knock them all over. Elias probably heard the chain of knocking sounds in his sleep but he refused to be alarmed by it and continued sleeping. By the end of the chain, the 2 jokers he was sitting next to came crashing down on him, not even the chair was spared, everything was flattened under the twin jokers... instant death.

Elias’ soul flowed out of his body where he saw a shadowy figure. It came closer and closer until he could see a middle-aged man in a jester suit with black, red and gray streaks going down it. He looked at Elias as he floated there in the air, instead of saying anything he pointed down where Elias was before. A panicking man was trying to lift the cards off Elias’ dead body and proceeding to puke in the pool of blood that had formed around it. Elias instantly knew what had happened, he turned back to look at the man only for him to pull out 5 cards from his jacket and say

"Pick a card... any card"

There was an awkward pause and then they both burst out in laughter but Elias' laughter quickly turns into crying as he picks one of the cards. He picked the joker card which was like adding pepper to the wound the jester had just added salt to. It was infuriating but Elias refrained from crumpling the card in fear of what this man in the jester suit might do. He just gently handed him back the card.

The mood of the situation quickly changed when the man grabbed his hat and made a pose.

"I am a God of death, known as Lucroxi", he said with an ominous expression.

"Due to some circumstances, I have chosen to send you back to the world of the living"

Elias was puzzled and now a bit frightened by the dark aura emanating from the man

 "Wha- What circumstances?", Elias asked.

"Meh, you don't need to know the tiny details", said the god of death twirling around in mid-air.

"You will be reborn into a world of monsters and magic... and because you laughed at my joke I'll give you something special"

"Really, like powerful magic so I can save the world"

"Hell no… who does that!!!, you read too much manga".

"Oh ok...", said Elias disappointedly.

"As for your gift, I'll allow you to keep your memories of this life and the potential for greatness. Who knows, since you have already started a life here you just might have something special that others don’t”.

Elias looked skeptical at the man who seemed proud of the gift he was giving.

“Anyway, in the world you're going to, the possibilities are endless. If you want to be powerful, work for it. Have a nice trip and let's not meet again so soon ok".

"Wait, that's it but what about–".

The God of death snaps fingers and after a sudden flash of bright light in the night sky...

A baby is born.