Max Walker had always believed in his heart right from his childhood days that talent would eventually win, no matter what.
It was a stubborn belief. A naive one for that matter, if you can call it that.
But it was this rugged belief that molded his life.
It led him through years of auditions and small gigs, cheap studio recordings and sessions, and countless nights of practicing his vocals until his throat became sore.
Tonight was supposed to be a little different.
The auditorium was brightly illuminated, and Max's last chance for a big break stood in front of his eyes.
He could hear his heart beating fast and hammering hard in his chest despite the hundreds of empty seats that sat in front of him.
It didn't matter because Max knew that millions would watch the recording of his performance later on various social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and the likes.
The 3 judges sat at the judges table.
These 3 men had the power to change his life and most probably, the trajectory of his future too.
Max gripped the microphone.
This was the biggest music show in the country- the famous "The Voice Global". Thousands had auditioned, but only a handful stood here tonight with their sights set on glory.
If he passed this round, everything could change for him.
The host smiled at him.
"State your name". One of the judges said.
"Max Walker". He replied in a polite and quietly excited manner.
"Age?" The judge asked.
"Twenty three". Max said.
"And what will you be performing for us tonight?" Another judge shot in immediately.
"A song I wrote". He replied.
The judges exchanged brief looks, then one of them leaned forward. "Original song?"
"Yes".
The judge nodded slowly.
"Alright then Max, impress us".
The music began and Max immediately closed his eyes.
🎵🎼🎶
This was his own unique way of locking in, he let the melody guide him.
Then Max started.
🎵🎼🎶
His voice came out strong at first, smooth and emotional. He already practiced this song a thousand times in his bedroom prior.
It was a song with lyrics about failure, about fighting against the feeling that the world has already decided you were not good enough.
As Max sang, for a moment, he felt it. He felt the music flow.
But something felt surprisingly wrong.
The judges were not reacting, their expressions remained neutral. Seeing this, his heart sank. Soon, the final note faded and silence filled the room.
The first judge sighed deeply.
"Max". He called.
He spoke the name the way a teacher speaks to a disappointing student. "You have passion, I will give you that".
The second judge folded her hands.
"But passion is not enough in this industry".
The third judge leaned back. "Your voice lacks identity".
Hearing that, Max felt his stomach churn.
The first judge continued. "Your lyrics sound like every other struggling artist trying to sound deep, and honestly it doesn't look good". He shook his head.
The second judge nodded.
"I do not feel anything unique from you. No authenticity, no charisma. You didn't 'own' the song".
The third judge gave the final blow.
"You are not ready for this stage, Max. We need elite artists but you're just mediocre at best".
BUZZ!
A buzzer rang, then another, then the third.
Three red lights!
Max stood frozen.
The host gave him an apologetic smile. "Thank you for coming Max".
Security gently guided him off the stage, and just like that it was over. All the work that he put in, all his years of dreaming, it was over, just like that.
Outside the building, the night air felt cold as Los Angeles buzzed with life around him.
Cars passed, neon lights flickered, a nearby store was blasting "TV Off" by Kendrick Lamar and Lefty Gunplay, people laughed on sidewalks. None of them knew his world had just collapsed.
Max walked for nearly an hour before reaching his little apartment.
It was a small one bedroom apartment with cheap furniture.
There was a guitar leaning against the wall, a microphone standing near a dusty laptop, and a mattress with a bed frame.
This room was his entire life.
He dropped his bag on the floor and opened the fridge.
Fortunately, there was still 1 bottle of cheap whiskey. He grabbed it but there was no glass. Max didn't fret about it, he just drank straight from the bottle.
The burn of the alcohol felt good for a second but by the second drink, the anger in him began to rise. By the third, the humiliation followed.
He sat numbly on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.
"Not unique". He mumbled, then he laughed bitterly.
Remembering those words from the judges felt like someone kept stabbing his heart with a dagger.
"Years of practice and that is what I get". He drank again.
Music had been his entire life ever since he was a child.
His mother always said that his voice could make people cry, even his friends encouraged him to chase the dream. Everyone encouraged him, but tonight three strangers had ruthlessly crushed that belief.
The bottle slowly emptied and his thoughts grew blurry.
'Maybe they were right,' he thought. 'Heh, maybe I was just another average dumbass chasing an impossible dream'.
Max stared at the ceiling. "Damn it man, I gave everything!"
The room spun slightly and he collapsed.
The last thing he remembered was the taste of alcohol and the dull ache in his chest, then darkness swallowed him.
Then, silence.
Time passed, or maybe it did not.
Then slowly, Max opened his eyes.
Something felt wrong immediately. The ceiling above looked strangely unfamiliar, the walls were different, even the room smelled different.
He sat up slowly.
"What the actual F*ck?"
He could tell immediately that this was not in his apartment. This room was larger, cleaner, and more modern than his apartment.
Sunlight streamed through large windows, and a sleek desk stood near the wall with a massive television hung opposite a luxurious bed.
'Where the hell is this?' Max rushed to a mirror. The reflection looked exactly like him, but he looked slightly younger and healthier.
'What is going on?' He was confused.
Before he could react, memories suddenly exploded inside his head.
These were not his memories but someone else's as images flashed rapidly inside his head- images of a different life.
'Goddammit, a different Los Angeles?!'
He saw images of a world where art was power- images of a world where actors could become the characters they portrayed, where singers could influence reality with their voices, where painters could create objects that stepped out of their canvases, and where entire cities depended on the strength of artists.
Max staggered back from the mirror.
"This is freaking insane!"
More memories flooded him.
The name of this body was still Max Walker- the same name, but not the same life. This Max had grown up in a world where entertainment was not just fame, it was survival.
Outside Earth lurked powerful alien beasts that constantly attempted to invade the planet. Humanity survived only because of something called the "Artifice Network".
This network created a barrier around the planet that was powered by the talent of artists- actors, singers, painters, fine artists, directors, and the likes.
In this alternate world, art was not just for entertainment. Here, art was energy and that energy protected the world.
Max grabbed the edge of the desk for support. "So I died? Did I actually die?"
"What the actual f*ck?"
The last thing he remembered was drinking on the floor, then darkness, and then this.
"I think I just got reincarnated…"
His heart began to race as panicking, he continued. "...into a world where art is literally power!"
Before he could process the idea further, a sudden voice echoed inside his mind. A calm mechanical, robot-like voice.
["System initialization complete."]
Max froze, then a translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
["Artifice System activated."]
["User detected and identified as Max Walker."]
["Primary Talent unlocked: Versatile Talent."]
Max blinked.
"What... the actual F*ck?"
The screen flickered again.
["Versatile Talent Description: The innate ability to learn and master all Artifice classes and sub-classes."]
Max stared at the glowing interface, his mouth slowly opening.
"It seems like in this world most artists only have one talent, just like in the normal world, but with this talent I can have all? Damn!"
The memory from the other Max confirmed it.
Most singers could only sing, most actors could only act. Very few could handle two disciplines at the same time and no one had ever mastered all of them.
But the screen in front of him continued.
["System Tools Unlocked: Snooping Tool; System Shop- Artifice Points currency established."]
Seeing this, Max laughed.
This was not a sad laugh, this was the laugh of someone who suddenly got handed a second chance at life.
"In my old world I was just another struggling singer".
He looked at the glowing words again- ["...Versatile Talent."]
"But here..."
His eyes gleamed. "I can become everything!"
"I can become a singer, an actor, a painter, a fine artist, even a director. Every class, every path!"
Max clenched his fist. "This time..."
His voice carried quiet determination as he intoned. "I will not be F*cking rejected!"
"If it means literally acting by 50 Cent's album title, it's either I make it here or die trying!"
Outside the window, the massive skyline of Los Angeles stretched across the horizon but this was not the Los Angeles he once knew, this was a city bristling with invisible power- Artifice.
And somewhere beyond the sky, an enormous barrier protected the world from alien darkness.
Max looked at the system screen again.
"Alright". A slow, wry smile spread across his face.
"Let us start this new life properly, with maximum composure and focus".