Multiverse Shatter

Multiverse Shatter

Chapter 1: The Start of the Game

Some teenagers spend their weekends outside playing ball, hanging out with friends, or working. To be honest, I'd rather be working, but this isn't too bad either. I'm just here, sitting on my bed, watching TV.

Even if I was the outdoors-y, be active, kind of guy I still can't go outside. It's raining out there. Hard. Sure, that's what happens in Florida, it rains, and then it stops, but this time seems a lot harder than normal. A lot of people can't see the lunch menus from twenty feet away, I can't even see the house ten feet from my room.

BOOM. Thunder clapped, and the power went out.

(Oh great. There goes the TV, the DVD player, and the Wi-Fi.)

Vvvvv-vvvvv. My phone vibrated on my bed next to me.

(Well, at least I've got my phone.)

A little white envelope appeared in the task bar, letting me know that it's a text message. My first message literally all month. It's not that I don't have any friends. It's just that most of them message me online. Besides, the people that do message me, text or online, don't live in Florida. Pretty much everyone I talk to, relatives included, are online nowadays.

The message I got..., it's weird. Normally, whenever I get a message, even if I'm on my Lock Screen, my phone always tells me who sent it.  But it's blank. There isn't a name, or a number. It doesn't even say whether or not it's blocked. When I unlocked my phone and went to the message, it was the same there as well.

"Hello and good afternoon," the message began.

Then all of a sudden my room faded away, and in its place, came a barren, empty world of fog.

"Hello and good afternoon"

The opening to the message flew up in front of my face, and stayed there, floating in midair. When I finished reading it, the line shot up into the sky.

"I am the GameMaster."

Another line shot up in front of me, and again, after I finished reading it, the line flew up, growing smaller and smaller, until it disappeared, only for another one to appear.

"As my name suggests

I am the master of a game.

One which I have created.

And I am inviting you to play that, which is a game unlike anything you have ever played before.

A game unlike anyone has ever played before.

A game with only one requirement.

And you already meet it.

For if you choose to play this game you will be granted one thing:

POWER.

Power you can only dream about.

Power that's yours and yours alone.

With it, you can go anywhere or do anything, simply because you have the power to.

Earn points, and with them, you will be able to use it, spend it, or gamble it.

It's all up to you.

With your new powers, not only can you become rich, but you can do twice as many things as you normally would be able to do.

A lot more than you ever could living the life you currently lead and probably will lead in the future.

Please keep in mind that this isn't a limited time offer.

You can access this message whenever you wish, so long as you meet the requirement.

There is no charge, no cost, no sacrifice, just a game.

And through it you will become something more.

From here on you can have the power.

I do not expect you to have an answer.

Nor do I require one until you no longer meet the game's requirement."

My eyes are wide and bugging out of my head, as I sat here gaping at the message and it's... invitation. This whole thing is nuts, insane, impossible! How am I even here right now? Where is here anyway? Power, points, money? This is all too much for me to process.

I sat here hopelessly lost as to what I should do next, what anyone, put in this very same situation, would do next.

"It's a tough thing to comprehend, isn't it?" a voice said. Behind me, this pale-faced man dressed all in black parted through the fog.

"Who're you?" I asked.

"I guess in some ways, you can think of me as the Devil, or maybe the Devil's advocate. Yes, I like the sound of that better. But you can just call me, Sin." He said with a bow. "And who sir, are you?"

"I'm Byron..." I swallowed hard. "Byron Kingston."

"Well, Byron Kingston, I'm here to help you understand just what this game is, and answer any questions how may have so far. So many people have been where you are, with the same exact hopeless look on their face."

"You mean they're others who have gotten this same message?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Many of those people have joined the world of the Alchemist, and many more will follow."

"Alchemist?"

"Yes! Alchemist. You know, Alchemy, the practice of the combined use of science and magic? Alchemy has been the forefront of human development since the Renaissance! History has described all Alchemy as man's attempts at prolonging the human life-expectancy. You may have heard of the Philosopher's Stone?"

"It's the stone said to make anyone immortal."

"Exactly. But haven't you ever wondered about all of the things history doesn't say? For years, people have worked to try and find some way of prolonging human life. And just like all experimentation, the results aren't always what is desired. In fact, sometimes the results can bring about something completely unintended. Something that some people might even consider...impossible?"

"Then--"

"Yes! This game is the product of that unintended result, that 'impossibility'! And now, you have the chance to use that power for your own base needs and desires."

"So what happens now?"

"Now? Well, so long as you are ready to move forward, I will explain the next phase of the game."

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I'm ready."

"Very well." He said, as a crooked smile appeared across his face. "You asked me what happens now, and I will tell you. From this moment, you have taken your second step into a game where you do not have a choice in playing. The moment you hear about this game, you become a player, powers or no powers."

"How is that even possible?"

"First, before I say anything else, you need to know, that this truly is a game, unlike anything you or anyone else has ever played. I am fully aware of the fact that this was stated in the message, but it is very important that you understand this one crucial fact."

"How so?"

"Have you ever heard of a parallel world?"

"Of course. A parallel world is a concept that somewhere in the universe exists a world similar or different from our own."

"Well that's not the greatest definition for it, but it's as good as any I suppose." He said. "But yes, that's the long and short of it. What if I told you, that this is a game created from one of those parallel worlds?"

The second he said that, my entire body stood up straight. Ever since I realized what it was, I've been fascinated with the idea of an alternate universe, where literally anything and everything on that world is possible. On any world, any scenario you can think of could be a possibility. On one world, animals could be the dominant force on the planet, and humans are the animals. On another, the gender roles between men and women are totally reversed. Or what we consider "normal", is what they think is bizarre, weird, or just not accepted by them. But those are the more extreme cases. Parallel worlds can either be so similar, that they're hardly any differences, or they're just the opposite and everything there is completely different. The idea that somewhere out in the universe is another me is so exciting. DC comics is famous for their "Infinite Crisis" story arc, where the Justice League has to fight a parallel Earth's version of themselves. Comics always use the alternate universe storylines. A good example, is like when you have a series with a storyline for one particular character, and then another issue with a totally different storyline for that same character. It's totally different from time travel, in that time remains the same. You could travel for "world A" to "world B" and not even a minute would have gone by between either worlds.

"Everything, this game, the GameMaster, even I am from a parallel world. Though none of the people on either of our worlds created this game. That right solely belongs to the GameMaster."

I didn't say anything. All I can do, is just stand here wide-eyed like a crackhead.

"The 'Parallel World Intersection Theory', hypothetically states that somewhere in this vast universe, there exists not one, but several Earths just like ours. However, the inhabitants of that earth can either be similar or radically different from our own. The rules, ideals, philosophies, and beliefs, among other things can be changed ever so slightly. However, this isn't anything like time travel. You can't go back in time and change one tiny little detail on your world, so that the events on another world never come to pass. It doesn't work that way. The events on that world happened because that's the way they are, just like how the things that happen on your world happen because that's just how things worked out." He said. "It's said that we share a link to our alternate counterparts, and that's why the most bizarre things can seem so familiar to us. It's because one or many of our alternate selves has experienced that same thing. It's also said that the choice of billions of people create other Earths."

"So if what you're saying is true, and I understand everything so far, does that mean I could have the power to travel between parallel worlds?"

"I dunno, could be." He said simply. "No one, not even the GameMaster himself, has any idea what sort of powers each individual will have. Since you've been here, the game has been looking at your past, your present, your future, and your overall personality, to figure out what powers would best fit you."

"Wait, powers? I get more than one?"

"Possibly. The game decides what powers you get, whether it be one, or multiple powers and abilities. Which brings me to the second thing you should know. By the time you leave this place, the game will have already picked out a suitable power for you. We aren't expecting you to have a come to a decision, but in the meantime, you will be given a small sample of your power, and if you decide that you want it, return here. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I said.

"Very well. I shall now take my leave." He said with a bow. And then, he faded away into the growing fog.

Behind me, the last line to the message flew up into the air, and a new line appeared in its place.

"The stage has been set.

And your powers have been selected.

All that's left, is you, the player.

But before you go, you will need this:"

Light shimmered above my head, and then a small, shiny, black card appeared, floating in the air. I pulled it down, and stared at it.

(A credit card?)

"This card, is similar to your credit cards, and yet it is also different.

In the bottom-right hand corner of your card, is a number.

That number, is how many points you currently have.

As of this very moment, you have 10, 000 points.

Which you can use as your world's currency.

There is no need for a withdrawal, nor is there a need to worry about debt.

Use your points in whatever way you think is best.

Do with it how you like.

Spend your points, or don't.

You can earn those points back, and more, by winning competitions.

However, if you choose not to keep your powers, then you can choose to be rid of them.

Please note, that there is a limit to how long you can keep your sample powers, which is until you no longer meet the game's single requirement.

That all participants be between the ages of 16 and 29.

NO EXCEPTIONS.

Remember all that has been said, for you have now entered a world far beyond your own.

A world that will challenge the very fabric of your beliefs.

It is a world that defies all laws, and life itself.

You have entered the world of the Alchemists.

And through them, you have become something more than just a normal human.

You have become a being with kinetic abilities.

You have become, an Esper.

With your new power, comes a world where you can make your own choices, with your life.

There will be more to come, later in the future.

But for now,

I wish you all good luck.

--GM."