This Friday was supposed to go like any other, surrounded by friends and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Instead, some crazy guy came, took us hostage, and shot my best friend.

I heard him cough out, "Take care of Jake will ya?"

I started to cry hearing that his last thoughts were about my well being.

"He didn't deserve to die in a building like this with a bullet hole in his abdomen, he deserved to grow old and have a family!" I cried out, "But, people like you don't ever think about the lives they take, do they? How many families they ruin by doing this."

In this dark building where I can barely see ten feet ahead of me, Surrounded by people with looks of terror on their faces. I ran at this ass who just killed the only person I have remained friends with since first grade, this who wasn't even eighteen yet, who knew everything about me. I ran at Him blind with rage my glasses coming down my face with the tears that were coming out. Then *BANG* He fired at me

"Ah! Ow! one bullet in the stomach won't stop me," I slur out my words, blood and bile flooding my throat. I spit it all and continue in a zombie-like shamble towards him, Crying from the pain now more than anything.

I couldn't tell you how He was feeling or how he with that mask over his face, as I now shuffled towards him, leaking stomach acid and blood.

" Back off, kid or you'll end up like your friend over there' He said in a low gravelly voice raising his gun at me again.

This was when I tackled him screaming (more like tried) as he sidestepped and pumped my backside full of lead and, threw me next to my friend's corpse.

I say to Tony "Sorry but it's too late to keep that promise buddy"

He says 'No not both of you, not in one day"

I tell him " I'm sorry to leave such a hole in your life Tony"

"This is not the time and that wasn't funny Jake," He said crying

" I know tony sorry though for this," I said gurgling blood

Tony asked, "Sorry for what Jake?"

Then everything went black, the void ... does this mean the atheists were right that there is no god? Or is my life being gone over in like a courtroom deciding if hell or heaven is going to let me in?

"So what now!" I screamed after what felt like an eternity, " am I just to sit here and rot forever."

No response from the void obviously. I try to move but I'm stuck motionless like one of those creepy porcelain dolls.

Day 1

I feel like my life essence is draining away. I am starting to remember less and less about who I was, I keep repeating to myself, My name is Jake, My birthday is ... my birthday was June twenty-eighth, I am a white male, Corey is ... was best friend.

Day 3

I feel so cold I hope someone sends help soon or there may be nothing left to save I can't have been here for long but It has felt like years. I keep telling myself I am Jake I was born on … I was born on.. I can't remember anymore.

Week 1

I can't remember anything besides: Corey sacrificed himself for me. Who Corey was I don't remember. Just a blur, maybe just a slightly tan blur. I see a person standing over top of me. He has short black hair, is kind of overweight but he is there that's a start. Isn't it?

Week 2

Who was I? ...the blur just replayed in my head. Always ending with the unmistakable blast of a gun. This time it ended differently with two people standing over me my parents probably. No! They are much too young, Arthur and Maria both, crying over my corpse.

…

Wait…

…

I remember! No! Not Corey my first friend his sacrifice was for nothing. And it was all my fault.

Then a white block of text just popped up.

WELCOME GAMER

START GAME?

YES | NO

This is a pretty big opportunity but what were those voices I think to myself. I mean of course one does not simply turn down a great chance such as this but, I feel like something terrible will come from this. This is how I will avenge him but, I get a bad feeling from this ... now's not the time to be second-guessing myself I think as I hit yes button.

FOR PLAYERS CONVENIENCE PLEASE SET WORLD CONFIGURATION AND SETTINGS

WORLD/UNIVERSE:_TIME:_

SETTINGS,EXTRA

World/Universe: Earth-0 DC TIME:2000

I mean sure Marvel is great and all but ...

This was the only way this could happen ...

I wasn't super obsessed with DC when I was alive but I have done my research and the DC Heroes are so much more powerful and less restricted than the Marvel Heroes. I chose 2005 as it is just a few years before the large rise in heroes. There really isn't a start of cannon for comics is there? The main downside of this is that I have to wait sixteen years for Hamilton to be a thing.

PLEASE CHOOSE BODY CHARACTERISTICS AND AGE

HAIR COLOR:_ EYE COLOR:_

SKIN COLOR:_ BODY TYPE:_

AGE:_ POWER:_

Sweet I get to choose my appearance

I look at the text and an Image of my head shows up

My hair is set to black for the default but I change it my hair to a maple syrup color there were way too many choices my hair was always straight but, I never straightened it so I had a perpetual bed head. The only complaint I had ever had about myself was that I was a little shorter than most people. But I couldn't do anything about it.

Now was my chance to change that though I was always meticulous with my characters in games this was not the time to change this so I made it similar to my original self the main changes were my eyes from blue to a sharp grey this time. I got to choose my power, kind of but there were so many choices thousands. They weren't labeled so I just chose the best number … the solution to everything. Forty-two.

YOUR BODY CHARACTERISTICS AND AGE

HAIR COLOR: Maple Syrup Brown EYE COLOR: Silver

SKIN COLOR: Caucasian BODY TYPE: Lean

AGE: Newborn POWER: 0042

The change was monumental I basically just became a better-looking version of myself with these two changes, it was amazing. My age just even further complimented my appearance even though it was just a smaller skinnier version of myself. I almost immediately loved this new face. I have always just had always wanted to change a few things about myself, changes that will affect this small child that will be me. His skin is so soft unlike mine from the constant abuse I put it under with my nails and eczema. His no my eyes are filled with so much more emotion than mine are now. I pull away from the screen and think to myself what do I do now.

You must now complete a quest before you can go to earth-0

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 PARADEMONS

BONUS OBJECTIVE: COMPLETE SLAUGHTER KILL ALL OF THE PARADEMONS IN 1 MIN

REWARDS: UNIQUE ABILITY

GET READY

STARTS IN: 15 SECONDS

Oh great! I should've known this wouldn't be easy I think to myself wait one minute

everything started shifting and warping

Then I was on Apokolips the burning pits of fire everywhere surrounding me. This destroyed planet that's burning all the way down to the core. These geysers spurting fire upwards.

Then I look for any weapons when I see a bug? No, it's too large what is it does it have wings what the hell. Then I realized that it was coming right for me. I tried to run. I almost Immediately run into a wall.

"WHAT THE HELL," I scream to no one.

I get up and race back into that area then run straight into a nearly Identical wall and fall flat on my back.

-10HP

"OW WHA-Y-Y," I cry out.

This time I grudgingly walk forwards and realize I just hit the other side of this stupid wall. I run straight towards the next parademon

-350HP

+200EXP

The text popped back up I ran, straight through him. I practically vaporized him. Then I realized I was covered in a thin layer of Parademon guts. I tried to vibrate it off but I just sunk it into my clothes Blech gross I thought to myself. As it was very gross.

That's when I see about nine parademons slowly marching towards me. Then it hits me, I chose the Speedforce the Speedforce that's why I completely decimated that one. Then I look at these guys that are coming towards us I look at them and see little health bars above their heads. I realize this is just like a game, like Skyrim or something.

Parademon Phalanx

1800/1800 HP

All stats except speed/strength are above players starting states

That's about 200 HP every parademon so at full speed I run at them and Break the phalanx formation.

-1400 HP

+1400 EXP

-50HP

Ow! God damn that hurt, checking my own health I realized that sixty percent was gone. Well, I guess that's what I get for charging headfirst into a legion of parademons.I will make the rest of these bastards pay though. I zigzagged through the parademons killing the few survivors, leaving two parademons that I had to kill with my epic punches, checking the time I had twenty seconds left. Looks like I might get the bonus objective after all.

-200HP

-200HP

+400 EXP

The last two were easy enough to get it took just one move to kill them both

Skill Unlocked Speedforce Mastery

Skill running MAX

Skill Sprinting MAX

YES! I got the bonus skill and maxed out two skills is going way better than I thought it would, even If I took some damage. I start thinking about my equipment and mask this will be amazing. I wonder how he dealt with this situation probably not too poorly.

I have to keep my eyes ahead though I will have to save them all. I will be like the Red Hood but better. This is my shot to be an actual hero. Then I can rise up with training from Barry Allen. I will be better than all of them the best part is knowing their secret identities. This will be fun. Just twelve years from now this will get accomplished.