Chương 2: R&R Ch. 2 — Introduction of a Hero

Despite all of his research into the process, Nicholas hadn't known what to expect once he broke through. How was anyone sane expect that upon becoming super, they were going to be placed into the vacuum of space and be talking to a glowing crystalline structure? Nicholas discovered he could breathe in this expanse of space, but that was a hollow victory if he was going to be here forever. Nicholas had done all of this to become a superhero, not to get trapped in the void.

"So what are you?" Nicholas asked the glowing crystal once he was certain he had seen everything the expanse of space offered them.

"I am the Hero Crystal," the crystal intoned. It wasn't a language that Nicholas should have understood; he only spoke the one, but deep down in his soul he knew what the crystal was saying.

"Isn't it a little weird to call yourself the Hhero Ccrystal?" Nicholas asked, eyeing the crystal, trying to figure out what was bothering him about the entity. The crystal was familiar in a way he couldn't put his finger on. The structure was nothing like he had ever seen before, but the energy within was what bothered him.

"I figured that with you, my child, Hero Crystal was the name you wanted to hear," the crystal said, flashes of color rippling across the facets.

"You're the source of it all? Does that include the Beyonders?" Nicholas asked curiously. It was his potentially only opportunity to talk to the source of all super powers. Who was he to ignore the chance?

"I've been watching you for a long time, Nicholas. And I've been wondering when you would finally contract with me. You're three years later than I had imagined," the crystal said, ignoring Nicholas's questions. Three years was when he had made his original prototype key.

"If you thought it was going to be three years ago, why didn't you pull me in then?" Nicholas asked, crossing his arms.

"I don't open the gate, only hear the people reaching for it." Nicholas rolled his eyes at the cryptic crystal that played the role of arbiter over all super powers.

"So are you just going to hand over super powers or is it going to be something else?" Nicholas asked, looking up at the crystal, wondering just how strong that energy would make him if he somehow got a hold of all of it.

"You are going to become super, and break into the first level of supers. Granting you your unique insignia and gifts beyond imagination. Raise your hands, young super, and accept the gift," the crystal intoned, the energy darkening. Going from an almost pearlescent white to silver. Nicholas didn't have any reason to waste time. He reached his hands out, and energy streamed into him. The energy shot out at him, splitting into three beams as it got close. One beam to each wrist and one to his throat.

He could feel the energy beginning to sink in, and briefly he could feel himself connected to the whole world, and as he pulled on that sensation to learn more, pain ripped through him, breaking his body down.

"What was that?" Nicholas panted once the pain had ended.

"The transition from normal person to super isn't pleasant even with the stages," the crystal said, not sounding apologetic.

"Though you didn't help trying to drink more than you could swallow." Nicholas was pretty sure his magical crystal translation powers were faulty with that one. He didn't feel any different, did he? Physically? No, but he could feel deep within a power that wasn't there before, as if he had suddenly gained a new limb that he couldn't control.

"Why did it go into my wrists?" Nicholas asked, raising his hands to look where the beams of energy had assaulted him. Emblazoned on his left wrist was a silver two. And on his right wrist was a silver zero.

"So do you come with instructions on how to do any of this?" Nicholas asked, turning his attention back to the crystal once he was sure he had learned everything he could.

"The three pillars of any super are simple. Belief in you. The Karma you have collected. And your own understanding." That was easy for Nicholas to figure out. One belief, that was the representation of all who believed in him. Himself. Nicholas paused, realizing that was wrong. There was someone else believing in him because otherwise his wriste wouldn't have displayedhad a two; it would have just been himself. But who bothered? The other number was far easier to piece together.

Zero karma collected however that worked. And he figured the understanding bit would come in time.

"So I'm now what? A level zero hero?" If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"I can not show you levels, but if you want to get more information, you can always bring up your status." Nicholas was trying not to be annoyed by the all-powerful crystal that gave him super powers. Because it felt right, he put the two silver numbers together before pulling them apart diagonally as if he was trying to zoom in on a picture. His status window was just barely above unhelpful. It barely had any information on it.

Nicholas Level: 1 Belief: 2 Karma: 0 Power: Domain: Words All other information restricted. Apparently, even becoming a super wasn't enough for him to get all the information about himself. At least he knew what his power was. A domain ability was powerful; his very words could temporarily rewrite reality, but there were limitations he was sure. There were zero domain supers among the eleven.

While there were several powers not represented, the fact that there were supers that doubled up at the pinnacle of power was telling in its own right. Nicholas closed his eyes, his hands tightening into fists as he tried to will his power from wherever it normally was to his throat. If he was going to be stuck here for who knows how long, he might as well try out his new ability." Return," Nicholas said, the word rushing out of him as he felt his energy level plummet.

"You realize when we are done here I will send you back? You're not even gone; this is just a splinter of your soul," the crystal said, sounding amused.

"How many others are talking to you right now?" Nicholas asked, the thought striking him. It wasn't as if there were any other people near. And if every tier up included talking to this guy again, then there should be others here along with everyone else becoming super.

"Would you like to use that as one of your questions?" the crystal asked, seeming almost pleased with the direction.

"Questions?"

"After the first stage of assimilation is reached, it is a tradition for me to answer a few questions you young ones might pose. And while many of my siblings no longer follow it. Here I do." the crystal said somberly. Nicholas nodded before beginning to think about what would be a good question. It wasn't like the crystal was going to tell him anything actually important, so it was a game of trying to decide what was important enough to ask.

"What's happening to my real body?" Nicholas asked, focusing back on the crystal.

"It is undergoing the transformation process, being reforged." That sounded unpleasant.

"Something like what I just went through when fire ran through me?" Nicholas asked to get an idea.

"Actually, if that counts as a separate question, don't bother."

"It does not, and much worse." Nicholas looked at the crystal in horror.

"Do not worry even if the house burns down from the overflow around you; you will still be fine. The only reason we brought you here is to prevent undue suffering," the crystal said as if this was completely ordinary. Well, to the crystal, it probably was. And while Nicholas knew some people ascended to hero violently, he figured that was because they did it in the heat of the moment of a fight, not because of anything else.

"Send me back now!" Nicholas demanded. With his power, he might be able to stop it. His family couldn't afford to deal with the consequences of the house being destroyed, even when he became a hero. At least not until he made some progress climbing the ladder.

"Worry not, Nicholas, the entirety of your initiation takes place in the time between two seconds. You will stop much of the consequences even if you take your time here." Nicholas was pretty sure that even a second of energy surging out of his body and destroying things would cause a lot of problems in the first place.

"So I am just in my home, my unfortunately flammable home, spewing energy?" Nicholas asked, his temper rising.

"Yes, and that once again wasn't one of your remaining two questions," the crystal said, sounding entirely indifferent. Nicholas's mind raced as he tried to piece together two questions that would get answered, would be short, and count.

"Do Beyonders use the same energy that you do to give us powers?" Nicholas asked, hoping the simple yes and no question would be enough.

"Not entirely." Nicholas had one more idea for a question. It was just a waste of one.

"Do heroes and villains all draw their power from you?"

"Yes."

"Send me home." Nicholas said his voice calm as he could manage.

"If you are sure. Rise ever higher, young hero, so that you can meet me again and I can use you properly," the crystal said before winking out of existence. Before Nicholas could ask what he meant, the world shifted, and he was somewhere else. Visions flashed by, but he had one focus: bringing himself home. When Nicholas finally returned to his garage, it was with his form continuing to leak light without his permission.

It was radiating out of him, trying to destroy his home, and it was succeeding in crushing and setting various things on fire. He knew the crystal had been full of shit. Burns and bruises were already beginning to prick at his skin from the heat and the force of the energy blasting out from him. His invulnerability was gone, just like Hero had said. But he had something better.

Deep within his soul there was an orb of roiling energy just begging to be released, and Nicholas had one of the easiest ways in the world to let all of it out. He just needed to be in control once again. Because that was the problem. He was still a disembodied spirit watching it from the outside. He tried to will himself into his brain in the vain hope that it was the key to his success.

As if that thought was the signal, Nicholas's eyes snapped open, and he felt like he was once more in full control of his existence. Just like when he had tried to escape the first time, the power flowed from wherever it came from and into his body before he directed it to his throat." Stop" Nicholas commanded, and the small portion of the world he had dominion over obeyed.

The fire winked out, snuffed out like a candle, and the wave of energy froze in midair, slowly beginning to dissipate, unable to escape its bonds. For less than one second, Nicholas had caused the room to freeze. Then he ran out of power. The rush of draining all he was capable of in one singular moment caused him to pass out, falling to the ground just barely in time to dodge the wave of energy that shot out, lighting the garage once more on fire.

His battle of wills with the world was just barely enough to delay the inevitable. He had bought only a single second of time. But he had rushed for this chance because of a single second of time. Within minutes, someone far stronger than Nicholas could dream of responded to his plea.