Book 1-Chapter 0

2/11/2023

Queens New York

The world is full of all sorts of strange and weird things. A lot of people know about the heroes and villains of the world but the multiverse itself is always throwing curveballs into the mix. A lot of conspiracy theorist talk about alternate realities and what not and talks like that make its way into teenage schools as one young man is in his classroom of Midtown High trying to ignore a few rumors going around about how the heroes are all secretly government agents or something.

This young man is Xander Gram. Xander has dark brown skin with black hair cut low to his head while also having brown eyes and an average build while wearing a simple grey T-shirt with jeans and sneakers on his feet as he stretched in his seat a bit.

"Alright class settle down. It's time to get to work on basic mathematical equations." The teacher said before class soon started as Xander did what he did every day. He lived his life while trying to ignore the oval-shaped blue gem on the back of his right hand.

The thing appeared two weeks ago and nobody else could see or even touch the object. Frankly, the object appeared after one of the worst days of Xander's life. Xander was a victim of bullying and one day Flash Tompson decided to team up with the other football jocks and run Xander out of the school and right into a nearby park where he got caught, stripped naked and tossed into the lake.

When he got out a woman thought he was a pervert and the police soon caught up to him and after explaining how the bullies attacked him, he was actually released. He didn't say the names of the bullies though since he felt like he couldn't. Not because he was scared but because he used to be friends with Flash back when they were little kids.

Xander had no clue about what happened to make Flash turn into a bully, but he didn't bother asking. A part of him wants to though and that is something he doesn't understand. Xander doesn't know why he wants to try and help Flash, but he does and isn't able to do it which somehow hurts more than it should.

"Maybe if I had powers like a superhero, I could help figure things out a bit more." Xander said to himself quietly as he did his schoolwork at his desk. Soon, after a few classes had passed the school alarms rang signaling an emergency.

"Everyone please remain calm. Mysterious intruders have entered the western area of the school so calmly evacuate through the emergency doors located in other areas of the school grounds." The principal said over the intercom before students started evacuating. Xander was one such student who tried leaving until he heard a scream nearby which pulled him away from the crowd.

"Shut it bitch!" A man said as Xander slowly peaked his head from behind a wall and saw a man clad in black protective armor holding a rifle of some kind that he was aiming at an underclassman. The only thing strange about the man's outfit was the yellow tentacle-like symbol on the shoulders that Xander thought he recognized from somewhere, but he didn't have time to ask questions.

The girl let out a scream when the man hit her with the butt of his gun and knocked her out cold.

"A pretty girl like you will do just fine." The man said in a sick tone of voice and Xander for some reason found himself doing something extremely stupid. His legs worked on their own without his input and he rushed at the man who was caught off guard a bit. Xander tried tackling the man to no avail as he tried punching the guy before he felt the man bring both his hands down hard onto Xander's head which forced him down onto the ground.

"Damn brat." The man cursed as he readied his rifle.

'What the hell was I thinking? Risking my life for a total stranger? I don't want to be in this mess. I don't want to die.' Xander said, bracing himself for death from the man's gun before the world around him seemed to grind to a suddenly halt and his right hand felt strange.

Xander looked over and saw that the gem on his hand has shined a bright and brilliant light that made the world start moving at normal speed again and the light blinded both Xander and the man who staggered back in shock while covering his eyes and when the light cleared Xander saw that the gem on his hand had been replaced with a strange looking symbol.

The symbol actually reminded him of the La'Cie mark from FF13 and FF0 which were games he enjoyed a bit and flying near him in the air is a bizarre site. Xander was looking at something resembling a western dragon. It is small honestly, roughly the size of a rooster with a reptilian body. It is flying with two scaling wings on its back that resembles bat wings, its scales are a crimson red with black scales on its stomach and four legs with bone white talons on its four clawed talons.

The dragon's eyes are a bright amber color and going from the base of its head to its spade tail are small bone white bumps.

"It looks like you're in quite the pickle master. Don't worry about this chump because I'll protect you." The dragon said to Xander as it actually looked at him and now Xander was beyond confused at everything going on right now.

"Fucking brat!" The armor-clad man said before his vision cleared and he saw the draconic being flying and dived for his gun.

"Pyro Sphere!" The dragon spoke as a small crimson ball of condensed energy came from its mouth and hit the armor-clad man in the chest and knocked him back a few feet. "I suggest you stand up master. You don't want to be on the ground when more people appear."

"Who…What are you?" Xander asked as he slowly stood up and was a bit frightened by the creature.

"You don't need to fear me master. I am your Embryo and partner. I was awakened by your need for protection and desire to stay alive, but we can explain that later. The enemy is stunned but not defeated so you should take this chance to run, while also carrying the girl." The dragon said and for some strange reason Xander felt that he could trust this dragon.

"Right." Xander said before he quickly went over to the girl and picked her up before moving as fast as he could from the scene before the guy stood back up. "What do I call you?" Xander asked while running through the now empty hallways with the girl in his arms.

"My name is Albion master." Albion replied which made Xander raise an eyebrow a bit.

"Isn't that the name of a dragon from high school DxD and mythology along with a few Yu-Gi-Oh cards?" Xander asked as Albion actually nodded his head.

"Yup. But I like to think I take more influence from the Welsh Dragon in Mythology." Albion replied before they soon came up to a large number of students and Albion actually burst into particles before Xander's eyes and flowed into the mark on his hand.

"What the fuck?" Xander asked in confusion before some teachers came up to him and took the girl while he explained that she was knocked out by one of the intruders and managed to get away with her.

The school soon got fully evacuated and the police stormed the place and arrested the intruders, but Xander couldn't fight the feeling that everyone was missing something important about this attack on the school.

"Xander, are you ok?" Xander's mother asked when he got home. Xander's mother is Ray Gram, and she has light brown skin with blonde dyed hair done in a few braids on her head with brown eyes and is dressed in a simple yellow sundress.

"Mom I'm okay but something weird happened." Xander said to his mother who threatened to squeeze the life out of him with the massive hug she was giving him. After finally letting Xander go the both of them entered the kitchen of their house where Xander explained everything that happened to his mother.

"Xander…Are you on drugs?" Ray asked bluntly as Xander scratched his head a bit.

"I know it sounds crazy but it's all true and I swear I'm not on drugs or anything." Xander said before the mark on his hand glowed a bit.

"It's true." Albion said as he materialized in the air making Ray scream in shock while Xander flinched back and slight fear as well.

"Stop popping up at random." Xander quickly said to Albion.

"You have nothing to fear Ray Gram. I want nothing more than to protect your son." Albion said while Ray was trying her best to calm down a bit.

"Your real? An actual dragon?" Ray asked while looking Albion over a bit.

"To be more specific I am an Embryo that is in a draconic form." Albion corrected before gently landing on the table between Ray and Xander.

"What is an Embryo and how did you appear like that? And how exactly are you connected to this weird mark on my hand that nobody else can see?" Xander asked before Albion actually let out a yawn.

"Well, it's a bit complicated but I'll give you the cliff note version. An Embryo is a being tied to a Master in which case is you Xander. You were chosen by a system admin to have an Embryo such as myself and as your Embryo I am sworn to your service, and I will never abandon you. Also, if you give me one moment, I can fully intergrade the system into you." Albion said before he closed his eyes and started glowing.

Xander and Ray were both confused before a new feeling washed over Xander and the world around him changed.

[Greetings player. The system you were given was something you couldn't access due to it needing several updates to accommodate your body and reality, but the updates have been completed and you are now able to use your Inventory, Status Menu, Settings and so on.

The instructions to do that have been downloaded into your brain to save time and serve as an apology for the wait along with giving you 1 Gacha Token.]

"Ow." Xander said to himself while holding his head from the overload of information.

"Sorry about that master but it seems that I emerged a bit too suddenly and slightly hindered the system." Albion said with a bit of a nervous chuckle.

"I am so confused." Ray said before Xander spoke and saw the information floating above his mother's head.

Ray Gram, Level: 11

Loving Mother

"Mom…I think my life just transformed into a videogame." Xander said with total honesty before explaining all the information that had just got installed into his mind and frankly the information went over Ray's head.

"So…Albion is a part of a game system that someone has placed you in and he is supposed to be your partner and help you throughout life to do anything?" Ray asked as Xander looked at Albion before looking at his mother and tilting his head.

"I think that's right. The information is hard to understand in my head but most of it is about endless possibilities and stuff." Xander said back as Albion nodded his head.

"That about sums it up." Albion said back before a question rose in Xander's head.

"Ok. The information in my head told me about different Embryo types. So, what type of Embryo are you Albion?" Xander asked before Albion puffed up his chest proudly.

"I'm a Guardner type. My purpose is to protect you and help you defeat your enemies but since I am stuck in my first form, I'm pretty weak until we level up a bit." Albion replied before curling up into a little ball as if he was a cat or something.

"I swear this has to be some kind of fever dream or something." Ray said to herself before she stood up. "Head up to your room Xander, I need to cook dinner."

"No problem. Come on Albion." Xander said before making his way to his room with Albion flying behind Xander before taking the spot-on top of Xander's desktop computer before curling himself back up to try and nap.

"You seem tired." Xander said a bit awkwardly.

"My stamina and ability to fight is dependent on your physical and mental abilities master, and I hate to say it, but your stats need a lot of work to fully utilize me to my fullest potential." Albion said with a yawn.

"Is that something all Embryo's have to deal with?" Xander asked with curiosity.

"No. It's an exclusive trait for Guardner types. Were meant to protect our masters but, also inspire them to overcome their fears and get stronger." Albion explained.

"So, we really are linked then. Your power is tied to mine." Xander said to himself in thought as he crossed his arms and sat on his bed.

"Yup…Now I'm gonna nap." Albion said and sure enough Xander heard a few snores which amazed him at how fast Albion fell asleep.

"I guess I need to start working out and stuff." Xander said to himself before he grabbed his touch screen phone and started looking up exercises he could do at home. He was looking to start exercising anyway and now he had an actual partner to motivate him.

END!

A/N: Wow this chapter is extraordinarily short but I think writing between three thousand and four thousand words is a good thing for me.

Anyway, I am making another marvel story with a gamer…I really am insane huh? Well, there's no stopping this crazy train ladies and gentlemen. It keeps moving.

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