Chapter 1

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

“Aw, would you shut the fuck up already? I’m awake, god damnit…” I grumble as I hit the snooze button.

I sit up from my bed as it creaks and I rub my eyes and stretch my limbs. I stand up from my bed and look around my one room apartment. It looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in a while, not that I care since the housekeeper always cleans it for me. I then pick up my phone to check the time and see it’s 8 A.M., which makes me furrow my brows.

“Why the hell did I set the damn alarm anyway?” I wondered, until I saw today’s date. “Oh yeah. Guess I better get ready.”

As I’m getting ready, I guess it’s only fair I introduce myself, even though I don’t really see the point for something so pointless. Axel Rickert is my name, but my online buddies or anybody I hang out with in real life call me Ax for short. I’m 25 and I live alone in a one room apartment in a rundown part of town. Not gonna sugarcoat my past, nor will I bother telling the full story, but let’s just say I wasn’t exactly a “Gary Stu” growing up. I always got in trouble, made a lot of people hate me because of my shitty behavior, barely managed to graduate college, let alone high school, and I’m so estranged with my family, I moved out the first chance I got. A lot of good that did me, because now I’ve got a college degree with nothing to show for it and I work as a shitty full time manager at the local strip mall’s GameStop, and it’s always a goddamn pain in the butthole to work at. But enough about my shitty lifestyle; today is a day I’ve been looking forward to for a while, and nothing’s gonna ruin it for me.

After my morning rituals, I step out of the bathroom and dig through my closet for a special outfit I’ve kept encased so it would remain untouched by the elements. Even though my life in the real world is a little bit of a dead end, I always find comfort in the gaming world since I have tons of friend groups who I play with constantly. However, out of all the games I own and play, there’s one series of games I’ve come to admire and love to play over and over again at least once a month, and that’s the Infamous games. I don’t know what it is about these games, but if I were to guess what it is I enjoy most about them, it’s the karma system, where you can choose to act like a hero or become an “Infamous” villain. Not only that, but the gameplay is fun as hell, especially in Second Son since you’ve got an arsenal of different powers, and it’s my favorite game of the series. Speaking of Second Son, it also has something to do with my outfit, the very clothes Delsin Rowe wore, with the sleeveless jacket and all. Finding the jacket was a bitch and a half to find, but I managed to get it off an online auction. The clothes were easy to fund since the sleeveless jacket was the most difficult piece of the set, plus a red beanie I conveniently had, making the whole outfit almost identical. Why am I proud to be wearing clothes like Delsin Rowe? Well, it’s because the local PlayStation Experience Convention is happening today, and I wanna be one of the first people in line.

Although, as I put on my outfit, I couldn’t help but feel a little anxious about the convention. The reason being is because of the rumors floating around, especially what the news has been saying. According to the news, there’s been a string of disappearances over the past couple of years, and the authorities have yet to find a single victim. They said they all seem to have gone missing after going to any other conventions in their local town or any big conventions in major cities. As for any forums I’ve read or people online I’ve talked to, they say it’s all because of someone named The Merchant. Apparently, he poses as a small booth salesman at a convention, and if someone lucky or unlucky enough meets him, he kidnaps you, and you’re never seen again. Of course, I’m not one to listen to any stupid spook stories anyone online tells me, and wherever the missing people are, I just hope they’re found soon. As for me, I woke up early for something I’ve been waiting months for, and whatever this anxiety I feel will just have to be pushed away. Besides, it’s not like The Merchant even exists and I doubt he’d come all the way out here for P.S.E. Con.

With my outfit ready and my belongings in my pockets, I nod and head for the door. As soon as I shut the door behind me and lock the door, my phone rings, making me groan and pull it out of my pocket. Unsurprisingly, it’s my assistant manager. As much as I wish I could ignore the call, I had no choice but to answer it.

“Steve, what do you want?” I ask with an obvious sigh.

“Hey, Ax, just wanted to see if you can come in today and cover for Donny?” Steve asks.

“I’m not coming in today, nor do I have any intention of filling in for anyone,” I snap. “I told both you and Donny two weeks ago, and even reminded the both of you 3 days ago I won’t be available this weekend. Because, as you know, I’ll be attending the local convention.”

“You’re still going to that thing?” Steve asks, a bit surprised. “Even despite the rumors?”

“Oh good God. Don’t tell me you also believe in that bullshit…” I groan. ”It’s just as you said: rumors. Nothing more, nothing less, and whoever else is stupid enough to believe in such crap is too ridiculous for words.”

“But the disappearances all happened at conventions,” Steve pleads. “You’re saying it’s not a coincidence that they all disappeared from one? What if The Merchant gets you? He’ll take you and throw away the key,” Steve warns.

“Alright, I’m gonna stop you right there,” I said. “While I can't say for certain what’s been happening to the people who have disappeared, I will say it’s definitely not because of some fairytale person who calls himself The Merchant. Why would the kidnapper even go out into the open in the first place? And to a convention, no less, where there’s arguably hundreds of people?”

“But Ax-”

“But nothing,” I said, cutting him off. “Look, I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s only for two days, and I’ll be back selling games with you and the others as per usual, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Alright, Ax,” Steve sighs. “Just be careful, ok? There’s no telling what could happen at that convention.”

“I do,” I said. “I’ve got the schedule in my back pocket. I’ll see you after this weekend. Later.”

I hung up the phone, walked to my car, and opened the door. I know I sounded like hot shit who didn’t believe in stupid rumors like The Merchant, but deep down, I knew he had a point. These disappearances all do have something in common: the conventions the victims all went to. But this convention was in my rundown part of town, so I was confident nothing was gonna happen. Without wanting to let my thoughts plague my judgement, I started my car and drove to the convention center.

It’s been a few hours since I arrived at the convention and it started, and man, was I having a blast. I watched a bunch of conferences, played some demos, even met some well known streamers I’ve watched online, so that was pretty cool. Now all that was left was to buy some merchandise and enjoy the rest of the day. I spotted some booths that had some cool looking stuff, but none of them really caught my eye. To be honest, I was looking for a booth who had some Infamous merch, however, I wasn’t having any luck. I was about to just continue enjoying the convention when I saw a small booth on the far end of the hall, which made me arch a brow. When I approached the booth, I saw a man wearing a jacket with his hood over his head, so I couldn’t really see his face. However, what I was really paying attention to was the cool merch he had. He had a variety of items like the rest of the booths, but what caught my eye was Cole’s sling pack with the 24 Karat Gold Amp strapped to it and Delsin’s chain sitting next to it.

“Hello there, young man,” the man said. “Those items catch your eye?”

“I guess you could say that,” I shrug. “It’d be pretty cool if that Amp was actually made of gold,” I joke.

“Actually, it is,” the man chuckles. “The Amp is able to conduct more of a charge thanks to it. Not only that, but it longs to conduct electricity as it’s former owner once did.”

Is this guy role playing or something? I think. Well, we are at a convention, so I guess I can play along.

“You’re talking about Cole MacGrath, aren’t you?” I ask, making his head perk up.

“You know Cole?” he asks.

“In a way,” I answer. “His sacrifice saved millions, even though it cost thousands. Not every victory is won without a price. At least Delsin Rowe picked up the pieces of his legacy,” I said.

“You even know Delsin,” the man said. “Perhaps you are the one I’ve been looking for.”

“Looking for what?” I wonder with an arched brow.

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud,” he dismisses. “Would you like to purchase these items?”

“Hmm, what the hell?” I shrug. “How much you want for them?”

“Since you’ve brightened my mood, I’ll give you a special discount. What’s say $300 for all three items?”

“$300? Pretty sweet deal. Sold,” I said, handing him the money. He hands me the sling pack and Amp, which was surprisingly pretty light, and Delsin’s chain. I put the pack over my shoulders, strap the Amp on the pack, and wrap the chain around my wrist.

“Those items suit you,” the man said. “Before you go, I was wondering if you would answer a question for me.”

“Ok, sure,” I shrug.

“If you were to put yourself in Cole’s or Delsin’s shoes, what would you do if you had their abilities and had to make the same choices they did? Would you use your power to protect and become a hero, or would you give in to the temptation and become the infamous villain most others would expect you to be?” he asks.

“Hmm, well, I guess it depends on the situation,” I said. “Both Cole and Delsin had their share of tough decisions, and some cost them more than others would think. However, despite their endeavors, they did what they knew was right and became the opposite of infamous. Me personally, I guess I’d like to help others, but it’s as I said: it depends whether they deserve my help or not.”

The man stares at me for a moment, and then chuckles as he nods his head. “Just the response I was expecting. You’ll fit in just right over there,” he said.

“Fit in? What’re you talking about?” I ask.

“Oh nothing. Forgive me. It’s a habit of mine to speak out loud,” he dismisses again.

“Well, alright,” I said, shrugging it off. “Do you know where the oculus stand is?”

“Oh yes,” he said, gesturing to the double doors. “You’ll find what you’re looking for right through there.”

“Thanks,” I said as I began walking away.

“Have fun on your journey, and follow your heart for any decisions that come your way!” he calls out.

I ignored whatever he meant and opened the doors. I felt a gust of cold wind blow against me, making me shiver a bit. I know it’s warm out, but that doesn’t mean they had to crank the AC. As I walked through the hallway, I noticed my surroundings seemed odd, like I was walking not in a hallway at the convention center, but through a corridor of a different building entirely. What’s more is the more I walked, the darker my vision became to the point where I had to pull out my phone and turn on the flashlight. As soon as I turned it on, I saw I was walking along what looked like a red carpet, and the walls looked like old stone. When I turned around, I saw the corridor had stretched all the way to the door I entered, and I just noticed there weren’t any lights lighting the way.

“Ok, either that guy gave me the wrong directions, or I’m in some kind of Uncharted expo,” I said.

When I turned around, I continued my walk, coming up to an opening, and finally took in my surroundings. It was night and the moon was high in the sky with stars decorating the sky, which made me quirk my brow since it was supposed to be in the middle of the day, and I seem to be standing in some kind of abandoned castle.

“What the hell is all this? Some kind of For Honor set up? Granted, it’s very realistic, but how is it night time? It’s supposed to be around noon,” I said. I looked up to the sky, noticing that the moon seems to be brighter than normal and the stars seem to twinkle a lot more than usual. “Although I will admit, it’s a very pretty night sky.”

I was about to walk around and see what else this lifelike set up had to offer when I heard a sort of pulsing noise. I looked around, but saw nothing until the pulsing noise happened again, realizing it was coming from my new pack. I took off my pack, set the Amp down on the ground, and unzipped the top pocket. To my surprise, inside was what looked like a Blast Core. It shined and pulsated as if it was alive, and it looked as if it was just tempting me to grab hold of it. Not thinking about it, I reached into the pocket, picked up the Blast Core, and held it in my hand. It felt a little warm at first, and I could actually feel the pulses of power. It was extremely odd to me since I thought it was just a prop the man forgot about.

“Why’s there a Blast Core in my pack?” I wonder as I examine the glowing object.

Suddenly, the Blast Core pulsates again, startling me, but then it sparks onto my hands. I tried to drop it, but my hand seemed to have some sort of grip on it like it didn’t want to let go. I tried prying it off my hand with the other, but I only ended up getting my other hand stuck on it, making me panic more. The Blast Core glows brighter and pulsates faster as I try to shake it off. Just when I think this couldn’t get any more freaky, the Blast Core shines as bright as it could, sending a wave of energy through my arms and into me. It felt like I was getting the biggest adrenaline rush of my life as the energy inside continued to flow within me. What’s even more strange, if that were possible, I started to see images in my mind as the Blast Core was giving me its energy. These images were of me performing a variety of skills with different powers. The weirdest thing is that I knew these powers; they looked like the same powers used in the Infamous series. Before I could contemplate what I was seeing, the Blast Core’s glow almost immediately disappears and crumbles into dust. I fall down, scramble away, leaned up against a wall, and hyperventilate while gripping my head.

“What the fuck was that?!” I exclaimed. “What are these images in my head?! Was that me doing all those things?!”

I stood back up and walked back over to my Amp and pack before bolting toward the corridor I came from. I didn’t even look back as I ran toward the door I came out of. Once I reached the end of the corridor, I grabbed the handle and opened it, only to find a room looking like a library of some kind. I slowly walked in, looking around at the different books, not fully realizing that this was not back at the convention. I slumped into a chair as I battled with myself, whether this was a dream or very, very realistic display unknown to anyone at the convention.

“No fucking way…” I mumbled while holding my head. “This has to be a trick. I don’t know what the fucking deal with that Blast Core was, but this can’t be real. There has to be an exit back to the convention somewhere around here.”

Not wanting to stick around, I slowly stood up and grabbed my pack and Amp. I walked out of the library, but paused and looked over my shoulder. Though I didn’t see anything besides the books and chairs, I could’ve sworn it felt like someone, or something, was watching me. Not finding anything, I shrugged it off and walked out of the room and headed back down the corridor.

“God damn, this place is freaking nuts!”

I’ve been walking around this damn castle for an hour now, and I haven’t found a single door that leads back to the convention! Meanwhile, as I search, that damn feeling of being watched has been lingering in the back of my head, and it’s been pissing me the hell off. I must’ve searched almost everywhere, yet I’ve found nothing of modern make. With a heavy and annoyed sigh, I make my way back to the open area I was in before and plop down on the ground against a pillar.

“Ugh, this just makes no sense. How is there not a door in this rundown place that doesn’t bring me back to where I belong? Am I in a different world or something?” I wondered, but I shook my head, completely dismissing the very idea. “Yeah right. If I was in a different world, I’d know it.” I look at my hands, the images of me using Conduit powers flash in my head, making me curious.

“I wonder…” I mutter. I focus on my right hand and imagine it being covered in electrical bolts. After a few moments of nothing, I start to lose interest until I see a few sparks. Focusing more on my hand, the sparks begin to appear more and the bolts surge on my hand, running along my arm up to my shoulder. I gaze in awe and shock as my whole arm is covered in electricity, yet it feels like there’s goosebumps running up and down my arm.

“Whoa…trippy,” I said. “But…how the hell is this possible?”

It all should not have been possible, one minute I’m at the local convention and the next thing I know I’m outside in some ruined castle. Not to mention the freaking Blast Core in my pack that looked like it was about to blow up in my face, but instead gave me all these images of using all the other powers from the Infamous series. So many questions boggled my mind, I didn’t know where to start. The images of the other abilities flashed in my mind again, which could only mean one thing.

“I have all of them,” I said in slight disbelief. “But how did I even become a Conduit from that Blast Core? This is all supposed to be a dream, but…” I trailed off as I looked around the open room of the ruined castle. “It all feels so real. If only that merchant at the booth warned me about this, I could…have…”

I gasped as soon as the word merchant escaped my mouth. It couldn’t be, could it? But the clues are all there. I’m not anywhere that even looks remotely familiar. The powers, too. I’ve become a Conduit and I have the five powers from the Infamous series. It all makes sense now, which means this isn’t a dream after all.

“The Merchant. The fucking Merchant got me…” I said aloud.

I stood up from the pillar and looked to the ground. How could this have happened? How of all people was I the one unlucky enough to meet The Merchant of all people? He was just a random dude at a booth at a convention. He wasn’t supposed to be the actual Merchant, let alone even exist. But the more I thought about it, even though I was now one of his victims, even if I was taken from my home and wound up who knows where, I couldn’t bring myself to be truly mad. Yeah, it sucks that I’m no longer on Earth, but is it the end of the world? Now that I think about it, I didn’t really have anything going for me in my former state of affairs. I was lost, working a deadend job, no family around to support me, and most of my friends were online, so I couldn’t really meet them face to face. All things considered, I guess one would say this is just the kind of new beginning I needed despite how I ended up here in the first place.

“He said something about me being the one he was looking for, so I guess he sent me here for a purpose?” I guessed. I looked to the night sky and saw the moon again, shining brightly. “Alright, Mr. Merchant, I’ll play along. You chose me along with the rest of them for a reason. I guess I’ll have to find out what.” After I decided to set out in search of my purpose, I grabbed my pack, slipped my arms through the straps, and sheathed my Amp. I was about to set out to explore when I once again felt eyes on me, making me groan. I turned around and raised my hand and activated my Lightning, making my arm spark.

“Alright, enough’s enough! Whoever’s out there, make yourself known right now or I’ll fry you!” I call out.

There was no response at first until I heard a sort of feminine giggle, making me arch a brow. Soon, there was a mist seeping out from one of the pillars shadows, and a figure walked out. The figure was female and her body was a bit see through, but I could make out her appearance a little bit. She seemed to be wearing some sort of armor with chainmail underneath that looked like some kind of dress and a helmet with a long horn sticking out on the top. On her back was a pair of midnight blue wings and her hair looked like a starry mist that flowed in a nonexistent breeze. What caught my attention about this woman was her facial features: she had cat-like light turquoise eyes with light purple mascara and dark purple lipstick. The more I stared at this apparition, the more she walked closer to me, making me take a step back.

“Why do you back away, stranger? Armed with strange magic no less?” she asks.

“You can speak?” I question. “Last I checked, ghosts can’t speak.”

“I am not deceased, if that is what you are wondering,” the woman said.

“Alright. Then who are you?” I asked.

“I am called Nightmare Moon, Princess of the Night,” she said.

“Nightmare Moon?” I repeat. Sounds like something from cheesy vampire drama, I think.

“And what are you called, stranger with strange magic?” Nightmare asks.

“Axel Rickert,” I answer. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a question since I answered yours.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” she agrees. “What is it you wish to know?”

“How are you transparent like that?” I ask. She frowns and sighs as she walks to the side.

“Before I answer that, may you please deactivate your magic? I shall not harm you, nor can I in my current form,” Nightmare requests, looking over her shoulder. I was hesitant at first, but she did have a point, so I deactivated my Lightning and relaxed my stance.

“Thank you. As for how I am like this, it happened only two weeks ago,” Nightmare explained. “The co-ruler, Princess Celestia, ruled during the day when the sun was high, and her sister, Princess Luna, ruled during the night when the people were asleep and she governed their dreams. Luna admittedly grew jealous of Celestia, thinking the people appreciated her days more than her nights, and soon, I, Nightmare Moon, was created as a thought within Princess Luna’s mind. Over the years, I whispered dark thoughts in her mind, and Luna soon gave in to her emotions, allowing me to take control and use her body as a physical form. I battled Celestia in an attempt to usurp the throne, but…she banished me to the moon for a thousand years.”

“Wait, a thousand years?” I repeat. “How’s that possible? Humans can’t live over a thousand years.”

“I am not a normal human, as you can see,” Nightmare said. “I am a goddess, in a manner of speaking.”

“A goddess?” I repeat skeptically.

“Indeed. I would give you a demonstration of my power, but I cannot do much in this form,” Nightmare said.

“Ok, so how did you come back from the moon?” I asked, trying to play along.

“After a thousand years, my banishment was lifted, and I was set on taking my revenge against Celestia. I wanted to continue my original goal by enveloping the world in eternal night so that the people could appreciate the night sky more. However, I was once again thwarted by the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony when they used the Elements to overwhelm me. But the strangest thing happened as soon as the Elements collided with me. I assumed I would cease to exist once the Elements purified Luna since I was nothing but a mere dark voice, but in the end, the Elements did the exact opposite and split us apart. While Luna kept her physical form, I was left without one due to most of my magic being used to keep myself from being erased.”

“So you’ve been stuck here since that night?” I ask and she nods. “Why not just go out and leave this castle? It must be lonely being out here by yourself.”

“I wish I could, but I cannot for a few reasons. One is that I cannot leave this castle, for it is one of the few places that has the most magic in the area. Two, I am but a mere apparition. If I leave, I will lose what little magic I have, keeping the form you see me as, and cease to exist. Finally, I am not what most would call a well-liked individual to the public since I quite literally tried to take the throne not once, but twice,” Nightmare explained.

“Must be tough,” I said looking up to the sky. “But you know, I guess I wouldn’t mind if the nights were longer, apart from the whole it being night all the time.”

“You…prefer the night more than the day, Mr. Rickert?” Nightmare asks.

“I guess,” I shrug as I look back at Nightmare. “Back in my world, I was mostly a night owl to begin with. Plus, I got to look at the stars in the sky and name the different constellations if I ever saw any.”

“Back in your world?” she repeats.

“Oh yeah, guess I forgot to mention it. I’m from a different world entirely from whatever this one is. Don’t really know why I’m here to begin with, but I’ll hopefully find out soon enough,” I said.

“Fascinating. No wonder you seemed to appear in the castle out of nowhere,” Nightmare said, but then glances away for a moment. “Um, Mr. Rickert?”

“You can call me Ax if you like,” I said

“Very well, Ax. I was wondering…what do you think of this world’s night sky?” she asks.

“Well, I’d have to say it’s very pretty, if I’m honest. It’s a hell of a lot more pretty and clear than the night sky in my world, that’s for damn sure,” I said with a chuckle.

I couldn’t tell, but I thought I saw Nightmare blush despite being transparent, though I did see her smile at me, which, if I was honest with myself, made me blush a little.

“Thank you for your kind words, Ax. It has been quite some time since I’ve heard anyone truly appreciate the night,” Nightmare said.

“No problem. I guess all that’s left is to ask an obvious question,” I said.

“And what is that?” Nightmare asks.

“Where exactly am I?” I ask.

“Well, this castle used to be my old home, but the name of this land is called Equestria,” Nightmare answers.

“Equestria, huh?” I repeat. Guess that just confirms it all, I think.

“May I ask you something now?” Nightmare asks.

“Sure,” I said.

“What kind of magic do you wield? I have never seen such magic before,” Nightmare asks.

I smile as I hold out my hand and activate my power. The Electrical blots began to dance along my hand and up my arm, leaving Nightmare to gawk at the display in awe which made me chuckle a bit.

“This, Nightmare, isn’t magic.”I said as she stared at my hand in awe. “This is my personal power, because I’m not what most would call normal despite this being a world of magic. Back in my world, I’m what’s known as a Conduit.”

“A Conduit?” She repeats.

“Yes. Allow me to tell you a few stories about two individuals who were also Conduits, who did very noble things for the sake of Earth and other fellow Conduits.” I said.

Author's Note

Infamous or Hero?

Choices shall soon be made.

~WurkyWilk has left the building…