1 Prologue

Luke Wilson sat on the front steps of his small home, watching the neighborhood kids play baseball in the street. At only 10 years old, he longed to join them but knew he had to get home to help his mother with dinner. Ever since his father left when he was a baby, it had just been the two of them struggling to get by.

His mother Claire worked multiple jobs just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Evenings and weekends found her cleaning houses, waiting tables, or whatever else she could find to bring in extra money. It never seemed to be enough though, and Luke knew how tired and stressed she was all the time. He tried his best to be a good boy and not add to her worries.

"Luke, time to come inside and set the table. Dinner will be ready soon," Claire called from the front door. With one last glance at the laughing kids, Luke went inside to help his mother. They sat down to a simple meal of macaroni and cheese, one of the few dishes Claire knew how to make well on her limited cooking skills and budget.

As they ate, Claire asked Luke about his day at school. He told her about a test he thought he did pretty well on, and the new book they were reading in English class. Just small talk to take her mind off her troubles for a little while. When they finished, Luke insisted on doing the dishes so his mother could rest her feet.

Later that night, Claire began coughing and couldn't seem to stop. The cough grew worse over the next few weeks, and Luke was worried sick for his mother. Finally she agreed to see a doctor, though money was tight as always. The news they received was devastating - Claire had lung cancer that had already spread too far for effective treatment.

Luke sat by his mother's bedside in the hospital, tears streaming down his face as the doctor explained she only had a few months left at most. "Mom, please don't leave me! I can't do this without you," he sobbed, clutching her frail hand.

Claire smiled weakly at her son. "My sweet Luke, don't cry. I need you to be strong now. I want you to focus on your studies and take care of yourself. I've set aside a small amount of money and the apartment for you. I hope it will help you build a good life, maybe go to college one day. That's all I ever wanted for you."

"But I'll be all alone," Luke said miserably. "Who will help me with homework or make dinner?" Claire brushed his hair back gently. "I know it will be hard at first. But you have good friends and neighbors who will look out for you. And I'll always be with you in spirit. I believe in you, Luke. You can do this."

The next few months passed in a blur as Claire's health declined rapidly. Luke stayed by her side at the hospital as much as he could, not ready to say goodbye. On a rainy April day, he held her hand as she took her last breath, a faint smile on her face.

Luke was numb with grief at the funeral. He barely registered the kind words from Claire's coworkers or the hugs from his neighbors. All he felt was an aching emptiness inside. For weeks he barely left his room, not eating or sleeping as waves of sadness overwhelmed him.

But one night, he found a letter his mother had written for him before she passed. In it, she reminded Luke of her last wishes - that he live fully and be happy. She didn't want him to waste away in sorrow. Slowly he began to emerge from his depression, determined to make his mother proud.

That brings us to the present day, where Luke has just finished his first year of college on a scholarship. He's worked hard to support himself and make the most of the opportunities Claire provided. But his life is about to change in an instant on his walk home from campus, as an explosion rocks the nearby gas station.

[Unknown POV]

Luke opened his eyes to the endless darkness that surrounded him. He tried shouting once more but still heard nothing, not even his own voice. How long had he been trapped here in this void? It could have been minutes or years for all he knew.

At first he thought this must be some sort of judgement for his past actions, though he did not feel he had done anything to deserve such a punishment. As time stretched on with no sign of rescue or explanation, anger began to boil up inside him.

"Show yourself!" Luke shouted futilely into the void. "Why have you brought me to this place? What do you want from me?"

Silence was his only answer. Luke pounded his fists against nothing, feeling the emptiness absorb the impact. "Cowards!" he screamed. "Face me if you have the courage! I have done nothing to earn this torment."

His rage burned hot but provided no answers or means of escape. Luke began to pace endlessly through the void, as if wearing a path might lead him to freedom or revelation. But each step only confirmed the infinite darkness in all directions.

Gradually Luke's anger cooled, leaving behind a hollow emptiness that matched his surroundings. He sank to the unseen ground, pulling his knees to his chest. What was the point in fighting if no one would answer his challenges? In this place, even his own existence seemed uncertain.

Luke lost track of how long he sat motionless in the void. Was he alive or dead? Dreaming or trapped in a nightmare with no escape? His mind began to slip, thoughts drifting without purpose.

Perhaps this void was all that ever existed. Perhaps he had always been here and would remain forever. Maybe he never truly lived at all; maybe "Luke" was just an illusion that would fade into the darkness in time.

He let his body go limp, no longer resisting the pull of the void. If this was to be his end or his eternity, he would not fight it. The darkness crept closer, seeping into his pores, filling his lungs. Luke breathed it in willingly and felt himself dissolving, consciousness fading into the all-consuming emptiness.

Just as awareness was about to slip away entirely, a glimmer of light in the distance caught Luke's dulling senses. He strained eyes long grown accustomed to darkness and thought he saw a faint glow taking shape far off in the void.

A spark of curiosity was enough to stir Luke from his surrender. He pushed himself up on numb limbs and shuffled hesitantly toward the mysterious light. It grew steadily brighter as he approached, banishing the engulfing shadows.

Luke had to shield his watering eyes when at last he stood before the radiant source. A perfect sphere of pure light hovered silently before him. Its radiance warmed his chilled skin and seemed to lift the crushing weight from his soul.

"Who...what are you?" Luke asked in a hoarse voice, barely more than a whisper after an unknown span without use.

The light pulsed gently but gave no audible response. Luke reached out a trembling hand, half expecting it to pass right through the illusion as with all else in this void. But his fingers met resistance, feeling a smooth, warm surface beneath.

He splayed his palm fully upon the orb, soaking in its revitalizing glow. Strength and clarity returned to Luke's limbs and mind. For the first time, he felt truly awake, truly alive again.

A wordless message of comfort and guidance seemed to flow from the light into Luke's restored consciousness. It offered no explanations but conveyed all would be made clear in time. For now, it simply asked he follow where it would lead.

Luke nodded, withdrawing his hand slowly with reluctance to lose the light's restorative touch. But it began drifting away before him through the void, leaving a luminous trail for him to follow out of the darkness.

He had no answers yet as to how he came to be in this place or what mysteries the light sphere held. But the alternative was surrendering back to the void's smothering grasp. Luke took a deep, steadying breath and began to walk, determined to find the purpose and escape this purgatory had in store.

(Scene Change)

Luke trudged onward through the void, following the glowing trail left by the mysterious orb. For how long he walked, he could not say - time seemed meaningless in this place. But gradually, he began to feel his strength returning as he stayed close to the light.

Memories also emerged from the shadows, though they brought him little comfort. He recalled a life once lived, people once known. A pang of sadness struck him thinking of his mother, but it was a dull ache, as if from a life now distant. The void had changed something fundamental within him.

Eventually, the light led Luke to a place unlike any he had known before. Trees rose all around, their branches swaying in a breeze he could not feel. A waterfall cascaded musically into a still pond, and a small hut sat nestled among the foliage.

As Luke took in the strange surroundings, a man emerged from the trees. He was of average height with tanned skin and brown hair reaching his neck. Their eyes met, and with a snap of the man's fingers, Luke found himself seated on the most comfortable couch, facing the mysterious stranger.

"Hello there, child," the man spoke in a calm, resonant voice. "It seems you've had quite the journey to arrive here."

Luke considered the words. "Not an amazing journey, but one that has humbled me," he replied carefully.

A small smile touched the man's lips. "Well said. I am called by many names - Brahman, Yuanshi, the Singularity - but you may refer to me as the Source. I am he who exists before all things, the wellspring of all that is."

Luke listened intently, sensing this being's immense power. "The Source...then you rule this void?"

The man shook his head. "The void exists outside of rule or law. It was there I found your essence after the mishandling of lesser gods tore your existence apart."

His brow furrowed. "Lesser gods? I don't understand."

The Source explained how conflicts in the underworld of Luke's home multiverse had damaged it's fabric of reality, casting him adrift from the living realms. Now, a new path could be chosen. But that was a matter for another day.

For now, Luke was left with more questions than answers about his strange fate. But in the calm presence of the Source, a sense of peace had found its way into the spaces once occupied by the void's emptiness. For the first time, hope glimmered on the horizon, faint but growing stronger with each breath.

The Source nodded solemnly. "Indeed, such destruction of souls is a grave offense. The last time the realms were so unbalanced, I ensured the guilty parties faced justice for their actions."

His gaze turned distant, as if peering across uncounted eons. "Eight point four billion lives lost...and only seven remnants like yourself spared the full annihilation. You have my sympathy for all you endured."

Luke listened quietly, still processing all that had been revealed. So many souls obliterated without mercy or reason. And yet here he was, one of the lucky few to escape that fate.

"The others who made it to the void have already been reborn into new existences, with gifts to aid their fresh starts," the Source continued. "Now it is your turn to choose a new path forward."

He lifted a hand, summoning a shimmering orb into existence before them. Within its swirling mists, countless worlds spun and collided. "This wheel represents all possible universes where you may be reborn. Simply think to guide its turning."

Luke focused his thoughts, and slowly the orb began to spin. Countless ages seemed to pass as entire civilizations rose and fell within its depths. At last, it slowed and came to a stop, glowing scenes of a strange new world within.

The Source smiled knowingly. "The AU of Highschool DxD, with the identity of Hades. An intriguing choice, and one with much potential."

Another orb materialized, its surface marked with arcane symbols. "You may also select two reasonable boons to aid your new life. Think carefully - this choice can alter your destiny's course."

Luke pondered for some time before images of adaptability and versatility took shape upon the wheel. It spun, then halted to confirm his selection.

Chuckling, the Source said, "Divine adaptability and the gift of jack-of-all-trades. You have received powerful allies indeed. Now go - your new life awaits beyond the veil!"

A blinding flash later, Luke found himself drifting into peaceful slumber, filled with anticipation and wonder about the mysterious days soon to come.

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That's it for the first chapter, so let me know how it was and give me power stones to motivate me more... I will be uploading chapters of atleast 1500-2000 words two-three times a week and if me make it into the top 100 rankings, I will upload a bonus chapter as well...p.s give me your feedback and opinions...

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Thanks for reading!