Heroes. From ancient times to nowadays, legends, myths, stories are full of them. Whether they are the "stereotypical" hero with superhuman strength or speed, or the imperfect protagonists of dystopian fiction, people adore them. They admire these people, who are special from birth, destined by the author's hand or destiny to do something special.

People flock to stories, movies and games if only to come closer to that feeling of being chosen. Because the cruel reality of life is that in order for a person to shine, thousands more have to create a 'normal', a standard, so the hero is more... heroic. And their path is often impossibly hard. So becoming a 'hero', someone unique and powerful, is like winning the lottery.

And the draw is seven billion to one.

So when life suddenly became part of the 'system', of course, not everyone can be the hero.

<<<>>>

If anyone was destined to be a hero, it would be Kyra. There was already proof the gods favored her. Sitting on her bed, leaning against the wall, Kyra's hands were flying over the keyboard, finishing a 1000 word essay for her English class as if it was child's play. She immediately moved on to the science report due in two weeks, which her classmates hadn't even finished collecting their data. Needless to say, her group was strides ahead.

Everything came to her naturally, whether it be academics, sports, or the arts. It seemed as if she was blessed with the body that can master anything. Of course she'd be perfect as a hero, just as how she was perfect in everything she did.

Kyra glanced over her shoulder, peering at the screen of the boy sitting next to her. He was playing yet another battle game, this one with better graphics, at least. Kyra rolled her eyes.

"Marc did you finish the essay yet?" She reminded him, raising an eyebrow. If Kyra was the hero, and every good hero has a sidekick, Marc would be hers. The boy pulled out his left earphone.

"What did you say?" His eyes were trained on his screen, his fingers dancing over the screen succinctly.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"The essay? The one due tomorrow? Is yours done?" Marc shook his head.

"Wait. I'll finish it after this round." Kyra rolled her eyes again. She leaned over and snatched the phone from Marc's grip - which was not such an easy feat.

"Hey!" Immediately, the shy boy lost his cool, and his voice grew higher by an octave. He instantly turned around and tried to grab back his phone, but Kyra leaned away, holding the phone high above her head.

"Finish your work first! Then you can play!" Kyra sounded like a mom, but she didn't mind, because Marc relented easily. He leaned over the foot of the bed to grab his laptop and Kyra relaxed, lowering her arm. Just then, Marc swerved around. Kyra yelped in surprise as he tackled her onto the bed, wringing the phone out of her grasp.

"Hey! Stop it!"

"Give it back Kyra!" He whined like a child.

"No!" Kyra squirmed out under him and slithered off the bed, laughing. As she turned around, ready to pounce out of the room, she... noticed something.

There was a screen. Floating. A blue screen. Like the one you'd see in movies. Floating.

[System Initializing...]

[Magic establishing...]

[Connections opening...]

[Genesis connected...]

[All Gen worlds connected...]

The screen continuously flashed in front of her as if through the loading screens of a game. Kyra froze and stared. Confusion swept her mind.

"Ma-Marc... are- are you seeing this?" Kyra didn't dare look behind her to see if Marc could see the screen.

"Ye-yeah..."

Kyra crept forward, her heart roaring in her chest, telling her no. She crouched in front of the screen, staring that the flashing text on the hologram. Tentatively, Kyra stretched her hand and touched the screen, feeling a cool marble-like surface beneath her finger.

[Environment configuring...]

The world around Kyra started to dissipate into glowing blue squiggles that changed into different squiggles, slowly consuming the entire room. Marc screamed and Kyra followed, yelling her lungs out as the squiggles advanced.

[Native influence deleting...]

[Players initiating...]

"Kyra!!" Marc yelped. Kyra flashed her head around just to see Marc's arm now glowing faintly in the same blue squiggles. They looked like ancient pictographs. The squiggles flashed and changed as it consumed more of Marc's arm. He screamed, tears forming at the edge of his eyes. Kyra panicked, rushing over and grabbing Marc by his shoulders.

"Marc! Marc! Listen to me, hey!" She had to slap him to make him snap out of whatever he was staring at in space. The squiggles consumed his left shoulder. Kyra's eyes darted around, scanning him over. The squiggles marched upwards, gaining traction and Marc closed his eyes.

"Marc!"

As she shook his shoulder, Kyra saw blue squiggles taking over her own body. It felt tingly, as if someone sat on her arm for too long and it fell asleep.

It ran up her arm quickly, much faster than it had for Marc's and consumed her entire body. She didn't even have time to scream.

[Players initiated.]