//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Equestrian Musician // by Jason Monroe //------------------------------// It was late at night in Dundee Florida as a tall man with black hair and blue eyes sat in his bedroom trying to work on his newest song. The man was an amazing singer and an even greater musician. He knew how to play a variety of instruments and used his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering to make a system that allowed him to play multiple instruments at once by simply pressing the right buttons. His stage name was “The One Man Band” because he could play an entire song using drums, guitar, and bass while singing. Of course those were simply the ones that earned him his name. His favorite instrument was the piano and he often found a way to incorporate it into his songs. He had become rather famous, but had always refused to get guards or a security team for his house. His explanation had always been that because any money he had that could be spent freely was given away, no one would try to rob him. He later came to regret that decision as he felt something cold push up against his head, causing him to stop what he was doing. He had been wearing his noise cancelling headphones while trying to find a good combination of instruments for his next song and so he hadn’t heard the woman bust into his house and come into his bedroom. The woman was wearing a full black suit and a black ski mask and had several duffle bags on her back and in her left hand. She quickly took his headphones off before grabbing him by the back of his white T-shirt and forcing him to stand up. “What do you want?” The man asked as the woman turned him around pushed him up against the wall. “Oh honey, what I want is quite simple.” The woman said causing the man’s eyes to widen as he recognised the voice. “Why are you here Victoria?! I told you the last time that I don't love you!” The man shouted causing Victoria to chuckle darkly. “Oh Alex darling, you seem to think that you have a choice.” Victoria said before sighing and pressing the small M1911 that was in her right hand against his chest. “Either I get to have you or no one does.” She said with a sick look on her face. Alex said nothing and just spit in her face causing her left eye to twitch before she pulled the trigger. In an instant Alex felt an immense amount of pain as he screamed before slowly losing consciousness. Right before the darkness took him he heard Victoria thank him for his instruments and then there was nothing. Alex opened his eyes to see that he was now standing in an abyss that went on forever. He looked around before looking down at his chest and looking for a bullet wound, only to find nothing. He sighed before a very British sounding voice spoke up. “Hello there! It’s good to see you Alex. Before you ask, I know your name because I know the names of every single being in the multiverse that can die.” Alex quickly looked up to see a man wearing an open black coat, black combat pants, and black combat boots sitting on a chair that hadn't been there a second ago with a desk in front of him as well as an empty chair on Alex’s side. The man had messy, waist-length, dark brown hair and a messy dark brown beard that connected to his hair. His eyes were different colors with his right eye being sky blue while his left eye was blood red with a black sclera. “Who are you and what are you talking about?” Alex asked causing the man to chuckle before stroking his messy, dark brown beard with his right hand. “I have many names, but nowadays most people call me ‘The Hated Saint’ and what I’m talking about is the fact that you're dead. I’m just here to make a deal with you that will end with you being brought back to life.” The man explained with a grin on his face as Alex’s eyes widened. “What's the deal?” Alex asked as he sat down on the chair in front of him and leaned in closer to the man. “Simple. I bring you back to life in a different universe with a different form and we play a small game. To win the game you must find me in this new universe. As extra incentive I will take something from you that you think is important. What that something is depends on what would hurt you the most. If you win the game you’ll get your important thing back and I will give you the choice of either staying in the new universe or returning to your old universe a couple of minutes after you died. With that second option I will simply put you back in your body while keeping you alive. There isn't a way to lose aside from dying again before finding me and even then there's no penalty or punishment for losing.” The man explained before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a scroll and pen. He set the scroll and pen down in front of Alex before gesturing for him to read it. Alex shrugged before opening the scroll and going over it. It turned out to be a contract of the rules of the deal as well as the game. At the bottom was a place for Alex to right his signature and he quickly grabbed the pen before signing the contract and handing it back to the man. “Good choice.” The man said before grabbing the scroll and pen and putting them away. He then reached into his pocket universe and pulled out a music box before reaching through Alex's chest and taking out a grey wisp-like object. He then proceeded to shove the wisp-like object into the music box before shoving the music box into my chest. “From now on you are ageless and if that music box stops playing music you will pass out. Your body will go through a few more changes, but I’ll just implant the memories of how they work while you're unconscious. Anyways, see you later Music Man!” The man said before touching Alex's head, causing him to fall unconscious. The man started working on Alex and quickly took all of Alex's memories aside from the ones of the deal and the game. After he was finished with the memories he started working on the body. The man tapped Alex's skin, causing it to suddenly gain a metallic sheen as it became metal. Alex's eyes went from white with blue irises to white with rainbow irises as his neat, neck-length, hair also changed colors, though unlike his eyes which looked like a color wheel his hair was constantly going through the colors of the rainbow. “That's good. Now for the clothes.” The man said before touching Alex's clothes, causing them to vanish only to be replaced by a rainbow tuxedo. The man looked at Alex while stroking his beard. “I feel like something is missing.” The main said before his eyes widened. “I got it!” He said before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a normal black fedora only for him to tap it, making it rainbow coloured. “Alright! Time to send him off. Good luck Music Man!” The man said before snapping his fingers, causing a colorful portal to appear beneath Alex. As the portal closed behind Alex, another unconscious person appeared causing the man to smile. “A new challenger approaches.” The man whispered to himself before getting ready for when they woke up.