The morning sun rose slowly over the orphanage, casting long shadows across the frost-covered grass. Tyr sat by the cracked window in his shared room, staring out at the overgrown playground below. The faint laughter of children echoed through the air, distant yet grounding. But in his mind, a storm was brewing.
It began the moment he woke up.
Memories—vivid and undeniable—flooded his consciousness like a tidal wave. They weren't fragments anymore, no longer disjointed flashes of light and sound. This time, they came with clarity. Complete. Whole. And they weren't his.
He could see another life, another world.
Theon. That name had haunted him for days, lingering in the corners of his thoughts like an unwelcome guest. But now, Tyr knew exactly who Theon was: an arrogant fool from another existence, born in a world so mundane and ordinary it made Tyr's head ache just thinking about it.
In Theon's world, there were no gods—at least, none as tangible as TOAA. There were no heroes or villains battling for the fate of humanity. It was a world of mediocrity, where people worshiped the stories of others: comic books, movies, and endless retellings of the same fantasies.
And then there was the Marvel world—the world Tyr now lived in.
That realization hit him hardest. The memories Theon carried confirmed it: this wasn't just a random universe. It was that universe, one filled with gods, mutants, aliens, and threats beyond imagination. A world where ordinary people were powerless, swept up in battles between beings far beyond their comprehension.
Tyr clutched his head, leaning forward in the chair. He felt as though his mind was splitting in two, torn between the mundane existence of Theon's world and the dangerous, vibrant reality of his own.
"Two worlds," he muttered to himself, his voice shaking. "Which one is real?"
The question lingered, heavy and suffocating. If Theon's memories were true, then this world—the one Tyr had known his entire life—was nothing more than a construct, a fictional playground for stories that didn't belong to him. But if this world was fake, what did that make him?
His chest tightened as doubt crept into his thoughts. Was he just a character in someone else's story? A puppet dancing on the strings of an unseen hand?
His gaze drifted to the playground below, where a group of younger children were chasing one another through the frost-dusted grass. Emily was among them, her red hair glowing like fire in the morning light. She laughed as she ran, her doll clutched tightly in one hand.
The sight brought a faint warmth to Tyr's chest.
"Does it matter?" he whispered to himself. "Real or fake... this is the world I live in. These are the people I care about."
The question of authenticity faded, replaced by a quiet resolve. It didn't matter whether this world was real or not. What mattered was that it was his.
Tyr let out a slow breath, the tension in his chest easing slightly. He leaned back in the chair, his hands gripping the armrests as he stared at the ceiling.
But even as he reassured himself, anger began to bubble beneath the surface.
"Theon," he spat, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. "You idiot."
The memories of Theon's encounter with TOAA were fresh in Tyr's mind, as vivid as if he had witnessed the event himself. He could see the blinding white room, hear the calm voice of TOAA offering a second chance, and feel the weight of the moment.
And what had Theon done? He had mocked the One Above All.
"Why didn't you just kneel?" Tyr muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "You had one job. Just one. How stupid can you be?"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. TOAA had offered Theon a gift—an opportunity to transcend mortality, to wield unimaginable power. And what did Theon do? He threw it away, all because of his arrogance and refusal to show respect.
Tyr stood abruptly, pacing the room. "What kind of moron mocks the creator of everything? You're standing in front of a god, and your first thought is to crack jokes?"
He shook his head, disgusted. "You deserved what you got, Theon. Erased from existence. But now your mess is mine to clean up."
His pacing slowed as another thought struck him. TOAA's final words echoed in his mind: The power meant for another is now yours. Use it well.
"What power?" Tyr muttered.
The memories didn't offer any answers. Theon had never been told the specifics of what TOAA was granting him, only that it had immense potential. Tyr frowned, running a hand through his hair as he considered the possibilities.
If this truly was the Marvel Universe, then the range of abilities was staggering. Super strength, telekinesis, immortality—any of them were within the realm of possibility. But TOAA's words suggested something greater, something beyond the typical powers of heroes and villains.
His thoughts drifted back to the strange sensations he had been experiencing since the memories began—the faint hum beneath his skin, the tingling in his veins. It wasn't constant, but it was always there, lurking just beneath the surface.
Tyr clenched his fists, focusing on the sensation. The hum grew stronger, thrumming like a low, steady pulse.
"Come on," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "If I have some kind of power, then show me what it is."
The room remained silent, the only sound the ticking of the repaired alarm clock. Frustrated, Tyr sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed.
He thought back to the moments when he had felt the hum most strongly: when he was angry, when he was overwhelmed, when the memories had first surged into his mind. The common thread was emotion—intensity.
"Maybe it's tied to my feelings," he mused aloud.
Closing his eyes, Tyr took a deep breath and tried to focus. He thought about the anger he felt toward Theon, the frustration of being thrust into this situation without warning or explanation. He thought about the fear of what his newfound memories meant, the doubt that had gnawed at him since the visions began.
The hum grew louder.
His eyes snapped open, and for a brief moment, he thought he saw a faint ripple of energy flicker across his hands. It was gone in an instant, leaving him unsure if he had imagined it.
Tyr stared at his hands, his heart racing. "What was that?"
He tried again, concentrating on the hum, but this time nothing happened. The energy remained elusive, slipping through his grasp like smoke.
Frustrated, Tyr let out a groan and flopped back onto the bed. "Great. I have powers I can't even figure out how to use. Thanks a lot, Theon."
He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling. Whatever TOAA had given him, it was clearly more than just Theon's memories. But unlocking its potential was going to take time—and patience.
For now, Tyr had more immediate concerns. The memories of Theon's world had opened his eyes to the dangers of the Marvel Universe. If this truly was that world, then it was only a matter of time before chaos found its way to the orphanage.
And when it did, Tyr would need to be ready.