2 Chapter 1: Lars The Loser

"Where am I…" Lars said, looking around. He was in a room full of white. The floors, the walls and even the ceiling were all encased in a white finish. Sitting at a white table with all white chairs, an old man shuffled through a set of white cards.

"Boy…" The old man in white said. "If you were given a second try at life… but this time you had a power… not a strong power… but a power you could use to help others… would you take that life, or would you rather a life of paradise." He asked.

"Well right now my life is hell. I hate living every day… I want paradise… I want somewhere I can live in peace." Lars said

"I can grant you that, but while you are in paradise, millions of other people who are weak, who are bullied just like you were, will suffer… are you alright with that?" The man asked.

"What difference does it mean to me! Who is going to save me when I need help!"

"You will save yourself" The old man said. "The power you have will be able to do that, those dreams you've had of the other world, don't you want to know what they were all for?"

"Is that where I am now?" Lars said looking around. "Is this a dream to? Or is this reality?"

"That is entirely up to you" The old man said. "You are at a crossroads, one door will lead you to paradise" The old man said snapping his fingers.

A white door appeared behind him.

"The other to a new reality" The old man said creating another door with a snap of his fingers.

Lars thought long and hard to himself.

"My entire life has been a struggle, it would be nice to put an nend to that" Lars said looking to the door of paradise."

"But, there's something I have always wanted." Lars said passionately.

"And what would that be?"

"The power to protect the people I love" Lars said. "But I suppose that would also be in paradise as well?

"You are a smart boy" The man said, putting his cards down. "Both of these doors lead to the same place" The old man said snapping his fingers. The doors dissapeared and the room began to fade.

"Then why ask me all this? If I was headed to paradise the whole time!" Lars said.

"The lesson here is that Paradise is not just a location it is a process" The old man laughed. "Those who believe in our dreams create our own paradise, as you will in the next world."

"Wait! Does that mean I'm dead! I'm going to leave the world I'm in now?"

"No," The old man said smiling, it is rather you are returning to the world you left long ago. THe time for you to awaken is now Axel"

"Axel?" Lars asked. "Is that my name?"

As Lars faded out of consciousness he began to here a different voice calling out his name.

"Honey! Oh my gosh he's looking at me, my boy is going to be fine!" A short woman cried.

"What's happening… Why can't I see… Why can't I talk… Why can't I move… Where.. Where am I!"

"Lars!"

Lars opened his eyes to a bright light shining down on him in a congested room. As his vision became more clear, he saw a team of doctors hovering over him. By his side was a short black haired woman, whose eyes were red and ripe with tears. She held his arm, calling out his name as he fought to retain consciousness.

"Lars… is that truly my name?" Lars thought. "In the white room II heard a different name… What was it?" He thought

"Mam we need you to leave the room! This boy has suffered multiple concussions and severe damage to his brain, we are sustaining him now but at any point he can go into-"

Beep Beep!

Lars's heart monitor started going off. His heart rate was off the charts. The team of doctors rushed to his side dragging his mother out of the room.

"LARS!" She cried.

"Why… why does she keep calling me that…" Lars thought as he fought to stay awake.

"Lars…Lars Yumen… Wait I remember now! That woman calling me is my mother!" He screamed as a flood of tears filled his eyes.

"Mother! No!" Lars thought, as he still lacked the strength to open his mouth and speak. "Old man I take it back!" He said as he watched his mother go on in pain.

"I'm not ready to leave this world!"

(Earlier that day)

Wham!

Lars was shoved into a locker by three boys, laughing as they trapped him behind the metal door.

"Let me out!!" Lars cried .

"Hehe you guys got those ketchup packets from lunch?" One of the teens asked. He was a tall athletic boy who seemed to be leading the others. As he tightened the strap on the cap he wore backwards, he leaned on the door of the locker, trapping Lars inside.

"Hahah Lars the loser!" The other teenagers laughed.

"Here's the ketchup Jin!" One of the other boys said, handing him a stack of condiments.

"Please no!" Lars cried banging on the iside of the locker door.

"HAHA you stink man! Here! Take a shower!" Jin laughed. Ripping the packets apart, Jin poured them down the slits in the locker, covering Lars in red and yellow mush.

Lars cried inside of the locker sulking as Jin opened the door.

"Well, didn't you want out? Come on out then!" Jin said laughing.

Lars ran out of the locker rushing out into the hallway. As he ran through the school, kids turned around and teased him.

"Lars the Loser!" They laughed. "Go kill yourself already!"

"I just want to get out of here!" Lars thought crying as he ran. It was only the first period and he wanted out of this nightmare.

As he ran out of the school he heard a voice calling out behind him.

"Larzzy!!!" A little girl called as he ran out.

Lars froze in his tracks, not believing what he was hearing.

"Nina?" He asked, turning around. Surely enough his ten year old sister was trailing behind him.

"What are you doing out here? You should be in class." He said, drying his tears.

"I heard you crying big brother… and then you ran outside! You have to go back!" She yelled.

"But… I hate it there…" He said tearing up.

"But… If you leave… Who will be my friend? I don't have any friends big brother! I hate it here too!"

His sister ran to him crying into his arms.

"It's ok…" Lars said.

"I… I can't give up" Lars thought. "There's someone who is counting on me..."

"Lets go back together!" Lars said. "Together we'll make it, we'll be each other's friends! How does that sound!" Lars said, cheering his sister up.

"Thanks big bro!" She said, hugging him.

"Ohhh isn't that touching!" Jin said coming outside.

Nina hid behind her big brother, shuddering as Jin and his gang came outside.

"Jin.. leave us alone!" Lars said

"Oh.. and what are you going to do about it?" Jin said shoving him

"Big Bro!!!!" Nina cried as Lars fell to the floor.

"Your Big brother can't save you!" Jin said laughing "He's just a little bitch! He can't do shit!"

"Don't talk to my sister like-"

"Shut up!" Jin yelled kicking Lars in his stomach. Lars lurched forward grabbing his abdomen in pain.

"Big brother!"

"Yeah yeah how about this!" Jin said taking Ninas backpack. He dumped all of her homework and books onto the ground. As a stream of mpaper and books fell out a tiny stuffed animal landed by Jins feet.

"Oh? What's this?" He said picking up a stuffed panda.

"Thats my panda! His name is Pj! Put him down!" She cried.

"What? This piece of crap?" Jin asked rolling his eyes. "Ok if you want me to put him down… Fine!"

Jin threw the bear on the ground, stomping on it.

"Pj!"

Jin crushed the panda into the ground, jumping and stomping until the bear was flattened into the ground.

Tears flowed out of Nina's eyes, staining her cheeks as her favorite toy was destroyed.

"Hehhehe." Jin said laughing. "Hahahahaha What are you gonna do about it? That's all you guys can do is cry cry cry? You litt-"

WHAM!

Lars fired a punch into Jins jaw, knocking him backwards.

"Don't you dare do that to my sister!" Lars yelled.

"Hmph not bad." Jin said wiping his mouth. "But now it's my turn! Get em boys!"

Jin's gang began circling around Lars, and before he could react, the two boys had trapped him in a lock leaving him open to Jin's punches.

"Take that! And that!" Jin said, punching him.

"Big Brother!" Nina screamed crying. "I'm going to get the teachers!" she said running away.

Jin punched Lars dozens of times in the face and stomach, leaving him bloodied and bruised.

"You.. bastard.." Lars barely got out.

Losing consciousness Lars fell to the floor.

"Godamn trash! How dare you put your hands on me!" Jin said, stomping on Lars now unconscious.

"Jin stop, you won man!" his friends pleaded. as he stomped on Lars's body over and over.

"No you don't get it! This kid punched me! I want everyone to know what happens when you touch Jin Kite!"

Jin kicked Lars again, spitting on him.

"Jin you're going way too far man! Your a psycho! I'm getting out of here!" One of the boys said.

"Dear god!" A teacher yelled opening the door to the outside.

"Someone call 911!"

(Present day)

"Mother!" Jin finally screamed out, his voice finnaly reaching his mothers ears.

"Lars!" She said holding him. "I always told you not to get into fights at school! Now look what that monster did to my baby!" She cried.

"I don't regret anything mother!" Lars said as his vision became blurry again. "I'm sorry this had to happen but I want you to know that I'm different now!"

"Save your strength!" His mother cried as his heart rate monitor went off again.

"As of today I am no longer Lars the loser… I'm Lars, the boy who protected his little sister! Please remember that way when I'm gone!"

Lars's heart rate monitor flatlines as he lost consciousnees.

As he slowly passed he watched as his mother reached out for him crying out for him in vain.

Lars returned to the room of white once again meeting the man with the white cards.

"Well, shall we begin your new life?" The man said.

"I'm ready," Lars said, nodding his head, he tried to compose himself and dried his tears." I have no regrets with my death."

"Very well, but be wary, this life will be much harder than your previous one, but you will be stronger as well, whether this world is saved or not entirely depends on you."

"Is this the world I dreamed of?" Lars asked. "I was in this academy with friends… and I remember a women! She was always saying…"

"The light of the father shines bright within you."

"Yes! Exactly! Is this where I'm going? Am I finally going to this place?" Lars asked.

"No, " the old man answered. "Your finally returning to that place, Axel."