Barry: You're Barry Allen from another Earth?

Barry-90: Earth-90, to be exact. 

Cisco: So, wait, is Jay your doppelganger or is Barry?

Jay: Both. 

Jay walked over to his counterpart. The red devil-suited Flash was panting and nodding his head.

Jay: What's the word on the stability of other worlds?

Barry-90: Earth-2 was the first to perish in the test fire of a new weapon. It was followed suit by Earth-X, 19, 789, 66, and 38.

Jay: Shit. Any word on the Pillars?

Barry-90 nodded his head.

Barry-90: I was able to contact three of them. They're in waiting for us. I was personally able to meet with one from Earth-1992. 

Jay: Good to here. Hopefully with all of them together, we can restabilize the multiverse before more Earths collapse. We just had our own run in with the Anti-Monitor. He was using some type of bomb. Thankfully, our quick Pillar here was quite skilled and took charge during the debacle.

The two turned to face Y/N. The young man stepped forward towards the two men. He looked between them in curiosity, still taking in the fact that yet another Flash was in the room with them. Barry-90 looked at the Flash of Earth-62612. A light grin appeared on his face, almost like a look of relief.

Barry-90: It's a pleasure to see you again, Y/N, especially a version that seems equal to me. 

Y/N: Uh... thanks.

Y/N was still taking in the strange man. His mind was accepting it, but also refusing to see it as right. It was a Flash who looked like Henry Allen but bore the name of Barry Allen. It was trippy for him to take in. Y/N shook himself out of it and went back to what the Flash had said about seeing him "again".

Y/N: I'm sorry. Have we met before?

Barry-90: No, we have not. But I have met some of your other selves and am well acquainted with my version of you.

Y/N looked at him curiously. He had a doppelganger on Earth-90?

Barry-90: On my Earth, you were a powerful sorcerer. A true warrior and hero, fitting of the name. We fought alongside one another, sometimes even acting as partners. You were a great team player... and a good friend.

Barry-90's face dropped as he said the last part. His mind went back to how it all had changed. His entire life, transformed in an instant. Barry-90 looked back up at Y/N. A small portion of his grin returned as he gazed upon a face that belonged to a different man, but one all too familiar to him.

Barry-90: We had a name for you on my world. Doctor Fate. You came to me one day talking about how you'd found a way to visit other Earths and had encounters with some of your own doppelgangers. Seeing the varying differences in your own counterparts compared to others', you theorized the existence of Cognate Pillars, beings who embody the very soul of the multiverse itself. Your theory was further confirmed by an encounter you had with a being known as the Spectre. That ended up being one of our last conversations we had with one another. You fought till the last breath, determined to see everything set right again.

Earth-90

Barry-90: (narrating) We became one of many worlds tested by the Monitor to search for his champions. He unleashed the Book of Destiny on our Earth, altering its history and causing untold destruction. In the end, we sacrificed everything to stop him and he still won. 

The sky had turned a mix of dark and light purple hues. Reality itself almost seemed to be unravelling at the seams. The dirt was bare, charred black and brown. Fire ravaged across the field, incinerating any form of vegetation that dared to grow. Bodies of legendary heroes laid about in the dirt, lifeless, pushed to their breaking points.

Among the motionless bodies on the ground, one hero stirred. The Flash crawled forward, pulling himself across the ground. He was hurt and in pain, but if he could just reach the item before him, he could change everything, make it how it was before.

The Flash reached out to the old, large book before him. The powerful antique was made of ancient papyrus paper wrapped in a brown bundle of leather. A strap and stone clip held the book closed, keeping its power sealed.

Barry-90 groaned and reached out with a shaky hand towards the Book of Destiny. His reach was done so in vain. A gold and black boot stepped towards the book. The large looming figure picked it up. He looked down at the struggling Flash with disappointment.

Monitor: You failed.

Barry-90 exhaled in defeat. He sat up on his knees. His body felt weak and he felt disheartened. Everything he ever loved, and he couldn't save it. He looked up at the Monitor in exhaustion, begging for an answer to the madness.

Barry-90: Why are you doing this?

Monitor: You did this to yourselves. And now all of you will perish.

The Monitor took the book and unsealed the buckle and strap on it. He opened it up and a bright white light was emitted into the air. The power from the book began to surge, prepared to finished the doomed world.

Suddenly, Mar Novu and the book were pushed back by a glowing yellow beam. The Monitor continued to hold onto the book as he fell back. Barry-90 turned his head around and looked behind him. Not everyone had fallen.

Y/N-90 held up his hand. The rest of his body was down on weak knees, his other hand being used to prop him up. The sorcerer's yellow cape flowed down over his back and onto the burnt dirt. Parts of it had been singed alongside the blue suit covering his body. A golden helmet sat down on the ground next to him, crushed like a tin can. 

Barry-90 looked at his friend in shock. Y/N put his hand down in a tired motion. The Monitor quickly recovered. He stood back up and took hold of the book once more. Seeing the Monitor rise, the Flash forced himself up on his feet and rushed back. He grabbed his tired teammate and carried him back away from the Monitor. Mar Novu watched them leave.

Monitor: No matter. You cannot outrun was has already been set into motion. The only condolence I can give this world is that it will not perish like the others, without purpose.

The Monitor reopened the book. White lights and a surge of power pulled forth from it. It rose up into the sky where it seemed to explode and shine with the rest of the stars. The light curved into a ring, surrounding the sky.

Barry-90 made it to a nearby hill and stopped. He held onto his friend who had fallen back on his knees. Y/N-90 spat up blood. A cut was open on the top of his head, allowing the sticky red liquid to pour through his (h/c) hair and cheek.

Barry-90: Y/N?! I thought I lost you back there!

Y/N tried to respond, but ended up coughing instead. He panted, regaining his breath. The sorcerer turned his head back with the Flash and watched the white light behind them. It started to grow brighter. The world around it burned away like a lit paper. Reality itself started to become surrounded by the light. 

Barry-90: We need to find some way of stopping that and retrieving the book. Do you have any spells that could work?

Y/N-90 shook his head.

Y/N-90: The Helmet of Fate is destroyed. I can no longer hear the lingering voice of Nabu. His power has already started to leave me. Still now I can feel it dwindling away.

Barry-90: Well we've got to do something. There needs to be a way of fixing this.

Y/N-90: There is. 

Y/N-90 tried to stand up. He struggled and required the aid of Barry-90 to stand. The young man looked at his old friend in despair.

Y/N-90: With what little magic I have, I can give you a guidance spell. It can open a breach and take you to Earth-1. That will most likely be his next target. It's at the center of this sector of the multiverse. 

Barry-90 shook his head in disbelief.

Barry-90: No. We need a plan to save our world, reverse all of this.

Y/N-90: Barry, our fates are sealed. But yours is not, not yet at least. You must go. You must warn others. Retrieve the book and stop this madness!

Barry-90: No. Why me? Leave me behind to die and save yourself, Y/N.

Y/N-90: No. I cannot do that, Barry. You are the best of us. Your fate is not to perish here.

Barry-90: To Hell with fate! I choose to stand here and die alongside my friends and family. I don't care what any dumb helmet has to-

Y/N-90: This is not the persuasion of Nabu, Barry! These are my own words! As a friend and close confidant, I am telling you, you must leave. You must save everyone else so that they do not meet the same atrocities that have befallen us. It must be you because you are the only one with the right heart who can do it!

Barry-90 looked at his friend. He was about to protest again, but Y/N grabbed him by the arm.

Y/N-90: Retrieve the book. Find the Spectre. Search for the Cognate Pillars. Less everything we both stand for falls alongside us.

The Flash looked at his dear friend, speechless. His throat was dry. He didn't want to leave him here. He couldn't abandon his world. But seeing the white light envelope more of it, he knew there was nothing left to save anymore.

The white light in the sky began to move forward. The Monitor teleported away as the white beam swept across the land like a roller. All beings and matter were engrossed by it, decimated by its all encompassing light.

The Flash crouched down, ready to run. Y/N-90 put up his golden glove covered palm to his friend's back. He closed his eyes and focused what little magic he still had into a guiding spell. The symbol of an ankh appeared on Barry-90's back before vanishing. Orange lightning crackled around his body.

Y/N-90: Ride the lightning, Bare. I know you'll make us all proud. We'll see each other again someday. 

Barry-90 nodded. With a tear in his eye, he shot off. The Flash ran with determination across the battlefield landscape. He ran faster than he ever had in his life. It didn't take long for a breach to open before him. The scarlet speedster leaped through it and vanished into the multiverse.

Y/N-90 looked on as his friend ran off to safety. The magic sorcerer allowed himself to smile. He no longer cared what happened to him now. All he needed to know was that at least one friend was safe for the time being. With any luck, he would set into motion events that would save everything.

The white light continued on its journey forward. Doctor Fate continued to hold his smile. He breathed out a sigh of peace as the white light washed over him. He too now joined his friends in the realm beyond all other worlds.

Barry-90: (narrating) Your guidance spell did the trick, although I quickly found Novu had set up some protective barrier around Earth-1. I finally managed to break through and reach them. When I tried to confront the Monitor again, he opened a breach and sent me away.

Everyone listened intently as the Flash finished up with his story.

Barry-90: I thought I would find myself up on another world. But I was intercepted by the Spectre. He brought me to his realm and I confirmed my connection to you. He told me everything. It's true. The Cognate Pillars do exist and could be part of the key to saving all of creation from the Anti-Monitor. 

Y/N: Who is he? The Spectre?

Barry-90: No one knows. When I met him, he told me his power was dwindling. That it was time for him to search for a new individual, one worthy of passing down his power. He gave me access to a breach extrapolator and I set out on my new mission.

Jay: That is when Barry approached me. That eventually led us all to you and this Earth. 

Y/N took a moment to process everything. It was a lot more that he now had to sift through. Things were becoming dire and more dangerous the more he learned.

Barry-90: The Y/N of my world died a hero. He believed that everyone and anyone should be able to choose their own destiny. He believed in me and I now believe in you. 

Y/N put his hand up on the desk beside him, trying to catch his bearings.

Jay: You alright, son?

Y/N: Yeah, just... it's a lot.

The other two Flashes nodded. Y/N stepped to the side and sat down in a chair. He needed a moment to take everything in. This was a lot more pressure than he wanted, one brought on by himself, or at least a version of himself.

After so many battles, so many villains, Y/N was starting to think he would almost always come out on top. That he could defeat anything life threw at him because he had to. But to hear that a version of him who was most likely similar could do nothing and perished alongside his world? It was too much. Y/N started to have doubts about if he was really capable of this. 

Caitlin walked over to her husband. She saw the look on his face. The brunette woman gently sat down next to him. She started to play with his fingers while running her other hand through his hair.

Caitlin: I know that look. Honey, what's wrong? What's troubling you?

Y/N: Nothing. I'm fine.

Caitlin: Y/N...

She sighed as she looked at him. Y/N exhaled, knowing he couldn't hide his emotions from his wife.

Y/N: It's all just a lot. I mean, the entire existence of the multiverse is dependent on if I win or not. If I can do what's right. All those worlds, all those lives. On one hand, it's an honor to be deemed as such an important figure. But at the same time... What if I screw this up? What if I fail?

Caitlin: You won't, dear.

Y/N: But what if I do? The version of me from Earth-90 tried to stop this and failed. He died trying to save everyone he loved. How many other of my counterparts have already met the same fate? What if I'm just destined to be another one of them? What if I just can't save everyone, including those I love most?

Y/N sighed and put his head down. Caitlin scooted closer to him and held her husband in her arms. Barry-90 sighed. He walked over to them. His face showed pity and shame.

Barry-90: I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean to bring this burden onto you.

Y/N: It's okay. It's not your fault.

Y/N paused for a moment before continuing.

Y/N: We have these powers and have all been called to a higher responsibility to use them for good. To face evil and push back danger wherever it resides. This is our burden, our choice as the Flash.

Barry-90: Yes. But remember, Y/N, we are not gods. We're mortals. Sometimes we can make mistakes. And sometimes we can't control everything. In the end, we're just human.

Y/N: I know. That's what I'm afraid of. 

The team sat in silence for a moment. After a few minutes of quiet noise, the alarms began to blare throughout the facility. Red lights flashed and sirens beeped. The crew ran over to the monitor screens to check the problem.

Barry: What is it? Another attack?

Cisco looked at the monitors and froze. He could not believe the readings he was getting. He didn't want to see them as real, not for a moment, but he had to.

Cisco: Holy Kingdom Come. The barrier the Monitor set up is already failing.

Barry: Which means...

Jay: The rest of the bomb will be allowed to spread.

Cisco: And there's something else. Something much worse.

 He pointed to one of the other screens giving a global readout. On it was a red line. It passed by a few satellites, causing them to blink off the map. The Justice League Watchtower's monitor flashed before going offline. Soon, even the moon began to disappear under the red line.

Caitlin: What is that?

Barry-90: A wave of antimatter fired from the Anti-Monitor's new weapon. It's come to finish off the job the bomb couldn't. 

Y/N: So that means...

Barry: The moon and Watchtower have already been destroyed.

The team all stared in disbelief. This wasn't something they could fight. There was no way to push it back.

Y/N: So what do we do?

Cisco: I don't know.

Barry-90: We need to stop it from consuming the planet. This Earth needs to stand as the meeting ground of the Pillars.

Barry: Alright. How do we stop something that's against the laws of physics?

Y/N began to pace trying to think of something.

Y/N: Come on. Think, think, think. Antimatter, the opposite of matter, meaning it has no true form. It's polarity, identity, and physics are all reversed. But it needs to latch onto matter in order to consume it. The safest bet would be a median buffer, making antimatter insoluble with matter. Now there's no way of doing that. Unless...

Suddenly, Y/N got a light bulb moment. He rushed over towards his friend.

Y/N: Cisco, do you think you could create a barrier using the remnants of the failing