My life was unfulfilling.

More accurately, I had wasted it.

I had friends but not many, and I was never too close with my family. It’s not that I was unhappy, I found plenty of ways to distract myself: I played games, I read, I watched TV.

I spent every minute I could distracting myself from the monotony of life, and never once bothered to contribute more than absolutely necessary, or actually bond with others; I was too afraid to open up to others or put myself out there.

It wasn’t all over, however; I was still young. I changed course, put myself together and made plans. I started writing, and looked around for new people to put in my life than just the gaming buddies I had had before. I did charity work. I even had the courage to set up a date.

Too late.

Crossing the street and it was all over. Barrelling through a red light because they just needed every second they could get and who cared who suffered from that?

So my body smeared across the pavement, torn to shred and crushed. All I felt was pain.

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“You have been offered a chance to begin anew.” The soft, even voice echoed through the void, emanating from an odd spiral of sparkling blue light.

I was rather caught off guard by the whole situation. If it weren’t for the agonizing pain I was in a few moments ago, I might have crossed the whole experience off as a dream. Well, I still considered the idea.

“Uh… What?” Was all the genius I could muster to the spirit, or whatever it might have been.

“Your soul has been determined of quality enough to be distributed to a world in demand.” The spirit declared.

“Enough quality? Does that mean, like, as a person, or some sort of magic power thing?” I felt stupid, but considering the situation I wanted to get as much information as I possibly could.

The spirit took a moment to answer, almost enough that I considered asking the question again, but it did answer. “Your disposition is sought after. Your suffering has successfully refined sufficient determination to provide a good chance of success.”

I was no theologian, but the implications of the situation were beginning to quite rapidly fill my thoughts. Did earth exist just to make good people for other worlds? Well, it didn’t mention other worlds but… come on.

“Success at what, exactly?” I asked the obvious and important question for my current fate.

“You will be a deity.” It answered. I swore it paused for dramatic effect.”To be precise, you and many other souls will compete for dominion over a world in need of a deity. Should you succeed, the world is to do with as you please.”

“Compete? Against who.. Or what?” I was no longer nearly as pleased about the idea of a ‘second chance’.

“Other souls like you, sponsored by other forces.” The light shifted, the spiral spinning slowly. It sounded regretful. “You will have to destroy them.”

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I didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Sponsored by who exactly?” I couldn’t keep the tinge of fear from my voice.

“There are many concords of powerful divine beings among the multiverse. They seek to claim this world and bind it to their wills. As such, they have granted sources of divinity to souls of their choice. Most are not kind, though there are some you may ally with temporarily… but in the end, unless you wish to submit to their will or challenge the multiverse itself; you must banish them.”

“So… I am supposed to make this world yours?” I felt rather defeated. I didn’t want to be a slave to some sort of eldritch entity.

“No. I will ask nothing of you… Well, one thing.” Its color began to shift, deepening in intensity.

“What is that?” My anxiety was unconcealed.

“Be kind.” It sounded… bemused.

“There has to be a catch. This has some sort of cost to you, doesn’t it?” I questioned the validity of contradicting this entity’s gift, but I didn’t quite believe in it.

“No, Oscar. I believe in you.” I was rather taken aback by it using my name, but I really should not have been surprised.

I paused for some time, letting the statement sit in the air. I was simply unprepared for all of this. My eyes stared at the foot of the light spiral, as unordered thoughts swept through my mind.

“Okay. I have a lot of questions.”

“Ask.” It commanded

“One. Who are you?” It knew my name, so it felt appropriate.

“You may call me Orison.”

“Two. What exactly does being a deity involve?” To survive I would need as much guidance as I could get.

“Deities like myself are many things, but to explain it to you we are made of essence. Essence may be collected and created in many ways, and it is the basis for our powers. It won’t be possible to explain much, but when I give you your divine form it will be rather intuitive. Within your spirit I will bind knowledge to guide your growth. It will meld with your mind in a way which is convenient.”

Wow, two sure is a lot of questions isn’t it. “Uh, will you be granting me powers any different from the others?”

“Indeed. The boons the candidates are granted all vary. From me, I grant you this.” From the center of the mass light began to gather, before forming something in a flash; an ethereal pink flower. I instinctively grabbed it, feeling an indescribable power from it.

“What is it?” I asked, observing the glow of the petals.

“It is love.” Orison answered cryptically. “You will understand in time.”

Great, a vague and apparently useless gift that promises great power in the future. How cliché.

“Are you ready? There is not much more I can tell you without breaking the ancient concord, and you may already be late.”

I looked about the void hesitantly, before my gaze returned to the strange flower. It had a certain allure to it. “I don’t suppose I was ever meant to be prepared, was I? Go ahead.”

“Goodbye.” The light’s spin increased rapidly and its brightness soared. I felt a tingling sensation as I watched my body almost dissolve into light, condensing and reforming. What was once my body was now a delicate teal orb floating in the endless void. Within my fragile orb was a droplet of silvery light. Essence.

Suddenly, the sensation of movement overwhelmed my new senses. In a few disorienting moments I was sent somewhere new.