Prologue

Timeline: Sometime in the future

Location : Earth

My name is Vincent. Or should I say was Vincent…

Let me tell you my story,

It was started on a fateful day when I went to jog in the morning alone.

I was married, approaching 60 years old and a bit overweight (90kg) so I started jogging in the morning to control my weight.

There was something different than usual that fateful morning, I saw a little girl chasing her ball to the middle of the street right across me. Suddenly I saw a car is speeding directly to the little girl and I know instinctively she won’t be able to avoid it on time. Usually it is no big deal since almost all the cars has been configured to drive automatically and avoid collision automatically between late 2020s and early 2030s so I wasn’t worried since it will avoid the little girl automatically.

Somehow my body reacted by itself and the next thing I know, I already jumped and hug the little girl, shielding her from the impact by using my own body. Then I felt something hit me and people screaming and the sky is rolling in my eyes (Guess the impact was hard enough to send me flying).

The next time I wake up i am in a white empty room, lying on a bed.

“Well it seems I have survived the impact and resting in a hospital room”. I thought.

Stranger = “How are you feeling?”

I almost jumped since I didn’t realize someone in the room with me.

Then I calmed down, years of experience have taught me a lot.

“Must be the doctor” I thought.

Me= “Like I have been hit by a car doc.”

Doctor (I assume) chuckling= “Seems you haven’t lose your dry sense of humor.”

Me (sighing) = “Yeah, nobody ever told me I am funny.”

Doctor = “Because you aren’t. Well let’s get to point, the little girl that you saved is alive and well thanks to you so we decided to give you something as your reward for your sacrifice.”

Me = “Something like a monetary reward? Thanks no need, I just want to sue the bastard who made the car unable to avoid impact automatically.”

Doctor = “No, I am talking anything you want as long as we can give you, we will give you.”

I stare at him suspiciouly = “You are not a doctor, are you? Some kind of authority representative?”

Mysterious Guy = “No, I am not a doctor, and yes, I am some kind of authority representative.”

“Well, what should I ask? Pretty Woman? My wife will kill me beside I am almost 60, so let’s just cross that out. Money? I have enough for me and my family. Well, let me ask for the next thing I can think, I like Solomon and his request to God and I like playing VRMMO. Maybe they have some experimental transplant for me to use.” I thought. There are rumor circulating in the VRMMO community about some top-secret govt agency doing a project to enhance human learning ability.

Me= “Maybe you can give an implant to be able to master skills much easier? I heard rumor you are developing it in some kind of secret project using VR technology. You know, to make people learn skill easier like in VRMMO.” If he agree I hit two birds with a stone since virtually I can learn any skill and I love conspiracy theory.

Mysterious Guy = “No, we are not developing any implant like that but we can give you similar ability when you are born next though not exactly the same.”

Me = “Born? I am almost 60. Do you suggest that the govt already made memory transplantation available?”

Mysterious Guy = “I never say I am a government agent and you were almost 60 before you died. Right now you aren’t 60, we prefer to refer your age as age 0.”

I scream my lung out, wait i don't have lung now = “I DIED? BUT I AM HERE TALKING TO YOU.”

He just smile and looking at me then I realize his eyes are wholesome black with no white. I wonder why I haven’t notice it before. Some kind of illusion?

Me = “OMG, are you GOD? Angel? St. Peter? Jesus?” I start babbling.

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Mysterious Guy = “Yes and no, I have been called god but I am not One True God. I do not make rules, I am not omnipotent and there are a lot like me. Some friendly to your species, some hostile, some don’t care, some don’t know. Maybe you can say I am more like a guardian angel in your cultural understanding.”

Me = “Wait, can I change my request? My wife will kill me if I left her and our grandchildren alone.”

GA(guardian angel) = “I can’t, like I said, I didn’t make the rules, you already made your wish so I can’t change that.”

We kept bickering and fighting, but the result is the same, he can’t resurrect me. Not him, not his superior. Resurrecting me will cause trouble since I gave my life to save the little kid. Beside they can’t ignore “The Rules” or whatever it is.

I finally give up = “So I guess everybody got a wish when they died?”

GA (fidgeting) = “Well, no, not all of them”

Me = “So everyone who did noble thing got one wish.”

GA (more fidgeting) = “Well, no…”

Me (Confused) = “So what’s make me different?”

By then I realize the so called guardian angel will answer my questions but won’t give me more explanation than necessary.

GA (Looks Guilty) = “Well, I am the guardian of the little girl, not you. She has a strong fate to bring peace and prosperous to your species so I was tasked to watch over her. The car driving system was tempered by the hostiles so I had to use the nearest available body.”

Me= “YOU WHAT???? AND YOU CAN’T CHANGE MY WISH????WHY NOT JUST MOVE HER BODY USING YOUR POWER!”

GA = “We can’t manipulate people with strong fate. The older people are easier to manipulate since they have used up much of their fate.”

I realize this SOB using my body to protect the little girl. No wonder I would do that even though I know usually the car will avoid the little girl.

GA = “Well, we already compensate you with one wish.”

Me = “I DON’T THINK ONE WISH IS COMPARABLE TO MY LIFE!”

GA = “Um, but you are an old guy and your wish is carry over to your next life. But I get your point there, we might be able to do a little bit but not a lot.”

After more bickering and fighting, I managed to get more in addition to my wish:

1. They will watch my family and make sure everyone happy for 100 years. I can’t ask for forever apparently. This is a personal favor from them and not counted as a wish. This guy will personally send some training GA for my family. I can’t ask for high ranked GA though, they already have their hand full.

2. I will be born in a good house, family, species, planet, galaxy, bla bla bla that will help me be happy in my next reincarnation.

3. They will bless me in my next life. That would protect me from the bad guys(the hostiles) but not much other use. This is also a personal blessing from them.

Other than that I couldn’t do anything and the SOB won’t reveal my next family since it is breaking the rule. Believe me, I spent like eternity trying to bend the so called rules but since I don’t know exactly what the rules are (he refused to explain them, citing breaking rules to explain rules to mortals, what a joke) I can’t do much.

It seems the SOB are tiring from answering my endless questions even though most of my questions just get standard response (I can’t explain it to you, citing the rules, blablabla).

After I got past my anger and worry (about my family) and calm down, I think the deal favor me heavily. Hey, I was an old man anyway and I got my family covered for a century and a good next life.

Me = “I think I have no more questions”

GA = “Finally, I thought I am going to spend eternity answering your never ending question.” Then he claps his hand.

“You would if you start answering and not citing breaking the rules thingy.” Well, what can I say, I am always a curious guy despite my age.

End of Prologue