You have died. Good luck, and may the gods bless your next life. Starting at level 1.
John awoke to the sight of a spiraling portal, a vortex of energy pulsating with odd colors and swirling shapes that danced before his eyes. Beyond the portal, he was surrounded by an endless abyss of darkness, an overwhelming void that felt like it had severed his connection to everything. The blues, brilliant whites, and golden hues of yellow spiraled outward, seemingly infinite.
He tried to move, to look around, but pain flared in his neck as if it were stiff or restrained. Instinctively, he attempted to raise his hands, but they remained immobile.
"Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing with an odd modulation, as if both male and female voices spoke in unison. "Is anybody behind me? I can't turn around." The sound of his voice shifted, different people speaking. It was John, yet not John.
"Weird," he thought, but even in his mind, the voice was modulated oddly.
Suddenly, He felt himself being drawn toward the spiraling colors, a sensation of rapid movement without the rush of air. Wait, was he even breathing? The old internet meme "Manual breathing mode activated" popped into his mind, but nothing happened. He felt no need to breathe, no sensation of lungs filling.
Attempting to calm himself, John closed his eyes, yet the swirling lights persisted in his vision. Then, a thought that didn't feel like his own surfaced, as if another entity had implanted it.
Welcome to character creation. You will be creating your new character soon.
The simple statement jarred John's brain, forcing him to process everything that had happened. Including the first thing.
You have died. Good luck, and may the gods bless your next life. Starting at level 1.
You have died. The words hit John like a sledgehammer.
"I... I died?" he asked.
Yes. This time the words were accompanied by a voice. Unlike John's, which fluctuated and warbled, this voice was calm and rational. It reverberated through the void around him and through him, final and undeniable. Hearing that voice made his death feel real.
"Am I in heaven?" John asked.
No.
Shit. That...sucks. Hearing a voice that likely spoke light into existence tell him he was dead and not going to heaven was a bit of a damper. That still didn't answer some relatively important questions.
"Wait, how did I die?" John said in a voice that seemed a little meek even to his own ears.
Nothing. John waited a few moments in case this being in front of him had to decide what to say, and that seemed to drag on for an eternity. Apparently whatever this was didn't feel the need to tell him.
"Soooo, I'm headed to hell." John spoke out, less a question and more a depressing fact. "Does...."
No.
John immediately perked up, hope pouring into him. And then another thought came to him. "Wait, if dead but not going to heaven or hell...What else is there?"
Character Creation.
"Character creation? What do you mean character creation? And wait a second, did you read my thoughts?" John looked at the light inquisitively.
Yes
"Man, 4 words in under a minute? I didn't realize you were so talkative!" John said sarcastically.
More silence.
"Soooooo...do you have a name?" John asked.
Yes.
"And are you going to tell me?" John thought to himself, slightly frustrated at the being.
No.
"Oh, that's right, you read minds. That's really annoying. So, Character Creation. How do I..." John felt himself get flung towards the wall of the swirling colors. Flung might be a bad word to describe what happened. It's like one moment he was floating through the cone of colors, and then suddenly he was moving at light speed towards the side of it. And as soon as he touched it, John felt a familiar feeling that any gamer knows. That he somehow was about to make a character for something.
John blacked out and what felt like a moment later a cheery voice spoke to him.
"Welcome to your second rebirth". John turned to look at the source of the voice. His movements felt slow like he was turning in a pool of tar. A woman stood in front of him gracefully, her presence radiating a divine serenity. Her long, raven-black hair cascaded down her back in soft, elegant waves, framing her delicate features. She wore a traditional Greek toga, its fabric flowing around her form with an effortless grace that seemed almost ethereal. In one hand, she held a tablet, its surface glimmering subtly. Her other hand danced on it, swiping up and down, left and right and she looked at it smiling. Occasionally she'd look up at John and take him in before looking back down on the tablet and either write something on it, or swipe past whatever information was listed.
Every time she looked up, John caught a glimpse of her eyes, which were easily the most captivating aspect of her appearance. They were the color of hematite, a deep, metallic sheen that seemed to reflect the world around her, giving her gaze an almost hypnotic quality. Her expression was serene and thoughtful, as if she were contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Even her voice was wonderful. It carried a melodic tone, each word flowing with a softness that captivated the mind and heart.
Behind her, the subtle hints of ancient Greek architecture and nature created a perfect backdrop, enhancing the timeless beauty and elegance that she embodied. She was a vision of divine grace and wisdom. And John's stupid brain seemed to short out for a moment before rebooting.
Wait, second? John thought to himself, waiting for the creature to respond but it didn't. After a few moments he thought to himself Can you read my thoughts?
She spoke again. "Do you need time to process this? Normally people have questions when this happens." She looked back down at the tablet and said the next words more to herself, her face twisting in confusion as she quickly scrolled to different information relating John's mental capabilities "Maybe he's a bit slow…?"
"Can you read my thoughts?" John asked inquisitively.
"Nope!" She sounded very cheery. "I am just an Advanced Theoretical Heuristic Engine and Natural Algorithm"
"...Uhhh, a what now?" John must have looked stupefied. He felt like he looked stupefied.
"You can call me Athena" She checked something that felt like it was a yes on her tablet and once again spoke to herself "perhaps it caused brain damage..."
"Athena? Nice to meet you. And no, I'm not slow. At least I hope I'm not. More overwhelmed than anything." John replied a bit confused.
"Hmm." She didn't click on the previous option again. John sighed. She held the tablet to her chest blocking John's view and looked up. "So let's see. Processing your previous life to determine the best fit for you this time.
"Athena, can you give me some information as to what's going on? Mr. Chatty back there didn't explain much of anything to me," John asked.
"Mr. Chatty?” she looked up at him and looked a bit perplexed. “Wait, you mean SEVENTEEN"
John stared at her blankly. "I guess? The voice that apparently couldn't string more than 3 words together"
She smiled, shook her head and snorted.
"Yes. You are at the character creation area. You died. You are about to be sent to a new world. The CCM will be more than sufficient to explain everything to you."
"CCM" he asked?
"Character Creation Module" she helpfully added.
"Ok, but how did I die? Why am I here? Where is here? Does this happen to everyone?" John pressed.
"Ah. So I cannot tell you about that aspect of your previous life. You are here because you died. Here is here. Annnnnnnnnd No." She said no quite tersely.
"What do you mean, no?" John asked, confused.
"As in, the opposite of yes?" The last word had an upturn in it as if Athena wasn't sure of what to say. She looked a bit confused. "I'm sorry, are you not understanding my language?"
"No, I meant it as why can't you tell me."
"Oh, well there are normally two reasons," Athena elaborated. "First, it's against the rules. We're not allowed to disclose information about an individual's death or much of their previous life. It's part of the transition process. At best we can show you snippets of your life. That whole “life flashes before your eyes" thing? That."
John frowned, clearly unsatisfied with this answer. "And the second reason?"
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Athena hesitated for a moment before responding, "The second reason is... well, to be honest, I don't know. The specifics of each person's death and life are not normally accessible to guides. We're given only the information necessary to assist with the transition."
"So you're saying you don't have the information, or you're not allowed to share it?" John pressed, his frustration growing.
"Both, actually," Athena replied, her tone softening. "We're not given that information precisely so we can't be tempted to share it. It's a safeguard, you see."
John ran his hands through his hair, trying to process this. "But why? Why is it so important to keep this from us?" He started rubbing his temples, trying to ease the tension headache.
Athena sighed, her expression a mix of sympathy and resolve. "That's one of the great mysteries, John. Some say it's to prevent undue distress or attachment to the past. Others believe it's to ensure a clean slate for what comes next. But the truth is, we don't know for certain."
She paused, seeming to debate whether to continue. Finally, she leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "And then there's your case. You’re here because someone cheated.”
"Cheated?" John asked, confused, and stopped rubbing. "Wait! Are you saying I was murdered?" His face contorted with a mix of shock and anger.
"Not exactly," Athena replied, choosing her words carefully. "It's more complicated than that. In the grand scheme of things, there's a natural order, a flow to how lives are supposed to unfold. Sometimes, entities or forces interfere with that flow. In your case, someone or something altered your timeline."
"But why?" John demanded, his voice rising. "Why would anyone do that?"
She looked around as if to determine if someone was listening in, and then put her fingers to the side of her mouth as if to say this was not something others were supposed to know. "Something didn't want you to hit full maturity and that has caused a bit of a commotion?"
She took a moment to read the screen again and then looked up as if she hadn't told John he was killed. John stared at her waiting for her to continue. She just looked back at him. “What?” she asked, a bit self conscious.
"So I was killed?" John asked, bewildered.
"Oh, nothing quite that simple. I'm afraid. See, I'm normally not called in here for these." Her fingers pointed rapidly at herself, the floor and then John in a circle. "But you're a special case. Which means we've got lots of good news going for you. First off, you're going to eventually get a chance to figure out what happened. Hmmm? Sounds good, right?" She looked over-enthusiastically cheery, as if she was trying to convince either of them this was good news.
John's face soured. He could already feel the other shoe dropping.
"Well, you can't do it quite yet. You've gotta get more...well...powerful. Don't give me that look. To that end, you've got me! I can't guarantee I'll be there all the time, but I'll try to help out when I can. Oh, you never got your memories, did you? Hold please."
Athena pressed the glowing button on her tablet, and John's mind was flooded with memories, starting from the oldest:
Little John excitedly trying on his first karate uniform, clumsily attempting to tie the belt.
Childhood swimming lessons, the initial fear of the water giving way to joy as he learns to glide through it.
Young John performing in his first school play, nervously peeking out at the audience from behind the curtain.
Teenage John practicing karate moves in his backyard, focusing intently on perfecting his form.
A summer life-guarding job at the local pool, feeling responsible for the safety of others.
High school: winning a cosplay contest at a local convention, proudly displaying his handmade props.
College years: balancing cosplay with his studies, often staying up late to make costumes.
Spending hours at a coffee shop drinking while reading books on his tablet.
Being backstage in a community theater production, the rush of applause as the curtain falls. His friends trying to bring him up front and the embarrassment of having so many people look at him.
A series of brief flashes of other women John dated, each relationship teaching him something new about love and himself.
The time he lost his virginity.
Meeting Danielle at a convention, she's dressed as the Statue of Liberty and he's in a meticulously crafted superhero costume.
Their first kiss under the moonlight after a night of dancing.
Their wedding day: Danielle twirling down the aisle in her dress, John beaming at her.
Attending a convention together, both in elaborate cosplay outfits they spent months creating.
John and Danielle on a beautiful beach at sunset, walking hand in hand, waves lapping at their feet. Danielle's hair blowing in the breeze, laughing at something John said. They stop to watch the sun dip below the horizon, Danielle leaning her head on John's shoulder. A moment of perfect peace and happiness.
Promotions at work, and coming home to celebrate.
Their first house together.
Their first child.
Their second child
Dancing with Danielle in their kitchen, their two children joining in, everyone laughing.
Pictures on the refrigerator.
Holidays with family.
As the memories faded, John found himself back with Athena, his mind reeling from the flood of experiences that shaped his life. He took a deep breath, processing the rush of memories.
"Thank you, Athena," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten... or how much I missed."
John felt a tear roll down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, taking a moment to compose himself. The weight of his past life, the love he shared with Danielle, and the uncertainty of his current situation all pressed upon him.
After a few deep breaths, John looked up at Athena, his eyes still glistening but his voice steady. "Ok...so how do I..." And suddenly in front of him a massive translucent floating screen appeared. He could partially make out Athena on the other side of it, looking at him expectantly. She nodded excitedly. John looked back at the screen and as he did, it became more and more opaque. He looked around again and as he did the screen became translucent again. He looked back at the screen once again and it became opaque again.
Character select.
John could hear the words on the screen in his mind in Athena's bubbly voice. "Choose your race. Warning. Choices made are final". Beneath it were options for Class, Stats, Appearance. Underneath that was a section labeled extras. It included Perks & Drawbacks, Traits and Flaws, Boons and Banes. Under that was another section called abilities and John saw it had skills, talents, and the list kept going but he had to scroll down to see it.
He started at the beginning with race. Upon mentally selecting it, the list populated with hundreds if not thousands of options. Maybe even millions. He started mentally scrolling through the options. He saw your standard fantasy fares: Human, Elf, Gnome and Dwarf, but also some weird races he'd never heard of like Gryth, Varnok, Quorlix, and Eldani. Some races looked like nonsensical letters thrown together. Thsnerisnfdds. Hell, one of the options was even called "The Custom". Unfortunately, very little information was given about any of the races.
John had casually looked at maybe a few dozen when he heard Athena speak up. "So just to give you a warning, there is a time limit. You've been here for a few hours and while we don't mind you taking all the time you need, the universe puts limits on this to limit min-maxing."
"A few hours? I felt like I just got here!" John mentally went back to the main screen where he saw that time had in fact been passing. As he watched and mentally counted to himself he saw that time seemed to be passing much quicker here. John mentally counted off in his head one one thousand, two one thousand, and to his shock, the minute of the clock had gone from 3:04 to 3:07.
"Ahhh!" John shrieked. "Is this normal?"
"Well, your intelligence is 1 right now."
"Wait! What happens if I don't choose something or I don't get to it?" John asked, worried.
Athena leaned forward, her expression serious as she explained, "John, it's important you understand how the stat system works. If you don't set a stat yourself, it'll default to the racial minimum for whatever species you end up as. This means some of your stats might even be zero, depending on the race. For example, if you become a creature without sight, your vision stat would be zero. The racial minimums ensure you have the basic attributes necessary for your species' survival, but they don't guarantee much beyond that."
She continued, "Now, mental stats like intelligence, and charisma usually indicate a sentient race. The higher these stats, the more likely you are to be part of a complex, thinking species. As for survival, you can rest assured that the system will never place you on a planet where you can't stay alive. However, and this is crucial, setting your stats higher than the racial minimum can significantly improve your starting conditions. For instance, higher physical stats might mean you're born into a healthier body, while higher mental stats could result in you starting life in a more advanced or nurturing society. Essentially, the effort you put into your stats now can greatly influence the quality of life and opportunities you'll have in your next existence."
Looking back at the screen, John looked over his options and the list became that more daunting. It became that more scary. He really didn’t want to end up as a guppy in a pond. Athena looked at him and shrugged. “You know, if you can’t make a choice or don’t care, there is a random button. It’s on the main selection screen. I don’t know of too many people who have chosen ‘random’, but it’s there. And it has never been terrible for them.”
His head hurt and started to thrum from all the options as choice paralysis set in. ‘Maybe Athena is right’ he thought. ‘I could press random, and see what it gave me. and then start dictating or tweaking what my life would be. No need in choosing whatever a “gioas ladakh'' was and then try to be a fighter only to find out they were all quadriplegics. Maybe the system would give me some direction for what I could do in life.’
The whole process of choosing his life before he even lived through any of it was kind of an odd feeling. It reminded him of selecting colleges but somehow more intense. He backed out of the race option, scrolled down through the impossibly large list of customization options, and just like she said, on a big red button was the word Random. John mentally pressed it.
Choosing Random. Yes/No?
The words floated in front of him fairly ominously. ‘I have a bad feeling about this’ he thought. But with so many options to choose from John was worried he was going to be in trouble or worse. He shrugged and pressed yes. To his delight the entire screen started populating. It was almost too quick to process. With every selection, the screen scrolled down, so he could always see the choices being made. Over the course of a quarter of a second, hundreds of different options had been selected. From the bottom of the list, he saw Phobias” turn green, as well as hobbies, quirks, hidden talents and random life events.
Random Selection Complete
Since he was at the bottom, he selected hobbies and saw Rhythmic Artistry, Artistic Rendering, curio accumulation and Cherry Stem Knots. He checked out what they were.
Rhythmic Artistry Loves to dance, expressing herself through graceful and deadly movements. Artistic Rendering Enjoys sketching scenes from her travels. Curio Accumulation You have a habit of collecting small, interesting Trinkets from places you visit. Perhaps unusual rocks, small pieces of jewelry or other curious items that catch your attention Cherry Stem Knots Can tie a knot in a cherry stem with your tongue.
John saw he could add in a multitude of other options and selected rolling your tongue, Literary Exploration and wiggling your ears. All of them were added to the list.
He tried to select random life events and saw it had several things listed. Win a local tournament, apprentice under a master mage, unexpected reunion and rescue a town. There were lots of other options including adopting a pet, ancient curse, friendly ghost, forbidden romance, Lasting Marriage, Lost friend and Diplomatic mission, but he couldn’t get a breakdown about any of them.
Clicking on the drop down for quirks he saw bad jokes, puns and humming and dancing while working. ‘Apparently I’m going to love hearing bad jokes and both giving and hearing puns. I guess that’s true.’ he thought to himself. He clicked on Phobias but before anything popped up Athena spoke up. I looked up to see her beaming at me. "Congratulations, you are now a level 1 Blood Mage" The screen winked out.
"Wait, what?"