AFTERLIFE

An eternity seemingly passes as I reevaluate the life I've lost. I guess it was a life, not the worst, indeed not the best. If I ever get to choose, I'll go for another one. Besides, I've cried enough.

"Hello there, My good fellow." A voice spoke to me, and I open my eyes only to find myself sitting in a chair. I look around, noticing a desk in a white expanse.

And, behind the desk, sat a man. The man with white hair and red eyes. Whose attire would have been fitting during the... Victorian era?

"Welcome to the Afterlife!" The man exclaims with a joyous expression. Did I die? So, that car DID kill me.

The memory of my death reminds me of the horrendous pain, making me wince. I try to compose myself, rethinking the situation in which I find myself.

"So, what happens now?" I reply with a bit of anxiety. If there's hell, I hope I wasn't considered that bad of a person when I was alive.

"Well, that depends. You will be given a choice, a choice in your Afterlife!" He replied cheerfully.

"Any end you wish, after all this life has done you wrong." he continues sympathetically.

"So, even... heaven?" I spoke with hesitation. After all, do I even deserve heaven?

"Of course!" he replies with a smile. As I try to respond with my chosen afterlife, he interrupts me.

"-or you could join us? We do welcome new applicants," He politely offers.

"Join you where?"

"As an agent of AFTERLIFE, Of course."

"What?" I answer, confused.

"Well, AFTERLIFE is an organization dedicated to the balance of the universe, a balance which is protected for the continued existence of life. We deal with various anomalies and various evil beings. Whatever you're thinking of, we've dealt with," he answers professionally.

"O-Oh, but why me?" I answer, confused. Unable to process the new information.

He leaves his seat and chuckles at the thought. "Hah, We're a force powerful enough to control the souls of trillions." He flourishes his arm forward and clenches his fist as the surrounding white is immediately covered by thousands of souls crying out in pain in a mere instant.

"Do you think a little foretelling to narrow it down is going to be a chore?" He looks down at me with raised eyebrows.

I suck a breath of air as the momentary display of power freezes me with fear. "N-no, but I don't think I can," I reply weakly.

"We already have a plan for that," he replies with a snap as the white transforms into the darkness with an earthlike planet behind him.

"This, my little apprentice, Is a world not under our influence," he says as he beckons me to walk with him.

As we got closer, he spoke. "You are asked to endeavor on a gargantuan task, The task which will test your wit and mettle."

He clenched his fist and pointed at "YOU! Will have to dominate this world." He says dramatically with a flourish. I stand frozen, nauseated by the mere thought of such an endeavor.

"But HOW? I CAN'T! I don't know how." I reply with frustration. I was just a History major.

"That's why I'll be your mentor." He eagerly replies as he puts his arm over my shoulder, strolling towards the planet.

"I-I see, But I don't think I'm ready for this," I replied unsurely. I never really was much of a leader.

"Do not worry, my apprentice, I have everything planned out. You'll be crushing those plebeians before you in no time." He smugly replies as he draws me closer and brandishes his hand.

"Wait! What? Other apprentices?" I reply, dumbfounded.

He froze and pushed me away. "Oh, Right! He did require us to say that," he sheepishly coughs in his hand. And as the new world as his background.

"You and 49 participants are formally invited to join us at AFTERLIFE. Your test shall be world domination, A world similar to yours with a few key differences. And uh" He stops, taking out a note from his coat pocket, and mumbles. I stand awkwardly, taking in the new info.

He continues with a dramatic flourish and a louder voice.

"You will be reincarnated with the abilities of your choosing and mentored by our dear, handsome, and least obnoxious senior executive. For you, his name is Viktor." He eagerly exclaims with a bow, As pyrotechnics explode beside him.

Was any of this necessary?

"Yes, It was," Viktor replies, grinning.

Oh, mind-reading, huh?

"One of the perks you see, Anyways this shall be the list for the powers available. To make it a little easier," He appears beside me grabbing me once again.

A transparent list appears. I scroll down and see up to 100 different abilities.

Mind reading

Gamers Mind

Eidetic Memory

Animal communication

Absolute Language

Synesthetic conversion

Hyper Intuition

Absolute Comprehension

Slow time

And countless others.

He removes his arm over my shoulder. "I'll give you a moment. Such decisions will, after all, decide an eternity of a lifetime" He softly smiles as he conjures a chair a few feet away, sitting with a soft smile.

The small respite allowed me to take in the situation clearly. I just died and was suddenly given a chance at life with a condition. What if I don't conquer the world? What happens next?

"Your application will be reevaluated and be judged based on your performance," He replies, tilting his head to the side.

I nod, thankful. I continue my train of thought. So if I didn't get to conquer the world, I wouldn't lose a lot. I did want another shot at life,

It only adds a whole new layer to it. But should I prioritize this then? I think world domination is a lifetime endeavor or, in other words, a pain in the ass.

I won't have the time to live my life to the fullest. So I guess I won't. World domination seems good and all but living this new life, new world, and a family. That'll be better, and I'll cherish this new life to the fullest.

Hmm, and what ability is best for that? Gamer's mind? Not for me, Eidetic Memory? I don't plan on studying hard anyway, so that's a no. Hyper intuition? An ability to sense danger sounds reasonable enough. I nod to myself and look towards Viktor.

"I see you have made your choice," Viktor spoke to me once again, walking closer.

"Yeah, So about this world domination thing," I hesitantly replied, afraid of his reaction. He raises his hand, gesturing me to stop,

"It is fine, my apprentice. I'll be more than accommodating of your choice, though about your ability, I would need you to say it out loud to make it official."

"Ah, then I'll be going for Hyper Intuition," nodding to myself.

"Good choice, now about your reincarnated body."

"Is there a problem?" I reply, afraid.

"No such thing, but your chosen ability changes your starting point to make it fair. You see" Viktor waves his hands disarmingly.

"You shall end up as the third prince of a country since it would seem your chosen ability was in the upper-middle tier, Allowing you such comforts."

Third prince, huh, enough to have a comfortable life but not enough to bear much responsibility. Though let's hope it stays that way.

Laughter comes from Viktor.

"Ah yes, let us hope it stays that way" He chuckles, walking closer. And he stops, seemingly remembering something.

"Oh wait, I forgot to tell you, your abilities and my tutelage are only going to appear at ten years old, so do your best to survive till then."

"Wait, What?"

"Now I believe you have an appointment with destiny" He appears suddenly by my side along with a portal to the other.

He kicks me in and shouts.

"Remember, my dear apprentice. You don't find Power. Power comes by itself." I hear his voice echo as my consciousness fades away.