The Gift of Power

Dying was far from a pleasant experience. Consequently, you can imagine my profound anger—no, my sheer rage—at the absence of an afterlife, be it heaven, hell, or even reincarnation. Instead, I found myself condemned to an eternity of relentless boredom, forced to dwell in the cold, vast expanse of space and reflect upon my past actions.

Talk about excessive punishment. Sure, I wasn't exactly a saint in my previous life, but did it warrant such an extreme consequence? All I ever sought was a little enjoyment.

But that's all in the past now. I have managed to escape, liberating myself from that eternal torment. I am now free to explore and indulge in the boundless pleasures the cosmos has to offer.

They may have intended to drive me to madness with the void, and to some extent, they succeeded. However, the void and I now share an unbreakable bond, and for that twisted gift, I must express my gratitude to them.

"P-Please! Spare them!" A trembling figure knelt before me, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced down at the man, unable to suppress a maniacal grin. How could I ever derive pleasure from anything without exacting my revenge first?

Perched upon a grand, regal throne in the divine realm of my former universe—one among countless others I have recently discovered—I assumed the form of a man with long, flowing black hair that reached my mid-back. My eyes, as dark as the void itself, pierced through the surroundings, while my sleek black suit did little to conceal my imposing, muscular physique.

"Spare them, just as you spared me, old man," I taunted, relishing in the power I held. "Do you have any inkling of how long I endured that wretched place? At one point, I even forgot my own identity." Pausing, I gazed at the man before me, his downcast face concealed beneath his cascading white hair, his golden eyes reflecting profound sorrow.

"I told you it wasn't me!" he exclaimed, his voice resounding with fury, causing ripples across the realm—a pitiful display of power that only fueled my amusement.

I pondered his words, acknowledging his valid point. It would be a shame to kill the wrong person. "Your words have given me pause," I remarked, my voice laced with contemplation. The old man looked up at me with a glimmer of hope, and I compassionately smiled. "Hence, I believe it would be wiser to annihilate this universe instead." As sadistic delight spread across my face, his hope crumbled to dust.

And just like that, with the collapse of his hope, the universe crumbled into nonexistence, taking with it the throne upon which I sat and everything and everyone surrounding me. Once again, I found myself solitary, adrift in the eternal void.