Deyja woke up to a view that left him speechless.
"What the fuck?"
Well not quite speechless, but you get the idea. Countless stars spread across the black void he stood in, all seemingly surrounding him. He felt a strange sense of comradery with the stars. Strange.
Where the fuck am I?
Deyja tried to recall what happened before he woke but there was nothing. Not just that. He couldn't remember anything at all. He remembered how to code but not his own parents. It was an unnerving feeling.
Forget where I am, WHO am I? How do I know my name but nothing else?
"That would be my fault." A voice told him.
Deyja blinked in shock. Standing before him was a decidedly humanlike entity. Except he was completely white. With no facial features.
"Lets skip over all the typical questions I usually get asked. No, I am not God. Yes, you are dead. You can't remember anything beyond your own name and common information because I made it so. No, you are not going to hell."
"Oh." Deyja answered automatically. He struggled to digest the information being thrown at him.
I'm dead? THAT CAN'T BE.
Despite having no memories, he could feel it in his very being. A refusal to accept what he was hearing. Memories or not, he recognized his own feelings.
I wanted to do something before I was gone. BE someone before my time came. I know it. Just as I know my name is Deyja. HOW DARE THE WORLD DENY ME MY CHANCE.
Clenching his fists hard enough to draw blood, Deyja glared at the man before him. He felt his blood pressure rise in righteous fury. I REFUSE DAMN IT. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS.
The white figure let out a sound that sounded like a laugh. It was hard to tell due to his lack of a mouth.
"Fret not dear child, you will soon realize the circumstances you are in are quite beneficial."
What the fuck is this overgrown white chalk talking about?
"No need to be rude child. I shall explain what I mean."
A pair of chairs appeared next to us, and the man motioned for me to sit.
Taking a seat for himself, the man waited for me to do the same.
"Everything in creation works on one simple principle. Karma. You may have heard the term. I won't go into depth on how exactly this principle works. Mostly because that puny mortal brain of yours cannot begin to comprehend it."
"Puny?" Deyja growled. I'll show you puny you motherfu-
The man raised his hands apologetically.
"Apologies for the insult, no need to go into another internal crash out. Now as I was saying, Karma is what everything works on. In simple terms, Karma is the embodiment of one concept."
He raised one finger.
"What goes around, comes around."
Curiosity overcame his anger and Deyja felt his heartbeat slow down to normal.
Huh. The universe is fairer than I thought.
The white man chuckled. "No this isn't about fairness. This is about balance. Every force has an equal and opposite reaction. I'm sure you've heard of it. Creation may seem ugly and disorganized from the perspective of mortals, but to me it is perfect balance."
The man stood and and walked towards me.
"You spent your entire life chasing a single goal. To make the very world itself see you. That effort. That desire. It is not to be wiped out by something as trivial as a bolt of lightning."
I can still… achieve it. A surge of excitement flooded through Deyja. THAT'S RIGHT. I KNEW SOMETHING LIKE DEATH COULDN'T STOP ME.
"Balance must be achieved." The man continued. "However, how it is achieved is up to me."
Despite having no facial features, Deyja swore he saw a smirk.
I don't like how that looks. No matter. As long as that chalk stick lets me bring my dream into fruition, I don't give a shit.
"I'm going to have fun watching you deal with what you're going to be thrown into."
"What are you talking ab-"
The void shattered.