Chapter 1 - Death

So, this is how I die.

Not with silence, not with roaring applause, but with my cold face plummeting down the side of a twenty-story building.

It was a good life. A fine life.

Well, not really, but it could have been.

I was born in a middle-wealth family, a hard-working mother, and a hard-working father. I was able to live a pretty lax life too.

I'd like to say I've never wasted any time really. I was already reading, writing, and always trying to learn something new as a child. I was a bright child, and a bright middle schooler too. I was even a pretty bright high schooler.

I got good grades up until my senior year, and from my previous hard work and with my naturally abundant luck, I was able to qualify and win a grant, allowing me to attend any college of my choice. I was able to calculate everything out so that I would achieve my degree with only that amount, so it was as if I paid no money for college!

Full of life, happiness, and a youthful exuberance I set out on my college adventure!

A year later, my heart was broken, my grades have done nothing but slip, and even my retreat of music has been invaded via the headphones I won in a giveaway snapping.

Sure, I could completely abandon sleep, spend hours and hours every night grinding away on my old laptop to hopefully scrape out of the pit that is my grades. But to what end? I can do school work, I'm not a moron. But what's the point of it all?

I never should have come here. I never should have taken so many hours, I should have just stood up to my family and done my own thing.

God, I should have done something even sooner.

No, in my final moments I can accept it.

I'm not brave.

I'm not much luckier than the average person.

I'm smarter than most but I've never followed through on it, I've never followed through on anything. Or anyone.

All I've been doing, all my life, is running.

That's even what I did here. I ran.

I'm so tired of running. I don't want to run anymore.

But hey, there's no going back now is there.

No.

I want to live, I'm too good to die here!

I want to prove myself! I want to.....

"...….."

"Go on, I'm waiting." A strange, almost condescending tone says directly into my brain.

Get outta my head. I'm not schizophrenic, at least I don't think I am yet.

Opening my eyes, I don't see the cold hard concrete below where I leaped, and I don't feel the warmness of being surrounded by my own blood.

Instead, I find myself inside what looks to be an illustrious mansion. Beautiful looking chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and a nice and comfortable couch I appear to be laying on.

Sitting up and looking in the direction of the voice, I see a smug-looking.... thing?

Calling him a thing might be a bit rude, but what else do you call what looks like a mix between a human and a chunk of obsidian?

"That is more than a bit rude thank you very much. However, I'll take that as a compliment, yet you may find obsidian would be lacking compared to my durability." The figure said, a twisted smile appearing on his smooth face.

Wait, can you hear my thoughts? Are you reading my mind right now?

"Well, we are IN your mind currently, so touching base with your mana and understanding your thoughts are something even a minor deity could do." The figure said in a manner-of-fact-like tone.

Wait, in my head? Wait, Diety? Like God?

"Lowercase G for me my friend, but in essence, yes. Actually, I'd almost you prefer you continue to call me that, it has a nice ring to it." The strange, still smiling deity said.

This is a lot to unpack. What are you? Where are we? Where am I? How?

"I'll answer only the questions I need to. We are in your mind, I am what you call a god, you are also in your mind, and in short, magic. Now, I'll ask you to again, complete that last thought." The figure said, as his smile began to wane.

What? My last thought? It was something cringy I bet. Probably along the lines of 'I want to redeem myself.'

Oh yeah, I killed myself didn't I.

Slumping back into the couch, my face twists into a distraught one, and I look down at my somehow not destroyed self.

Average. Not fit, not good looking, painfully normal.

"Hmmm, that would be accurate. Outside of course of your unnaturally large connection to the universe of course, as well as an interestingly dense mental power. Overall, you're the epitome of the average cowardly person." The being said, tilting its head slightly as if it were thinking.

"Strange, even the cowardly can be prideful in death. Very well, I have a deal for you. One I doubt you want to refuse." The being said, relaxing back into its chair, focusing me to level my head and look into its strange heterochromatic eyes.

What could you possibly offer a dead person? I'm dead. It doesn't matter if I get anything from you now. Besides, based on how you said that, are you some sort of devil?

Suddenly, and in a strangely deeper tone, the figure laughed.

"I've been called many things in the past, sometimes a god, sometimes a deity, and even sometimes a devil. I've gone by many names, Pride, Tengu, but my favorite would be Ego. To answer your other question, what else would I, labeled by you a devil, offer a dead person? What I offer you is life, of course." Ego said its smile once again broadening to a sick grin.

Oh. A deal with the devil, with only death awaiting me without you. How cliche.

Why do you even want me? I'm not anyone special, I'm just a depressed college student.

"I've already told you two reasons you piqued my interest, but the one that matters is the connection you've established to the universe. If you can do that here, you can surely establish much more in the universe I have a piece of." The figure said, his smug tone never changing.

And let me guess. I have to sell you my soul, and the soul of my first of kin, and the first of my kind kins, etc. Right? Yeah, I may be a coward, but even I know only bad can come out of dealing with a devil.

"No no no, nothing of the sort. All you have to do is owe me one. Well not one, you'll owe me three." Ego said, holding out his palm toward Vincent, raising three fingers.

"On the other side, I'll be able to call on you, and those three times, you will follow my orders. I may try and talk to you other times, but I'm not omnipotent and can't truly influence the world too much." Ego said, putting his fingers down and leveling his head to look into my eyes as well.

"Sounds like a pretty good deal right? Do you want to try and take back your life, redeem yourself, and find your pride? Or run away from your last chance to change." Keeping his broad smile, Ego stuck out his hand towards me.

That actually doesn't sound too bad. I can live free otherwise, not bending to anyone, only to something that is probably a god. He's right, I can do it. I can finally make a choice on my own and not run.

No further thought is needed. I stick my hand out to his and shake.

"Welcome, my new Emmisarry of Ego. Your first of three favors starts as soon as you awaken in the other world. It's a simple one to follow. Become stronger." With those words, Ego's smile grew to take over an impossible size.

Wait, gain strength? What does that even mean? Like, work out? Gain money?

As my consciousness began to fade and fall around, Ego kept his wide grin and said something I couldn't hope to hear.