Well, I died
I always knew it would end in a blast, but never thought it would be one of those pathetic road accidents on the wet highway on a rainy day. You know, one of those you read about in those cheap detective novels, where it's so mundane that you barely register that the protagonist is dead. I was just another regular genius, played by my ambition, and now I was paying the cost.
"Damn it," I muttered, staring down at the wreckage that was my life. The world was still its swirl of confusion and pain when suddenly it went dark. Wasn't some gentle fade to black or soothing darkness, just hauled outside reality like a sickening jolt.
And then, out of nowhere, there was light. Blinding, brilliant light. I blinked several times in an almost fruitless effort to put together my new surroundings. The first thing that really hit me was an understanding that, actually, I wasn't dead. More like suspended within some endless void of twinkling colours that couldn't easily be described. No, this wasn't the afterlife I'd grown up expecting-and for darn tootin' sure as shoot hoped for, either.
The figure stood upright, proud before me. An entity with a supernatural aura was the one that seemed to step right between the leaves of some book on fantasies. His bright, shining eyes gleamed with ancient light, looking down without much hostility at me. There was something oppressively serene about his demeanor.
"Greetings, young man," the voice of the god rumbled through the chasm. Smooth as silk, almost, still enough of that certain bite of command which ran chills down my spine.
"Who in the hell are you?" I demanded, trying to sound defiant, but somehow the presence of the god cowed me. "And where in the hell am I?"
"You might want to consider me a god. And for where you are, consider it a waiting room of sorts for the next phase of your existence," he said so matter-of-factly with an airy wave of his hand, "your mortal life now nothing more than ended. And what happens to you next is just something that I have set up amuses me in the end."
"Orchestrated?" I snorted heavily, the skepticism heavy on my voice. "You mean I have been dragged here for kicks and giggles?"
The god's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Exactly. So bored am I with the divine routine-the same old dramas unfolding in endless cycles across the cosmos get dull after a while. I needed a new source of entertainment."
"Amusement?" I repeated, my eyebrow arcing up as my frustration boiled over. "You telling me you dragged me out of my life, and you're gonna. what? Play with me like some kind of puppet?"
"Indeed," the god said with an indolent grin. "But this is not all about amusement. I have taken a certain interest in your species-humanity. And I think you have possibilities."
I glared at him. "Potential? I don't know if you are aware, but my life was pretty much in shambles. If you're looking for a hero or a savior, you've got the wrong guy."
"Oh, I am painfully aware of your past," said the god, hunching closer, "You were a real sly one, manipulative, master of schemes. Not exactly hero material. But that is what makes you interesting."
"Alright, so you find me interesting," I said, still trying to wrap my head around it all. "But what's this all about? You said something about 'Villain's Code'? What's that supposed to be?
His expression turned grave. "The Villain's Code is a system programmed to mold you into the most fearsome villain of all time, an ordinance, an Ancient Artifact regulating the course of your journey through the various universes in which you are to finish missions, create havoc, and raise your power. "
I scrunched my face up. "Sounds like a joke. What kind of missions?"
"Rather varied," the god said. "Anything from corrupting heroes to staging catastrophes. Each will have challenges to your abilities and strategic thinking." "And what if I don't want to?" I tried to sound intransigent but could feel a shiver running down my spine.
"You can't refuse," the god said, matter-of-factly, with a shrug of complete and utter nonchalance. "The Villain's Code is bound to you. It will steer you, push you into action, and make you go through with things. If you don't. well, that's some interesting consequences you will face."
"What kind of consequences?" I asked; my curiosity got the best of me.
"Let me say this-you will soon be begging for the days when you took those missions seriously," said the god with a hint of malice in his voice. "But again, fear not; you shall get enough time to prove your worth."
I shook my head in anger and resignation. "So, in other words, I have to keep putting up with this Villain's Code, and then I've got to go around doing these villainous tasks across universes?"
"Indeed," the god said, his satisfaction evident in the nod. "And as you do these things, you shall grow in power, learn new abilities, and perhaps forge some. interesting connections."
"Interesting connections?" I cocked an eyebrow.
The god grinned. "Oh, yes. You shall meet a great many characters, some of them will find you quite fascinating. The nature of those connections will be up to you."
"I'd considered it."
"So this is some cosmic game to you," I said, the implications still trying to sink in. "I'm your pawn in this grand scheme of entertainment?"
"You could say that," the god admitted. "But it's also an opportunity for you, a chance to embrace your true potential, and create chaos on a scale you've never imagined.".
"And if I don't want any part of this?" I asked, even though a feeling was growing that I didn't have any choice.
The god grinned. "You don't have much of a choice. The Villain's Code will see to it you see it through. And trust me, being a player in the game is a great deal more fun than just straight up going into the afterlife."
"Alright," I said with a resigned sigh. "What's first, then?"
The eyes of the god shone with badly concealed excitement. "First, you must know which universe to begin. We shall leave the choice to the Wheel of Fate."
And after that, in front of us, this glowing wheel appeared with the names of the universes written on it. The god waved his hand; the wheel began to spin. I watched with curiosity and a bit of trepidation as it slowed and finally landed on one of the segments.
"And where am I headed?" I couldn't help but betray my edginess.
Smiling wider, the god said, "Marvel Universe, the MCU version. The perfect starting point for someone of your caliber."
I just stared at the final resting position of the wheel, both excited and dreading the path ahead. "Marvel, huh? What's next?
It was an excitement barely contained within that sparkle in his eyes. "You must know the Villain's Code. I shall send the first messages to you. You shall find this to be quite detailed."
And with that said, in front of me appeared the Villain's Code; its dark cover shimmered with some kind of almost palpable energy. I reached out tentatively for it, feeling the heavy weight of the book in my hands.
"I suppose this is it, then," I said opening the cover and staring at its intricately written pages. "So what's my first mission?"
"You will learn soon enough," the god said, the voice breaking apart as the void would buckle and shift around us. "Let the chaos welcome you, Damian."
Smothered once more by darkness, my consciousness began to slip away.