You never truly appreciate something until it's gone. For me, that was my life.

I had a day job I wasn't crazy about, and I spent most of my time at home lost in books or playing chess online. I always thought of it as a boring, monotonous existence.

Not only that, but I was an only child, my parents had passed away when I was young, and I had no girlfriend or even friends for that matter.

It all just added to my general dissatisfaction with life.

However, everything changed one Friday night.

I was engrossed in a novel on my phone when a random headache struck. At first, I brushed it off, but the pain intensified with each passing page.

Perhaps I should have a rest for now, I thought, setting my phone aside and lying down on my bed, massaging my temple in an attempt to soothe the pain.

But it did not subside. In fact, it grew stronger and stronger.

Then, out of nowhere, it felt like a spike had been driven through my skull. I clawed at my face, squeezing it between my hands, begging for the pain to go away.

But the pain kept escalating, my heart pounding like a drum. Just as suddenly as it began, the agony overwhelmed me, and I blacked out.

And just like that, my life had ended, at least on Earth.

When I regained consciousness, I was in an entirely different realm, looking down at Earth from an impossible distance.

The headache was gone, in fact it felt like I had been freed from my physical body entirely.

My consciousness simply floated there, and strangely, it felt natural.

Then suddenly, a voice, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at once, resonated within my mind.

"You were chosen, Adam. Not for any greatness you achieved in your earthly life, but for the potential you hold beyond it. This universe is filled with life, yet many worlds lie uncreated, waiting for a guiding hand, a spark of imagination. You, Adam, have been granted the power to shape such a world."

My first thought was, "Who is speaking?" followed closely by, "Why me?"

I didn't doubt the voice; my current situation was proof enough. But why would I, a man of simple pleasures and unremarkable life, be chosen for such a monumental task?

Was there something within me, some hidden spark, that they saw? Well, atleast somebody did.

"How do I create a world?" I wondered, the question forming in my mind rather than on my lips.

"There is no 'how,' Adam. Simply create according to your will. Imagine, desire, and it shall be."

The instructions seemed odd, but as I focused my will, I felt the stars and planets twisting impossiby around me, as my consciousness shifted and I was hurtled through the fabric of reality.

When I reappeared, I stood before a blank canvas, an empty space ready to be molded by my desires.

All I had to do was will it.

This is incredible. Where do I even begin?

---

Time, as I understood it, ceased to exist. I had no idea how long I spent creating.

I started with the sun and moon, mimicking a system similar to the earth's, but altering it slightly so that It did not include other planets.

Then, I created the main planet, effortlessly shaping continents, oceans, and towering mountain ranges.

I populated it with diverse nations, each with unique cultures and histories influenced by the ones I had seen on earth, and placed a few hundreds of people in each to get things going.

My plan was to let time run its course for a thousand years and see how these societies evolved.

But first, I needed to create the gods.

Back on Earth, I'd always been fascinated by the idea of deities and supernatural beings, as well as their stories and influences on humanity.

Which was a coincidence, as here I was, now a God myself..

I crafted a whole pantheon of gods, drawing inspiration from Earth's mythology and religions, but adding my own twists and interpretations.

At the bottom were the Lessers, physical beings who ruled over specific regions. There powers were heavily restricted, but they would act as rulers over the people.

Above them were the Highers, with greater influence and control, the gods to whom the Lessers answered, representing concepts much more grand.

Then came the Greaters, a smaller group who rarely interacted with the mortal realm, acting as intermediaries for the most powerful beings of all – the Supremes.

These were the gods with powers to reshape reality and natural laws, never directly intervening but holding immense sway over the world. There only needed to be few of them, and I had the most fun creating them.

I looked at the hundreds of gods I had created, and was pleased with my works.

And above them all, stood me, the creator, the one who breathed life into this universe.

After some final touches, adding magics, and subtle details to the cultures and creatures of my world, I was ready to set it in motion.

Even as a god, I felt a surge of excitement. I could have easily peered into the future, but I wanted to be surprised. I'd poured what felt like an eternity into this project, and now, it was time to see it come to life.

I initiated the flow of time, watching in real-time, which mirrored the pace on Earth. But as I'd anticipated, things were initially quite dull.

Small tribes huddled around fires, basic tools were slowly developed, but nothing exciting happened.

So, I decided to skip ahead a thousand years, as planned.

If it all goes wrong, if the world descends into chaos, I can just start over, right?

Or would that be unjust? Creating a world only to destroy it?

An argument for the immortality of the action could definitely be made. But I've come this far now; let's see what happens.

Power surged through me as I commanded time to bend to my will. A thousand years compressed into a single moment, and my creation began to transform.

Rivers carved new paths, mountains eroded, civilizations rose and fell. It was exhilarating to witness the tapestry of existence unfold before me.

Kingdoms clashed, empires were built, and technologies unimagined in those early days began to emerge.

But then, something went wrong.

A blinding flash of light tore through the void, and I felt an unbearable pull, unlike anything I'd experienced before.

It was violent, chaotic, as if the very fabric of my reality was being torn apart. I tried to maintain control, but my creation slipped away like sand through my fingers.

I had no idea what was going on. It felt as if something impossible was happening to me.

Like I was being overpowered by a force that wished to strip everything away from me

A deafening hum filled my consciousness, escalating until it was unbearable, even for a god.

Then, silence and darkness washed over me

...

I awoke with a gasp, lying on a patch of grass. The sounds of chatter drifted from nearby.

The air was cold against my skin, and my senses felt jarringly real.

As I sat up, a wave of nausea and a throbbing headache took over me. My vision a blur.

As I regained my sight and looked around, I felt a wave of dread. I recognized this place.

How could I not? I had created it.

This a Lendon, a small farming village nestled in a valley, surrounded by rolling hills and fields of golden wheat.

I knew this place because I was it's sculptor.

Am I seriously inside of my own world?