In a dark room, the only thing proving it to be a tiny bedroom is the light from a brightly lit computer screen.

Seated before the screen was a skinny man, seemingly no older than 25, though his rugged appearance made it hard to tell.

The man stared at the screen with such intensity that most people would believe he had won huge amounts of money.

Though, that is nowhere near correct.

"Fuck!"

"Why is the thesis still unfinished!?"

All the sudden the man jumped out of his chair and started grumbling, almost seething.

"Fine, I need to eat either way."

He slowly left the room whilst grumbling under his breath.

Looking closer at the screen, there was a thesis consisting of hundreds of pages on the military formations used by the Qin Dynasty and why they were so successful.

In just a matter of minutes the man entered the room again, but this time turning on the light.

Still grumbling, he sat down at the computer again, though this time with a bowl of ramen noodles in hand.

This scrawny and rugged man was Atlas.

A dropout of the major Harvard University, that is now living off food stamps.

Few would expect that beneath his rugged exterior was a seldom-seen genius, one whose brilliance had never once worked in his favor.

Atlas soon began eating his ramen as he put on a YouTube documentary about the ancient Roman Empire.

Through the documentary, there came times when he argued with the screen about inaccuracies in it.

Even though there were times he got annoyed at the inaccurate facts, he still got to the end of it.

Though just as he was about to finish his bowl, his consciousness began slipping slowly but surely.

The entire world spinning around him, not seeming to be able to make out sound thoughts except wondering in disbelief.

'What's happening?!'

In just a few seconds his body slumped over the desk and his consciousness just barely hanging on.

"Why… can't anything ever work for me?!"

Desperation clinging to his mind as he thought about his life.

"Everyone… calls me a genius… so why… why can't I do anything?"

His chest tightened and tears slowly seeped out of his eyes.

"If… only… I was born in another time… I could've been… more..."

Was the last thing Atlas though before his life left his body.

What he didn't know was that he wasn't special.

Everyone on his world, aged between 15 to 80 suddenly died right where they were.

Leaving the cities and homes almost barren, with more than 80% of the population dead.

Not only did it happen to earth, but it also happened to worlds and entire universes beyond the milky way.

The next time Atlas regained some form of consciousness, his soul would have jumped out of his body, that is if he had one.

Darkness, pure and absolute, no sight, no sound, no touch, only the void.

Panic surged. Was he blind? Dead?

He quickly sharpened up at his fear, thinking he had become blind or something.

Before he had time to think about anything, a small blue box with text inside appeared right before his eyes.

'A hologram?'

Was the first thing he thought of when he saw it, he is not wrong though as it does resemble an advanced hologram to detail.

[ Welcome ]

[Are you ready to pick your Major Source Star?]

[Yes/No]

It looked like something out of a game, and he couldn't understand the meaning of the text either.

For a small amount of time, Atlas fell into desperation and fear.

Though he still steeled himself and decided to go with the flow, he would find out in the end.

In that short time, he found out he had no body or anything, he could look around and all, but there was nothing there except pure darkness.

As he had no body to click it, he thought about interacting with it and accepting.

And just as he thought, it changed.

[Choose Major Source Star]

[Chosen: 0/1]

[Awaiting selection…]

'So, I have to pick one of what?'

Before he could react, the void split open.

The void turned and writhed fiercely until his entire field of view was filled to the brim with lights.

The magnificent view stunned him as he stared at the sea of star like lights filled everything around him.

He would never be able to count it as it was well up in trillions or quadrillions of stars.

He realized, for the first time, that he was nothing. Not a genius. Not a failure. Just a flicker, one of countless souls before this endless sea of light.

'I just got to pick one?'

'Are some better or what?'

He questioned himself as he stared wide eyed at the magnificent view.

To his surprise, the text in front of his eyes changed again.

[It will determine your being]

Was all it showed before it went back to the same screen about waiting for selection.

Atlas was stunned as he thought about the meaning of the answer.

'Like our existence? Or what does it mean?'

"What if I pick wrong? What if I end up as something bad… or worse?"

Seeing him not getting an answer, he decided to just choose one like it told him.

He would have to see the consequences later.

'Do I really have to do this without knowing?'

Looking around awed, he felt insignificant as he tried to pick a star.

'Are the brighter ones better?'

'No, there is no way it works like that.'

'But what if?'

Finally snapping after wavering for some time.

'Fuck it!'

Atlas voiced as he randomly decided for one of the quadrillions of stars.

As the selection was complete a sense of relief washed over him, or it might have been regret.

'Anyway, there is no turning back now.'

[Choose Major Source Star]

[Chosen: 1/1]

[Selection complete]

The text changed and it showed complete for a second before changing again to his dismay.

[Choose Minor Source Star]

[Chosen 0/1]

[Awaiting Selection…]

This time, he tried to ask about it again but got no answer or even reaction from it.

The stars had not changed at all, and they all sat there, their presence commanding him.

If the first one was what kind of being he was going to be, then this had to be important as well.

'I really can't afford to pick something bad.'

Atlas swallowed his doubts, he had no choice but to go forward.

He lamented before succumbing to the pressure and deciding on a bright star very far away.

[Choose Minor Source Star]

[Chosen 1/1]

[Complete]

[Major Source Star has altered your Minor Source Star.]

The notification left him perplexed, was that supposed to happen?

Atlas went against his beliefs again and went with the flow instead.

He could feel his consciousness fading again as new text appeared.

[Welcome to the Realm of Sovereigns]

[Lords Shall Rise or Perish]

[Command. Expand. Rule]

[Your Throne Awaits]

The words burned into his mind as the darkness took him once more.