So, now I'm an intergalactic dictator.

My whole body aches. My hands have been numb for weeks now, and I can barely feel my feet. The hard floor presses into my back, reminding me of just how malnourished I have become. My gaze passes over the room, listlessly taking in the bare walls, peeling paint, and cracked door. "Damn, this place really is a shit hole." A self deprecating laugh slips past my lips, before devolving into a hacking coughing fit. My whole body heaves with each cough, and when the fit fades, my blood is pounding in my head. My thoughts are disjointed now, and the rooms spins wildly. My throat spasms, as if to vomit, but there's nothing to expel. My ears begin to ring, drowning out the ceaseless noise of the outside world. I try to sit up, but the rooms spins faster, and the ring grows louder. My sense of touch fades away, and nose begins to ache, as if I were inhaling air straight from the arctic.

In a single moment, all my senses return to normal. The transition stuns me, and I take a moment to collect my bearings. Looking around, I find myself in a grey void, filled with grey smoke. There is a comforting silence, and as I reach out and touch the smoke, a pleasant tingle races through my hand. "I'd be careful if I were you. That smoke has a nasty habit of wiping souls clean."

I find myself facing the speaker instantly. One moment, I was facing away from him. The next, I find myself seated at a table, with the smoke forming a perfect sphere around us. The man is colored entirely in grey scale, from his cleanly pressed three piece suit, to his pitch black gloves, to the white flames serving as his eyes. "Now then John, let's get down to business. I have some bad news for you. I'm afraid that your dear wife has been using you this entire time. Now, I know that this is hard to believe, after all, you two were so happy together. But, I have proof." At the being's gesture, an image appeared before me. It showed a well dressed woman, laughing gaily as she shared a formal meal with a man that could best be described as the ideal of handsome success. The woman wiped a tear from her eye, and began to speak. Her tone was one of mocking joy, and her words cut deep into John. "Oh him? What about that sad bastard? John was just a means to an end. The dumbass actually thought that I loved him, and I still have no idea why. I mean, come on. I've got the body of a goddess, I could get almost any man I wanted. Why the hell would I settle for him?" The woman gestured to her lush curves, as the silk of her dress subtly shifted to further highlight the movement. "He wasn't even a good fuck. Two minutes of pumping, and then it was lights out."

As I watched the woman I loved berate me, my heart began to harden. I had long suspected, in the back of my mind, that she was only using my. But, I had denied it, and ignored the signs. She was to charming and fun to be around for me to even consider that horrible possibility. But now, the truth was right in front of me. And I knew it to be true, in the same way that I knew that the being before had to power of a god. That truth a change upon me, and filled me with a iron will. Once, I had given selflessly, just to see others smile. Time and time again, I had given away my time and wealth to help others, just see them take that gift and walk away from me. No longer. I swore to myself, as I watched the woman I loved ridicule me, that I would never again give generously. Any action I took, would be strictly to benefit me, and me alone. I turned my gaze from the screen and locked eyes with the grey scale being. He looked at me with a picture perfect expression sympathy on his face. "Look, John, I know that this hurts to look at. Believe me, I can feel your pain. You're a nice guy, and you deserve another shot. Listen, I'm going to reincarnate you into a world of your choosing, so you get to experience the happiness you should have. Here, I have some brochures for you to choose from."

He reached into his jacket, and pulled out a stack of trifold brochures, each with the details of their respective realm printed on them in bright, cheerful font.

(Note: Inspired (kinda heavily) on the novel I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!)