The day started pretty much like any other. I pulled myself out of bed late and rushed to class while scarfing down the last piece of pizza from the last night's late online gaming session. It was raining lightly as I ran out of my dorm building to make it to my afternoon Calculus class. You may think it sounds like I am a bit of a nerd, staying up all night playing games and there is some truth to that. I am coasting through college neither at the top or bottom of my class. Little did I know that my life, no better to say my fate was about to change. As I was about to enter the crosswalk to run across Main Street to reach the other side of campus a large truck passed by drenching me with water spray. While I was standing there with a blank expression on my face trying to decide what to do a biker slid and smacked right into me knocking me into the crosswalk. The last thing I remember is both the surprised face looking at me over the handle bars and the headlights over my right shoulder as I hit the wet pavement.

I woke up in a dimly lit room. I was standing on a grey floor that seemed to have small points of light swirling in it. In fact, as I looked around the walls and ceiling were the same that the little points of light seemed to be the source of the dim light in the room. I did not see any doors or windows.

"Am I dead?" My voice sounded quieter than I expected.

"Yes, you are dead." A friendly sounding voice said behind me. I turned and saw a faintly glowing ball of blue and purple light about the size of a basketball.

"Welcome, I would say please don't be alarmed, but you are dead and talking to glowing ball of light."

"Hmmm, where am I? Who, what are you?" As I stared at the glowing ball of light.

"As to where you are the simplest explanation is to say you are in Limbo waiting on a choice. I am an extension of the System which runs all Universes. I have been assigned to you to facilitate your choice."

"What choice?" I marveled at my calm, so far, but I was starting to feel some stirrings of panic.

"Every person on death is given two choices. The first is to move on to the next phase of existence. Second you can choose reincarnation. Before you ask I can't describe the next phase of your existence, other than to say it is pretty cool."

"What happens if I chose reincarnation?"

"You will then have two options. You can reincarnate either with no memories of your previous life or choose to retain them. If your choice is to not retain your memories as you have your last three lifetimes you will be reborn on Earth and start you cycle again. If you choose to retain your memories you will be reborn on a new world, but since you will switch universes when this occurs your potential will be decreased."

"What do you mean by my potential will be decreased?"

"Hmmmm. During your life you have played several role-playing video games where you must generate a character, correct? To put it in those terms your new life will have lower stats to offset the energy transfer to the new universe for your soul."

"That doesn't sound like something anyone would do then, so how is that even a choice?"

"Well there is one other option and that is to start with your memories, but to use another gaming analogy you could be born as an Orc or Troll, Human or Elf, but you will start with a unique random ability as well."

"How long do I have to decide?"

"You have all the time you want, time is not passing in the rest of the multi-verse relative to us."

"You said I have chosen to reincarnate with no memory several times? Can you tell me why?"

"You have, but I cannot discuss your past reasoning."

After some time, I came to a decision. "I choose to retain my memories and will opt for a random start."

The ball's voice seems to convey surprise as it says. "You do? Very well, can you tell me why?"

"I still feel very young and have never really accomplished anything. I want that chance to continue as myself, but I don't want to start penalized even if it means starting as a troll."

"Very well, your choice is made. Good luck in your new life."

Suddenly everything disappears in a flash of light and then it feels like I am falling through darkness. Motion stops and gradually the area around me comes into focus.