“If you think trying to get me to abandon Fauga is your best bet then you’re barking up the wrong tree.” Ozzy said.

  “You don’t need to abandon him.” She said, waving a hand like she was a queen about to bequeath him with some great exception. “You just have to follow me first.”

  “Right, you’ve mentioned that. What would I even get from following you? I already have blessings and power. What do you have that I can't get from them?” Ozzy asked, while he wasn’t interested in making the deal he was very interested in what she might offer him. Curiosity having long been one of his greatest weaknesses.

  The Goddess raised an eyebrow at Ozzy. “I understand that you're new to this world. There is much you're yet to understand so I will put it simply. Us divine beings are nourished by the prayers and devotion of the many. We do have some innate power, though it is inconsequential compared to the might that can come from a sea of devotees.” She said, a clear crystal glass of what looked like wine appearing in her hand as she spoke.

  “I exist at the forefront of the above. Billions of souls lay themselves down at my feet. Their lives and faith filling me with more power than Fauga could even begin to comprehend. There is no end to the things I could offer.” She gloated, swirling her drink around the glass before taking a delicate sip.

  “I'm not sure that's exactly true.” Ozzy countered. “You see, I come from a place where we all have guns. There are more guns than there are people in that world. Fauga’s not where you are because he can't be, but because he doesn’t like thinking about what might happen if he was.” Ozzy continued, working hard to keep his mind drifting back to Iraq.

  “It is in our nature to spread influence. He has not had it done so far; that is not a sign of conscience but lack of will. Even your Rat God is not truly one with his role, yet he pushes. I would even go as far as to admit surprise to his current resources. There are not many gods in Myreluck who possess a tier 3, let alone several.” She said, taking another sip of her drink.

  Ozzy had to ignore the insult to Fauga’s character. Getting angry at someone like the Saint and his lackey was one thing but he wasn't sure what the consequences of mouthing off to a God would be. He was slow in his desire to find out.

  “Then that takes me to my question. If I already have all of these resources behind me and Fauga, who I believe is doing good. Why should I swap over to your side. You talked a lot about how it's what I should do, but outside of some vague explanations of power and bragging I still have no idea what you can do.” Ozzy said.

  “Like I said there is no end to-”

  “Could you give me an example please?” Ozzy said, tired of running around the bush with her.

  In response the goddess sat her glass down, raising a single eye as she looked him over closely. She frowned, but if she had anything to say about his questions bluntness, she kept it to herself.

  “I could provide any combination of shards you desire. A path to tier 5. I could even grant you Myreluck itself, so long as you helped me save it.” She said, her features returning to her previous amiable expression.

  “What if I want to go back home?” Ozzy asked.

  Ozzy asked the question for two reasons. One, he was genuinely curious what it would mean for him to return to Earth, and if it was at all possible. Two, he wanted to know how she thought of him. After everything was said and done, would she let him go willingly? Or would she keep him? Leaving him as a pawn till the day he finally left this world.

  The gun is perhaps sensing his intentions took a moment to answer the question. Her gaze flickered over him and seemingly through him. Back on Earth light had been associated in many ways with truth. Couldn't help but wonder if that was the same case here and if she had some ability or power to decipher his intentions.

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  “That would require a great deal of resources.” She said. “If after succeeding in our goal that was still your desire we could certainly look into it. Though I'm not sure the trade would be equitable.” She finished, her eyes searching his face for any reaction.

  “I'd assumed as much.” Ozzy said, feeling a weight settle at the bottom of his soul. Surprising himself Ozzy realized that there had been a condition on which he might have considered her proposal. He hadn't realized it walking into this meeting, but after examining his heart he knew it to be the case. Had she been willing or able to reunite Ozzy with his mother, he might have slipped.

  Gritting his teeth Ozzy hardened himself. It was hard to keep track of emotions, desires, and weaknesses when life was all but a blur of combat and exploration. Yet in the few quiet moments he’d had, thoughts of his mother had inadvertently crept up.

  Stuck in a new world with more distance between him and home than he could even comprehend. He couldn't help but realize how selfish he'd been. Sure, in the moment he thought leaving home and running away into the wilds of Alaska had been the only thing that could save him, but hadn't that been completely true? Or had he taken the easy way out of fixing himself. Had he taken the easy way out, at the cost of the most important relationship in his life?

  Ozzy willed his eyes to remain dry, and yet the goddess saw straight through him.

  “You have unfinished business on your home world?” She asked him delicately.

  Forcing himself to ignore the question, Ozzy, like he was so good at, worked to find an escape. “Well, I will admit this has been an enlightening conversation. I can't say I'm interested in changing anything at the moment though. If you’d like, I’m sure we could talk again sometime, preferably with Fauga there as well.” Ozzy said and moved to stand, he only got as far as a slight lean forward.

  “While I will allow you to retain a modicum of privacy for your past life, I will not allow you to leave until the terms of our dealings have been met with and closed.” She said, moving to stand.

  With a snap the white room, couches, and livery, vanished replaced by an all-encompassing endless expanse of white. It was nearly nausea inducing. The light working its way under the sides of his sunglasses and frying his retinas.

  “I've already heard you out. That was the deal. I’m not interested and so you have to let me walk.” Ozzy demanded, his heart rate slowly increasing as the Goddess got larger and larger.

  It was like standing in front of a kaiju. One that Ozzy was very convinced wanted nothing more than to control every aspect of his self.

  “But our deal was not made on equitable terms.” She boomed. “You struck a deal with me under duress while being manipulated by one of my Saints. As such you are owed compensation. Compensation I readily offer.” The world shook as she spoke, light radiating from her like a miniature sun.

  “I don’t need anything. It would be payment enough if you let me leave and stopped harassing me!” Ozzy shouted at the god, his voice rising as he watched the goddess become just that. A God.

  “Your wants and desires mean nothing in the face of order.” As she spoke a single, brilliant, beam of light flowed out from the god, forming a pillar of light which descended gradually to rest just above his head.

  Ozzy shook, literally shook, as the power the object radiated began to wash over him.

  “I had assumed you to only have two cores. Upon your arrival I realized I had been deceived by Fauga. Artifacts are incredibly rare objects of power, and though it pains me to tear it from you, I am leaving you with something much grander.” As she spoke the beam of light grew gradually closer to him, sending him into fits of seizing spasms as the power all but overrode his body’s controls.

  It touched him, and something tore.

  There was no pain, no great burning, and none of the other terrible sensations that accompanied absorbing a core. Rather there was a feeling of wrongness so pervasive he felt as though the very world had been turned on its axis. Like gravity was several degrees off, and the only one who could tell was him. The feeling grew, gradually moving to the point where he feared his own existence was at stake, as though should he falter and lose sight of himself in that moment he would simply cease to be.

  “It is never a pleasant process.” The Goddess cooed, as if believing her words would serve as a comfort to the man she tortured. “It will be over soon.”

  “I agree, this ends now.”

  ***

  A voice reached throughout the realm of light, spreading darkness wherever it touched. Its source, a man made up of complete darkness wearing a pair of brown trousers and a green cashmere sweater. The void being.