“It’s like you’re halfway through the floor”.

Spetus chuckles a little despite his injuries and loss of life. We tested it out a little and the stairway that appeared after the defeat of the quill-man is not only perceptible only to Ahorn and I, but also intangible. Spetus right now is, to my eyes, standing in midair above the staircase.

“Enough of this. I am going to see her”.

Wait… Her? Guess it could go either way with how that annoying god looks, but everybody refers to it as God, so I assumed it was male, if it had a gender at all. Guess I could ask, but I actually don’t want to go. Though my wounds closed up quickly I am in intense pain after the fight. I was even thinking of killing myself so I can wake up without enduring it, but I felt like I would lose something if I did so. Adding to that, that God is annoying as all hell… But there is the matter of the promised present…

Leaning up against Ahorn, whose clammy arm is supporting me, reminding me once again that this guy is not human at all, we proceed until the bottom floor. I expected the same sight as last time, but it was not so. In an inexplicably lit room, the god is already waiting for us.

I just barely wonder if I get to be animate this time, before noticing I can’t move at all. But Ahorn can. He falls to his knees and proclaims: “My Goddess. I have come to you, as promised!”

“As promised? AS PROMISED?” The god looks furious, though it kind of looks cute, as the body and visage is that of a child. I soon quench the thought, remembering this is a powerful being.

“This is not the dungeon I ordered you to take. This is much later than I hoped and you even had to enlist the help of another one of mine! But before that, YOU GAVE UP!”

Ahorn is quivering. It is obvious he is already aware of her power.

“Please, I tried my best! But we couldn’t do it without-“ “SILENCE!” Ahorn shuts up immediately.

“As punishment for you, the deal is off” The god proclaims.

“NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! YOU HAVE TO SAVE MY PEO-“

Unnatural flames of violet and green hues envelop Ahorn for a few seconds, and when they subside, he is nowhere to be seen.

Did.. Did this crazy ass god just kill him?

“I can hear you, you know?” Shit, they hear my thoughts. At this point I am just trying to think up random flattery, lest I end up the same as Ahorn, but all that comes to mind is how annoyingly they spoke last time, how terrified I am of them right now and how weird it was to see something cute-looking destroy a man.

A laugh escapes the god’s lips.

“Haha, you’re kind of interesting you know. Now, as for you, it was way sooner than I had thought, so I don’t have anything prepared… Is there anything you would like me to give you?” It’s scary. It’s scary they just killed a man and then approach me like that.

“Hey, don’t worry, you’re not in danger. It’s just that I hate people who give up more than anything.” The god looks both sad and angry when they say so. “You’d think someone with a gift, that can kill most things in one shot, would bring about some progress, but this asshole failed to do so for years, preferring to send scores of other people to their doom, while he stayed mostly safe, even though they would probably have done much better, had he himself just pressed on… Anyway, your gift?”

Even if they ask me in this situation, I feel wrong about it. I just want to get away from them.

“Come ooooon, don’t be like thaaaaaat… How abooooouut… a cute pet?” They suggest, while trailing the words annoyingly.

No thank you. If anything, give me something useful… Like armor that doesn’t get destroyed and a sword I can’t lose.

“Beh, no can do. It is against my policy to give powerful equipment!” The God sticks their tongue out.

But, the cape was so useless.

“It was meant to be fun, not useful, you silly man”

It was kind of fun… But I’d really like something useful.

“Then… How about a book that documents all kinds of magic? That way it improves your own skills, instead of relying on the quality of equipment!” The god claps their hands together as she suggests so.

That book… Is it in English?

“Huh… Well, I could do so, but what… You can’t read?”

A small wave of embarrassment washes over me.

“New idea. The book will teach you to read! And then the next time we meet, I’ll add some magic stuff to it! That’s totally what we’re gonna do! Alrighty, then!” She snaps her fingers and a sizeable book is in my left hand.

“Bye bye!” She snaps her fingers once again and I am suddenly outside. Spetus, Vegar and Connir are here too. And Medeor is lying on the floor, wailing a little in his pain.

“What happened? Where’s Ahorn?” Connir asks flustered.

“God… God killed him… I think…” I say nervously looking at the book in my hand…

I open it.

I expected it to be English, but there only characters from this world in here…

How is a book supposed to teach me to read, if I can’t read?