Purum looked at the man in front of her, a part of her raging at the man’s decision. She felt like her agency was being taken from her again, leaving her helpless in the face of someone else. The more rational part of her knew that this wasn’t the same at all. The man in front of her was giving her a choice.

It felt like a terrible choice, but it was still a choice.

Working as a ferryman for people like Purum spoke to her. In a way. She recalled the other women dealt the same hand and remembered how grateful they were that someone was there for them in their times of need. Purum could see herself acting as that figure for others.

But could she really give up the burning hatred that had kept her going all this time?

She didn’t think she could. That hatred was a part of her as much as the protective feelings she held.

The man looked at Purum with concern. The woman could see how much he cared, how much he wished no one would experience what he felt.

She recalled the feeling of terror that came from him when he shared his memory of drowning. That unbridled terror filling him as his lungs filled with water. The painful, choking death that was thankfully muted. It seemed everything this man did was predicated on the need to prevent that feeling in others.

That spoke to Purum more than any argument the man had. With all of his power he could do whatever he wanted. Yet, the only thing that he seemed to want to do with all that power was make others feel better.

Perhaps she could trust this man then. Maybe he was right, she didn’t have to live her life solely for vengeance. She could rescue others who were in similar situations, keep them from losing themselves. And if one or two of the aggressors came with her? Well… it wasn’t like the man could blame her for acting out.

“Okay,” Purum answered with nod. “I’ll take your offer. But I want to know what you’ll do with Tushen.”

***

Walter nodded and held out his hand. “Tell you what, I’ll make sure you’re updated every step of the way. For now, I’m Walter.”

A wispy hand clasped Walter’s. “Purum.”

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Walter said.

The god opened up his power, his spreadsheet appearing at the forefront of his mind.

Current Assets

Divine Energy on Hand

15

Total Current Assets:

15

Long-Term (Fixed) Assets

Long-Term Investments (property)

1250

Intangible Assets

250

Total Long-Term (Fixed) Assets:

1500

TOTAL ASSETS:

1515

Owner’s Equity

1500

Retained Earnings

15

Total Equity

1515

Walter connected with Purum’s soul, taking the divine energy she’d collected and adding it to his pool. His spreadsheet changed to match, adding seventy six divine energy on hand. Walter then pushed the newly collected energy plus the rest that he’d collected throughout the fight.

Ninety-one energy was slightly less than what Walter wanted to use for Purum but it would do. This wasn’t at all like creating Flipper, the god actually had a framework to work with. Purum’s soul already had an image of what her body would look like, and so Walter traced along it like a kid learning art. But as he moved past the torso things broke down. Purum’s soul was actively rejecting anything past her navel, leaving Walter with nothing to work with.

Purum grunted in pain as her incomplete body started to form, and Walter started to panic. If he couldn’t finish the process, then Purum would come back with half a body, leaving her like that until Walter had enough energy to remake her again. The god would have to think quickly.

Walter reached inside himself for anything he could use. An answer came back almost as quickly. When creating Flipper, Walter’s power had looked through hundreds of his memories and returned with every bit of anatomy it could find on sea animals, both real and mythical.

Sod’s world had no concept of mermaids, and so Purum’s soul had no basis for the idea. Changing Purum’s body would require changing a part of her soul as well, something that could be very painful. Walter wasn’t going to let that happen, not after everything the woman had been through. So, it was Walter’s turn to grunt in pain as he pulled at the memory.

The image of a mermaid overlaid Purum’s form, dazzling green scales layering inch by inch over her lower body. The scales merged and tapered off, the woman’s legs replaced with one long flipper. Walter grimaced as he connected the body and soul, merging them together and using the divine energy to finish crafting.

Purum gasped at the new image placed on her soul, the mermaid form replacing what she could not bear to remember. Bittersweet relief washed over the woman, and she emerged into the world as something new.

The two collapsed on the dead plants around them as the process finished. Walter heaved in breaths, the process having taken more out of him than he’d expected. Purum gasped as well, her chest heaving in and out from the experience of being made anew.

The woman looked down at her new body. Sea-green scales dotted her arms like freckles, coalescing over her torso like a crop-top. The scales petered off below there, leaving the olive skin around her stomach intact. Below that the scales reappeared, the sea-green mixing with a sparkling dark blue the same color as Walter’s eyes.

Purum marveled at her new body. Her legs had vanished, replaced by one long flipper that swayed like a tree in the wind. She moved it around with a thought, the long, blue-black flipper at the end sweeping away the dead plants.

“How’s it feel?” Walter asked.

Purum looked over to the man. “I feel like… me.”

Walter smiled. “Good.”

The god stood, grunting a bit from the effort. “Can you move?”

Purum slapped her tail on the ground, the act sending her jumping across the cave like a sea lion. The sight was so goofy Walter almost barked a laugh, only holding it in because he knew she was still trying to get the hang of things.

Purum continued to move until she found the water’s edge. From then on, she moved with a grace Walter had never seen. It was like she was figure skating in water.

Walter tore his eyes away from the sight. “Alright. Let’s see how Flipper is doing.”

***

Flipper was doing perfectly fine as Walter and Purum walked out of the cave. The turtle had done his duty, protecting Tivwo and Turum’s soul as Walter finished up. The little reptile squeaked with joy as Walter walked up, the animal bounding over to jump in his arms.

“Yeah, yeah,” Walter said reassuringly. “It’s all over now.”

The god held Tushen’s soul up for Flipper to see. The helper instantly snatched it out of Walter’s hands with his beak and flipped it onto his shell. The soul then merged with the reptile’s shell, stored until Walter and Flipper returned to their domain.

“Thanks, buddy,” Walter said.

The god then looked over to Tivwo, who had been uncharacteristically silent. The young girl was clutching her mother’s soul in her arms, hunched over it protectively.

“Hey… hey,” Walter said softly. He walked over and bent down, holding out a hand to reassure her. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t take my mama,” she whispered.

Walter stepped back. “Why would you think that?”

Tears fell from Tivwo’s face onto the sandy beach below. “B-because. I saw you. I know what you are.”

“Ah,” Walter replied. Dimly, the god recalled Sod describing how the inhabitants of this world understood things.

“Don’t take her,” Tivwo whispered.

“I don’t want to take her,” Walter said.

“But you have to,” Tivwo answered between sobs. “I know you do because I saw. You’re Death.”

Purum looked at Walter in shock. “He’s death?”

Tivwo shook her head. “N-not the one across the seas. He’s Death. Part of the Cycle. And he’s got to take my mama.”

Walter hated to admit it, but Tivwo was right. Walter wanted to revive Turum and was searching desperately for anything that would let it happen. But every piece of him inside knew any revival he performed was only half a life. Turum would be an undead, or a shade, or something worse. None of it would make her whole again.

But the sobbing girl in front of Walter needed her mother. At the same time, Walter had to take Turum’s soul or risk the woman turning into another daemon like Purum. He knew that Turum wouldn’t want that, no matter how much Tivwo wished she could stay.

Turum’s soul sent reassuring waves to Tivwo, but the girl only clutched tighter. Walter knelt to Tivwo and placed a hand on her shoulder. The girl heaved gut-wrenching sobs, and Flipper silently keened for Turum.

As Tivwo wailed, Walter continued to search. There had to be something that would work. As much as he was Death, Walter was still a human.