Gom paled as divine energy swirled around Walter, the inky tendrils ominous in the room. The guardsman pulled his sword up, ready to defend his emperor. Flipper reacted the same, hissing at the guardsman and preparing a shield.

Garegom placed a hand on Gom’s shoulder. “Calm yourself. Death is not your enemy this day.”

The emperor’s soul looked to Walter. “I’ll take the deal. Service in your name is a small price to pay for the safety of mine.”

Walter blinked. “Well, that was much easier than I expected. No bargaining? No extra caveats?”

“Lord, you can’t!” Gom protested.

“Hush,” the emperor protested. “You know I must. I will not let the plans of those across the oceans come to bear. Not when the life of mine is at stake.”

Walter sat back on the bed and slapped his thighs, all images of his Deathly presence gone. “Excellent. Shall we start?”

Garegom unattached his soul from the torch and floated to Walter. “This one—no—I am ready.”

The god of Death turned to Gom. “You, uh… might not want to be here for this. Witnessing what I’m about to do isn’t healthy for the living.”

“I can’t leave you alone with my lord,” Gom answered.

“Please, stop making this difficult,” Walter urged.

“Gom, you may leave,” the emperor commanded.

Gom looked at Walter with pain in his eyes. Walter looked back, all too familiar with the sight. There were a number of souls that entered the pools with that look.

“I know you won’t be assured by this,” Walter started. “But he will be safe.”

Gom turned, saying nothing. He marched out of the room, posting himself on the door.

Walter turned to the emperor’s soul. “Thank you. I’m afraid he would die if he stayed here.”

“It is nothing,” Garegom answered. “You are doing me a service. I know that you do not have to accommodate me.”

“That Sight or whatever really makes it easy for you sometimes, doesn’t it?” Walter asked.

The emperor nodded. “It is also something of a curse. To know so much about the world, and yet be unable to understand much of it.”

Walter turned to Flipper. “Make sure to put a wall up between us and Gom. I don’t want him running in and taking the force of my energy.”

Flipper saluted and jumped off Walter, scooting across the room toward the door. A matte black wall appeared moments later, Flipper staring at it intensely to maintain focus.

The god of Death clapped his hands. “Alright, let’s do this.”

The god opened himself up, his spreadsheet appearing before him to show how his available energy.

Current Assets

Divine Energy on Hand

132

Total Current Assets:

132

Long-Term (Fixed) Assets

Long-Term Investments (property)

1250

Intangible Assets

450

Total Long-Term (Fixed) Assets:

1700

TOTAL ASSETS:

1832

Owner’s Equity

1500

Retained Earnings

332

Total Equity

1832

“I think one hundred will do it,” Walter said. “It’s not a huge amount, but I’m not having to bolster a part of your soul with anything this time.”

The god pulled the energy free, the numbers shifting around on his spreadsheet.

Current Assets

Divine Energy on Hand

32

Total Current Assets:

32

Long-Term (Fixed) Assets

Long-Term Investments (property)

1250

Intangible Assets

550

Total Long-Term (Fixed) Assets:

1800

TOTAL ASSETS:

1832

Owner’s Equity

1500

Retained Earnings

332

Total Equity

1832

He sent the energy to Garegom, trying imagine what the emperor would look like. The emperor’s soul accepted the energy without issue, binding himself to Walter.

The life of a beast, no larger than Walter’s hand, played in the god’s mind. The young thing had been abandoned by its parents but found by a kind child. The kid, well off in the world, raised the beast as a pet, teaching it all about the world. As the child grew, so did the bird, until both were powerful young men.

The young man inherited his parent’s land, working to make it a great place. But others coveted the lush fields, and Walter watched as the young man was forced to defend his borders in battle after battle. Each time the fields faltered just a bit more, each time the land grew more barren. Eventually, there was nothing left to fight for.

That didn’t stop the attacks.

Walter watched as Garegom grew with each battle, taking on more and more risk to keep his friend safe. The bird honed his talons, sharpened his beak, and strengthened his mind after each encounter. Still, Garegom could not be everywhere, and one day while the bird was in battle a rogue mercenary group slew his friend.

The land fell, and the emperor wept.

The bird took the guise of his former friend, a beautiful red mane of feathers on his head. The only thing left to link him to his bird heritage.

It was enough for others to condemn him.

Garegom found himself shunned, only able to find work on the battlefields he despised so much. Finally, one day, the emperor said enough. He walked away from the lands and into the mountains.

There, the beastman found others like him. Beasts that lived in the woods away from others. He came to love them like he’d loved his friend, and they worked together to build something they could all love.

Walter watched, tears pooling in his eyes, as the small village grew to a town, then a grand city as refugees came from across the continent.

Peace did not last. Greedy lords coveted the wealth of the beast nation, and Garegom was once again forced to head to war. However, this time the emperor was prepared.

Men fell, their territories conquered as the emperor pushed outward, expanding his territory until no one could challenge him. The beastman finally had their empire.

Walter continued to watch as Garegom found a striking man with a green mane of feathers, the two connecting in shared pain. He watched as they found a struggling child, taking him in as their own and naming him heir. He watched as Garegom took to the skies as a winged phoenix one last time, a symbol of hope for his kingdom.

The god of Death directed his divine energy to that image, knowing it would be the best form for his new protector. However, it would need some tweaking. A bird could not live underwater.

The energy spun around Garegom, molding itself in Walter’s vision. A torso formed first, sleek with shimmering red-scaled feathers. The legs came next, taloned claws with barbed hooks for latching onto prey. A tail, flat like a dolphin’s but thinner and covered in more red-scaled feathers, formed next. The energy then moved onto the wings, brilliant, fiery plumage that shimmered like fire in the light. Finally, the energy spun itself into a head resembling an osprey, a bright crown of red feathers forming just above the eyes. It finished with a sharp beak perfect for spearing fish. Or intruders.

When the process finished, both Walter and Garegom stood marveling at the emperor’s new form. The beast’s head reached Walter’s chest, his muscled tail lying flat on the floor. Walter noticed small feathers at the end, shifting up and down like rudders on a plane.

“Incredible,” Garegom said.