Godly explanation

You and Ruka sit, and Bast smiles. “I can understand your confusion. I have been intentionally obscure until now. Where to begin…”

You look at him, sighing. “Let’s start with what you are. You just ripped the godhood out of someone!”

He nods. “All right. I am a god as well, obviously. Surface level, I am a god of judgment. I ensure that the other gods are fulfilling their obligations. It’s much more complex than that, but that’s a basic explanation. As for what I am beyond that…I assume you know that most of the gods are empowered mortals?”

You nod. “I’ve had the basic explanation.”

Bast smiles. “Well, I’m not. I was never mortal. I may be the only true god left, at least in this land. There were more once, but we…dissipated. We created the new gods, lessening ourselves with each new god created. As a result, I am all that remains, because there needs to be some kind of check on the gods we created.”

Ruka looks at him curiously. “And so you just…wander until someone screws up?”

He chuckles. “In a way. I am not allowed to directly affect the world, unless a god misbehaves. And before you ask, no, the demon lord is not misbehaving. He is acting exactly as a deity of his type should. That doesn’t mean I approve, however. I can’t intervene directly, but I can give important players a little nudge.”

You sigh. “Thus all the cryptic prophecy and random appearances.”

Bast shrugs. “I have to stay within the rules of the system we created. Unlike the new gods, they quite literally bind me. If I step out of my bailiwick, I lose power.”

You nod. “So you used to be a powerful god, but now you’re more of a divine enforcer?”

He smiles. “That’s one way of putting it. And, sadly, my power continues to wane. I don’t think true gods were meant to be long term beings. But I would like to see a better world before I go. So when you started appearing with your incredible power, I may have weighted the scale a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

Bast laughs. “You don’t find it a little surprising how readily you were accepted as a ruler? Or how openly you were accepted by the dwarves? Or a million other tiny coincidences? I didn’t do everything, just gave a little push. Obviously, you did the heavy lifting. You and the girls.”

Ruka smiles. “A little credit is nice. But why Josh? His power is immense, but I’m sure anyone could be nurtured and enhanced.”

Bast nods. “The absorption magic is an incredibly powerful tool, but it’s the heart that matters. Both the capacity for love, and the courage to make the attempt. Most people with this kind of power become villains, not heroes. Josh is a rare person, in many ways.”

You shake your head. “I wouldn’t be half the person I am without the girls.”

Bast smiles. “That was how I knew. A normal person doesn’t have a harem like this without ****. And there’s none of that. That’s how I knew I was right. Combined with your power, I knew you were the one I needed for what I want.”

You blink, looking at him curiously. “And what do you want?”

Bast sighs. “I want to be able to step down. To fade away. I’m the last, and have been for centuries. If you succeed, the time of the old gods is over. I won’t be needed.”

“You want…to die?”

He chuckles. “Once you’ve lived for a couple millennia, you’ll understand. But don’t worry about that for now. You have a war to win.”

Ruka nods. “And apparently I have a forest to defend.”

Bast smiles. “I will happily instruct you. Tomorrow. For now, I’ll leave you two alone. I need to borrow Daigo for a while. We have things to discuss. I’ll bring him back in the morning.”

With that, he gets up, walking into the woods with Daigo. Ruka turns to you and smiles. “Well, that was…a lot. And…I’m a goddess now.”

You laugh. “You are! How do you feel?”

She laughs. “Pretty much the same. But I have a question for you, Josh.”

“Oh really? What’s that?”

Ruka giggles. “Ever wanted to have sex with a goddess?”

You laugh. “It’s certainly not an offer I’ll turn down…”