Divine judgment

You and Daigo follow Ruka, her strides confident and her face grim. You doubt that you could stop her now even if you wanted to. The power flowing off her is insane, causing plants to grow in her wake, and forcing you and Daigo to step carefully. You fear for what will happen when you reach Koras, but you follow anyway. No matter what happens, you are on Ruka’s side here.

It’s not long before you come to another clearing. Seated on a large rock is Koras, his head in his hands. He looks up as your trio approaches, and you see something like fear in his eyes. “You survived. Not even a scratch. And now my bargain is exposed.”

Ruka stops in front of him. “Coward. You sacrificed my sisters, and you tried to sacrifice Josh. You’re trying to take the ones I love from me, instead of defending your forest. You are not worthy of being a god.”

Koras shakes his head. “I did what I had to do.”

Ruka raises a hand, a growl escaping her lips. She points at Koras.

And nothing happens.

The glow fades from her eyes, and she looks around, confused. Koras himself doesn’t seem to understand either. A voice calls out from the woods, as footsteps approach. “She’s right, you know. You have failed as the forest god.”

Stepping into the clearing is Bast. Though he still appears to be an old man, he exudes an aura of authority that fills the area. Ignoring you and Daigo, he nods to Ruka before staring at Koras. Koras shudders, stammering.

Bast shakes his head. “No use saying anything, boy. You made deals with your enemy, and hid them from your subjects. You murdered your council to keep your secret. You hid it from ME. You have failed.”

Bast approaches, standing right in front of a cowering Koras. “You have forfeited your right to be a god, boy. I am taking back the power.”

He holds out a hand, and Koras stiffens. A glowing orb appears in Bast’s hand, bright green and pulsing. “Goodbye, Koras. May you serve as warning to others in the future. Gods must serve their domains.”

Koras seems to shrivel, aging hundreds of years in a blink. In moments, he becomes dust, blowing away on the breeze. Bast turns to Ruka, looking at her with sad eyes. “Young dryad, I must offer my sincere apology. His failure, your pain, in the end, is my responsibility.”

He sighs, holding up his hand with the glowing green orb. “I offer this in recompense. We need a new deity of the forest. Would you accept the position?”

Ruka gasps, staring at Bast, who waits patiently, holding her eyes with his. Finally, she nods. Bast smiles, and light from the orb seems to flow into her, suffusing her with an emerald glow. “Serve well, Queen Ruka, goddess of the forest.”

Bast turns to you finally, and his aura of authority seems to fade. He smiles, seemingly a kindly old man once more. “I imagine you have many questions. It seems time to answer them.”

He waves a hand, and a table and chairs appears.