"You don't look like much either," Walter shot back, realizing his error a second later. He couldn't tell from the featureless face, but it did seem like the new arrival frowned.

"He's feisty at least," Davy answered placatingly. "You did want someone with grit. And I think you wanted someone who could organize as well, right?"

"That I did," the figure answered. Walter could swear he heard a chuckle come from the god.

"Walter Bachson," the figure said, getting Walt's attention. "I have an offer for you."

"What kind of offer?" Walter asked, kicking into negotiation mode. This thing knowing his name spooked him, but Walter wasn't about to let it show. That would put him on the back foot in negotiations.

"One that puts your considerable talents to use," the figure answered.

Walter watched as the god waved a hand, conjuring an illusory world of lavender and emerald in front of him. "My name is Sod, god of this planet you see before you. I'm in need of someone for a special project, and I believe your skills will be quite useful."

"What, do you need to make a pantheon or something?" Walt asked jokingly.

Sod twisted his hand, stowing the illusory image in what looked like a pocket. "A smart soul. That's exactly the case."

Walter blinked. "Wait, really?"

Sod nodded. "You see, my world, unlike yours, is new. Therefore, there is an abundance of divine energy. Energy that my world has learned to use. Usually, this isn't much of an issue. Many souls tend to use divine energy in some shape or form. However, there is often a safety net involved, a protection to prevent the world from breaking down. I did not craft such protections, as I had not intended for those in the world to use divine energy."

Sod's explanation brought a question to the forefront of Walter's mind. "Shouldn't you be all-powerful or something? How is this a problem for you? Why not just start over?"

Walter swore he could almost see Sod scoff. "Doing so would mean I destroy most of my world. It took me billions upon billions of eons to craft everything exactly the way I wanted it. There is not a single atom out of place, nor is there a single errant force of nature. Liken it to an artist's painting. After laboring immensely to achieve perfection, I found that there is a single errant brushstroke. Would you have me trash the entire painting for one brushstroke? Wouldn't it be better to make another stroke and fix the issue altogether?"

It was an outlook Walter wasn't too familiar with, him being business-minded and not artistic. But the man had lost an entire paper to a dead battery once, so he could almost relate.

"Makes sense, I guess. So, what would you need me to do?" Walter answered.

"Integrate yourself into the cycle of energy and organize it in a way that stabilizes the world," Sod answered.

"Can you put that in layman's terms?" Walter asked.

It seemed like the god sighed. "I need an underworld. And I need someone to run it. Someone with skills like yours."

Okay, Walter was starting to understand. Sod wanted someone to stabilize the world and would do so by becoming a caretaker of the underworld. But that only raised more questions.

"I still don't see why you'd need me," Walter commented. "I mean, I'm grateful for the offer, don't get me wrong. But if you're a god, I fail to see why you need help with this."

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"It's like cancer, lad," Davy interjected. "Sod's got a tumor that his powers can't kill. It thinks what's changing his world is a natural part of the process. You're chemo or the knife that removes the tumor."

"Oh," Walter answered, finally understanding the issue. "Oh dang. So you can't stop what's changing everything because it's a part of you?"

"An apt description," Sod answered.

It answered some questions for Walter but not others. "Okay, but I'm not exactly a god either."

"Worry not," Sod answered. "Divine energy is malleable and should grant you enough sway to interfere."

"And then I act like an antibody and purge whatever it is that's changing you," Walter answered. "Makes sense. Still, why me?"

"Because you have the skills I need," Sod answered. The formless god walked forward, laying what Walter thought was a hand on his shoulder. "Few souls can retain their sanity after death, and fewer are unclaimed the way you are. Your relation to Davy Jones is a boon as well, as he is a god of debts. Therefore, it is a simple matter to exchange your servitude over to me for the duration of your debt."

"Wait, so I don't have a choice?" Walter asked, backing away from Sod. He wasn't about to become a slave, even if it did mean becoming some kind of demigod.

"You always have a choice," Sod answered. "And I would not want an unwilling helper. It is my planet, after all. Inviting someone with malicious intentions would do me no good."

"And you have to work off the debt somehow, lad," Davy answered. "Those are the rules."

Walter frowned. "Okay. I get it. I think."

Walter still wasn't quite sure why he wasn't overreacting to all of this. He'd been calm throughout the entire conversation, able to think clearly despite the knowledge that his life was over. Perhaps it was the fact that he knew there was something afterward, or Walter was better at keeping calm than he thought. Or perhaps these gods were using their powers to keep him from flying off the handle.

Walter shook the last thought out of his head. Thinking like that wouldn't get him anywhere. If these beings were strong enough to affect his consciousness, they wouldn't need to try and convince him to take the job. He'd be convinced already. There was a thing as being too suspicious.

"What happens after I work off the debt?" Walter asked.

"If you haven't succeeded in your task, I would ask you to continue," Sod answered. "I would, of course, provide a boon for you if you choose to continue service. If your task is complete, you can choose to stay or leave and go back to the cycle. I will not stop you."

"The cycle?" Walter asked.

Sod looked at Davy. "You did not explain?"

"Ah, knew I forgot somethin'," Davy Jones answered. "The cycle of rebirth is where all souls go after they finish their work, washing them free of their past and placing them in new bodies."

"What happens if I go there before working off my debt?" Walter asked.

"You get stuck reviewing all the decisions you made throughout your life that led to your death," Davy answered.

Walter shuddered. He didn't like the idea of reliving all his embarrassing decisions. Acting like a god or antibody or whatever Sod wanted sounded like a much better option.

"Okay, you have a deal," Walter answered. He offered his hand for Sod to shake. The god accepted the handshake, moving his appendage up and down. Walter tried hard not to stare at Sod's arm as it wiggled like a centipede. It seemed he would have to get used to this formless god.

"You best be off then," Davy Jones said. "Can't have anyone who's not a sailor hanging about. The sharks like to eat 'em for a snack."

"Yes, let's be off," Sod said. The god waved an appendage, opening a hole in the world.

Davy clapped Walter on the back, causing the man to cough out some more water. "If you ever need some help, feel free to ask. I'm always around to help pay off a debt."

"Thanks, I guess," Walt said.

"Just look for me wherever there's a sea," Davy replied. "And I'll come sailing to ye."

Walt caught Davy's smile as he walked over to the hole. It seemed the old god liked a rhyme or two.

"I'll keep an eye out," Walt answered. And with that, he stepped over into a new world.