What? What do you mean, Book? I can’t sacrifice Meat! He’s my friend.

For the first time ever, the Book of Leaf did not have a response to give Snooze. The display sat blank, flickering in its usual way, without any text appearing. Snooze didn’t like the way this was going. She looked back at Meat, but the creature was bounding throughout the void, blissfully unaware it seemed of the clear and present danger to his existence.

It made Snooze’s heart hurt.

THESE ARE THE LAWS SNOOZE.

ARCHANGELS EXIST AS COMPANIONS TO THEIR GODS, AND ARE ALSO THE SEEDS OF LIFE FOR WORLDS.

THEY ARE PERMITTED FOR THESE SPECIFIC REASONS.

ALL GODS MUST PLANT THE SEEDS OF LIFE ON THEIR PLANETS.

IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO PROGRESS.

IT IS… REQUIRED.

Snooze internally glared at the words.

I’ve never been much for following the rules, she said, if that’s the price one has to pay for being an all-powerful god…

She wasn’t sure how to finish that statement.

I cannot sacrifice him, she said seriously, looking back to the Book, what use is godhood if I can’t hang out with my homies? It’d be a piss-poor, miserable existence. This has only been as fun as it has been so far, because you two have been here with me.

Snooze shook her blob of a head, and sighed. She hated these tough decisions.

But, as was often the case in matters of humans and celestial beings alike, some choices were quite difficult, and even required a degree of sacrifice.

However.

Sometimes, decisions were presented with limited information in order to test a person, and to gauge their level of dedication and innovation. Sometimes, a compromise was in order.

As Snooze would soon discover, this was one of those times.

Well, she stated again, confirming her earlier doubts, I don’t give a dirty damn--no, I don’t give a thousanddirty damns if all of the other gods did this! I refuse. If the worlds have to be given a Seed of Life, well... then we will have to find another way!

The Book of Leaf did not respond.

Snooze stood patiently, staring at its display, thinking that she’d almost assuredly made a serious error. Could she even stop this process? If she broke the rules, would she be banished from the god plane? Would she be jettisoned into the fiery pits of hell, or perhaps reborn as a wart on the nether-regions of a pig on some other god’s world?

She looked back at Meat. The creature had become exhausted from his excess of frolicking, and had settled down a few yards away, lazing with a low whistle. Snooze chuckled.

I don’t care, she said, I won’t do it.

The display flashed, bringing her attention back to the Book of Leaf. Words began to appear, slowly.

...THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.

Snooze didn’t know if she had a heart, but at that moment, it leaped in her chest--something she was also not convinced was a proper name from the upper area of her shifting torso.

Book! Snooze exclaimed, you old so-and-so! You were holding out on me, tell me what it is!

The Book of Leaf’s display populated.

YOU CAN AVOID USING MEAT’S ENTIRE SEED OF LIFE IF YOU COMPROMISE.

See?

Compromise? Snooze asked, sure thing! I can compromise with the best of them. Back in the old life I had to settle for everything, careers, significant others, sometimes I would just eat over the garbage can in my old apartment because I'd forgotten to do dishes for a few months. Ooh, maybe, “Middle Ground,” is my middle name! The word “middle” is right there.

YOU CAN COMBINE A PIECE OF MEAT’S SEED OF LIFE WITH SOMETHING ELSE, AND HE WILL NOT SUFFER ANY HARM BECAUSE OF IT. YOU CAN USE ONE OF THE ELEMENTAL CURIOS TO SUPPLEMENT. BUT I WARN YOU, IT WILL DRASTICALLY MODIFY THE LIFE THAT APPEARS UPON THE SURFACE OF YOUR WORLD.

Ooh, that’s okay, that sounds fun! Snooze said, maybe have a bunch of golems running around!

THERE IS ONE OTHER THING.

Well, what are you waiting for, Book? Make with the deets, homie number two!

The Book of Leaf was still for a moment, and then a line populated.

WHATEVER CURIO YOU CHOOSE, YOU WILL LOSE--NEVER TO BE USED AGAIN.