"I guess. How omnipotent are gods, exactly?"

"Not really omnipotent, I don't think? Just very very powerful."

"Right, but I meant, what scale of—I guess what I mean is how come there were gods and your universe isn't post-scarce yet. ...it isn't, is it?"

"Isn't what?"

"There are still basic material goods that some people don't have access to, I guess is a way to put it?"

"...yyyyes? The last time there were gods, they all murdered each other and sank a continent in the process, I don't know where you're getting the idea that they liked to go around giving people access to basic material goods."

"Right, and I'm wondering why that's the case. I mean, you also said they were unstable, but—does no one get altruistically unstable? Unstably giving everyone food and water and other basic necessities and accidentally wrecking the economy but it's okay because no one will ever want for anything ever again?"

"That seems like a really specific thing to unstably do!"

"Well, yeah, but I guess if I ever wanted to—find two other people to merge with and become a god, I'd want to find people who were on board with the whole 'solve all the problems in the world' plan."

"I'd solve all the problems in the world with you," says Ruava. "But you couldn't anyway, you're Wood, you need the three base elements to be a god and Wood is a combination."

"That is so unfair, though, why couldn't you do it with three combination elements?"

"I didn't make it that way, that's just how the magic works! I'd be a god already if it worked differently!"

"For that matter why aren't there more gods? Even with so few people getting magic it shouldn't be difficult to find other mages of the appropriate kinds—although I guess there's all sorts of selection criteria that need to be met..."

"Most people wouldn't think it's worth it, to merge with two other people so the person you all turn into becomes a god. It's not really the same thing as becoming a god all by yourself."

"I suppose."

Shrug.

"I might do it if I found an Earth mage and an Air mage that I liked well enough, but it would be kind of crowded in here at that point..."

"Yeah. Is the god person like you and your—other self? Or would it just be some sort of blend?"

"Well, there haven't been gods in a long time, so it's hard to be sure..."

"I guess." She shakes her head. "Anyway. More about you?"

"Mountains are my favourite geographic feature. I like Dianivae better than Godscrest, though, even though Godscrest is prettier and more - grand."

"Well that explains why you got so excited about that cave."

Giggle.

"—you mentioned, yesterday, that the pain thing you had was. Er. Because your parents annoyed a mage?"

"Yeah."

"Should I, ah, not ask about that?"