Life is strange. Not that it's anything new, as I've lived long enough to see it. I still don't understand many things–like why I was chosen to become a deity. What would I have to offer? I'm just a simple person, with simple needs. I've done my best to live like anyone else, keeping my head down and staying out of unnecessary conflicts. I am neither the strongest, nor the most skilled, nor the most wise. Just an ordinary person you could find anywhere else. It wasn't because I was an outsider. Those come a dime a dozen. My capabilities for magic aren't much better than when I first arrived. I wasn't some great hero, or a person you'd hear in folktales and legends. None of it makes sense. 

When I met the other gods of this world, I learned a few things that gave me answers. The 'gods' are really just beings granted power by some higher, obscure entity. They are not all powerful, and they are not all-knowing. But to the average man on the street, it's hard to tell the difference. I don't blame them. Some of the other deities have been around for centuries or more. I can't even imagine how anyone could keep themselves busy for less than a hundred years. Anyway, we're all living on borrowed time more or less. I guess I'll have to pay more attention to the world now with this new position. This whole ascension business is still fairly new to me, but since I have been granted this responsibility, I will carry out my duties to the letter. I will play my part and fulfill what this job demands of me to the very end.

I am not a god. I am only a steward. One day when I am to step down from this position, another will be chosen to take my place. For better or for worse, until the sand runs down the glass. Leaders are chosen for the sake of the people, and to lead one must know to serve. When my time is up, my hope is that I can pass on knowing I did my job well. It doesn't matter if I'm not remembered, as long as I have that satisfaction. 

It really is a miracle how change can happen so suddenly. The Harena Desert will have to be renamed soon with all the new life awakening from a long and terrible slumber. I've met a few people thanks to that suicide mission at the pyramid–one of them being somebody I've already crossed paths with. The three of us, duking it out up there against impossible odds! If it weren't for everyone else out there fighting, we'd be buried beneath the sands. We all came out in pretty bad shape, but in the end whoever lasts the longest scores the victory. People won't have to fight so hard just to live anymore, and at least they can make things better when they put their backs to it. Coming back from that, I'm glad it's finally over. It's the same feeling I had after the freak blizzard and returning back from the gates of the underworld.

It's tough living in a world where things can turn over in a blink of an eye. I'll have to be more careful now that I've got people to be responsible for. But first, let's not get ahead of ourselves. If I'm going to get anything done, I should finish constructing the new wings in Antikythera. There's a lot of groundwork to lay down.

It's been…a hectic year. A lot of things have happened, more than I'd be happy with. I made an agreement with the Voice to continue working at my post as deity as long as I am needed, but I'm beginning to regret that. Now I get what a certain someone said about 'therapy sessions' being part of the package deal. Not that I get many visitors anyway, but hearing the requests people make at my quick-travel markers can really make a person's head spin. It looks like almost everybody has this sort of obscene interpretation of 'luck' as having things go their way–regardless how ridiculous or impossible that'd be.

Have you seen the things people the gall to ask for? Some lovesick girl came by in the dead of night and tossed in a silver to wish for a husband. The sheer vagueness of her requirements were worse than a politician's promises to 'make things better'. The obelisk is a teleportation device, not a coin fountain, lady. How in heaven's name do you expect me to find you a man with those unrealistic specifications? Oh, but it gets worse. Some barfly had the nerve to ask for a guaranteed win at a gambling house–the jackpot no less. He lost all he had in the first round, and the owners threw him out banning him in the process for his unpaid tab. I didn't feel sorry about it, and I'd do it again if I could. I was doing him a favor in cutting the cord when he wasn't willing.

 On the rare occasion when somebody manages to brave the perpetual downpour to my doorstep, most of the time it's these awkward exchanges from the so-called devout. I know it's just a glorified roundabout way to ask for favors, but the way they roll off that religious jargon and praise makes goosebumps break out all over my skin. I typically try to shoo them out as quickly as possible after I confirm or deny their request and cross my fingers that they don't come back again. The less religious types are slightly more tolerable because they don't start with an ordered list of compliments. Nobles are also difficult to handle too. After that brief stint I had as a private lender I decided to stick to international shipping. I don't get what goes through their heads. If you don't pretend to be impressed by the reputation of their deceased ancestors and fancy titles, they get all huffy and insulted. We're here to talk business, not have a nice afternoon chat about your great-grandfather's exploits. I'm sure he was a very nice man, but that doesn't mean anything to me.

Right, about things being hectic. Some of the other deities did things that I personally didn't agree with, and it left a pretty big aftermath. I'm not going to say any more since what they choose to do is none of my business, but it was one mess of an inconvenience. I got called aside with one of the senior members of the Conclave to handle an emergency situation, and we were lucky that everything worked out alright. Without any time to take a breather, next I was running around trying to keep an age-old barrier between the Spirit Realm from falling apart. And now, there's been an invasion on the western side of Canelux.

All the deities are being called to war, whether we like it or not. Just when you think the stakes couldn't get any higher, they do. It was like a perfect storm, slowly building up momentum to hit you in the face. World-wide trade took a severe blow when ships started going missing. My employees and I were doing all that we could to help out those who were hit the hardest when prices of goods skyrocketed and numbers of missing people were piling up. But now avoiding confrontation is no longer an option.

What am I supposed to do?