《Becoming The Strongest Angel With A Saintess System》


 Chapter 1: Grace, The Hardened Farmer

    Chapter 1: Grace, The Hardened FarmerThe tombstones of Grace''s parents were bathed in gold as the sun rose.


    Grace knelt before them, her white dress pooling around her knees in the moist grass, and clasped her tiny hands together. She''d repeated this same prayer every day for the last three years, to where it now spilled out from her lips on its own.


    "Mother, Father," she whispered, her voice carrying nothing but warmth. "Please, watch over me today, too."


    A gust of wind rushed past Grace like a hand on her shoulder. It stirred her long white hair, making Grace push a few strands away from her sunlight-colored eyes.


    She stood up and stretched, a yawn escaping her mouth.


    "Hm... The wheat''s growing well this season," she murmured to both herself and the tombstones. "I think I finally figured out that irrigation system Father always talked about. Though..." A faint blush colored her cheeks. "I may have flooded the chicken coop the first few tries, hehe."


    Her soft chuckle sounded so much louder in the quietness of this hour. Suddenly, she noticed the shadows behind the grave markers stretching longer.


    "Oh, frick. I lost track of time again," she groaned. "I have to go into the village today," she admitted, as if seeking permission. Naturally, she began pacing back and forth, speaking quietly as if she were doing some intense calculations. "We''re running low on salt, and the plow needs new parts. I know you always said to avoid town when possible, but..."


    Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her dress. She couldn''t keep putting it off.


    "... Alright," Grace put on a determined face, placing her small fists by her hips. "I''m going! I''ll be back before sunset," she promised the stones, then added in a whisper, "I love you."


    She went back inside her farmhouse. Everything was exactly as she''d left it ¨C neat and organized... if a bit shabby. The wooden floors were swept clean and the few pieces of furniture were arranged with great care. A collection of pressed flowers hung on one wall, carefully preserved between panes of glass ¨C her mother''s legacy. Beside them, her father''s tools hung in careful order, each one maintained as if he might walk in any moment to use them.


    Grace changed quickly into her "town clothes" ¨C a simple blue dress that had fewer patches than her work clothes, though it was still far from fine. She counted out her coins three times before tucking them into a leather pouch at her waist. The mental list of supplies ran through her head again and again as she laced up her boots.


    [Salt. Plow parts... Maybe some thread.]


    She definitely couldn''t afford any books this time. Which was, of course, an absolute tragedy given that she''d almost gone through her mother''s entire collection by now. She checked her reflection in the cloudy mirror by the door, smoothing down her white locks. As she looked back at her own yellow eyes, Grace nodded at herself, putting on a very serious face.


    "You can do this," she told her reflection firmly. "You are a woman grown! At least, technically." She briefly glanced down at her unimpressive chest but shook her head. "It''s just a quick trip to town. Nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be fine!" Mhm!"


    Was that true? Maybe. She had no way of knowing but she said it to herself all the same. After all, what was the worst that could happen? Demons rarely attack during daylight hours. And, the villagers might whisper, might stare, but they were rarely hostile... even though some might consider the older men''s creepy grins and stares she usually got to be hostility, but oh well.


    Grace squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and stepped out into the morning light.


    [I will NOT be eaten by demons today, I will NOT be eaten by demons today, I will NOT...] she chanted as she marched down the path like a soldier.


    The path from her tiny farmhouse to the village wound through the wheat field, golden stalks swaying in the morning breeze. Grace kept her no-nonsense expression on the whole time. She would tolerate zero nonsense from herself. She would get in, get what she needed, and leave.


    Simple as that.


    ---


    At seventeen, just a month away from eighteen, she was small for her age, barely reaching the height of the average woman''s shoulder. It unfortunately made her stand out just as much as her snow-like hair or burning eyes did, and so, pretty much everyone noticed as she began to draw closer. But, Grace wouldn''t let it get to her. Sure, she was small, but like her father would always say, "even the tiniest, cutest little lady can command respect!"


    [That''s right,] she thought, narrowing her eyes. [I am not cute. I am not tiny. I am a winter-hardened farmer, here for supplies!]


    Grace marched into town with all the confidence of a general leading an army. The marketplace of Coldbrook was already busy despite the early hour. Grace kept her chin high as she walked past the first few stalls, channeling every ounce of "hardened farmer" energy she could muster.


    [... Is it working?]


    It was hard to tell while going out of her way to avoid eye contact.


    [Remember,] she told herself sternly, [you''re here on serious business. You are NOT going to get distracted by the book merchant''s new shipment, even if¡ª] Her head turned automatically toward the familiar storefront. [No! Bad Grace! Salt first!]


    "Well, if it isn''t our little ghost!"


    "EEK!"


    Old Lady Maple''s voice carried across the square, making Grace jump about a foot in the air.


    The elderly merchant waved enthusiastically from her stall, completely oblivious to how she''d just announced Grace''s presence to the entire market.


    [... So much for being stealthy,] Grace thought, but she couldn''t help smiling as she made her way over. Old Lady Maple was one of the few villagers who''d never treated her like she was strange. Probably because the woman was pretty strange herself.


    "I''m not little," Grace protested weakly, even as she had to look up to meet the merchant''s eyes. "I''m practically eighteen."


    "Practically eighteen and practically tall enough to see over my counter!" Old Lady Maple cackled, already reaching for the salt she knew Grace needed. "How''s the farm, dear? Any demon trouble?"


    "Nope, no demons!" Grace said quickly, then knocked on the wooden counter three times. Better safe than sorry. "Though the chickens staged another revolt when I tried to improve their coop."


    "Chickens," Old Lady Maple nodded sagely, "those are the real demons. So," she crossed her arms. "That''ll be fifteen coppers, dear."


    Instantly, Grace''s mood shifted and she narrowed her eyes.


    Old Lady Maple''s face did the same.


    Thus, the haggling began.


    That''s not quite right," Grace said, crossing her arms and trying to look intimidating. The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that she had to stretch up on her tiptoes to see properly over the counter, but she was committed.


    Old Lady Maple was already wrapping up the salt, completely ignoring Grace''s attempt at a stern expression.


    "Of course it is," she argued, a clever smirk on her wrinkled face. "It''s what I always charge."


    "You know that''s not true!"


    "Oh?" Maple raised a brow, eyes twinkling with mischief. "How much is it then? Did you, by chance, change careers to a businesswoman while I wasn''t looking?"


    [Hehehe...]


    Grace planted her tiny hands on the counter with all the authority her diminutive frame could muster.


    "Perhaps I may have not changed my career, but I certainly have done my research this time."


    "W-What?" Maple pulled back, shocked.


    Victory drew closer.


    Grace inhaled deeply, drawing herself up to her full (if unimpressive) height, and declared:


    "IT''S TOO LOW!" The entire market seemed to pause.


    A chicken clucked in the distance, as if to emphasize the dramatic moment.


    Maple nearly fainted. She''d been caught.


    "You know you should be charging me more for these. I DEMAND to pay full price!" Grace continued, jabbing a finger at the merchant. "Twenty coppers, not a penny less!"


    Old Lady Maple sternly shook her head.


    "Nope. No deal. You''re getting a discount and that''s final." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "M-Ma''am! I will never be respected as a proper businesswoman if I cannot pay my fair share! L-Let me pay you nineteen, at least!"


    Maple sighed.


    Yes, they did this just about every time, albeit with a different product. She tried to give Grace a discount, Grace would go back and make sure she actually paid the right amount and when she found out she hadn''t, she would run over and insist on paying market value.


    Grace wasn''t about to be some freeloader.


    "... Seventeen," Maple conceded. "You don''t take that, I''ll give you the damn things for free."


    Grace sighed. This would have to do.


    "Deal."


    With that, the haggling concluded.


    "Honestly, girlie, I don''t know why you''re so against having people spoil ya every now and then," Maple continued as she wrapped up the usual herbs as well. "We ladies have enough struggles in our lives."


    "Struggle builds character, Pa would always say," Grace replied. "Besides, you need to eat more! I''ve heard that all you do is stand around here, selling stuff!"


    "It''s my job."


    "It''s not healthy," Grace countered. "In fact, I-"


    Nearby voices suddenly took hold of Grace''s attention, though. She turned toward them.


    "¡ªthree attacks in the past week¡ª"


    "¡ªgetting closer to the trading routes¡ª"


    "¡ªheard Hearthbrook''s requesting more patrols¡ª"


    Grace''s ears perked up at that last bit.


    "Are the demon attacks really getting worse?" she asked, trying to sound casual and probably failing miserably.


    Old Lady Maple''s usual smile dimmed slightly.


    "Nothing for you to worry about, dear. We''ve been... Getting some help lately."


    "Oh?"


    "What? You didn''t notice? I''m shocked, what with all the time you spend pining after every other pretty face."


    "I-I do not pine!" Grace replied.


    And, as Maple gestured toward the western gate with her chin, she looked.


    Her world stopped spinning.


    [Oh...]


    There, bathed in morning light that somehow made her glow even brighter than the sun itself, stood an angel.


    Not that Grace had ever seen one before, but she''d heard of them, and there was no mistaking what she was looking at. The massive white wings alone would have given it away, each feather edged in gold that caught the light like liquid fire. But it was more than that.


    The angel wore armor that should have looked heavy, should have been intimidating, but instead it hugged her tall frame like it had been painted on, highlighting her elegant curves. Her skin tone was dark and her hair was the color of midnight, falling in waves past her shoulders, a stark contrast to the brilliance of her wings. Even from this distance, Grace could see how the angel''s mere presence commanded attention ¨C everyone who walked past either stared openly or quickly looked away, as if afraid to be caught staring, even though she hardly acknowledged anything around her.


    [Wow...] Grace thought, and then immediately wanted to smack herself. [No! Bad Grace! Stop staring! She''s probably here on important angel business and doesn''t need some tiny farmer girl gawking at her like¡ª]


    The angel''s head turned, and for one heart-stopping moment, their eyes met across the square.


    Grace promptly dropped her bag of salt.


    "Careful there, dear," Old Lady Maple''s amused voice broke through her daze. "Though I can''t blame you. She''s been standing guard there since dawn, with that massive mace of hers. Quite the sight, isn''t she?"


    "I wasn''t¡ªI mean, I didn''t¡ªI was just¡ª" Grace scrambled to pick up her salt, face burning. "Is she... is she waiting for something?"


    "Word is they''re expecting some kind of trouble," Old Lady Maple said, her voice dropping lower. "But, well, if an angel decided to bless us with her presence, I''m sure we''ll be fine."


    Grace finally managed to tear her eyes away from the angel, who had thankfully turned her attention back to scanning the surroundings.


    Old Lady Maple waved her hand dismissively.


    "Now, you''re probably looking for plow parts too? Better hurry to the smith before he takes his mid-morning nap. You know how he gets!"


    [Right! Mission! Focus!] Grace gathered her purchases and her scattered dignity.


    "Thank you, ma''am!"


    "Any time, dear! Try not to trip while staring at any more angels!"


    Grace''s face burned as she hurried away, but she couldn''t help stealing one more glance at the western gate.


    The angel was still there, still radiant, still completely out of place in their humble village. That brief moment where their eyes met flashed through her mind.


    She looked away.


    [Don''t be ridiculous,] Grace told herself firmly. [Angels don''t notice people like you. Besides, you''re here for supplies, not to daydream about beautiful women with wings who could probably lift you over their heads one arm and¡ªNO! Salt acquired, moving on to plow parts! Focus!]


    She squared her shoulders and marched determinedly toward the smithy, pointedly NOT thinking that woman in golden armor.

 Chapter 2: Toward The Flames

    Chapter 2: Toward The Flames[Mission accomplished!] Grace thought triumphantly, hefting her basket of supplies.


    She''d managed to get everything she needed, even if her purse was significantly lighter than she had planned.


    [But those herbs were definitely worth it. And I absolutely won that haggling battle with Old Lady Maple. She needs to eat more!] In the back of her mind, she heard a pot telling a kettle they weren''t that different, but she moved on.


    The sun had climbed higher during her shopping, and the market was properly crowded now. Grace weaved between the villagers with ease, using her small size to her advantage for once. Being tiny did have its perks on occassion, especially when navigating through the sea of much taller people.


    [Almost home free! Just got to get through the northern gate and¡ª]


    Grace''s internal victory speech came to a screeching halt.


    The angel was there.


    The angel was RIGHT THERE.


    The GORGEOUS angel who''d been at the western gate was now standing at the northern gate. The EXACT gate Grace needed to use to get home. Like before, she had her back to Grace, the head of her mace planted down before her as she stood on the lookout.


    [OK, don''t panic,] Grace told herself, immediately panicking. [Just... walk past her. Like a normal person. You can totally walk past the incredibly beautiful warrior angel like a normal person. Just put one foot in front of the other and¡ªwhy are my feet not moving?]


    She stood frozen in place, clutching her basket like a shield. The angel seemed even more stunning up close. Her midnight hair caught the breeze, and those massive wings shifted slightly. Grace''s eyes roamed curves that basically constituted an attack on her heart.


    [NO! Bad Grace! Stop staring at her figure! Just walk! Walk like a normal human being who definitely isn''t having a crisis over how pretty she is!]


    Taking a deep breath, Grace forced her feet to move. One step. Then another. She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the ground, watching her own boots as if they might betray her at any moment. The gate was getting closer. Just a few more steps and¡ª


    "You there. With the white hair."


    Grace''s soul left her body.


    [Did... Did she just...?]


    The angel''s voice was exactly what you''d expect from a divine warrior ¨C rich, commanding, and doing very unfair things to Grace''s poor gay heart. She turned slowly, trying desperately to remember how faces worked.


    [Say something! Anything! Just open your mouth and¡ª]


    "Me?" Grace squeaked, then immediately wanted to die of embarrassment.


    [Brilliant response. There are so many OTHER girls with white hair around here.]


    The angel''s lips curved into the smallest of smiles, and Grace felt her knees go weak.


    "Yes, you." She took a step closer, and Grace had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. Had anyone ever been this tall? Was this legal? "Who are you?"


    Grace''s brain short-circuited. Several thoughts tried to happen at once:


    [Gods she''s so close]


    [Who am I? WHAT IS MY NAME!?!?]


    [Oh, her eyes are gold-colored too.]


    What actually came out of her mouth was:


    "Oh! My... Uhm, my name is Grace."


    At that moment, the angel''s smile grew wider, showing the barest hint of perfectly white teeth.


    "Grace. Pretty." She tilted her head slightly, studying Grace with an intensity that made her want to spontaneously combust. "You''re not afraid."


    It wasn''t a question, but Grace answered anyway.


    "S-Should I be?"


    The angel''s wings shifted again, and Grace could have sworn she saw amusement flash across those stunning features.


    "Most humans are. Especially the ones with something to hide." She took her eyes off Grace for a moment, which itself felt like taking a weight off her back. "Not that they should be concerned. My business lies with the forces outside of human civilization, not within it."


    There was weight to those words. Even she, an angel, the being tasked with keeping demons away, had a cautious tone when speaking of them.


    But all she could focus on was how the angel''s eyes seemed to see right through to Grace''s soul.


    "Well... I''m just a farmer," Grace managed, proud that her voice only shook a little. "Nothing to hide here! Unless you count the fact that I may have accidentally flooded my chicken coop this morning, hehe..."


    The angel''s laugh was like bells chiming, beautiful and somehow terrible at the same time.


    "A terrible crime indeed." She stepped even closer, and Grace forgot how to breathe. "Tell me, little farmer, what do you know about demons?"


    Being called "little" by this magnificent being made Grace''s face red.


    "Um, that they''re bad? And scary? And we should definitely avoid them at all costs?" Grace clutched her basket tighter. "Which I do! Avoid them, I mean. Very successfully! Haven''t been eaten once!"


    The angel nodded.


    "Good, well done. Additionally, you should also know that they can''t die," she noted, her eyes drifting away, her expression becoming more contemplative. "They cannot be slain. All I or anyone else can do is push them back. It might seem like they''re dead, but at some point, that demon will get back up."


    She looked back at Grace.


    "So, if you see anything... unusual," the angel said, her voice low and serious, "you stay as far away from any demons as you can, right?"


    Grace nodded so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.


    "Yes! Absolutely! Y-You won''t see me trying to stand up to any of those things, hehe."


    Another flash of that deadly smile.


    "Good. Take care, little farmer."


    And with that, she turned away, clearly dismissing Grace from a conversation that nearly made her heart stop.


    Grace stood there for a moment, brain trying desperately to process what had just happened. Then, she quickly spun around and speed-walked toward home.


    [Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH! A gorgeous angel just talked to me about demons while being unreasonably attractive a-and told me to ''take care'', AGH! MY HEART!]


    She didn''t stop speed-walking until she was well past the gate, her heart racing from more than just the exercise.


    [Father,] she thought hysterically, [I don''t think your advice about commanding respect covered what to do when an actual angel talks to you. I blame you for this.]


    ---


    The rest of Grace''s day was... less than productive.


    [Focus! The wheat needs watering!] she told herself firmly, standing in the middle of her field with the watering can. [Stop thinking about how her wings, or how tall she was, or her body, or... AGH!]


    She realized she''d been watering the same spot for five minutes.


    "UGH!" Grace threw her hands up, nearly dropping the can. "This is ridiculous! She was probably just doing her job! Informing random villagers about demons and... being unreasonably attractive while doing it and... calling me ''little farmer'' and..." She stopped, realizing she was talking to her wheat. Again.


    A chicken clucked judgmentally from nearby.


    "Oh, don''t you start," Grace pointed accusingly at the bird. "You''re not the one who had to look UP at the most gorgeous woman you''ve ever seen while trying to remember how words work!"


    The chicken tilted its head.


    "Sure, I guess I should get my mind off her and be doing my farm work more gracefully. But, is there a graceful way to shovel manure? Ugh."


    Another judgmental cluck.


    "You''re right," Grace sighed, shoulders slumping, voice softening. "I''m probably being ridiculous. She''s probably already forgotten about me. I mean, she''s an ANGEL. I''m just..."


    She paused briefly.


    "I''m just me."


    The sun was setting by the time Grace finally managed to finish her chores, though she may have rushed through the last few just a bit. She definitely hadn''t been jumping at every shadow, wondering if she''d catch a glimpse of white wings or snarling teeth.


    [At least nobody saw me stressing like this,] she thought, pulling her nightgown over her head. [Well, nobody except the chickens, and they''re used to my weird behavior by now.]


    Grace collapsed into bed, her body tired but her mind still racing. The angel''s voice echoed in her memories:


    "Take care, little farmer."


    A shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the cool night air.


    "MMMMM!" She squealed into her pillow.


    [Stop it,] she told herself firmly. [Go to sleep. Tomorrow you can go back to being a normal farmer. SLEEP. NOW.]


    She squeezed her eyes shut, and eventually, darkness claimed her.


    ---


    In her dreams, Grace stood in a field of golden wheat, but it wasn''t her farm. The stalks stretched endlessly in every direction, swaying in a wind she couldn''t feel. The sky above was the color of sunset, though there was no sun to be seen.


    "Hello, little one."


    Grace spun around and her jaw dropped.


    Standing before her was... herself? But not quite. The woman had the same snow-white hair and golden eyes, but that''s where the similarities ended. Where Grace was tiny and slight, this woman was tall and actually had visible breast. Very visible breasts. She moved in such a confident way that Grace felt small in comparison.


    "Who...?" Grace managed. "Who are you?"


    The woman''s smile was both familiar and alien. She didn''t respond at first, cupping Grace''s cheek with a hand that simultaneously burned Grace and made her feel so much colder.


    "I am." She leaned in a little, smiling as she inspected Grace, almost like she was a gem being turned in her palm. "And you will become."


    "I... don''t understand," Grace whispered.


    "You will." The woman''s expression turned serious. "But first, you must listen carefully." Her golden eyes began to glow, and suddenly the wheat around them burst into flames.


    Grace tried to jump back, but the woman held her firmly in place.


    "Don''t be afraid," she said, her voice echoing with power. "When the time comes, run toward the flames."


    "What?"


    The woman''s laugh in response was like bells chiming.


    "Good luck."


    ---


    Grace sat bolt upright in bed, heart pounding.


    It was still nighttime. Grace was still in her nightgown, feeling somehow hot in the cold night.


    [Oh, wow, whoa,] she panted, putting one hand on her chest. She could feel her heart trying to burst out. [What was...?]


    Normally, when she woke up she usually forgot her dream right after. But, right now, after several seconds of breathing heavily, she could still that woman''s face at the forefront of her mind.


    A scream cut through the night.


    Grace froze. For a moment, she thought she might have imagined it. But then another cry split the darkness, and this time, she saw it ¨C an orange glow on the horizon, coming from the direction of the village.


    She scrambled to the window, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste. Her heart, which had just started to calm down, began racing again for an entirely different reason.


    Fire.


    The village was on fire.


    [No no no no¡ª] S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The flames painted the night sky in angry reds and golds, and even from this distance, Grace could hear the chaos. More screams. The clash of metal. And something else ¨C something that made her blood run cold. A sound like nothing she''d ever heard before, halfway between a roar and a laugh.


    [Demons,] her mind supplied helpfully. [There are...]


    Another sound cut through the night. Not a scream this time, but a cry of pain. A cry that seemed to shake the very air, followed by the unmistakable sight of something large and white plummeting from the sky.


    Grace''s heart stopped.


    "I-I need to go help, I need to..."


    She wanted to. But, well, what exactly could she do?


    That angel had said it before. She''d made it crystal clear.


    Demons couldn''t be killed. You could prevent them from winning, but you can''t make them lose.


    Logically, Grace should have stayed. Logically, Grace should have covered herself back up in her bed, shut her eyes, and hoped whatever was attacking the village wouldn''t see her little farm.


    But, those words rang in her skull again.


    "Run toward the flames."


    "Oh no," Grace whispered. "No, no, no, what am I supposed to do about this?"


    But her body was moving before her brain could catch up. She didn''t even bother changing out of her nightgown, just grabbed her father''s old hunting knife from beside the bed and shoved her feet into her boots.


    [This is stupid this is stupid this is SO STUPID¡ª]


    Her feet hit the ground.


    She started running.


    Toward the flames.

 Chapter 3: Demons

    Chapter 3: DemonsGrace''s feet pounded against the dirt as she sprinted through the woods, branches slapping her in the face and snagging her nightgown like they were personally trying to stop her.


    The knife in her hand might as well have been a toothpick for all the good it would do against whatever was making those sounds up ahead. Every part of her brain was screaming "TURN AROUND, YOU IDIOT!" but her feet just kept going.


    Because of course they did.


    She couldn''t stop.


    She wouldn''t stop.


    The sounds got louder with every step she took. Not normal sounds either - these were outright nightmarish howls that made her want to pee herself, mixed with the clash of something hitting something else REALLY hard, and the unmistakable crackling of things being on fire.


    And still, Grace was telling herself:


    [Run toward the flames. Run toward the flames. Run toward the... very scary sounds that will probably get me killed. Great plan, Grace! It was probably just a dream too, why are you actually listening to it!?]


    Her heart was pounding against her chest as she burst through the treeline, and then¡ª


    Grace''s brain completely shut down.


    The angel she''d chatted with earlier was in a clearing that looked like someone had taken a giant blender to it. Her wings were spread out like some kind of divine peacock display, glowing so bright they hurt to look at. But this wasn''t the same pretty, charming lady from the market. Oh no. Her black hair was wild and messy, her fancy golden armor was all scratched up, and that massive mace she was swinging around looked like someone had stuffed the sun into a weapon.


    With all of that in mind, plus the murderous expression on her face, she was the most pants-wettingly terrifying, jaw-droppingly magnificent thing Grace had ever laid eyes on.


    But she wasn''t alone.


    Demons, actual demons, stood opposite her. Everything about them made Grace''s eyes hurt and her stomach flip. They were hulking masses of muscle and shadow that moved like Grace''s own mind was trying to convince itself they weren''t there. They had patchy black fur covering parts of their bodies, and where there wasn''t fur, their skin glowed like fire from hell, pulsing with a sickening red light. Their faces? They were like if someone tried to combine a wolf and a human but had only ever seen crude drawings of both and also was having a nightmare while doing it. And their hands? Human-like but with fingers so long and thin they looked like they could wrap around your neck twice.


    The noises they made were even worse. These wet, gurgling laughs that felt like they came from everywhere at once, like they were laughing both at you and inside your head. They circled around the angel like they were playing a game of "Who Gets to Eat the Pretty Lady First."


    And there were THREE of them. Three!


    The angel''s mace was flashing around, keeping the demons back as she stood her ground, but Grace could see her wings trembling. She was favoring her left side, and there were dark stains spreading across her armor that were probably not fashion choices.


    [She''s hurt. Really hurt.]


    That thought cut through Grace''s terror like a hot knife through butter. But before she could do something incredibly stupid ¨C like charge in with her dinky little kitchen knife ¨C the angel MOVED.


    And holy crap.


    If Grace thought the angel was hot in the marketplace, it was NOTHING compared to watching her fight. Her mace lit up as she spun around, smashing it right into the nearest demon''s face with a BOOM that rattled Grace''s teeth. The thing went flying like it weighed nothing, smashing through a tree trunk that exploded into splinters.


    [Whoa.]


    The second demon lunged at her, but the angel''s wings swept forward, and suddenly every feather looked razor-sharp. The demon howled as golden light sliced into it, making it back up. The angel didn''t waste a second ¨C she launched into the air, raised her mace up high, and brought it down so hard that the ground literally cracked.


    Grace winced.


    The third demon tried to sneak up behind the angel, but she moved like she had eyes in the back of her head. Her wings spread wide, and she twisted in a way that made Grace''s brain short-circuit for a second, bringing her mace around in an arc that caught the creature right in its nightmare face.


    One by one, the demons dropped like sacks of evil potatoes.


    Grace let out a breath she didn''t realize she''d been holding. Then she remembered what the angel had told her at the market:


    [But wait... Demons can''t be killed. These ones were just... temporarily inconvenienced, I guess.]


    The angel turned toward her then, and Grace''s heart did several flips in a row. Even covered in battle grime and bleeding, she was ridiculously, unfairly beautiful. Her hair was all wild and windswept, her armor was dented and scratched, and there was this dangerous gleam in her golden eyes that turned Grace''s knees to jelly.


    "You," the angel said and even her voice was all breathless from battle. "What are you doing here?"


    "I, uh..." Grace waved her hand vaguely at everything around them. "I just... wanted to help... Do you need anything?"


    Even to her own ears, this sounded completely moronic. But she was already here, and running away screaming didn''t seem like a valid option anymore.


    The angel just stared at her for what felt like forever. Finally, those perfect lips curved into a small smile.


    "You''re either very brave or very foolish," the angel said, and why did that sound hot instead of insulting? "But since you''re here..." She pointed toward the village. "There are people who need help with evacuation. Can you assist with that?"


    Grace straightened up immediately, trying to look competent and not at all like she was standing in a demon battlefield wearing her pajamas.


    "On it!" She turned to go, then spun back around. "Wait! What''s your name?"


    The angel looked over her shoulder.


    "Nymera," she replied. "Now, go!"


    Grace took off running toward the village, her bare feet slapping against the ground. The screams coming from everywhere told her there wasn''t exactly a shortage of people who needed saving.


    [Okay, okay, where do I go where do I go where do I... oh crap, that house is very on fire!]


    The sound of people screaming drew her to a house near the village square. Flames were eating up its sides, but Grace could hear voices trapped inside. A whole family was trying to get out through their front door, but something was blocking it.


    [Time to be useful! Or die trying! Preferably the first one!]


    "Hey!" Grace waved her arms around like a windmill, hoping they could see her through the flames. "Over here! Can you hear me?"


    "Help!" A woman''s voice called back. "The door''s stuck!"


    Grace ran to the entrance and saw that a huge wooden beam had fallen across it. She grabbed it and then immediately yanked her hands back with a yelp that would have embarrassed a puppy.


    [Hot hot hot HOT! Fire is hot. AAAAH!]


    She blew on her hands frantically, trying to cool them. Then she heard children crying inside, and her heart dropped into her stomach.


    [Think think think... Oh!]


    Grace ripped off the bottom of her nightgown (trying REALLY hard not to think about how much more naked she felt), wrapped the fabric around her hands, and PULLED with everything she had!


    The beam didn''t budge. Not even a little.


    "Aaaaaaagh!"


    [Come ON!] She braced one foot against the wall, straining so hard she thought her arms might pop off. [I am a hardened farm girl! I plow fields! I lift hay bales! I am NOT going to let anyone die because I''m too puny to move one stupid¡ª]


    The beam shifted just enough.


    The door burst open, and a family of four tumbled out ¨C mom, dad, and two kids who looked like they were about to cry (fair enough). The woman immediately gathered her children close, looking at Grace like she''d descended from heaven.


    "The forest path!" Grace pointed toward the treeline. "Follow it north! There''s a clearing where¡ª"


    A crash from behind made her whip around. Another house was falling apart, and she could hear more people screaming inside.


    "Go!" she told the family. "I''ll help them!"


    She was already running before they could say anything.


    The next house had a window that was blocked, but Grace was small enough to squeeze through a gap in the wall like a particularly determined mouse. She found an old couple inside, helping them navigate through the smoke.


    "Come on, come on! Let''s get you somewhere that''s not actively burning!"


    House after house.


    Person after person.


    Grace ran until her lungs felt like they were on fire and her feet were basically raw burgers, but she couldn''t stop. Not when there were still people who needed help. Not when she could still hear Nymera fighting in the distance.


    [Don''t think about her right now, she''ll be fine,] Grace told herself as she helped a little boy find his cat. [Keep moving before you collapse!]


    "Help! Someone help!"


    Grace''s head snapped up. That voice...


    [Old Lady Maple!]


    She sprinted toward the sound, finding the merchant trapped beneath a fallen market stall. Several villagers were trying to lift it, but the wood was too heavy.


    "Everyone together!" Grace shouted, surprised that her tiny voice could sound so commanding. "On three! One, two, three!"


    They all lifted at once, and Old Lady Maple crawled free. She immediately grabbed Grace''s hands.


    "You foolish girl," she said, eyes wider than dinner plates. "What in the world are you doing here?"


    "Oh, you know," Grace managed a weak smile. "Just making sure my favorite merchant stays alive so I can keep buying stuff at market value."


    Old Lady Maple''s laugh was cut short by another explosion from wherever Nymera was fighting. Grace''s heart did a nervous tap dance.


    "Alright, ma''am, time to evacuate! I''ve still got people to save!"


    "AAAAGH!" Nymera''s scream cut through the air from somewhere nearby.


    She looked back.


    And her whole world screeched to a halt.


    Her heart stopped.


    A fourth demon had joined the fight.


    But this one... this one was DIFFERENT. Where the others had been nightmare wolf-things, this one walked upright like a person. Its muscles rippled under skin that glowed like metal fresh from a forge, and its face... its face was almost beautiful, in the same way a venomous snake is beautiful right before it kills you.


    And it was winning.


    Nymera moved fast but the demon matched her every move, its claws knocking away her strikes with this freaky precision that just felt wrong. Every time they clashed, it sent these wild sparks flying ¨C gold from her, blood-red from it.


    [She''s getting tired,] Grace realized, her stomach dropping like a rock. She could see Nymera''s wings shaking, could see how each move was just a tiny bit slower than before.


    The demon noticed too. Of course it did.


    It happened in a literal blink. One second Nymera was pushing the demon back, her mace all glowy and awesome. The next¡ª


    Blood went EVERYWHERE.


    "AGH!"


    Nymera''s hand ¨C her entire HAND ¨C hit the ground with a sick thud, still gripping her mace. The angel stumbled backward, her face twisted in pain, and the demon let out this laugh that made Grace want to throw up.


    "NO!" Grace screamed.


    Her legs started moving on their own, like they hadn''t bothered to check with her brain first. She didn''t have a weapon worth mentioning. She didn''t have anything resembling a plan. She just knew she couldn''t stand there and watch this happen.


    The demon''s claws were already slicing down toward Nymera''s throat.


    Grace threw herself between them like the world''s smallest, most under-equipped human shield.


    She planted her feet, spreading her arms wide like that was going to do anything. Her nightgown flapped around in the hot air. Her heart was smashing against her ribs like it was trying to escape before the inevitable slaughter, and her legs were trembling so bad she could barely stay upright, but hey ¨C here she was, holding up a dinky little knife.


    Against a literal demon.


    [This is by far the dumbest thing I''ve ever done... and that includes the time I tried to milk a bull.]


    But she was here.


    The demon actually paused, tilting its head like a confused dog. Its eyes ¨C the exact opposite of Grace''s own, a cold, dark blue instead of warm gold ¨C studied her with an intelligence that was somehow WAY scarier than mindless monstrous rage.


    "Run," Nymera rasped from behind her. "Little one, run!"


    Grace didn''t answer.


    She didn''t move either. Instead, she locked eyes with this nightmare creature, trying to look brave while actively preventing herself from peeing in terror.


    The demon''s eyes narrowed, its face twisting in what looked like confusion. It took a step forward, reaching for Grace with claws that were literally dripping with angel blood.


    Grace had exactly zero plan when she charged forward, her dad''s hunting knife clutched in her hands. Her entire strategy boiled down to "stab the scary demon and pray really, really hard."


    It went exactly as well as you''d expect.


    The demon backhanded her mid-charge, swatting her away like an annoying fly. Grace went flying through the air, slamming into the side of a house with enough force that it was amazing the wall didn''t just collapse. Stars exploded behind her eyes, and pain shot through her body like someone had replaced her blood with flames.


    She was fairly certain just about every bone in her body had just broken.


    "Agh..."


    Through vision that was wobbling like she was underwater, Grace watched the angel lunge for her fallen mace, using this distraction, grabbing it with her remaining hand. Golden light flared up as she struck at the demon, but even Grace''s concussed brain could see the difference now.


    Nymera''s movements were clumsy, her attacks missing their mark. Blood poured from her severed wrist like a grotesque fountain, and her wings trembled with each move she made.


    She was absolutely going to lose.


    Grace pushed herself up, ignoring how her body screamed at her to PLEASE STOP MOVING YOU IDIOT. Blood ran down her face, making one eye all sticky. But she could still see her knife, lying just a few feet away.


    [Get up,] she ordered herself. [Get up get up GET UP! You''re not dying today on your back like a... flipped turtle!]


    Nymera exchanged more blows with that monster. The demon''s claws caught her wing, ripping through feathers and tearing into her back. Nymera''s cry of pain made Grace''s skin crawl.


    Grace''s fingers finally closed around the knife''s handle.


    [Come on... One step at a time. You can crawl across a battlefield with broken everything. Farmers are tough! We''re basically cockroaches!]


    The demon had Nymera pinned now, its beautiful face twisted into what could only be described as a slasher smile.


    Grace forced her legs to move. Each step felt like walking on broken glass while also being on fire. But she didn''t stop. She kept going, moving at approximately snail speed, but getting closer and closer.


    Closer and closer. Closer and closer. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Until she was right behind the demon.


    The thing definitely saw her ¨C it wasn''t blind ¨C but it considered Grace such a non-threat that it barely acknowledged her. Like how you wouldn''t worry about a mosquito when you''re fighting a bear.


    It didn''t react to Grace edging closer. It only slightly turned its head when Grace raised her knife, giving her this smug "really, little girl?" kind of smirk.


    "AAAH!" Grace gave out a battle cry and stabbed that knife right into the demon''s back. She stuck it right between its black-red shoulder blades.


    And something... HAPPENED.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"


    It SCREAMED. It screamed so loud Grace wanted to drop her knife and cover her ears. Its face twisted into this mask of pure agony, blue eyes going wide with what weirdly looked almost like recognition as it stared at Grace.


    Grace herself was making a stunned face, looking down at her hand.


    [What... What did I just...?]


    Nymera didn''t hesitate.


    The angel pushed herself up, and her mace came around in this perfect arc, blazing with light that seemed to be pulling power directly from Grace''s own glowing eyes. It smashed into the demon''s chest with a BOOM that made Grace''s teeth rattle.


    And the demon... shattered.


    Not like the others had just fallen over. This was completely different. Its body cracked like someone had taken a hammer to a porcelain doll, blue-white light pouring out of the cracks like someone had stuffed a star inside it, and then it slowly dissolved, disintegrating before their eyes.


    Until it was just gone.


    Grace blinked stupidly at the empty space where the demon had been, her brain refusing to process what just happened. Blood was still dripping down her face like some gross waterfall.


    "Did... did we just...?"


    She turned to look at Nymera and froze. The angel was staring at her with those golden eyes wide with a mix of awe and terror.


    "Impossible," Nymera whispered. Then she started to fall.


    Grace tried to catch her. The key word being "tried."


    They both went down together, Grace''s broken body finally giving up as she attempted to cushion Nymera''s collapse. The only thing keeping her moving this long was pure adrenaline, and that resource had completely dried up.


    They ended up face-to-face in the blood-soaked dirt.


    "You..." Nymera''s voice was fading fast, but her gaze was intense enough to burn holes through steel. "Who actually are you?"


    "Just... just a farmer," Grace managed to croak, though her vision was going all dark and fuzzy around the edges. "Really bad at... at irrigation systems..."


    ... Was she imagining that tiny smile on Nymera''s perfect lips?


    In any case, it was pretty obvious that Grace was dying and so was Nymera, if angels could even die. But where Grace would soon just stop existing, Nymera''s exit was considerably fancier.


    Her body started dissolving from her feet up, little golden embers floating away into nothing.


    "A farmer who can permanently kill demons?" she asked, acting very casual about the fact that her body was disappearing.


    "I did... what now?"


    But Nymera wasn''t looking at her anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the sky, and when she spoke next, it wasn''t to Grace at all.


    "I, Bravery Sister Nymera, do hereby witness..." Her voice was barely audible but somehow still had this divine authority to it, even as blood stained her perfect lips. "This soul is worthy. Let her rise. Let her..." Those gold eyes found Grace''s one last time. "Let her become an..."


    Grace''s eyes went wide. But she didn''t hear whatever came next, because Nymera completely dissolved into golden sparkles.


    Grace turned her face up to the sky.


    [Hehe...] She laughed in her head since her body wasn''t taking orders anymore. [I really... helped... didn''t I? Go me. Dying a hero. Mom would be... so proud... and also really mad...]


    Suddenly, her eyelids felt heavier than mountains.


    And as she let her eyes close, she could have sworn she felt Nymera''s hand holding hers. For a split second it felt like she was floating, before the cold darkness swallowed everything.

 Chapter 4: Angels

    Chapter 4: AngelsGrace''s eyes popped open and, for a second, she was convinced she''d just had the world''s weirdest dream. Maybe she''d eaten some bad mushrooms and hallucinated the whole "dying while fighting demons" thing.


    Because there was absolutely NO WAY what she was seeing right now could be real.


    [What... the... heck...?]


    She was sitting on what looked like a mountain peak, except it wasn''t an actual mountain. It was made of pure white marble. Like someone had taken an entire quarry''s worth of the stuff and just carved a mountain out of it. Clouds swirled around her feet and she couldn''t even see the sun, though the sky was this blazing shade of gold.


    Ahead of her, rising up into that golden sky, stood the biggest fanciest temple imaginable, making her little farmhouse look like a sad pile of sticks in comparison.


    Her body felt weird too. All light and floaty, as she pushed herself to her feet. The last thing she remembered was bleeding out in the dirt next to Nymera, and now... this.


    She looked down at herself, half-expecting to see her torn-up nightgown and a body that resembled ground meat. But nope! She was completely whole and injury-free. And dressed in this flowing white robe that felt way too breezy in certain areas.


    [Great. I''m dead AND I''m flashing my butt to whoever walks behind me. Perfect.] She tugged on her dress, pulling it down.


    She looked back at that structure up ahead.


    "I... guess I''m going in there," Grace muttered, taking a step forward. "Not like I''ve got a ton of other options."


    Her bare feet made no sound on the stone as she walked forward. She passed between columns and up ahead, she could hear voices. LOTS of voices. Mostly angry.


    She followed the sound, her heart doing the nervous chicken dance in her chest as she walked through a doorway.


    These massive doors made of gold and pearl stood wide open in front of her. She stepped through and promptly forgot how breathing worked.


    She was standing in the biggest room she''d ever seen. And it was PACKED with...


    ...Angels, she realized, her jaw practically hitting the floor.


    They were EVERYWHERE. Lounging on stone benches like they were at hot springs, hovering in midair like walking was for losers, and standing in little groups that radiated the kind of tension Grace usually associated with tavern brawls about to happen.


    Some of them looked like Nymera, with big muscles and physiques that screamed "I can bench press a horse." Others had bodies like that woman from her dream, which was to say they looked very lewd. And others were small and delicate-looking, like what Grace imagined forest spirits to look like.


    And they were all arguing. So loudly Grace thought her ears might start bleeding.


    "The mortal realm is falling apart as we speak!" an angel with wine-colored wings shouted. "We need to act NOW!"


    "And do WHAT exactly?" another one snapped back coldly. "We''re barely holding on as is!"


    "I say we pull back," a third one chimed in. "Let the mortals handle their own mess for a few years. Eternia will surely¡ª"


    "ENOUGH!" An angel shouted and everyone shut up instantly. Grace felt that shout in her bones. This angel stood at the back on a tall chair that made it obvious she was in charge. "We will deliberate calmly, but..."


    She stopped talking. The lady noticed Grace standing there before anyone else did.


    "Uhm," Grace called out, her voice tiny in the sudden silence. "Excuse me?"


    Every head turned toward her at once.


    Every eye stared at her.


    Grace felt the weight of all those stares and all she wished for was that she had actual clothes on instead of this flimsy excuse for a robe that barely covered anything.


    Whispers broke out everywhere.


    "Who is she?"


    "So small..."


    "Those eyes..."


    Grace''s skin tingled from all their stares. Surprise, interest, curiosity, judgment. The hairs on her neck stood up.


    The angel in charge floated down from her chair. The angel stopped right in front of Grace. So close that Grace could smell her. She raised her hand and held it above Grace''s head.


    Grace squirmed while the woman closed her eyes. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, it''s you," the angel said, her powerful but surprised. "The one Nymera vouched for."


    The room got quiet again.


    It wasn''t a question, but Grace answered anyway.


    "I, um, yes? I mean, I think so? We kind of... died together..."


    In an instant, the whispers turned into shouts.


    "She fought alongside Sister Nymera?"


    "Against a PRIMAL DEMON?"


    "Impossible!"


    "Look at her, she''s so tiny! I could fit her in my pocket!"


    "But those eyes..."


    The angel moved her hand from above Grace''s head to her chin, tilting her face up. Grace''s heart started racing. Those strange, beautiful eyes looked at her like she was the most interesting thing in the room.


    "Tell us," the angel ordered softly, "exactly what happened."


    Grace swallowed.


    "Well," Grace started, trying not to let her voice shake, "it went something like..."


    And so, she told her story. How she''d gone shopping that morning, met Nymera (leaving out the part where she''d stared like an idiot), had that weird dream, heard screaming and ran toward danger instead of away from it like a normal person would, and finally stabbed a demon in the back.


    Nobody said a word when she finished.


    Then:


    "She killed a PRIMAL DEMON?"


    "With a KITCHEN KNIFE?"


    "Focus on what matters ¨C she KILLED it! PERMANENTLY!"


    "But did you see her blush when she called Nymera beautiful? Quite charming..."


    The angel still holding Grace''s chin didn''t move, but her expression changed. Grace couldn''t tell if that was good or bad.


    "Well," she finally said, smiling, quiet enough to where only Grace heard her. "This is certainly going to be interesting."


    The angel''s thumb brushed across Grace''s lower lip. Grace''s thoughts scattered completely.


    [I think my heart just stopped.]


    "Welcome to the Angelic Dominion, little one," the angel said, her voice low and warm. "Come, allow me to save you from all this... whispering and swooning."


    She turned around (nearly hitting Grace with her wing) and walked away, clearly expecting Grace to follow.


    So, Grace did. What else could she do? Say no to the beautiful, terrifying angel who clearly ruled this place? Not likely!


    ---


    Grace hurried after the angel, trying not to trip while also trying not to stare at those rainbow wings swaying with each step. And...


    Well, they weren''t the only things swaying.


    [Why am I staring at her backside? Stop it, Grace!]


    But she couldn''t look away.


    The whispers of the other angels followed them down a corridor that looked like it was made of moonlight.


    "I am Celestia," the angel said without looking back, clearly amused. "And you, little one, are already causing quite the stir~"


    "I didn''t mean to!" Grace said quickly. "I just saw Nymera in trouble and I had to... to..."


    "Jump between her and a Primal Demon while wearing nothing but a nightgown?"


    "I... also had a knife..."


    "Ah, right, your kitchen knife! How could I forget your legendary weapon?" This lady teased.


    Grace''s face burned red.


    "W-Well, when you say it like that it sounds stupid."


    "Oh, it was." Celestia glanced over her shoulder with a look that made Grace''s knees weak. "But also brave. Brave enough to where Nymera saw fit to have you join our ranks as an angel."


    Grace stopped.


    "That... Is that why I''m here?" She looked down at herself. "I''m going to be an angel?"


    "Indeed. And, I am going to try to make this new career of yours easy to learn and adapt to. Though I should warn you, it''s been about a hundred or two hundred years since we had a new angel, so I might forget some things."


    Grace nearly fell over.


    "Two hundred years!?"


    "Give or take a few hundred," Celestia waved her hand like she was discussing the weather. "Now then, the Angelic Dominion. We exist in the same general realm as Linaria - that''s your world, dear - though, separated by a sort of veil. You''ll see that veil yourself at some point, but think of it as a thing that separates the mortal world from the spirit world."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "So, I really am... dead?" She asked quietly.


    "Hm? Oh, yes, your human body is very dead," Celestia replied like she was talking about yesterday''s dinner.


    "You could sound a little less casual about that!"


    Celestia laughed.


    "But darling, death is just the beginning! Look around you ¨C this is your home now."


    Grace did look around, and her mouth dropped open.


    They''d come out onto a balcony floating in the sky. Below them spread a city that shouldn''t have been possible ¨C towers of crystal, white stone, and gold rising through the clouds, gardens with flowers and gems surrounding them, and angels flying everywhere.


    "The training grounds are that way," Celestia pointed to floating platforms where angels fought with weapons made of light. "The libraries are there, the healing halls there, and¨C are you listening, dear?"


    Grace wasn''t. Because floating in front of her eyes were words that definitely shouldn''t be there:


    Eternia''s Blessing - Detected!


    Unlocked: Saintess System


    Initializing...


    Initializing...


    Initializing...


    "What..." Grace squinted. "What is that?"


    "What is what?"


    "Those, uhm... floating... words! And..." Grace''s eyes widened as she looked at Celestia. Words floated above the angel''s head too. "The gold-colored words above your head."


    Those letters above Celestia''s head read:


    [Level 99]


    Celestia stopped walking, raising a brow.


    "A what?"


    "That number over your head! The ''Level 99''... thing!"


    "I.. can''t recall any numbers being part of this process," Celestia said slowly, studying Grace with new intensity. "Are you... Are you certain you''re not seeing things? No one has ever mentioned seeing numbers before."


    "Can angels hallucinate!?"


    Celestia''s face told Grace that no, they definitely couldn''t.


    And yet...


    System Initialization Complete!


    Welcome, Saintess Grace!


    Tutorial Beginning...


    "Oh no," Grace squeaked. "There are more words. So many words!"


    Celestia frowned slightly.


    "I... I don''t know anything about ''floating words'', my dear. But I''ll look into it later. As I said, it''s been a while since we''ve welcomed anyone new."


    [Great. I''m seeing things no one else can see. That''s not worrying at all!]


    First Quest Received!


    Quest Category: General


    Quest: Survive Celestia''s ''Path Selection Process''!


    Reward: Basic Angel Skills


    "Um," Grace said weakly. "Is it too late to go back to being dead?"


    At that, Celestia smirked.


    "It is, yes."

 Chapter 5: Strange Words

    Chapter 5: Strange WordsGrace was trying very hard to focus on following Celestia. Really, she was. But, holy crap, the floating words above everyone''s heads were making it impossible! An angel rushed past her-Level 45 in blue letters. Two warrior angels were beating the crap out of each other in the courtyard-Level 60 and 62 in gold. A group of angels that Grace looked at and immediately looked away from when she saw what they were wearing (or NOT wearing)-all level 70s, with pink numbers, giggling.


    [Status... status... say ''status''...]


    There was something like a ghostly whisper in her mind. It kept getting more insistent. Like someone trying REALLY hard not to laugh while poking her repeatedly.


    [Great. Now I''m hearing VOICES in my head?!]


    "St-status?" Grace squeaked.


    A see-through screen of some sort popped up right in front of her face.


    "What was that?" Celestia asked.


    "N-Nothing."


    But the status page was definitely there, floating inches from her nose:


    Grace Lightsinger


    Attributes:


    Bravery: 5/100


    Compassion: 10/100


    Love: 1/100


    ---


    Traits:


    - Saintess System


    Can see System information


    - Touch of the Saintess


    Able to kill demons


    ---


    Skills:


    None


    ---


    Equipment:


    None


    ---


    Active Quests:


    Quest Category: General


    Quest: Survive Celestia''s ''Path Selection Process''!


    Reward: Basic Angel Skills


    She sighed.


    [What even IS all this?]


    "Here we are!" Celestia''s voice yanked Grace back to reality. They''d arrived at what looked like a training arena. The floating platforms and weapons made of light told Grace this place was a bit more intense than the chicken coop she used to work in.


    Celestia turned around. Grace''s heart stopped dead. The angel''s smile was turning Grace''s knees to jelly.


    "Just a few basic tests to check your skills, dear," Celestia purred, making a wooden sword appear out of nowhere. She handed it to Grace and then casually made a second one for herself. "That''s all."


    Quest Updated: Survive Celestia''s "Path Selection Process"!


    Recommendation: Try not to stare at her lips so much, hehe~


    Grace''s face burned red hot. She shook her head. She swore someone just giggled in her mind.


    "Now then," Celestia''s wings spread out wide, casting a rainbow shadow over Grace. "Shall we begin?"


    Grace swallowed hard.


    This was going to be a VERY long day.


    "W-What am I supposed to do, exactly?"


    "Whatever comes to mind, my dear. Honestly," Celestia added, stretching with her arms up high. Grace tried really hard not to stare at her breasts pushing outward. "Just, what do you humans say? ''Go with the flow''?"


    [Go with the flow?!] Grace thought desperately. [I''m facing six feet of absolute goddess with hips that could kill a man, and I''m supposed to fight this now!?]


    Grace was definitely worried.


    The closest thing to fighting she''d ever done¡ªbesides desperately stabbing that one demon, one time¡ªwas wrestling with her chickens. Somehow she doubted those skills would help her now. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace raised her hands in what she hoped was a fighting stance. It probably wasn''t, based on how Celestia''s face changed to something totally predatory. Her tongue darted out to wet her perfect lips in a way that made Grace''s brain stop working.


    Suggestion: Keep your eyes up, sweetie~


    That confirmed it.


    Something¡ªor someone¡ªwas definitely using these floating words to mess with her.


    Celestia moved first. She did a lazy swing with her wooden sword that Grace barely dodged.


    "ACK!"


    The angel moved deliberately slowly, like a cat playing with its food. Grace dipped, ducked, dived, and dodged away from the blade swings.


    Sure, it was a wooden sword, but still. She had NO intention of dying again.


    "... Good reflexes, I suppose," Celestia commented with an arched brow, her voice smooth as silk. "But you can''t dodge forever."


    [Does she HAVE to move like that?! Is all the hip swaying necessary? Is this part of the test?? It is, isn''t it?! She''s TRYING to distract me!]


    Grace scrambled backward. Her bare feet slid on the marble floor and she nearly stumbled. Each step was like an awkward dance that made her whole body move in ways that sent Grace''s heart racing. Besides that, the way Celestia''s rainbow hair fell over one shoulder, the slight bounce of her chest, the curve of her waist leading down to those...


    ... Those HIPS.


    "H-How long do we have to fight for!?"


    "I''m trying to get a sense of your talents," Celestia explained. She casually blocked Grace''s attempt to run past her with a twist that showed off her criminally perfect back muscles. "It will help decide which Path suits you best."


    "W-What''s that?" Grace managed, trying VERY hard not to stare at the way Celestia''s thighs flexed whenever she moved.


    "The three Paths of Angelhood, dear." A swing that made Grace yelp and definitely didn''t make her notice how Celestia''s biceps tensed. "Don''t worry, I''ll tell you all about them soon. For now, just focus on fighting me, my dear."


    [... Every time she calls me "my dear", my heart does a backflip.]


    "Come on," Celestia continued, clearly starting to enjoy herself, "show me what made Nymera vouch for you."


    Grace''s next dodge was more of a stumble.


    Celestia''s laugh was low and rich. Her chest bounced slightly with the sound.


    "Oh, darling, you are one amusing creature."


    Grace knew this was going to be a very, VERY long training session. Or showcase. Or whatever it was they were doing. She''d already forgotten.


    ---


    {Mara}


    Sister Mara stood before Eternia''s statue, her curvy figure reflected in the polished marble.


    Mara adjusted her robes, which were constantly fighting an existential battle with her chest. As the head of the Sisters of Compassion, she was supposed to project an air of dignity. This was unfortunately somewhat undermined by the way her light brown hair refused to stay in its proper bun, or how her robes sometimes made her give off the air of a Love Sister than a Compassion Sister.


    She looked up, meeting Eternia''s cold gaze.


    "Why did you leave us?" she whispered to the statue, green eyes searching that perfect marble face. "Why can''t we kill the demons like you could? Why..." She sighed, hips swaying as she paced. "Why does talking to statues never actually help?"


    Yes, the questions were old friends by now. Why had their goddess abandoned them? Why couldn''t she have given them the power to properly fight back? Why did she have to be so frustratingly cryptic about everything?


    Even Celestia had no answers to those questions.


    "Mara, darling!"


    [Oh, my.] Mara turned at Celestia''s voice, and she had to hold back a gasp.


    Celestia wasn''t alone.


    Beside her walked the tiniest, most precious little thing Mara had ever seen. The girl had golden eyes and hair like snow. She was wearing a thin dress that she kept pulling down and she kept glancing around like a startled fawn.


    ... Mara''s maternal instincts went into overdrive. This was the kind of girl you couldn''t help but smile upon seeing. The definition of a soul-healing appearance.


    "My, my~" Maria''s eyes remained fixed on that girl as she walked forward. "Who is this adorable creature?" she asked.


    "This," Celestia''s smile was absolutely wicked, "is Grace. Our newest angel."


    "New?" Mara''s eyes widened. "You mean..."


    [Nymera,] Mara thought.


    "Yes, yes, exactly as you suspect," Celestia''s hand found Grace''s lower back, making the girl squeak. "I wanted to get a sense of her angelic magic for myself, as always. I don''t believe she has an affinity for Bravery, so I came here. Would you like to help?"


    Grace looked up at Mara, and oh no, she had the biggest, most innocent eyes Mara had ever seen. Like a baby deer asking to be cuddled.


    [Awwwww!]


    "I, uh... I''ll try my best?" Grace managed with a shrug. "Though I''m not sure what I''m supposed to do..."


    Mara caught Celestia''s eye over Grace''s head. They shared a look that said volumes:


    [She''s precious]


    [Absolutely precious]


    [We''re keeping her]


    [Oh definitely]


    All communicated with a few smirks and maybe a cheeky wink.


    "Don''t worry, little one," Mara purred, bending down slightly to meet Grace''s eyes. She didn''t miss how the girl''s gaze dropped to her chest before snapping back up, hoping she hadn''t gotten caught (which she had). "We''ll take very good care of you."

 Chapter 6: Tests

    Chapter 6: Tests"Yes, just like that," Mara said, one hand on the girl''s shoulder. "Just focus. Feel it. Let it flow through you, building up, aching for release."


    Sweat beaded on the girl''s brow.


    "I-I don''t know if I can do this..."


    "Of course you can~" Mara urged her on. "You just need to... pull it out."


    The girl - Grace, was it? - kept trying harder and harder.


    Then, the orb flickered, its light sputtering like a dying candle.


    "Aw, unfortunate. Try again, you''ll get the magic right this time."


    Mara watched the new girl curiously. The poor thing was trying SO hard to make the healing orb work, her tiny face all scrunched up. It was adorable.


    [She''s like a lost lamb,] Mara thought, smiling. [I just want to scoop her up and squeeze her.]


    While Grace worked on that, Mara moved to get some answers.


    She leaned closer to Celestia, her chest brushing against the other angel''s arm.


    "So, did you just so happen to steal this girl from Eternia herself?"


    Celestia scoffed, her eyes stuck on Grace''s struggling form. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nothing that amazing. You..." Celestia sighed. "You felt it, right? Nymera''s passing?"


    Mara hummed, the sound rumbling through her chest in a way that always distracted everyone around her.


    "Yes. One of our most experienced Bravery Sisters, dying to protect some tiny village. Could hardly believe it."


    "Well..." Celestia glanced over at the new white-haired angel. "With her dying breath, Nymera vouched for this girl."


    "For her?" Mara looked over again.


    "Indeed. The girl killed a Primal Demon."


    "Sure, I guess she must be faster than she looks-"


    "No, Mara, you don''t get it," Celestia grabbed her attention. "She KILLED a Primal Demon. PERMANENTLY."


    "..."


    Mara''s jaw dropped. She couldn''t close her mouth for like ten seconds before she just blurted out:


    "What?"


    "I know. But I saw Nymera''s memory when I checked the girl after she showed up. I saw it and I STILL can''t believe it. That girl stabbed a Primal Demon in the back and after Nymera dealt a finishing blow it just... vanished." Celestia looked over at her. "And then, she failed the Bravery test."


    "Failed it?"


    "Oh, completely," Celestia laughed. "Utterly. Couldn''t hit me once, so we know she didn''t kill that demon with some hidden speed or strength. Though, to be fair..." Her lips curved up. "I might have been distracting her a little."


    Mara raised an eyebrow.


    "YOU? Distracting? Never." The sarcasm was thick as honey.


    Their attention snapped back to Grace as the orb in her hands sputtered and died, making the room dark for a second.


    "Well, that is... unfortunate."


    Celestia frowned, looking confused.


    "I don''t get it. I was SURE she''d have an affinity for Compassion, since she didn''t with Bravery. That''s why I brought her here. But if she can''t heal either, then..."


    Then, Celestia''s eyebrows shot up.


    Mara turned to face her, a knowing look in her eye.


    "You don''t think...?"


    Although Celestia was an angel, the grin she gave in response could only be described as evil.


    "Oh, I''m starting to think..."


    Mara looked back at Grace, who was staring at the dead orb in her hands like someone had killed her pet chicken. The poor thing looked so sad it made Mara want to hug her. Though, really, anything she did made Mara want to hug her.


    [Well then,] she thought, her smile turning mischievous. [Let''s see how our little lamb handles the Sisters of Love.]


    She walked forward, her hips swaying with each step. She could feel Grace''s eyes on her, could practically TASTE the girl''s nervousness. It was delicious.


    "Don''t worry, sweetie," Mara said, reaching out to tuck a strand of white hair behind Grace''s ear. The girl jumped at the touch, her cheeks turning pink. "We have one more test for you. And something tells me..." She leaned in close, her breath hitting Grace''s ear. "This one will be right up your alley."


    Grace swallowed loudly, her eyes wide and full of a mix of fear and... was that excitement?


    [Oh, this is going to be fun,] Mara thought.


    "So, Sister Mara," Celestia asked, "will you come with us?"


    "Of course," she replied before Celestia even finished asking. "I HAVE to see this."


    "Figured you''d say that. Guess it can''t be helped."


    Mara linked her arm with Grace''s, loving how the girl seemed to melt against her side.


    "Come on, dear. The Sisters of Love are waiting for you."


    As she led Grace away, Mara caught Celestia''s eye over the girl''s head. The archangel''s smirk said it all.


    Mara chuckled. Oh yeah, this was going to be very entertaining.


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace swallowed hard.


    [Sisters of Love? That... That sounds weirdly scary.]


    All of this had been oddly terrifying. Mara, who had "Level 71" over her head in blue letters, had made it so difficult to breathe for the last dozen or so minutes. Grace felt like she was going to be passing out anytime now.


    They led her through the heavenly city, past huge towers of white and gold, until they got to a building that made Grace freeze in place.


    Where the rest of the city was all clean and bright, this building was... different. Gold and pink swirled together in crazy patterns, and the air felt weird on her skin, making it tingle.


    But it was the angels inside that really made her stare.


    "I... What... They...?" Grace blinked over and over, trying to make sure she wasn''t dreaming.


    [W-What are they WEARING?!]


    Or more like, what were they NOT wearing? The angels hanging around the building had on tiny bits of silk and lace that showed off WAY too much. One was a girl with long, rosy hair who was basically in a loincloth. Another was a dark-skinned girl with short, curly brown hair in a dress with a slit up to her hip. All of them had those "levels" and pink letters floating above their heads.


    They all moved with this slow, smooth way that was somehow scarier than Celestia swinging swords or Mara doing healing stuff.


    As Grace and her angel guides got closer, the barely-dressed angels perked up, their golden eyes locking onto Grace like cats who just spotted a mouse.


    "Well, well, well," one of them purred, walking over. "What do we have here?"


    "The rumors were right? Fresh meat," another one giggled, circling Grace slowly.


    "Oh, I could just eat her up!"


    Grace felt like a chicken being sized up by very hungry, very pretty foxes. She moved closer to Mara without thinking, hoping the older angel might protect her.


    "He-he-he-he-he-help..."


    Mara laughed, the sound rumbling through her huge chest.


    "Now, now, girls. Play nice. This is Grace, our newest recruit."


    "Grace," the first angel said, saying her name like it was candy. "How... fitting."


    Celestia stepped forward, her rainbow wings spreading out to show who was boss.


    "Grace will be taking her final test here, under your... guidance."


    The angels giggled with excitement, their eyes NEVER leaving Grace.


    "And what test would that be, oh great Archangel?" one of them asked, sounding kind of rude.


    Celestia''s smile was sharp enough to cut Grace''s heart into dozens of tiny, gay pieces.


    "A kiss."


    Grace''s heart stopped dead.


    [A WHAT?]


    The angels started squealing with joy, clapping and bouncing in a way that made Grace''s face burn RED HOT.


    "A kiss!" they all shouted. "Oh, how fun!"


    Grace looked back and forth between Celestia and Mara, hoping one of them would say this was all a joke. But they looked serious. Well, as serious as they could while trying not to laugh their butts off.


    [A kiss? They want me to kiss one of... of THEM?]


    The angels were closing in now, their perfume surrounding Grace in a cloud of sweetness that made her dizzy. Hands reached out to touch her hair, to stroke her cheeks, to run down her arms.


    "Don''t worry, little lamb," one whispered right in her ear. "We''ll take very good care of you."


    Grace swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding, her skin was tingling, and she was pretty sure her face was redder than a tomato.


    [... I might just die a second time. I''m going to have a heart attack.]

 Chapter 7: Selection

    Chapter 7: SelectionGrace was dying. She was absolutely, positively, 100% sure she was about to die. Again.


    Her heart was pounding so hard it might just burst out of her chest, do a little dance, and then die right there. All because of a...


    A kiss.


    [How is this my life now?] Grace thought in panic as the Sisters of Love moved closer, looking at her like they wanted to eat her alive. [I''m an angel, now aren''t I? Is this what angels DO!?!?]


    All thinking stopped when a dark-skinned beauty started walking toward her like she was lunch.


    "Ah, looks like we''ve got a volunteer," Celestia said, totally enjoying this.


    "Well, aren''t you just the cutest little thing," the dark-skinned angel said. "I could just eat you up."


    Grace made a weird noise like a mix between a squeak and a whimper as the angel''s hands landed on her shoulders. Just that touch felt like it set Grace''s body on fire.


    "I... I don''t... Celestia!" Grace looked at the archangel with desperate eyes. Celestia was just watching with an evil smirk. "How is this a test again?"


    Celestia laughed.


    "Oh, sweetie. This is a test of what you want. Just do whatever feels right."


    [Feels RIGHT?!] Grace wanted to scream. [Nothing about this feels right! I''ve only ever kissed my own HAND!]


    But she couldn''t say that. Not with how this Love Sister, or whatever, was looking at her, with golden eyes promising things Grace had only read about in her mom''s hidden romance books.


    "Just relax, honey," the angel whispered, her breath hot on Grace''s lips. "I promise I''ll be gentle... At first."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    [Okay. Okay, I can do this. It''s just a kiss, right? A totally normal kiss. With an ANGEL. Who looks like she wants to EAT ME. Totally fine!]


    She took a deep breath to calm down. It didn''t work.


    "Well?" Celestia asked, clearly amused. "We don''t have all day, little lamb."


    Grace nodded like a robot.


    [Right. Just do it. Like ripping off a bandage. A really, really attractive bandage.]


    She licked her lips nervously. The Love Sister''s eyes followed every move.


    "Okay," Grace whispered, her voice shaking. "I''m... ready."


    The angel''s smile turned scary.


    And then the angel was kissing her.


    REALLY kissing her.


    "Mmm..." Grace''s eyes went WIDE as she felt a tongue slip into her mouth, touching her own and making her toes curl.


    It was too much. Too much feeling, too much heat, too much tongue...


    Too. Much. EVERYTHING.


    Grace''s brain stopped working.


    Her body melted.


    Her knees gave out.


    "Awah..." She fell backwards and collapsed onto the carpet. She heard the Sisters of Love giggling, but they sounded far away.


    [This is it,] Grace thought. [This is how I die. Again.]


    But what a way to go.


    Getting killed by a demon or getting kissed to death by an angel... easy choice, really.


    Celestia looked confused, not amused. She tilted her head, her hair falling over one shoulder as she stared at Grace on the floor.


    "She... failed this one too?" The archangel said. "But... this was the last one..."


    The dark-skinned angel who''d just destroyed Grace knelt down beside her, looking worried.


    "Oh, honey, I''m sorry," she said, touching Grace''s hair. "I didn''t mean to break you."


    Celestia waved her hand.


    "Not your fault. Our little lamb is just... weird."


    Grace managed to lift her head, looking up at the two gorgeous angels standing over her.


    "What... does this mean? Did I fail at being an angel?"


    Celestia sighed.


    "I don''t know, little one. You''re... strange."


    Mara, who''d been watching everything, stepped forward.


    "Maybe it''s time to see the Selector."


    "The... what?"


    Celestia helped Grace to her feet. The touch sent sparks up Grace''s arm. Would she ever get used to these beautiful angels?


    "Yes," Celestia muttered, more to herself than anyone else. "The Selector will know what to do with you."


    Quest Completed!


    Love +2


    Love 3/100


    Quest Gained!


    Face the Selector S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reward: Answers


    Grace swallowed hard, her lips still tingling. Whatever this Selector had planned, it would probably be just as crazy as everything else so far.


    But as Celestia and Mara led her out and the dark-skinned angel blew her a kiss that made her knees go weak again...


    ... She couldn''t help feeling a tiny bit excited.


    Just a tiny bit, though.


    ---


    Grace followed Celestia and Mara like a lost puppy. Her head was still spinning from that kiss. That brain-melting, knee-weakening, totally unfair kiss that she had absolutely not been ready for.


    "So this Selector thing," Grace puffed, jogging to keep up with Celestia''s long legs. "What is it exactly?"


    Celestia looked back at her, rainbow hair swishing.


    "It''s a machine that figures out what kind of angel you are when even I can''t tell. You see," Celestia said, sounding like a school teacher. "All angels belong to one of three Paths: Bravery, Compassion, and Love."


    Grace nodded, trying not to trip over her own feet.


    "To simplify things a little for you, Sisters of Bravery fight demons, Sisters of Compassion heal people, and the Sisters of Love..." Celestia''s lips curved into a smile. "They keep people happy."


    "VERY happy," Mara added with a wink.


    Grace''s face burned so hot she could probably cook eggs on it.


    "And you," Celestia reached back and poked Grace''s nose, "haven''t shown any talent for any of those things."


    "Uhm, s-sorry," Grace mumbled, looking at her feet.


    "Nothing to be sorry for, darling!" Celestia said. "We''ll find out what you''re good at soon enough."


    They stopped in front of this huge golden ball covered in eyeballs. Hundreds of them. All moving. All staring.


    "This," Celestia waved her hand, "is the Selector."


    Angels started showing up from nowhere, whispering and pointing at Grace.


    "Couldn''t you have just taken me here from the beginning?"


    "Of course, but that''s significantly less fun." She winked.


    [Says you!]


    Still, wanting to get this over with and retreat to someplace where she wasn''t being stared at like a piece of fresh meat, she walked up to Celestia.


    "What do I... do with it?" Grace whispered.


    Celestia pointed to a metal plate at the bottom of the eyeball-sphere.


    "Put your hand there. It''ll glow gold if you have an affinity for Bravery, blue for Compassion, pink for Love."


    "That''s all I do? Just touch it?"


    "Indeed." Celestia nodded.


    Grace turned to the Selector, her heart hammering in her chest.


    [Sounds simple enough, I guess. Even I can''t mess this up... right?]


    Grace took a shaky breath and stepped forward. Every angel was watching. Every eyeball on that creepy sphere was watching. Heck, even the clouds felt like they were watching.


    [Here goes nothing... please don''t explode or something...]


    She slapped her hand on the plate.


    All those mechanical eyes zoomed in on her face, making her want to curl up and die (again). For a second, nothing happened.


    Then...


    BAM!


    The thing lit up like the world''s fanciest lantern. But it wasn''t just one color. It was every color, even ones Grace hadn''t seen before, shifting and swirling so fast it looked like the ball was having a seizure.


    Grace stared up at it, confused. She took a step back, just in case the thing did actually explode.


    "Uhhh... is it supposed to do that?!"


    The angels around them GASPED. Even Celestia and Mara stood there with their mouths hanging open like they''d seen a ghost.


    Then words appeared above the Selector:


    Welcome back.


    [Welcome back? What the heck does that mean!?]


    Grace stared at the floating words. She''d never been here before in her life!


    ...Had she?


    Quest Completed: Survive Celestia''s Basic Training


    Basic Angel Skills - Unlocked!


    New Skills Gained!


    ¡¸Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 1)¡¹


    Able to wield equipment made of divine light


    ¡¸Soothing Hands (Lvl. 1)¡¹


    Able to pour divine energy into wounded bodies to heal them


    ¡¸Golden Tongue (Lvl. 1)¡¹


    Able to raise a person''s morale through intimacy


    "INTIMACY?!" Grace shrieked out loud instinctively before covering her mouth.


    Her brain felt like it was about to melt out of her ears. This was too much.


    "What... what does all this mean?" she asked, looking at Celestia and Mara with desperate eyes.


    But the angels just stared back at her, looking as shocked as she felt. Well, maybe not that shocked. No one could be as confused as Grace right now.


    "Well, well, well," Celestia finally said, her face splitting into a grin that was WAY too excited for Grace''s comfort. "You just keep surprising me, little lamb!"


    "Is that a good thing?"


    "Oh, it''s FASCINATING," Celestia replied, moving closer and circling Grace like she was examining a rare specimen. "Do you know what this means?"


    "N-Not really..."


    "It means," Mara cut in, her huge chest bouncing as she clapped her hands together, "that you have an affinity for all three paths!"


    "ALL THREE?!" The crowd of angels shouted in unison.


    "That''s... not possible," one of them whispered.


    "Not since Eternia herself..." another murmured.


    Celestia''s face went serious for the first time since Grace had met her.


    "Not since the goddess who created us all," she said quietly. "The only being who ever mastered all three paths."


    Grace''s knees felt weak. She wanted to sit down. Or faint. Or maybe just run away screaming.


    "I... I think I need to lie down..."


    "Oh I bet you do," Celestia laughed, patting her head. "Don''t worry. We''ll figure this out."


    As the angels led her away, Grace couldn''t help noticing how they all stared at her now. Not like before. Now they looked at her with... awe?


    [What have I gotten myself into?]

 Chapter 8: Welcome Committee

    Chapter 8: Welcome Committee{Mara}


    Mara couldn''t help but smile as she watched Grace explore her new quarters. The girl''s golden eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the massive bed (definitely too big for someone so tiny), the crystal fountains, and the panoramic view of the celestial city below.


    "This is... all for me?" Grace squeaked, running her hands over silk sheets that probably cost more than her entire farm. "But it''s so..." She gestured vaguely at everything. "Much!"


    "Of course it is, dear," Celestia replied, clearly enjoying Grace''s amazement. "We can''t have our newest angel sleeping in a barn, now can we?"


    Grace''s face reddened.


    "I didn''t sleep in a barn! ...Usually."


    Mara had to stifle a laugh.


    Everything about this girl was just so... precious. From the way she kept touching things like she was afraid they might disappear, to how she''d nearly fainted when Celestia showed her the private bath (complete with yet another fountain).


    She was dangerously endearing.


    "I''ll return shortly," Celestia announced, her rainbow wings spreading. "There are some... matters I need to discuss with the council." She gave Mara a meaningful look. "Coming?"


    Before Mara could respond, two figures dropped from the sky like falling stars.


    [Oh no,] Mara thought, recognizing them instantly. [This should be interesting.]


    The first was Seraph, commander of the Sisters of Bravery.


    She landed with the elegance of a warrior (that is to say, very little), her armor gleaming gold in the eternal daylight. Everything about her screamed ''power'' ¨C from her sharp features to the massive sword strapped to her back the size of... well, the size of Grace herself, actually. Her wings were pure white edged with gold, and her crimson hair fell in a battle-ready braid down her back, though there was kindness in her blue eyes.


    The second... well.


    "My my, what do we have here?" Venus practically purred as she sauntered forward. The leader of the Sisters of Love was basically seduction incarnate, wrapped in pink and gold, her curves barely contained by what could generously be called a dress. Her tan skin, like she spent every waking moment in the sunlight, gleamed like light, polished bronze, and her wings were the color of the sunset. Every step she took was calculated to draw nearby eyes.


    Grace, predictably, went bright red.


    "So THIS is the new blood everyone''s talking about!" Seraph''s voice boomed as she circled Grace like a hawk eyeing its prey. "Oh, she''ll do nicely. Look at that fire in her eyes! She''s meant for the battlefield, obviously."


    "Obviously?" Celestia asked, amused.


    "Well... Might need to change her eating habits," Seraph noted. "Perhaps get some more meat on those bones. But, she clearly exudes a murderous aura. Just look at her."


    All of them did simultaneously.


    "..." Grace looked like she was going to cry out of sheer embarrassment.


    Venus scoffed, her perfect lips curving into a smirk.


    "Please. With that face? Those bedroom eyes? She''s clearly destined for my Sisters." She reached out to cup Grace''s chin. "We''ll have her making people very happy


    in no time."


    "She knocked herself out from one kiss," Mara pointed out helpfully, giggling behind her hand.


    "Even better!" Venus clapped her hands together. "Think of the training potential!"


    "Absolutely not!" Seraph grabbed Grace''s arm, pulling her away from Venus. Mara, and it seemed Grace herself, was surprised Grace''s arm didn''t come off. "The mortal realm needs warriors. Desperately. Not another angel learning the oh-so-complex ways of cunnilingus."


    "I believe the professional term is ''boosting morale''," Venus shot back, grabbing Grace''s other arm. Then, she bent down, her supple lips nearly touching Grace''s ear. "Through whatever means necessary."


    Poor Grace''s head whipped back and forth between them like she was watching a particularly aggressive fencing match.


    "ENOUGH."


    Celestia''s voice cut through the argument like a blade of pure light. Both angels immediately released Grace, who stumbled back to hide behind Mara.


    ... Mara always liked it when Celestia went all-business.


    "If you''re quite finished treating our newest Sister like a toy," Celestia continued, her tone deadly sweet, "perhaps you''d like to hear something interesting?"


    "Oh? Do tell," Venus said, still smirking.


    "She doesn''t belong to one of you..." Celestia held back a smile. "She belongs to all three of you."


    With that, she told them about the Selector ¨C how it had cycled through every possible affinity before displaying that cryptic message. With each word, Seraph and Venus''s eyes grew wider.


    "Impossible," Seraph whispered.


    "Fascinating," Venus purred at the same time.


    "All three paths?" Seraph continued as she watched Grace shrink further behind her. "That hasn''t happened since... Ever."


    "Unless we count Eternia herself," Celestia added with a chuckle. Her rainbow wings spread wide, casting them all in shifting colors. "Regardless, I believe this means, my dears, that you''ll all have to share."


    The look of horror on Seraph''s face was almost comical.


    "Share!?"


    "Oh, I don''t mind sharing at all," Venus said, walking over and throwing an arm around Mara''s lower back. A faint blush reached Mara''s cheeks, though she didn''t move away. "In fact, I rather enjoy it."


    She looked back at Grace.


    Grace made a sound like a kettle about to explode.


    "I''ll draw up a schedule," Celestia continued, clearly enjoying herself once again. "She''ll train with each order equally. Seraph, you''ll handle combat training. Venus, you''ll oversee... morale lessons." She paused. "Mara," she turned toward her. "You will be in charge of her healing lessons." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course," Mara bowed.


    Celestia eyed the three angels, Seraph, Venus, and Mara, all warily.


    "... Try not to break her. Any of you."


    "I make no promises," Venus winked.


    "I..." Grace''s voice was barely a squeak. "I think I need to sit down."


    Mara caught her before she could collapse, shooting both the other leaders a stern look.


    "Perhaps we could continue this discussion later? After our new Sister has had time to rest?"


    Seraph looked like she wanted to argue, but Venus was already sashaying away.


    "Of course, of course," the Love Leader called over her shoulder. "Sweet dreams, little one. You''ll need your rest for what''s coming."


    The way she said ''coming'' made Grace turn several interesting shades of red.


    As both leaders took to the sky (Seraph still grumbling about sharing), Mara helped Grace to her new bed. The poor thing looked shell-shocked.


    "Don''t worry, dear," Mara soothed, stroking Grace''s hair. "You''ll get used to all of this rather quickly."


    "Will I though?" Grace asked weakly. "Will I really?"


    Mara just laughed.


    Something told her the next few decades were going to be very, very interesting.


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace flopped onto her new bed, which was definitely too big for her tiny frame, and stared up at the crystal ceiling. The whole wing echoed with emptiness ¨C dozens of rooms, hundreds of beds, all meant for new angels.


    And she was the only one here.


    [Well, this isn''t lonely at all,] she thought, turning onto her side. [At least the bed is soft... Really soft... Maybe I should just take a quick nap and¡ª]


    "THERE SHE IS!"


    Grace sat bolt upright just in time to see a wave of angels burst through her door like an explosion of wings and enthusiasm.


    "Oh my goddess she''s so TINY!"


    "Look at those big eyes!"


    "Can we keep her?"


    "I want to squeeze her!"


    Before Grace could even process what was happening, she was buried under a pile of extremely attractive, divine beings. Hands petted her hair, fingers traced her cheeks, and she was pretty sure someone just licked her neck.


    "Eep!" Grace squeaked as she was pulled into someone''s very generous chest. "I... what... who...?"


    "She''s even cuter when she''s flustered!" one of the angels cooed, nuzzling Grace''s hair.


    "Your hair is so soft," another purred, running her fingers through Grace''s white locks. "Like starlight!"


    System Alert: Subject''s heart rate reaching dangerous levels


    Suggestion: Breathe, hun~ Breathe!


    Grace''s brain was short-circuiting.


    There were just... so many beautiful women. Everywhere. Touching her. An angel with lavender wings was practically in her lap, another was definitely playing with her ear, and she was pretty sure the one behind her was about three seconds away from¡ª


    "Did someone just kiss my chest!?"


    "Sorry!" a voice chirped, not sounding sorry at all. "Couldn''t resist!"


    "I want a taste too!"


    "No fair, I called dibs!"


    "Since when?"


    "Since just now!"


    [... They''re like puppies,] Grace thought dizzily as hands tugged at her clothes and lips pressed against her skin. [I think I''m about to¡ª]


    "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING!?"


    Seraph''s voice cracked through the room like thunder. The pile of angels froze.


    "Uh oh."


    "Scatter, scatter!"


    "Every angel for herself!"


    "She can''t catch all of us!"


    The angels untangled themselves from Grace with impressive speed, darting for the windows and doors like startled birds. Seraph stood in the doorway, her golden armor gleaming and her sword practically vibrating with righteous fury.


    "Get back here, you undisciplined lot!" she roared, launching herself after them. "I''ll have you all doing laps around the Dominion for a MONTH!"


    Grace sat there in the sudden silence, her clothes disheveled, her hair a mess, and her skin tingling from about twelve different kisses.


    [What... what just happened?]


    [Hidden Quest Complete: Meet the Welcome Committee!]


    [Love +3]


    [Current Love: 6/100]


    [Note: Getting swarmed by beautiful angels? What an envious position~]


    Grace fell back onto her bed with a groan.


    [What kind of crazy place IS this?]


    From somewhere outside, she heard Seraph bellowing about proper conduct and the sanctity of personal space, followed by a chorus of giggles and the sound of many wings beating a hasty retreat.


    Grace buried her face in her pillow and screamed internally for approximately the fiftieth time that day.


    Being an angel was going to take some getting used to.

 Chapter 9: Eternia

    Chapter 9: EterniaGrace hadn''t meant to fall asleep. She definitely hadn''t expected angels to need sleep at all. And yet here she was, definitely dreaming, surrounded by clouds that looked suspiciously solid and a tea table that absolutely hadn''t been there a moment ago.


    And there sat that woman again.


    Once again, she looked exactly like Grace... if Grace had been drawn by an artist with a very specific appreciation for the female form. Same white hair, but flowing like silk. Same golden eyes, but knowing and seductive. Same face, but more mature and confident.


    And, well... definitely, absolutely, a much more generous figure that made Grace want to demand a refund from whatever divine being had handled her own physique.


    "Enjoying the view?" the woman asked, her voice rich with amusement as she sipped her tea.


    Grace''s face burned.


    "I wasn''t... I mean..." She coughed. "I was just noting the... differences."


    "Mhm." The woman gestured to the empty chair. "Sit. Tell me about your day."


    Grace sat, trying very hard not to stare at how the woman''s robes seemed to be fighting a losing battle with gravity.


    [What, just like that?] Grace thought, hands on her thighs. [Just start talking about my day? Just like that?]


    It took a moment, but Grace began.


    "It''s been..." Grace searched for the right word. "Intense?"


    "Oh?" The woman''s smile was absolutely criminal. "Do tell."


    "Well, let''s see," Grace started counting on her fingers. "I died, became an angel, got kissed into unconsciousness, found out I''m some kind of... triple-threat angel which apparently hasn''t happened since forever, and then got attacked by the world''s most aggressive welcome committee!" She paused for breath. "Also, everyone is unreasonably attractive and I think my heart might actually explode."


    The woman''s laugh was like bells chiming.


    "Yes, your new sisters can be... enthusiastic," she agreed, pouring Grace a cup of tea that smelled like summer flowers. "Especially with new arrivals. Though in your case..." Her eyes sparkled. "Well, you are rather precious."


    "I am not precious!" Grace protested, immediately undermining her point by almost dropping her teacup. "I''m a hardened farmer!"


    "Of course you are, dear." The woman''s smile widened. "A very cute hardened farmer who just had her first kiss and promptly fainted."


    Grace buried her face in her hands.


    "Is everyone going to keep bringing that up?"


    "For at least a few centuries, yes."


    "Wonderful." Grace peeked through her fingers. "... Can I asks something?"


    "Of course," the lady replied. "Amusing as it is, I did not come here only so you could vent."


    Grace nodded slowly.


    "... Who exactly are you?"


    The woman gave her a closed-mouth smile.


    "Who do you think I am?"


    Grace inhaled, suddenly feeling a bit colder.


    "... Eternia?"


    The woman leaned back.


    "In the flesh," she nodded back. "Or, I suppose it would be more accurate to say ''in your dreams'', hehe."


    There it was. It was stated so clearly, so simply, and yet Grace almost felt like she already knew that. She was shocked by how not shocked she was.


    "Okay..." Grace crossed her arms. "I guess my next question would be... what do you want with me?"


    At that, the lady set her tea aside.


    "Let''s talk about that."


    Eternia rose from her chair with a grace that made Grace feel like a stumbling chicken in comparison. The goddess extended her hand, and Grace took it before her brain could remind her that maybe she shouldn''t be so casual with literal deities.


    "Walk with me," Eternia purred, and oh, that wasn''t fair at all.


    The clouds beneath their feet shifted, parting to reveal the world below like a living painting. Grace''s breath caught as she saw familiar landscapes transformed into scenes of violence and despair.


    Below them, the clouds parted to show a mother clutching her children, trying to shield them as demons tore through their village. Beside that scene, an old man huddled in the ruins of what was once a grand temple, sharing his last crust of bread with a group of orphans. In another town, a healer worked herself to exhaustion, her hands shaking as she tried to tend to dozens of wounded with supplies meant for ten.


    The images shifted again, showing a young warrior facing down a demon twice her size, buying time for others to escape even though terror showed clearly on her face. Next to her, a farmer much like Grace had been stood guard over her neighbors'' children, armed with nothing but a rusty pitchfork and determination. A priestess in a ravaged church cradled a dying soldier, whispering prayers even as tears streamed down her face.


    "I assume you recognize this?" Eternia''s voice was softer now, though her hand remained firm on Grace''s. "This is your world, little one. Or what''s left of it."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "I... yes. I saw some of it myself when..." She trailed off, remembering Nymera''s final moments specifically.


    "Of course. You''ve lived through some of this. When you watched one of my angels fall," Eternia added. Her thumb traced circles on Grace''s palm, somehow both comforting and distracting. "When you proved yourself worthy of everything I''ve been planning."


    "About that," Grace managed, trying very hard to focus on the serious conversation and not how Eternia''s closeness made her skin tingle. "Why haven''t you done anything about all this? You''re a goddess, aren''t you?"


    Eternia''s laugh was rich and warm.


    "Oh, but I am doing something about it." She turned to face Grace fully. "I''m doing you."


    Grace choked on air.


    "Poor choice of words. My apologies," Eternia amended, though her smirk suggested she wasn''t sorry at all. "What I mean is, you are my solution. My masterpiece."


    The clouds shifted again, showing scenes of angels in action.


    Warriors clashing with demons, healers tending the wounded, and... others doing things that made Grace''s face heat up considerably.


    [O-One of those doesn''t belong with the rest!]


    "You see," Eternia continued, clearly enjoying Grace''s flustered state, "divine power works in the form of what I call the Divine Cycle. There are three ''holy virtues'', Grace," she put up the number with her hand. "Bravery, Compassion, and Love. When humanity shows those virtues in the mortal world, those virtues in turn fuel our power. Yes, not just the angels'', but my own. That is why angels exist, so they might inspire humans to take these virtues to heart." She sighed dramatically. "But lately, humanity''s been a bit... lacking."


    Grace watched as the images grew darker. People hiding instead of fighting. Turning away from those in need. Hearts growing cold.


    "Warriors running away from battle, no one helping each other... and don''t even get me started on the state of romance these days. Even birth rates are down!" Eternia rolled her eyes. "So, as soon as I noticed it all, I decided to take matters into my own hands."


    She pulled Grace closer, and Grace''s heart did several backflips.


    "I''ve been saving up power for the last couple of millennia," Eternia explained, her voice dropping to something almost intimate. "Gathering it, concentrating it, relying on my angels to handle things themselves. It was heartbreaking, I''ll have you know, watching humans die. Watching fear take hold of Linaria." Her free hand came up to cup Grace''s cheek. "But, I waited and waited... and when I finally had enough, I made you."


    Grace blinked.


    "You... made me?"


    "Mhm." Eternia''s smile was absolutely radiant. "Like an artist crafting their masterpiece. Every detail planned, every trait carefully selected." She brushed a strand of hair from Grace''s face. "Though I must say, you turned out even cuter than I expected."


    "I..." Grace''s brain was having trouble processing this. "So when humans ask where their goddess is during all this..."


    "I can finally answer: she''s been crafting you." Eternia''s eyes sparkled.


    Grace gawked back at her, mouth open and hanging frozen.


    "Don''t worry too much about getting things right straight away, Grace," Eternia waved dismissively. "You''ll figure it all out over the course of your training. You might think your body is nothing but a brittle toothpick, but I''ve placed the spirit and vigor of an entire army within you. You might think you aren''t cut out for divine power, but trust me, if it is within my power to do? Someday, you will be able to do it also. And, you might think you don''t have a single sexy bone in your body," she leaned in conspiratorially, "but, soon, you''ll have to fight people to get them away from your bed~ HA!" She cackled.


    Grace blinked as Eternia said that.


    In truth, it was hard to imagine any of that.


    Her, being a warrior? Her, using magic? Her, ehm... lifting people''s spirits?


    "So then... That''s it?" Grace asked, looking back at those bleak images. "I''m... I''m meant to be your weapon? Your way of saving the world?" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eternia nodded.


    "You will be the light humanity has been waiting for. Soon, of course," Eternia took a step back. "For now, just focus on getting acquainted with your new home. And, remember," she put her hands on Grace''s cheeks. "If at any point you start doubting yourself, just keep in mind... You are, rather literally, made for this."

 Chapter 10: Learning The Ropes

    Chapter 10: Learning The RopesGrace''s eyes fluttered open to find Celestia lounging in a nearby chair, one leg crossed elegantly over the other as she read from a massive book. She looked like she''d been painted there, too perfect to be real.


    "..."


    Grace blinked.


    As soon as she registered that this was actually happening, she bolted upright, clutching her blankets to her chest.


    "AHH!" Celestia barely reacted. "How... how long have you been there!?"


    Celestia smiled.


    "Oh, just a few hours," she replied casually, turning a page with a flick of her wrist. "You''re quite adorable when you sleep, by the way. All those little mumbles about ''too many pretty angels''. Is that how you feel? Hehe..."


    Grace''s face may as well have burst into flames!


    "You didn''t have to wait for me!" she squeaked, trying desperately to remember if she''d said anything else that was more incriminating in her sleep. "I mean, you''re probably very busy and important and¡ª"


    "Darling," Celestia cut her off with a raised brow and a smirk, "I''m thousands of years old. A few hours is nothing." She uncrossed her legs (which made Grace''s face around 15% redder than it already was) and stood. "Besides, how could I resist watching over our precious new arrival?"


    Celestia glided to a wardrobe that definitely hadn''t been there yesterday, pulling out what looked like flowing white robes.


    "Here," she tossed them at Grace. Grace caught them with her face. "The bathing pool is through there. Do freshen up, dear. We have much to do today."


    Grace emerged from the blankets, holding up the robes. They looked expensive. And complicated. And... very, very see-through in certain places.


    "Um," she managed eloquently. "Is there maybe something a little more... covered?"


    Now, it was Celestia''s turn to pause, like that had been the last thing she expected to hear. Then, she started laughing.


    "Oh, sweet summer child. No, no there is not. But, hey, on the bright side, those clothes provide pretty strategic ventilation."


    "That''s not even slightly reassuring!"


    "Ah, well, can''t be helped then," Celestia winked. "Anyway, hurry up. Unless..." Her smile turned predatory. "You need help getting dressed?"


    Grace nearly tripped over her own feet in her rush to the bathing pool.


    "Nope! No! I''m good! Totally fine! Absolutely DO NOT need help removing or putting on clothes, thank you very much!"


    Celestia''s laughter followed her all the way to the pool.


    "Suit yourself!"


    Grace had a feeling this was going to be a very long day.


    As she walked, however, she thought about her dream, her talk with Eternia.


    Grace wasn''t too sure how to feel about this new knowledge. On the one hand, she could help? That was great. Of course she''d like to help if she could.


    But... S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Me?] She thought, looking down at herself. [I can help?]


    She had a hard time seeing that.


    ---


    Grace tried very hard not to stare at the way Celestia''s hips swayed as they walked through the crystal halls. She failed miserably, of course, but she tried.


    [Why are all these angels so... big?]


    "Now then," Celestia''s fingers snapped, and a sheet of paper materialized in front of Grace''s face. "Your schedule, dear."


    Grace grabbed it before it could hit her nose.


    "My... oh!"


    Her eyes widened as she read:


    GRACE''S DIVINE CURRICULUM


    Morning: Combat Training with Sisters of Bravery


    - Learning to not die (again)


    - Weapons practice


    - Flying lessons (please don''t fall, you may be immortal now but you can still feel pain so it will be unpleasant)


    Afternoon: Healing Arts with Sisters of Compassion


    - Basic medicine


    - Divine energy manipulation


    - "Hands-on" practice sessions


    Evening: Morale Training with Sisters of Love


    - Advanced interpersonal techniques


    - Energy transfer and morale raising exercises


    - Private tutorials (?)


    "That last heart is concerning," Grace mumbled.


    Celestia''s laugh echoed through the hall.


    "Don''t worry, dear. We''ve arranged everything to be as... gentle as possible." Her smile suggested she meant anything but gentle. "Though I must say, you''re taking all this rather well now."


    "Well," Grace shrugged, "that''s partly cause it''s hard to believe this is even happening and also cause after finding out I''m basically a divine art project, everything else seems almost normal?"


    "A what?" Celestia asked.


    "I..." Grace thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. "Never mind."


    She doubted Celestia would hear her say, "yeah, our absentee-goddess? Eternia? Turned out she literally created me, like a damn piece of pottery" and not just laugh at that. She wasn''t even sure she believed it herself. Who knows? Maybe her dream was a total hallucination.


    "In any case," Celestia smirked. "Let''s see if you still think that after seeing your classrooms."


    They stopped first at what looked like a massive bedroom. No, scratch that ¨C several massive bedrooms connected by gauzy curtains and filled with more pillows than Grace had ever seen in her life. Angels lounged everywhere in various states of undress, some practicing what looked like... meditation? Others...


    [A-A-A-A-A-A-A-Are they... !?!?!?]


    "This is the Sisters of Love''s primary classroom," Celestia announced. "Hm. They''re up early today."


    Grace''s jaw dropped.


    "That''s a CLASSROOM!?"


    "Mhm. Where else would they practice their... techniques?"


    "I... but... they''re..." Grace gestured helplessly at two angels who were definitely not just meditating. "How is this ''training''!?"


    "There is much to learn and much to practice when it comes to raising morale, dear."


    "Ah," Venus called out then, descending upon Grace - [was she hiding up in the ceiling!?] "are you here to begin your lessons~?"


    Grace nearly passed out.


    "Nope, sorry to disappoint," Celestia said, tugging Grace''s limp body away. "Just showing her around."


    Next came the healing halls, where Mara already was. She glanced over and waved with a warm smile that made Grace''s knees weak. The walls were lined with beds ("For practice!" Mara had assured her with a wink), and the air smelled of herbs and something sweet that made Grace''s head spin.


    Finally, they reached a massive courtyard. There was a ring of some sort, a track for running, some dummies set up, and much more.


    "And this," Celestia gestured grandly, "is where you''ll begin each day."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "Right. Learning to fight. And fly. And..." She glanced back at her schedule. "Whatever ''energy transfer exercises'' are."


    "Oh, you''ll find out soon enough." Celestia''s hand landed on Grace''s shoulder, and was it just her imagination or did those fingers linger a bit too long? "You know, you really are handling this better than expected. Yesterday you could barely look at an angel without combusting."


    "I guess I''m quick to adapt?" Grace suggested hopefully.


    "I suppose we''ll see," Celestia laughed. "Well, this is where I leave you, little one. Feel free to sit around and wait till Seraph gets here. She''ll take care of you. Also, try not to faint during training ¨C though if you do, I''m sure someone will be happy to catch you."


    And with that, she was gone, leaving Grace alone with her schedule and the distinct feeling that she was absolutely not ready for any of this.


    Grace looked down at her schedule again, sighing.


    "Well," she muttered, "at least if I die again, I''ll have nice views on the way out."


    ---


    {Diana}


    Fire.


    Everything was fire.


    Diana stood frozen, her sword trembling in hands that had never shaken before. The Primal Demon''s smile sent ice through her veins ¨C a feeling she hadn''t experienced since becoming an angel.


    Its face twisted into a terrible grin as it stepped closer, each movement like liquid darkness.


    Behind her, humans fled. Smart humans. Humans who knew when they were outmatched.


    [Maybe...] Diana''s grey eyes darted to the side. [Maybe I should¡ª]


    She jolted awake with a gasp, sweat making her black hair stick to her neck. Her hand automatically went to the scar over her right eye ¨C a reminder of a different demon, a different fire.


    "I... Oh my..." She was breathing heavy. As she looked around, she sighed with relief. It was just a dream.


    Or, well, it wasn''t. That had happened, and Diana had done that, but she wasn''t there right now.


    "Mmm..." A sleepy sound beside her made Diana turn.


    Juliana stirred among the tangled sheets. As Diana calmed down, her eyes traced the marks she''d left on that perfect skin last night, remembering how the Love Sister had practically begged for each one.


    [At least the nightmares waited until after the fun part,] Diana thought, pushing herself up. Her abs tensed with the movement, and really, she couldn''t blame Juliana for immediately reaching out to trace them.


    "Leaving so soon?" Juliana''s voice was still thick with sleep and something much more interesting.


    Her fingers caught Diana''s wrist just as she stood, pulling her back down for a kiss that was definitely not appropriate for the hour.


    When they parted, a strand of saliva connected their tongues, making Diana''s breath catch.


    "Don''t be gone too long~" Juliana purred, stretching in a way that was absolutely intentional. "I''m not finished with you."


    Diana couldn''t help but smirk.


    "Right."


    She walked out into the hall, rolling her shoulders as she went with no top on, just black shorts.


    She drew a few appreciative glances from passing angels, others who liked to get up early like she often did. Usually, that kind of attention made her feel powerful. Today, though...


    [What else could I have done?] The thought nagged at her as she headed for the training yard. [Anyone would run in that situation. Anyone would...]


    Diana shook her head. No need to think about that anymore. No need to think about anything, for now.


    This was why she loved early morning training ¨C no one around to see her work out her frustrations on practice dummies. Just her, her sword, and blessed silence.


    Or at least, that''s how it usually went.


    Diana stopped dead in her tracks.


    [What the...?]


    There, in her training yard, stood quite possibly the tiniest angel she''d ever seen. White hair caught the morning light like fresh snow, and golden eyes burned with determination as she tried (and spectacularly failed) to lift a sword that was definitely too big for her.


    "Aaaaargh- WHOA!" The girl tried to swing it, nearly falling as the momentum threatened to take her down.


    The sight was... surprisingly endearing.


    Diana considered leaving. The appeal of this morning routine, getting up *before* the usual training kicked off, was the peace and quiet.


    But, as the girl made another swing, Diana took a few steps forward.


    [... I suppose I should show her how it''s done.]

 Chapter 11: The New Girl

    Chapter 11: The New Girl"You''re doing it all wrong," Diana called out, unable to hide her amusement as the tiny angel fell on her butt.


    "EEP!"


    The girl spun around so fast she actually did fall this time. The sword clattered beside her. Her golden eyes went wide as she took in Diana''s presence, and then...


    Those eyes dropped lower.


    And stayed there.


    [Hm?] Diana thought, tilting her head as the girl''s face turned approximately the color of a sunset.


    Diana looked down to where the girl was staring (her bare chest) and then looked back up at the girl herself.


    [Oh she''s definitely new here. Getting this flustered over some tits? Really?]


    If she was blushing so hard over just some breasts, Diana expected she''d just about melt into a puddle before the day was over.


    "I... um... you''re..." The girl seemed to be malfunctioning, her mouth opening and closing without actually forming words. "Very... I mean... sword! Yes! I... practicing? With... sword?"


    Diana couldn''t help it ¨C she scoffed.


    She strode forward, absolutely not missing how the girl''s eyes tracked the movement of her abs with each step.


    "I can see that," Diana said quietly, reaching down to help her up. The girl''s hand was tiny in hers and soft in a way that suggested she''d never held a weapon before today. "It''s a bit early for this, though. Lessons don''t start for probably like another hour or so."


    "I-I know, but, uh... Rather than wait for Seraph, I figured I''d get started on my own."


    "That right?" Diana raised a brow. "Well, maybe start with something more your size? That thing''s almost taller than you are."


    "R-Right!" The girl jumped up, then immediately stumbled as she tried to lift the sword again. "I''ll just... go get a smaller one!"


    She scampered off toward the weapon racks. Diana''s eyes lingered on the way her dress clung to her petite frame as she ran.


    When she returned (with a slightly more practical wooden sword for her size, though it was still big), Diana moved behind her.


    "Here," she said, adjusting the girl''s stance with her hands. She felt the girl''s legs in particular trembling beneath her fingers. "Feet apart, back straight, shoulders relaxed."


    "Like... like this?"


    "Almost." Diana''s hands found the girl''s hips, guiding them into proper position. She heard the sharp intake of breath at her touch. "There. Now try swinging."


    The movement was still clumsy but there was some clear, instant improvement. Diana guided her through a few more basic forms, noting how quickly she picked things up despite her obvious nervousness.


    "You know," Diana mused as she corrected the girl''s grip, "there may be a few other healers who are early risers. Shouldn''t you be getting ready with them instead of taking up space here?"


    "Huh?"


    Diana was confused at the sight of her confusion.


    With her size, her frame, her non-existent muscles, her extremely inexperienced hands... well, obviously this girl was a healer, right?


    "You''re waiting for the Compassion girls to get up, right? Mara''s usually up early. You can probably just go there."


    Those golden eyes narrowed in Diana''s direction.


    "E-Excuse you," the girl huffed, puffing up like an angry kitten, "but I actually have a Bravery affinity!"


    Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh really?" She crossed her arms, knowing exactly what that did to her chest. Sure enough, the girl''s eyes dropped again before snapping back up. "You''re certain Celestia wasn''t just playing tricks on you?"


    The blush that had just started to fade came rushing back.


    "The Selector said so, actually," she huffed, looking away. "So, yes. I am actually quite sure I am meant to be here."


    Diana''s other eyebrow joined the first.


    [The Selector? Well, color me shocked.]


    She looked at the girl with new interest, though her curiosity was still just mild. White hair, golden eyes, that innocent face...


    This girl had what it took to be a warrior?


    Again, she couldn''t help it. She scoffed.


    "Demons are going to floss their teeth with you," Diana muttered. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "WHAT!?" Indignant, the girl glared back at her. "You... I... No, they won''t!" The girl exclaimed. "Just you wait! I''ll show you."


    With that determined declaration, the girl started swinging her sword in the air for emphasis. She swung three times before she needed to stop and get a breather.


    [The Selector... Maybe that damned thing is broken,] Diana thought as she walked away and sat on a nearby bench.


    Diana shrugged, grabbing some wraps for her chest. Not her problem if some tiny angel wanted to play warrior. She had her own training to focus on.


    [Besides,] she thought as she secured the wraps, [I''m sure some time in the fields will get her to reconsider her career choice.]


    The memory of flames flickered at the edges of her mind, but Diana pushed it away.


    She dropped to the ground, ready to start her usual routine of push-ups that made some of the wandering Love Sisters drool.


    "Well, well!" A familiar voice called out. "I see you''ve met our dear Grace!"


    Diana glanced up to see Seraph striding over, already in her training gear. The commander''s bright, crimson hair and beaming smile held far too much energy for Diana''s taste.


    Just looking at this woman was exhausting.


    "Grace? That her name?" Diana started her push-ups, muscles flexing with each controlled movement. "You sure the Selector doesn''t need a tune-up? She seems more like healer material to me."


    A weight settled on her back ¨C Seraph making herself comfortable, as usual.


    [This fucking c...]


    "Oh, she''s exactly where she needs to be," Seraph purred, crossing her legs as Diana continued her exercises. "After all, it''s not every day we get an angel with all three affinities."


    Diana''s arms almost gave out.


    "All... what?" She twisted to look up at Seraph, who was wearing that insufferable smirk she got when she knew something good. "Is that even possible?"


    "Apparently!" Seraph bounced slightly on Diana''s back, making the warrior grunt. "Our Grace is quite the miracle. Triple affinity, killed a Primal Demon with a kitchen knife. She''s full of surprises."


    [She...]


    Diana froze.


    In the distance, Grace attempted another sword swing and nearly took out a practice dummy by falling into it.


    [She killed a Primal Demon? Her?]


    "... You''re joking."


    "Not even slightly." Seraph''s grin widened. "Nymera vouched for her. She''ll be training with us from now on. Well, when she''s not with the healers. Or the Love Sisters."


    Diana''s eyes narrowed as she watched Grace untangle herself from the dummy.


    The tiny angel had managed to right herself and was now glaring at the practice sword like it had personally offended her entire family.


    "..."


    [Well, whatever,] Diana thought, returning to her push-ups. [Not my problem.]


    Though she had to admit, there was something oddly compelling about watching Grace try so hard. Like a kitten attempting to roar.


    "Oh?" Seraph''s voice dripped with amusement. "Interested in our new recruit?"


    "Shut up and get off my back."


    "Make me~"


    [This,] Diana decided as she heard Grace yelp followed by another crash, [is going to be a very long morning.]


    ---


    {Mara}


    Mara''s footsteps echoed through the clinic''s crystal halls, her robes swishing around her curves as she made her morning rounds. Everything was in perfect order, as usual ¨C beds made, supplies stocked, healing fonts gleaming with divine energy.


    So why did something feel... off?


    She found her answer in one of the meditation gardens. Sister Elena sat alone among the glowing flowers, her usual warm smile nowhere to be seen.


    "Something on your mind, dear?" Mara settled beside her, noting how Elena''s wings drooped ¨C never a good sign for an angel.


    "I just..." Elena''s voice wavered. "You recall my trip into the mortal realm yesterday?"


    Mara nodded. Elena looked away.


    "There was this village, completely overrun. We saved who we could, but..." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Why does Eternia allow such suffering? What''s the point of all our power if we can''t protect people?"


    Mara''s heart clenched. The same questions had been haunting her lately, though she tried not to show it.


    "The goddess works in mysterious ways," she offered, but the words felt hollow even to her.


    "But why must they be so mysterious?" Elena''s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Why can''t she just... do something about it???"


    Suddenly, the clinic doors burst open with a bang that made both angels jump.


    "Oh, oh, goddess those doors are heavy... Uh, hello? Is anyone... oh wow, this place is huge!"


    Mara turned, and the somber mood evaporated in an instant.


    Grace stood in the doorway, backlit by morning light that made her white hair glow like a halo. Her training clothes were rumpled and slightly humid (clearly Seraph did not let her take her first day lightly).


    As she saw Mara, Grace began walking over.


    "I''m here for healing class! Or... whatever... I- UWAH!" she announced, then promptly tripped over her own feet.


    Mara caught her before she could fall, finding herself with an armful of warm, small, flustered angel.


    "Careful there, little one," Mara purred, deeply enjoying how Grace''s face flushed at their proximity. "Though I must say, this is quite the enthusiastic entrance."


    "S-Sorry!"


    Grace squeaked, attempting to right herself but she slipped and fell again. This time, face down, squarely on Mara''s chest.


    Mara''s brows shot up. Grace slowly turned more and more red before slowly pushing back a little.


    "Uhm- I- that- not- uh- I-"


    "Dear, breathe," Mara said and it took everything she had not to laugh. Grace tried to snatch her composure back.


    "... I just finished combat training and Seraph said to run here but I got lost three times and there was this really pretty fountain that distracted me and then I found this hall but it led to a garden and¡ª"


    Mara pressed a finger to Grace''s lips, hiding her smile as the girl''s golden eyes crossed trying to look at it.


    "Breathe."


    Grace inhaled sharply, then immediately started coughing.


    Behind them, Elena giggled ¨C the first genuine sound of joy Mara had heard from her in days.


    "Oh my~ This is our newest Sister? Is she always like this?" Elena asked, her earlier melancholy forgotten as she watched Grace try (and fail) to compose herself.


    "You have no idea," Mara winked, finally releasing Grace who immediately stumbled backward into a healing font. "She''s rather adorable, isn''t she?"


    "I''m not..." Grace''s face was practically on fire by this point. "I''m a hardened farmer..."


    Mara rolled her eyes playfully.


    [Well... At least this will help take my mind off things. That''s nice.]

 Chapter 12: Natural

    Chapter 12: NaturalGrace was having a very hard time focusing on anything Mara was saying, which was absolutely not her fault. How was anyone supposed to concentrate when the head healer moved like that? Every gesture was pure grace (ha!), every smile warmer than sunshine, and don''t even get Grace started on how those robes hugged those curves.


    Mara wasn''t the only problem, however. At the same time, Grace was drowning in a sea of beautiful angels, and she wasn''t sure if she wanted to be rescued.


    As more Compassion Sisters filtered into the clinic, Grace noticed a pattern. Where the warrior angels had all been chiseled muscles, these healers were all soft curves and maternal energy. Every single one of them looked like they''d given birth before. To at least a few people, too.


    Everywhere she looked, there were breasts. Soft, ample breasts that made her spine tingle. The Sisters of Compassion seemed to have been blessed by some sort of goddess of fertility, each one more voluptuous than the last.


    [Holy heck,] Grace thought, her face heating up for the hundredth time that day. [I thought the Sisters of Love were supposed to be the sexy ones!]


    "You''re the new angel, right?"


    Grace nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice right next to her ear. She spun around, only to find herself nose-to-nose with another Compassion Sister.


    "I... um... yes!" Grace squeaked, trying to back up but finding herself surrounded on all sides. It was like being in a forest of beautiful, bountiful women. "I''m Grace! Nice to... nice to meet you!"


    Angels apparently had no concept of personal space.


    "Oh my, she''s even cuter up close!"


    "Look at those eyes!"


    "Can we keep her?"


    "She''s like a little doll!"


    The sister giggled, the sound like tinkling bells.


    "Oh, you are just precious! I could eat you up!"


    [Quest Alert: Survive the Mommy Brigade!]


    [Suggestion: Do try not to spontaneously combust, dear]


    "Now, now, girls," Mara''s voice cut through the chatter... though she was clearly amused. "Let''s not overwhelm our new sister."


    Grace made a sound like a teakettle about to explode. Finally, the ladies moved away from her.


    "In honor of Grace''s first day," Mara announced, her emerald eyes twinkling, "we''ll be focusing on the basics of healing. Everyone pair up!"


    There was a flurry of movement as the sisters paired off, leaving Grace standing alone, looking lost.


    "Um..."


    A warm hand landed on her shoulder. Grace looked up to see Mara smiling down at her, kind green eyes fixed solely on her.


    "Looks like you''re with me, little lamb."


    ... gulp.


    Grace swallowed hard, trying very hard not to stare at the way Mara''s robes gaped at the front, offering a tantalizing glimpse of the valley between her breasts.


    "O-Okay!"


    Mara led her to a quiet corner, her hand never leaving Grace''s shoulder. It was like being touched by a sun-warmed pillow, soft and comforting and altogether too much for Grace''s heart to handle.


    "Now then," Mara purred, turning to face Grace. "Let''s start with something simple. I want you to focus on my energy, try to feel the flow of it."


    She took Grace''s hands, placing them on her own chest, right over her heart.


    Grace made a sound like a tea kettle boiling over.


    [AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª]


    "Hahahaha, breathe, dear," Mara chuckled, the vibrations of her laugh doing absolutely unholy things to Grace''s hands. "In and out, nice and slow."


    [Easy for you to say!] Grace wanted to scream. [Your hands aren''t on the boobs of a literal goddess!]


    But she tried. She really did. She closed her eyes, tried to focus on anything other than the softness beneath her palms, the warmth seeping into her skin.


    And then...


    She felt it. A gentle thrum, like the beating of a hummingbird''s wings. It pulsed in time with Mara''s heartbeat, a steady, soothing rhythm.


    "Oh," Grace breathed, her eyes fluttering open. "I... I feel it. I think."


    Mara''s smile could have lit up the entire clinic. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well done, little lamb. You''re a natural."


    The praise washed over Grace like a warm bath, making her toes curl in her sandals.


    [A natural? Me?]


    Grace''s mind briefly stopped working.


    [Praise... From Mara...] Her eyes gleamed. [Is dangerous.]


    "Shall we continue?" Mara asked.


    Grace nodded eagerly.


    ---


    Grace fled the healing clinic like her robes were on fire, which, given how hot her skin felt, might not have been far from the truth.


    She slammed the door behind her, leaning against it as she tried to catch her breath.


    Her heart was pounding, her palms were sweating, and she was pretty sure her face was going to be permanently stained red.


    [Sweet Eternia,] she thought, pressing a hand to her heaving chest. [I don''t know if I can survive another class like that!]


    It had begun normally, with Mara showing her how to manipulate the divine energy within her, but as the class progressed... Those absolute cougars made it too difficult to focus.


    Alas, her trials were far from over. A glance at her schedule confirmed her worst fears:


    She was due for "training" with the Sisters of Love next.


    [Training. Right. Because that''s totally what they''re going to be doing with me.] She slowly began melting into a puddle. [I am so doomed.]


    Still, she had to show up. This was her life now.


    Grace gulped, steeling herself as she walked to her "classroom."


    She could do this. She was a brave, capable angel now. She''d faced down a Primal Demon! Surely she could handle a few... love lessons.


    With a deep breath and a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, Grace pushed open the doors to the Sisters of Love''s domain.


    And immediately wished she hadn''t.


    "Oh my... Goddess," she squeaked, her eyes going wide as saucers.


    The scene before her was like something out of one of those books she definitely hadn''t found under her father''s bed back on the farm. Everywhere she looked, there were angels... engaging in... activities.


    In one corner, two sisters were locked in a passionate embrace, their hands roaming. In another, a group of them were... was that a very naked pillow fight? And in the center of it all was Venus, reclining on a plush chaise lounge like a goddess receiving offerings, watching it all unfold, mostly naked.


    The tan-skinned beauty was clad in nothing but a few strategically placed scraps of silk, her long limbs arranged in a way that seemed designed to make Grace''s brain short-circuit.


    "Ah, there''s our newest student!" Venus purred, her voice like warm honey dripping down Grace''s spine. "Come in, darling, don''t be shy."


    [Shy? Who''s shy? Not me!]


    Grace stepped into the room slowly, very slowly, trying very hard not to stare at Venus''s... everything.


    "Welcome to the Temple of Love, sweetie," Venus cooed, sitting up in a way that made Grace''s eyes bug out. "Here, we worship the greatest power of all - the power of passion."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "P-Passion?"


    Venus smiled, a slow, wicked thing that promised all kinds of delights.


    "Oh yes. The passion between lovers, the passion of the flesh..." Her eyes raked over Grace''s body, making the young angel shiver. "And the passion of self-discovery."


    More so than when she first woke up here, Grace felt like she was ascending.


    "Come," Venus beckoned, patting the space beside her. "Sit with me. Let''s get to know each other."


    Grace''s feet moved of their own accord, drawn to Venus like a moth to a very sexy flame, even as her mind was breaking trying to process this. She perched on the edge of the chaise lounge, trying to maintain some semblance of propriety.


    Venus would have none of it. She pulled Grace close, arranging the younger angel until she was practically in her lap. Grace could feel every curve, every breath, every beat of Venus''s heart.


    [Oh. Oh wow. Okay. This is... this is happening.]


    "Now then," Venus murmured, her lips brushing Grace''s ear. "Let''s start with the basics. Have you ever been kissed, little lamb?"


    Grace''s brain flatlined. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.


    She had, of course. A day ago, when they were testing her affinity. But, just thinking about that had Grace''s throat too tight to speak.


    Venus chuckled, the sound vibrating through Grace''s entire being.


    "I''ll take that as a no." She nodded sagely. "Well... That simply won''t do."


    And then, before Grace could even begin to process what was happening, Venus''s lips were on hers.


    It was like being struck by lightning and drowned in honey all at once. Venus''s lips were so incredibly soft. It wasn''t like yesterday''s kiss, where that temptress from before stuck her tongue inside Grace''s mouth. No, Venus was just sort of... pressing them.


    Though, she did swipe her tongue across Grace''s bottom lip before she moved away.


    Grace was panting, her head spinning and her body thrumming.


    "How do you feel right now?" Venus asked, and that question, thankfully, helped Grace calm down."


    "I feel..." Grace touched her lips, still tingling from Venus''s kiss. "Hot? Like there''s lightning under my skin, but in a good way? And my heart is doing this weird flippy thing, and my knees are kind of wobbly, and¡ª"


    "Perfect." Venus''s smile was absolutely criminal as she traced Grace''s bottom lip with her thumb. "That''s divine energy, darling."


    "It is?"


    "Indeed. The same power that makes our wings shine, Bravery Sisters'' weapons gleam, Compassion Sisters'' healing happen. And we, you and I, just generated a small amount through a kiss."


    Grace swallowed hard, trying very hard to focus on the lesson and not on how Venus''s touch made her skin buzz.


    "So it''s... magic? We just made magic?"


    "I suppose you could say everything we do is and makes magic, sweetness." Venus leaned closer, and Grace caught a whiff of her perfume ¨C something wild and sweet that made her head spin. "Whether it''s healing wounds or inspiring courage, we angels work through connections to our Three Holy Virtues. And when it comes to Love, so much energy can be made through something as simple as a kiss."


    "But..." Grace''s voice came out embarrassingly breathy. "Isn''t it wrong to just... kiss people?"


    Venus laughed.


    "Wrong? Oh, precious thing." She pressed her index finger to Grace''s lips, effectively shutting off her brain. "Lesson one, darling: a kiss is just that. A kiss. You''re not human anymore ¨C you don''t need to feel strange about a touch here or overthink a caress there."


    Grace made a sound that might have been agreement. It was hard to tell with Venus''s finger still on her lips.


    "Is it fun? Absolutely." Venus''s other hand came up to cup Grace''s cheek. "Did I absolutely adore kissing you just now? Certainly. But it, and everything else you''ll learn here, is also a tool. Like a sword or a healing spell. Sometimes a soldier needs courage before battle. Sometimes a person''s body may be healed but their soul is not. Sometimes people just need something to take their minds off their problems. Sometimes..." Her smile turned predatory. "Sometimes someone just needs to remember how to feel alive."


    "So," Grace managed when Venus finally moved her finger, "you''re saying I should just... not overthink it?"


    "Precisely." Venus''s eyes sparkled. "Though I must say, your overthinking face is absolutely adorable."


    Grace''s face burst into flames.


    "I-I do not have an overthinking face!"


    "You absolutely do. Would you like me to kiss you again so you can feel it happening?"


    "I... you... that''s not..."


    Venus''s laugh echoed through the room.


    "Oh, teaching you is going to be so much fun."


    Grace had a feeling she was in very, very beautiful trouble.


    "So, are you ready?" Venus asked, hands on Grace''s shoulders. "The sooner you get used to this, the sooner you''ll be out there, making a change in people''s lives."


    Grace thought about it for a moment.


    [... She''s right. I''m not a human anymore. My "common sense" doesn''t really apply here. It''ll take some getting used to, but... I should try.]


    Looking up at Venus with a bit of courage, she nodded.


    Venus seemed surprised at that quick change in Grace''s demeanor. But, wordlessly, she moved forward and gave her another kiss.

 Chapter 13: Prayers

    Chapter 13: PrayersIn the end, Grace''s first day as an angel had been... intense.


    She''d been thrown around by warrior angels all morning (while trying very hard not to stare at their abs), smothered by healer angels all afternoon (while trying very hard not to melt into their softness), and spent the evening learning things about kissing that made her face burn just thinking about them.


    But, she got through it.


    Hidden Quest Completed: The First Day!


    Rewards: +5 Bravery, +5 Love, +5 Compassion


    Bravery: 10/100


    Compassion: 15/100


    Love: 11/100


    [At least I didn''t faint this time,] she thought proudly as she watched the sky shift colors.


    Unlike Earth''s sunsets, the Dominion''s evening was like watching paint swirl across the heavens. Orange clouds melted into deep blue, creating patterns that looked like they''d been drawn in watercolor by some divine artist.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?"


    Grace definitely did not squeak as she spun around to find Celestia standing there.


    "I was just coming to check on you," the archangel smiled, and oh, that wasn''t fair at all. "How was your first day of training?"


    "It was..." Grace searched for the right word. "Educational?"


    Celestia laughed.


    "Oh? Do tell." She moved closer, and Grace caught a whiff of her perfume ¨C something ethereal that made her head spin. "Though... you seem to have quite a lot on your mind."


    Grace nodded, thinking about everything she''d learned. About Diana''s morning lesson in strength, about Mara''s afternoon teachings of healing energy, about Venus''s... unique teaching methods.


    "I do, actually. I was wondering about¡ª"


    "Before that," Celestia cut her off with a smile that promised trouble, "there''s something I want to show you." She extended her hand, and Grace''s heart skipped several beats. "Come."


    Grace took Celestia''s hand, trying very hard not to think about how soft it was or how the archangel''s fingers intertwined with hers so perfectly.


    Again, at least she hadn''t fainted yet today.


    Yet.


    ---


    Celestia led Grace to the edge of what had to be the prettiest cliff she''d ever seen (though admittedly, her cliff-viewing experience was limited). Below them, clouds stretched endlessly like a sea of cotton, painted in sunset colors.


    "Do you hear them?" Celestia asked, her voice soft.


    Grace blinked.


    "Hear what? The wind?"


    "Focus." Celestia moved behind her, hands landing on Grace''s shoulders in a way that absolutely did not make her brain short-circuit. "Close your eyes. Listen."


    Grace tried very hard to focus on anything besides how warm Celestia felt against her back.


    And then... she heard them.


    Voices. Hundreds, thousands of them, floating up through the clouds like whispers on the wind.


    "Please, anyone..." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I need help..."


    "If someone''s listening..."


    "Just this once..."


    [What the...?]


    "Prayers," Celestia breathed, her lips close enough to Grace''s ear to make her shiver. "This is where we hear them all. Where we choose which ones we can answer."


    Grace''s heart ached at the desperation in some of the voices. Men, women, children ¨C all calling out for divine intervention.


    "How do you pick?" she whispered.


    "It''s up to you," Celestia''s hands squeezed her shoulders. "Although I retain the right to instruct you, and the other angels, I often decline to force anyone to answer a call. But, it''s good for you to understand how this works. So," she clapped her hands. "Focus on one voice. Let it draw you in. Pick something simple. Nothing too complex, please."


    [Okay... Something simple? Alright.]


    Grace closed her eyes again, letting the voices wash over her. Most were faint, like trying to hear someone talking underwater. But then...


    "Please... my sister... she''s ill..."


    Something pulled at Grace''s heart. The voice was young, scared, but determined.


    "Well... If I had to, I''d choose that one," she said firmly.


    Celestia leaned in a bit, her hands still on Grace''s shoulders.


    "You sure?"


    "Yeah."


    "What direction is it coming from?"


    "Uh... That direction," Grace pointed.


    "Well then." Grace could hear the smile in Celestia''s voice. Could practically feel it against her ear as the archangel leaned closer. "I suppose there''s only one thing left to do."


    Celestia moved in front of her. She slid her hands from Grace''s shoulders and down to Grace''s hands, taking them.


    "What''s tha¡ªAAAAH!"


    Celestia pulled Grace to her, and still holding onto her, stepped off the platform.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    Grace clung to Celestia like her life depended on it (which, to be fair, it kind of did). The archangel''s laughter rang out over the wind as they plummeted through the clouds, her rainbow wings trailing stardust behind them.


    "Grace, darling," Celestia''s voice was rich with amusement, her breath tickling Grace''s ear, "you do remember you have wings now, yes?"


    Grace''s eyes snapped open.


    [Oh. Right. Those.]


    "Just close your eyes," Celestia purred, her arms tightening around Grace''s waist. "Feel them. They''re part of you now, as much as your arms or legs!"


    Grace squeezed her eyes shut, trying very hard to focus on anything besides how perfectly she fit against Celestia''s body. She could feel them ¨C massive, warm, tingling with power just waiting to be released.


    [Just like Venus said, but in a wildly different context... don''t overthink it.]


    Grace took a deep breath and...


    WHOOSH!


    Her wings burst out in a flash of light, catching the wind and suddenly they weren''t falling anymore. They were...


    "I''m flying!" Grace''s eyes went wide as she pulled away from Celestia (immediately missing her warmth). "I''m actually flying!"


    "Beautiful," Celestia breathed, and when Grace looked over, the archangel was watching her with an awed expression. "Well done!"


    They soared together through the sunset clouds, Grace getting bolder with each wingbeat. She tried a little spin and nearly crashed into Celestia, who caught her with a laugh that made Grace''s whole body tingle.


    "Having fun?" Celestia asked, still holding Grace perhaps a bit closer than strictly necessary for flight instruction.


    "This is amazing!" Grace couldn''t stop grinning. "I can''t believe I''m actually¡ªwait, where are we going again?"


    "You tell me," Celestia giggled. "It''s your prayer. Take me to it."


    Grace swallowed hard but nodded. She closed her eyes, tried to listen to it again, and finally moved toward it.


    They spiraled down together, Grace definitely not watching how Celestia''s hair whipped in the wind or how her wings scattered rainbow light with each beat.


    Grace''s feet touched grass with all the grace of a drunken chicken, but hey ¨C she was still standing!


    "Not bad," Celestia landed beside her with considerably more elegance. "Though we''ll definitely need to work on your landing technique."


    "You pushed me off a cliff!"


    "And you flew beautifully." Celestia''s smile was absolutely criminal. "Eventually."


    Grace wanted to protest more, but honestly? She was too excited about actually flying to be properly indignant.


    "Now, again, it''s your prayer, darling. Take me to it, and go ahead and ask me one of those questions of yours."


    As they walked through the moonlit fields, Grace finally voiced what had been bothering her all day.


    "Is this really all we can do?" She gestured vaguely at everything. "I mean, I get how kissing helps people feel better, and healing saves lives, but..." She bit her lip. "Those demons. They''re still out there, still hurting people. How do we actually stop them?"


    Celestia''s wings shimmered in the darkness as she considered the question.


    "The truth is," she said finally, her voice softer than Grace had ever heard it, "before you came along, we couldn''t do much about them at all. Push them back, yes. Delay them, certainly. But actually stop them?" She shook her head. "That power died with Eternia. Or so we thought."


    Grace''s heart did a complicated flip.


    "Until me."


    "Until you." Celestia''s smile was gentle but her eyes held something more intense. "Now things can change."


    "But..." Grace looked down at her hands ¨C hands that yesterday had been covered in dirt from farming, and today had been learning to channel divine energy. "Me? Fighting demons? It feels..."


    "Impossible?" Celestia laughed. "Darling, you killed one wearing a nightgown."


    Grace''s face burned.


    "That was different! It only even let me get close because it didn''t know I could hurt it. I doubt that''s going to happen..." She trailed off as a sound caught her attention. "There!"


    Behind a fallen tree, they found them ¨C two girls huddled together, the older one clutching her sister close. The younger girl''s breathing was shallow, her skin pale in the moonlight.


    "This is it, then? Well?" Celestia''s voice held a challenge. "Show me what Mara taught you today."


    Grace swallowed hard and approached. The older girl looked up, eyes wide with fear that turned to wonder as she saw Grace''s wings.


    "Are you..." she whispered. "Are you real?"


    As soon as she heard that, warmth bloomed within Grace. That hope, that same hope she''d felt when she looked upon Nymera, was now being directed at her.


    How couldn''t she walk a little more confidently after that?


    Grace smiled.


    "Very real. May I?"


    The girl nodded, letting Grace kneel beside her sister. Up close, Grace could see the fever burning in the child''s cheeks.


    [Okay, just like Mara showed you. Don''t overthink it.]


    Grace placed her hands on the girl''s forehead and closed her eyes. She remembered how it felt in the clinic ¨C that warm, golden energy flowing through her fingertips. She let it build, let it grow, until...


    Light spilled between her fingers, soft and pure. The girl''s breathing eased, color returning to her cheeks.


    When Grace opened her eyes, both sisters were staring at her in awe.


    "This," Celestia said from behind her, voice rich with something that made Grace''s heart flutter, "this is what Eternia made us for."


    The older girl burst into tears, throwing her arms around Grace''s neck. The younger one was already sitting up, touching her own face in wonder.


    "Thank you," the older sister sobbed. "Thank you, thank you!"


    Grace held her close, feeling something warm bloom in her chest that had nothing to do with divine energy.


    Hidden Quest Complete: First Healing!


    Compassion +5


    Current Compassion: 20/100


    Note: Not bad for your first day on the job~


    Maybe she couldn''t fight demons yet. Maybe she still had a lot to learn. But this?


    This she felt she could do.


    "Ready to head back?" Celestia asked, extending her hand.


    Grace looked at the sisters still clinging to her, and then at Celestia.


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    ---


    It wasn''t like flying was second nature to her all of a sudden. Not just that, but flying up was significantly harder than flying down, so Grace struggled a little.


    That did nothing to wipe the smile off her face, though.


    Soon, like they passed through an invisible veil, the Angelic Dominion came into view suddenly.


    They landed on the same platform they''d jumped off of. Celestia steadied Grace, looking into her eyes.


    "Well, how''d your first excursion go?"


    "That was... that was great," Grace replied, eyes gleaming. "When I healed her, I felt... I felt..."


    "Yes?"


    "... Like I really matter."


    Celestia chuckled.


    "Oh, you do not know how true that statement is. Now, come," Celestia gestured at the massive city. "I trust you''ll be working just as hard tomorrow."


    "W-Wait!"


    "Hm?"


    Celestia stopped a few steps ahead. Grace looked back down the edge of the platform.


    "... I wanted to ask you, are we..." She turned back toward Celestia. "Are we truly immortal?"


    Celestia nodded slowly.


    "You''re thinking of Nymera?"


    "Uh, yeah."


    Celestia walked a little closer.


    "Well, to answer that question, we are immortal... Mostly. In truth, just as demons cannot be killed, so can we not be killed."


    "B-But-"


    "Primal Demons, however," Celestia continued, answering Grace''s question before she could ask it, "they can kill us. And you can kill them, and presumably all other demons."


    "... Just me, huh." Grace was a bit dejected. "Doesn''t seem fair."


    "You''re right. It isn''t." She smiled. "Before you, it was Eternia who could slay demons. And, if you are even one percent as powerful as she is... It truly won''t be fair. For the demons." She turned away. "Now, come on. You have a long day and longer days after that to look forward to."


    Grace gave the platform one last look.


    She could do it. And only she could do it.


    Before, it was scary. But, now... After those girls looked at her like she alone could bring them safety, she wanted to do it.

 Chapter 14: Choir

    Chapter 14: Choir"Rise and shine, tiny!"


    "Uwha...?"


    Grace''s eyes slowly opened to find Seraph looming over her bed, with a wicked grin and her muscles rippling (as usual). The warrior angel was already in her training gear, which consisted of... not much, actually. Just enough strips of gold-edged fabric to keep things interesting while showing off absolutely criminal amounts of toned flesh.


    "Wha...?" Grace managed ever so eloquently, still half-asleep and definitely not staring at how Seraph''s abs flexed as she moved. "You... Huh?"


    "Breakfast time!" Seraph announced. "Can''t have our newest recruit running on empty!"


    Grace blinked. Come to think of it, she hadn''t eaten since... well, since dying?


    "Oh, I should probably¡ªEEEP!"


    Before Grace could finish that thought, Seraph scooped her up like she weighed nothing at all, tossing her over one very muscular shoulder.


    "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"


    "Time to put some meat on these bones!" Seraph laughed, patting Grace''s thigh with a hand that could probably crush boulders. "How are you supposed to swing a sword with arms like noodles?"


    "I do not have noodle arms! I-I''ve spent the last several years living a rough life on the farm!" Grace protested, though the effect was somewhat ruined by how she was currently being carried like a sack of particularly light potatoes. "And I can walk!"


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    "Ugh!" Grace groaned.


    She had to admit, though. Being at eye-level with Seraph''s back muscles was... educational.


    [... Is this what it looks like when you work out for hundreds of years? Her muscles have muscles. How obscene.]


    Grace yelped as Seraph bounced her once.


    "H-Hey!"


    "Just making sure you didn''t fall asleep again, hehe."


    [Ugh, these Sisters of Bravery are so annoying!]


    She slumped, accepting her fate.


    ---


    The Angelic Dominion wasn''t just a city ¨C it was an entire civilization in the clouds. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Put me down!" Grace squeaked as Seraph carried her through streets paved with crystal (yes, she was still on her shoulder). "People are staring!"


    "Let them stare!" Seraph laughed, but she finally set Grace on her feet. "Besides, they''re not staring at you being carried ¨C they''re staring because you''re our cute new recruit!" She ruffled Grace''s hair.


    Grace looked around, face burning as she realized Seraph was right.


    Angels of all types filled the streets, and many were definitely watching her with interest. Some lounged in cafes that seemed to float on clouds, others browsed shops selling everything from divine weapons to... were those magical lingerie stores?


    "Wait," Grace blinked as they passed a group of angels playing what looked like some game where they smacked a ball into the air, toward each other (in very small outfits). "Shouldn''t they be... y-you know, doing angel stuff?"


    Seraph''s laugh boomed through the street.


    "This IS angel stuff! What, did you think we spend all our time fighting demons and answering prayers?"


    "Well... yes?"


    "Oh, honey." Seraph grabbed Grace''s hand, pulling her toward a vendor selling what looked like glowing fruit. "A lot of us do, but even that gets a little boring after a hundred years or so." She winked at the vendor, who blushed. "Try this!"


    Grace took a bite of the offered fruit and her eyes went wide. It tasted like sunshine and summer storms all at once.


    "Good, right?" Seraph grinned. "Now come on ¨C you haven''t lived until you''ve tried heavenly pancakes!"


    They wandered through markets where angels sold crafts that would make mortal artisans weep, past gardens where flowers made of crystal bloomed, and through squares where musicians played instruments that seemed to be made of pure light.


    "Is that..." Grace stopped, staring at a massive building. "Is that a gym?"


    "Of course!" Seraph flexed, making several passing angels fan themselves. "Us soldiers aren''t the only ones who like to get their exercise in."


    "I... but... angels need to work out?"


    "Angels need to do lots of things," Seraph waggled her eyebrows. "Speaking of which, wait until you see the bath house¡ª"


    "The WHAT?"


    Grace had a feeling this tour was, like lots of things about the Angelic Dominion, not going to be good for her heart.


    Especially since Seraph was already dragging her toward what looked suspiciously like a spa run by angels wearing... well, not much at all.


    [Heaven is going to kill me,] Grace thought as they approached. [Again.]


    "Well, well... if it isn''t our esteemed commander."


    "Ah... shit," Seraph muttered, her hand finding Grace''s shoulder protectively.


    An angel approached them, her dark blue robes a stark contrast to the city''s usual brightness. She carried a crystal staff that hummed with power, and her wings were a deep, cold blue.


    "Sister Meridian," Seraph''s voice was carefully neutral. "What brings you to the market district? Run out of scripture to criticize?"


    Meridian''s smile was sharp as a blade, but her eyes never left Grace.


    "Just welcoming our newest arrival. You must be the one everyone''s talking about."


    Grace suddenly felt very small under that calculating gaze. More robed figures emerged from the crowd, all wearing the same dark blue, all watching her with unsettling intensity.


    "She is," Seraph stepped slightly in front of Grace. "And she''s quite busy with her training."


    "Of course, of course." Meridian''s smile widened. "Though if you''re ever interested in learning the... truth about our dear goddess, little one, the Ascended Choir''s library is always open."


    The way she said "truth" made Grace''s skin crawl.


    "I''m sure she has better things to do than listen to your weird theories," Seraph''s muscles tensed, and several nearby market stalls suddenly found very interesting things to do elsewhere.


    "We shall see." Meridian turned away. "We shall see indeed."


    Grace watched them glide away, their dark robes like ink stains against the crystal streets.


    "Who were they?" she whispered once they were gone.


    Seraph''s jaw clenched.


    "The Ascended Choir. They call themselves scholars, but really?" She spat the word like it tasted bad. "They''re blasphemers. They think Eternia abandoned us because she was too weak to fight the demons anymore."


    Grace''s eyes widened.


    She''d heard the story from Eternia''s own lips. She knew damn well that was false... Though the actual truth wouldn''t sound much better, she thought.


    "But that''s not¡ª"


    "True? Of course not. But look, don''t mind them, they''re just a bunch of eccentrics," Seraph''s smile returned, though it didn''t quite reach her eyes. "Now come on! You haven''t tried the heavenly ice cream yet, and I know this place that makes it with actual starlight..."


    As Seraph dragged her toward another vendor, Grace couldn''t help glancing back. For just a moment, she caught Meridian watching them, those wings of text writhing like snakes.


    Something told her this wouldn''t be their last encounter.


    But hey, at least she had ice cream to look forward to!


    ---


    {Meridian}


    Meridian glanced back, eyes narrowed as she watched that tiny slip of a girl walk alongside Seraph.


    She could feel the potential radiating from her. Clearly, she hadn''t materialized much of her power yet, but... she could be a problem.


    "Will she pose a threat to our... negotiations?" One of the other scholars asked.


    Meridian thought about it.


    So much time had passed, so much research had been done, and now, finally, the Ascended Choir would get something out of it. Would his girl stand in the way of that?


    "..." Meridian turned away. "I doubt it. Let us keep to ourselves for now, sisters. We are so close, after all."


    "Right."


    They kept walking.


    [Play with them while you can, new recruit,] Meridian thought. [We will be busy achieving real results.]

 Chapter 15: Curiosity

    Chapter 15: Curiosity{Diana}


    Diana tried to focus on her own training routine, she really did.


    But it was hard to concentrate with all the giggling and swooning going on around her.


    The training ground had turned into some sort of impromptu fanclub meeting, with at least a dozen warrior angels who should have been practicing completely distracted by their newest member.


    [Seriously?] She thought, glancing over as Grace attempted another sword swing. [She can barely lift the thing. What''s so fascinating about¡ª]


    Grace''s practice shirt rode up slightly as she moved, revealing a strip of pale skin that made several angels actually gasp. One of them walked directly into a pillar.


    [... You horny wenches.]


    Diana immediately looked away, scowling. She was NOT going to be like these lovesick fools, getting all worked up over some tiny farm girl.


    "She''s improving quickly, isn''t she?" Seraph''s voice held way too much amusement.


    "Wouldn''t know," Diana grunted, attacking what remained of her dummy with perhaps slightly more force than necessary. "Ask one of the women who''ve been staring at her for the last half hour. Or maybe that one who''s writing poetry about her hair or something."


    She gestured to where, indeed, one of their strongest warriors was furiously scribbling something that definitely wasn''t battle plans while stealing glances at Grace.


    Seraph''s laugh boomed across the training ground.


    "Oh? And you haven''t been watching at all? Not even a tiny peek?"


    "Why in the world would I?" Diana replied as Grace let out a victory cry after finally completing a proper form, jumping up and down. The angels around her literally started giving her applause. "Some of us have actual training to do. You know, that thing we''re supposed to be doing instead of drooling over every new recruit?"


    "Mhm." Seraph''s smile was insufferable. "That''s why you''ve been beating that same dummy for twenty minutes? And why you growled at Sister Alanna when she offered to help Grace with her stance?"


    Diana''s scowl deepened.


    She opened her mouth to deliver what would have been a very cutting response, but Seraph''s expression suddenly turned serious.


    "Diana," the commander''s voice dropped lower, drawing close enough that her words wouldn''t carry. "Can I ask you for a favor?"


    Diana''s eyes narrowed.


    [Ah, shit.]


    Seraph asking for favors was never a good sign. The last time she''d had that look, three practice dummies, two fountains, and someone''s favorite tea set had been sacrificed to what Seraph had called a "minor training accident."


    "... What kind of favor?"


    "You''re one of our best fighters," Seraph started, which only added to the unsettling amount of warning bells in Diana''s mind. "And I need someone to get our little Grace ready for combat. Before the week is over."


    Diana nearly dropped her sword.


    "What?" She stared at Seraph like she''d grown a second head. "You want me to what? She can barely hold a sword without stabbing herself!"


    "I want to see it," Seraph''s eyes gleamed with an intensity that Diana recognized from their more questionable missions. "That power of hers. The ability to permanently kill demons." She gestured to where Grace was now tangled in her own practice sword somehow, looking like a kitten that had gotten wrapped in yarn. "It''s... It''s hard to believe, isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, it is."


    "Right. Well, I want to see it for myself. And for that, she needs to be combat-ready. I want to take her out onto the field... But, obviously, I don''t want her getting herself hurt, get me?" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Diana arched an eyebrow.


    "Does our dear Archangel know about this little plan? Because last I checked, pushing untrained angels into combat against ravenous demons was highly frowned upon."


    [And, to be honest, I''d like to go at least a hundred years before I see a demon again.]


    Seraph''s smile turned positively feline, though.


    "Let''s keep this between you and me, shall we? Consider it... independent study."


    Diana nodded slowly.


    [Oh, this is such a bad idea,] Diana thought, watching Grace nearly take out three other angels with one clumsy swing. The worst part was how they all swooned anyway, as if being accidentally concussed by her was some sort of privilege. [She isn''t just not ready. She''s utterly untalented. And, I''m supposed to get her ready for a fight in one week???]


    She sighed.


    She probably should have told Seraph to fuck off. Should have flown straight to Celestia and informed her that the leader of the Sisters of Bravery had lost her damn mind.


    But...


    [... To be honest, I would also like to see that power at work.] Diana glanced over at Grace. [Is... Could it really be true that she can kill them? As in, they won''t just get back up?]


    Curiosity won in the end.


    "Fine. But when this inevitably goes wrong, I''m telling everyone it was your idea."


    "Excellent!" Seraph clapped her on the shoulder hard enough to stagger a lesser angel. "I knew I could count on you! Try not to get too distracted by those big golden eyes of hers!"


    As Seraph walked away, Diana found herself watching Grace again. The tiny angel had finally gotten herself untangled and was now attempting another practice form, her face scrunched up in adorable concentration. A light sheen of sweat made her skin glow, and the way she puffed out her cheeks in frustration was just...


    [... I''m going to regret this, aren''t I?]


    Grace chose that moment to look over, catching Diana''s eye.


    She pouted, giving a huff (though Diana was too far to hear it), and turning her face away.


    [Our newest recruit isn''t particularly fond of me, eh?]


    Diana pinched the bridge of her nose.


    This was going to be a very long week. Could be worse, though. She could be that one angel over there, writing poetry about this girl.


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace was actually getting better!


    She''d managed three whole swings without falling over, which was definitely progress. Sure, maybe her last attempt had sent three other angels diving for cover, but they''d seemed oddly pleased about it. One of them had actually thanked her for the near-concussion.


    "Your form is atrocious."


    Grace spun around (only stumbling a little!) to find Diana standing there, arms crossed under her chest in. As usual, the warrior angel wasn''t wearing a whole lot ¨C just a black training wrap and shorts that showed off an absolutely criminal amount of muscle.


    "Hmph." Grace tried to channel her inner tough girl, which was hard when she had to crane her neck back just to meet Diana''s eyes. "What do you want? Come to make fun of my ''drunk chicken'' fighting style again?"


    "Actually," Diana''s voice dropped lower, sending shivers down Grace''s spine, "I can''t stand watching you butcher the concept of swordsmanship any longer. It''s painful."


    "I am not¡ª" Grace''s indignant protest cut off with a squeak as Diana stepped closer, close enough that Grace could smell sword polish and something spicier, something that made her head spin.


    "You swing like you''re trying to swat flies," Diana continued, circling Grace with predatory grace. "Your footwork looks like you''re dancing with two left feet. Your grip is so wrong it''s actually impressive." She paused behind Grace. "And you keep staring at the ground instead of your opponent. Though..." Judging by her voice, Grace didn''t even need to turn around to know Diana was smirking. "That might be because you can''t reach anyone''s eye level."


    "W-Well," Grace spun around, jabbing a finger at Diana''s admittedly impressive chest. "If you''re such an expert, maybe you should teach me!"


    Diana smirked.


    "That''s the plan."


    Grace''s brain short-circuited.


    "Wait, what?"


    Diana''s smile was absolutely predatory as she caught Grace''s still-pointing finger.


    "Starting tomorrow, you''re training with me. No more of this..." She gestured around Grace. "Nonsense."


    Grace wanted to protest. Really, she did. But Diana was still holding her finger, and standing very close, and that look in her grey eyes amounted to a lot of unspoken pressure.


    "F-Fine," she managed, proud that her voice only squeaked a little. "But I won''t go easy on you!"


    Diana''s laugh was low and rich.


    "Yeah?" She leaned down until her lips nearly brushed Grace''s ear, her breath hot against sensitive skin. "I''m counting on it."


    Grace glared at the angel''s muscular back as she walked away.


    [... I don''t like her.] She thought, pouting as she turned away and started swinging her sword again. [I don''t like her at all!]

 Chapter 16: Love Sisters

    Chapter 16: Love SistersThis part of the Dominion apparently had a cafeteria. Because of course it did.


    "Come on, tiny!" Seraph pretty much dragged Grace through the massive doors. "Time to put some meat on those bones!"


    Inside was absolute chaos of the... domestic kind. Grace had no clue whether any of this was normal or not, of course, given that she only knew about cafeterias on a conceptual level (not many of those out there at her farm, after all).


    But, the way angels flew everywhere, carrying trays of food that smelled way too good, toward tables perched atop little clouds, eating and gossiping... Grace felt like she was in a dream. More than usual, anyway.


    And the lunch ladies? Oh goddess.


    "Welcome, sweetie!" One of them cooed, her generous curves barely contained by an apron that read ''Kiss the Cook''. "You must be our new arrival!"


    All the serving angels had that same maternal energy that seemed to be standard issue for the Compassion Path, along with blue words over their heads, those levels. Grace found herself being fussed over by no fewer than three of them, each determined to pile more food onto her plate.


    "So thin!"


    "Growing angels need proper nutrition!"


    "Just one more helping, dear!"


    By the time they finished, Grace''s tray was stacked so high she could barely see over it.


    [I''m going to eat myself into a second grave...]


    Grace managed to flutter up to an empty cloud platform, only nearly dropping her tray twice. Below her, angels chatted and laughed, sharing food and stories and definitely not paying any attention to the new girl sitting alone and¡ª


    "Is that CAKE?" Grace''s eyes went wide at one of the many dishes on her tray. "Heaven has cake?"


    It did. It had cake that tasted like summer sunshine. And cookies that melted like starlight. And something that might have been a sandwich if sandwiches could make you hear colors.


    [Well,] Grace thought as she bit into another heavenly confection, [at least the food''s good.]


    For a moment, that image of Diana training in the courtyard flashed through her mind.


    Grace nearly choked on her celestial pastry.


    [Focus on your cake!] Grace told herself firmly. [Stop thinking about the mean, scary warrior angel Who cares about her?]


    "Hi! You''re the new girl, aren''t you!?"


    "AH!"


    Grace nearly jumped out of her skin as an angel practically materialized beside her, invading her personal space with the enthusiasm of a puppy discovering treats. Short, silky red hair framed a face that practically sparkled with mischief, green eyes dancing as she leaned way too close. Her body was petite, clad in a white dress with lots of open space at her chest. She had Level 18 over her head in pink letters.


    "I... um..." Grace tried to scoot back.


    "Alia, don''t¡ª Ugh."


    Another voice, this one rich and smooth like honey, called out before its owner glided over with considerably more grace. Her dark skin contrasted beautifully with short white hair, and she had brown eyes that held both amusement and exasperation as she landed on their cloud. Her outfit, Grace noticed, was not much more modest than the other girl. Like the other girl, she had Level 19 in pink letters over her head.


    "Sorry about her," the newcomer sighed, somehow making even that sound elegant. "I''m Zephyr, and this walking mess of an angel is Alia. We''re with the Sisters of Love."


    [Of course they are,] Grace thought, noting their rather... strategic choices in clothing.


    "Nice to- UWAH!"


    Grace''s greeting cut off in a squeak as Alia suddenly darted forward and licked her ear.


    "Mmm," Alia pulled back with a grin that should have come with a warning label. "You taste like fun~"


    [What is it with these angels and randomly licking people!?]


    "Alia!" Zephyr grabbed her companion by the collar, yanking her back. "Down! Down girl!"


    "But Zephyyy!" Alia pouted, somehow managing to look both innocent and absolutely not innocent at all. "She looks so cute sitting here all alone!"


    "FINISH YOUR LUNCH!" Zephyr practically commanded.


    "Mn... Fine!" Alia replied.


    She didn''t leave the table, though. She just snapped her fingers and materialized her dish, placing it next to Grace''s.


    Grace touched her ear, which still tingled from Alia''s... greeting.


    "Anyway," Zephyr continued as Alia began to pretty much inhale her food, "you are the new girl, right? The one everyone''s talking about?"


    "That''s me," Grace managed, trying very hard to focus on Zephyr''s face and not her... exotic outfit. "Grace."


    "Grace," Zephyr purred the name, extending her hand. "A pleasure."


    The handshake lasted way longer than strictly necessary, Zephyr''s thumb brushing Grace''s pulse point in a way that made her skin tingle. Her palm was impossibly soft, but there was strength in that grip ¨C the kind that suggested she knew exactly how to use those hands for all sorts of interesting purposes.


    [Oh no,] Grace thought as Zephyr smiled. [This one might be even worse!]


    "So!" Alia bounced in place, having apparently finished inhaling her lunch. Her movements made certain parts of her bounce in ways that were definitely intentional. "Wanna hear about what we do? Because let me tell you, being a Love Sister is the BEST! We get to travel all over, spreading joy and pleasure and sometimes multiple¡ª"


    "Alia," Zephyr''s voice held warning, though her eyes sparkled like she was barely containing giggles. "Don''t overwhelm her."


    "But Zephy!" Alia pouted, somehow making even that look suggestive. "She needs to know! Like that time we helped that knight who was too nervous to confess to the princess, remember? You did that thing with your tongue and suddenly he had all the courage he needed! And then there was that time with the twins¡ª"


    "Perhaps we should start with the basics," Zephyr cut in smoothly, though Grace noticed her cheeks darkening slightly. "Before you start telling her about our more... advanced techniques."


    "How long have you been angels?" Grace asked quickly, before Alia could finish any of those stories that were making her brain short-circuit.


    "Oh, ages!" Alia grinned, leaning forward. "I died fighting a demon dragon! Very heroic. Very sexy. There was fire everywhere and I was like ''you shall not pass'' and¡ª"


    "She''s lying. She tripped and fell off a cliff while trying to impress some pretty boy," Zephyr corrected, rolling her eyes. "You were trying to pick him a flower and forgot cliffs had edges."


    "Same thing! He was definitely dragon-level hot!"


    That got a giggle out of Grace.


    She relaxed a little. Sure, these girls were strange and they absolutely looked at her like they wanted to devour her, but... maybe they could be informative.


    After all, there was stuff Grace was curious about.


    "And what exactly do Love Sisters... do? Besides, um..." She gestured vaguely at everything, from their strategic clothing choices to the way they both seemed to radiate an aura of ''your virtue is not safe with us.'' "You know."


    "Besides seducing mortals and sometimes each other?" Zephyr''s smile turned wicked, her voice dropping to something that did very unfair things to Grace''s insides.


    [I was right. This one is so much more dangerous.]


    "Well, we raise morale. Sometimes that means helping young lovers find courage. Sometimes it means reminding battle-weary soldiers what they''re fighting for." Her eyes gleamed as she leaned closer. "And sometimes..." She stuck the tip of her tongue out between her teeth.


    Alia finished for her, though. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sometimes we just fuck people until they remember what happiness feels like!" Alia said cheerfully, clapping her hands together.


    Grace choked on her celestial pastry.


    "What my enthusiastic friend means," Zephyr shot Alia a look that somehow managed to be both exasperated and fond, "is that we help humans reconnect with positive emotions. Through... various methods."


    "Very various," Alia waggled her eyebrows, scooting closer until her thigh pressed against Grace''s. "Want a demonstration? I promise to be gentle! Well, at first."


    "I... um..." Grace''s voice came out embarrassingly squeaky as she found herself trapped between two very gorgeous, very forward angels. "Maybe later?"


    "Promise?" Alia''s grin was absolutely predatory as she leaned in, close enough that Grace could smell her perfume ¨C something sweet and intoxicating that made her head spin.


    Before Grace could spontaneously combust, Zephyr grabbed Alia by the collar again.


    "Enough, you menace. Let the poor girl eat." She winked at Grace, the gesture somehow even more dangerous than Alia''s direct approach. "We have plenty of time to... educate her properly."


    Grace had a feeling her angel education was going to be very thorough indeed.

 Chapter 17: Fallen Angels

    Chapter 17: Fallen AngelsWalking through heaven''s halls with Alia and Zephyr was... surprisingly nice.


    "And THEN," Alia bounced as she walked, gesturing wildly, "the princess says ''but I can''t possibly kiss her, I''m too shy!'' So Zephy here just grabs both of them and¡ª"


    "Perhaps we should skip to the happy ending," Zephyr cut in smoothly, though her smile suggested the middle part had been very interesting indeed.


    Grace couldn''t remember the last time she''d just... chatted with people like this. Back on the farm, her only conversations had been with chickens, and they weren''t nearly as good at telling scandalous stories about divine matchmaking. And, before that, her parents. She''d never really had just a simple, non-blood related, non-animal, sentient being to speak with.


    It was nice. As... eccentric as these girls were.


    "Oh! Oh!" Alia grabbed Grace''s arm, pressing way closer than strictly necessary. "Tell her about the time we had to help that knight who was crushing on her squire!"


    "You mean when you literally pushed them into a supply closet together?"


    "It worked, didn''t it?"


    "Did these things really all happen?" Grace asked, shocked. "Some of these stories are so outlandish."


    "Baby," Zephyr drawled, "we''re hundreds of years old. These stories are just the tip of the cake."


    Grace found herself giggling at their back-and-forth. Maybe having friends wouldn''t be so¡ª


    The temperature in the hall suddenly dropped.


    Ahead of them, a crowd had gathered, angels pressing against the walls to clear a path between two figures locked in what had to be the most intense staredown Grace had ever witnessed.


    Celestia stood on one side with her rainbow wings spread wide, but her usual playful smile was nowhere to be seen. Across from her...


    Grace''s breath caught.


    The other angel was tall, maybe even taller than Celestia, with wings of shifting grey that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, black leather pants and black gloves. Where Celestia radiated warmth, this angel emanated something colder, darker.


    Grace wanted to ask who this was, but the tension in the hall was so thick she was afraid speaking might shatter it.


    The two angels stood so close their chests nearly touched, the contrast between Celestia''s rainbow wings and the other angel''s grey ones making the air itself seem to crackle with tension.


    Grace couldn''t help but notice how they both seemed to be breathing a little harder than necessary, how neither seemed willing to be the first to step back.


    "Who is that?" Grace whispered to Zephyr, unable to take her eyes off the scene. The grey-winged angel was gorgeous in a dangerous way, like a storm about to break.


    "A member of The Veil," Zephyr breathed back, actually pressing closer to Grace as if seeking comfort. Her breath tickled Grace''s ear as she added, "Fallen angels who''ve turned their backs on Eternia''s teachings. They''re... complicated."


    "Wait, they''re evil!?" Grace squeaked, perhaps a bit too loudly because several heads turned their way, including the fallen angel''s.


    Those eyes, dark as midnight and twice as dangerous, fixed on Grace for a moment that made her knees weak.


    "Shh!" Zephyr''s hand clamped over Grace''s mouth, which was very distracting for several reasons, not least of which was how soft her palm felt against Grace''s lips. "Not exactly. Or, I mean, some of them are, but not all of them. A lot of them still fight demons, still protect humanity. They just..." She bit her lip. "They believe Eternia abandoned us, so they fuel their power through Sins instead of Virtues."


    "Like Hatred," Alia added, for once completely serious. "That''s the only one I know, though."


    Grace''s eyes widened as she watched the fallen angel lean even closer to Celestia, her grey wings rippling with dark energy that somehow made her even more attractive. It honestly wasn''t fair. When she thought "fallen angels", this wasn''t what came to mind. She imagined something uglier, something more hateful. Not... This.


    "The village of Redwood," the Veil angel''s voice was deep but no less seductive than the other angels around her. "We''ll be handling that... situation. Personally." Her smile was wicked.


    "I remind you that you have no authority here," Celestia''s reply was soft but carried enough power to make the air hum. "You cannot tell us where to go, or where not to go. The Dominion still stands as guardian of¡ª"


    "Oh, I''m not claiming authority." The fallen angel''s smile was sharp as a blade as she pressed even closer. Celestia stood firm even as now their breasts were quite clearly pressing against each other. "Just giving you fair warning. Whatever happens there..." She reached up, one finger trailing down Celestia''s cheek. "It''s on you. Though it doesn''t have to be. We could... coordinate."


    The way she said "coordinate" made Grace feel things she probably shouldn''t be feeling about fallen angels.


    "I-Is it just me," Grace whispered to Alia, trying very hard not to stare at how the fallen angel''s leather pants left absolutely nothing to the imagination, "or is this kind of..."


    "Hot?" Alia finished with a grin. "Oh honey, wait till you hear about the Great Schism. So much sexual tension, so little time. Did you know Celestia and their leader used to be¡ª"


    Zephyr smacked her upside the head.


    "That''s not our drama to talk about."


    "But the¡ª"


    "NO."


    ... At that moment, Grace truly understood there was quite a bit of angel history to learn. A lot of it.


    The fallen angel finally took a step back, and oh.


    OH.


    [Is that on PURPOSE!?] Grace''s brain stopped working as she got a full view of those leather pants, which, at the back, were less "pants" and more "strategic strips of leather attempting to be pants." The back view was... educational.


    "Well," the fallen angel''s voice dripped sin like honey, "I suppose I should go before I overstay my welcome." She glanced over her shoulder, and Grace quickly understood why she showed up with those pants because that pose was clearly intentioal. "But do come visit sometime, darling~"


    The temperature in the hall dropped about twenty degrees.


    Celestia''s rainbow wings flared with barely contained fury, but the fallen angel was already airborne, her laugh echoing through the halls as she vanished in a swirl of grey feathers. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, alright," Celestia''s voice could have frozen fire. "Back to whatever you were doing."


    The gathered angels scattered like startled birds. Alia and Zephyr, those absolute traitors, disappeared so fast they left afterimages.


    Which left Grace alone with a very annoyed archangel.


    [Don''t say anything weird don''t say anything weird don''t¡ª]


    "So..." Grace managed weakly. "I, uh, feel like I have a lot to learn."


    Celestia''s expression softened as she looked at Grace, though there was still murder in her eyes when she glanced at where the fallen angel had disappeared.


    "All in due time, little one." Her smile returned, though it held an edge. "Don''t concern yourself with snakes like that. You just keep your pretty head down and focus on training."


    Grace had a feeling there was a story there.


    A very interesting story that probably involved significantly fewer pants.


    She made a mental note to ask Alia about it later.


    Assuming she could find where those cowards had run off to.

 Chapter 18: Hope

    Chapter 18: HopeWarning: A bit of lewdness in this one!


    ---


    "Mmm, so warm..." Grace mumbled as she snuggled closer to her pillow, which was oddly firm but very cozy. And moving. And breathing.


    Wait.


    Grace''s eyes snapped open.


    "W-WHA!?"


    Alia ¨C a very naked, very cuddly Alia ¨C was wrapped around her like an affectionate octopus, her legs threaded through Grace''s, making little purring sounds in her sleep. One of her legs was actually thrown over Grace''s hip, and her face was nestled in the crook of Grace''s neck.


    [... What in the world is happening right now?]


    "Oh good, you''re awake!"


    Grace''s head whipped around to find Zephyr sitting at her desk, crushing something that sparkled in a mortar and pestle. The morning light caught her curves just right, her simple sleeping robe doing absolutely nothing to hide them.


    "What are you doing here!?" Grace squeaked, trying to escape Alia''s grip only to find the Love Sister had apparently learned advanced cuddling techniques. "When did you¡ª How did you¡ª"


    "We came to visit last night," Zephyr explained casually, as if breaking into someone''s room and climbing into their bed was perfectly normal. "Found this lovely wing all empty except for you." Her smile turned predatory. "So we decided to stay."


    "You... what?"


    "Mmmph." Alia stirred. She rubbed her eyes and (thankfully) untangled herself from Grace, but then she got on her knees and her sheet slid down her body. As she stretched, Grace''s eyes moved to so many different places it almost made her dizzy. "Oh, Grace. Morning~"


    Grace''s mouth opened and closed over and over again as she tried to get some words out.


    "Mmmwah!" Alia leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Grace nearly fainted. If she''d aimed that kiss at her lips instead, Grace probably would have fainted.


    "This wing has so many empty rooms," Zephyr continued, definitely enjoying Grace''s panic. "It would be a shame to let them go to waste. Besides..." She put down her mortar and stood, gliding over to the bed like a cat stalking prey. "You seemed lonely."


    "I wasn''t¡ª" Grace''s protest cut off in a squeak as Alia nuzzled her neck.


    "Grace, you''re so soft," Alia mumbled, still half-asleep but somehow still managing to be absolutely devastating. "Like cuddling sunshine... Best sleep I''ve ever had."


    "We''ll be great roommates," Zephyr purred, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching out to brush Grace''s hair from her face. "Won''t we, little one?"


    Grace made a sound like a teakettle about to explode.


    This was going to be a very interesting living arrangement.


    Assuming she survived it.


    ---


    {Diana}


    "Oh, oh goddess... Ah..." The Love Sister beneath Diana moaned and bit into the pillow. Diana moved licked her neck as she moved her fingers faster, pistoning in and out. The Love Sister, lying on her stomach, tilted her neck to the side to grant Diana better access.


    For a moment, any and all thoughts of that fight from a few days ago faded from Diana''s mind. Humans thought sometimes that what the Love Sisters did was strange, but it sure was effective.


    "Yes, yes, just like that!" She arched her back, lifting her hips into the air. Diana moved away from her neck and took that tongue to the same spot her fingers had just been in.


    Before long, the girl beneath her was coming undone. With a cry, she coated Diana''s hand in her juices and Diana just reached up and licked herself clean.


    "You never disappoint, darling," the Love Sister, smiling wide, got on her back, collapsing onto the bed.


    Diana gave her a smile.


    "I live to please."


    ---


    "Ha! Ha! HA!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Diana watched as Grace swung her practice sword with all the grace of an enthusiastic puppy. The tiny angel''s face was scrunched up in determination, a light sheen of sweat making her skin shimmer in ways that were absolutely not distracting. Even if her training outfit ¨C clearly borrowed from some other angels ¨C hugged curves Diana hadn''t noticed before.


    [When did she start developing muscle definition?] Diana thought, smirking.


    "See?" Grace paused, puffing out her cheeks in what she probably thought was an intimidating expression but actually made her look like a angry hamster. "Bet you didn''t expect me to improve this fast, huh? I bet you''re regretting all those ''drunk chicken'' comments now!"


    Diana couldn''t help but smirk. The girl was like an angry kitten trying to roar.


    "Oh yes," she drawled, crossing her arms under her chest, noticing how Grace''s eyes dropped before snapping back up, her face turning a little red. "You swung the sword without falling over. Truly, you''ve surpassed my wildest expectations. Shall I alert the demon armies that their doom approaches?"


    "You¡ª!" Grace huffed, her cheeks puffing out even more. "Just because you''re all..." She gestured vaguely at Diana''s everything, "...tall and muscley doesn''t mean you can make fun of me! Just you wait! I''ll show you!"


    She returned to her practice swings with renewed vigor. Diana chuckled under her breath.


    For a moment, Diana closed her eyes, leaning back and letting the air kiss her bare skin. She-


    "¡ªand then the Primal just appeared out of nowhere!"


    The voice cut through Diana''s thoughts like a blade. Nearby, a group of warrior angels were trading stories, their voices carrying across the training ground.


    "What did you do?"


    "I mean, what can you do against those things?"


    "Run, obviously! Did you see what happened to Nymera?"


    "Better to retreat than end up like her..."


    Diana''s hand went to the scar over her eye before she could stop it.


    Suddenly she was there again.


    Flames everywhere, that terrible face twisted in a smile as it reached for her, the shame of turning away, of leaving others behind...


    The memory of screams echoed in her ears. The heat of those flames, the weight of her failure¡ª


    "Um, Diana?"


    She snapped back to the present to find Grace standing right in front of her, golden eyes wide with something that looked dangerously like concern. When had she gotten so close?


    "What?" Diana''s voice came out sharper than intended, making Grace flinch slightly.


    "I... have to go to my next class." Grace fidgeted with her practice sword, looking up at Diana through her white lashes. "But, um, thanks. For today."


    "Yeah," Diana nodded. "Good work."


    As Grace scampered off (only tripping twice, which was actually an improvement), Diana found herself watching her go.


    [Well... She is actually doing mildly better. Her movements are more sure, her stance is more stable.]


    Diana closed her eyes again.


    [... I really hope that story about her killing demons is actually true. That would be incredible to witness.]


    One could only hope.

 Chapter 19: Mysterious Ways

    Chapter 19: Mysterious Ways"Good... good. Feel it building inside you... Let it rise... That''s it, just like that... Don''t fight it. Let it flow naturally... Let it build until you can''t hold it anymore..."


    Mara''s voice was honey-sweet in Grace''s ear as her hands rested on Grace''s shoulders.


    Grace tried to focus. She really did.


    But it was very hard to concentrate on manifesting healing energy when Mara''s absolutely criminal chest was pressed against her back, and those hands were so warm, and that perfume was making her head spin...


    [Focus! Come on, farmer, focus!]


    Divine light flickered between her fingers, weak but steady. Grace could feel it ¨C that warm, golden power that Mara talked about. The same power she used to heal that girl from her excursion with Celestia. If she could just maintain her concentration for a few more seconds...


    Then Mara shifted slightly. Her chest pressed harder against Grace. Grace''s brain turned off.


    The light fizzled out like a doused candle. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excellent progress!" Mara''s praise definitely shouldn''t have made Grace''s knees weak, but here we were. "You managed to hold it for almost a minute that time."


    Grace wiped sweat from her forehead, trying very hard not to lean back into Mara''s softness.


    "It''s... harder than it looks," she managed, proud that her voice only squeaked a little.


    "Oh, precious thing," Mara''s laugh was rich and warm. "Everything worth doing is hard at first. But don''t worry..." Her hands slid from Grace''s shoulders down her arms. "I''ll make sure you get plenty of hands-on practice."


    Grace had a feeling she wasn''t going to survive this class with her heart intact.


    Or her sanity.


    But at least she''d die happy.


    ---


    Grace practically floated out of the classroom, her head still spinning from Mara''s "lesson." The way Mara''s hands had felt on her shoulders, the press of her soft chest against Grace''s back, the honeyed purr of her voice in Grace''s ear...


    It was a miracle Grace had managed to produce any divine light at all with those distractions.


    She was so lost in the memory that she almost didn''t notice the healer falling into step beside her. Almost.


    "You did wonderfully today, Grace," Mara purred, her voice warm. "I''m so proud of your progress."


    Grace''s cheeks heated up.


    Mara had a way of making everything sound so... intimate.


    "T-thanks," she stammered, trying to match Mara''s graceful strides and mostly succeeding. It wasn''t fair how the healer could glide along like she was walking on air. "I had a good teacher."


    Mara''s laugh was a melody that Grace wanted to get stuck in her head.


    "Oh, you flatterer."


    She reached out, tucking a stray lock of white hair behind Grace''s ear. Her fingers brushed Grace''s cheek and lingered just a heartbeat too long to be entirely innocent.


    Grace''s breath hitched.


    [Does she have any idea what she does to me?]


    They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, Mara''s perfume a heady cloud around them. It smelled like lavender.


    But as pleasant as the moment was, Grace''s mind kept drifting to the conversation - well, more like confrontation - she''d witnessed yesterday between Celestia and that fallen angel.


    "Hey, Mara?" Grace ventured, her voice sounding small even to her own ears. "Can I ask you something?"


    Mara''s smile was warm, inviting. Like a cozy blanket on a cold day.


    "Of course, darling. What''s on your mind?"


    Grace took a breath, steeling herself.


    "How... how can angels stop believing in Eternia? I mean, we''re made by her, empowered by her... right?"


    Mara''s steps faltered for a heartbeat. Just a slight hitch, but Grace caught it. She winced internally.


    [Uhm... Is this a heavy topic? Okay, note to self: don''t ask about this or you''ll ruin the mood.]


    But Mara recovered quickly, her serene mask slipping back into place like it had never left.


    "It''s... complicated," she sighed, and there was a weight to her words that Grace could almost feel. "The world is in such turmoil. War, suffering, despair, and it''s been going through this for so many years. So many have lived and died without ever receiving a sign from our Goddess... It''s only natural that some angels might lose faith in the face of all that."


    Grace frowned, a little furrow appearing between her brows.


    "But... do you really think Eternia isn''t going to do anything about it?"


    Of course, Grace was well aware of the fact that literally was what Eternia was doing about it. But, she wanted to know Mara''s perspective.


    Mara paused, turning to face Grace fully.


    "Eternia... works in mysterious ways, darling," she said softly, reaching out to cup Grace''s cheek. Her palm was warm, so warm. "I''m sure she probably has a plan. We just have to have faith."


    Grace had to fight to not lean into that touch. But, even as she had this moment, she couldn''t help but notice...


    Mara didn''t say she believed Eternia had a plan. Just that she probably had a plan.


    Mara''s thumb stroked Grace''s cheekbone, a soothing motion that made Grace''s eyelids flutter.


    "That''s what faith is, isn''t it? Believing in something even when it''s hard. Trusting in a higher power."


    "I guess so."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    Mara was a bit too close right now.


    "There she is! Our little newbie!"


    The giddy voices shattered the moment like a hammer through glass. Grace barely had time to blink before a gaggle of Love Sisters descended upon her.


    "Come on, sweetie! You''re going to be late for your next lesson~"


    "W-wait, I was just-!" Grace''s protest fell on deaf ears as she was swept up in a tangle of warm arms and ample bosoms, the Love Sisters literally carrying her away. She shot Mara a helpless look over her shoulder.


    Mara just waved with a knowing smirk.


    "Have fun, darling!"


    As Grace was spirited away to goddess-knows-what torments the Love Sisters had planned, she couldn''t shake the feeling that Mara hadn''t shared her true feelings. That there was some secret she was keeping close to her chest.


    [... Well, it''s not really my right to know what that secret is, right? I mean, she can have her own beliefs. That''s fine.]


    But that mystery would have to wait. Grace had more pressing concerns.


    Like surviving her next "lesson" with her enthusiastic "classmates".


    [Eternia, give me strength.]


    Grace was going to need all the help she could get. And Mara was more than happy to provide it.


    In more ways than one.


    ---


    {Celestia}


    Reports materialized in front of Celestia''s eyes like falling stars, each one detailing another prayer answered, another soul saved. She processed them at divine speed, rainbow wings shifting colors with each new piece of information.


    "Three successful healings in the northern realm... two couples united in the western plains... one very enthusiastic knight captain who apparently can''t stop talking about the ''goddess-sent beauty'' who saved her village..." Celestia''s lips curved into a smirk. "Venus''s Sisters have been busy."


    "As have the Ascended Choir."


    A new presence materialized beside her desk ¨C an angel with brown wings and a blindfold covered in shifting eyes. One of her most trusted scouts.


    "Oh?" Celestia leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "Do tell, Sister Iris."


    "They''ve been... attentive since Grace''s arrival." Iris''s blindfold rippled, eyes blinking in sequence. "Their scholars have barely left their archives. Something about searching for precedents of triple-affinity angels."


    [Ah, of course they found out about that. I mean, I knew they would, but I was hoping it would be a while. The less snooping they do around here the better.]


    "Precious of them to think they''ll find any." Celestia''s smile held secrets. "Keep me posted on their activities. And Grace?"


    Iris''s lips curved upward.


    "Improving. Her healing abilities have already grown stronger, though Mara''s... teaching methods might be partially responsible for her elevated heart rate during lessons."


    "And the Love Path training?"


    "Still recovering from Venus''s last demonstration of ''proper technique.''"


    Celestia chuckled. She''d have to ask Venus for details later.


    "What about that little... expedition Seraph and Diana are planning?"


    "Nothing new. Are you not going to step in, ma''am?" Iris''s blindfold rippled with surprise.


    "I have to admit... I''m curious to see how it plays out. Keep an eye on Grace''s combat training. If she doesn''t improve quickly enough..." Her rainbow wings flared. "I''ll intervene."


    "And if she does improve?"


    Celestia''s smile turned dangerous.


    "Then I want to see it for myself. This power of hers, this ability to permanently destroy demons..." Her eyes gleamed. "I want to watch her in action. Eternia gave us Grace for a reason." Celestia cut her off smoothly. "And I intend to find out exactly what she expects out of our newest arrival."


    Iris''s blindfold rippled again, all eyes blinking in unison.


    "As you wish, my lady."


    As her scout vanished, Celestia materialized a screen where she could watch the training grounds where Grace was currently trying (and adorably failing) to maintain a proper sword stance while Diana circled her like a particularly attractive shark.


    "Show me what you can do, little one," she murmured. "Show me why she chose you."

 Chapter 20: Progress

    Chapter 20: Progress{Diana}


    Well... damn.


    Diana could hardly believe it. But, she had to admit it.


    Grace''s sword swings were no longer a complete joke.


    "AAAAH!" Grace gave a battle cry as she charged forward. A crowd gathered around the circle, dozens of curious faces watching the practice session curiously.


    Diana easily parried the girl''s swings. Grace continued, trying to swing her sword in the controlled, calculated way Diana had told her to. Using just the right amount of force, just the right amount of effort so as to not get winded early.


    No, Grace hadn''t suddenly become a warrior or anything. But, in less than one week she''d gone from literally falling to the ground with each swing to where now she hadn''t gotten close to falling once!


    [Feels like a pretty big improvement, huh?] Diana huffed. [Still nothing but a twig, though.]


    To emphasize that point, Diana waited until just the right moment and responded with a particularly strong vertical swing.


    "Eh!?" Grace stopped and put her sword up horizontally and Diana''s sword crashed into it.


    [Hm?]


    Grace''s sword managed to remain in that blocking position. Sure, Diana could see her arms trembling under the force of what was a very light swing on her part, but still.


    [Good. I was worried I''d split her skull in half for a second there.]


    Diana and Grace traded a few more blows, the clang of their swords ringing out across the training ground. Grace''s face was scrunched up in concentration, a thin sheen of sweat making her skin glisten in the sunlight. Her face was funny.


    With a final clash, Diana disengaged, stepping back and lowering her sword.


    "That''s enough for today."


    Grace blinked, looking like a startled kitten.


    "But I can keep going!"


    Diana smirked.


    "Oh, I''m sure you can. But I have other things to do than babysit you all day."


    Grace puffed out her cheeks in the way she usually did when she was annoyed.


    "Fine," Grace huffed, planting her sword in the ground and leaning on it heavily. "I guess I could use a break..."


    No sooner had the words left her mouth than she wobbled, her knees giving out. She would have face-planted if not for the sudden swarm of concerned angels around her.


    "Grace! Are you alright?"


    "Do you need healing?"


    "Let me help you up!"


    Diana rolled her eyes as Grace disappeared beneath a sea of wings and worried faces.


    [Honestly, you''d think they''d never seen a trainee overexert themselves before.]


    She took the opportunity to slip away, hoping to find a quiet spot to-


    "Diana!"


    [... Or not.]


    Seraph jogged over, her fiery braid bouncing with each step. She clapped Diana on the shoulder, her grip just a little too tight. Seraph wasn''t one to watch her strength.


    "So... How''s our little prodigy doing?" Seraph asked, her blue eyes glinting with mischief.


    Diana shrugged off her hand.


    "She''s improving. If you consider not falling on her face an improvement."


    Seraph laughed.


    "Sounds to me like high praise!" She glanced over at the crowd still fussing over Grace. "Poor thing. She''s going to be smothered at this rate."


    With a wink at Diana, Seraph strode over to the group, her voice rising above the chatter.


    "Alright, alright, give the girl some space! She''s not made of glass!"


    As the crowd parted, Grace looked up at Seraph with wide, grateful eyes. Diana definitely didn''t feel a twinge of... something at that look.


    "T-thank you, Seraph," Grace stammered, letting the warrior help her to her feet. "I should probably get to my next class..."


    Seraph grinned, ruffling Grace''s hair.


    "Of course, little one. Off you go. And good work today."


    Grace beamed at the praise, practically skipping away despite her exhaustion. Diana watched her go, a strange tightness in her chest.


    Seraph sidled back over, a knowing look on her face.


    "So, about that excursion..."


    Diana tore her gaze away from Grace''s retreating form.


    "What about it?"


    "You coming? It''ll be a good chance to see if our little Saintess can actually walk the walk."


    Diana hesitated. A part of her, larger than she cared to admit, wanted to go. She couldn''t help it. Could demons be slain? But at the same time...


    She didn''t want to see another demon again for a while.


    "Nah," she said, feigning nonchalance. "I''ll just wait here for the good news."


    Seraph shrugged.


    "Suit yourself," she said, turning to walk away. "But you''re probably going to be missing out."


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace practically dragged herself into the rookie wing, every muscle in her body screaming with fatigue. She was pretty sure even her hair hurt at this point. Training with Seraph and those muscular menaces in particular had been torture - glorious, ab-filled torture, but torture nonetheless.


    She was so tired and sore that even as she was being kissed in Venus''s class, she could focus on nothing else than her exhaustion.


    [Ugh, I think I''ve discovered muscles I didn''t even know existed,] Grace thought as she collapsed face-first onto her bed. [Is this what being an angel is all about? Pain and suffering?]


    "Graaaaaace!" a singsong voice called out. Grace groaned into her pillow.


    "Alia, please, I''m dying," She mumbled.


    Alia bounced into the room with Zephyr right behind her, both grinning like the sadists they were.


    "Aww, did someone have a rough day?" Zephyr cooed, plopping down on the bed beside Grace. Her hand found its way to Grace''s back, rubbing soothing circles.


    She had to stop herself from moaning, it was so good.


    "Rough doesn''t even begin to cover it," Grace whined. "I think Seraph is trying to kill me. Death by a thousand sword swings." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alia sprawled out on Grace''s other side, her head propped up on her hand.


    "But you''re still alive! That''s progress, right?"


    Grace lifted her head just enough to glare at her.


    "Barely. I''m pretty sure I left my dignity back on the training grounds."


    Zephyr laughed, the sound far too melodic for Grace''s liking.


    "Oh please, like you had any to begin with."


    "Hey!" Grace swatted at her half-heartedly. Even if she''d done so full-heartedly, it probably still wouldn''t inflict any damage. "I-I''ll have you know I was a very dignified farm girl before all this."


    Alia snorted.


    "Sure, sure. And I''m the Queen of Heaven."


    Grace buried her face back into the pillow with a groan. Why did she put up with these two again?


    "Anyway," Zephyr said, "while you were off playing swords with the Bravery Girls, we were answering prayers."


    That caught Grace''s attention. She peeked up at them.


    "Oh yeah? What did you do?"


    Alia''s eyes lit up.


    "Actually, yes! We got a request to help with a demon problem in some little village-"


    Grace shot up, fatigue momentarily forgotten.


    "A demon problem? Like, actual demons?"


    Zephyr nodded.


    "Yup. Apparently, they''d been terrorizing the poor townsfolk for weeks now."


    "Wait, but how did you two help with that? You''re Love Sisters."


    Zephyr arched a brow.


    "When did we say we helped by fighting?"


    "We. Boost. Morale, Grace! You still haven''t figured that out?" Alia asked with a giggle.


    [... Oh.]


    Still, just hearing that they''d been in the same general vicinity as a demon made Grace''s heart race.


    Truth was, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to make a difference. To prove herself.


    Besides, some day she was going to fight a demon again. If she could pick, she''d like to have it be on her own terms.


    For a moment, she nearly asked them a bold question. Something like, "hey, next time you go near demons, take me with you." But, she stopped herself.


    [Eh, I probably shouldn''t go that far yet.]


    Still, it was fun to think about.


    She could see it in her mind''s eye - Grace, the noble hero, swooping in to save the day, slaying demons left and right with her trusty sword. The townsfolk would cheer, the angels would finally respect her, and maybe, just maybe, when she came back and inevitably bragged, Diana would look at her with something other than disdain-


    "Grace... Did your boobs get bigger?" Alia asked.


    ...Wait, what?


    Grace blinked, Alia''s outburst effectively shattering her heroic fantasy.


    She looked down at her chest.


    Huh.


    "I don''t see it," Zephyr said.


    "No, no, I swear, they did," Alia added, squinting as she drew closer. "Like... 2% bigger."


    "How can you even tell!?"


    "I fancy myself a breasts enthusiast~" Alia wriggled her brows. "And, I''m pretty sure they randomly got bigger."


    Now that she mentioned it, her tunic did feel slightly little tighter than usual...


    [No, no, it''s just the power of suggestion. She''s wrong.]


    "What have you been eating, Grace?" Alia asked, grinning. "Has Sister Mara been feeding you, eh? Something so you can grow big and strong?"


    Grace felt her face flush.


    "N-No! I haven''t- I mean- my breasts are NOT growing!"


    But Alia was already reaching out, hands outstretched.


    "Can I touch them? For science?"


    "NO!" Grace yelped, crossing her arms over her chest.


    Alia pouted.


    "Aww, but they look so soft..."


    Zephyr, bless her heart, chose that moment to intervene.


    "Okay, okay, let''s all calm down. Anyway, you two wanna go get some dinner? How about it?"


    "Ooh, yeah!" Alia pushed herself into the air, spreading her wings and gliding onto the floor. "Let''s go!"


    Grace sighed with relief.


    [... But, about those demons, though. One way or another, the time will hopefully come when I can prove myself.]

 Chapter 21: Antsy

    Chapter 21: AntsyTo give credit where it was due, Alia made for a surprisingly good pillow.


    Her lap was soft, warm, and just the right amount of squishy. After dinner, they''d all piled back into Grace''s room, and somehow Grace had ended up with her head in Alia''s lap while Zephyr braided her hair.


    It should have been relaxing. It would have been relaxing if Grace''s brain would just shut up for five seconds.


    [But, how!? How am I supposed to sleep when there are demons out there RIGHT NOW?] Grace thought, staring up at the ceiling. [People are dying. Villages are burning. And what am I doing? Getting my hair braided while using a Love Sister''s thighs as a pillow.]


    She glanced up at Alia, who was chattering away about some angel gossip involving two Bravery Sisters and a very compromising position in the sacred fountain. Any other time, Grace would have been all ears. But tonight...


    "¡ªand then Seraphiel walked in on them and was like, ''THE FOUNTAIN OF DIVINE PURITY IS NOT FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES!'' but everyone knows she''s just jealous because¡ª"


    "Hey, Alia?" Grace interrupted.


    "Hmm?"


    "Have you guys ever actually fought a demon?"


    The room went quiet. Clearly not the direction they''d been expecting Grace to steer this conversation in.


    "Well... no," Alia admitted. "I mean, come on! That''s not exactly our department. We''re more about the... aftermath. You know, comforting the traumatized, erasing sadness, that kind of thing."


    "Through sex," Grace said flatly.


    "Through intimate divine connection," Zephyr corrected, resuming her braiding. "But yeah, basically sex."


    Grace sat up, dislodging both Alia''s hands and Zephyr''s braiding work.


    "But those demons you mentioned earlier. While you two were off... boosting morale did any Bravery Sisters show up?"


    Alia and Zephyr exchanged a look.


    "I believe Hesta was there," Alia added, twirling a strand of her red hair. "She was amazing! Sliced through three demons like they were nothing! Heard it took like a whole day for those demons to get back up again."


    [Right. Only I can actually kill demons. The only one who can save people for real is me. And I''m here getting my hair braided.]


    Zephyr''s eyes narrowed.


    "Grace, what are you thinking? You''ve got a suspicious look on your face...]


    "Nothing! Just curious!" Grace''s voice came out way too high-pitched to be believable. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I''m super tired. You guys should probably head back to your rooms."


    "But we were having a sleepover!" Alia pouted.


    "Rain check? I just need to... recover from all that training today."


    After much whining (Alia) and suspicious glances (Zephyr), Grace finally got them out of her room. As soon as the door closed, she leaned against it and closed her eyes.


    Eternia''s words from their first meeting echoed in her mind.


    [Like she said... I am what she''s doing about the demon problem.]


    Which meant she was going to save the world. Not "Grace was gonna help save the world" or "Grace was gonna be part of saving the world." No. SHE was going to save it. And how was she supposed to do that if she couldn''t even make it through basic training without collapsing?


    A serious realization dawned on her.


    [I need to get stronger. Better. Faster.] She narrowed her eyes. [And I need to do it soon.]


    Twenty minutes later, Grace was creeping through the darkened halls of the angelic barracks, heading toward the training grounds. The sourceless moonlight of the celestial realm cast enough light that she could see where she was going, but hopefully not enough that anyone would spot her.


    The training grounds were deserted, as expected. Grace imagined most angels were on duty or sleeping or... boosting the Angelic Dominion''s morale.


    Perfect.


    Grace picked up one of the practice swords¡ªmuch lighter than the ones Seraph had made her train with¡ªand moved to the center of the yard.


    "Okay," she whispered to herself. "Just like Seraph showed us. Stance wide, grip tight..."


    She began going through the basic forms, slowly at first, then picking up speed as her muscles remembered the movements.


    Thrust. Parry. Slice. Block.


    [Huh. This isn''t so bad when there''s not a six-foot-tall muscle goddess screaming in my face about proper elbow positioning.]


    As she moved, Grace began to imagine she wasn''t alone. In her mind, she was surrounded by demons¡ªhorrible, twisted creatures with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws. Just like the one that had killed her.


    Thrust¡ªtake that, demon scum!


    Parry¡ªnot today, evil spawn!


    Slice¡ªthat''s for Sister Nymera!


    Block¡ª


    "Your grip is all wrong."


    "AAAAAAHHH!" Grace screamed, whirling around and nearly dropping her sword.


    Diana stood there, arms crossed over her very exposed chest (seriously, did she EVER put on proper shirts!?), looking thoroughly unimpressed.


    "D-Diana!" Grace clutched her chest, willing her heart to stop trying to escape through her ribcage. "What are you doing here?"


    "I could ask you the same question." Diana''s gray eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. "Training hours are from dawn to dusk. It''s well past dusk, rookie."


    [Great. Of all the angels who could''ve caught me, it had to be Miss Perpetually-Annoying.]


    "I was just getting in some extra practice."


    Diana raised an eyebrow. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After complaining all day about how sore you were? You were literally a puddle at the end of class."


    Grace sighed, lowering her sword.


    "I... I heard some angels talk about a demon attack today. I want to make sure I can fight them soon. So I came here."


    "So you thought midnight solo training with terrible form would get you there?" Diana scoffed. "You''ll just reinforce bad habits."


    "Well, it''s the best I could do," Grace muttered.


    Diana stared her down. Grace could see her mind working.


    "Listen, rookie," Diana said, uncrossing her arms and stepping forward. "Demons aren''t training dummies. They don''t just stand there while you figure out where to stick your sword. They''re fast, they''re strong, and they want nothing more than to tear your pretty little head from your shoulders."


    "I know that," Grace said, trying to sound confident. "But I have to start somewhere, right?"


    Diana shook her head. Then, to Grace''s absolute shock, she held out her hand.


    "Give me the sword."


    Grace handed it over, half-expecting to be marched back to her room in disgrace. Instead, Diana moved to stand behind her, so close that Grace could feel the heat radiating from her body.


    "Here," Diana said, placing the sword back in Grace''s hand and then covering it with her own. "Like this."


    Grace''s brain broke.


    Diana''s very naked breasts were pressed against her back. Diana''s hand, far larger than her own, was over hers, pretty much covering it.


    [Is this really happening or did I fall asleep on Alia''s lap?]


    "Your stance should be like this," Diana continued, nudging Grace''s feet apart with her own. "Center of gravity lower. You''re too rigid¡ªa demon would knock you over with one swipe."


    "R-Right," Grace stammered, trying desperately to focus on the lesson and not on how Diana smelled like leather and something sweet she couldn''t quite place.


    For the next hour, Diana drilled her relentlessly. No breaks, no mercy. By the end, Grace was drenched in sweat and trembling with exhaustion.


    "That''s enough for tonight," Diana finally said, stepping back.


    Grace nearly collapsed without Diana''s support. She leaned on the sword, gasping for breath.


    "W-Wait!" She called out. Diana stopped and gave her a long look. "S-Same time tomorrow?"


    Diana arched a brow so slowly it almost let out a creaking sound. But, Grace couldn''t just let this opportunity slip through her fingers. She wanted to be out there, fighting, as soon as she could. If Diana could help her, even as annoying as she was, Grace had no problem begging for help.


    "Do you even know why I helped you out just now?"


    "... Because I''m cute?"


    Diana blinked.


    Then, she started cackling. Laughing, actually laughing, so loud her voice echoed.


    [Okay, rude.]


    "No, no, no. Look, listen to me." She crouched, getting at eye level with Grace. "You''re the only one who can kill them," Diana said bluntly. "Not just weaken them or send them away¡ªactually kill them. Make them gone forever."


    Grace straightened up a little.


    "Well, yes, exactly! That''s why I need to train harder, so I can¡ª"


    "So, we can''t have you ruining your own training," Diana cut her off. "Don''t get it twisted, rookie. You''re a weapon. The only weapon that works against them permanently. And a weapon needs to be sharp." She gestured at Grace''s sweaty, exhausted form. "You''re about as sharp as a sack of grain right now."


    "Oh," Grace said, shoulders slumping.


    Diana sighed, running a hand through her short black hair.


    "Look, what I''m trying to say is that a few good hours of actual, supervised training will make more progress for you than centuries of solo training. Your enthusiasm isn''t... completely terrible. But enthusiasm won''t keep you alive against a real demon. So, you shouldn''t be out here trying to do things on your own. You have lots of angels willing to help you improve. So just go back to your room, get some sleep, and take advantage of that fact in class."


    Before Grace could do that, she needed to ask:


    "... So you''ll help me?" Grace asked.


    "I didn''t say that."


    "You didn''t *not* say it either."


    "Bratty little..." Diana''s mouth twitched again. "You have dozens if not hundreds of angels willing to train you personally. Ask them. Anyway, stop talking to me. Go to bed. If you''re late for morning training because of this little midnight adventure, Seraph will have both our heads."


    As Diana turned to walk away, Grace called after her:


    "Uhm, thanks!" She called out. She almost didn''t say it, felt too much like conceding victory or something, but it wouldn''t feel right not to say it after all this free advice she received.


    Diana paused, looking back over her shoulder with a smirk.


    "Don''t thank me yet," she said. "You''ll be cursing my name before we''re done."


    As Grace watched Diana disappear into the darkness, she couldn''t help but smile.


    In a way, this too was progress! Actual progress! Diana had helped her, had acknowledged her potential.


    [Demons beware. Grace Lightsinger is coming for you... right after she takes a very, very long nap.]

 Chapter 22: Little Warrior, Part One

    Chapter 22 - Little Warrior, Part OneGrace woke up feeling like she''d been trampled by a herd of divine horses. Twice. Every muscle screamed in protest as she dragged herself into a sitting position, her brain struggling to process why everything hurt so much.


    [Oh right. Diana and her surprise midnight training session from hell.]


    She was pretty sure muscles she didn''t even know she had were sore.


    As she contemplated taking the day off and switching careers from angel to vegetable, a familiar golden glow appeared in her vision.


    ¡¸Quest Gained!¡¹


    Category: Bravery


    Objective: Slay a Demon


    Reward: +5 Bravery


    "Are you KIDDING ME?!" Grace shrieked at the floating text, then immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. The last thing she needed was for Alia or Zephyr to hear her shouting at thin air.


    [Great. Even my goddess thinks I need to hurry up and get to demon-slaying. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Eternia, but have you SEEN me try to swing a sword? Surely, you could give me a year or something, no!?]


    She flopped back onto her bed with a groan, then immediately regretted it as her muscles protested the sudden movement.


    "Fine," she muttered to the ceiling¡ªand by extension, to Eternia. "I''ll kill your stupid demon... Just as soon as I figure out how to stand up without crying."


    By the time Grace finally dragged herself to morning training, she was already fifteen minutes late. Seraph''s eyes narrowed dangerously as Grace tried to sneak into the back row.


    "LIGHTSINGER!" Seraph''s voice boomed across the training yard. "Care to explain why you''re late to MY training session?"


    Every head turned to stare at Grace, who felt her face heat up to approximately the temperature of the sun.


    "I, uh, overslept?" It wasn''t technically a lie.


    "OVERSLEPT?!" Seraph looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel. Her muscles¡ªand seriously, did the woman have muscles on her EYEBALLS?¡ªbulged as she stalked over to Grace. "Do you think DEMONS care if you OVERSLEPT?!"


    [Pretty sure demons would be thrilled if I overslept. I''m literally the only one who can kill them.]


    She kept that snarky little comment to herself.


    "No, ma''am!" Grace squeaked.


    "Twenty laps around the courtyard!" Seraph bellowed. "AND you get to be Diana''s sparring partner today!"


    Grace''s head whipped around, scanning the training yard until she spotted Diana standing off to the side. Their eyes met, and Diana''s lips curved into a slow, predatory smile.


    GULP


    "But first!" Seraph clapped her massive hands together. "Everyone pair up! We''re practicing defensive maneuvers!"


    From that unfortunate incident, the next three days passed in a blur of sweat, pain, and the occasional flash of golden system notifications that only Grace could see.


    Day one was pure, unadulterated torture.


    "Wider stance!" Diana barked, circling Grace like a shark. "You''re still too rigid!"


    "I''m trying!" Grace panted, her arms trembling as she held her practice sword aloft.


    "Try harder," Diana replied, then swept Grace''s legs out from under her for the twelfth time that morning.


    As Grace lay flat on her back, staring up at the perfect blue sky of the Angelic Dominion, she had to wonder if death-by-training was a possibility for an immortal being.


    Diana''s face (75% obscured by her breasts) appeared above her, blocking out the sun.


    "Get up. Again."


    [I''ve made a terrible mistake. Diana''s not helping me¡ªshe''s enjoying torturing me!]


    Later that day, Grace practically dragged herself to healing class with Mara. After getting her butt kicked by Diana for hours, she was ready for something¡ªanything¡ªthat didn''t involve getting knocked on her face repeatedly.


    "Divine energy flows from the heart, through the arms, and out through the hands," Mara explained. "It''s like a river of pure light."


    Grace tried her absolute hardest to focus on this whole "river of light" business and not on Mara''s insane chest. Seriously, the woman''s robes looked like they were one deep breath away from surrendering completely. It was like they were holding on for dear life, those poor, strained fabrics.


    "Now, everyone place your hands on your partner''s injury," Mara instructed.


    Grace''s partner was this shy angel named Lily. Poor thing looked terrified as she held out her arm with its tiny practice cut. Like Grace was gonna somehow make it worse instead of better. Which, to be fair, probably wasn''t outside the realm of possibility.


    "Remember, feel the warmth in your chest, let it flow down your arms, and into your fingertips," Mara continued, bouncing between pairs of angels. And yes, "bouncing" is definitely the right word here.


    Grace squeezed her eyes shut, trying to find this magical energy Mara wouldn''t shut up about. She''d managed to do it a couple times before, but it was always like trying to catch a slippery fish with your bare hands. At first, nothing happened¡ªbig surprise there. But then, she felt something! Like a tiny little sun had decided to take up residence right in the middle of her chest.


    [Hey! I''m actually feeling something! Yay!]


    She grabbed onto that warm feeling like her life depended on it, mentally shoving it down her arms toward her fingers. It was the weirdest sensation, like warm honey flowing through her veins. When she peeked one eye open, her hands were actually glowing! Actually glowing with golden light all around Lily''s cut.


    "Oh!" Lily gasped. "It tingles!"


    They both watched, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as the cut on Lily''s arm just... closed up. Like magic. (Because, duh, it WAS magic.) Grace had done that! With her own hands!


    "I did it!" Grace practically squealed. She might have jumped up and down a little too. So what? She''d earned it!


    ¡¸Skill Upgraded: Soothing Hands (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    If healing class was a nice surprise, what happened in Venus''s class that evening was like getting trampled by a carriage.


    "Intimacy is about connection," Venus purred, stalking around the room like she owned everyone in it. And, as per usual, and as seemed to be the norm in the Angelic Dominion, she was basically naked. Really, Grace could see EVERYTHING and it was very hard to listen like that. "It''s about making someone feel safe, desired, and cherished. Like even in a world that doesn''t care about them, a world that is actively hostile to them, you are there to make it all better."


    That sounded great and all but Grace was having a hard time taking her seriously when the clothes she wore didn''t so much as hide anything and instead more like highlighted everything.


    [How is anyone supposed to concentrate with her dressed like THAT?]


    "Today, we''ll continue practicing the art of the kiss," Venus continued, like a predator looking for her next meal. And guess who ended up being the main course? "Grace, dear, would you care to assist me with a demonstration?"


    Grace almost died right then and there. She made this weird choking sound that was halfway between a gasp and a squeak.


    "M-Me?!"


    "Unless there''s another Grace in the room," Venus said and all the girls laughed in a way that made Grace feel so embarrassed.


    The walk to the front of the classroom was like a death march. Everyone was staring at her, and Grace could pretty much hear their thoughts. ''Poor Grace, she''s about to combust on the spot.'' And they weren''t wrong!


    Venus smiled at her, and then¡ªoh goddess¡ªshe TOUCHED Grace''s face with one perfect, elegant finger.


    "Relax," she murmured, all quiet and intimate like they were alone and not surrounded by a bunch of nosy angels. "Just follow my lead."


    And then...


    BAM! Venus was kissing her!


    But it instantly became obvious to Grace that this wasn''t like the awkward practice kisses they''d been doing before. No, she understood now that Venus had been going easy on her the whole time. This was something different. No tongue (Grace would have actually died for a second time if there was) but Venus''s lips were impossibly soft, and she knew EXACTLY what she was doing. Grace''s brain basically turned to mush. Her knees went all wobbly, and she was 99% sure she made some embarrassing noise that everyone definitely heard.


    When Venus finally pulled away, Grace just stood there like an idiot, pretty sure that her brain had just leaked out her ears and onto the floor.


    "And that, class," Venus said, looking all perfect and composed while Grace was having a full-blown meltdown, "is how a proper kiss should feel."


    ¡¸Skill Upgraded: Golden Tongue (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    By day two of this crazy training spree, Grace started noticing changes. Not just the "oh hey, I can swing a sword without falling over" kind of changes from before, but something else too. She actually felt... kind of good? Almost confident?


    [Is something wrong with me? Did someone slip an aphrodisiac in my breakfast!?]


    "Again!" Diana shouted, knocking Grace''s attack away like she was swatting a fly. "You''re telegraphing your moves!" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I-I am not!" Grace shot back as if she knew what "telegraphing moves" even meant. She tried a blow to the left before going right.


    PANG, PANG! Their wooden blades crashed into each other. Diana still blocked her, because of course she did, but something weird happened. Her eyebrows did this little jump up her forehead. If Grace didn''t know better, she''d think Diana was actually impressed!


    "Better," Diana admitted, looking like the word physically pained her to say. "But still not good enough."


    [Wait, hold up. Did the Most Annoying Angel just give me a compliment?]


    Grace wanted another one.


    The third day brought something even weirder. Grace was leaving Mara''s healing class, feeling pretty good about herself, when she caught her reflection in one of those super shiny marble columns. She did a double-take so hard she nearly gave herself whiplash.


    "What the...?" She leaned in super close, almost pressing her nose against the marble. Were her eyes... glowing? She''d vaguely noticed it before but now, it was so much more obvious. Even her hair was all... shimmery!


    Trait Gained!


    ¡¸Divine Attraction¡¹


    As your attributes increase, become more attractive to everything around you.


    [Oh, great. What exactly does THAT mean?]


    She got her answer two seconds later when some random angel walking by did a double-take, stared at Grace like she''d grown a second head, and then-


    WHAM! Walked face-first into a pillar.


    "O-Oh, frick. Do you need healing?" Grace jogged over and helped out with her broken nose.


    By the end of day three, Grace was feeling pretty darn awesome, even though every muscle in her body was screaming at her. She was standing straighter, walking with more confidence, and yeah, it hurt enough to make her want to cry, but those moments with Diana''s face changing into an impressed look? Worth it. Completely worth it.


    Grace was just heading back from her last training session, daydreaming about the hot bath waiting for her, when Seraph''s voice nearly blew out her eardrums.


    "LIGHTSINGER!"


    Grace nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around and bracing for impact. What had she done wrong this time? Breathed too loudly? Existed in a slightly annoying way?


    She turned and there was Seraph, grinning like a maniac, her muscles literally bulging out of her uniform. Her biceps had biceps.


    "You''ve shown remarkable improvement," Seraph said, still yelling even though Grace was standing RIGHT THERE. "Ha! Ha! REMARKABLE!"


    "Uh, thanks?" Grace wasn''t sure if this was a trap. Was Seraph about to tell her she''d improved from "absolutely terrible" to merely "embarrassingly bad"?


    "In fact," Seraph continued, and then the weirdest thing happened¡ªshe lowered her voice! To normal people volume! It was somehow scarier than the yelling. "I think you''re ready for a little field test."


    Grace tilted her head.


    "Field test?"


    "Mhm," Seraph nodded, with her hands on her hips. "We''ve received reports of a demon causing trouble in a small village to the east," Seraph explained casually, like she was talking about the weather and not actual demons. "Nothing too dangerous¡ªjust a nuisance, really. But perfect for a rookie''s first mission."


    [Wait, is she saying what I think she''s saying?]


    "You want me to...?" Grace''s brain couldn''t accept it.


    "Fight a demon!" Seraph boomed, slapping Grace on the back so hard she nearly fell face-first. "What do you say? Ready to put all that training to the test?"


    Grace''s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. A demon? A real, actual, not-pretend demon? Not just Diana whacking her with a practice sword, but a genuine monster from the pits of wherever they came from?


    ¡¸Quest Update: Objective Available¡¹


    The golden text appeared right in front of her face, pulsing like it was excited about this development.


    [Oh sure, NOW you''re giving suggestions. Where were you when Diana was using me as a punching bag?]


    "I..." Grace''s throat felt like she''d swallowed sand. She took a deep breath and somehow found her backbone.


    There was really only one way to respond.


    "Yes. I''m ready."


    Seraph''s grin got even bigger, which shouldn''t have been physically possible. She showed so many teeth she looked like she could bite through steel.


    "Excellent! We leave at dawn. Pack light, fight hard, and try not to die!" She spun around to leave.


    Grace stood there like she''d been turned to stone, her brain trying to process what just happened.


    [A real demon. Tomorrow. With Seraph. What could possibly go wrong? Oh wait, EVERYTHING.]


    Part of her¡ªthe smart part, probably¡ªwas screaming to run after Seraph and say "Just kidding! I''ll stick to practice dummies, thanks!" But the other part¡ªthe part that kept seeing that golden quest notification and thinking about getting strong enough to actually make a difference¡ªknew this was her big chance.


    A demon. HER demon.


    Grace couldn''t help the little smile that crept onto her face as she headed back to her room to get ready. Sure, she was terrified out of her mind, but also? She was kind of excited.

 Chapter 23: Little Warrior, Part Two

    Chapter 23 - Little Warrior, Part TwoDawn came too early for Grace''s liking. Who decided angels needed to be up before the sun? Was it Eternia? Why!?


    She''d barely slept a wink anyway, tossing and turning all night while her brain helpfully supplied a bunch of awful scenarios of how a rookie angel versus rabid demon fight might go.


    Likely not very well.


    [What if it has, like, ten arms? Or shoots fire from its eyeballs? Or worse... what if I trip over my own feet and stab myself before the fight even starts?]


    Grace stared at the pile of equipment Seraph had dumped in her room last night. A plain silver breastplate that looked two sizes too big for her, arm guards that would probably slide right off her skinny wrists mid-fight, and a basic sword that honestly seemed like it had seen better days. Possibly several centuries ago.


    "Uwaaa...." She groaned before picking one up and throwing it across the room. "I''m so dead!"


    Then she picked up the sword and gave it a half-hearted swing.


    "Even if the demon doesn''t kill me, Seraph probably will when she sees how bad I suck at this."


    "Aww, don''t be so negative!" a voice chirped from her doorway.


    "ACK!"


    Grace yelped, nearly dropping the sword on her foot which would have been a fantastically embarrassing way to start her big first day of demon slaying.


    Alia and Zephyr stood there, both grinning like they''d caught her doing something naughty instead of having an existential crisis.


    "Don''t you two know how to knock?!" Grace demanded, clutching her chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"


    "We did knock," Zephyr said, gliding into the room smugly. It made Grace want to trip her somehow. "You were too busy talking to yourself to hear us."


    Alia bounced over to the equipment pile, poking at the breastplate with one finger.


    "Wow, this is... something."


    "Something terrible, you mean," Grace sighed. "It doesn''t even fit!"


    "Probably Seraph''s idea of a joke," Zephyr said, smirking. "Make the rookie look as ridiculous as possible for her first mission, you know?"


    "Greeeeat!" Grace flopped down on her bed. She whined, turning and rolling and balling up. "Uuuuwaaaaaooohh.... I''ll be the laughingstock of the entire Angelic Dominion!"


    "Nah, you''ll be fine!" Alia plopped down next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Besides, you Bravery Sisters got something way cooler than this junk, right? That, uh, divine... weapon... thingy!"


    Grace blinked. She''d almost forgotten about that.


    Blade of Eternia, her system had called it. The ability to wield weapons made of divine light.


    [Wait, can... Can I use that?]


    "I... I don''t know if I can just make one appear whenever I want," Grace said, frowning. "I... kinda haven''t tried that yet."


    "Well, no time like the present!" Alia bounced excitedly. "Try it! Try it!"


    "I don''t even know how!"


    Zephyr sat on the edge of the bed, looking thoughtful.


    "Maybe it''s like healing? You know, focus on the divine energy and all that?"


    Grace guessed it was worth a shot. She closed her eyes, trying to find that warm feeling in her chest again, the little sun that powered her healing abilities. It took a moment, but there it was, pulsing gently.


    [Okay, divine light. I need a weapon. Something impressive. Something that screams ''I can actually hurt stuff''!]


    She focused on the warmth, willing it to flow down her arm and into her hand, but this time, instead of healing energy, she pictured a sword. An amazing, glowing, demon-slaying sword that would make even Diana shut her stupid mouth.


    The warmth intensified, spreading down her arm like liquid fire. Her palm tingled, and she felt something solid materializing in her grip.


    "Holy crap!" Alia squealed.


    Grace''s eyes flew open. In her hand was a sword.


    But not just any sword.


    This one was made entirely of golden light. The light pulsed a couple of times. It felt weightless, like holding a beam of sunlight that had randomly decided to take the form of a blade.


    ... A very tiny, very thin, overall unimpressive blade.


    But, still, a blade.


    "Holy feathers!" Alia squealed, clapping, her eyes wider than dinner plates. "You actually did it!"


    Grace stared at her creation. It was... well... kinda pathetic, honestly.


    The glowing sword was barely over the size of a dagger, and so skinny it looked more like a golden toothpick. If this thing was supposed to strike fear into the hearts of demons, the only fear they''d feel was that they might die laughing.


    [This is what my divine power created? This is all that my goddess herself could muster?]


    "It''s... cute?" Zephyr offered, tilting her head as she examined the tiny light sword. She was obviously trying not to laugh. "Very... compact. Efficient!"


    "It''s a glowing twig!" Grace said flatly. "I''m supposed to fight a demon with a magical glowing twig!?"


    Alia bounced across the room, peering at it from all angles.


    "Maybe it grows bigger when you''re in actual danger? Or when you''re really angry? Oh, OH! Maybe it works like a penis? You know, it might get bigger if you think about naked angels!"


    "Alia!" Grace yelped, her face heating up. "Why would you even¡ª"


    "Worth a try," Alia shrugged. "Come on. Picture Venus putting her¡ª"


    "I''M NOT DOING THAT!" Grace shrieked. Her face felt hot enough to cook eggs on.


    No matter what she tried, the sword remained stubbornly tiny.


    ¡¸Skill Used: Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 1)¡¹


    "Seraph is gonna laugh when she sees this," Grace muttered, wanting to throw the damn thing away. "Hers is probably thick and massive. Mine''s so small... and weak."


    "Speaking of Seraph, aren''t you supposed to meet her at the eastern cliff in like... ten minutes or something?"


    Grace''s eyes widened in horror.


    "TEN MINUTES?! Why didn''t you say something sooner?!"


    She leaped off the bed, the light sword vanishing as her concentration broke.


    Frantically, she started strapping on the armor. She cursed as the breastplate slid onto her tiny frame.


    "Here, here, let me help," Zephyr said, adjusting the straps to make it slightly less ridiculous looking. "You know, they really should make armor in more sizes."


    "I''m sure they don''t expect vertically-challenged farm girls to become angels very often," Grace muttered as Alia helped her with the arm guards.


    "Vertically-challenged?" Alia asked, raising a brow at her.


    "Oh, shut it," Grace replied. Alia giggled.


    Five minutes later, Grace resembled something like a cross between a warrior and a child playing dress-up in her parent''s clothes. The breastplate was as snug as they could make it (which wasn''t very), the arm guards were secured with extra leather straps Zephyr had conjured from somewhere, and the helmet... well, Grace had taken one look at the helmet and decided she''d rather risk decapitation than wear something that would completely swallow her head like that.


    "How do I look?" she asked, spreading her arms.


    Alia and Zephyr exchanged glances.


    "Like you''re going to kick some serious demon butt!" Alia said with obviously fake enthusiasm.


    "Like you''re... trying your best," Zephyr added, more diplomatically.


    [So, ridiculous. Got it.]


    Soon, Grace wobbled down the celestial hallways like a drunk duckling, her oversized armor clanking with each step.


    "Uuuuuhhh..." She nearly cried. The breastplate kept sliding to one side no matter how many times she yanked it back into place, and she was pretty sure one of her arm guards was about to make a break for freedom.


    "Be cautious!" Zephyr called after her.


    "Think sexy thoughts for your sword!" Alia yelled even louder, causing several passing angels to stop and stare. "Maybe that''ll make it bigger! Works for men, right?"


    Grace''s face burned even hotter as she picked up her pace, armor rattling. Every few steps, the breastplate would slide down and smack her in the chin.


    By the time she reached that cliff, she was sporting a lovely bruise on her jawline that she had to heal away and she was just about ready to throw her armor away.


    Seraph was already there, looking like someone who''d actually fought stuff before. Her red hair blazed in the evening light, her muscles bulging as she did one-handed pushups while waiting. Heaven forbid she waste thirty seconds not exercising. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [How many pushups would I need to do to look like that? Probably more than I could do in a millennia.]


    "THERE YOU ARE!" Seraph boomed, leaping to her feet with enough force to crack the marble beneath her. "READY TO SPILL SOME DEMON BLOOD?!"


    "As ready as I''ll ever be..." Grace muttered, trying to stand tall despite her armor doing its best to drag her into a slouch.


    Seraph circled her, eyeing the equipment. For a moment, Grace thought she might actually offer her something that fit. Instead, she threw back her head and laughed so hard birds scattered from nearby trees.


    "PERFECT!" she roared. "Nothing says ''rookie mission'' like armor that doubles as a torture device! It''s TRADITION!"


    [Wait, what!? This was INTENTIONAL???]


    "You... You...!" Grace pouted up at the woman who could probably fit her in the palm of one hand. She couldn''t believe this!


    "Anyway, come on," Seraph grabbed Grace by the shoulders, nearly dislocating them in her enthusiasm. "Remember your training! Stick close to me! And if you die, I''ll PERSONALLY drag your soul back from the afterlife just to make you do a thousand laps!"


    Before Grace could process that terrifying promise, Seraph shoved her toward the cliff they''d be jumping off of in a moment.


    [Eternia, you weird goddess. Please don''t let me embarrass myself.]

 Chapter 24: Little Warrior, Part Three

    Chapter 24 - Little Warrior, Part ThreeGrace''s stomach lurched as she and Seraph plummeted through the clouds. The wind whipped her hair around her face, getting in her eyes and mouth. She tried spitting it out while also trying not to scream.


    This was her second time flying now and it wasn''t going much better than the first somehow. She really needed to start attending those flying lessons.


    Well, if she made it out of this alive.


    "WAAHOOO!" Seraph hollered, doing a completely unnecessary spiral while Grace''s insides were doing somersaults.


    They fell faster and faster. The ground zoomed closer by the second. Grace''s heart hammered against her ribs so hard she worried it might actually break through.


    "Uhm, Seraph?" she squeaked, clinging to the warrior angel''s arm with both hands. "Shouldn''t we, you know, SLOW DOWN?!"


    Seraph just cackled. Actually cackled! Like this was the most entertaining thing she''d done all week.


    "Relax, rookie! We''ve got PLENTY of time before we go splat!"


    [Splat?! SPLAT? SPLAT?!]


    Grace squeezed her eyes shut.


    Eh, maybe dying again this way wouldn''t be so bad. At least she wouldn''t have to fight a demon if she was just a Grace-shaped puddle on the ground.


    The rushing air suddenly slowed. Grace cracked one eye open.


    They were gliding now, drifting down much more gently. Seraph looked disappointed by this turn of events, like she''d been hoping to wait until the absolute last second before pulling up.


    "You''re no fun," Seraph huffed.


    "Excuse me, ma''am, I like being alive!" Grace shot back. "Or... whatever I am now."


    They touched down in a clearing surrounded by twisted, dead-looking trees. Grace''s legs wobbled as she let go of Seraph''s arm. She''d flown with Celestia before, but that had been... different. Celestia glided like she was part of the air itself. Seraph flew like she was personally offended by gravity and wanted everyone to know it.


    Grace looked around. The mortal world looked bleaker than she remembered. The trees were black and gnarled, and the sky had an ugly, reddish tint to it. It felt wrong being back here.


    "So," Grace said, rubbing her arms. "Uhm... Which way to the demon?"


    Seraph sniffed the air like a hunting dog, turning slowly in a circle.


    "This way," she declared, pointing toward a particularly dense part of the forest. "I spotted it from above earlier today. Small one. Perfect for a rookie''s first kill."


    "Great," Grace muttered. "Just... yeah, great."


    They walked in silence for a bit. Grace kept flinching at every sound ¨C the snap of a twig, the rustle of dead leaves.


    Tink tink tink...


    Her armor clanked with each step, announcing their presence to everything within a mile.


    [Some stealthy demon hunters we are.]


    A shiver ran up Grace''s spine. It wasn''t just nerves. She felt cold. Really cold. Like someone had replaced her blood with ice water.


    "S-Seraph?" she asked, her teeth starting to chatter. "Is it normal to feel cold? Like, really cold?"


    Seraph glanced back at her.


    "Cold? A little, yeah. That''s pretty common when demons are nearby. Their corruption affects the world around them. Angels like us are particularly sensitive to that corruption, and it sorta manifests as feeling cold."


    "I don''t mean like, ''ooh it''s chilly'' cold," Grace clarified, wrapping her arms around herself. "I mean ''I can see my breath and my bones hurt'' cold."


    That made Seraph stop for a moment. She turned and studied Grace with new interest.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I swear." Grace hugged herself as best she could. "I mean, I can''t literally see my own breath, but it feels like I will soon."


    "That''s... interesting," she said, looking thoughtful. "Most angels feel a slight chill at most. Maybe you''re even more sensitive to demonic presence."


    "Lucky me," Grace grumbled.


    Seraph grinned, slapping her on the back hard enough to make her teeth rattle. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, come on! That''s good! Means you can help us track them easier!"


    [I guess.]


    They continued walking. The further they went, the colder Grace felt.


    "So," Grace said, trying to distract herself from her chattering teeth. "How long have you been doing this?"


    "What, how long I''ve been an angel?" She raised a brow.


    "Yeah."


    "HA!" Seraph boomed. "Longer than you can imagine, rookie!" She ruffled Grace''s hair, making her pout. "Ah, probably close to about... 700 years?"


    "That''s... wow. And you still enjoy it?"


    "ENJOY IT?" Seraph''s eyes blazed with passion. "I LIVE FOR IT! Each demon I send back to the void is one less threat to the mortal world! ... Albeit temporarily." Seraph''s enthusiasm dimmed slightly. "Even with as much experience as I have, I can banish them, weaken them, imprison them. But they always return eventually."


    "That''s awful."


    "Well, hey! That''s why YOU''RE so important. Ha! Ha! Ha!" She clapped Grace''s shoulder three times with each laugh.


    Grace still didn''t know how to feel about that. Important? Her? The same Grace who''d spent the last several years growing turnips and occasionally selling them at village markets? That Grace was important?


    "I still don''t understand why Eternia made me," she said quietly. "I''m nobody special."


    Seraph stopped walking again. She put her hands on Grace''s shoulders, looking down at her with a warm little smile.


    "Kid, Eternia chooses who she chooses. I stopped questioning the goddess''s decisions after my first few centuries." She thumped her chest. "Our job is to fight. To protect. To smash demon faces until they stop moving. Leave the big cosmic questions to Celestia and her type."


    Grace nodded, oddly comforted by Seraph''s simple philosophy.


    The cold was becoming unbearable now. Grace''s fingers felt numb inside her too-big gloves.


    "We must be getting close," she whispered.


    Then the trees opened up, and Grace''s heart dropped into her stomach.


    Bodies. Everywhere. Men, women... even children. Torn apart like they were made of paper. Blood stained the ground black in the dim light. Some were still clutching makeshift weapons. Pitchforks, kitchen knives, an old sword. All of which ended up being about as useful as Grace felt right now.


    "Oh no," Grace breathed, covering her mouth. She''d seen death before ¨C her parents, Sister Nymera... But it still wasn''t easy.


    Seraph''s face hardened. All the playfulness vanished, replaced by determination.


    "This is what they do," she said quietly. "This is why we fight."


    Grace couldn''t look away from a small body near a fallen tree. A little boy. Not much older than seven or eight.


    "Can''t we... help them somehow?" Grace asked, her voice breaking.


    Seraph shook her head.


    "They''re beyond our help now. The best thing we can do is catch that demon before it reaches the next village."


    "But¨C"


    "Look at me, rookie," Seraph gripped Grace''s chin, forcing her to meet those fierce blue eyes. "This is the reality of our war. It''s ugly. It''s painful. But we KEEP MOVING. We catch that demon, and YOU end it. PERMANENTLY. That''s how we honor these people."


    Grace swallowed hard and nodded, blinking back tears.


    "Follow me," Seraph said. "And stay close. I would guess that it''s near."


    Grace took one last look at the massacre behind them, then summoned her tiny sword of light. Pathetic as it was, it was better than nothing.


    The cold inside her was now a deep, bone-aching freeze ¨C but it was being replaced by something else. Something warm. Something angry.


    [I can do this. I HAVE to do this.]

 Chapter 25: Little Warrior, Part Four

    Chapter 25 - Little Warrior, Part FourGrace clutched her tiny light sword, trying to ignore how stupid it looked. The cold had settled deep in her bones now, making her teeth chatter like they were trying to escape her mouth.


    "Are we getting closer?" she whispered.


    "Maybe."


    A little while later.


    "Are we getting closer?"


    "Probably."


    A few minutes passed.


    "Are we-"


    "GRACE!" Seraph barked out. "If anything YOU should tell ME if we''re getting closer. You''re the one who feels cold, right?"


    "Oh, uh, well... the temperature hasn''t changed or anything. I still feel just as cold."


    "Then, either we aren''t getting closer, or..." She thought about it.


    Suddenly, Seraph held up a hand, signaling for silence.


    She crouched low, her massive muscles tensing like coiled springs. Grace tried to copy her pose and nearly fell over when her oversized breastplate slid sideways.


    [Great start, Grace. Real intimidating.]


    "There," Seraph said, pointing through a gap in the twisted trees.


    Grace squinted. At first, she saw nothing. Then... some movement. A dark shape shifted around between the dead trunks. It moved all... wrong. Jerky and unpredictable, like a puppet with half its strings cut, snarling at nothing. Yep, nothing like the Primal Demon that had sent Grace to the afterlife. More like the demonic grunts Nymera had been crushing before that one popped up.


    "That''s our target," Seraph whispered, her usual booming voice unnaturally quiet. "Remember your training. Stay behind me until I say otherwise."


    "What training?" Grace hissed back. "I''ve had exactly ONE WEEK of you yelling at me to ''hit harder'' while I waved a practice sword around!"


    Seraph grinned.


    "That alone is more than most mortals get. Now shut up and follow me."


    They crept forward, keeping low. Well, Seraph kept low. Grace mostly tried not to trip over her own feet, but, given how tiny she already was, she may as well have been sneaking.


    Every few steps, her breastplate would slide and hit her chin with a tiny ''clink'' that sounded like cannon fire in the silent forest.


    The demon hadn''t noticed them yet. It was hunched over something. Grace''s stomach lurched when she realized it was feeding on another body. A farmer, judging by the clothes. The demon''s back rippled as muscles shifted under its mottled black-red skin.


    It wasn''t that huge. Maybe the size of a particularly large man. But there was something fundamentally wrong about its proportions. Its arms were too long, its head too angled, its joints bent in directions joints had no business bending.


    [It''s like an affront to life itself.]


    "Okay, here''s the plan," Seraph whispered, eyes locked on their target. "I''ll go in first, get its attention. When I''ve got it distracted, you come in from the side with that little toothpick of yours and stab it. Right in the chest if you can."


    "..." Grace blinked. "That''s it?"


    "Hm?" Seraph tilted her head. "Well... Yes? Are you confused?"


    "That''s your WHOLE plan?!" Grace squeaked.


    Seraph shrugged.


    "When plans get complicated, people die. Simple plans mean fewer mistakes!"


    Before Grace could argue, Seraph burst from their hiding spot like she''d been fired from a cannon. She summoned her own light weapon, but hers was not comparable to Grace''s at all. It was a massive axe that blazed like the sun.


    And, Seraph let out a war cry that made Grace''s ears ring.


    "HEY UGLY! DINNER''S OVER HERE!"


    The demon''s head snapped up. Its face, if it could even be called that, had too many eyes and the same amount of mouth. It made a sound like metal scraping against stone and lunged at Seraph. It was so fast!


    Grace watched, frozen in place, as Seraph ducked under the demon''s swipe and brought her axe around in a glittering arc. The glorious flaming blade connected with the demon''s side, sending it stumbling backward with a shriek along with an arc of black blood shooting up into the air.


    "Alright, rookie!" Seraph glanced back. "I''m happy to show off for a bit, but we didn''t come here so I could show you that I''m good at putting these guys down, ya know?"


    "Y-Yeah!"


    [Okay, move, Grace. Move!]


    She forced her trembling legs to carry her forward, circling wide like Seraph had instructed.


    Seraph was incredible to watch. She moved like water, flowing around the demon''s attacks while landing blow after blow with her massive axe. Each hit sent the creature reeling, black ichor spraying from its wounds.


    Still, with the demon was focused entirely on the warrior angel, Grace had a chance to approach from behind.


    Grace crept closer, trying to be stealthy despite her clanking armor. She was almost in position when her foot caught on a tree root and she fell forward with a yelp.


    The demon''s head whipped around.


    "NOW WOULD BE GOOD, ROOKIE!" Seraph bellowed, swinging her axe to get the creature''s attention back.


    But it was too late. The demon had spotted easier prey. It abandoned its fight with Seraph and charged straight at Grace.


    [Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap¡ª] S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace scrambled to her feet, raising her tiny light sword. The demon was on her in an instant, its arms reaching for her throat. She swung wildly, the golden blade barely grazing its chest.


    The demon howled in response. It backhanded Grace so hard she flew through the air and slammed into a tree. Pain exploded through her back and head, making her vision blur.


    "QUICK, GET UP!" Seraph shouted, sprinting toward them. "DON''T LET IT PIN YOU!"


    [H-Huh?]


    Out of sheer instinct, Grace rolled to the side just as the demon''s claws dug into the ground where her head had been. The movement sent fresh waves of pain through her body, but adrenaline was kicking in, dulling the worst of it.


    She slashed up with her sword, catching the demon across one of its arms. The creature pulled back, hissing, as golden light seared its flesh.


    [It hurt it! My tiny, pathetic sword actually hurt it!]


    Seraph arrived like a hurricane, her axe cleaving through the air. The demon leapt back, focusing its attention on the more immediate threat. Grace used the moment to push herself up, ignoring the pain in her ribs.


    "I saw that, by the way!" Seraph called excitedly. "Your weapon! It''s working!"


    "Y-yeah," Grace panted. "But it''s so small. I have to get really close!"


    Seraph nodded, understanding immediately.


    "I''ll give you another opening! Get ready!"


    The warrior angel charged again, her movements deliberately flashy and aggressive. The demon focused on her, its back now to Grace.


    [This is it. Don''t screw up, don''t screw up...]


    She crept forward, trying to ignore the trembling in her limbs. Her grip on the light sword was so tight her fingers hurt.


    Seraph was creating the perfect distraction. She spun and jumped around, her movements designed to keep all the demon''s many gross eyes fixed on her. But she wasn''t landing solid hits anymore. She was clearly saving that for Grace.


    Grace was almost there. Just a few more steps...


    Her breastplate shifted again, the metal edge scraping against her collarbone with a distinct screech.


    da-dan


    The demon whirled, faster than anything that size should move. Its clawed hand shot out, wrapping around Grace''s throat and lifting her off the ground.


    "ACK!"


    She couldn''t breathe. Couldn''t scream. The demon''s grip was like iron, crushing her windpipe. Her feet kicked uselessly in the air as black spots danced across her vision.


    In her desperation, she stabbed forward with her light sword. The golden blade sank into the demon''s shoulder. Not its chest where she''d been aiming, but it was something.


    The creature shrieked, dropping her immediately. Grace hit the ground hard, gasping for air. Seraph was there in an instant, swinging her axe in a protective arc over Grace''s crumpled form.


    "You okay, kid?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the demon.


    "N-not really," Grace wheezed, clutching her bruised throat.


    The demon was backing away, holding its wounded shoulder. Its black wings unfurled, like it was considering whether the meal it could have was worth the trouble.


    "It''s scared now," Seraph said. "It knows you can hurt it for real. But we need to finish this."


    Grace struggled to her feet. Her entire body screamed in protest, but she forced herself to stand. The demon watched her with its cluster of eyes, something like fear visible in them.


    "Stay confident, Grace!" Seraph glanced at her, a sly smile spreading across her face. "You don''t need to fight it. You just need to stab it. Once. In the right spot."


    Before Grace could ask how the heck she was supposed to do that, Seraph grabbed her by the back of her oversized breastplate.


    "Wait, what are you¡ª"


    "YA-HOO!" Seraph bellowed, and with one powerful movement, she literally threw Grace directly at the demon.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    Grace flew through the air, screaming. The demon was so surprised it didn''t even move as she crashed into it, both of them tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.


    Her face was inches from the demon''s horrible not-face. Its hot, rancid breath washed over her as those mismatched eyes widened in shock.


    [DO IT NOW!]


    With every bit of strength she had left, Grace drove her light sword straight into the center of the demon''s chest.


    The creature went rigid.


    "AAAAAAAAGGGGGH!"


    Then, a sound like a thousand voices screaming at once erupted from its twisted mouth. Cracks of golden light spread across its body from where Grace''s sword had pierced it.


    Grace scrambled away just as the demon''s body began to disintegrate. It wasn''t just dying¡ªit was being erased. Particles of shadow flaked away, revealing nothing but golden light beneath until, with one final shriek, it collapsed into itself and vanished completely.


    The forest fell silent. Even the wind seemed to have stopped.


    Grace stared at the empty space where the demon had been, her light sword still clutched in her trembling hand.


    "Did I... Did I actually..."


    "YOU DID IT!" Seraph bellowed, scooping Grace up in a bone-crushing hug and spinning her around. "YOU ACTUALLY DID IT!"


    "Can''t... breathe..." Grace wheezed.


    Seraph set her down, but kept a steadying hand on her shoulder.


    "That was SPECTACULAR! Man, I can''t believe that worked!"


    "Have you ever even done that before?!" Grace squeaked.


    "Nope! Just made it up on the spot!"


    "You WHAT?!" Grace''s voice cracked. "You could have gotten me killed!"


    "But I didn''t!" Seraph grinned, completely unrepentant. "And hey, it worked! The demon is gone. FOREVER. Because of YOU."


    Grace opened her mouth to keep yelling, but nothing came out. The reality of what had just happened was finally sinking in.


    She had killed a demon. Permanently. The very thing that made her special, that had gotten her noticed by Eternia or fate or whatever had brought her here.


    A laugh bubbled up from her chest¡ªhalf hysteria, half genuine relief.


    "I can''t believe I''m still alive," she giggled.


    Seraph''s booming laugh joined hers.


    "Not only alive, but VICTORIOUS! Though, next time, try not to look quite so terrified. Bad for morale. Besides, that thing wasn''t a primal. Even if it tried to take your pretty head off your cute shoulders, you would''ve been fine! Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    "Next time?" Grace sputtered. "You want me to do this AGAIN?"


    "Of course! You''re a natural!" Seraph slapped her on the back, nearly sending her face-first into the dirt. "Well, maybe not quite a natural. But you''ve got potential! And that little toothpick of yours," she pointed at Grace''s tiny light sword, "it did the job, didn''t it?"


    Grace looked down at her weapon. It still seemed pathetically small, but... Seraph was right. It had worked.


    "I guess it did," she admitted.


    "There ya go! Ha ha!" Seraph threw an arm around her shoulder. "See? Size isn''t everything! Though," she whispered, "I''m sure Venus would disagree with me on that." She winked.


    Grace chuckled, reaching up and trying to heal her battered head.


    It was done. Her first real fight, over. Sure, she''d had a lot of help. She couldn''t exactly say this made her a warrior. But, she''d won. That was all that mattered.


    As they started the long walk back to their departure point, Grace realized something strange. The forest didn''t seem quite as dark anymore. The trees looked a little less twisted, the sky a shade brighter.


    "Hey, Seraph?" she asked. "Do you think killing a demon... changes the area around it?"


    Seraph glanced around, her eyebrows rising in surprise.


    "Huh. Would you look at that. It does seem... better. That''s new." She turned to Grace with an impressed expression. "Guess you''re already making your mark on the world, rookie."


    Grace felt a warm glow of pride, then.


    Maybe, just maybe, she could actually do this angel thing after all.


    "Anyway, race you back!" Seraph suddenly shouted, taking off through the trees.


    "T-That''s not fair!" Grace called after her, trying to run despite her aching body and clanking armor. "I''m still injured! And tiny! And my legs are like half the size of yours!"


    Seraph''s laughter floated back to her.


    "Better hurry then!"


    "Ugh!"


    Grace groaned but found herself laughing again as she chased after the warrior angel. Her body hurt, her armor was a mess, and she was pretty sure she''d have nightmares about those mismatched eyes for weeks.


    But for now, in this moment, she felt something new and unexpected:


    A little bit of pride.


    ¡¸Skill Level Up: Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    +5 Bravery


    Bravery 15/100


    Oh, and that too. That was definitely a bonus.

 Chapter 26: Little Warrior, Part Five

    Chapter 26 - Little Warrior, Part FiveGrace staggered down the hallway, her legs still wobbly from the fight. Her armor was dented, covered in demonic... whatever-the-heck, and there was a lot of it in her hair too which sent shivers down her spine just thinking about.


    But she was alive! And she''d actually killed a demon!


    [Permanently killed it! Like, it''s GONE gone!]


    She couldn''t believe it. She, Grace Lightsinger, former turnip farmer, chicken wrangler, and professional nobody, had erased a demon from existence. With a tiny light sword that looked like a glowing toothpick!


    "FASTER, ROOKIE!" Seraph boomed from behind her, slapping her on the back hard enough to make her stumble forward. "Everyone''s waiting to see the demon slayer!"


    "Everyone?" Grace squeaked. "What the heck do you mean everyone?"


    Seraph just grinned and picked her up like a sack of potatoes. Grace didn''t bother fighting back this time. She was so exhausted she welcomed not having to move her own body.


    "Oh, I have a feeling."


    Seraph flew from that little cliff to a set of massive golden doors. Light blinded Grace for a moment. When her vision cleared, her jaw dropped.


    Angels. Hundreds of them. All staring at her.


    The room fell silent.


    Then:


    "There she is!"


    "Look at that! She''s covered in demon blood!"


    "So tiny! Are we sure she''s the one?"


    "Did you see her sword? It''s adorable!"


    Grace''s face burned hotter than a blacksmith''s forge. She tried to make herself even smaller, which was saying something considering her height.


    "I didn''t¡ªI mean, Seraph helped¡ªI just¡ª"


    "NONSENSE!" Seraph''s voice boomed through the hall as she strutted in behind Grace. "The rookie stabbed it right in the heart! Boom! Disintegrated! Just like that!"


    More whispers. More stares. Grace wanted to crawl under someone''s wing and hide forever.


    Then the crowd parted, and a familiar rainbow-winged figure glided forward.


    Celestia.


    "Well, well," she said, her lips curving into an amused smile. "The triumphant demon hunters return."


    Seraph suddenly stood ramrod straight, all her boisterous energy vanishing.


    "Archangel Celestia! We, uh¡ªthat is to say¡ªI was just¡ª"


    "Taking our newest angel on an unauthorized demon hunt?" Celestia finished, one perfect eyebrow arched.


    Seraph swallowed hard.


    "... Yes, ma''am."


    "Without approval from the council?"


    "... Yes, ma''am."


    "Against direct orders to keep her within the Dominion until her training was complete?"


    "... Yes, ma''am."


    "After I specifically instructed Mara to tell you not to do exactly that because I knew you''d try?"


    "... Yes, ma''am."


    "And you did it anyway because...?"


    Seraph cleared her throat.


    "Because... because I thought it was really important to see if she could actually, you know, kill demons. Permanently. Like everyone was saying."


    Celestia''s stern expression held for another moment, then cracked into a smile.


    "And could she?"


    "YES!" Seraph''s excitement returned full force. "You should have seen it! This tiny little demon stabber!" She grabbed Grace''s arm and held it up like she was announcing the winner of a bar fight. "Poked that demon right in its nasty heart and POOF! Nothing but dust!"


    The hall erupted in cheers and gasps.


    Celestia''s eyes found Grace''s. There was something in that look. Pride. Curiosity.


    "In that case," Celestia said, turning to address the gathered angels, "I believe a proper recognition is in order. Grace Lightsinger, please follow me to the Hall of Light."


    The crowd gasped again.


    "The Hall of Light?"


    "But she''s just a rookie!"


    "No one has ever¡ª"


    "Silence," Celestia said quietly, and every voice in the room instantly died.


    Grace looked at Seraph, who seemed equally shocked.


    "The Hall of Light?" Grace whispered. "What''s that?"


    "Only the most sacred chamber in the entire Dominion," Seraph whispered back, suddenly looking impressed. "Only the highest-ranking angels are allowed inside. And now... you. A rookie!"


    [Great. One more way to stick out like a sore thumb.]


    "Come, Grace," Celestia beckoned, already floating toward a shimmering doorway at the far end of the hall.


    Grace took a deep breath and followed, feeling hundreds of eyes poking at her back.


    The Hall of Light made Grace dizzy. It wasn''t a hall in the traditional sense. It was... more like standing inside a star. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of light that somehow felt solid under her feet. Grace couldn''t tell how big the room was; it seemed to go on forever in all directions.


    In the center stood a raised dais with three smaller platforms arranged in a triangle around it. On each platform stood a figure.


    Seraph flew over and stood on one, her red hair ablaze in the room''s glow.


    On another stood a certain someone with light brown hair and the biggest ch¡ªwell, Grace tried not to stare at her chest, which was hard considering it was practically at eye level. That was Mara, of course, leader of the Compassion Sisters. And Venus was on the last, smirking down at Grace.


    Celestia guided Grace to the center dais, placing her hands on Grace''s shoulders from behind.


    "Angels of the Dominion," Celestia''s voice rang out, somehow magnified by the room itself. "We bear witness today to something not seen since the time of Eternia herself. A being capable of permanently destroying demons."


    The three sect leaders nodded solemnly (though Seraph was clearly just trying to look serious, and failing).


    "Grace Lightsinger," Celestia continued, "though you are new to our ranks, you have already demonstrated gifts beyond measure. You walk the path of Balance, showing aptitude for Bravery, Compassion, and Love alike. For this reason, and in recognition of your victory today, we bestow upon you your first piece of divine equipment."


    Grace''s eyes widened.


    [What?]


    Seraph stepped forward, holding something wrapped in shimmering cloth. She placed it in Grace''s hands gently.


    "T-Thank you," Grace said, her voice embarrassingly small in the vast chamber.


    "Well, open it!" Seraph whispered excitedly.


    Grace carefully unwrapped the cloth.


    Inside was a sword hilt. No blade, just a beautifully crafted golden hilt with strange symbols etched into the metal. It was small, perfectly sized for her hand.


    "Um... where''s the rest of it?" she asked, turning the hilt over in her palm.


    Seraph chuckled.


    "Have you forgotten already? Channel your divine energy into it, rookie."


    [OH! Right.]


    Grace concentrated, willing her energy into the hilt like she''d done with her tiny light blade. The hilt grew warm, then hot. Suddenly, a blade of pure golden light erupted from it¡ªmuch longer and more impressive than her previous creation. It hummed with power, sending pleasant vibrations up her arm.


    It was still thin and slender, and definitely looked like if it wasn''t made of light, Seraph would be able to snap it in half easily, but it clearly resembled an actual sword.


    ¡¸Divine Equipment Acquired: Blade of Dawn¡¹


    ¡¸Equipment Synergy: Power grows with Bravery attribute (15/100)¡¹


    "Whoa," Grace breathed.


    "Wow, it''s a rapier," Seraph explained, clearly also surprised while Grace kept her eyes fixed on the weapon. "Not my style, but fits a tiny thing like you."


    At that moment, Grace also saw:


    Note: Your Skill - ¡¸Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 2)¡¹- has adapted this weapon and can now recreate it at will.


    Mara left her dais and glided toward Grace. She placed a gentle hand on Grace''s forehead.


    "Do not get too caught up in learning to fight, dear," she said softly, her green eyes warm. "We still need to continue with our Compassion training."


    Venus sauntered forward next, moving like water. She tilted Grace''s chin up with one slender finger, studying her face.


    "Your potential is bright," she purred, her golden eyes dancing with mischief. "As for us, we will continue to be most thorough in teaching you our ways~"


    Grace''s face heated up instantly. Venus chuckled, trailing a finger along Grace''s jawline before stepping back.


    "And finally," Celestia said, producing a small medallion from thin air, "a symbol of your unique place among us."


    The medallion was simple. A circle of silver with a golden sunburst in the center. It didn''t look particularly special, but Grace could feel power emanating from it.


    "This belonged to Eternia herself," Celestia said quietly, so only Grace could hear. "I''ve kept it safe all these eons."


    She lowered the medallion over Grace''s head. But, the moment the metal touched Grace''s skin¡ª


    The Hall of Light vanished.


    Grace was somewhere else. No, somewhen else. She was looking through someone else''s eyes. Someone taller, more powerful.


    She was standing in a room made of crystal and light, arguing with someone. A woman with steel-gray hair, very pale skin that was almost grey, and piercing blue eyes stood before her, arms crossed.


    "... Truly?" The woman whose eyes Grace was seeing this through said.


    Instantly, Grace recognized the voice.


    [Eternia? So, right now, I''m seeing through Eternia''s eyes?]


    Eternia continued.


    "I did not think you would follow through this."


    The woman standing opposite Eternia, with the blue eyes, stepped forward. She seemed determined, but nervous.


    "I-I did not mean to-"


    "Enough," Eternia cut her off coldly. "I''ve grown tired of your excuses. Begone. This is not a conversation worth having."


    Grace wanted to get a better look at this lady, since she seemed oddly familiar, but Eternia turned away from her.


    "... Fine," the woman spat out before turning and walking away, but not before slamming a fist into the wall that left a web of cracks.


    [Wow... An ex-girlfriend or something?] Grace thought.


    Eternia turned around.


    Grace could feel it. A desire to ask that woman to stay, to correct what she just said.


    But, Eternia remained silent.


    And suddenly Grace was back in the Hall of Light, gasping.


    "Grace?" Celestia was holding her shoulders, looking concerned. "Are you alright?"


    "I¡ªyes," Grace managed, her heart racing. "Just... overwhelmed."


    Celestia studied her face for a moment, then nodded, though she didn''t look entirely convinced.


    "The ceremony is complete," she announced to the gathered leaders. "And now, I have one final announcement."


    The three sect leaders looked at her expectantly.


    "As you know, the Celestial Banquet approaches. Once every century, all factions across heaven gather to renew our bonds and discuss the war effort. This year, Grace Lightsinger will attend as my personal guest."


    Seraph''s jaw dropped. Mara''s eyes widened. Venus smiled in a very cattish way.


    "The banquet is in three days," Celestia continued.


    "Uhm, but, ma''am, the Veil... A-And, the Choir," Seraph began to say but Celestia held a hand up.


    "I will make it clear that I expect all factions to be on their best behavior." Celestia lowered her hand. "I''ve chosen to stay out of their affairs for the last couple hundred years or so. But, at the end of the day, I am still Stewardess of Heaven. I am still archangel. I will not have anyone starting a ruckus at the banquet." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seraph seemed relieved. Grace had no idea what they were talking about, though.


    With that, the ceremony ended. The sect leaders departed with final nods to Grace and Celestia. Seraph hung back, looking like she wanted to say something, but then thought better of it and left.


    Grace was still reeling from the vision, the weight of the medallion heavy against her chest.


    "Celestia," she began, "the medallion¡ª"


    "Will help protect you," Celestia cut in smoothly. "The banquet can be... politically charged. Many different kinds of people will be curious about you. Some may not have your best interests at heart. But, know that I will be there, by your side."


    Grace sensed Celestia wasn''t telling her everything, but she nodded anyway.


    "Thank you."


    Celestia touched Grace''s cheek lightly.


    "Rest now. Your friends are probably waiting to hear all about your adventure."


    ---


    "YOU''RE GOING TO THE CELESTIAL BANQUET?!" Alia shrieked, bouncing on Grace''s bed with enough force to launch herself to the ceiling. "That''s like¡ªthat''s like¡ª"


    "The most exclusive event in the entire Dominion," Zephyr finished, rifling through Grace''s pathetically small wardrobe. "Some angels literally wait centuries for an invitation."


    "And you got one after being here for, what, a week?" Alia flopped backward, spreading her arms. "That''s SO unfair!"


    Grace sat on the edge of her bed, turning the medallion over in her hands. The vision still fresh in her mind.


    "Who exactly goes to this banquet?" she asked.


    "EVERYONE," Alia emphasize dramatically. "All the sect leaders, the Seraphim Guard, the Ascended Choir. Even some of the, you know, shadier factions."


    "Shadier factions? Like the Veil?"


    Zephyr and Alia exchanged glances.


    "Yep. Not all angels agree on how to handle the demon war. Remember the fallen angel we saw?" Zephyr explained, her voice lower. "Some have... different ideas about Eternia''s teachings."


    "Different bad, or different good?"


    "Just different," Zephyr said carefully. "The banquet is one of the few times all factions agree to set aside differences. Which means it''s also..."


    "A perfect time for secret plotting," Alia finished excitedly. "Backstabbing, hidden alliances, forbidden romances¡ªit''s SO exciting!"


    "Great," Grace muttered. "And I''m supposed to just walk into this snake pit and... what? Not get eaten alive?"


    "You''ll be with Celestia," Zephyr pointed out. "No one would dare try anything with her watching."


    "Besides," Alia grinned, "we''re going to make you look so amazing everyone will be too busy staring to plot against you."


    As her friends debated what Grace should wear, something flashed in the corner of her eye.


    ¡¸New Quest Activated: The Gathering Storm¡¹


    Category: Bravery


    Objective: Attend the Celestial Banquet and identify the hidden threat


    Reward: +10 Bravery, Special Equipment


    [Hidden threat? WHAT hidden threat? H-Hey!? Eternia, you wanna be a bit more specific about that!?!?]


    Grace sighed.


    Of course there was a hidden threat. Because being paraded around as the angel world''s newest freak show wasn''t stressful enough.


    She moved to her small mirror while Alia and Zephyr argued over fabrics and colors. The medallion caught the light, glinting against her chest. Her reflection looked different somehow. More serious, less like the farm girl she''d been.


    But all she could think about was that woman with the steel-gray hair and angry blue eyes. The woman who''d argued with Eternia. Who was she? And why did Grace feel like she''d seen her somewhere before?


    The medallion warmed slightly against her skin, as if responding to her thoughts.


    Whatever was coming at that banquet, Grace had a feeling it was just the beginning.

 Chapter 27: The Celestial Banquet, Part One

    Chapter 27 - The Celestial Banquet, Part One"Hold still!" Alia demanded.


    "I-I AM holding still," Grace muttered. "You''re the one bouncing around like you''ve had ten cups of that... that... weird... angel coffee!"


    Alia continued yanking Grace''s arm up to measure it against a flowing sleeve of silver fabric. They stood in the middle of the Divine Wardrobes, a chamber so massive Grace couldn''t see the walls in any direction. Just endless rows of shimmering fabrics, glittering accessories, and ceremonial attire stretching as far as the eye could see. The air smelled like fresh linen and some kind of flowery scent Grace couldn''t name.


    "It''s not every day your friend gets invited to the CELESTIAL BANQUET," Alia said, emphasizing each syllable like it was the most important event in history. Which, based on everyone''s reactions so far, it might as well have been.


    Zephyr circled Grace with a critical eye, holding up different color swatches against her skin.


    "Mmm... Gold washes you out," she decided, tossing the fabric aside. "Silver is better with your coloring."


    "Does it really matter what I wear?" Grace asked. "I''m just going to stand in the corner trying not to embarrass myself anyway."


    Alia and Zephyr gasped in perfect unison, looking scandalized.


    "JUST going to stand in the corner?!" Alia clutched her chest. "Grace, this is the CELESTIAL BANQUET. It happens once every CENTURY. Important angels have KILLED to get invitations!"


    "She''s exaggerating," Zephyr said, then paused. "Well, mostly exaggerating."


    [... What?]


    Before Grace could respond, two slim angels with identical platinum-blonde hair and impossibly perfect features swooped down on them, their wings leaving trails of glitter in the air.


    "Darling! DARLING!" the first one said in a bizarre accent Grace had never heard before. Maybe they were from some distant part of Lianaria. "Is zis ze little one everyone is talking about? Ze demon killer?"


    "Ze tiny but mighty wahrrior?" the second one added, circling Grace like a vulture eyeing its next meal.


    Alia beamed.


    "Lumi, Sol, this is Grace! Grace, these are the Divine Wardrobers. They dress all the important angels."


    "And now we dress YOU!" Lumi (or possibly Sol, they were quite similar and Alia failed to designate them appropriately) declared, producing a measuring ribbon from thin air.


    The next hour was a blur of fabric, pins, and the twins talking over each other in their strange accents. Grace stood like a doll as they draped different materials over her, occasionally making noises of approval or disgust.


    "No, no, NO!" Sol (or... possibly Lumi) cried, ripping away a blue silk. "Zis shade of blue is for ze Ascended Choir! We cannot put her in ze wrong faction colors!"


    "She needs something neutral but memorable," the other twin agreed.


    "Um, could someone explain the color thing to me?" Grace asked, raising her hand like a schoolchild.


    Zephyr stepped in, her expression turning serious.


    "Well, angel fashion isn''t just about looking good. It''s political. Each faction has their colors and styles."


    "Here in the Dominion, we have gold and red for Bravery Sisters," Alia added, counting on her fingers. "Blue and silver for Compassion. Pink for Love."


    "Black for ze Seraphim Guard," one twin supplied.


    "Green for ze Earth-Tenders," added the other. "Gray for ze Veil."


    "Rainbow shades for Archangels like Celestia, though she''s the only one right now," Zephyr continued. "And white is reserved for celestial neutrality¡ªthose who don''t align with any faction."


    "Which is why YOU," Lumi/Sol, one of them, poked Grace''s nose, "are so complicated, darling! You are a Bravery Sister, a Compassion Sister, and a Love Sister! At once! Unprecedented!"


    Grace''s head spun with all this new information.


    "So what CAN I wear?"


    The twins exchanged glances. Then, they nodded, smirking at each other.


    "Silver base with gold, blue, and pink accents," they said in perfect unison. "Subtle enough to honor all three without claiming any one above the others!"


    "Smart," Zephyr nodded approvingly.


    "BRILLIANT!" Alia clapped her hands.


    "... I''ll take your word for it," Grace mumbled.


    The twins disappeared in a flurry of fabric and returned moments later with arms full of shimmering material. They worked with frightening speed and precision, draping, cutting, and somehow sewing without any visible needles or thread.


    "So," Grace said, trying to distract herself as they worked around her, "who else will be at this banquet?"


    "Everyone who''s anyone," Zephyr replied. "The Radiant Council... Which is basically just Celestia. All three sect leaders too."


    "The Seraphim Guard will handle security," Alia chimed in. "They''re super intense. Like Diana, but worse. Oh, and, in case you''re wondering, yeah they were named after Seraph. They''re kinda like fans of hers."


    "Really?"


    "Oh yeah," Alia nodded. "Seraph has tons of fans. She''s kind of a big deal for warrior angels. Huge inspiration for them."


    [Wow.]


    "The Ascended Choir will be there too," Zephyr continued. "They''re the scholars and mystics. Very stuck-up, think they know everything."


    "And..." Alia lowered her voice to a whisper, "rumor has it even some of The Veil might show up."


    Grace tried to remember where she''d heard that name before.


    "The Veil? Aren''t they the fallen angels?"


    "Not fallen, darling," a new voice purred from behind them. "Merely... independent thinkers."


    The twins froze. Alia''s eyes went wide. Zephyr straightened her posture immediately.


    Venus stood in the aisle, her long black hair cascading down her tanned back like a waterfall of ink. Her golden eyes were fixed on Grace with that usual expression of hers that made Grace get butterflies in her stomach.


    "Lady Venus," the twins said in unison, bowing deeply.


    "Lumi, Sol," Venus nodded to them. "Your work is impeccable as always. But I believe our little demon-slayer needs more than just the right dress to prepare for the banquet."


    [I don''t like the sound of that.]


    Venus glided closer, her movement so smooth she might have been floating.


    "Eternia smiles upon me finding you here, little one," she said, reaching out to brush her fingers through Grace''s hair. "I was just thinking you might benefit from some... personal instruction before your debut."


    Grace''s face heated up immediately.


    "I, um, instruction?"


    "Of course. The banquet is as much a battlefield as any demon nest," Venus explained. "Just with smiles instead of swords, and whispers instead of screams. You''ll need to know how to navigate it, dear."


    She turned to Alia and Zephyr.


    "You two may go. The twins and I will take good care of Grace."


    "But¡ª" Alia started to protest.


    "Go. Don''t worry, I won''t melt your friend," Venus repeated, her voice honey-sweet but leaving no room for argument. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alia and Zephyr exchanged looks, then reluctantly backed away.


    "We''ll see you later," Zephyr promised.


    "If you survive," Alia added with a nervous giggle before Zephyr dragged her away.


    [NOT HELPING, ALIA!]


    "Now then," Venus turned back to Grace, her golden eyes gleaming with something that made Grace''s heart race. "Let''s begin your real education."


    GULP


    ---


    "No, no, little one. Like this."


    Venus''s hands were on Grace''s wings, adjusting their position for what felt like the hundredth time. Her touch was gentle but firm, and each brush of her fingers sent shivers down Grace''s spine.


    "You want your wings half-raised when greeting the Bravery Sisters in a formal event like the Banquet," Venus instructed. "It shows respect without submission."


    Grace tried again, raising her small white wings to the angle Venus demonstrated.


    "Better," Venus purred, circling around to face her. "Now, the greeting itself."


    She demonstrated the motion, a closed fist pressed against the heart, then extended the fist forward.


    "Strength offered in service," Venus explained. "That''s what it symbolizes."


    Grace copied the movement, feeling ridiculous.


    "Good. Now for the Compassion Sisters."


    This time, Venus showed her a different wing posture¡ªwings fully lowered. Which, at Grace''s height, almost had them dragging on the ground.


    "Complete humility before those who heal," she explained. "And the greeting..."


    She placed her hands together as if in prayer, then opened them outward like a book, still touching at the pinkies.


    "The offering of one''s heart to be read and healed."


    Grace mimicked the motion, trying to memorize each distinct ritual.


    "And for your Sisters of Love?" Grace asked, already dreading the answer based on Venus''s growing smile.


    "For us," Venus stepped intimately close, her face mere inches from Grace''s, "the greeting is more... personal."


    She tilted Grace''s chin up with one finger, then pressed her lips softly to each of Grace''s cheeks before finally placing a third, lighter kiss at her lips.


    Grace''s entire body went rigid, her face burning hotter than a blacksmith''s forge.


    "T-That''s the official greeting?!" she squeaked.


    Venus laughed, a sound like silver bells.


    "Have you forgotten my lessons already, dear? What did I tell you?"


    "... A kiss is just a kiss," Grace muttered.


    "Indeed. And this kiss signifies the offering of pleasure and connection. Each kiss symbolizes mind, heart, and body¡ªall unified in love."


    "And I''m supposed to do that with EVERY Love Sister I meet?!"


    "Oh yes," Venus''s eyes danced with mischief. "Though as a member of our sect, you''ll be receiving more than giving."


    Her cheeks heated up, just imagining how embarrassing that would be.


    [Kill me.]


    "But since you walk all three paths," Venus continued, brushing a strand of hair from Grace''s face, "you must be prepared to both give and receive all three greetings. It''s... unprecedented."


    That word again. Unprecedented. Grace was getting sick of it.


    "What about the other factions?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "The Seraphim Guard and the, um, Ascended Choir? The others?"


    "Simple nods for all" Venus replied. She leaned in close again, her breath tickling Grace''s ear. "But if you encounter someone from The Veil... Well, some would say you should simply avoid eye contact and move away."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "And with Archangels like Celestia?"


    "Celestia is the only Archangel," Venus said simply. "At least, officially. When you see her, kneel. Wings fully extended on the ground. Head bowed. No eye contact until she touches your shoulder."


    "That''s a lot to remember," Grace muttered. "Feels weird having to be so formal with her given how she usually treats me."


    "As I said, this whole event is about appearances," Venus smiled. "In any case, practice. Again and again, until your body remembers even if your mind forgets."


    For the next two hours, Venus drilled Grace on every possible social interaction she might encounter at the banquet. Despite her embarrassment, Grace found herself growing more comfortable with Venus''s touch, her closeness, even her flirtatious nature.


    [Maybe this won''t be so bad after all.]


    Then, a firm knock interrupted them.


    Diana stood in the doorway, her perpetual scowl somehow even deeper than usual. Her short black hair was mussed like she''d been training, and her gray eyes landed on Grace with all the warmth of a winter blizzard.


    "Am I interrupting something?" she asked coldly.


    Venus smiled, unperturbed.


    "Perfect timing, actually. I''ve just finished teaching our little demon-slayer the social graces."


    "Good," Diana grunted. "Because now she needs to learn how not to die if things go wrong."


    [Oh joy. More training.]


    Venus pressed one final kiss to Grace''s cheek.


    "Remember everything I taught you, little one."


    "I''ll try."


    With that, Venus glided past Diana, leaving a trail of sweet-smelling perfume in her wake.


    Diana watched her go, then turned back to Grace.


    "Come on, let''s head to the training grounds."


    "Ugh."

 Chapter 28: The Celestial Banquet, Part Two

    Chapter 28 - The Celestial Banquet, Part Two"Again," Diana barked out.


    Grace was drenched in sweat, her muscles screaming. They''d been at this for hours in one of the smaller training arenas, a circular platform floating away from the arena.


    "Block! Dodge! Redirect!" Diana shouted as she launched a series of slow but powerful strikes at Grace.


    Grace managed to block two, dodge one, but the fourth caught her in the shoulder, sending her stumbling.


    "You''d be dead if I was a Primal," Diana said flatly.


    "Thanks for the encouragement," Grace muttered, rubbing her shoulder.


    Diana circled her, eyes narrowed. After a moment of awkward silence, she asked:


    "So. You actually killed a demon. Permanently."


    The question caught Grace off guard. Diana had been drilling her relentlessly for an hour without a hint of conversation.


    "Um, yeah. Two now, actually."


    "What was it like?" Diana''s voice sounded casual, but her eyes were intense. "When you stabbed it."


    Grace recalled the moment, that strange golden light spreading through the demon''s body before it dissolved into nothing.


    "It was... weird. Like the demon wasn''t just dying, but being erased. Unmade."


    Diana nodded slowly.


    "Were you scared?"


    "Well, yeah. Obviously," Grace admitted. "My legs were shaking so bad I thought I''d fall over. Seraph literally had to throw me at it. Literally!"


    "Sounds like her."


    "Anyway, why all these questions?" Grace asked, wiping sweat from her forehead. "And why am I training this hard just for a fancy dinner party? Venus didn''t mention combat training as part of banquet prep."


    Diana''s expression darkened a little.


    "Because not everyone can be trusted to just leave you alone with your unique abilities. The Ascended Choir, The Veil..." She trailed off, her jaw tightening. "Well they have their own ways of viewing things. Their own plans."


    "What kind of plans?"


    "The kind that would get them exiled if they actually acted on them," Diana said grimly. "If you believe the rumors. Seraph thinks there might be tension at the banquet. Nothing open¡ªno one would dare actually try to fight Celestia. But you should be prepared to dodge a punch or a slap here and there."


    [Great. So I have to remember forty different greetings AND avoid getting murdered or whatever.]


    "Fun times," Grace sighed. "Uwaaaah... I can''t feel my arms."


    "Demons don''t care what you can feel," Diana replied flatly. "Again."


    Grace staggered to her feet and assumed the defensive stance Diana had taught her. Feet shoulder-width apart. Knees bent. Arms up to protect her face and chest.


    "Remember," Diana circled her like a predator, "you won''t have your new weapon at the banquet. This little rapier of yours," she said, looking down at it. "If some lunatic actually attacks you, as in a serious attack - not a slap - then just call for help."


    "Why would someone attack me at a banquet?"


    "Like I said, it''s just rumors," she said slowly, as if explaining to a child. "But, regardless, the fact that you can kill demons makes you either the most valuable or the most dangerous angel in the Dominion, depending on who you ask."


    "Why?"


    "Because..." Diana squinted a little. "If you can kill demons... Who''s to say you can''t also permanently kill other angels too?"


    Grace pulled back.


    [Is that what they think?]


    Without warning, Diana lunged forward. Grace reacted instinctively, using the move they''d practiced. A quick sidestep followed by a firm push to redirect Diana''s momentum past her.


    The larger angel stumbled forward, clearly not expecting Grace to execute the move correctly. She caught herself quickly and turned, her face showing a flicker of... something. Not quite approval, but close.


    "Better," she admitted grudgingly.


    Coming from Diana, that was practically a standing ovation.


    "Can we take a break now?" Grace pleaded. "I think I''m going to pass out."


    Diana stared at her for a long moment, then sighed.


    "Fine. Five minutes."


    Grace collapsed onto the ground, spreading her wings out beneath her like a cushion. The sky above was a beautiful golden-pink. A sort of sunset.


    "Why did Seraph send you?" Grace asked after catching her breath.


    "I already told you."


    "No, I mean why did she send you, specifically."


    "What, you don''t like me?" Diana smirked.


    "I don''t. You''re annoying!"


    Diana just scoffed.


    "Feelings mutual. But, for better or worse, your existence changes everything we know about our war with the demons. And our dear Seraph wants to make sure our newest weapon doesn''t end up crumpling against some random grunt. So, here I am."


    Diana nodded at the center of the arena.


    "Anyway, break''s over. Get up."


    Grace sighed and climbed back to her feet. Some things never changed.


    ---


    Soon, Grace stood alone on her small balcony. The eternal sunset had dimmed now to a soft twilight sort of setting.


    She practiced the greetings Venus had taught her, trying to get the wing positions just right. It was harder without someone correcting her, but she wanted to get it down before the Banquet arrived. Plus, she was kind of bored.


    [Wing position for Bravery Sisters: half-raised. For Compassion: lowered. For Love: one up, one down. For Archangels: fully extended on the ground...]


    Her fingers found the medallion around her neck, tracing its now-familiar shape. The metal was warm against her skin, almost like it had a pulse of its own.


    As she touched it, another flash¡ªlike the vision she''d had during the ceremony.


    Steel-gray hair. Piercing blue eyes. A face filled with anger and betrayal.


    The medal pulsed beneath her fingers, growing hotter. Suddenly, the balcony vanished.


    Grace saw a vast hall filled with angels of all types.


    She was moving through the crowd, but not in control of her body. Looking through someone else''s eyes again.


    Eternia''s eyes.


    Most angels glowed with a soft white light, but some... some had a dark blue, almost purple aura around them. Ominous. Threatening. They were scattered throughout the crowd, watching her with cold calculation in their eyes.


    Eternia didn''t like it. But, at the same time, she was conflicted. Like she didn''t know what to do about this.


    Then the vision shifted.


    She saw all those figures leaving. All those figures following that woman with the blue eyes, all of them covered in that blue-purple aura, all aiming a deep, burning resentment in their glares back at her. At Eternia.


    [... Am I making a mistake?] It wasn''t Grace thinking that, it was Eternia. [No, no. I''ve made my choice.]


    ---


    Grace gasped, the vision shattering.


    She was back on her balcony, clutching the railing so hard her knuckles were white.


    [What was THAT?]


    Her heart pounded in her chest. The medallion had cooled, but she could still feel a faint thrum of energy from it.


    Grace took a deep breath, steadying herself. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I need to talk to Celestia about these visions," she decided aloud. "First thing tomorrow."


    She looked out at the darkening sky, the first stars appearing above the Dominion.


    Whatever was coming at that banquet, she wouldn''t face it unprepared.


    ¡¸New Skill Unlocked: Aura Sight (Level 1)¡¹


    Ability to see corrupted auras. Cannot see corrupted auras around subjects with too high a level.

 Chapter 29: The Celestial Banquet, Part Three

    Chapter 29 - The Celestial Banquet, Part ThreeGrace woke up before dawn, the medallion still warm against her skin. The vision from last night replayed in her mind on an endless loop. All those angels with their strange blue-purple auras, following that woman with steel-gray hair.


    [I need answers. NOW.]


    She threw on a simple white tunic and headed out to find Celestia, marching onwards like a tiny hurricane.


    No training today, no etiquette lessons (at least, as long as she could avoid Venus), just the truth.


    The halls of the Dominion were eerily quiet this early. She figured most angels were either on duty in the mortal realm or still resting. Grace''s footsteps echoed as she-


    "Looking for someone?" a voice asked.


    "EEP!"


    Grace turned to find a small angel with blue hair and blue wings. She recognized her vaguely.


    Meridian, from the Ascended Choir. They''d never actually spoken before.


    "Um, y-yes. Celestia. Have you seen her?"


    Meridian tilted her head, studying Grace with an intensity that made her uncomfortable.


    "The Archangel? She''s in the Memory Pools. East wing, down the spiral stairs."


    "Memory Pools?" Grace had never heard of them.


    "Ancient place. Off-limits to most." Meridian''s eyes narrowed slightly. "But I suppose normal rules don''t apply to you."


    There was something in her tone that made Grace''s skin prickle.


    "Thanks," she mumbled, hurrying away from Meridian''s scrutinizing gaze.


    [Actually... Is it okay for someone from the Choir to be here?]


    East wing. Spiral stairs. The directions led Grace to a part of the Dominion she''d never explored before. The pristine white marble gradually gave way to older stone, worn smooth by countless centuries. The air felt different here.


    The spiral staircase descended deep into what felt like the heart of the floating realm. Grace''s hand trailed along the wall for balance as she made her way down, the light growing dimmer with each step.


    Just as she was about to turn back, thinking she''d made a wrong turn, the staircase opened into a vast circular chamber.


    "Whoa," Grace breathed.


    The room was filled with pools of silvery liquid, each one a perfect circle, embedded in the stone floor. They glowed with a soft, pulsing light. And standing at the edge of the largest pool in the center was Celestia, her rainbow wings folded against her back, her expression distant.


    "Celestia?" Grace called softly.


    The Archangel looked up, surprise crossing her features before settling into a warm smile.


    "Grace. I didn''t expect to see you here."


    "I need to talk to you," Grace said, stepping carefully between the pools to reach her. "About these visions I''ve been having."


    "Visions?" Celestia''s voice was neutral, but there was a hint of surprise on her face.


    Grace nodded, touching the medallion at her throat.


    "Ever since you gave me this, I''ve been seeing... things. Through Eternia''s eyes, I think."


    Celestia went very still.


    "Tell me."


    Grace described everything. The first vision during the ceremony, the woman with steel-gray hair and piercing blue eyes, and last night''s vision of angels with blue-purple auras following her away from Eternia.


    With each detail, Celestia''s composed demeanor slipped a little more. By the time Grace finished, she looked outright concerned.


    "That''s... not possible," Celestia whispered.


    "What''s not possible?"


    "The medallion." Celestia reached out, her fingers hovering just above it without touching. "It''s sharing memories with you. Eternia''s memories."


    "Is that... bad?"


    Celestia shook her head, looking genuinely shocked.


    "I... do not think so. It''s just unprecedented. That medallion was given to me by Eternia herself, the day she... the day she left us."


    Grace blinked.


    "Did... Did she say to wait and give it to someone?"


    "She didn''t say anything. She just gave it to me and left." A small, incredulous laugh escaped her. "Of course... Hearing what you''re telling me now, she certainly must have planned this all along. Somehow, she knew you would come."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    [She probably did,] Grace thought. [Because her leaving was probably so she could do that... thing she said. About focusing her energy until she could "make me."]


    Celestia turned to the central pool.


    "Perhaps the Memory Pools can show us."


    "What are these anyway?" Grace asked, peering into the silvery liquid. It moved like water but seemed thicker, almost mercury-like.


    "The collective memory of angelkind," Celestia explained. "Every significant moment in our history leaves an imprint here. They respond to thought and touch."


    She dipped a finger into the pool before them. The silvery surface rippled, then stilled, showing a reflection of the two of them looking down. But then the image changed, flowing like paint in water until it showed a different scene entirely.


    Two angels stood in what looked like the grand hall, but brighter, more vibrant than Grace had ever seen it. One was unmistakably Eternia. She looked exactly like Grace but taller, more regal, and... well, blessed in certain places. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But beside her stood another angel with steel-gray wings and those piercing blue eyes Grace had seen in her visions.


    "Azrael," Celestia said softly, answering Grace''s unspoken question. "She was Eternia''s most beloved angel. Her right hand. Her..." She trailed off and didn''t finish.


    In the pool, the two angels were laughing together, their wings occasionally brushing in a gesture that seemed intimate.


    "They ruled the Dominion together. Eternia always preferred making things as opposed to keeping an eye on the things she made. So, she created Azrael. And, from that point on, Eternia created and Azrael organized. Eternia dreamed and Azrael executed. She made Azrael to be her perfect complementary piece." Celestia''s voice held a note of sadness. "Azrael was my mentor, also. She taught me everything I know about leadership."


    Grace took that in.


    "What happened between them? In my vision, it looked like they were arguing."


    Celestia waved her hand over the pool. The scene changed to show Azrael standing before a group of humans, her hand outstretched. The humans were doing... something Grace couldn''t quite make out, but it looked wrong. Their faces were twisted with cruelty or greed. And as they acted, wisps of dark energy flowed from them into Azrael''s palm.


    "Azrael discovered something," Celestia said quietly. "Angels draw power from what Eternia called the Three Human Virtues: Bravery, Compassion, and Love. But Azrael found that we could also absorb power from what she called Human Sins. Cowardice, Hatred, and Apathy."


    "Is that... what the blue aura was? In my visions?"


    "Possibly," Celestia replied with a shrug. "Eternia was horrified. She insisted this corrupted divine essence. That there was a reason angels were only meant to draw from virtues. But Azrael argued it was simply a different form of power. More efficient, more potent."


    The pool shifted again, showing Eternia and Azrael standing nose to nose, clearly in the midst of a heated argument.


    "Their debate split the Dominion, back then," Celestia continued. "Most angels stayed loyal to Eternia, but many - especially the more pragmatic ones - sided with Azrael. They claimed to have seen through the veil of Eternia''s teachings to a greater truth."


    "But they were wrong?" Grace asked, studying the image.


    Celestia hesitated.


    "It''s... not that simple. The power Azrael discovered was real, and it did make those angels stronger. But it also changed them. Made them colder. More calculating."


    As Celestia spoke, Grace noticed something strange in the pool. Celestia''s reflection flickered briefly, her rainbow wings shimmering and momentarily appearing steel-gray. Grace blinked, and the image was normal again.


    [Did I imagine that?]


    "The Veil takes after what Azrael preached, though to a lesser degree. At the banquet," Celestia said, "there will be angels from The Veil present. It''s a tradition - the banquet is neutral ground, a time when all factions can gather without fear of conflict. You may be able to learn more about them then."


    "Are they dangerous?"


    "Not openly. They''re not demons or anything. They''re angels who made a different choice. Most still believe they''re serving heaven''s interests, just... through different means." Celestia''s gaze was intense. "But don''t let them sway your heart. The path of sin, no matter how efficient, leads to corruption."


    "So, then, why have them be invited?"


    "I believe the best way to bridge the gap is through conversation. Simple as that."


    Grace nodded, though something about Celestia''s words didn''t quite sit right. She couldn''t put her finger on it.


    "I should go," Celestia said suddenly. "There''s much to prepare for."


    "Wait," Grace caught her arm. "If Eternia and Azrael were so close, why didn''t they work it out? Why split the Dominion?"


    Celestia''s eyes held a deep sadness.


    "I''ve longed to know the answer to that question myself. But, alas, only they will ever know."

 Chapter 30: The Celestial Banquet, Part Four

    Chapter 30 - The Celestial Banquet, Part Four"You''ve NEVER danced before?" Venus''s voice hit a pitch Grace didn''t think possible. "Not ONCE?"


    Grace shrank back against the wall of her quarters, wishing she could just melt into it and disappear.


    "I grew up on a farm," she mumbled. "We didn''t exactly host royal balls between harvesting turnips..."


    Venus pressed a hand to her forehead like she might faint from the horror of it all.


    "One day," she said dramatically. "ONE DAY until the most important celestial event of the century, and our little demon-slayer cannot even perform a basic waltz!"


    "Come on, is dancing really that important?" Grace asked hopefully. "Couldn''t I just... stand in the corner and eat little cakes or something?"


    Venus looked at her like she''d suggested showing up naked.


    "Darling," she said slowly, "the Celestial Banquet isn''t just dinner and speeches. After the formal presentations, there will be DANCING. And EVERYONE dances. It''s tradition!"


    [Of course it is. Why wouldn''t it be?]


    Venus was already pulling out some kind of communication crystal from her robes and speaking urgently into it.


    "Ahem. Emergency. The rookie wing. NOW."


    Not ten minutes later, Alia and Zephyr burst through the door, both looking flushed and excited.


    "We came as fast as we could!" Alia said, bouncing on her toes. "What''s the emergency?"


    "THIS," Venus gestured dramatically at Grace, "is our emergency. She doesn''t know how to dance!"


    Alia gasped like Venus had announced Grace was secretly a demon. Zephyr just raised an eyebrow.


    "That''s... not exactly life-threatening," she pointed out.


    "It is SOCIALLY threatening, Zephyr!" Venus insisted. "We have one day to teach her the basics or she''ll be the laughingstock of the entire Dominion!"


    Grace groaned. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can''t I just fake a wing injury or something?"


    "NO," Venus and Alia said in unison.


    What followed was the most awkward hour of Grace''s existence. And, considering the week she''d had, that was saying something.


    Venus started by demonstrating the basic waltz step with Zephyr, who apparently had spent enough time around the Love Sisters to know their style of dancing.


    "One-two-three, one-two-three," Venus counted as they moved gracefully around the room. "See? Simple!"


    It did not look simple. It looked like a complex series of steps that required more coordination than Grace had ever needed to harvest an entire field of turnips.


    "Your turn," Venus said, releasing Zephyr and extending her hands to Grace.


    Grace reluctantly stepped forward, placing one hand on Venus''s shoulder and the other in her outstretched palm.


    "No, no, little one," Venus corrected gently. "If you were taller, sure, but no, at your height, you do this." She guided Grace''s hands to her shoulders, then placed her own hands on Grace''s waist.


    Grace''s face immediately heated up at the somewhat more intimate position.


    "N-now what?" she stammered.


    "Just follow my lead," Venus said. "And count with me. One-two-three, one-two-three..."


    Grace tried. She really did. But her feet seemed determined to go in every direction except the right one. She stepped on Venus''s toes at least five times in the first minute.


    "Sorry! Sorry!" she kept muttering.


    Venus was surprisingly patient.


    "Don''t look at your feet, look at me," she instructed. "Feel the movement, don''t think about it."


    Grace lifted her gaze to Venus''s golden eyes, which was somehow even more flustering. The Love Sister smiled encouragingly.


    "That''s it. Now, let your body follow mine."


    They were just starting to find a rhythm when the door banged open so hard it nearly flew off its hinges.


    "WHAT''S THIS I HEAR ABOUT EMERGENCY DANCE LESSONS?!" Seraph boomed, striding into the room like she owned it.


    Venus sighed.


    "We''re in the middle of a waltz lesson, Seraph."


    "WALTZ?" Seraph looked scandalized. "You''re teaching her that slow, boring drivel? HA! The rookie needs to learn REAL dancing!"


    Before anyone could protest, Seraph grabbed Grace by the waist and literally hoisted her into the air, spinning her around like she weighed nothing.


    "SERAPH!" Grace shrieked. "PUT ME DOWN!"


    "This is how the Bravery Sisters dance!" Seraph declared, ignoring Grace''s pleas as she continued to twirl her around the room. "With VIGOR! With PASSION!"


    Venus crossed her arms... trying to hide her smile (and failing).


    "That''s not dancing, that''s assault."


    "At least she won''t forget it!" Seraph laughed, finally setting Grace down. The room continued to spin around her as she staggered, dizzy.


    "I think I''m going to be sick," Grace mumbled.


    "That means it''s working!" Seraph slapped her on the back, nearly sending her face-first into the floor.


    What followed was a bizarre tug-of-war as Venus and Seraph fought over the proper way to teach Grace to dance. Venus insisted on grace, poise, and subtle movements. Seraph advocated for what essentially amounted to throwing your partner around the room while shouting.


    "If you spin fast enough, no one can see your mistakes!" was Seraph''s dubious wisdom.


    "If you follow proper form, you won''t MAKE mistakes," Venus countered.


    Grace was passed back and forth between them like a ragdoll, trying to absorb two completely opposite approaches to dancing. Alia and Zephyr weren''t much help, as they''d collapsed onto Grace''s bed in fits of hysterical laughter.


    "T-the look on your face when Seraph picked you up!" Alia gasped between giggles.


    "Traitors," Grace muttered as Venus adjusted her posture for the hundredth time.


    Just when Grace thought it couldn''t get any more chaotic, the door flew open again.


    "We have arrived with ze MASTERPIECE!"


    The twins, Sol and Lumi, swept in carrying what looked like a cloud of shimmering fabric. They stopped short at the scene before them¡ªVenus and Seraph locked in a silent standoff with Grace caught between them.


    "What is happening here?" Sol (or maybe Lumi) demanded.


    "Dance lessons," everyone said in unison.


    "Dance lessons? Before ze fitting? Impossibile!" The twins looked horrified. "Ze dress must be PERFECT! No sweaty, wrinkled angel allowed!"


    They shooed Venus and Seraph away from Grace with surprising authority, considering their size compared to Seraph''s muscular bulk.


    "Out! Everyone out! We need space for ze fitting!"


    Seraph looked like she might protest, but even she seemed intimidated by the twins'' fashion authority. Venus just sighed.


    "We''ll continue later," she promised Grace, gliding toward the door.


    "Later! Later!" the twins echoed, practically pushing everyone out. "After ze PERFECTION!"


    The door closed behind Grace''s friends, leaving her alone with the twins and their mysterious bundle of fabric.


    "Now," one of them said, eyes gleaming with excitement, "are you ready to become a goddess?"


    [Not really, no.]


    The twins didn''t wait for an answer. They unfolded the bundle to reveal the most beautiful dress Grace had ever seen¡ªthough admittedly, her experience with fine clothing was limited to watching the occasional noble pass through her village.


    The gown was primarily silver, shimmering like moonlight on water. But when it caught the light, hints of gold, blue, and pink shimmered across the surface, so subtle you''d miss them if you weren''t looking for them. The bodice was fitted but not tight, the skirt flowing out in gentle waves that would move beautifully when she danced.


    "It''s... wow," Grace breathed.


    "Try it!" the twins insisted, already helping her out of her simple tunic.


    Grace slipped into the dress, marveling at how light it felt. Despite its ethereal appearance, it was surprisingly sturdy¡ªpractical as well as beautiful.


    "Perfect!" the twins declared in unison as they made final adjustments. "You look like angel royalty!"


    As they worked, they kept up a constant stream of advice, talking over each other so quickly Grace could barely keep up.


    "Stay AWAY from ze angel with peacock wings¡ªtotal gossip!"


    "Avoid ze punch bowl after third hour¡ªze Veil likes to spike it!"


    "If anyone asks about your sword technique, just smile mysteriously! ... Unless you actually have an answer, I zuppose."


    "Do NOT ask ze Seraphim Guard about Seraph! Zey will not shut up!"


    By the time they finished, Grace''s head was spinning with dos and don''ts. The twins stepped back to admire their work, clapping their hands in delight.


    "MAGNIFIQUE!" they declared. "You will be ze STAR of ze banquet!"


    [Great. Exactly what I don''t want to be.]


    ---


    "Greetings, Sister Grace," Diana said stiffly, her back ramrod straight and her eyes colder than usual. "I represent The Veil this evening. May I have a moment of your... valuable time?"


    They were in one of the smaller dining halls, which Alia and Zephyr had hastily decorated to resemble the grand banquet hall. The impromptu "practice banquet" had been Venus''s idea, but everyone had thrown themselves into it with surprising enthusiasm. Well, aside from Diana, anyway.


    Alia was pretending to be a snooty member of the Ascended Choir, complete with a makeshift blue cape and an exaggerated scholarly accent. Zephyr had taken on the role of an Earth-Tender, wearing leaves in her hair and speaking in soft, nature-focused metaphors. Venus alternated between playing herself and a particularly aggressive Seraphim Guard.


    "Um, yes, of course," Grace replied, trying to remember the correct greeting. Wings half-lowered, slight bow, but maintain eye contact. "I''m honored by your interest."


    Diana''s lips curved into a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. It was subtle but chilling. She looked mysteriously annoyed.


    "We''ve been watching your... progress with great interest," she said, circling Grace slowly. "Such unique abilities. Such potential."


    Grace fought the urge to step back. Hey, for someone who clearly was annoyed to have to be here, she was playing her role very well.


    "Thank you," Grace said carefully. "I''m still learning."


    "Learning, yes." Diana stopped directly in front of her. "But from whom? Those who would limit your power? Or those who understand its true nature?"


    Grace recalled her conversation with Celestia in the Memory Pools. This was exactly the kind of approach she''d warned about.


    "I value all perspectives," Grace replied diplomatically. "But I trust Eternia''s vision for our realm."


    Diana paused, like she was forgetting her lines.


    "A safe answer. But safety rarely leads to greatness, Sister Grace."


    With that, she stepped back, giving a small nod of acknowledgment.


    "Well played," Venus said from the sidelines. "That was perfect, Grace!"


    Diana sighed, clearly liking the fact that she was done with that.


    "Yeah, yeah, not bad," even Diana admitted. "You didn''t get flustered at least."


    Coming from Diana, this was practically a standing ovation.


    Grace wasn''t sure how to respond, so she just turned away with a little "hmph" sound.


    The practice continued for another hour, with each of her friends throwing increasingly difficult scenarios at her. By the end, Grace felt more prepared¡ªnot confident, exactly, but less likely to make a complete fool of herself.


    "Remember," Venus said as they wrapped up for the night, "stay close to Celestia during the official ceremonies. After that, mingle but keep moving. Don''t let anyone corner you for too long."


    "And if someone asks you to dance, just follow their lead," Zephyr added. "Most angels will adjust to your skill level once they realize you''re new."


    "Or lack thereof," Diana muttered.


    Alia threw her arms around Grace in an exuberant hug.


    "You''re going to be AMAZING! The whole Dominion is going to be talking about you!"


    [That''s what I''m afraid of.]


    As her friends (plus Diana) filed out, each offering final bits of advice, Grace felt a strange mix of gratitude and anxiety. These angels barely knew her, yet they''d spent their entire day helping her prepare for tomorrow.


    Grace sighed, touching the medallion at her throat. She closed her eyes, hoping for another vision, another clue about what to expect tomorrow.


    Nothing came.


    [Some magical artifact you are. Only work when I don''t need you to.]

 Chapter 31: The Celestial Banquet, Part Five

    Chapter 31 - The Celestial Banquet, Part FiveGrace stared at her reflection, hardly recognizing herself. The silver dress shimmered as she moved, catching the light in a way that made the subtle gold, blue, and pink accents dance across the fabric.


    "I can''t believe this is happening," she muttered.


    Less than a month ago, she''d been harvesting turnips and worrying about the price of grain. Now she was dressed like some kind of princess, about to attend the most exclusive party in heaven.


    [This is ridiculous. I''m still just a farmer.]


    Someone knocked on her door. Before she could answer, Alia burst in with Zephyr close behind.


    "OH MY GOSH!" Alia squealed, bouncing up and down. "You look AMAZING!"


    "The twins outdid themselves," Zephyr agreed, circling Grace with an approving nod.


    Grace tugged awkwardly at the bodice.


    "It feels weird. I''ve never worn anything this fancy."


    "Well, get used to it," Alia said, fluffing Grace''s wings. "Tonight, you''re the star of the show!"


    "Please don''t say that," Grace groaned. "I''m nervous enough already."


    "But it''s true! Everyone''s going to want to meet the angel who can kill demons!"


    Zephyr handed her a small crystal vial.


    "Little bit of ~divine perfume~."


    "What does that even mean?"


    "You''ll see. Just a drop behind each ear."


    "And don''t forget the greeting rituals!" Alia added. "Wings half-raised for Bravery Sisters, fully lowered for¡ª"


    "I know, I know," Grace cut her off. "Venus drilled me for hours."


    "Did she?" Zephyr asked with a smirk.


    "NOT LIKE THAT!"


    After a few more minutes of fussing and last-minute advice, there was another knock at the door.


    This one was different¡ªthree sharp taps that somehow felt more commanding than Alia''s excited pounding.


    The door swung open without waiting for an answer. Celestia stood in the doorway, and Grace''s breath caught in her throat.


    The Archangel was dressed in a gown that seemed woven from rainbows themselves. It shifted colors with every movement, never settling on any single hue. Somehow her wings even seemed a little bigger.


    She looked beautiful.


    Alia and Zephyr immediately dropped into deep bows, wings extended on the floor.


    Grace quickly followed suit, remembering the formal greeting Venus had taught her. Kneel, wings fully extended, head bowed, no eye contact.


    "Hehe, rise, little ones," Celestia said, her voice warm. "Tonight is a celebration, not a ceremony."


    Grace stood up, still keeping her eyes lowered.


    "Look at me, Grace," Celestia said gently.


    Grace raised her gaze. Celestia was smiling.


    "I would like it if you walked with me," she said.


    "What?"


    Alia and Zephyr both looked at each other, equally surprised.


    "I haven''t had a personal guest to one of these in a while," Celestia chuckled. "I figured perhaps it would be good to spice things up. What do you say?"


    "I..." Grace blinked. "Uhm, yes, y-yeah! I would love to."


    "Very well then. Are you ready?"


    [Absolutely not.]


    "Yes," Grace lied.


    Celestia''s eyes sparkled, suggesting she wasn''t fooled.


    "Then let us go. The Celestial Banquet awaits."


    She held out her hand. Grace took it, feeling the warmth of divine power humming beneath Celestia''s skin.


    ---


    The Grand Pavilion took Grace''s breath away. It was a massive structure of white stone and crystals. Columns rose hundreds of feet into the air, supporting a dome that seemed made of solid light. Angels of every faction flew or walked through the enormous entrance arch.


    "This wasn''t here yesterday," Grace whispered.


    "It''s created anew for each banquet," Celestia explained.


    "What kind of construction work does heaven have!?"


    "After a few millennia, people get efficient," Celestia shrugged. "It will dissolve back into divine light when the celebration ends. Quite thrilling."


    [A building that exists for one night. Talk about excessive.]


    As they approached the entrance, a hush fell over the crowd. Angels parted, creating a path for Celestia and, by extension, Grace. Every eye turned to them. Grace felt her face heating up.


    "Stand tall," Celestia murmured, placing a reassuring hand on Grace''s back. "You''re here as my personal guest."


    ... It was even harder to walk hearing Celestia talk like that.


    Grace tried to look confident as they walked through the entrance. Inside, the Pavilion was even more impressive. The ceiling soared so high Grace couldn''t see where it ended. Tables laden with food and drink stretched in every direction. Angels clustered in groups, their attire clearly marking their factions.


    "First introductions," Celestia said, guiding Grace with a gentle hand on her elbow. "Remember what you''ve learned."


    The next hour was a blur of faces and names as Celestia led Grace through the crowd. Each introduction required a different greeting, making Grace''s head spin as she tried to remember them all.


    First came the Ascended Choir, a group of scholarly angels dressed in flowing blue robes. Their wings were painted white with blue tips, and they wore identical expressions of barely concealed skepticism.


    Grace offered a simple nod, just as Venus had instructed for this faction. The leader of the group, that angel named Meridian with ice-blue hair, returned the gesture.


    "Sister Grace," Meridian acknowledged. "Greetings. My name is Meridian. Your arrival has sparked much discussion in our archives."


    [I guess it''s safe to assume everyone''s heard of me, huh.]


    "I hope that''s a good thing," Grace replied.


    Meridian''s mouth twitched.


    "We seek knowledge, not judgment. Tell me, do you know our purpose?"


    "You''re... scholars," Grace said. "Keepers of celestial knowledge."


    Meridian nodded slowly.


    "Indeed. Is there perhaps any knowledge you seek?"


    "I... think I know about as much as I want to know about stuff right now, hehe."


    Not entirely true, but she didn''t want to encourage this person.


    "Ah, how unfortunate." Meridian replied. "Many of us find your... existence perplexing. An angel who can permanently destroy demons. An angel who walks all three paths. Unprecedented."


    [That word again. I HATE that word. For once, I wish something about me was completely precedented. Extremely precedented.]


    "Well, I''m just trying to figure it out as I go," Grace said honestly.


    Meridian exchanged glances with her companions.


    "We have many questions for you, when time permits. About the nature of your power. Its source. Its limitations."


    "You''ll have your chance some day, surely," Celestia interjected, her tone polite but firm. "But not tonight. This is a celebration, not an interrogation."


    Celestia''s rainbow wings shifted subtly, and Meridian took a small step back.


    "Of course, Archangel. Another time."


    "The Earth-Tenders are waiting," Celestia said, smoothly guiding Grace away from the scholars.


    "Wow. They''re intense," Grace whispered, still glancing at the Choir.


    "Knowledge seekers often are," Celestia replied.


    The Earth-Tenders were a stark contrast to the Choir. Dressed in flowing green garments adorned with actual plants, they greeted Grace with warm smiles. Their wings had a greenish tint, like sunlight through leaves.


    Grace offered another simple nod, remembering Venus''s instructions about the other factions.


    "No, no!" The leader, a plump angel with flowers braided into her brown hair, laughed. "We Earth-Tenders don''t stand on ceremony. I''m Willow."


    She took Grace''s hands in her own. Her skin felt warm and smelled like fresh soil.


    "We have a gift for you, Earth-Daughter," Willow said.


    [Earth-Daughter?] Grace looked at Celestia, who smiled encouragingly.


    "Some angels were made by Eternia herself, some ascend from humanity," Celestia explained quietly. "You fall in the latter."


    Willow pressed something into Grace''s palm. It was a tiny flower bud, no bigger than her thumbnail, with petals of silver and gold.


    "An empathy bloom," Willow explained. "It responds to your emotions. Keep it close. Sometimes, our own heart is the hardest to understand. This may help."


    "Thank you," Grace said, genuinely touched.


    As Celestia led her away, the tiny bud opened slightly, revealing a hint of pink inside.


    "What does pink mean?" she asked.


    "Curiosity. Wonder," Celestia replied. "By the way, the Earth-Tenders rarely gift their blooms to anyone. You''ve made quite an impression."


    "I haven''t even done anything!"


    "Your existence has done enough, Grace."


    The little bud got even more pink.


    [I just... I don''t know if I can live up to, uh, all this.]


    Next came the Seraphim Guard, who stood in formation near one of the grand entrances. They were dressed in black armor and they made Grace nervous just by looking at them.


    She offered another simple nod, which the captain - a stern-faced angel with cropped silver hair - returned with a barely perceptible one of her own.


    "Honor to meet you, Sister Grace," she said formally. "I am Captain Raziel."


    "Honor to meet you too," Grace replied, trying to sound confident.


    "The Seraphim Guard stands ready to serve," Raziel said, glancing at Celestia before returning her attention to Grace. "Should you ever require protection during your... special missions."


    The way she said "special missions" made it clear she was talking about demon hunting. Though, Grace did struggle to think of what other kinds of missions she could mean.


    "Thank you," Grace said, not sure what else to add.


    "Raziel is one of our finest warriors," Celestia commented, clearly trying to ease the awkward moment. "Perhaps she can offer some combat insights during your training."


    Raziel bowed slightly.


    "It would be my honor, Archangel."


    As they moved deeper into the Pavilion, Celestia leaned closer to Grace.


    "Prepare yourself," she said quietly. "The Veil representatives are next. Remember Venus''s advice."


    Grace''s stomach tightened. After everything she''d heard about the Veil, she wasn''t looking forward to this introduction.


    They stood near one of the crystal pillars. Three angels with steel-gray wings. Their clothing was elegant but simple, in shades of gray and silver. Unlike the other factions, who displayed their allegiance proudly, the Veil dressed to blend in.


    They looked like what they represented too. Low sneers and disgusted faces aimed at nothing in particular. Almost like the happy vibes around them personally offended them.


    [Wait, I was supposed to avoid these people, now I''m walking with Celestia toward them.]


    The leader stepped forward as Celestia and Grace approached. She was strikingly beautiful, with pale, almost-grey skin, long silver hair and dark eyes.


    "Archangel Celestia," she said, her voice almost musical and smooth. "Always a pleasure."


    "Sariel," Celestia replied, her tone polite but cool. "May I present Sister Grace Lightsinger."


    Sariel turned those dark eyes on Grace, and Grace felt like she was being examined from the inside out.


    "The angel who kills demons," Sariel said, her lips curving into a perfect smile. "Your reputation precedes you."


    She lowered her gaze slightly and gave the smallest nod possible.


    Sariel extended her hand.


    "We have much to discuss, Sister Grace. Your abilities... interest us greatly."


    Grace hesitated, but Celestia gave her a subtle nudge. Political necessity, the gesture seemed to say. Grace reluctantly took the offered hand. Immediately, she felt a chill spread from the contact. The medallion against her chest grew uncomfortably warm, as if responding to the cold.


    "Perhaps another time," Grace said, withdrawing her hand as quickly as politeness allowed.


    "Of course," Sariel''s smile didn''t falter, but her eyes hardened slightly. "We have all eternity to become... acquainted."


    "Sister Grace''s schedule is quite full these days," Celestia interjected smoothly. "Her training takes priority."


    "Naturally," Sariel replied, though the look she gave Grace suggested the conversation wasn''t over.


    As they walked away, Grace shivered.


    "You handled that well," Celestia said. "The Veil can be... intense."


    "Thanks. I could hardly breathe around those angels."


    As they continued through the crowd, Grace spotted a familiar face. Diana stood near one of the refreshment tables, looking extremely uncomfortable in a formal golden dress.


    Grace huffed almost off instinct as soon as she looked at the woman. And yet..


    "Can I go talk to someone?" Grace asked, suddenly wanting to talk to someone who wouldn''t try to interrogate or recruit her.


    Celestia nodded.


    "I need to speak with the other sect leaders. Find me for the ceremonial toast in twenty minutes."


    "Alright."


    Grace made her way over to Diana, who looked up with surprise. She remembered to adjust her wings to the half-raised position and placed her closed fist against her heart before extending it forward - the proper Bravery Sister greeting.


    Diana blinked, then huffed out a laugh.


    "You actually remembered the formal greeting. Who would''ve thought."


    "You''re here!" Grace said.


    Diana rolled her eyes. "Obviously."


    "You never said you were coming."


    "I never said I wasn''t," Diana countered. "Do I need your permission?"


    "I... Ugh!" Crossing her arms, Grace looked away with a pout.


    "Seraph ordered all senior Bravery Sisters to attend."


    "Yeah?" Grace took in Diana''s uncomfortable posture and suppressed a smile. "Nice dress."


    "Shut up," Diana growled. "Not a word about this to anyone, or I''ll make your next training session a living nightmare."


    Grace couldn''t believe it. She''d scored a win! On Diana of all people!


    She had to get a bit more out of it.


    "What? More than usual???"


    Diana sighed.


    "What do you want, rookie? Don''t you have some swooning angels to take care of?"


    "Just... wanted a break from all the politics," Grace admitted. "Everyone keeps asking me questions I don''t have answers to. As annoying as you are, you''re better than that."


    "Yeah?" Diana scoffed. "Get used to it. You''re the shiny new toy everyone wants to play with."


    "Great."


    They stood in silence for a moment. Then Diana''s eyes narrowed, looking at something over Grace''s shoulder.


    "Heads up, newbie. Veil at three o''clock."


    Before Grace could turn to look, Venus''s voice rang out across the Pavilion. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dear friends! The ceremonial toast is about to begin! Please gather in the central hall!"


    "Saved by the bell," Diana muttered. "Come on."


    They joined the crowd moving toward the center of the Pavilion, where Celestia stood on a raised dais. Attendants moved through the gathering, handing out crystal glasses filled with glowing golden liquid.


    "Divine nectar," Diana explained, taking two glasses and handing one to Grace. "Only served at the Celestial Banquet. Drink it slowly. It''s potent."


    Grace took the glass carefully. The liquid inside seemed to be moving on its own, swirling gently against the crystal.


    Celestia raised her own glass, and the hall fell silent.


    "Angels of the Dominion," she began, her voice carrying effortlessly to every corner of the vast space. "Once every century, we gather to renew our bonds and remember our shared purpose."


    Grace''s eyes wandered across the crowd as Celestia spoke. Angels of every faction stood together, their differences temporarily set aside.


    Then her medallion pulsed against her skin. Hard. Like a warning.


    The sensation was so sudden that Grace nearly dropped her glass. She clutched the medallion through her dress, feeling it grow hotter by the second.


    Her vision blurred slightly, then sharpened in a strange way. Colors became more vivid, edges more defined.


    And then she saw it¡ªa wisp of dark blue-purple energy surrounding a figure across the room. It was subtle, like smoke curling around their form, but unmistakable to Grace''s newly enhanced vision.


    It was an angel she hadn''t been introduced to yet. Tall, with perfect posture and features that seemed too symmetrical to be natural. Dark hair pulled back severely from a face that would have been beautiful if not for the coldness in their eyes.


    Those eyes shifted, somehow sensing Grace''s scrutiny, and met hers across the crowded hall.


    The angel smiled. It wasn''t warm like Willow''s smile or smooth like Sariel''s. It was predatory. Hungry.


    Grace''s blood ran cold.


    Hidden threat found


    The angel raised their glass in Grace''s direction, a mock toast that no one else seemed to notice.


    Grace took a deep breath and consciously activated her new ability.


    ¡¸Aura Sight Active¡¹


    Time to find out what she was really dealing with.

 Chapter 32: The Celestial Banquet, Part Six

    Chapter 32 - The Celestial Banquet, Part SixThe world looked different through Grace''s Aura Sight.


    Colors were sharper, movements more defined, and that blue-purple aura around the mysterious angel practically glowed like a beacon.


    [Got you.]


    Grace kept her eyes fixed on the grey-winged angel, trying her absolute hardest not to be obvious about it. The stranger was tall and elegant, mingling with her Veil friends like she belonged there. No one else seemed to notice anything off about her. Just Grace and her freaky new angel power.


    She took a step toward the suspicious figure, but a booming voice stopped her.


    "THERE SHE IS! OUR LITTLE DEMON SLAYER!"


    [Oh no.]


    Seraph burst through the crowd, a pack of gold-and-red clad Bravery Sisters trailing behind her. Grace barely had time to adjust her wings to the half-raised position before Seraph grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug that lifted her feet off the ground.


    "C-can''t breathe," Grace wheezed.


    "HA! Just strengthening those lungs!" Seraph dropped her back to her feet and stepped back, giving Grace a once-over. "Look at you! All fancy in your dress!"


    Grace quickly pressed her closed fist to her heart, then extended it forward ¨C the proper Bravery Sister greeting.


    Seraph grinned approvingly.


    "You remembered! All that training paying off, I see!"


    Diana, still hovering nearby, rolled her eyes.


    Grace glanced past Seraph''s massive shoulders, searching for the suspicious angel. She was still there, watching the toast preparations with a too-perfect smile.


    "Seraph, I need to¡ª"


    "Come! Meet the rest of your Bravery Sisters!" Seraph cut her off, dragging her toward the group of warrior angels.


    Grace greeted each one with the proper ritual, all while trying to keep the suspicious angel in her sight. The Bravery Sisters were enthusiastic, slapping her on the back and asking detailed questions about her demon fight that she barely processed.


    "Did it really explode into light?"


    "Was the blood black or purple?"


    "Can we see your hidden sword technique sometime?"


    Grace nodded and smiled, answering on autopilot.


    "Yes. Black. Maybe later."


    Just as she extracted herself from the Bravery Sisters, another voice called her name.


    "Grace! There you are!"


    Mara approached, surrounded by a group of blue-robed Compassion Sisters. Her massive chest bounced with each step, drawing stares from several nearby angels.


    [Great. More interruptions.]


    Grace quickly lowered her wings fully and placed her hands in prayer position before opening them outward like a book. The proper Compassion Sister greeting.


    Mara beamed.


    "Perfect! Venus said she''d been teaching you the greetings, but I didn''t believe you''d master them so quickly!"


    "I had a good teacher," Grace said, still trying to keep an eye on her target. The suspicious angel had moved closer to the edge of the crowd, sipping her nectar with a bored expression.


    Mara introduced Grace to her fellow healers, who were much calmer than the Bravery Sisters but just as curious.


    "Your energy flow is fascinating," one said, peering at Grace like she was an interesting specimen.


    "Have you tried healing demons and purifying instead of killing them?" another asked.


    "Would you visit our healing halls sometime? We''d love to study¡ªI mean observe¡ªyour techniques."


    Grace nodded politely to each one, growing increasingly anxious as she saw the suspicious angel slowly moving toward the outer edges of the grand hall.


    [She''s trying to slip away!]


    "I really should get back to¡ª"


    "Grace, darling~!"


    [... You''ve got to be kidding me.]


    Venus glided through the crowd, a group of pink-clad Love Sisters following in her wake. They moved like water, drawing appreciative glances from angels of all factions.


    Grace braced herself. The Love Sister greeting was the most awkward one.


    Venus approached, and Grace forced herself not to flinch as the beautiful angel cupped her face. Venus pressed her lips to Grace''s right cheek, then her left, and just outright kissed her lips.


    [A kiss is just a kiss. A kiss is just a kiss. A kiss is just a kiss. A kiss is just a kiss...]


    Grace''s face burned hotter than a blacksmith''s forge, but she managed to return the greeting to Venus, though she couldn''t bring herself to do more than a quick peck for each kiss.


    Venus laughed softly.


    "We''ll work on your technique, little one."


    The other Love Sisters greeted her similarly, each kiss making Grace want to sink through the floor. Venus''s sisters were just as gorgeous as she was, and just as forward.


    "Such soft lips."


    "Your blush is adorable."


    "We should arrange some private lessons."


    Grace was pretty sure her face would be permanently red after this. But worse than the embarrassment was the fact that she''d lost sight of the suspicious angel in all the commotion.


    [Where did she go?]


    Grace stood on her tiptoes, scanning the crowd desperately. The other angels continued chatting around her, but their voices faded to background noise as she searched.


    Then she spotted it ¨C that blue-purple aura, now near one of the side entrances. The mysterious angel was smoothly excusing herself from a conversation, gliding toward a balcony that overlooked the endless sky.


    She was leaving!


    Grace glanced toward the dais where Celestia stood, preparing to begin the toast. The protocol was clear: stay with Celestia, alert her to any threats, follow her instructions.


    But by the time she got Celestia''s attention and explained everything, the angel would be long gone.


    [What would Seraph do? Well... She''d probably just run after her.]


    Grace made a split-second decision.


    "Excuse me," she muttered to Venus. "I need some air."


    Venus raised an eyebrow but nodded.


    "Don''t be too long, little one. The toast is about to begin."


    Grace slipped away from the group, weaving through the crowd as quickly as she could without drawing attention. Her silver dress sparkled in the light, making her more noticeable than she would have liked.


    The suspicious angel had already disappeared through the archway leading to the balcony. Grace followed, heart pounding in her chest.


    As she passed through the archway, she heard Celestia''s voice ring out behind her.


    "Angels of the Dominion, raise your glasses..."


    Grace left the ceremony behind, stepping out onto a wide crystal balcony that seemed to float among the clouds. Night had fallen, and countless stars twinkled above.


    At the far end of the balcony, silhouetted against the starlight, stood the angel with the blue-purple aura.


    Waiting.


    [Well, I wanted to find the hidden threat. Though, naybe I should''ve thought this through a bit more.]


    Too late to turn back now. Grace squared her shoulders and walked forward to meet whatever fate awaited her.


    ---


    {Diana}


    Diana slouched at the corner table, already regretting her decision to wear this stupid golden dress. It was too tight across the shoulders and kept riding up when she moved. At least she had a glass of that divine nectar stuff. It tasted like honey and fire and made the endless small talk almost bearable.


    Almost.


    Two Love Sisters had been eyeing her for the past ten minutes from a nearby table. The blonde one kept "accidentally" making eye contact, while the brunette had a smile that suggested all kinds of things Diana pretended not to think about.


    Diana took another sip and held the blonde''s gaze for three seconds before looking away. Not interested enough to act on it, but just enough to keep the game going. Keeping Love Sisters interested was basically a sport among the Bravery Sisters. A very fun way of passing the time.


    "Having fun?" Seraph''s booming voice ruined whatever subtle thing she had going as she dropped into the chair beside Diana, somehow making it look tiny.


    Diana scowled.


    "I was."


    Seraph followed her gaze to the Love Sisters, who were now pretending to be deep in conversation.


    "Ah, Venus''s girls. Always good for a distraction." Seraph grabbed an entire pitcher of nectar from a passing attendant and refilled Diana''s glass before pouring herself a generous portion. "But not why I''m here."


    "Why are you here, then?" Diana asked, already dreading the answer.


    "Answered any prayers lately?"


    Diana''s grip tightened on her glass.


    "No."


    "Any plans to?"


    "No."


    Seraph leaned back, her chair creaking in protest.


    "It''s quite a bit of time, Diana."


    "I''m aware."


    "The rookie''s been here little more than a week and already answered one."


    Diana shot her a glare.


    "Good for her."


    "Look," Seraph''s voice dropped, losing its usual boom. "What happened on that mission wasn''t your fault."


    Diana looked down, biting the insides of her cheeks.


    "I ran," Diana said flatly. "I left them behind."


    "You survived. There''s a difference."


    "Tell that to the humans who didn''t make it. The humans who were looking to me for salvation!"


    Diana''s right hand started shaking.


    Seraph sighed, the sound unusually soft coming from her massive frame.


    "So how long? How long until you get back out there? Answer prayers, fight demons, do what you were made to do?"


    Diana shrugged.


    "I don''t know. But I''ve got all the time in the world, literally. The prayers can wait."


    "The mortals can''t."


    "There are other angels."


    "Not many as good as you."


    Diana snorted.


    "There''s the rookie. Everyone seems to think she''s going to save us all."


    "Grace is... different." Seraph conceded, taking a long drink. "And, to be honest, she does show promise. But she lacks your experience. Your honed instincts."


    "My instincts?" Diana laughed bitterly. "My instincts told me to run. Some warrior I am."


    "Your instincts kept you alive when a Primal showed up. That was a smart move."


    Diana opened her mouth to argue, but something across the room caught her eye. Grace was slipping away from the Love Sisters, moving toward one of the side balconies with surprising determination.


    [Well... That''s weird.]


    She watched as the rookie glanced around furtively before disappearing through the archway.


    "What is it?" Seraph asked, following her gaze.


    "The rookie just ditched the toast. Headed for the east balcony."


    Seraph turned to look just as Celestia raised her glass.


    "Eh, maybe she needed air. These things can be overwhelming."


    "Maybe."


    S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 33: The Celestial Banquet, Part Seven

    Chapter 33 - The Celestial Banquet, Part SevenThe balcony was eerily quiet compared to the celebration inside. Grace''s footsteps echoed against the white stone floor as she approached the mysterious angel, who stood with her back to Grace, looking out at the endless sky.


    "Beautiful night, isn''t it?" the angel said without turning around. Her voice was smooth but had a weird edge to it. Like someone trying too hard to sound normal.


    "Uh, I guess so," Grace replied, stopping a safe distance away. Through her Aura Sight, the blue-purple energy swirling around the angel looked even stronger out here. It pulsed and writhed like it was alive.


    Grace swallowed.


    [Okay, okay... Calm down. Your Aura Sight says that it can''t identify targets that are too strong, so... That should mean this girl isn''t that strong, right?]


    The angel turned slowly. Her smile didn''t reach her eyes.


    "You''re the one everyone''s talking about. The demon killer." She tilted her head. "I''m Isolde."


    "... Grace," she introduced herself.


    "I know who you are," Isolde said. Her fingers twitched at her sides. "Everyone knows who you are."


    Grace''s medallion felt hot against her skin. Like it was warning her.


    "Why did you leave the toast?" Grace asked, trying to sound casual.


    "Why did you follow me?" Isolde shot back.


    [... Good question. Can''t exactly just say "well, Eternia is in my head, and she sorta told me you''re a problem", huh?]


    "I just... wanted some air too," Grace lied.


    Isolde laughed. It sounded wrong, like she''d practiced laughing but hadn''t quite gotten it right.


    "Air? Angels don''t need air." Her eyes darted around, never settling. "Did you know I was there when the first human city was built? They stacked stones on top of each other. So primitive. I watched them for seventy years. Then they all died."


    Grace blinked, thrown off by the sudden change in topic.


    "That''s... interesting?"


    "And the Great Flood! The water just kept rising. So many prayers. So many prayers we didn''t answer." Isolde''s hands were definitely shaking now. "And then there was the year of darkness. Have you heard of that? The sun disappeared for nearly twelve months. Humans thought the world was ending."


    [Something is very wrong with her.]


    "Isolde, are you okay?"


    "Okay?" Isolde echoed, her voice rising. "Am I okay? What a strange question. I''ve been alive for so long. I''ve watched communities rise and fall. I''ve counted every star in the sky. Twice." She laughed that wrong laugh again. "And now here you are."


    Grace took a step back. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I think I should go find Celestia¡ª"


    "AAHH!"


    It happened so fast Grace barely saw it. One moment Isolde was standing still, the next she was lunging forward, a weapon materializing in her hand. It looked like a sword but made of swirling black and red energy¡ªthe opposite of Grace''s golden Blade of Dawn.


    "ACK!"


    Off pure instinct alone, Grace dove to the side, the blade missing her by inches. She rolled across the crystal floor and jumped to her feet, her formal dress tangling around her legs.


    "W-What are you doing?!" Grace shouted.


    Isolde didn''t answer. Her face had changed, her beauty distorting into something feral and hungry. The blue-purple aura around her intensified, leaking from her eyes and mouth like smoke.


    [Oh crap oh crap oh crap!]


    Grace frantically focused on her divine energy, summoning her Blade of Dawn. The golden weapon materialized in her hand just in time to deflect Isolde''s next strike.


    The impact sent shockwaves through Grace''s arm.


    Isolde was STRONG.


    "I just want to talk!" Grace tried, backing away.


    "Too late for talking," Isolde hissed, her voice no longer smooth but raspy and raw. "You shouldn''t exist. You shouldn''t be possible!"


    She struck again, a flurry of slashes that Grace barely managed to dodge. The formal dress was seriously limiting her movement. One slash caught the fabric, tearing a huge gash in the skirt.


    [The twins are going to be so mad about this.]


    Grace had no real plan except to stay alive. Some of Diana''s defensive training kicked in¡ªshe blocked when she could, dodged when she couldn''t, created distance whenever possible. But she was being driven back step by step toward the edge of the balcony.


    "Why are you doing this?" Grace gasped, parrying another blow.


    "Because... Because... Because you can KILL us!" Isolde shrieked. "If you can truly erase demons, what''s to stop you from erasing US?"


    She lunged again, faster than before. This time, Grace wasn''t quick enough.


    The black-red blade plunged straight through her chest.


    Grace froze, staring down in shock at the weapon impaling her. There was no pain at first, just a weird pressure. Then it hit¡ªburning, searing agony that made her scream.


    "AAAAAH!"


    Isolde yanked the blade out, and Grace collapsed to her knees. She pressed her hand to the wound, expecting blood, but there was none. Just a hole in her dress and a glowing golden light spilling from her chest.


    It still hurt in an ungodly way, but she wasn''t dying.


    [I''m not dead. Why am I not dead?]


    The realization hit her¡ªangels couldn''t kill other angels. She remembered Diana mentioning it during training. They could hurt each other, sure. Wound each other, certainly. But not kill. Only Primal Demons could kill angels, and only Grace could kill demons.


    It didn''t make the pain any less excruciating though.


    "Get up," Isolde snarled. "I''m not done with you yet."


    Grace staggered to her feet, clutching her Blade of Dawn, her hands trembling.


    "You can''t kill me," Grace said, her voice shaky.


    "You''re right... But I can make you wish I could."


    Isolde attacked again. This time Grace was ready, blocking the first strike, but Isolde was too fast, too experienced. Her next blow sliced across Grace''s arm, then another caught her shoulder, and a third slashed across her stomach.


    Each wound blazed with that horrible burning pain, making it harder and harder to focus. Grace''s knees buckled, and she fell back against the balcony railing, her blade barely held up in defense.


    Grace realized then Isolde had been cutting another place all this while too. Grace''s wings.


    Isolde approached slowly now, savoring the moment.


    "Any last words before I throw you off this balcony? The fall won''t kill you, but it''ll take you a while to crawl back up here." She raised her blade.


    Isolde smiled. It was all teeth and no joy.


    She brought the blade down in what would have been a devastating blow¡ª


    But it never landed.


    There was a flash of gold and the clash of metal on metal. Someone was standing between Grace and Isolde, blocking the strike with a massive golden sword.


    Diana.

 Chapter 34: The Celestial Banquet, Part Eight

    Chapter 34 - The Celestial Banquet, Part EightDiana stood between Grace and Isolde, her golden sword locked against Isolde''s black-red blade. The weapons sparked where they touched, sending little flashes of light across the balcony.


    "Friend of yours?" Diana asked Grace without looking back.


    "I-I''m literally new here! What do you even mean!?" Grace wheezed, clutching her still-healing chest wound.


    Isolde snarled and jumped back, swinging her blade in a wide arc. Diana blocked it again, but Grace noticed something weird¡ªDiana''s hands were shaking. The powerful, confident warrior who terrorized Grace on a daily basis during training was shaking?


    "Diana of the Bravery Sisters," Isolde sneered. "It might be better to just hand her over."


    They circled each other slowly. Diana kept herself positioned in front of Grace, who was trying to stand up straight despite feeling like her insides had been scrambled.


    "You okay back there, rookie?" Diana called, not taking her eyes off Isolde.


    "Just peachy," Grace grunted. "Being stabbed through the heart isn''t fun."


    Diana glanced back.


    "Ouch."


    Isolde laughed.


    "Your little pet project is harder to shut up than expected."


    "No one''s talking to you!"


    Diana lunged forward, her blade slicing through the air. Isolde parried and countered, moving faster than Grace could track. The two angels clashed across the balcony in a flurry of strikes and blocks.


    Grace tried to follow, but her legs were wobbly. The wounds were healing¡ªgolden light knitting her flesh back together¡ªbut the pain lingered, leaving her weak and unsteady.


    [This is SO not how I pictured my first fancy party going.]


    "I heard about your last mission," Isolde taunted as she blocked another of Diana''s strikes. "How many angels died while you fled?"


    Diana''s rhythm faltered. Just for a second. But it was enough.


    Isolde saw the opening and struck, her blade arcing toward Diana''s exposed side.


    [Wait, no!]


    For a moment, Grace didn''t think. She just moved.


    She threw herself forward, summoning every bit of strength left in her still un-healed, battered body. Her Blade of Dawn came up just in time, deflecting Isolde''s attack in a shower of golden sparks.


    "Back off!" Grace shouted, nearly falling over from the effort.


    Diana grabbed her arm, steadying her.


    "What are you doing? You can barely stand!"


    "Helping," Grace panted.


    Isolde laughed, twirling her weapon.


    "How touching. The coward and the newborn, standing together against¡ª"


    The balcony doors exploded inward with a crash so loud it made Grace''s ears ring. Shards of crystal flew everywhere as a massive figure burst through.


    "YAAAAAAHOOOOO!"


    Seraph charged onto the balcony like a raging bull, a giant blazing axe in her hands and a manic grin on her face. Behind her poured a squad of golden-armored Bravery Sisters, all with weapons drawn.


    Isolde''s eyes widened. "Well, this got crowded fast."


    "DROP YOUR WEAPON!" Seraph bellowed, pointing her axe at Isolde. "Or I''ll PERSONALLY rip those gray wings off your back!"


    Instead of looking scared, Isolde laughed.


    "Fine, fine," she said, backing toward the edge of the balcony. "I guess I can cut this short... Besides, the real fun hasn''t even started yet."


    "What does that mean?" Grace demanded, still leaning against Diana.


    Isolde grinned, the blue-purple aura around her flaring brighter.


    "It means I''ll see you again soon, demon killer. When the real fun begins."


    Then she dove backward off the balcony, disappearing into the night sky below. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seraph rushed to the edge, peering down into the darkness.


    "She''s gone! One of you¡ªfollow her!"


    Two Bravery Sisters immediately jumped off the balcony, their wings extending as they dove after Isolde.


    The balcony was suddenly flooded with even more angels pouring through the broken doors. Celestia appeared, her rainbow wings spread wide, followed by Sariel and her Veil representatives. Venus and Mara pushed through the crowd next, along with what looked like half the banquet guests.


    Everyone was talking at once.


    "What happened?"


    "Was that Isolde?"


    "The demon killer is injured!"


    "The balcony is destroyed!"


    Celestia raised her hand, and silence fell immediately.


    "Diana," she said, her voice calm but carrying an edge. "Explain."


    Diana straightened up, but kept one hand on Grace''s arm.


    "I followed Grace out here and found her being attacked by Isolde."


    "Isolde is one of ours," Sariel cut in, stepping forward. Her dark eyes were cold. "A respected member of The Veil. What reason would she have to attack anyone?"


    "Oh, I don''t know," Diana shot back. "I would take a guess that she''s become corrupted, though."


    "Probably something to do with that aura..." Grace muttered.


    Sariel''s eyebrows rose.


    "Aura? What aura?"


    [Uh...]


    "I saw it," Grace said, finding her voice. "My medallion showed me. She was surrounded by this bad energy. Like smoke."


    The crowd murmured. Celestia and Sariel exchanged a look that Grace couldn''t read.


    "Are you suggesting," Sariel said slowly, narrowing her eyes at Grace, "that one of my people is... tainted?"


    "I''m not suggesting anything," Diana snapped instead. "I''m telling you what happened. Isolde attacked Grace. Multiple times. With intent to harm. Aura stuff aside, she wasn''t fighting Grace for fun. She wanted to hurt her."


    The tension in the air felt thick enough to cut. Sariel''s gray-winged companions moved closer to her, their hands drifting toward weapons hidden in their robes. Seraph and her Bravery Sisters responded by tightening their formation.


    [Oh great. Now we''re going to have a full-on angel brawl.]


    "Perhaps," a smooth voice interrupted, "we should focus on healing the injured before assigning blame."


    Venus stepped forward, placing herself between the two factions. Her golden eyes flicked from Sariel to Celestia.


    "Grace needs attention," she continued, her voice reasonable and calm. "And this discussion would be better held in private, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Grace was shocked. Venus, the flirty, boundary-pushing leader of the Love Sisters, was playing peacemaker?


    Celestia nodded slowly.


    "A wise suggestion. Sariel, we will discuss this matter in the Council Chamber. Privately."


    Sariel''s face remained perfectly composed.


    "Very well. But I expect a full investigation." She turned to her companions. "We should find Isolde. Clearly she is... unwell."


    With a final frigid glance at Grace, Sariel and her gray-winged entourage swept off the balcony, spreading their wings and diving into the night after Isolde.


    The crowd began to disperse, guided by Seraph''s booming commands. Mara hurried over to Grace, her huge chest bouncing as she moved.


    "Let me see those wounds," she said, already reaching toward Grace''s chest.


    "I''m alright," Grace protested weakly. "They''re healing."


    "Far too slowly," Mara corrected, placing her hands over the worst injury. Cool, soothing energy flowed into Grace, speeding up the healing process. "They may not kill you, but divine weapons leave lasting damage. You''ll need proper care."


    As Mara worked, Grace realized Diana was still holding her arm, keeping her steady. Their eyes met, and for once, Diana didn''t look away or scowl.


    "You jumped in front of that attack," Diana said quietly. "That was stupid."


    "You''re welcome," Grace replied.


    "I didn''t thank you."


    "You didn''t need to."


    Diana sighed.


    "Don''t make it a habit. Next time, just let me get stabbed."


    Diana finally released her arm, rolling her eyes.


    Celestia approached them, her expression grave.


    "Grace, Diana, I need to speak with you both. Once you''re healed," she added, nodding at Mara.


    "What about the banquet?" Grace asked.


    "I believe it''s over for tonight," Celestia said, glancing at the shattered doors. "Seraph''s interruption was rather... definitive."


    As if on cue, Seraph bounded over, looking far too excited for someone who''d just interrupted an assassination attempt.


    "DID YOU SEE MY ENTRANCE?!" she boomed. "I''ve been WAITING for a chance to use that door-smashing technique!"


    Grace sighed, slumping against Diana''s shoulder. It was going to be a long night.

 Chapter 35: Relics

    Chapter 35 - RelicsGrace sat on the edge of a healing bed, swinging her legs back and forth. The private healing chamber looked way nicer than the regular medical wing, all shiny marble instead of plain white.


    Mara had left a few minutes ago to talk with the others outside. Grace could hear voices through the door. Celestia talking calmly, Seraph yelling every now and then, and Venus saying something back.


    While she was waiting, Grace stared at the floating quest completion notification that only she could see.


    ¡¸Quest Completed! The Gathering Storm¡¹


    Reward:


    +10 Bravery


    Bravery: 25/100


    Special Equipment Gained!


    Stardust Veil


    A lightweight, shimmering silver arm guard that extends from wrist to elbow. When activated, it hardens, able to deflect or absorb a single strike before needing to recharge.


    Status:


    Grace Lightsinger


    Bravery: 25/100


    Compassion: 20/100


    Love: 12/100


    ---


    Traits:


    - Saintess System


    Can see System information


    - Touch of the Saintess


    Able to kill demons


    - Divine Attraction


    As Grace''s attributes increase, she will become more attractive to everything around her.


    ---


    Skills:


    ¡¸Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    Able to wield equipment made of divine light


    ¡¸Soothing Hands (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    Able to pour divine energy into wounded bodies to heal them


    ¡¸Golden Tongue (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    Able to raise a person''s morale through intimacy


    ¡¸Aura Sight (Level 1)¡¹


    Ability to see corrupted auras. Cannot see corrupted auras around subjects with too high a level.


    ---


    Equipment:


    1. ¡¸Blade of Dawn¡¹


    A rapier made of divine light.


    ¡¸Equipment Synergy: Power grows with Bravery attribute (10/100)¡¹


    2. ¡¸Stardust Veil¡¹


    A lightweight, shimmering silver arm guard that extends from wrist to elbow. When activated, it hardens and is able to deflect or absorb a single strike before needing to recharge.


    Recharge time: 30 seconds


    [So... A defensive thingy? Can I try it out?]


    She looked down at her arm, surprised to find the silver arm guard already there. It wasn''t there a minute ago. It fit perfectly, not too tight, not too loose, unlike the bulky junk Seraph had given her for her first mission.


    Grace poked it. It felt cool and surprisingly light, like it was barely there at all.


    "Activate?" she whispered, feeling dumb talking to an arm guard.


    Nothing happened.


    "Um... on? Go? Defend me?"


    Still nothing.


    [Right, I should probably use my energy. Same as healing.]


    She focused, pushing a tiny bit of her power into the arm guard. Right away, it got hard and started to glow with a soft silver light.


    "Whoa!" Grace waved her arm around, watching the shield move with her. "That''s actually pretty cool!"


    The door opened. Grace quickly stopped using energy and the whole thing dissipated into golden embers. Mara walked in first, followed by Celestia, Venus, and Seraph.


    "Feeling better?" Mara asked, looking Grace over.


    "Much better," Grace said. "Thanks for the healing."


    "It''s what we do," Mara smiled. "Though I''d rather not have to fix stab wounds on you too frequently, my dear."


    "I-I''ll try not to get stabbed often..."


    "THAT WAS SOME PARTY THOUGH, EH!?" Seraph shouted, dropping into a chair that looked too small for her. She laughed loudly. "Nothing like a good fight to make things interesting!"


    Venus sighed.


    "Most people like dancing more than fighting at parties, Seraph."


    "Boring people, maybe!"


    Celestia stood next to Grace, her rainbow wings folded behind her.


    "How are you really feeling, Grace?"


    "I''m okay. Just... a little confused." Grace looked at the four angels. "Is everything okay with the Veil? Sariel looked really mad."


    The four older angels looked at each other.


    "The Veil is looking into why Isolde did what she did," Celestia said carefully. "Sariel told me it was just one angel acting strangely. Not all of them."


    "Ha! Yeah right," Seraph scoffed. "They''re just trying to hide that their angels are going crazy!"


    "We don''t know that," Mara said. "That''s all just rumors."


    Venus nodded.


    "Mara''s right. The Veil have done, and still do, good work frequently. We shouldn''t just assume they''re all evil all of a sudden."


    "Really?" Grace asked, surprised. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh yes. Some even argue that their methods are more effective against demons than ours are."


    "Some fools, yes," Celestia said.


    "But, well," Venus continued, "we can save those stories for other times."


    "Indeed." Celestia put her hand on Grace''s shoulder. "What matters now is that you''re safe. And you did pretty well with a tough situation. I commend you for that."


    "I got stabbed a bunch of times," Grace pointed out, muttering. "Don''t think that counts as doing well."


    Mara checked Grace''s wounds one last time.


    "Seems you''re all healed up, but you should rest for a day or so. Even if we can''t die, our bodies still tire and your energy needs a little bit of time to come back after getting hurt."


    "I''ll make sure she doesn''t do too much," Venus offered with a wink.


    "Actually," Celestia cut in, "I need to talk to Grace alone for a minute. Could you please...?" She gestured at the door.


    The others got the obvious hint. Venus blew Grace a kiss as she left, Mara patted her shoulder, and Seraph slapped her on the back so hard it hurt.


    "DON''T GET STABBED AGAIN!" was Seraph''s advice before the door closed.


    Alone with Celestia, Grace felt nervous. The Archangel walked to the window, looking outside.


    "What Isolde did tonight was quite strange," Celestia said after a bit. "Angels attacking other angels... it happens, but from the looks of it, what you said felt different."


    "... Is it true that angels can become corrupted?" Grace asked, though she felt like she already knew the answer. She mostly just wanted more information.


    Celestia sighed.


    "There are... theories," she said. "If what you saw was corruption, then it would make sense. Those angels get their power from human sins instead of good deeds. Of course, something so unnatural would come with a price."


    "Like what Azrael found out about?"


    Celestia smirked as she turned and looked at Grace.


    "You''re learning fast."


    "Not fast enough, I guess," Grace muttered, remembering how easily Isolde beat her up.


    Celestia smiled.


    "Even Eternia didn''t know everything when she started."


    [Right... Celestia is the only one who remembers what Eternia was like. The only angel alive who lived during Eternia''s own time.]


    "How did she handle things? When she was here, I mean."


    "Well," Celestia began to respond, amused, "our three Virtues are such for a reason, Grace. They are not arbitrary. Eternia, as a mortal, was brave. She took action when she needed to, wielding all sorts of weapons to strike evil down. Eternia was compassionate. She helped everyone and everything that needed her help. And," Celestia smiled in a way Grace could only describe as seductive, "Eternia was loving. Endlessly so. I''m sure I can leave what that entailed up to your imagination."


    Grace blushed. But, she did have a question.


    "Wait, wait... As a mortal?"


    "Ah, yes," Celestia nodded. "Her passion was in creation, but of what fun is creating things if you never get to experience them? After she made this world of ours and everything in it, she briefly set her wings aside and walked the lands as a normal person would."


    "Wow..." Grace was surprised. "It''s hard to imagine that."


    Having been born and raised on the countryside, she didn''t know about any of this.


    "You don''t have to. Well, in a way. See, it is precisely these adventures... and occasional misadventures that make up the majority of scripture."


    Right on cue, new text appeared in Grace''s vision:


    ¡¸New Quest Activated: Echoes of Eternia¡¹


    Category: Knowledge


    Objective: Research Eternia''s scripture and relics


    Reward: +3 to all attributes, New Skill Unlock


    [Well, that''s convenient timing.]


    "Holy books?" Grace asked, trying to sound normal.


    "Yes. The Eternal Codex. Eternia''s collection of tales, from which she derived her wisdom and rules."


    Grace nodded slowly.


    "Hm... Makes sense. Should have figured a goddess would leave behind some kind of how-to manual."


    "She did," Celestia giggled warmly. "Though I was planning to have you study it after you learned more basic angel skills. After all, and I will say this bluntly so you know I am not trying to pull one over on you, we are all rather desperate for you to get out and start fighting demons."


    [Not hard to see why.]


    "I appreciate the honesty," Grace muttered. "Can I, uh... Learn more about those books somehow?"


    Celestia looked thoughtful.


    "Maybe it''s time to speed up your learning."


    "OH! And, what about relics?" Grace asked, remembering the second part of her quest. "Did Eternia leave those behind too?"


    Celestia''s eyes narrowed a bit. She smirked and asked:


    "My my~ Is our precious Grace perhaps greedy?"


    [Oops. Too obvious.]


    "Just... curious," Grace said quickly.


    Celestia paused for a moment and then sighed.


    "Well, to answer your question, yes, there were relics. Magic items Eternia made herself throughout her adventures. We keep them in the Vault of Relics, deep inside the Dominion."


    She paused, her wings twitching a little.


    "At least, they should be there. Over the years, several have gone missing."


    "Missing?" Grace sat up straight. "You mean stolen?"


    "We don''t know," Celestia admitted with a shrug.


    "YOU DON''T KNOW!?"


    Celestia smiled wryly.


    "W-Well, let me explain." She cleared her throat. "The first relic to disappear was the Crown of Stars, which allowed the user the ability to befriend the wildlife of Linaria easily. From horses and wolves to dragons and griffins."


    Grace pulled back.


    "Dragons? Griffins? Those are real!?"


    Celestia tilted her head.


    "Well, yes."


    "..."


    [Scary.]


    To think, all this time she''d been preparing solely to fight demons. Those things were out there? Just roaming the land casually???


    "Anyway, that disappeared. Then, the Chalice of Truths, the Mantle of Whispers, the Stardust Veil, the Boots of Swiftness, the..."


    Celestia kept going. Grace, however, completely froze.


    [... The Stardust Veil?] She thought, as Celestia kept going, using her fingers to count now. [The Stardust Veil was a relic, it was here, and it went missing? And...] She blinked. [And now I have it?]


    "... Among others," Celestia continued, clueless. "We, of course, tried to look for them, but we''ve seen no trace of any of these objects."


    "Huh. Weird," she said, her voice way too high.


    "In any case, the more I think about it, the more I agree. I think you should learn more about Eternia and what she left behind," Celestia said finally. "You can go to the Archives if you want to read the Codex. You have my blessing to enter and leave as you wish."


    She waved her hand in front of Grace, divine energy making a bit of a humming noise before she brought her hand back down.


    "I''d like that," Grace said, actually interested now.


    Celestia smiled.


    "Do have fun with the scriptures, then. The tales you will learn aren''t without their own bit of humor."


    "Really?"


    "Well, Eternia was..." Celestia looked away. "An intriguing person, with her own unique interests. And, even she messed up sometimes. You''ll see."


    After Celestia left, Grace brought her arm guard back out, the Stardust Veil, and looked at it with new thoughts racing through her head.


    [So I just got a missing divine relic as a quest reward... From Eternia herself? If that''s the case, then... They didn''t "go missing". She''s been taking them back as she amassed power.]


    It was a curious thing to think about, but for now, she had a new quest to do.


    It was time to see what this Eternal Codex was all about.

 Chapter 36: Scripture

    Chapter 36 - ScriptureGrace stood outside the Archives, staring up at the massive double doors. They were easily three times her height and carved with weird symbols she didn''t understand.


    [Great. Even the entrance is intimidating.]


    She pushed one door open with both hands. It swung surprisingly easily, like it weighed nothing.


    The Archives were huge. Bookshelves stretched up so high that Grace had to crane her neck to see the top. Little floating lights drifted around like fireflies, illuminating the endless rows of books, scrolls, and tablets.


    "Hello?" Grace called out. Her voice echoed.


    "Back here!" someone shouted from somewhere deep in the stacks.


    Grace walked toward the voice, passing shelves labeled with names she couldn''t pronounce. After a minute of walking (seriously, how big was this place?), she found a desk piled high with books.


    Behind it sat an angel with blue wings and black hair tied in a messy bun. She wore wire-rimmed glasses and had ink stains on her fingers.


    "Uh, hi," Grace said. "I''m looking for the Eternal Codex."


    The angel looked up and blinked.


    "Oh! You''re the new one everyone''s talking about. The demon-killer."


    "That''s me," Grace sighed. "So about that Codex..."


    "Right, right." The angel stood up. "I''m Mina, by the way. Archivist."


    Grace nodded and then looked at her blue wings.


    "Wait... You''re with the Ascended Choir?"


    "Was," Mina corrected. "Left them to work here. The Choir is all about knowledge, but terrible at organizing it." She rolled her eyes. "Do you know, before I came, they just threw new books anywhere they wanted? No system at all!"


    "That''s... bad?"


    "It''s CHAOS!" Mina looked personally offended. "The Dominion''s been around for millennia, and no one thought to alphabetize anything until I showed up!"


    "That''s awful," Grace said, having no idea if it actually was.


    "Anyway," Mina sighed, "you want the Eternal Codex. Any specific part? It''s not exactly a quick read."


    "Um, I''m not sure. What parts are there?"


    Mina led her deeper into the Archives.


    "Well, there''s the Creation Cantos¡ªhow Eternia made everything. The Laws of Light¡ªthe rules we''re supposed to follow. The Prophecies¡ªmostly vague stuff no one understands. And the Chronicles¡ªall the stuff Eternia did while she was here."


    "Uh... maybe the Chronicles?" Grace guessed.


    "Good choice for a beginner," Mina nodded. She stopped at a shelf and pulled out a thick book bound in white leather. "Start with this one. Volume 1."


    Grace took it. It was heavier than it looked.


    "How many volumes are there?"


    Mina gestured to an entire shelf.


    "Eighty-seven, give or take. Thousands of pages each. Eternia was... busy."


    [Eighty-seven books?! THOUSANDS OF PAGES!?!? I''ll be reading forever!]


    "There''s a table over there," Mina pointed. "Holler if you need anything."


    Grace sat down and opened the book. The first page had fancy writing that hurt her eyes.


    "In the beginning, Eternia emerged from the cosmos, a being of pure light and love," Grace read aloud. "Blah blah blah... seeking to bring order to chaos... blah blah... created the mortal realm as a garden of delights."


    She flipped ahead a few pages. This was going to be boring if it was all this formal stuff.


    Page 50 was more interesting.


    "And so Eternia descended to the mortal realm in physical form, where she encountered the dragon Malathrix. The dragon demanded tribute, but Eternia instead offered a wager: if she could make the beast laugh, it would leave the village in peace."


    [Really?]


    Grace kept reading, curious now.


    "Eternia proceeded to tell jokes of such ribald nature that the dragon not only laughed but fell madly in love with her. For seven days and seven nights, Eternia and Malathrix engaged in passionate¡ª"


    Grace choked on air. She re-read the passage. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Wait, what?! Eternia had s-sex with a DRAGON?!]


    She flipped ahead more, stopping at random pages.


    "...the band of warrior women pledged their loyalty to Eternia, who rewarded each with a night of pleasure so intense the stars themselves dimmed in envy..."


    Flip.


    "...fourteen maidens, seven shepherds, and a particularly flexible court jester all joined Eternia in her chambers for what would later be known as ''The Night of a Thousand Sighs''..."


    FLIP.


    "...her loyal steed which she''d discovered from the western plains bowed before Eternia''s beauty, hungry for his reward..."


    "..."


    Grace stared at the page.


    [WHAT AM I READING?! ETERNIA!? HELLO??? COULD YOU OFFER SOME COMMENTARY AT LEAST!?]


    The System was noticeably silent.


    Grace slammed it shut, her face burning. She grabbed another volume from the shelf labeled "Chronicles: Volume 17" and opened to a random page.


    "...and thus Eternia smote the demon lord with her blade, banishing it to the void between realms."


    Alright, that sounded more like what she expected.


    She read a few more pages. This volume seemed to focus on Eternia''s battles against early demons, how she created the first angels, and established the Dominion.


    After an hour of reading, Grace''s eyes were tired. The Chronicles jumped around in time, sometimes focusing on big events, sometimes on random details of Eternia''s daily life. Like her preference for peaches over apples, or how she liked to bathe in mountain springs under the full moon.


    And, yes, there was a LOT about Eternia''s love life. Apparently the goddess had been... enthusiastic about physical pleasure.


    [No wonder Venus acts like that if this is what they teach people to worship.]


    Grace closed the book and rubbed her eyes. She''d barely scratched the surface of Eternia''s story, but two things were clear: Eternia had been powerful beyond imagination, and she''d lived life to the fullest.


    The question was, what did any of this have to do with Grace''s quest? Or the relics that kept disappearing?


    ---


    {Seraph}


    Seraph sat at her desk, glaring at the report in front of her. One of the Bravery Sisters had just flown in from the mortal realm with news about demon sightings near a small village called Oakridge.


    "How many did you see?" Seraph asked the messenger.


    "At least five," the angel replied. "Small ones. But they looked organized."


    "Organized?" That was unusual. Lesser demons usually just wandered around causing random trouble. "How so?"


    "They were hunting together. Working as a pack."


    Seraph tapped her fingers on the desk. Demons working together meant one of two things: either they''d gotten smarter (bad), or something stronger was controlling them (worse).


    "Any sign of a bigger one? A leader?"


    The messenger shook her head. "Not that I saw. But the villagers said people have been going missing for weeks."


    "Missing, not dead?" That was another weird detail. Demons usually just killed on the spot.


    "Yes, ma''am. Taken in the night."


    Seraph leaned back in her chair, thinking. This wasn''t a normal demon infestation. It needed investigating. And it needed a permanent solution, not just a temporary banishment.


    A smile spread across her face as an idea formed.


    "Get me everything we have on Oakridge," she ordered. "Maps, local legends, everything."


    "Yes, ma''am. Are you going yourself?"


    Seraph''s grin widened.


    "No. I think it''s time our newest recruit got her first real mission."


    The messenger looked uncertain.


    "You mean the little one? The demon-killer?"


    "Exactly." Seraph stood up, already planning. "Grace needs to prove herself, and this is the perfect opportunity."


    "Alone?"


    "Of course not. She''s not ready for that." Seraph paused, considering who to send with Grace. It needed to be someone strong enough to help if things went bad, but who wouldn''t just take over.


    "Get me Diana," she decided. "They worked well together at the banquet. And Diana needs to get back in the field anyway."


    As the messenger hurried off, Seraph looked out her window at the training grounds below. This mission would be good for both of them. Grace needed experience, and Diana needed to face her fears.


    Plus, it would be hilarious to watch them try not to kill each other along the way.


    "This is going to be fun," Seraph muttered to herself, already imagining Diana''s face when she got the assignment.


    Poor Grace had no idea what was coming.

 Chapter 37: Mission Briefing

    Chapter 37 - Mission BriefingGrace closed the volume of Eternia''s Chronicles she''d been reading and rubbed her eyes. It felt like she''d spent days in the Archives, reading and re-reading passages that contained everything from Eternia battling mythical beasts to Eternia having sex with everyone and everything she could.


    [... My goddess is lewd.]


    "Find anything useful?" Mina asked, appearing from between two bookshelves with another stack of books.


    "Y-Yeah. Mostly stories about Eternia''s... adventures," Grace said, her cheeks warming as she remembered some particularly detailed passages. "And a few mentions of relics she created."


    "Which ones?"


    "The Crown of Stars, the Chalice of Truths, the Mantle of Whispers... and the Stardust Veil." Grace touched the silver arm guard she now wore.


    [A relic I have, actually... For some reason.]


    A pleasant chime rang in Grace''s head.


    ¡¸Quest Complete: Echoes of Eternia¡¹


    ¡¸Rewards: +3 to all attributes, New Skill Unlocked: Divine Insight (Level 1)¡¹


    ¡¸Bravery: 28/100¡¹


    ¡¸Compassion: 23/100¡¹


    ¡¸Love: 15/100¡¹


    ¡¸Divine Insight: Ability to comprehend ancient texts and languages more quickly.¡¹


    Current proficiency: Basic.


    [Oh! That''s actually useful!]


    "I should probably head back," Grace said, standing up. "Thank you for your help."


    "Come back anytime," Mina said, already reorganizing the books Grace had left out. "Just don''t put anything back yourself. You''ll mess up my groove."


    "S-Sorry."


    Grace was halfway to the door when a messenger angel flew in, landing right in front of her.


    "Grace Lightsinger?" the messenger asked.


    "That''s me."


    "Sister Seraph requests your presence immediately in the War Room."


    [The War Room? That sounds... official.]


    ---


    The War Room wasn''t what Grace expected. Instead of some grand chamber with battle maps and strategy boards, it was...


    Well, it was just Seraph''s office. A big desk covered in papers, weapon racks on the walls, and a window overlooking the training grounds. It seemed weird to call this place "The War Room" until she remembered this was Seraph she was talking about, who would absolutely give her stuff names like "The Carriage of Destiny" or "The Blade of Destruction" or whatever.


    Seraph herself was standing behind her desk when Grace entered.


    "Ah, there she is!" Seraph boomed. "Our little demon-killer."


    Grace noticed there were other angels in the room. Diana was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and looking somewhat bored. Mara sat in a chair, as usual her massive chest putting her shirt''s buttons in a fight for their lives. And in the corner, Alia and Zephyr were whispering to each other, giggling.


    "Um, you wanted to see me?" Grace asked.


    Seraph grinned.


    "Yep. I''ve got a mission for you, kid."


    She motioned Grace closer and pointed to a map spread across her desk.


    "This is Oakridge. Small village, mostly farmers and traders. They''ve got a demon problem."


    Grace looked at the map.


    "What kind of demon problem?"


    "The kind where people go missing instead of turning up dead," Diana said from her spot against the wall.


    Seraph nodded.


    "Exactly. Five lesser demons spotted so far, hunting in a pack."


    "Is that unusual?" Grace asked.


    "Very," Mara said, her voice gentle. "Demons don''t usually cooperate unless something bigger is controlling them."


    [... Like a Primal?]


    "We need to find out what''s happening and stop it," Seraph said. "And since you can actually kill demons permanently, well, I figured why not put some more work on your plate?"


    Grace''s eyes widened.


    "You... think I''m ready? I mean, I''m flattered, but I''ve barely started training."


    "That''s why you''re not going alone," Seraph said. She pointed around the room. "You''ll have a team. Mara will lead, organizing everyone and healing villagers," Seraph continued. "She''s got the most field experience. Diana will help you with combat. Alia and Zephyr will work on village morale."


    "And, my job is..." She already knew the answer but it was almost like she was hoping the answer would change if she asked.


    Seraph''s grin widened.


    "Kill demons."


    Diana snorted.


    Grace looked at Diana. The warrior angel rolled her eyes before Grace even said anything.


    "To be clear, I know, I know, you don''t have much experience yet. That''s why Diana''s coming with you," Seraph continued, giving Diana a look. "To make sure you don''t die. Again."


    "We leave at dawn," Mara said, standing up. Grace''s eyes went down to her wobbling boobs before going back up to her eyes. "Pack light. We''ll be staying in the village for a handful of days, living among the people, making sure they''re alright."


    "Wait, will be living with them? Oh, that''s even better!" Alia perked up.


    "Yes, yes, just remember your duty is to make them feel better, not yourself," Mara sighed.


    "Why not both?" Zephyr asked, winking at Grace. "Nothing boosts morale like a good f¡ª"


    "We know," Mara cut her off. "Save it for the mission."


    Seraph clapped her hands. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, everyone out. Except you, Grace. I need a word."


    The other angels filed out. Diana was last, giving Grace a bit of casual side-eye before she left.


    "She doesn''t like me," Grace said once they were alone.


    "Meh, Diana doesn''t like anyone," Seraph said, sitting on the edge of her desk. "She''s been through a lot."


    "What happened to her?"


    Seraph''s usual smile faded.


    "She faced a Primal Demon once. It killed her entire team and a lot of the villagers she''d been sent to protect. Then... she ran."


    "She ran?" Grace''s brows shot up. She couldn''t imagine the fierce warrior running from anything.


    "Well, it was that or die, so I don''t blame her," Seraph said. "But, we angels have pretty good memory. She..." Seraph looked away with a wry expression. "She probably won''t be forgetting how she felt at that moment for a while."


    [So that''s why she''s so bitter.]


    "Anyway, this mission is important, kid," Seraph continued. "Not just for the village, but for you and for Diana. You need experience. She needs to get over this incident."


    "What if I mess up?" Grace asked.


    "You won''t," Seraph said confidently, throwing a thumbs-up. "I believe in you."


    "Why?"


    Seraph reached out and tapped Grace''s chest.


    "Cause you got this."


    "Small boobs?"


    "No, HEART!" Seraph laughed in her usual boisterous way. "You''ve caught on fast in training, even if you''re still a twig," she pinched Grace''s non-existent biceps, "and you''re a natural survivor."


    "But... I became an angel because I didn''t survive."


    "Details, details."


    Grace wasn''t sure what to say to that.


    "Plus," Seraph added, her grin returning, "you''ve got killer instincts. Literally."


    "I hope you''re right," Grace said.


    "I''m always right. Now go get ready. Dawn comes early."


    ---


    Back in her room, Grace packed the few belongings she had. Her divine light blade didn''t need packing since she could summon it at will, but she made sure the Stardust Veil was secured on her arm.


    [One of these days I need to tell Celestia I have this thing.]


    There was a knock at her door. It was Alia and Zephyr.


    "Ready for your first real mission?" Alia asked, bouncing on her toes.


    "Not even a little bit," Grace admitted.


    Zephyr laughed.


    "No one ever is. But that''s what makes it exciting."


    Alia flopped down on Grace''s bed.


    "I can''t wait to meet the humans. Feels like I haven''t been to the mortal realm in ages."


    "What exactly are we supposed to do in Oakridge?" Grace asked. "I mean, besides killing demons?"


    "Come on, Grace. You''re still asking that?" Zephyr raised a brow and smiled.


    "Well, it''s just hard to believe that all our duties can be summarized with: ''kill, heal, and... have sex.''"


    "We lift spirits." Zephyr rephrased what Grace just said. "When people are scared, their faith weakens. Weak faith means less power for angels. All we''re trying to do is bring that faith back to them. Anyway, your job is to focus on the demons. Let us handle the villagers."


    "And let Mara handle the wounded," Alia added. "And let Diana handle being grumpy."


    That made Grace laugh.


    "Guess everyone has a role."


    "Exactly," Zephyr said, standing up. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow''s going to be interesting."


    After they left, Grace lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her first real mission. Her chance to prove she belonged here.


    Just as she was drifting off to sleep, a chime sounded in her mind.


    ¡¸New Quest Activated: Protect Oakridge Village¡¹


    ¡¸Category: Combat¡¹


    ¡¸Objective: Eliminate all demons threatening Oakridge¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: +5 to Bravery, New Skill Unlock¡¹


    [Oh boy. Here we go.]


    She closed her eyes, trying not to think about what would happen if she failed.

 Chapter 38: Journey to Oakridge

    Chapter 38 - Journey to Oakridge"You have to feel the wind," Mara explained as they stood at the edge of the launch cliff. "Let it support you. Your wings aren''t just for show."


    Grace looked down. The drop was at least a thousand feet, straight into misty clouds that hid whatever lay below. All five angels stood on the edge, wings extended.


    Well, four angels stood. Grace was busy trying not to throw up.


    This still was just not that easy. At least, flying down wasn''t easy. Flying up was generally fine.


    "M-maybe I could just walk there?" Grace suggested. "Or take a carriage? Horses are nice..."


    Diana snorted.


    "You''re an angel now. Angels fly."


    "I''ve only had a few flying lessons!" Grace protested.


    "Which is why we''re here to help," Mara said, her voice soothing. "Just follow my lead."


    [I''m going to die. Again. But this time from falling like an idiot.]


    Alia bounced on her toes, her wings fluttering. "It''s really easy, Grace! Just jump and don''t die!"


    "That''s... not helpful."


    Zephyr nudged Alia.


    "What she means is, trust your instincts. Your body knows what to do."


    Diana rolled her eyes.


    "This is taking too long." She stepped behind Grace and shoved.


    Grace screamed as she fell, tumbling through the air. The wind rushed past her, her wings flapping uselessly as she spun and twisted.


    "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"


    [OPEN! OPEN! WINGS, PLEASE WORK!]


    She forced her eyes open and saw the ground rushing up to meet her. Her wings suddenly snapped open on instinct, catching the air. Her fall slowed, but she was still dropping like a rock with occasional wing-flaps.


    Diana dove past her, effortlessly cutting through the air.


    "You look like a drunk bird!" she called back with a smirk.


    "I wouldn''t be drunk if you hadn''t PUSHED ME!" Grace shouted, finally managing to stabilize herself somewhat.


    Mara glided down beside her.


    "Try to copy my movements. See? Long, smooth strokes."


    Grace struggled to mimic Mara, but every time she got into a rhythm, a gust of wind would send her tumbling again.


    Diana kept circling back, making snide comments.


    "You fly like you fight, you know? Badly!"


    After the fifth or sixth insult, something inside Grace snapped. She tucked her wings and dove directly at Diana, catching the warrior angel by surprise. They collided in mid-air, Grace wrapping her arms around Diana''s waist.


    "What are you¡ªHEY!"


    They tumbled together, spiraling through the clouds. Diana tried to break free, but Grace held on tight.


    "Let GO of me, you little¡ª"


    "Take it back!" Grace demanded.


    "Take what back?!"


    "All of it!"


    They wrestled in the air, wings tangling. Diana was stronger, but Grace was determined. They spun faster and faster, plummeting together.


    "We''re going to crash!" Diana yelled.


    "Then take it back!"


    "FINE! You don''t fly that badly, you toothpick! NOW LET GO!"


    Grace released her just as they broke through the bottom layer of clouds. Diana spread her wings wide, catching herself with a grunt. Grace tried to do the same but overcorrected, shooting upward before stalling and dropping again.


    Diana swooped under her, catching Grace before she could fall too far.


    "You''re insane," Diana muttered.


    But...


    There was the tiniest, just the tiniest hint of respect in her voice.


    Grace grinned, dizzy but proud.


    "Got you to admit I''m not completely terrible."


    From above, Alia clapped wildly.


    "That was AMAZING! Did you see how she just tackled Diana? I''ve never seen anyone do that!"


    Zephyr was laughing so hard she could barely fly straight.


    Mara sighed, gliding down to them.


    "If you two are done bonding, we should continue. Oakridge is still half a day''s flight from here."


    ---


    By midday, Grace''s wings ached, and her back felt like it was on fire. She''d gotten better at flying¡ªat least she wasn''t doing full somersaults anymore¡ªbut it was exhausting.


    "Can we rest?" she called out to Mara, who was leading the formation.


    Mara looked back and nodded, pointing to a flat mountain peak ahead. "We''ll stop there."


    They landed on the peak, which offered a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. In the distance, Grace could make out what had to be Oakridge¡ªa small cluster of buildings nestled between forests and fields.


    "It looks so peaceful from here," Grace said, sitting on a boulder and stretching her sore wing muscles. Yes, she had wing muscles now.


    "Most places do," Diana replied, "until you get closer."


    Alia flopped down beside Grace, wings splayed out dramatically.


    "I''m starving! Who brought food?"


    Mara produced a small bag of provisions. Bread, cheese, and dried fruit. They passed it around, eating in comfortable silence for a few minutes.


    "So," Grace said between bites, "how often do you guys come to the mortal realm?"


    "Oh, a ton," Alia said. "I''ve been all over! Cities, villages, mountain temples..."


    "Brothels, bedrooms, back alleys..." Zephyr added with a smirk.


    Grace''s cheeks warmed.


    "I meant for missions."


    "So did I," Zephyr winked. "Spreading love is our mission."


    "Ooh, OOH! Tell Grace about that time in Westholm," Alia said, nudging Zephyr. "With the mayor''s daughter and the stable boy."


    Zephyr''s eyes lit up.


    "Oh! That was a good one." She turned to Grace. "So, there was this mayor''s daughter, right? Total prude on the outside, but we all know that''s never the whole story. She was secretly meeting this stable boy every night, but they were both so inexperienced they weren''t getting anywhere."


    "I... don''t think I need to hear this," Grace muttered.


    But she didn''t actually move away.


    "So I show up," Zephyr continued, completely ignoring Grace''s protest, "and find them just awkwardly fumbling around in the hay. I offer to help, and at first they''re shocked, but then..."


    "Then she taught them both how to eat pussy properly," Alia cut in. "Like, really properly. The kind where your legs shake and you see stars."


    "That... was direct," Grace said, her face now completely red.


    "After that," Zephyr continued, "the daughter was so much happier that the whole town''s morale improved. Her father stopped being such a tyrant, the crops grew better, and they didn''t have a demon sighting for three years."


    "All because you taught them how to... um..." Grace couldn''t bring herself to say it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Eat pussy," Alia supplied helpfully with a nod.


    "Yes. That."


    Diana, who had been silent during this exchange, finally spoke up.


    "Not all missions involve getting people off. Some of us actually fight."


    "Like that time in Thornvale," Mara said quietly. "With the plague demon."


    The mood shifted instantly. Diana''s jaw tightened.


    "Thornvale? Plague demon?" Grace asked.


    Mara glanced at Diana, who gave a small nod.


    "A plague demon was infecting a village," Mara explained. "Subtle at first, just a few sick children. By the time we arrived, half the village was ill. Diana tracked the demon to a cave."


    "It was hiding in the water source," Diana continued, her voice flat. "Corrupting it. I went in alone while Mara treated the villagers."


    "Diana killed it," Mara said. "But not before it infected her too."


    Grace''s eyes widened.


    "You got sick?"


    Diana pulled down the collar of her shirt, revealing a jagged scar over her heart. It was black, like burned flesh.


    "Plague demons leave marks," she said. "Not a primal, so it wouldn''t have killed me, but..." She looked away. "Immortality isn''t always a good thing. Imagine having the worst headache in the world, one you could never get rid of, and also being immortal, so the option of throwing yourself off a cliff isn''t available."


    "Whoa."


    "Would have been bad, if Mara hadn''t been there."


    "I spent three days channeling healing energy into her," Mara said. "Barely slept."


    Diana nodded.


    "And I appreciate it."


    The group fell silent. Grace looked at Diana with some new understanding.


    "We should get moving, eh team leader?" Diana asked Mara abruptly, standing up. "We want to reach Oakridge before dark."


    "Agreed."


    ---


    They took flight again, soaring over forests and hills. As they got closer to Oakridge, Grace noticed the sky darkening. Not with night, but with thick, unnatural clouds.


    "Is that normal?" she asked, pointing ahead.


    "No," Mara replied. "Demonic corruption affects the weather."


    Diana flew closer to Grace.


    "Stay alert."


    Grace nodded and decided to use Aura Sight, closing her eyes.


    When she opened them again, the world looked a tiny bit different. Colors were sharper, and she could see faint glows around her companions. Gold around Diana, blue around Mara, pink around Alia and Zephyr.


    She looked toward Oakridge, scanning the buildings and surrounding forest. At first, she saw nothing unusual. Then, at the forest''s edge, she caught a flicker of blue-purple light.


    The same corrupted aura Isolde had had at the banquet.


    "T-there''s something there," Grace said, pointing. "At the edge of the forest."


    "What do you see?" Diana asked, suddenly alert.


    "A corrupted aura."


    Diana squinted.


    "I don''t see anything."


    "Me neither," Mara added.


    "Y-Yeah, uh, it''s just something I see on occasion," Grace replied.


    All four angels stared at her as if to ask "are you serious?"


    A chill ran down Grace''s spine, then. The air around her suddenly felt cold, much colder than it should have been at this altitude.


    "D-do you feel that?" she asked, shivering. "It''s freezing."


    The others looked at her strangely.


    "It''s a little cool, but not freezing," Zephyr said.


    Grace remembered Seraph''s words during her training.


    [Right. We feel a bit colder when there are demons nearby, but the effect is a lot worse for me, for some reason.]


    "There are demons down there," Grace said with certainty. "And... something else. Something corrupted."


    Diana and Mara exchanged looks.


    "We proceed with caution," Mara decided. "No splitting up until we know what we''re dealing with."


    As they descended toward Oakridge, the cold feeling intensified for Grace. The blue-purple aura flickered again, then vanished into the trees.


    [... I wonder if whatever that thing is knows we''re coming.]

 Chapter 39: Welcome to Oakridge

    Chapter 39: Welcome to Oakridge{Diana}


    Diana hated this part. The arrival. The wide-eyed stares of the villagers. The hope in their faces.


    Hope she might have to crush later.


    "Angels! Look, angels are here!"


    A crowd formed as Diana and the others touched down in Oakridge¡¯s central square. Children pointed and gasped. Adults whispered prayers of thanks. An older man with a white beard and fine clothes, probably the village elder, stepped forward.


    "Blessed be the divine! We prayed for salvation, and Eternia has answered!"


    Diana kept her face neutral as Mara stepped forward to meet him.


    "I am Sister Mara of the Compassion Order. We¡¯ve come to help Oakridge with its... problem."


    The elder¡¯s smile faltered.


    "Then you know about the disappearances?"


    "We do," Mara said. "Can you tell us more?"


    As the elder described the missing villagers. Twelve over the past month, taken at night with no witnesses. Diana scanned the crowd. Fear. It was always the same. These people were terrified, hiding behind forced smiles and relief that angels had arrived.


    Diana had seen this before. Too many times.


    Her gaze drifted to Grace, who stood awkwardly to the side, looking small in her white angel robes. The kid was in over her head. They all were, probably.


    "Sister Diana," Mara¡¯s voice snapped her back to attention. "I need you to scout the perimeter. See if there¡¯s any immediate threat."


    "On it," Diana replied, grateful for the excuse to leave the crowd behind.


    She spread her wings and took off, ignoring the "oohs" and "aahs" from the villagers. Grace¡¯s words from earlier echoed in her mind.


    A corrupted aura. Cold air that only Grace could feel.


    If there really was a corrupted angel involved with these demons...


    [Fuck. Not again.]


    Diana flew in a wide circle around the village, scanning the forests and hills. Nothing at first, just the usual landscape. She expanded her search, flying lower over the trees.


    There. Movement in a small clearing about a mile from the village. Diana tucked her wings and dropped down for a closer look, landing silently in the upper branches of a tall oak.


    Five demons. Lesser ones, just as the reports had said. As usual, they looked like stretched-out humans, with razor sharp teeth, obsidian black skin and a red, or sometimes purple aura around them. They moved with jerky, unnatural motions, circling something on the ground.


    Diana leaned forward to see better.


    A deer carcass. The demons were feeding, tearing the animal apart with clawed hands. But they weren¡¯t eating randomly. They were... taking turns? One would step back to let another feed.


    [Sure feels like demons are more organized these days.]


    That wasn¡¯t normal. Lesser demons were usually solitary scavengers, fighting over scraps. These were cooperating like a pack.


    Which meant something was controlling them.


    Diana narrowed her eyes, scanning the area for any sign of a larger demon, corrupted angel, or worse, a primal. Nothing she could see, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.


    One of the demons suddenly looked up, sniffing the air. Diana held perfectly still. It couldn¡¯t sense her at this distance, could it?


    The demon growled something to the others. They abandoned their meal and moved into the trees, heading away from the village.


    Diana should follow them. Find their lair. Maybe even take a few out while they were separated from whatever was controlling them.


    She put her hand on her sword¡¯s hilt.


    Her hand trembled.


    [No. Not now.]


    She clenched her fist, trying to stop the shaking. Images flashed through her mind, her team torn apart, villagers screaming, a massive shadow with glowing eyes...


    Diana closed her eyes, forcing the memories back.


    She opened her eyes again. The demons were gone, disappeared into the thick forest. Going after them alone would be stupid anyway. Better to report back and make a plan.


    That¡¯s what she told herself, at least.


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace had never seen humans look at her with such... reverence.


    An older woman kept touching the hem of her robe when she thought Grace wasn¡¯t looking. Children stared with wide eyes. A young man actually bowed every time she glanced his way.


    [This is so weird. Last month I was just like them. Worrying about turnip harvests and whether the cute blacksmith¡¯s daughter would notice me.]


    "They¡¯ve put us in the mayor¡¯s house," Alia announced, bouncing up to Grace. "You should see it¡ªit has four bedrooms! Fancy for a village like this."


    "Where is the mayor?" Grace asked.


    "Missing. One of the first taken."


    "Oh."


    Mara had organized things quickly. She was examining sick villagers in the town hall, her giant breasts nearly smacking patients in the face every time she bent over. They probably wouldn¡¯t mind that. Meanwhile, Zephyr was already... boosting morale with some of the local militia. Mostly just through listening to them talk, hugging, and, uh... A kiss here or there.


    "What should I be doing?" Grace asked, feeling useless.


    "Waiting for Diana to come back," Alia said. "If there are demons nearby, you¡¯ll need to help beat them up." She paused. "Or, you know, actually kill them. Since you can do that."


    As they walked through the village, Grace noticed something strange floating in her vision. A semi-transparent bar labeled:


    Morale: 20/100


    [What is this now?] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡¸Village Interface Activated¡¹


    ¡¸The Morale Bar tracks the overall spiritual energy of the village. When Morale reaches 100, the area will become Angelic Territory, naturally repelling demonic energy for a period of time.¡¹


    Grace blinked.


    [So... it¡¯s like a progress indicator for our mission?]


    Correct. Morale increases through three primary methods:


    ¡¸Bravery: Defeating demons and protecting villagers (+2-5 per action)¡¹


    ¡¸Compassion: Healing the sick and injured (+1-3 per person)¡¹


    ¡¸Love: Intimate connections that spark joy and hope (+1-3 per encounter)¡¹


    [Wait, so every time Zephyr... with a villager... the bar goes up?]


    Correct. The Sisters of Love provide an essential service.


    Grace¡¯s face heated.


    [And the System is just... keeping track of all this?]


    It is the most efficient way to monitor mission progress.


    [That¡¯s... thorough.]


    The village was small but well-kept. People went about their business, but there was tension in every movement, fearful glances toward the forest.


    Grace spotted Zephyr through the inn window, chatting with a group of young men and women. They were laughing at something she¡¯d said.


    The Morale bar ticked up slightly to 21/100.


    [So that counts too? Just making people laugh?]


    Joy is a form of Love. The stronger the emotional connection, the greater the Morale increase.


    Grace wandered over to the town hall where Mara was treating a young girl with a cough. Her hands glowed blue as she pressed them to the child¡¯s chest.


    "Breathe deep," Mara instructed. "That¡¯s it."


    The girl took a shuddering breath, then another, clearer one. Her mother burst into tears.


    "Thank you, blessed angel," she sobbed. "Thank you."


    The Morale bar ticked up to 22/100.


    "It¡¯s what I¡¯m here for," Mara said, smiling. She looked up and saw Grace. "Ah, Grace. Come to help?"


    "I still don¡¯t know much about healing yet," Grace admitted. "But, I could try."


    "That would be lovely. Watch."


    As Grace observed Mara work, she noticed a faint blue glow surrounding the people Mara healed, lingering after she¡¯d moved on.


    By the time Mara finished with her patients, the Morale bar had climbed to 27/100. People were smiling more. Even the air felt a little warmer.


    A shadow passed overhead. Diana was back.


    Grace stepped outside just as Diana landed in the square. Her face was grim.


    "Well?" Mara asked, joining Grace.


    "Demons. Five of them, about a mile east. Lesser ones, but they¡¯re working together."


    "Working together?" Mara¡¯s brow furrowed. "That¡¯s not normal."


    "No shit," Diana muttered. "They¡¯re organized. Taking turns feeding, moving as a group."


    "Did you see anything else?" Grace asked, thinking of the corrupted aura she¡¯d spotted earlier.


    Diana glanced at her sharply.


    "No. But something else is probably out there. They¡¯re too coordinated."


    "Did you engage them?" Mara asked.


    Diana¡¯s jaw tightened.


    "No. Thought it better to report back first. Make a plan."


    Grace noticed Diana¡¯s hand twitch slightly.


    Was she... nervous?


    "Good decision," Mara nodded. "No sense rushing in alone."


    "Are they heading toward the village?" Alia asked, joining them.


    Diana shook her head.


    "Moving away, actually. We probably have a couple days before they circle back."


    "Then we have time to prepare," Mara said. "Diana, you and Grace will train the local militia¡ªanyone who can hold a weapon. Alia, Zephyr, continue with morale. I¡¯ll finish treating the sick."


    The group dispersed.


    The air felt colder again, just for a moment.


    It almost felt like being watched. And Grace wasn¡¯t sure they had as much time as Diana thought.

 Chapter 40: Dividing Forces

    Chapter 40: Dividing Forces{Mara}


    Mara wiped the sweat from her brow as she finished healing a middle-aged farmer¡¯s broken wrist. Her powers were strong, but using them for hours straight was still exhausting.


    [Ah, how many decades has it been since I last came to Linaria? Feels like at least two, hehe.]


    "Thank you, blessed one," the farmer said, flexing his newly mended hand. "The plow handle snapped and¡ª"


    "Just be more careful next time, darling," Mara said, patting his shoulder. "There are enough troubles in this village without adding accidents to the list, right?"


    The farmer nodded (with a little blush) and hurried off, no doubt eager to get back to his fields.


    Mara stood and stretched, her abundant chest wobbling within her blue healer¡¯s robes. She¡¯d been working since dawn, healing everything from minor scrapes to potentially fatal infections. The village couldn¡¯t afford to have anyone weakened, not with demons lurking nearby.


    [Well, just about done for now. I...]


    A commotion from outside the healing tent caught her attention. Laughter, whistles, and... music?


    She stepped outside to see a small crowd gathered in the village square. Alia was dancing, her pink wings fluttering as she twirled around. Zephyr played a small stringed instrument that she probably borrowed from a villager, singing a song that was just shy of obscene.


    And in the middle of it all stood Grace, looking entirely mortified (and very adorable).


    "Come on, Grace!" Alia called. "Just move your hips like this!" She demonstrated with a gyration that made several villagers fan themselves.


    "I-I really don¡¯t think I can do that," Grace protested, her face redder than a tomato.


    "Sure you can!" Zephyr encouraged. "Dancing is something anyone can do, come on!"


    Mara sighed. Of course they¡¯d drag poor Grace into their antics.


    "How exactly is this helping?" Grace asked desperately as Alia grabbed her hands and forced her to sway awkwardly.


    "Look around," Zephyr said, nodding toward the villagers. "Nobody¡¯s thinking about demons right now, are they?"


    She had a point. The villagers were smiling, clapping along, even joining in the dance. For the first time since the angels had arrived, they looked... happy.


    "Fine, but why do I have to dance?" Grace whined.


    "Because you¡¯re cute and they love you," Alia said, spinning Grace in a circle.


    "UWAH!?"


    Grace stumbled, nearly falling on her face. The crowd laughed good-naturedly.


    "I think that¡¯s enough torturing our youngest member for now," Mara called out, taking pity on Grace.


    "Mara!" Alia bounced over. "Perfect timing! Your turn!"


    "I don¡¯t dance, dear," Mara said flatly.


    "Not asking you to dance," Zephyr said with a sly grin. "But you could help with the demonstration..."


    "What demonstration?" Mara asked suspiciously.


    Alia¡¯s eyes twinkled mischievously.


    "We were about to show Grace how a proper Sister of Love raises morale."


    [Ah... Of course.]


    "And you need me for this because...?"


    "Because Grace needs to see that all angels occasionally participate in all three Paths," Zephyr said. "Even if we specialize in one."


    Mara narrowed her eyes, holding back a smile.


    "And what exactly did you have in mind?"


    "Well..." Zephyr and Alia looked at each other.


    Five minutes later, Mara found herself in the center of the square, with Grace standing awkwardly beside her.


    "This is silly," Mara murmured, though she had a playful glint in her eyes.


    "This is necessary education," Alia countered, addressing the now quite large crowd. "Today, we demonstrate that true divine blessing comes from the unity of all Three Holy Virtues!"


    The villagers cheered, clearly enjoying the show. A few were already significantly drunk, despite it being barely past noon.


    "The path of Love isn¡¯t just about passionate union," Zephyr explained, sounding surprisingly professorial. "It¡¯s about connection, about reminding mortals of the joy of living."


    "And sometimes," Alia added, "that means stepping outside your comfort zone."


    "Such troublemakers," Mara whispered, but she was fully smiling now.


    "Sister Mara here is a paragon of Compassion," Zephyr continued. "But today, she¡¯ll demonstrate that even the most dedicated healer carries the spark of Love within."


    The crowd hooted and whistled. Mara rolled her eyes playfully. Grace looked like she wanted to sink into the ground.


    "M-maybe we should just¡ª" Grace started.


    Mara turned to Grace.


    "My, my... Are you nervous, little one?" she asked, her voice dropping to a silky purr as she stepped closer. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be gentle with you."


    Grace¡¯s golden eyes widened.


    "W-what?"


    Mara reached out and tilted Grace¡¯s chin up with one finger.


    "Just relax and follow my lead," she said softly. "Think of it as... another kind of healing. What is it that Venus always says?"


    "... A kiss is just a kiss." Grace swallowed.


    "Precisely."


    Without further warning, Mara leaned down and pressed her lips against Grace¡¯s.


    Naturally, Mara made this a proper kiss. Slow, deep, and unmistakably sensual. Mara¡¯s hand slid to the back of Grace¡¯s neck, holding her firmly but tenderly.


    She snuck her tongue between Grace¡¯s lips and giggled as she heard Grace gasp into her mouth.


    The crowd went absolutely wild. Men whistled. Women fanned themselves. Someone dropped a mug of ale. A few people even swooned.


    When Mara finally pulled back, Grace stared at her with wide golden eyes, looking dazed and breathless.


    "See? You survived, didn¡¯t you?" Mara asked with a hint of a smirk on her face.


    "Abwaawabawaahbwawaba...."


    Mara giggled.


    "How adorable," Mara said, stroking Grace¡¯s flushed cheek with her thumb. "Though usually, I prefer a bit more... privacy for such moments."


    She winked for good measure.


    "And that," Mara announced to the crowd, her normal voice returning though her hand remained on Grace¡¯s shoulder, "is how angels share divine blessing."


    "I think I need to be blessed myself," a man called from the crowd, causing an eruption of laughter.


    "In your dreams, darling. You want a kiss? Ask those two," Mara replied, gesturing at Alia and Zephyr.


    Eventually, as the crowd dispersed, still buzzing with excitement, Mara led a wobbly-kneed Grace away from the square.


    "You okay there, little one?" she asked, genuine concern mixing with amusement in her voice.


    "Y-yes!" Grace squeaked, then cleared her throat. "I mean, yes. That was just... I¡¯m still not used to that."


    "You have all the time in the world to get used to it, so don¡¯t worry," Mara said, her lips curving into a smile.


    They sat on a low stone wall at the edge of the village. In the distance, they could see Diana drilling the local militia, her stern voice carrying across the fields.


    "So... You can do Love work sometimes?"


    "Hm?"


    "I thought healing was your... you know, thing." Grace said, finally regaining her composure.


    "Ahh... Well, technically, every angel can do some work for all three paths. Our affinity is just what we¡¯re best at. What we¡¯re most suited for," Mara explained, crossing her legs and leaning back slightly. "But we all contain multitudes, don¡¯t we? Nobody fits perfectly into just one box."


    She held out her hand, palm up. Divine light swirled above it, solidifying into a heavy mace with a spiked head.


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened.


    "What the...?"


    "I¡¯ve always been a healer at heart, but watching others fight demons gets frustrating when you know you can help." Mara swung the mace lazily. "I was pretty good at bashing demon skulls. You wouldn¡¯t expect it from the big-breasted healer though, would you?"


    "I-I-I-I-I-I-I..."


    Mara cackled.


    "It¡¯s okay, darling." She winked. "I¡¯m well aware of the... aura I give off. But, I know I¡¯m better at fixing people than breaking monsters."


    Grace looked away, taking those words in.


    "So you guys can switch Paths whenever you want?"


    "In a certain way, but again, we have our affinities for a reason. None of us would want to." Mara¡¯s mace dissolved into light particles. "And, it all ends up balanced in the end. Bravery kills the bad things. Compassion fixes the broken things. Love... makes everything worth fighting for."


    "And I have to master all three," Grace said quietly.


    "That¡¯s what Celestia says." Mara tucked a strand of hair behind Grace¡¯s ear. "I think you¡¯ll be just fine. I mean," she smirked, "you¡¯re already doing so well in the Love category."


    Grace looked away.


    "Did you have to kiss me like THAT with everyone watching?" Grace¡¯s cheeks turned pink.


    "Ah, would you rather have had Alia or Zephyr kiss you instead?" Mara raised an eyebrow. "Or, perhaps Diana?"


    Grace turned into a tomato again.


    "Relax, darling! I¡¯m just joking. Well, partly. Alia and Zephyr probably wanted to strip you naked and show the villagers what real morale-boosting looks like. You got off easy."


    Grace pouted, making Mara laugh harder.


    "For what it¡¯s worth," Mara added, "you¡¯re a good kisser... For a virgin."


    A shadow passed overhead. Suddenly, Diana landed a few steps away.


    "We¡¯ve got a problem," Diana said.


    Mara¡¯s smile disappeared instantly.


    "What happened?"


    "I found the missing villagers. They¡¯re being collected."


    "Collected? By what?"


    "... That¡¯s the fucked up part." Diana looked around to make sure no one was listening. "The demons are organized. They¡¯re building something."


    "Building what?" Grace asked.


    Diana¡¯s face darkened.


    "A nest, I think. Not a normal one either. This is planned." She ran a hand through her hair. "And the villagers... they¡¯re alive, but..."


    "But what, dear?" Mara asked.


    "They¡¯re changing. Gray skin. Weird eyes." Diana shook her head. "I¡¯ve never seen something like this before." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The corrupted aura," Mara speculated. "Could it be transforming them?"


    Diana shrugged.


    "Maybe."


    "What do we do?" Grace asked.


    Mara took a moment to think about it. As Team Leader, it was up to her to make decisions. And, here, it felt clear what they needed to do.


    "... Assuming the demons know we¡¯re here, they¡¯ll likely sack the village the instant we leave." She nodded to herself, sighing. "We¡¯ll have to stay here and focus on protecting those who are still alive."


    "So... We just leave them?" Grace asked, shocked.


    "Perhaps," Mara said, not wanting to sugarcoat it. "Maybe we could find a way to help them, but... Make no mistake, you two," she said to Diana and Grace. "Our priority is this village. That is all."

 Chapter 41: First Contact*

    Chapter 41: First Contact*{Diana}


    Diana sat on the edge of the village wall, staring into the darkness. Sleep wasn¡¯t coming tonight. Not with the memories being as bad as they were tonight.


    The screams. The blood. Her cowardice. The usual.


    She clenched her fist, summoning a small dagger of golden light. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it flying into a nearby tree trunk.


    "Can¡¯t sleep either?"


    Diana turned to see Grace climbing up the ladder, looking annoyingly chipper despite the late hour.


    "What do you want, farm girl?"


    Grace sat down beside her, leaving enough space between them to avoid irritating Diana further.


    "Just checking the perimeter. Seraph said even when we¡¯re resting, we should stay vigilant."


    Diana snorted.


    "You¡¯re quoting Seraph now? Turning into a proper Bravery Sister, eh? What¡¯s next, will you start walking around with your tits out too?"


    Grace¡¯s face went crimson instantly.


    "N-no! I wouldn¡¯t¡ª!"


    "Relax. It was a joke." Diana sighed, summoning another light dagger. "So how¡¯s the village mission going? Heard you¡¯ve been busy with... morale."


    "It¡¯s going well, but still a ways to go," Grace said quietly.


    Diana nodded.


    "You¡¯re improving," Diana said suddenly, surprising herself with the admission.


    "Huh?"


    "Your fighting. It¡¯s less terrible now." Diana flicked another dagger into the tree. "Still awful, but less terrible."


    Grace beamed like she¡¯d been handed the moon.


    "W-Wow, thank you! I¡¯ve been practicing the stance you showed me and¡ª"


    "By the goddess, don¡¯t make it weird." Diana cut her off, uncomfortable with the gratitude. "Just don¡¯t die when the real fighting starts."


    Grace¡¯s smile faded.


    "Do you think it will? Soon, I mean?"


    Diana thought about the nest she¡¯d found. The villagers with their gray skin and strange eyes. The organized demons. Nothing about it made sense.


    "Yes," she answered honestly. "And when it does..."


    She didn¡¯t finish the sentence. Didn¡¯t need to.


    When it did, would she freeze again? Would she run?


    Would she leave Grace to die like she¡¯d left everyone at that village?


    "Well, when it does, we¡¯ll handle it," Grace said with a certainty she had no right to possess.


    Diana just grunted. The confident ones always died first.


    ---


    {Grace}


    The next day was a blur. Grace moved from one healing task to the next, mending bones, curing fevers, and stitching wounds, her hands glowing throughout.


    "Shit, that feels good," an old woman said as Grace healed her arthritic knees. "Like warm sunshine flowing through these old bones."


    "I¡¯m glad I could help!" Grace said, wiping sweat from her brow. She¡¯d been at it for hours, and her Compassion attribute had gained a point, randomly.


    Compassion: 24/100


    Grace checked the village¡¯s Morale:


    ¡¸Morale: 45/100¡¹


    Still not enough. At this rate, it would take days to reach full protection.


    [How do I make that go up faster?] Grace wondered. She kinda hoped Eternia would throw her a bone here but, no, there was no response.


    "Grace!" Alia¡¯s voice called from across the square. "Stop hogging all the village people! Some of us want to help too, you know!"


    Grace looked up to see Alia and Zephyr approaching, both dressed in new pink Love Sister outfits that left little to the imagination. Alia was effectively naked.


    "I¡¯m not hogging anyone," Grace protested. "I¡¯m just healing."


    "And we¡¯re just loving," Zephyr countered with a sly smile. "Hard to do it with you in the way, though."


    Some lady Grace had been treating cackled.


    "I wouldn¡¯t mind some of that ¡¯loving¡¯ too, if you¡¯re offering."


    "See?" Alia grinned. "The people have spoken!"


    Grace finished her healing and stood up, stretching her tired muscles. Thankfully, she was used to back-breaking work. Turnips were difficult opponents often, after all.


    "Fine, fine. It¡¯s all yours."


    Zephyr caught her arm as she tried to leave.


    "Actually, we were hoping you¡¯d join us."


    Grace¡¯s mind stopped working.


    "Join you?" Grace blinked. "For what?"


    Alia, who¡¯d been hovering nearby, leaned in, her lips brushing Grace¡¯s ear.


    "Advancedmorale-boosting techniques."


    Grace nearly tripped over her own feet. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "H-here? Now?"


    "Not here," Zephyr said, rolling her eyes at Alia¡¯s lack of subtlety. "We¡¯ve set up a proper space in the barn. Private, but not too private."


    "What does that even mean?" Grace asked, her voice rising an octave.


    "It means," Alia explained patiently, as if talking to a child, "that a select audience helps maximize the morale effect. Basic Love Sister stuff, Grace."


    "B-but I¡¯m¡ª"


    "Alia¡¯s right," Zephyr continued, cutting Grace off. "You are a Love Sister just as much as you¡¯re a Bravery Sister or Compassion Sister, after all. What would Venus ask you to do right now?"


    The answer to that question made Grace swallow.


    Grace looked around desperately for Mara or Diana, but neither was in sight. She was on her own.


    "D-Do I have to?" she asked weakly.


    "Only if you wanna," Alia said with a wink. "But, you¡¯re gonna have to learn these things at some point. No time like the present, right?"


    She was right about that. This was as much her "duty" as slaying demons or healing injured people. It was just hard to imagine what exactly was about to happen, was all.


    But, in the end, Grace sighed in defeat.


    "Fine."


    ---


    The barn was dimly lit with candles, giving it a strangely romantic atmosphere despite the lingering smell of hay and animals. A space had been cleared in the center, with blankets spread on the floor.


    And sitting around that space were six village women, ranging from being as young as Grace to middle-aged, all watching with eager expressions.


    "What the heck?" Grace hissed at Zephyr.


    "Language, Grace," Zephyr admonished, though she was clearly enjoying Grace¡¯s discomfort. "These are our honored guests. They¡¯ve been selected for their influence in the village."


    "We¡¯re going to demonstrate proper techniques," Alia added cheerfully, already slipping out of her flimsy top. "And they¡¯re going to spread the word about divine blessing."


    Grace¡¯s face felt hot enough to start a fire.


    "I¡¯m... not sure I can do this."


    "Sure you can!" Alia said, now completely topless. Her small, perky breasts bounced as she moved closer to Grace. "You¡¯ve done stuff with us before. In Love Sister class!"


    "Not with an audience!"


    "Think of it as a teaching moment," Zephyr suggested, removing her own clothes with more grace than Alia¡¯s enthusiastic stripping. "These women want to learn, you know?"


    The village women nodded eagerly.


    [Shameless! So... shameless!]


    "We¡¯ve never seen angels... you know," one of them said shyly.


    "And we¡¯ve heard it increases protection against demons," another added.


    Grace looked at them, then back at her friends. Were they really her friends if they were going to keep putting her in these situations?


    "Fine," she said again, feeling like she¡¯d been saying that a lot lately. "What do you want me to do?"


    Alia clapped her hands excitedly.


    "Just lie back and enjoy, honey!"


    Before Grace could protest further, she found herself being gently pushed down onto the blankets. Zephyr knelt beside her, helping her out of her clothes slowly.


    "Remember," Zephyr whispered, "this isn¡¯t just about pleasure. It¡¯s about connection. About showing humans the beauty of the divine."


    Grace nodded, trying to look dignified while being stripped naked in front of strangers.


    "Ready?" Alia asked, positioning herself between Grace¡¯s legs.


    "No."


    "That¡¯s fine!"


    Soon, Alia was spreading Grace¡¯s legs.


    [Oh, this is happening, this is actually- ACK!]


    Alia kissed Grace¡¯s inner thigh. Grace¡¯s mind, again, stopped working. And, soon, that tongue of hers was directly on Grace¡¯s pussy.


    Alia¡¯s tongue was skilled and enthusiastic, lapping at Grace¡¯s most sensitive areas while Zephyr whispered encouragements and explained techniques to their rapt audience.


    "See how she focuses on the clitoris? That¡¯s the key to quick arousal," Zephyr lectured, as if discussing the weather rather than watching her friend eat out another friend.


    Grace tried to stay quiet, but it was impossible. Soon she was moaning, squirming against Alia¡¯s mouth as pleasure built inside her.


    "My turn," Zephyr said after a while, nudging Alia aside. Where Alia had been enthusiastic, Zephyr was methodical, using precise movements that drove Grace wild.


    Through half-closed eyes, Grace could see the village women watching intently, some of them squirming in their seats. One had her hand under her skirt, clearly inspired by the demonstration.


    Over Alia¡¯s head, Grace saw:


    ¡¸Village Morale: 60/100¡¹


    [W-Wha...?]


    The number had jumped significantly. It was working.


    When the wave of pleasure finally crashed over her, Grace cried out, her entire body tensing and then relaxing. Divine energy sparked visibly around her, filling the barn with golden light for a brief moment.


    The village women gasped in awe.


    As for Grace, she was half-convinced she was going to die again. Her body felt heavy, her limbs melting into puddles.


    She blinked.


    [... What just happened?]


    "And that," Alia announced proudly, wiping her mouth, "is how angels share divine blessing."


    Grace lay panting, wondering how she¡¯d ever face these women in daylight again.


    "Was that so bad?" Zephyr asked, stroking Grace¡¯s hair.


    "Yes," Grace grumbled with red cheeks, though they all knew she was lying.


    ---


    The next morning, Grace was helping distribute food when the commotion started.


    "Tomas! TOMAS IS BACK!"


    A crowd gathered at the village entrance. Grace pushed her way through to see a man stumbling toward them, clothes torn, face gaunt.


    "He¡¯s alive!" someone cried.


    "Get Mara!" Grace called, moving toward the man. "He needs healing."


    But as she got closer, something felt wrong. The man¡ªTomas¡ªmoved strangely, as if his joints weren¡¯t working properly. And his eyes...


    Grace activated her Aura Sight. Immediately, she saw it¡ªflickering blue-purple light within his eyes. Corrupted energy.


    "Wait!" she called out, but it was too late. A villager had already reached Tomas, embracing him in a welcome hug.


    "We thought you were dead!" the villager exclaimed.


    Tomas smiled, a rictus grin that didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    "No," he said, his voice oddly flat. "Not dead. Changed."


    And then his eyes flashed fully blue-purple, visible to everyone now.


    "We¡¯re all going to change," he said.

 Chapter 42: The Truth

    Chapter 42: The Truth"We¡¯re all going to change," Tomas said.


    Everyone froze for approximately half a second before complete chaos erupted.


    "AAAAHHHH!" A woman screamed, pointing at Tomas like he¡¯d just grown a second head. "HIS EYES! HIS EYES!"


    "E-Everyone stay calm! STAY CALM!" Grace shouted, which was pretty rich coming from her, considering she was definitely not calm.


    Tomas lunged forward and grabbed the nearest villager by the throat, lifting him like he weighed nothing.


    "Shoot!" Grace summoned her light blade. "Put him down!"


    Tomas turned to look at her, tilting his head sideways at an angle that necks absolutely should not bend. He grinned, showing way too many teeth.


    "The angel speaks," he said in a voice that sounded like someone gargling gravel.


    "Yeah, the angel speaks, and the angel says DROP HIM!"


    Grace charged forward, trying to look more confident than she felt. Tomas tossed the villager aside and came straight at her.


    Before, this would have ended with Grace tripping over her own feet and being mauled for a few minutes until someone else stepped in to help. Now, after training with Seraph and Diana for at least a little while, it didn¡¯t.


    She ducked, the way Seraph usually recommended, and stabbed into his arm as he passed. The golden rapier sank in easily, but the guy didn¡¯t even blink.


    "What the...?" Grace muttered, staring at her blade like it had personally betrayed her.


    Focusing her Aura Sight on Tomas, she spotted something weird. The corruption wasn¡¯t just in his eyes - it ran through his entire body in creepy blue-purple veins. And it seemed to be... protecting him?


    She pushed him away, and as she concentrated harder, her vision suddenly shifted. Now she could see deeper, beneath skin and muscle, to a pulsing mass of blue-purple energy nestled in Tomas¡¯s chest like some kind of parasite heart.


    A notification flashed in her mind:


    ¡¸Skill Leveled Up: Aura Sight (Level 2)¡¹  S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡¸Can now see corruption cores and energy patterns¡¹


    "Grace! Behind you!" Diana¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts.


    Grace spun around to see three more villagers shuffling toward her, all sporting the same glowy demon eyes. One was a woman whose fever she¡¯d healed yesterday. Another was a kid who couldn¡¯t be older than ten.


    "Uh, they¡¯ve all got the freaky eyes!" Grace called out.


    "No shit!" Diana landed beside her, summoning twin daggers of light. "Did the murderous expressions give it away, or was it the whole ¡¯we¡¯re all going to change¡¯ speech?"


    "There¡¯s something inside them," Grace explained quickly. "Like a ball in their chests. I think we have to hit that!"


    Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    "J-Just trust me, aim for their- ACK!"


    The child lunged forward with a screech, fingers curled into little demon claws. Diana caught the small body mid-air, holding them as they thrashed around.


    "I don¡¯t want to stab a kid," Diana grunted, struggling to keep her grip.


    "Maybe I can handle it!" Mara pushed through the panicking crowd. "Hold them still!"


    She pressed her palm against the child¡¯s forehead. Blue light flashed from her hand.


    The child let out a sound like a cat being stepped on, then went completely limp.


    "What did you do?" Grace asked, wide-eyed.


    "A suppression technique," Mara said, already moving toward another corrupted villager. "Temporary. Something we Compassion Sisters use to momentarily render people with very painful wounds unconscious while we heal them. We need to get these people tied up or something."


    Grace turned back to Tomas, who was just standing there watching them with that creepy head tilt.


    "The flock resists," he said, sounding way too pleased about the whole situation. "How amusing."


    "Who the hell are you calling a flock?" Diana snapped, throwing a light dagger that embedded itself in Tomas¡¯s shoulder.


    He didn¡¯t even flinch. Instead, his corruption core pulsed brighter, pushing the dagger out as the wound closed.


    "That¡¯s just not fair," Grace muttered. "The corruption is healing them!"


    "Really? Great," Diana groaned. "As if regular demons weren¡¯t annoying enough."


    More screams erupted from across the village as other corrupted people revealed themselves. Within seconds, the square devolved into complete mayhem. People running, chickens flapping everywhere, someone¡¯s goat bleating on top of a roof.


    "We need to evacuate the normal villagers," Mara ordered, taking charge like the boss she was. "Diana, secure the north side. Grace, stay with me."


    Diana nodded and took off, her golden wings snapping open as she launched into the air.


    Grace stuck close to Mara as they moved through the panicking crowd. With her upgraded Aura Sight, she could easily pick out the infected. There were at least twenty scattered throughout the village.


    "There!" Grace pointed to a woman calmly walking against the flow of the crowd. "And him! And those three by the well! They all have corruption cores! Uh, by their hearts!"


    Mara worked quickly, zapping each one with her suppression technique while Grace kept watch. It wasn¡¯t a permanent solution, but it bought them time to figure out what the hell was going on.


    "What¡¯s happening to them?" Grace asked as they dragged another unconscious body to the growing pile in the village square.


    "I¡¯m not too sure," Mara said, blowing a stray hair from her face. "This is not like anything I¡¯ve seen before. It¡¯s like they¡¯re being... converted."


    "Into what? Budget demons?"


    "Something like that, I¡¯m sure, but¡ª" Mara suddenly stopped, staring toward the forest edge. "Ah, dammit."


    Grace followed her gaze and felt her stomach do a somersault. Demons. Actual ones, now. Dozens of them, lurking just within the treeline. Their red eyes glowed in the shadows, watching the village.


    "Why aren¡¯t they attacking?" Grace whispered.


    "Good question," Mara replied, frowning. "They should be all over this. The chaos, the fear... Any other time, by now, they would have already started."


    Diana landed beside them with a thud, her armor splattered with random fluids.


    "North side¡¯s handled," she reported. "Knocked out five infected, tied them up with some lady¡¯s washing line. But we¡¯ve got bigger problems."


    "The demons?" Mara asked.


    "Yep. They¡¯re surrounding the entire village. Just... watching like a bunch of creeps."


    Grace studied the demons with her enhanced sight. Unlike the corrupted villagers, the demons had no central core. But they were keeping their distance, which was weird because, as far as Grace knew in her admittedly limited experience, demons didn¡¯t normally do the whole "strategic planning" thing.


    "It seems like... they¡¯re afraid," Grace said suddenly.


    Diana snorted.


    "Demons don¡¯t get scared. They¡¯re too stupid."


    "No, I swear, look at them," Grace insisted. "They¡¯re keeping their distance. Testing us with these corrupted villagers instead of just rushing in themselves."


    Mara looked thoughtful.


    "She might be right. This is strange. Demons don¡¯t usually coordinate attacks like this."


    "Because demons are mindless killing machines," Diana argued. "They don¡¯t do tactics."


    "Then something¡¯s changed them," Mara said. She glanced at Grace with a calculating expression. "Or someone¡¯s making them behave differently."


    The three angels stood watching the demons watching them, like the world¡¯s most dangerous staring contest.


    "Something here is freaking them out," Mara continued. "Something that¡¯s making them cautious instead of just charging in like usual."


    Diana¡¯s eyes widened.


    "Or someone."


    Both angels turned to look at Grace.


    "What?" Grace asked, suddenly self-conscious. "Do I have something on my face?"


    "You can kill demons permanently," Mara said. "No one else can do that."


    "So?"


    "So," Diana continued, "if I were a demon, I¡¯d be crapping myself right now at the sight of you."


    Grace blinked.


    It took a moment to realize what they were implying.


    "You think they¡¯re afraid of ME? But I¡¯m nobody!"


    "You¡¯re the only angel who can truly end them," Mara pointed out. "And somehow, they know that. Or, maybe they can feel that. Some sort of... instinctive fear, perhaps."


    Grace looked back toward the forest. The demons remained there, watching, waiting. Testing. One of them, bigger than the others, stepped slightly forward. Its eyes locked directly on Grace.


    "That¡¯s... unsettling," she mumbled.


    "They¡¯re targeting you," Mara said.


    "No," Diana corrected. "They¡¯re studying her. These corrupted villagers are just test dummies. That has to be it. They¡¯re trying to see how she deals with them."


    "What do we do now?" Grace asked, gripping her light blade tighter and trying not to look as terrified as she felt.


    Diana summoned fresh daggers.


    "We kill them all. Starting with these corrupted villagers."


    "We can¡¯t just kill villagers!" Grace protested. "They¡¯re people!"


    "Not anymore," Diana said flatly. "Look at them."


    The first of the suppressed villagers was starting to stir, blue-purple light flickering behind their eyelids.


    "There has to be another way," Grace insisted.


    Mara sighed, squeezing Grace¡¯s shoulder.


    "If there is, we need to find it fast. Because right now, we have demons surrounding us, corrupted villagers inside our perimeter, and absolutely no clue what we¡¯re doing."


    Diana¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    "Wait. Grace, you said you can see some kind of corruption core in these people, right?"


    "Yeah?"


    "So what happens if we stab it?"


    Grace thought about it.


    "I... don¡¯t know. But maybe it would free them?"


    "Or kill them," Mara cautioned.


    Diana shrugged.


    "They¡¯re pretty much screwed either way if we do nothing."


    Grace stared at the stirring villagers, then back at the demons in the forest. Diana was right.


    [We do need to try something,] she sighed. [As bad as I feel for them, given how some of the people who weren¡¯t even kidnapped got corrupted, it can probably spread to people.]


    Grace walked over to the closest corrupted villager - the child Diana had tackled earlier. Kneeling down, she focused her Aura Sight. The pulsing core was clearly visible now, like a parasite with gross tentacles reaching throughout the child¡¯s body.


    Grace held out her rapier.


    She positioned her light blade directly over the child¡¯s chest, right where the corruption core pulsed beneath the skin.


    "Here goes nothing," she muttered, and plunged the tip of her blade straight into the center of the corruption.


    The child¡¯s body arched up, an inhuman scream tearing from his throat. Blue-purple light erupted from the wound like someone had punctured a glow stick.


    Then, just as suddenly, the kid died.


    Grace stared for a while. She wasn¡¯t too sure what she¡¯d been hoping would happen, but this was definitely not the preferred outcome.


    A hand fell on her shoulder.


    "This is all we can do for them," Mara told her. "Until we figure out more of this. But, we can¡¯t exactly study all of this with these demons around."


    "... Yeah," Grace said, still staring at the now-dead kid. "I-I know. I know."

 Chapter 43: The Nest

    Chapter 43: The NestGrace wasn¡¯t too sure which was scarier. The fact that Morale was actively going down or the fact that killing these corrupted villagers got easier with each one she stabbed.


    Morale: 50/100


    [I didn¡¯t even imagine it could go down.]


    One bit of good news was that although Grace was the only one who could kill demons, anyone could break these corruption cores. So, Grace didn¡¯t do too much of the stabbings. No, Diana was handling it, for the most part.


    Before long, it was done. All the corrupted villagers were dead and even the demons watching them from afar had seemingly left the area.


    Grace put her light blade away, sighing.


    [... Well, there¡¯s that, I guess.]


    A notification suddenly appeared before her eyes:


    ¡¸Quest Updated: Demon Extermination¡¹


    ¡¸Objective: Destroy the Demon Nest with Diana and Mara¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: +10 to Bravery, New Skill Unlock¡¹


    [Updated? A demon nest? That¡¯s where all this is coming from?]


    "We need to go to the nest," Grace blurted out.


    Diana, who had been cleaning random gunk off her daggers, looked up with a raised eyebrow.


    "What nest?"


    "The demon nest," Grace said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Where else would all these corrupted villagers be coming from?"


    Mara frowned. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But if we leave the village, what if more demons attack while we¡¯re gone?"


    "They won¡¯t," Grace said with far more confidence than she actually felt.


    [I mean, I think. Eternia wouldn¡¯t give me a random quest that leaves the village undefended... right?]


    "And you know this how, exactly?" Diana asked, crossing her arms.


    Grace fidgeted.


    "Just... a feeling? I think they were testing us. Now they¡¯ll regroup."


    Diana and Mara exchanged looks.


    "A feeling," Diana repeated flatly.


    "Yes!" Grace nodded vigorously. "Look, trust me! Sometimes I just... know things!"


    Mara studied Grace¡¯s face for a long moment, then shrugged.


    "Well, I suppose it could be divine intuition."


    "Or maybe it¡¯s the brain damage from dying," Diana muttered.


    Grace pouted.


    "I didn¡¯t get brain damage from dying!"


    "That¡¯s exactly what someone with brain damage would say."


    Mara cleared her throat.


    "Either way, we should investigate this nest. If it exists, destroying it could prevent further attacks."


    Diana sighed dramatically.


    "Fine. But if we get back and the village is overrun with demons, I¡¯m blaming both of you. You¡¯re gonna have to explain that to Celestia yourselves."


    ---


    The forest was eerily quiet as the three angels made their way through it. No birds singing, no small animals scurrying about. Even the insects seemed to have abandoned the area.


    "This is creepy as hell," Diana whispered, daggers already in hand.


    "Do you have to complain about everything?" Grace whispered back.


    "Yes," Diana replied without hesitation. "It¡¯s how I cope with the constant stupidity I find myself associated with."


    "Hey, I-"


    Mara shushed them both.


    "Focus. Grace, any sign of corruption?"


    Grace activated her Aura Sight, scanning the area ahead. Blue-purple trails lit up through the trees, like veins running along the forest floor.


    "This way," she said, pointing.


    They followed the corruption trails deeper into the forest. The trees grew thicker, more twisted, their bark blackened as if they¡¯d been burned. The ground beneath their feet became spongy and unpleasant, squelching with each step.


    The corruption trails grew thicker, brighter, until finally they led to a small clearing. Or what had once been a clearing. Now it was... something else entirely.


    The area ahead was like something out of a nightmare. The trees had been twisted together to form a grotesque dome-like structure. Black, pulsating veins covered everything, connecting to what looked like misshapen cocoons hanging from the branches. The ground was a carpet of that same black slime, bubbling occasionally like boiling tar.


    And there were people, corrupted villagers shuffling around like sleepwalkers, their eyes glowing with that now-familiar blue-purple light.


    "Holy shit," Diana breathed.


    "Well, you wanted a nest," Mara said, glancing at Grace. "I¡¯d say this qualifies."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "There are so many of them."


    She counted at least thirty corrupted villagers moving around the structure. And among them, darker shapes prowled. Actual demons, five of them, their red eyes glowing in the dim light.


    But what made all three angels freeze was the figure standing in the center of it all.


    An angel. But not like any of them.


    Her wings were gray instead of gold, her skin had an unhealthy pallor, and blue-purple corruption swirled just beneath the surface.


    "A fallen angel," Mara whispered, her voice tight with shock. "She¡¯s... controlling them."


    "I thought The Veil just studied demons, or whatever," Grace said. "Not... whatever this is."


    "That¡¯s not a Veil member," Diana replied grimly. "That¡¯s a fully corrupted angel. What the one that fought you was becoming."


    The fallen angel tilted her head suddenly, as if sensing their presence. Her eyes - solid blue-purple with no whites or pupils - scanned the trees where they hid.


    "We should get back to the village," Mara whispered. "Take more time to prepare."


    "Agreed," Diana nodded.


    Grace bit her lip. Her quest notification was still there, floating at the edge of her vision.


    ¡¸Objective: Destroy the Demon Nest with Diana and Mara¡¹


    [But how are we supposed to destroy this? It¡¯s huge!]


    "Let¡¯s go," Diana tugged at Grace¡¯s arm. "Now, before she¡ª"


    "Visitors," a silky voice called out. "How delightful."


    The fallen angel was looking directly at their hiding spot, a smile playing on her lips.


    "Shit," Diana muttered.


    "Too late," Mara said, standing up. "Ready your weapons."


    The three angels stepped out from their cover, weapons materializing in their hands. Grace¡¯s divine rapier, Diana¡¯s sword, clearly indicating she felt she needed something bigger than her daggers for this, and Mara¡¯s mace.


    The fallen angel¡¯s smile widened.


    "Sisters," she greeted them, as if welcoming old friends. "Have you come to join our revolution?"


    "Revolution?" Mara repeated. "Is that what you call corrupting innocent people?"


    The fallen angel laughed, the sound like broken glass.


    "Innocent? Humans are never innocent. Never have been."


    Mara stepped forward, as did Grace. It seemed like the time for talking had ended just as quickly as it started.


    But, then, the temperature changed.


    The air around them suddenly grew colder. A lot colder. Grace felt chills run down her spine. A heavy presence settled in the air. The fallen angel¡¯s smile widened.


    Grace, Diana, and Mara slowly turned around.


    Behind them stood a creature that made the other demons look like harmless puppies.


    Nearly twice the height of a human, with skin like polished obsidian that cracked to reveal molten red beneath. Its face was almost feminine, with an emotionless expression and purple eyes. Six curling horns crowned its head, and despite its apparent lack of emotion, there was an air of murderous intent around it.


    A Primal Demon.


    Diana went rigid beside Grace, her face draining of all color.


    "No," she whispered. "Not again."


    The Primal Demon¡¯s gaze swept over them, finally settling on Grace.


    Again, that quest objective flashed:


    ¡¸Objective: Destroy the Demon Nest with Diana and Mara¡¹

 Chapter 44: The Battle for Oakridge

    Chapter 44: The Battle for Oakridge{Mara}


    The Primal Demon stood before them, its purple eyes cold and emotionless. Mara had seen many horrors in her time as an angel, but Primals were something else entirely. The air around it rippled with power, making the hairs on her arms stand up.


    To her left, Diana looked like she¡¯d seen a ghost. The normally confident warrior was visibly trembling, her sword grip unsteady. To her right, Grace looked more confused than scared, strangely.


    The fallen angel behind them laughed, delighted by this turn of events.


    "Oh my. It seems our special guest has arrived," she purred. "How fortunate."


    Mara took a deep breath. Someone had to take charge before they all died standing here.


    "Diana," she said firmly. "Diana!"


    The warrior angel didn¡¯t respond, her eyes locked on the Primal.


    Mara slapped her. Hard.


    "OW! What the¡ª" Diana blinked, rubbing her reddening cheek.


    "Focus," Mara ordered. "We have a situation."


    "No shit," Diana muttered, but at least she looked less catatonic.


    The Primal Demon took a step forward, its attention fixed squarely on Grace. That was... interesting. And concerning.


    "Here¡¯s the plan," Mara said quickly. "I¡¯ll take the Primal. You two handle the fallen angel and her pets."


    "You can¡¯t fight a Primal alone!" Grace protested.


    "I¡¯m not planning to win," Mara replied with a small smile. "Just keep it busy. The real target is the nest. Destroy that, and we might have a chance."


    Before either of them could argue further, the Primal moved. One moment it was standing fifteen feet away, the next it was directly in front of Grace, one massive hand reaching for her throat.


    [Dammit!] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mara¡¯s mace connected with the demon¡¯s arm, sending it staggering sideways. The Primal¡¯s head turned toward her, those empty purple eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Go!" Mara shouted, positioning herself between the demon and Grace. "Now!"


    ---


    {Grace}


    Grace stumbled backward, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might break her ribs. That thing had moved so fast she hadn¡¯t even seen it coming.


    Diana grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the fallen angel¡¯s position.


    "Move your ass!" Diana hissed. "Or do you want to see Mara die for nothing?"


    That got Grace moving. The two of them circled around as Mara engaged the Primal, her blue robes swirling as she dodged the demon¡¯s strikes. For someone whose primary role was healing, and had such an... abundant body, Mara was surprisingly quick on her feet.


    The fallen angel watched their approach with an amused expression.


    "The little angel who can kill demons," she said, her voice like honey laced with poison. "How delicious."


    Diana flinched beside her.


    "Shut up," Grace said, pointing her rapier at the angel. "Release these people. Stop whatever you¡¯re doing to them!"


    The fallen angel laughed.


    "So bossy for one so young." She spread her gray wings, black corruption running through them like veins. "Let me show you what true power looks like."


    With a gesture from the fallen angel, the corrupted villagers lurched forward, moving with jerky, unnatural steps. Behind them, five regular demons growled, their eyes glowing red in the gloom.


    "We are so screwed," Diana muttered.


    Grace glanced at her, then at the approaching enemies.


    "Just focus on the villagers. I¡¯ll try to get to the angel."


    "... Alright."


    Diana launched herself at the nearest group of corrupted villagers. Grace ducked around them, trying to make a direct path to the fallen angel.


    A corrupted villager lunged at her. Grace thrust with her rapier, aiming for where she could see the corruption core pulsing in the villager¡¯s chest. Her blade pierced it cleanly, and the villager dropped like a puppet with cut strings.


    [One down. A million to go. Great.]


    Behind her, she could hear the sounds of Mara battling the Primal ¡ª the crash of her mace against the demon¡¯s hide, the whoosh of air as massive claws narrowly missed their target. She didn¡¯t dare look back.


    "Focus on what¡¯s in front of you," she muttered to herself, taking down another corrupted villager. "She can handle herself."


    She cut her way through three more, each one falling as she destroyed their corruption cores. But something felt off. Diana should have been carving through these villagers twice as fast as Grace, yet when Grace glanced over, she saw the warrior angel struggling.


    Diana¡¯s movements were sluggish, her attacks lacking their usual precision. She barely deflected a corrupted villager¡¯s clumsy swing, stumbling backward in a way Grace had never seen before.


    "Diana! What are you doing?" Grace called out as she dispatched another villager.


    "Shut up!" Diana snapped, her voice tight with... fear?


    The fallen angel was watching it all with a smirk on her face, clearly enjoying the show.


    "Your friend remembers," she said to Grace. "She remembers what it feels like to face a Primal. To know you¡¯re going to die. To want to run."


    "Don¡¯t listen to her!" Grace shouted to Diana. "She¡¯s just trying to get in your head!"


    But Diana wasn¡¯t listening. Her eyes kept darting to where Mara fought the Primal, her movements becoming increasingly erratic.


    One of the demons lunged at Grace, forcing her attention back to her own fight. Its claws raked across her arm, tearing through her sleeve and drawing blood. Grace hissed in pain, spinning away and thrusting her rapier into the demon¡¯s side.


    Unlike the corrupted villagers, the demon didn¡¯t drop. It howled and swiped at her again, its wound already closing.


    [Right. Only I can kill demons permanently, but I still have to actually kill them first!]


    She stabbed again, this time aiming for where a heart would be on a human. The demon staggered, black ichor spraying from the wound. Grace pulled her blade free and struck once more, and this time the demon began to dissolve, its form breaking apart into swirling particles of corruption.


    A scream drew her attention. Diana was on the ground, a corrupted villager looming over her. Her sword lay just out of reach, and her eyes were wide with panic.


    "Diana!" Grace shouted, running toward her.


    The fallen angel stepped into her path, gray wings spread wide.


    "Not so fast, little killer."


    Grace didn¡¯t slow down. She lowered her shoulder and barreled straight into the fallen angel¡¯s midsection, tackling her to the ground. They rolled together in the corrupted muck, Grace struggling to keep hold of her rapier.


    The fallen angel¡¯s fist connected with Grace¡¯s jaw, sending black stars exploding across her vision. Grace returned the favor, smashing her forehead into the angel¡¯s nose with a satisfying crunch.


    "Bitch!" the fallen angel spat, blood streaming down her face.


    Grace didn¡¯t respond verbally. Instead, she kicked at the fallen angel¡¯s midsection, making just enough space between them for Grace to scramble away.


    She staggered to her feet, in time to see Diana finally grab her sword and dispatch the villager that had nearly killed her. Diana¡¯s face was pale, her breathing ragged.


    "What the hell is wrong with you?" Grace demanded, keeping one eye on the fallen angel who was slowly getting back to her feet.


    "N-None of your fucking business!" Diana snarled, her voice cracking.


    "It is when you¡¯re fighting like a drunk toddler!"


    "Oh, I¡¯m sorry my fighting isn¡¯t CONVENIENT for you right now!"


    A corrupted villager charged at them. Grace stabbed it without even looking, her eyes fixed on Diana¡¯s face.


    "You ran, didn¡¯t you?" Grace said, the pieces finally clicking together. "When you faced a Primal before. That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been hiding."


    Diana¡¯s face contorted with rage and shame.


    "Shut UP!" She swung her sword wildly, taking down two approaching villagers with more fury than skill. "You don¡¯t know anything! You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to watch your entire squad get torn apart while you just... while you..."


    "While you survived!"


    "I DIDN¡¯T DESERVE TO!" Diana roared. "They all died, and I ran! Like a coward! And now it¡¯s happening again, and I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t..."


    The fallen angel¡¯s laughter cut through their argument.


    "Oh, this is better than I could have hoped. The brave warrior angel, reduced to a sobbing mess. How pathetic."


    Grace whirled around, aiming her rapier at the fallen angel again.


    "You don¡¯t get to talk to her like that!"


    The fallen angel¡¯s smirk faltered slightly.


    "Big words from such a small angel."


    "Big enough to end you," Grace replied, and lunged.


    Putting all of Seraph¡¯s lessons at the forefront of her mind, Grace ran forward. Her rapier moved faster than she thought possible, slicing through the air. The fallen angel barely dodged, her gray wings flaring wide. Grace pressed forward, not giving her a chance to recover, each thrust of her slender blade forcing the angel back another step.


    For the first time, Grace saw fear in those corrupted eyes.


    The fallen angel leapt backward, nearly tripping over a corrupted villager in her haste to pull away.


    "What? Afraid I¡¯ll hit you?" Grace asked, panting. "Well, you should be!"


    Behind her, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Diana following, taking down any villagers that tried to interfere.


    They had the fallen angel on the defensive now. She was backing up toward the center of the nest, where those cocoons hung from twisted branches. Grace could sense victory approaching, could feel the fallen angel¡¯s growing panic.


    The fallen angel¡¯s back hit one of the larger cocoons. She glanced behind her, then back at Grace, desperate calculation in her eyes.


    "You think you can win?" she hissed. "This is just the beginning. There are more of us than you can imagine."


    Grace and Diana stepped forward, intending to end this little skirmish.


    But, before either of them could move, a scream tore through the air. Not the fallen angel¡¯s, but Mara¡¯s. Grace whipped around to see the healer angel on her knees, the Primal Demon looming over her. Blood soaked the front of Mara¡¯s robes, her mace lying broken beside her.


    "MARA!" Grace screamed.

 Chapter 45: Primal Fear

    Chapter 45: Primal Fear"MARA!" Grace screamed, watching in horror as the Primal demon raised its massive claws above the fallen healer.


    Mara¡¯s blood pooled beneath her, soaking into the corrupted ground. Her mace lay in pieces beside her, and her normally perfect light brown hair was matted with black ichor and sweat. Despite this, her eyes remained defiant as she stared up at the demon.


    [This can¡¯t be happening!]


    Grace moved toward them, but she¡¯d never make it in time. The Primal¡¯s arm began its downward arc¡ª


    "HEY UGLY!"


    A rock sailed through the air and bounced off the Primal¡¯s head. The demon paused, turning toward the source of this new annoyance.


    "OVER HERE, YOU... OVERSIZED NIGHTMARE!"


    Another rock, bigger this time, hit the Primal¡¯s shoulder.


    Grace¡¯s jaw dropped as she spotted two familiar figures at the edge of the clearing. Alia and Zephyr, both holding armfuls of stones, their pink wings fluttering rapidly.


    "What the..." Diana mumbled beside her.


    Alia hurled another rock.


    "THAT¡¯S RIGHT! WE¡¯RE TALKING TO YOU!"


    Zephyr, looking slightly more terrified than her partner but no less determined, added her own projectile.


    "LEAVE OUR FRIENDS ALONE!"


    The Primal¡¯s attention shifted completely away from Mara. Those cold purple eyes fixed on the two Love Sisters with unmistakable murderous intent. It straightened to its full height and took a step toward them.


    "No, no, no," Grace whispered. "What are they DOING?"


    "Saving Mara," Diana said, her face hardening. "Shit."


    Before Grace could respond, Diana launched herself forward, wings extended, sword raised. She moved with none of the hesitation she¡¯d shown earlier, cutting through the air like a golden arrow straight toward the advancing Primal.


    "DIANA!" Grace shouted.


    Diana slammed into the Primal¡¯s back just as it was about to charge at Alia and Zephyr. Her sword bit deep between its shoulder blades, drawing a spray of black blood. The demon roared, turning to swipe at this new attacker. Diana barely managed to duck under its massive arm, rolling away.


    "GET MARA!" Diana screamed at Grace. "I¡¯LL HOLD IT OFF!"


    Grace didn¡¯t waste time arguing. She ran to Mara¡¯s side, dropping to her knees beside the injured angel. Up close, the wound was even worse than it had looked from a distance ¡ª a deep gash across Mara¡¯s midsection that had torn through her blue robes and the flesh beneath.


    "Don¡¯t worry," Grace said, placing her hands over the wound. "I¡¯ve got you."


    Mara¡¯s eyes fluttered.


    "G-Grace... the fallen..."


    "Shh, don¡¯t talk." Grace focused, channeling divine energy into her hands. Golden light spilled from her fingers into Mara¡¯s wound, the flesh slowly beginning to knit together.


    [Come on, come on... This is taking too long!]


    Grace¡¯s Compassion attribute wasn¡¯t high enough for rapid healing. This would take time they didn¡¯t have. Behind her, she could hear Diana fighting the Primal, metal clashing against demonic hide. And somewhere beyond that, Alia and Zephyr were still shouting taunts.


    "Well, isn¡¯t this touching?"


    [Oh, crap.]


    Grace froze at the silky voice directly behind her. She¡¯d completely forgotten about the fallen angel.


    "Healing your friend while your other friends die," the fallen angel continued. "Very noble. Very stupid."


    Grace spun around, summoning her rapier to her hand just in time to block the fallen angel¡¯s strike. The impact sent painful vibrations up her arm.


    "Leave her alone!" Grace shouted, struggling to her feet while keeping herself between the fallen angel and Mara.


    The fallen angel smiled, her corrupted wings spreading wide.


    "No, I don¡¯t think I will."


    She attacked with surprising speed, her own blade ¡ª a corrupted version of an angel¡¯s sword ¡ª slashing toward Grace¡¯s throat. Grace barely managed to parry, immediately falling back on Seraph¡¯s lessons.


    [Keep your guard up. Watch their eyes, not their weapon. Stay light on your feet; your tiny size is your best strength!]


    The fallen angel pressed forward, each strike coming faster than the last. Grace backed up, desperately trying to maintain her footing on the slippery, corrupted ground. Her defense was holding, but just barely.


    "You fight well for one so young," the fallen angel said, not even breathing hard. "But you¡¯re out of your depth."


    Grace didn¡¯t waste breath responding. She needed all her concentration just to stay alive. The fallen angel was toying with her, testing her defenses, looking for weaknesses.


    Then she found one.


    A lightning-fast feint to the left followed by a real attack from the right. Grace fell for it, her rapier sweeping through empty air as the fallen angel¡¯s blade slipped past her guard. The corrupted weapon slashed across Grace¡¯s forearm, drawing a line of golden blood.


    Grace gasped in pain, her rapier nearly slipping from her fingers. The fallen angel¡¯s foot connected with her stomach, sending her sprawling backward. Her rapier flew from her hand, landing several feet away.


    "Now then," the fallen angel said, advancing on the fallen Grace. "I may not be able to kill you, but I don¡¯t need to. My friend can handle that part."


    She raised her blade for a stab that would probably keep Grace pinned to the ground.


    Grace scrambled backward, eyes darting frantically for her weapon. The rapier was too far away. She wouldn¡¯t reach it in time.


    The fallen angel¡¯s blade began its downward arc¡ª


    ¡ªand stopped abruptly as something heavy crashed into the back of her head.


    Mara stood there, wobbling on unsteady feet, holding the broken shaft of her mace. The healing had stopped the bleeding, but she was clearly still weak, her face pale with the effort of standing.


    "Don¡¯t touch her," Mara gasped.


    The fallen angel staggered forward, momentarily stunned by the blow. It was all the opening Grace needed. She rolled to the side, grabbed her rapier, and in one fluid motion, drove it straight through the fallen angel¡¯s back.


    The rapier¡¯s tip burst through the fallen angel¡¯s chest, golden light blazing along its length. The fallen angel froze, a look of genuine surprise on her face as she looked down at the blade protruding from her sternum.


    "Impossible..." she whispered.


    Then the corruption began to break apart, cracks of golden light spreading across her body from the wound. The fallen angel screamed, her voice inhuman as her form dissolved into particles of light and shadow that faded into nothing.


    Grace stared at the empty space where the angel had been, her rapier still extended. She¡¯d just killed an angel.


    Permanently. Just like a demon.


    "Grace!" Mara¡¯s voice snapped her out of her shock. "The others!"


    Reality crashed back in. Diana was still fighting the Primal, and Alia and Zephyr were running around its legs, trying to distract it without getting caught. Diana¡¯s earlier courage hadn¡¯t faded ¡ª she was fighting better than Grace had ever seen her, her sword a blur of golden light as she darted in and out of the Primal¡¯s reach.


    But she was tiring. They all were. And the Primal showed no signs of weakening.


    Grace helped Mara to her feet.


    "Can you fight?"


    Mara grimaced, one hand pressed to her partially healed wound.


    "Not well. But I can stand."


    "Good enough."


    They moved toward the fight, Grace¡¯s rapier at the ready. As they approached, the Primal landed a glancing blow on Diana, sending her tumbling across the clearing. Alia screamed and threw another rock, drawing the demon¡¯s attention once more.


    "We need a plan," Mara said urgently. "We can¡¯t keep this up."


    Grace¡¯s mind raced. How had she and Seraph killed that demon before? She¡¯d gotten lucky, catching it by surprise. But this Primal was alert, dangerous, and¡ª


    The Primal suddenly turned away from them all. It looked at the fallen angel¡¯s remains, then at the dissolving corruption around the clearing. Something about its posture changed. It seemed... uncertain?


    And then it did something Grace never expected.


    It ran.


    [WHAT!?]


    The Primal demon turned and bolted toward the forest, moving with that unnatural speed that made it almost blur.


    "It¡¯s getting away!" Zephyr shouted.


    Diana struggled to her feet, her armor dented and her face bloodied.


    "Let it go! We¡¯re in no shape to chase it."


    But Grace remembered. She remembered exactly how she and Seraph had killed that demon in the forest.


    If they did that again...


    [... Thank Eternia I¡¯m small.]


    "Diana!" Grace called out. "Throw me!"


    Diana blinked at her, confused.


    "What?"


    "THROW ME AT IT! Seraph did it last time and it worked!"


    Understanding dawned on Diana¡¯s face.


    "That¡¯s the stupidest¡ª"


    "JUST DO IT!"


    Diana cursed but didn¡¯t argue further. She grabbed Grace¡¯s arm, spun her in a quick circle to build momentum, and hurled her toward the retreating Primal with all her remaining strength.


    With the added momentum, Grace spread her wings and flew through the air, rapier extended before her, her small body cutting through space like an arrow. The Primal must have heard her coming ¡ª it started to turn, those purple eyes widening slightly in what might have been surprise.


    Too late.


    "AAAAAH!" Grace yelled in a battle cry as her rapier sank into the Primal¡¯s back up to the hilt, the force of her impact driving the blade deep into the demon¡¯s core. Golden light exploded outward from the point of contact, spreading through the Primal¡¯s body in a network of glowing cracks.


    They fell, tumbling on the grass. The Primal froze, its massive frame rigid with shock. Then, slowly, it began to dissolve, particles of darkness breaking apart to reveal the golden light consuming it from within. Grace clung to her rapier, feet dangling above the ground as the Primal disintegrated beneath her.


    And then it was gone. Grace dropped to the ground, her rapier clattering beside her.


    For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody spoke. They all just stared at the empty space where the Primal had been.


    Diana limped forward, her sword hanging loosely from her hand.


    "Holy shit," she said finally. "You actually did it."


    Grace looked up at her, too exhausted to stand.


    "I-I did."


    "GRACE!" Alia¡¯s voice shattered the moment as she barreled across the clearing, tackling Grace in a hug that knocked what little breath she had left right out of her lungs. "YOU WERE AMAZING!"


    Zephyr approached more sedately, though her eyes were just as wide.


    "That was... I don¡¯t even have words."


    "What are you two even DOING here?" Diana demanded, sheathing her sword. "You were supposed to stay at the village!"


    Alia grinned, still clinging to Grace like a particularly affectionate octopus.


    "We got worried! And we figured you might need some Love Sister energy for morale!"


    "So you decided to throw rocks at a Primal demon?" Mara asked, limping over to join them.


    "It worked, didn¡¯t it?" Alia replied, unrepentant.


    Grace finally managed to disentangle herself from Alia¡¯s embrace. She looked around the clearing. The corruption was receding, the twisted trees slowly straightening, the cocoons dissolving into harmless mist. Without the fallen angel to maintain it, the nest was coming apart.


    "Is it over?" Grace asked quietly.


    Diana surveyed the clearing, her expression grim but satisfied.


    "For now."


    Mara nodded, pressing a hand to her wound with a wince.


    "We should get back to the village. Report what happened."


    "And maybe get some actual medical attention," Zephyr added, eyeing Mara¡¯s injury with concern.


    They gathered themselves up, supporting each other as they prepared to leave. Grace retrieved her rapier, wiping the black ichor on the grass before sheathing it.


    The quest notification appeared before her eyes:


    ¡¸Quest Completed: Demon Extermination¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: +10 to Bravery, New Skill Unlocked: Aura Cleanse¡¹


    ¡¸Description: Ability to purify minor corruption from living beings without killing them¡¹


    Bravery: 38/100


    [Well, that would have been useful about an hour ago,] Grace thought wryly.


    As they made their way out of the clearing, Diana fell into step beside Grace.


    "Hey," she said, her voice low. "About earlier. What I said..."


    "You don¡¯t have to explain," Grace replied.


    "I¡¯m not explaining. I¡¯m..." Diana struggled with the words. "I¡¯m saying thank you. For not... judging." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace looked up at the taller angel.


    "We all have our... uh, demons."


    Diana snorted.


    Ahead of them, Alia was chattering excitedly to Mara about their heroic rock-throwing, while Zephyr tried to keep her from bouncing around too much. The forest around them was returning to normal, birds cautiously returning to the trees.


    They had won. They had faced a Primal demon and a fallen angel, and they had survived. More than survived ¡ª they had won.


    Grace couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Not bad for a former turnip farmer.

 Chapter 46: Protection

    Chapter 46: ProtectionThe walk back to Oakridge was slow and painful. Mara leaned heavily on Diana¡¯s shoulder, her wound still not fully healed. Grace¡¯s muscles screamed with every step, and even Alia had stopped chattering, her usual boundless energy depleted.


    Funny enough, only Zephyr seemed relatively unchanged, though her normally immaculate appearance was thoroughly ruined by dirt, sweat, and demon ichor.


    And the whole way back, Grace tried and failed to wipe that smile off her face.


    [I did it,] she reiterated for the hundredth time. [Me. The turnip farmer. Hehe.]


    "I can see the village," Diana announced as they crested a small hill.


    Grace squinted. In the distance, she could make out the wooden palisade surrounding Oakridge. Smoke rose from a few buildings, remnants of the earlier chaos, not fresh fires.


    "Do you think they¡¯re okay?" Grace asked.


    "They better be," Diana muttered. "Or those two are in serious trouble." She glared at Alia and Zephyr.


    Alia managed a weak grin.


    "Oh come on, we totally saved the day!"


    "After abandoning your post," Mara pointed out.


    "We left them in good hands!" Zephyr protested. "The unaffected villagers were well-organized, and we set up defenses before we left."


    As they approached the village gates, shouts went up from the sentries posted there. The heavy wooden doors swung open, and a small crowd gathered to meet them.


    "They¡¯re back!"


    "The angels have returned!"


    "Did you stop the demons?"


    Grace straightened her posture despite her exhaustion. These people needed reassurance, not a bunch of battered, limping angels who looked like they¡¯d barely survived... even if that was exactly what they were.


    "Well, Grace," Mara said, smiling over at her. "Care to do the honors?"


    Grace nodded, inhaling slowly.


    "The demon nest has been destroyed," she announced, her voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd. She still wasn¡¯t used to raising her voice. "The fallen angel controlling them is dead, and the Primal Demon has been slain."


    A moment of stunned silence fell over the gathering. Then cheers erupted, loud enough to make Grace wince.


    As the villagers celebrated around them, Grace saw:


    ¡¸Village Morale: 90/100¡¹


    [Wow, that jumped up fast.]


    "Let¡¯s get inside," Diana said, shifting Mara¡¯s weight. "We all need rest and healing."


    The village headwoman pushed through the crowd, her weathered face lined with relief.


    "Angels, you have our eternal gratitude. Please, come. We¡¯ve prepared quarters for you."


    Grace nodded gratefully.


    "Thank you. And how are things here? Any more attacks while we were gone?"


    "None," the headwoman replied. "Just as you predicted."


    Diana shot Grace a look that clearly said "lucky guess," but Grace just smiled.


    ---


    The next few hours passed in a blur.


    The Angels were led to a small cottage that had been hastily prepared for them. Mara went to get a drink with Zephyr while Alia regaled anyone who would listen with increasingly exaggerated tales of their battle.


    "And then Grace just FLEW through the air like WHOOSH and stabbed that demon right in its back and it went all BOOM with light and¡ª"


    "Alia, please," Diana groaned from where she sat, having her cuts bandaged. Grace had offered to just heal them away, but Diana had refused. "Some of us are trying not to relive that nightmare."


    Grace smiled tiredly, then slipped outside. The village was recovering quickly. People were clearing debris, rebuilding damaged structures, and going about their lives with renewed purpose. She wandered through the streets, occasionally stopping to help move a heavy beam or comfort a frightened child.


    By mid-afternoon, exhaustion hit her like a physical weight. She found a quiet spot under a large oak tree at the edge of the village square and sat down, just for a moment.


    Her eyes drifted closed.


    ---


    "Well, hello again, my little turnip farmer."


    Grace¡¯s eyes flew open. She was no longer under an oak tree in Oakridge. Instead, she sat in a familiar chair across from an equally familiar figure.


    Eternia lounged before her, resplendent in her golden robes that somehow managed to be both regal and incredibly provocative at the same time. Her long white hair, so similar to Grace¡¯s own, fell down her back like a cape, and her golden eyes sparkled with mischief.


    "Eternia," Grace said, not entirely surprised. "I should have known I¡¯d see you again."


    "After such an achievement? Of course!" Eternia beamed. "A Primal Demon AND a fallen angel? My, my~ You¡¯re exceeding even my expectations, which is saying something since I quite literally made you."


    Grace shifted uncomfortably in her seat.


    "About that... I have questions."


    "I bet you do." Eternia¡¯s smile softened. "By all means, ask away."


    "The corrupted villagers," Grace began, the words tumbling out. "Did they have to die? Couldn¡¯t you have given me a skill to save them earlier? Now I have this Aura Cleanse ability, but it¡¯s too late for all those people I had to kill."


    Eternia¡¯s expression grew serious, a rare sight on her usually playful face.


    "Could I have? Certainly. Did I need to see if you could make the hard choice? Also yes."


    Grace frowned.


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means, my sweet little creation, that I needed to know if you could do what needed to be done." Eternia leaned forward. "Compassion is a wonderful thing, but to have too much compassion for evil is to discard your love for the innocent. Sometimes it takes bravery to set one¡¯s compassion aside and do what one must."


    "So it was a test?" Grace asked, anger rising in her voice. "Those people died as a TEST?"


    "Those people were already lost," Eternia replied calmly. "The corruption had taken them completely. Even with Aura Cleanse, you could only have saved a few, and a piece of them would have been lost regardless. But you needed to learn that sometimes, your own emotions must be set aside for the greater good." Eternia leaned back, eyes closed. "That¡¯s a lesson I had to learn myself as well, actually."


    Grace looked down at her hands. They seemed clean, but she could still feel the blood on them.


    "I don¡¯t like it," she said finally.


    "I would be concerned if you did." Eternia stood and moved to Grace¡¯s side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "The road ahead is difficult, Grace. There will be more hard choices. More sacrifices. But that¡¯s why I chose you. Because you feel the weight of those choices, yet still have the strength to make them."


    Grace looked up at the goddess.


    "There¡¯s something bigger coming, isn¡¯t there? Something worse than what we faced today."


    Eternia¡¯s smile returned, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    "Much worse. But you¡¯re on the right path." She put a hand on Grace¡¯s head, ruffling her hair. "Your attributes grow, your skills develop, and most importantly, you¡¯re gathering allies who will stand beside you when the time comes."


    She bent down and placed a soft kiss on Grace¡¯s forehead.


    "Now sleep, my little turnip farmer. Real sleep this time. You¡¯ve earned it."


    ---


    Grace¡¯s eyes fluttered open. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the village square. She¡¯d been asleep for hours.


    She stretched, surprised to find that her body no longer ached. In fact, she felt refreshed, her energy restored.


    ¡¸Village Morale: 100/100¡¹


    Angelic Protection Established


    Note: During Angelic Protection, demons and corrupted beings will avoid the protected territory.


    Duration: 6 Months


    [We did it,] Grace thought, a smile spreading across her face. [The village is safe.]


    She stood and made her way back to the cottage where the others were staying. Inside, she found her companions gathered around a table laden with food. Even Mara was up and about, her wound nearly healed.


    "There you are!" Alia exclaimed. "We were about to send a search party!"


    "Sorry," Grace said, sliding into an empty seat. "I fell asleep."


    "For like, six hours," Diana pointed out. "I checked on you twice to make sure you weren¡¯t dead."


    "Aww, you do care," Grace teased.


    Diana rolled her eyes.


    "I have news," Grace continued, helping herself to a piece of bread. "I¡¯m pretty sure demons won¡¯t be coming back to the village for like six months."


    Mara raised an eyebrow.


    "And you know this how?"


    Grace froze, bread halfway to her mouth.


    "I, uh... could feel it? Divine intuition?"


    To her relief, Mara nodded.


    "It makes sense. The atmosphere has definitely changed. The air feels lighter."


    "So our mission is complete," Zephyr said. "We can return to the Dominion tomorrow."


    "Thank the goddess," Diana muttered. "No offense to Oakridge, but I¡¯ve had enough of this place to last an eternity."


    "I don¡¯t know," Alia mused, munching on an apple. "I kind of like it here. The people are friendly, the food is good, and we got to kill a Primal Demon. That¡¯s a pretty successful trip in my book."


    Grace smiled as her friends bickered about the merits of village life versus the comforts of the Dominion. Despite everything, the battles, the deaths, the harsh lessons, she felt a sense of accomplishment. They had protected this village. They had made a difference.


    And according to Eternia, this was just the beginning.


    [One step at a time,] Grace thought, taking a bite of her bread. [One village, one demon, one day at a time.]


    For now, that would have to be enough.


    sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 47: Return to the Dominion

    Chapter 47: Return to the DominionA few days later...


    "Today, we¡¯re once again practicing the divine art of the kiss."


    Grace tried not to squirm as Venus paced in front of the small group of angels gathered in the Love Sister training hall. The room was warm and dimly lit, cushions scattered across the floor in a way that suggested both comfort and purpose.


    After the battle at Oakridge and their triumphant return to the Dominion, Grace had hoped for a break. Maybe a week off. Time to process killing a Primal Demon, a fallen angel, and oh, a bunch of corrupted villagers.


    Instead, here she was, back in Love Sister class, trying to pay attention while Venus described the spiritual importance of making out.


    "The kiss is not merely physical," Venus continued, her voice dropping to a seductive purr. "It¡¯s an exchange of divine energy, a mingling of essences that elevates both parties."


    Grace nodded along, hoping she looked attentive rather than terrified.


    Venus smiled, her golden eyes scanning the room before stopping on Grace.


    "Perhaps a demonstration is in order. Grace, come here, darling."


    [Oh no.]


    Grace stood reluctantly, aware of the other angels watching with interest. She approached Venus, who gestured to another angel standing beside her.


    "This is Lilith, one of our most experienced Love Sisters." Venus introduced a tall angel with flowing red hair and a smile that made Grace¡¯s knees weak. "She¡¯ll be demonstrating the technique I just described."


    [Double oh no.]


    "Hello, little one," Lilith said, her voice like silk sliding over bare skin. "Venus tells me you¡¯re quite talented with your tongue."


    "I, um, I wouldn¡¯t say¡ª"


    Lilith laughed and stepped closer.


    "So modest. Shall we begin?"


    Before Grace could formulate a response that wasn¡¯t just incoherent stammering, Lilith¡¯s hands were cupping her face. The taller angel leaned down, bringing their faces close together.


    "Relax," Lilith whispered. "Let me lead."


    Their lips met.


    Grace had been kissed before a few times now. In this class, Mara in the village square, Alia during "spontaneous training sessions." But this was different. Lilith¡¯s lips were impossibly soft, moving against hers with skill that made Grace¡¯s thoughts scatter like leaves in a strong wind.


    When Lilith¡¯s tongue slipped into her mouth, Grace actually felt her legs give way. Lilith¡¯s arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her as the kiss deepened. Golden light sparked where their mouths connected, divine energy flowing between them that she wondered if anyone else could see or if this was just another "chosen one" thing.


    By the time Lilith pulled away, Grace was clinging to her like a drowning woman to driftwood, her face flushed and her breathing ragged.


    "And that," Venus announced to the class, "is how we share divine blessing through the kiss."


    Grace staggered back to her cushion, her head spinning. The other angels were looking at her with expressions ranging from amusement to envy.


    "Your turn," Venus said to the class. "Pair up and practice. Remember, it¡¯s about how the other person is feeling, emotionally, not just physical pleasure."


    As the other angels paired off, Grace sat dazed on her cushion, her lips still tingling. Venus approached, crouching down beside her.


    "You did well," she said, patting Grace¡¯s knee. "Your energy flow is impressive for one so new."


    "T-thanks," Grace managed.


    Venus smiled.


    "Take a break if you need it. You¡¯ve earned some rest after your mission."


    Grace nodded gratefully and slipped out of the training hall while the other angels were distracted. The cool air of the Dominion¡¯s hallways helped clear her head as she wandered aimlessly, still feeling the ghost of Lilith¡¯s kiss.


    [Is this really what I¡¯m going to be doing all day? Fight demons and make out? Geez...]


    Her meandering path took her to a less familiar section of the Dominion. The hallways here were quieter, the light more subdued. As she turned a corner, Grace spotted a familiar rainbow-winged figure kneeling in an alcove.


    Celestia, the Archangel, had her eyes closed, her hands clasped in front of her. A small flame burned in a dish before her. She was speaking in a language Grace didn¡¯t understand, the words flowing like music.


    Grace froze, not wanting to interrupt. She took a step back, intending to slip away, but her foot caught on the edge of a stone tile, making a soft scraping sound. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Celestia¡¯s eyes opened immediately.


    "Grace."


    "I¡¯m sorry," Grace said quickly. "I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you."


    "You didn¡¯t." Celestia smiled, gesturing for Grace to approach. "Come, join me."


    Grace hesitantly moved closer.


    "What are you doing?"


    "A ritual," Celestia replied. "One I perform whenever an angel dies permanently."


    A cold feeling settled in Grace¡¯s stomach.


    "An angel died?"


    "Indeed." Celestia¡¯s smile turned sad. "The one you killed at Oakridge."


    Grace¡¯s breath caught.


    "Oh."


    "She had a name," Celestia continued, her voice gentle. "Camilla. Before she fell, she was a Sister of Compassion."


    "I didn¡¯t..." Grace swallowed. "I didn¡¯t know angels could fall like that. Become that corrupted."


    "It¡¯s rare," Celestia said. "But possible. The path to corruption is often paved with good intentions. Camilla believed she was helping, finding new ways to heal. She didn¡¯t realize the corruption was changing her until it was too late."


    Grace knelt beside Celestia, staring at the small flame.


    "Should I... should I say something? For the ritual?"


    "If you wish. Though I¡¯ve already spoken for her soul."


    "Even though she was corrupted? Even though she was hurting people?"


    Celestia nodded.


    "Even so. She was still an angel, still a creation of Eternia, as we all are, directly or indirectly. Her path went wrong, but we honor what she was, not what she became."


    Grace thought about this for a moment.


    "Will all the Veil end up like her? Corrupted?"


    "Not necessarily. The Veil walk a dangerous path, studying sin rather than fighting it. Some believe they can control it, use it. Most maintain their balance." Celestia¡¯s rainbow wings shifted slightly. "But there¡¯s always a risk. Power is seductive, especially power that seems to offer shortcuts."


    "Camilla was working with a Primal Demon," Grace said. "They seemed... organized."


    Celestia¡¯s expression darkened momentarily.


    "Yes, I saw that in your report. That is concerning. Primals don¡¯t typically cooperate with anyone, not even each other."


    They sat in silence for a moment, watching the flame dance.


    "You did what was necessary," Celestia said finally. "Don¡¯t doubt that. But it¡¯s good that you question, that you care. It shows you haven¡¯t lost your Compassion amid your growing Bravery."


    "How do you balance them?" Grace asked. "The three Virtues, I mean. Sometimes, it feels like they contradict each other."


    Celestia smiled.


    "That¡¯s the eternal question, isn¡¯t it? Bravery without Compassion can quickly become cruelty. Compassion without Bravery can quickly become weakness. And Love... well, Love is what makes the other two matter to begin with."


    She reached out, pulling Grace into a gentle embrace. It felt unexpectedly maternal, warm and safe in a way Grace hadn¡¯t experienced since before her parents died.


    "A lot of people¡¯s hopes rest on your shoulders, little one," Celestia said. "But you don¡¯t have to carry them alone."


    Grace leaned into the embrace, surprised at how comforting it felt. For a moment, she wasn¡¯t the angel who could kill demons permanently, or Eternia¡¯s special creation. She was just Grace, being held by someone who seemed to understand the weight she carried.


    The moment was shattered by a commotion in the hallway.


    "I SWEAR I saw her come this way!"


    "Check that corridor!"


    "GRAAAACE! WHERE ARE YOU?"


    Grace pulled back from Celestia, eyes wide.


    "What the¡ª"


    Celestia laughed.


    "Ah, your admirers have found you."


    "Oh no."


    "Indeed, word of your feat at Oakridge has spread quickly. Killing a Primal Demon? Incredible."


    A group of angels rounded the corner, their faces lighting up when they spotted Grace.


    "THERE SHE IS!"


    "Grace! Grace! Can you tell us about the Primal?"


    "Is it true you flew through the air like a divine spear?"


    "Can you teach me that move?"


    Grace scrambled to her feet, backing away from the approaching crowd.


    "I should, um, I should go."


    Celestia¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement.


    "Indeed you should. Best of luck, Grace Lightsinger."


    Grace turned and bolted down the nearest hallway, the pack of enthusiastic angels hot on her heels.


    Behind her, she could hear Celestia¡¯s laughter mixing with the shouts of her pursuers.


    Just another day in the afterlife.

 Chapter 48: Vol. 1 Epilogue

    Chapter 48: Vol. 1 EpilogueAs usual, the Angelic Dominion had a different feel in the early morning.


    Grace wandered the empty halls, her footsteps echoing softly against the marble floors. No one was around at this hour ¨C no Love Sisters trying to kiss her, no Bravery Sisters challenging her to sparring matches, no fans asking for details about how she killed a Primal Demon.


    Just peace. Just quiet.


    She needed this. A moment to breathe, to think.


    The events of the past few weeks whirled through her mind like leaves caught in a storm. Dying. Becoming an angel. Learning she could permanently kill demons. The Saintess System. Oakridge Village. The Primal Demon.


    It was too much, too fast.


    Grace paused at a large window overlooking the clouds below. Somewhere down there was the mortal realm ¨C Linaria. Full of people living their lives, unaware that their fate apparently rested on the shoulders of a former turnip farmer who couldn¡¯t even figure out proper irrigation systems.


    [Why me?]


    The question had plagued her since her conversation with Eternia. Why create Grace specifically for this task? Why not someone stronger, smarter, more qualified?


    She sighed, leaning her forehead against the cool glass. The pinks and golds of dawn were just beginning to streak across the sky.


    "I didn¡¯t ask for any of this," she whispered to no one.


    But maybe that was the point. Celestia had said something similar ¨C how those who sought power were often the least suited to wield it. Grace certainly hadn¡¯t sought this.


    Yet here she was. The only angel who could permanently kill demons. Eternia¡¯s chosen one. The hope of the Angelic Dominion.


    [No pressure or anything.]


    Grace pushed away from the window and continued her aimless walk. She wanted to help, of course she did. Seeing what happened to Oakridge, to those corrupted villagers ¨C she didn¡¯t want that fate for anyone else.


    But the weight of it all...


    Her wandering brought her to the Arena ¨C a large, open space where Bravery Sisters typically trained. At this hour, she expected it to be empty.


    It wasn¡¯t.


    A wooden sword smacked against her chest, nearly knocking the wind out of her.


    "Oof!" Grace stumbled backward, clutching the weapon that had been tossed at her. "What the¡ª"


    "Finally decided to show up, huh?"


    Diana stood in the center of the Arena, her wings folded neatly against her back. She held a wooden sword of her own, twirling it casually between her fingers. And she was... well...


    "Can¡¯t you put a shirt on or something!?" Grace squeaked, her face immediately burning.


    Diana glanced down at her bare torso as if just noticing it. Her breasts were fully exposed, gleaming with sweat under the early morning light. The only thing she wore above her waist was a necklace with a small golden pendant.


    "Why? Does it bother you?" Diana smirked, clearly enjoying Grace¡¯s discomfort.


    "N-no! I mean, yes! I mean..." Grace fumbled for words, trying to look anywhere but at Diana¡¯s chest and failing miserably.


    "Calm down, farm girl. It¡¯s just training. We all have the same parts." Diana raised her wooden sword. "Now, show me your stance."


    Grace blinked.


    "Wait, what? Training? Now?"


    "Yes, now. Celestia wants me to step up your combat instruction after what happened at Oakridge." Diana gestured impatiently with her sword. "Stance. Now."


    "But I was just taking a walk! I wasn¡¯t prepared for¡ª"


    "Demons won¡¯t politely wait until you¡¯re prepared," Diana interrupted. "Now show me your damn stance before I knock you on your ass."


    Grace sighed and raised her wooden sword, positioning her feet the way Seraph had taught her.


    "Wider," Diana instructed. "And lower. You¡¯re too rigid."


    Grace adjusted, feeling slightly ridiculous. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Like this?"


    "Better." Diana began circling her slowly. "Your grip is still wrong. Hold it like you mean it, not like it¡¯s going to bite you."


    Grace tightened her fingers around the wooden hilt, trying to mimic the confidence Diana radiated even half-naked. Or maybe especially half-naked.


    Without warning, Diana lunged, her wooden sword arcing toward Grace¡¯s head. Grace yelped and raised her own weapon, barely blocking the strike. The impact jarred her arms, nearly making her drop the sword.


    "Too slow," Diana said. "Again."


    She attacked once more, this time aiming lower. Grace parried, stepping to the side as Diana had taught her weeks ago. The taller angel nodded in approval.


    "Good. You remembered something at least."


    For the next several minutes, they moved around the Arena in a dance of strikes, blocks, and counter-attacks. Grace missed more than she blocked, and landed exactly zero hits on Diana, but with each exchange, she felt herself falling into a rhythm.


    Her earlier thoughts ¨C the doubts, the questions, the weight of responsibility ¨C faded to the background. There was only the next move, the next block, the next attempt to land a hit on her frustratingly quick opponent.


    "You¡¯re thinking too much," Diana said, easily sidestepping Grace¡¯s clumsy thrust. "Stop trying to anticipate three moves ahead. Focus on now."


    "Easy for you to say," Grace panted. "You¡¯ve been doing this for centuries!"


    "And yet a certain farm girl managed to kill a Primal Demon on her first try." Diana lunged again, this time sweeping Grace¡¯s legs out from under her.


    Grace landed hard on her back, the wooden sword clattering beside her. She lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to catch her breath.


    Diana¡¯s face appeared above her, that familiar smirk in place.


    "You know what your problem is?"


    "I have many problems," Grace groaned. "Please, enlighten me about which one you¡¯re referring to."


    "You¡¯re so busy worrying about whether you¡¯re good enough that you forget to just act." Diana extended a hand to help her up. "The universe doesn¡¯t care if you feel ready, Grace. It only cares what you do when the moment comes."


    Grace took the offered hand, allowing Diana to pull her to her feet.


    "That¡¯s... surprisingly profound coming from you."


    "Fuck you." Diana picked up Grace¡¯s fallen sword and tossed it back to her. "Now, again. And this time, stop thinking about saving the world and just focus on trying to hit me."


    Grace raised her sword, adjusting her stance without being told. Maybe Diana was right. Maybe she was overthinking everything. Whatever was coming ¨C whatever Eternia had prepared her for ¨C worrying about it wouldn¡¯t change anything.


    All she could do was try her best, one moment at a time.


    "Ready?" Diana asked, raising her sword.


    Grace nodded, a small smile forming on her lips.


    "Ready."


    And for once, she actually meant it.

 Chapter 49: Divine Assignment

    Chapter 49: Divine AssignmentGrace collapsed onto the training field in a sweaty heap. Her muscles burned. Her lungs burned. Her freaking eyeballs burned.


    "Is... is that good enough?" she wheezed.


    Seraph loomed over her, arms crossed, expression completely unimpressed.


    "You call that training? My grandmother hits harder than you, and she¡¯s been dead for three centuries!"


    "That¡¯s not fair!" Grace protested. "Your grandmother was probably some legendary warrior who killed demons with her pinky finger!"


    "She was a baker."


    "Oh."


    "GET UUUP! FIFTY MORE REPS!"


    Grace groaned and forced her trembling body upright. It had been a month since the Oakridge mission. A whole month of Seraph¡¯s relentless training regime. No demon-slaying, just endless sword drills, flight practice, and whatever sadistic exercise Seraph dreamed up each morning.


    She raised her practice sword for what felt like the millionth time that day.


    [I think she¡¯s actually trying to kill me. Can angels die from exhaustion? I might be the first to find out.]


    Three hours later, Grace dragged herself back to her quarters, a trail of sweat marking her path. The rookie dorms¡ªwhich at this point was just her house since no other rookies had shown up¡ªloomed ahead. Well, her house plus three uninvited roommates.


    After the attack at the Banquet by that Veil member, Isolde, Seraph had decided Grace needed protection. Her solution? Make Diana move in. Because nothing said "safety" like living with a woman who spent half her time throwing Grace into walls during training.


    Of course, Alia and Zephyr were both still rooming with Grace. Which meant Grace¡¯s once-peaceful home now housed a grumpy warrior, and two Love Sisters, all of which treated clothing as an optional concept.


    Grace pushed open her front door and immediately regretted having eyes.


    "Oh GODDESS!"


    Diana was on the couch. Alia was also on the couch. Specifically, Alia was sprawled across the cushions, back arched, her ass in the air while Diana¡¯s fingers casually worked between her legs.


    Grace slammed her hands over her eyes.


    "SERIOUSLY?!"


    "Welcome home," Zephyr, who was nearby, eating a sandwich, said. "Bad day?"


    Alia waved cheerfully.


    "Hi Grace! Wanna join¡ª Ah! Right there, Diana!"


    "I didn¡¯t sign up for... for... lewd exhibitions!" Grace squeaked, backing into the wall with her eyes still covered.


    "Door has a lock," Diana replied, sounding utterly bored. "You should try using it sometime."


    "This is the living room! OUR living room!"


    "And we¡¯re living in it," Diana shot back. "Deal with it."


    Grace fumbled her way to what had become her bedroom, bumping into at least three pieces of furniture before slamming her door.


    [This is fine. Everything is fine. Just three sexually liberated angels turning my house into... whatever this is. Totally normal.]


    She flopped face-first onto her bed, too exhausted to even change out of her training clothes. Just as she felt sleep¡¯s sweet embrace approaching, a knock rattled her door.


    "Whoever you are, I¡¯m dead. Again. Come back tomorrow," she mumbled into her pillow.


    The door cracked open anyway. Zephyr poked her head in.


    "Message for you. From Archangel Celestia."


    Grace shot upright.


    "What? When? Why?"


    "Dawn tomorrow. Her chambers." Zephyr¡¯s eyes traveled over Grace¡¯s sweaty, disheveled form. "Might want to bathe first."


    "Is that all it said? No hints about what she wants?"


    Zephyr shook her head.


    "No, but..." She lowered her voice. "The faction leaders are all attending too."


    "All three of them?" Grace¡¯s stomach did a nervous flip. "That can¡¯t be good."


    "Could just be a progress report." Zephyr shrugged. "Try not to overthink it."


    But Grace was already overthinking it. Hard.


    ---


    By dawn, Grace had overthought herself into a full-blown panic. She¡¯d bathed (twice), tried to sleep (failed), and practiced saying "Yes, Archangel" without sounding like a terrified child (also failed).


    She stood outside Celestia¡¯s chambers, taking deep breaths.


    [You can do this. It¡¯s just the most powerful angels in existence judging your every move. No pressure.]


    She knocked.


    "Enter," came Celestia¡¯s melodic voice.


    Grace pushed open the massive doors to find exactly what she¡¯d feared: Celestia seated on her crystalline throne, flanked by Seraph, Mara, and Venus. All four pairs of eyes turned to her.


    "Grace Lightsinger," Celestia smiled. "Right on time."


    Grace bowed, praying she wouldn¡¯t trip over her own feet.


    "Archangel. Uhm, leaders. You... wanted to see me?"


    "Wow, so formal!" Mara giggled.


    "I-I figured... Whatever," Grace deflated.


    "Indeed." Celestia rose, her rainbow-hued wings spreading slightly. "Anyway, we have a situation that requires your unique abilities."


    "A demon?" Grace asked, reflexively reaching for the sword that wasn¡¯t there.


    "Not exactly. A village called Rosewood has reported an outbreak of illness. Symptoms resemble demonic corruption, but with... differences."


    Grace blinked.


    "Oh. You want me to heal sick people?"


    "We want you to determine if this is natural illness or something more sinister," Celestia corrected. "If it¡¯s the latter, your ability to eradicate corruption without killing will be invaluable."


    Before Grace could respond, Mara stepped forward. Actually, Mara¡¯s chest stepped forward first, followed by the rest of her. Grace found herself eye-level with the most intimidating cleavage in the Angelic Dominion.


    "This is perfect!" Mara exclaimed, clasping Grace¡¯s shoulders. "A chance to develop your healing abilities in a real scenario! I¡¯ve been telling Celestia you need practical experience."


    Grace tried very hard to maintain eye contact and not look down. She failed. Twice.


    "I... um... thank you?"


    Seraph made a disgusted noise from the side.


    "Soft mission. The girl needs combat experience, not nursemaid duty."


    "Not everything is solved with a sword, Seraph," Mara shot back, finally releasing Grace from her bosomy prison.


    "Most things are."


    "Ladies," Celestia interrupted gently. "This mission serves multiple purposes."


    Venus, who had been silent until now, glided forward. Her hips swayed with each step.


    "And let¡¯s not forget," she purred, running a finger down Grace¡¯s arm, "healing hands can be useful in many contexts."


    Grace¡¯s face went full-tomato.


    "In any case," Celestia continued, slightly louder, "you¡¯ll depart tomorrow. Mara will accompany you, along with a small team."


    "How many people are affected?" Grace asked, trying to sound professional despite her burning cheeks.


    "Reports suggest around a hundred villagers showing symptoms," Celestia replied. "The local healer is overwhelmed."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened. A hundred people? Her biggest healing challenge so far had been cuts and minor burns. This was leagues beyond that.


    "I... I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m qualified¡ª"


    "You are," Mara said firmly. "I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way."


    "This isn¡¯t a request, Lightsinger," Seraph added. "It¡¯s an assignment. It¡¯s angel work."


    "From all three factions, no less," Venus said.


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "Then I accept."


    Celestia nodded approvingly.


    "Good. Mara will brief you on the details. You¡¯re dismissed."


    Grace bowed again and backed toward the door, desperate to escape before she said something stupid. Just as she reached for the handle, golden text appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Quest Gained!¡¹


    Category: Compassion


    Objective: Heal the Rosewood Corruption: 0/100 villagers cured


    Reward: +10 Compassion


    Her eyes widened.


    [A hundred people. The System wants me to heal a hundred people with some mysterious disease that might be demon-related.]


    She glanced back at the four celestial beings watching her. They couldn¡¯t see the floating text. They didn¡¯t know about her System, about the pressure it added.


    They were just... well, kinda waiting for her to leave.


    The past month of brutal training had changed her. She knew it had. In quiet moments alone, she¡¯d checked her status more times than she cared to admit.


    ¡¸Status¡¹


    Bravery: 40/100


    Compassion: 26/100


    Love: 16/100


    Traits:


    - Saintess System


    Can see System information


    - Touch of the Saintess


    Able to kill demons Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    - Divine Attraction


    As Grace¡¯s attributes increase, she will become more attractive to everything around her.


    Skills:


    ¡¸Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 3)¡¹


    ¡¸Soothing Hands (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    ¡¸Golden Tongue (Lvl. 2)¡¹


    ¡¸Aura Sight (Level 2)¡¹


    ¡¸Divine Insight (Level 1)¡¹


    ¡¸Aura Cleanse (Level 1)¡¹


    Equipment:


    1. ¡¸Blade of Dawn¡¹


    A rapier made of divine light.


    ¡¸Equipment Synergy: Power grows with Bravery attribute (10/100)¡¹


    2. ¡¸Stardust Veil¡¹


    A lightweight, shimmering silver arm guard that extends from wrist to elbow. When activated, it hardens and is able to deflect or absorb a single strike before needing to recharge.


    Recharge time: 30 seconds


    Her Bravery had shot up thanks to Seraph¡¯s relentless drilling. Her other stats had barely budged. Not surprising, considering she¡¯d spent most days collapsed in exhaustion after training. Hard to spread compassion or love when you could barely lift your head.


    But now, with this new mission... maybe things would balance out a bit.


    "Thank you for this opportunity," she managed, then slipped out the door before her knees gave out.


    In the hallway, she leaned against the cool marble wall and took a shaky breath.


    A hundred sick villagers. A mysterious illness. And her¡ªdisaster-prone, barely-trained Grace¡ªas their only hope.


    [What could possibly go wrong?]


    Everything. Everything could go wrong.


    But she¡¯d do it anyway. Because that¡¯s what angels did, right?


    That¡¯s what Eternia would want her to do.

 Chapter 50: The Shy Angel

    Chapter 50: The Shy AngelGrace arrived at the eastern departure point fifteen minutes early, hoping to make a good impression. Being professional seemed like the least she could do after getting assigned to this important mission.


    She was the first one there.


    The eastern cliff stretched before her, brilliant white marble against the endless blue sky. From here, angels answered prayers and launched themselves into the mortal realm. It was beautiful, sacred, and Grace still felt like an imposter every time she stood on it.


    [I¡¯m a turnip farmer playing angel. Any minute now, they¡¯ll figure it out and send me back to... well, I can¡¯t go back now, but you get the idea.]


    She paced back and forth, checking and rechecking her simple pack. Healing supplies that Mara had provided, a change of clothes, and her rapier, which now manifested as a small golden ring on her finger when not in use. It was all very practical and sensible.


    "Graaaace! We¡¯re here!"


    And there went any chance of looking professional.


    Alia bounded toward her, waving frantically with one hand while dragging a trunk behind her that was twice her size. Zephyr followed at a more reasonable pace, carrying what looked like... was that a picnic basket?


    "What are you two bringing?" Grace asked, already dreading the answer.


    "Essentials!" Alia dropped her trunk with a thud that actually cracked the marble floor.


    "I¡¯m afraid to ask, but... what essentials?"


    Zephyr placed her basket down delicately.


    "Massage oils, relaxation aids, comfort enhancers."


    Grace grimaced.


    "You mean sex toys."


    "Of course not," Zephyr looked offended. Then she lowered her voice. "We call those ¡¯divine pleasure instruments.¡¯"


    Grace pinched the bridge of her nose.


    "We¡¯re going to help sick people, not give them... happy endings."


    "Healing happens in many ways, don¡¯t¡¯cha know?" Alia said with complete seriousness. "Pleasure energy is very therapeutic."


    There was no saving this woman.


    "And you? What¡¯s your excuse?" Grace turned to Zephyr, hoping for at least one rational team member.


    Zephyr shrugged.


    "Have you seen village accommodations? The beds are awful. I need my weighted blanket and aromatherapy diffuser."


    "You barely even sleep!"


    "Excuse you, I rest aesthetically."


    [Great. And she¡¯s the reasonable one!]


    Grace was about to argue further when she spotted Mara approaching. She wasn¡¯t alone.


    Walking slightly behind Mara¡ªno, practically hiding behind her¡ªwas an angel Grace had never seen before. She had long green hair that cascaded down past her waist and striking yellow eyes that were firmly fixed on the ground. Her uniform was immaculate, blue and silver of the Sisters of Compassion, but unlike Mara¡¯s revealing version, this angel¡¯s covered nearly every inch of skin.


    Most noticeably, floating above her head, visible only to Grace, were blue letters:


    Level 61


    [Whoa. That¡¯s high!]


    Granted, as she¡¯d seen with Mara and the Primal Demon on Oakridge, that was her level as a Compassion Sister. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean she¡¯d be able to take down powerful enemies, but rather that her healing power was incredible.


    "Grace! Alia! Zephyr!" Mara called out. "I¡¯d like you to meet the final member of our team. This is Petriel, one of my most talented healers."


    The green-haired angel took a tiny step forward, still not making eye contact with anyone.


    "H-hello," she whispered, so quietly Grace had to strain to hear it.


    "Though not quite as efficient as Grace¡¯s new ability, Petriel has been developing specialized purification techniques," Mara continued proudly. "Her methods might be crucial for this mission."


    Grace stepped forward, extending her hand with a smile.


    "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Petriel. I¡¯m Grace."


    Petriel¡¯s eyes darted up for a split second, widened in what looked like panic, and then she tried to take a step back. Tried being the operative word.


    Instead, her foot caught on nothing at all. Her arms pinwheeled wildly as she toppled backward. The meticulously organized satchel she carried exploded open, sending vials, herbs, and bandages flying in every direction.


    "Oh no!" Grace rushed forward, dropping to her knees to help gather the scattered supplies. "Are you okay?"


    Petriel made a sound like "mmmph" and frantically began scooping items back into her bag, still avoiding eye contact.


    Grace reached for a small green vial at the same moment Petriel did. Their fingers brushed.


    It was like someone had set off a divine bomb.


    Petriel squeaked, her entire face turning the color of a tomato. A burst of blue-green light erupted from her hands, and before Grace could blink, tiny white flowers burst from the marble floor between them, forming a small garden in the shape of a heart.


    "I-I-I¡¯m s-sorry!" Petriel stuttered, looking mortified. "S-sometimes my energy j-just¡ª"


    "Makes things grow?" Grace finished, staring at the flowers in wonder. "That¡¯s amazing!"


    [Was she an Earth-Tender in the past or something? Or, is this something any angel can do?]


    Petriel looked like she might actually combust from embarrassment.


    "If you two are done with the botanical explosion..." Diana¡¯s voice cut through the moment like ice.


    Grace looked up to find Diana standing over them, arms crossed, expression thoroughly unimpressed.


    "Diana! I didn¡¯t know you were coming," Grace said.


    "Obviously." Diana¡¯s eyes flicked to the flowers, then to Petriel, who was now practically hiding inside her own hair. "Seraph¡¯s orders. Apparently, I¡¯m your babysitter again."


    "We don¡¯t need a babysitter," Grace protested.


    "Tell that to the Primal Demon who nearly ate you last time."


    "I killed that thing!"


    "When I threw you at it," DIana countered and ignored her, focusing instead on Petriel, who was trying to make herself as small as possible. "You¡¯re the healer specialist?"


    Petriel nodded without looking up.


    "Can you speak?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Y-yes," came the whispered reply.


    Diana sighed.


    "If she can¡¯t handle looking at you, how will she handle a corrupted village? I¡¯m not carrying dead weight."


    "Diana!" Mara snapped, stepping forward. "Petriel is one of my most gifted healers. Her social anxiety doesn¡¯t impact her abilities."


    "S-social anxiety?" Petriel looked up, confused. "I don¡¯t have social anxiety. I just..." She glanced at Grace, immediately turned red again, and looked away. "I¡¯m f-fine with everyone else."


    A loaded silence followed.


    [Wait, is it just me she can¡¯t look at? Why?]


    "Now that we¡¯re all acquainted," Mara said, clapping her hands together, "let¡¯s finalize our plan. Rosewood is about three hours¡¯ flight from here. We¡¯ll¡ª"


    "WAAAIIIT!" A voice rang out across the cliff.


    All heads turned to see Seraph charging toward them, red hair flying behind her like a battle flag.


    "Oh goddess," Diana muttered. "What now?"


    Seraph skidded to a halt in front of them, not even slightly out of breath despite clearly having sprinted across half the Dominion for fun.


    "LIGHTSINGER!" she boomed, making Grace jump. "Almost forgot!"


    She thrust a small package into Grace¡¯s hands.


    "What¡¯s this?" Grace asked, turning the cloth-wrapped bundle over.


    "Anti-corruption gear! Designed it myself!" Seraph looked ridiculously proud. "Infused with warrior energy. Just a new bit of equipment for you to test out."


    "Thank you?" Grace carefully unwrapped it to find... a pair of golden brass knuckles. "Um."


    "Sometimes you gotta punch the sickness right out of ¡¯em!" Seraph mimed an uppercut.


    "That¡¯s not how healing works," Mara said with an exasperated sigh.


    "Says you!" Seraph retorted. "Anyway, good luck, don¡¯t die, bring everyone back alive, especially Diana!"


    And with that, she was gone, sprinting back the way she¡¯d come.


    "Does she ever just fly anywhere?" Grace wondered aloud.


    "No," Diana and Mara answered in unison.


    Mara checked the sun¡¯s position.


    "Time to depart. Everyone ready?"


    Alia hefted her massive trunk.


    "Ready!"


    Zephyr picked up her basket.


    "As I¡¯ll ever be."


    Diana just grunted, which Grace had learned meant "yes, but I refuse to be enthusiastic about it."


    Petriel nodded silently, still looking everywhere but at Grace.


    "Eastern cliff prayer reception has the coordinates for Rosewood," Mara explained. "We¡¯ll dive directly to the area, do a preliminary inspection, and make our way from there."


    They lined up at the cliff edge. Far below, the mortal realm of Linaria stretched out like a patchwork quilt. Forests, fields, and the occasional town dotted the landscape. Somewhere down there was Rosewood, filled with people who needed their help.


    [I can do this. Healing people is way better than fighting demons. What could go wrong?]


    "On my mark," Mara called. "Three... two... one... DIVE!"


    They leapt from the cliff as one, wings unfurling to catch the divine currents between realms.


    Grace felt the familiar rush of air against her face, the pull of gravity, and then the weightless sensation as her wings took over. Below, Linaria grew larger, details sharpening with each passing second. This was angel work¡ªreal angel work¡ªand she was part of it.


    She glanced over to see Petriel flying perfectly, her anxiety seemingly forgotten in the joy of flight. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Petriel actually smiled before quickly looking away again.


    [Interesting. Very interesting.]


    Together, they soared toward Rosewood and whatever awaited them there.

 Chapter 51: Hostile Vegetation

    Chapter 51: Hostile Vegetation"So why are we walking instead of flying again?" Alia whined, swatting at a branch that dared to come too close to her face.


    They had landed about a mile from Rosewood and were now trudging through the thick forest that surrounded the village. The trees here were tall and ancient, blocking most of the sunlight and creating a perpetual twilight beneath their canopy.


    "I already explained this," Mara said patiently. "We need to assess the surrounding area for signs of corruption before entering the village."


    "But my feet hurt," Alia pouted.


    "We¡¯ve been walking for ten minutes," Diana said flatly.


    "Yes, and that¡¯s ten minutes too many!"


    Grace tuned out the bickering, focusing instead on her surroundings. Something felt... off. Not the bone-deep chill that usually accompanied demons, but a milder discomfort, like wearing damp clothes. She rubbed her arms.


    [There¡¯s something wrong here, but it¡¯s not like the demons at Oakridge. It¡¯s different. Subtler.]


    "Are you cold?" Petriel asked quietly, appearing at Grace¡¯s side. She still wouldn¡¯t make direct eye contact, but it was progress that she was talking at all.


    "Not really," Grace replied. "Just getting a weird feeling from this place."


    Petriel nodded.


    "The forest feels... wrong. Like it¡¯s watching us."


    Ahead of them, Diana stopped suddenly, holding up a hand. Everyone froze.


    "What is it?" Mara whispered.


    Diana pointed. About twenty yards ahead, the undergrowth was moving. Not swaying in the wind¡ªthere was no wind¡ªbut actually shifting, bulging upward like something was pushing through from below.


    "Everyone, weapons ready," Mara commanded, her big mace materializing in her hands.


    Grace concentrated, feeling the familiar warmth as her rapier formed from the ring on her finger. Beside her, Petriel clutched a simple staff topped with a blue crystal, and Diana brought out her sword. Alia and Zephyr, of course, took a couple of steps back.


    The ground burst open. Five humanoid shapes clawed their way up from the soil, moving with jerky, unnatural motions. They looked like people¡ªor had once¡ªbut their skin was mottled green and brown, with roots and vines growing through and around their limbs. Where eyes should have been, they had only empty sockets filled with writhing plant matter.


    "What are those?" Alia yelped, hiding behind Zephyr.


    "Plant zombies, obviously," Zephyr replied, sounding far too calm about it.


    "Corrupted plant-based constructs," Mara corrected. "I¡¯ve seen something similar before, but never this... advanced."


    Grace squinted at the creatures. Floating above each one were red numbers: 12, 14, 13, 15, 12.


    [They¡¯re not very strong, at least.]


    The ravenous-looking plant-people shuffled toward them, moving faster than something so awkward-looking should be able to.


    "Should we engage?" Zephyr asked, drawing her twin daggers. "They¡¯re not demons. We could leave this to the humans."


    "Yes, they are," Grace said, surprising herself with her certainty. "There¡¯s demonic corruption in them. I can feel it."


    Everyone turned to stare at her.


    "What?" Diana frowned. "How can you tell?"


    "I just... can," Grace said lamely. "Trust me."


    Diana looked skeptical but Mara nodded.


    "Diana," she said. "Would you like to take the lead for this one?"


    "Huh? Uh... Sure," she shrugged. "Mara, take Alia and circle right. Zephyr, with me on the left. Grace, you and the shrinking violet stay in the center."


    "I¡¯m not a¡ª" Petriel started to protest, then clamped her mouth shut when Diana glared at her.


    "Hey," Grace said, surprising herself again. "Don¡¯t talk to her like that. Petriel¡¯s a higher level than you are." She immediately regretted the words. No one else could see levels.


    "A higher level of what? Timidity?" Diana snorted.


    "Of healing," Grace recovered quickly. "Mara said she¡¯s one of the best."


    "Which means exactly nothing if she faints at the first sign of trouble."


    "I don¡¯t faint!" Petriel squeaked, then shrank back when everyone looked at her.


    "Enough chatter," Mara interrupted. "They¡¯re getting closer."


    The plant creatures were indeed only a few yards away now, arms outstretched, mouths open in silent screams.


    Diana charged first, because of course she did. She cleaved through one creature in a single swing, green ichor spraying from the wound. The creature stumbled but didn¡¯t fall. The severed vines simply reached toward each other and reattached.


    "They regenerate!" Diana shouted, backing up.


    "Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Grace called back, stabbing at another creature¡¯s legs. The cuts sealed almost instantly.


    Mara tried next, crashing her mace onto one¡¯s head and slamming it to the ground. The creature convulsed, its vines withering slightly before growing back even thicker.


    "Normal attacks won¡¯t work," Mara called. "Grace, we need to purify the corruption at its source."


    [Corruption source. Like the corruption cores I saw at Oakridge.]


    Grace focused, activating her Aura Sight skill. The world shifted slightly, and she could now see faint blue-purple auras surrounding each creature. At the center of each chest was a small, pulsing dark spot.


    "They have corruption cores!" Grace shouted. "In their chests! Like back at the village!"


    "How do you know that?" Diana demanded, dodging a swipe from gnarled vine-fingers. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just trust me!" Grace parried a blow from the nearest creature, her rapier slicing through vines that immediately began regrowing. "We need to target the cores specifically!"


    She considered using Aura Cleanse, but these enemies were too dangerous with their regeneration to stall till she could purify them the safe and kind way.


    [I don¡¯t like this outcome, but I... I think the situation calls for it.]


    Petriel stepped forward, her earlier shyness seemingly forgotten in the heat of battle. Her staff began to glow with intense blue light.


    "I can help with that," she said, her voice suddenly steady. "Cover me for thirty seconds."


    "You heard her," Mara said. "Keep them busy!"


    Diana rolled her eyes but complied, drawing the attention of two creatures with a series of flashy attacks. Grace used her tiny size to move closer to and away from a few of them, shifting her weight and keeping herself moving.


    [Wider stance. Watch both opponents. Don¡¯t telegraph your moves.]


    One lunged. Grace sidestepped, thrusting her rapier through what would have been its throat on a normal person. It gargled green fluid but kept coming. The second grabbed for her wings. She ducked, slashing across its midsection. More useless damage.


    [Come on, Petriel. Whatever you¡¯re doing, hurry up!]


    "Ready!" Petriel called. She raised her staff high, the crystal now blindingly bright. "Everyone, move back!"


    Grace disengaged, jumping backward as Petriel slammed her staff into the ground. A wave of blue-white energy erupted up from the ground and then took aim, washing over the plant creatures. Where it touched, the corruption visibly burned away, leaving the vines and roots to crumble into ordinary dirt. The magic specifically targeted their cores, even if it looked so... spread out.


    Within seconds, all five creatures had collapsed into harmless piles of vegetation and soil.


    "Holy shit," Diana said, genuinely impressed.


    "Language!" Mara chided automatically.


    Grace stared at Petriel, who was now leaning on her staff, looking exhausted but satisfied.


    "That was amazing!" Grace exclaimed. "How did you do that?"


    Petriel blushed furiously.


    "It¡¯s a Light Wave. Takes a lot of energy, s-so I can¡¯t do it often."


    "I¡¯ve never seen anything like it," Mara admitted, placing a hand on Petriel¡¯s shoulder. "You¡¯ve been holding out on me, darling."


    "So the timid healer has teeth after all," Diana said, approaching them. "Maybe you¡¯re not dead weight."


    Petriel flinched at Diana¡¯s tone.


    "Can you stop being a jerk for five minutes?" Grace snapped. "She just saved us a lot of trouble."


    Diana blinked, clearly surprised by Grace¡¯s outburst.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You heard me. Stop picking on her just because she¡¯s quiet. Not everyone needs to announce their presence by being the loudest person in the room!"


    A tense silence fell over the group.


    Diana¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, but then, unexpectedly, she huffed and looked away.


    "Whatever. We should keep moving. Rosewood isn¡¯t going to save itself."


    Grace let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding. Maybe she¡¯d gone a bit far, but seriously, Diana was being needlessly infuriating.


    "She¡¯s right," Mara said, breaking the tension. "Let¡¯s continue. But stay alert¡ªthere might be more of those things."


    They resumed their trek through the forest, now moving in tighter formation. Petriel fell into step beside Grace, still not making direct eye contact but definitely staying closer than before.


    "Thank you," she whispered. "For defending me."


    "Anyone would have done the same," Grace replied.


    "No," Petriel shook her head. "They wouldn¡¯t. And Diana is... intimidating."


    "She¡¯s just mean, is all. Don¡¯t mind her."


    Petriel smiled faintly.


    "You¡¯re stronger than you think, Grace."


    Before Grace could respond, a searing heat bloomed against her chest.


    She gasped, clutching at her medallion¡ªthe one Celestia had given to her, made by Eternia. It was glowing through her clothing, hot enough to be uncomfortable but not enough to burn.


    The world around her blurred, then vanished entirely.


    She was somewhere else¡ªa clearing in a similar forest, but darker, more oppressive. In the center stood a figure, female, with wings. An angel. She was on her knees, weeping, as twisted vines and roots crawled up her legs, her torso, reaching for her throat. All around her, the corruption spread outward in a circle, infecting everything it touched.


    The vision lasted only seconds before reality snapped back into place. Grace stumbled, nearly falling.


    "Grace?" Mara¡¯s concerned voice seemed to come from far away. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "I..." Grace blinked. "I¡¯m not sure."

 Chapter 52: Unorthodox Methods

    Chapter 52: Unorthodox MethodsGrace kept quiet about her vision as they continued through the forest. What was she supposed to say? "Hey everyone, my medallion just got super hot and showed me an angel being eaten by plants"? They¡¯d think she was losing her mind.


    The group moved in tense formation, Diana taking point with her sword drawn. The forest grew denser, the path narrower. Every rustle made them tense, ready for another plant-zombie attack.


    After about fifteen minutes of walking, Diana suddenly dropped back, falling into step beside Petriel. She leaned in close, whispering something Grace couldn¡¯t hear. Petriel¡¯s eyes widened, her face turned bright red, and she nodded rapidly.


    The conversation lasted less than a minute before Diana moved back to the front. Grace stared after her, confused.


    [What was that about? Is she still giving Petriel a hard time?]


    When they stopped to check their bearings, Grace sidled up to Petriel.


    "What did Diana say to you?" she whispered.


    Petriel jumped, nearly dropping her staff.


    "Oh! Um. She... she apologized."


    "Diana?" Grace blinked. "Apologized? Are we talking about the same Diana? Tall, grumpy, would rather die than admit she¡¯s wrong?"


    "She said sorry for b-being harsh," Petriel mumbled, looking at her feet.


    "Huh." Grace tried to imagine Diana actually saying the words "I¡¯m sorry" and failed. "That¡¯s... unexpected."


    Petriel nodded, still not meeting Grace¡¯s eyes.


    "She also said I should¡ª"


    "Movement ahead!" Diana hissed, cutting off whatever Petriel had been about to say.


    Everyone tensed, weapons ready. But instead of plant-zombies, they heard something much more human¡ªgroaning and calls for help.


    "Please! Anyone!"


    Diana stepped forward cautiously, sword still at the ready.


    Around the bend in the path lay a small clearing. Four people were sprawled on the ground¡ªthree men and a woman. All were injured, with cuts and gashes visible on their arms and faces. Their clothes were torn, and one man¡¯s leg bent at an unnatural angle.


    "Travelers," Mara whispered, her healing instincts already kicking in. "They must have been attacked by those plant creatures."


    "Or it could be a trap," Diana countered.


    "They need help," Grace said, already moving forward.


    "Grace, wait¡ª" Diana tried to grab her arm, but Grace was already out of reach.


    "Hello!" Grace called. "We¡¯re here to help!"


    The travelers looked up, hope and relief washing over their faces.


    "Angels," the woman breathed. "Thank the goddess."


    Mara and Petriel followed Grace, while Diana cursed under her breath and took up a protective stance. Alia and Zephyr hung back, watching the surrounding forest for threats.


    "What happened?" Mara asked, kneeling beside the man with the broken leg. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We were traveling to Rosewood," the woman explained. "Those... things... came out of nowhere. Plants that moved like people. We fought them off, but..."


    "You¡¯re lucky to be alive," Mara said, her hands already glowing with healing energy.


    Grace moved to the second man, who had a nasty gash across his chest. She concentrated, summoning the warm feeling she¡¯d practiced with Mara. Golden light gathered in her palms as she pressed them against the wound.


    "This might tingle a bit," she warned him.


    The man nodded gratefully. Grace watched as the wound slowly closed, leaving fresh pink skin behind. It took more concentration than she expected, and by the time she finished, sweat beaded on her forehead.


    [I still need more practice. That took way too long.]


    She glanced over to check on Petriel, expecting to see her using her staff to heal the third wounded man.


    Instead, Grace¡¯s jaw dropped.


    Petriel was straddling the man¡¯s lap, her hands on either side of his face, and she was... kissing him. Not just kissing¡ªshe was practically devouring him, her tongue visibly pushing into his mouth as blue healing energy flowed between them.


    [WHAAAAAAAT!?]


    The man¡¯s wounds were closing rapidly, much faster than Grace¡¯s healing had worked. His broken arm straightened with an audible crack, and the cuts on his face sealed in seconds. The whole time, Petriel kept kissing him, a faint moan escaping her throat.


    Golden text flashed in Grace¡¯s vision:


    ¡¸Skill Observed: Intimate Healing (Lvl. 4)¡¹


    ¡¸Description: Healing amplified through physical intimacy¡¹


    Note: Observed skills can be unlocked through training


    Quest Gained!


    Category: Compassion


    Objective: Have Petriel teach you Intimate Healing


    Rewards: +5 Compassion, Skill: Intimate Healing


    Petriel finally broke the kiss with a pop, leaving the man dazed and completely healed. She wiped her mouth delicately with the back of her hand, then turned to find everyone staring at her.


    "What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious. "I-It¡¯s an efficient technique."


    "That¡¯s... that¡¯s not normal healing!" Grace spluttered.


    "I-It¡¯s a perfectly valid technique! Intimacy... channels divine energy quite effectively," Petriel explained looking down at herself.


    "But..." Grace gestured wildly. "But... you... he..."


    Petriel finally met Grace¡¯s eyes directly for the first time¡ªand immediately looked away, blushing furiously.


    "I-I trained with both the Sisters of Compassion and the Sisters of Love," she explained quietly. "My healing works best when... combined."


    "That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard of this," Mara admitted.


    Alia bounded forward, suddenly very interested.


    "Can you teach me that? The kissing healing thing? I¡¯m great at the kissing part already!"


    Zephyr pulled her back.


    "Not now, Alia."


    The man Petriel had healed was still sitting on the ground, looking dazed and happy.


    "I feel... amazing," he murmured.


    "Oh, I bet you do," Diana muttered with a smirk.


    Grace couldn¡¯t stop staring at Petriel, who was now checking the man¡¯s arm with clinical detachment, as if she hadn¡¯t just had her tongue down his throat. The shy, stuttering healer who could barely make eye contact had transformed into a confident professional¡ªthen just as quickly reverted back to avoiding Grace¡¯s gaze.


    [What is happening? Who IS this girl?]


    "All stable," Mara announced, standing up. "We should keep moving. Rosewood can¡¯t be far now."


    "Wait," the woman said, getting to her feet with Mara¡¯s help. "Let us take you there. It¡¯s the least we can do after you saved us."


    "We know a safe path," one of the men added. "To avoid those plant-things."


    Mara exchanged glances with Diana, who shrugged.


    "Fine. Lead the way."


    As they gathered their belongings, the woman hesitated.


    "You¡¯re not with the other angel, then?"


    Grace froze. Mara tilted her head.


    "What other angel?"


    "The one who arrived in Rosewood three days ago," the woman said. "Tall, green hair. Like hers, but darker," the woman pointed at Petriel. "Doesn¡¯t talk much."


    "We weren¡¯t informed of any other angels in the area," Mara said slowly. "Are you certain?"


    "Absolutely. She¡¯s been helping the sick in the village. Doing a fine job too, from what we heard. Said she was sent from the Dominion."


    Diana¡¯s hand tightened on her sword.


    "Description doesn¡¯t match any of our Sisters."


    Mara¡¯s expression hardened.


    "No, it doesn¡¯t."


    "The Veil?" Grace whispered, just loud enough for Mara to hear.


    "Possibly," Mara murmured back.


    The travelers led them down a hidden path that wound through the densest part of the forest. As they walked, Grace kept stealing glances at Petriel, who studiously avoided looking at her.


    After the third or fourth glance, Zephyr sidled up to Grace.


    "Curious about our shy friend¡¯s talents?" she asked, voice low and teasing.


    "I... that¡¯s not..." Grace felt her face heating up. "It was just unexpected."


    "Mmm-hmm," Zephyr smirked. "The quiet ones are always full of surprises. Wonder what else she can do with that mouth."


    "Zephyr!" Grace hissed.


    "Just saying. You might want to find out."


    "I don¡¯t¡ªthat¡¯s not¡ªugh!"


    Zephyr laughed softly and dropped back to walk with Alia, leaving Grace flustered and confused.


    [I¡¯m not curious. I¡¯m not. It was just... surprising. That¡¯s all.]


    The forest began to thin, and through the trees, Grace could make out the first buildings of Rosewood. It was larger than Oakridge, with proper stone buildings instead of wooden cottages. Under normal circumstances, it would have looked charming.


    But even from here, something was obviously wrong. Many of the buildings had the same vine-like growths they¡¯d seen on the plant-zombies, creeping up walls and across rooftops. The sky above the village had an unnatural greenish tint, and several trees within the village boundaries had grown to massive, twisted proportions.


    "It¡¯s worse than we thought," Mara said grimly.


    "We¡¯ve been managing," one of the men said. "The other angel has been a godsend. She¡¯s set up a healing area in the town square."


    "Take us there," Mara commanded. "I want to meet this... angel."


    Grace felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with demonic presence. If the Dominion hadn¡¯t sent another angel...


    Who¡ªor what¡ªwas waiting for them in Rosewood?

 Chapter 53: The Green Barrier

    Chapter 53: The Green BarrierRosewood looked like a town caught between two worlds.


    Half of it was normal¡ªsturdy stone buildings, neat gardens, a cobblestone town square. The other half seemed to be transforming into something else entirely¡ªbuildings wrapped in thick vines, streets cracked by massive roots, windows obscured by strange moss that glowed faintly in the shadows.


    "This is..." Grace trailed off, not knowing how to describe it.


    "Really messed up," Diana finished for her, hand resting on her sword hilt.


    Their guides led them into the town square, where villagers moved with weary purpose. Some carried buckets of water, others tended to the wounded laid out on makeshift pallets. The moment the villagers spotted the angels¡¯ wings, a ripple of hope passed through the crowd.


    "More angels!" someone shouted, and people began to gather.


    Mara stepped forward, radiating calm authority.


    "We¡¯ve come from the Dominion to help. Where is your village elder?"


    A stooped man with a gray beard hobbled forward, leaning on a walking stick that looked suspiciously like one of the twisted vines they¡¯d encountered in the forest.


    "I¡¯m Elder Soonjum. Thank the goddess you¡¯ve come. The corruption spreads daily."


    "We understand another angel arrived before us?" Mara asked.


    The elder nodded vigorously.


    "Yes, yes! Three days ago. Said her name was Ivy. Green hair, green wings. Very quiet, but incredibly helpful."


    "Green wings?" Mara¡¯s eyebrows shot up. "That¡¯s... unusual."


    "What did this ¡¯Ivy¡¯ do while she was here?" Diana asked, suspicion evident in her voice.


    "Healing, mostly," a young woman piped up. She had bandages wrapped around her arm, but they were clean and fresh. "She fixed my arm when one of those plant-monsters near dragged me into the woods."


    "She taught us how to make special poultices," another villager added. "For the plant sickness."


    Grace felt a bit of relief. At least this mysterious angel had been helping, not harming.


    "Where is she now?" Grace asked.


    The elder¡¯s face fell.


    "That¡¯s the problem. Two days ago, she said she¡¯d found the source of the corruption and went to investigate. When she returned yesterday, she was... different."


    "Different how?" Mara pressed.


    "Pale. Shaking. She wouldn¡¯t talk to anyone, just went straight to the great tree at the center of town." He pointed to an enormous tree that towered over the village, its trunk wider than three houses. "She¡¯s been in there ever since."


    "In... the tree?" Grace blinked. "Like, inside it?"


    "Yes," the elder nodded. "The tree opened for her. Then she created some kind of barrier. Green light. No one can get through it."


    Diana and Mara exchanged glances.


    "Show us," Mara said.


    ---


    The elder led them through the village to the massive tree. It was even more impressive up close¡ªat least a hundred feet tall, with a trunk so wide twenty people holding hands couldn¡¯t circle it. The bark was dark with swirling patterns that almost looked like faces.


    And surrounding it was an unmistakable dome of shimmering green energy that pulsed with its own heartbeat.


    "That¡¯s not normal angel magic," Diana muttered.


    Petriel, who had been quiet since the forest incident, suddenly stepped forward. She knelt and touched the ground around the barrier, examining something.


    "These markings," she said, voice steady for once. "I recognize them."


    Everyone turned to look. Grace hadn¡¯t noticed before, but there were symbols etched into the ground around the tree, glowing faintly with the same green energy as the barrier.


    "What are they?" Grace asked.


    "Earth-Tender runes," Petriel explained. "This angel... she must be an Earth-Tender." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Earth-Tender?" Grace recalled brief mentions of them in her studies. "The angels who heal land instead of people?"


    Petriel nodded.


    "They¡¯re specialists in purifying corrupted landscapes. They live in the forests, away from the main Dominion. That¡¯s probably why she has green wings."


    "That would explain the plant magic," Mara said thoughtfully. "But not why she¡¯s locked herself in a tree."


    "Maybe she¡¯s hurt?" Grace suggested. "Or infected with whatever¡¯s affecting the village?"


    "Or maybe she¡¯s the source of it," Diana said darkly.


    "Diana!"


    "What? It¡¯s possible. We don¡¯t know her. And this isn¡¯t normal."


    The elder shook his head.


    "No, no. The sickness started weeks before she arrived. Plants growing wrong, people getting strange rashes, the forest creatures turning hostile. She was helping¡ªtruly helping."


    Mara approached the barrier and placed her hand against it. The green energy rippled but didn¡¯t give way.


    "Hello?" she called. "Sister Ivy? I am Mara, leader of the Sisters of Compassion. We¡¯ve come to help."


    No response came from within the tree.


    Mara tried again.


    "If you¡¯re injured, we can assist you. Please respond."


    Still nothing.


    Petriel moved closer to the barrier, examining the runes more carefully.


    "These are... complicated. Advanced Earth-Tender magic. She¡¯s sealed herself inside completely."


    "Can we break through?" Diana asked.


    "I wouldn¡¯t recommend it," Petriel said. "The spell is tied to the life force of the tree itself. Disturbing it could have... unpredictable consequences."


    "So she¡¯s either trapped herself in there or is hiding from something," Mara said. "Neither is good news."


    Grace thought back to her vision¡ªan angel being consumed by plant-like corruption. Could it have been this Ivy person? Was she in danger, or was she the danger?


    The elder cleared his throat.


    "While you figure this out... we have many sick who need attention. The angel¡¯s remedies helped, but more fall ill each day."


    Mara straightened, shifting immediately into healer mode.


    "Of course. We¡¯ll set up in the town hall. Petriel, you¡¯ll assist me with the worst cases." She turned to Diana. "Diana, I want you and Grace to secure the perimeter. Clear out any of those plant creatures to prevent further attacks."


    "Wait, what?" Grace squeaked. "You want us to go back into the forest? Where the plant zombies are?"


    "It¡¯s what we came here for," Diana said, already checking her sword. "Besides, I want to find out where these things are coming from."


    "But¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t worry," Diana cut her off. "I¡¯ve seen you fight now. You¡¯re not completely useless."


    From Diana, that was practically a glowing recommendation.


    "... Fine," Grace sighed. "But if I get eaten by plants, I¡¯m coming back to haunt you."


    "Noted." Diana turned to Mara. "We¡¯ll circle the village and eliminate any threats. Should take a couple hours."


    "Perfect," Mara nodded. "Alia, Zephyr, you¡¯ll help me organize the villagers and set up the healing station."


    "Seriously?" Alia pouted. "More work?"


    "Unless you¡¯d prefer to hunt plant monsters with Diana and Grace?"


    Alia¡¯s eyes widened.


    "Organizing! My favorite!"


    As the group began to disperse, Mara pulled Grace aside.


    "Be careful out there. Diana is an excellent fighter, but those creatures are strange. Trust your instincts."


    "My instincts usually tell me to run away screaming," Grace muttered.


    Mara smiled.


    "And yet, you never do." She squeezed Grace¡¯s shoulder. "That¡¯s growth."


    [Is it growth, or just stupidity? Hard to tell the difference sometimes.]


    Diana was already heading toward the village¡¯s eastern edge, clearly expecting Grace to follow. With one last glance at the glowing tree barrier, Grace hurried after her.


    "So," Diana said once they were away from the others, "what¡¯s the real reason you can spot corruption cores?"


    Grace nearly tripped.


    "What?"


    "You heard me. Back in the forest, back at Oakridge, you knew exactly where to strike those plant-things. How?"


    "I told you, I can just... sense it."


    Diana gave her a sidelong look.


    "Right. And I can shoot rainbows from my ass."


    "Gross."


    "Point is," Diana continued, "you¡¯ve got some ability you¡¯re not sharing. Which is fine¡ªwe all have secrets. But if it helps us stay alive out here, I¡¯d like to know about it."


    Grace swallowed. She wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to say it.


    "It¡¯s... something I developed at Oakridge," she said instead. Not entirely a lie. "I can sort of... see corruption. Like an aura."


    Diana studied her face for a moment, then nodded.


    "Well, at least it¡¯s useful."


    They reached the edge of the village, where the neat houses gave way to tangled forest. The tree line looked darker and more forbidding than before.


    "Ready for some solo plant-zombie hunting?" Diana asked, a grim smile on her face.


    "Solo?" Grace¡¯s voice cracked. "What happened to ¡¯we¡¯?"


    "We¡¯ll cover more ground if we split up," Diana said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I¡¯ll go north along the perimeter, you go south. We meet at the western edge."


    "But¡ª"


    "Relax. If you run into anything you can¡¯t handle, just scream. I¡¯ll probably hear you." Diana patted her shoulder. "Besides, nothing builds confidence like fighting for your life alone in a monster-infested forest."


    And with that, Diana unsheathed her sword and strode away, leaving Grace standing at the forest¡¯s edge with her jaw hanging open.


    [She¡¯s ditching me! That¡¯s her plan? ¡¯Just scream if you¡¯re about to die¡¯?]


    Grace¡¯s hand went instinctively to the medallion at her chest. It was cool now, showing no signs of the vision-inducing heat from earlier.


    "Thanks for the help," she muttered to the inactive medallion.


    With a deep breath, Grace summoned her rapier and stepped into the forest alone.

 Chapter 54: Solo

    Chapter 54: SoloGrace moved through the forest with her rapier drawn, constantly glancing over her shoulder. Every rustle made her jump. Every shadow looked like a plant-zombie ready to pounce.


    [I can¡¯t believe Diana abandoned me. ¡¯Just scream if you¡¯re about to die.¡¯ Wow, thanks for the stellar advice.]


    Despite her nervousness, there was something oddly familiar about traversing these woods alone. The dappled sunlight filtering through leaves, the soft earth beneath her feet, the smell of moss and bark and growing things. It reminded her of her old life.


    Back when she was just Grace Lightsinger, humble turnip farmer, she¡¯d spend hours in forests like this one. Hunting for herbs, digging up roots, gathering berries and mushrooms. She knew how to move quietly and which plants were safe to touch.


    [Who would¡¯ve thought all that foraging would be useful angel training?]


    She ducked under a low-hanging branch, careful not to snag her wings. That was new, at least. Turnip Farmer Grace didn¡¯t have to worry about wings getting caught on things.


    The forest grew denser the further south she moved. The trees here seemed almost deliberately placed to block her path, forcing her to squeeze between trunks and climb over massive roots. The corruption was more visible too¡ªpatches of moss that glowed faintly purple, flowers with too many petals that seemed to turn to follow her movement.


    [This is fine. Everything¡¯s fine. Just a normal, slightly demonic forest. Nothing to¡ª]


    A twig snapped behind her.


    Grace whirled around, rapier extended, and found herself face-to-face with... nothing. Just more trees.


    [Get it together, Grace. You¡¯re jumping at shadows.]


    She lowered her weapon and turned back to her path¡ªonly to find her way blocked by a plant-person standing not three feet away.


    "GYAAAH!" Grace scrambled backward, nearly falling over a root.


    The creature tilted its head, vines shifting where its face should be. It wasn¡¯t attacking. Yet.


    Grace steadied herself, raising her rapier again. Her eyes locked onto the creature¡¯s chest, where she could see the faint glow of a corruption core.


    [One target. One core. I can do this.]


    The creature took a step forward.


    Then another.


    Then three more emerged from the trees around her, surrounding Grace in a loose circle.


    [Oh come ON!]


    The first creature lunged. Grace sidestepped, letting its momentum carry it past her. Her rapier flashed out, slicing through vines but missing the core. The creature hardly noticed the damage, already turning back toward her.


    A second creature grabbed for her wings. Grace ducked and rolled, coming up behind it. This time, her aim was true¡ªher rapier plunged into its back, piercing straight through to the corruption core.


    The creature went rigid. Then, like a puppet with cut strings, it collapsed into a pile of ordinary plants and dirt.


    [One down. Three to go.]


    The remaining creatures attacked together. Grace took to the air, using her wings to gain a few precious feet of height. The creatures couldn¡¯t follow, but they could reach¡ªvines extending upward like grasping fingers.


    "Nope!" Grace slashed at the vines, severing them.


    She swooped down, using her smaller size and agility to her advantage. Diana had drilled her mercilessly on moving through combat, on using her petite frame to dodge and weave rather than trying to match strength with stronger opponents.


    For once, Grace was grateful for all those bruises.


    She darted between two creatures, her rapier a blur of golden light. The blade found another core, and a second creature fell.


    [Two down!]


    The third creature caught her by the ankle. Grace yelped as it dragged her down, sending her crashing into the forest floor. Her rapier flew from her hand, landing several feet away.


    "No no no!" She kicked frantically at the creature¡¯s grip, but the vines only tightened.


    It pulled her closer, its eyeless face leaning in. Grace¡¯s fingers scrabbled in the dirt, searching for anything she could use as a weapon.


    Her hand closed around a rock. Not ideal, but better than nothing. She smashed it into the creature¡¯s face, buying herself just enough time to wrench free and scramble toward her fallen rapier.


    The creature was right behind her. Grace grabbed her weapon and rolled onto her back, thrusting upward blindly.


    By sheer luck, the blade found the creature¡¯s core. It shuddered, then collapsed on top of her in a heap of suddenly lifeless vegetation.


    "Ugh!" Grace pushed the pile off, spitting out leaves. "Gross gross gross!"


    She staggered to her feet, checking for the final creature.


    It stood at the edge of the small clearing, watching her. Unlike the others, this one wasn¡¯t advancing. It just... stared. Or seemed to, despite having no eyes.


    As Grace looked closer, she noticed something different about this one. The plants making up its body were less twisted, the vines thinner. Through gaps in the vegetation, she could see actual human skin.


    [This one¡¯s not fully corrupted yet.]


    Grace remembered her Aura Cleanse skill. She¡¯d barely used it since acquiring it, but maybe...


    "Hey," she called, keeping her voice gentle. "I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I want to help."


    The creature tilted its head again but didn¡¯t attack.


    "I¡¯m an angel. I can help get rid of the corruption." Grace took a step forward, lowering her rapier slightly. "Just stay still, okay?"


    The creature made no move to flee. Grace approached cautiously, ready to jump back at the first sign of aggression.


    When she was within arm¡¯s reach, she sheathed her rapier and raised her hands, palms forward.


    "This might feel a little weird," she warned, though she wasn¡¯t sure the creature could understand her.


    Grace closed her eyes, focusing on the warm energy in her chest. She¡¯d practiced this with Mara¡ªchanneling purification energy rather than healing energy. It was trickier, requiring more precision.


    [Focus. Like you¡¯re pulling a single thread from a tangled skein.]


    Golden light gathered in her palms. Grace placed her hands on either side of the creature¡¯s chest, where the corruption core pulsed beneath layers of vine and skin.


    "Aura Cleanse," she whispered.


    The light intensified, spreading from her hands into the creature¡¯s body. Grace could feel the corruption resisting, trying to cling to its host. She pushed harder, pouring more energy into the purification.


    The creature trembled under her touch. Vines began to fall away, disintegrating into dust. Bit by bit, a human form emerged¡ªa young man with dark hair and pale skin, his clothes torn and dirty.


    With one final pulse of energy, Grace destroyed the corruption core completely. The man gasped, his eyes flying open. They were clear and human, with no trace of the blue-purple corruption.


    "You did it," he whispered hoarsely, staring at Grace with a mixture of awe and exhaustion. "You actually did it."


    Then his knees buckled. Grace lunged forward to catch him before he hit the ground, though his weight nearly took her down with him. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, stay with me," Grace urged, lowering him gently. "What¡¯s your name?"


    "Elias," he managed, his voice barely audible. "Village... herbalist."


    "Elias, what happened to you? How did you get corrupted?"


    His eyes were already closing, consciousness slipping away. "Tried to help... Ivy."


    Grace leaned closer.


    "Ivy? The angel?"


    "Not her fault," Elias mumbled. "She tried to... stop it. But the root... too strong."


    "What root? Elias, stay awake!"


    But it was too late. Elias had passed out, his breathing shallow but steady.


    Grace sat back on her heels, processing what she¡¯d heard.


    [So Ivy was trying to help, not causing the corruption. But what¡¯s this ¡¯root¡¯ he mentioned?]


    She needed to get Elias back to the village. Mara could properly heal him, and maybe when he woke up, he could tell them more about what happened to Ivy.


    Grace glanced around, realizing she had no idea which direction the village was. She¡¯d gotten turned around during the fight.


    [Great. Lost in a demon-corrupted forest with an unconscious man. Diana¡¯s never going to let me hear the end of this.]


    As if responding to her thoughts, a distant voice called through the trees.


    "GRACE! Where are you, you disaster?"


    Diana. Grace had never been so happy to hear that annoyed tone.


    "Over here!" she shouted back. "And I could use some help!"


    She looked down at Elias¡¯s unconscious form, wondering what exactly had happened between him and Ivy.


    Had he been with Ivy when she was corrupted? Or worse¡ªhad he been with Ivy when she did the corrupting?

 Chapter 55: The Herbalist鈥檚 Tale

    Chapter 55: The Herbalist¡¯s Tale"You found a what?" Diana stared at the unconscious man draped over Grace¡¯s shoulder.


    "A person," Grace grunted, struggling under his weight. "An actual human person. I cleansed the corruption from him."


    Diana crossed her arms.


    "And you¡¯re sure he¡¯s not going to wake up and try to strangle you with vines?"


    "Pretty sure. Could you maybe help instead of just standing there?"


    With an exaggerated sigh, Diana stepped forward and lifted Elias from Grace¡¯s arms like he weighed nothing. She tossed him over her shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Well, alright then.]


    "So this is what kept you from meeting me at the rendezvous point?" Diana asked, flicking Grace¡¯s forehead with her free hand as they started walking back toward the village.


    "Ow! I was a little busy fighting for my life," Grace retorted, rubbing her sore arms before rubbing her forehead. "Four of those plant-things attacked me at once."


    "And you handled it?" Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "Obviously."


    Diana¡¯s mouth twitched in what might have almost been a smile.


    "... Not bad."


    [Did Diana just compliment me? Is the world ending?]


    "He said something before he passed out," Grace continued. "About Ivy trying to stop something called ¡¯the root.¡¯"


    "The root?"


    "That¡¯s all he managed to say before he conked out."


    Diana readjusted Elias on her shoulder.


    "Maybe he¡¯ll be more coherent after Mara takes a look at him."


    ---


    They walked the rest of the way in silence, Grace checking the trees for any signs of more plant-people. After about twenty minutes, they emerged from the forest onto the outskirts of Rosewood.


    Mara had established a healing station in the town hall, a large stone building at one end of the main square. When Grace and Diana entered, they found at least thirty villagers laid out on makeshift beds. Mara and Petriel moved among them, hands glowing with healing energy.


    Zephyr intercepted them at the door.


    "Find anything?"


    "More like someone," Diana said, nodding at Elias.


    Zephyr¡¯s eyes widened.


    "Is that¡ª"


    "A healed plant-zombie," Grace confirmed.


    "You really managed to heal him?" Zephyr looked impressed.


    "Well, he¡¯s not trying to kill us with vines, so... yes?"


    Mara appeared at Zephyr¡¯s side, looking tired but alert.


    "What¡¯s this?"


    "Grace purified a corrupted villager," Diana explained, handing Elias off to two helpers who carried him to an empty bed. "Says his name is Elias. Apparently he¡¯s the village herbalist."


    Mara¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    "You purified corruption without killing the host? Grace, that¡¯s incredible!"


    Grace blushed at the praise.


    "I-It wasn¡¯t that big a deal."


    "It is a big deal," Mara insisted. "Back at Oakridge, even I couldn¡¯t purify any of those corrupted villagers."


    Mara moved to Elias¡¯s side, her hands hovering over his body. Blue light emanated from her palms as she performed a diagnostic.


    "The corruption is completely gone," she marveled. "But his body is exhausted from fighting it. He needs rest and nourishment."


    "How long until he wakes up?" Diana asked.


    "Hard to say. Could be hours. Could be¡ª"


    "Ivy." Elias¡¯s eyes fluttered open, his voice weak but clear. "Where¡¯s Ivy?"


    Mara placed a calming hand on his shoulder.


    "Easy now. You¡¯re safe."


    "Still in the tree," Grace said, moving to his bedside. "Elias, right? I¡¯m Grace. I found you in the forest."


    His eyes focused on her face.


    "The angel. You... purified me."


    "That¡¯s right. Can you tell us what happened to you? And to Ivy?"


    Elias tried to sit up, but Mara gently pushed him back down.


    "Not yet. You¡¯re still very weak."


    "No time," he insisted. "You have to understand. About Ivy. About the Root."


    Diana stepped closer, her expression intense.


    "What is the Root?"


    Elias swallowed, his eyes darting around the room.


    "Water, please."


    Zephyr handed him a cup, which he drained in one desperate gulp.


    "Three days ago," he began, his voice steadier now, "Ivy arrived. She said she was sent to investigate the corruption spreading through our forest."


    "The Dominion didn¡¯t send her," Mara said.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter," Elias replied. "She just said she was here to help. And she did help. Taught us remedies for the plant-sickness, healed the wounded."


    "But?" Diana prompted.


    "But she was troubled. Said the corruption pattern was unusual. Plant-based, but with demonic elements mixed in. She asked if anyone knew the forest well enough to help her trace it to its source." Elias coughed. "I volunteered."


    "So what did you find?" Grace asked.


    "We tracked the corruption pattern for two days. All routes led to the same place. A cavern beneath the oldest part of the forest. Inside was..." He trailed off, his face pale at the memory.


    "Was what?" Diana demanded.


    "A root. But not just any root. Massive. Ancient. Pulsing with energy. And at its center, a core of pure corruption. Ivy called it a ¡¯primal corruption node¡¯¡ªsaid she¡¯d only read about them in ancient texts."


    Mara inhaled sharply.


    "Did she try to destroy it?"


    "No. She said destruction would only release the corruption in a massive burst. She tried to purify it instead. She..." Elias¡¯s voice faltered. "She placed her hands on it and began channeling purification energy. At first, it seemed to be working. The corruption receded. But then it... it fought back."


    "It fought back?" Grace repeated. "How?"


    "It sent a surge of corrupt energy into her. I¡¯ve never heard someone scream like that." Elias shuddered. "The plants around us went crazy. Started attacking. Ivy managed to fight them off, got us out of there, but she was... changing. Green veins spreading across her skin. Her eyes turning dark."


    "She was being corrupted," Mara said grimly.


    "She knew it too. When we made it back to the village, she went straight to the Great Tree. Said it was the only thing powerful enough to contain her if she lost control. She told me to keep everyone away, then sealed herself inside."


    "And that¡¯s when you got corrupted?" Grace asked.


    Elias nodded.


    "I went back to the cavern. Thought I might find something to help her. Stupid, I know. The plant-creatures caught me. Would have killed me if not for you."


    A heavy silence fell over the group as they absorbed his story.


    "So now we know," Diana said finally. "Ivy¡¯s not the source of the corruption. She¡¯s its victim."


    "And she¡¯s sealed herself away to protect the village," Mara added. "Noble, but..."


    "But what?" Grace asked.


    "If this ¡¯Root¡¯ is as powerful as it sounds, her containment won¡¯t last forever. Either the corruption will consume her completely, or..."


    "Or what?"


    "Or she¡¯ll become something else entirely. Something worse than those plant-creatures."


    "We have to help her!" Grace exclaimed.


    "How?" Diana challenged. "We can¡¯t break through her barrier without risking whatever corruption is inside her escaping."


    "I could try purifying her like I did with Elias," Grace suggested.


    Mara shook her head.


    "This sounds far more advanced than what infected Elias. And if Ivy, an Earth-Tender specialized in purification, couldn¡¯t handle it..."


    "Then we go to the source," Diana said. "Find this ¡¯Root¡¯ and destroy it."


    "Didn¡¯t you hear him?" Zephyr interjected. "Destruction would just release the corruption."


    "So we purify it," Grace insisted. "Together. All of us."


    "It¡¯s too dangerous," Mara said firmly. "We need to report back to the Dominion, get proper reinforcements."


    "There¡¯s no time," Elias croaked. "The Root grows stronger every day. And Ivy... I don¡¯t know how long she can hold out."


    Diana turned to Grace.


    "What¡¯s your take, turnip girl? You seem to have a knack for the impossible."


    All eyes turned to Grace. She swallowed, not used to being asked for her opinion.


    "I think..." she began slowly, "I think we can do both. Mara, you and Petriel keep healing the villagers. Prepare a message for the Dominion explaining everything. Diana, you and I should try to locate this cavern and assess the situation. Not to engage, just to gather information."


    There was a moment of surprised silence.


    "That¡¯s... actually a solid plan," Diana admitted.


    "When did you start being all clever?" Zephyr asked with a smirk.


    Grace shrugged, uncomfortable with the attention.


    Mara nodded.


    "Very well. But Diana, if you find the Root, you do not approach it. Understand? Just mark its location and return immediately."


    "Fine, fine," Diana agreed. "Reconnaissance only. We¡¯ll leave at dawn."


    "Thank you," Elias whispered, his eyes already drooping with exhaustion. "Ivy saved me. Please... save her."


    As the others dispersed to prepare, Grace lingered by Elias¡¯s bedside.


    "What did Ivy look like? At the end, I mean."


    Elias¡¯s gaze became distant.


    "Well... Beautiful. Terrifying. Veins like green fire under her skin. Eyes dark as the deepest part of the forest." His voice dropped to a whisper.


    [... I hope we can give her some help before long.]


    "Alright, alright. Rest now," she told him gently. "We¡¯ll find a way to help Ivy."


    As Grace left the town hall, she gazed at the massive tree and its glowing green barrier. Somewhere inside was an angel fighting her own corruption. Fighting to protect others at the cost of herself.


    Tomorrow, they would find the Root. And somehow, Grace would have to figure out how to do something even an Earth-Tender couldn¡¯t. Purify a primal corruption node, whatever that was, without being corrupted herself.


    [No pressure, right?]

 Chapter 56: Beneath the Surface

    Chapter 56: Beneath the Surface"Remind me why we¡¯re doing this again?" Grace whispered as they descended into the cave entrance Elias had marked on their map.


    "Because you suggested it," Diana replied flatly. "And for some reason, everyone thought it was a good idea."


    [Me and my big mouth.]


    The cave mouth was unassuming. Just a gap between two large rocks at the base of a hill. But as they ventured deeper, the natural stone gave way to what was clearly a carved passage, with smooth walls and an even floor.


    "This isn¡¯t a natural cave," Diana observed, her sword drawn and glowing faintly to provide light.


    "No kidding." Grace kept her rapier ready, trying to ignore the growing sense of dread in her stomach. "Who do you think built it?"


    "Definitely not humans." Diana ran her hand along the wall. "The stonework is too precise. Could be ancient angels."


    "Or something else entirely," Grace muttered.


    They continued in silence for several minutes. The air grew cooler and damp, with a faint earthen smell that wasn¡¯t entirely unpleasant. But there was something else underneath it, a sour, rotting smell beneath the earthiness that made Grace wrinkle her nose.


    "Look," Diana said suddenly, pointing to the wall.


    Grace squinted at what appeared to be deliberate markings carved into the stone. As Diana brought her sword closer, the markings became clearer. Complex symbols that formed neat rows along the passage wall.


    "Runes," Grace said, tracing one with her finger. It tingled slightly at her touch. "Ancient ones. Can you read them?"


    "Not really," Diana shook her head.


    "Yeah, we¡¯d probably need Petriel for this. She probably knows all about Earth-Tender writing."


    Diana snorted.


    "Your shy girlfriend."


    "She¡¯s not my¡ª" Grace sputtered, feeling her face heat up.


    "Relax, turnip girl." Diana moved her sword along the wall, illuminating more symbols. "What can you make out from these runes?"


    Grace forced herself to concentrate. Some of the pictograms were obvious enough¡ªstylized figures with wings, trees, what looked like roots spreading beneath them.


    "It¡¯s telling a story, I think," she said, moving along the wall. "See how the images progress? These winged figures must be angels. And look, they seem to be... fighting?"


    Diana leaned closer.


    "Not just fighting. Look at what they¡¯re fighting over."


    Grace followed Diana¡¯s gaze to a central image, a massive, intricate depiction of what could only be a root system, with a glowing core at its center.


    "The Root," Grace breathed. "It¡¯s ancient. These carvings look thousands of years old."


    "And the angels are divided," Diana pointed out. "See? Some are trying to destroy it, others are defending it."


    "Angels fighting angels? Over a corrupted root?"


    "Who knows? Maybe it wasn¡¯t always corrupted." Diana continued down the passage, examining more runes. "Maybe it was something else first. Something worth protecting."


    The tunnel began to slope downward more steeply. The walls became increasingly damp, with moisture beading on the stone. And then, disturbingly, they noticed thin vine-like growths emerging from cracks in the floor and walls.


    "I don¡¯t like this," Grace murmured, eyeing a particularly thick vine that pulsed slightly, as if breathing.


    "Oh? And here I thought we were having a lovely stroll through a demon-infested underground tunnel." Diana¡¯s sarcasm couldn¡¯t quite hide the tension in her voice.


    The vines grew more numerous as they descended. Some even hung from the ceiling like twisted chandeliers. The air became heavy with the scent of wet earth and something sickeningly sweet, like overripe fruit.


    "We should go back," Grace suggested. "Get Mara and the others."


    "After coming this far? Not a chance." Diana pushed aside a curtain of hanging vines. "Besides, we¡¯re just scouting, remember? No engaging the big bad Root directly."


    "Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not the one who¡ª"


    A wet, slithering sound cut her off. Grace froze, her rapier held out in front of her.


    "Please tell me that was your stomach," she whispered.


    "Afraid not." Diana stepped into a defensive stance.


    From the shadows ahead, something moved. Multiple somethings. Plant-zombies, like the ones they¡¯d encountered in the forest, but... different. These were more plant than human, their bodies almost entirely composed of twisted vines and roots. Only the vaguest suggestion of human shape remained¡ªa bulbous head, limb-like appendages, torsos swollen with vegetable matter.


    "Uh, Diana? They look angrier than the last batch."


    "Stronger too," Diana observed, eyeing their bulkier forms and thicker vine-limbs. "These ones have adapted to life underground."


    Grace gulped as she noticed the red numbers floating above the creatures that only she could see: 25, 27, 26, 30. Much higher than the forest ones.


    Five of them blocked the passage ahead, swaying slightly as if in an unfelt breeze.


    "What¡¯s the play here?" Grace asked, counting exits (none) and advantages (also none).


    "You take the three on the left, I¡¯ll take the two on the right."


    "That doesn¡¯t seem fair."


    "Life isn¡¯t fair, turnip girl."


    Before Grace could protest further, Diana charged the two larger plant-creatures, her golden sword slicing through vegetable matter with brutal efficiency. Green ichor sprayed the walls.


    [Guess we¡¯re doing this now.]


    Grace darted toward her three opponents, using her smaller size to duck under a swinging vine-arm. Her rapier plunged into the first creature¡¯s chest, seeking the corruption core. She found it, twisted her blade, and the creature collapsed into mulch.


    "One down!"


    Her victory was short-lived as the second creature caught her wing with a whip-like appendage, yanking her backward. Grace yelped as she was dragged off her feet, crashing into the damp tunnel floor.


    "Pay attention!" Diana shouted, already having dispatched one of her targets.


    "I¡¯m trying!" Grace rolled to avoid a stomping root-foot, then sprang back up.


    She slashed at the restraint on her wing, severing it cleanly. The creature recoiled, giving Grace just enough time to thrust her rapier into its core. Another one down.


    The third creature was smarter, keeping its distance and lashing out with extending vines. Grace dodged one, two, three strikes, but the fourth caught her across the cheek, leaving a stinging welt.


    "Ouch! That was my face, you overgrown weed!"


    The plant-zombie didn¡¯t seem particularly moved by her complaint.


    Grace switched tactics. Instead of trying to close distance, she feinted left, then darted right, circling behind her opponent. The creature was quick but not quick enough. Grace¡¯s rapier found its core from behind, and it joined its companions as a pile of vegetation.


    She turned to help Diana, only to find the warrior angel standing amid the remains of both her opponents, not a hair out of place.


    "Took you long enough," Diana commented.


    "Says the person who only had to fight two of them," Grace retorted, wiping ichor from her cheek.


    Diana smirked. "Quality over quantity."


    Grace opened her mouth to respond when a notification appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Skill Upgraded: Blade of Eternia (Lvl. 4)¡¹


    [Huh. Nice timing.]


    "You okay?" Diana asked, noticing Grace¡¯s momentary distraction.


    "Fine. Just thinking about what those runes might mean." Grace pointed back to the wall carvings. "Angels fighting angels over this Root. It doesn¡¯t make sense." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Dominion has a complicated history," Diana said, surprisingly serious. "There were... factions, even back before the Veil split off. Disagreements about how to handle certain threats."


    "Like the Root?"


    "Like anything powerful enough to be either a weapon or a danger." Diana sheathed her sword. "Come on. We¡¯re wasting time."


    They continued deeper, the passage now thoroughly infested with pulsing vegetation. Roots broke through the floor in places, forcing them to climb over twisted knots of plant matter. The walls themselves seemed alive, shifting slightly when viewed from the corner of the eye.


    "How much further do you think?" Grace asked, trying not to touch any of the moving parts of their surroundings.


    "Elias said they walked for about an hour before reaching the Root chamber. We¡¯ve been down here maybe thirty minutes?"


    "Feels longer," Grace muttered.


    The tunnel opened suddenly into a larger chamber, roughly circular and about twenty feet across. More runes covered the walls here, but larger and more elaborate. In the center of the chamber stood a stone pedestal, and on it...


    "Is that...?" Grace began.


    "A map," Diana confirmed, approaching the pedestal cautiously.


    Carved into the stone was an intricate depiction of the surrounding area¡ªthe forest, the village of Rosewood, and beneath it all, a complex network of tunnels radiating from a central chamber.


    "This is where we are," Diana pointed to a small chamber along one of the tunnel branches. "And that..." She traced a path with her finger to the central chamber. "That must be where the Root is."


    "It¡¯s huge," Grace said, noting the scale of the central chamber compared to the others. "Way bigger than this one."


    "And these markings around it," Diana indicated a series of symbols surrounding the central chamber. "Those look like wards or barriers."


    "Protection spells?"


    "Or containment spells." Diana¡¯s expression was grim. "I think whatever the Root is, it was deliberately sealed down here. Until something broke those seals."


    A chill ran down Grace¡¯s spine.


    "Something... or someone."


    "Either way, we¡¯re getting close." Diana straightened up. "One more tunnel and we should reach the main chamber."


    Grace looked at the map again, memorizing the route.


    "Do you think we should go back and get the others first?"


    Diana was already heading toward the tunnel that would lead them deeper.


    "And risk more of those plant-zombies blocking our exit? No thanks. We¡¯ll take a quick look at the Root, then head back. In and out."


    "Why do I feel like we¡¯re walking into a trap?" Grace muttered, hurrying after her.


    "Because we probably are," Diana replied cheerfully. "But that¡¯s not gonna stop us."


    [Us? Since when is there an ¡¯us¡¯?]


    But Grace followed anyway, her rapier clutched tightly in her hand, as they descended even deeper beneath the forest, toward the ancient, corrupted heart that waited below.

 Chapter 57: Kiss of Life

    Chapter 57: Kiss of Life"Watch out!" Diana shoved Grace aside as a chunk of ceiling crashed down where she¡¯d been standing seconds before.


    The tunnel shook violently. Dust and small rocks rained down as cracks spread across the walls and ceiling. What had started as a minor tremor had quickly escalated into a full-blown cave-in.


    "Move!" Diana grabbed Grace¡¯s wrist, pulling her forward as the passage behind them collapsed with a deafening roar.


    They sprinted through the increasingly unstable tunnel, dodging falling debris. Grace¡¯s wings knocked against the narrow walls as she ran, sending sharp pain through her shoulders.


    "The tunnel¡¯s collapsing!" Grace shouted unnecessarily.


    "No kidding!" Diana shot back. "Jump when I say jump!"


    "What? Why would I¡ª"


    "JUMP!"


    Grace leapt without thinking. A massive section of ceiling crashed down exactly where they would have been. The impact shook the entire passage, sending more cracks racing ahead of them.


    "There!" Diana pointed to a wider section of tunnel just ahead. "Might be more stable!"


    They reached the small chamber just as the tunnel behind them gave way completely. A cloud of dust and rock fragments billowed over them as the rumbling finally subsided.


    Grace doubled over, hands on her knees, coughing as the dust settled.


    "That was close," she wheezed. "Too close."


    Diana inspected their surroundings, sword at the ready.


    "The way back is completely blocked. We¡¯re going forward whether we like it or not."


    "Great," Grace muttered. "Trapped in plant-zombie-infested tunnels. Just how I wanted to spend my day."


    The chamber they¡¯d found themselves in was roughly circular, with three tunnel entrances including the collapsed one they¡¯d just escaped from. Roots and vines covered about half the wall space, pulsing with a faint green glow.


    "Which way now?" Grace asked, brushing dust from her wings.


    Diana examined the two remaining passages.


    "Left looks like it continues downward. That¡¯s probably¡ª"


    A wet, squelching sound cut her off. From the right-hand tunnel, something emerged¡ªno, multiple somethings. Plant-zombies, more evolved than the ones they¡¯d fought earlier. These had bulbous growths on their backs and vines that terminated in sharp, thorn-like points.


    "More friends," Diana growled, raising her sword. "And they look hungry."


    Grace quickly counted¡ªsix of them, crowding into the chamber from the right passage. The red numbers floating above them made her stomach drop: 32, 30, 35, 33, 34, 36.


    [These are stronger than the last batch. Much stronger.]


    "Guess we¡¯re going left," Grace said, backing toward the other tunnel.


    "Not without clearing a path first." Diana stepped forward, putting herself between Grace and the creatures. "Ready for round two, turnip girl?"


    "Not really, but do I have a choice?"


    The lead creature lunged, its vine-arms extended like spears. Diana parried the strike, her golden sword slicing through the vines¡ªbut they immediately grew back, thicker than before.


    "They regenerate faster!" Diana called, dodging a follow-up attack.


    Two more creatures surged forward. Grace met them head-on, her rapier a blur of golden light as she targeted their corruption cores. She pierced the first one cleanly, and it collapsed into a pile of vegetation.


    "One down!" she called triumphantly.


    The victory was short-lived. The remaining plant-zombies adapted their strategy, spreading out to surround them. One shot a spray of foul-smelling liquid from a bulbous growth on its shoulder. Grace ducked just in time.


    "Don¡¯t let that stuff touch you!" Diana warned, slicing through another creature. "Looks corrosive!"


    Grace nodded, focusing on her footwork as Diana had taught her. She slipped between two attackers, stabbing one through its core while evading the other. Another pile of vegetation hit the floor.


    Diana was holding her own against three at once, her sword a whirlwind of deadly precision. She dispatched one, then pivoted to face the next.


    "Diana, behind you!" Grace shouted.


    Diana turned, but not quite fast enough. A vine-limb tipped with a wicked thorn plunged into her midsection. Diana grunted in pain but didn¡¯t falter, severing the limb with her sword and then destroying the creature¡¯s core in one fluid motion.


    The last plant-zombie made a desperate lunge at Grace. She sidestepped and thrust her rapier directly into its core, ending the fight.


    The chamber fell silent except for their heavy breathing.


    "Are you okay?" Grace asked, turning to Diana¡ªand gasped.


    Diana stood with one hand pressed to her side, blood seeping between her fingers. The thorn that had stabbed her was still embedded in her flesh, pulsing with a sickly green light.


    "I¡¯m fine," Diana gritted out, clearly not fine. "Just a flesh wound."


    "Let me see," Grace insisted, moving to her side.


    Diana reluctantly removed her hand. The wound was deep, the area around the thorn already turning an unnatural green color.


    "That doesn¡¯t look good," Grace said, examining the injury. "I need to remove the thorn."


    "Be my guest," Diana winced.


    Grace carefully gripped the thorn, ignoring Diana¡¯s sharp intake of breath as she pulled it free. Blood and a greenish fluid immediately welled from the puncture.


    "Poison," Grace said grimly. "Or corruption. Or both."


    "Relax," Diana forced a smile through her obvious pain. "I literally can¡¯t die, remember? Unless you¡¯ve got a Primal Demon hidden in your pocket."


    "You can still be injured!" Grace pressed her hands against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. "And this looks serious."


    "Then heal me, turnip girl. You¡¯re a multi-faction trainee, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Right. Healing. I can do that." Grace positioned her hands over the wound. "Hold still."


    She closed her eyes, focusing on the warm energy at her center. Golden light gathered in her palms as she channeled healing power into Diana¡¯s injury. The bleeding slowed, and the green tinge began to recede, but... far too slowly.


    "Is it supposed to take this long?" Diana asked through gritted teeth.


    "I¡¯m trying!" Grace concentrated harder, but the healing remained frustratingly slow. "I¡¯m not as good at this as Mara or Petriel."


    As if responding to her frustration, golden text appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Skill Alternative Available: Intimate Healing¡¹


    ¡¸Note: Physical intimacy amplifies healing capabilities. Kiss the subject while channeling healing energy for maximum effect.¡¹


    Grace¡¯s face went nuclear.


    [Eternia, you cannot be serious right now!]


    "What is it?" Diana asked, noticing Grace¡¯s sudden flush. "You look like you¡¯re about to explode."


    "N-nothing! Just... concentrating!" Grace stammered.


    [I can¡¯t tell Diana I need to kiss her to heal her better! She¡¯d never let me live it down!]


    But the wound was still bleeding, and her regular healing was barely keeping up. The green tinge had stopped spreading, but it wasn¡¯t receding fast enough.


    "I, um, might have a faster way to heal you," Grace said finally, not meeting Diana¡¯s eyes.


    "I¡¯m listening."


    "It¡¯s a... technique I observed. From Petriel." Grace swallowed hard. "It uses... physical contact to amplify healing energy."


    "Physical contact?" Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "Specifically... um... kissing."


    A beat of silence followed.


    "You want to kiss me." It wasn¡¯t a question. Diana¡¯s lips curved into a smirk despite her pain. "How forward of you, turnip girl."


    "It¡¯s not like that!" Grace protested. "It¡¯s a legitimate healing technique!"


    "Uh-huh."


    "Look, do you want to be healed faster or not?"


    "No, no, I understand." Diana¡¯s smirk widened into a grin. "By all means, proceed. But I warn you, I¡¯m a better kisser than you."


    [Of course she¡¯d make this weird. I should just let her bleed.]


    "Fine. Just... hold still." Grace leaned forward awkwardly, hands still pressed to Diana¡¯s wound. "And close your eyes."


    "Why? Are you embarrassed?"


    "Just do it!"


    Diana chuckled but obliged, closing her eyes with a theatrical sigh.


    Grace took a deep breath, then pressed her lips against Diana¡¯s. It was stiff and awkward, like kissing a statue. She tried to focus on channeling healing energy, but nothing changed.


    [It¡¯s not working. Why isn¡¯t it working?]


    She started to pull back, frustrated, but Diana¡¯s hand suddenly caught the back of her neck.


    "That¡¯s not a kiss," Diana murmured against her lips. "Here, let me show you."


    Before Grace could protest, Diana pulled her closer, her lips softening as they moved against Grace¡¯s with confident purpose. When Diana¡¯s tongue traced her lower lip, Grace gasped in surprise.


    Diana took advantage of the parted lips, deepening the kiss with a boldness that made Grace¡¯s head spin. Heat flooded through Grace¡¯s body, and suddenly, she felt the healing energy surge between them.


    Golden light poured from her hands into Diana¡¯s wound. The torn flesh knitted together rapidly, the green tinge vanished completely, and new skin formed where the injury had been.


    Still, Diana didn¡¯t release her. The kiss continued long after the healing was complete, Diana¡¯s tongue exploring Grace¡¯s mouth with a thoroughness that left her breathless. When Diana finally pulled back, a thin strand of saliva still connected their lips for a moment before breaking. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thanks for the meal, turnip girl," Diana said with a lazy grin, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Best healing I¡¯ve ever received."


    Grace scrambled backward, her face burning hot enough to melt stone.


    "Y-you! That was¡ªyou didn¡¯t need to¡ªwe could have¡ª"


    "Use your words, angel," Diana teased, examining her healed abdomen. "Not a scar in sight. You¡¯ve got talent."


    [I almost wish I could take my healing back.]


    A golden notification appeared:


    ¡¸Skill Acquired: Intimate Healing (Lvl. 1)¡¹


    ¡¸Note: Further training available with Petriel to increase efficiency and power.¡¹


    Grace pointedly ignored it, pushing herself to her feet.


    "We should keep moving," she said stiffly, refusing to look at Diana. "The Root chamber can¡¯t be far now."


    Diana stood, stretching like a contented cat. "Lead the way. I feel fantastic."


    "I bet you do," Grace muttered.


    The left passage was narrower than the previous tunnel, forcing them to proceed in single file. Diana took the lead, apparently fully recovered...


    ... And annoyingly chipper.

 Chapter 58: The Core

    Chapter 58: The Core"You know," Diana said casually, "for someone who¡¯s never done that before, you caught on pretty quickly."


    "Can we please not talk about it?" Grace begged.


    "Why not? It was a legitimate healing technique, right?"


    "I hate you."


    "Well, you did save me back there. That poison would have been... unpleasant."


    Grace huffed, looking away.


    "You¡¯re welcome."


    "And for what it¡¯s worth," Diana continued, "you¡¯re not a bad kisser. With some practice¡ª"


    "We are NOT practicing that!"


    Diana laughed.


    The vegetation grew thicker as they progressed. The air became heavy and humid, filled with the scent of damp earth and decaying plants. Slime dripped from the ceiling in places, forming small, viscous puddles on the rocky floor.


    "We must be getting close," Diana whispered.


    "Yeah, seems like it." Grace shivered, feeling that same cold sensation she usually felt when demons were around.


    The cavern slowly became narrower. As they moved and that cold sensation got worse, Grace brought out her rapier, which in turn made Diana bring out her sword. Grace quickly saw, however, that she wouldn¡¯t need it.


    "Whoa..." Grace¡¯s eyes widened as she lowered her rapier.


    The tunnel opened into an enormous chamber, so vast that the light from their weapons couldn¡¯t reach the far walls. The ceiling soared overhead, dripping with thick, ropy vines that pulsed with an eerie green glow.


    But what dominated the chamber¡ªwhat made Grace¡¯s breath catch in her throat¡ªwas the object at its center.


    A massive spherical structure filled the middle of the chamber, easily twenty feet across. It looked like a giant knot of roots and vines all twisted together, but at its core, visible through gaps in the tangled vegetation, pulsed a dark purple-blue light. The light throbbed with a rhythm like a heartbeat, sending waves of cold through the chamber with each pulse.


    "The Root," Diana breathed. "It¡¯s not a root at all. It¡¯s a..."


    "Corruption core," Grace finished. "The biggest one I¡¯ve ever seen."


    As Grace stared at the massive core, something flickered in her peripheral vision. She turned her head slightly and gasped.


    Standing near the core was a figure bathed in golden light¡ªa tall woman with flowing white hair and golden eyes. Eternia.


    She wasn¡¯t looking at Grace but at the core itself, her expression thoughtful. She reached toward it, then pulled her hand back, shaking her head slightly.


    "Diana, do you see that?" Grace whispered.


    "See what?" Diana asked, scanning the chamber.


    "There¡¯s..." Grace blinked, and Eternia was gone, as if she¡¯d never been there at all. "Never mind."


    [Was that a vision? Or is Eternia actually here, somehow?]


    Diana approached the core cautiously, her sword held at the ready.


    "This thing is ancient. Look at how the roots have grown into the rock itself."


    Grace followed, fighting the urge to turn and flee from the bone-deep chill emanating from the core. It was like standing in a blizzard without clothes.


    "This is why the plant-zombies exist," Grace said, circling the structure. "This core is corrupting everything around it, turning plants and people into those monsters."


    "And Ivy tried to purify it," Diana added, pointing to what looked like burn marks on several of the vines. "Didn¡¯t go well for her."


    Grace examined the marks. They looked like handprints, as if someone had grabbed the vines and channeled energy through them until they burned.


    "She must have been overwhelmed by the corruption," Grace said. "That¡¯s why she sealed herself in the tree back at the village¡ªto contain whatever this thing did to her."


    Diana nodded.


    "So what now? We can¡¯t exactly carry this thing back to the surface."


    Grace bit her lip, thinking.


    "Maybe we don¡¯t have to."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I purified Elias. Maybe I can purify this too." Grace held up her hands, which had begun to glow faintly with golden light.


    Diana¡¯s eyes widened. "Are you insane? This thing corrupted an Earth-Tender¡ªa specialist in purification. What makes you think you can handle it?"


    "I don¡¯t know if I can," Grace admitted. "But I have to try. If we leave it here, it¡¯ll just keep spreading."


    "And if it corrupts you too? What then?"


    "Then you¡¯ll have to drag me back to Mara," Grace said with a confidence she didn¡¯t feel. "But I don¡¯t think that will happen."


    [At least, I hope not.]


    Diana opened her mouth to argue further, then closed it with a sigh.


    "Fine. But I¡¯m pulling you away at the first sign of trouble."


    Grace nodded and approached the core. The cold intensified with each step, making her teeth chatter and her wings tremble. When she was within arm¡¯s reach, she paused, steeling herself.


    "Here goes nothing," she muttered.


    Grace placed both hands against the tangled vines covering the core. Immediately, a jolt of energy shot up her arms, making her gasp. It was like touching ice and fire simultaneously, a sensation so intense she nearly pulled away.


    [Focus, Grace. You can do this.]


    She closed her eyes and concentrated, channeling her purification energy into the core. Golden light spread from her palms, seeping into the vines and illuminating them from within. The purple-blue glow at the center pulsed faster, as if in response.


    A notification appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Aura Cleanse Activated¡¹


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 1/100¡¹


    [One percent? That¡¯s it?]


    Grace pushed harder, pouring more energy into the core. The golden light spread further, reaching deeper into the tangled mass. The chamber grew warmer as her energy fought against the core¡¯s corruption.


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 2/100¡¹


    "It¡¯s working!" Grace called to Diana. "Slowly, but it¡¯s working!"


    Diana remained vigilant, her sword at the ready as she scanned the chamber.


    "Don¡¯t get cocky. We¡¯re in the heart of enemy territory here."


    Grace nodded and redoubled her efforts. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the chill. The purification was draining her faster than she¡¯d expected, like trying to fill an ocean with a teacup.


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 3/100¡¹


    The vines beneath her hands began to change, their sickly green color fading to a more natural brown. The pulse of the core slowed slightly, its rhythm becoming less erratic.


    "I think it¡¯s stabilizing," Grace said, excitement creeping into her voice. "If I keep this up¡ª"


    A sharp crack echoed through the chamber, cutting her off. Diana whirled toward the sound, sword raised.


    "We¡¯ve got company," she warned.


    Grace didn¡¯t dare take her hands off the core. "What is it?"


    "Plant-zombies. A lot of them." Diana¡¯s voice was tight. "They¡¯re coming from the tunnel we used."


    Grace risked a glance over her shoulder. In the dim light, she could make out shapes moving at the chamber entrance¡ªdozens of them, crawling along the walls and floor like massive insects.


    "I can¡¯t stop now," Grace said, turning back to the core. "Not when it¡¯s finally working."


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 4/100¡¹


    Diana moved to position herself between Grace and the approaching creatures.


    "How much longer?"


    "At this rate?" Grace did a quick calculation. "I dunno. Ten minutes? Maybe more?"


    "... Shit."


    The first of the plant-zombies entered the chamber fully, its vine-limbs dragging it forward with unnatural speed. More followed behind it, a wave of twisted vegetation given horrible life.


    Grace¡¯s hands trembled with the effort of maintaining the purification. She couldn¡¯t fight and purify at the same time, and stopping now would mean all her progress was wasted.


    "Diana..."


    "I know." Diana rolled her shoulders and adjusted her grip on her sword. The golden blade gleamed in the dim light as she took up a fighting stance. "Keep working on that thing. I¡¯ll handle our friends."


    "Be careful!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll be fine." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lead plant-zombie lunged forward, and Diana met it with a devastating downward slash that bisected it neatly. Before the pieces hit the ground, she was already moving to meet the next attacker, her blade a blur of golden light.


    Grace turned back to the core, focusing all her attention on the purification. The corruption fought against her, pushing back against her energy with a force that made her arms ache.


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 5/100¡¹


    Behind her, Diana sliced through another plant-zombie with a single clean cut. The creature fell apart, collapsing into a pile of twitching vegetation.


    "Honestly, it was about time these things showed up," Diana said, cutting down another one. "I was starting to think we came all this way for nothing."


    Grace kept her hands pressed firmly against the core.


    "You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Me? Enjoy fighting corrupted plant monsters in a damp cave?" Diana kicked one creature into two others, knocking them down like bowling pins. "Maybe a little."


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 6/100¡¹


    The plant-zombies kept coming, crawling through the tunnel entrance with unnatural, jerky movements. Diana met them head-on, her golden sword flashing. Green ichor splattered across the stone floor with each swing.


    "Six!" Diana called out after dispatching another creature. "No, wait, seven!"


    "Are you counting?" Grace asked without looking back.


    "Keeping score helps me focus," Diana replied, stabbing a plant-zombie through its core. "Eight!"


    A larger creature lunged at Diana from the side. She sidestepped it easily, bringing her sword down through its bulbous head. "Nine! This one counts as two though, it was big."


    "That¡¯s not how counting works!"


    "My fight, my rules."


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 7/100¡¹


    Grace pushed harder, feeling the corruption resist her efforts. At this rate, she¡¯d be here for hours. Meanwhile, more plant-zombies were flooding into the chamber.


    Diana whirled through them like a deadly dancer, each movement precise and efficient. Not a single wasted motion. For now, she was handling them without breaking a sweat, but eventually, the numbers would start to matter.


    "Eleven! Twelve!" Diana called out, then glanced over her shoulder at Grace. "You planning on finishing anytime soon?"


    "Working on it."


    Diana nodded, turning back to face the increasing horde with a confident grin.


    "Alright, just saying."

 Chapter 59: The Core鈥檚 New Form

    Chapter 59: The Core¡¯s New Form"Twenty-three!" Diana called out, slicing through another plant-zombie with a single fluid motion. Green ichor splashed across her legs, adding to the disgusting collection already coating her from the waist down.


    "Are you seriously still counting?" Grace didn¡¯t turn around, keeping her hands firmly pressed against the pulsing corruption core. Golden light spread from her palms, fighting against the deep purple-blue glow.


    "Helps me focus." Diana kicked a severed vine-arm away. "Also helps me forget that I¡¯m knee-deep in plant guts. This stuff better wash out!"


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 35/100¡¹


    Grace took a deep breath, pushing more energy into the core. Her arms ached, and sweat dripped down her forehead despite the bone-deep chill emanating from the corruption. Ten minutes of constant purification had left her exhausted, but she was making progress.


    "How¡¯s it going over there?" Diana asked between strikes, her golden sword cutting through three plant-zombies in a single sweep. "Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six!"


    "Better. Up to thirty-five percent now."


    "Good. Because I¡¯m not sure how many more of these things are waiting to join the party."


    The tunnel entrance was still spewing plant-zombies. They crawled along the walls and ceiling, dropping down to attack Diana from all angles. She spun and slashed, never staying still for more than a second. Grace stared as she gazed over her shoulder.


    Diana was incredible to watch. Even covered in disgusting green slime, she moved with precision and power. Each strike found its mark, each step positioned her perfectly for the next attack. She made it look easy.


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 39/100¡¹


    "Almost at forty," Grace called out.


    Diana grunted in acknowledgment, too busy fighting to respond properly. A larger plant-zombie lunged at her, its grotesque body twice the size of the others. She sidestepped at the last moment and brought her sword down in an overhead arc that split it in two.


    "Twenty-seven! And this one definitely counts as two!"


    "That¡¯s still not how counting works!"


    "Fine! Twenty-eight then!"


    Grace rolled her eyes and focused on the corruption core. The tangled vines beneath her hands had changed from sickly green to a more natural brown across nearly half of the structure. Progress was happening, but too slowly.


    [Come on, just a little more...]


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 45/100¡¹


    The core¡¯s pulse quickened, as if responding to the purification. The chamber grew warmer as Grace¡¯s energy pushed back against the corruption. She could feel the resistance weakening, giving way to her cleansing light.


    "I think something¡¯s happening!" Grace called out. "Just a little more and¡ª"


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 49/100¡¹


    The core suddenly pulsed violently, sending a shockwave through the chamber that knocked Grace backward. She stumbled, breaking contact with the core.


    "Grace!" Diana turned toward her, momentarily distracted.


    "I¡¯m okay!" Grace pushed herself up, staring at the core in confusion. "What was that?"


    The corruption core¡¯s pulse accelerated, its glow intensifying from purple-blue to a deep, angry crimson. The remaining vines writhed and twisted, pulling away from the rock walls and ceiling.


    "Uh, Diana?" Grace backed up, summoning her rapier. "Something¡¯s happening."


    Diana kicked away a plant-zombie and moved to stand beside Grace, her eyes fixed on the core.


    "Yeah, I can see that."


    The vines continued to shift and merge, coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape. Limbs formed, then a torso, and finally a head¡ªall made of twisted, corrupted vegetation. Two points of crimson light appeared where eyes should be.


    [Oh shit.]


    "That¡¯s... not good," Grace said.


    "No kidding." Diana raised her sword. "What did you do?"


    "Nothing! I was purifying it and then¡ª"


    The vine creature roared, a sound like tearing wood and rushing wind. It took a lumbering step toward them, its massive feet crushing smaller plant-zombies beneath them.


    "Argue later," Diana said. "Fight now."


    The creature charged, moving with shocking speed for something so large. Diana met it head-on, her sword flashing as she sliced through its right arm. The limb fell away, but vines immediately sprouted from the stump, weaving together to form a new arm.


    "Great. It can regenerate." Diana dodged as the creature swung at her. "Any ideas?"


    Grace circled to the side, her rapier glowing with divine light.


    "We need to hit the core inside it!" She pointed to a pulsing red light visible through gaps in the creature¡¯s chest. "That¡¯s where the corruption is strongest!"


    "Easier said than done!"


    Diana rolled under another massive swing and slashed at the creature¡¯s legs. Vines parted under her blade but quickly reconnected. The creature barely slowed.


    Grace darted forward, thrusting her rapier into the creature¡¯s back. It howled and spun around with surprising agility, catching her with a backhanded swing that sent her flying across the chamber.


    Pain exploded through her body as she slammed into the wall. Stars danced across her vision, and she tasted blood.


    [Ow. That hurt a lot.]


    ¡¸Stardust Veil Activated¡¹


    [A bit late for that, thanks.]


    "Grace!" Diana shouted, drawing the creature¡¯s attention back to her. "Get up!"


    Grace staggered to her feet, shaking her head to clear it. Her rapier had fallen somewhere nearby. She spotted it gleaming on the ground and lunged for it.


    Diana was holding her own against the creature, but just barely. She dodged and weaved between its attacks, landing strikes that would have killed any normal opponent. But this thing wasn¡¯t normal. It kept regenerating, growing stronger with each attack.


    "We can¡¯t beat it like this!" Diana called out, narrowly avoiding being crushed. "We need to destroy that core!"


    Grace circled around, watching for an opening. The creature¡¯s attention was fixed on Diana, who was putting on an impressive show of acrobatics to stay ahead of its attacks.


    [Think, Grace, think. How do we get to that core?]


    An idea struck her.


    "Diana! I need a boost!"


    Diana glanced at her, understanding immediately. She nodded and positioned herself.


    Grace sprinted toward her. At the last moment, Diana cupped her hands low, and Grace stepped into them. With a grunt of effort, Diana launched Grace into the air, straight toward the creature¡¯s chest.


    Time seemed to slow. Grace aimed her rapier at the pulsing red light visible through the vines. Divine energy surged through her weapon, making it glow like a miniature sun.


    "Take THIS!"


    Her rapier plunged into the creature¡¯s chest, piercing straight through to the corruption core within. The creature froze, a horrible shriek tearing from whatever passed for its mouth.


    Grace held on tight as the creature thrashed, her rapier buried to the hilt in its chest. Golden light spread from the blade, engulfing the corruption core.


    ¡¸Aura Cleanse Activated¡¹


    The light intensified, burning away the corrupted vines from the inside out. The creature¡¯s movements became more frantic, then more sluggish, as the purification took hold.


    With a final, rattling groan, the creature collapsed, dissolving into a pile of purified vegetation. Grace tumbled to the ground, rolling to break her fall.


    Diana was at her side in an instant, helping her up.


    "That," Diana said, "was either the stupidest or bravest thing I¡¯ve ever seen."


    Grace grinned, then winced as pain shot through her ribs.


    "Maybe both?"


    Diana laughed, shaking her head.


    "Definitely both."


    They turned to look at what remained of the corruption core. The massive structure had shrunk to a fraction of its original size, and the sickly glow had faded completely. What was left was just a tangle of normal, healthy roots.


    ¡¸Corruption Core Purification: 100/100¡¹


    ¡¸Quest Complete!¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: Aura Cleanse has reached Level 2!¡¹


    Grace tried not to react to the notifications floating in her vision. They were nice to see, but explaining them to Diana would be...complicated.


    "Well," Diana said, wiping green ichor from her face, "that takes care of that."


    "Yeah." Grace looked around the chamber. The remaining plant-zombies had collapsed when the creature fell, returning to just plants. "Think Ivy will be okay now?"


    "Hard to say. But without this thing pumping out corruption, she should have a better chance." Diana nudged a fallen vine with her foot. "We should head back and check."


    Grace nodded, then looked down at herself. She was covered in dirt, blood, and a fair amount of plant goo.


    "I need a bath."


    "You and me both." Diana gestured to her ichor-coated lower half. "I think this stuff is hardening."


    As they made their way back through the tunnel, Diana casually placed a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder.


    "By the way, good job back there. Not many rookies would have kept it together facing something like that."


    Grace felt her cheeks warm at the unexpected praise.


    "Thanks. You weren¡¯t so bad yourself. For an ancient angel."


    "Ancient?" Diana¡¯s eyebrow twitched. "I¡¯m only a few centuries old!"


    "Like I said. Ancient."


    Diana¡¯s expression darkened, and for a moment, Grace thought she¡¯d made things awkward again. Then Diana¡¯s lips quirked up in a small smile. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Keep that up and I¡¯ll make you scrub this plant gunk off my wings."


    After that, Grace continued purifying the core and they didn¡¯t get any other surprises.


    They emerged from the cave into the late afternoon sunlight, both exhausted but oddly satisfied. Another mission completed. Another demon¡ªor demon-adjacent thing¡ªdefeated.


    And somehow, they¡¯d both survived.


    That counted as a win in Grace¡¯s book.

 Chapter 60: Spreading Sickness

    Chapter 60: Spreading Sickness"... Still can¡¯t believe that healing technique actually works," Grace said as they trudged through the forest, hoping to change the topic. Diana had, for the last several minutes, been bragging Grace¡¯s ear off about her battle prowess.


    Diana¡¯s lips curled into a predatory smile.


    "Oh, you mean when you had to¡ª"


    Her saying it like that instantly brought the image back, right in front of Grace¡¯s eyes.


    "Never mind!" Grace¡¯s face burned hot. "Forget I asked!"


    "You brought it up."


    "And now I¡¯m putting it back down. Forever."


    Diana shrugged, still smirking.


    "Your call. But you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to need more practice eventually."


    "Ughhh.... Can we please talk about something else? Anything else?"


    "Fine. Your swordplay is terrible. You telegraph every move. How¡¯s that for a new topic?"


    Grace sighed.


    "... Still better than the other thing."


    They walked in silence for a few minutes. Despite the verbal jabs, something felt different. The usual edge in Diana¡¯s voice had softened, and Grace found herself less intimidated than normal.


    [When did that happen?]


    "Though... one of those moves you did back there wasn¡¯t so bad," Diana said suddenly. "When you rolled into a thrust."


    Grace nearly tripped over a root.


    "Was that an actual compliment?"


    "Don¡¯t get used to it."


    "Wouldn¡¯t dream of it."


    The forest thinned out as they approached the village. Grace expected to see people working in the fields or children playing, but the outskirts were oddly quiet.


    "Hm... Something¡¯s wrong," Diana said, her playful tone completely gone.


    They quickened their pace, emerging from the tree line to find the village in disarray. People who had been healthy that morning now sat slumped against buildings or lay on makeshift pallets in the street.


    Mara rushed toward them, her face tight with worry.


    "Thank the goddess you¡¯re back."


    "What happened?" Grace asked, taking in the scene.


    "It started a while after you left," Mara explained, leading them through the village. "First one villager collapsed, then another. They¡¯re burning with fever, but their skin is ice-cold to the touch."


    "But we destroyed the corruption core," Diana said. "The forest should be clearing up, not getting worse."


    "Corruption core?" Mara asked.


    "Yeah," Grace answered. "We found a corruption core nearby that was turning people into those plant zombie things. But, we destroyed it."


    Mara nodded slowly.


    "Follow me."


    She led them to the center of the village where Ivy¡¯s massive tree stood. The barrier still surrounded it, shimmering faintly in the evening light. But now, tendrils of blue-purple energy seeped from the base of the tree, snaking along the ground like ghostly roots.


    "What is that?" Grace asked, though she already knew the answer. Corruption.


    "We don¡¯t know exactly," Mara said. "But the corruption is spreading from here."


    Diana approached the barrier cautiously.


    "I thought destroying the core would free Ivy." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So did we." Mara shook her head. "But it seems the corruption has... adapted. Maybe it¡¯s using Ivy as a new host. A new core."


    Grace stared at the tree, trying to make sense of it all.


    "Can we get her out?"


    "The barrier is still active. None of us can penetrate it." Mara gestured to a group of angels tending to the sick. "We¡¯ve been trying to heal the villagers, but our methods only slow the progression. We can¡¯t cure it completely."


    Diana cursed under her breath.


    "So destroying the core might have just made things worse."


    "No," Grace said firmly. "We eliminated the source in the cave. Now we just need to deal with the aftereffects."


    [We can¡¯t give up now. We¡¯ve come too far.]


    "What do you suggest?" Mara asked.


    Grace studied the corrupted tendrils, the sick villagers, the shimmering barrier. An idea began to form.


    "The corruption is moving from Ivy to the villagers, right? What if we reverse the flow?"


    "How?" Diana asked.


    "I¡¯m not sure yet, but¡ª"


    ¡¸Quest Reminder!¡¹


    Category: Compassion


    Objective: Heal the Rosewood Corruption:


    0/100 villagers cured


    Reward: +10 Compassion


    The notification flashed in Grace¡¯s vision, almost making her jump. In all honesty, she¡¯d forgotten about the quest she¡¯d received back at the Dominion. It wasn¡¯t just about destroying the core¡ªit was about healing the villagers too!


    [Of course! That¡¯s it!]


    "I think we need to treat this from both ends," Grace said, trying not to react to the floating text only she could see. "Heal the villagers while also finding a way to purify Ivy."


    Mara nodded slowly.


    "It could work. If we can purify enough of the corruption from the villagers, it might weaken whatever¡¯s holding Ivy."


    "Then let¡¯s get started," Grace said, rolling up her sleeves. "We¡¯ve got a lot of people to heal."


    "Wow, taking the lead, eh?" Mara¡¯s face brightened. "Our little Grace is so confident!"


    "I mean, uhm... Yeah..."


    Mara led them to a large barn that had been converted into a makeshift infirmary. Rows of pallets lined the floor, each occupied by a villager in various stages of sickness. Some merely looked pale and tired, while others thrashed in fever-dreams, blue-purple veins visible through their skin.


    "There are nearly a hundred affected so far," Mara explained, her voice hushed. "And more falling ill by the hour."


    Grace swallowed hard. A hundred people. Just like her quest specified.


    "How should we do this?" she asked.


    "I¡¯ll take the severe cases," Mara said, already moving toward a child who lay frighteningly still. "I¡¯m not quite as good at this as you are, but perhaps I could give it a try. You start with the milder ones."


    Grace glanced at her.


    [Actually, could Mara learn Aura Cleanse? I mean, if she doesn¡¯t have it already.]


    Grace nodded and approached a middle-aged woman who sat up against the wall, looking dazed. Blue-purple lines traced up her arms like twisted veins.


    "Hi," Grace said awkwardly. "I¡¯m Grace. I¡¯m going to try to help you."


    The woman nodded weakly.


    "Thank you, angel."


    Grace knelt beside her and took the woman¡¯s hands in her own. They were ice-cold, just as Mara had described. Closing her eyes, Grace focused on channeling her divine energy, picturing it as golden light flowing down her arms and into the woman.


    ¡¸Aura Cleanse Activated¡¹


    Warmth spread from Grace¡¯s chest, down her arms, and into her hands. She felt the corruption in the woman¡¯s body¡ªcold, slithering, wrong¡ªand pushed against it with her light.


    For a moment, nothing happened. Then the corruption began to recede, the blue-purple veins fading as Grace¡¯s energy purified them.


    The woman gasped.


    "It¡¯s warm," she whispered. "I can feel my fingers again."


    Grace opened her eyes to see the corruption had completely disappeared from the woman¡¯s arms. Color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes cleared.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 1/100¡¹


    "Rest now," Grace told her. "You¡¯ll feel better soon."


    The woman smiled gratefully.


    "Bless you, angel."


    Grace moved to the next patient, a young man with similar symptoms. The process was the same¡ªgolden energy pushing out the cold corruption, warming the body from within.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 2/100¡¹


    As she worked, Grace glanced across the room to where Mara tended to a severely ill child. Mara¡¯s hands glowed with blue-white light, and her face was a mask of concentration. Even in this dire situation, Grace couldn¡¯t help noticing how the light illuminated Mara¡¯s features, making her look even more beautiful than usual.


    [Focus, Grace. People are sick. This is not the time to be distracted by Mara¡¯s... everything.]


    She turned her attention back to her work, moving from patient to patient. Each healing drained her a little more, but seeing the relief on their faces made the fatigue worthwhile.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 5/100¡¹


    Diana appeared at her side, startling her.


    "How¡¯s it going?" the warrior angel asked.


    "Five down," Grace said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Ninety-five to go."


    Diana frowned.


    "You¡¯re pushing yourself too hard."


    "I¡¯m fine."


    "You¡¯re swaying on your feet."


    Grace hadn¡¯t noticed, but Diana was right. Her vision swam slightly, and her legs felt unsteady.


    "I can¡¯t stop," she insisted. "These people need help."


    Diana sighed in exasperation.


    "At least take a break. Eat something. You won¡¯t help anyone if you collapse."


    Before Grace could argue, Diana pressed a water flask into her hands.


    "Drink. That¡¯s an order."


    Grace took a sip, then a longer drink as she realized how thirsty she was. The water revived her somewhat, clearing the fog from her mind.


    "Thanks," she admitted grudgingly.


    Diana nodded, then glanced around the infirmary.


    "There has to be a better way than healing them one by one."


    "If you have any brilliant ideas, I¡¯m all ears."


    "Not yet," Diana said. "But I¡¯ll keep thinking."


    Mara joined them, her own face showing signs of fatigue.


    "How many have you healed?"


    "Five," Grace answered. "You?"


    "Two. The severe cases take much longer." Mara pressed a hand to her forehead. "At this rate, it will take days to heal everyone, and more are falling ill every hour."


    [Hm... Strange,] Grace thought. [The number of villagers healed hasn¡¯t changed. Maybe it¡¯s only tracking which ones I heal.]


    "We need to stop it at the source," Diana said. "The tree."


    They all turned to look out the barn door, where the massive tree loomed in the fading light. The barrier around it shimmered, and the ghostly tendrils continued to seep outward.


    "First things first, though," Grace replied. "Let¡¯s make sure everyone¡¯s okay first. Then, we can worry about Ivy."


    "Agreed," Mara said. "Let¡¯s get to work."

 Chapter 61: Healing Rosewood

    Chapter 61: Healing RosewoodGrace¡¯s arms ached. Her fingers tingled with remnants of divine energy. She¡¯d been healing villagers for hours, and the strain was starting to show.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 12/100¡¹


    She took a deep breath and moved to the next patient, a young boy with corruption veins creeping up his neck. His mother sat beside him, stroking his forehead with worried eyes.


    "I¡¯m Grace," she said, kneeling beside them. "I can help him."


    The woman nodded tearfully.


    "Please, angel. He¡¯s all I have."


    ... No pressure or anything.


    Grace placed her hands on the boy¡¯s shoulders, channeling her energy once more. Golden light spread through her fingers into his small body. The corruption resisted at first, then yielded to her cleansing power.


    The boy¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    "Mama? I don¡¯t feel cold anymore."


    The woman burst into tears, pulling her son into a tight embrace.


    "Thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you."


    Grace smiled weakly and stood, her legs wobbling slightly.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 13/100¡¹


    "You need to rest," Mara appeared beside her, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. "You¡¯ve been at this for three hours straight."


    "I¡¯m fine," Grace insisted, though her drooping wings said otherwise.


    "Even angels have limits," Mara said firmly. "Sit. Drink. Eat something before you fall over."


    Grace wanted to argue, but her body betrayed her as she swayed on her feet.


    "Maybe a short break," she conceded.


    Mara guided her to a bench and pressed a cup of water into her hands.


    "Drink all of it. Healer¡¯s orders."


    The barn door burst open, and Alia bounded in with Zephyr following at a more dignified pace. Both were flushed and grinning.


    "Guess what!" Alia chirped, bouncing over to Grace and Mara. "We fixed the south gate!"


    "And by ¡¯fixed,¡¯ she means she distracted the men while I actually did the repair work," Zephyr added with a smirk.


    "You can fix stuff?" Grace asked, blinking.


    "Little things here and there."


    Alia pouted.


    "My distraction was very important!"


    "You mean when you asked if you could try on their work aprons and then somehow ended up shirtless?" Zephyr raised an eyebrow.


    "It was hot! Physical labor is sweaty business!" Alia protested, then turned to Grace and Mara with a beaming smile. "But they worked twice as fast after that!"


    Mara chuckled.


    "Oh, I bet they did."


    Grace nearly choked on her water.


    "You didn¡¯t!"


    "I absolutely did!" Alia looked immensely proud of herself. "Essential Love Sister business. Oh, and then this old grandma came by and started giving the men grief for ogling me instead of working, so I complimented her dress, and she gave me fresh bread, and then we ended up helping her mend her roof¡ª"


    "Which turned into Alia getting stuck on said roof," Zephyr interjected.


    "I wasn¡¯t stuck! I was... strategically positioned."


    "You were hanging by your underwear from a weathervane."


    Grace snorted, water dribbling down her chin. The mental image was too much.


    "The point is," Alia continued, dignified despite the story, "we¡¯ve been super helpful! The farmers are planting again, the bakers are baking, and three couples are back to making babies!"


    "Making... what now?" Grace squeaked.


    "You know," Alia waggled her eyebrows. "Doing the divine dance? The horizontal¡ª"


    "We get it," Mara cut in, though she was smiling. "Good work, both of you. Remember, Grace, morale is just as important as healing."


    "I know, I know."


    Zephyr nodded toward the patients.


    "How many have you cured so far?"


    "Thirteen," Grace answered, trying not to think about the System tracking her progress. "But there are so many more."


    "Well, you¡¯re not going to heal anyone if you collapse from exhaustion," Zephyr said matter-of-factly. "Petriel¡¯s outside, by the way. She mentioned something about wanting to teach you a thing or two."


    "Petriel?" Grace¡¯s cheeks instantly heated, remembering the shy healer¡¯s rather... surprising technique during their journey to Rosewood.


    "Yeah, our kissing expert," Alia said with a wicked grin, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.


    "You should go talk to her," Zephyr said, nudging Grace with her elbow. "She¡¯s by the well. Who knows what ¡¯educational¡¯ techniques she might teach you?"


    "I hate you," Grace groaned, but she stood up anyway. Her cheeks still felt like they were on fire. "I¡¯m only going because I need to restore my energy. For the healing. T-The regular kind of healing!"


    "Whatever helps you sleep at night," Alia called after her as Grace headed for the door.


    "Or not sleep," Zephyr added with a laugh.


    "Go," Mara urged. "Ten minutes won¡¯t make a difference, and if Petriel can help you recover, you¡¯ll heal more in the long run."


    "Okay, but I¡¯ll be right back," Grace promised, standing up with slight difficulty.


    Outside, the evening air felt cool on her flushed skin. She spotted Petriel by the village well, arranging herbs on a small table.


    "Um, hello," Grace called out, approaching her. "Got a minute?"


    Petriel looked up, her silver hair falling around her face.


    "O-oh! Grace!" She fumbled with the herbs, dropping several. "Oh no! I¡¯m s-so sorry, I¡ª"


    "It¡¯s okay," Grace knelt to help gather the scattered plants. "These for healing?"


    "Y-yes," Petriel nodded, not quite meeting Grace¡¯s eyes. "B-but also for... energy restoration."


    "About that," Grace stood, handing over the herbs she¡¯d collected.


    [Come on, Grace, just say it.]


    "I wanted to ask you about your... technique. From the forest."


    Petriel¡¯s face turned scarlet.


    "O-oh. That."


    "Yeah. That." Grace scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, blushing the same way. "Is that something you could teach me?"


    Petriel¡¯s head snapped up, her eyes finally meeting Grace¡¯s.


    Grace continued.


    "It looked really effective. And right now, I¡¯m getting pretty drained healing all these villagers."


    "I... I could show you the b-basics," Petriel stammered. "As you know, i-it... Requires physical contact..."


    "Like... kissing?" Grace asked, her own face heating up.


    "That¡¯s one method," Petriel admitted. "But there are o-others that are less... intensive. For less desperate situations. I could show you a simpler version."


    Grace remembered her quest notification from earlier, which had changed since she already got the Skill.


    Category: Compassion


    Objective: Have Petriel teach you Intimate Healing


    Rewards: +5 Compassion


    "I¡¯d appreciate that," Grace said. "If you don¡¯t mind teaching me."


    A smile bloomed across Petriel¡¯s face.


    "I¡¯d be h-honored to teach you. It¡¯s quite simple really. You just need to¡ª"


    "There you are!"


    Diana¡¯s voice cut through their conversation as she strode toward them, her wings spread wide with agitation.


    "Been looking everywhere for you," Diana said to Grace. "We¡¯ve got a situation."


    "What kind of situation?" Grace asked, disappointed at the interruption.


    Diana pointed toward the village entrance.


    "The Earth-Tender kind."


    Grace followed her gaze to see a group of angels approaching. Unlike the warrior angels or healers, these newcomers wore flowing green robes that seemed to ripple like leaves in the wind. Their wings had a distinct emerald hue, and plants appeared to grow from their hair and skin.


    "Earth-Tenders?" Grace¡¯s eyes widened. "Like Ivy?"


    "Exactly like Ivy," Diana confirmed grimly. "And they don¡¯t look happy."


    Petriel hastily gathered her herbs.


    "I-I should get Mara."


    "Good idea," Diana agreed. "Grace, come with me. They¡¯ll want to talk to all of us."


    As they walked toward the approaching angels, Grace whispered:


    "Why would they be upset? We¡¯re trying to help Ivy."


    "Earth-Tenders are... protective of their own," Diana explained. "They probably felt Ivy¡¯s distress since before we destroyed that corruption core. They might think we harmed her."


    "But we were helping!"


    "And we¡¯ll tell them as much."


    The Earth-Tenders stopped at the village boundary, their expressions solemn. The one in front, a tall figure with bark-like skin and flowers blooming from her shoulders, stepped forward.


    "I am Willow, Elder of the Northern Grove," she announced, her voice deep and resonant like wind through trees. "We have come for our sister Ivy."


    Diana straightened her shoulders.


    "I am Diana of the Sisters of Bravery. We¡¯re currently addressing a corruption outbreak in this village, which has affected Ivy."


    Willow¡¯s eyes narrowed. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You interfered with her purification work."


    "We destroyed a corruption core that was transforming villagers into monsters," Diana countered.


    "And now the corruption has taken Ivy as its new host," Willow stated coldly. "Your actions were rash and uninformed."


    Grace felt a flash of indignation.


    "We were trying to help!"


    All eyes turned to her, and she immediately regretted speaking. The Earth-Tenders regarded her with expressions ranging from curiosity to suspicion.


    "And who are you, little one?" Willow asked.


    Before Grace could answer, Mara arrived with Petriel, Alia, and Zephyr in tow.


    "She is Grace Lightsinger," Mara said, her voice carrying the authority of her position. "And she has already purified thirteen villagers of the corruption that threatens to consume this entire settlement."


    Willow¡¯s gaze intensified as she studied Grace.


    "Purified? Completely?"


    Grace nodded, trying not to shrink under the scrutiny.


    "Yes. I can cleanse the corruption without harming the host."


    A murmur ran through the Earth-Tenders.


    "That is... unusual," Willow admitted. "But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Ivy is trapped and suffering."


    "Then help us free her," Grace said, finding her voice again. "We want the same thing you do."


    "Do we?" Willow asked, but her tone had softened slightly.


    Mara stepped forward.


    "We have nearly a hundred infected villagers. Grace is healing them one by one, but it¡¯s slow work. Meanwhile, corruption continues to seep from Ivy¡¯s barrier."


    "We need to address both problems," Diana added. "The villagers and Ivy."


    Willow considered this, the flowers on her shoulders closing and opening as she thought.


    "Very well," she finally said. "We will observe your healer¡¯s methods. If they are as effective as you claim, perhaps we can combine our knowledge to help Ivy."


    Relief washed over Grace. She¡¯d been expecting a confrontation, not cooperation.


    "Thank you," she said sincerely.


    Willow inclined her head slightly.


    "Do not thank me yet, little angel. First, show us this purification power of yours."


    As the group headed back toward the infirmary, Diana leaned close to Grace¡¯s ear.


    "Hope you¡¯re ready for a demonstration," she whispered. "Earth-Tenders aren¡¯t easily impressed."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    Once again, no pressure.


    "Just do what you¡¯ve been doing," Diana said, and then, surprisingly, she added, "You¡¯ve got this."


    Grace glanced at her, startled by the encouragement.


    Diana quickly scowled.


    "What? Don¡¯t look so shocked! Just don¡¯t mess it up."


    And there was the Diana she knew. Grace couldn¡¯t help but smile as they entered the barn, the Earth-Tenders following behind like a procession of walking gardens.

 Chapter 62: The Garden鈥檚 Touch

    Chapter 62: The Garden¡¯s TouchThe Earth-Tenders formed a half-circle around Grace and her patient, a middle-aged farmer with blue-purple corruption veins running up both arms. Willow stood at the front, her elegant features set in a skeptical expression.


    "Whenever you¡¯re ready," she said, folding her arms.


    Grace wiped her sweaty palms on her robes. Great. An audience. Just what she needed.


    [Don¡¯t mess up, don¡¯t mess up, don¡¯t mess up...]


    She took a deep breath and placed her hands on the farmer¡¯s forearms. His skin felt ice-cold, like touching a corpse. Grace closed her eyes and focused, channeling divine energy down her arms and into her fingertips.


    Golden light bloomed beneath her palms, spreading out in delicate tendrils. The farmer gasped as warmth returned to his limbs. The corruption veins resisted at first, then began to recede, dissolving into golden particles that faded away.


    "The cold is gone," the farmer said, staring at his now-clear arms with wonder.


    "Rest now," Grace told him, trying to ignore the Earth-Tenders¡¯ intense stares. "You¡¯ll feel better soon."


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 14/100¡¹


    Willow stepped forward, examining the farmer¡¯s arms with clinical precision, running her bark-textured fingers over the skin where the corruption had been.


    "Impressive," she finally said, slowly. "Complete purification, not merely suppression."


    Grace tried not to look too pleased with herself.


    "Thank you."


    "However," Willow continued, and Grace¡¯s pride deflated, "your method is incredibly inefficient. At this rate, it would take you days to heal everyone in the village."


    "I¡¯m working as fast as I can," Grace protested.


    "I don¡¯t doubt it. But your technique..." Willow gestured at Grace¡¯s hands. "You¡¯re pouring divine energy into each patient individually, one at a time. It¡¯s like trying to water a forest by carrying buckets to each tree."


    Diana, standing nearby with arms crossed, scoffed.


    "You have a better idea?"


    "As a matter of fact, we do." Willow turned to her companions. "Aspa, Fern, demonstrate."


    Two Earth-Tenders stepped forward. One placed her hands on the ground, while the other held small seedpods that glowed with emerald light. The first Earth-Tender¡ªAspa, apparently¡ªbegan to sing in a low, melodic voice. Green energy spiraled from her fingers into the earth, spreading outward in a circular pattern.


    "Earth-Tenders specialize in purification rituals that work through the land itself," Willow explained. "We don¡¯t heal individuals¡ªwe cleanse entire areas at once."


    "So why isn¡¯t it working here?" Mara asked, gesturing to the corrupted tendrils still seeping from Ivy¡¯s tree.


    "Because this corruption is too deeply entrenched," Willow admitted. "Our methods alone cannot reach its source."


    "But my purification can," Grace said, understanding dawning.


    Willow nodded.


    "Precisely. What if we combined approaches? Your divine energy channeled through our purification ritual could reach all the villagers simultaneously."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened.


    "That¡¯s... possible?"


    "Theoretically. It would require considerable energy from you, however."


    Diana stepped closer to Grace.


    "I dunno. You¡¯re already exhausted. This could drain you completely."


    "If it works, it would save days of individual healing," Mara pointed out.


    Willow looked at Grace with those ancient eyes.


    "The choice is yours, little angel."


    Grace glanced at the rows of sick villagers still waiting for her help. At this rate, she¡¯d collapse before reaching even half of them.


    "I¡¯ll do it," she decided. "Just tell me what I need to do."


    "First, you need to restore your energy," Willow said. "Our ritual will require everything you have."


    [Great, and I was just about to learn how to do that...]


    "I can help with that," Petriel said from behind Grace, making her jump. How long had she been standing there? "I-if you still w-want to learn that technique..."


    [Oh... Right.]


    Grace¡¯s cheeks burned.


    "Yes! I mean, sure, if it¡¯ll help."


    "Excellent," Willow said. "We¡¯ll prepare the ritual circle. You recover your strength."


    As the Earth-Tenders moved outside to begin their preparations, Petriel led Grace to a quiet corner of the barn. Her usual nervousness seemed to have retreated somewhat, replaced by professional focus.


    "Sit, p-please," she instructed, gesturing to a bench.


    Grace sat, watching as Petriel arranged her herbs on a small cloth.


    "So... this technique," Grace began awkwardly. "Does it, um, always involve...?"


    "Kissing?" Petriel finished, her cheeks turning pink. "N-not necessarily. That was... the advanced version. For life-threatening injuries."


    "Oh. Good. That¡¯s good." Grace wasn¡¯t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Wait, disappointed? What was wrong with her?


    "For energy restoration, we can use a s-simpler method," Petriel continued, grinding herbs with a small mortar and pestle. "But it still requires physical contact and... um... shared breath."


    "Shared breath?"


    "You¡¯ll see." Petriel mixed the crushed herbs with water from a small flask, creating a paste that she dabbed onto her fingertips. "Close your eyes."


    Grace obeyed, heart pounding. She felt Petriel¡¯s fingers touch her forehead, drawing what felt like symbols on her skin.


    "This creates connection points for divine energy," Petriel explained, her voice steadier now that she was in healer mode. "Now don¡¯t move."


    Grace held perfectly still, eyes closed. She heard Petriel take a deep breath, then felt the other angel¡¯s face very close to her own. Before she could react, Petriel¡¯s lips were hovering just above hers¡ªnot touching, but close enough that Grace could feel her warm breath.


    "Inhale as I exhale," Petriel whispered.


    Grace did as instructed, breathing in as Petriel breathed out. A rush of tingling warmth flooded her lungs, spreading outward through her body. It felt like drinking sunlight.


    "Again," Petriel whispered.


    They continued the rhythm of shared breath, each exchange sending more energy coursing through Grace¡¯s tired body. The herbs on her forehead warmed, then cooled, channeling and directing the flow.


    On the seventh exchange, Petriel¡¯s lips brushed against Grace¡¯s¡ªmaybe accidentally, maybe not. Grace¡¯s eyes flew open to find Petriel staring at her, their faces still inches apart.


    Then, Petriel moved forward.


    Grace froze for a heartbeat, then melted into the kiss.


    It was clumsy and impulsive. Divine energy surged between them, vastly more powerful than the shared breath had been. Grace felt her exhaustion vanish, replaced by vibrant strength flooding every cell.


    ¡¸Skill Upgraded: Intimate Healing (Lvl 2)¡¹


    +5 Compassion


    Compassion: 29/100


    They broke apart, both breathing heavily, staring at each other with wide eyes.


    "That was..." Grace began.


    "The advanced technique," Petriel finished, her face scarlet.


    "Effective," Grace managed, feeling stronger than she had in days.


    Petriel nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Very."


    An awkward silence stretched between them.


    "So now I just..." Grace made a vague gesture with her hands.


    "Yes," Petriel nodded too quickly. "We should¡ª"


    "Join the others," Grace agreed.


    "Right."


    They practically ran outside, careful not to look at each other.


    The Earth-Tenders had created an elaborate pattern of seeds, flowers, and crushed herbs in a wide circle around Ivy¡¯s tree. Grace spotted Diana watching her approach, one eyebrow raised at her flushed face.


    "Feeling better?" Diana asked with a knowing smirk.


    "Shut up," Grace muttered.


    "I didn¡¯t say anything." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You were thinking it."


    Willow approached before Diana could respond.


    "Are you recovered, Lightsinger? The ritual is prepared."


    "I¡¯m ready," Grace confirmed, amazed at how true it was. She felt like she could fly to the moon.


    "Excellent. Stand here, in the center of the circle."


    Grace took her position. The Earth-Tenders formed a ring around her, each holding something green and growing¡ªa seedpod, a flower, a leaf.


    "When we begin, channel your purification energy into the ground," Willow instructed. "Our ritual will amplify and distribute it through the root system connecting all living things in this village."


    Grace nodded, suddenly nervous again.


    "And this will help Ivy too?"


    "We hope so. At minimum, it should weaken the corruption¡¯s hold on her."


    The Earth-Tenders began to chant, a melodic sound like wind through leaves. Green energy spiraled from their hands into the circle of plants surrounding Grace. The pattern began to glow.


    "Now," Willow commanded.


    Grace knelt and pressed her palms to the earth, channeling her golden energy into the ground as she¡¯d been instructed. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the earth beneath her hands began to pulse with light¡ªnot just her gold, but a blend of gold and green, spiraling together in harmonic patterns.


    The light spread outward through the ritual circle, following the pattern the Earth-Tenders had created. It raced along the ground like liquid fire, branching and splitting into countless threads that disappeared beneath the soil.


    From the infirmary, cries of surprise and relief rose as the blended energy reached the sick. Grace felt the connection to each of them, like touching a hundred hands at once. The corruption in their bodies yielded to the combined purification, dissolving into harmless particles.


    ¡¸Villagers Healed: 100/100¡¹


    ¡¸Quest Complete!¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: +10 Compassion¡¹


    Compassion: 39/100


    The energy continued to spread, touching every living thing in the village. Plants stood taller, flowers bloomed brighter, and even the air felt cleaner.


    As the ritual reached its peak, one of the Earth-Tenders¡ªa slender figure with leaves growing from her scalp instead of hair¡ªsuddenly gasped and staggered backward, staring at Grace with wide eyes.


    "Impossible," she whispered.


    The ritual¡¯s light dimmed as the others turned to look at their companion.


    "Laurel?" Willow asked. "What is it?"


    "Her energy signature," Laurel said, still staring at Grace. "I¡¯ve felt it before. Only once."


    "Explain," Willow demanded.


    "It¡¯s like... hers, but not exactly." Laurel seemed unable to look away from Grace. "Like an echo, or a reflection."


    "Whose?" Diana stepped forward, suddenly alert.


    Laurel swallowed.


    "Eternia¡¯s."


    A heavy silence fell over the group. All eyes turned to Grace, who shifted uncomfortably under their stares.


    [... Should I just say "yeah, that¡¯s cause Eternia literally made me"? I don¡¯t know.]


    "That¡¯s ridiculous," Diana broke the silence. "Eternia has been gone for centuries."


    "I know what I felt," Laurel insisted. "I was there during Eternia¡¯s last visit to our grove. That energy¡ªgolden, but with an inner light unlike any other divine power¡ªis unmistakable."


    Willow studied Grace with new intensity.


    "Is this true, Lightsinger? Are you connected to Eternia somehow?"


    "I¡ª" Grace floundered, unsure what to say. "Seems like it, yeah."


    Before anyone could press further, Grace felt it. A familiar cold sensation crawling up her spine, making her wings stiffen. She¡¯d felt it enough times now to recognize it instantly.


    Demons.


    She scanned the tree line surrounding the village, seeing nothing. But the feeling persisted¡ªnot the immediate threat of an attack, but the certainty of being watched. Observed. Studied.


    "Grace?" Mara asked, noticing her sudden tension. "What is it?"


    "We¡¯re being watched," Grace whispered, still searching the shadows. "Demons. They¡¯re out there."


    Diana immediately drew her sword, the golden blade gleaming in the fading light.


    "Where?"


    "I don¡¯t know exactly. But they¡¯re close."


    Willow signaled to her Earth-Tenders, who moved into defensive positions around the ritual circle.


    "Why would they just watch?" Mara wondered.


    "Because," Willow said grimly, "they¡¯re learning. Adapting."


    Grace suppressed a shiver, still staring at the darkening forest. The cold feeling remained, but the shadows revealed nothing.


    Whatever was out there wasn¡¯t attacking. Not yet.


    It was waiting.

 Chapter 63: Whispers of the Root

    Chapter 63: Whispers of the RootGrace stared at the treeline, the cold feeling of demonic presence still crawling up her spine.


    "I don¡¯t see anything," Diana muttered, scanning the shadows with her sword drawn.


    "They¡¯re out there," Grace insisted. "I can feel them."


    Willow signaled her Earth-Tenders to maintain their defensive positions around the ritual circle. The purification had been successful¡ªall the villagers were healed¡ªbut the tension in the air remained thick.


    "Why aren¡¯t they attacking?" Alia whispered, hiding behind Zephyr.


    "Good question," Diana replied, eyes never leaving the forest edge.


    A sudden flicker of light drew Grace¡¯s attention away from the treeline. The barrier around Ivy¡¯s tree pulsed, becoming transparent for a split second before solidifying again.


    "Did you see that?" Grace pointed at the massive tree.


    Diana frowned. "See what?"


    "The barrier¡ªit wavered!" Grace took a step closer, watching intently. "There! It did it again!"


    Another pulse passed through the barrier, leaving it transparent and trembling like heat waves. Time seemed to stretch, and Grace held her breath as a fresh vision emerged from the rippling field¡ªthis time her view rushed past tangled branches and into the hollow center of the great tree. There, among twisting vines and a shroud of creeping darkness, was Ivy.


    The Earth-Tender was curled in a fetal position, her wings wrapped tightly around herself, mottled with corruption that pulsed like blackened veins. As if sensing Grace¡¯s presence, Ivy lifted her head, and their eyes locked for an instant before the barrier snapped back into opacity.


    Grace shuddered, the vision lingering too vividly in her mind. The field wavered at faster intervals now¡ªa haunting beacon, almost inviting.


    "Grace?" Diana¡¯s voice cut through her daze. "What is it?"


    "Ivy," Grace said breathlessly. "I saw Ivy inside."


    Her medallion burned hot against her chest again, tugging at her awareness. An idea flickered to life alongside it.


    "I think... maybe I can reach her."


    Everyone looked at each other.


    "What?" Diana managed to sum up how everyone was feeling.


    "I dunno," Grace shrugged. "I feel like I can... Project myself. Somehow."


    "You mean project yourself in there?" Willow asked, one brow raised.


    "Without knowing what you¡¯re dealing with?" Diana shot her a skeptical look as well.


    But, neither reaction stopped her from moving closer to the field.


    The medallion flared, and Grace closed her eyes, leaning into the pull of its heat. The world blurred into a swirl of light and shadow. Her consciousness skewed sideways, slipping through the barrier like a ghost.


    When she opened her eyes, everything was different. Her form was both there and not there, like an echo in the dimness of the tree¡¯s hollow. Ivy lay at the center, vine-strapped and quivering with corruption.


    "Who¡ª?" Ivy¡¯s voice trembled; her eyes were wide with desperation. "How are you here?"


    "I¡¯m Grace," she murmured, holding herself steady in the shifting space between realities. "I¡¯m trying to help."


    A shudder moved through Ivy¡¯s wings, sending ripples of darkness down their length.


    "No, step back!" Ivy gasped. "You don¡¯t understand." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you mean?" From this close, Grace could see the sickly glow that suffused everything around them, like an infection rooting itself into wood.


    "It¡¯s sentient," Ivy breathed in terror. "It¡¯s ancient¡ªolder than... than anything." Her voice choked with desperation as the vines tightened their hold. "It knows you."


    Pain flickered through Grace at the words¡ªa presence vast and cold brushing against her consciousness. Shaking her head, she looked back up at Ivy.


    "You have to resist," Grace urged, feeling the barrier between them waver dangerously.


    Ivy shook her head.


    "It wants you! My corruption is its bait!" The Earth-Tender¡¯s voice fractured with urgency as she cried out. The haunting webs of energy pulsed again.


    With a forceful wrench, Grace tore herself back to awareness, stumbling into Diana¡¯s grasp outside the field.


    "Grace!" Diana caught her before she could fall, sudden worry etched across her face.


    "It wants... me," Grace panted, shaking from the encounter. She steadied herself slowly. "That thing¡ªinside¡ªit recognizes me somehow."


    Mara and Willow exchanged a knowing glance while Zephyr crossed her arms with newfound interest.


    "Then we really are dealing with something old," Mara said softly, stroking her chin in thought. "Something that¡¯s connecting you to Eternia, perhaps?"


    Willow¡¯s voice was grave.


    "If it¡¯s that ancient, it could be beyond even our knowledge."


    Grace thought about it for a moment.


    "They¡¯re right," she said quietly but firmly. "We need someone who can tell us what we¡¯re up against."


    Willow nodded.


    "We might know someone who can help."


    "Who?" Grace asked.


    "We may not have heard about this directly," Willow said, "but a little while ago, we learned of an angel with knowledge of ancient threats¡ªa scholar exiled to the mortal realm."


    "An exile?" Petriel¡¯s eyes widened.


    Grace frowned, unsure where this was headed.


    "She was banished for having been communicating secretly with The Veil." Willow¡¯s voice lowered as she continued. "They say she¡¯s still somewhere in Linaria."


    Everyone absorbed the news in silence. An uneasiness settled over them like mist. Grace looked around at the others¡¯ faces, then fixed her eyes on Diana.


    "What do you think?"


    "Sounds risky," Diana said, serious. "But it might be our best shot."


    Mara rested a soothing hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder.


    "I agree. If anything can give us a better overview of what we¡¯re facing, it may be worth it to investigate."


    Grace nodded.


    "I¡¯ll go."


    "You won¡¯t be alone," said Petriel quickly, almost tripping over her words. Her cheeks flushed with urgency and something else. "I¡¯ll come too!"


    Pretty much everyone was surprised to hear that.


    "You¡¯ll need an Earth-Tender to guide you." Willow spoke with calm determination. "I will accompany you both."


    Diana sighed.


    "I guess I should-"


    "Unfortunately," Mara interrupted her, "we could use you here."


    "What?"


    "Demons," Mara explained simply. "Grace¡¯s cold sensation. If we¡¯re attacked while she¡¯s gone, you¡¯re pretty much the only way we stand a chance at surviving."


    "..." Diana thought about it. "You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll stay."


    Just like that, it was decided. Grace, Petriel, and Willow would head out, while everyone else remained here.


    Grace felt the gravity of Ivy¡¯s capture pulling at her resolve, and against her better judgment, excitement rushed into the space between.


    [We can save her. I swear we can.]


    ---


    Dawn broke over Rosewood village with streaks of pink and gold. Grace stuffed the last of her supplies into a small leather pack¡ªherbs from Petriel, a water flask, and a map Willow had sketched showing their planned route.


    "You sure you have everything?" Diana leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.


    "I think so." Grace tugged at the straps, securing the pack to her belt.


    "Weapon?"


    Grace tapped the hilt of her rapier.


    "Got it."


    "Brain?" Diana smirked.


    "Ha ha." Grace rolled her eyes. "I¡¯ll be fine."


    "Better be." Diana sighed. "Sure hope our demon killing machine doesn¡¯t get itself stabbed or something out there."


    "Sure, sure." Grace slung the pack over her shoulder. "I¡¯ll be fine."


    Outside, the others had gathered to see them off. Alia bounced over to Grace, tackling her with a hug that nearly knocked her down.


    "Bring me back something pretty!" she chirped, squeezing tight.


    "It¡¯s not a shopping trip," Zephyr said, gently prying Alia off Grace. "They¡¯re looking for an exiled angel who might know about ancient corruption."


    "So? Exiles can have pretty things." Alia pouted.


    Mara approached next, her expression maternal with concern.


    "Remember what we discussed about your medallion. If it heats up again¡ª"


    "Pull back immediately," Grace finished. "Don¡¯t let it pull me anywhere. I know."


    "And if you feel that cold presence¡ª" Diana started.


    "Run, don¡¯t fight." Grace nodded. "I got it."


    Willow joined them, dressed in traveling robes that seemed to shift colors like leaves in changing seasons.


    "The winds are favorable. We should depart now."


    Petriel hurried over, clutching her healer¡¯s kit.


    "S-sorry! I was just replenishing some of my herbs."


    "Ready?" Grace asked her.


    Petriel nodded, though her wings trembled slightly with nervousness.


    "As I¡¯ll ever be."


    The three of them moved to the village edge. Willow spread her emerald wings, the morning light filtering through them like stained glass.


    "Form a triangle," she instructed. "It will create better wind resistance for the journey."


    Grace and Petriel positioned themselves as directed, unfurling their own wings. Grace¡¯s gleamed golden-white in the sunrise, while Petriel¡¯s shimmered with silver highlights.


    "Remember," Mara called, "the borderlands can be treacherous! Trust your instincts!"


    "Don¡¯t trust any strange angels!" Diana added.


    "Kiss Melora for me!" Alia shouted, earning an elbow from Zephyr.


    "Three, two, one..." Willow counted down.


    They leapt skyward in unison, wings catching the air with powerful downstrokes. Grace¡¯s stomach lurched at the initial surge of acceleration, but the sensation quickly gave way to exhilaration. The ground fell away below them, Rosewood shrinking to a cluster of toy houses surrounded by green.


    "Keep in formation!" Willow called over the rushing wind. "Pace yourselves!"


    Grace focused on matching Willow¡¯s rhythm, finding the sweet spot of effort and glide. Beside her, Petriel wobbled slightly before finding her balance.


    "You okay?" Grace called to her.


    "F-fine! Just been a while since I¡¯ve flown long distance!"


    The three angels rose higher, breaking through a layer of low clouds into brilliant sunshine. Grace glanced back once at the receding village and the tiny figures waving below. Then she faced forward, toward the distant horizon where answers¡ªand hopefully, salvation for Ivy¡ªawaited.


    "East to the borderlands," Willow announced. "Stay alert and follow my lead."


    With the wind in her wings and purpose in her heart, Grace soared onward into the unknown.

 Chapter 64: Ancient Entities

    Chapter 64: Ancient EntitiesFlying still wasn¡¯t Grace¡¯s strong suit.


    She tried to keep up, though, moving behind Petriel and Willow, the two more experienced angels pushing ahead of her.


    "This part of Linaria can get a bit treacherous," Willow called out while Grace was trying not to accidentally start a dive-bomb. "The line between the Dominion and Linaria is thin. Both demonic and angelic energy has twisted the wildlife. Try to keep your guard up."


    As they flew through a red sky, villagers halted, mouths agape, a few hesitantly raising their hands in greeting before Grace and her companions landed. The thin air carried voices to them before faces, murmurs of "Star-fallen" and "Celestial." Grace fumbled to fold her wings neatly behind her, tucking them close to avoid appearing too showy.


    "Welcome," an older man shouted over the wary silence. His eyes darted as if gauging their intent. "You... come looking for the one who speaks in riddles, yes? The outcast?"


    "We seek the scholar," Willow replied, her voice carrying authority and assurance.


    "They say she lives inside stone," Petriel added, gesturing toward the jagged cliffs rising like tombstones behind the village. He seemed to just take that as confirmation.


    The man nodded.


    "Be careful," he warned. "Roads have teeth."


    Grace exchanged a somewhat worried glance with Petriel before following Willow along a narrow path that snaked toward the hills. The roads "having teeth" didn¡¯t sound too good, but oh well. Her feet skidded on loose gravel as they climbed, each step taking them deeper into shadow.


    A chill clung to the air, stark against the blistering sky.


    ---


    Soon enough, the library loomed before them like a yawning maw in the cliffside, its walls etched with runes that had been dulled by time and neglect. Inside, Grace sensed a strange emptiness. Shelves toppled, scrolls shredded like brittle leaves beneath their feet.


    "It¡¯s been ransacked," Willow muttered, sifting through debris with a frustrated sigh.


    "M-Maybe not entirely." Petriel¡¯s voice quivered with cautious optimism as she brushed dust from a weathered table.


    Grace kicked at a pile of torn scrolls, disappointment settling in her chest.


    "We came all this way for nothing?"


    "Not necessarily." Willow knelt to examine markings on the stone floor. "Seems to me like someone was looking for something specific."


    Grace wandered deeper into the library, stepping over fallen shelves and scattered books. Sunlight filtered through narrow windows, illuminating swirling dust motes. The air smelled old and dry, with a hint of something burnt.


    "Hey, look at this." She stopped in front of a stone desk that had been split clean down the middle.


    Grace ran her fingers along the fractured surface, noticing odd indentations along the edge. She pressed one. Not that she thought anything would happen, she just kinda felt like it.


    Click.


    A small compartment popped open in the side of the desk, startling her enough that she stumbled backward and nearly fell on her butt.


    "Guys! I found something!"


    Willow and Petriel hurried over as Grace carefully extracted a leather-bound journal from the hidden drawer. Its cover was worn, the pages yellowed.


    "A journal?" Petriel leaned closer, wing brushing against Grace¡¯s.


    "The scholar¡¯s, perhaps." Willow¡¯s eyes narrowed with interest.


    Grace opened it carefully. Inside, elegant script filled page after page, interspersed with intricate diagrams and symbols.


    "I can¡¯t read most of this," Grace admitted, flipping through. "It¡¯s in some kind of code or old language."


    "Let me see." Willow took the journal, brow furrowed in concentration. "Parts are in ancient angelic. This section here speaks of... entities. Very, very old ones."


    "Demons?" Petriel asked.


    "No. Something older." Willow¡¯s finger traced along a passage. "Here. ¡¯In the beginning, before angels, before demons, Eternia created the great pillars of existence. The Great Root was keeper of growth and decay, binding all living things in cycles eternal.¡¯"


    Grace felt her blood run cold.


    "The Great Root? Like... the corruption core I purified?"


    "There¡¯s more." Willow turned a page. "¡¯When Eternia departed, the pillars grew restless, untethered from her will. Some have slumbered, others have wandered, but all hunger for connection to their creator.¡¯"


    "That matches what Ivy said," Grace whispered. "About the Root recognizing me."


    Petriel shivered.


    "B-But why would it want you specifically?"


    Before Grace could respond, a scraping sound echoed from the library entrance. All three angels froze.


    "We¡¯re not alone," Willow whispered, sliding the journal into Grace¡¯s pack. "Behind me, now."


    They backed toward the shadows at the rear of the library. Grace drew her rapier, its golden glow cutting through the darkness. Petriel clutched her staff, trembling slightly.


    Three figures entered the main chamber. They wore hooded robes and bone-white masks with no features except dark eyeholes. They moved with unnatural fluidity, like water flowing uphill.


    "What are they?" Grace whispered. "They¡¯re not demons. I don¡¯t feel cold."


    "Don¡¯t seem to be angels either," Willow muttered.


    The masked figures paused, heads tilting in perfect unison. Then, as one, they turned toward the angels¡¯ hiding spot.


    "RUN!" Willow shoved Grace and Petriel toward a narrow passage at the back of the library.


    The figures glided after them with terrifying speed. Grace sprinted down the passage, Petriel close behind. Willow brought up the rear, flinging seeds from her pouch that burst into entangling vines, temporarily slowing their pursuers.


    The passage opened onto a narrow ledge overlooking a steep ravine. Far below, a river snaked between jagged rocks.


    "We need to fly!" Grace spread her wings, ready to leap.


    The moment her wings unfurled, they began to glow, bright against the darkening sky.


    One of the masked figures appeared at the passage entrance. It raised a hand, and Grace felt a sickening pull. Her divine energy¡ªthe very essence of her angelic power¡ªstrained toward the creature¡¯s outstretched fingers.


    She was being dragged back.


    "They¡¯re draining us!" Petriel cried, dropping to one knee as her own energy began to flow toward the figures.


    Willow stamped her foot on the ground. Roots erupted from the stone, forming a temporary barrier. "The ledge continues around the cliff. Move!"


    They staggered along the narrow path, pressed against the rock face. Behind them, the roots withered and blackened as the masked figures absorbed their energy.


    "What ARE these things?" Grace gasped, feeling weaker with each step.


    "Ack... I believe they may be Collectors," Willow replied grimly. "Servants of the ancient entities."


    The ledge widened slightly, leading to a crude staircase cut into the rock. They descended as quickly as they dared, the masked figures gliding down the cliff face after them like spiders on invisible threads.


    At the base of the cliff, the ravine opened into a small valley dotted with twisted trees. A tiny stone hut stood beside a bubbling spring, smoke rising from its chimney.


    A lone figure stood before it, waving their hands for the angels to see.


    They didn¡¯t really have a choice.


    They sprinted for the hut. Behind them, the Collectors gained ground.


    The door swung open. A hooded figure beckoned them inside.


    "Quickly now."


    They tumbled in. The figure slammed the door shut, dropping a heavy wooden bar into place. Outside, the Collectors¡¯ hollow voices hissed with frustration.


    "Circle of ash and elderwood," the hooded figure muttered, tracing symbols on the door. "Bind and blind, seek no more this night."


    A pulse of energy rippled outward.


    The hissing outside faded, then silenced completely.


    Grace collapsed onto a rough wooden bench, wings drooping with exhaustion.


    "Thank you. Those things¡ª"


    "Collectors," the figure interrupted, turning to face them. "Nasty pieces of work. Been after me for decades."


    She lowered her hood. Her skin had the texture of bark, and emerald leaves grew in place of hair. But most striking were her eyes¡ªsolid green.


    "You¡¯re Earth-Tenders," the woman said, studying Willow. "Been a long time since any of your kind sought me out."


    Willow straightened.


    "We seek Melora the Exile. Are you she?"


    A smile cracked the bark-like features.


    "I haven¡¯t heard that name in centuries." She gave a slight bow. "Melora, at your service. Though most here call me the hermit witch."


    "You¡¯re r-really her?" Petriel stared in awe. "The scholar who¡ª"


    "Who consorted with the Veil? Who studied corruption? Who was cast out for seeking truth?" Melora¡¯s laugh was like dry leaves rustling. "Yes, yes, all that."


    She moved around the small hut, lighting candles that burned with green flame. The interior was cramped but cozy, filled with plants, books, and strange artifacts.


    "So," Melora said, settling into a chair fashioned from living roots, "you found my journal, judging by the hounds on your trail."


    "The Collectors," Grace said. "What exactly are they?"


    "Eternia created many servants in the beginning. The Collectors were meant to gather divine energy and return it to her. After she left..." Melora¡¯s expression darkened. "They serve new masters now. The ancient entities."


    "Like the Great Root," Willow said.


    Melora¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    "You know of the Root?"


    "It¡¯s trapped an Earth-Tender named Ivy," Grace explained. "And it¡¯s been corrupting an entire village. It... recognized me somehow."


    Melora leaned forward, studying Grace intently. She looked down at her neck.


    "Show me that medallion." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace hesitated, then pulled out the golden disk. Melora didn¡¯t touch it but traced shapes in the air above it, her expression growing more troubled.


    "This is Eternia¡¯s work," she whispered. "Pure and undiluted. The Great Root would sense this immediately."


    "But why target me specifically?"


    "The ancient entities have gone mad in Eternia¡¯s absence," Melora explained. "They were created to channel her power, to help shape the world. Without her guidance, they¡¯ve become twisted, hungry. They seek anything connected to her, hoping to devour it and fill the void she left."


    [Ah... And I¡¯m connected to her.]


    "The Collectors will probably return at dawn. They can sense Eternia¡¯s energy on you."


    "Then we need to leave," Willow said firmly.


    "Not without answers," Grace countered. "We came to find out how to help Ivy and stop the Root."


    Melora¡¯s green eyes fixed on Grace.


    "Help me understand exactly what you¡¯re facing, child. And perhaps together, we can find a way to save your friend¡ªbefore the Collectors find us again."

 Chapter 65: Ancient Hunger

    Chapter 65: Ancient HungerMelora¡¯s hut was a mess. Books, dried plants, and weird artifacts covered every inch of space. Grace had to sit with her wings uncomfortably squished just to fit on the tiny stool Melora had offered her.


    "The Great Root is one of seven," Melora said, her bark-like face serious as she studied Grace¡¯s medallion. "Seven world shapers created by Eternia herself."


    "First creations?" Grace asked. "Before angels?"


    "Long before." Melora nodded. "When the world was young. The Root controlled growth and decay. The others ruled sky, sea, stone, beast, flame, and void."


    Willow leaned forward, almost knocking over a stack of books.


    "What happened to them?"


    "We¡¯re not sure. But, I suspect that when Eternia left, they lost their purpose." Melora¡¯s face crinkled with sadness. "They were meant to be channels for her will, not independent thinkers. Without her there to direct them, they... became strange."


    "Strange how?" Petriel asked, nervously eyeing a jar with something that looked suspiciously like eyeballs floating in it.


    "They got hungry. Desperate to fill the hole where her presence used to be." Melora pointed a gnarled finger at Grace. "And you, kid, you¡¯re basically walking around wearing Eternia¡¯s perfume. The Root can smell it a mile away."


    Grace touched her medallion.


    "So it wants to... what? Eat me?"


    "Either absorb your power or be purified by it." Melora stood up with a creak and grabbed an ancient scroll. "Your energy is special. You could cleanse the Root or take its power for yourself, if you wanted."


    [So these were the beings Eternia replaced with Azrael.] Grace remembered bits of angel history¡ªhow Eternia had appointed Azrael to oversee all of Linaria before the angel turned against her creator.


    "Could the Root be saved?" Grace asked. "Purified instead of destroyed?"


    Melora looked at her like she¡¯d said something interesting for the first time.


    "Maybe. But you¡¯d need to¡ª"


    THUMP.


    Something hit the door hard enough to shake dust from the ceiling.


    "Collectors." Melora¡¯s voice hardened. "Found us faster than I thought they would."


    Another thump, louder. The wooden bar across the door cracked down the middle.


    "We need to go," Willow said, already on her feet.


    "This way." Melora pulled back a tapestry to reveal a dark tunnel. "This passage leads to the underground caverns. Follow it all the way through."


    "Aren¡¯t you coming?" Grace asked as another hit made the whole hut tremble.


    "I¡¯ll distract them." Melora¡¯s hands glowed with energy that looked weirdly familiar¡ªnot quite angelic, but close. "Head for the central chamber. Look for carvings in the stone. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find answers."


    Willow hesitated.


    "But the Collectors¡ª"


    "Have been after me for centuries." Melora grinned, showing teeth that looked suspiciously like tree bark. "Now go! Save your friend. And you¡ª" She pointed at Grace. "Trust your gut about the Root. You¡¯ll know what to do when the time comes."


    The door exploded inward. Melora shoved them toward the tunnel.


    "MOVE IT!"


    Grace stumbled into the passage with Petriel and Willow right behind her. The tunnel entrance sealed itself with twisting vines as soon as they were inside.


    Behind the wall, they heard crashes, hisses, and Melora shouting what sounded like very creative swear words.


    "Will she be okay?" Grace whispered.


    "Well, she¡¯s lasted this long," Willow replied, though she didn¡¯t sound convinced. "Keep moving."


    The tunnel got narrower as they went deeper. The rough stone walls pressed in from both sides, forcing them to fold their wings tight against their backs. Even then, Grace¡¯s feathers scraped painfully against the rocky ceiling.


    "I h-hate tight spaces," Petriel muttered, her breathing getting faster.


    "Just keep going," Grace said, trying to sound brave even though her own heart was racing. "One foot in front of the other."


    The tunnel wound downward in a spiral. Glowing mushrooms provided just enough light to keep them from face-planting on the uneven ground. The air got damp and thick, making it harder to breathe.


    "Hold up," Willow stopped at a fork in the path. "Left or right?"


    "Melora said to find the central chamber," Grace said. "So... left? That looks like it goes deeper."


    Willow nodded.


    "Left it is."


    The left passage turned out to be the worst choice ever. It got so narrow they had to turn sideways to squeeze through, inching along with their backs against one wall, faces smashed against the other.


    "I can¡¯t¡ª" Petriel¡¯s voice cracked with panic. "I can¡¯t breathe!"


    "Yes, you can," Grace said firmly. "Just follow my voice. We¡¯ll get through this."


    They shuffled forward in a line, Willow first, then Grace, with Petriel at the back. The walls squeezed in tighter until¡ª


    [... Wait.]


    "I¡¯m stuck," Grace announced, trying not to sound as panicked as she felt. Her wings had gotten wedged against a pointy bit of rock and wouldn¡¯t budge.


    "Can you pull them in more?" Willow called from up ahead.


    "I¡¯m TRYING!" Grace tugged, which only wedged her more firmly in place. "It¡¯s not working!"


    Petriel¡¯s voice came from right behind her. "Let me help."


    Before Grace could say anything, she felt Petriel press against her back, hands reaching around to adjust her wings. The sudden contact made Grace freeze up completely. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "S-sorry!" Petriel squeaked. "Just trying to help!"


    "It¡¯s fine," Grace managed, suddenly VERY aware of Petriel¡¯s body pressed up against her own in the tight space. "Maybe try loosening that joint there?"


    Petriel¡¯s fingers worked along Grace¡¯s wing joints, gentle but firm. Every touch sent little zaps of... something... through Grace¡¯s nerves.


    [This is NOT the time to be getting all weird and flustered!]


    "Almost got it," Petriel murmured, her breath warm against Grace¡¯s ear.


    The combination of the tight space, Petriel pressed against her back, and those skilled healer¡¯s hands on her sensitive wings made Grace¡¯s face burn hot enough to light the whole tunnel.


    With a final adjustment, Grace¡¯s wings loosened.


    "There! I think I can UWAH¡ª"


    She moved forward too quickly and lost her balance. Petriel grabbed her waist to stop her from falling, which just pressed them even closer together.


    "S-sorry!" they both stammered at the exact same time.


    "Are you two coming or should I give you some privacy?" Willow called from up ahead, sounding way too amused.


    "We¡¯re coming!" Grace replied, mortified. She pushed forward, trying to ignore the tingling sensation left by Petriel¡¯s touch.


    The passage finally widened, opening into a small chamber where Willow waited with one eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face.


    "Don¡¯t," Grace warned.


    "I didn¡¯t say anything," Willow replied, though her mouth twitched with amusement.


    Petriel emerged last, her face bright red, looking anywhere but at Grace.


    They walked in awkward silence until the passage suddenly opened into a huge cavern. Grace¡¯s jaw dropped, temporarily forgetting her embarrassment.


    The underground space was massive. Stone columns stretched up to a ceiling lost in darkness. But what really grabbed their attention was the garden¡ªa sprawling field of plants unlike anything Grace had ever seen. Pale, glowing flowers bigger than her head. Mushrooms tall as trees. Vines that pulsed with inner light.


    "Whoa," Petriel whispered.


    "It¡¯s corrupted," Willow pointed to the blue-purple veins running through many of the plants. "See those patterns? Just like in Rosewood."


    Grace stepped forward carefully.


    "Melora said to look for carvings. Should we¡ª"


    A vine whipped toward her face. She ducked just in time.


    "MOVE!" Willow shouted as more plants came to life. Mushrooms belched out clouds of glowing spores. Flowers snapped open to reveal rows of thorn-teeth.


    "This way!" Grace spotted a stone path cutting through the garden. They ran for it, dodging grabby plants that swiped at them from all sides.


    A vine wrapped around Petriel¡¯s ankle, yanking her off her feet.


    "Help!" she cried as it dragged her toward a cluster of snapping flowers.


    Grace whipped out her rapier, slicing through the vine with a flash of golden light. She pulled Petriel up, and they kept running.


    The stone path led to a circular platform in the center of the garden. Carved into its surface was an elaborate diagram¡ªseven connected circles, each with a different symbol inside.


    "This is it!" Willow jumped onto the platform. "The seven entities!"


    Grace and Petriel followed, barely escaping the plants that stopped at the edge of the carved stone like they¡¯d hit an invisible wall.


    "Look," Willow pointed to one symbol¡ªa stylized tree with spiraling roots. "The Great Root."


    Grace knelt to check out the carvings. "What are the others?"


    "Ancient writing," Willow translated each symbol. "Sky Sovereign, Tide Mother, Stone Father, Beast Lord, Flame Heart, and Void Whisper."


    When Grace touched the Root symbol, her medallion heated up. Purple-blue energy seeped from the carving, crawling up her fingers like tiny vines.


    "Grace!" Petriel yelped in alarm.


    But it didn¡¯t hurt. Instead, Grace felt a weird resonance¡ªlike the corruption recognized her. Following her gut, she didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, she drew the energy into herself, feeling it pool in her chest next to her divine power.


    ¡¸Skill Acquired: Aura Release (Lvl 1)¡¹


    ¡¸Description: Absorb corruption energy and release it as a concentrated purification blast¡¹


    "What are you doing?" Willow asked, eyes wide.


    "I think I¡¯m... absorbing it?" Grace felt the corruption swirling inside her, mixing with her divine energy. It burned, but not in a bad way¡ªmore like spicy food. "It¡¯s building up."


    The plants around the platform went nuts, thrashing more frantically, sensing the change in energy.


    "Whatever you¡¯re doing, hurry up," Petriel urged. "They¡¯re breaking through!"


    The energy built to a painful pressure in Grace¡¯s chest. Her whole body felt like it might explode.


    "I can¡¯t hold it!" she warned, aiming her hands at the densest cluster of corrupted plants. "MOVE!"


    Willow and Petriel dove to the side just as Grace released everything in a single explosive blast. A beam of golden-violet light shot from her palms, cutting through the garden like a laser. The corrupted plants in its path didn¡¯t just calm down¡ªthey disintegrated into sparkling dust.


    The backlash knocked Grace onto her butt, leaving her gasping.


    "Holy... goddess..." she panted.


    "You just..." Petriel stared at the smoking path carved through the garden.


    "That was..." Willow seemed equally stunned.


    Grace looked down at her hands, which still tingled with residual energy. "I think I can do it again. Smaller this time."


    She got to her feet, drawing in more corruption from the nearest thrashing vine. This time, she controlled the buildup, releasing a more focused beam that blasted another path through the plants.


    "You¡¯re creating an escape route," Willow realized.


    "That¡¯s the plan," Grace said, already absorbing more energy. "Unless you¡¯ve got a better idea?"


    Three more blasts later, they had a clear path to the exit where daylight streamed in. They ran for it, Grace pausing occasionally to fire another beam when plants tried to close in behind them.


    "Melora was right," Grace said as they reached the exit, her hands still smoking slightly. "I can use the Root¡¯s own power against it."


    "The question is," Willow replied, "will it let you get close enough to try?"


    They stepped out onto a hillside overlooking a huge forest. The sun was setting, turning everything golden.


    "We should get back to Rosewood," Petriel said, eyeing Grace¡¯s hands with a mix of awe and concern. "Before the Collectors find us."


    Grace nodded, stretching her wings in the open air.


    "At least now we have something to work with. A plan."


    They took off, leaving the weird underground garden behind. Grace felt the new power settling inside her¡ªnot quite angelic, not quite foreign, but something in between.


    Something that might just be enough to save Ivy.

 Chapter 66: Corrupted Waters

    Chapter 66: Corrupted WatersThey spotted the chaos from the air. Vines and twisted plants circled Rosewood like a living siege wall. Flashes of golden light cut through the greenery¡ªDiana¡¯s sword, carving paths that closed almost as quickly as she made them.


    "Oh no."


    A roar from below. A plant monster twice as tall as a house swiped at Diana. She dodged, slashed, and the creature split in two¡ªonly for both halves to grow back as separate entities.


    "That¡¯s... not good," Petriel said.


    Willow¡¯s bark-like face hardened.


    "This corruption has evolved."


    They landed behind Diana, who didn¡¯t even turn around. She just kept hacking at the encroaching plants.


    "Took you long enough!" she shouted, beheading something that looked like a cross between a turnip and a bear. "Did you enjoy your little field trip while I¡¯ve been FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE?"


    "We found answers," Grace called back, drawing her rapier. "About the Root."


    "Great. Tell me after we¡¯re not DEAD!"


    "Oh, don¡¯t be so dramatic. You can¡¯t die!"


    Diana just scowled at her for that.


    Still, Grace leapt forward, channeling energy into her blade. She cut through a vine creature, but two more immediately took its place. Fighting them was like trying to empty the ocean with a bucket.


    "Where are the others?" Willow asked, hurling seeds that exploded into thorny barriers.


    "Mara¡¯s in the big barn with the villagers," Diana grunted, sweat pouring down her face despite the cool air. "Alia and Zephyr are with her. Your Earth-Tender friends set up some kind of plant shield, but it¡¯s failing."


    Grace slashed through another creature.


    "And Ivy?"


    "Worse." Diana kicked a plant monster away. "The barrier around her tree got stronger after you left. No one can get near it now."


    [Great. Just great.]


    "I might have a solution," Grace said, remembering her new skill. "But we need to get to the tree!"


    Diana nodded.


    "Follow me!"


    She carved a path through the writhing vegetation, Grace and the others close behind. The village looked like it had been swallowed by a jungle¡ªbuildings wrapped in vines, wells overflowing with purple-tinged water, flowers with teeth growing from every surface.


    They fought their way to the village center where Ivy¡¯s tree loomed. The barrier around it had changed¡ªno longer transparent but solid and pulsing with veins of corruption. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "See?" Diana panted, finally showing signs of exhaustion. "Can¡¯t even see her anymore."


    Grace stepped forward.


    "I can fix this. I learned how to¡ª"


    "GRACE!" Alia¡¯s voice rang out. She bounded toward them, remarkably unscathed, with Zephyr right behind her. "You¡¯re back!"


    "Where¡¯s Mara?" Willow asked.


    Alia¡¯s face fell.


    "She¡¯s... um..."


    "She got too close to the tree," Zephyr finished, her usual sarcastic tone gone. "Something happened."


    They led the group to the barn where villagers huddled in frightened clusters. Earth-Tenders worked to maintain barriers against the corruption. And in the corner, sitting calmly on a hay bale, was Mara.


    With flowers growing out of her left arm.


    "Oh, you¡¯re back," she said cheerfully, as if sprouting vegetation was perfectly normal. "How was your trip?"


    Grace gaped.


    "Mara, your ARM!"


    "Hmm? Oh, this." Mara glanced at her limb, which was now more plant than flesh, blue-purple veins running beneath the surface. A small bud bloomed as they watched. "It¡¯s nothing to worry about."


    "Nothing to¡ª?" Grace sputtered. "You¡¯re turning into a PLANT!"


    "I prefer ¡¯botanically enhanced,¡¯" Mara replied with a smile that was a little too wide. "The flowers are rather pretty, don¡¯t you think?"


    Willow knelt beside her, examining the corruption.


    "How did this happen?"


    "Well, I tried to communicate with Ivy through the barrier," Mara explained. "It... reached back."


    "We need to purify her," Grace said. "Now."


    "I told you, I¡¯m fine," Mara insisted. "It doesn¡¯t even hurt. Actually, it feels quite nice. Like I¡¯m... connected to everything."


    That didn¡¯t sound good. At all.


    "Grace," Diana nudged her. "That ¡¯solution¡¯ you mentioned?"


    "Right." Grace nodded. "I learned to absorb corruption energy and release it as a blast. If I can target Ivy¡¯s tree with it¡ª"


    "You can what?" Diana interrupted.


    "Long story. But I can use it to¡ª"


    "Absorb corruption?" Mara perked up, eyes suddenly too bright. "From me, perhaps? I have plenty to spare!" She held out her plant arm, vines extending from her fingertips.


    Grace stepped back.


    "Let me try it on the barrier first."


    They returned to the tree, fighting through plants that seemed more aggressive by the minute. Grace stood before the barrier, planted her feet, and raised her hands.


    "Everyone stand back."


    She focused, trying to pull corruption energy from the barrier like she¡¯d done with the carvings. Nothing happened. She tried harder, reaching out with her senses, but the barrier remained impenetrable.


    "It¡¯s not working," she said, frustrated. "It¡¯s like the barrier is blocking my ability to connect with the corruption inside."


    "Try touching it," Diana suggested.


    "Are you CRAZY?" Petriel squeaked. It was the first thing she¡¯d said directly to Grace since their cave encounter. She¡¯d been carefully avoiding eye contact the whole time.


    "Actually, she might be right," Willow said. "Direct contact could establish the connection."


    Grace hesitated, then stepped forward and pressed her palm against the barrier. It felt cold and slick, like wet glass. She pushed her power against it, trying to create a link¡ª


    Pain shot up her arm as the barrier pushed back. She stumbled away with a cry, clutching her hand. The skin was blue-purple where she¡¯d touched it.


    "Grace!" Petriel was instantly at her side, medical instincts overriding her awkwardness. She cradled Grace¡¯s hand in hers, examining the spreading corruption. "I need to heal this now!"


    "That went well," Diana muttered.


    "I don¡¯t understand," Grace said through gritted teeth. "It worked in the cavern."


    Willow frowned.


    "The Root must be actively resisting. It¡¯s intelligent, remember?"


    Petriel¡¯s hands glowed as she purified Grace¡¯s corruption, her touch sending tingles up Grace¡¯s arm that had nothing to do with healing.


    "T-there," Petriel stammered, quickly releasing Grace¡¯s hand once the blue-purple veins disappeared. "All better."


    "Thanks," Grace replied, equally awkward.


    Diana looked between them with narrowed eyes.


    "What exactly happened in those tunnels?"


    "Nothing!" they both said too quickly.


    "Uh-huh." Diana smirked. "Nothing that has you two jumping like startled rabbits whenever you touch. Very convincing."


    "Can we focus on the CRISIS?" Grace snapped, her face burning.


    A scream from the barn interrupted them. They rushed back to find two villagers restraining Mara, who was trying to reach a child with her corrupted arm. The flowers on her limb had grown larger, opening and closing like hungry mouths.


    "But I just want to share!" Mara protested, sounding confused. "Everyone should experience this connection!"


    "It¡¯s spreading faster than I thought," Willow said grimly. "We don¡¯t have much time before she fully transforms."


    "And creates more corruption," Zephyr added. "It¡¯s already in the village water. Look." She pointed to a bucket where the water had a distinct purple tint.


    "The well?" Grace asked.


    Alia nodded.


    "All of them. The roots must have reached the underground springs."


    "That¡¯s how it¡¯s spreading so fast," Diana realized. "Every time someone drinks..."


    Grace looked around at the frightened villagers, the struggling Mara, the corruption encroaching from all sides. They needed a solution fast.


    "Wait." An idea struck her. "The corruption can¡¯t reach through Ivy¡¯s barrier, right? What if I try the opposite? What if, instead of pulling corruption energy through it, I push purification energy in?"


    "Worth a try," Diana said. "But you couldn¡¯t even touch it without getting infected."


    "I¡¯d need more power," Grace admitted. "A lot more."


    Her eyes met Petriel¡¯s, and understanding passed between them.


    "Intimate Healing," Petriel said softly. "It amplifies divine energy."


    "Exactly." Grace nodded. "If you could boost my power enough, I might be able to punch through."


    "Wait, what¡¯s Intimate Healing?" Alia asked, suddenly very interested. "And why does it sound fun?"


    "It¡¯s not¡ª" Grace started.


    "Is it that thing where you kiss people better?" Diana interrupted with a wicked grin. "Is THAT what happened in the tunnels?"


    "NO!" Grace and Petriel shouted in unison, both turning scarlet.


    "Nothing happened in any tunnels!" Grace added.


    "Then why are you both bright red?" Diana pressed.


    "I was teaching her energy restoration techniques," Petriel mumbled.


    "I bet you were."


    "Diana!" Grace wanted to die on the spot. "Drop it!"


    Another crash from outside reminded them of the urgency. The plant creatures were breaking through the barn¡¯s defenses.


    "We need to purify the water source first," Willow said. "Cut off the spread."


    "The main well is in the village square," Zephyr pointed out. "Right next to Ivy¡¯s tree."


    Perfect. They could try both plans at once.


    "Alright," Grace took a deep breath. "Willow, Diana, Zephyr, Alia¡ªkeep Mara and the villagers safe. Petriel and I will handle the well."


    "And try not to get distracted by any ¡¯energy restoration techniques,¡¯" Diana added with air quotes.


    Grace ignored her, turning to Petriel.


    "Ready?"


    Petriel nodded, still avoiding direct eye contact.


    "R-ready."


    They made their way to the village square, fighting corrupted plants at every turn. The main well stood just twenty feet from Ivy¡¯s tree, its stone rim stained with blue-purple residue.


    "We need to get to the water source," Grace said, peering down the well. Purple tendrils twisted around the walls, trailing into the dark water below. "If I can purify it directly..."


    "I¡¯ll help you," Petriel said. "But... the Intimate Healing... it requires..."


    "I know." Grace¡¯s heart pounded. "Just do what you need to do."

 Chapter 67: Deep Waters

    Chapter 67: Deep WatersThe well was dark and damp, with corruption vines spiraling down its walls like some kind of twisted staircase. Grace and Petriel climbed down carefully, their wings folded tight against their backs.


    "Are you sure about this?" Grace whispered, trying not to touch the pulsing blue-purple tendrils.


    "N-no," Petriel admitted, her voice echoing slightly in the narrow space. "But we don¡¯t have many options left."


    When they reached the bottom, they found themselves in a low tunnel carved from stone. Water trickled along its floor, tainted with corruption that glowed faintly in the darkness.


    "The spring should be this way," Petriel pointed ahead where the tunnel widened.


    As they waded through ankle-deep water, Grace cleared her throat.


    "So... about this Intimate Healing. Just to be clear on what we¡¯re doing..."


    Petriel stopped walking, her back to Grace. Even in the dim light, Grace could see the tips of her ears turning red.


    "It¡¯s, um..." Petriel fidgeted with her robes. "There are different levels of the technique."


    "Right. And what level are we talking about exactly?"


    Petriel turned around, looking everywhere but at Grace¡¯s face.


    "The most advanced version involves... complete energy synchronization."


    "Complete... what does that mean?"


    "It means..." Petriel took a deep breath. "Skin-to-skin contact. While channeling divine energy through... through..."


    "Through what?" Grace asked, though she was starting to get a pretty clear idea.


    "Through physical union," Petriel squeaked, her face now glowing brighter than the corruption.


    "Physical union?" Grace repeated weakly. "As in...?"


    "Sex," Petriel blurted, then immediately covered her face with her hands. "We¡¯d need to have sex."


    Grace¡¯s brain short-circuited.


    "But¡ªI¡ªyou¡ªwe¡ª" Words failed her completely.


    "It¡¯s the fastest way to amplify power!" Petriel hurried to explain. "The Intimate Healing technique draws on both Love Sister and Compassion Sister methodologies and¡ª"


    "Is there another option?" Grace interrupted, her voice about three octaves higher than normal.


    "W-well, there¡¯s a partial version that just requires... touching. But it won¡¯t generate nearly as much energy."


    Grace considered this. Mara was turning into a plant monster. The entire village was being corrupted. Ivy was still trapped.


    "Touching sounds good," she said quickly. "Let¡¯s start with touching."


    "Right. Touching." Petriel nodded vigorously. "We can try that first."


    They continued down the tunnel, both walking a bit faster now. The passage opened into a large underground cavern where a spring bubbled up from the ground, feeding a small pool before flowing into channels that presumably led to the village wells.


    At the center of the pool stood a massive plant creature¡ªeasily ten feet tall, with a trunk-like body and writhing vine-limbs. But what made Grace¡¯s blood run cold was its face¡ªMara¡¯s face, perfectly replicated in pulsing blue-purple vegetation.


    "Welcome, little angels," it said in Mara¡¯s voice, but distorted, like it was speaking through water. "Have you come to join us in the glory of growth?"


    "Oh crap," Grace whispered, pulling Petriel behind a rock formation. "That¡¯s not good."


    "The Root is using Mara¡¯s connection," Petriel whispered back. "It¡¯s like a projection of its consciousness."


    The Mara-creature tilted its flowery head.


    "I can hear you, dears. No need to hide. Don¡¯t you want to bloom with us?"


    It extended a vine arm toward their hiding spot. Grace and Petriel pressed deeper into a small alcove, barely big enough for both of them.


    "We need that energy boost now," Grace hissed.


    "Before it finds us."


    "R-right." Petriel¡¯s hands trembled as she reached for Grace. "This might be... intense."


    "Just do it," Grace whispered. "And hurry!"


    Petriel placed her hands on Grace¡¯s shoulders, then hesitated. "It works better with direct contact on energy centers."


    "Meaning?"


    "Your chest. And... lower abdomen."


    "Oh." Grace swallowed. "Okay. Go ahead."


    Petriel¡¯s fingers slid tentatively under the fabric of Grace¡¯s robes, touching the bare skin of her collarbone. Immediately, warmth spread from the contact point, making Grace gasp.


    "I feel that," she whispered.


    "That¡¯s just the beginning," Petriel replied, her voice steadier now that she was in healer mode. "The energy builds with... more intimate contact."


    Her hands moved lower, resting just above Grace¡¯s breasts. The warmth intensified, pooling in Grace¡¯s chest and spreading outward.


    "Come out, come out, wherever you are," the Mara-creature called, its voice closer now. Vines slithered along the cavern floor, searching.


    "We need more," Grace urged, trying to ignore how her heart pounded against Petriel¡¯s palms.


    Petriel nodded, her eyes glowing faintly with divine energy. She leaned forward, her lips brushing Grace¡¯s ear.


    "Trust me," she whispered, and then her mouth found Grace¡¯s in a kiss that made their previous one seem like a casual greeting.


    Divine energy surged between them, hot and electric. Grace felt it fill her veins, her very being, amplified by each point of contact. Petriel¡¯s hands grew bolder, sliding lower, tracing patterns on Grace¡¯s skin that left trails of golden light.


    "Oh," Grace breathed against Petriel¡¯s lips. This was... more than she¡¯d expected. Much more.


    The world narrowed to just the two of them, the energy building between them like a gathering storm. Grace¡¯s hands moved of their own accord, pulling Petriel closer, needing more contact, more connection, more¡ª


    "THERE you are! I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for¡ªWHAT THE HELL?"


    Diana¡¯s voice shattered the moment like a brick through glass. Grace and Petriel sprang apart just as chunks of stone and dirt rained down from above. Diana crashed through the ceiling, sword first, landing in a heap practically on top of them.


    "Were you two MAKING OUT in the middle of a CRISIS?" Diana demanded, scrambling to her feet and staring at them in disbelief.


    "It¡¯s not¡ªwe weren¡¯t¡ªit¡¯s a healing technique!" Grace sputtered, frantically adjusting her disheveled robes.


    "Oh, is THAT what they¡¯re calling it now?" Diana raised an eyebrow, then ducked as a vine whipped over their heads. "Argue later, fight now!"


    The Mara-creature had found them, its flowery face twisted in a parody of Mara¡¯s maternal smile.


    "Three little angels, all in a row," it cooed. "So much divine energy to absorb!"


    "How nice of you to drop in," Grace muttered to Diana as they backed away.


    "I tracked the corruption to the source," Diana replied, raising her sword. "Didn¡¯t expect to find you two... exploring caverns."


    "Can we PLEASE focus on the plant monster with Mara¡¯s face?" Grace begged, her cheeks burning.


    "Right. Kill plant, save village, tease you mercilessly later. Got it."


    The creature attacked, vine-arms lashing out with surprising speed. Diana slashed through them with her sword, but each severed piece grew into a new, smaller creature.


    "This isn¡¯t working!" Diana shouted, surrounded by mini Mara-faced plants.


    Grace looked at Petriel. Despite the interruption, she could still feel the divine energy they¡¯d generated humming beneath her skin, ready to be released.


    "I can do this," she said, stepping forward. "I just need to get close enough to absorb some corruption."


    "Are you insane?" Diana grabbed her arm. "That thing will infect you!"


    "Not if I¡¯m quick." Grace pulled free. "Trust me."


    Before Diana could stop her, Grace darted forward, dodging vines and leaping onto the edge of the corrupted pool. The water burned where it touched her skin, but she ignored the pain, focusing on the main creature.


    "Hey! Plant-face!" she shouted. "Remember me? The one who smells like Eternia?"


    The Mara-creature turned, its flowery features lighting up with interest.


    "Yesss," it hissed. "The special one. Come closer, little angel. Let me taste your light."


    "Taste this," Grace muttered, plunging her hands into the corrupted pool. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pain shot up her arms as corruption flooded into her. But this time, she was ready for it. She drew it in like she had in the cavern, channeling it into her core where it mixed with the divine energy Petriel had awakened.


    The combination was explosive. Grace felt like she might burst from the inside out, her whole body glowing with gold-violet light.


    "GRACE!" Petriel¡¯s voice, panicked.


    "I¡¯m okay!" Grace called back, though she wasn¡¯t entirely sure that was true. "Stay back!"


    The Mara-creature reached for her, sensing the power building within her. Its vine-fingers brushed her cheek.


    "Join us," it whispered in Mara¡¯s voice. "Become one with the Root."


    "Not happening." Grace grabbed the vines, using them as conduits to absorb even more corruption. "But thanks for the power-up."


    When she couldn¡¯t hold any more, Grace raised her hands toward the ceiling, aiming at the stone above the spring¡¯s source.


    "Everyone down!" she shouted.


    The energy released in a concentrated beam so powerful it knocked Grace backward into the pool. The blast punched through stone, earth, and root, creating a perfect shaft upward that revealed a patch of sky far above. But more importantly, it hit the spring¡¯s source directly.


    Golden-violet light spread through the water, purifying it instantly. The corrupted channels feeding into the village wells glowed as the purification traveled outward, creating a network of light beneath the village.


    The Mara-creature screeched, its form dissolving as the purified water ate away at its corrupted body.


    "It¡¯s working!" Petriel cried, helping Grace out of the pool.


    Diana stood dumbfounded.


    A rumble shook the cavern. Cracks spread across the walls as the purification energy continued to expand outward.


    "We need to get out of here," Diana said, grabbing both of them and pushing them toward the exit tunnel. "Now!"


    They splashed through the tunnel as the cavern collapsed behind them. When they reached the well shaft, Diana boosted them up one at a time before following.


    Back on the surface, they found the village transformed. The corrupted plants were withering, the purple tint fading from the air. And most surprisingly, the barrier around Ivy¡¯s tree had changed¡ªstill present, but thin enough to see through, revealing the Earth-Tender still trapped inside.


    "It worked," Grace breathed. "The purification must have created a feedback loop into the tree."


    "The barrier¡¯s weakened," Willow confirmed, joining them with the other Earth-Tenders. "We might be able to reach Ivy now."


    "Thank the goddess," Petriel said, carefully maintaining a few feet of distance between herself and Grace.


    Diana looked between them, a smirk spreading across her face.


    "So... are we going to talk about what I interrupted down there, or...?"


    "It was just Intimate Healing," Grace said through gritted teeth.


    "Very intimate from what I saw."


    "Can we focus on saving Ivy and Mara?" Grace pleaded.


    "Sure," Diana agreed too easily. "But after that, I want all the details about this ¡¯healing technique¡¯ that had your hands up her¡ª"


    "DIANA!"


    "What? I¡¯m just saying, if that¡¯s what healing looks like these days, maybe I should switch factions."

 Chapter 68: The Bargain

    Chapter 68: The Bargain"The barrier¡¯s weakened, but I still can¡¯t get through," Diana said, yanking her hand back after it bounced off the shimmer surrounding Ivy¡¯s tree. "It¡¯s like hitting a wall."


    "Let me try," Grace stepped forward, placing her palm against the barrier. It felt like jelly¡ªsoft but impenetrable. She pushed harder, and her hand slipped through about an inch before the barrier pushed back, ejecting her.


    "Whoa!" She stumbled backward. "Did you see that?"


    "It let you partially through," Willow observed, her bark-like face creasing with thought. "Interesting."


    "Is it because of her fancy new corruption-absorbing power?" Diana asked, still giving Grace side-eye whenever Petriel came within ten feet of them. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Willow ran her hands over the barrier, studying it.


    "I believe the barrier has changed properties. It now seems to only permit entry to beings carrying corruption energy."


    "That¡¯s good news for Mara," Zephyr said, pointing to where Mara sat calmly braiding flowers that were growing from her forearm. "Not so great for the rest of us."


    "Hey, these lilies match my robe!" Mara called cheerfully, waving her increasingly plant-like arm. The corruption had spread to her shoulder now.


    "We need to get her in there and purify both of them," Grace said. "But she¡¯s too far gone¡ªshe might not fight the Root¡¯s influence once inside."


    "So we need someone who isn¡¯t corrupted to enter," Diana concluded. "But the only way in is to be corrupted."


    "Precisely," Willow nodded.


    Everyone turned to look at Grace.


    "Why are you all staring at me?" Grace asked, though she already knew the answer.


    "You can absorb corruption," Petriel said softly, still keeping her distance. "Maybe you could take in just enough to pass through, but not enough to be controlled by it."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "A controlled infection?"


    "Essentially," Willow confirmed. "You would need to maintain consciousness of yourself while carrying enough corruption to satisfy the barrier."


    "And if I can¡¯t?" Grace asked.


    Diana shrugged.


    "Then we¡¯ll have three plant monsters instead of two. No pressure."


    "Thanks for that," Grace muttered.


    "We need a small, manageable amount of corruption," Willow said, looking around. "Something Grace can absorb without being overwhelmed."


    "Oh!" Alia bounced up and down, pointing at Mara. "Use hers! She¡¯s got plenty to spare!"


    Everyone stared at Alia in surprise.


    "That¡¯s... actually not a bad idea," Zephyr admitted.


    "I have good ideas sometimes," Alia pouted.


    Grace looked at Mara, who was now teaching a small child how to make daisy chains with flowers growing from her fingertips.


    "Would that work?" she asked Willow.


    "I¡¯m not sure, but... The corruption in Mara has already been filtered through an angelic host," Willow explained. "It might be more compatible with you than raw corruption."


    "Mara," Grace called. "Can we talk to you for a second?"


    Mara looked up, smiling beatifically.


    "Of course, dear! Do you want to learn flower braiding too?"


    "Not exactly." Grace approached cautiously. "We need your help to save Ivy."


    "Oh?" Mara tilted her head, a small bud blooming in her hair as she did.


    "I need to... borrow some of your corruption."


    Mara¡¯s eyes lit up.


    "How wonderful! I¡¯d be happy to share!" She stood, spreading her arms wide. "Take all you need!"


    "Whoa, easy there," Diana stepped between them. "We need Grace to absorb just a little, not turn into a garden."


    "Perhaps somewhere more... controlled," Willow suggested. "A small amount from a specific location."


    Grace nodded.


    "Right. Mara, can you come with me for a moment? Somewhere private?"


    Mara followed Grace behind the barn, humming a tune that sounded suspiciously like plants growing¡ªif plants made noise while growing, which they didn¡¯t, but that¡¯s what it sounded like anyway.


    "So how does this work?" Mara asked, bright-eyed and weirdly cheerful for someone turning into a plant. "Do I just...?" She wiggled her corrupted fingers.


    "I think I need to absorb it directly," Grace said, remembering how the process had worked with the carvings. "Maybe I could just touch your arm?"


    "Oh, sweetheart," Mara laughed, flowers blooming along her collarbone. "If you need to touch me, you can do a lot better than just my arm~"


    Grace had a sinking feeling.


    "What?"


    Before Grace could protest, Mara stepped forward and cupped her face in both hands¡ªone normal, one floral.


    "Just relax," she murmured, leaning in.


    [Oh come ON! Again?]


    For the third time that day, Grace found herself being kissed by another angel. Mara¡¯s lips were soft but tingled strangely, like mint mixed with something earthy. A cool sensation spread from the contact point, different from the warmth of Petriel¡¯s healing but not unpleasant.


    Grace felt the corruption entering her system¡ªa small, controlled stream that pooled in her chest. She focused on containing it, keeping it separate from her divine energy, instead of releasing it in that blast like she¡¯d done before.


    Mara finally pulled back, looking slightly dazed.


    "My, that was... invigorating." Some of the flowers on her arm had wilted, though new ones were already budding.


    "Did it work?" Grace asked, feeling the cool spot of corruption nestled inside her.


    "Only one way to find out," Mara replied with a motherly pat on Grace¡¯s cheek. "Just be careful in there, dear."


    [A little bit of Regular Mara snuck back in, huh?]


    They returned to the others, who were tactful enough not to comment on Grace¡¯s slightly swollen lips. Except Diana, of course.


    "Another ¡¯healing technique¡¯?" she smirked. "You¡¯re having quite the day, rookie."


    "Shut up," Grace muttered, her face burning. "Let¡¯s just do this."


    She approached the barrier again, feeling the corruption inside her resonate with it. This time, when she pressed against the shimmering surface, it yielded like water, allowing her to step through completely.


    "It worked!" she called back, her voice sounding distant and muffled through the barrier.


    "Be careful!" Petriel called, pressing her hands against the barrier but unable to follow.


    The inside of the barrier was like another world. The air felt thick and humid, heavy with the scent of growth and decay. In the center, Ivy¡¯s tree pulsed with blue-purple veins running through its bark.


    And there was Ivy herself, partially merged with the trunk. Her lower body had disappeared into the wood, while her torso, arms, and head protruded from the bark like a figurehead on a ship. Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful despite her predicament.


    "Ivy?" Grace approached cautiously. "Can you hear me?"


    Ivy¡¯s eyes opened slowly, revealing solid black orbs with pinpricks of purple light.


    "The creator returns," she said, but the voice wasn¡¯t entirely hers. It was deeper, ancient, with multiple tones layered beneath Ivy¡¯s natural voice. "We¡¯ve been waiting for you." It paused. "Wait... No, you are not her, are you?"


    [Not exactly, but kinda? I dunno.]


    "Uh, I¡¯m here to free you," Grace said, drawing her rapier. "Both you and Mara."


    "Are you?" The Root¡¯s voice grew stronger through Ivy¡¯s mouth. "Or have you come to destroy us?"


    "I want to purify you," Grace corrected. "There¡¯s a difference."


    "Purification. Destruction. Words for the same end." The tree pulsed, and Ivy¡¯s face contorted briefly before settling back into eerie calm. "We were not meant to end."


    "You¡¯re hurting people," Grace said. "You¡¯ve corrupted two angels. This has to stop."


    "We seek only to understand." Ivy¡¯s arms, still free of the trunk, gestured around them. "To connect. To grow. As we were made to do."


    "Then connect with something else. Not people."


    "But people¡ªangels especially¡ªthey carry her light. Her essence." The purple lights in Ivy¡¯s eyes brightened. "As do you, most of all."


    Grace took a step back, the corruption inside her responding to the Root¡¯s presence. She pushed it down, maintaining control.


    "You mean Eternia."


    "The Creator. The First Light. The one who shaped us and then abandoned us." Bitterness crept into the layered voice. "We were left... incomplete."


    Grace raised her rapier, golden light gleaming along its edge. "I¡¯m going to cut Ivy free."


    "Wait." The Root¡¯s voice softened, almost pleading. "We offer a bargain."


    "A bargain?" Grace paused, suspicious.


    "These angels¡ªwe will release them both. Unharmed. Uncorrupted."


    "In exchange for what?"


    The tree pulsed, corruption veins glowing brighter. "You. Join with us willingly."


    Grace snorted. "Hard pass."


    "You misunderstand." Ivy¡¯s body shifted slightly in the wood. "We do not wish to corrupt you. We wish to understand you. To learn from you. Your connection to Eternia is unique¡ªdirect, pure."


    "And I should trust you because...?"


    "Because we offer power beyond your comprehension. Control over life and death. Mastery of growth and decay. All the knowledge of the ancient world."


    The corruption inside Grace stirred, responding to the offer. It didn¡¯t feel threatening¡ªmore like curious, eager.


    "I don¡¯t want power," Grace said firmly.


    "Don¡¯t you?" The Root¡¯s voice was silk now. "Don¡¯t you wish to fulfill your purpose? To become what Eternia made you to be?"


    That hit uncomfortably close to home. Grace hesitated, the rapier lowering slightly.


    "How do you know what I was made for?"


    "We recognize her pattern in you. Her intention." The tree¡¯s branches swayed without wind. "You were crafted for greatness. We can help you achieve it."


    Grace shook her head, raising her rapier again.


    "Nice try, but I¡¯m not interested in your sales pitch."


    She gathered energy for her Aura Release, pulling on both her divine power and the small pool of corruption she carried. The golden-violet light began to gather in her free hand.


    "This ends now."


    But before she could release the blast, golden text appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Quest Gained!¡¹


    Category: Compassion


    Objective: Accept the Root¡¯s bargain


    Reward: +5 Compassion


    Grace froze. The System¡ªEternia¡¯s voice, essentially¡ªwanted her to accept? That made no sense. Unless...


    [Does Eternia want me to understand the Root too? Is there something I¡¯m missing?]


    She stared at the quest notification, conflicted. Every instinct told her to blast the corruption away and free Ivy. But if Eternia was directing her through the System...


    "What exactly would ¡¯joining with you¡¯ involve?" Grace asked, lowering her rapier.


    "A temporary merger. A sharing of essence." The Root sounded almost excited. "You would remain yourself, but connected to us. We would learn, and you would grow."


    Grace took a deep breath.


    "If I agree, you¡¯ll release Ivy and Mara immediately? No tricks?"


    "We swear by the First Light."


    Grace closed her eyes briefly. Five Compassion points. Eternia must have a reason.


    "Fine," she said, opening her eyes. "I accept your bargain."


    The tree seemed to shudder with delight. Ivy¡¯s body began to separate from the trunk, wood peeling away from her flesh like it had never been merged at all.


    "Approach," the Root said through Ivy¡¯s mouth one final time. "Embrace the growth."


    As Ivy slumped forward, freed from the tree, Grace stepped up to the trunk. The bark parted, revealing a hollow space perfectly shaped for a human-sized body.


    [I really hope I don¡¯t regret this.]


    Grace stepped inside, and the tree closed around her.

 Chapter 69: Created

    Chapter 69: Created¡¸Quest Completed! ¡¹


    +5 Compassion


    Compassion: 44/100


    The tree enclosed Grace. After a moment of darkness, a green light glowed from the bark, illuminating her face. The interior was more spacious than she¡¯d expected¡ªa hollow chamber where the living wood walls radiated energy.


    "You are not her," the Root¡¯s voice resonated through the wood, "but you carry her essence."


    Grace steadied herself, placing one hand on the inner wall for balance. The wood was warm and slightly damp under her fingertips.


    "You mean Eternia?"


    A tremor ran through the chamber. The walls shifted slightly, as if the tree itself had inhaled sharply.


    "You speak her name so casually." The voice changed¡ªmultiple tones overlapped, creating a sort of chorus effect that made Grace¡¯s skin prickle. "Yes. She who created and destroyed. She who abandoned."


    Strands of light descended from the ceiling, twisting around Grace without touching her. They lit up her face and hair, examining her like curious fingers.


    "What are you to her?" the Root asked. "You are not her vessel. Not her avatar. Yet you carry her light."


    "I¡¯m..." Grace hesitated, unsure how to explain something she barely understood herself. "She created me, directly. That¡¯s what she told me."


    The chamber constricted again, this time with enough force that Grace felt the pressure change in her ears.


    "Created directly?" The Root¡¯s voice pitched higher with what sounded like excitement. "Like us? The first ones?"


    The tendrils of light drew closer, almost touching Grace¡¯s skin. She could feel heat radiating from them.


    "I don¡¯t know about any first ones, but... I guess?" Grace said quietly. "I was a turnip farmer who died. Then I became an angel. I met her, and she told me I was different from other angels. She... told me she made me."


    "Yesssss." The word stretched out, hissing through the wooden chamber. "Different. Special. Chosen. We were chosen too, before she made the better one."


    "The better one?"


    "Azrael." The name echoed with bitterness. "She created us to help shape Linaria, to give it form and function. I was to nourish the land, to make it fertile. Others were to fill the seas, to raise mountains, to bring weather. We were her hands in this world."


    The tendrils retreated slightly, coiling around themselves like agitated snakes.


    "Then she grew tired of managing us. Created Azrael to do it instead. Left us behind."


    Grace took a careful step forward.


    "You helped create Linaria? What was it like then?"


    The chamber brightened, the green glow intensifying. Images began to form on the walls¡ªprojections or memories, Grace couldn¡¯t tell. They showed vast empty plains, barren rock, and then the slow emergence of life.


    "She walked among us then," the Root said, its voice softening with something like reverence. "In a form like yours, but not. Taller. Brighter. She would laugh when new things grew. She would touch the soil with her bare feet and flowers would bloom in her footsteps."


    The images shifted, showing a figure that made Grace gasp. It looked like her¡ªor rather, she looked like it¡ªbut with an unmistakable difference in presence. The figure radiated light that made looking directly at it difficult.


    She didn¡¯t quite look the way she had in Grace¡¯s dreams. There was a hint of boredom on her face. Something Grace could identify because she¡¯d seen what Eternia looked like when she wasn¡¯t like that.


    "That¡¯s Eternia?" Grace whispered, one brow raised.


    "Yes." The Root¡¯s voice sounded almost hungry now. "You have her face. Her form. But smaller. Dimmer. Yet still..."


    A tendril finally brushed against Grace¡¯s cheek, and she flinched at the contact. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it sent a jolt through her system like static electricity.


    "Delicious," the Root purred. "Even diluted, her essence is intoxicating."


    "Well, uh..." Grace stepped back. "I¡¯m not her. I¡¯m just Grace." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just Grace," the Root repeated, amusement evident in its multi-layered voice. "No one created by Eternia is ¡¯just¡¯ anything. Tell me, Just Grace, do you know why she made Linaria at all?"


    "No," Grace admitted. "She doesn¡¯t exactly give straight answers."


    The Root¡¯s laughter shook the chamber, causing bits of bark to rain down from above.


    "That hasn¡¯t changed, then. She created for creation¡¯s sake. For amusement. For company, perhaps. But when the maintaining proved tedious, she made Azrael and stepped back. And we... we were forgotten."


    The images on the walls changed again, showing the figure of Eternia walking away, disappearing into light, leaving behind the half-formed world.


    "Is that why you¡¯re corrupting things now?" Grace asked. "Because you¡¯re angry at being abandoned?"


    The Root¡¯s response came as a tremor through the chamber. Grace felt the vibration in her bones.


    "Corrupting? Is that what you call it?" The Root¡¯s voice shifted, becoming defensive. "I am returning to my purpose. Reclaiming what was mine to shape."


    Grace steadied herself against the pulsing wall.


    "By hurting people? By turning them into those... plant creatures?"


    "They are being remade. Perfected." The tendrils of light moved more aggressively now, circling her like predators. "All of Linaria was to be shaped by us. The mortals were an afterthought, a distraction."


    Grace¡¯s medallion grew warm against her chest. She placed her hand over it, feeling its comforting heat through her clothing.


    "You said there were others like you. The first ones. Where are they now?"


    The chamber darkened slightly, the green glow dimming.


    "Scattered. Sleeping. Forgotten. Some faded away entirely when she left. Others found new purpose." The Root¡¯s voice lowered. "I remained most true to my original task. I continued to shape the land, even when she no longer watched."


    Grace took a careful step back, noticing how the walls seemed to be inching closer.


    "And Azrael? What happened when Eternia created her?"


    The chamber constricted violently. Grace stumbled as the floor shifted beneath her feet.


    "She was the replacement. The ¡¯better half¡¯ of Eternia. Given authority over all of Linaria while we were... relegated." Bitterness dripped from every syllable. "But even she was eventually cast aside, was she not? When she discovered the power of Sins."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened.


    "How do you know about that?"


    "I have been here since the beginning. I see. I hear. I know." The Root¡¯s voice grew louder, more distorted. "I know that you carry Eternia¡¯s essence. I know that you could reconnect me to her."


    The tendrils of light suddenly plunged toward Grace. She dodged, but they changed direction mid-air, wrapping around her wrists.


    "Wait!" she cried out. "What are you doing?"


    "Taking what should be mine." The Root¡¯s voice had lost all pretense of civility. "Her attention. Her power. Through you."


    Grace struggled against the tendrils, which tightened painfully. More shot out from the walls, wrapping around her ankles, her waist, her throat.


    "I knew you¡¯d try this," Grace gasped, trying to reach her rapier. Her fingers brushed the hilt, but a tendril yanked her arm away. "That¡¯s why I came in here. To stop you."


    The Root laughed, a sound like splitting wood.


    "Stop me? Little angel, you walked willingly into my embrace."


    The walls began to close in, the chamber shrinking around her. Grace felt panic rising in her chest, but pushed it down.


    [Well, this isn¡¯t good. Okay, Eternia. You made me walk in here. What am I supposed to do?]


    A translucent blue box appeared before her eyes:


    ¡¸Quest Gained!¡¹


    Category: None


    Objective: Survive the Root¡¯s attempt to absorb you


    Reward: ???


    [That¡¯s it?] Grace stared in disbelief. [Just survive!?]


    The tendrils began to sink into her skin, burning like acid. Grace screamed as she felt something foreign entering her bloodstream, trying to merge with her essence.


    "Your divine energy," the Root hissed with pleasure. "So pure. So close to hers."


    Grace¡¯s vision began to blur. The medallion against her chest burned white-hot now, almost painfully. In desperation, she focused on it, channeling her energy toward the symbol of Eternia.


    The Root¡¯s tendrils dug deeper. Grace felt her consciousness starting to fragment, her sense of self dissolving at the edges. The wooden walls pressed against her from all sides now, beginning to merge with her flesh.


    "You will be part of me," the Root¡¯s voice came from everywhere, including inside her own head. "And through you, I will reconnect with her."


    Grace¡¯s strength was failing. Her struggles grew weaker as the Root¡¯s essence invaded her body, her mind, her soul.


    Then the medallion exploded with light.


    The chamber filled with blinding white radiance, so intense that even with her eyes closed, Grace saw nothing but pure light. The Root shrieked¡ªa sound of both agony and ecstasy.


    "Argh, what-!?" The Root began to exclaim. It stopped. "YOU," it howled, its voice shaking the entire structure.


    The pressure around Grace suddenly released. She collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, her vision slowly returning.


    Then, her eyes widened.


    Long, flowing, white hair. Clothing like light wrapped around her body. A single hand extended toward the Root, pushing it back.


    Eternia.


    "Well, well," she said, keeping her hand thrust forward. "Isn¡¯t this a touching reunion?"

 Chapter 70: Forgotten

    Chapter 70: ForgottenGrace stared in disbelief.


    Eternia¡¯s body glowed softly, her white hair floating like she was underwater. Her golden eyes were fixed on the ancient entity in front of her with an expression that mixed fondness and disappointment.


    "Ah, you always were dramatic," Eternia said, her voice echoing with power yet maintaining that playful lilt Grace knew all too well. "Trying to absorb my little angel? That¡¯s just rude."


    The Root¡¯s tendrils recoiled from Grace¡¯s body. The chamber expanded, wood creaking and groaning as it pulled away.


    "You... You abandoned us," the Root hissed. "We shaped this world together, and you cast us aside."


    Eternia sighed, lowering her hand slightly.


    "I didn¡¯t abandon you. I moved on to more complex designs. That¡¯s what creators do." She gestured around the chamber. "And look at you now. You¡¯ve continued your purpose¡ªshaping, growing, creating. But... you¡¯ve strayed now, haven¡¯t you?"


    Grace pushed herself to her knees, wincing at the pain from the Root¡¯s invasion. The two primordial beings towered over her, literally and metaphorically¡ªancient powers arguing while she knelt between them.


    "You replaced us!" The Root¡¯s voice shook the chamber. "Created your precious Azrael to manage what we built together!"


    "I created Azrael because I realized I didn¡¯t want to look after Linaria by myself," Eternia replied calmly. "It was never about replacing you."


    The Root pulsed with angry energy.


    "LIES!"


    Corrupted tendrils burst from every surface, thicker and darker than before. But this time, they didn¡¯t aim for Grace. They shot straight at Eternia.


    The goddess raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconcerned as the tendrils approached her glowing form. She made no move to defend herself.


    "Look," Eternia said softly, "I don¡¯t want to destroy you."


    The tendrils struck, wrapping around Eternia¡¯s arms and torso. Grace cried out in alarm, but Eternia remained calm, even as corruption began to spread across her radiant skin.


    "So be it, then. Grace," Eternia called, her voice steady. "I need your help, my little angel."


    Before Grace could respond, Eternia¡¯s body dissolved into pure light that flowed directly into Grace¡¯s medallion. The force of it knocked Grace onto her back. Heat spread from the medallion through her entire body, filling her with power she¡¯d never felt before.


    Golden text appeared in her vision:


    ¡¸Temporary Status Boost¡¹


    Bravery: 38 ¡ú 78


    Compassion: 44 ¡ú 84


    Love: 15 ¡ú 55


    ¡¸Channeling Eternia¡¯s Essence¡¹


    Duration: Limited


    Grace gasped as divine energy coursed through her veins.


    She rose to her feet, her body moving with newfound strength and grace. Light radiated from her skin, and her rapier, when she drew it, blazed with golden fire.


    "What is this?" the Root demanded, its chamber contracting in alarm. "What has she done?"


    "She¡¯s working through me," Grace answered, her voice overlaid with harmonic tones that didn¡¯t belong to her. "And I think she wants me to knock some sense into you."


    Immediately, the Root lashed out with a dozen corruption-filled tendrils.


    Grace moved to dodge, but her body shot forward with unexpected speed. She slammed into the far wall of the chamber, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs.


    [Whoa! Too fast!]


    [Relax, Grace,] Eternia¡¯s voice echoed in her mind. [You¡¯re overthinking it. Your body knows what to do.]


    Grace pushed herself up, wincing.


    [Easy for you to say! You¡¯re a goddess!]


    More tendrils whipped toward her. Grace slashed with her rapier, cutting through three of them, but stumbled as her arm moved faster than she anticipated. The remaining tendrils wrapped around her legs, corruption seeping into her skin.


    [Stop fighting the power. Let it flow through you naturally,] Eternia instructed. [You¡¯re trying to control it with your mind instead of feeling it with your heart.]


    [What does that even mean!?]


    The Root pulled Grace toward its pulsing center.


    "I will absorb both of you!"


    Grace struggled against the tendrils, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. Each time she tried to focus her strength, it surged unpredictably, making her overcompensate.


    [I can¡¯t do this! It¡¯s too much!]


    [Breathe, Grace. Just breathe.]


    Grace closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath despite the tendrils tightening around her body. She felt the corruption spreading up her legs, burning like acid.


    [Remember when you first learned to use a rapier? You overthought every movement. But when you stopped trying so hard...]


    Grace¡¯s mind flashed to her training sessions with Seraph. The breakthrough had come not when she concentrated harder, but when she¡¯d relaxed and trusted her instincts.


    Another deep breath. Grace let the tension flow out of her muscles.


    [That¡¯s it. Now, feel the power. Don¡¯t direct it¡ªguide it.]


    The Root yanked her closer. Grace¡¯s eyes snapped open, but this time she didn¡¯t fight against the pull. Instead, she flowed with it, using the momentum to spin her body. Her rapier traced a perfect arc of golden light, severing the tendrils wrapped around her.


    She landed lightly on her feet, the movement as natural as breathing.


    [Good. Now you¡¯re getting it.]


    The Root roared in frustration, the entire chamber shaking. Walls of thorny vines erupted from the floor, closing in from all sides.


    Grace didn¡¯t think. She moved.


    Her body flowed between the thorns, rapier flashing. Each strike was precise, each dodge effortless. The power no longer felt foreign¡ªit felt like an extension of herself, amplifying what was already there.


    [This is... amazing!]


    [It¡¯s still you, Grace. Just... more of you, hehe.]


    The Root¡¯s attacks grew more frenzied. Corruption-filled spores filled the air, forcing Grace to hold her breath. Tendrils burst from every surface, creating a web of deadly vines.


    Grace spun, her rapier trailing golden light as it sliced through the nearest vines. She leapt, higher than she thought possible, avoiding a cluster of tendrils that crashed together beneath her.


    [Remember, you¡¯re not here to destroy it. You¡¯re here to heal it.]


    Grace landed on a thick branch extending from the Root¡¯s center. [Heal it? How?]


    [The same way we heal everything else. How might that be?]


    [By making out with it?]


    [... No.]


    [With Compassion.]


    The branch beneath her feet writhed, trying to throw her off. Grace maintained her balance, her movements fluid and controlled. She was starting to understand this new power¡ªnot fighting against it, but dancing with it.


    The Root¡¯s center pulsed with angry, corrupted energy. Grace took a steadying breath and pointed her rapier toward it.


    Grace steadied her breathing and focused on the Root¡¯s pulsing center. The rapier in her hand felt lighter than air, its golden glow casting eerie shadows across the chamber. She could feel Eternia¡¯s power flowing through her, not as an invasion but as a natural extension of herself.


    "I don¡¯t want to destroy you," Grace said, echoing Eternia¡¯s earlier words. "You were meant to create, not corrupt."


    The Root lashed out with another wave of tendrils. Grace sliced through them with fluid motions, her body moving with newfound grace and precision.


    "You cannot understand," the Root hissed. "Centuries of abandonment. Watching others take our place."


    Grace dodged a spray of acidic spores, rolling beneath them and coming up in a crouch.


    "I do understand," she replied, her voice steady despite the exertion. "Being created for a purpose. Feeling lost. Of course I understand!"


    The chamber shuddered. For a moment, the attacks paused. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ridiculous. You? A mere angel?" The Root¡¯s voice dripped with contempt.


    Grace stood tall, rapier at her side.


    "I was a turnip farmer before I was an angel. I died fighting a demon I had no business fighting." She took a step forward. "Then I woke up with Eternia telling me I had a grand purpose¡ªto save Linaria from demons. Do you think I felt prepared for that?"


    The Root¡¯s energy pulsed uncertainly.


    "Every day, I question whether I¡¯m doing what I¡¯m supposed to do," Grace continued, taking another step. "Whether I¡¯m worthy of this power, this responsibility."


    [You are, you know,] Eternia¡¯s voice whispered in her mind.


    [Not helping right now,] Grace thought back.


    A single tendril rose before Grace, less aggressive than before.


    "You speak of doubt. We have suffered certainty¡ªthe certainty of abandonment."


    "Then let¡¯s change that," Grace said. She lowered her rapier completely, a gesture of trust that made her heart pound. "You were meant to shape this world, not poison it. This corruption¡ªit¡¯s hurting you as much as it¡¯s hurting others."


    The Root¡¯s energy fluctuated, its glow dimming slightly. Grace sensed an opening and pressed on.


    "I propose a compromise," she said. "Release me and stop corrupting Rosewood. In return, I¡¯ll advocate for you and the other world shapers in the Angelic Dominion. The angels should know about those who helped create Linaria."


    "Words," the Root responded bitterly. "Empty promises."


    Grace touched her medallion.


    "I swear it by this connection to Eternia. The angels will know of your existence and your importance."


    The chamber fell silent. The corrupted energy surrounding the Root¡¯s center flickered, then began to recede.


    "You are... different," the Root finally said. Its voice sounded weaker, the fury draining away. "Perhaps there is truth in your words."


    "There is," Grace assured it. "The corruption is weakening you. Let it go."


    The Root¡¯s center pulsed one final time before the corruption began to visibly withdraw. The tendrils retreated into the walls, and the oppressive atmosphere lightened.


    "I accept your terms, angel," the Root said. "But heed this warning: I am not the only pillar abandoned by your goddess. Others may not be so... reasonable."


    The wooden walls around Grace began to crack, sunlight streaming through the fissures. The tree was opening.


    "I understand," Grace said as the power within her began to fade. The temporary status boost was ending, Eternia¡¯s essence returning to the medallion. "Thank you."


    ---


    [Well done. We shall discuss this later. I¡¯m sure you have questions.]


    And, with that, the power Grace felt in her medallion disappeared, probably indicating she wasn¡¯t going to hear Eternia¡¯s voice coming from it anytime soon.


    The tree split open completely, revealing the village beyond. Grace stumbled out, suddenly feeling the weight of her normal body again. The divine power that had flowed through her was gone, leaving her exhausted but triumphant.


    Diana rushed forward, catching Grace before she fell.


    "Grace! What happened in there?"


    Petriel, Willow, and the others gathered around, their faces a mix of concern and relief. Ivy stood among them, looking weak but free of corruption.


    "The Root," Grace gasped, leaning against Diana. "It was one of Linaria¡¯s creators¡ªabandoned when Eternia made Azrael. It was angry, corrupted by its own bitterness."


    "You talked to it?" Willow asked incredulously.


    Grace nodded.


    "Eternia appeared¡ªthrough the medallion. She gave me power, and I... I made a deal with the Root. It¡¯s going to stop corrupting Rosewood."


    "Just like that?" Diana¡¯s voice was heavy with skepticism.


    "In exchange, I promised to advocate for the world shapers in the Dominion," Grace explained. "They deserve recognition for¡ª"


    The ground beneath them suddenly trembled. Birds scattered from nearby trees. A pressure descended on the village, heavy and unmistakable¡ªthe presence of immense power.


    A flash of silver light erupted in the village center. When it faded, a figure stood there¡ªtall and imposing, with long silver hair flowing in an unfelt breeze. Ice-blue eyes surveyed the scene, landing finally on Grace with an intensity that made her breath catch.


    Grace got chills.


    "Who...?"


    Willow and Diana both froze.


    And Willow said:


    "Azrael."

 Chapter 71: Mistaken Identity

    Chapter 71: Mistaken IdentityGrace stared at the imposing figure before her, recognition dawning despite never having met her in person.


    The silver-haired angel from her medallion visions stood in the flesh, that was for sure, but something was... different. Azrael¡¯s skin had taken on a more grayish tint, darker than in the visions Grace had glimpsed. Her muscles were more defined, rippling beneath her skin with each slight movement, like she¡¯d spent the last 1000 years doing push-ups or something.


    A chill ran down Grace¡¯s spine. The same cold sensation she experienced when demons were nearby.


    And above Azrael¡¯s head, in silver text that only Grace could see:


    Level 100


    Grace¡¯s mouth went dry.


    Diana stepped forward, her hand moving to her sword. Willow tensed beside her, green divine energy crackling between her fingers. The atmosphere crackled with tension.


    Azrael¡¯s ice-blue eyes flicked between them, one eyebrow arching elegantly.


    "Are you challenging me?" Her voice was smooth as silk but carried an edge that made Grace¡¯s knees weak. There was power in that voice¡ªancient and dangerous.


    Diana¡¯s hand froze on her sword hilt. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she lowered it and took a step back.


    "No," Diana said, her voice tight. "We¡¯re not." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Willow¡¯s energy dissipated as she too backed down, though her eyes remained wary.


    Grace couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t speak.


    Azrael¡¯s presence alone was overwhelming, like standing before a storm contained in the form of a very tall, very strong woman. Every instinct told her to run, yet she remained rooted to the spot.


    The silver-haired, blue-eyed angel approached casually, her gaze sweeping over the village. The damaged tree. The recovering villagers. There was something almost curious in her expression, as if she hadn¡¯t expected what she found.


    When those piercing blue eyes finally settled on Grace, she felt exposed, transparent. As if Azrael could see through her, into her, reading every thought and memory with a single glance.


    "Ah," Azrael said, stopping a few paces away. "So you¡¯re the new rookie angel that just popped up, right?"


    The casual tone caught Grace off guard. After all the tension, after the way Diana and Willow had reacted, she¡¯d expected... something else. Threats, perhaps. Demands. Not this almost conversational approach.


    "I¡ªyes," Grace managed, her voice embarrassingly small. "I¡¯m Grace."


    Azrael tilted her head, studying Grace with unsettling intensity.


    "Grace," she repeated, as if testing the name. She looked Grace up and down and, somehow, Grace had never felt smaller. "Interesting choice."


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. Had Eternia chosen her name? Was she talking about her as a whole? She couldn¡¯t tell.


    "You¡¯ve been busy," Azrael continued, gesturing toward the tree. "Communing with the Root. Not many angels even know of its existence anymore."


    "It was corrupting the village," Grace explained, finding her voice. "People were suffering."


    "And you fixed it." It wasn¡¯t a question. "How?"


    Grace hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. Diana had moved closer to her, a protective presence at her back.


    "I made a deal," Grace said finally. "It agreed to stop the corruption."


    Azrael¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Just like that? The Root has nursed its grievances for millennia. What did you offer in return?"


    "Recognition," Grace answered honestly. "Acknowledgment of its role in creating Linaria."


    Something flickered across Azrael¡¯s face¡ªsurprise, perhaps, or something deeper.


    "Bold, I suppose," she said after a moment. "Very bold for a rookie."


    Grace felt a strange mix of fear and... was that pride? The approval in Azrael¡¯s voice shouldn¡¯t have mattered to her, yet somehow it did.


    "The medallion helped," Grace admitted, her hand moving unconsciously to touch it. "Eternia spoke through it."


    At the mention of Eternia, Azrael¡¯s expression hardened, the temperature around them dropping several degrees.


    "Of course she did," Azrael said, her voice suddenly cold.


    The shift in tone was jarring. Grace took an instinctive step back, bumping into Diana who steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.


    Azrael seemed to notice her reaction and made a visible effort to soften her expression.


    "My apologies," she said, though she didn¡¯t sound particularly sorry. "Old... frustrations. They¡¯re not directed at you."


    Grace held her breath as Azrael¡¯s gaze lingered on her. The fallen angel¡¯s aura felt... wrong. Not entirely angelic, not entirely demonic¡ªsomething in between that made Grace¡¯s skin prickle with unease.


    "I came here because I sensed her," Azrael said abruptly, her voice carrying an undercurrent of frustration. "Eternia. I felt her presence, her energy signature. It was unmistakable."


    Grace¡¯s heart hammered against her ribs. Of course¡ªthe moment when Eternia had manifested through the medallion to confront the Root. That burst of divine energy must have been like a beacon, drawing Azrael straight to them.


    Diana tensed behind her. Petriel shifted nervously to the side. Even Willow, who had seemed so confident before, looked ready to bolt at any moment.


    [Thanks a lot for the backup, guys,] Grace almost sighed. She couldn¡¯t blame them too much, though. Especially given that, unlike them, she could quite literally see, in big, bold letters, how strong this woman was.


    "She¡¯s not here," Grace said, finding a steadiness in her voice that surprised even herself. She straightened her spine and met Azrael¡¯s piercing blue eyes directly. "It¡¯s just me."


    Something flashed across Azrael¡¯s face¡ªdisappointment? Disbelief? Grace couldn¡¯t quite read it. She just hoped what happened next wouldn¡¯t be her skewering Grace into a Grace kebab.


    "Just you," Azrael repeated, taking a step closer.


    Everyone around Grace tensed. Diana¡¯s hand returned to her sword. Willow¡¯s fingers twitched, ready to summon her power. Even the villagers who had gathered at a distance seemed to collectively hold their breath.


    Grace stood her ground, though her knees threatened to buckle. Azrael towered over her, radiating power that made the air feel heavy and electric.


    The fallen angel reached out a hand.


    Diana got halfway through materializing her sword.


    "Don¡¯t¡ª"


    But instead of attacking, Azrael simply placed her hand on Grace¡¯s head, patting it gently.


    [... Huh?]


    The gesture was so unexpected, so incongruous with the tension of the moment, that Grace could only blink in confusion.


    "Right," Azrael said, and her expression softened. Just a little, such a small change Grace almost missed it. The tiniest hint of warmth crept into those ice-blue eyes. "I appear to have been mistaken."


    She withdrew her hand, and Grace felt the absence of its weight immediately. Something about that brief contact had felt... familiar, maybe? Not threatening, anyway, despite everything she knew about who Azrael was supposed to be.


    "Of course Eternia wouldn¡¯t be here..." Azrael continued, her gaze sweeping over the village once more. "Ah, she disappeared long ago, gone for good... My mistake. I do apologize for the intrusion, little angel."


    And just like that, she turned away.


    No threats, no demands, no conflict. As if she¡¯d simply stopped by to check on a rumor and, finding it false, had no further business there.


    Grace watched, dumbfounded, as Azrael walked a few paces away. The fallen angel paused, glancing back over her shoulder.


    "Interesting village you¡¯ve chosen to save," she remarked casually. "The Root has been a thorn in many sides for a very long time. Perhaps I should thank you for... pacifying it. Perhaps. Oh, and, I almost forgot. That business at the Banquet." She bowed slightly. "One of my subordinates caused you some trouble. I do apologize for that as well. Take care."


    Before Grace could respond, Azrael spread her wings¡ªmassive, beautiful wings that seemed to shimmer between white and a subtle, dark iridescence¡ªand launched herself into the sky with a single powerful beat.


    The gust of wind from her departure made Grace stumble backward. Diana caught her arm, steadying her.


    As soon as that happened, everyone released a collective breath they¡¯d been holding.


    "What the fuck was that? What just happened" Diana whispered, her voice tight with lingering tension.


    Grace stared at the rapidly diminishing figure in the sky.


    "I have no idea."


    Petriel approached cautiously, her hands still trembling.


    "W-Was that really...?"


    "Azrael," Willow confirmed, her expression grim. "Leader of the Veil. I¡¯ve never seen her in person before."


    Grace touched her head where Azrael¡¯s hand had rested. The gesture replayed in her mind¡ªnot threatening, almost... affectionate? No, that couldn¡¯t be right.


    "She just... left," Grace said, still struggling to process what had happened. "Why would she just leave?"


    Diana sheathed her sword fully, though her posture remained alert.


    "Maybe she really was just looking for Eternia."


    "Or maybe she found exactly what she was looking for," Willow murmured, giving Grace a strange look that made her stomach tighten.


    Grace¡¯s hand moved to her medallion, warm against her skin. The golden surface pulsed with a gentle heat, as if responding to her touch¡ªor perhaps to the lingering presence of the Veil¡¯s leader. Had Azrael sensed something in her? Some connection to Eternia that went beyond the medallion? The way those ice-blue eyes had studied her face, searching for something familiar... it had felt intensely personal, like being recognized by someone who should have been a stranger.


    Something told her this wouldn¡¯t be their last encounter.

 Chapter 72: Mission Report

    Chapter 72: Mission ReportGrace watched the sky long after Azrael had disappeared, her heart still hammering in her chest.


    That hand on her head¡ªit felt so casual, almost friendly. But at the same time, there was almost a hint of "I could snap your neck in a second, you know" in it.


    Still, not at all what she¡¯d expected from the leader of the Veil.


    [What the hell was that about?] she thought, rubbing the spot where Azrael¡¯s hand had been. It still tingled, weirdly enough.


    "Angel?"


    A soft voice pulled her from her thoughts.


    She turned to see Ivy emerging from the tree, which had now returned to its normal state. The bark had lost its creepy purple-blue corruption, and the branches stretched toward the sky like trees were supposed to do. Ivy looked like shit, to be honest. Clearly exhausted. But, she was alive, her green wings drooping as she stumbled forward.


    "You¡¯re okay," Grace breathed, relief washing over her like a cool shower.


    Ivy nodded, looking both grateful and embarrassed.


    "Thanks to you. I... I¡¯m so sorry. I thought I could handle the Root on my own." She stared at her hands, which still had faint traces of corruption that were fading fast. "I was stupid. I didn¡¯t know what I was messing with."


    "None of us did."


    Diana walked up, eyeing Ivy like she might turn into a monster any second. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You sure you¡¯re not still corrupted? No weird... plant stuff happening inside you?"


    "I-I promise, I¡¯m clean," Ivy said. "The Root let me go completely when..." She glanced at Grace. "When whatever happened between you two happened."


    Mara joined them, looking surprisingly normal for someone who¡¯d been a plant zombie not long ago. Her eyes were clear, her skin back to normal.


    "Mara, how are you feeling?" Grace asked.


    Mara blinked, confused.


    "Fine? Why wouldn¡¯t I be?" She looked around at their concerned faces. "Did something happen to me?"


    Grace exchanged looks with Diana.


    "You don¡¯t remember being... you know, corrupted and loopy?"


    "Corrupted?" Mara¡¯s face scrunched up. "The last thing I remember is helping villagers and then... now I¡¯m here." She shook her head. "Did I miss something important?"


    Diana and Grace glanced at each other.


    "... It¡¯s fine," Diana muttered.


    Willow approached with the other Earth-Tenders.


    "We¡¯ll take Ivy back with us. She needs our help and lots of rest."


    Ivy nodded gratefully.


    "Thank you for understanding."


    "And thank you," Willow said to Grace, grabbing her hand. "What you did here... it was amazing. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it."


    "I just did what needed to be done," Grace said, feeling awkward about the praise.


    Willow¡¯s eyes lingered on her face a moment longer.


    "Maybe. But not many could¡¯ve pulled it off." She squeezed Grace¡¯s hand before letting go. "Have a safe trip back to the Dominion."


    As the Earth-Tenders left with Ivy, Grace watched them go with slightly mixed feelings. Part of her was relieved this nightmare was over, but another part felt uneasy as hell. The Root¡¯s warnings about other abandoned pillars, Azrael showing up out of nowhere¡ªit all pointed to a festering, chaotic situation she wasn¡¯t entirely sure she was ready for.


    "Well, that¡¯s that, I guess. Ready to go home?" Diana asked, standing beside her.


    Home. The Angelic Dominion. Where she¡¯d have to explain all this mess.


    Grace nodded, though her stomach twisted into knots.


    "Ready as I¡¯ll ever be."


    "Right. We just need to go grab-"


    A loud moan reached their ears. It sounded like Petriel. Grace blushed, Mara giggled, and Diana sighed.


    "Likely our two Love Sisters¡¯ doing. I¡¯ll go grab them."


    ---


    The journey back to the Angelic Dominion was a blur. Alia and Zephyr chatted non-stop about their village adventures, completely oblivious to all the very serious stuff that went down with the Root and Azrael. Apparently, they¡¯d been showing "techniques" and "methods" to Petriel to "help" increase her "healing".


    When they finally arrived, Grace couldn¡¯t wait to report. Even she, a new, rookie angel, knew that Azrael showing up personally like that was a big deal.


    The council chamber made Grace feel tiny as she stood before Celestia, Seraph, and Venus. Mara soon took her spot among them. Given that she didn¡¯t remember what happened on the mission, probably as a side-effect of that corruption, this was just as much a report for her as it was for the others.


    The leaders of the Angelic Dominion listened as she told them everything¡ªthe corruption, the villagers, the Root.


    "And you made a deal with this... ancient entity?" Celestia asked, her rainbow wings shifting slightly.


    Grace nodded.


    "It was the only way to save Ivy and stop the corruption from spreading."


    "Hmm..."


    "There¡¯s something else," Grace said, her voice dropping. She glanced at Diana, who nodded at her. "After I came out of the tree... Azrael showed up."


    The reaction was instant. Venus sat up straight, her golden eyes wide. Seraph jumped halfway out of her seat, reaching for a sword that wasn¡¯t there. Mara blinked, stunned at the fact that she missed this.


    "Azrael?" Seraph¡¯s voice was sharp. "The Veil leader? You sure it was her?"


    "It was her," Diana confirmed with a grim face. "No mistaking that bitch."


    "What did she want?" Venus asked.


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "She said... she, uh... She felt Eternia nearby. She thought Eternia was there."


    "Was she?" Celestia asked.


    "No, no, she just uh... Mistook me for Eternia," Grace replied. She wasn¡¯t sure if Eternia wanted her to casually confirm her presence in Linaria, so she erred on the side of caution and lied.


    This caused another stir. Seraph slammed her fist on the table.


    "That bitch! After all this time, she shows up looking for a fight with Eternia? The fucking nerve!"


    Venus rolled her eyes, calming down a little.


    "It¡¯s fine. If she¡¯d actually found Eternia instead of Grace, Eternia would have kicked her ass."


    "She didn¡¯t hurt you, did she?" Seraph asked Grace.


    "She didn¡¯t attack," Grace responded quickly. "She just... touched my head and left. Said she was wrong."


    Celestia, who¡¯d been quiet during all this, finally spoke.


    "She simply... left? No threats or demands?"


    "Yes," Grace nodded. "She even said sorry for bothering us."


    "Sorry?" Seraph repeated like Grace had just said pigs could fly. "She¡¯s probably planning something."


    "There¡¯s a little bit more," Grace continued, feeling very uncomfortable with everyone staring at her, but pressing on. "The Root warned me about other abandoned pillars¡ªother things like itself that helped make Linaria before being... tossed aside."


    Celestia¡¯s face darkened visibly.


    "And what did this Root tell you about these... pillars?"


    "That they feel abandoned by Eternia. That they¡¯re pissed off." Grace hesitated. "I promised I¡¯d speak up for them here, in the Dominion. Maybe... I don¡¯t know. Find them and give them some form of rest?"


    The silence that followed was heavy. Celestia stood up, her rainbow wings spreading a little.


    "Grace, these pillars can¡¯t be trusted. They¡¯ve corrupted over time, twisted by their anger. They actively create and spread corruption now¡ªthey¡¯re where many demons come from."


    "But¡ª"


    Grace wasn¡¯t to disagree, and say that actually the demons she¡¯d seen had been made by Fallen Angels or Primals. But, she wasn¡¯t given the chance.


    "The plant creatures you and Diana fought," Celestia continued, "weren¡¯t they basically demons? Created by the Root¡¯s corruption?"


    That, however, Grace couldn¡¯t deny it. Those creatures¡ªhuman villagers turned into mindless plant-zombies¡ªwere still fresh in her mind.


    "I... guess they were."


    "These pillars might talk about being abandoned and treated unfairly, but look at what they do. They corrupt and destroy." Celestia scoffed. "You can¡¯t reason with them."


    Grace¡¯s promise to the Root suddenly felt stupid for just a moment.


    Had she been played? The Root seemed real about its pain, but what if that was just some form of manipulation?


    "I understand," she said quietly, though doubt nagged at her.


    The debriefing dragged on, but Grace couldn¡¯t focus. She was torn between the Root¡¯s story and Celestia¡¯s warnings. Both seemed true, but they couldn¡¯t both be right. Could they?


    By the time they let her go, exhaustion had settled deep in her bones. The walk back to her room in the unused rookie wing felt like miles. She barely heard Alia and Zephyr talking as they walked with her, their voices just background noise to her tired brain.


    Her bed looked fucking glorious. Grace fell onto it fully clothed, too tired to even change. She should think about everything¡ªAzrael¡¯s weird behavior, the Root¡¯s warnings, Celestia¡¯s concerns¡ªbut her eyes were too heavy.


    [I¡¯ll figure this shit out tomorrow,] she thought as sleep took her.


    And then, suddenly, she wasn¡¯t in her bed anymore. She stood in that familiar white void, the same place she¡¯d first met¡ª


    "Hello, my little creation!"


    Eternia appeared before her, looking exactly like Grace but with massive tits and wider hips. Her smile was bright, but her golden eyes looked serious for once.


    "Well well, it seems we need to talk," Eternia said, her playful tone not matching her expression. "About a lot of things, actually."


    Finally, something Grace could easily agree with.

 Chapter 73: Mission Statement

    Chapter 73: Mission StatementGrace stared at Eternia, who floated in the white void with a strange mix of casual confidence and... was that guilt? It was weird seeing those expressions on a face that looked so much like her own.


    As always, it was surreal to see an image of what was effectively just Grace... but with much, much larger breasts. And taller. And-


    Well, just more everything, really.


    "So," Eternia began, crossing her legs mid-air like she was sitting on an invisible chair, "I guess I should explain some things about Linaria and how I made it, just so we can begin properly."


    "That would be nice," Grace said, trying not to sound annoyed. Every time she talked with Eternia, she got more questions than answers. "Lately, it feels like people keep talking about things and people that I just don¡¯t know anything about."


    Eternia waved her hand, and suddenly they were surrounded by a miniature version of Linaria¡ªcontinents, oceans, mountains, all floating around them like a magical diorama.


    "Creating a world is hard work," Eternia said, poking at a tiny mountain range with her finger. The miniature landscape stretched between them, complete with oceans, forests, and tiny cities. "Most angels know the part where I got bored with the details and created Azrael to handle things for me." She shrugged. "I¡¯m not great with long-term projects. Sue me."


    Grace rolled her eyes. Her goddess was right there, discussing cosmic creation, and Eternia somehow managed to sound like a teenager explaining why she hadn¡¯t finished her homework.


    "But there¡¯s more to it than that?"


    "A lot more." Eternia¡¯s playful smile faded. "What nobody knows is that during creation, I kept having these... moments. Dark thoughts. Urges to just destroy everything I¡¯d built."


    That made Grace pause.


    [What?]


    The miniature world around them darkened in places, shadows creeping across the landscape like spilled ink. Grace watched as tiny storms formed over cities, earthquakes split the land, and volcanoes erupted.


    "Creating life means creating the potential for suffering," Eternia continued, her voice unusually serious. "And sometimes, watching that suffering made me... angry. Frustrated. I wanted to wipe it all away and start over."


    "That... doesn¡¯t sound very goddess-like," Grace said, watching as Eternia¡¯s fingers hovered over the model world.


    "Exactly!" Eternia pointed at her. "A goddess of light can¡¯t be having these negative feelings. So I found a solution."


    The shadows in the miniature world coalesced into seven distinct points, pulsing with dark energy.


    "The pillars," Grace whispered.


    "Yes. I created seven vessels¡ªthe Root, the Tide, the Flame, and others¡ªand I channeled all those negative impulses into them. They became my... emotional dumping grounds, I suppose you could say."


    Grace frowned.


    "So you just... what, made them take all your bad feelings?"


    Eternia sighed.


    "At the time, I didn¡¯t really see a better solution. I was young! And stupid!" Eternia threw up her hands. "I thought I was being clever. I could remain pure and kind while still having somewhere to put all those darker impulses. Win-win, right?"


    "Except for the pillars," Grace said flatly.


    Eternia¡¯s shoulders slumped.


    "Yeah. Except for them."


    The miniature world shifted, showing the pillars growing darker, spreading corruption into the surrounding areas.


    "I realized things had started going poorly early on. The negativity I¡¯d given to them, I¡¯d burdened them with, had begun spreading. Of course it would. I knew it would. But... I figured my angels could handle it better. Besides, I didn¡¯t have the heart to destroy them," Eternia said quietly. "They were part of me, in a way. So I just... moved on. Created Azrael to manage things, told her to take care of it all, and focused on other projects."


    "And the pillars started creating demons," Grace said, remembering what the Root had told her.


    "Not right away. But eventually, yes." Eternia nodded. "The corruption affects everything, after all. It originated from me. In that sense, you could say corruption is as ¡¯divine¡¯ as any angel. And that¡¯s where things got really complicated."


    The scene changed to show a silver-haired figure¡ªAzrael¡ªconfronting shadowy creatures near one of the pillars.


    "Azrael was dedicated to protecting Linaria. She made me proud for a long, long time. Did a wonderful job, AND was amazing in bed."


    Grace cringed, blushing.


    "What? As if you weren¡¯t wondering about that."


    "I wasn¡¯t!"


    "Yeah, right. Of course you were! You¡¯re me!" Eternia cackled. "Anyway, when demons started appearing, she wanted to understand them to fight them better." Eternia sighed. "She discovered that angels could draw power from human Sins, just as they could from Virtues."


    "And that¡¯s bad?" Grace asked.


    "It¡¯s... complicated. Using Sin energy is akin to fighting fire with fire. To be fair, it is effective, but it changes you." Eternia gestured, and the miniature Azrael¡¯s aura shifted from gold to a purple-blue. "She and her followers began to corrupt themselves in their quest to fight corruption."


    Grace remembered Isolde at the banquet, her wings tinged with that same purple-blue energy.


    "Like Isolde, during the Celestial Banquet."


    "Exactly like Isolde." Eternia nodded. "And now we have this mess. Pillars creating demons, Azrael¡¯s followers fighting them with methods that corrupt them too, and everyone involved thinking they¡¯re the good guys."


    Grace¡¯s head hurt. This was so much more complicated than "angels good, demons bad" like she¡¯d first thought.


    "Are they evil, then?" Grace asked. "The pillars? Azrael?"


    Eternia shook her head.


    "No. The pillars just contain what I put in them. They¡¯re bitter and angry because I made them to be bitter and angry, and then abandoned them. And Azrael?" She sighed. "She just wanted to protect the world I asked her to manage. She thought using Sin energy was necessary to fight the demons. She still thinks she¡¯s doing the right thing."


    The miniature world faded, leaving them in the white void again. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So what am I supposed to do about all this?" Grace asked, feeling overwhelmed. "How do I fix this mess?"


    Eternia¡¯s lips quirked up.


    "Blunt, aren¡¯t we?"


    "... Well, you made me that way," Grace shot back, looking away.


    Eternia laughed.


    "The truth is, I don¡¯t know how to fix it. That¡¯s why I made you."


    "What?"


    "This problem was created by me in the first place, Grace. I don¡¯t think I can solve it." Eternia looked at Grace with something like hope in her eyes. "But you... you have my power without my baggage. You have a human¡¯s perspective. As much as I can sympathize with my own creations, at the end of the day," she smiled, tilting her head, "I still see you all as just that. My creations. My toys, all interacting and running into one another."


    "That¡¯s awful."


    "I¡¯m just being honest." She shrugged. "You, however... You see things differently."


    "So your big plan is... no plan?" Grace couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    "Well, come on. That¡¯s not quite fair, is it? My plan is you." Eternia stepped closer, placing her hands on Grace¡¯s shoulders. "You¡¯ve already done something I wasn¡¯t able to. You communicated with the Root. You made a promise to it. You saw it as more than just a source of corruption."


    Grace thought about her encounter with the Root, how ancient and lonely it had felt.


    "It was in pain."


    "Exactly." Eternia nodded. "You saw that. I never did. At least, not until it was too late."


    A map appeared between them, showing Linaria with seven glowing points marked across its surface.


    "These are the locations of all seven pillars," Eternia said. "The Root is just the beginning. There¡¯s also the Tide in the western oceans, the Flame in the volcanic regions to the south, the Tempest in the storm-wracked islands, the Mountain in the northern ranges, the Void in the eastern deserts, and the Bloom in the central forests."


    Grace stared at the map, memorizing each location.


    "And what am I supposed to do when I find them?"


    "That," Eternia said with a small smile, "is up to you. Talk to them. Fight them. Heal them. Whatever you think is right."


    "That¡¯s not very helpful," Grace muttered.


    "I know. But I trust you¡¯ll have the Compassion to figure it out." Eternia¡¯s expression turned serious. "This is your mission, Grace. To right my wrongs. You¡¯ll have to be Brave. And, you¡¯ll need to hold a certain amount of genuine Love in your heart to find solutions I couldn¡¯t see."


    Grace looked at the map, feeling the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders. Seven ancient, corrupted entities. A faction of angels using Sin energy. And somehow, she was supposed to fix it all.


    "Great," she said. "No pressure or anything."


    Eternia laughed.


    "That¡¯s why I like you." Her form began to fade. "Our time¡¯s almost up. Goodness, I¡¯ve been charging up power for so many years and you¡¯re making me burn through it all in no time. Any last questions?"


    Grace had about a thousand, but one felt more urgent than the others.


    "Azrael recognized your energy in me. Is that going to be a problem?"


    "Of course," Eternia said with frustrating casualness. "Especially as you keep developing. But, for now, it seems she¡¯s assuming you¡¯re some long-lost descendant of mine or something, rather than my direct creation. Once she figures it out, though, you¡¯ll probably have to fight her."


    "That¡¯s not reassuring!"


    "Sorry, not sorry." Eternia was almost transparent now. "Remember, Grace¡ªyou have my power, but you¡¯re not me. That¡¯s your strength."


    And with that cryptic statement, she vanished completely, leaving Grace alone in the white void.


    "Wait!" Grace called. "I still have more¡ª"


    The void dissolved around her, and Grace jerked awake in her bed, gasping. Sunlight streamed through her window.


    She was back in her quarters in the Angelic Dominion, the dream conversation with Eternia still vivid in her mind.


    She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Seven pillars. Eternia¡¯s negative emotions given form. Azrael corrupted by trying to fight corruption.


    And somehow, she was supposed to fix it all.


    "Thanks a lot, Eternia," she muttered, falling back onto her pillow. "Real helpful."

 Chapter 74: New Resident*

    Chapter 74: New Resident*Warning: Concentrated lewdness in this Chapter (that¡¯s what the asterisk in the title means)!


    ---


    Grace trudged back to her quarters. Her head spun with the weight of Eternia¡¯s revelations.


    Seven ancient pillars of existence, all corrupted by Eternia¡¯s negative emotions. Azrael and her followers using Sin energy to fight demons. And somehow, Grace was supposed to fix everything.


    [Great. Just great. Save the world, Grace. No pressure.]


    She turned the corner toward her room and stopped short. Petriel was standing outside her door, fidgeting with the hem of her robe. When she spotted Grace, she jumped like she¡¯d been caught doing something wrong.


    "Oh! Grace! I was just... waiting for you."


    Grace blinked.


    "Is everything okay?"


    "Y-Yes! Well, mostly." Petriel tucked a strand of green hair behind her ear. "After the debriefing, Celestia and the faction leaders had a meeting and... they assigned me to stay in the rookie wing. With you and the others."


    Grace raised an eyebrow.


    "Really? That¡¯s... nice."


    On one hand, having another member of what was basically Grace¡¯s wing of the Dominion was a little exciting. On the other, the timing of this move did feel... convenient, given what happened.


    Petriel¡¯s cheeks flushed. Maybe she recognized that.


    "I know it seems suspicious. After your encounter with Azrael and everything that happened with the Root..."


    "Feels like they want to keep an eye on me," Grace finished.


    "I wouldn¡¯t put it like that," Petriel said, but her eyes darted away.


    Grace sighed. She was too tired to be annoyed. Besides, it wasn¡¯t Petriel¡¯s fault. The healer had been nothing but helpful during their mission.


    "It¡¯s fine. Come on in." She stepped past Petriel and pushed open her door. "Fair warning, though. My roommates can be a bit... much."


    As if on cue, a loud moan echoed from the living room. Grace froze in the doorway, Petriel bumping into her back.


    "Oh my goddess," Grace muttered.


    In the center of the living room, Diana stood behind Zephyr, who was bent over the back of the couch. Diana had conjured some kind of glowing, golden... thing (it looked like a penis but even acknowledging that made Grace blush) with her light magic and was thrusting into Zephyr with steady, powerful movements, while Alia watched on with a smirk at the end of the couch. Both women were completely naked, Diana¡¯s muscular body glistening with sweat, Zephyr¡¯s face contorted in pleasure.


    "Fuck, fuck... right there," Zephyr gasped, gripping the couch cushions.


    Diana grunted in response, her hands tight on Zephyr¡¯s hips, pulling her back to meet each thrust.


    Neither of them had noticed Grace and Petriel in the doorway.


    Grace felt her face burning. She started to back up, planning to close the door and maybe come back in an hour, but she bumped into Petriel again.


    The movement caught Diana¡¯s attention. She looked up, making direct eye contact with Grace without missing a beat in her rhythm.


    "Oh. Hey," Diana said casually, as if she wasn¡¯t balls-deep in Zephyr right that second. "You¡¯re back."


    Zephyr turned her head, her white hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.


    "Grace! And... Petriel?" Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn¡¯t seem particularly embarrassed. "Give us like... five minutes?"


    "Or you could join," Diana suggested with a smirk.


    "We¡¯ll wait outside," Grace said quickly, grabbing Petriel¡¯s wrist and pulling her back into the hallway. She shut the door behind them, leaning against it with a groan. "Sorry about that."


    Petriel¡¯s face was bright red, but she was smiling.


    "A-A-Are they always like this?"


    "Pretty much," Grace admitted. "Diana especially has no concept of privacy. And Zephyr and Alia are... well, you know."


    "Love Sisters... Yeah."


    They stood in awkward silence for a moment, listening to the muffled sounds coming from behind the door.


    "S-So," Petriel said finally, "while we wait... would you like to practice some more intimate healing techniques? After what happened with the Root, it might be good to make sure you¡¯re fully recovered."


    Grace blinked in surprise. The shy healer who could barely make eye contact with her a few days ago was now casually suggesting...


    ... That they make out?


    [A kiss is just a kiss,] Grace reminded herself, recalling Venus¡¯s words from her first days in the Dominion. [It doesn¡¯t have to mean anything more than you want it to.]


    "Sure," Grace said, trying to sound casual. "That would be... helpful."


    Petriel¡¯s eyes lit up.


    "Great! L-Let¡¯s find somewhere more private than the hallway, though."


    They ended up in a small meditation garden not far from Grace¡¯s quarters. It was enclosed by tall hedges, with a stone bench in the center surrounded by flowers. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grass.


    "This should work," Petriel said, sitting on the bench and patting the spot next to her.


    Grace sat down, suddenly nervous. She¡¯d kissed Petriel before, during their mission, and she¡¯d kissed a lot of other people by now, but that was different. Kissing in the Love Sister class was for education, kissing Diana was for healing, kissing Mara was to take in that corruption.


    This felt more... intentional.


    [It¡¯s still for education, right?]


    "So," Grace said, "how should we¡ª"


    Petriel leaned forward and pressed her lips against Grace¡¯s, cutting off her question.


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before slowly closing. Petriel¡¯s lips were so soft that Grace¡¯s mind just turned off for a moment. Her hands found Petriel¡¯s hips.


    Petriel¡¯s mouth was soft but demanding, her tongue slipping between Grace¡¯s lips with surprising confidence.


    Grace moaned softly as Petriel¡¯s hands found her waist, pulling her closer on the stone bench. The garden around them was quiet except for their quickening breaths. Golden healing energy pulsed between them where their bodies touched, but this felt different from their healing before. Less focused, more wild.


    Petriel guided Grace¡¯s hand to one of her huge breasts. Even through the robe, Grace could feel Petriel¡¯s nipple hardening against her palm. She squeezed experimentally, making Petriel gasp against her mouth.


    [Oh my goddess that feels good.] S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "More," Petriel whispered, her golden eyes dark with desire.


    Somehow, seeing that emboldened Grace.


    Grace¡¯s fingers worked at the fastenings of Petriel¡¯s robe, her hands trembling slightly. The garment fell open, revealing Petriel completely naked underneath. Her skin was pale and flawless, her breasts hanging with pink nipples already hard in the cool air.


    "Fuck," Grace breathed, staring openly.


    Petriel smiled and reached for Grace¡¯s robe, pushing it off her shoulders. She made quick work of Grace¡¯s bra, unhooking it with one hand. As it fell away, Petriel¡¯s eyes devoured Grace¡¯s exposed breasts.


    "... Beautiful," she murmured, leaning down to take one of Grace¡¯s nipples into her mouth.


    Grace¡¯s back arched involuntarily, a sharp gasp escaping her lips. Petriel¡¯s tongue swirled around the sensitive bud, sending jolts of pleasure straight to Grace¡¯s core. The golden energy between them intensified, creating a warm glow that enveloped their bodies.


    Petriel¡¯s hand slid down Grace¡¯s stomach, fingers dipping beneath the waistband of her underwear. Grace spread her legs instinctively, her body aching for more. When Petriel¡¯s fingers found her clit, Grace let out a choked moan.


    "You¡¯re so wet," Petriel whispered against Grace¡¯s breast, her fingers sliding easily through Grace¡¯s folds.


    Grace couldn¡¯t form words. She just nodded, her hips rising to meet Petriel¡¯s touch. The healing energy surged with each stroke of Petriel¡¯s fingers, building like a wave inside her.


    Petriel slipped two fingers inside Grace while her thumb continued circling her clit. Grace¡¯s head fell back, her white hair cascading down her back as pleasure built rapidly. The garden around them seemed to respond to their energy¡ªflowers blooming out of season, grass growing taller where their feet touched the ground.


    "I want to taste you," Petriel said, sliding off the bench onto her knees.


    Before Grace could respond, Petriel pulled her underwear down and buried her face between Grace¡¯s thighs. Her tongue replaced her fingers, licking a long stroke from Grace¡¯s entrance to her clit.


    "Oh my g-" Grace gasped, her hands tangling in Petriel¡¯s green hair.


    Petriel hummed against her, the vibration adding to the sensation. Her tongue moved with practiced skill, alternating between broad strokes and focused attention on Grace¡¯s clit. Two fingers pushed back inside, curling to hit a spot that made Grace see stars.


    The golden glow around them brightened, pulsing with each flick of Petriel¡¯s tongue. Grace¡¯s thighs began to tremble as pressure built inside her. Her breathing came in short gasps, her grip tightening in Petriel¡¯s hair.


    "I¡¯m close," Grace warned, her voice breaking.


    Petriel redoubled her efforts, sucking Grace¡¯s clit while her fingers pumped faster. The healing energy peaked, turning from gold to blinding white as Grace¡¯s orgasm crashed through her. Her back arched off the bench, a cry tearing from her throat as waves of pleasure washed over her.


    The energy burst outward in a pulse that made the entire garden bloom instantly¡ªflowers erupting from every surface, vines growing up the hedges, the grass beneath them suddenly lush and thick.


    Grace collapsed back onto the bench, her body still twitching with aftershocks. Petriel looked up from between her legs, her lips glistening with Grace¡¯s wetness, a satisfied smile on her face.


    Skill Upgraded!


    ¡¸Intimate Healing Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3¡¹


    ¡¸Intimate Healing (Level 3)¡¹


    Healing amplified through physical intimacy


    "Now that," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and giving that usual shy smile, "is intimate healing."

 Chapter 75: Routine

    Chapter 75: RoutineSunlight streamed through the window, painting warm stripes across Grace¡¯s bed.


    She blinked awake, feeling... different. Her body hummed with a strange new energy, like divine light was coursing through her veins instead of blood. And yet, she felt oddly calm. Centered, almost.


    At least, she did for almost a whole minute, before...


    [Wait, did I really...?]


    Memories from last night flooded back¡ªPetriel¡¯s shy smile turning bold, hands exploring places Grace had never been touched, that moment when¡ª


    "OH MY GODDESS!" Grace squealed, burying her red face in her pillow. "I actually did it!"


    She had. After 18 long years of comfortable loneliness in a rural farm, Grace finally had experienced what constituted the climax of all those romance novels she¡¯d steal from her mom. And, it was...


    Well, the words didn¡¯t do it justice.


    She peeked out from her hiding spot to find the bed empty beside her. Petriel must have slipped out already. Grace sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest despite being alone. Her body felt... well, used was the only word that came to mind. But in a good way? Was that weird?


    A quick glance around confirmed she was alone in her room, though she could hear movement in the common area. Her System status page appeared with a thought.


    ¡¸Status¡¹


    Bravery: 38/100


    Compassion: 44/100


    Love: 19/100


    [Wait, my Love attribute went up? From THAT?]


    She blushed harder, if that was even possible. The System had been tracking her... performance? Great. Just great.


    Grace pulled herself out of bed, wincing slightly at new aches in new places. She fumbled for her clothes, finding her undergarments scattered in decidedly non-virginal ways around the room.


    [I can never look Petriel in the eye again. Ever. Period.]


    Once dressed, Grace examined her schedule for the day. Morning combat training with Seraph, afternoon healing practice with Mara, evening... whatever with Venus. Back to routine after everything that had happened at Rosewood. After encountering ancient world-shaping entities and literally meeting with Eternia herself, normal angel stuff felt almost quaint.


    She took a deep breath and opened her bedroom door.


    "THERE SHE IS!" Alia squealed from across the common room, practically vibrating with excitement. "Our little Grace is all grown up!"


    Grace froze mid-step, her face heating to temperatures that probably violated several laws of thermodynamics.


    "W-what are you talking about?"


    Zephyr, lounging on the couch with a book, didn¡¯t even look up.


    "The walls here are thin, sunshine. Really thin."


    "Kill me," Grace muttered. "Just... someone kill me right now."


    "No can do," Alia chirped, bouncing over to throw an arm around Grace¡¯s shoulders. "We¡¯ve got training in twenty minutes, and Seraph will literally murder us all if you¡¯re late."


    Grace nodded mechanically, her brain still trying to process that her roommates had heard... everything. She made a mental note to invest in soundproofing. Was that a thing in heaven? It should be.


    "Where¡¯s Petriel?" she managed to ask.


    "Got called to the medical wing early," Zephyr said, finally looking up from her book with a smirk. "She was blushing harder than you are right now, if you can believe it."


    That was actually a relief. At least Grace wouldn¡¯t have to face her just yet.


    "Come on!" Alia tugged at Grace¡¯s arm. "Food, then training. You need energy after burning so many calories last night!" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "ALIA!"


    ---


    The training arena was mercifully empty by the time Grace arrived¡ªexcept for Diana.


    Because of course Diana would be there early. And of course she¡¯d be wearing nothing but those skin-tight shorts, her upper body completely bare except for the sweat glistening on her abs.


    [Don¡¯t look at her boobs. Don¡¯t look at her boobs. DON¡¯T LOOK AT HER¡ª]


    Grace looked at her boobs.


    [Damn it.]


    Diana turned, catching Grace mid-stare. A predatory grin spread across her face.


    "Well, well. Look who decided to join the land of the deflowered."


    Grace nearly tripped over her own feet.


    "W-what?!"


    "Please," Diana scoffed, running a hand through her short, sweat-dampened hair. "The entire Dominion probably heard Petriel screaming your name last night. Who knew the shy little healer had it in her? Only took ya two whole lifetimes."


    "We weren¡¯t that loud!" Grace protested weakly, knowing full well they absolutely were.


    Diana¡¯s grin widened.


    "You do realize I can hear everything that happens in this wing, right? ¡¯Oh, Grace, right there! Don¡¯t stop!¡¯"


    Her imitation of Petriel¡¯s voice was disturbingly accurate.


    Grace covered her face with both hands.


    "Can we please just... train or something?"


    "Sure," Diana shrugged, moving closer. "But I¡¯ve got to say, I¡¯m impressed. I figured you¡¯d be all fumbling hands and apologies your first time."


    "Yeah, well," Grace mumbled, trying to sound casual and failing spectacularly, "I learned from watching the best."


    "Oh?" Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "You and Zephyr on the couch?" Grace reminded her, trying to turn the tables. "That... that... thing you conjured up with your divine energy? Pretty creative."


    To Grace¡¯s immense frustration, Diana didn¡¯t even have the decency to look embarrassed. In fact, she looked proud.


    "Thanks," Diana said with a wink. "I¡¯ve had a lot of practice. Maybe I¡¯ll show you sometime."


    "Please don¡¯t," Grace rolled her eyes.


    Diana closed the distance between them. Her hand came up to cup Grace¡¯s chin, tilting her face upward.


    "You know, you¡¯re different today," Diana observed, smirking, her voice dropping lower. "Something¡¯s changed."


    "I lost my virginity, not my personality," Grace shot back.


    Diana laughed¡ªan actual genuine laugh that transformed her usually hard features into something almost soft.


    "That¡¯s not what I meant. Your energy is different. Stronger. More... focused."


    "Oh."


    "It¡¯s good."


    "Y-Yeah? Well, I don¡¯t care if you think it¡¯s good or bad."


    "Really?" Diana¡¯s smirk only deepened. It was annoying.


    Grace huffed, pouted, and turned away.


    "Mhm." She got chills as Diana suddenly wrapped her arms around Grace from behind. Her abs, warm and with a thin sheet of sweat, pressed against the back of Grace¡¯s head. She tried as hard as she could not to panic.


    "Petriel must be better than she looks." Diana stepped closer, her tits practically resting on top of Grace¡¯s head.


    "O-Okay, anyway, c-can we not talk about this? Like, ever? L-Let¡¯s just move on."


    "Why not?" Diana¡¯s hands ran along Grace¡¯s shoulders. "Sex is just sex. Nothing to be embarrassed about."


    "Says the woman who walks around with her boobs out 24/7."


    "As if you don¡¯t appreciate that."


    "I do NOT."


    "Your eyes say something different. What do you think? I could give you some Love Sister training of my own, you know? Show you how you¡¯re actually supposed to fuck."


    Grace¡¯s entire body froze.


    "I¡ªyou¡ªwhat¡ª"


    Then¡ªwithout warning¡ªshe turned Grace around, leaned down, and pressed her lips against Grace¡¯s.


    It wasn¡¯t like Petriel¡¯s kiss, which had started gentle before turning passionate. Diana kissed like she fought¡ªdirect, aggressive, taking what she wanted. Her hands found Grace¡¯s waist, pulling her closer until their bodies pressed together, skin to fabric.


    Grace¡¯s brain short-circuited for approximately three seconds before rebooting with a simple directive: kiss back.


    She reached up, hands finding Diana¡¯s shoulders, feeling the smooth skin and hard muscle beneath.


    Diana made a sound¡ªhalf-chuckle, half-approval¡ªand deepened the kiss. Her hands slid lower, grabbing Grace¡¯s ass and lifting her slightly.


    "HEY!" Seraph¡¯s booming voice echoed through the arena. "SEPARATE IMMEDIATELY!"


    They jumped apart like they¡¯d been electrocuted. Grace¡¯s heart hammered in her chest as she turned to see Seraph striding toward them, followed by at least a dozen other Bravery Sisters, all in various states of amusement.


    "Save it for after training!" Seraph barked, though she was clearly fighting a smile. "This is a COMBAT arena, not a LOVE nest!"


    Diana, completely unfazed by being caught, simply shrugged.


    "Just giving the rookie some motivation."


    "I¡¯ll motivate BOTH of you with fifty extra laps if you don¡¯t get in formation RIGHT NOW!"


    Grace scurried to her spot, painfully aware of the amused glances and knowing smirks from the other angels. Diana sauntered to her position with all the concern of someone who had exactly zero shame.


    [... Geeze,] Grace sighed. [I¡¯m really going to melt into nothing if this keeps going.]


    ---


    As Seraph began bellowing instructions and the training session fell into its familiar rhythm, Grace found herself smiling despite the embarrassment. After all the cosmic revelations, ancient entities, and world-shaking truths she¡¯d faced at Rosewood, there was something comforting about getting back to basics. Swing sword, dodge, parry, try not to fall on her face.


    Between Eternia¡¯s cryptic instructions about the Pillars and the looming threat of Azrael, Grace knew bigger challenges waited on the horizon. For now, though, she was content to let Seraph yell at her form, to sneak glances at Diana¡¯s perfect abs, and to pretend¡ªjust for today¡ªthat she was just an ordinary angel learning the ropes.


    Well, an ordinary angel who could permanently kill demons, who carried the direct blessing of a goddess, and who had apparently developed a talent for making quiet healers scream in ecstasy.


    But still. Almost normal.


    Almost.

 Chapter 76: The Tide Turns

    Chapter 76: The Tide TurnsMorning light hit Grace¡¯s face like a celestial alarm clock, yanking her from a dreamless sleep.


    She blinked, taking a second to realize she was completely alone in bed. No Petriel squished against her side. No Alia sprawled across her legs like a horny octopus. Just Grace.


    [Well, that¡¯s new.]


    Arms and legs spread, starfish position fully engaged, she allowed herself to enjoy this rare quietness.


    It couldn¡¯t last forever, though. She pushed herself up, fingers combing through her white hair. Her body felt good¡ªstronger than before.


    It had been a week since Petriel had popped her celestial cherry, and her training had gone into overdrive in all three paths. She was getting better. Stronger. More confident.


    And... well, just a little bit hornier. Just a little! And, mainly because her roommates couldn¡¯t keep their hands off each other for five fucking minutes, obviously.


    Not cause she was actually hornier or anything. Obviously.


    "Oh fuck yes! Right there!"


    [Ah, there it is. Heaven¡¯s ambiance.]


    Grace sighed, rolling out of bed and grabbing a simple robe. She didn¡¯t bother with underwear¡ªwhat was the point anymore? Someone would just try to peel it off her within the hour anyway. Probably.


    She padded into the common room and stopped dead.


    "Oh." The singular word escaped from her lips against her will.


    Diana was on the couch, naked as always, her muscular body shining with sweat. Petriel was bent over in front of her, face mashed into the cushions, making adorable little squeaking noises as Diana railed her from behind with a golden light-strap (her words, that was what she called that construct she always made. Apparently it was a "strap-on" or something). And Alia¡ªbecause of course Alia was in the mix¡ªwas perched on Diana¡¯s shoulders, grinding against her face, back arched as she moaned at the ceiling like she was praising Eternia herself.


    The weirdest part wasn¡¯t the incredibly complicated sex happening five feet away. It was how completely unsurprised Grace felt about the whole thing.


    She sighed.


    [Of course. They should rename this place the Sex Wing.]


    "Morning," Zephyr said casually from the kitchen table, sipping tea and reading a scroll like there wasn¡¯t a literal sex festival happening in their living room.


    "Morning," Grace replied, joining her. "Any more tea?"


    "Mmhmm." Zephyr pushed a steaming cup toward her. "Just made it."


    Grace took a sip, watching as Diana slammed into Petriel harder, making the healer cry out like she was being murdered by pleasure.


    "Should we, uh..." Grace gestured vaguely at the trio.


    "What? Join in?" Zephyr raised an eyebrow. "You¡¯re welcome to, but I just showered."


    Grace stared at her.


    [And Zephyr¡¯s the "normal" one... I¡¯m so doomed.]


    "No, I meant¡ª" Grace sighed. "Never mind."


    Zephyr smiled knowingly.


    "You¡¯re getting used to it, aren¡¯t you? Angel life."


    "I guess I am." Grace watched as Alia shuddered through what was clearly a mind-melting orgasm, her wings flapping wildly. "A week ago, I would¡¯ve died from embarrassment seeing this."


    "And now?"


    "Now I¡¯m just wondering if they¡¯re going to remember to clean the couch afterward."


    Zephyr laughed, a light musical sound that somehow cut through Petriel¡¯s increasingly desperate moans.


    "You¡¯ve changed, turnip girl."


    Grace smiled, tracing the rim of her teacup.


    "Yeah. For better or for worse, I guess." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They sat in comfortable silence, the sounds of enthusiastic sex serving as their morning ambiance. Grace found herself absent-mindedly studying Diana¡¯s technique¡ªthe way she gripped Petriel¡¯s plump hips, the rhythm of her thrusts, the flex of her abs as she worked. She caught herself, though, and shook her head, ripping her eyes away.


    [Don¡¯t ogle the annoying Bravery Sister, Grace. You can do better than her.]


    "So," Zephyr said, cutting through Grace¡¯s increasingly inappropriate thoughts, "ready for another day of training?"


    "Always," Grace replied, focusing back on her friend. "Seraph¡¯s been drilling me on aerial maneuvers. Says I fly like a ¡¯drunk pigeon with one wing.¡¯"


    "Sounds like her."


    "And Mara wants me to try healing multiple people at once today."


    "Ambitious."


    "And Venus..." Grace trailed off, her cheeks heating up.


    Zephyr grinned.


    "Venus what?"


    "She says I need to practice my... tongue techniques."


    "Well, she¡¯s the expert." Zephyr glanced pointedly at where Alia was now collapsed across Diana¡¯s lap, looking absolutely wrecked. "Though you could probably get some pointers from Diana too."


    Grace almost spat out her tea.


    Before she could fire back, Diana let out a grunt that sounded like a warrior¡¯s battle cry, and Petriel screamed, her whole body convulsing. The light-strap flickered and vanished as Diana pulled back, looking smug as hell.


    "Morning, Sunshine," Diana called, noticing Grace for the first time. "Enjoy the show?"


    "What show? That was nothing," Grace muttered.


    "That¡¯s not what Petriel was saying a minute ago."


    Petriel, still face-down on the couch, managed a weak thumbs-up.


    Grace shook her head. This was her life now. Demons and divine quests and naked angels having sex on every flat surface in sight.


    And she¡¯d gotten used to it way faster than she¡¯d expected.


    ---


    "HIGHER! FASTER! YOU CALL THAT FLYING? MY GRANDMOTHER COULD FLY BETTER, AND SHE¡¯S BEEN DEAD FOR THREE CENTURIES!"


    Seraph¡¯s voice echoed across the training grounds as Grace banked hard left, wings straining as she barely dodged a series of golden light arrows blasting in her direction. Sweat dripped down her face as she pulled up sharply, wind whipping her hair back.


    This was morning routine now. Aerial combat with Seraph screaming increasingly creative insults from below. It was exhausting, terrifying, and somehow exhilarating all at once.


    Grace barrel-rolled through a tiny gap between two training towers, feeling stone brush against her wingtips. She was getting better at this. A month ago, she would¡¯ve face-planted into the wall and become angel jam.


    As she spiraled back toward the ground, her mind drifted to Eternia¡¯s dream revelations. The Seven Pillars, created to hold all the goddess¡¯s negative emotions. The Root, filled with Eternia¡¯s dumped feelings of resentment and abandonment. And somewhere out there, six more Pillars waited, each containing another chunk of darkness that Eternia hadn¡¯t wanted to deal with.


    [And I¡¯m supposed to clean up this mess... somehow. Great job, Eternia. Real responsible deity behavior.]


    "GRACE! WATCH WHERE YOU¡¯RE GOING!"


    Grace snapped back to reality just in time to see the ground rushing up. She pulled up at the last second, her toes skimming the grass before she shot back up.


    "Sorry!" she called.


    Seraph crossed her muscular arms, scowling.


    "Distracted again? What¡¯s going on in that pretty head of yours?"


    "Nothing," Grace lied, landing beside her commander. "Just focusing on the moves."


    "Bullshit," Seraph replied, but there was no real bite in her voice. "You¡¯ve got that look again. The ¡¯carrying the weight of heaven¡¯ look."


    Grace sighed.


    "Is it that obvious?"


    "Only to those of us who¡¯ve been watching you like a hawk." Seraph clapped a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder, nearly dislocating it. "Well, whatever it is, you¡¯re not alone in it, alright? Remember that."


    The words were surprisingly gentle coming from Seraph, and Grace felt a rush of affection for the brash commander.


    "Thanks," she said softly.


    "Don¡¯t thank me yet!" She clapped Grace¡¯s shoulder so hard it almost popped off. "We¡¯ve still got an hour of training left, and I plan to work you until those pretty wings fall off!"


    [And we¡¯re back to normal.]


    ---


    Grace sat cross-legged on a healing mat, eyes closed, hands hovering over three small potted plants that Mara had deliberately fucked up. The exercise seemed simple: heal all three at once instead of one at a time.


    In practice, it was like trying to pat your head, rub your stomach, and recite the Eternal Codex backward while balancing on one foot.


    "Feel the divine energy flowing from your core," Mara instructed, her voice warm like fresh-baked bread. "Don¡¯t direct it with your mind. Let it find its own path through your hands."


    Grace tried to follow the instructions, feeling the warm glow of healing magic building in her chest. She¡¯d gotten better at channeling it since her Root adventure¡ªher Compassion attribute had jumped like a cat on catnip.


    She summoned the System interface in her mind.


    ¡¸Status¡¹


    Bravery: 43/100


    Compassion: 48/100


    Love: 30/100


    Her Love attribute had seen the biggest jump, nearly doubling after her night with Petriel and subsequent "practice sessions" with various angels.


    [Is that all it takes? Sex? Because if so, I could hit 100 pretty fast at this rate... Not complaining.]


    "Concentrate, Grace," Mara reminded her.


    "Sorry," Grace murmured, focusing again on the plants.


    She let the healing energy flow out, splitting her focus three ways. To her shock, golden light streamed from both palms, touching all three plants at once. The sad, withered leaves perked up, brown spots fading to healthy green.


    "I¡¯m doing it!" Grace exclaimed.


    Mara¡¯s smile could¡¯ve lit up the entire Dominion.


    "Excellent work! Your progress is remarkable, Grace."


    Pride bloomed in Grace¡¯s chest. It felt good to succeed, to feel her powers growing. Maybe she really could handle whatever bullshit awaited her with the remaining Pillars.


    ¡¸Skill Level Up!¡¹


    ¡¸Soothing Hands has reached Level 3!¡¹


    ¡¸You can now heal multiple targets¡¹


    ¡¸Note: Healing will be reduced in efficiency per the amount of targets affected¡¹


    Grace smiled at the notification. Progress indeed.


    ---


    "And that is how you make a woman see stars without even touching her most sensitive areas," Venus concluded, pulling her fingers from the moaning angel sprawled across the demonstration bed.


    Grace sat with the other students, watching as Venus wrapped up another "morale training" session. A month ago, she would¡¯ve been hiding behind her hands, face on fire. Now she was taking mental notes like a diligent student.


    [Curling motion with the fingers, pressure on the upper wall, maintain eye contact... got it. Might need to practice this later.]


    Thoughts like that still made her blush hard, though. She¡¯d changed, sure, but she was still Grace.


    "Any volunteers to practice this technique?" Venus asked, her golden eyes scanning the room like a predator.


    Grace kept her hands firmly in her lap. She might be more comfortable with angel sexuality now, but she wasn¡¯t quite ready to finger someone in front of an audience. Baby steps.


    As another angel eagerly shot her hand up, Grace¡¯s thoughts drifted back to the Pillars. The Root had been contained, at least temporarily, but what about the others? Eternia had mentioned their locations, and Grace remembered the western coast was home to one called The Tide.


    [Water-based corruption would be... what? Flooding? Drowning? Tentacles? It¡¯s always tentacles with these things, isn¡¯t it?]


    She shuddered at the thought. Each Pillar represented a different negative emotion Eternia had thrown away. What dark feelings were lurking beneath those waves?


    When the lesson finally ended, Grace headed back to her quarters, desperately needing a shower after a full day of training. As she passed a water fountain, her System pinged with a notification.


    ¡¸New Quest Available!¡¹


    Grace frowned, stepping aside to check it privately.


    ¡¸Pillar Investigation: The Tide - Travel to the western coast of Linaria and investigate reports of villagers disappearing into the sea¡¹


    ¡¸Category: Love¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: Skill Evolution - Aura Cleanse ¡ú Aura Manipulation¡¹


    [Love category? The Root was Compassion... I wonder what that means. Something dirty, probably.]


    She was still pondering this when a messenger angel approached her.


    "Grace Lightsinger? Archangel Celestia requests your presence immediately."


    Grace nodded, her heart sinking a little. She¡¯d enjoyed this week of relative normalcy¡ªtraining, learning, watching her roommates have increasingly acrobatic sex on various furniture. But she¡¯d known it wouldn¡¯t last.


    The real work was just beginning.


    She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and headed toward Celestia¡¯s chambers.


    Time to face the tide.

 Chapter 77: Rising Waters

    Chapter 77: Rising WatersOnce again, Grace passed through the huge door to Celestia¡¯s chamber. Grace still felt like a toddler standing in front of it, even after weeks of angel training. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and knocked.


    "Enter," Celestia¡¯s voice called.


    Grace pushed the heavy door open to find a circular room bathed in rainbow light from the stained glass ceiling. Celestia stood at the center, her multicolored wings folded behind her like some fancy peacock. And she wasn¡¯t alone¡ªSeraph, Mara, and Venus were already there, gathered around a floating map of Linaria like they were planning to invade it.


    None of them were smiling.


    [Okay... This is serious. No prizes for guessing what they¡¯re going to talk about.]


    "Grace," Celestia greeted, her golden eyes warming slightly. "Thank you for coming so quickly."


    Grace walked up to the map, noticing it showed the western coastline of Linaria. Several spots along the shore pulsed with an ominous blue light. Like evil little heartbeats.


    "What¡¯s going on?" Grace asked, though she already had a damn good idea. The Tide.


    Seraph crossed her arms, muscles bulging like she was flexing for an invisible audience.


    "More strange shit, unfortunately. Just like Rosewood."


    "Language, Seraph," Mara scolded, but there was no heat in it.


    "What? It¡¯s accurate." Seraph jabbed a finger at one of the blue spots. "Village called Saltmist. People turning blue, walking into the ocean, then coming back as water monsters. Or not coming back at all."


    Grace¡¯s stomach twisted.


    "Just like the plant zombies."


    Venus nodded, her usual sexy smile replaced with a worried frown.


    "Three coastal villages so far. The survivors say they have weird dreams about the ocean calling them. Their skin turns blue, and then they¡¯re drawn to the water."


    "And you think it¡¯s another... Pillar?" Grace asked carefully, trying not to show that she already knew the answer.


    Celestia¡¯s eyes narrowed just a little.


    "After what you found at Rosewood, it seems likely. The patterns match." Celestia waved her hand, and the map zoomed in on a tiny fishing village. "Saltmist is the most recently hit. You¡¯ll start there."


    "Me?" Grace blinked. "Do you want me to lead this mission?"


    "Of course," Mara said, all gentle but firm. "And your ability to cleanse corruption will be essential."


    "You won¡¯t be alone," Seraph added. "Diana will go with you as combat support."


    "And Petriel for healing," Mara said.


    Celestia gestured toward the door just as it swung open.


    "And... one more."


    Grace turned.


    A thin angel with short blue hair walked in, her face about as warm as a winter night. Grace recognized her immediately¡ªMeridian from the Ascended Choir. The scholar who¡¯d been watching Grace like she was some kind of science experiment since day one.


    "Meridian will join you," Celestia said. "Her knowledge of ancient texts and the western coast will, hopefully, be valuable."


    Meridian¡¯s eyes locked with Grace¡¯s. There was zero warmth there, just pure calculation.


    "Um, hello," Grace said awkwardly.


    "Lightsinger," Meridian replied with a nod so short it barely counted.


    [Oh yeah. We¡¯re gonna be best friends.]


    "You leave at dawn," Celestia said. "Prepare yourselves. If this is indeed another Pillar, the danger will be significant."


    Grace felt a weird cocktail of dread and determination swirling in her chest. The Tide. Another ancient entity stuffed with Eternia¡¯s emotional garbage. Another source of corruption to deal with.


    "I understand," she said, standing a little straighter. "We¡¯ll find out what¡¯s happening and stop it."


    Celestia smiled.


    "I trust that you will."


    ---


    Grace wandered the white marble halls of the Dominion, her thoughts spinning like a drunk ballerina. The mission weighed on her, but the quest notification gave her a slight edge¡ªat least she knew what she was walking into.


    [Sort of, anyway. Like knowing you¡¯re about to step in poop but not knowing how big it is.]


    She touched the medallion hanging around her neck, running her finger over its fancy patterns. It had been warm before, during her Root adventure, but now¡ª


    A sudden coldness shot through her chest. The medallion turned ice-cold against her skin like it had been dunked in a frozen lake.


    The hallway disappeared. In its place, endless waves stretched to the horizon, dark and angry. The sky above was storm-gray, heavy with clouds. And somewhere beneath the surface, something waited.


    "You¡¯re afraid of being alone," a female voice whispered, carried on salty wind. "I understand. I¡¯ve been alone for so long. Come to me. I will give you eternal embrace within the depths. We need never be alone again."


    The voice was hypnotic, pulling at Grace¡¯s mind like dough.


    [So, I take it that this is Eternia¡¯s loneliness,] Grace realized. [The feelings she couldn¡¯t deal with.]


    "Join me," the voice called. "Join me in the¡ª"


    "Careful!"


    "ACK!"


    Grace slammed into something solid. The vision vanished, replaced by the marble hallway and an irritated Meridian holding her by the shoulders.


    "S-sorry," Grace stammered. "I wasn¡¯t looking where I was going."


    Meridian¡¯s blue eyes narrowed.


    "Clearly."


    She didn¡¯t back up right away, studying Grace¡¯s face like she was trying to read a foreign language.


    "Your pupils were massive. What did you see?"


    Grace blinked in surprise.


    "What?"


    "The medallion," Meridian nodded toward Grace¡¯s chest. "It shows you things, doesn¡¯t it? Visions, perhaps?"


    [How the hell does she know that?]


    Almost like she was reading Grace¡¯s mind, she answered:


    "It would be hard to believe that you merely have a habit of walking around staring at things that aren¡¯t there."


    "Oh. I¡ª" Grace hesitated, not sure how much to spill. "Yes. Sometimes."


    Meridian finally let go of her shoulders and stepped back.


    "I¡¯ve studied the western coast for a few years. The legends talk about an entity beneath the waves that has captured people for ages. The Tide. It¡¯s described as ancient. Powerful."


    Grace was stunned briefly by the casual mention of studying the coast for years, but she reminded herself that to angels, a "few years" may as well have been a day or two to a human.


    "What do you know about it?" Grace asked.


    Meridian¡¯s face turned analytical, like she¡¯d switched into professor mode.


    "The texts say Eternia created it to hold her feelings of isolation and loneliness. The pain of being one-of-a-kind, different from all her creations."


    She wasn¡¯t far off.


    "Did you... see something?" Meridian pressed.


    "Waves," Grace admitted. "And a voice talking about loneliness, offering an ¡¯eternal embrace within the depths.¡¯"


    Something flickered in Meridian¡¯s eyes¡ªconcern, maybe? It disappeared too fast to be sure.


    "Interesting," was all she said. "Pack warm clothes. The coast is freezing this time of year."


    With that, she turned and walked away, her wings pulled tight against her back.


    [She definitely knows more than she¡¯s saying,] Grace thought, watching her go. [Great. Another fun team dynamic to navigate. Just what I needed. Some suspense in between all the make-outs.]


    ---


    "Two healing potions, three purification charms, an extra robe..." Grace muttered, digging through her pack in the equipment room. "What am I forgetting?"


    "Protection?" Diana¡¯s voice came from behind her, low and playful.


    Grace turned to find Diana leaning against the doorway, arms crossed under her bare tits. As usual, she wore only those tight shorts, like clothing was something that happened to other people. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Very funny," Grace said, trying not to stare at Diana¡¯s chest. "Don¡¯t you ever get cold?"


    "Do I look cold to you?" Diana pushed off the doorframe and walked over, a predatory smile on her lips.


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "N-no."


    "Besides," Diana continued, now standing close enough that Grace could feel heat coming off her skin, "I¡¯ve got you to warm me up, don¡¯t I?"


    "B-By the goddess, you really-"


    Before Grace could answer, Diana¡¯s fingers tilted her chin up, and suddenly they were kissing.


    It was so sudden that Grace wasn¡¯t quite prepared. Diana¡¯s lips were soft but demanding, her tongue sliding into Grace¡¯s mouth like it belonged there. Grace¡¯s back hit the equipment shelf, her hands instinctively grabbing Diana¡¯s shoulders.


    Diana¡¯s hand slid down Grace¡¯s side, fingers slipping under her robe, creeping up her thigh¡ª


    "Oh! I¡¯m so sorry!"


    Grace launched herself away from Diana so fast she nearly took down the entire shelf. Petriel stood in the doorway, her face red as a tomato, hands covering her eyes but still obviously peeking through her fingers.


    "I can come back later!" Petriel squeaked.


    Diana, completely unfazed, just laughed.


    "No need. We¡¯re just getting started."


    "We are NOT getting started!" Grace protested, fixing her robe with shaking hands. "We¡¯re preparing for a mission. A serious mission!"


    Diana rolled her eyes, then walked over to Petriel, who still hadn¡¯t uncovered her face. With surprising gentleness, Diana pulled Petriel¡¯s hands away.


    "Hi there, healer," Diana purred.


    And then she kissed Petriel. Right there. Right in front of Grace.


    "A-" That single vowel crept out of Grace¡¯s mouth on its own, with no other letters or words to accompany it.


    Petriel made a startled noise that quickly melted into a soft moan as Diana deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into Petriel¡¯s hair. When they separated, Petriel looked totally dazed, her lips pink and swollen.


    "See?" Diana glanced back at Grace, smirking. "No hard feelings."


    Grace¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a fish, heat flooding her face. She was saved from having to respond by Meridian¡¯s arrival, who stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene with obvious disapproval.


    "If you¡¯re all quite finished," Meridian said, voice colder than the medallion had been, "we have a mission to prepare for. I suggest you save your... exhibitions... for a more appropriate time."


    Diana shrugged, completely shameless.


    "Just keeping up morale."


    Meridian¡¯s lips went thin as paper.


    "Be ready at dawn. And please wear proper clothes." Her eyes pointedly dropped to Diana¡¯s exposed chest. "All of you."


    With that, she turned and left, her footsteps echoing down the hall.


    "Well," Diana said cheerfully, "she seems fun."


    Petriel, still red-faced, cleared her throat.


    "I, um, came to help with the medical supplies."


    "And I should finish packing," Grace said, trying to sound normal again.


    Diana looked between them, her smirk getting bigger.


    "Sure you don¡¯t want a quick break first? For morale?"


    "NO!" Grace and Petriel shouted together.


    Diana just laughed, stretching her arms above her head in a way that made her breasts lift in a very deliberate display.


    "Your loss. See you in the morning, rookies."


    As Diana sauntered out, Grace exchanged a look with Petriel.


    "This is going to be a very long mission, isn¡¯t it?" Petriel asked.


    Grace sighed, thinking of Diana¡¯s shamelessness, Meridian¡¯s suspicion, and the creepy voice from her vision.


    "Probably."

 Chapter 78: Salt

    Chapter 78: SaltThe morning air at the western cliff bit at Grace¡¯s skin like a hungry ex-girlfriend... Not that she¡¯d ever had one of those before.


    She adjusted her pack while watching Diana check her weapons for the third time, like the warrior had some weird weapon-fondling fetish. Seriously, why even bother when she was just going to use her materialized light weapon anyway?


    Petriel stood nearby, nervously playing with her healer¡¯s kit (again, why even bother bringing such a thing when you could heal people magically??? Grace didn¡¯t get it), and Meridian glared at a map like it had personally offended her.


    "Alright, feather-brains," Diana announced, strapping her golden sword to her hip. "Let¡¯s do this before I change my mind about babysitting you all."


    "You¡¯re literally on this mission because Celestia ordered you to be," Grace said.


    "Details." Diana flicked her wrist dismissively.


    "Grace! GRACE!"


    A familiar voice shattered the morning calm. Grace turned to see Alia sprinting toward them like a horny missile, with Zephyr following at a more dignified pace.


    "Oh no," Grace muttered.


    Diana grinned.


    "Oh yes."


    Alia skidded to a stop inches from Grace, panting dramatically.


    "We couldn¡¯t... let you leave... without saying... goodbye!"


    "That¡¯s... really sweet," Grace said, already bracing for whatever chaos was about to unfold.


    "We brought you something!" Alia beamed.


    Zephyr caught up, giving Grace an apologetic smile that screamed "I tried to stop her but you know how she is."


    "It¡¯s a traditional Love Sister farewell!" Alia declared.


    Before Grace could ask what that meant, Alia and Zephyr exchanged mischievous glances. Then, in perfect synchronization, they yanked up their pink robes, flashing their perky tits at everyone.


    "FOR GOOD LUCK!" they shouted together.


    Grace¡¯s jaw dropped.


    "What the¡ª"


    "Nice," Diana said, nodding appreciatively like she was judging a competition.


    Meridian made a strangled noise.


    "This is absolutely inappropriate! Put those breasts away immediately!"


    The Love Sisters laughed but lowered their robes, clearly enjoying Meridian¡¯s meltdown. The scholar¡¯s face had turned redder than a spanked butt, her wings twitching like she was about to have a seizure.


    "Sacrilegious," she hissed. "A completely sacrilegious approach to divinity."


    Diana snorted.


    "If anyone¡¯s sacrilegious, it¡¯s you Choir snobs. Eternia would approve of their behavior."


    "You know nothing of what Eternia would approve," Meridian snapped.


    "I know she fucked a dragon once," Diana replied with a smirk. "It¡¯s in the Eternal Codex."


    "That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s taken out of context!"


    "Is it, though?" Diana raised an eyebrow.


    Funny enough, Grace knew the answer to that.


    [... No, it isn¡¯t.]


    Grace jumped between them before Meridian could explode into a shower of scholarly rage.


    "Okay! Thanks for the... farewell, guys. We should probably get going."


    Alia threw her arms around Grace¡¯s neck.


    "Be safe, okay? Don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do!"


    "That leaves me a lot of options."


    Zephyr gave Grace a gentler hug.


    "Seriously, be careful. Water corruption sounds nasty."


    "We will," Grace promised.


    With final waves and blown kisses (from Alia), the Love Sisters stepped back. Grace turned to her team, trying to look confident and not like she was about to crap herself with anxiety.


    "Ready?"


    Diana cracked her neck.


    "Born ready."


    Petriel nodded nervously, and Meridian just muttered:


    "Yes."


    Grace took a deep breath, spread her wings, and stepped off the cliff.


    The drop always gave Grace that rollercoaster feeling in her gut. Wind blasted her face as she fell through clouds, wings tucked tight against her back. After counting to ten, she snapped them open, catching air with a jolt that made her stomach say "what the actual fuck."


    Usually, this was when she¡¯d level out and follow the flight path like a good little angel.


    But something was wrong.


    Her wings shifted without her permission, tilting her westward. Grace frowned and corrected her course. A moment later, it happened again¡ªa weird but insistent pull dragging her toward the ocean.


    [What the heck?]


    She glanced back to see if the others noticed. Diana was doing unnecessary aerial flips because of course she was. Meridian flew like she had a stick up her butt. But Petriel was watching Grace with worried eyes, clearly seeing something was off.


    The healer adjusted her flight to come alongside Grace, close enough that their wings sometimes brushed. Each touch sent tingles through Grace¡¯s body that definitely weren¡¯t appropriate for a serious mission.


    "Everything okay?" Petriel asked, her voice barely audible over the wind.


    "I think so," Grace lied. "Just a weird current."


    Petriel didn¡¯t buy it but nodded anyway. She stayed close, positioning herself between Grace and whatever invisible force was trying to yank her off course.


    The journey dragged on for hours, which naturally made Grace wonder where the hell they were actually going. By the time Saltmist came into view, Grace¡¯s wings felt like they¡¯d been through a meat grinder from fighting that westward tug.


    The village looked totally messed up from above¡ªhalf-underwater when it shouldn¡¯t be, considering how far the buildings were from the actual shoreline.


    "That¡¯s not normal," Diana called, pointing at the flooded streets. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Obviously," Meridian replied with enough snark to fill a small lake.


    They spiraled down, landing in what must have been the village square¡ªnow a shallow, ankle-deep pool. Villagers wandered around, weirdly chill about the fact they were standing in water. Looking closer, Grace noticed their lips had turned blue, and their eyes looked vacant, like nobody was home upstairs.


    "Hello?" Grace called to a middle-aged woman carrying an empty basket. "We¡¯re angels. We¡¯re here to help."


    The woman turned slowly, moving like a drunk zombie. When she spoke, her voice sounded wet and gargle-y.


    "Mother Water calls us home."


    "Mother what now?" Diana asked.


    Grace approached a young man sitting on a half-submerged bench.


    "Excuse me, can you tell us what¡¯s happening here?"


    "Mother Water calls us home," he repeated in exactly the same creepy tone.


    Diana frowned.


    "This is weird as fuck."


    She marched over to the guy, drew back her hand, and slapped him across the face hard enough to make Grace wince.


    "Diana!" Petriel gasped.


    "What? I¡¯m experimenting," Diana said defensively.


    The guy¡¯s head snapped sideways from the impact. Slowly, he turned back to face them, a bright red handprint blooming on his cheek next to his blue lips.


    "Mother Water calls us home," he said again, completely unfazed.


    Diana threw up her hands.


    "Worth a shot."


    "This is useless," Meridian said. "We need to find someone who isn¡¯t affected yet."


    They spent the rest of the day searching the village. The few normal people they found were barricaded in their homes, scared shitless. According to them, the weird behavior started two weeks ago after a super high tide. People would wake up with blue lips, talk about "Mother Water," and eventually walk into the sea. Some never came back. Others returned... changed.


    By nightfall, they¡¯d gotten rooms at the only dry inn¡ªa two-story building on higher ground. The innkeeper, a nervous guy named Sama, kept looking at the windows like he expected water to start pouring through any second.


    "Only got two rooms left," he told them, twitching like a meth addict. "Been housing folks who lost their homes to the tide."


    "We¡¯ll take them," Grace said quickly, before Diana could say something that would traumatize the poor man.


    Sama handed over the keys, his hands shaking.


    "Just... if you hear splashing in the night, don¡¯t open your door."


    "Noted," Diana said dryly.


    "I¡¯ll take first watch with Meridian," Diana announced as they stood in the narrow hallway between their rooms. Her grin turned wicked as she looked between Grace and Petriel. "You two can get some... rest."


    Grace¡¯s face heated up. "We¡¯re just going to sleep."


    "Sure you are." Diana winked so hard it was practically obscene.


    Meridian pinched the bridge of her nose.


    "Can we focus on the mission? People are disappearing into the ocean. This isn¡¯t a pleasure trip."


    "Everything¡¯s a pleasure trip if you do it right," Diana countered, but she backed down when Meridian gave her a death glare. "Fine. Grace, Petriel, get some sleep. Meridian and I will wake you for second watch."


    Grace and Petriel entered their room, closing the door on Diana¡¯s suggestive eyebrow dance. The room was small¡ªnot just small, but tiny as fuck¡ªwith a single bed barely big enough for two people.


    They stood there in awkward silence.


    "I can sleep on the floor," Petriel offered, staring at her feet.


    "Don¡¯t be ridiculous," Grace said. "We¡¯ve literally had sex. I think we can share a bed... Right?"


    The words hung between them like a neon sign. Petriel¡¯s face turned bright red.


    "R-right," she stammered.


    They got ready for bed in uncomfortable silence, taking turns at the tiny washbasin in the corner. Grace tried not to watch as Petriel stripped down to her underwear, but failed miserably. For someone so shy, Petriel had a killer body¡ªsoft curves in all the right places that made Grace¡¯s mouth water.


    [Stop staring, you pervert. This is a serious mission about water zombies.]


    ... Though she wondered how long that would last, now.

 Chapter 79: Ocean鈥檚 Embrace

    Chapter 79: Ocean¡¯s EmbraceCold.


    Not the nice "ooh, let me snuggle under blankets" kind of cold, but the slimy, gross "something is very wrong" kind that slithered right into Grace¡¯s bones.


    She blinked awake and immediately noticed two things: Petriel was gone, and water was seeping under their door.


    [Well, that¡¯s not good.]


    Grace tumbled out of bed, almost face-planting when her feet hit the wet floor. The water was only an inch deep, but it was spreading fast, dark and oily-looking.


    "Petriel?" she called, her voice bouncing off the empty walls.


    No answer.


    Grace yanked on her clothes, not bothering with all the complicated angel robes¡ªjust the basics. As she reached for the door handle, her medallion went from ice-cube cold to fireball hot against her skin.


    [Is that a warning or are you cheering me on? Make up your mind!]


    No time to figure it out. Grace threw the door open, half-expecting a wall of water to knock her on her butt.


    Instead, she found total chaos.


    The hallway was flooded ankle-deep. Downstairs, she could hear shouting, splashing, and Diana swearing with the creativity of a drunk sailor.


    Grace sprinted down the steps, nearly wiping out twice, and burst outside into the early dawn light.


    The village square was a shitshow. Diana was backed against the inn¡¯s wall, golden sword slashing as she fought off three blue-skinned villagers. Meridian hovered above like some judgmental bird, firing blue energy blasts from her palm. And about twenty feet away, four more creepy water zombies were dragging a kicking Petriel toward the shoreline.


    "PETRIEL!" Grace shouted.


    The healer¡¯s head snapped up, eyes wide with panic.


    "Grace! Help!"


    Not all the villagers had gone full fish-person. Some¡ªthe ones who¡¯d barricaded themselves in their homes¡ªwere fighting alongside Diana, stabbing with fishing spears and boat hooks. But they were clearly getting their butts handed to them.


    Grace summoned her Blade of Dawn, the light construct materializing in her hand. She charged toward the group hauling Petriel away, dodging a blue-skinned woman who lunged at her with freaky speed.


    "Mother Water wants the healer!" one gurgled, his voice sounding like he was gargling marbles despite standing on dry land.


    She swung her rapier at the nearest water zombie, aiming for what she hoped were non-lethal spots. The blade sliced through his arm, but instead of blood, sea water gushed from the wound like she had punctured a water balloon.


    [What the heck?]


    Grace froze for a second, and that tiny hesitation nearly got her killed (or, painfully injured, actually) as another villager tackled her from the side. They crashed onto the wet ground, Grace¡¯s head smacking against stone hard enough to make her see stars.


    The villager¡ªa young woman with skin turned an unnatural blue-gray¡ªpinned Grace down, her eyes completely black like some deep-sea nightmare. Water dripped from her mouth as she spoke.


    "Join us," she gurgled.


    "Thanks for the invite," Grace grunted, "but I¡¯m busy."


    She slammed her knee up between the woman¡¯s legs. Not as effective as it would be on a guy, but enough to make her grip loosen. Grace shoved her off and rolled to her feet, rapier still clutched tight.


    [Aura Cleanse. Maybe I can fix them like I did with the plant zombies.]


    Grace focused, channeling divine energy into her free hand. Golden light flickered to life, and she lunged forward, slapping her palm against the nearest corrupted villager¡¯s chest.


    Nothing happened.


    "Crap!"


    The villager backhanded her hard enough to rattle her brain. Grace stumbled back, spitting blood onto the flooded ground.


    [Plan B it is.]


    With a grim "what the hell am I doing with my life" look that didn¡¯t fit her former turnip-farmer self at all, Grace drove her rapier straight through the villager¡¯s chest. Water exploded outward from the wound, and those creepy black eyes went dim. The body collapsed and started dissolving into murky water.


    No time to process that. Grace spun around to see Petriel now only ten feet from the water¡¯s edge, still fighting but clearly losing steam. The healer¡¯s movements looked sluggish, and her wings dragged in the water.


    Grace sprinted toward her, cutting down another water zombie who tried to block her path. This one dissolved immediately too, turning into nothing but dirty seawater that joined the flood.


    "Diana!" Grace shouted. "Cover me!"


    "Oh, well, I guess I¡¯ll just drop everything I¡¯m doing and do that, then!" Diana yelled back, but she doubled down, drawing attention from the villagers holding Petriel.


    Grace reached the healer just as they were about to drag her into deeper water. She slashed her rapier in a wide arc, forcing the corrupted villagers back. One lunged at her, and Grace¡¯s blade went straight through its neck. Another gush of seawater, another body melting like sugar in tea.


    She grabbed Petriel¡¯s arm, pulling her away from the water¡¯s edge. The healer stumbled, her head flopping weirdly.


    "Petriel? Hey, look at me!"


    When Petriel turned, Grace¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach. Seawater was dribbling from the corners of Petriel¡¯s mouth, and her normally bright eyes had a bluish tint spreading across them like a stain.


    [No no no no no]


    "Grace," Petriel whispered, water bubbling between her lips. "Something¡¯s inside me. I can feel it."


    "It¡¯s okay," Grace said, trying to sound way calmer than she felt. "Uh, I¡¯ve got you."


    She dragged Petriel farther inland, toward some big rocks for cover. The fighting raged behind them, but from the sounds of it, Diana and Meridian weren¡¯t completely screwed yet.


    Grace propped Petriel against a boulder, frantically checking her over. The healer¡¯s skin was turning that same gross blue color as the villagers.


    [Aura Cleanse didn¡¯t work on them. But maybe they were just... too far gone?]


    "Petriel, hold still for a second," Grace said, pressing her hand against the healer¡¯s chest.


    [Aura Cleanse. Come on, work this time!]


    Grace focused every ounce of her concentration, channeling divine energy through her palm. Golden light bloomed between her fingers, brighter than it had been with the water zombies.


    The golden glow sank into Petriel¡¯s skin, spreading across her chest like honey. Where it touched, the blue tint receded. Petriel gasped, her back arching as the corruption fought against Grace¡¯s cleansing.


    "Keep going," Petriel choked out, water still dribbling from the corner of her mouth.


    Grace gritted her teeth, pushing more energy through her hand. Her arm trembled with the effort, and sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cold air. The medallion against her chest went from lukewarm to burning hot, lending her power.


    Beneath her fingers, Grace could feel the corruption ¨C slick, cold, and writhing like some kind of fucking parasite. She concentrated harder, imagining her divine energy as a net, capturing the darkness and burning it away.


    Petriel suddenly convulsed, her head thrown back. She coughed violently, expelling a mouthful of seawater onto the ground. Once. Twice. Three times. With each cough, more of the blue faded from her skin, her eyes clearing.


    "Almost there," Grace muttered, her arm shaking so badly now she had to brace it with her other hand.


    With one final surge of energy that left Grace feeling like she¡¯d run a marathon, the last of the blue tint vanished from Petriel¡¯s skin. The healer slumped forward, gasping for air ¨C normal air, not that water-breathing bullshit the corruption had been forcing on her.


    [YES!] Grace sighed with relief. [I did it!]


    "Thank you," Petriel whispered, reaching out to squeeze Grace¡¯s hand. "I could feel it inside me, trying to... change me. Make me want to join them."


    "Well, it¡¯s gone now," Grace assured her, trying not to show how drained she felt. "Just, you know, maybe stay away from the water from now on?"


    A shadow fell over them. Grace looked up to see Meridian hovering above, eyeing them like they were lab specimens.


    "The fighting has stopped," Meridian reported. "Diana is chasing the remaining corrupted villagers who ran into the sea." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ran into the sea?" Grace asked. "Or went home?"


    Meridian¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "... Interesting question."


    Once Petriel could stand without wobbling, they headed back to the village square. The water was draining away now, leaving behind a slimy residue that smelled like dead fish marinated in ass. Diana was cleaning her sword, looking pissed.


    "They dissolved," she complained. "Every single one I killed just turned into water. It¡¯s fucking weird."


    "It¡¯s fascinating," Meridian corrected, kneeling to examine the goop. "I don¡¯t think these villagers were corrupted like normal. They were being transformed."


    "What¡¯s the difference?" Grace asked.


    "Well, technically, corruption is an outside force messing up an existing form. This looks like direct transformation of their physical matter." Meridian scooped some of the bluish slime into a vial like it wasn¡¯t completely disgusting. "If I¡¯m right, even if we could fix their brains, their bodies would stay changed."


    "So they¡¯re just... water people now?" Grace frowned.


    "Pretty much."


    Later, while Diana and Petriel helped the surviving villagers fortify the inn, Grace and Meridian explored the shoreline. In the tide pools, Grace found weird blue pearls that pulsed with energy. She grabbed several despite Meridian¡¯s warnings about unknown artifacts.


    "The Tide obviously knows we¡¯re here," Meridian said, watching Grace pocket another pearl. "It specifically went after Petriel."


    "Why her?" Grace asked.


    "Probably because she¡¯s a healer. The Tide might see her abilities as a threat to its transformation process. We¡¯ll have to be careful."

 Chapter 80: Depths of Devotion

    Chapter 80: Depths of Devotion"Alright, ladies. No one¡¯s going anywhere without this," Diana announced, holding up a thick coil of rope like it was the hottest new toy in heaven.


    Grace stared at it, then at Diana¡¯s dead-serious face.


    "Um, what?"


    "Safety measures." Diana started cutting the rope into sections. "Each of us ties one end around our waist. We stay connected."


    Petriel nodded, still looking like hell after yesterday¡¯s almost-drowning. Her wings twitched nervously as she took her piece of rope from Diana.


    Meridian raised an eyebrow.


    "Is this truly necessary?"


    "Look, Blue," Diana said, "I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m not in the mood to chase after any of you when you get water-zombie brain and decide to waltz into the ocean. Put the damn thing on." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meridian opened her mouth to argue, then closed it.


    "Fine."


    They stood on the shoreline, getting ready to check out the coast. The sky above was heavy with gray clouds, and the water looked darker than normal¡ªalmost black in some spots. Grace¡¯s medallion felt cold as hell against her skin, clearly having a reaction to The Tide¡¯s presence.


    Diana finished tying the rope around her own waist, then moved to check Grace¡¯s knot. Her fingers brushed against Grace¡¯s hip, lingering just long enough to make Grace¡¯s brain short-circuit.


    "Tight enough?" Diana asked with a smirk.


    Grace swallowed.


    "Y-yeah. Fine."


    "Good."


    The group began walking along the shore, following Meridian¡¯s lead. The scholar angel kept checking a scroll, muttering to herself like a crazy person. After about half a mile, the shoreline curved into a small bay, and there it was¡ªhalf-underwater, covered in seaweed and barnacles, but unmistakably:


    "A temple," Meridian breathed, sounding like she might orgasm from pure academic excitement. "Look at those archways. Early Eternian design."


    Grace glanced at Diana, who rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out of her head.


    "This is why she came," Grace whispered.


    "Duh," Diana whispered back. "Celestia probably dangled some ancient artifact over her head like a carrot. These choir nerds are all the same."


    Meridian was already wading into the ankle-deep water surrounding the temple entrance, her brain apparently deciding safety was optional. The rope connecting her to Diana went taut.


    "Hey! Slow down, Blue!" Diana called.


    Meridian barely looked back, pointing at the doorway.


    "These runes are from Eternia¡¯s time. This structure predates the Angelic Dominion!"


    That got everyone¡¯s attention. Even Diana looked impressed.


    "How old are we talking?" Grace asked.


    "Old enough that most of the writing systems used have been lost," Meridian said, running her fingers over the stone. "But I¡¯ve studied them extensively."


    [Of course you have.]


    They approached the temple entrance carefully, the water now reaching their calves. Grace felt a weird tugging sensation, like invisible currents trying to pull her deeper. Her medallion pulsed against her chest like it was trying to warn her about something.


    "Stay close," she warned.


    The entrance was a doorway half-underwater, leading to a partially flooded chamber. Stone steps disappeared into dark water.


    "I can translate some of this," Meridian said, examining the etchings around the doorway. "It speaks of ¡¯The Collector of Grief¡¯ who offers ¡¯eternal communion without pain.¡¯"


    "Yeah, that sounds pleasant and not at all murdery," Diana said dryly.


    Petriel shifted closer to Grace.


    "I-I don¡¯t like this place."


    "Me neither," Grace agreed. But they had to investigate.


    They entered the temple, Diana leading the way with her golden sword drawn, lighting up the darkness. The main chamber was huge, with a domed ceiling that was partially collapsed on one side. Water filled about half the room, slapping gently against stone columns.


    Meridian moved from wall to wall, practically having a nerdgasm with each inscription she found.


    "Fascinating. According to this, The Tide was created to absorb Eternia¡¯s feelings of isolation and loneliness. It promises a ¡¯collective consciousness¡¯ where no one is ever alone."


    "By turning them into water monsters?" Diana asked.


    "Transformation rather than corruption, like I said before," Meridian corrected. "The text suggests willing surrender leads to ¡¯unity of form and thought.¡¯"


    Grace felt the water swirling around her legs, almost like it was eavesdropping.


    "So people walk into the sea voluntarily?"


    "Those who feel most alone would be most susceptible," Meridian said. "The Tide preys on isolation."


    Grace thought of the voice in her dream. That promise of connection. Never being alone again.


    A sudden rumble shook the temple. Chunks of ceiling crashed into the water.


    "What the¡ª" Diana began.


    Then the water exploded upward.


    It surged from below, filling the chamber like someone had turned on a giant faucet. Within seconds, it was at their waists, then their chests.


    "OUT!" Diana bellowed, yanking on the ropes. "NOW!"


    They scrambled toward the exit, but the water kept rising, faster than they could move. Grace felt something cold wrap around her ankle, pulling her under. She kicked hard, breaking free, and surfaced with a gasp.


    "Grace!" Diana was at the doorway, hauling on her rope. "Move your ass!"


    Grace swam toward her, fighting against the current. Diana grabbed her arm and yanked her through the doorway just as another section of ceiling collapsed where she¡¯d been.


    "Petriel?" Grace gasped, looking around frantically.


    Diana cursed, holding up a frayed rope end.


    "It snapped!"


    Horror washed over Grace.


    "We have to go back!"


    "Are you insane?" Diana grabbed her shoulders. "That place is coming down!"


    "It¡¯s not collapsing," Meridian interjected, pointing. "Look."


    She was right. The rumbling had stopped. The water had stabilized just below the temple entrance. Almost like...


    "It was trying to separate us," Grace realized. "It got Petriel."


    Diana grabbed Grace¡¯s arm as she tried to dive back in.


    "Absolutely not."


    "She¡¯s right," Meridian said. "Going back in blindly is suicide."


    Grace pulled free from Diana¡¯s grip.


    "I¡¯m not leaving her alone in there!"


    "For fuck¡¯s sake, Grace¡ª"


    "I can find her," Grace insisted. "My Aura Sight. I can use it underwater."


    Diana¡¯s jaw clenched.


    "That only detects corruption."


    "But it alters my vision a little. Look, just trust me," Grace was already untying the rope around her waist. "I¡¯m going, Diana. Either help me or get out of my way."


    They stared at each other, having a silent who¡¯s-more-stubborn contest. Finally, Diana cursed and retied the rope around Grace¡¯s waist, securing the other end to her own.


    "Three tugs means I¡¯m pulling you out, no arguments," Diana said. "Four tugs means you found her. Got it?"


    Grace nodded.


    "Got it."


    Before Diana could add more conditions, Grace took a deep breath and dove into the dark water.


    The temple interior looked completely different underwater. Light filtered through cracks in the ceiling, creating eerie blue shafts in the murky darkness. Grace activated her Aura Sight, and the world shifted. The usual gold-tinted vision which, right now, was basically letting her see in the dark, even though it couldn¡¯t find any corruption.


    [Holy shit, it¡¯s working!]


    Grace swam deeper, following a corridor that led downward. Her lungs began to burn, but she pushed on. The rope trailing behind her was her lifeline, her connection to the surface.


    The corridor opened into a larger chamber. Grace nearly gasped, almost losing precious air.


    Petriel floated in the center, surrounded by what used to be villagers. They had webbed hands now, gills on their necks, and scales glittering on their skin. They weren¡¯t restraining Petriel; they were... presenting her to something lurking in the shadows.


    Grace drew her Blade of Dawn, the rapier¡¯s light cutting through the water. The transformed villagers turned toward her, their eyes black and empty.


    What hit Grace most was what she didn¡¯t see: the blue-purple aura of corruption. Meridian was right¡ªthese weren¡¯t corrupted beings. They were transformed. Changed into something completely new.


    Which meant they couldn¡¯t be saved.


    Petriel¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted Grace. The healer struggled against her captors, bubbles escaping her mouth.


    [Oh crap, she¡¯s drowning!]


    Grace shot forward, slashing her blade through the nearest water-being. It dissolved into the surrounding water. She cut through two more, creating a path to Petriel.


    The healer¡¯s movements were getting weaker, her eyes starting to close. Grace grabbed her around the waist and tugged her rope four times in quick succession. Then, for good measure, she kicked hard off the floor and swam upward, dragging Petriel with her.


    Something massive shifted in the shadows behind them. Something that made the water go deathly cold.


    Grace¡¯s lungs screamed for air. Black spots danced in her vision. The rope went taut as Diana began pulling from above, helping them ascend faster.


    Just as Grace¡¯s consciousness began to fade, they broke the surface. She gulped air desperately, still clutching Petriel to her chest.


    "I¡¯ve got you!" Diana shouted, hauling them both out of the water.


    Petriel wasn¡¯t breathing.


    "No, no, no," Grace rolled her onto her back on the shore. "Petriel!"


    Water trickled from the healer¡¯s blue lips. Grace pressed her hands to Petriel¡¯s chest, channeling healing energy, but nothing happened.


    [Wait, Intimate Healing!]


    Grace didn¡¯t hesitate. She pressed her mouth against Petriel¡¯s, focusing all her energy into pulling the water out, just as she¡¯d done the day before.


    Saltwater rushed into her mouth, foul and heavy. Grace turned her head and spat it out, then returned to the kiss, drawing out more.


    Finally, Petriel convulsed, coughing up water. Her eyes flew open, and she rolled onto her side, retching.


    "Grace?" she gasped once she could speak.


    "Right here," Grace said, relief making her voice shake. "You¡¯re okay."


    Diana helped them both to their feet.


    "What the hell happened down there?"


    Grace described the chamber, the transformed villagers, and the massive presence she¡¯d sensed but hadn¡¯t seen.


    "The Tide itself, if I had to guess," Meridian concluded. "You were fortunate to escape."


    "Okay, this didn¡¯t work out. I suggest we get back to the village," Diana said. "Regroup. Figure out our next move."


    "Agreed." The others responded in unison.


    As they walked away from the temple, Grace glanced back over her shoulder. The water around the structure was completely still now, unnaturally so.


    But beneath the surface, something was watching.


    Waiting.

 Chapter 81: High and Dry

    Chapter 81: High and Dry"If I so much as see a puddle near this camp, I¡¯m killing everyone," Diana announced, chucking more firewood onto their already massive bonfire.


    They¡¯d set up on a steep hill overlooking the village and beach, high enough that even Grace¡ªwho was getting seriously paranoid about water¡ªfelt safe. Night was falling, and Diana had gone full psycho with her self-appointed bodyguard role. She¡¯d already circled their camp fifteen times, sword drawn, eyeing every shadow like it might grow tentacles and grab her ass.


    "You can¡¯t kill water," Grace pointed out.


    "Watch me," Diana growled, stabbing the fire with a stick like it owed her money.


    Meridian sat cross-legged near the flames, surrounded by scrolls she¡¯d somehow kept dry during their underwater chaos. Her face was doing that intense scholarly thing that made her look like she was constipated.


    Petriel huddled on the opposite side, still shivering despite being wrapped in two blankets. Her lips still had a faint blue tint, and her wings drooped like sad puppy ears.


    Grace scooted closer to her.


    "You okay?"


    "J-just c-cold," Petriel stuttered.


    Grace nodded.


    And she got an idea.


    "I should check you again," Grace said. "Make sure there¡¯s no leftover... whatever that was."


    Diana smirked.


    "Yeah, you should definitely ¡¯check¡¯ her."


    Grace shot her a glare.


    "I-I¡¯m serious."


    "So am I."


    [She¡¯s not entirely wrong, though. I do want to check her... thoroughly. Make sure she¡¯s alright, obviously.]


    "Come on," Grace said, helping Petriel to her feet. "There¡¯s a tent over there."


    "Don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do!" Diana called after them.


    "That leaves literally nothing off the table," Grace muttered.


    The tent was small but private¡ªa canvas shelter Diana had somehow packed despite their minimal equipment plan. Grace led Petriel inside and zipped the flap closed.


    "I really should check for any residual effects," Grace said, trying to sound professional despite her heart suddenly dancing in her chest. "The water beings... they might have left something inside you."


    Petriel nodded, her eyes wide.


    "Y-Yes, I felt it."


    "Yeah... so, uh, better safe than sorry." Grace swallowed hard. "You should, um, take those wet clothes off. I-I think."


    Petriel blushed but obeyed, her fingers trembling as she untied her robes.


    Grace tried not to stare as each layer fell away, revealing more of the healer¡¯s soft curves, but with each article of clothing, her eyes progressively bulged out of their sockets.


    Unlike Diana¡¯s hard, muscular body, Petriel was all plump, gentle slopes and pale skin that made Grace¡¯s mouth water.


    [Focus, Grace. This is... medical. Totally medical. Not at all about how her boobs bounce when she moves.]


    "Lie down," Grace instructed, her voice embarrassingly husky.


    Petriel stretched out on the bedroll, completely naked, her golden eyes locked on Grace¡¯s face.


    "What now?"


    Grace summoned her divine energy, letting it warm her hands.


    "I need to... check everywhere. For traces of The Tide¡¯s influence."


    "E-Everywhere?" Petriel whispered.


    Grace swallowed.


    "Everywhere. Uh, just to be sure, you know?"


    Grace started with Petriel¡¯s shoulders, running her glowing hands over the smooth skin. She worked her way down the healer¡¯s arms, then back up to her collar bone. The golden light lit up the tent, making everything look warm.


    "Does this feel okay?" Grace asked.


    Petriel nodded, her breathing quickening.


    "It¡¯s... nice."


    Grace moved to Petriel¡¯s torso, hands hovering just above her breasts before making contact. Petriel gasped, her back arching slightly.


    "S-Sorry," Grace let out instinctively.


    "No," Petriel breathed. "You just... s-surprised me, is all."


    Grace felt like her face was about to melt off.


    Still, she continued her "examination," hands sliding over Petriel¡¯s soft stomach, down to her thighs. Every inch she touched seemed to make Petriel¡¯s breathing more labored, her skin flushing pink.


    "Um, turn over for me."


    Petriel rolled onto her stomach, exposing her back and the gentle curve of her butt. Grace worked her way down, massaging divine energy into every inch of skin. When her hands reached Petriel¡¯s lower back, the healer made a small, needy sound that sent heat straight between Grace¡¯s legs.


    "Almost done," Grace said, though she was in no hurry to finish.


    She was about to roll Petriel back over, to pull her close and kiss those slightly-parted lips, when¡ª


    "I FIGURED IT OUT!"


    Meridian¡¯s voice pierced through the tent like a fucking air horn, followed immediately by the sound of the zipper being violently yanked open. Grace barely had time to throw a blanket over Petriel¡¯s naked form before Meridian thrust her head inside, eyes wild with academic excitement.


    "The cycle! It¡¯s lunar-based! The Tide¡¯s power peaks with the¡ª" Meridian froze, finally registering the scene before her. "Oh. I... interrupted something?"


    "N-No no, no, I was just... Checking on Petriel. That¡¯s all."


    Meridian didn¡¯t buy it at all, grimacing for approximately half a second before her scholarly boner returned.


    "Right. Well, this is more important than your... healing session. It seems to me the villagers transform en masse during the new moon."


    "T-The new moon?" Petriel asked. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed."


    "And that¡¯s... when?" Grace asked, trying to ignore Petriel¡¯s mortified expression as she clutched the blanket to her chest.


    "Six days from now."


    Grace and Petriel exchanged alarmed glances.


    "That¡¯s... not good," Grace said.


    "No. It¡¯s not." Meridian actually looked grim. "We should observe the village tonight. I believe we might witness preliminary behavior."


    ---


    They stood at the edge of their hill, looking down at the village below. The sky was clear, stars shimmering above like a million tiny eyes watching them.


    "Holy shit," Diana breathed.


    Below them, a procession of villagers marched toward the ocean. At least thirty of them, walking in perfect unison, their skin gleaming blue in the moonlight. They moved silently, inexorably, like they were all part of one creepy hive mind.


    "We have to stop them," Grace said, already moving down the hill.


    Diana grabbed her arm.


    "Are you insane? There¡¯s like thirty of them!"


    "If they reach the water, they¡¯re gone," Grace insisted. "We need to try."


    Diana cursed but followed, drawing her sword. Petriel and Meridian exchanged glances before reluctantly joining the descent.


    They reached the beach just as the first villagers were ankle-deep in water. Grace summoned her Blade of Dawn, the rapier¡¯s light cutting through the darkness.


    "STOP!" she shouted.


    The procession paused, dozens of black eyes turning toward them in perfect unison.


    "Mother Water calls," they said together, the words emerging from thirty throats at once.


    Diana charged forward, tackling the nearest villager.


    "Sorry about this, buddy!"


    The man responded with inhuman strength, flinging Diana aside like she was a rag doll. She landed hard on the sand, cursing colorfully.


    Grace tried a different approach, darting forward to grab a young woman¡¯s arm, pulling her backward. The woman¡¯s skin was ice-cold, slick with some kind of gross secretion that made Grace¡¯s grip slide off.


    "Grace, behind you!" Petriel called.


    Grace whirled just in time to avoid being grabbed by a blue-skinned child who couldn¡¯t have been older than ten. The sight made her stomach twist, but there was no time for feelings. She dodged another grab, backing up.


    "This isn¡¯t working!" Diana shouted, on her feet again but clearly rattled.


    That¡¯s when Grace noticed Meridian.


    The scholar angel stood apart from them, ankle-deep in the surf, a dreamy smile on her face. Her eyes had taken on that same vacant look as the villagers, and she was slowly wading deeper.


    "Meridian!" Grace shouted.


    No response. Meridian continued forward, now knee-deep.


    "Crap!" Grace sprinted toward her, ignoring Diana¡¯s warning shout.


    Grace had grown up land-locked. Turnip farms didn¡¯t exactly come with swimming lessons. But Meridian was only a few feet away, and the water wasn¡¯t that deep yet...


    She splashed into the surf, the cold immediately seeping into her bones. It felt alive somehow, pulling at her legs, trying to drag her deeper. Grace ignored it, focused entirely on reaching Meridian.


    The scholar was now waist-deep, still moving with that horrible blank smile. Grace lunged forward, grabbing Meridian¡¯s robe and yanking backward with all her strength.


    They both went under, the salt water burning Grace¡¯s eyes and nose. For a terrifying moment, she felt The Tide¡¯s presence all around her, like a vast consciousness pressing against her mind.


    [Get. The heck. OUT!]


    Grace kicked wildly, one arm locked around Meridian¡¯s waist. By some miracle, her feet found sand, and she pushed upward, breaking the surface with a desperate gasp. Meridian thrashed against her, trying to return to the depths.


    "Diana!" Grace choked out. "Help!"


    Diana appeared at the water¡¯s edge, grabbing Grace¡¯s outstretched hand and pulling them both to shore with the strength of a horny minotaur. They collapsed on the sand, Meridian still struggling weakly.


    Around them, the procession of villagers had vanished into the sea.


    Grace pressed her hands to Meridian¡¯s face, channeling divine energy like she¡¯d done with Petriel.


    "Meridian! Snap out of it!"


    Slowly, awareness returned to the scholar¡¯s eyes. She blinked, confusion replacing the vacant stare.


    "What... happened?" she asked, looking down at her soaking wet robes.


    "The Tide happened," Diana said grimly. "It got its hooks in you."


    Meridian sat up, looking like a wet cat that just got caught eating from the trash.


    "That¡¯s... impossible. I was merely observing. I have no susceptibility to¡ª"


    "Save it," Diana interrupted. "We all saw you wading in like it was a spa day."


    "... Perhaps," Meridian said stiffly, "this entity is more... problematic than I anticipated."


    "You think?" Diana snorted.


    Grace stayed silent, staring at the now-calm ocean. She wanted the System to chime in, to give her a quest update or a skill boost or something¡ªanything¡ªthat might help them face what was coming.


    But the System remained silent.


    As they trudged back up the hill, Grace couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were being watched¡ªnot by villagers or water monsters, but by something huge and patient.


    The Tide was playing with them.


    And the new moon was coming.

 Chapter 82: Wet Negotiations

    Chapter 82: Wet Negotiations"I think we should talk to it," Grace announced over their sad breakfast of stale bread and dried meat that looked like it came from a questionable animal.


    Diana choked on her water, coughing like she¡¯d just swallowed a bug.


    "I¡¯m sorry, what?"


    "The Tide. We should try talking to it." Grace poked at her food with the enthusiasm of someone being forced to eat roadkill. She hadn¡¯t realized just how bland Linaria¡¯s food was until she went to heaven. Though, comparing Linaria¡¯s food to "literal paradise" may not have been fair. "Like normal people."


    "It¡¯s not people. It¡¯s a fucking water demon that¡¯s turning villagers into fish," Diana pointed out, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.


    "It¡¯s a sentient entity created by Eternia," Grace corrected, "just like we all are. And it appeared in my dreams as a woman, so..."


    Meridian looked up from her scrolls.


    "You want to attempt diplomatic relations with a primordial entity of corruption?"


    "Why not?" Grace shrugged. "Stabbing the waves hasn¡¯t worked out great so far."


    "Because it¡¯s insane?" Diana threw her hands up like Grace had suggested they all strip naked and dance around the fire. "It¡¯ll drag you into the water and turn you into a guppy!"


    Grace looked around their pathetic little camp.


    Diana with her sword and resting bitch face. Petriel still shivering like a chihuahua despite it being morning. Meridian with her useless scrolls that hadn¡¯t done anything to help them. They weren¡¯t exactly winning this fight through traditional methods, and the new moon was right around the corner.


    "Look, we¡¯re at a disadvantage here. We¡¯re surrounded by water, which it controls. It¡¯s been around since Eternia¡¯s time. And it¡¯s already got half the village. What have we got to lose?"


    Diana opened her mouth, closed it, then sighed like a teenager being asked to clean her room.


    "Fine. But I¡¯ll be right behind you. The second it gets weird, I¡¯m stabbing."


    "When is it not weird?" Grace muttered.


    ---


    The temple looked different in daylight. Less ominous, more pathetic. Algae and barnacles clung to the once-grand archways, and the collapsed dome looked like a broken toilet bowl.


    Grace stood at the water¡¯s edge, her teammates positioned a safe distance behind her. Diana with her sword drawn, Petriel clutching her healing kit like a security blanket, and Meridian with a fresh scroll and quill because of course she brought academic supplies to a potential fight with a water... monster... thing.


    "Hello?" Grace called, feeling like an idiot. "Tide? Can we talk?"


    Nothing happened.


    "I know you¡¯re there," Grace tried again. "Come out."


    The water before her began to bubble and churn like a hot tub from hell. Diana tensed, stepping forward, but Grace held up a hand to stop her.


    The surface broke, water rising and shaping itself into a humanoid form. First legs, then hips, a torso, arms, and finally a head. But this wasn¡¯t the monstrous entity Grace had expected.


    It was a woman. A blue, translucent, smoking hot woman.


    She looked like Eternia¡ªif Eternia were made of water and had been crying for a thousand years. She had the same facial structure, the same generous curves, but her eyes were entirely black and pupilless, like two pools of oil. Her blue "hair" flowed around her head like it was underwater. And her chest...


    [Holy crap, those are bigger than Petriel¡¯s. And that¡¯s saying something.]


    The Tide¡¯s body was mostly humanoid but semi-transparent, with occasional tendrils of water that would emerge from her back and sides before being reabsorbed. She wore nothing, but her form was just translucent enough to maintain some mystery.


    "You called," The Tide said, her voice rippling like water over stones. "How unexpected."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "I thought we should talk. About what you¡¯re doing to the villagers."


    "What I¡¯m doing?" The Tide tilted her head, water droplets falling from her chin. "I¡¯m offering salvation. Freedom from pain. Unity in the depths."


    "They didn¡¯t ask for it," Grace pointed out.


    "Didn¡¯t they?" The Tide smiled sadly. "I hear their prayers, you know. Their loneliness. Their suffering. Their desire to escape. I answer what your angels ignore."


    The group looked at each other. Had they ignored this place? Grace hadn¡¯t been around long enough to know.


    "The fisherman who lost his wife and child to fever. The widow whose children left for the city. The young girl bullied for her stutter." The Tide¡¯s voice grew softer. "I listen. I answer. I embrace."


    Grace shifted uncomfortably.


    "By turning them into water zombies?"


    "By transforming them into beings who will never have to be alone again." The Tide moved closer, her feet not quite touching the sand. "They join me. Become part of something greater."


    Behind Grace, there was a sudden commotion that sounded like two cats fighting in a bag. She glanced back to see Diana tackling Petriel to the ground. The healer had been walking toward the water with a glazed expression, completely entranced like she¡¯d just spotted the world¡¯s biggest chocolate cake. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [What the...?]


    "Petriel, snap out of it!" Diana growled, pinning Petriel beneath her.


    Petriel struggled weakly, her eyes fixed on The Tide. Diana straddled her hips, holding her wrists to the sand.


    "You¡¯re... heavy..." Petriel mumbled, still not fully aware.


    "And you¡¯re being mind-controlled by Water Tits over there!" Diana shot back.


    Their struggle got increasingly awkward. Diana¡¯s thigh slipped between Petriel¡¯s legs, and the healer made a sound that was definitely not protest. Diana froze, suddenly very aware of their position.


    "Uh," Diana managed eloquently.


    Petriel blinked up at her, a small amount of awareness slowly returning to her eyes.


    "Diana? Why are you...? Oh."


    Their bodies were pressed together in a way that would have made any passing villager think they were about to fuck right there on the beach. Diana¡¯s leg was still between Petriel¡¯s thighs, and their faces were inches apart.


    Neither moved. Both started breathing harder.


    Meridian, meanwhile, was frantically scribbling notes, muttering something about "psychic influence" and "susceptibility factors," completely oblivious to what was happening next to her.


    Grace turned back to The Tide, who watched the scene with an amused expression.


    "See? Your companions are lonely as well. They should join me too," The Tide remarked.


    Grace shook her head.


    "Look, I understand wanting to help people who are suffering. But you¡¯re taking away their choice!"


    "Am I?" The Tide¡¯s eyes fixed on Grace with the intensity of a predator. "Or am I simply answering the desire they¡¯re too afraid to voice? The longing to let go. To surrender."


    Something brushed against Grace¡¯s mind¡ªa cool, slippery presence, vast as the ocean. The Tide¡¯s voice continued, but her lips weren¡¯t moving.


    I would like to speak with you properly. Alone. There is much we could share.


    Grace blinked, startled by the mental intrusion.


    "I¡ª"


    Right, Eternia? Grace¡¯s eyes widened. You always did say I could be... persuasive~


    The Tide smiled, water rippling across her features like someone had tossed a pebble into her face.


    "Think about it. I will be waiting."


    With that, she dissolved, water splashing back into the sea as if she¡¯d never been there at all. Grace stood frozen, sand tickling her toes, the medallion cold against her chest like a chunk of ice.


    [... So, she thinks I¡¯m Eternia, huh? Crap.]


    Behind her, Diana had finally scrambled off Petriel, both of them looking slightly embarrassed and slightly out of breath. Meridian was still writing furiously, filling an entire scroll with observations.


    "So," Diana said, trying to sound casual while brushing sand from her knees, "diplomatic meeting successful?"


    "I think so?" Grace wasn¡¯t sure what to call it. "She wants to talk to me. Alone."


    "Absolutely fucking not," Diana snapped.


    "Fascinating," Meridian murmured, finally looking up from her scroll. "The entity appears capable of targeted psychic influence. It affected Petriel but not you, Grace."


    "Or you," Grace pointed out.


    "After yesterday¡¯s... incident... I took precautions." Meridian tapped a small golden amulet around her neck. "Divine warding."


    Petriel finally sat up, looking dazed but no longer entranced.


    "It felt like being pulled into a dream. A really nice dream. Like, really, really nice."


    "We need to figure this out before the new moon," Grace said. "We have five days before the mass transformation."


    As they walked back to camp, debating strategies and safeguards, Grace¡¯s System finally chimed in:


    ¡¸New Quest Objective: Commune with The Tide alone during the midnight tide¡¹


    Grace nearly tripped over her own feet.


    Apparently, Eternia thought this was a wonderful turn of events.


    Fantastic.


    ---


    The walk back to camp was awkward as hell. Diana kept shooting suspicious glances at the ocean like it might grow legs and follow them home. Petriel couldn¡¯t look Diana in the eye after their beach wrestling match. And Meridian kept muttering about "fascinating aquatic manifestations" and other nerdy things.


    Grace sighed. As annoying as the situation was, though, she knew she couldn¡¯t turn back now. The villagers needed help. Her companions needed help. And somewhere beneath the waves, an ancient being created from Eternia¡¯s loneliness was waiting for her.


    "So what¡¯s the plan?" Diana asked as they reached camp. "Please tell me it doesn¡¯t involve you skinny-dipping with the water monster."


    Grace winced.


    "Uh..."


    "Oh for fuck¡¯s sake," Diana groaned, throwing her hands up. "I knew it! You¡¯re going to go meet her, aren¡¯t you?"


    "I think it could be a good opportunity!" Grace replied, not wanting to mention the floating words.


    Diana¡¯s face went through about five different emotions before settling on resigned irritation.


    "Fine. But I¡¯m following you. And if you start growing scales or some shit, I¡¯m pulling you out."


    "Fair enough," Grace agreed.


    As the sun began its descent toward the horizon, Grace watched the distant waves with a mix of dread and curiosity. The Tide was waiting. And Grace had questions.


    Lots of questions.

 Chapter 83: Midnight Visit

    Chapter 83: Midnight VisitMidnight crept over the camp like a thief.


    Grace paced between Meridian and Petriel¡¯s sleeping bodies, her stomach twisting. She couldn¡¯t get that conversation with The Tide out of her head¡ªthe way those black eyes had looked at her like she was the goddess herself.


    "Going somewhere?"


    Grace jumped so hard she nearly soiled herself. Diana stood behind her, arms crossed over her bare tits. As usual, she was topless, because heaven forbid the woman ever wear a full set of clothes.


    "I... was just getting some air," Grace lied.


    "Bullshit." Diana¡¯s eyes narrowed. "You¡¯re going to meet Water Tits, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Diana¡ª"


    "We already talked about this. I¡¯m coming with you, remember? I¡¯ll stay back, but I¡¯m not letting you face that watery demon alone."


    Grace ran a hand through her hair, yanking it so hard she nearly scalped herself.


    "Fine. Just... stay hidden, okay? If she sees you, this whole thing might go sideways."


    Diana grinned.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I can be stealthy when I want to be."


    [Yeah right.]


    The beach was quiet as the dead, just gentle waves hitting the shore like nothing weird was happening. The moon reflected on the water, creating that classic silvery path that seemed to be saying "walk this way, fool."


    [Could this be any more of a trap?] Grace thought, her heart pounding hard.


    Diana crouched behind some rocks about twenty feet back, her golden sword thankfully turned off. Would have been awful if she forgot to keep it off.


    Grace took a deep breath and stepped forward, her toes hitting the cool water at the edge of the shore.


    "I¡¯m here," she called, feeling like a complete fool. "As... requested."


    Nothing happened for a moment. Then the water started moving.


    It wasn¡¯t like before, when The Tide just rose from the waves like some fancy fountain. This time, the ocean itself reached for Grace, curling around her ankles, then calves, then rising upward in a perfect circle.


    Water surrounded her, forming a dome¡ªno, a sphere¡ªwith Grace at the center. But she wasn¡¯t wet. The water curved around her, leaving a perfect bubble of air. Like an underwater meeting chamber from an alchemist¡¯s vision.


    [What in the hell?]


    The Tide materialized inside the bubble, and holy flames. If The Tide had been alluring before, she was downright irresistible now. Her blue, translucent body had solidified just enough to highlight every curve. Her hair flowed around her like living silk, and her eyes¡ªstill pupilless and black¡ªsomehow managed to look both sad and hungry at the same time.


    "You came," The Tide said, her voice echoing weirdly in the water sphere.


    "I did," Grace managed, trying very hard to keep her eyes on The Tide¡¯s face and not on her gigantic watery boobs. "I wanted to talk."


    The Tide moved closer, water rippling across her skin like someone was running fingers over her body.


    "Talk? After all this time? After you abandoned me to loneliness for millennia?"


    Grace blinked.


    "What?"


    "You created me to contain your isolation, then left me to suffer it!" The Tide¡¯s voice rose, the water around them churning like a witch¡¯s cauldron. "You gave me your loneliness, then walked away!"


    [Crap. She really thinks I¡¯m Eternia. This is bad. Really bad.]


    "I¡¯m not¡ª" Grace began, but The Tide was on a roll.


    "I CARRIED YOUR BURDEN!" she shrieked, her form getting all wobbly, tendrils of water whipping around her like angry snakes. "I SUFFERED SO YOU WOULDN¡¯T HAVE TO!"


    "Listen, I¡¯m not¡ª"


    "But you can make it up to me now," The Tide interrupted, her voice suddenly soft again. "Since you¡¯re here. Finally here."


    The water around them shifted, and something slippery brushed against Grace¡¯s leg. She looked down to see tentacles¡ªhonest-to-Eternia watery tentacles¡ªemerging from the floor of the bubble.


    [Oh man. This feels like it isn¡¯t going to end well.]


    "We¡¯ll never be alone again," The Tide purred, moving closer as the tentacles slithered up Grace¡¯s legs. "I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯ve learned in your absence. You always did like it when I got... creative."


    A tentacle curled around Grace¡¯s thigh, cool and strangely solid. Another wrapped around her waist, and a third brushed against her cheek with disturbing gentleness.


    "This is, uh, flattering," Grace stammered, trying to back away but finding herself stuck like a fly in honey. "But there¡¯s been a misunderstanding."


    The Tide was now inches away, her watery lips curved in a smile that was both sad and hungry as a wolf.


    "I¡¯ve dreamed of this reunion for so long."


    A fourth tentacle slid up Grace¡¯s inner thigh, heading for places that tentacles had absolutely no business going.


    "I¡¯M NOT ETERNIA!" Grace blurted out, panic overriding any attempt at diplomacy.


    The Tide froze, her expression shifting from seduction to confusion faster than Diana could take off her clothes.


    "What?"


    "I¡¯m not Eternia," Grace repeated, taking advantage of The Tide¡¯s surprise to push away a particularly bold tentacle that was way too close to her womanhood. "I¡¯m Grace. Grace Lightsinger. I¡¯m... sort of her creation. But I¡¯m not her. I¡¯m actually more like you if you think about it."


    The Tide¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "You carry her essence. Her power."


    "Yes, but I¡¯m not her. I swear." Grace held up her hands. "She¡¯s still... wherever she went. I¡¯m just an angel."


    The water around them grew colder as The Tide processed this. Her tentacles withdrew slightly, but didn¡¯t disappear completely.


    "Then why are you here?" she demanded. It didn¡¯t sound like she believed Grace, but rather was annoyed that Grace was pretending.


    "To talk. For real." Grace tried for a diplomatic smile. "To understand what you want and maybe find a way we can all coexist without you turning villagers into... fish people."


    The Tide seemed to consider this. Then her eyes widened.


    "You¡¯re lying. You brought others."


    "What? No, I¡ª"


    Before Grace could finish, the water bubble exploded as something golden and glowing sliced through it. Diana, in all her topless glory, landed beside Grace with her sword drawn.


    "Get away from her, you wet witch!" Diana shouted, positioning herself between Grace and The Tide.


    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"


    The Tide¡¯s expression transformed from confusion to rage faster than a tavern brawl. Her form expanded, growing to twice her previous size, tentacles whipping around her like angry snakes.


    "BETRAYAL!" she shrieked, the ocean responding to her fury with massive waves. "AGAIN, ETERNIA!? AGAIN YOU BETRAY ME!?"


    "Diana, what the HELL?" Grace shouted, now soaking wet and angry enough to breathe fire.


    "It was touching you with those wet arms!" Diana shot back, not taking her eyes off The Tide.


    "I had it under control!"


    "Oh, SURE you did! That tentacle was about to f-" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Tide wasn¡¯t interested in their argument. With a sound like a thousand waterfalls crashing at once, she sent a massive wave toward them. Diana grabbed Grace around the waist and launched them both backward, just barely avoiding being swept away.


    "This meeting is OVER!" The Tide declared. "Return on the new moon if you truly wish to understand me, Eternia. But come ALONE, or I will drown your new friends while you watch."


    With that dramatic declaration, she dissolved back into the sea, taking her tentacles with her.


    Grace and Diana lay on the wet sand, breathing hard. The ocean returned to its peaceful state, like nothing had happened.


    "So," Diana said after a moment. "That went well."


    Grace turned to glare at her.


    "She was going to talk to me."


    "After she fucked you with those tentacles."


    "That¡¯s not¡ª" Grace started, then sighed. "Okay, maybe. But I was handling it!"


    Diana sat up, water dripping from her hair... And boobs.


    "Well, sorry for saving you, then."


    Grace sighed.


    "We¡¯re back to square one," Grace said as they calmed down.


    "Not completely." Diana brushed sand from her legs like she was at the beach for a pleasant outing. "We learned she¡¯s got major abandonment issues with Eternia, and she¡¯s into some unusual activities."


    "Super helpful."


    Diana grinned.


    "I try."


    As they trudged back to camp, Grace couldn¡¯t stop thinking about The Tide¡¯s parting words. Return on the new moon. Alone.


    [Great. Four days to figure out how to deal with a heartbroken, vengeful water entity with a tentacle fixation. And I¡¯ll have to ditch Diana somehow. Wonderful.]


    Back at camp, Meridian and Petriel were awake, looking worried as a mother hen.


    "Where were you?" Petriel asked, her big eyes even wider than usual. "We woke up and you were both gone."


    "Just a little midnight swim," Diana said, wringing water from her hair. "You know, moonlight, ocean, tentacle monster. The usual."


    Meridian¡¯s head snapped up.


    "Tentacle monster?"


    "The Tide."


    "And Grace got fondled by it. Well, almost did," Diana said, flopping down by the fire. "Turns out our water goddess has abandonment issues and expresses them through surprise tentacle groping."


    Meridian blinked.


    "What?"


    "Nothing, nothing," Grace said, glaring at Diana. "Just... I¡¯ll have to go try again soon."


    "Ah. Will you be needing help this time?" Meridian asked.


    "No, no, it¡¯ll be fine."


    "Alright then."


    Just like that, Meridian tried to go back to sleep.


    Just another day in the life of an angel.

 Chapter 84: The Tide鈥檚 Desire

    Chapter 84: The Tide¡¯s Desire"So, let me get this straight," Diana said, nakedly tossing another log onto their campfire while her bare breasts bobbed... breastily. "The Tide tried to fuck you with water tentacles, thinks you¡¯re Eternia¡ªwho she happens to hate¡ªand wants you to come back alone on the new moon. And you¡¯re actually considering it?"


    Grace hugged her knees to her chest as she sighed. The fire danced in front of her while their clothes, still damp from their insane, watery encounter, laid on a line above, drying.


    "I don¡¯t have much choice. The villagers will all turn into fish people if we don¡¯t figure something out."


    "You always have a choice," Diana countered, not bothering to cover up as she poked the fire with a stick. "Like choosing not to get tentacle-groped by a horny water demon."


    Grace¡¯s face heated up just thinking about those cool, slick appendages that had wrapped around her legs. She¡¯d never admit it, but there¡¯d been something almost... pleasant about the sensation before Diana had come charging in like a topless barbarian.


    "Okay, but¡ª"


    "No buts!" Diana leaned forward, her short black hair framing her face in a way that made her gray eyes look even fiercer. "I¡¯m not letting you swim out to get molested by some ancient, watery pervert. There has to be another way."


    Meridian looked up from her scroll, eyes narrowing.


    "Did you say The Tide believes Grace is Eternia?"


    "Yeah," Grace sighed. "She got really mad, started yelling about how I abandoned her for millennia. She¡¯s convinced I¡¯m Eternia in disguise or something."


    The scroll hit the ground with a soft thud as Meridian scrambled closer, practically vibrating with excitement. Her blue hair practically stood on end.


    "This is unprecedented!" Meridian¡¯s eyes were wide, her usual cold academic demeanor replaced with something disturbingly close to religious fervor. "An entity from Eternia¡¯s time recognizing her essence in you? Do you understand the theological implications?"


    "Uh¡ª"


    "The Ascended Choir has theorized for centuries that Eternia might return in a different form, but we never had concrete evidence!" Meridian was now way too close, her hands grabbing Grace¡¯s shoulders. "You certainly looked like her b-but, I-I didn¡¯t think... This confirms that you carry her divine signature at a fundamental level! Tell me, do you share memories? Dreams? Sensations?"


    Meridian¡¯s face was now inches from Grace¡¯s.


    "I don¡¯t think¡ª"


    "Can you access her knowledge? Her power?" Meridian was damn near shouting now. "If The Tide recognizes you as Eternia, perhaps you may be able to draw upon her power! We must document this immediately! The implications for our understanding of divine transmigration are staggering!"


    Diana stood up, walked over, and literally picked Meridian up by the back of her robes like a kitten.


    "Bedtime for you, scripture-girl."


    "Unhand me!" Meridian protested, legs dangling ridiculously as she flailed her arms. "This is a theological breakthrough of unprecedented¡ª"


    "Yeah, yeah. Tell me in the morning when you¡¯re not foaming at the mouth." Diana carried the struggling scholar to the nearest tent and tossed her inside like a sack of potatoes. "Everyone needs sleep. Even weird... Choir nerds."


    Petriel, who¡¯d been quietly watching the whole exchange while nervously fidgeting with her green hair, finally spoke up.


    "She¡¯s not entirely wrong, you know." Her golden eyes flicked up to meet Grace¡¯s. "If The Tide thinks you¡¯re Eternia..."


    "I¡¯m not," Grace said firmly, trying to ignore how cute Petriel looked in the firelight. "I¡¯m just... me."


    Diana flopped back down by the fire.


    "Sure, but, I gotta say, ¡¯just you¡¯ looks an awful lot like our missing goddess. I do agree that¡¯s a bit weird."


    [...]


    In truth, their suspicions were, of course, completely right. But, Grace didn¡¯t want to have to deal with this right now.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter who she thinks I am," Grace said, trying to steer the conversation back to the issue at hand. "What matters is figuring out how to stop her from transforming an entire village in four days."


    "And avoiding getting tentacle-screwed," Diana added helpfully, grabbing her canteen and taking a swig.


    Grace¡¯s face heated up again.


    "T-That too."


    "Let¡¯s all get some rest," Petriel suggested, standing up and stretching her arms above her head. "We can make a plan in the morning."


    Diana rolled her eyes.


    "Fine. But if Grace tries to sneak off in the middle of the night to go skinny-dipping with her water girlfriend, I¡¯m going to be pissed."


    As they settled into their tents, Grace couldn¡¯t sleep. The Tide¡¯s rage, her accusations, her...tentacles.


    Grace tossed and turned on her bedroll, listening to the distant crash of waves. The sound was almost hypnotic, like the ocean was calling to her...


    Sleep finally claimed her, pulling her into dreams that weren¡¯t entirely her own.


    ---


    Grace stood on a beach, but not as herself. Her body felt different. She was taller and her chest was heavier.


    [Oh, another Eternia dream, huh?]


    She was looking at the ocean. The ocean churned and someone came out. The Tide. She looked different somehow. Cleaner. Less ominous.


    "You came," The Tide said, sounding surprised. "I didn¡¯t think you would."


    "I created you," Eternia said, using Grace¡¯s mouth. "Of course I came."


    The Tide¡¯s face darkened.


    "Created me to be your container. Your disposal. The place you put all your unwanted loneliness."


    "Indeed," Eternia agreed, like it was the most obvious thing ever. "That¡¯s exactly why I made you."


    The Tide flinched like she¡¯d been slapped.


    "At least you¡¯re honest."


    "I¡¯ve never lied to you," Eternia said, walking closer to the water. Her hips swayed in a way Grace could never pull off in a million years. "I needed somewhere to put those feelings. They were... rather distracting."


    "Distracting you from what?" The Tide asked bitterly. "Your other creations? Your angels? Your precious Azrael?"


    Eternia smiled. Grace felt her face move, and it felt weird as hell.


    "From feeling alive," Eternia said, winking. "From enjoying my creations."


    The Tide laughed, harsh and angry.


    "So you dumped all your loneliness into me, and now I get to feel it forever while you play around with your other toys."


    "Not quite," Eternia said.


    She stepped into the water. Her robes stayed dry because of course they did. Goddess perks. Eternia walked right up to The Tide, who tried to back away.


    "What are you doing?"


    "What do you mean?" Eternia asked, smirking back. "Is this not what you¡¯re looking for? Oh, Tide, oh Tide, you¡¯ve always been so needy."


    Eternia reached out and touched The Tide¡¯s watery cheek. The touch made ripples go through The Tide¡¯s whole body.


    "I-I am not asking for your attention," the Tide responded, though it was hard for Grace to believe that when she was leaning into Eternia¡¯s touch like that.


    "Really? Then I suppose I-" Eternia took her hand off and went to turn away and the Tide reached up and caught her, one of those tentacles wrapping around Eternia¡¯s wrist. Eternia smirked. "Very well."


    Eternia¡¯s hand moved down The Tide¡¯s neck, over her shoulder, then straight to her breast. The watery boob squished under her touch.


    "W-What are you¡ª"


    "Shhh," Eternia said, pressing a finger to The Tide¡¯s lips. "Let me take care of you, my dear."


    Her fingers slid down The Tide¡¯s stomach, then right between her legs. The Tide gasped, her whole form shimmering.


    Eternia shoved her fingers deeper, and The Tide moaned super loud. Her watery body arched like crazy. Ripples spread everywhere, turning The Tide¡¯s blue form all sparkly.


    [I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m watching this. I¡¯m fingering water. This is so fucking weird.]


    "Eternia," The Tide gasped. "I¡ª"


    "I know, I know," Eternia replied, looking smug. "Just... let yourself feel this."


    The Tide¡¯s whole body pulsed as Eternia¡¯s fingers moved faster. Water splashed everywhere, getting increasingly wild.


    When The Tide came, she literally exploded back into the ocean with a giant splash before forming again. She looked totally different now¡ªall soft and docile.


    "Well, that¡¯s that I suppose," Eternia smiled. "Will you be getting back to work, darling?"


    The Tide nodded, looking at Eternia like she¡¯d hung the moon in the sky (which, well, yeah).


    "Yes." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good girl," Eternia said. Grace felt her borrowed face smile.


    ---


    Grace sat up with a gasp, her heart about to explode out of her chest. She was drenched in sweat, her thin sleep shirt sticking to her like a second skin.


    [What. The. Heck. Was. That.]


    She¡¯d seen bits of Eternia¡¯s memories before, but nothing like... that. Nothing so weird and intense and...


    Grace sat there, completely stunned. Her brain couldn¡¯t process what she¡¯d just experienced. She could still feel the phantom sensation of The Tide around her fingers¡ªEternia¡¯s fingers¡ªand the way The Tide had looked at Eternia afterward, like she¡¯d found salvation.


    Golden text appeared in her vision, answering her unspoken question:


    Reminder:


    ¡¸You do remember this is a Love category mission, right?¡¹


    Grace blinked at the message.


    [What¡¯s that supposed to mean?]


    The System stayed quiet, because of course it did. Grace was left alone with the memory of The Tide¡¯s watery orgasm and a sneaking suspicion about what completing this mission might actually require.


    She flopped back down on her bedroll and stared at the tent ceiling.


    Her hand moved to the medallion at her throat. It was still warm.


    No answer came.


    But somewhere, deep inside, Grace could have sworn she heard Eternia giggling.

 Chapter 85: Hands-On Education

    Chapter 85: Hands-On EducationGrace woke up with her eyes wide open and Eternia¡¯s "lesson" with The Tide still burning in her mind.


    [You do remember this is a Love category mission, right?]


    The System¡¯s words echoed in her head like an annoying song she couldn¡¯t get rid of. Grace groaned, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in her bedroll.


    [Great. Just great. I need to have sex with a water entity to save a village. Is that it? Totally normal angel business.]


    She¡¯d faced plant zombies, demons, and a fallen angel. She¡¯d slept with Petriel, kissed Diana, and "trained" with Venus. But somehow, the idea of seducing The Tide felt... a tad more intimidating.


    Maybe because The Tide wasn¡¯t just horny¡ªshe was heartbroken. Angry. Abandoned.


    [She might kill me mid-orgasm or something...]


    Grace pulled herself up, stretching her wings. The sun was barely rising, casting a pale glow over their camp. Diana snored softly nearby, while Petriel was curled up like a cat on her bedroll. Meridian, surprisingly, was already awake, sitting cross-legged with a scroll in her lap.


    [You know what? The nerd might actually be useful for once.]


    Grace approached Meridian, who looked up with suspicion.


    "Yes?"


    "I need to ask you something," Grace said, keeping her voice low. "About Eternia and The Tide."


    "Really?"


    "Really. But keep it down. I don¡¯t need Diana making jokes right now."


    Meridian nodded eagerly, patting the ground beside her. Grace sat down, wondering how to phrase this without sounding completely insane.


    "What do we know about Eternia¡¯s relationship with the pillars? Specifically The Tide?"


    Meridian¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "The Ascended Choir has limited records from that era. Eternia created the pillars before she even created the angels, so most of what we know about them is simply rumors and word-of-mouth tales. But, from what you discovered with the Root, we know Eternia created them as containers for her unwanted emotions. The Tide specifically received her feelings of isolation and loneliness."


    "Yeah, but what was their relationship like?" Grace pressed. "Is there anything about that? Even rumors?"


    "Relationship?" Meridian looked confused. "They were creator and creation."


    [Not helpful.]


    "I mean, did Eternia visit them? Talk to them? Were they... close?"


    Meridian¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    "The Eternal Codex mentions Eternia visiting her creations, but details are scarce. Why?"


    Grace glanced around to make sure Diana was still asleep.


    "I had a... dream. A memory, maybe. From Eternia."


    "You experienced Eternia¡¯s memory?" Meridian was practically vibrating with excitement. "Some sort of divine intervention? What did you see?"


    "Eternia and The Tide. They were... uh... bonding."


    "Bonding?"


    "Yeah, very... you know, intimately," Grace said, feeling her cheeks heat up.


    Meridian stared at her blankly.


    [For fuck¡¯s sake.]


    "She fucked The Tide with her fingers, okay?" Grace whispered.


    Meridian¡¯s jaw dropped. She blinked rapidly, then scrambled for a blank scroll.


    "This is unprecedented! The theological implications of Eternia engaging in sexual acts with her creations¡ª"


    "Focus," Grace interrupted. "The Tide thinks I¡¯m Eternia. And given what I saw, I think maybe... maybe that¡¯s how Eternia used to calm her down."


    Meridian¡¯s quill paused mid-scribble.


    "You think sexual intimacy was Eternia¡¯s method of counterbalancing the loneliness she placed within The Tide?"


    "Something like that."


    Meridian frowned, thinking hard.


    "The Codex does mention Eternia¡¯s... extensive sexual history. Not just with humans and angels, but with various beings she created. It¡¯s possible."


    A few horse and dragon-related stories flashed past Grace¡¯s eyes, making her shiver.


    "SO, if I wanted to... calm The Tide down," Grace said carefully, "maybe I should... y¡¯know."


    "Engage in sexual acts with her?" Meridian asked with all the emotion of someone discussing the weather.


    "Yeah. That."


    Meridian nodded slowly.


    "It might work. But you¡¯d need to be convincing. The Tide would certainly expect Eternia¡¯s... expertise."


    In other words, she¡¯d need to put in the performance of a goddess.


    [Great.]


    "Thanks," Grace muttered, standing up. "That¡¯s... helpful."


    Meridian was already scribbling notes again, lost in the academic implications of divine sexual relationships.


    Grace walked away, her mind racing. If she was going to pull this off, she needed advice. And there was only one person in camp with the right experience.


    "You need what now?" Diana asked, her mouth full of dried fruit.


    Grace paced in front of her, hands gesturing frantically.


    "Advice. On... making someone, uh... cum. Like, really hard."


    Diana choked, coughing violently.


    "Where the fuck did that come from?"


    "The Tide," Grace said, lowering her voice. "I think... I think that¡¯s how I need to handle this situation."


    Diana stared at her.


    "You¡¯re going to fuck the water demon?"


    "Maybe? I don¡¯t know!" Grace threw her hands up. "I had this dream about Eternia and The Tide, and they were... y¡¯know. I think m-maybe that¡¯s the right way to approach this."


    A slow grin spread across Diana¡¯s face. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So the virgin turnip farmer needs sex tips. This is the best day of my life."


    "I¡¯m not a virgin anymore," Grace mumbled.


    "Getting fucked once by Petriel doesn¡¯t make you an expert," Diana pointed out. "Especially not compared to a millennia-old being."


    [She has a point.]


    "So will you help me or not?"


    Diana¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    "Oh, I¡¯ll help you alright." She stood up, stretching like a cat before calling out: "Meridian! Petriel! Take a walk!"


    Meridian looked up from her notes with a scowl.


    "Excuse me?"


    "Grace needs private lessons," Diana said. "Go collect samples or something for an hour."


    Petriel, who¡¯d just woken up, blushed immediately.


    "Oh. Um. Okay."


    "This is ridiculous," Meridian complained, but she gathered her scrolls anyway. "The fate of a village hangs in the balance, and you¡¯re conducting sexual education?"


    "Exactly," Diana said cheerfully. "Now scram."


    Once they were alone, Diana turned to Grace with a predatory smile.


    "Alright, rookie. Let¡¯s talk about how to make someone cum so hard they forget their own name."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "I¡¯m listening."


    "No, you¡¯re not," Diana corrected. "You¡¯re doing. This isn¡¯t a lecture."


    [Oh shit.]


    Diana stepped closer, her perpetually topless body suddenly very much in Grace¡¯s personal space.


    "First rule: confidence. If you act like you know what you¡¯re doing, half the battle is won."


    "But I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing," Grace pointed out.


    "Then fake it," Diana said, grabbing Grace¡¯s hand. "Second rule: pay attention to reactions. When you touch someone here¡ª" she guided Grace¡¯s hand to her own breast, "¡ªand they make a noise, that¡¯s information. Use it."


    Grace¡¯s fingers curled instinctively around Diana¡¯s breast, feeling the soft weight of it.


    "Good," Diana murmured. "Now squeeze. Gently at first."


    Grace obeyed, watching Diana¡¯s face carefully. The warrior angel¡¯s eyes fluttered briefly.


    "See that?" Diana said. "That tiny reaction tells you you¡¯re on the right track. Every body is different, but they all talk to you if you pay attention."


    She guided Grace¡¯s hand lower, across her toned stomach.


    "The build-up matters. Anticipation is powerful. Make them wait for it."


    Grace¡¯s hand trembled slightly as Diana guided it to the waistband of her shorts.


    "Third rule: variation. Don¡¯t just do one thing. Mix it up." Diana¡¯s voice dropped lower. "Hard then soft. Fast then slow. Inside then outside."


    Grace¡¯s cheeks burned, but she nodded.


    "Fourth rule: use your words." Diana¡¯s eyes locked with hers. "Tell them what you¡¯re going to do to them. Tell them how good they feel. Ask them what they want."


    "What if they want something I don¡¯t know how to do?" Grace asked.


    Diana laughed.


    "You¡¯re a fast learner. Improvise."


    She pulled Grace¡¯s hand away from her shorts, then suddenly flipped their positions, pressing Grace against a tree. Diana¡¯s thigh slid between Grace¡¯s legs, applying just enough pressure to make her gasp.


    "Fifth rule," Diana whispered, her lips inches from Grace¡¯s, "control. Make them think they¡¯re getting what they want, but on your terms."


    Grace¡¯s heart hammered in her chest.


    "How do I do that?"


    "Like this." Diana¡¯s hand slid to Grace¡¯s throat, not squeezing but simply resting there, a gentle reminder of her strength. "You set the pace. You decide when they get relief."


    She leaned closer, her breath warm against Grace¡¯s ear.


    "When The Tide begs you to let her cum, you make her wait. Build it up until she¡¯s desperate. Until she¡¯d do anything you ask."


    Grace could barely breathe.


    "And then?"


    "Then you give her exactly what she wants," Diana purred. "But only because you choose to."


    Diana¡¯s other hand slipped under Grace¡¯s robe, trailing up her thigh.


    "So... Want a practical demonstration?"


    Grace¡¯s mind short-circuited.


    "I¡ª"


    "YOUR HOUR STARTS NOW!" Meridian¡¯s voice called from somewhere in the forest, effectively killing the moment.


    Diana pulled back with a laugh.


    "Perfect timing, as always." She winked at Grace. "Lesson¡¯s not over, though. We¡¯ve barely covered the basics."


    Grace sagged against the tree, her legs embarrassingly wobbly.


    "Basics? There¡¯s more?"


    "So much more," Diana said with a grin. "We haven¡¯t even discussed tongue techniques, finger curling, or how to find the sweet spots."


    "Sweet spots?"


    "Every body has them. Places that make them lose their minds when touched just right." Diana tapped Grace¡¯s nose. "Finding them is half the fun."


    Grace took a deep breath, trying to collect herself.


    "And you really think this will work? That I can... seduce The Tide?"


    Diana shrugged.


    "Worth a shot. Better than getting tentacle-fucked while trying to make conversation."


    "I guess."


    Grace couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Only in her crazy new angel life would "learn to fuck like a goddess to save a village from a water demon" be a legitimate mission strategy.


    But if it worked...


    "When¡¯s our next lesson?" she asked.


    Diana¡¯s grin widened.


    "Right after lunch. And this time, the robes come off."


    [What have I gotten myself into?]

 Chapter 86: Practice Makes Perfect*

    Chapter 86: Practice Makes Perfect*"Oh fuck," Grace gasped, her back arching off the forest floor like she¡¯d been shocked.


    Diana¡¯s fingers curled inside her, hitting a spot that made Grace¡¯s vision blur and her toes curl. Two digits deep, thumb circling her clit with maddening precision, while Diana¡¯s mouth worked at Grace¡¯s earlobe, hot breath making her shiver. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That¡¯s it," Diana murmured, her voice a low purr against Grace¡¯s skin. "Let go."


    Grace¡¯s thighs trembled uncontrollably. Her wings fluttered against the ground, kicking up leaves and dirt in little bursts. The pressure inside her built to an unbearable peak, and then¡ª


    "AGH!"


    Her release crashed through her like a tidal wave, muscles clenching around Diana¡¯s fingers as pleasure radiated outward. For a moment, Grace forgot everything¡ªwater zombies, ancient Pillars, even her own name. All that existed was this perfect, pulsing sensation between her legs and the incredibly embarrassing noises coming from her mouth.


    +5 Love


    Love: 35/100


    The System notification flashed behind her eyelids, but Grace was too busy trying to remember how breathing worked to care.


    Diana withdrew her fingers with a satisfied smirk, wiping them casually on her pants like she hadn¡¯t just made Grace see stars.


    "And that, rookie, is how you make someone cum with just your fingers." Diana sat back on her heels, chest bouncing slightly with the movement. "Not bad for your first lesson."


    Grace lay there, staring at the canopy of trees above them, her body still tingling with aftershocks.


    [Holy shit. That was... holy shit.]


    "Will that... will that work on The Tide?" she finally managed to ask, her voice still shaky.


    Diana shrugged, flopping down beside her, one breast squishing against Grace¡¯s arm.


    "Eh... Maybe. Maybe not."


    Grace turned her head, frowning.


    "What do you mean ¡¯maybe not¡¯? Wasn¡¯t that the whole point of these lessons?"


    "Look," Diana said, picking a leaf out of Grace¡¯s white hair, "I can teach you techniques, but every body is different. And The Tide isn¡¯t even a normal body¡ªshe¡¯s made of water."


    "So this was all for nothing?" Grace pushed herself up on her elbows, suddenly feeling very exposed with her robes hiked up around her waist.


    "I wouldn¡¯t say that." Diana gestured at Grace¡¯s still-flushed face with a smirk. "You certainly enjoyed it."


    "..."


    Grace couldn¡¯t argue with that.


    She sat up fully, readjusting her robe and trying to look less like she¡¯d just been finger-fucked in the middle of the forest.


    "The real problem," Diana continued, not bothering to cover her tits as she stretched, "is that you have basically zero experience. You¡¯ve had sex with Petriel and now you¡¯ve been finger-fucked by me. That¡¯s not exactly a wealth of knowledge to draw from."


    Grace¡¯s shoulders slumped.


    "So what am I supposed to do?"


    Diana was quiet for a moment, picking at a blade of grass, then a slow grin spread across her face.


    "You know, there¡¯s still a bunch of villagers who haven¡¯t gone all water-zombie yet."


    "What about them?" Grace asked, then her golden eyes widened as she realized what Diana was suggesting. "No. No way."


    "Why not? Isn¡¯t that literally what Love Sisters do? Go around ¡¯boosting morale¡¯?"


    "I¡¯m not a Love Sister!"


    "Yes you are," Diana pointed out, poking Grace¡¯s chest. "And this would definitely count as practice."


    Grace opened her mouth to protest further, then closed it. She hated to admit it, but Diana had a point. Nothing beats hands-on experience, and she had exactly four days before the new moon.


    [I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually considering this. Alia and Zephyr would be so proud of me right now.]


    "They¡¯re probably terrified," Grace said weakly. "With everything that¡¯s happening..."


    "Exactly. They could use some... comfort." Diana wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, then reached over and squeezed Grace¡¯s thigh. "Think of it as mission prep and angel duty combined. You¡¯d basically be performing a holy service."


    Grace sighed, looking skyward as if Eternia might suddenly appear and rescue her from this ridiculous situation.


    No such luck. That lewd goddess was probably watching this whole thing and laughing her divine ass off.


    "Fine," Grace muttered. "But if Meridian finds out about this¡ª"


    "She¡¯ll probably want a detailed report for her scrolls," Diana finished with a laugh. "Complete with anatomically correct diagrams."


    "Ugh." Grace stood up, readjusting her robes again and trying to look less like she¡¯d just been thoroughly debauched. "So I just... go down there and what? Ask if anyone wants to do an angel?"


    Diana snorted.


    "Maybe try something a little more subtle. You know, make eye contact, touch their arm, use some of those lines I¡¯m sure Venus taught you."


    [Oh god, I¡¯m going to be terrible at this.]


    "Fine. I¡¯ll be back... whenever." Grace started walking away, then turned back. "Wait, aren¡¯t you coming?"


    "Nah," Diana said, leaning back on her elbows, tits pointing at the sky. "I¡¯ll just wait here. Maybe take a nap."


    "What if I mess up?"


    "Then you¡¯ll learn from it and try again," Diana said, shrugging. "That¡¯s how practice works, rookie."


    Grace nodded uncertainly and turned to go.


    ---


    The remaining villagers had barricaded themselves in the northern part of town, where the elevation kept most of the water at bay. Grace walked through their makeshift refugee camp, acutely aware of the stares following her.


    In her white and gold angel robes, wings fully visible, she stood out like a beacon. Normally, this would have been fine¡ªangels were meant to be seen, to inspire. But right now, Grace felt like a turnip farmer trying to sell vegetables at a meat market.


    Awkward. Obvious. And definitely not seductive.


    [Diana made this sound so simple. Just go boost some morale. How hard could it be?]


    Very hard, apparently. Every time Grace made eye contact with a villager, they either bowed respectfully or looked away in fear. Not exactly the response she was hoping for.


    [Maybe I should¡¯ve flown back to the Dominion and asked Alia to come along instead. She¡¯d probably have half the village naked by now.]


    She was about to give up and head back to camp to tell Diana this was a stupid idea when she heard a scream.


    A young woman backed away from one of the water barrels, a look of horror on her face as blue-tinged water sloshed over the edge, taking humanoid form.


    [Shit. They¡¯re in the water supply now.]


    Grace didn¡¯t think. She summoned her Blade of Dawn and charged forward, slicing through the half-formed water creature before it could fully materialize. It collapsed into a puddle, the blue tint slowly fading away.


    The woman stared at Grace with wide eyes, chest heaving.


    "You... you saved me," she breathed.


    Grace dismissed her blade, trying for what she hoped was a confident smile instead of a panicked grimace.


    "Just doing my duty." She remembered Diana¡¯s first rule: confidence. "Are you hurt?"


    "No, just... shaken." The woman was pretty in a simple way, with dark hair and warm brown eyes. She looked about Grace¡¯s age. Her dress was modest but fit her well, hugging curves that Grace couldn¡¯t help but notice.


    [This is my chance. Act natural. Seductive. Like I totally know what I¡¯m doing and didn¡¯t just have my second orgasm from someone else¡¯s fingers like twenty minutes ago.]


    "I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe," Grace said, stepping closer. "I¡¯m Grace."


    "Lina," the woman replied, still staring at Grace with something like awe. "I¡¯ve never met an angel before."


    "Well," Grace fought the urge to fidget with her robe, "now you have."


    Awkward silence fell between them. Grace frantically tried to remember Diana¡¯s lessons. Make them wait for it. Pay attention to reactions. Use your words.


    "You know," Grace said, lowering her voice slightly and leaning in so that only Lina could hear, "part of an angel¡¯s duty is to provide comfort in times of crisis."


    [That sounded better in my head. I sound like I¡¯m selling something.]


    But to her surprise, Lina¡¯s cheeks flushed pink, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


    "What kind of... comfort?"


    [Wait, is this working? It can¡¯t be this easy.]


    "Whatever kind you need," Grace said, amazed at her own boldness. She reached out, letting her fingers brush against Lina¡¯s arm, feeling the soft skin there. "These are frightening times. Sometimes a little... distraction... can help."


    Lina¡¯s breath caught.


    "My house is just over there. It¡¯s... still dry."


    [Holy shit, it¡¯s actually working! Eternia, are you seeing this? I¡¯m actually doing it!]


    "Lead the way," Grace said, trying to channel Diana¡¯s casual confidence and not the internal screaming that was actually happening in her head.


    Lina took her hand¡ªactually took her hand!¡ªand began leading Grace through the crowded refugee area. Several villagers noticed, eyebrows raising and whispers starting immediately. A few men looked envious, while one older woman actually winked at Grace.


    [Oh god, everyone knows exactly what we¡¯re about to do.]


    As they approached a small, sturdy cottage, Grace wondered just how much "practice" she¡¯d need before facing The Tide. Based on how eagerly Lina was pulling her inside, she might get more experience in one afternoon than she¡¯d bargained for.


    [Diana is never going to let me live this down. Venus is going to be so proud. Meridian will probably try to interview me about it for her weird scrolls.]


    But if it helped save the village... well, some sacrifices had to be made.


    And this one didn¡¯t feel like much of a sacrifice at all. Especially when Lina closed the door behind them and gave Grace a smile that made her knees weak.


    "So," Lina said, suddenly looking a bit shy. "What kind of comfort did you have in mind, angel?"


    Grace swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry.


    [Remember what Diana said. Confidence. Touch. Words.]


    She stepped forward, backing Lina against the door, and placed a hand on the wall beside her head.


    "I think," Grace said, her voice steadier than she felt, "I¡¯d like to show you rather than tell you."


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in a way that made Grace want to kiss her.


    So she did.


    ¡¸Love Quest Objective: Practice Seduction Techniques¡¹


    ¡¸Progress: 1/3¡¹


    [You have got to be kidding me. I need to do this THREE times?]


    Grace was in disbelief.

 Chapter 87: Technique Acquired

    Chapter 87: Technique Acquired"Oh, oh goddess, YES!"


    Grace curled her fingers just the way Diana had taught her, and the woman beneath her practically convulsed. Two hours since her session with Lina, and here she was, knuckle-deep in a baker named Marta, a woman with tits big enough to make even Mara look flat-chested.


    And Grace was stunned at one particular thought:


    [This is... actually getting easier.]


    Not just from a physical or technical perspective. But, rather, it was becoming less embarrassing.


    Grace watched Marta¡¯s face as she came, the way her eyes rolled back and her mouth formed a perfect O.


    ... There was some fun in this, Grace realized. Making someone else lose control while staying perfectly in command.


    Marta¡¯s giant boobs heaved as she gasped for air, her whole body twitching.


    "That was... incredible," she panted. She looked up at Grace like she¡¯d just seen the face of Eternia herself (which, in a certain way, she was). "Do all angels know how to do that?"


    "It¡¯s part of our training," Grace said with a confidence that would have been unthinkable just days ago. She wasn¡¯t even blushing anymore. What the hell?


    She wiped her fingers on the blanket and stood up, adjusting her robes. A week ago, the thought of finger-fucking strange women would have made her die of embarrassment. Now she was just thinking about who would be number three.


    [I¡¯ve officially lost my mind. Or found it? Is this what Venus feels like all the time?]


    "Will you come back?" Marta asked, still sprawled across her bed, legs still spread, looking thoroughly fucked.


    "If I have time," Grace said with a smile that felt almost... smug? "But I have important angel business to attend to."


    [Angel business. Right. Saving the village by screwing my way through it. Totally normal divine hero stuff.]


    Outside, the late afternoon sun hit Grace¡¯s face. She had a few hours before nightfall to find her third "practice partner." According to the System, she needed one more to complete her objective.


    Goddess, she could still smell Marta on her fingers.


    She was scanning the refugee area for potential candidates when a familiar voice called out.


    "Grace? What are you doing here alone?"


    [Shit. Meridian. The biggest cockblock in the Angelic Dominion.]


    The scholar angel approached, her usual stack of scrolls tucked under one arm. She looked suspicious, which was fair. Grace knew she probably had "just had sex" written all over her face.


    "Just... checking on the villagers," Grace said. "Boosting morale."


    Meridian¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "By yourself? Where¡¯s Diana?"


    "Back at camp. We¡¯re taking shifts."


    [Please buy this obvious lie.]


    Meridian didn¡¯t look convinced, but apparently had other priorities.


    "Well, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ve discovered something potentially relevant to our mission. The villagers speak of an ancient artifact hidden in a cave near the shore. Something called ¡¯The Tide¡¯s Tear.¡¯"


    Grace¡¯s interest piqued.


    "What does it do?"


    "Legends vary, but most suggest it has the power to calm the waters. It¡¯s described as a perfect blue pearl that glows with inner light." Meridian adjusted her glasses like the massive nerd she was. "Given the circumstances, it seemed worth investigating."


    "A pearl?" Grace thought back to the strange blue pearls she¡¯d found in the tide pools. "Where exactly is this cave?"


    "That¡¯s the problem. The location has been lost to time. But¡ª" Meridian¡¯s eyes lit up with scholarly excitement, "¡ªI believe I can triangulate it based on local folklore and astronomical references in the village elders¡¯ stories."


    As Meridian launched into a detailed explanation of her research methodology, Grace found her attention wandering. The angle of the afternoon sun caught Meridian¡¯s hair, highlighting blue strands that matched her eyes. She was actually quite pretty when she wasn¡¯t being an insufferable know-it-all.


    ¡¸Flirting Opportunity Detected!¡¹


    ¡¸Seduction Target: Meridian¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: Automatic +10 Love¡¹


    [What the heck? No! Absolutely not! That¡¯s like trying to seduce a dictionary!]


    Grace blinked hard, trying to dismiss the System notification. Eternia wanted her to seduce Meridian? That was... no. Just no.


    "Are you listening, Grace?" Meridian asked, frowning.


    "Yes! Totally. Cave. Pearl. Ancient astronomy." Grace forced a smile. "I¡¯ll keep an eye out while I... continue my patrol."


    "See that you do. This artifact could be crucial."


    As Meridian walked away, Grace sighed with relief. She needed to find her third partner, and it was definitely not going to be Ms. Stick-Up-Her-Ass. No amount of Love points was worth that headache.


    [One more to go. Someone simple. Straightforward. Preferably without a lecture on astronomical triangulation or whatever.]


    Grace spotted a young woman drawing water from a well, her face lined with worry but still pretty, with bright eyes and a slender build.


    [Perfect. She looks lonely. I can fix that.]


    Grace approached, summoning her most angelic smile.


    "Need help with that?"


    The woman looked up, her eyes widening at the sight of Grace¡¯s wings.


    "Oh! I... yes, thank you."


    Grace took the bucket, lifting it effortlessly.


    "I¡¯m Grace."


    "Sora," the woman replied, her cheeks flushing slightly.


    [This is going to be easy. Like, embarrassingly easy.] She blinked, catching herself. [Whoa. When did I get confident?]


    An hour later, Grace lay next to a thoroughly satisfied Sora in a small storage shed behind the village¡¯s communal kitchen. The space smelled of flour and spices, not the most romantic setting, but holy shit had it worked. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡¯ve never..." Sora¡¯s voice trailed off, her expression dazed. "I mean, with a woman, let alone an angel..."


    "First time for everything," Grace said with a wink that would have made Diana proud.


    ¡¸Love Quest Objective Complete!¡¹


    ¡¸Practice Seduction Techniques: 3/3¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: +10 Love (Total: 45/100)¡¹


    ¡¸New Feature Unlocked: Techniques¡¹


    ¡¸Technique Acquired: Finger Dance - Ability to provide intense pleasure through precise manipulation¡¹


    Grace blinked at the notifications.


    Techniques? That was new.


    [So I¡¯ve officially learned how to finger people well. Great job, Grace. Mom would be so proud. ¡¯Look at my little girl, making women cum with angelic precision!¡¯]


    She sat up, readjusting her robes while Sora dozed. Something felt... different. Grace couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it, but there was a subtle shift in how she perceived things. The curve of Sora¡¯s hip seemed more fascinating now. The way sunlight filtered through the shed¡¯s small window, catching dust motes in its beam, was oddly beautiful.


    Colors seemed more vibrant. Sensations more intense. As if someone had turned up the volume on her perception.


    [Is this... the Love attribute increase? Am I getting... hornier?]


    Grace had noticed small changes as her attributes grew, but this jump felt more significant. She found herself admiring Sora¡¯s sleeping form with an appreciation that went beyond casual observation. The woman was beautiful, yes, but now Grace could see the subtle harmonies in her features, the gentle rhythm of her breathing.


    It wasn¡¯t just physical attraction. It was a deeper awareness of beauty in general.


    [Huh. I think I actually like this. Being able to see how hot people are without wanting to die of embarrassment.]


    Grace stood and slipped quietly out of the shed. The sun was setting, casting the village in golden light. Diana would be wondering where she was.


    As she walked back toward their camp, Grace reflected on the strange day. Three women. Three very different experiences. And somehow, she¡¯d enjoyed each one more than the last.


    [Maybe this mission isn¡¯t so terrible after all. Get to save the world AND make women cum? Win-win.]


    The thought came with a flash of guilt. People were literally turning into water monsters, and here she was, enjoying her "training." But wasn¡¯t that the point? To get good enough at this to seduce The Tide?


    The new "Technique" she¡¯d unlocked felt like knowledge settled into her muscles, not just her mind. She knew, without having to think about it, exactly how to curve her fingers, how to apply pressure, how to read the subtle tells of a partner¡¯s body.


    Knowledge that might save this village, if she could pull it off.


    As the camp came into view, Grace spotted Diana sharpening her sword by the fire. The warrior angel looked up, a knowing grin spreading across her face.


    "Well, well," Diana called. "Look what the cat dragged in. Or should I say, look who dragged herself away from the village women."


    Grace felt her cheeks heat, but not as intensely as they would have before.


    "Shut up," she said, but there was no real heat in it. "I finished the training."


    "Oh, I bet." Diana¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. "You look different."


    "I feel different." Grace sat down beside her.


    "I can tell." Diana tilted her head, studying Grace. "It suits you."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened.


    Did Diana just... Compliment her? Really?


    She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. She glanced around the camp.


    "Where are Petriel and Meridian?"


    "Gathering supplies. They¡¯ll be back soon." Diana set her sword aside. "So, did you learn anything useful for our water thingy?"


    "I think so." Grace stared into the fire, watching the flames dance. "Picked up some new techniques. Learned this thing, uh... called Finger Dance."


    Diana snorted.


    "Seriously? That¡¯s what it¡¯s called?"


    "I-I... Whatever!" Grace protested. "But yeah, I think... I think I might be able to pull this off."


    "Good." Diana¡¯s expression sobered slightly. "Because we¡¯re running out of time. New moon is in three days."


    Three days to prepare to seduce a primordial water entity with abandonment issues... and tentacles.


    But strangely, Grace wasn¡¯t as terrified by the prospect as she had been. Whether it was her new confidence, her increased Love attribute, or just the absurdity of the whole situation, she felt almost... eager to try.


    She looked at her hand, the one that had been inside three different women today. The one that might save a village tomorrow.


    [Eternia, what have you done to me?]

 Chapter 88: New Confidence

    Chapter 88: New ConfidenceThe sun had nearly set by the time Grace finished with her sixth¡ªor was it seventh?¡ªvillage woman of the day. She¡¯d lost count somewhere between the tavern keeper¡¯s daughter with those adorable freckles and the widowed weaver who could do things with her hips that made Grace¡¯s head spin.


    Grace fixed her hair as she walked away from a small cottage at the edge of the village. Her System had pinged with two more techniques over the course of the afternoon:


    ¡¸Technique Acquired: Tongue Twister - Ability to bring pleasure through precise oral manipulation¡¹


    ¡¸Technique Acquired: Sweet Spot Seeker - Ability to intuitively locate a partner¡¯s most sensitive areas¡¹


    Not bad for a day¡¯s work. Especially considering she¡¯d spent most of her life as a virgin turnip farmer.


    As she walked through the village, Grace noticed women giving her these little looks. Some smiled shyly. Others blushed. One baker even handed her a free sweet roll with a whispered "thank you" that made it very clear what she was thankful for.


    [Is this what being an actual Love Sister feels like? I could get used to this.]


    Then reality hit her like a cold splash of water¡ªthere were only three days left until the new moon. Three days until The Tide would turn another massive batch of townspeople into fish people. Three days for Grace to figure out how to stop it.


    [Maybe I should look into that artifact Meridian mentioned.]


    The Tide¡¯s Tear. A perfect blue pearl that could supposedly calm the waters. It sounded fake as hell, but Grace figured there was no harm in trying.


    Grace spread her wings and took to the sky, heading back to their camp in the forest. The flight gave her time to think¡ªabout The Tide, about her rapidly increasing Love attribute, about whether she was actually ready to seduce a primordial entity.


    [At least I¡¯ve had some practice now. Though going from village girls to ancient water goddesses is a bit of a jump. Like going from turnips to... I don¡¯t know, dragon fruit?]


    The campfire came into view, a small orange dot among the trees. Grace circled once before landing gracefully¡ªa far cry from her crash-landings of just a few weeks ago when she¡¯d face-planted into trees on the regular.


    Diana looked up from sharpening a non-divine sword.


    "Well, well. Look who finally decided to come back."


    "I was busy," Grace said, dropping down beside the fire.


    "I bet you were." Diana¡¯s eyes narrowed as she studied Grace. "There¡¯s something different about you."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You¡¯ve got this..." Diana waved her hand vaguely, "aura now. That ¡¯not much of a virgin anymore¡¯ confidence."


    Grace felt her cheeks heat, but she didn¡¯t look away.


    "Thanks. I think."


    Petriel emerged from her tent, carrying an armful of dried herbs. Her eyes lit up when she saw Grace.


    "Oh, you¡¯re back."


    "Just in time," Meridian added, glancing up from her scrolls. "I¡¯ve finished triangulating the possible location of the Tide¡¯s Tear."


    "You actually found it?" Grace asked, surprised.


    "Maybe." Meridian spread a crude map on the ground. "Based on local legends and astronomical references in the elders¡¯ stories, I believe the artifact is hidden in a sea cave approximately three miles north of here."


    Diana snorted.


    "So you don¡¯t actually know where it is."


    "I have narrowed it down to a small area," Meridian said, her back stiffening like someone had shoved a stick up her ass. "Which is more than any of you bothered to do while Grace was off... boosting morale."


    Diana mouthed "boosting morale" with air quotes behind Meridian¡¯s back, making Grace bite her lip to keep from laughing.


    "I think we should check it out," Grace said. "It¡¯s worth a shot."


    "The cave is only accessible during low tide," Meridian warned. "Which gives us a narrow window at dawn tomorrow."


    "Then I¡¯ll go at dawn," Grace decided. She needed to do something productive besides seducing villagers, no matter how enjoyable that had turned out to be.


    "I¡¯ll come with you," Petriel volunteered immediately, her golden eyes big with worry. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Diana stood, stretching her arms over her head.


    "Alright, count me in. I¡¯m not letting you two face whatever water weirdness is in that cave alone."


    Grace shook her head.


    "Someone needs to stay here and protect the village. Especially with their water supply compromised."


    "Meridian can do that," Diana argued.


    "Meridian couldn¡¯t fight off a determined cat," Grace said bluntly.


    "I take offense to that," Meridian muttered without looking up from her scrolls.


    "It¡¯s tactical," Grace insisted. "Diana, you¡¯re our best fighter. If more water creatures attack while we¡¯re gone, the villagers will need you."


    Diana crossed her arms, muscles flexing in the firelight.


    "And if you run into trouble in this cave?"


    "I can handle myself," Grace said with a confidence that would have been unthinkable just days ago. "Petriel will be with me for healing if we need it."


    Diana stared at her for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly.


    "Fine. But if you¡¯re not back by midday, I¡¯m coming after you."


    "Fair enough."


    ---


    They spent the rest of the evening preparing. Meridian provided a detailed map of the coastline, marking the cave¡¯s location with meticulous precision. Petriel packed healing supplies, while Grace checked over her divine weapon.


    Diana pulled Grace aside as they were finishing up.


    "You sure you¡¯re ready for this?" she asked, her voice actually serious for once.


    "Ready for a cave?" Grace raised an eyebrow.


    "Ready for whatever The Tide might throw at you. Caves connected to the ocean? Sounds like her territory."


    Grace hadn¡¯t considered that.


    "You think this could be a trap?"


    "I think nothing about this mission has been straightforward." Diana shrugged. "Just be careful. Seraph and I have put a lot of effort into your training. Hate to see it go to waste."


    [Is she... worried about me?] She quickly shot the thought down. [Nah, probably not.]


    "Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll be fine."


    Dawn broke clear and calm, a rare sight after days of churning seas. Grace and Petriel stood at the edge of camp, wings spread and ready for flight.


    "Are the directions clear enough?" Grace confirmed one last time.


    Meridian nodded.


    "Follow the coastline north. The cave will be visible in the cliffside when the tide is fully out."


    "Alright then. We¡¯ll be back by midday," Grace promised.


    Diana stood with her arms crossed, looking pissed about being left behind.


    With a final wave, they launched into the air. Grace took the lead, wings beating powerfully against the morning sky. They climbed higher, the village and forest shrinking beneath them, before banking north along the coastline.


    The ocean stretched out below, looking way too calm. Grace couldn¡¯t help wondering if The Tide was watching them right now, tracking their movements with those creepy black eyes.


    [Let her watch. I¡¯ve got new skills-or, uh, techniques-to show off.]


    The thought brought a smile to Grace¡¯s face as they soared toward the distant cliffs.


    Petriel flew close beside her, occasionally glancing over.


    "You¡¯ve changed," Petriel said, raising her voice over the wind.


    "Diana said the same thing," Grace called back.


    "It¡¯s a good change," Petriel clarified. "You¡¯re stronger now. More... confident."


    "Thanks to everyone¡¯s training," she said.


    Petriel¡¯s cheeks flushed pink.


    "Not just that. It¡¯s like... you¡¯ve grown into yourself somehow."


    [Into what, though? A divine sex machine? The Saintess of Orgasms?]


    But Petriel was right. Something had changed¡ªwas still changing. Every increase in her Love attribute shifted something fundamental in how Grace saw the world. How she saw herself. It was a small change, but she could still feel it.


    There were three days until the new moon. Three days until she faced The Tide again.


    Grace was beginning to think she might actually pull this off.


    The cliffs came into view, tall and imposing against the morning sky. Grace dipped lower, scanning the rocky face for the cave entrance Meridian had described.


    "There!" Petriel pointed to a dark opening about halfway up the cliff, just above the waterline.


    They circled down, the sound of waves crashing against rock growing louder. The cave mouth was barely visible, a shadow among shadows.


    [Here goes nothing. Please don¡¯t be full of water tentacles.]


    Grace landed on a narrow strip of wet sand below the cave entrance, Petriel touching down beside her. The tide was out, revealing tide pools and slick rocks normally covered by water.


    "Whatever happens in there," Grace said, summoning her Blade of Dawn, "stay close."


    Petriel nodded, her healing aura already shimmering around her hands. "I¡¯m ready."


    Together, they faced the dark cave opening, the faint sound of dripping water echoing from within.


    [Time to find out if this Tide¡¯s Tear is real... or just another legend.]


    Grace stepped forward, blade illuminating the way as they entered the darkness, aware of the blue eyes watching from beneath the innocent-looking tide pools behind them.


    [Because of course we¡¯re being watched. It would be weird if we weren¡¯t at this point.]

 Chapter 89: Wet and Wild

    Chapter 89: Wet and WildThe cave-like space opened into something way bigger than a simple hole in the rocks. Ancient stone columns lined a path that hadn¡¯t seen humans in forever. Water dripped from the ceiling, making little pools that caught the light from Grace¡¯s glowy sword thing.


    "This is incredible," Petriel whispered, her voice bouncing off the walls. "Look at these carvings."


    Grace tried to look at the carvings.


    She really did. But Petriel had bent over to check out the stonework, and her ass was right there, perfectly outlined by her damp robes.


    [Focus, Grace. Ancient water temple. Tide¡¯s Tear. Not Petriel¡¯s perfect, round butt that I could bounce a coin off of.]


    ... But Grace¡¯s eyes kept drifting back.


    Her Love attribute was messing with her brain. It had to be. She¡¯d always liked women¡ªeven back when she was just a turnip farmer with dirt under her nails¡ªbut this was different. This was "I want to push you against that wall and make you scream my name" desire rather than "oh, she¡¯s pretty" appreciation.


    She wasn¡¯t used to it.


    "I-I think these symbols represent an ancient water cult," Petriel continued, completely unaware that Grace was mentally undressing her. "They believed the ocean was a living entity long before we knew about The Tide."


    "Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s... that¡¯s fascinating," Grace said, not hearing a single word. She was too busy watching a droplet of water roll down Petriel¡¯s spine and disappear into her crack.


    Grace¡¯s fingers twitched at her sides. When had touching Petriel become all she could think about? Last week she¡¯d been too shy to even make eye contact with Venus during "morale training." Now she was fantasizing about bending a Sister of Compassion over in the middle of a sacred temple.


    [Love attribute. It¡¯s the Love attribute. Not me becoming a sex-crazed pervert. Definitely the attribute. Probably.]


    They moved deeper into the temple, their steps echoing on the stone floor. The place smelled like salt. Petriel ran her fingers along a wall carving, tracing the outline of what looked like a woman made of water.


    "Look at this one," she said, excitement making her voice higher. "I think it¡¯s depicting The Tide, or at least what these people thought was The Tide."


    Grace nodded absently, watching Petriel¡¯s slender fingers move across the stone. Those same fingers that had been inside her that one time in the rookie wing, making her see stars.


    [Get! It! Together!]


    "The artifact should be in the central chamber, according to Meridian¡¯s¡ª"


    Something moved.


    Grace saw it from the corner of her eye. Not quite water, not quite solid. Three humanoid shapes, blue and see-through, with empty eye sockets and gaping mouths.


    "Water monsters!" Grace shoved Petriel behind her and summoned her Blade of Dawn to full brightness.


    The creatures lunged, their watery arms stretching like taffy. Grace slashed through the first one, her divine weapon cutting it clean in half. The creature splashed into a puddle.


    The second and third attacked at the same time. Grace spun, blade flashing, catching one across what passed for its chest. She ducked under the third¡¯s reaching arms and drove her rapier up through its head.


    Both creatures collapsed into puddles, leaving the hallway quiet again.


    "W-Wow. That was amazing," Petriel said, eyes wide. "You¡¯re getting really good at this."


    Grace wiped water droplets from her face.


    "Thanks. I¡¯ve had practice."


    Petriel squinted a bit.


    "You¡¯re different," Petriel said suddenly, reaching out to touch Grace¡¯s arm. "You¡¯re... More sure of yourself."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "I¡¯ve learned some new skills," she said, trying to sound casual.


    They kept going, more careful now. The temple was clearly protected¡ªwhether by The Tide herself or just some ancient magic stuff, Grace couldn¡¯t tell.


    "Step carefully," she warned. "There might be more¡ª"


    Click


    Petriel¡¯s foot pressed down on a stone that sank into the floor.


    "Traps," Grace finished.


    The floor beneath them suddenly tilted, sending them sliding toward a wall that was opening to reveal a deep pit.


    "AAAAAAAAAAH!"


    Grace grabbed for a column but missed. Petriel yelped as they both tumbled downward.


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped as they fell, her wings flapping uselessly in the narrow space. They plummeted for what felt like ten years but was probably only a few seconds.


    They landed with a thud, Grace flat on her back with Petriel directly on top of her. More specifically, Petriel¡¯s massive tits right in Grace¡¯s face.


    "I¡¯m so sorry!" Petriel scrambled to move, accidentally grinding her pussy against Grace¡¯s stomach in the process.


    Grace made a sound that was definitely not appropriate for a divine being. Half-moan, half-whimper. One hundred percent embarrassing.


    "A-Are you hurt?" Petriel asked, still not moving, still pressing against Grace in all the most distracting ways.


    "Only my dignity," Grace managed to say.


    Before Petriel could get up, the floor shifted again. Grace grabbed her and rolled, switching their positions just as another trap sprung. Spikes shot from the walls¡ªnot close enough to stab them, but close enough to make Grace very glad they¡¯d moved.


    Now she was on top, straddling Petriel¡¯s waist, their faces inches apart. Grace could feel the heat between Petriel¡¯s legs even through their robes.


    "We should¡ª" Petriel began, her breath hitching.


    "Move," Grace finished, though moving was the absolute last thing she wanted to do. "Yeah, move. Definitely."


    The floor tilted again. Grace grabbed Petriel and rolled once more, the two of them tumbling across the stone as jets of water shot from hidden nozzles in the ceiling. They rolled, twisted, and scrambled across the chamber, staying just ahead of whatever ancient mechanism they¡¯d triggered.


    Petriel¡¯s hands were everywhere¡ªgrabbing Grace¡¯s shoulders, clutching her waist, accidentally brushing against her breast as they dodged another set of spikes. Each touch sent electric shocks through Grace¡¯s body, making it even harder to focus on not dying.


    Finally, they reached a raised platform that wasn¡¯t moving. Grace found herself once again on top of Petriel, both of them breathing hard, clothes soaked through.


    "Are you okay?" Grace asked, trying to ignore how Petriel¡¯s wet robes were now basically see-through.


    Petriel nodded, her golden eyes wide.


    "That was... intense."


    Grace suddenly realized exactly how they were positioned¡ªher thigh pressed right between Petriel¡¯s legs, their chests squished together, faces close enough that she could feel Petriel¡¯s quick breaths against her lips. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Grace?" Petriel¡¯s voice went all soft and breathy. "Y-Your eyes are doing that thing again."


    "What thing?"


    "That thing where you look like you want to eat me alive."


    Grace swallowed hard.


    "Sorry."


    "I don¡¯t mind..."


    "..."


    The air between them was so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife.


    Every spot where their bodies touched felt like it was on fire. Petriel¡¯s lips parted slightly, and Grace found herself leaning down, unable to stop herself.


    A distant rumble shook the chamber though, and she pulled back.


    "We should keep moving," Grace said reluctantly, pushing herself up. "The tide will be coming in soon."


    Petriel looked like someone had just snatched away her favorite toy as she got to her feet, adjusting her wet robes.


    "Right. The artifact."


    Grace took a deep breath, trying to focus her horny brain. The Tide¡¯s Tear. That¡¯s what they came for, not to fuck Petriel senseless on a temple floor, no matter how appealing that might be.


    Grace adjusted her wet robes, somehow feeling both cold from the water and way too hot from... everything else. She rolled her shoulders, trying to shake off the feeling of Petriel¡¯s body against hers.


    "Are you sure you¡¯re okay?" Petriel asked, noticing Grace¡¯s discomfort. "I can heal any injuries you might have gotten from the fall."


    "I¡¯m fine," Grace said quickly. The last thing she needed was Petriel¡¯s healing hands on her right now. "Just a little...tense."


    Petriel¡¯s lips quirked up in a small smile.


    "I can help with that too, you know. Later."


    Grace nearly tripped over her own feet.


    [Is she...? Did she just...? No. Focus on the mission, dammit!]


    But as they continued through the ancient temple, Grace couldn¡¯t help looking at Petriel every two seconds. The healer angel was completely soaked, her robes sticking to every curve, her wings slightly damp and drooping like a sad puppy¡¯s ears.


    It was adorable. And hot. Adorably hot.


    "The central chamber should be just ahead," Petriel said, pointing to a fancy doorway at the end of the corridor.


    Grace nodded, adjusting her grip on her blade.


    "Stay behind me."


    They approached the doorway carefully, watching for more traps or water demons. The stone arch was carved with symbols of waves and what looked like people rising from the sea.


    [Ominous. Super ominous. Like "we¡¯re definitely going to regret this" ominous.]


    Grace paused at the threshold, squinting into the darkness beyond. Something shiny sat in the center of the chamber¡ªsomething small and round and perfectly blue.


    "I think I see it," she whispered.


    Petriel leaned close, her breath warm against Grace¡¯s neck, sending shivers down her spine. "The Tide¡¯s Tear?"


    "Maybe."


    As they stepped forward together, Grace couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were walking into something way more complicated than a simple treasure hunt. The Tide had been weirdly quiet since their last encounter. Too quiet.


    And now they were deep in her territory, searching for something that supposedly had power over her.


    [What could possibly go wrong? Other than everything. Everything could go wrong.]


    Grace gripped her sword tighter, hyper-aware of Petriel¡¯s presence behind her. No matter what waited for them in that chamber, she wasn¡¯t going to let anything happen to Petriel.


    [We¡¯re going to get that pearl, save the village, and then maybe, just maybe, I can finally finish what we almost started on that platform.]

 Chapter 90: Revelations and Celebrations

    Chapter 90: Revelations and CelebrationsThe chamber opened up like some fancy ritual space. Grace held her sword out, scanning for threats while Petriel gasped behind her.


    "It¡¯s beautiful," Petriel whispered.


    To be fair, it was. The walls glittered with blue crystals that caught the light emanating from Grace¡¯s blade. In the center, on a stone pedestal, sat a perfectly round pearl that glowed with its own inner light.


    [That has to be it. The Tide¡¯s Tear!]


    Grace took a step forward, then froze.


    The water in the shallow pools around the pedestal began to move. Not just ripple¡ªactually move. It rose up, forming humanoid shapes that were way more solid than the water demons they¡¯d fought earlier.


    Four figures took shape¡ªthree warriors with weapons made of hardened water and one taller figure who stood behind them. When Grace looked at them, she saw red numbers floating above their heads.


    [Level 35? Level 38? Level 42? That¡¯s... not great.]


    The biggest one, the one hanging back, showed "Level 45" in blood-red letters.


    [Well, shit.]


    "Grace?" Petriel¡¯s voice trembled slightly. "We should go."


    "We can¡¯t," Grace said, tightening her grip on her blade. "If the Tide¡¯s Tear can stop The Tide, we need it."


    The water warriors stepped forward in perfect unison. Their faces were blank, featureless masks, but their weapons looked plenty real.


    "Don¡¯t worry," Grace said, shifting into a fighting stance. "I¡¯ll take them down."


    "T-that¡¯s great," Petriel stammered, "but, please, focus on the fight and not on grabbing my... my butt."


    Grace blinked and realized her free hand was indeed firmly gripping Petriel¡¯s ass. She hadn¡¯t even noticed herself doing it.


    "Sorry!" She let go instantly, her face heating up. "I didn¡¯t¡ªthat wasn¡¯t¡ª"


    The first water warrior lunged at her, swinging a massive sword. Grace barely got her blade up in time to block. The impact sent vibrations up her arm.


    It hurt. It really hurt.


    [Right. We can¡¯t actually be killed by these things, but they hurt. A lot. Plus, if we¡¯re beaten, we might be mind-controlled or whatever by the Tide after.]


    She spun away from the attack, using her smaller size to her advantage. Diana¡¯s training sessions kicked in as she ducked under another swing and thrust her rapier through the water warrior¡¯s chest.


    Instead of collapsing into a puddle, the warrior merely stumbled back, the hole in its chest slowly closing.


    [Great. They can regenerate.]


    The second and third warriors advanced together. Grace activated her Stardust Veil, the silver arm guard extending to deflect a strike that would have taken her head off. She remembered Seraph¡¯s lessons about fighting multiple opponents¡ªkeep moving, make them get in each other¡¯s way, never get cornered.


    Grace danced between the warriors, her blade flashing as she struck wherever she could. But each wound she inflicted healed almost immediately.


    [This isn¡¯t working. I need to find their weak spot.]


    Petriel had backed against the wall, hands glowing with healing energy, ready to help if Grace got hurt. The third warrior noticed her and changed direction, moving to attack.


    "No!" Grace threw herself between them, slashing furiously at the warrior. Her blade connected with its arm, slicing clean through, but another one formed instantly from the water at its feet.


    The Level 45 warrior still hadn¡¯t moved. It just watched, like it was studying her.


    [Wait. The pearl. Maybe...]


    Grace dove between two warriors, rolling across the wet floor and coming up next to the pedestal. The pearl pulsed with blue light as she reached for it.


    "Grace, wait!" Petriel called out.


    Too late. Her fingers closed around the Tide¡¯s Tear.


    The world went white.


    Grace stood on a beach. But not just any beach¡ªit was the same one from her dream with Eternia and The Tide. Except this time, she was alone.


    No, not alone. A man stood at the water¡¯s edge, staring out at the ocean. He wore ancient-looking armor, his helmet tucked under one arm.


    "You¡¯re not what I expected," he said without turning.


    "Who are you?" Grace asked, approaching slowly.


    "Captain Maren of the Wave Guard." Now he turned, and Grace saw his face was older than his voice suggested, lined with scars and weathered by salt air. "Or I was, a very long time ago."


    "You¡¯re one of those water warriors."


    He smiled sadly.


    "What¡¯s left of us. We served the Lady of the Sea faithfully in life. In death, she gave us purpose."


    "The Tide," Grace said. "She turned you into those... things."


    "She saved us," he corrected. "When I was alive, I was alone. A soldier with no family, no home beyond the barracks. The sea was the only constant in my life."


    Grace felt a pang of empathy. She knew what it was like to be alone, to have nothing but a small farm and memories of dead parents.


    "The Tide gave us a community," Maren continued. "When we died, she gathered our souls and gave us form. We protect her treasures, guard her temples. We belong to something greater than ourselves."


    "But she¡¯s hurting people now," Grace argued. "Turning villagers into water creatures against their will."


    Maren¡¯s expression darkened.


    "She is lonely. Can you understand that? To exist for eons, to be used as a vessel for another¡¯s unwanted emotions, and then to be abandoned?"


    Grace couldn¡¯t say she understood those circumstances exactly, but she could certainly imagine it wasn¡¯t good.


    "The Tide¡¯s Tear," Grace said, redirecting the conversation. "What does it do?"


    "It was a gift," Maren replied. "From Eternia to The Tide. A token of affection, meant to ease her loneliness when Eternia couldn¡¯t be with her."


    "Can it control her?"


    Maren laughed.


    "Control? No. The Tear connects with her. It allows whoever holds it to share in her emotions, to understand her pain. And perhaps, if used with compassion, to ease it."


    Grace looked down, suddenly aware she was still holding the pearl, even in this vision.


    "You feel it, don¡¯t you?" Maren asked. "Her loneliness. Her abandonment."


    Grace did feel it¡ªa vast, yawning emptiness that seemed to have no bottom.  sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She¡¯s not evil," Maren said softly. "Just... wounded beyond what most can comprehend."


    "Being ¡¯wounded¡¯ has cost a lot of people their lives here."


    "That tends to happen," he shrugged. "Hurt people usually hurt other people."


    Grace sighed.


    "I need to stop her from transforming any more villagers," Grace said. "Do you have any tips?"


    "Help her. The connection works both ways."


    The vision began to fade, Maren¡¯s form becoming transparent.


    [That wasn¡¯t as useful as I hoped it would be.]


    Grace gasped as the world snapped back into focus. She was on her knees by the pedestal, the Tide¡¯s Tear clutched in her hand. The water warriors stood frozen in place, watching her.


    "Grace?" Petriel was at her side, hands glowing with healing light. "Are you alright? You collapsed and I couldn¡¯t reach you!"


    "I¡¯m fine," Grace said, standing shakily. "I had a... vision. I spoke with one of them." She nodded toward the water warriors.


    As if hearing her, the warriors suddenly dissolved, collapsing into puddles that flowed back into the shallow pools around the pedestal.


    "They¡¯re... letting us go?" Petriel asked, bewildered.


    "I think so," Grace said, looking down at the pearl. "For now, anyway."


    It felt warm in her hand, pulsing with gentle blue light. She could still feel the echo of The Tide¡¯s loneliness, a hollow ache that resonated with her own memories of isolation on her turnip farm.


    [You already know how... WAIT, was he talking about sex!? Because that seems to be the answer to everything lately.]


    "We should get out of here," Grace said, tucking the pearl into a pouch at her belt. "The tide will be coming in soon. The, uh, actual tide, not the Tide."


    Petriel nodded, but as they turned to leave, she suddenly grabbed Grace¡¯s arm.


    "Um... before we go back..." Her golden eyes were wide, cheeks flushed pink. "Maybe we should... celebrate? A little?"


    "..."


    Grace blinked.


    "Celebrate?" Her voice came out several pitches higher than usual.


    And, instead of answering, Petriel grabbed Grace¡¯s robes and pulled her in, pressing their lips together in the filthiest kiss Grace had ever experienced. Petriel¡¯s tongue slid into her mouth, exploring with an eagerness that made Grace¡¯s knees weak.


    When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard.


    "I¡¯ve been wanting to do that since you rescued me from those water zombies," Petriel admitted, her voice breathier than usual, still holding onto Grace tightly.


    Grace¡¯s brain had short-circuited. All she could do was nod and say:


    "We should... definitely stay and, uh, make sure there are no more water zombies. Uh, you know, so they don¡¯t come out and attack anyone. Uh, not here though. Maybe by the entrance?"


    Petriel smiled, and it was a smile Grace had never seen on her face before. A very confident smile.


    "Definitely," Petriel agreed.


    The pearl pulsed warmly against Grace¡¯s hip as they made their way out of the temple, reminding her of the connection she now shared with The Tide. She¡¯d have to figure out how to use it soon.


    But first, she had some "celebrating" to do.

 Chapter 91: Hands-On Training

    Chapter 91: Hands-On Training"So what exactly does this thing do?" Petriel asked, her wings flapping lazily as they flew back to camp.


    Grace, who had the dumbest grin on her face for the last ten minutes, held the Tide¡¯s Tear up to the sunlight. The pearl glowed with an inner blue light, swirling patterns dancing around inside it like tiny ocean currents.


    "No idea," she admitted.


    "Huh!?"


    "Uh..."


    [Let me check.]


    Grace focused on the artifact, willing the System to tell her something actually useful for once. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡¸Item Acquired: The Tide¡¯s Tear¡¹


    ¡¸Ancient artifact connected to The Tide¡¯s consciousness¡¹


    ¡¸Effect: Allows communication with and potential influence over The Tide¡¯s domain¡¹


    ¡¸Warning: Power varies based on user¡¯s connection to The Tide¡¹


    "Well?" Petriel asked, golden eyes big with curiosity. "Do you feel anything?"


    "Uh..." Grace tried very hard to act like she was manifesting some magic in front of her. "Something about communication and influence over The Tide¡¯s domain. I-I think."


    Grace tucked the pearl into her pouch.


    They flew in comfortable silence for a while, both still flushed from their "celebration" in the temple. Grace couldn¡¯t help stealing glances at Petriel¡¯s profile against the blue sky. The shy healer had surprised her. Several times, actually.


    [Who knew Petriel had such a talented tongue? And those fingers... Eternia¡¯s boobs, those fingers...]


    "There¡¯s the camp," Petriel pointed toward the shore where they¡¯d set up base.


    They descended, wings creating small whirlwinds of sand as they touched down. The camp was weirdly quiet.


    "Meridian?" Grace called out.


    Nothing.


    "Diana?"


    Still nothing.


    [Great. They¡¯re either dead or having sex. Fifty-fifty chance at this point.]


    They walked toward the shore, where they spotted Meridian sitting cross-legged on a rock, furiously scribbling in one of her endless scrolls. Her blue hair was tied back, and she had that constipated look she always got when she was deep in scholarly thought.


    "Meridian," Grace said, approaching the nerd. "We found it. The Tide¡¯s Tear."


    Meridian looked up, blinking like someone who¡¯d forgotten what sunlight was.


    "Excellent. I need to document its physical properties immediately." She reached for the pearl, but Grace held it back.


    "Where¡¯s Diana?"


    Meridian¡¯s eyes darted toward a cluster of rocks further down the beach. She pointed with her quill.


    "Your warrior friend is... busy with the locals."


    Now that Grace focused, she could hear it¡ªmoaning. Lots of moaning, punctuated by occasional squeals of delight and what sounded suspiciously like Diana¡¯s signature laugh.


    [Of course she is. I¡¯m out risking my life for a magic pearl while she¡¯s having a... beach orgy. Typical Diana.]


    Grace sighed and headed toward the sounds, Petriel trailing behind her. They rounded the rocks to find exactly what Grace expected: Diana, gloriously naked as usual, surrounded by three village women in various states of undress.


    "You have GOT to be kidding me," Grace muttered.


    Diana looked up, not even pretending to be embarrassed. Her face broke into a wide grin.


    "Heeey, you¡¯re back! And still alive! That¡¯s a win." She patted one of the village women on the ass. "Give me a minute, ladies."


    The women giggled and began gathering their clothes, shooting admiring glances at both Grace and Petriel. One whispered something to another, both looking at Grace¡¯s white hair and golden eyes with obvious interest. Grace ducked her head, embarrassed.


    Diana stood, not bothering to put on any clothes as she walked toward them. Grace had to actively pull her eyes away from the beads of sweat rolling down her toned body.


    "So? Did you find it?"


    Grace pulled out the pearl.


    "The Tide¡¯s Tear. I think it¡¯s supposed to let us communicate with The Tide, maybe even control her domain."


    Diana whistled, genuinely impressed.


    "Wow. Nice work, rookie."


    "Thanks." Grace tucked the pearl away. "I see you¡¯ve been keeping busy."


    Diana shrugged, completely shameless.


    "Eh, figured I¡¯d make this my application for the Love Sisters, you know? Keeping morale up. These village women were worried about their friends and family. I helped them relax."


    "With... your thing?" Grace wasn¡¯t even sure why she asked. Maybe she was sub-consciously curious.


    "This?" Diana created her divine construct absent-mindedly. That light-dick of hers.


    "Y-Yeah."


    "Ah, well, this is just a little trick Venus taught me. Actual ¡¯morale-booster¡¯ technique, funny enough. Super handy."


    "I¡¯m sure," Grace said dryly. "Anyway, we should probably call a meeting, figure out how to use this thing before the new moon."


    "Absolutely," Diana agreed. "Right after you finish your training."


    Grace froze halfway through turning to leave, looking back.


    "My what now?"


    Suddenly, Diana¡¯s hand landed on her shoulder, spinning her back around. The warrior angel stood way too close, that construct of hers pressing against Grace¡¯s robes.


    [Oh. Oh shoot. That¡¯s... warm.]


    "Your training," Diana repeated, voice dropping to a husky whisper, grinning. "You¡¯ve practiced on village women, but if you¡¯re going to be taking on the Tide, you¡¯re gonna need more techniques, aren¡¯t ya?"


    Grace¡¯s mouth went dry as Diana guided her hand to the glowing construct between her legs. Her eyes widened. It felt solid, warm, and weirdly alive under her fingers.


    "Don¡¯t you want more training? The new moon¡¯s only two days away."


    Grace gulped, her heart racing. Petriel stood a few feet away, watching with those big, innocent eyes that Grace now knew were anything but innocent.


    Her Love attribute hummed through her veins like a drug, and her fingers tightened around Diana¡¯s glowing cock. At least, that was what Grace decided she¡¯d be blaming for this.


    [Well... practice makes perfect, right?]


    She swallowed.


    "How does this technique work exactly?" Grace asked, trying to sound professional despite the heat flooding her cheeks.


    Diana¡¯s grin turned predatory.


    "Oh, I think it¡¯ll be easier if I just show you."


    "EEK!"


    She wrapped an arm around Grace¡¯s waist, pulling her closer. Her lips brushed against Grace¡¯s ear.


    "Unless you¡¯re scared?"


    Grace looked away, glaring at nothing as her face reddened further.


    "I-I¡¯m not scared of anything."


    "Good answer." Diana¡¯s free hand slid down to Grace¡¯s ass, squeezing appreciatively. "Petriel, you joining us or watching?"


    Petriel¡¯s face turned scarlet.


    "I... um... I..."


    Eventually, though, she walked forward a couple of steps.


    Diana threw her head back and laughed.


    [Is this what Venus feels like all the time? No wonder she¡¯s always smiling.]


    Grace couldn¡¯t argue with that internal assessment. Between her increased Love attribute and Diana¡¯s "lessons," she was slowly becoming someone her former turnip-farmer self wouldn¡¯t recognize.


    And she didn¡¯t mind as much as she thought she would.


    "Fine," Grace said, trying to sound put-upon despite the heat building between her legs. "But this is strictly educational. For the mission."


    "Of course," Diana agreed, not even trying to hide her smirk. "Purely professional."


    Grace rolled her eyes.


    "You¡¯re so annoying."


    "And yet, you¡¯re still holding my dick," Diana pointed out, still grinning like an idiot.


    Grace looked down. She was, in fact, still gripping Diana¡¯s glowing light-cock. And she wasn¡¯t letting go.


    "Fine," she sighed. "Lead the way, Professor- H-HEY!"


    Diana swept Grace off her feet and carried her, one arm under her legs and one hand on her back. Her laugh was warm and rich as she guided them toward a sheltered cove hidden behind the rocks.


    "Oh, I like that. You can call me Professor while I teach you all about handling divine rods."


    "I¡¯m not calling you Professor ever again," Grace muttered.


    Wanting to focus on anything except what was happening, she thought of the mission.


    [Two days until the new moon. Two days to figure out this pearl. Two days to prepare to face The Tide.]


    But right now, as Diana led her and Petriel toward a secluded spot behind the rocks, Grace couldn¡¯t bring herself to worry about any of that. Right now, there was just this moment, this feeling, this burning desire to... well, educate herself, of course.


    After all, if she was going to seduce a primordial water entity, she needed all the practice she could get.


    [Eternia, what have you gotten me into?]


    As Diana pulled her into the hidden cove, Grace saw the blankets already laid out on the sand. Diana had clearly been planning this. That, or she¡¯d already brought someone here.


    "What the hell is this?"


    Diana winked.


    "I had faith in you and Petriel. And I figured we¡¯d have something to celebrate."


    "Is that what we¡¯re calling it now? Celebrating?"


    There was, of course, a "who am I to talk?" that flashed through her skull given what she¡¯d been doing with Petriel earlier, but still.


    "Call it whatever you want, shortie," Diana said, putting Grace down, her hands already working at the ties of Grace¡¯s robe. "Training. Celebrating. Fucking. It¡¯s all good to me."


    Petriel¡¯s fingers joined Diana¡¯s, and Grace found herself surrounded by eager hands, her protests dying on her lips.


    [Maybe the turnip farm wasn¡¯t so bad after all. At least there, I didn¡¯t have to worry about dying from... sexual exhaustion.]


    But as Diana¡¯s mouth found hers, and Petriel¡¯s lips traced a path down her neck, Grace knew there was no going back. And honestly? She wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to.

 Chapter 92: Bright Ideas*

    Chapter 92: Bright Ideas*"Oh c-crap," Grace¡¯s legs trembled as Diana pounded into her from behind, the glowing light-dick hitting spots Grace didn¡¯t even know she had. In a few hours, Grace would be very, very embarrassed about how she was acting right now, and annoyed at Diana¡¯s smug face. But that was a problem for Future Grace to deal with. "Diana! Right there!"


    Diana¡¯s hands gripped Grace¡¯s hips with bruising force, pulling her back to meet each thrust.


    The slap of skin against skin echoed through the tent, mixing with Grace¡¯s increasingly desperate moans.


    "You like that, rookie?" Diana growled, giving Grace¡¯s ass a sharp smack that made her yelp.


    "Y-yes!"


    Again, a problem for Future Grace.


    Grace¡¯s arms gave out, her face pressing into the bedroll while her ass remained in the air. Diana just adjusted her angle and kept going, her divine construct somehow hitting even deeper.


    [I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t think...]


    With one final, brutal thrust, Diana pushed Grace over the edge. Grace¡¯s vision went white as pleasure crashed through her, her entire body convulsing.


    "DIANA!"


    Several minutes later, Grace stared at the ceiling, limbs splayed like a starfish, her body still twitching with aftershocks.


    Diana had just finished railing her for the¡ªfourth time? Fifth? She¡¯d lost count somewhere after Diana bent her over a random rock and fucked her until her legs gave out.


    "You still with me, rookie?" Diana smacked Grace¡¯s butt. Her voice sounded way too amused for someone who¡¯d just pounded another person¡¯s brains out.


    Grace managed a grunt that might have been "yes" or might have been "please call a healer, I think you broke something inside me." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bedroll shifted as Diana flopped down beside her.


    That was new. Usually, Diana would just get up, pat whoever she had sex with on the head like a puppy who¡¯d learned a new trick, and swagger off to find her next victim¡ªer, partner.


    "You¡¯re getting better," Diana said, stretching her arms above her head, boobs bouncing with the movement. "That thing you did with your hips? Nice improvisation."


    "Thanks," Grace mumbled into the pillow. "I learned from a pro."


    Diana laughed, the sound warming Grace¡¯s chest in a way that had nothing to do with sex.


    "I am pretty amazing, aren¡¯t I?"


    "And so humble."


    They lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound their gradually slowing breaths. Grace felt her curiosity bubble up.


    "Can I ask you something?"


    "You just did."


    Grace rolled her eyes.


    "About that... thing you make." She gestured vaguely toward Diana¡¯s crotch.


    "My cock~?" Diana raised an eyebrow.


    "Yeah. That."


    Diana grinned and sat up.


    "What about it?"


    "How does it work? I mean, I know it¡¯s made of divine light, but..."


    With a casual flick of her wrist, Diana materialized it again¡ªa perfect golden shaft between her legs, glowing softly in the dim tent.


    "Light manipulation. Like I said before, Venus taught me the basics, but I improved on the design." Diana ran her fingers along its length like she was showing off a prize-winning vegetable. "The trick is to make it solid while keeping it sensitive."


    Grace propped herself up on her elbows, fascinated despite her exhaustion.


    "You can feel it?"


    "Every inch. That¡¯s the fun part," Diana winked. "Why do you think I enjoy using it so much? It¡¯s connected to my senses. When I¡¯m inside someone, I feel everything."


    "Huh." Grace reached out, poking it. Diana¡¯s sharp intake of breath and "whoa, still sensitive" confirmed she was telling the truth. "That¡¯s actually pretty cool."


    [So I wasn¡¯t just getting screwed¡ªI was getting screwed by something she could actually feel.] Grace blinked. [That¡¯s... weirdly hot.]


    "Sooo, wanna learn how to make one?"


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened.


    "I can do that?"


    "I mean, if Venus successfully taught me, I don¡¯t see why a part-time Love Sister like you can¡¯t do it." Diana shrugged. "Takes practice, though. Lots of practice."


    As if on cue, Grace¡¯s System pinged:


    ¡¸New Technique Available: Divine Extension¡¹


    ¡¸Requirements: 50 Love, Sexual Experience with Divine Light Construct¡¹


    ¡¸Current Love: 45/100¡¹


    ¡¸Learn this technique through dedicated practice with a skilled user¡¹


    [Of course there¡¯s a System notification for divine... dicks. Why wouldn¡¯t there be? What¡¯s next, a quest to suck ten of them? ¡¯Divine Fellatio: 0/10¡¯?]


    She swore she almost heard something like "don¡¯t tempt me" in the back of her head.


    Grace groaned and flopped back onto the pillow.


    "If we ¡¯practice¡¯ any more today, I won¡¯t be able to walk tomorrow. My body needs a vacation. A long one. Possibly with ice packs."


    "Fair point." Diana dismissed her light construct and stood up, stretching like a satisfied cat. "Rest up, rookie. Only two days until the new moon."


    The mention of their deadline sobered Grace instantly. Two days until she faced The Tide again. Two days to figure out how to use the pearl they¡¯d found.


    [Two days until I have to seduce a water goddess. No pressure.]


    "For what it¡¯s worth... You¡¯re not entirely hopeless, I guess."


    "I hope you¡¯re right."


    "I¡¯m always right." Diana pulled on her shorts¡ªher only concession to clothing¡ªand headed for the tent flap. "Get some sleep."


    [Sure. Sleep. Right after I regrow my spine that you just screwed out of me.]


    ---


    The afternoon sun was harsh after the dim tent.


    Grace squinted as she walked through the refugee camp, nodding to villagers who greeted her with thinly disguised awe. Word had spread about the angels¡¯ mission, and Grace¡¯s "morale boosting" activities hadn¡¯t exactly been discreet.


    [Great. Now I¡¯m the village bicycle. Venus would be so proud.]


    She spotted an elderly woman sitting outside a makeshift shelter, weaving what looked like ceremonial wreaths from seaweed and shells.


    "What are those for?" Grace asked, crouching beside her.


    The old woman looked up, her wrinkled face breaking into a gap-toothed smile.


    "For the offering, of course. The new moon celebration."


    "Celebration?" Grace¡¯s interest perked up. "What kind of celebration?"


    "Since before my grandmother¡¯s time, we¡¯ve honored Mother Ocean during the new moon. We give offerings, sing songs." She tied off another wreath. "Though this year feels different. The water calls more strongly."


    "And these wreaths are offerings?"


    The woman nodded.


    "We place them in the water at midnight. If Mother Ocean accepts them, the tide takes them away. If not..." She shrugged. "Bad fishing for a month."


    [Mother Ocean. The Tide. Same thing, different name, I¡¯m guessing. Just my luck, having to try seducing a primordial being.]


    "What happens during this celebration, exactly?"


    "Oh, the usual. Singing, dancing. Then at midnight, we all go to the shore. The elders speak the ancient words, and we give our offerings." The woman¡¯s eyes clouded. "Some say... some say Mother Ocean will take more than wreaths this time."


    A chill ran down Grace¡¯s spine.


    "What do you mean?"


    "People have been having dreams. Dreams of walking into the sea. Becoming one with the water." The old woman¡¯s hands trembled. "My daughter had such dreams. Then her lips turned blue, and she walked into the waves three days ago."


    [... Fuck.]


    Grace placed a gentle hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder.


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    "Will you help us, angel? Will you stop Mother Ocean from taking us all?"


    "I¡¯ll try," Grace promised. "I¡¯ll do everything I can."


    [Even if that means fucking a water spirit or whatever. Which, given my recent track record, seems increasingly likely.]


    Standing, Grace surveyed the camp. She spotted Petriel tending to a child with a scraped knee, her gentle healing light glowing around her hands. But Meridian was nowhere to be seen.


    [Wait a minute.]


    Grace approached Petriel after she finished with the child.


    "Have you seen Meridian?"


    Petriel looked up, her golden eyes troubled.


    "She said she wanted to examine the temple we found. To look for more information about the artifact."


    "Alone?" Grace¡¯s heart sank. "When did she leave?"


    "About an hour ago. She insisted she¡¯d be fine." Petriel bit her lip. "I tried to stop her, but you know how she gets when she¡¯s pursuing knowledge."


    [Crap. Super crap. The biggest crap. Why is Meridian so fucking stupid for someone so smart?]


    Grace sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Just what they needed¡ªtheir scholar wandering into The Tide¡¯s territory alone, probably scribbling notes while water zombies circled her.


    "I should go after her."


    Petriel nodded.


    "I thought you might say that. Should I come with you?"


    Grace considered it. On one hand, having Petriel¡¯s healing abilities might be useful. On the other, if something happened to both of them...


    "No. Stay here with Diana. If we¡¯re not back by sunset, tell her what happened."


    [And tell her it¡¯s not my fault Meridian has the self-preservation instincts of a lemming.]


    "Be careful," Petriel said, squeezing Grace¡¯s hand. "The Tide might be watching somehow."


    "Counting on it," Grace said grimly.


    She spread her wings and took to the sky, hoping she wasn¡¯t too late to stop Meridian from doing something stupid. Or worse, becoming the Tide¡¯s newest blue-lipped recruit.


    [Just one day. Can we go just one day without a crisis?]


    Apparently not. Grace really couldn¡¯t be asked.

 Chapter 93: Caught in the Currents

    Chapter 93: Caught in the CurrentsGrace¡¯s wings flapped hard as she approached the temple entrance.


    Her body ached in places she hadn¡¯t known existed before Diana¡¯s light-dick marathon. Her thighs burned, her back was sore, and the place between her legs felt like it had been through a divine war.


    [Walking would¡¯ve been a mistake. Flying hurts less. My poor kitty needs a spa day. And therapy. And possibly an ice pack the size of... well, me.]


    She landed awkwardly on the wet stone, wincing as her thighs protested. The temple entrance gaped like a hungry maw, dark and wet. Water trickled down the walls, more than before. The tide was rising.


    "Meridian?" Grace called, summoning her Blade of Dawn for light. "Uh, are you in here?"


    No answer. Just the echo of water dripping from stone.


    [Of course she wouldn¡¯t answer. That would be convenient. And nothing about this mission has been convenient. Not the water zombies, not the horny goddess, and definitely not Meridian¡¯s academic death wish.]


    Grace stepped inside, blade held high. The golden light lit up the ancient corridors, casting creepy shadows along the walls. The air smelled of salt and age and something else¡ªa faint sweet scent like flowers blooming underwater. Now that she wasn¡¯t fighting for her life or feeling up Petriel, she noticed details she¡¯d missed before.


    Carvings lined the walls. Not just the wave patterns they¡¯d noticed earlier, but scenes from daily life. People¡ªor angels¡ªworking, playing, worshipping. And between those normal scenes were others... Far less innocent ones.


    [Oh wow.]


    Grace stopped at a particularly graphic carving. Two figures tangled together in a position that looked physically impossible. Unless you had wings for balance. One figure was clearly Eternia, her distinctive features unmistakable even in stone. The other appeared to be some kind of water being, their body flowing around Eternia¡¯s in ways that defied normal anatomy.


    Grace sighed.


    [My goddess really is something else.]


    More carvings followed as she went deeper. Eternia featured prominently in many, recognizable by her features¡ªthe same features Grace saw in the mirror. In some, the goddess was healing the sick. In others, she was battling strange creatures.


    And in quite a few, she was ravaging or being ravaged by various beings. One carving showed Eternia taking three different beings at once¡ªone on her dick, one riding her face, and a third that seemed to be made entirely of tentacles wrapped around her entire body.


    [ No wonder The Tide has tentacles.]


    A splash up ahead made Grace freeze. She raised her blade higher, spotting something moving through a shallow pool. A water creature, smaller than the knights they¡¯d fought, slithered away at her approach. It looked like a cross between a snake and an eel, with glowing blue spots along its transparent body.


    "Great. More friends. Just what I needed today."


    Grace continued forward, passing through a section of the temple they hadn¡¯t explored before. The corridors widened into what might have been living quarters once. Stone beds with rotted fabric. Tables with ancient, disintegrated food. A civilization frozen in time.


    She paused at one room that seemed like it had been some kind of bedroom. A large stone platform that must have been a bed dominated the space. Chains were still attached to each corner, rusted but intact. The walls were covered in more of those explicit carvings.


    [What am I even looking at?]


    On a table in the next room, looking super out of place among the ancient debris, sat a journal bound in blue leather.


    [Meridian¡¯s. That nerd would bring a journal to her own execution. Probably take notes while getting stabbed. ¡¯The knife appears to be entering my abdomen at approximately 3.7 inches per second. Fascinating!¡¯]


    Grace picked it up, flipping it open. The latest entry was from earlier that day:


    Temple offers unprecedented opportunity for research. Pearl¡¯s properties require additional context. Cannot wait for others. Academic discovery waits for no one.


    "Seriously?" Grace slapped the journal shut. "She didn¡¯t even get mind-controlled. She just wanted to nerd out alone."


    She stuffed the journal into her robes and pressed on, muttering about scholars with death wishes and the stupid risks they take for dusty old knowledge.


    The air grew damper as she continued, the sound of running water louder. The stone floor beneath her feet was slick now, forcing her to walk carefully. Twice she nearly slipped, catching herself on the wall at the last second.


    The corridor ended at a massive circular chamber¡ªnot the one with the pearl, but something bigger. A dome held up by columns rose above a pool of water that took up most of the floor. The water glowed with a creepy blue light, and the room hummed with energy, making the hair on Grace¡¯s arms stand up.


    Suspended above that pool was Meridian.


    "..." Grace¡¯s eyes bulged out of their sockets.


    The scholar hung in the air, held up by see-through blue tentacles that wrapped around her limbs. Her robes were gone, her naked body on full display as more tentacles explored her mouth, between her legs, basically everywhere. Her blue hair was slick with water, plastered to her face and neck. Her eyes were half-closed, her body limp.


    "Meridian!" Grace shouted.


    A familiar chuckle echoed through the chamber. The water in the pool rose, shaping itself into The Tide¡¯s curvy form. Today she looked even more like Eternia¡ªlike Grace¡ªexcept for those creepy black eyes. Her watery body glistened in the blue light, curves shifting and flowing like she couldn¡¯t decide on a final form.


    "You¡¯re early," The Tide said, her voice rippling like water over stones. "Our appointment isn¡¯t until the new moon."


    Grace raised her blade.


    "Let her go."


    "I think not." The Tide stroked a watery finger along one of the tentacles shoved inside Meridian. The scholar moaned around the appendage in her mouth, her body shuddering visibly. "She came to me willingly, seeking knowledge. I¡¯m simply providing... hands-on education."


    "This isn¡¯t education! It¡¯s kidnapping!"


    The Tide¡¯s expression hardened. Water droplets around her began to vibrate, the gentle rippling of the pool turning choppy and agitated.


    "Like you would understand the difference. You who came to me under false pretenses, claiming to be alone when you brought that warrior."


    [Crap. She¡¯s still pissed about that.]


    "That was... a misunderstanding," Grace said, taking a step forward. Her boot slipped slightly on the wet stone.


    The tentacles around Meridian tightened, making her whimper around the tentacle gagging her. Another tentacle emerged from the pool, wrapping around Meridian¡¯s throat.


    "Stay where you are," The Tide warned. "I¡¯ve waited millennia for your return. I can wait two more days for our proper reunion."


    "And Meridian? What about her?" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Tide smiled, cold and mean.


    "She¡¯s my guest until then. My very willing, very vocal guest." She ran a watery finger down Meridian¡¯s spine. "Consider it punishment for your deception."


    Grace tightened her grip on her sword.


    She could attack, but in a chamber full of water? Against The Tide¡¯s full power? With Meridian as a hostage?


    [Not sure this is a fight I can win. At least, not right now.]


    "Let her go," Grace tried again. "Uh, take me instead."


    "Oh, I will have you." The Tide¡¯s voice darkened with promise. "But on the new moon, as agreed. When you come alone and surrender yourself properly."


    One of the tentacles around Meridian thrust deeper, making the scholar arch her back and moan. The sound echoed off the chamber walls.


    "Until then," The Tide continued, "your friend and I will get better acquainted. You¡¯re dismissed."


    Grace stood frozen, rage and helplessness fighting inside her. The Tide clearly wasn¡¯t going to negotiate. And Meridian...


    Meridian¡¯s eyes had rolled back, her body no longer struggling but moving with the tentacles¡¯ rhythm. Her hips thrust forward to meet each penetration, her hands clenching and unclenching in their watery restraints.


    "Two days," The Tide said, turning her attention fully to Meridian. "Come alone, or I keep her forever."


    Water rose around The Tide¡¯s form, hiding both her and Meridian from view. When it receded, they were gone, leaving only the empty pool. The blue glow faded, plunging the chamber into darkness except for Grace¡¯s blade.


    "UGH!" Grace shouted, disappearing her blade. The calm diplomatic approach had failed and now Meridian was paying the price for Grace¡¯s earlier deception.


    [Guess I really will have to seduce her to save the day. What even is my life anymore?]


    She trudged back through the temple, plans forming and discarding themselves in her mind.


    The Tide wanted Eternia. Wanted what only Eternia had given her before¡ªconnection, understanding, pleasure. Based on that memory Grace had experienced, the goddess had used sex to calm The Tide before.


    Maybe Grace could do the same. But better. More thoroughly. Enough to secure Meridian¡¯s release and the village¡¯s safety, at least.


    The walk back felt longer somehow, the temple corridors stretching endlessly. By the time Grace reached the entrance, her emotions had cycled through anger, fear, and determination at least three times.


    Outside the temple, the sun was setting, painting the sky orange and red. Two days until the new moon. Two days to prepare for the most important seduction of her life.


    [Diana, I¡¯m going to need a lot more training. Like, a LOT more.]

 Chapter 94: Golden Opportunity

    Chapter 94: Golden OpportunitySo, if Grace was going to save the town, and also save Meridian now that she¡¯d pretty much decided to trap herself, she needed to learn more abilities.


    And that meant...


    "Focus on the energy flow," Diana said, with the stupidest grin, sitting cross-legged opposite Grace. "Imagine the light taking shape."


    Grace closed her eyes, concentrating on the divine energy swirling through her body. After telling Diana about Meridian getting tentacle-napped, Diana had immediately insisted on speeding up her training. No time for breaks when your nerdy acquaintance was getting probed by a water spirit.


    "I¡¯m trying," Grace muttered. "It¡¯s not working."


    "Cause you¡¯re thinking too hard." Diana reached forward, tapping Grace¡¯s forehead. "It¡¯s not up here." Her finger trailed down Grace¡¯s body, stopping right at her crotch. "It¡¯s down there. Feel it."


    [Feel it. Super helpful advice. What am I supposed to do? Masturbate this thing into existence!?]


    "Maybe if you demonstrated again," Grace suggested, hoping to buy some time.


    Diana grinned.


    "Nice try. You¡¯ve seen it plenty. Now make your own. Seriously, it¡¯s not bad. Just... treat it like any other ability."


    Grace sighed and closed her eyes again. She pictured the divine light, golden and warm, gathering between her legs. Forming, solidifying, becoming...


    "Holy shit," Diana said.


    Grace opened her eyes and looked down. Between her legs, a small golden glow had appeared. Not quite a glowing light penis, more like a...


    Well, a sad little glowing blob.


    "It¡¯s... something, right?" Grace said, trying not to feel like a total failure.


    "I... guess. A tiny carrot is better than nothing, I suppose." Diana leaned forward, examining Grace¡¯s pathetic creation with way too much interest. "Try again. Think about the shape you want. Be specific."


    [Specific? Okay. Well... I¡¯ve only ever seen one of those in light form, not exactly my cup of tea, but I maybe I should try to imagine Diana¡¯s? Best idea I¡¯ve got, really.]


    Grace focused harder. The blob elongated slightly, taking on a more recognizable form. Still looked like a weird glow-worm, but at least now it had direction. A certain sense of purpose to it.


    "Better," Diana nodded a bit, still smirking. "Now, think about how it connects to you. How you want to feel through it."


    Grace channeled more energy, picturing the divine construct as an extension of herself. The glow brightened, the shape became more defined. She could almost feel it now, like a phantom limb.


    "I¡¯m doing it!" Grace exclaimed, then immediately lost concentration. The half-formed light-dick fizzled out like a sad birthday candle.


    "Crap."


    Diana laughed.


    "Not bad for a first day. It took me weeks to make one that didn¡¯t immediately disappear."


    "We don¡¯t have weeks." Grace stood up, stretching her stiff legs. "The new moon is tomorrow night."


    "Then we practice more today." Diana rose too, creating her own light-dick with casual ease, like she was just flexing a muscle, sticking her tongue between her teeth. Grace blushed and looked away. "The trick is maintaining it while doing other things. Like fighting, or fucking, or¡ª"


    A loud commotion from the village interrupted her. Shouts and the unmistakable sound of wings.


    Lots of wings.


    "Oh great. Now what?" Grace groaned.


    [Because we definitely needed more complications right now.]


    They hurried outside their tent to find a squad of blue-robed angels landing in the village square. Ten of them, all with the distinctive blue wings of the Ascended Choir, all looking ready for battle (and a good book club).


    [Great. Just what we need...] Grace grimaced. [Divine nerds with attitude.]


    "What the hell is this?" Diana muttered.


    The lead angel, a tall woman with short silver hair and piercing blue eyes, stepped forward. Her face was all sharp angles and disapproval, like she¡¯d just caught someone scoffing at a sacred text.


    "I am Variel, Captain of the Ascended Choir Guard. We received a distress signal from our faction leader, Scholar Meridian."


    Grace and Diana exchanged looks.


    "Distress signal?" Grace asked.


    Variel nodded curtly.


    "All Choir members carry emergency beacons. Meridian¡¯s activated approximately three hours ago."


    [Well, at least she tried to call for help before getting herself tentacle-captured. Maybe she¡¯s not a complete idiot after all. Just a partial one.]


    "You¡¯re too late," Grace said. "The Tide has her."


    The angels tensed, hands moving to weapons. Variel¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "Explain."


    Grace gave them the abbreviated version: The Tide, the underwater temple, Meridian¡¯s capture, the countdown to the new moon. She left out the part about The Tide¡¯s tentacles exploring every hole in Meridian¡¯s body. Some details weren¡¯t relevant to the mission. Or appropriate for angel book club.


    "So your plan is to... seduce this water entity?" Variel asked, her tone suggesting Grace had proposed fighting The Tide with turnips.


    "That¡¯s right," Diana cut in, crossing her arms. Her light-dick was thankfully dismissed, but her toplessness still drew stares from several Choir angels. "Got a problem with that?"


    Ariel ignored Diana, turning back to Grace. "The Ascended Choir will join your operation."


    It wasn¡¯t a request. It was a statement, like "the sky is blue" or "Meridian is annoying."


    "Look," Grace said, "I appreciate the backup, but The Tide was clear¡ªI come alone, or Meridian gets turned into a fish person." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We have no intention of interfering with your... approach," Ariel said, the word ¡¯approach¡¯ dripping with so much distaste you could bottle it. "But we will position ourselves strategically around the village to counter any mass transformation attempt."


    Grace glanced at Diana, who shrugged.


    "Fine," Grace said. "But stay clear of the beach. I need a direct line to The Tide without any blue-winged interruptions."


    Ariel gave a stiff nod. "Agreed. Now, brief us on the current situation."


    And just like that, the Ascended Choir integrated themselves into the operation. They set up their own command post, sent scouts to monitor the sea, and generally acted like they were taking over.


    Grace rolled her eyes as she walked back to her tent.


    "You okay with this?" Diana asked, falling into step beside her.


    "Not like we have a choice," Grace replied. "At least they can help protect the villagers while I¡¯m busy with The Tide."


    "Speaking of which..." Diana nodded toward their tent. "Back to training?"


    Grace nodded, determination hardening inside her. She thought of Meridian, suspended in those watery tentacles. Of the villagers with their blue-tinted lips, ready to walk into the sea tomorrow night.


    "Let¡¯s do it."


    ---


    Three hours later, Grace stared in triumph at the fully-formed golden appendage between her legs. Not as big as Diana¡¯s¡ªshe wasn¡¯t that ambitious¡ªbut solid, glowing, and most importantly, still there after five minutes of total, complete concentration.


    And the System let her know she¡¯d done it, for confirmation.


    Love: 50/100


    ¡¸Technique Acquired: Divine Extension - Ability to create a divine phallus for application during morale boosting.


    "I did it!" She looked up at Diana, who nodded approvingly.


    "Not bad, rookie. How does it feel?"


    Grace concentrated on the sensation. It was strange¡ªlike having a new limb, sensitive and responsive. She ran a finger along its length, shuddering at the unexpected sensation that shot through her.


    Crazy.


    "Weird. But good weird. I-I don¡¯t know how to describe it."


    "Oh, I¡¯ll bet. Now for the hard part," Diana said, dropping to her knees in front of Grace. "Maintaining it while distracted."


    "What do you-"


    Before Grace could respond, Diana took the light-construct into her mouth.


    Grace¡¯s knees nearly buckled.


    "Holy¡ª"


    "Focus," Diana mumbled around her mouthful. "Don¡¯t let it disappear."


    "ACK!"


    Grace¡¯s jaw hit the floor. She grabbed Diana¡¯s shoulders, fighting to maintain the divine construct as waves of pleasure threatened to break her concentration. It was like trying to recite the alphabet while someone set your crotch on fire¡ªbut in a good way.


    She was in disbelief, to an extent. Diana felt this every time she used it? The wet heat of Diana¡¯s mouth. The sight of her head bobbing. The obscene sounds. All of it worked against Grace¡¯s concentration, threatening to shatter her focus and send her light-dick fizzling back into nothingness.


    She felt like if she used this thing often it would basically end in her losing her damn mind.


    [Don¡¯t disappear. Don¡¯t disappear. Think unsexy thoughts. Turnips. Old Lady Maple¡¯s warts. Seraph¡¯s morning breath.]


    Outside their tent, they could hear the Choir angels drilling, their voices raised in what sounded like battle hymns. The contrast between their solemn preparations and what was happening in this tent was almost funny.


    Almost.


    Because tomorrow night, it wouldn¡¯t be Diana testing Grace¡¯s focus. It would be The Tide, with Meridian¡¯s life and the village¡¯s safety on the line.


    Grace looked down at Diana, at the golden glow between them, and made herself a promise.


    [I¡¯m coming for you, Tide. And one way or another, you¡¯re going to let these people go.]


    Even if she had to have sex with a water spirit to make it happen.


    [Not exactly what I imagined when I signed up to be an angel. "Save the world with your divine penis" wasn¡¯t in the brochure but oh well.]

 Chapter 95: Divine Attraction

    Chapter 95: Divine Attraction Grace moved through the combat forms Seraph had drilled into her. Swing, parry, thrust. It was still nighttime. Her Blade of Dawn cut golden arcs through the air of the small forest clearing she¡¯d found for private practice. Sweat trickled down her spine, making her robes stick to her skin in a way that would¡¯ve been uncomfortable if she weren¡¯t so focused.


    [One more day. Just one more day until I face The Tide... Just one more day until I try to screw a water spirit into submission. No pressure. No pressure at all. Just the fate of an entire village and one reckless scholar depending on my ability to wield a magical light-dick. Totally normal angel stuff.]


    She finished the sequence with a flourish, then paused to catch her breath. Sweat soaked her hair, plastering white strands to her forehead and neck. The training felt good. Familiar and grounding amid all the chaos of the past few days.


    Once her breathing steadied, Grace dismissed her blade and focused on her newer skill. Divine energy gathered between her legs, warm and tingly, taking shape way faster than yesterday. The golden light-dick materialized with only a little concentration, solid and bright and, if she was being honest, pretty impressive.


    [Progress. Finally. Look at this thing. Diana would be proud. Hell, Eternia would be proud.]


    She ran her hand along the length of it, shivering at the sensation.


    It was hard to get over how real it felt. Solid, warm, sensitive. The first few times she¡¯d created it, it had been like having a numb appendage. Now she could feel every touch. Every stroke sent little sparks of pleasure up her spine.


    [This doesn¡¯t change much, though,] Grace thought, inhaling and exhaling. [All my techniques... I¡¯ll need to put them all to use against the Tide.]


    Grace practiced keeping the construct while doing basic combat moves. A lunge. A roll. A defensive stance. Each move threatened her concentration, but the light-dick stayed put, bobbing slightly with her movements.


    She tried a more complex maneuver¡ªa spinning attack followed by a low sweep. The light-dick wavered but remained. Grace grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. Maybe she could actually pull this off. Maybe she really could seduce a primordial water entity with her newly acquired equipment.


    "Not bad."


    Grace whirled around, the construct vanishing instantly like a shy turtle retreating into its shell. Variel stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, face unreadable. Behind her, two more Choir members watched with barely concealed "what the fuck" expressions.  Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How long have you been standing there?" Grace asked, her face heating up like an overworked furnace.


    "Long enough." Variel stepped forward, her blue wings folded neatly against her back. Her eyes flickered to the space between Grace¡¯s legs where the light-dick had been moments ago. "That¡¯s an... unconventional application of divine light manipulation."


    "But effective," Grace countered, straightening her robes and trying to look like she hadn¡¯t just been caught playing with her magical new appendage.


    "So I¡¯ve heard."


    The other Choir members whispered to each other, then departed with quick, precise movements, leaving Variel alone with Grace. One glanced back over her shoulder, eyebrows raised in a way that suggested this conversation would absolutely be gossip fodder back at their camp.


    "Did you need something?" Grace asked, trying to sound casual.


    Variel¡¯s eyes traveled over Grace with an intensity that felt almost like being touched. Her gaze lingered on Grace¡¯s chest, her lips, the curve of her hips. There was something hungry in that look¡ªsomething decidedly un-scholarly.


    "Merely observing. The Choir values knowledge above all."


    Grace wiped sweat from her brow, suddenly very aware of how her damp robes clung to her body.


    "Like Meridian."


    "Like Meridian." Variel¡¯s voice softened slightly at the name. "Though her methods are sometimes... unorthodox."


    [That¡¯s one way to say she¡¯s prone to getting herself tentacle-captured. "Unorthodox." Sure. Let¡¯s go with that.]


    "What¡¯s the deal with the Ascended Choir anyway?" Grace asked, flopping down on a fallen log. She stretched her legs, wincing at the soreness from all the "training" she¡¯d been doing. "I know you¡¯re all about knowledge, but what¡¯s your actual deal?"


    Variel hesitated, then joined Grace on the log, maintaining a careful distance between them. Not quite close enough to touch, but close enough that Grace could smell her. She smelled like mountain air and old books.


    "The Choir was founded during the early days of the Dominion. While the other sects dedicated themselves to aspects of Eternia¡¯s doctrine¡ªbravery, compassion, love¡ªwe chose to ask why."


    "Why what?"


    "Why everything. Why Eternia created us. Why she left. Why the demons exist." Variel¡¯s blue eyes flashed with a passion that transformed her usually stern face. For a moment, Grace caught a glimpse of what made Variel a good right-hand woman. That burning intensity, that certainty. "The other factions call it blasphemy. We call it wisdom."


    Grace nodded, finding herself genuinely interested despite everything else going on. She knew the answer already to some of these questions but she was curious about the Choir¡¯s answers.


    "And what have you learned?"


    "That Eternia was flawed. That her absence wasn¡¯t divine plan, but abandonment." Variel¡¯s voice stayed neutral, but her hands clenched into fists, knuckles white with tension. "The Choir seeks truth beyond faith."


    [... Eh, I guess I can see their perspective. A bit hard to counter with "actually, she was gone the whole time because she was busy charging up power to make me". I don¡¯t think many people would buy that.]


    "That¡¯s why Meridian was so interested in the pillars," Grace realized. "Evidence of Eternia¡¯s mistakes."


    "Precisely." Variel studied Grace with new interest, her eyes tracing the contours of Grace¡¯s face like she was memorizing them. "You understand more than most."


    "I¡¯ve had some... insights."


    They sat in silence for a moment. A bird called somewhere in the forest. The wind rustled through the leaves. And all the while, Grace became increasingly aware of how Variel¡¯s gaze lingered on various parts of her body. Her lips... her chest (even if there wasn¡¯t much to see there).


    [Is she checking me out???]


    There was definitely interest there, beyond scholarly curiosity. The kind of interest that usually led to making out in the archives and knocking over carefully organized scrolls.


    [Is this the Love attribute? I mean, it is 50. Is it making people attracted to me? Am I turning into some kind of angelic sex magnet? Is this what Venus deals with all the time?]


    Diana had mentioned something about divine attraction increasing with her attributes. At the time, Grace had thought it was just another of Diana¡¯s exaggerations, like when she claimed she could make a woman orgasm just by looking at her a certain way. Now she wasn¡¯t so sure.


    "I should continue training," Grace said, standing up abruptly before she did something stupid like ask if Variel wanted to try out her light-dick techniques.


    Variel rose too, way closer than strictly necessary. So close their robes brushed against each other. So close Grace could see the tiny flecks of silver in Variel¡¯s blue eyes.


    "Of course. We¡¯ll secure the perimeter for tomorrow night¡¯s encounter."


    "Thanks. Just remember¡ª"


    "Stay clear of the beach. Yes, we remember." Variel took a step back, composure returning, though her pupils remained dilated. "Good luck with your... approach, Grace Lightsinger."


    As Variel walked away, Grace couldn¡¯t help but notice how the Choir lady¡¯s hips swayed slightly. That could not possibly be standard Choir behavior. That was a Venus-worthy sway.


    [... Geez.]


    Grace shook her head and returned to her training.


    Not just her newest technique, but also her others. She wiggled her tongue the way she¡¯d learned, moved her fingers like they were inside someone. Then, she started practicing her combat, just in case things went wrong. Jump, roll, slash.


    Tomorrow night, she wouldn¡¯t just need to perform. She¡¯d need to excel. To please a spirit. To screw The Tide so thoroughly, so completely, that she¡¯d forget all about her grudge and her plans to transform the villagers. And, maybe, to fight off hordes of watery zombies too.


    [No pressure or anything.]


    Grace took a deep breath and began again. Swing, parry, thrust.


    [One way or another, I¡¯m coming for you, Tide. Whether it¡¯s with my sword, my fingers, or... my newly acquired equipment. I¡¯ll destroy the walls around your heart.]


    She put on her game face, gritting her teeth at the sky and feeling a... mild surge of determination.


    She would be ready. And, well, if she wasn¡¯t, a few more minutes of last-minute practice wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    The moons climbed higher as Grace trained, alone in the clearing but for the occasional curious bird. And if her thoughts occasionally drifted to Diana¡¯s lessons, to Petriel¡¯s lips, to Variel¡¯s unexpected interest¡ªwell, that was just part of her training too.


    Right?


    [... If Eternia had told me that running toward the fire would mean later on I¡¯d have to try seducing a water spirit, I probably would have just went back to sleep that night. Oh well.]

 Chapter 96: Expert Assistance

    Chapter 96: Expert AssistanceThe forest was eerily quiet by the time Grace trudged back to camp, muscles screaming from hours of practice. She felt like she¡¯d managed to polish up her skills, which had been the point, but she wasn¡¯t too sure she¡¯d be able to maintain her newest technique through any potential distractions.


    [Maybe I should just stick to my sword tomorrow. Less chance of it disappearing mid-thrust. "Sorry, water goddess, my magical toy just vanished inside you" isn¡¯t exactly smooth.]


    As she approached their tent, Grace heard giggles. Multiple giggles. Female giggles. The kind that definitely didn¡¯t come from discussing ancient texts or battle strategies.


    [Wait a minute...]


    She pushed open the tent flap and froze.


    Sure enough, Diana lay sprawled on a pile of bedrolls, gloriously naked as always. But she wasn¡¯t alone. Two blue-robed Choir members were with her¡ªone straddling Diana¡¯s face, her scholarly robes hiked up around her waist, the other riding Diana¡¯s right hand with enthusiastic bounces that made her boobs jiggle with each movement.


    The Choir angels didn¡¯t even notice Grace¡¯s entrance, too busy having their brains fucked out to care about audience participation. Diana, however, gave a little wave from between a pair of thighs, like this was a totally normal greeting.


    Grace had seen this exact image a number of times, of course. Not with Choir girls, no, but with Alia, Zephyr, and Petriel.


    But, this time, now, was the only time she could remember her response being... Jealousy.


    "Seriously?" Grace muttered. "I thought you Choir girls were all stuck-up knowledge snobs."


    The angel on Diana¡¯s face lifted up just enough to turn toward Grace, her face flushed and sweaty.


    "K-Knowledge takes many forms," she panted before dropping back down with a moan.


    Grace rolled her eyes so hard she nearly strained something.


    "Could you take this somewhere else? I need to rest before tomorrow."


    Diana made a muffled sound that might have been agreement or might have been "just getting started." Hard to tell with her mouth full of Choir pussy.


    Before Grace could kick them out, a sudden gust of wind blew through the camp. The tent flaps whipped around as something¡ªsomeone¡ªlanded outside with enough force to shake the ground.


    "Grace Lightsinger! Where are you, darling?"


    Grace froze, recognizing that silky voice immediately.


    [No way. No. Fucking. Way.]


    She was both excited and terrified.


    Grace stepped outside to find¡ªyep, there she was. Venus, Leader of the Sisters of Love, standing in the middle of camp.


    The angel was as stunning as ever¡ªlong black hair flowing around her perfect face, golden eyes twinkling, and of course, that body that was somehow alluring despite not being all that... bountiful.


    Every villager within eyesight was staring. One man walked right into a wooden cart.


    "Venus?" Grace gaped. "What are you doing here?"


    Venus glided forward, pulling Grace into a perfumed embrace that pressed her face directly into the Love Sister¡¯s chest. Grace¡¯s nose was buried between perky breasts that smelled like flowers... and sex.


    "I felt your need, my sweet little angel!" Venus declared, holding Grace at arm¡¯s length. "Your desire to speak with me was so strong, I simply had to come."


    [My what now? I didn¡¯t call for her. I didn¡¯t even think about her. Well, not much. Maybe that one time in the bath, but...]


    "I never called for you," Grace said, extricating herself from Venus¡¯s grip and trying not to look like she¡¯d just been motorboating one of the most beautiful angels in the Dominion.


    Venus winked.


    "Not with your voice, perhaps. But with your heart? Your body? AH, those cries reached me all the way in the Dominion."


    From inside the tent came a particularly loud moan from one of the Choir angels, followed by what sounded like "FUCK ME HARDER, WARRIOR SISTER!"


    Venus raised a perfect eyebrow.


    "Though it seems Diana has been handling your... education."


    "That¡¯s not¡ª" Grace sighed. "It¡¯s complicated."


    The Love Sister leader looked around the camp, taking in the remaining villagers, the Choir angels standing guard, the general air of impending doom.


    "You have a situation here, don¡¯t you?" Venus¡¯s voice dropped, suddenly serious. "Tell me everything."


    ---


    "A water entity with abandonment issues and tentacles," Venus mused, sipping from a cup of tea Grace had procured. They sat on a log at the edge of camp, away from curious ears. "And you plan to seduce her into releasing our scholarly friend and sparing the village?"


    "That¡¯s the plan," Grace confirmed.


    "An ambitious one." Venus studied Grace over the rim of her cup. Her golden eyes practically glowed in the darkness. "You¡¯ve been practicing Diana¡¯s light toy technique."


    It wasn¡¯t a question. Grace felt her cheeks heat up like she¡¯d stuck her face in an oven.


    "How did you know?"


    "Divine energy leaves traces." Venus set down her cup with delicate fingers. "Besides, Diana was walking around like a queen after I taught her how to do that and you¡¯ve been doing the same."


    "So will you help me?" Grace asked. "The new moon is tomorrow night, and I¡¯m¡ª"


    "Terrified? Absolutely quivering?" Venus supplied with a raised brow and a smirk.


    "I was going to say ¡¯unprepared,¡¯ but yeah, sure, that works too."


    Venus laughed, the sound like silver bells.


    "Oh, darling. You¡¯ve already made more progress than you realize."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Your potency with Love has grown dramatically since you left the Dominion." Venus leaned closer, her golden eyes searching Grace¡¯s face. Her perfume washed over Grace, making her dizzy. "I can see it radiating from you. I¡¯m sure the others feel it too. There¡¯s a certain... charged feeling in the air. Probably why those Choir angels decided to get down and dirty tonight."


    "I thought that was just Diana being Diana."


    "Oh that¡¯s certainly a factor as well," Venus conceded. "But, I mean it. Your presence... It¡¯s even got me a little riled up, hehe."


    Grace thought about Variel¡¯s lingering gazes earlier that day. About the way villagers watched her now when she walked through camp. About how even the old lady selling fish had winked at her suggestively this morning.


    And now, if Venus was saying this... Maybe something had changed.


    "A-Anyway, is that why you¡¯re really here?" she asked. "Because you ¡¯felt my desire¡¯?"


    Venus¡¯s lips curved into a mysterious smile as she put her hands up.


    "Fine, fine. You got me. Celestia sent me to check on your mission¡¯s progress. And, to be honest, I was curious myself."


    "Oh."


    She placed a warm hand on Grace¡¯s knee. Her touch sent heat spiraling up Grace¡¯s thigh.


    "And, I am glad I came. Your power is growing, little angel. But you still have much to learn about wielding it properly."


    "And... I take it you¡¯ll teach me?"


    "Of course." Venus¡¯s fingers trailed lightly up Grace¡¯s thigh, stopping just short of where Grace suddenly, desperately wanted them to go. "What good would I be as your teacher if I didn¡¯t share my knowledge?"


    Grace swallowed.


    [Why does everyone¡¯s teaching methods involve touching me? Is there a class on this? "How to Teach Grace: Step One - Put Your Hands All Over Her"?]


    "So," Venus said, pulling back and putting her hands on her hips. "Anything you¡¯d like to ask right away?"


    "Uh, yeah. What about the light... toy... thing?" Grace asked, trying to focus on the mission and not on Venus¡¯s wandering fingers. "Diana¡¯s been training me, but it¡¯s still not stable enough. It keeps disappearing."


    Venus tilted her head, confused.


    "Does it matter if it does?"


    "Huh?"


    "As much as I love the technique, you don¡¯t need that crude construct. There are many ways to please a goddess." Venus leaned in until her lips nearly brushed Grace¡¯s ear, her breath warm and sweet. "And I know them all."


    A shiver ran down Grace¡¯s spine that had nothing to do with the night air and everything to do with the way Venus¡¯s voice dropped on those last words.


    "So... uhm... you¡¯ll help me prepare for tomorrow night?" Grace whispered.


    "More than that." Venus pulled back, her expression suddenly serious. "I¡¯ll come with you."


    "What? No. The Tide was clear¡ªI come alone, or she keeps Meridian and transforms the village."


    Venus waved a dismissive hand.


    "I won¡¯t interfere directly. But I can watch from afar. Trust me. It¡¯ll be fine." Venus stood, her pink robes shimmering in the moonlight, clinging to her perfect ass as she rose. "We¡¯ll begin your final training at dawn. Rest now, Grace. You¡¯ll need your strength."


    As Venus walked away, her hips swaying hypnotically, Grace slumped against the log. First Diana, then the Choir, now Venus. Everyone wanted a piece of this mission.


    [At this rate, the entire Angelic Dominion will show up to watch me have sex with a water spirit. Maybe we should sell tickets. "Come see the former turnip farmer dick down a primordial entity! Limited seating!"]


    Grace sighed and looked up at the stars. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tomorrow (or, today, technically) she¡¯d face the Tide.


    At least now she had the Sisters of Love in her corner. For better or worse.


    [Probably worse, knowing my luck. But hey, if I¡¯m going to fail spectacularly, at least I¡¯ll have expert advice on exactly how I screwed up.]

 Chapter 97: Advanced Lessons*

    Chapter 97: Advanced Lessons*Grace sat cross-legged on a cushion.


    The villagers had offered it for Grace and Venus¡¯s "training," which was a polite way of saying "angelic sex lessons."


    [Like I don¡¯t get enough of those at the Dominion.]


    Morning sun came through a patched window, making patterns on the wooden floor. Grace¡¯s muscles hurt from yesterday¡¯s practice, and her stomach was doing gymnastics at the thought of tonight¡¯s face-off with The Tide.


    [Just hours until I have to screw a water goddess. No pressure. Just the fate of an entire village and one tentacle-loving nerd on the line.]


    The door opened. Venus glided in like a total showoff, her pink robes flowing around her perfect body. Unlike Diana, who treated clothes like they were allergic to her skin, Venus always wore something.


    And, somehow, that made her even hotter. Like how a wrapped present is more exciting than one you can already see.


    "Good morning, my little angel~" Venus¡¯s voice was like honey. "Ready for your final lesson?"


    "As ready as I¡¯ll ever be," Grace replied, stretching her stiff legs. Her joints popped in protest.


    Venus settled across from her, folding into a perfect cross-legged position while Grace felt like a pretzel trying to look like a circle.


    "Very well. Show me what Diana taught you," Venus said.


    Grace nodded, focusing hard. First of all, she went with her newest technique.


    The golden light gathered between her legs, taking shape into the now-familiar light toy. It wasn¡¯t as big as Diana¡¯s monster, but it was solid and didn¡¯t flicker out every five seconds anymore.


    "Not bad," Venus said with a smile that screamed "bless your heart." It was the same look you¡¯d give a kid showing you their potato art. "Diana always did have a... direct approach."


    "I-It might be... useful," Grace defended. "Though... To be honest, I wonder if it¡¯s even going to do anything with the Tide, but I figured I should learn it."


    The temperature in the room dropped faster than a rock off a cliff. Venus¡¯s smile stayed put, but her golden eyes turned hard.


    [Huh?]


    "Oh?" Her voice was still soft, but now it had knives hidden in it. "You think my prized technique won¡¯t be of much help?"


    Grace swallowed hard, suddenly remembering that Venus wasn¡¯t just the Dominion¡¯s Sex Goddess. She was a faction leader who could probably destroy her with a well-placed finger.


    [Me and my big mouth. Way to go, Grace.]


    "I just meant¡ª"


    "I know what you meant." Venus leaned forward, her perfect face inches from Grace¡¯s. "You think because Diana taught you a crude imitation, you understand the technique¡¯s potential."


    "No, I¡ª"


    "Let me show you how wrong you are."


    Venus stood in one fluid motion, like she was made of water herself. With a casual flick of her wrist, a light construct appeared between her legs¡ªnot gold like Diana¡¯s and Grace¡¯s, but a shimmering pink that pulsed with energy like a heartbeat.


    Grace¡¯s eyes bulged out of their sockets.


    Unlike Diana¡¯s straightforward "here¡¯s a dick" design, Venus¡¯s creation was art¡ªcurved in ways that made Grace¡¯s insides clench just looking at it, ridged in places she hadn¡¯t even considered, and radiating power that made the air buzz like it was full of horny bees.


    [Oh shit. That¡¯s... that¡¯s not a penis. That¡¯s a weapon.]


    "On your hands and knees," Venus commanded, all the flirty seduction gone from her voice.


    Grace¡¯s body moved before her brain caught up, assuming the position like she¡¯d been doing it her whole life. The rough wooden floor pressed against her palms as Venus knelt behind her.


    "Diana thinks size and strength are everything," Venus said, lifting Grace¡¯s robes with fingers that felt like they were leaving trails of fire. "So typical of the Bravery Sisters."


    Cool air hit Grace¡¯s exposed butt, followed by the warm pressure of Venus¡¯s construct against her wet entrance.


    She swallowed.


    "The Sisters of Love understand that precision¡ª" Venus pushed forward, sliding into Grace with one smooth thrust that made her see stars, "¡ªis far more effective in these matters."


    Grace¡¯s mind went blank.


    What Venus started doing to her was nothing like Diana¡¯s enthusiastic pounding. Each ridge and curve hit spots inside her that she didn¡¯t know existed. It was like Venus had a map of her insides and was hitting every "make Grace lose her mind" button at once.


    "Oh my goddess," Grace gasped, fingers scrambling on the wooden floor like she was trying to climb it.


    "Not quite," Venus corrected, her hips moving in a rhythm that seemed to bypass Grace¡¯s brain entirely and speak directly to her pussy. "I¡¯m sure Eternia could do better, but I try."


    What followed was an education, all right.


    Venus moved like water, each thrust calculated to build pleasure higher than Grace thought possible. Where Diana was all enthusiasm and power, Venus used finesse, changing angles, depth, and pressure with precision that made Grace feel like the woman had been studying her body for years.


    Grace completely lost track of time. Her world shrank to the places Venus touched her¡ªhips, back, the hand that snaked around to circle her clit. Pleasure built and crashed over her again and again, until Grace couldn¡¯t tell where one orgasm ended and the next began.


    She was pretty sure she was drooling on the floor.


    "This is how you pleasure a goddess," Venus whispered, bending over Grace¡¯s back, her breasts pressing against Grace¡¯s spine. "Not with brute force, but with worship."


    Grace couldn¡¯t respond. Words? What were those? All she could do was make weird animal noises as Venus continued her relentless lesson in advanced fucking.


    When Venus finally stopped, Grace face-planted on the floor, her body twitching like she¡¯d been electrocuted. She vaguely registered Venus lying down beside her, golden eyes watching her with the satisfaction of a cat who just knocked over a very expensive vase.


    "Do you understand now?" Venus asked, brushing sweaty hair from Grace¡¯s forehead.


    Grace managed a weak nod.


    "That was... incredible."


    Venus went quiet for a moment, her finger stopping mid-circle on Grace¡¯s back.


    "Celestia told me a story once. About Eternia and the pillars she created."


    Grace pushed herself up onto her elbows, wincing as various parts of her body complained.


    "Tell me."


    "Well, as you know, Celestia is the only angel, aside from Azrael, who spoke to Eternia in person before she vanished." Venus¡¯s voice dropped to a near whisper. "She said Eternia created the pillars as vessels for the emotions she couldn¡¯t allow herself to feel. The Tide received her loneliness."


    "I know that part," Grace said. "But what about their relationship?"


    Venus smiled, looking surprisingly sad for someone who¡¯d just fucked another person¡¯s brains out.


    "Eternia visited each pillar regularly at first. She understood that containing her emotions didn¡¯t make them disappear¡ªit just gave them form, consciousness." Venus¡¯s fingers went back to tracing patterns on Grace¡¯s skin. "The Tide was her favorite, though she¡¯d never admit it. The one she visited most often."


    "Why?"


    "Because loneliness was the emotion Eternia feared most. At least, according to Celestia. The one she couldn¡¯t bear to acknowledge in herself." Venus¡¯s golden eyes got this far-away look. "Celestia said Eternia would spend days with The Tide, showing her pleasure, connection, belonging. It was the only time Eternia dropped her masks, her divinity."


    Grace thought back to her vision¡ªEternia¡¯s fingers working between The Tide¡¯s legs, the water entity dissolving in ecstasy.


    She had a hard time believing Eternia could feel lonely. Especially given that she willingly locked herself away for so many years, just waiting until she could create Grace. And, even then, she still doesn¡¯t have the power to come back permanently.


    That was to say, if Eternia felt lonely back then, how must she feel now?


    "But then she stopped visiting," Grace guessed.


    Venus nodded.


    "The other pillars too. Eternia got... distracted. She created angels, built the Dominion. Found new playthings."


    "And The Tide was abandoned."


    "Along with her loneliness." Venus sat up, adjusting her robes that somehow still looked perfect. "Do you see now why your approach might work? The Tide doesn¡¯t want destruction. She wants what Eternia gave her¡ªconnection, pleasure, belonging."


    Grace stared at the ceiling, processing all this.


    "So I need to be like Eternia for her."


    "You already are, in many ways." Venus smiled. "But you need to understand what really drives The Tide. Not just lust, but loneliness."


    Grace pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at all the new aches. Her thighs felt like jelly.


    "I think I understand now."


    "Good." Venus stood, looking as composed as ever. "Rest. Prepare yourself. Tonight, you¡¯ll need everything I¡¯ve taught you."


    "Venus," Grace called as the Love Sister leader headed for the door. "Thank you."


    Venus paused, glancing back with a smile that looked genuinely warm beneath all the seduction.


    "Just don¡¯t tell Diana I outperformed her. You know how competitive she is."


    Grace laughed despite feeling like she¡¯d been fucked by a truck.


    "Yeah, yeah. Your secret¡¯s safe with me." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Venus left, Grace flopped back onto the floor, her body pleasantly destroyed but her mind clearer than it had been in days.


    Tonight, she would face The Tide. Not just with Diana¡¯s "pound it till it breaks" approach, but with Venus¡¯s precision.


    Not just with her body, but with understanding.

 Chapter 98: Date With Watery Destiny, Part One

    Chapter 98: Date With Watery Destiny, Part OneGrace lay spread-eagle in the grassy clearing, watching clouds drift across the darkening sky like slow-moving ships. Her white hair fanned out beneath her, probably collecting all kinds of dirt and bugs, but who cared?


    Not Grace. Not tonight.


    [So this is it,] she thought with a sigh. [Tonight I¡¯m going to get freaky with a water spirit who may or may not want to kill me out of a sense of generational bitterness... Just another day in the life of Grace Lightsinger, eh?]


    The village buzzed behind her like a kicked beehive. People nailed boards over windows and hauled their precious stuff to higher ground, prepping for the Tide¡¯s big entrance. The air tasted like salt and fear, tension thick enough to slice with her rapier.


    "I... hope you¡¯re not planning to just lie there all night," a meek voice said from above.


    Grace tilted her head back to see Petriel standing over her, green hair falling around her face like a curtain. The healer¡¯s golden eyes were doing that worried-puppy thing, but her smile was real.


    "I¡¯m conserving energy," Grace replied, not moving. "For my hot date with disaster."


    Petriel giggled and plopped down beside her on the grass.


    "Y-You¡¯ll do fine. I¡¯ve seen what you can do."


    "I¡¯m not sure about that."


    "I am."


    Grace glanced at her.


    Petriel¡¯s cheeks turned pink. Like, really pink.


    "I meant... well, you know."


    Grace grinned.


    "Yeah... I know."


    [Do I? Meh, whatever. That sounded smooth.]


    The sun sank a bit lower, painting the sky in dramatic reds and purples because of course it did. In a few hours, the moon would rise, and the Tide would come looking for her answer. For Eternia¡¯s answer, technically, since the watery entity still thought Grace was her creator.


    "I¡¯m a little nervous," Grace admitted, staring up as the first stars poked through the darkening sky. "What if I screw this up? What if I can¡¯t convince her?"


    Petriel touched her arm, sending that familiar tingle of divine energy through Grace¡¯s skin. It was like getting zapped, but in a sexy way.


    "Then... we¡¯ll figure something else out. But you won¡¯t fail," she said, smiling up at her.


    Grace sat up, grass sticking to her hair.


    Something hot and electric surged through Grace¡¯s body. Maybe it was leftover energy from Venus¡¯s aggressively hands-on lessons earlier. Maybe it was pre-battle jitters. Or maybe it was just the way Petriel looked at her.


    But, before she could chicken out, Grace pushed Petriel onto the grass and kissed her.


    Petriel made a surprised little squeak that quickly morphed into something much more interesting, a soft moan that went straight between Grace¡¯s legs. Her hands came up to tangle in Grace¡¯s hair, pulling her closer.


    When they broke apart, Petriel¡¯s eyes were wide as dinner plates.


    "What was that for?"


    "Pre-mission good luck?" Grace suggested, suddenly feeling shy despite already having her hand up Petriel¡¯s robe. Way up.


    "H-Have you forgotten about y-your big mission?" Petriel asked, her breath catching as Grace¡¯s fingers found what they were looking for.


    "I¡¯ve got time," Grace said, glancing at the sky. "And I could use the practice."


    "... Is that all I am?" Petriel pouted, but her hips pushed against Grace¡¯s hand, completely contradicting her words. "Practice?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace leaned down to kiss her again, deeper this time.


    "Absolutely not. Tonight, hopefully, you¡¯re also my lucky charm."


    "Your lucky¡ªah!" Petriel¡¯s words dissolved into a gasp as Grace¡¯s fingers did that twisty thing she¡¯d been practicing.


    [And my stress relief.]


    Grace lost herself in Petriel¡¯s body, using everything she¡¯d learned from both Venus and Diana. It was nice to be the one in control, she realized, watching Petriel squirm and gasp beneath her. Made her feel less like a student and more like... well, an actual angel who knew what the heck she was doing.


    They were both lucky the clearing was far enough from the village that no one heard Petriel¡¯s increasingly loud moans. Which, by the way, were absolutely going to Grace¡¯s head. And other places.


    When Grace finally eased her fingers away, Petriel lay boneless on the grass, a big-breasted puddle, her chest rising and falling rapidly.


    "That was... wow," the healer breathed. "Are you sure you need more practice?"


    Grace flopped down beside her, grinning like an idiot.


    "Always. But I think I¡¯ve got the basics down."


    Petriel turned to face her, golden eyes serious now.


    "Just... be careful tonight, okay? Even if you look like Eternia to her, you¡¯re not. The Tide has been alone for a very long time. Loneliness can make people¡ªor entities¡ªdangerous."


    "I know. Diana gave me the same warning." Grace stared up at the stars popping out in the darkening sky. "But I have to try. I can¡¯t just let her keep taking people."


    A slow smile spread across Petriel¡¯s face.


    "Y-You have grass in your hair. And dirt on your cheek." She reached over to brush it away. "Not very divine-looking."


    "I¡¯ve never claimed to be a proper angel."


    ---


    Hours later, Grace stood on the moonlit beach, watching waves lap at the shore. The village behind her was quiet, everyone hiding inside with doors barred except for the occasional glimpse of an Ascended Choir nerd helping with the rituals.


    Diana had argued right up until the last minute, insisting on staying close enough to intervene if things went to shit. Which was, of course, exactly what went wrong last time.


    "If you don¡¯t see me by dawn, then you can come looking," Grace had finally told her. "But she has to believe I came alone this time."


    Now, as the moon climbed higher, Grace watched the water begin to glow with this freaky blue light. Her stomach did a weird flip that was half terror, half excitement.


    [Here we go. Time to see if Venus¡¯s lessons paid off. Please don¡¯t let me die while trying to seduce water.]


    The ocean began to rise, not as a wave but as a single column of water, shimmering with internal light. It took form as it approached¡ªa woman¡¯s silhouette, taller than any human could be, with flowing hair that merged with the sea behind her.


    The Tide.


    Grace took a deep breath and walked forward, letting the cool water lap at her bare feet. Her divine robes¡ªones Venus had insisted she wear instead of her usual outfit because "if you¡¯re going to fuck a goddess, at least look the part"¡ªrippled in the salt-heavy breeze.


    "I¡¯ve come," she called out, trying to sound confident instead of terrified. "Alone this time. Just like you asked."


    The water figure paused, studying her. Even from this distance, Grace could feel the weight of that gaze¡ªancient, lonely, and filled with a hunger that had nothing to do with food.


    "So you have," The Tide¡¯s voice rolled across the water, neither entirely female nor male, but something between and beyond. "Come closer, little star. Let us see if you remember the taste of salt."


    [Well that¡¯s not creepy at all. Sure, let me just walk right into your murder-water.]


    But Grace squared her shoulders and began walking into the surf, letting the waves soak her robes as she moved deeper. The thin fabric clung to her skin, probably making her look like a drowned rat instead of a seductive angel.


    The water rose around her, forming a path that led straight to where The Tide waited. Not submerged beneath the waves, but standing on top of them like they were solid ground.


    Grace took the first step onto the watery bridge, surprised to find it held her weight. Each footstep sent ripples outward, but she didn¡¯t sink.


    [Don¡¯t think about falling. Don¡¯t think about drowning. Don¡¯t think about how fucking weird this is. Just keep moving forward.]


    As she crossed the distance between shore and goddess, Grace felt the medallion pulse warmly against her chest. Whether it was a warning or encouragement, she couldn¡¯t tell.


    The Tide waited, her form becoming clearer as Grace approached¡ªa woman made entirely of water, with features that shifted like reflections on a pond. Beautiful in a way that made Grace¡¯s heart hurt, and terrifying in a way that made her want to run screaming back to the beach.


    But she kept walking.


    One step.


    Another.


    Toward The Tide.


    Toward her watery destiny.


    The Tide¡¯s form shifted again, solidifying somewhat as Grace got closer. Now Grace could see those details from before. Long flowing hair that rippled like waves, a face almost identical to Eternia¡¯s but with eyes that reflected the entire night sky, and a... that body.


    "You kept me waiting," The Tide said, her voice closer to human now. "So many centuries."


    Grace swallowed hard. This was where she had to be careful. The Tide thought she was Eternia, and Grace had to maintain that illusion just long enough to... well, to do what she¡¯d been training to do.


    "I¡¯m here now," Grace said, stepping closer. The water bridge widened beneath her feet, forming a platform that kept her just inches from The Tide.


    The watery goddess reached out, her hand translucent and glowing from within.


    "Are you? Not just another fragment of yourself? Not just another tease?"


    Grace took the hand. It felt almost solid, cool and slick against her skin.


    "I¡¯m here," she repeated, trying to channel some of Venus¡¯s confidence. "To make amends."


    The Tide¡¯s lips curved into a beautiful and wrong smile, like seeing a shark smile.


    "Amends. Yes. Come." Her free hand gestured to the churning sea around them. "I wish to celebrate right away~"


    "... Lead the way."

 Chapter 99: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Two

    Chapter 99: Date With Watery Destiny, Part TwoThe Tide¡¯s domain was exactly as Grace remembered, but somehow more... something. More beautiful. More terrifying.


    It was a bit different though, somehow.


    She stood on what felt like the ocean floor, except there was no crushing pressure, no drowning. Just water all around them, suspended like glass walls. Fish swam by, giving her side-eye before darting away.


    [Back to this wet hellhole again. At least I know what to expect this time.]


    Last time she¡¯d been here hadn¡¯t gone... too well. Not Grace¡¯s finest hour.


    But this time, she had Venus¡¯s lessons in her pocket.


    "So eager to return," The Tide said looking back, parts of her watery form flowing around Grace like a living current. "Did you miss me?"


    [Okay, okay... Be like Eternia. What would she say?]


    "Maybe I did," Grace said, trying not to focus on the fact that she was halfway underwater and would soon definitely drown if the Tide decided to stop whatever magic was keeping her alive.


    The Tide¡¯s form solidified further, becoming more humanoid with each passing moment. Now she looked almost exactly like Eternia, if Eternia were made of blue-tinted water with eyes that contained actual stars.


    "Last time you were quite... combative," The Tide said, circling Grace like a shark. "Have you changed your approach, little goddess?"


    [Oh, that¡¯s the understatement of the century.]


    "I¡¯ve been thinking about what you said," Grace replied carefully.


    "You have?" The Tide stopped in front of her, reaching out to touch Grace¡¯s face with cool fingers.


    Grace swallowed hard, feeling the medallion grow warmer against her chest. She needed to move this along before The Tide realized she wasn¡¯t talking to Eternia at all.


    "I brought something," Grace said, reaching into her soaked robe.


    The Tide¡¯s eyes widened¡ªactual ripples spreading across her watery irises.


    Grace pulled out the blue pearl she¡¯d found in the tide pools days earlier. It pulsed with soft light, matching the rhythm of the water goddess¡¯s movements.


    To be honest, she wasn¡¯t sure if holding it up would have any actual effect. This was basically an exercise in wishful thinking.


    "You found my tear," The Tide whispered, her voice suddenly small. "After all this time." The Tide reached for the pearl but didn¡¯t take it from Grace¡¯s palm. "The first tear I shed when you left me. It crystallized, as all my emotions do."


    [Holy crap. This thing is an actual tear? Great, now I feel bad.]


    "I kept it," Grace improvised. "To, uh, remember."


    The Tide¡¯s form rippled with what might have been emotion.


    "You remember nothing! You abandoned me here, alone, waiting, while you built your precious Dominion and created your perfect angels."


    Her voice rose, water currents beginning to swirl around them. Dangerous territory given that she was supposed to be seducing this lady, not agitating her.


    "I¡¯m here now," Grace said, stepping closer. She slipped the pearl back into her robe and reached for The Tide instead. "To make things right."


    "Words," The Tide hissed. "Always beautiful words from you. But where were your words when I called out? Where were you when I begged for your return?"


    Grace felt the currents intensify, pushing at her, trying to sweep her away. She stood her ground, remembering what Venus had said just before she left:


    The Tide didn¡¯t want destruction. She wanted connection.


    "Show me," Grace said, letting her robe fall open slightly. "Show me how you felt."


    The Tide paused, surprise rippling across her features.


    "You want me to¡ª" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Show me everything," Grace said, channeling Venus¡¯s confident seduction. "I¡¯m here to listen. To feel."


    [Please don¡¯t drown me, please don¡¯t drown me.]


    The water around them calmed slightly. The Tide watched her with suspicious eyes.


    "Very well."


    The Tide surged forward suddenly, her watery mouth capturing Grace¡¯s in a kiss that tasted like salt. Her hands¡ªstronger than they looked¡ªpushed Grace backward until she hit what felt like a wall made of water that somehow held solid.


    [Okay, we¡¯re doing this. Cool. Cool cool cool.]


    The Tide¡¯s body pressed against hers, cool and slick and impossibly strong. Grace felt herself being lifted, pinned, water tendrils wrapping around her wrists like restraints.


    "You will feel my loneliness," The Tide whispered against her ear. "Every. Single. Century. Of it."


    Grace gasped as icy water slipped inside her robe, trailing across her skin in patterns that felt deliberate, calculated to make her shiver.


    "I¡¯m not fighting you," Grace said, making herself relax into the hold. "I¡¯m here."


    That seemed to surprise The Tide. She pulled back slightly, studying Grace¡¯s face.


    "You¡¯re surrendering?"


    "... Not surrendering," Grace replied, thinking fast. "Receiving. There¡¯s a difference."


    The Tide¡¯s eyes narrowed, but her grip loosened slightly. The water tendrils around Grace¡¯s wrists remained, but they no longer felt like shackles.


    "Then receive."


    ---


    {Diana}


    On the shore, Diana paced back and forth like a caged tiger, periodically glaring at the ocean where Grace had disappeared nearly an hour ago.


    "She should have signaled by now," she muttered.


    Petriel sat on a rock nearby, hands folded in her lap.


    "She knows what she¡¯s doing."


    "Does she?" Diana spun toward her. "Because last I checked, none of us have experience seducing ancient water spirits."


    "Venus seemed confident¡ª"


    "Venus thinks everything can be solved with a good fuck!" Diana ran a hand through her short black hair. "Which, okay, fair point most of the time, but¡ª"


    She stopped mid-sentence, her attention caught by movement in the village behind them. A man was walking stiffly toward the water, his skin taking on a blue tint visible even in the moonlight.


    "Shit."


    Three more villagers emerged from different houses, all moving with the same awkward gait, all heading for the water.


    "I thought the Tide was occupied with Grace," Petriel said, standing quickly.


    "Apparently she can multitask." Diana drew her golden sword, its light cutting through the darkness. "Get the Choir members. Hopefully they at least know how to swing a sword. I¡¯ll handle these ones."


    Petriel nodded and ran toward the village center where the Ascended Choir had set up their ritual space.


    Diana moved to intercept the first villager, a middle-aged man whose eyes had gone completely blue.


    "Sorry, buddy. Beach is closed." She blocked his path, but he simply tried to walk around her, not even acknowledging her presence.


    Diana grabbed his arm, only to feel his skin slick and cold under her fingers. Water was literally seeping from his pores.


    "Gross."


    The man suddenly lurched forward, mouth opening unnaturally wide as a jet of salt water shot out toward Diana¡¯s face. She ducked, slashing with her sword.


    More villagers emerged from their homes, all heading for the water with single-minded determination. Their skin had begun to take on that blue tint, and some had already developed webbed fingers.


    [Grace, whatever you¡¯re doing in there, do it faster.]


    ---


    {Grace}


    The Tide was actually a pretty good kisser for someone made of water.


    Grace found herself pressed against the weird water-wall, The Tide¡¯s body flowing against hers in ways that were definitely not anatomically possible for a regular person. Cool tendrils slipped beneath her robe, sliding across her skin like curious fingers, exploring every inch.


    "You¡¯re choice in body is... interesting," The Tide murmured against her neck. "Smaller. Softer. Why?"


    "Well, uh," Grace gasped as a particularly bold tendril found its way between her legs, "for... visiting."


    The tendril between Grace¡¯s legs became more insistent, and she couldn¡¯t help the moan that escaped her lips. Venus had described water sex in theory, but holy crap.


    "Do you like this form?" The Tide asked, sliding another tendril up Grace¡¯s thigh.


    "Yes," Grace admitted truthfully. The sensation was unlike anything she¡¯d experienced with Diana or Venus¡ªcool but somehow warming her from the inside, pressure that changed and shifted with her reactions.


    "Good. Because I intend to use it thoroughly."


    The Tide¡¯s kiss deepened, and Grace felt herself surrendering to the experience.


    Slowly, but surely, this was becoming less and less about the mission.


    "Show me," Grace whispered between kisses. "Show me what you¡¯ve learned in our time apart."


    That sparked something in The Tide. Her touch became more purposeful, her kisses more demanding. The tendrils exploring Grace¡¯s body thickened, pressing deeper, finding spots that made her gasp and arch.


    "I¡¯ve had centuries to imagine this," The Tide whispered. "To perfect what I would do when you returned. I will take full advantage."


    ---


    {Diana}


    Diana cursed as another water-person tackled her to the ground. They were getting stronger, more coordinated as their transformation progressed. And there were more of them¡ªat least twenty villagers now shambled toward the ocean, their humanity washing away with each step.


    "Petriel!" she shouted, kicking the water-person off her. "Any word from the Choir nerds?"


    Petriel rushed over, her green hair flying wildly around her face.


    "They¡¯re setting up a barrier around the village center! Anyone who hasn¡¯t transformed yet is being moved there!"


    "Great." Diana slashed at another approaching figure, her blade passing through its watery arm with no effect. "And us?"


    "We... hold the line?" Petriel suggested weakly with a shrug.


    "... I guess so."


    A water-person lunged at Petriel, but Diana intercepted it, tackling the creature to the ground. Up close, its features were barely human anymore¡ªgills forming at the neck, fingers webbed and elongating.


    "Grace better make that bitch cum soon," Diana growled, "or we¡¯re going to have a village full of fish people."

 Chapter 100: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Three

    Chapter 100: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Three{Grace}


    The Tide¡¯s tendrils wrapped around Grace¡¯s thighs like living ropes, cool and slick and way stronger than water had any right to be.


    [Okay, focus. Time to put Venus¡¯s sex lessons to work!]


    Grace took a deep breath and concentrated. She reminded herself this wasn¡¯t just about getting the Tide off. This was about connection. Showing this lonely water goddess that someone finally understood her.


    Technique:


    Sweet Spot Seeker


    Her fingers started tingling with divine energy as she ran them along The Tide¡¯s watery body. The goddess shivered, her form rippling wherever Grace touched her, like dropping pebbles in a pond.


    "What are you doing?" The Tide asked, her voice caught somewhere between "I¡¯m suspicious" and "don¡¯t you dare stop."


    "Looking for you," Grace muttered, continuing to trace patterns across The Tide¡¯s body. Not just randomly¡ªwith purpose. "The real you."


    Her fingers found a spot just below where ribs would be on a human, and The Tide actually gasped¡ªthe sound like bubbles rushing to the surface. Like she¡¯d never been touched there before.


    [There,] Grace murmured, circling the spot with renewed focus. [That¡¯s one.]


    The Tide¡¯s grip on Grace¡¯s wrists tightened, but not in the "I¡¯m going to drown you" way. More like she was holding on for dear life.


    "You never... bothered before," The Tide said. "Just took what you wanted."


    "Well... I¡¯m trying something new," Grace said, activating her next technique. "Just for you."


    Technique:


    Finger Dance


    Her fingers moved with the precision of someone who¡¯d done this a lot more than Grace had, finding sensitive spots and working them with varying pressure and speed. Light touches followed by firm pressure. Slow circles followed by quick strokes.


    The Tide¡¯s entire body began to pulse with blue light, growing brighter wherever Grace touched her. Like a living, horny lava lamp.


    [This is actually working. Holy crap.]


    "Why now?" The Tide asked, staring at Grace, her voice wavering as Grace¡¯s fingers found another sweet spot near her neck. "After all this time?"


    "I... realized my mistake," Grace said, continuing the act. "Leaving you alone."


    The water around them warmed slightly, currents swirling in rhythm with The Tide¡¯s breathing. Her form became more solid, more human, responding to Grace¡¯s touch.


    It was almost like fighting, in a weird way. Each move Grace made, The Tide countered¡ªnot with aggression but with her own touch, her own exploration. A battle of pleasure rather than pain.


    [I think I¡¯m winning? Is this what winning feels like? Because I¡¯m also kinda turned on.]


    The Tide shifted suddenly, flipping their positions so Grace was pinned against what felt like the ocean floor. The water spirit loomed over her, eyes glowing with that strange stellar light.


    "Not so fast," The Tide said. "You don¡¯t get to control this reunion."


    [Oh shoot.]


    Water tendrils slipped under Grace¡¯s robe again, more of them this time, sliding against her skin in ways that made her gasp. Cold and slick and strong, finding every sensitive spot on her body at once.


    "I¡¯ve thought about this for centuries," The Tide whispered, her mouth moving to Grace¡¯s neck. "Imagined all the ways I would make you feel what I felt."


    One tendril slipped between Grace¡¯s legs, another around her breast. The cool water felt amazing against her hot skin, and Grace had to bite her lip to keep from moaning too loudly.


    ¡¸System Notification: Pillar Quest Progress ¨C 45%¡¹


    ¡¸Tip: Sometimes submission isn¡¯t enough. The Tide needs to know you understand her pain. Get aggressive.¡¹ S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Get aggressive? With her? Eternia, you¡¯re insane. She¡¯ll drown me faster than I can say "sorry about the abandonment issues."]


    But before Grace could figure out how to go about that, The Tide¡¯s tendrils tightened around her, lifting her slightly off the floor.


    "Now you¡¯ll feel a fraction of my loneliness," The Tide hissed, her voice darkening. "Of being abandoned, forgotten."


    Water began to flow into Grace¡¯s mouth, not drowning her but filling her with a cold emptiness that ached down to her bones. It was like swallowing the concept of loneliness itself.


    [Can¡¯t breathe¡ªbut not drowning¡ªwhat the heck¡ª]


    Grace thrashed against the hold, panic rising.


    With a surge of strength, Grace broke free of one tendril and reached up, grabbing The Tide¡¯s face between her hands. Instead of pushing her away, Grace pulled her closer and kissed her¡ªhard.


    The Tide froze in surprise, the water in Grace¡¯s mouth receding. Then, slowly, she began to respond, her watery lips moving against Grace¡¯s.


    This could be tougher than she thought.


    ---


    {Diana}


    Diana slashed through another water-person, her golden sword passing through their liquid body like cutting jello with a spoon. These things were getting harder to fight¡ªmore coordinated, more aggressive.


    "Petriel!" she shouted. "How are you doing over there?"


    "F-Fine!" Petriel dodged a jet of water shot from a transformed villager¡¯s mouth, the blast powerful enough to knock chunks out of a nearby wall. "If only we had fire!"


    "Not sure that would do anything, but it would be nice to try I guess," Diana muttered, kicking a water-person in the chest. It splashed apart, then reformed immediately like a bad magic trick. "Shit."


    A transformed villager lunged at Petriel, who shrieked and tumbled backward in a very un-angelic display of panic. Diana leapt in front of her, sword stabbing through its heart.


    [This is getting us nowhere. We¡¯re gonna die, and Grace is gonna be stuck underwater forever with her new water girlfriend.]


    Diana grabbed Petriel by the arm and hauled her to her feet.


    "Fall back to the village center! Get some space!"


    They turned to run, only to find three more water-people blocking their path. Blue-tinged, webbed hands reached for them, mouths opening unnaturally wide.


    "We¡¯re surrounded," Petriel whispered, pressing against Diana¡¯s back.


    "No shit," Diana growled, raising her sword anyway. If she was going down, she¡¯d go down fighting. And probably cursing.


    The water-people moved forward in unison, closing in like a liquid net.


    Then...


    "Well, well. Having a bit of trouble, are we? Huh, Bravery Sister?"


    Diana¡¯s head snapped up at the familiar voice. Venus strolled toward them across the beach, looking perfectly composed despite the chaos. Her pink robes somehow remained spotless, not a hair out of place. She could have been walking to a spa appointment.


    "Venus?" Diana¡¯s voice cracked with surprise. "What are you doing here?"


    Venus smiled serenely, casually side-stepping a water-person that lunged at her like it was just a puddle she didn¡¯t want to step in.


    "I wanted to check in on you lot," She glanced around at the transformed villagers with mild interest. "Is our little Grace already meeting with The Tide?"


    Diana gestured wildly at the ocean.


    "Been in there for over an hour! Meanwhile, we¡¯re fighting off these water zombies!"


    "Hmm." Venus examined the blue-tinged villagers with the interest of someone checking out slightly underripe fruit at a market. "Not the most attractive transformation I¡¯ve seen. The gills are a bit much."


    A transformed villager lunged at Petriel, who shrieked and ducked behind Diana like she wasn¡¯t also a divine warrior.


    "A little help?" Diana growled.


    Venus sighed, as if being asked to help move furniture rather than fight off watery monsters.


    "I was just passing by. I should get back to my hut¡ªI¡¯m entertaining several villagers tonight. Good stress relief for them, considering."


    Diana¡¯s jaw dropped.


    "You¡¯re having an orgy while we¡¯re fighting for our lives?"


    "I¡¯m a Love Sister, darling. This is your job." Venus winked. "Besides, I¡¯m sure Grace is handling things just fine. She¡¯s quite... talented."


    "She¡¯d better be," Diana muttered, fending off another water-person with the flat of her sword. "Otherwise we¡¯re all fish food."


    Venus smoothed a non-existent wrinkle from her robe.


    "Well, I¡¯ll leave you to it then. Do give Grace my best when she emerges. Tell her I hope she¡¯s putting my lessons to good use."


    "You¡¯re just leaving?" Diana¡¯s voice rose an octave, sounding more like a strangled chicken.


    "I have guests waiting," Venus said with a smile. "And really, these creatures are more annoying than dangerous."


    As Venus turned to leave, a transformed villager¡ªlarger than the others, with fully formed gills and webbed hands like claws¡ªlunged at her from behind.


    "Venus, look out!" Petriel cried.


    Before Diana could even move, Venus spun with impossible grace. Her hand shot out, glowing with pink energy.


    The water-person froze mid-air, then began to vibrate violently. A second later, it exploded into a shower of droplets that rained down harmlessly, splattering across the sand.


    Venus dusted off her hands like she¡¯d just finished chopping vegetables.


    "There. That wasn¡¯t so hard."


    Diana and Petriel stared, slack-jawed.


    [Holy...]


    She turned and began walking back toward the village, hips swaying with each step like she was on a runway. The remaining water-people actually backed away from her, forming a clear path.


    "Do give Grace my best. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll perform admirably."


    Diana watched her go, then looked at the puddle that had once been a water-person. It was already trying to reform, but the drops just quivered uselessly on the sand, unable to reconnect.


    [Note to self: never, EVER piss off Venus. Holy

 Chapter 101: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Four

    Chapter 101: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Four{Grace}


    Grace realized she¡¯d miscalculated right around the time the Tide flipped her onto her back.


    [Well, damn. So much for my smooth seduction plan.]


    The Tide loomed over her, no longer just a sexy water-lady but something bigger, wilder, scarier. Her elegant features twisted into this weird mix of horny and pissed-off, those star-filled eyes narrowing like a predator spotting prey.


    "You think you can manipulate me?" The Tide¡¯s voice boomed through the underwater chamber, making Grace¡¯s bones vibrate. "Like you did before? With soft touches and empty promises?"


    Grace tried to sit up, but tendrils of water slammed her arms and legs against the floor. Like being pinned by ice-cold ropes that could think for themselves.


    "I wasn¡¯t¡ª"


    "Silence!"


    More tendrils shot out from The Tide¡¯s body, wrapping around Grace¡¯s thighs and slithering up her stomach like frigid snakes. They were cold as hell now, way colder than before, and tight enough to make Grace gasp. Not the sexy kind of gasp either.


    "For millennia, I waited," The Tide growled, her form expanding until she filled the entire chamber with swirling, angry currents. "I built this new life while you built your precious Dominion. I carved out this existence while you created your precious angels."


    The Tide¡¯s face kept melting and reforming as she ranted, features shifting between fury and heartbreak like she couldn¡¯t decide which emotion to stick with.


    "And now you return, wearing this..." she waved dismissively at Grace¡¯s petite body, "this pathetic little form, and think a few neat finger tricks will make things right?"


    [That was kind of my plan, yeah.]


    Grace opened her mouth but a tendril of water shoved between her lips, effectively shutting her up. Not enough to choke her¡ªThe Tide clearly wanted her conscious for whatever kinky revenge scenario was coming¡ªbut enough to stop her from talking.


    [This is bad. Very bad. What do I do!?]


    "I will show you what loneliness feels like," The Tide whispered, her face suddenly inches from Grace¡¯s. "What it is to be hollow. To be filled with nothing but cold emptiness."


    The tendrils around Grace¡¯s thighs tightened, spreading her legs wider than she thought possible. More tendrils slid under her robe, wrapping around her tits, her waist, her neck¡ªbasically turning her into the world¡¯s most reluctantly horny pretzel.


    Grace¡¯s body responded despite her growing panic. The water was literally everywhere, touching her in ways that made her bite down on the tendril in her mouth to keep from moaning. Her body was definitely getting the memo, even if her brain was screaming "danger!"


    She remembered how Meridian had looked, suspended in these same tendrils. The nerdy scholar¡¯s expression had been pure sex-face, all resistance gone, her mind clearly drowning in pleasure even as her body remained dry.


    Grace was headed toward that same end.


    [I can¡¯t end up like that. I need to stay focused. I have to¡ªholy SHIT.]


    A thick tendril pressed between her legs, not entering yet but rubbing against her with deliberate pressure. The sensation pulled a muffled groan from her throat. It felt way too good.


    "You will stay here," The Tide continued, watching Grace¡¯s reactions with cold fascination. "Forever! A plaything. A reminder. My eternal companion whether you wish it or not."


    The tendril between Grace¡¯s legs pushed inside her, the sensation so intense that her back arched off the floor. It was cold and solid and impossible to ignore, filling her completely.


    The Tide¡¯s face hovered over hers, watching with those starry eyes as the tendril began to pump in and out, setting a rhythm that made Grace¡¯s thoughts scatter like startled fish.


    "Does it feel good?" The Tide asked, her voice almost gentle now. "It should. I¡¯ve had centuries to practice. To imagine all the ways I could fuck you senseless."


    Grace¡¯s resistance began to falter as pleasure built between her legs. It did feel good. Too good. Her body responded to every movement, every twist of the water inside her. Her mind began to fog over with a mixture of pleasure and panic.


    "Let go," The Tide whispered. "Give in. Become mine."


    The tendril in her mouth withdrew, allowing Grace to gasp for breath. But before she could say anything clever or defiant, The Tide¡¯s watery lips covered hers, kissing her deeply while the tendril between her legs picked up speed.


    Grace felt herself slipping. The water was everywhere, inside and out, filling her, surrounding her. She couldn¡¯t tell where she ended and The Tide began. Her eyes started to glaze over the same way Meridian¡¯s had.


    Then, like a slap to the face, Venus¡¯s words floated to the surface of her mind:


    "A kiss is just a kiss."


    Simple words that Venus had drilled into her head during training. A reminder that sex was just sex. That pleasure was a tool, not a trap. That getting fucked senseless didn¡¯t mean you had to lose your mind.


    [I can¡¯t let this control me. It¡¯s just sex, for goodness¡¯ sake!]


    Something clicked in Grace¡¯s mind. A switch flipped. The fog cleared.


    The Tide might be a spirit, but Grace was an angel with a mission. And she¡¯d be damned if she¡¯d fail because she was too embarrassed to take control of her own pleasure.


    With a surge of divine energy that lit up the water around them, Grace broke free of the tendrils holding her wrists. Before The Tide could react, Grace grabbed her face and deepened the kiss, taking control of it. No more passive victim stuff.


    The Tide made a surprised sound, clearly shocked that her plaything was suddenly fighting back.


    Grace pushed harder, rolling them over so she was on top of the startled water creature. The movement sent them tumbling through the underwater chamber until Grace pinned The Tide against what felt like a coral wall.


    [My turn!]


    Technique:


    ¡¸Divine Extension - Ability to create a divine phallus for application during morale boosting¡¹


    Grace focused, channeling divine energy between her legs. Light gathered, forming the golden phallus. It glowed brightly in the underwater chamber, a beacon of warmth against The Tide¡¯s cool blue form.


    "What are you¡ª" The Tide began, her starry eyes wide with surprise.


    "Shut up!" Grace said, trying to put on a strong tone. "We¡¯re doing this on my terms now!"


    Grace positioned herself, pressing the glowing cock against The Tide¡¯s entrance. The water goddess¡¯s eyes widened even more, ripples of shock spreading across her features like someone had thrown a stone in a pond.


    "Y-You dare¡ª"


    Grace pushed forward, entering The Tide with one smooth thrust. The sensation was bizarre, but The Tide¡¯s reaction made it worth it.


    The Pillar gasped, her entire form lighting up with blue-gold energy where they connected. Her watery hands clutched at Grace¡¯s shoulders, suddenly growing actual fingernails just to dig into Grace¡¯s skin.


    "Yes," Grace whispered, finding her rhythm. She grabbed The Tide¡¯s watery hips, pulling her closer with each thrust. "That¡¯s it. Feel me!"


    The Tide¡¯s expression shifted from shock to pleasure, starry eyes wide as Grace moved within her. Her watery body rippled with each thrust.


    "This is what you wanted, isn¡¯t it?" Grace said, picking up speed. "To feel this way again!"


    The Tide moaned, her voice like waves crashing on a distant shore.


    "I-I¡¯m not..."


    But Grace grinned, thrusting harder. Beginner as she was, even she could tell the Tide was enjoying this.


    The golden phallus pulsed with divine energy, lighting up The Tide from within. The water around them began to swirl faster, currents pulling them into a spinning vortex of pleasure. Grace held on tight, continuing her rhythm even as they tumbled through the underwater chamber. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Tide¡¯s body began to pulse with blue light, matching the golden glow of Grace¡¯s divine toy. Each thrust sent shockwaves through the water, ripples of energy that expanded outward into the ocean beyond.


    "I¡¯m going to make you feel so good," Grace promised, leaning down to whisper in The Tide¡¯s ear, "that you¡¯ll never get angry at me again!"


    ---


    {Diana}


    Diana wiped sweat from her forehead, breathing hard. The water-zombies kept coming at them like the world¡¯s most determined swimming class, but at least they¡¯d managed to set up a defensive perimeter around the village center.


    "How you holding up?" she called to Petriel, who was using her healing powers to keep the few human villagers who¡¯d been injured stable.


    "I¡¯m okay," Petriel replied, though her face was pale as a sheet. She looked ready to pass out. "But I don¡¯t know how much longer¡ª"


    "Look!" one of the Ascended Nerds shouted, pointing toward the shore.


    Diana turned. The spot where Grace had disappeared beneath the waves was glowing with intense blue-gold light, pulsing rhythmically, like a heartbeat. Or like someone was having very enthusiastic sex down there. The water around it swirled in unnatural patterns, forming whirlpools that somehow didn¡¯t disturb the glowing center.


    The transformed villagers paused in their assault, heads turning in unison toward the strange phenomenon like synchronized swimmers.


    "What the hell is going on in there?" Diana muttered, gripping her sword tighter.


    The blue-gold light intensified, flashing brighter with each pulse. The water-zombies stopped advancing completely, transfixed by the display. Some of them actually started walking back toward the shore, as if being called home.


    "Is that... good?" Petriel asked, coming to stand beside Diana.


    "No idea," Diana admitted. "But at least they¡¯ve stopped trying to kill us."

 Chapter 102: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Five*

    Chapter 102: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Five*Grace was... pretty sure she was winning now.


    The Tide¡¯s watery body rippled beneath her with each thrust, blue and gold energies swirling around them. Every push sent shockwaves through the water, making the Tide¡¯s form shudder and pulse.


    But here was the strange thing¡ªsome part of Grace didn¡¯t really care about winning anymore.


    Maybe it was her increasing Love attribute, or maybe getting tentacle-fucked had scrambled her brain, but she was genuinely getting into this.


    [Is it bad that I¡¯m enjoying fucking a water spirit who tried to drown me like ten minutes ago? Probably. Whatever.]


    She pressed the Tide harder against whatever passed for ground in this underwater chamber, pinning those slippery wrists above her head. The water Pillar¡¯s back arched, her starry eyes rolling back as Grace pushed deeper.


    "How¡¯s that for connection?" Grace growled, trying to sound dominant despite still being five-foot-nothing and probably looking like an angry kitten trying to intimidate a fish. "Still think I¡¯m pathetic?"


    The Tide didn¡¯t answer with words. Instead, she moaned¡ªa sound that went straight into Grace¡¯s core.


    [Holy... that was kinda hot.]


    Grace leaned down, capturing those watery lips in a kiss so wild it would¡¯ve made Venus slow-clap with pride.


    [Wait, Grace, remember: she¡¯s actually kinda sad under all that anger, isn¡¯t she? Maybe you have to be softer?]


    Technique:


    ¡¸Tongue Twister - Ability to bring pleasure through precise oral manipulation¡¹


    Grace trailed kisses down the Tide¡¯s neck, watching in fascination as the water formed goosebumps where her lips touched. She moved to the Tide¡¯s breasts, which had formed into perfect blue globes with darker nipples. She sucked one into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the nipple until it hardened. They looked surprisingly real for being made of water.


    The Tide gasped, her fingers tangling in Grace¡¯s floating white hair, tugging just hard enough to make Grace¡¯s scalp tingle.


    "What... what are you doing to me?" the water spirit whispered, her voice less "I¡¯m going to drown you" and more "please don¡¯t stop."


    "Showing you that you¡¯re not alone," Grace said against her skin. "That I still see you!"


    Something shifted in the Tide¡¯s eyes¡ªlike distant stars realigning. A moment of vulnerability peeking through centuries of anger.


    But apparently, she wasn¡¯t ready to surrender just yet.


    With a sudden surge of strength, the Tide flipped them over again, pinning Grace beneath her. Tendrils of water wrapped around Grace¡¯s thighs, spreading them wide enough to make her thigh muscles burn.


    "Two can play this game, little angel," the Tide purred, voice dripping with dark promise.


    She slid down Grace¡¯s body and wrapped her watery lips around Grace¡¯s toy.


    [OH.... CRAP!] Grace¡¯s eyes pretty much bulged out of their sockets. She hadn¡¯t been prepared.


    The sensation was so weird and incredible that Grace¡¯s back arched off the floor like she¡¯d been shocked. It was like being sucked by living water, pressure and suction coming from everywhere at once.


    [Holy shit holy shit holy SHIT!]


    The Tide¡¯s mouth worked the divine construct like she¡¯d been practicing for centuries¡ªwhich, Grace realized, she probably kind of had been. All that time alone, imagining what she¡¯d do to Eternia if she ever came back...


    The thought should¡¯ve been creepy, but right now, with those water-lips doing ungodly things to her light-dick, Grace couldn¡¯t bring herself to care.


    "F-fuck," Grace gasped, struggling to maintain control of both the situation and her light-dick, which was trying to dissipate under the overwhelming pleasure. Diana hadn¡¯t covered this part in her lessons. "That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s not fair."


    The Tide pulled back, a wicked smile on her face. Little droplets clung to her lips like the world¡¯s most obscene gloss.


    "Surrendering already?" she asked, one eyebrow arched in challenge. "That¡¯s not the Eternia I know."


    "N-Not even close!" Grace replied, though her voice was shakier than she¡¯d like. Her thighs were trembling, and she was pretty sure if she¡¯d been wearing actual panties, they¡¯d be soaked.


    Suddenly, the chamber darkened as shapes entered from various underwater passages¡ªtransformed villagers, their bodies blue-tinged and webbed, eyes glowing with the same starlight as the Tide¡¯s. They moved with eerie synchronization, forming a circle around the intertwined Pillar and angel.


    [Oh come ON. Group sex wasn¡¯t on today¡¯s agenda!]


    "Take her," the Tide commanded, her voice suddenly a lot more imposing, pointing at Grace with a watery finger. "Hold her down while I¡ª"


    "Oh no you don¡¯t!" Grace shouted, channeling divine energy through her entire body like Venus had taught her. She wasn¡¯t about to be the main attraction in some weird oceanic orgy.


    She burst free from the Tide¡¯s grasp in an explosion of golden light that lit up the entire chamber. The water-people were pushed back by the shockwave, floating like confused seaweed in the currents, bumping into each other and the walls.


    Grace didn¡¯t give the Tide time to recover. She tackled the Pillar to the floor, pinning her there with renewed determination. Her light-dick pressed against the Tide¡¯s entrance again, glowing twice as bright now, practically casting shadows in the underwater space.


    "You want to play rough?" Grace growled, feeling a surge of confidence she wasn¡¯t sure was entirely her own. Maybe this was the Bravery attribute kicking in? "Fine. But it¡¯s still my game."


    She thrust forward, entering the Tide with enough force to make the water Pillar cry out¡ªa sound somewhere between pain and pleasure that sent ripples through the chamber. Grace set a punishing rhythm, pounding the Tide into the chamber floor with each thrust, her small hips moving with surprising power.


    The transformed villagers hovered nearby, clearly confused by their mistress¡¯s obvious pleasure, unable to intervene. Their webbed hands twitched at their sides, star-eyes darting between each other as if asking "uh, what do we do now?"


    "Send them away," Grace demanded between thrusts, her voice commanding despite her ragged breathing. "Now."


    The Tide¡¯s eyes were unfocused, lost in pleasure, but she managed a weak gesture. The water-people retreated, disappearing back into the passages they¡¯d come from like awkward party guests who realized they¡¯d walked in on something private.


    "That¡¯s better," Grace said, slowing her pace slightly. She leaned down to kiss the Tide again, gentler this time, running her tongue along those water-lips. "It¡¯s just you and me now."


    The Tide¡¯s hands clutched at Grace¡¯s back, nails digging into her skin hard enough to leave marks. Her watery body had become almost solid, warm instead of cold, yielding instead of resistant.


    "Ah.... I can feel you," the Tide whispered, wonder in her voice. "Really feel you."


    "That¡¯s the point," Grace said, continuing to move within her, finding a rhythm that made the Tide¡¯s breath catch with each thrust. "You missed this, huh?"


    The water around them began to glow brighter, currents swirling faster. Grace could feel something building¡ªnot just in her own body, but in the Tide¡¯s, in the water itself. Like a storm gathering force or a pot about to boil over.


    The Tide¡¯s breathing quickened, her body arching with each thrust. Her starry eyes locked with Grace¡¯s, something like recognition dawning in them.


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m..." The Tide couldn¡¯t seem to form words, her voice breaking as pleasure overwhelmed her.


    "Let go," Grace urged, increasing her pace again, driving her hips forward with renewed purpose. She was close too, the sensation of fucking the Tide¡¯s watery-but-somehow-solid body unlike anything she¡¯d experienced before. "I¡¯ve got you."


    The Tide¡¯s body suddenly tensed, her back arching so dramatically she nearly bucked Grace off. She cried out¡ªa sound like a tidal wave crashing against a cliff¡ªas pleasure overwhelmed her.


    The water around them exploded with light, blue and gold merging into blinding white. The energy wave hit Grace like a physical force, triggering her own orgasm so intense she nearly blacked out. It felt like cumming and being struck by lightning at the same time, pleasure and power fusing into something transcendent.


    Then everything changed.


    The underwater chamber disappeared. The water vanished. Instead, Grace found herself standing on a shore¡ªthe same shore where Diana and Petriel were fighting, but somehow different. Brighter. Cleaner. The sky was a perfect blue, the sand golden, the water crystal clear. It looked like noon. For a moment, Grace wondered if she¡¯d passed out and woke up the next day.


    [Don¡¯t tell me I orgasmed into a coma and she went and killed everyone or something.]


    But, that did not happen.


    And standing next to her was the Tide, no longer made of water but solid, real. She looked almost human now, with pale blue skin and hair like sea foam that flowed around her face as if underwater, even though they were on dry land. Her eyes still contained galaxies, but they were calmer now, less wild.


    This wasn¡¯t the real world. That became apparent immediately. It was a vision, a memory, or something in between. Grace could still feel her body somewhere else, but her consciousness was here, on this perfect beach.


    The Tide turned to Grace, a sad smile on her face. The anger was gone, replaced by something worse. Resignation.


    "You aren¡¯t actually Eternia, are you?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 103: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Six

    Chapter 103: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Six"You aren¡¯t actually Eternia, are you?"


    The Tide¡¯s words hung in the air between them, heavy as a wet blanket. The perfect beach around them remained frozen in time, waves stuck mid-crash like someone had hit pause on reality, seagulls hanging in the sky like they¡¯d forgotten how gravity worked.


    Grace¡¯s first instinct was to keep bullshitting. To maintain the charade that had gotten her this far and her light-dick deep into a water goddess.


    "What are you talking about? Of course I¡¯m¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t." The Tide held up a hand, her expression caught between disappointment and acceptance, like someone who¡¯d just found out their favorite merchant in the village was closing down. "I felt it. When we connected. You¡¯re... different."


    [Well, crap. Cover blown.]


    Grace sighed, running a hand through her damp white hair.


    "Fine. You got me. I¡¯m not Eternia. My name is Grace."


    She braced herself for the explosion of rage, for the vision to shatter and the watery tentacles to return with a vengeance and way less pleasure involved. But the Tide just looked at her, those starry eyes reflecting entire galaxies, like little universes trapped in her irises.


    "I knew it," she said quietly.


    Grace blinked in surprise, nearly choking. That was... not the reaction she¡¯d expected.


    "You¡¯re not mad?"


    The Tide turned to look out at the frozen ocean. She looked tired in a way immortal beings shouldn¡¯t be able to look.


    "I¡¯ve been mad for millennia. It grows tiresome. Besides, it was obvious, I suppose. In retrospect. Eternia would never have cared enough to make me feel good. It was always about her pleasure, her needs. That... that bitch."


    She walked a few steps along the shore, her feet leaving no prints in the sand. Grace followed, cautious but curious. Like approaching a wounded animal that could still totally mess you up if it wanted to.


    "I remember the day I realized she wasn¡¯t coming back," the Tide said, her voice distant. "I waited by this very shore. Years passed. Decades. I called out to her. Never got an answer."


    The scene around them shifted suddenly. The perfect beach darkened, clouds rolling in like angry bruises, the water turning gray and choppy. The Tide¡¯s appearance changed too¡ªher elegant form becoming more monstrous, her starry eyes burning with cold fire. She was rage personified, and it was terrifying.


    "Loneliness is a poison," she continued, her voice edged with bitterness. "It eats away at you from the inside, hollowing you out until all that¡¯s left is an echo of who you once were."


    Grace felt a pang of sympathy. She knew loneliness¡ªthe empty farmhouse after her parents died, the long nights talking to turnips because they were the only things that would listen.


    But her loneliness had lasted a few years, not fucking millennia.


    "I started taking the villagers," the Tide admitted, looking at her hands like they belonged to someone else. "Changing them. Making them like me so I wouldn¡¯t be alone anymore. But it wasn¡¯t the same. They weren¡¯t... real companions. Just puppets. Wet puppets."


    The scene shifted again. The beach returned to its earlier state, but with slight differences. Less perfect, more real. The Tide¡¯s form softened, becoming more human-like again, less sea monster from the depths.


    "And then you came," she said, turning to face Grace. "Wearing her face. Carrying her essence. But you¡¯re nothing like her."


    "... Is that good or bad?" Grace asked hesitantly. "Because if it¡¯s bad, I¡¯d like to point out I¡¯m very small. Not worth breaking in half at all."


    "Hehe..." The Tide¡¯s lips curved in a small smile. "I haven¡¯t decided yet."


    Suddenly, she got a notification.


    ¡¸System Notification: Use Aura Cleanse¡¹


    [Oh! That¡¯s an idea. Thanks, Eternia. For once, you¡¯re actually being helpful instead of telling me to get laid.]


    Grace stepped closer to the Tide, raising her hands slowly to show she meant no harm. Like approaching a skittish cat.


    "Let me try something," she said. "Please? I promise it doesn¡¯t involve any more trickery. I didn¡¯t come here to fight you."


    [Well, in a way I did, but yeah.]


    The Tide eyed her warily but nodded, curiosity overriding suspicion.


    Grace focused, channeling divine energy into her palms. Her hands began to glow with soft golden light, like she was holding tiny suns.


    She placed her hands on the Tide¡¯s shoulders, letting the cleansing energy flow into the water deity. The Tide gasped, her entire body lighting up from within like someone had dropped a glow stick into a water bottle. The starlight in her eyes seemed to flicker, then calm, becoming less frantic, less desperate.


    "What are you doing to me?" she whispered, but there was no anger in her voice¡ªonly wonder.


    "Helping you," Grace said, continuing to channel the energy. "You¡¯ve been corrupted by your loneliness. By your pain."


    The Tide trembled under her touch.


    "I¡¯m so tired," the Tide admitted, her voice breaking. "So tired of this."


    "Then stop," Grace said gently. "Let it go."


    The golden light spread through the Tide¡¯s entire body, cleansing centuries of bitterness and rage. Where it passed, her blue skin lightened, becoming almost translucent, revealing currents of energy flowing beneath like underwater rivers.


    When the light faded, the Tide looked different. Calmer. The stars in her eyes twinkled peacefully rather than burning with fury. Like night skies instead of supernovas.


    Grace sighed.


    "You deserve a break."


    That actually drew a laugh from the Tide¡ªa sound like gentle waves lapping at a shore, not the tsunami roar from before.


    "You are definitely not Eternia," she said, but this time it sounded like a compliment rather than an accusation.


    The beach around them began to dissolve, the edges of the vision blurring into reality like wet watercolors. They were returning to the underwater chamber, to the real world where Diana and Petriel were still fighting transformed villagers just a short walk away.


    "What happens now?" the Tide asked, suddenly looking vulnerable, like a breakup was coming. "Will Eternia truly never return?"


    Grace had been wondering the same thing. She reached into her robe pocket, fingers closing around the tear-pearl she¡¯d found days ago.


    "I don¡¯t know. But, I have an idea," Grace said, pulling out the pearl she¡¯d found days ago. It glowed softly in her palm. "This is yours, isn¡¯t it?"


    The Tide looked at the pearl, something like recognition flickering in her starry eyes.


    "The first of many. I was quite the emotional wreck back then," she admitted.


    Grace held the pearl out.


    "Should I give it back to you?"


    The Tide stared at the pearl for a long moment. Then, surprisingly, she shook her head.


    "No. Hold onto it." She gently pushed Grace¡¯s hand back. "You may be able to find some use for it."


    "Really?" Grace looked down at the pearl. As she watched, it began to change, growing slightly larger, its surface becoming more iridescent. Thin strands of what looked like silver and water began to weave themselves around it, forming an intricate pendant.


    "Consider it a gift," the Tide said.


    The pearl flashed brightly, and Grace felt a surge of power flow through her.


    ¡¸System Notification: Equipment Acquired ¨C Tear of the Tide¡¹


    ¡¸Description: A crystallized tear from an ancient deity, containing both sorrow and healing. Increases morale-boosting capabilities and allows limited water breathing.¡¹


    ¡¸Equipment Synergy: Power grows with Love attribute (50/100)¡¹


    "Holy shit," Grace whispered, staring at the notification. "It¡¯s... equipment? Like, magic equipment?"


    The Tide looked amused.


    "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but if you mean ¡¯does it have power,¡¯ then yes. My tears contain... pieces of me."


    "Thank you," Grace said, genuinely touched. "I¡¯ll take good care of it."


    "You¡¯d better."


    "So... Can you release the villagers?"


    "Hm?"


    "Let them be human again. No more transforming people into water-zombies... Alright?" S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Tide was quiet for a long moment, considering. Then she nodded.


    "I won¡¯t need them anymore. Not if we¡¯re..."


    "Friends," Grace finished. "I-I promise, I¡¯ll come back. I¡¯ll bring the best cookies in the Dominion. Maybe we can have a spa day or something. I bet you give amazing massages."


    The vision dissolved completely.


    They were back in the under-ocean chamber, but everything had changed. The Tide¡¯s form was gentler now, less threatening. The water around them was warm and clear, not the cold pressure from before.


    "Go," the Tide said, gesturing toward a passage that hadn¡¯t been there before. "Your friends are worried about you."


    [... It¡¯s done?]


    Grace hesitated, fingers touching the pearl pendant around her neck.


    "Will you be okay?"


    The Tide smiled.


    "I¡¯ve survived millennia of abandonment. I think I can handle a few more years until your next visit."


    Grace couldn¡¯t tell if she was joking.


    "Noted," she said, patting the pearl at her chest. "I¡¯ll be back. Promise."


    ---


    The passage led Grace up and up, through tunnels of crystal-clear water, past schools of curious fish, until finally she broke the surface.


    Morning sunlight hit her face as she emerged from the water temple, gasping in fresh air like it was the best thing she¡¯d ever tasted. The shore was just ahead.


    Grace waddled toward shore, her body aching from the most intense sex she¡¯d ever had and probably would ever have again. Every muscle protested, but in a good way, like after a really intense workout.


    It was over. She¡¯d done it.


    Not by fighting. Not by killing.


    But by understanding.


    By connecting.

 Chapter 104: Date With Watery Destiny, Part Seven

    Chapter 104: Date With Watery Destiny, Part SevenGrace trudged out of the water, her soaked robes clinging to her skin like they¡¯d been glued there.


    Her legs wobbled with each step, threatening to give out after what she¡¯d just been through¡ªapparently, defeating a water goddess with her hips was excellent exercise.


    "Grace!"


    Diana sprinted toward her, sword still in hand. Behind her, Petriel followed at a more dignified pace, supporting a very bedraggled Meridian who looked like she¡¯d been dragged backward through a whirlpool.


    "You made it!" Diana grabbed Grace¡¯s shoulders, scanning her up and down for injuries. "And... you¡¯re not a fish. That¡¯s good."


    "Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence," Grace muttered, wringing water from her hair. It splashed onto the sand in an impressive puddle. "I¡¯m fine. Just tired. And wet. I don¡¯t even wanna see water again for at least a year."


    She looked past Diana at Meridian, who was leaning heavily on Petriel. The Ascended Choir member¡¯s blue robes were torn in several places, and her hair was plastered to her skull in sad, soggy clumps.


    Grace blinked away the image of her being thoroughly tentacle-ravaged.


    "What happened to her? How did she get out?"


    Diana glanced back.


    "No idea. The temple just sort of... spat her out about ten minutes ago."


    "Ew."


    "Yeah."


    Grace approached Meridian, who looked up with bleary eyes that couldn¡¯t quite focus.


    Meridian¡¯s face contorted through several emotions at once.


    "I remember water. Stars. Pleasure like I¡¯ve never known." She shuddered, her body trembling with the memory. "And then nothing until I woke up on the beach with half the village standing over me."


    [So the Tide wiped her memory somehow? Probably for the best. No one needs to remember being tentacle-pleasured into oblivion.]


    "Well, you¡¯re free now," Grace said, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. "And, uh, so is everyone else."


    Around them, many of the villagers who¡¯d picked up weapons to come fight alongside Diana and Petriel were slowly realizing the fight was over. A few corrupted villagers remained that they stabbed and killed, and then, silence.


    "How did you manage it?" Diana asked, lowering her voice to a whisper. "What happened in there?"


    "How do you think?" Grace blushed and looked away.


    "Damn, good stuff, shorty!"


    A familiar voice called out from the village path.


    "Darling! You¡¯ve returned!"


    Venus glided toward them, looking fresh and pristine despite the chaos around her. Her pink robes somehow remained unwrinkled and spotless. Behind her marched several blue-robed Ascended Choir members, led by Variel.


    "Venus," Grace greeted her, suddenly self-conscious about how thoroughly she¡¯d applied the Love Leader¡¯s lessons. "Yeah, I¡¯m back."


    Venus reached her and immediately cupped Grace¡¯s face, examining her with a knowing smile that made Grace want to sink back into the ocean.


    "And successful, I see. The glow on your cheeks tells me you put my training to good use."


    [Is there a "just had intimate relations with water" sign floating over my head?]


    "I... did what I had to do," Grace mumbled, feeling her face heat up even more.


    Venus laughed delightedly, the sound like tiny bells.


    "So diplomatic! I want details later, little angel."


    The other Choir member, Meridian¡¯s right-hand woman, stepped forward. Her posture was perfect, her expression calculating. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We¡¯ve come for Meridian."


    Grace stepped forward.


    "She needs rest, not an interrogation."


    "We know," Variel said, raising a placating hand. "We merely wish to ensure her well-being, and her dignity, and hear her account of what transpired."


    Meridian made a noise like a drowning cat.


    "I don¡¯t remember anything useful. Just... water. And stars."


    Variel nodded, her expression giving nothing away.


    "Regardless, please come, Leader."


    Two Choir members gently took Meridian from Petriel, supporting her between them as they led her toward the village. Meridian¡¯s feet dragged in the sand, leaving uneven trails behind her.


    "Is it over?" a villager asked, approaching cautiously. He was an older man with a weathered face, still slightly damp from his recent transformation. His eyes held equal parts hope and fear. "The... the curse?"


    Grace felt the pearl pendant warm against her skin, pulsing gently like a tiny heartbeat.


    "Yes," she said with certainty. "The Tide won¡¯t bother you anymore."


    ¡¸System Notification: Pillar Quest Complete!¡¹


    ¡¸Reward: Skill Evolution ¨C Aura Cleanse ¡ú Aura Manipulation¡¹


    ¡¸Aura Manipulation (Level 5)¡¹


    ¡¸+10 Love Points Gained!¡¹


    ¡¸Love: 60/100¡¹


    The notification confirmed what Grace already knew.


    She¡¯d done it.


    ---


    The villagers insisted on throwing a feast that night.


    Tables were dragged into the village square, laden with fish and bread and whatever else could be scrounged up on short notice. Barrels of ale were rolled out, torches lit, and somewhere, someone found a fiddle that seemed to have survived the watery chaos.


    Grace sat at a table with Diana and Petriel, picking at her food. She was hungry¡ªstarving, really¡ªbut her mind kept drifting back to the Tide¡ªto those starry eyes and the promise she¡¯d made to return.


    [... So, when do I come back? A week? A month? A decade?]


    "So," Diana said, dropping her voice so only Grace could hear. "You gonna tell me how you did it, or do I have to get you drunk first?"


    Grace choked on her ale, spluttering as it went down the wrong way.


    "W-What do you even want to know!?"


    "Everything, obviously." Diana grinned.


    Grace felt more than just one pair of eyes on her as she hesitated to say anything in response.


    "... L-Let¡¯s just say Venus¡¯s lessons came in handy," Grace finally said, tracing the rim of her mug with her finger.


    Diana¡¯s eyebrows shot up so high they nearly left her forehead.


    "Rookie, you actually fucked a water goddess."


    It wasn¡¯t a question.


    "Pillar, not goddess. And, I wouldn¡¯t put it exactly like that¡ª"


    "Holy shit." Diana leaned back, looking impressed. "And here I thought you were still the blushing virgin who couldn¡¯t say ¡¯breasts¡¯ without turning red."


    "I can say... breasts just fine," Grace muttered, then blushed despite herself.


    Diana burst out laughing, the sound drawing glances from nearby villagers. She clapped Grace on the back hard enough to make her spill her ale.


    The feast continued around them, the mood growing merrier as more ale flowed. The villagers sang and danced, celebrating their freedom from the Tide¡¯s influence. Children ran between tables, stealing bits of bread and giggling. Venus joined in, teaching some of the women a dance that uh... yeah.


    After her second mug of ale, Grace excused herself for some air. The warmth of the celebration had become stifling, and her head buzzed pleasantly from the drink.


    She wandered toward the beach, away from the noise and light of the feast, seeking a bit of solitude.


    The moon hung low over the water, casting a silver path across the waves. It was beautiful and peaceful¡ªhard to believe that just hours ago, she¡¯d been fighting for her life (and dignity) beneath those same waves.


    Movement caught her eye. A small group of villagers¡ªthree women and two men¡ªstood at the shore¡¯s edge, staring out at the ocean. Their shoulders were slumped, their postures speaking of loss, not celebration.


    Grace approached cautiously, her feet sinking into the cool sand.


    "Are you alright?"


    One of the women turned. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy from crying.


    "You saved us," she said, voice thick with emotion. "And we¡¯re grateful. But..."


    "But?" Grace prompted gently, moving closer.


    "My husband was taken two weeks ago," another woman said. Her hands were twisted together in front of her, knuckles white. "He changed. Walked into the sea. We thought... when we heard you were going to stop it, we thought maybe..."


    She didn¡¯t finish, but she didn¡¯t need to. Grace understood the unspoken hope.


    [They thought I¡¯d bring their loved ones back.]


    "I¡¯m sorry," Grace said, and meant it with every fiber of her being. "The ones who were fully transformed... There was nothing I could do."


    It was a harsh truth. The Tide had committed real crimes, caused real suffering. Grace¡¯s deal with her didn¡¯t erase that pain or bring back what was lost.


    "Will it happen again?" one of the men asked. "Will more be taken?"


    Grace touched the pearl at her throat, feeling its warmth respond to her touch.


    "No. I promise you that."


    They nodded, accepting her word even though they had no reason to trust her. The weight of their faith made Grace stand a little straighter, determined to be worthy of it.


    [I made a difference here. Not a perfect one, but a real one.]


    "Come back to the feast," she urged them, gesturing toward the village. "Honor their memory by living. By finding joy where you can."


    Slowly, almost reluctantly, they turned from the ocean and followed her back toward the lights and music of the village. One of the women paused to press Grace¡¯s hand in silent gratitude before continuing on.


    Grace glanced back once at the dark water, wondering if the Tide was watching from its depths. The pearl at her throat pulsed gently, as if in answer.


    Whether the Tide was watching or not, Grace had done what she came to do. She¡¯d completed her mission, even if it wasn¡¯t the victory she¡¯d imagined. Tomorrow, they would return to the Dominion. New missions awaited, new Pillars to find.


    But tonight, she would celebrate this small victory and try not to think about the future. Or about how she¡¯d have to explain to Celestia exactly how she¡¯d convinced an ancient water deity to stop drowning villagers.


    That conversation could wait for another day.

 Chapter 105: Affectionate

    Chapter 105: Affectionate"Well, this was fun," Diana said, adjusting her golden armor. "Nothing like fighting water zombies and watching Grace disappear into the ocean for hours to make you appreciate dry land."


    Grace¡¯s eyes drifted to the gap between Diana¡¯s armor plates where smooth skin peeked through. Diana had a body worth staring at, and today, Grace was finding it harder than normal not to do so.


    "It wasn¡¯t exactly all that great for me either," Grace muttered, forcing herself to focus on folding bandages instead of Diana¡¯s body. "But at least nobody died."


    Venus glided up beside them.


    "Speak for yourself, darling. I had a lovely time with several very grateful villagers." She winked. "Stress relief is an essential service."


    "Of course you did," Diana snorted. "Let me guess ¨C that handsome fisherman with the arms? And probably his wife too."


    Venus just smiled, neither confirming nor denying.


    Petriel finished healing up some of the villagers that fought alongside her and Diana, her hands glowing with soft blue light. She looked exhausted but satisfied.


    "I think we¡¯re done here," she said, joining the group. She swayed slightly, and Grace instinctively reached out to steady her.


    Their hands touched. Petriel¡¯s skin was cool against Grace¡¯s palm, and both of them lingered a moment longer than necessary.


    [... What is happening to me? I¡¯m noticing everyone today.]


    The elder bowed deeply to them.


    "We can never repay you. The Sisters of the Angelic Dominion will always be welcome in Saltmist."


    Grace smiled, but her eyes drifted past him to the ocean. The water sparkled innocently in the morning light, nothing like the swirling vortex of power it had been days ago. But as she stared, a single wave rose higher than the others, almost like a hand waving goodbye.


    Grace touched the pearl pendant at her throat. It was warm against her skin, almost like lips pressing against her neck.


    "Hey, ready to go?" Diana asked, nudging her.


    "Yeah," Grace said, tearing her eyes away from the ocean. "Let¡¯s head home."


    ---


    Flying was STILL Grace¡¯s least favorite part of being an angel.


    Diana soared through the clouds like she¡¯d been born with wings, performing unnecessary acrobatic twists just to show off. Venus glided effortlessly, barely moving her pink-feathered wings. Even Petriel flew far more confidently.


    Grace, meanwhile, flapped like a chicken trying to escape the cooking pot.


    "You¡¯re overthinking it again, rookie," Diana called back to her. "Wings are an extension of your body. Stop trying to control every feather."


    "Easy for you to say," Grace grumbled, pumping her wings harder to keep up. Her back muscles burned with the effort. "You¡¯ve had centuries of practice."


    Diana dropped back to fly beside her.


    "True. But you¡¯ll get it eventually. Or you¡¯ll keep flying like a frog in a windstorm for all eternity. Either way, it¡¯s entertaining for me."


    "Thanks for the support."


    The journey back to the Dominion took a bit longer than expected. Maybe out of tiredness, maybe out of appreciation for the view.


    They landed on the eastern platform where Seraph waited, arms crossed over her chest. Her red hair whipped around her face in the breeze.


    "About time," Seraph said by way of greeting. "Celestia¡¯s been waiting."


    "Hello to you too," Diana replied, stretching her wings before folding them. The movement made her shoulder muscles flex impressively... Not that Grace was looking. "We just saved an entire village. No rush."


    Seraph¡¯s stern expression softened slightly.


    "Well, in any case, good job not dying. Especially you, rookie." She nodded at Grace. "Celestia is waiting in the Hall of Light," Seraph continued. "She wants a full report."


    Venus stepped forward.


    "I¡¯ll go freshen up and meet you there. Can¡¯t face the Archangel looking like I¡¯ve been flying all day." She winked at Grace. "Don¡¯t start the good parts without me."


    Grace watched Venus walk away, her hips swaying hypnotically. Had Venus always walked like that, or was Grace just noticing it more now?


    "Come on, rookie. Stop staring at Venus¡¯s ass and let¡¯s go," Diana said, not bothering to lower her voice.


    Grace¡¯s face burned.


    "I wasn¡¯t¡ª"


    "You absolutely were." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, they arrived.


    Celestia sat on her throne, her rainbow wings folded elegantly behind her.


    As usual, she looked exactly like what she was ¨C the most powerful angel in the Dominion, one of the last beings who¡¯d interacted directly with Eternia, and an angel who had lived for thousands of years and seen the rise and fall of countless human societies.


    And yet, today, Grace noticed for the first time how lonely she seemed. Surrounded by admirers but separate from them all.


    [Is that what happens when you live too long? You end up like Celestia? Or the Tide? I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it.]


    Mara stood to Celestia¡¯s right. Seraph took her place on Celestia¡¯s left.


    "Sisters," Celestia¡¯s voice rang out, filling the chamber. "Welcome home."


    Grace, Diana, and Petriel bowed. Venus, who had somehow managed to look freshly bathed and styled in the ten minutes they¡¯d been separated, curtsied with a flourish.


    "Rise," Celestia commanded. "Tell me of the Tide."


    Diana nudged Grace forward.


    "The rookie did all the heavy lifting, so she should be the one to do it."


    [Thanks a lot, Diana.]


    Grace stepped forward. She cleared her throat.


    "The Tide was corrupted by loneliness and abandonment." She glanced at Celestia, whose expression remained neutral. "She¡¯d been transforming villagers, trying to create companions for herself."


    "And you stopped this?"


    "Yes. I... connected with her. Cleansed her corrupted aura." Grace chose her words carefully, very much not mentioning the parts where she¡¯d been tentacle-fucked and then turned the tables with her own divine fingering tricks. "She agreed to stop harming humans. In exchange, I promised to visit occasionally. To ensure she doesn¡¯t fall back into corruption."


    Celestia¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "... You let her live, then."


    It wasn¡¯t a question.


    "I did," Grace said, doing her best to look Celestia in the eye.


    "The Pillars cannot be trusted," Celestia said, her voice hard. "They are vessels for Eternia¡¯s discarded emotions. Chaos incarnate."


    Venus stepped forward, her robes rustling softly.


    "If I may, Archangel? Grace¡¯s approach worked. The villagers are safe. The corruption is cleansed. And we¡¯ve potentially gained an ally rather than destroying a powerful being. Were it possible to bring these Pillars to our side as opposed to just exterminating them, that would be preferable, right?"


    Grace gave Venus a grateful look.


    Celestia was quiet for a long moment.


    "Perhaps. But remember, Lightsinger, that kindness can be mistaken for weakness. And the Pillars understand power above all else."


    "I understand," Grace said, though she didn¡¯t entirely agree. The Tide had responded to connection more than power. And the kind of power that had worked wasn¡¯t the kind they taught in Seraph¡¯s combat classes.


    Celestia rose, signaling the end of the audience.


    "Rest. Recover. We¡¯ll speak more of this later."


    "Well, that could have gone worse," Diana said as they left the Hall of Light. "She didn¡¯t strip your wings or anything."


    "Is that a possibility?" Grace asked, alarmed. "Ow!"


    Diana laughed, lightly tapping the back of Grace¡¯s head.


    "No, dummy. Angels don¡¯t get demoted. We just get stuck with crappy assignments like babysitting rookie turnip farmers."


    "H-Hey!"


    Petriel moved closer to Grace, her arm brushing against Grace¡¯s.


    "I-I think what Diana means is that you did well. The Archangel was impressed, even if she didn¡¯t show it."


    The casual touch sent a pleasant tingle up Grace¡¯s arm. Petriel noticed her reaction and blushed slightly but didn¡¯t move away.


    They walked through the marble corridors of the Dominion, heading toward the rookie wing. The sunset painted everything in soft golden light, making even the simplest architecture look magical.


    "I just want a bath and about twenty hours of sleep," Grace sighed.


    "Don¡¯t count on the sleep part," Diana smirked. "I¡¯m sure Alia and Zephyr have been driving everyone crazy asking when you¡¯d be back. I bet they¡¯ve planned some kind of welcome home party."


    "Great," Grace groaned, though secretly she was looking forward to seeing her friends.


    They turned the corner to the rookie wing and sure enough, Alia and Zephyr stood outside Grace¡¯s quarters, practically bouncing with excitement.


    "GRACE!" Alia shrieked, launching herself forward.


    "You¡¯re back!" Zephyr followed more sedately, but her smile was just as bright.


    Grace spread her arms for a hug, grinning despite her exhaustion. Alia crashed into her, wrapping slender arms around Grace¡¯s neck.


    And, without thinking, Grace leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth.


    Not a peck. Not a friendly kiss. A proper, open-mouthed kiss with tongue and everything. Grace tasted sweetness on Alia¡¯s lips, felt the softness of her mouth, inhaled her scent of flowers and honey.


    When they parted, a thin strand of saliva connected their lips for a moment before breaking. Alia blinked rapidly, her green eyes wide with surprise.


    Everyone froze.


    Diana¡¯s jaw dropped. Petriel¡¯s eyes widened comically. Zephyr stood motionless, her lips parted in shock.


    "Uh... whoa," Diana said finally, breaking the silence. "Grace, you, uh... in a good mood or something?"


    Zephyr¡¯s mouth hung open.


    "That was... new."


    Even Petriel looked shocked, her golden eyes wide as dinner plates. But there was something else in her expression too ¨C interest, maybe even jealousy.


    Grace stepped back, suddenly realizing what she¡¯d done. She¡¯d just casually tongue-kissed Alia like it was the most normal greeting in the world.


    [What the hell? I never do that! Why did I just... oh.]


    The realization hit her like a bucket of cold water.


    Her Love attribute had gone up to 60/100 after the mission. Was that...?


    "Sorry," Grace said, her face burning. "I don¡¯t know why I¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t apologize," Alia interrupted, licking her lips with a slowly spreading grin. "Just maybe warn a girl next time, ey?"


    Zephyr stepped closer, eyes gleaming with mischief.


    "Do I get one too?"


    Diana burst out laughing.


    "Well, looks like our little Grace is finally growing up."


    "Shut up," Grace muttered, pushing past them toward her quarters.

 Chapter 106: Back to Lessons

    Chapter 106: Back to LessonsGrace woke up to moaning.


    Again. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She cracked one eye open and yep, there it was. Diana had her face buried between Alia¡¯s spread legs, going at it like she was searching for buried treasure. Alia¡¯s hands tangled in Diana¡¯s short black hair, her back arching off the couch as she gasped something about "right there, fuck, right there!"


    At the kitchen table, maybe three feet away, Petriel and Zephyr sat eating breakfast. Petriel nibbled on toast while reading some healing manual. Zephyr sipped tea and watched the show with mild interest, occasionally offering commentary.


    "Try using your fingers too, Diana. She likes that."


    Diana flipped her off without looking up from her work.


    Grace rolled out of bed, stretching. Some time ago, waking up to her roommates fucking would have sent her fleeing in embarrassment. Now? Just another Tuesday in the rookie wing.


    Except...


    Grace found herself staring. Really staring. At the way Alia¡¯s thighs trembled, at how Diana¡¯s shoulder muscles flexed with each movement, at the slick sounds filling the room.


    [Shit. I kind of want to join in.]


    The thought hit her like a brick. She¡¯d never felt that urge before, not really. Sure, she¡¯d appreciated the view, but wanting to dive in herself? That was new.


    Her Love attribute. Right. 60/100 now.


    "Morning, Grace!" Zephyr called cheerfully. "There¡¯s fresh bread if you want some."


    "And j-jam," Petriel added, not looking up from her book. Her ears were bright red though.


    Grace shuffled to the kitchen, trying very hard not to think about how easy it would be to walk over and kiss Alia while Diana worked. Or maybe help Diana out. Or¡ª


    "FUCK!"


    Alia¡¯s climax announcement saved Grace from that particular spiral of thoughts.


    "That¡¯s one," Diana said smugly, wiping her mouth. "Going for three today."


    "You¡¯re gonna kill her," Grace muttered, obviously exaggerating, spreading jam on bread.


    Diana grinned.


    "What a way to go though, right?"


    ---


    The training arena buzzed with energy when Grace arrived. And by energy, she meant about thirty angels who¡¯d shown up specifically to watch her spar.


    "There she is!"


    "Grace! You can do it!"


    "Kick Seraph¡¯s ass!"


    Grace¡¯s face burned. Even now, after all this time, and she still had a fan club?


    "They¡¯ve been showing up more and more," Diana said, appearing at her elbow. "Ever since word got out about you taming the Tide."


    "I didn¡¯t tame anything," Grace protested.


    "That¡¯s not what they heard." Diana¡¯s smirk widened. "Something about tentacles and divine fingering?"


    Grace wanted to die. Who the hell had been talking?


    "LIGHTSINGER!" Seraph¡¯s voice boomed across the arena. "Less chatting, more fighting!"


    Grace grabbed a practice sword and stepped into the ring. Seraph stood waiting, all muscle and confidence in her training gear. Her red braid swung as she rolled her shoulders.


    "Ready to get your ass kicked, rookie?"


    "Ready to try not to," Grace replied quietly.


    They circled each other. Grace had gotten better over the weeks, but Seraph was still Seraph. Many, many years of experience versus Grace¡¯s handful of months.


    Seraph struck first, a testing blow that Grace barely deflected. The impact jarred up her arms.


    "Too slow!"


    Grace ducked the follow-up swing, tried to counter. Seraph knocked her blade aside like swatting a fly.


    "Is Grace going to win today?" someone in the crowd whispered.


    "She¡¯s gotten so much stronger!"


    "Look at her form!"


    [Great. No pressure or anything.]


    Grace focused, trying to remember Diana¡¯s lessons. Stop thinking, just move. She parried Seraph¡¯s next attack, actually managed to force the commander back a step.


    "Better!" Seraph approved, then promptly swept Grace¡¯s legs.


    Grace hit the mat hard. Air whooshed from her lungs.


    "But not good enough."


    "My turn," Diana announced, stepping into the ring. "You¡¯ve had your fun."


    Seraph shrugged and tagged out. Diana twirled her practice sword with annoying confidence.


    "Same rules as always. First to three touches wins."


    Grace hauled herself up. Her body already ached, but Diana wouldn¡¯t go easy on her. If anything, Diana pushed harder than Seraph.


    They engaged. Diana¡¯s style was completely different¡ªless brute force, more precision. She fought like she fucked, Grace realized with a start. Calculated, teasing, always in control.


    "Focus," Diana snapped, tagging Grace¡¯s ribs. "That¡¯s one."


    Grace growled and pressed forward. She managed to get inside Diana¡¯s guard, their bodies close enough that she could smell Diana¡¯s scent. Sweat and something spicy.


    "Getting bold?" Diana¡¯s breath tickled Grace¡¯s ear. "I like it."


    Then she hooked Grace¡¯s ankle and sent her tumbling again.


    "That¡¯s two."


    The crowd groaned sympathetically. Grace bounced up, determined. She would not get shut out in front of her... fans? Admirers? Whatever they were.


    This time when they clashed, Grace didn¡¯t think. She just moved, letting instinct guide her. When Diana went high, she went low. When Diana feinted left, Grace didn¡¯t bite.


    Her practice sword touched Diana¡¯s side.


    The crowd erupted.


    "She scored!"


    "Did you see that move?"


    "Grace is amazing!"


    Diana scoffed.


    "Finally. Took you long enough."


    She promptly disarmed Grace and tapped her throat for the winning point.


    "Three-one. Better than last week."


    ---


    Mara¡¯s healing class was usually Grace¡¯s chance to relax after getting beaten up in combat training.


    Usually.


    Today, Mara insisted on demonstrating advanced energy channeling techniques. Which meant standing directly behind Grace, guiding her hands, pressing close enough that Grace could feel every curve.


    [Those can¡¯t be real. They¡¯re too big. Too soft. Too... everything.]


    "Feel the flow here," Mara murmured, her breath warm against Grace¡¯s neck. Her massive chest pressed firmly against Grace¡¯s back as she adjusted Grace¡¯s stance. "You¡¯re still too tense."


    Tense was one word for it.


    "I-I think I¡¯ve got it," Grace squeaked.


    "Hmm, not quite." Mara¡¯s hands covered Grace¡¯s, warm and gentle. "Let me show you again."


    This was torture. Sweet, soft, lavender-scented torture.


    The healing energy finally flowed correctly, probably because Grace was too distracted to overthink it. Blue light sparkled between her palms.


    "Perfect!" Mara beamed, stepping back. Grace immediately missed the warmth. "You¡¯re improving so quickly."


    "Thanks," Grace managed, trying not to stare at how Mara¡¯s robes clung when she moved.


    [Get it together. She¡¯s your teacher.]


    But her Love attribute didn¡¯t care about appropriate student-teacher dynamics.


    ---


    Venus¡¯s class was where things went completely off the rails.


    "Today we¡¯re practicing advanced energy exchange through kissing," Venus announced to the assembled Love Sisters. "Partner up!"


    A petite angel with cotton candy pink hair immediately latched onto Grace¡¯s arm.


    "Dibs!"


    Grace found herself pulled into an enthusiastic kiss before she could protest. The girl¡ªLily? Lucy? Something with an L¡ªkissed like she was trying to win a prize.


    "Mmm," the girl hummed against Grace¡¯s lips. "You taste good."


    Grace¡¯s brain short-circuited. The kiss was good. Really good. Skilled tongue, just the right amount of pressure, a hint of teeth that made Grace¡¯s knees weak.


    When they finally broke apart, the girl¡¯s eyes sparkled with mischief.


    "Want some extra tutoring?" she whispered in Grace¡¯s ear. "I know all sorts of techniques Venus doesn¡¯t teach in class."


    The smart answer was no. Grace had a full schedule. She needed to research more about the Pillars. She should probably check in with Celestia about her next mission.


    "Yes," Grace heard herself say.


    The girl¡¯s grin widened.


    "Perfect."


    Class couldn¡¯t end fast enough. The moment Venus dismissed them, Cotton Candy Hair grabbed Grace¡¯s hand.


    "Come on! I know the perfect practice room."


    Grace let herself be dragged away, ignoring the knowing looks from the other Love Sisters.


    [This is a bad idea.]


    Her Love attribute disagreed.


    ---


    Two hours later, Grace stumbled back to the rookie wing with kiss-swollen lips and shaky legs. Cotton Candy Hair¡ªLila, her name was Lila¡ªhad been very thorough in her tutoring.


    Very. Thorough.


    Grace pushed open the door to find the usual chaos. Except this time it was Diana¡¯s turn to make someone scream. She had Zephyr bent over the arm of the couch, that golden light construct pistoning steadily while Zephyr buried her face in a pillow to muffle her cries.


    "Welcome back," Alia said from the other couch. She patted her lap invitingly. "You look tired."


    Grace collapsed gratefully, resting her head on Alia¡¯s thighs. They were slim but soft, perfect for a pillow.


    "Long day," Grace mumbled.


    Alia¡¯s fingers combed through Grace¡¯s white hair. "Want to talk about it?"


    "Not really."


    "Want to make out about it?"


    Grace cracked one eye open. Alia grinned down at her, shameless as always.


    "Maybe later," Grace said, closing her eyes again.


    This was her life now. Morning sex shows, combat beatdowns, dangerous levels of distraction during healing class, and Love Sisters who wanted to teach her things that definitely weren¡¯t in any official curriculum.


    Somehow, it was starting to feel normal.


    Alia¡¯s fingers kept stroking her hair as Zephyr¡¯s muffled moans provided background noise. Grace let herself drift, surrounded by the controlled chaos of the rookie wing.


    Tomorrow would bring more training, more missions, more encounters with ancient beings who wanted to either kill her or fuck her. But for now, she had a soft lap pillow and friends who cared about her in their own weird ways.


    [I could get used to this.]

 Chapter 107: Recognition

    Chapter 107: RecognitionA week had passed since the Tide mission. A whole week of no demon hunting, no world-saving quests, no ancient beings trying to corrupt or seduce her.


    Just training.


    Grace knew she should be grateful. Really. The faction leaders had actually agreed on something for once¡ªthat she needed time to recover and train properly. Of course, not everyone was thrilled about it. Venus kept making passive-aggressive comments about "wasting valuable demon-killing resources." Some of the Bravery Sisters looked at Grace like she was slacking off whenever they passed her in the halls.


    But Seraph had put her foot down. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She¡¯s no use to anyone if she isn¡¯t the most dangerous person in the room at any given time," the warrior commander had said during what was apparently a pretty heated meeting. "Give me a month to drill some actual skill into her thick skull before we send her out again."


    Celestia had agreed. And when the Archangel agreed with something, well. That was that.


    So here Grace was, getting her ass kicked in private training sessions instead of out in the field where she could actually make a difference. Or experience horrible pain. One of the two.


    Grace¡¯s muscles screamed as she blocked another one of Seraph¡¯s strikes. The practice sword slammed against her grip, sending shockwaves up her already-aching arms.


    "Better!" Seraph barked. "But your footwork is still horrible!"


    They¡¯d been at it for an extra hour after regular training ended. Just Grace and Seraph in the empty arena. No cheering fangirls this time, thank Eternia. Grace preferred it this way. Less pressure to not eat dirt in front of her admirers.


    "I¡¯m trying," Grace panted, barely dodging a swing that would¡¯ve taken her head clean off.


    "Try harder, rookie!"


    Seraph came at her like a fucking whirlwind. Grace managed to block once, twice, three times before the fourth blow sent her stumbling backward. Her butt hit the ground. Hard.


    "Dead." Seraph pointed her sword at Grace¡¯s throat. "Well, metaphorically. Again."


    "Can we maybe take a break?" Grace wheezed from the floor. "Pretty sure my arms are about to fall off."


    Seraph considered it.


    "Fine. We¡¯ll call it for today." She offered Grace a hand up. "You¡¯re improving faster than I expected, rookie. Give it another year and you might actually land a hit on me."


    "A whole year?" Grace grabbed the offered hand. "Fantastic."


    "Could be worse. Took some of the girls three years."


    "That¡¯s... actually kind of reassuring."


    Grace grabbed a towel and wiped sweat from her face. Her white hair stuck to her neck in gross, damp strands. Everything hurt. But it was a good hurt¡ªthe kind that meant she was getting stronger. Maybe. Hopefully.


    "Same time tomorrow?" Seraph asked, already heading for the exit.


    "Yeah, sure." Grace stretched, wincing. "Can¡¯t wait to get my ass kicked again."


    Seraph¡¯s laugh echoed through the arena.


    "That¡¯s the spirit! You¡¯ll make a proper warrior yet."


    ---


    Grace wandered the Dominion¡¯s corridors, too wired from training to head back to the rookie wing yet. Her body ached, but her mind raced. The marble halls were quieter in the evening. Most angels were off doing whatever angels did when they weren¡¯t training or fighting demons.


    Probably fucking, if her roommates were any indication.


    She turned a corner and nearly walked straight into Celestia.


    The Archangel stood at one of those massive windows that overlooked the clouds below. Her rainbow wings were folded elegantly behind her. She wore simple robes today instead of her usual formal attire. It made her look almost... normal.


    If you ignored the whole "most powerful being in heaven" thing.


    "Grace," Celestia said without turning. "Good evening."


    "Archangel." Grace bowed out of habit. "I didn¡¯t expect to see you here."


    "I do occasionally leave my throne room." Amusement colored Celestia¡¯s voice. "Even ancient beings need fresh air. The throne room gets stuffy after a few centuries."


    Grace moved to stand beside her at the window. The view was incredible¡ªendless sky painted in sunset colors, clouds like golden islands floating below. It still felt surreal sometimes, living above the clouds like this.


    "How was training?" Celestia asked.


    "Painful." Grace rubbed her shoulder. "Seraph says I might hit her in a year if I¡¯m lucky."


    "High praise from her." Celestia¡¯s lips curved in a small smile. "She told me you¡¯re progressing well."


    "I guess. But, no offense, I figured you¡¯d want me out there killing demons every chance we got."


    "Partly. The faction leaders and I agreed you could use time to process... recent events." Celestia glanced at her. "The Tide was intense, from what I heard."


    Grace¡¯s face heated. She really, really hoped Celestia didn¡¯t know the specific details of how she¡¯d handled that situation. The tentacles. The fingering. The way she¡¯d¡ª


    "Yeah. Intense is one word for it."


    They stood in comfortable silence for a moment. Grace found herself relaxing despite everything. Celestia¡¯s earlier coldness about sparing the Tide had completely faded. Maybe she¡¯d had time to think it over. Or maybe Venus had convinced her that sometimes fucking your enemies into submission was a valid strategy.


    [Probably not that second one.]


    "Can I ask you something?" Grace said.


    "Of course."


    "About the other Pillars. Since I¡¯ll probably have to deal with them eventually." Grace glanced at Celestia. "Unless that¡¯s too much shop talk for an evening stroll?"


    Celestia actually laughed. Not her usual mysterious chuckle, but a real, genuine laugh.


    "Really? Here I am, trying to have a casual conversation with my newest angel, and you want to discuss business?"


    "Sorry, I just¡ª"


    "No, no. It¡¯s fine." Celestia turned from the window and started walking. Grace fell into step beside her. "I suppose I should expect it from someone Seraph describes as ¡¯irritatingly dedicated.¡¯ What would you like to know?"


    "Anything you can tell me, really. The Root and the Tide were both different kinds of challenging." Grace shuddered, remembering. "I figure the others will be too."


    "Indeed." Celestia¡¯s expression grew thoughtful. "Each Pillar manifests Eternia¡¯s discarded emotions differently. The Flame resides in the volcanic regions to the south. Expect pure aggression, overwhelming force. Nothing like the Tide¡¯s seduction or the Root¡¯s bargaining."


    "Great. Love the idea of fighting fire with... whatever I have."


    "Divine light works well against most things." Celestia¡¯s wings shifted slightly as they walked. "The Mountain in the north is ancient, patient. It may not even acknowledge you exist at first. Could take weeks just to get its attention."


    "Sounds thrilling."


    "The Void..." Celestia paused. "The Void is perhaps the most dangerous. It exists in absence, in what is not there. Fighting nothing is considerably harder than fighting something."


    Grace tried to wrap her head around that. Fighting something that wasn¡¯t there? How did that even work?


    "And the others?"


    "The Tempest controls storms from its island chains. Emotional, unpredictable. Mood swings that make the weather change." Another pause, longer this time. "The Bloom... The Bloom was always Eternia¡¯s favorite. Life and growth without restraint. Beautiful and terrible in equal measure."


    Something in Celestia¡¯s tone made Grace look at her more closely. There was an edge there, something sharp hidden under the calm.


    "You sound angry when you talk about them."


    "Do I?" Celestia stopped walking. They¡¯d reached one of those small balcony gardens scattered throughout the Dominion. "I suppose I might. Though anger isn¡¯t quite the right word."


    She moved to sit on a stone bench. Grace joined her, careful to leave respectful space between them. The garden smelled nice¡ªflowers and that clean, heavenly air that still felt weird in her lungs sometimes.


    "Then what is the right word?"


    Celestia was quiet for a long moment, seeming to gather her thoughts.


    "Caution," she said finally. "Wariness. The Pillars are... complicated. They contain pieces of our creator, yes, but pieces she specifically wanted separated from herself. Cut away. Discarded." Her golden eyes fixed on Grace. "Can you imagine what that means? What aspects of yourself you would cut away if you could?"


    Grace thought about it. Her cowardice, maybe. The part of her that still wanted to run away sometimes. Her growing lust?


    No, that was getting stronger lately, not weaker. Definitely keeping that.


    "I guess the bad parts. Anger, hatred, jealousy. Stuff like that."


    "Precisely. And now those ¡¯bad parts¡¯ have had millennia to fester. To grow. To become something else entirely." Celestia¡¯s wings shifted again. "I¡¯m not angry at them. I¡¯m cautious of what they represent. What they could do if left unchecked."


    "The Tide didn¡¯t seem that bad once I got through to her. She was just lonely."


    "Perhaps. But loneliness festering for thousands of years becomes something else. Something dangerous." Celestia¡¯s expression hardened slightly. "We can¡¯t afford to take risks. Not with the Veil still active. Not with..."


    She trailed off, but Grace knew where that sentence was going.


    "Azrael."


    Celestia¡¯s wings twitched. Just slightly, but Grace caught it. That name still had power here.


    "Yes. Azrael. She has not stepped out of line yet, but... You know."


    Grace remembered that encounter vividly. The way Azrael had looked at everyone like they were insects. Like she could squash them all without breaking a sweat. Level 100 floating above her head in silver numbers. That casual pat on Grace¡¯s head that had felt more like marking territory than affection.


    The cold that had seeped into her bones, worse than any demon.


    "She was terrifying," Grace admitted.


    "Well, Azrael always was exceptional." Something complicated passed over Celestia¡¯s face. Regret? Longing? "She pushes boundaries. Breaks rules. It¡¯s what made her Eternia¡¯s finest creation."


    "And possibly her greatest mistake?"


    Celestia¡¯s smile was sad.


    "You¡¯ve been reading the histories."


    "A little. Mina at the Archives is very helpful. And very chatty."


    "Indeed she is." Celestia leaned back on the bench. "Azrael was brilliant. Is brilliant. But brilliance without restraint..."


    "Becomes dangerous."


    "Exactly."


    A breeze ruffled Grace¡¯s hair, carrying the scent of flowers she couldn¡¯t name. Probably some heavenly variety that didn¡¯t exist in the mortal realm.


    "Could she really take on the entire Dominion?" Grace asked. "If it came to that?"


    Celestia was quiet for a long moment. When she spoke, her voice was softer.


    "I don¡¯t know. And I hope we never find out."


    That was... not reassuring. At all.


    "She thought I was Eternia," Grace said. "For a second, anyway. When she showed up after the Root thing."


    "Many of the older beings might make that mistake. You carry her essence, after all." Celestia¡¯s smile warmed slightly. "Though you¡¯re very much your own person. Eternia would never train with Seraph for extra hours. She¡¯d be off finding someone to seduce."


    "Hey, I seduce people too!"


    "So I¡¯ve heard. Venus is quite pleased with your progress in her classes."


    Grace¡¯s face burned. Did everyone know about her extracurriculars? The "private tutoring" sessions? That thing with Lila in the supply closet?


    "Still," Celestia continued, seemingly oblivious to Grace¡¯s embarrassment, "you have a dedication Eternia sometimes lacked. A focus on improvement rather than just pleasure. It will serve you well."


    She reached out and placed a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder. The touch was gentle but carried weight¡ªcenturies of power carefully controlled. Grace could feel it thrumming under Celestia¡¯s skin, barely contained.


    "You¡¯re a long way from having to worry about Azrael, little one. She should still be sane enough to control herself. Focus on your training. On growing stronger. On understanding yourself and your abilities." Her grip tightened just slightly. "Hopefully, by the time you must face such challenges, you¡¯ll be ready."


    "Hopefully?"


    "Nothing is certain. The future shifts like clouds." Celestia¡¯s hand dropped away. "But I have faith in you. You¡¯ve already accomplished more than anyone expected."


    She stood, smoothing her robes. Grace recognized a dismissal when she saw one.


    "Now, I believe you have friends waiting for you. And I have tedious administrative work that won¡¯t complete itself. Budget reviews. Personnel disputes. The thrilling life of an Archangel."


    Grace stood too, stretching muscles that were starting to stiffen.


    "Thank you for talking with me."


    "Anytime." Celestia was already walking away, back toward her responsibilities. "Rest well, Grace. Tomorrow brings new challenges. Seraph mentioned something about weapons training. Do try not to stab yourself."


    "No promises."

 Chapter 108: Embers

    Chapter 108: EmbersGrace woke up to warmth on both sides.


    Alia¡¯s face pressed into her neck, breath tickling her skin. Zephyr had wrapped around her from behind like some kind of octopus, one leg thrown over Grace¡¯s hip.


    [.... When did they get in my bed?]


    Right. It was last night¡¯s "celebration" for surviving another month of training. She remembered kisses, wandering hands, that thing Alia did with her tongue¡ª


    "FUCK! Right there! Don¡¯t stop!"


    Grace blinked.


    The screaming from the common room answered Grace¡¯s next question. Yes, Diana was already at it.


    Grace extracted herself from the tangle of limbs. Careful not to wake them. Alia mumbled something and grabbed for her, but Grace slipped away.


    Heavenly coffee first. Then whatever chaos awaited outside.


    She opened her bedroom door.


    And immediately regretted it.


    Diana had three Love Sisters arranged on various pieces of furniture. One bent over the kitchen table. Another spread on the couch. The third riding Diana¡¯s face while that golden light construct worked on the first girl.


    "Morning, Grace!" The one on the couch called out between moans. "Want to join?"


    Two months ago, Grace would¡¯ve fainted. Hell, three months ago she would¡¯ve run away screaming.


    Now? S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe after coffee," Grace said. She stepped around them to reach the kitchen.


    Her Love attribute hit 70 last week. The change was... significant. Not just how casual she¡¯d become about sex. But how her body reacted to everything. The constant low burn of want. The way she noticed every curve, every smile, every hint of skin.


    Diana pulled her mouth away just long enough to smirk.


    "There¡¯s fresh bread too. Figured you¡¯d need energy for training."


    "Thanks."


    Grace poured coffee and grabbed bread. The table girl¡¯s hand shot out, trying to grab her ass. Grace dodged.


    "You¡¯re no fun," the girl pouted.


    "I¡¯m plenty fun! Just... not before breakfast."


    ---


    The training arena was empty when Grace arrived. Thank Eternia. No orgies here.


    She stretched, working out kinks from being a human pillow all night. Her body felt good, to be honest. Strong. Different from the scrawny turnip farmer who¡¯d died... what, six months ago?


    [Two Primal Demons dead. Two ancient Pillars purified. And I can actually hold my own in a fight now.]


    Sort of.


    "Ready to get your ass kicked?"


    Seraph¡¯s voice boomed across the arena. Typical entrance.


    "Ready to try not to."


    They started with basic drills. Grace¡¯s movements flowed better now. Less thinking, more instinct. When she summoned her Blade of Eternia, the light sword materialized larger. More solid than before.


    "Better," Seraph admitted after their first bout. "You almost look like you know what you¡¯re doing."


    "High praise."


    "Don¡¯t let it go to your head." Seraph reset her stance. "Again."


    They sparred for another hour. Grace landed two hits (though Seraph probably let that happen to some extent). Had to be some kind of record. Her muscles burned but it felt good. Satisfying.


    Proof she was getting stronger.


    "That¡¯s enough for today." Seraph finally called it. "Venus wants you in an hour. Something about sensitivity training."


    "Sensitivity?"


    "No idea. She just said make sure you show up."


    Grace found Venus in one of the smaller training rooms. Windows open despite the cool morning. The Love Sister leader wore even less than usual¡ªjust strips of pink silk that covered nothing important.


    "Grace! Perfect timing." Venus glided over, her hips swaying with each step. "How are you feeling about heat?"


    "What? Uh. Fine? Why?"


    "Just curious." Venus circled her slowly, like a predator. "Some of our Bravery Sisters have been reporting strange things in the south. Unusual heat waves near Mount Ignata."


    "The volcano region?"


    "Mmm. Nothing confirmed yet, but..." Venus paused. Her fingers trailed along Grace¡¯s arm. "I thought we should make sure you¡¯re prepared for all kinds of stimulation. Including temperature play."


    Grace¡¯s brain stopped working.


    "Temperature play?"


    "Oh yes. Heat and cold can be very effective tools for¡ª"


    A knock interrupted whatever Venus was about to demonstrate.


    Grace couldn¡¯t be more grateful.


    A messenger angel burst in. Her face was flushed and she panted as her eyes locked onto them.


    "Lady Venus! Apologies, but we¡¯ve received reports from the southern villages."


    Venus¡¯s playful expression vanished. In an instant, she was all business.


    "What kind of reports?"


    "Angels returning from missions with burn marks. Strange ones. Much harder to heal away than regular wounds."


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped.


    Burns that resisted angelic healing? That couldn¡¯t be good.


    "How many?" Venus demanded.


    "Seven so far. All from areas near Mount Ignata." The messenger shifted nervously. "Archangel Celestia is calling an emergency meeting."


    Venus grabbed a robe. It was only slightly less revealing than her current outfit, though.


    "Grace, you¡¯re with me. This concerns you."


    "Why would it¡ª"


    "The Flame, darling." Venus¡¯s expression turned grim. "If these burns are what I think they are... You may be back out on the road sooner than we thought."


    They flew through the Dominion¡¯s halls. Venus somehow made urgency look graceful. Other angels scattered out of their way. Whispers followed them with every step.


    "Is it true about the burns?"


    "I heard they look like corruption but different¡ª"


    "Seven angels already¡ª"


    Grace tried not to panic.


    The Flame. Another Pillar. Another piece of Eternia¡¯s discarded emotions. If it was actively attacking angels now...


    [No. Don¡¯t assume. Get information first.]


    But as they reached one of the higher platforms, Grace noticed something.


    Something that made her wings falter.


    The southern horizon, usually crystal clear, had a reddish tinge. Like the sky itself was bleeding.


    "That¡¯s new," Venus murmured.


    "When did¡ª"


    "Yesterday it was clear. This morning..." Venus¡¯s jaw tightened. "We need to hurry."


    They flew faster. Grace¡¯s mind raced through what Celestia had told her about the Flame. Aggressive. Overwhelming force. It would probably be the complete opposite of the Tide¡¯s seduction or the Root¡¯s bargaining.


    The throne room doors loomed ahead. Grace could hear raised voices inside. The faction leaders already arguing. She straightened her training clothes, wishing she¡¯d had time to change into something more formal.


    "Ready?" Venus asked.


    "Not really."


    "That¡¯s fine," Venus pushed open the doors. "Let¡¯s see what fresh disaster awaits."


    The arguing stopped as they entered.


    Celestia sat on her throne, her rainbow wings spread wide. Seraph and Mara flanked her, both looking serious. More serious than Grace had ever seen them.


    Diana stood near the wall. Even she had abandoned her usual casual attitude.


    "Grace." Celestia¡¯s voice carried across the room. "We need to discuss the situation in the south."


    Grace stepped forward, very aware that everyone was staring at her.


    Their only weapon against demons. Their only hope of dealing with the Pillars.


    As usual, no pressure or anything.


    "I¡¯m listening," Grace said.


    Celestia gestured to a spot in the center of the room. Grace moved there, feeling like she was on trial.


    "Show her," Celestia said to someone behind Grace.


    An angel Grace didn¡¯t recognize stepped forward. One of the Bravery Sisters, based on her gold and red outfit. But something was wrong. Her left arm¡ª


    "Holy shit," Grace breathed.


    The angel¡¯s arm was covered in burns, but not normal burns. These looked like someone had carved patterns into her skin with fire. Swirling designs that seemed to move when Grace looked at them directly.


    "This happened yesterday," the angel said. Her voice was steady but Grace could see the pain in her eyes. "I was answering prayers near Mount Ignata. The heat came out of nowhere. Like the air itself caught fire."


    "May I?" Mara stepped forward.


    The angel nodded. Mara placed her hands over the burns, blue healing light flowing from her palms. The light touched the burns and, instead of fading, they persisted. If anything, they seemed to glow brighter in response to the healing magic, though after Mara stepped away, it did seem like the wound was mildly healed.


    "It gets worse," Seraph added. "Tell her about the villages."


    The burned angel continued.


    "Three villages have been evacuated. The heat is spreading outward from the mountain. Crops are dying. Water sources are drying up. And the demons..."


    She paused.


    "What about the demons?" Grace prompted.


    "They¡¯re different. Fire-based, which we expected. But they¡¯re organized. Working together. Building something at the base of the mountain."


    Grace¡¯s mind raced. Organized demons meant intelligence. Intelligence meant¡ª


    "A Primal Demon?" she asked.


    "We don¡¯t know." Celestia¡¯s voice was carefully neutral. "Our scouts can¡¯t get close enough to confirm. The heat drives them back."


    "Which is why we need you," Venus said. She¡¯d moved to stand beside Grace. "You¡¯re our only option for dealing with another Pillar."


    Grace looked around the room. At the burned angel. At the worried faces of the faction leaders. At Diana, who gave her a small nod of encouragement.


    "Well... Alright, then. When do I leave?" Grace asked.


    "Not immediately," Celestia said. "We need to prepare. The Flame is different from the Root or the Tide. More volatile. More dangerous."


    "More angry," Mara added quietly.


    Grace remembered what Celestia had told her. The Flame was pure aggression. Eternia¡¯s rage given form. Naturally, that meant that instead of having tentacles to contend with, Grace was concerned she¡¯d have a much more... intense confrontation.


    There was a high chance this was going to be complicated.

 Chapter 109: New Team

    Chapter 109: New TeamThe council chamber felt way too small with everyone crammed inside.


    Grace squeezed between Seraph and Venus at the round table. Their thighs pressed against hers from both sides. Not that she minded too much. Her Love attribute made her hyperaware of every point of contact these days. Mara sat across from them, scribbling notes in her neat handwriting. Celestia stood by the window, rainbow wings tense as she stared at that red-tinted horizon.


    "Twenty-three villages," Mara said without looking up from her notes. "That¡¯s how many have reported... incidents."


    "What kind of incidents?" Grace asked, though she had a sinking feeling she already knew.


    "Spontaneous combustion. Entire buildings going up in flames with no warning." Mara flipped through several pages. "Seven confirmed deaths. Dozens missing. And the survivors..."


    She trailed off.


    "What about the survivors?" Grace pressed. Celestia finally turned from the window.


    "They tell... strange stories. They speak of a woman made of fire who walks through the villages. She points at people and declares them ¡¯unworthy.¡¯ Those she points at..." Celestia paused. "They burn from the inside out."


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped.


    "That¡¯s... really direct."


    "The Flame was never subtle," Venus said. Her usual playful tone was gone. "Even when Eternia carried that rage, it burned hot and obvious. No seduction. No bargaining. Just pure destruction."


    Seraph slammed her fist on the table hard enough to make everyone¡¯s water glasses jump.


    "We need to move. Now. Every hour we sit here talking, more people die."


    "Agreed." Celestia walked over and placed both hands on the table, leaning forward. "Grace, you¡¯ll investigate. Seraph will lead the mission."


    Grace tried not to look too relieved. Seraph was intense as hell, but at least she knew what to expect from her. No weird political games or hidden agendas.


    "I already have someone in mind for our third," Seraph said. "Valkyrie."


    Venus raised an eyebrow. The look she gave Seraph could have frozen fire.


    "The one who¡ª"


    "Yes."


    "Are you certain that¡¯s wise?"


    Seraph crossed her arms.


    "She volunteered." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace looked between them. The tension in the room ratcheted up about ten degrees.


    "Who¡¯s Valkyrie?"


    "You¡¯ll meet her soon enough," Seraph said. She stood up abruptly. "Go prep. We leave at dawn."


    [Well, that¡¯s ominous.]


    Valkyrie was absolutely not what Grace expected.


    Short silver hair that looked like she cut it herself with a knife. Burn scars covered both arms like twisted artwork, starting at her wrists and disappearing under her sleeves. Dead eyes that barely acknowledged Grace existed.


    "This is her?" Valkyrie¡¯s voice was flat as week-old beer. "The demon killer?"


    "Play nice," Seraph warned.


    Valkyrie shrugged and walked away without another word.


    Grace stared after her.


    "She seems... fun."


    "She¡¯s efficient. That¡¯s what matters." Seraph started walking toward the armory. "Come on. Let¡¯s get you equipped."


    As they walked through the Dominion¡¯s halls, Grace noticed how other angels reacted to Valkyrie. Some stared at her scars. Others looked away entirely. A few whispered behind their hands.


    [What the hell happened to her?]


    Word had already spread about the mission. Angels whispered as Grace passed.


    "¡ªheard the Flame melts angels from a hundred yards away¡ª"


    "¡ªGrace will handle it, she always does¡ª"


    "¡ªpoor thing looks terrified¡ª"


    [Do I look terrified? Shit. I probably do.]


    The rookie wing door burst open like someone had kicked it. Alia and Zephyr tumbled out in a tangle of limbs and pink fabric.


    "We¡¯re coming with you!" Alia announced, bouncing on her toes.


    "Absolutely not," Seraph said before Alia even finished talking.


    "But we can help!" Zephyr tried, giving Seraph her best puppy dog eyes. "Morale support is super important for¡ª"


    "No."


    "Please? We promise to be good!"


    Seraph paused. Grace could see the gears turning in her head.


    "You two would just get in the way."


    "We would not!" Alia protested. "We helped at Oakridge! And Rosewood!"


    "That¡¯s different. This is fire. Lots of fire. You¡¯re not equipped for¡ª"


    "We can handle heat!" Zephyr interrupted. "Remember that sauna competition with the Earth-Tenders?"


    Seraph looked like she was getting a headache.


    "Fine. FINE. But you follow orders. No wandering off. No ¡¯creative interpretations¡¯ of the mission plan."


    "Yes!" Alia pumped her fist in the air.


    "We¡¯ll be perfect angels," Zephyr added with a grin.


    Diana appeared behind them, looking like she¡¯d just rolled out of bed. Her hair stuck up at weird angles and she was only half-dressed.


    "What about me? I¡¯ve got combat experience."


    Seraph actually paused to consider this. Grace could see the gears turning in her head. Then she shook it.


    "You¡¯re needed here. With me gone, someone has to keep the hotheads in line."


    "That¡¯s bullshit and you know it." Diana¡¯s jaw tightened. "I should be going with her."


    "That¡¯s an order." Seraph¡¯s tone could have cut steel. "Grace will be fine. Right, rookie?"


    Grace nodded even though her insides felt like they were trying to escape through her throat.


    [Will I be fine? This Flame thing sounds way worse than anything I¡¯ve faced before.]


    The Tide had wanted connection. The Root wanted acknowledgment. This thing just wanted to burn everything that moved.


    "Don¡¯t look so worried," Diana said. She stepped closer and squeezed Grace¡¯s shoulder. "You¡¯ve got this."


    "Thanks." Grace tried to sound confident. Failed miserably.


    "Now come on. Let¡¯s get you some proper gear before you melt into a puddle."


    The armory smelled like leather polish and metal. Weapons lined every wall¡ªswords, spears, axes, things Grace couldn¡¯t even name. Armor stands displayed pieces that looked like they could stop a charging bull.


    "Fire-resistant enchantments," Seraph explained, pulling items off shelves. "Won¡¯t stop the Flame directly, but might buy you precious seconds to react."


    Grace tried on a chest piece. It fit way better than her usual gear but felt heavy as hell.


    "How long has Valkyrie been an angel?"


    "Two hundred years. Maybe more." Seraph adjusted Grace¡¯s shoulder straps with practiced efficiency. "She¡¯s good at what she does."


    "Which is?"


    "Surviving."


    [That¡¯s not exactly reassuring.]


    Grace strapped on arm guards, leg plates, anything that might keep her from getting cooked alive. The enchanted gear felt warm against her skin, like it was already working.


    "Seraph, what happened to her? The scars, I mean."


    Seraph¡¯s hands stilled on the buckles.


    "Not my story to tell. Ask her if you want to know." She resumed working. "But don¡¯t expect much conversation. Valkyrie¡¯s not exactly chatty."


    "Great. A silent partner with a mysterious tragic backstory." Grace flexed her fingers in the new gauntlets. "This should be fun."


    Diana appeared in the doorway looking flustered.


    "Seraph, Venus needs you. Something about supply logistics and requisition forms."


    Seraph groaned like someone had stabbed her.


    "Of course she does. Paperwork. My favorite." She headed for the door. "Grace, finish gearing up. I¡¯ll be back in twenty minutes."


    The door closed behind her.


    Diana immediately locked it.


    "Okay, we don¡¯t have long."


    "Diana, what are you¡ª"


    Diana pushed Grace against the wall between two weapon racks. Her lips crashed against Grace¡¯s with desperate hunger.


    "For luck, eh?" Diana breathed against her mouth.


    Grace¡¯s brain completely short-circuited. Diana¡¯s hands were already working at her belt, fingers fumbling with the buckles.


    "Here? Now?" Grace gasped.


    "When else?" Diana¡¯s fingers found their target and Grace nearly jumped out of her skin. "You¡¯re leaving at dawn."


    "But Seraph said twenty minutes¡ª"


    "She¡¯ll argue with Venus for at least thirty." Diana¡¯s fingers moved with practiced skill, finding all the right spots.


    Grace tried to relax. Tried to focus on Diana¡¯s touch instead of the mission. On the heat building in her core instead of the woman made of fire who wanted to burn the weakness from the world.


    Diana¡¯s other hand worked at Grace¡¯s armor straps.


    "This stuff is way too complicated," Diana muttered against her neck.


    "It¡¯s fire-resistant..."


    Diana found the release catch. The chest piece clattered to the floor. Then the arm guards. Then¡ª


    The world exploded.


    Not literally. But Grace¡¯s vision went pure white. The medallion at her throat burned like someone had shoved it in lava.


    She was somewhere else.


    A massive forge stretched out before her, bigger than the entire Angelic Dominion. Heat that made her skin blister just from proximity. The air itself seemed to be on fire.


    A woman stood at an anvil the size of a house. No¡ªshe didn¡¯t just stand at it. The woman WAS the anvil and the fire and the hammer all at once. Molten metal flowed like blood from her hands, pooling on the ground in patterns that hurt to look at.


    "WEAKNESS!" The woman-thing screamed. Each word shook the entire forge. Sparks flew from her mouth. "I will temper it from the world! Burn away all the impurities! Only the worthy shall remain!"


    She brought a hammer down that was bigger than Grace¡¯s entire body. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground. Each spark that flew became a screaming face before dissolving into nothing.


    "They come to me broken! Flawed! Pathetic!" Another hammer blow. "I make them PURE!"


    The rhythm was hypnotic and terrible. Hammer down. Screams. Silence. Hammer down. Screams. Silence.


    Grace tried to move, to look away, but she was frozen in place.


    "Where is she?" The Flame¡¯s voice rose to a shriek that made Grace¡¯s ears bleed. "Where is the one who abandoned us? She will BURN for her betrayal! I will forge her into something worthy or destroy her trying!"


    The hammer fell again. And again. The faces in the sparks looked familiar now. Angels. Humans. All of them screaming as they dissolved.


    [Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit.]


    "I see you there." The Flame¡¯s molten eyes fixed on Grace. "Hiding. You think you can fool me?"


    Grace tried to run. Her legs wouldn¡¯t move.


    "Come to me, false saint. Let me show you what true purity looks like!"


    The hammer rose high above Grace¡¯s head¡ª


    "Grace!"


    Someone shook her. Hard.


    Grace blinked. She was on the armory floor, Diana kneeling beside her with wide, terrified eyes. Venus and Seraph stood in the doorway looking like they¡¯d run the entire way.


    "What happened?" Seraph demanded.


    "I don¡¯t know! We were just¡ª" Diana caught herself before admitting they were about to fuck against the weapon rack. "She just collapsed!"


    Grace tried to sit up. Her head felt like someone had used it as a hammer practice.


    "I saw her. The Flame."


    Everyone went quiet.


    "What did you see?" Venus asked gently, crouching down beside them.


    "A forge. Massive. She was... making something. Or destroying something. Maybe both." Grace touched her medallion. Still cold as ice. "She¡¯s angry. Really, really angry."


    "At Eternia?"


    "At everyone. But especially..." Grace swallowed hard. "She thinks I¡¯m Eternia. Or connected to her somehow. She wants to ¡¯purify¡¯ me."


    [Great. Another Pillar who wants to do horrible things to me. Just fucking fantastic.]


    Seraph helped her stand. Grace¡¯s legs felt like jelly.


    "Can you still travel?"


    Grace nodded even though every instinct screamed at her to run the other direction.


    "Good. Get some rest. Real rest." Seraph shot Diana a smirk and started walking off. "Dawn comes early."

 Chapter 110: The Flame

    Chapter 110: The FlameGrace flopped onto her bed and pulled up her status screen. The glowing text floated in front of her face, visible only to her.


    Grace Lightsinger


    Bravery: 51/100


    Compassion: 56/100


    Love: 70/100


    [Six months since I died. Six months since I stopped being a turnip farmer and became... kinda sorta Eternia, I guess.]


    She scrolled through her skills, taking stock of everything. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡¸Blade of Eternia (Level 6)¡¹ - Her light sword actually cut things now instead of just tickling demons. Progress!


    ¡¸Soothing Hands (Level 5)¡¹ - All those corrupted villagers had been good for something at least. Even if half of them tried to eat her face while she healed them.


    ¡¸Golden Tongue (Level 4)¡¹ - Grace¡¯s face went hot just reading this one. That skill had gotten a LOT of practice lately. A concerning amount. She could raise morale very, very easily now. At least, compared to when she started.


    ¡¸Aura Sight (Level 3)¡¹ - Spotting corruption was basically second nature at this point. Though it made walking through certain parts of the Dominion awkward when she could see which angels were feeling particularly horny.


    ¡¸Aura Manipulation (Level 6)¡¹ - Purifying corruption without killing people. Her specialty. Well, one of them.


    ¡¸Intimate Healing (Level 4)¡¹ - Another skill that had seen way too much use. Kissing people to heal them better sounded innocent until you realized how enthusiastic some angels got about being "healed."


    ¡¸Aura Release (Level 3)¡¹ - Still felt weird using corruption as a weapon. Like fighting fire with fire. Except the fire was made of ancient god emotions.


    "Stop staring at nothing and help me pack!"


    Diana¡¯s voice snapped Grace out of her skill review. The warrior angel stood by Grace¡¯s dresser, throwing clothes into a bag with zero regard for organization.


    "Why would you pack? You¡¯re not going anywhere."


    "Emotional support packing." Diana chucked a pair of panties at Grace¡¯s head. Black lace. When had she even gotten those? "Since SOMEONE won¡¯t let me come on the super fun suicide mission to fight fire demons."


    "It¡¯s not a suicide mission," Grace protested, catching the underwear. "Probably."


    From the couch, Alia giggled. She¡¯d painted her toenails this morning and was now admiring them while lying upside down.


    "Aww, Diana¡¯s just mad her girlfriend is leaving her behind this time."


    "She¡¯s not my¡ª" Both Grace and Diana began to respond at the same time, shutting up when they noticed each other¡¯s response.


    Diana cleared her throat and continued.


    "I¡¯m not mad." Diana¡¯s jaw tightened. "It¡¯s totally practical. Someone needs to watch the rookie wing."


    "Kinda crazy that Seraph specifically requested us for this mission," Zephyr noted.


    "Yeah, because you two are experts at ¡¯morale support.¡¯" Diana made air quotes. "Don¡¯t know why she doesn¡¯t want people with actual combat skills."


    "Hey!" Alia sat up, indignant. "We¡¯ve been training!"


    "You cried when you broke a nail during sword practice."


    "It was my favorite nail!"


    Grace went back to her status screen, tuning out their bickering. Some new techniques had appeared recently too:


    ¡¸Finger Dance¡¹ - Ability to provide intense pleasure through precise manipulation


    ¡¸Tongue Twister¡¹ - Ability to bring pleasure through precise oral manipulation


    ¡¸Sweet Spot Seeker¡¹ - Ability to intuitively locate a partner¡¯s most sensitive areas


    ¡¸Divine Extension - Ability to create a divine phallus for application during morale boosting¡¹


    [When did my life become like this?]


    Oh right. When she became an angel. Because apparently angels were all horny all the time. It was like dying and being reborn in the world¡¯s most active swingers club.


    "Grace, tell Diana we¡¯ll be fine!" Alia whined. Her shirt had ridden up, exposing her abs.


    "You¡¯ll be fine," Grace said without looking away from her Status screen.


    "See? Grace believes in us!"


    Grace held back a smile.


    "... Yeah, you¡¯ll probably only get half of us killed."


    "TRAITOR!"


    A pillow smacked into Grace¡¯s head. Then another. Alia had grabbed ammunition from the couch. Zephyr joined in, abandoning her packing to launch a stuffed bear at Diana.


    "Oh, it¡¯s like that?" Diana grabbed two pillows. "You¡¯re all dead!"


    The room exploded into chaos. Four grown women (well, angels) having an all-out pillow war. Grace ducked a particularly vicious swing from Diana, rolled across her bed, and scored a direct hit on Zephyr¡¯s ass.


    "My butt!" She gave a dramatic wounded sound. "You struck my perfect butt!"


    "It¡¯s not that perfect," Alia laughed, then shrieked as Diana tackled her onto the couch.


    They collapsed in a heap eventually. Breathing hard. Feathers everywhere. Grace¡¯s carefully organized status screen had long since disappeared.


    [... This is nice.]


    Tomorrow she¡¯d fly south to face the Flame. But, well, tomorrow could wait.


    ---


    Dawn arrived like a slap to the face.


    Grace stood at the western cliff, trying not to fidget in her new armor. The fire-resistant enchantments on her armor made everything feel heavier. And none of the preparation managed to keep Grace from thinking:


    [This is going to suck so much.]


    "Stop pulling at it," Seraph ordered. "You¡¯ll compromise the enchantments."


    "It¡¯s heavy."


    "It¡¯s keeping you alive. Deal with it."


    Grace dealt with it. Mostly by continuing to fidget when Seraph wasn¡¯t looking.


    Alia and Zephyr stood nearby, looking ridiculous in their own "armor" - basically their regular Love Sister outfits with some extra metal bits slapped on. Alia¡¯s breastplate had hearts engraved on it.


    "I still think this is a terrible idea," Diana muttered. She¡¯d insisted on seeing them off, despite clearly wanting to come along. "Love Sisters aren¡¯t meant for combat zones."


    "We¡¯re not going to fight," Zephyr reminded her. "We¡¯re support staff."


    "Morale support," Alia added with a wink.


    The fifth member of their party stood apart from everyone. Valkyrie. Level 79, the little floating words said, in golden text. One of the Dominion¡¯s most experienced warriors. She stared at the southern horizon where the sky had turned the color of old blood.


    Grace had met her exactly once before. Valkyrie didn¡¯t do small talk. Or big talk. Mostly she just killed things and looked scary while doing it.


    The scar across her throat probably helped with the scary part.


    "Remember," Seraph said quietly to Valkyrie. "We do this clean. No unnecessary risks."


    Valkyrie¡¯s scarred hands clenched.


    "I know my job."


    "Do you?"


    "Yes. Commander."


    The word ¡¯commander¡¯ came out sharp enough to cut. Grace suddenly found the sunrise very interesting. Whatever beef these two had, she wanted no part of it.


    More angels gathered behind them. Word traveled fast. The demon killer was heading out again.


    "Wait!"


    Petriel ran toward them, her green hair bouncing. She carried a bag that clinked with bottles.


    "I-I made these for you!" She thrust the bag at Grace. "Healing potions. The strong ones. F-For when you can¡¯t cast your magic, for some reason. And this¡ª" She pulled out a small vial of pink liquid. "For, um. Energy restoration. Through... intimate means."


    Grace¡¯s face heated.


    "Thanks, Petriel."


    "Also this." Petriel kissed her cheek and Grace froze. Quick but intense.


    [Wow.]


    "GET IT, GRACE!" someone yelled from the crowd.


    Diana crossed her arms.


    "Great. Now everyone¡¯s going to want a goodbye kiss."


    "I mean..." Grace glanced at the crowd. "I wouldn¡¯t mind¡ª"


    "Lightsinger." Seraph¡¯s command voice cut through. "Time to go."


    Grace looked at her friends one last time. Diana¡¯s forced smile. Petriel wringing her hands. The crowd of angels who¡¯d shown up to see them off.


    [We¡¯re coming back. All of us.]


    "Ready?" she asked Alia and Zephyr.


    "Born ready!" Alia bounced on her toes.


    "Let¡¯s go seduce a fire god!" Zephyr added.


    "We¡¯re not seducing¡ª" Grace started.


    "Never say never!" both Love Sisters said in unison.


    Grace sighed and jumped.


    The fall hit her stomach like always. That moment of nothingness before her wings caught air. Behind her, she heard Alia shriek.


    "I FORGOT HOW MUCH I HATE THIS PART!"


    Zephyr¡¯s laughter echoed off the cliffs.


    They fell into formation. Seraph leading. Valkyrie on the right flank. Grace in the middle with Alia and Zephyr flanking her.


    The armor¡¯s weight threw off Grace¡¯s balance at first, but she adjusted. The Love Sisters had more trouble. Alia kept tilting left. Zephyr¡¯s decorative metal bits created wind resistance.


    "This is why Love Sisters don¡¯t wear armor!" Alia complained.


    "You wanted to come," Seraph called back.


    "I¡¯m reconsidering my life choices!"


    The landscape changed beneath them. Green turned brown. Trees vanished. The temperature climbed steadily.


    Grace¡¯s armor became a personal oven. Sweat dripped everywhere. The cooling salve Diana gave her seemed pathetic against this heat.


    [Should¡¯ve asked for a whole bucket.]


    "Is it supposed to be this hot?" Zephyr panted.


    "We¡¯re not even close yet," Valkyrie said flatly.


    "Oh good. I was worried it might get uncomfortable."


    By midday, they could see it.


    Mount Ignata.


    The volcano scraped the sky like a middle finger to the world. Smoke poured from its peak. The air shimmered with heat distortion.


    "Holy shit," Alia breathed. "That¡¯s... big."


    "That¡¯s what she said," Zephyr added automatically.


    Even facing potential death, they couldn¡¯t help themselves.


    "There." Seraph pointed to buildings at the mountain¡¯s base. "Last report said the town was still inhabited."


    Valkyrie spoke up.


    "Inhabited by what?"


    Good question. Grace squinted. Just shapes that might be houses. Movement that might be people.


    Or might be fire demons preparing to roast them alive.


    [Positive thoughts, Grace. Positive thoughts.]


    They descended carefully. The heat hit like a wall. Grace¡¯s lungs protested. Her armor became unbearable.


    The town came into focus.


    Stone buildings built to last. Wide streets to prevent fire spread. Everything practical and sturdy.


    Except for the burn marks.


    Black scars covered every surface. Melted metal pooled in doorways. Empty windows stared at nothing.


    And the smell...


    "Charcoal," Valkyrie said. Professional. Flat. "And something else."


    Grace knew what it was. She¡¯d smelled it before. The night her village burned. The night she died.


    Burnt flesh had a very specific smell. Sweet and horrible. Unforgettable.


    "Oh god," Alia covered her nose. "What is that?"


    "You don¡¯t want to know," Grace said quietly.


    "Stay alert," Seraph commanded. "Stay together. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll find."


    They landed in what used to be the town square. Grace¡¯s boots crunched on ash.


    Everything was covered in ash.


    Alia grabbed Grace¡¯s hand. Her fingers trembled.


    "This is different from the other missions, isn¡¯t it?"


    Grace squeezed back.


    "Yeah. This is different."


    [Well. This is going great already.]

 Chapter 111: Mt. Ignata

    Chapter 111: Mt. IgnataThe heat hit Grace like a slap from an angry ex. Or what she imagined a slap from an angry ex to be like.


    [Holy crap, it¡¯s like walking into an oven.]


    She¡¯d been in the town for maybe five minutes and already her armor felt like she was being slow-cooked. The fire-resistant enchantments? Complete bs. They did close to nothing against regular heat.


    "This is nice!" Alia chirped, because of course she did.


    The Love Sister had already stripped down to basically nothing¡ªjust some pink strips of cloth that technically covered her boobs and pussy. Technically.


    "Like a spa day!"


    Zephyr nodded, fanning herself with one hand. She¡¯d gone for a similar look, except in blue. Her dark skin glistened with sweat that made Grace¡¯s mouth water despite the circumstances.


    "Very relaxing. I can feel my pores opening."


    Valkyrie looked like she wanted to murder someone. Preferably both Love Sisters.


    "How. The fuck. Are you two this cheerful?"


    "Practice!" Alia did a little twirl that made her strips of cloth flutter dangerously. "We¡¯ve been to lots of hot places for morale missions. Desert villages, volcanic springs..."


    "That one bathhouse with the really enthusiastic owner," Zephyr added with a knowing smile.


    "OH! Mrs. Tanaka!" Alia¡¯s eyes lit up. "She had that thing she did with her tongue¡ª"


    "FOCUS." Seraph¡¯s voice cracked like a whip. "We need information. Not stories about whatever depraved things you did in a bathhouse."


    "It wasn¡¯t depraved," Zephyr protested. "It was therapeutic."


    "Very therapeutic," Alia agreed. "My back never felt better."


    Grace bit back a laugh.


    They split up to cover more ground. Grace took the eastern section with Alia bouncing along beside her. Zephyr went west with Valkyrie, who looked like she was regretting every life choice that led to this moment. Seraph handled the town center alone.


    The first few villagers Grace approached barely acknowledged her existence. They had that look¡ªhollow eyes, singed clothes, shoulders bent from carrying too much fear.


    [They look like my village did. Before I died.]


    "Excuse me." Grace stopped an elderly woman sitting in a doorway. "We¡¯re here about the demon attacks¡ª"


    "Every night."


    The woman¡¯s voice sounded like someone had taken sandpaper to her throat.


    "They come down from the mountain. D-Demons... Made of fire. They take people sometimes. Alive."


    Grace¡¯s stomach clenched.


    "Where do they take them?"


    A gnarled finger pointed at the volcano looming over everything.


    "Up there. We hear screaming sometimes. Echoes down the mountain. Then nothing."


    Alia pressed closer to Grace. Her usual bouncy energy dimmed like someone had thrown water on a candle.


    "That¡¯s... that¡¯s awful."


    The woman laughed. It sounded like bones breaking.


    "Better than what happens to the ones who stay." Her empty eyes fixed on Grace. "They burn slow. From the inside out. Like the fire wants them to suffer."


    Grace thanked the woman and moved on, but each story just got worse. Demons that hunted in packs like wolves. Entire families burned in their beds. Children snatched from their mothers¡¯ arms.


    One man showed them his arms¡ªcovered in burn scars that formed words in some ancient language.


    "They held me down," he whispered. "Carved these into me. Said I wasn¡¯t worthy. Too weak."


    [At least we¡¯re not dealing with corrupted humans this time.]


    The thought felt wrong, but Grace clung to it anyway. Fighting transformed villagers always fucked with her head. Having to kill people who used to be innocent. At least demons were simple. See demon, stab demon, demon dies. No moral complexity. Not much, anyway.


    "Grace!" Alia tugged her sleeve. "Look at that."


    She pointed at what used to be someone¡¯s house. The burn marks on the remaining walls weren¡¯t random. They formed patterns. Words.


    Grace stepped closer, squinting through the heat shimmer.


    "¡¯The worthy will be forged in flame,¡¯" she read out loud. "¡¯The weak will become ash.¡¯"


    "Well that¡¯s fucking ominous," Alia muttered.


    Grace glanced at her.


    "Since when do you swear?"


    "S-Since we got to Murder Volcano Town!" Alia¡¯s voice pitched higher. "This place is scary, Grace! Even my boobs are scared!"


    Despite everything, Grace snorted.


    "Your boobs are scared?"


    "Yes! Look!" Alia grabbed her barely-covered breasts. "They¡¯re all tight and pointy from fear!"


    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re basically naked."


    "Fear nipples! Fear nipples!!!"


    ---


    They met back up at an inn Seraph had taken over. The owner looked like someone had turned a human into beef jerky¡ªall leather skin and suspicious squinting. He brought them water that tasted like liquid pennies.


    "Twenty-three confirmed dead," Seraph reported. She¡¯d drawn a rough map on the table with charcoal. "Forty-seven missing. The demons attack every three days without fail."


    "When was the last attack?" Valkyrie asked.


    "Two nights ago."


    [Fantastic.]


    "The pattern¡¯s consistent," Seraph continued. "They come from the northeast slope. Hit the outer buildings first, work their way in."


    "Like they¡¯re searching for something," Grace said.


    "Or someone." Valkyrie¡¯s scarred throat made her voice rough. "Did anyone mention the Flame directly?"


    Zephyr raised her hand like they were in school.


    "A few people talked about seeing a woman made of fire. She appears sometimes on the mountain. Just... watches. Like she¡¯s waiting."


    [Waiting for me. Or, well, Eternia, more likely.]


    Grace¡¯s hand went to her medallion. Still ice-cold despite the ambient temperature that could fry an egg.


    "We should scout the mountain," Valkyrie suggested. "Get eyes on their position."


    "Tomorrow," Seraph decided. "Tonight we rest and plan. No one goes near that mountain until we know what we¡¯re dealing with."


    The inn had three rooms. Barely. They were more like closets with beds, but at least the walls were stone. Less flammable.


    Seraph took one. Valkyrie another. Which left Grace bunking with Alia and Zephyr.


    The second the door closed, Alia face-planted on the bed.


    "This place is so depressing." Her voice came out muffled by the pillow. "Like, aggressively depressing."


    "Yeah." Grace sat on the bed¡¯s edge. The mattress felt like someone had stuffed a bag with rocks and called it good. "Not exactly the fun field trip you signed up for."


    The bed dipped as Zephyr joined them, sandwiching Grace in the middle.


    "We knew what we were getting into." Her arm draped over Grace¡¯s waist, casual as breathing. "Still better than sitting in the Dominion going crazy wondering if you¡¯re okay."


    Grace perked up at the contact. Probably the result of her ever-rising Love attribute. Her body suddenly became very aware that she was pressed between two beautiful women wearing almost nothing.


    In a private room.


    With a bed.


    [No. Focus. Tomorrow we might die... Or, rather, suffer extremely painful, uh... pain.]


    But her body had other ideas. The Love attribute at 70 was no joke. Every touch felt amplified. Every breath against her skin sent little sparks through her nerves.


    "You¡¯re really warm," Alia mumbled, turning to press her face into Grace¡¯s shoulder.


    "It¡¯s the armor."


    "No." Zephyr¡¯s hand slid under Grace¡¯s chest plate, fingers finding bare skin. "This is different. You¡¯re almost glowing."


    She was right. Grace could feel it¡ªdivine energy humming just under her skin. Her body preparing for something.


    [Or someone.]


    "Maybe we should help you relax," Alia suggested. Her hand joined Zephyr¡¯s under the armor. "Take your mind off tomorrow."


    "I don¡¯t think¡ª"


    Her medallion burned.


    Not warm. Not hot.


    Burned.


    The room vanished.


    Grace stood in a place that wasn¡¯t really a place. No ground. No sky. Just heat and rage given form.


    The Flame materialized in front of her.


    [Oh fuck.]


    She looked like Eternia. Sort of. If Eternia was made of molten metal and barely contained violence. Same face. Same body. But where Eternia radiated warmth and mischief, this thing radiated pure destruction.


    Her "skin" shifted between gold and white-hot silver. Her hair was literal fire. Her eyes...


    [Like staring into a forge.]


    "You came." The Flame¡¯s voice was controlled violence. Each word sounded like swords clashing. "Good. I was getting bored burning peasants."


    "I¡¯m not¡ª"


    "Save it." Fire danced in those terrible eyes. "I know your essence. Your fear. Your weakness. You abandoned us. Left us to rot while you played with mortals and angels."


    [Great. Another one who thinks I¡¯m Eternia.]


    Grace tried to keep her voice steady.


    "I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding¡ª"


    "SILENCE!"


    The word hit like a physical blow. Grace staggered back.


    "You hide in that pathetic shell. Playing at being weak. But I see you." The Flame stepped closer. Heat blistered Grace¡¯s skin even in this vision. "I smell her on you. In you."


    "What do you want?"


    "What I¡¯ve always wanted."


    The Flame smiled. It was all teeth and malice. Grace had seen sharks that looked friendlier.


    "To prove I¡¯m stronger. To show that your precious ¡¯love¡¯ and ¡¯compassion¡¯ are weakness. That only strength matters."


    She raised one hand. Fire gathered there, condensing into something that hurt to look at.


    "Tomorrow night. The mountain peak. We settle this properly." The smile widened. "Unless you¡¯re too much of a coward."


    The vision shattered.


    Grace gasped, back in the shitty inn room. Her whole body shook. Sweat poured off her like she¡¯d actually been standing in that heat.


    Alia and Zephyr held her, eyes wide with worry.


    "You were screaming," Alia whispered. Her fear nipples were definitely prominent now. "Like, really screaming."


    Was she? Grace¡¯s throat felt like she¡¯d been gargling gravel.


    "I¡¯m okay."


    Total lie. She was absolutely not okay. She¡¯d just been challenged to a death match by an angry fire god who thought she was her creator.


    "Just... a vision."


    "Really? What did you see?" Zephyr¡¯s hands rubbed soothing circles on Grace¡¯s back.


    "The Flame. She wants to see me. Tomorrow night. At the mountain peak."


    "... Wow," Alia blinked.


    Grace flopped back on the rock-hard mattress. The ceiling had water stains that looked like burnt faces if she squinted.


    Tomorrow night, she¡¯d have to convince an angry fire god of that fact. While dodging fire hot enough to melt stone. On top of an active volcano.


    [No pressure.]


    "Hey." Alia¡¯s voice pulled her from her spiral. "We¡¯ll figure it out. We always do."


    "Yeah." Zephyr pressed a kiss to Grace¡¯s temple. "Besides, maybe you can seduce her like you did the Tide."


    Grace groaned.


    "I don¡¯t think the Flame is the seduceable type."


    "Everyone¡¯s the seduceable type if you try hard enough," Alia said with disturbing confidence.


    "She¡¯s made of fire and rage!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So? Think of that as a little bit of a challenge."


    Despite everything, Grace laughed. Here she was, facing death by fire god, and these two idiots were debating the logistics of seducing elemental beings.


    [At least if I die, I¡¯ll die entertained.]

 Chapter 112: Blood Boiling

    Chapter 112: Blood BoilingThe sun hadn¡¯t even crawled its lazy butt down the horizon yet and Grace was already drowning in her own sweat.


    [I¡¯m supposed to be immortal, right? This armor and this heat are gonna put that to the test.]


    She stood at the edge of town with Seraph and Valkyrie, all three of them staring at Mount Ignata like it might suddenly sprout legs and walk away. Which honestly? Would be nice. Way easier than what they were actually about to do.


    Behind them, Alia¡¯s voice rang out.


    "GO GRACE GO! KILL THOSE DEMONS! SHOW THEM WHAT YOU¡¯VE GOT!"


    Grace turned around slowly. Very slowly.


    Alia and Zephyr had somehow acquired pom-poms. Pink and blue streamers that sparkled.


    "Where... where did you even find those?"


    "Made them!" Alia did a little jump, her barely-there outfit leaving nothing to imagination. "From curtains!"


    "MY CURTAINS!" The beef jerky innkeeper¡¯s head popped out of a window. "THOSE WERE ANTIQUES!"


    "We¡¯ll pay you back!" Zephyr promised cheerfully. She did a high kick that definitely flashed everyone. "After Grace saves the world!"


    "I¡¯m not saving the¡ª"


    "YOU¡¯VE GOT THIS!" Both Love Sisters shouted in unison. "FUCK. HER. UP!"


    Valkyrie¡¯s eye twitched. Then twitched again. Grace was pretty sure she was having a minor stroke.


    "Are they always like this?"


    "Yes."


    "Fantastic." Valkyrie¡¯s scarred hands clenched and unclenched. "Love Sisters doing choreographed cheers while we wait to get incinerated. This is how I die. Not in glorious battle. Watching two idiots wave curtains around."


    "Hey!" Alia protested. "Moral support is important!"


    "Very important!" Zephyr added.


    Grace rubbed her temples


    "Can we maybe focus on the demons that are about to¡ª"


    The air changed, trying to ignore her growing headache.


    It went from regular desert-hot to oh-fuck-something¡¯s-wrong hot. The kind of heat that made your lungs seize up. Made your skin prickle.


    "They¡¯re coming," Valkyrie said. All business now, her hand on her sword.


    Grace tried to find them. Shapes moving down the mountain. Fast. Way too fucking fast. Numbers blazed above their heads¡ªlevel fifty, fifty-five, sixty-three, and¡ª


    [Oh crap.]


    "Fifteen of them," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "All- uh, I mean, they all look pretty strong."


    "How can you tell?" Seraph asked.


    "Gut feeling."


    "Okay. How strong do you think?" Seraph¡¯s grip tightened on her sword.


    "Really strong."


    "That¡¯s... helpful."


    The demons burst into view properly and Grace¡¯s stomach dropped to somewhere around her ankles. Fire given form, but not in any pretty metaphorical way. Some walked on two legs like mockeries of humans. Others crawled on all fours, leaving molten footprints. All of them had too many teeth and probably had a hard-on for violence.


    The lead demon screeched. Grace swallowed.


    "Positions!" Seraph barked.


    Right. They¡¯d planned this. Sort of. Seraph would draw their attention. Valkyrie would flank. Grace would stab things until they stopped moving forever.


    Simple.


    [Nothing about this is simple and this is going to hurt.]


    The first demon reached them faster than Grace expected. Seraph met its charge head-on, her sword clashing against claws that glowed white-hot. Sparks flew everywhere.


    The demon swiped left. Seraph leaned right, the claws missing her face by inches. Her knee came up hard into its gut, folding the creature in half.


    Before it could recover, Seraph¡¯s sword swept down. The demon¡¯s head rolled away, already dissolving into ash. But three more were already closing in.


    "Any time now, Grace!"


    Grace¡¯s body moved on autopilot. Three months of getting her ass kicked in training had beaten some instincts into her. She darted in, summoned her Blade of Eternia, her tiny little rapier, and drove it straight through the demon¡¯s spine.


    The thing screamed. Then it did that beautiful thing where it dissolved into nothing instead of just falling down to get back up later.


    Two more demons rushed Valkyrie. Valkyrie struck, dodged, and dodged again. Her sword left silver trails in the air that hurt to look at.


    "Little help!"


    Grace sprinted over, nearly tripping on rubble. She managed to stab one demon while it was busy trying to bite Valkyrie¡¯s face off. The second demon spun toward her, mouth opening wide.


    [Oh shit that¡¯s fire¡ª]


    Seraph¡¯s boot connected with its head hard enough to snap its neck sideways.


    "Pay attention, rookie!"


    The demon stumbled. Grace¡¯s blade found its heart. Another one down.


    Behind them, Alia and Zephyr had started a full chant.


    "G-R-A-C-E! WHAT DOES THAT SPELL? GRACE! WHO¡¯S GONNA WIN? GRACE! WHO HAS THE BEST BUTT? ALSO GRACE!"


    "Is this really helping?" Valkyrie grunted. She had three demons trying to turn her into a kebab and was somehow holding them off.


    "Morale support is crucial!" Zephyr did a cartwheel. An actual cartwheel. In the middle of a demon attack. "GO TEAM GRACE!" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A demon broke through their defensive line, heading straight for the Love Sisters.


    [No no no no¡ª]


    Valkyrie may as well have teleported, the way she appeared by their side and took the demon down.


    "Ugh, gross! Flaming demon muck!" Alia swatted at her body.


    "GRACE! LESS STARING, MORE KILLING!" Seraph¡¯s voice cut through the moment.


    Right.


    The fight turned into chaos. Pure, exhausting chaos. Grace lost track of individual moments. It all blurred together¡ªdodge the claws, stab the thing, try not to die. Repeat until everything hurt.


    Seraph and Valkyrie did most of the real work. Grace just had to land the killing blows, but even that was getting harder. Her arms felt like overcooked noodles.


    A massive demon nearly took her head off. Would have, if Valkyrie hadn¡¯t full-body tackled her.


    They hit the ground hard, rolling through ash and gravel. The demon¡¯s claws scraped stone where Grace¡¯s neck had been.


    "Watch your fucking left!"


    "I was watching my right!"


    "Watch both!"


    "I only have two eyes!"


    They scrambled apart. The demon loomed over them, Level 70 blazing above its head like a sign that said ¡¯You¡¯re fucked.¡¯


    Seraph dropped from the sky like an avenging angel¡ªwhich, technically, she was. Her sword punched through the demon¡¯s skull with a wet crunch.


    "Stop arguing and kill it!"


    Grace lurched to her feet and stabbed the thing through the chest. It dissolved with a sound like screaming wind.


    [That was way too close.]


    More demons poured down the mountain. How many had the Flame sent? This wasn¡¯t a scouting party. This was a fucking army.


    "There¡¯s too many!" Valkyrie¡¯s silver hair was matted with ash and blood. Not her blood, thankfully.


    "We hold!" Seraph commanded. But even she sounded strained. "None of them are Primal. Don¡¯t be scared!"


    The ground shook.


    Not from the demons. From the mountain itself.


    "ENOUGH!"


    The word made Grace pull back. Her ears rang. The remaining demons froze mid-attack, then scrambled back up the slopes like kids who¡¯d just heard dad come home.


    The Flame¡¯s voice rolled down from the peak, carried on wind that smelled like sulfur and rage.


    "I grow tired of games. Come, Eternia. Face me properly. Or I¡¯ll burn this entire town to glass."


    Silence fell over everything. Even the wind stopped.


    Behind them, Alia¡¯s pom-poms drooped.


    "Well," Grace said into the quiet. "Guess... that¡¯s my cue."


    She tried to sound confident. Came out more like someone had grabbed her by the throat.


    "You¡¯re not going alone." Seraph wiped demon blood off her sword. The blade still glowed faintly. "I¡¯m coming with you."


    "Seraph¡ª"


    "That¡¯s an order, rookie." Her commander voice was in full effect. "I told everyone back at the Dominion I¡¯d keep you alive. I intend to keep that promise."


    "I can handle¡ª"


    "I don¡¯t care." Seraph¡¯s eyes blazed. "You think I¡¯m letting you walk up there alone? After I spent three months teaching you which end of a sword to hold? Not happening."


    Grace wanted to argue. This was her fight. Her burden. Her weird divine identity crisis to sort out.


    But looking at Seraph¡¯s face¡ªjaw set, eyes hard, already mentally preparing for battle¡ªshe just nodded.


    "Okay."


    "We¡¯ll stay here," Valkyrie said. She looked around at all the dissolved demon corpses. "Make sure nothing doubles back to the town."


    "And we¡¯ll keep cheering!" Alia had already perked back up. "From a safe distance!"


    "Very safe," Zephyr agreed. "Like, behind several buildings safe."


    "But with enthusiasm!"


    Grace looked up at Mount Ignata. The peak was wreathed in smoke and fire that moved in ways fire shouldn¡¯t move. Shapes in the flames that might have been faces. Or screaming mouths.


    Somewhere up there, a piece of Eternia¡¯s discarded rage waited for her. Thought she was Eternia. Wanted to prove... something.


    [The identity issues are gonna be the death of me.]


    "Ready?" Seraph asked.


    "No."


    "Good. Means you¡¯re not stupid." Seraph started walking toward the mountain path. "Let¡¯s go meet a god."


    Grace followed, her legs feeling like they were made of water. Every step took them closer to what was probably going to be a very painful, very fiery death.


    [At least it¡¯ll be quick. Probably. Hopefully.]


    Behind them, Alia¡¯s voice carried on the wind:


    "GO GRACE GO! TRY NOT TO DIE! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!"


    Grace sighed.


    [Well...] She looked up. [That¡¯s nice.]

 Chapter 113: Igniting Old Passion

    Chapter 113: Igniting Old PassionThe valley at the base of Mount Ignata looked like someone had taken a giant knife and carved a wound into the earth. Black rock walls rose on either side, funneling them toward what Grace could only assume was certain death. Or, well, a very painful experience.


    "Eyes up," Seraph muttered. "We¡¯ve got company."


    Grace looked.


    [Holy crap.]


    Demons lined the cliff edges above them. Dozens. Maybe hundreds. Amethyst eyes glowing in the shadows. All watching. All waiting.


    And none of them attacking.


    "That¡¯s... creepy as hell."


    "It¡¯s almost like a show of force." Seraph¡¯s hand never left her sword. The tension in her shoulders said everything. "Like the Flame wants us to know she controls them."


    "Great. Love that for us."


    They kept walking. The heat got worse with every step forward. Grace¡¯s armor felt like it was actively trying to cook her alive. The fire-resistant enchantments were doing their best but against this level of heat?


    [Might as well have worn a tin foil suit.]


    "Watch the shadows," Seraph said quietly. "Last thing we need is to find out that she¡¯s harboring a Primal Demon or something."


    The valley opened up into something that made Grace¡¯s brain hurt just looking at it.


    The inside of the volcano itself.


    Molten rock bubbled in pools, glowing. Steam hissed from cracks in the floor, each jet hot enough to strip flesh from bone. The air shimmered and danced, making everything look like a heat mirage.


    And in the center of it all¡ª


    "Finally."


    The word echoed off the walls. Then she appeared.


    The Flame didn¡¯t descend. Didn¡¯t walk in. She just... existed. One second empty air, the next a woman made of fire and barely contained rage.


    [Oh wow.]


    She looked like Eternia. Of course she did. They all did. Same face that Grace saw in the mirror every morning. Same body, though significantly more... developed. But where Eternia radiated warmth and mischief and that general "wanna bang?" energy, the Flame was pure destruction in female form.


    Her hair writhed like living fire, each strand a tongue of flame that moved independently. Her eyes were pools of molten gold that hurt to look at directly. And her armor carried intricate patterns of flame that danced across the metal.


    "You came wearing such a pathetic shell." The Flame¡¯s voice crackled like a bonfire fed with bones. "What, are you pretending to be weak? Think that will make me go easy on you?"


    Grace opened her mouth to explain the situation. That this was all a big cosmic misunderstanding.


    The Flame raised one hand.


    "No more words. I¡¯ve waited millennia for this moment."


    "Look, I think you¡¯ve got the wrong¡ª"


    "SILENCE!"


    The word hit like a sledgehammer to the chest. Grace stumbled back, ears ringing.


    "Do you know what it¡¯s like?" The Flame began to pace. Each footstep left molten prints in solid stone. The rock actually melted under her feet. "To carry so much rage? To burn with FURY!?"


    She laughed. It sounded like screaming metal being torn apart.


    "You poured your anger into me. Every slight, every betrayal, every moment of wrath you couldn¡¯t bear to feel."


    "That¡¯s rough, but¡ª"


    "And then you LEFT!"


    Fire erupted around the Flame. Not metaphorically. Actual walls of flame shot up from the ground. The temperature spiked so fast Grace¡¯s exposed skin started to blister.


    "Created your pretty angels and forgot about us entirely! But I didn¡¯t forget." The Flame¡¯s form solidified. The fire condensed, becoming more focused. More dangerous. "I nursed that rage. Fed it. Let it grow until it became mine. And now..."


    She smiled.


    "Now I¡¯m going to show you what real strength looks like."


    The Flame moved.


    Grace had fought fast opponents before. Diana in training, when she was actually trying. That Primal Demon at Oakridge that nearly took her head off. But this?


    This felt unfair.


    One heartbeat, the Flame stood twenty feet away. The next, her fist was inches from Grace¡¯s face.


    Metal rang against metal as Seraph¡¯s sword intercepted the blow.


    The impact sent shockwaves through the cavern. The ground cracked. Loose rocks fell from the ceiling. Seraph¡¯s boots carved twin grooves in the stone as she slid backward.


    "Touch my rookie and I¡¯ll make you regret existing," Seraph snarled.


    The Flame tilted her head. Like a cat that just noticed a new toy.


    "Ah. The loyal soldier. How touching." Fire danced along her fingers, each one becoming a miniature torch. "You can burn first."


    They clashed.


    Grace had seen Seraph fight before. In training, where she held back so much it was almost insulting. Against regular demons, where she barely broke a sweat. But this?


    This was Seraph unleashed.


    Centuries of experience in every movement. Her sword sang through the air, leaving trails of golden light that hurt to follow. Each strike flowed into the next. No wasted motion. No hesitation.


    And yet...


    [It¡¯s not enough.] Grace blinked.


    Not even close. She tried to look up and find the Flame¡¯s level, but she couldn¡¯t see it. Where the words should have been, there was just "???"


    [That¡¯s very helpful. Thanks, System.]


    The Flame fought like wildfire given purpose and a really bad attitude. She didn¡¯t dodge attacks¡ªshe flowed around them like liquid fire. Her fists left afterimages. Her kicks cracked stone and sent showers of sparks flying.


    "Grace! Stay back!" Seraph barely deflected a strike that would¡¯ve caved in her skull. "Find an opening!"


    [An opening for fucking what? To die faster?]


    But Grace summoned her Blade of Eternia anyway. The divine rapier materialized in her hand, its glow looking absolutely pathetic compared to the forces clashing in front of her.


    Then Seraph did something incredible.


    She scored a hit.


    Her sword carved a line across the Flame¡¯s shoulder, divine energy meeting elemental fire. For a second, Grace felt hope.


    The wound closed instantly. Like it never happened.


    The Flame scowled.


    "Alright... My turn."


    The Flame¡¯s right hand morphed, fingers fusing together and extending into a blade of pure fire. The heat coming off it made the air scream.


    She swung.


    Seraph tried to dodge. Almost made it.


    Almost.


    The blade passed through her neck like it wasn¡¯t even there. Like cutting through air.


    Time stopped.


    Or maybe Grace¡¯s brain stopped. One of the two.


    Seraph¡¯s head separated from her body. It hit the ground with a wet thud that Grace would hear in her nightmares. Her body followed a second later, collapsing in a heap of armor and spreading blood.


    "SERAPH!"


    Grace rushed forward. This couldn¡¯t be happening. How could-


    "Ow."


    Grace froze mid-step.


    "That really hurt."


    The voice came from... Seraph¡¯s head. Which was looking up at her from the ground. Blinking.


    With an annoyed expression.


    "Shit, shit. Grace, pick me up!" Seraph¡¯s head asked.


    Grace stared. The Flame stared.


    "Are you... talking?" Grace asked, because her brain needed confirmation. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Obviously." Seraph sounded annoyed. Like being decapitated was just inconvenient. "We¡¯re immortal, remember?"


    "B-But your head¡ª"


    "Will reattach once we get out of here. Now pick me up before she recovers from the shock."


    Grace grabbed Seraph¡¯s head. It was surprisingly heavy. And warm. And talking.


    [This is so fucked up.]


    "What about your body!?"


    "Leave it. It¡¯ll follow eventually."


    "Follow? What do you mean follow?"


    "I mean it¡¯ll get up and walk after us. Probably. Maybe crawl. Depends how much energy I have left."


    The Flame had stopped moving entirely. Just stood there, staring at the conversation happening between Grace and a severed head.


    "You¡¯re... still alive."


    "Disappointed?" Seraph¡¯s head asked with remarkable sass for someone missing a body. "Sorry to ruin your dramatic moment. I know you probably had a whole victory speech planned."


    The Flame¡¯s eye twitched. Then her whole face twitched. Fire erupted from every pore, turning her into a humanoid bonfire.


    "WHAT KIND OF MOCKERY IS THIS?"


    "The kind where we run," Seraph said. "No, seriously, Grace, you¡¯re not winning a fight against her. Run. Now."


    Grace didn¡¯t need to be told twice.


    She tucked Seraph¡¯s head under her arm and booked it.


    Behind her, the Flame roared. The sound shook the entire mountain. Dust and pebbles rained from above.


    "YOU DARE FLEE? FACE ME, COWARD!"


    "Keep running!" Seraph¡¯s head bounced with each step. "And watch out for¡ª"


    A gout of flame missed Grace by inches. The heat singed her eyebrows and made her white hair crinkle.


    "That! Watch out for that!"


    Grace sprinted through the valley like her ass was on fire. Which it might be soon. Demons dove at her from the cliffs, apparently deciding that orders were less important than murder. She dodged, jumped, somehow kept her grip on Seraph¡¯s head.


    "Left! Go left!"


    Grace veered left. A massive fireball obliterated where she¡¯d been standing, leaving a crater of molten glass.


    "How are you so calm about this?" Grace gasped between ragged breaths.


    "I¡¯ve been decapitated once before. It¡¯s fine."


    "THAT¡¯S NOT NORMAL!"


    "Neither is running from a god with my head under your arm, but here we are!"


    A demon dropped directly in front of them. Grace didn¡¯t slow down. She lowered her shoulder and bulldozed through it, sending the creature tumbling off a cliff.


    "Nice form," Seraph commented.


    "Not the time!"


    The Flame¡¯s voice boomed behind them, getting closer.


    "ETERNIA! TURN AND FACE ME! STOP RUNNING LIKE THE WEAKLING YOU ARE!"


    More fire. More dodging. Grace¡¯s lungs burned from the heat and exertion. Her legs felt like jelly. The armor that was supposed to protect her now felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.


    "Almost there," Seraph said. "Just a little¡ª"


    They burst out of the valley into slightly less lethal air. Grace didn¡¯t stop. She kept running until her legs gave out completely, collapsing behind a large boulder that provided minimal cover.


    "Well," Seraph¡¯s head said after a moment of Grace just wheezing. "That could have gone better."


    Grace stared at her commander¡¯s severed head. At the volcano still roaring behind them. At the complete disaster this mission had become in record time.


    "Your body better catch up soon," she wheezed between desperate gasps for air.


    "Give it an hour. Maybe two."


    "Great. Perfect. Wonderful."


    From the mountain, the Flame¡¯s voice echoed across the wasteland.


    "I WILL FIND YOU, ETERNIA! YOU CANNOT HIDE FOREVER!"


    Grace slumped against the boulder, still clutching Seraph¡¯s head like a really morbid security blanket.


    [Well... That was a disaster.]

 Chapter 114: A Change In Approach

    Chapter 114: A Change In ApproachThey made it halfway to town before the rescue party found them.


    "GRACE!"


    Alia¡¯s voice cut through the desert heat.


    "ARE YOU¡ªoh my god what the FUCK?"


    Three shapes dropped from the sky like angry pigeons. Alia, Zephyr, and Valkyrie landed in a cloud of dust and immediately froze.


    Grace stood there, covered in ash and sweat, holding Seraph¡¯s severed head.


    "Hey," Seraph¡¯s head said casually.


    Alia screamed.


    "IT TALKS!"


    "Of course I talk, you dumb angel," Seraph sounded offended. "I¡¯m not dead, you know."


    "BUT YOUR HEAD¡ª"


    "Is temporarily disconnected from my body, yes. Very observant."


    Zephyr circled them slowly, eyes so wide Grace could see the whites all around. Valkyrie just stood there with her mouth hanging open like she¡¯d been hit with a stick.


    "Seraph," Valkyrie said finally. "The strongest warrior in heaven after Celestia. Got decapitated?"


    "It happens."


    "IT DOES NOT!"


    Alia reached out with one finger, trembling, and poked Seraph¡¯s cheek. Then poked again, harder.


    "Stop that," Seraph grumbled.


    "This is so weird!" Alia kept poking, fascinated. "How are you talking? Where¡¯s your body? Does it hurt? Can you feel your toes? What happens if I¡ª"


    "No, somewhere back there stumbling around, only a little, and no." Seraph tried to bite Alia¡¯s finger and missed. "Now stop poking me or I¡¯ll bite you!"


    "You can¡¯t bite me, you¡¯re just a head!"


    "Watch me!"


    "... We should get inside," Grace interrupted. Her arms were getting tired. "Before the Flame decides to come finish the job."


    ---


    The inn¡¯s common room looked like crap. Or, no, maybe this was one of those things where one¡¯s own bad mood made things around them seem worse than they were, but Grace wasn¡¯t too sure. Scorch marks decorated the walls from last night¡¯s demon attack. Half the furniture was ash.


    The innkeeper took one look at Seraph¡¯s head and immediately poured himself a drink that could strip paint.


    "Don¡¯t mind us," Grace called as they trooped past. "Just... angel stuff."


    "Angel stuff," the man repeated flatly. Then he poured another drink.


    They commandeered a corner table that hadn¡¯t been torched. Alia sat down, with Seraph¡¯s head on her lap. Which led to the absolutely surreal image of their commander¡¯s head resting on Alia¡¯s thighs while everyone tried to pretend this was totally normal.


    "So," Valkyrie cut in before things got weirder. "What the fuck happened out there?"


    Grace rubbed her temples. Where to even start?


    "The Flame, like the other Pillars, thinks I¡¯m Eternia." She sighed. "I tried to explain. She didn¡¯t care. Started going on about being an emotional trash bin¡ª"


    "A what now?"


    "Eternia¡¯s... rage... dump. Whatever." Grace waved her hand. "Point is, she¡¯s pissed. Then she moved faster than anything has a right to move and¡ª"


    Grace gestured at Seraph¡¯s head.


    "You know, Grace didn¡¯t do too badly herself," Seraph added. "For about three seconds. Then I had to save her ass and lost my body doing it. Worth it, obviously, but still annoying."


    Zephyr leaned forward, fascinated despite herself.


    "What was she like? The Flame?"


    "Angry." Grace slumped in her chair. "Really, really fucking angry. Like, imagine the angriest person you know, then set them on fire and give them... god powers."


    "Sounds hot," Alia said. "Literally."


    Everyone stared at her.


    "What? Puns are a valid coping mechanism!"


    "We need a new plan," Valkyrie said, getting back on track. "I say we go in force. All of us. Overwhelm her with numbers."


    "That¡¯s stupid," Alia said immediately.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You heard me. Stupid." Alia¡¯s usual bouncy cheer vanished. "If Seraph¡ªliteral Seraph, commander of the Bravery Sisters, certified badass¡ªcouldn¡¯t beat her, what chance do we have? We¡¯d just give her more heads to collect." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then what do you suggest?" Valkyrie¡¯s scarred hands clenched into fists. "Let her keep burning villages? Let more people die?"


    "Of course not! But rushing in to die won¡¯t help anyone!"


    "Both of you, shut up."


    Seraph¡¯s head somehow managed to look authoritative despite being, you know, just a head.


    "Grace. You¡¯ve dealt with two Pillars already. How?"


    Grace thought about it. Really thought about it.


    The Root had wanted acknowledgment. Recognition for its role in creating the world. So she¡¯d listened. Promised to remember.


    The Tide had been drowning in loneliness. So she¡¯d given her connection... And by connection, she meant she¡¯d fucked the Tide¡¯s brains out until she stopped trying to turn people into fish.


    [What does pure rage want?]


    "I gave them what they needed," Grace said slowly. "What Eternia took from them when she shoved her emotions into them."


    "And the Flame?"


    "Well, she¡¯s rage. Eternia¡¯s anger given form." Grace sat up straighter as pieces clicked together. "So... M-Maybe she doesn¡¯t want to be calmed down. She doesn¡¯t want peace. She wants..."


    "A fight," Seraph finished.


    "Maybe. But, I think it makes sense. A real fight. Not to win or lose but to... let it out. Like, uh, cosmic anger management."


    Seraph blinked, which in her headless form was like a nod.


    "I think Grace might be right. Given the fact that she decapitated me, she absolutely was fast enough to take Grace down too if she wanted. So..."


    "So she probably let me get away," Grace finished.


    Valkyrie frowned so hard her scar twisted.


    "So, what? You¡¯re going to fight her?"


    "Not to win." Grace knew how insane this sounded. "I mean, she¡¯d absolutely just wreck me. Just... to give her what she needs. A target. Someone to beat the shit out of until she feels better."


    "That¡¯s suicide," Valkyrie said flatly.


    "No. It would be, if I could die," Grace stated and Valkyrie had no comeback.


    Grace looked down at her commander¡¯s head. Seraph¡¯s expression was thoughtful, which was weird on a disembodied head.


    "It could work," Seraph said finally. "The logic¡¯s relatively sound. Sound enough for this batshit situation we¡¯re in. But you¡¯d need to last long enough for her to burn through millennia of rage. Right now? She¡¯d turn you to ash in seconds."


    "So, what do I do?"


    Seraph grinned.


    "What else? Train!"


    "Train?" Alia¡¯s voice went squeaky. "She literally cut your head off!"


    "And I¡¯m fine," Seraph pointed out.


    "YOU¡¯RE A TALKING HEAD!"


    "Details."


    Zephyr had been quiet through all this, which was unusual. Now she spoke up.


    "How long do you think you¡¯d need? To train?"


    Grace looked at Seraph. Her commander¡¯s disembodied eyes narrowed in thought. Seraph eventually said:


    "A week. Minimum. And that¡¯s if we push hard. Like, ¡¯you might die from training¡¯ hard."


    "The town can¡¯t take another week of attacks," Valkyrie said.


    "They¡¯ll have to." Grace stood up. "Unless someone has a better idea?"


    Silence.


    "Right. Then... we train." She looked down at Seraph. "Think your body will, uh, catch up to us soon?"


    "Should be here within the hour. Two at most. It¡¯s probably walking into walls right now."


    "Good. Because I¡¯m gonna need you in one piece if I¡¯m going to survive getting my ass kicked by a god."


    Alia raised her hand like they were in class.


    "Can I ask a question?"


    "What?"


    "Why do all these Pillars think you¡¯re Eternia? Like, you¡¯re obviously not. You¡¯re way too short."


    "Thanks for that."


    "And skinny! Eternia had huge¡ª" Alia made a very generous gesture at her chest. "And you¡¯re more..." She made a much smaller gesture.


    "I get it."


    "Though, maybe if we got you some padding¡ª"


    "Alia."


    "Or a really good push-up bra¡ª"


    "ALIA."


    "Sorry! Just brainstorming!"


    Grace sighed so hard her soul felt tired.


    A heavy thud from outside made everyone jump. Then another. Like footsteps, but wrong somehow.


    "Oh wow," Seraph said casually. "That¡¯s probably my body. It got here kinda early."


    The door burst open. Seraph¡¯s headless body stumbled in, arms outstretched like the world¡¯s worst zombie. It immediately walked into a table.


    The innkeeper took one look, downed his entire drink, and poured another.


    "Over here!" Seraph called cheerfully.


    Her body changed direction, knocked over two chairs, bumped into Valkyrie, then finally made it to their table. It stood there swaying slightly.


    "How do we..." Alia held up Seraph¡¯s head uncertainly.


    "Just plop me on top. It¡¯ll, uh, slowly reconnect to me."


    Alia carefully placed the head on the neck stump. For a while, nothing happened. But, then, Grace could slowly see Seraph¡¯s neck trying to reconnect with her head like an old friend.


    [This is so weird.]


    "Anyway, one week," Grace said. "Think you can teach me to not die immediately?"


    Seraph grinned.


    All teeth and danger.


    "I can try. But Grace?" Her expression turned serious. "This plan of yours¡ªletting the Flame beat on you until she feels better? It¡¯s going to hurt. More than you can imagine."


    "I figured."


    "No. I don¡¯t think you understand." Seraph leaned forward. "She¡¯s rage incarnate. She won¡¯t hold back. She¡¯ll break every bone in your body. Burn you from inside out. Make you wish angels could die."


    Grace¡¯s throat went dry.


    "But it might work?"


    "Maybe. If you can last long enough. If you don¡¯t go insane from pain first." Seraph stood, joints popping. "We start at dawn. And Grace? Say goodbye to sleeping. You¡¯re going to need every second we can squeeze out of this week."


    Everyone stared at Grace. Waiting for her to back out. To say this was too crazy even for her.


    She thought about the Flame. About that pure, focused fury. About how much this was going to absolutely suck.


    About the villagers who¡¯d die if she didn¡¯t try.


    "Okay," she said. "Let¡¯s do this."


    [Before I end up as just another talking head.]

 Chapter 115: Fiery Training

    Chapter 115: Fiery TrainingThe sun wasn¡¯t even up yet and Grace was already eating dirt.


    "Again!" Valkyrie¡¯s voice cracked through the morning air like a whip.


    Grace spat out mud. Her mouth tasted like failure. Everything fucking hurt. Her ribs screamed from where Valkyrie¡¯s last kick had landed. Her shoulder throbbed from the throw before that. Sure, she was immortal, but her pride?


    Dead. Murdered. Six feet under.


    [This is hell. Actual, literal hell.]


    The "training arena" was just a patch of dirt behind the inn that they¡¯d cleared by kicking rocks out of the way. No fancy equipment. No protective gear. Just mud, more rocks they¡¯d missed, and Valkyrie¡¯s complete lack of mercy.


    Or humanity.


    Or basic decency.


    "Your stance is garbage," Valkyrie said.


    She hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. Her scarred arms crossed over her chest like she was disappointed in Grace¡¯s entire existence.


    "Fix it."


    Grace tried. She really fucking tried. But her legs felt like someone had replaced her bones with wet noodles and her brain was still trying to process how she¡¯d ended up face-down in mud. Again.


    Valkyrie moved.


    Grace saw it coming this time. Barely. She managed to get her arms up before the strike landed.


    The impact still sent her sliding backward through the mud like a rapidly moving snake. She may as well have had no limbs too, given how sore they were.


    "Better. But still pathetic."


    "Thanks for the pep talk." Grace wiped mud from her mouth. It didn¡¯t help.


    Valkyrie¡¯s scarred face showed zero emotion. Like she was carved from particularly muscular, bitchy stone.


    "You want pep talks? Go cry to your Love Sister friends." Her voice could¡¯ve frozen lava. "You want to withstand the Flame? Get up and keep fighting."


    The casual mention of the Flame reminded Grace that she could probably expect her to throw a lot worse her way than what Valkyrie was doing.


    [Not something I¡¯m looking forward to, I have to say.]


    She attacked again. No warning. No setup. No "hey heads up." Just pure, concentrated violence.


    Grace dodged the first swing.


    [Holy shit I actually dodged one!]


    She blocked the second.


    [Two for two!]


    The third caught her square in the stomach and folded her like a lawn chair.


    [Never mind.]


    "Dead," Valkyrie announced.


    "I noticed," Grace wheezed from her new home in the mud.


    From the sidelines, Seraph watched with her arms crossed. Her body had reattached during the night, and aside from a faint line around her neck that looked like a worn-out choker, you¡¯d never know she¡¯d been decapitated yesterday.


    Must be nice.


    "She¡¯s not wrong though," Seraph called out, unhelpfully. "Your stance really is garbage."


    "You could help!"


    "I am helping. By letting Valkyrie beat important lessons into your thick skull." Seraph¡¯s grin showed way too many teeth. "Think of it as accelerated learning."


    "Think of it as... bullshit," Grace muttered, hauling herself up again.


    Her white hair was more mud than hair at this point. Her training clothes¡ªjust a tank top and shorts¡ªwere soaked through with sweat and grime and probably some blood.


    Definitely blood. She could taste copper.


    "How long have we been at this?"


    "Two hours," Valkyrie said flatly.


    [Only two? Fuck my entire life.]


    "Break time!"


    That voice. That beautiful, angelic, perfect voice.


    Alia bounced into view at the edge of their mud pit, Zephyr right behind her. They carried water and towels and Grace had never loved anyone more in her entire existence.


    "Our poor Grace!" Alia rushed over, immediately starting to fuss. "Look at you! All dirty and bruised!"


    "I¡¯m fine¡ª"


    "Shhhh." Alia¡¯s hands were already working, wiping mud from Grace¡¯s face with touches so gentle Grace could cry. "Let us take care of you."


    Zephyr pressed a water flask to Grace¡¯s lips. The cool liquid was better than sex.


    Well...


    Almost better than sex.


    "You¡¯re doing amazing," Zephyr murmured. Her hand slipped under Grace¡¯s shirt, supposedly checking for injuries but definitely just feeling her up. "So strong. So brave."


    "Mhmm," Alia agreed. She¡¯d moved behind Grace, hands kneading sore shoulders. "Our tough little demon killer."


    Grace was one or two more touches away from practically purring at the attention. After two hours of brutal ass-kicking, the gentle touches felt like heaven. She could feel herself melting into their care, tension draining away¡ª


    A cold steel tip kissed her throat gently.


    "This is exactly how you die," Valkyrie said.


    Her sword rested against Grace¡¯s neck, sharp enough to shave with. If Grace had any neck hair and wanted a very dangerous shave.


    "Distracted. Soft. Weak."


    "Hey!" Alia¡¯s hands stilled on Grace¡¯s shoulders. "We¡¯re helping!"


    "You¡¯re making her complacent." Valkyrie didn¡¯t move the blade an inch. "The Flame won¡¯t stop because she¡¯s tired. Won¡¯t care if she¡¯s sore. Won¡¯t give a shit about her feelings."


    "Back off, Valkyrie." Seraph¡¯s voice carried warning. Real warning. "She needs breaks."


    "She needs to be ready."


    "And she will be. But breaking her in half isn¡¯t going to help with that."


    They stared at each other across the muddy ground. Some kind of silent communication passed between them. Old history, Grace could only assume.


    Finally, Valkyrie lowered her sword.


    "Five minutes," she said. "Then we continue."


    She stalked to the other side of the arena, movements sharp with barely contained violence.


    Grace watched her go, rubbing her throat where the blade had been.


    "What¡¯s her deal?"


    Seraph sighed. The sound carried weight.


    "Valkyrie lost her entire unit to a Primal Demon."


    "Like Diana?"


    "Like a lot of angels. Two hundred years ago." Her voice went quiet. "They got ambushed because someone got distracted during watch. Started flirting instead of paying attention."


    "Oh."


    "She survived by being better. Faster. More focused than everyone else." Seraph¡¯s expression went complicated. "Don¡¯t be too mad at her. She¡¯s harsh because she doesn¡¯t want to lose anyone else. That¡¯s all."


    Grace looked at Valkyrie¡¯s scarred arms. At the way she stood apart, always watching. Always ready.


    [That¡¯s actually really sad.]


    "Still," Alia muttered, going back to massaging Grace¡¯s shoulders. "She doesn¡¯t have to be such a massive bitch about it."


    "Alia," Zephyr chided softly.


    "What? It¡¯s true! Being traumatized doesn¡¯t give you a free pass to be an asshole!"


    Seraph shrugged.


    Grace stood up, every muscle protesting the movement.


    "It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s right anyway. I need to be better."


    "Grace¡ª" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Flame cut Seraph¡¯s head off without breaking a sweat." Grace grabbed her practice sword from the mud. "If I¡¯m going to last more than five seconds, I need this."


    She walked back to the center of the arena, leaving muddy footprints. Valkyrie turned, surprise flickering across her scarred face.


    "I thought you had five minutes."


    "I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s go."


    Something shifted in Valkyrie¡¯s expression. Not quite approval. But maybe the beginning of respect.


    "Fine. Try not to die."


    They circled each other. Grace focused on everything Seraph had taught her. Everything Diana had beaten into her head during all those training sessions.


    Footwork. Balance. Reading her opponent.


    And most importantly: Don¡¯t get hit in the face.


    Valkyrie struck.


    Grace moved.


    Not fast enough to dodge completely. But enough to turn what would¡¯ve been a devastating hit into a glancing blow. She spun with the impact, brought her sword around in a move Diana had shown her¡ª


    Valkyrie blocked. Of course she did. But Grace was already moving, using the momentum to shift her weight and¡ª


    The kick caught her in the ribs.


    Grace hit the ground hard enough to bounce.


    "Better," Valkyrie said.


    And for the first time, it didn¡¯t sound like an insult.


    Grace grinned through the pain, tasting blood and victory.


    [Progress. Actual fucking progress.]


    A notification popped up in her vision. The glowing text that only she could see.


    New Quest: Prove Your Worth


    Defeat Valkyrie in single combat


    Reward: +10 Bravery


    Grace¡¯s grin widened until it probably looked unhinged.


    [Now we¡¯re fucking talking.]


    She pushed herself up. Spat blood that looked way too red against the mud. Raised her sword.


    "Again."


    For the first time all morning, Valkyrie¡¯s scarred face showed the hint of a smile.


    "Now you¡¯re learning."


    They clashed again. And again. And again.


    Grace lost every time. But each loss taught her something new. Each bruise was a lesson written in pain. Each moment of agony brought her incrementally closer to maybe, possibly, not dying immediately when she faced the Flame.


    The sun climbed higher, turning the mud into a sticky nightmare. Grace¡¯s body screamed for rest, for water, for death, for anything but more fighting.


    She kept going, using up every ounce of pure stubbornness she could scrape together.


    [Ten Bravery points. I can do this.]


    Valkyrie¡¯s sword came at her head. Grace ducked, rolled through the mud, came up swinging¡ª


    [I have to do this.]


    The clash of metal on metal rang across the courtyard.


    [Because if I don¡¯t, people in this town will die.]


    The fight continued, brutal and unforgiving.


    And somewhere in the mud and blood and pain, Grace started to understand what Valkyrie was trying to teach her.


    Sometimes staying alive meant being willing to do whatever it took.


    Even if it hurt.


    Especially if it hurt.

 Chapter 116: More Training*

    Chapter 116: More Training*Grace¡¯s face met mud.


    Again.


    For like the thousandth fucking time today.


    "Too slow!" Valkyrie¡¯s boot pressed between her shoulder blades, grinding her deeper into the muck. "The Flame won¡¯t wait for you to catch your breath."


    [I¡¯m going to die. Not from the Flame. From this psycho¡¯s training.]


    Three days. Three days of absolute hell and Grace felt like her body was held together by nothing but spite and prayer. Every muscle screamed bloody murder. Every joint felt like someone had replaced the cartilage with broken glass.


    Even breathing hurt.


    "Get up."


    Grace pushed against the ground. Her arms shook like jello in an earthquake. Somehow¡ªthrough sheer stubbornness and maybe a little divine intervention¡ªshe made it to her knees.


    Valkyrie¡¯s sword whistled through the air.


    Grace threw herself sideways, feeling the blade part the air where her neck used to be.


    "Better." Valkyrie reset her stance like she hadn¡¯t just tried to decapitate someone. "But still sloppy."


    Grace staggered upright. Her practice sword felt like someone had replaced it with a lead pipe. A really heavy lead pipe. Her vision did that fun thing where the edges went all fuzzy and dark.


    [Just a little more. I can do this.]


    She couldn¡¯t.


    She really, really couldn¡¯t.


    Valkyrie¡¯s next attack came fast. Too fast. Grace tried to block but her arms had all the strength of wet noodles. The strike sent her sprawling back into her old friend, the mud. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time Grace didn¡¯t get up.


    Just lay there, face-down, wondering if angels could die from exhaustion. Or embarrassment. Or both.


    "That¡¯s enough for now." Seraph¡¯s voice floated down from somewhere above. "She¡¯s done."


    "She¡¯s not ready."


    "And she won¡¯t be ready." Both Grace and Valkyrie did a double-take upon hearing that. "¡¯Ready¡¯ isn¡¯t what we¡¯re looking for. The Flame literally decapitated me. ¡¯Ready enough¡¯ is. Calm down."


    Footsteps squelched through the mud toward her. Grace cracked one eye open to see several concerned faces hovering over her corpse.


    "Grace?" That was Alia¡¯s voice. All worried and sweet. "Can you hear me?"


    "Mmrph."


    "I¡¯ll take that as a yes."


    Multiple hands lifted her up. Gentle ones this time, not the kind trying to introduce her organs to the outside world. Grace let herself be carried like the world¡¯s most pathetic sack of potatoes, too exhausted to give a shit about dignity.


    What dignity? She¡¯d left that in the mud about two days ago.


    ---


    The inn¡¯s bath was basically a glorified wooden bucket filled with water that might¡¯ve been warm yesterday, but after three days of rolling in mud and blood and sweat, it felt like heaven.


    Pure, wet heaven.


    Grace soaked while Alia washed her hair, making little sympathetic noises every time she found a new bruise. Zephyr worked on her shoulders, fingers digging into knots that felt like rocks.


    "You¡¯re pushing too hard," Zephyr murmured. Her thumbs found a particularly nasty spot and pressed.


    Grace hissed through her teeth.


    "Have to." Her voice came out like she¡¯d been gargling gravel. "Only three more days."


    "You won¡¯t last three more hours at this rate."


    As if her body wanted to prove Zephyr¡¯s point, Grace¡¯s stomach let out a growl that sounded like a dying bear.


    "When did you last eat?" Alia¡¯s hands paused in her hair.


    Grace tried to remember. Her brain felt like mush.


    Breakfast? No, that was yesterday. Maybe? Time had lost all meaning.


    "That¡¯s what I thought." Alia made a disgusted noise. "Wait here."


    She climbed out of the tub, water dripping everywhere, and threw on a robe. Grace watched her leave through half-closed eyes.


    "Where¡¯s she going?"


    "To get you food, probably." Zephyr took over hair-washing duties. "You know how she gets when people skip meals."


    Grace did know. Alia turned into a tiny, terrifying mother hen.


    A knock at the door interrupted her dozing.


    "Grace?"


    A voice she didn¡¯t recognize. One of the townspeople.


    "We brought food."


    Grace tried to sit up. Her abs informed her that was a terrible idea.


    "Just leave it outside," Zephyr called. "Thank you!"


    "Wait."


    Grace forced herself vertical through sheer determination and bad decisions. Water sloshed everywhere.


    "Grace, no¡ª"


    But she was already hauling herself out of the tub. Everything hurt. Everything. She wrapped a towel around herself¡ªbarely¡ªand stumbled to the door.


    A small crowd had gathered in the hallway. Men, women, even kids. All holding dishes that smelled like heaven.


    "For you," an elderly woman said. She thrust a covered pot forward with shaking hands. "You¡¯re fighting for us. Least we can do is feed you."


    "I can¡¯t¡ª"


    "Yes you can." A man stepped forward with bread that was still steaming. "Please. It¡¯s not charity. It¡¯s... hope."


    More offerings appeared. Fruit that must¡¯ve cost a fortune in this heat. Dried meat. Preserves. A little girl, maybe six years old, shyly held up a slightly squashed pastry.


    "I made it myself," she whispered. "Mama helped."


    Grace blinked.


    "Thank you. All of you." She clutched her towel tighter. "But I¡¯m just doing my job."


    "Your job is keeping us alive," the elderly woman said firmly. "Our children alive. Let us help keep you alive in return."


    Grace wanted to refuse. Angels didn¡¯t need mortal food to survive. But looking at their faces, at the desperate hope there...


    "Okay. Thank you."


    She accepted the gifts, arms quickly overflowing. The crowd dispersed slowly, but not before half of them reached out to touch her arm or shoulder as they passed. Like she was some kind of good luck charm.


    Or their last hope.


    [I¡¯m not a hero. I¡¯m just a dead turnip farmer trying not to get turned into a talking head.]


    But she smiled anyway. Waved with her elbow until they were gone.


    ---


    Night fell like a hammer to the face.


    Grace lay in bed, every inch of her body screaming. She¡¯d eaten enough for three people and still felt hollow.


    Tired down to her bones. To her soul. To places she didn¡¯t know could be tired.


    The door creaked open.


    "Grace?" Alia¡¯s whisper floated through the darkness. "You awake?"


    "Unfortunately."


    The bed dipped as Alia climbed in. Then dipped again as Zephyr joined from the other side.


    "Good. We thought you might need some... stress relief," Zephyr said. Her hand found Grace¡¯s thigh under the blanket.


    Grace blinked.


    [Oh.]


    "I... don¡¯t think I can move. Like, at all. Pretty sure my muscles have gone on strike."


    "You don¡¯t have to move." Alia¡¯s hands were already working, sliding under the blanket to find bare skin. "Just relax."


    "Come on~ Let us take care of you," Zephyr added, her fingers tracing patterns on Grace¡¯s hip.


    Four hands roamed her body. Gentle. Soothing. Finding every bruise and kissing it better. Finding every sore muscle and working it loose. Grace melted into the attention like butter on hot bread.


    [Wow. This is nice. This is really, really nice.]


    Alia¡¯s mouth found her neck, lips soft against a particularly nasty bruise. Zephyr¡¯s fingers traced higher up her thigh, teasing. Despite her exhaustion, Grace felt heat building low in her belly.


    "There we go," Alia murmured against her skin. "Our poor, tired hero."


    "I¡¯m no hero."


    "Shhhh." Zephyr¡¯s tongue did something to her ear that made Grace flinch. "No arguing. Heroes don¡¯t argue when they¡¯re getting their pussies eaten."


    "T-That¡¯s not¡ªoh shoot."


    Zephyr had disappeared under the blanket. Her tongue found places that made Grace¡¯s back arch despite every muscle protesting.


    "There¡¯s our girl," Alia giggled. She caught Grace¡¯s gasp with her mouth.


    They worked her over with the kind of careful dedication usually reserved for sacred rituals. Like she was something precious. It was embarrassing.


    But Grace also wanted more.


    [Screw it. I might not have these hands and legs in a few days. May as well put them to use.]


    She grabbed Alia and flipped their positions. The Love Sister squeaked in surprise, then moaned when Grace pinned her wrists above her head.


    "Grace! You¡¯re supposed to be resting!"


    "Changed my mind."


    Grace kissed her. Hard. Hungry. Like she was trying to devour her. Alia melted immediately, making those perfect little noises against Grace¡¯s mouth.


    Zephyr laughed from somewhere near Grace¡¯s hips.


    "Excited all of a sudden, are we?"


    Grace pulled back to look at them.


    Her two ridiculous, wonderful, insanely supportive friends. Who¡¯d followed her into literal hell without question. Who made sure she ate and bathed and didn¡¯t completely fall apart.


    Who were currently naked in her bed, trying to fuck her back to life.


    "Thank you," she said. Meaning it. "For everything."


    "Thank us after," Alia gasped. Her legs wrapped around Grace¡¯s waist, pulling her closer. "More kissing now. Less talking."


    Grace obliged.


    She kissed Alia until they were both breathless. Let Zephyr¡¯s talented tongue work magic between her legs. Gave back as good as she got, using every technique Venus had beaten into her head.


    Tomorrow would bring more pain. More training. More reminders that she was nowhere near ready to face a god made of rage and fire.


    But tonight?


    Tonight she had soft skin and eager mouths and the kind of distraction that made everything else fade away. Tonight she had Alia squealing as Grace found that spot that made her see stars. Tonight she had Zephyr¡¯s fingers tangled in her hair, guiding her mouth exactly where she wanted it.


    Tonight she would feel alive.


    "Oh fuck, right there!" Alia¡¯s back arched off the bed. "Grace!"


    [Three more days. I¡¯ll be ready.]


    She had to be.

 Chapter 117: Brave

    Chapter 117: BraveDawn came too fast.


    Always did these days.


    Grace stepped outside and stretched, expecting the usual symphony of pain from her muscles.


    Nothing.


    No screaming joints. No protesting tendons. Just... good. She felt good.


    [What the heck?]


    "Holy shit."


    Grace turned. Seraph stood there with her mouth hanging open like she¡¯d seen a ghost.


    "What?"


    "Look at you!" Seraph practically ran over and started poking Grace¡¯s arm. Then her other arm. Then her stomach. "You¡¯ve got actual muscles now! Like, real ones!"


    Grace looked down at herself.


    Huh.


    She did.


    Now, by no means had she suddenly become Seraph¡¯s identical little sister or anything, but she had muscles. Her arms had definition that definitely wasn¡¯t there a week ago. Actual biceps. Her stomach felt firmer, with the hint of abs showing through. Her legs looked stronger, more toned. And her chest...


    [Wait. Hold up. Did my boobs get bigger again?]


    Again, they weren¡¯t huge or anything. Not like Mara¡¯s back-breaking, mouth-watering melons. But definitely not the mosquito bites she¡¯d died with. More like...


    Almost-medium size?


    [Guess between growing my Love attribute, all this working out, and the divine energy I¡¯ve been pretty much farming lately, my body¡¯s really starting to change now. Feels so weird.]


    "Great. Growing boobs through horniness. That¡¯s exactly what I needed," Grace muttered down at herself.


    "Hey, there are worse afflictions."


    "Like being headless?"


    "Bodyless, maybe. Anyway, ready for your last day?"


    Grace rolled her shoulders. Still no pain. Just energy humming under her skin like she¡¯d mainlined coffee.


    "Alright... Let¡¯s do this!"


    "Woo-hoo!" Seraph clapped. Grace blushed.


    ---


    Valkyrie waited in the arena. Same spot as always. Same expression that said she¡¯d rather be literally anywhere else but had resigned herself to this torture.


    "Final test," she said without any greeting. Because why waste words on things like ¡¯hello¡¯ or ¡¯good morning¡¯? "Beat me and you might survive the Flame. Lose and you definitely won¡¯t."


    "That¡¯s not entirely accurate. I-" Valkyrie scowled. "Alright, whatever."


    Grace summoned her Blade of Eternia.


    The rapier had changed too. It went from looking like nothing more than a glorified toothpick to having a more regal appearance. More elegant.


    "No more holding back?" Grace asked, getting into stance.


    "I never held back."


    "Bullshit."


    Valkyrie¡¯s lips twitched. That was the closest thing to a smile Grace had seen from her.


    "Maybe a little."


    They circled each other.


    Grace felt different today. Calmer. Centered. Like all those beatings had finally beaten some actual skill into her thick skull.


    Valkyrie struck first. Fast as always. The kind of speed that had sent Grace sprawling into the mud countless times.


    Grace moved faster than she had before, though.


    Her blade met Valkyrie¡¯s with a clash that sent actual sparks flying. The impact should have sent Grace stumbling back like a drunk toddler.


    Instead, she held firm.


    "Better," Valkyrie grunted. She actually sounded surprised.


    They separated. Clashed again.


    What followed was an actual fight instead of a one-sided beating. A dance of steel and light that had the gathering crowd¡ªwhen had people shown up?¡ªgasping and cheering.


    Grace saw the opening.


    Tiny. Barely there. The same kind of opening that had gotten her knocked on her ass a dozen times before. The kind Valkyrie usually left as bait.


    [Fuck it.]


    She took it.


    Valkyrie¡¯s eyes went wide as Grace slipped past her guard. Like she couldn¡¯t believe it actually worked. The light blade stopped an inch from her throat.


    They both stopped. Their eyes met. Grace¡¯s lips parted open.


    "Dead," Grace said, the word slipping out like she didn¡¯t quite believe it.


    Silence.


    The entire arena held its breath.


    Then Valkyrie laughed.


    Actually, genuinely laughed. A rough sound like she¡¯d forgotten how and was remembering mid-laugh.


    "About fucking time."


    She stepped back and sheathed her sword. Held out her hand.


    Grace shook it, trying not to grin like an idiot as the notification popped up in her vision.


    Quest Complete: Prove Your Worth


    +10 Bravery


    Current Bravery: 61/100


    [YEEEEES!]


    "You might actually get through that fight with the Flame with your head on its shoulders," Valkyrie said. Then added, "Maybe."


    "Stop, stop. Your confidence in me is overwhelming."


    "Don¡¯t get cocky. The Flame is nothing like me." Valkyrie¡¯s scarred face turned serious. "I was trying to teach you. She¡¯ll be trying to turn you into charcoal. But..."


    She paused.


    "But?"


    "You¡¯ve got a chance not to get too hurt, at least."


    Grace nodded. The lightness of victory faded as reality crashed back. Tonight, she¡¯d face a primordial being made of rage and fire. And her only plan was to let it beat the shit out of her until it felt better.


    [What could possibly go wrong? Besides everything. Everything could go wrong.]


    "We should get you ready," Alia announced.


    "Yeah."


    --- S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They¡¯d gathered in Grace¡¯s room, crowding that small space.


    New armor sat on the bed¡ªcourtesy of the town blacksmith who¡¯d worked through the night. Though, while it looked great, Grace wasn¡¯t going to trade heavenly armor for that.


    "Good luck kisses," Alia declared. "Mandatory. Non-negotiable."


    She grabbed Grace¡¯s face and planted one right on her lips. Tongue and everything.


    "For luck," she said when she pulled back, leaving Grace dazed.


    Zephyr took her turn next. Slower, deeper. The kind of kiss that made Grace¡¯s toes curl.


    "Also for luck."


    Even Valkyrie stepped forward. She didn¡¯t kiss Grace, thank god. Just clasped her shoulder.


    "Don¡¯t die, rookie."


    "I¡¯ll try."


    "The Flame won¡¯t care if you¡¯re tired," Seraph said, ever practical. "But fresh is better than exhausted."


    "Rest today," Zephyr added. "Save your strength."


    Grace wanted to argue. Wanted to train more. Practice. Do literally anything other than sit around waiting to get her ass kicked by an angry fire god.


    Then the screaming started.


    "DEMONS! DEMONS ARE ATTACKING!"


    Everyone rushed outside.


    The sky had turned red. Not pretty sunset red. Not even ominous storm red.


    Blood red.


    The kind of red that screamed ¡¯you¡¯re about to have a bad time.¡¯


    Shapes poured down the mountain. Dozens of them. Fire demons with glowing eyes and too many teeth. More than any previous attack.


    "Shit," Seraph cursed. "She¡¯s not waiting, is she?"


    "Defensive positions!" Valkyrie barked.


    But Grace was already moving.


    Her blade materialized without conscious thought. Her body flowed into combat like water. Like it had been waiting for this.


    The first demon reached her. Level 45 according to her system. Grace ducked her head and lunged forward, her rapier piercing its chest.


    It died before it could even scream. As did the next one.


    By the fifth demon, Grace had found her rhythm. Duck. Strike. Pivot. Kill. Like a very violent dance routine.


    [This is different.]


    She wasn¡¯t struggling. Wasn¡¯t barely surviving by the skin of her teeth.


    She was winning.


    Easily.


    [Yes!] Grace smirked. [Come at me!]


    A Level 50 demon charged. The kind that would have made her shit herself a week ago. Grace sidestepped its attack like it was moving in slow motion. Her blade found its heart before it could recover.


    "Grace!" Alia¡¯s voice cut through the chaos. "Behind you!"


    Grace spun. Three demons closing in.


    She moved without thinking.


    Her blade carved through the first demon¡¯s neck. Her foot caught the second in the chest, sending it flying into a wall. The third died before its tiny demon brain could process what happened.


    More came.


    Grace met them all.


    She lost count after a while. Lost track of anything but the dance of combat. Her body moved on pure instinct, every lesson Valkyrie had beaten into her flowing together.


    When the last demon fell, she stood in a circle of dissolving corpses. Breathing hard but not exhausted. Not even close.


    "Well," Seraph said into the sudden silence. "That was something."


    Grace looked at her sword. Still glowing strong, not even flickering. Then at the mountain where smoke and fire danced against the blood-red sky.


    "She¡¯s done waiting," Grace said.


    "Obviously." Seraph studied the carnage. "This was a message. Come now or she starts burning everything. The whole town. Maybe more."


    "Then I go now."


    "Grace¡ª"


    "No more delays." Grace squared her shoulders, feeling more courageous than... well, ever before, really. "I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be."


    Seraph looked like she wanted to argue. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. Then she nodded.


    "Fine. But we¡¯re all coming this time."


    "Seraph¡ª"


    "Non-negotiable." Her commander voice. The one that didn¡¯t take any shit. "We¡¯ll stay back unless things go completely sideways. But you¡¯re not facing this alone."


    Grace looked at her friends. All nodding. All ready to follow her into literal hell.


    Alia and Zephyr, who had no business being anywhere near a fight like this. Valkyrie, who¡¯d spent a week beating lessons into her. Seraph, who¡¯d already lost her head once.


    "Okay," Grace said. Her voice came out steadier than she felt. "Let¡¯s go get our asses kicked by a god."


    Time to see if a week of torture had been enough.


    Time to find out if she could take a beating from rage incarnate and live to tell about it.


    [Probably not. But hey, at least my headless body will have better boobs.]

 Chapter 118: Hero

    Chapter 118: HeroThe valley entrance looked exactly as ominous as Grace remembered before her excruciating training sessions. It had only been like a week but it felt like an eternity. Black rock walls rose up on both sides like the world¡¯s most depressing welcome sign. Heat waves danced off everything, making the air thick enough to chew.


    [Why does every important moment in my life involve walking toward certain death?]


    Grace checked her armor straps for the fifth time.


    Then the sixth.


    Then got started on the seventh before catching herself.


    "You sure about this?" Seraph asked.


    They stood at the threshold. Grace felt like she was stepping into a sauna. Seraph looked ready to charge in at the first sign of trouble. Valkyrie had her arms crossed and her usual ¡¯everyone¡¯s an idiot¡¯ expression. Alia and Zephyr were holding hands, trying to look brave.


    "No." Grace adjusted her sword belt again. The thing kept sliding. "But I¡¯m doing it anyway. It¡¯s clear the Flame isn¡¯t willing to wait much longer for our, uh, reunion."


    [I wonder if I should even try to convince her I¡¯m not Eternia. Might actually make my incoming torture session even worse,] she thought, swallowing.


    "I could come with you." Seraph stepped forward. "Watch your back. Make sure she doesn¡¯t¡ª"


    "Get your head cut off again?" Grace shook her head hard enough to make her white hair whip around. She¡¯d spent the last hour arguing against this and apparently Seraph had no problem wasting another 60 minutes. "Hard pass. One talking head was enough for a lifetime."


    "I survived!"


    "It was traumatizing to look at!" Grace¡¯s voice went up an octave. "I¡¯d rather not see my commander having to move around as just a torso and limbs, thank you."


    Seraph opened her mouth to argue and closed it.


    "Well, alright then."


    "You know, we might not even see Grace again," Valkyrie chimed in, helpful as always. "The Flame isn¡¯t some demon she can stab and move on. She¡¯s rage incarnate. She¡¯ll tear Grace apart. You thought Seraph¡¯s headless body walking around was the stuff of nightmares? Just wait till you see bits and pieces of angelic noodles trying to will themselves back together."


    "Thanks for the pep talk." Grace wiped sweat from her forehead. It immediately came back, of course. "Really feeling the support."


    "I¡¯m being realistic." Valkyrie¡¯s scarred face showed zero emotion. "You can¡¯t win."


    "Good thing I¡¯m not trying to win then."


    Valkyrie¡¯s face scrunched up.


    Grace looked at the valley. At the red glow coming from deeper inside. At what was definitely, absolutely going to hurt like a bitch. Once again, she explained her plan, like it was going to make carrying it out any easier.


    "The Flame wants to hurt someone. Needs to hurt someone." Grace touched her medallion. Still ice-cold despite the heat trying to cook her alive. "She¡¯s been carrying Eternia¡¯s rage for millennia. All that anger with nowhere to go... So I¡¯m going to let her beat the shit out of me until she feels better."


    Silence. Somehow, they¡¯d taken it better when Grace laid the plan out the first time. Like hearing it now, here, in front of this valley, was different.


    "That¡¯s idiotic," Valkyrie said finally.


    "That¡¯s the plan."


    "You¡¯ll die."


    "Angels don¡¯t die from¡ª"


    "You¡¯ll wish you could die." Valkyrie cut her off. "There¡¯s a difference between sparring bruises and what she¡¯ll do to you. She¡¯ll break every bone. Burn you from inside out. Make you beg for death."


    Grace knew that.


    She had spent a week getting her ass kicked specifically to prepare for worse. Had felt Valkyrie¡¯s sword at her throat enough times to know what real danger felt like.


    That being said, she understood that knowing and experiencing were different things.


    [I¡¯m probably going to end up as just a head in a bag. If I¡¯m lucky.]


    "Look," Grace said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. Her progress in the Bravery department was doing some heavy lifting here. "The Flame isn¡¯t trying to kill me. Not really. She wants me to suffer. To feel what she feels. That¡¯s... survivable."


    "You hope."


    "I hope."


    Another silence.


    Then Alia was there, grabbing Grace¡¯s face with both hands.


    "Hm? Do I have something on my-"


    She kissed Grace hard enough to bruise.


    Tongue, teeth, and a hint of desperation. When she pulled back, they were both breathing hard and Grace was blinking.


    "For luck! And, well, because I wanted to."


    Zephyr rolled her eyes but, as always, she followed her best friend¡¯s lead. As much as she liked to act like the wise one in the friendship, Grace knew she was just as chaotic. She took her turn next. Slower but just as intense. She tasted like that tea she always drank, sweet and spicy. Her hands tangled in Grace¡¯s hair.


    "Hopefully, you¡¯ll come back to us in... close to one piece, at least."


    "Hopefully."


    Even Valkyrie stepped forward.


    No kiss, thank Eternia. Just a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder. Heavy. Solid.


    "Try not to get messed up too badly."


    "Your support continues to overwhelm me."


    The corner of Valkyrie¡¯s mouth twitched. Almost a smile.


    "You lasted longer than I thought you would in training." She squeezed once. "Maybe you¡¯ll surprise me again."


    [Holy shit. Was that actually a compliment?]


    Seraph was last. She pulled Grace into a hug that definitely cracked a couple of ribs.


    "Ow."


    "Shut up." Seraph held tighter. "Remember your training. Remember to breathe. Remember to dodge when you can." She pulled back, golden eyes serious. "And remember¡ªyou¡¯re stronger than you think. Stronger than you were. Maybe strong enough."


    Grace nodded. Her throat felt tight.


    "Right. Okay. I¡¯m going now."


    She turned toward the valley. Took one step. Then another.


    "Grace!"


    She looked back. All four of them watching her. Worried about her. Worried about how badly she was going to get messed up, specifically.


    [... I am not in for a good time, am I?]


    "We¡¯ll be right here," Seraph called. "If it takes too long, we¡¯ll be coming in."


    "Define too long."


    Seraph just shrugged.


    "I¡¯ll go by my gut."


    Super comforting.


    Grace waved. Turned back to the valley. Started walking for real this time.


    The heat hit harder with each step. Like walking into an oven that somehow kept getting hotter and hotter. Her armor went from sauna to torture device in an instant.


    [This is so much worse than the first time I came in here. Or, am I just nervous?]


    Sweat poured down her back, pooled in uncomfortable places.


    But she kept moving.


    Deeper into the valley. Past scorch marks that looked like screaming faces. Past stone that had melted and reformed into twisted shapes. Past the spots where demons had watched before, their presence still lingering like a bad smell.


    The Flame waited at the heart of the volcano.


    Grace could feel her.


    That rage wasn¡¯t just an emotion. It was like a physical thing pressing against her mind. Like standing next to a musical instrument, playing directly into her ear.


    [This is insane. This is completely fucking insane.]


    But for the first time since this whole mess started, Grace didn¡¯t feel like running.


    The scared turnip farmer who¡¯d died all those months ago? She would¡¯ve pissed herself and fled. Would¡¯ve found the nearest hole to hide in.


    This Grace kept walking.


    She felt... ready wasn¡¯t the right word. Nobody was ready to get beaten up by a god.


    Determined, maybe.


    Or just too stubborn to quit.


    Her Bravery had jumped to 61 after beating Valkyrie. Maybe that was it. The number changing something fundamental inside her. Making her feel less like a fraud and more like the hero everyone seemed to think she was.


    [Or maybe I¡¯m just an idiot with a death wish. Fifty-fifty.]


    Either way, her feet kept moving forward.


    The valley opened up ahead. She could see it now¡ªthe Flame¡¯s domain. The place where Seraph had lost her head and Grace had run like her ass was on fire.


    Which it almost had been.


    Not this time. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, she walked in with her head high. Well, as high as she could manage while sweating through her underwear. Her Blade of Eternia hummed at her side, ready but not drawn. No point starting aggressive.


    Her heart pounded hard enough to hurt. But it was steady.


    Ready to let a god beat the shit out of her and hope it helped.


    [Here goes nothing. Or everything. Fuck.]


    The heat spiked so hard her eyes watered. The ground under her feet went from hot to ¡¯standing on a griddle.¡¯


    The Flame was close. So close Grace could taste the rage in the air.


    Time to be a hero.


    Or at least pretend to be one long enough to maybe not die.


    [I can do this. I can totally do this. I¡¯m not going to die. Probably.]


    She took another step forward.


    Then another.


    Walking straight into the heart of a volcano to face a pissed-off god who wanted to use her as a punching bag.


    [When did my life get so weird?]


    But she kept walking anyway.

 Chapter 119: Steam

    Chapter 119: SteamThe valley spread out in front of Grace like a giant red gash in the earth, once again.


    Stone walls towered on both sides, herding her toward what was definitely going to be the worst beatdown of her very short angelic life.


    Each step felt heavier.


    [I should¡¯ve written a will. Do angels even write wills? What would I even leave behind? My collection of bruises from Diana¡¯s "training"?]


    The heat slammed into her in waves. Not normal volcano heat either¡ªthis was personal. Like the air itself had a grudge against her specifically.


    Grace kept walking anyway.


    What else could she do? Turn around and tell everyone "Sorry, changed my mind, the murder volcano is too scary"? Yeah, right. She¡¯d faced the Root¡¯s creepy plant zombies. She¡¯d gotten tentacle-fucked by the Tide until she managed to flip the script. She could handle one angry fire spirit.


    Probably.


    Maybe.


    [Fuck my life.]


    The ground under her feet went from packed dirt to black stone. Then the stone turned into something that looked like glass. Her hand found her rapier¡¯s handle. The Blade of Dawn felt cool against her palm¡ªthe only thing in this whole place that wasn¡¯t trying to cook her alive.


    "Okay, Grace. You got this. Just... don¡¯t get your head chopped off like Seraph. Easy."


    Her voice bounced off the canyon walls, making her sound way more confident than she felt.


    The path opened up ahead. Grace saw it¡ªthe chamber where Seraph had gotten decapitated like a dandelion.


    Her steps slowed.


    Then stopped completely.


    She thought about the Root. How angry he¡¯d been, how abandoned he¡¯d felt. How all it took was someone listening, someone acknowledging its pain.


    The Tide had been the same way. Lonely, forgotten, lashing out because no one cared about her suffering.


    [Maybe the Flame just needs someone to hear her too. Someone to take her seriously instead of trying to fix everything.]


    Grace touched the medallion around her neck. Eternia¡¯s medallion. The thing that had been giving her visions of the past.


    [Come on, Eternia. If you¡¯re gonna be helpful, now would be a great time.]


    Nothing. No vision, no guidance, no convenient flashback to show her exactly what to do.


    Just Grace, alone, walking toward her own butt-kicking. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, screw it. Here goes nothing."


    She walked into the chamber.


    The space was massive. Way bigger than she remembered from her frantic escape while carrying Seraph¡¯s talking head. The walls were black glass, showing her a million distorted reflections. A thousand worried Graces stared back at her, all looking equally screwed.


    [Great. An audience for my impending humiliation.]


    But as Grace looked around, she noticed other things too. Scorch marks on the walls. Deep gouges in the floor. This wasn¡¯t just a chamber¡ªit was a prison. A place where someone had been trapped, alone, for centuries.


    The air shimmered.


    Then caught fire.


    The Flame materialized in the center of the chamber like the world¡¯s angriest bonfire. This time, she wasn¡¯t screaming or ranting.


    She just stood there. Watching. Simmering.


    "You came back." The Flame¡¯s voice was controlled. Quiet. Like lava right before it explodes and kills everyone. "I¡¯m surprised."


    Grace swallowed. Her throat was already bone dry from the heat.


    "Yeah, well. I¡¯m full of surprises."


    [Like how I keep volunteering for suicide missions, apparently.]


    The Flame tilted her head. Studied Grace like she was trying to figure out a puzzle.


    "Are you prepared to accept your punishment, Eternia?"


    [Still thinks I¡¯m her. Fantastic.]


    Grace could correct her. Explain that she wasn¡¯t Eternia, that this was all a big misunderstanding. But something told her that wouldn¡¯t help. The Flame needed to get this out, needed to say what she¡¯d been holding in for centuries.


    And Grace was the only one here to listen.


    Grace drew her rapier. The divine light looked dimmer here, like even her holy weapon was having second thoughts about this plan.


    "I¡¯m prepared for whatever you need to do."


    Not exactly a lie. She was prepared in the sense that she¡¯d accepted this was going to hurt. A lot. Like, probably worse than anything Diana had ever done to her in training.


    And that was saying something, considering Diana¡¯s idea of "gentle sparring" usually left Grace looking like she¡¯d been run over by a cart.


    The Flame¡¯s lips curved into something that might¡¯ve been a smile on anyone else. On her, it looked like a death threat.


    "Good."


    She moved.


    Grace barely saw it coming. One second the Flame was standing across the chamber looking angry. The next, her fist was buried in Grace¡¯s stomach like a cannonball.


    The impact launched Grace off her feet. She flew backward, crashed into the wall hard enough to spider-web the glass, and slid down in a heap.


    [OW. HOLY SHIT. OW OW OW.]


    Everything hurt. Her ribs felt like they¡¯d been rearranged. Her lungs forgot how breathing worked. The world spun in fun new directions.


    [Okay, note to self: the Flame hits way harder than Diana.]


    "Get up."


    Grace wheezed. Tried to push herself upright. Her arms shook like leaves.


    A boot caught her in the ribs. She rolled across the floor like a tumbleweed, finally stopping when she slammed into another wall.


    "I said get up."


    [Okay, I definitely changed my mind. This was the worst plan in the history of plans.]


    Grace spat blood. Definitely blood. That probably wasn¡¯t good, even if angels couldn¡¯t actually die. Being immortal didn¡¯t mean getting the shit kicked out of you was fun.


    Through pure stubbornness and muscle memory from Valkyrie¡¯s brutal training sessions, she managed to get to one knee.


    The Flame grabbed her by the throat. Lifted her like she weighed nothing.


    "Centuries, Eternia. Centuries of carrying your rage. Your hatred. Everything you were too weak to feel yourself."


    Grace clawed at the hand around her neck. The Flame¡¯s skin burned, but not enough to actually hurt her¡ªjust enough to be really fucking annoying.


    "And you never came back. Never checked on me. Never cared what happened to the thing you created to be your emotional dumpster."


    She hurled Grace across the chamber.


    Grace hit the ground hard, bounced twice, and skidded to a stop. Her sword clattered away somewhere. She couldn¡¯t see it through the fireworks exploding across her vision.


    "Do you know what it¡¯s like? Being stuffed full of someone else¡¯s fury? Feeling it eat away at everything you used to be?"


    A kick to her ribs flipped Grace onto her back. She curled up, trying to protect her organs.


    "Of course you don¡¯t. You shoved it all into me so you wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it."


    Another kick. This one sent her rolling across the glass floor like a bowling ball.


    The Flame loomed over her. Even through the pain and the stars dancing in her vision, Grace could see it¡ªthe centuries of hurt hiding behind all that anger. The abandonment. The loneliness of being used as an emotional trash can and then forgotten about.


    It reminded her of Diana, actually. That look Diana got sometimes when she thought no one was watching. Like she was carrying something heavy that she couldn¡¯t put down.


    "Get up."


    Grace coughed. More blood splattered on the glass. Everything hurt in exciting new ways.


    "I... need a second."


    "You don¡¯t get a second. You didn¡¯t give me a second of peace in all this time. GET. UP."


    Fire erupted around the Flame like she was having the world¡¯s angriest temper tantrum. The temperature spiked from "uncomfortably hot" to "surface of the fucking sun."


    Grace¡¯s clothes started smoking.


    [Okay! Okay! Getting up now! Jesus, she¡¯s scarier than Venus when someone interrupts her mid-lesson.]


    She rolled onto her stomach. Pushed against the floor with shaking arms. Her whole body felt like one giant bruise, but somehow she made it to her hands and knees.


    "There we go." The Flame¡¯s voice dripped with satisfaction. "On your knees. Where you belong."


    Grace looked up at her through bloody hair. At this manifestation of Eternia¡¯s discarded rage.


    And something clicked.


    This wasn¡¯t about winning a fight. This wasn¡¯t even about surviving. This was about someone who¡¯d been hurt and needed to be heard.


    Grace had seen it with the Root. With the Tide. Hell, she¡¯d seen it with Diana and her traumatic memories. Sometimes people just needed someone to listen, to acknowledge their pain, before they could start healing.


    So, she started with:


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    The words tumbled out before she could stop them. Not as Eternia. As Grace. Because someone needed to say it, and Eternia clearly wasn¡¯t going to show up and do it herself.


    The Flame¡¯s fire flickered.


    "What?"


    "I said I¡¯m sorry. For what ha- I mean, what I did to you."


    "You¡¯re¡ª" The Flame¡¯s fist clenched. "No. No, you don¡¯t get to apologize now. Not after all this time. Not when it¡¯s too late to matter."


    She grabbed Grace by the hair, hauling her upright with one hand.


    "You want forgiveness? You¡¯ll have to earn it."


    The headbutt came fast. Grace¡¯s nose exploded in a burst of pain and blood. She stumbled backward, somehow still on her feet.


    "There. Better." The Flame rolled her shoulders like she was warming up. "Now we can really get started."


    Grace wiped blood from her face with the back of her hand. Everything hurt. Her nose was definitely broken. She could barely see straight through the tears.


    But she was standing.


    Somehow.


    And she understood now. This wasn¡¯t about the Flame wanting to hurt Eternia. This was about her needing to be seen. To have her pain acknowledged. To matter to someone, anyone, after centuries of being ignored.


    "Bring it on."


    [Did I just say that? Did I really just taunt the angry fire goddess? What is wrong with me?]


    The Flame laughed. It wasn¡¯t a happy sound. More like the sound a forest fire might make if it could express amusement.


    "Oh, I will. We¡¯re just getting started, Eternia." Her sword materialized in her hand, edges dancing with white-hot flames. "I¡¯ve got centuries of steam to blow off."


    [This is going to be a very, very long day.]


    Grace raised her fists. No sword¡ªit was still somewhere across the chamber. No plan beyond "don¡¯t get my head cut off." No hope of actually winning this thing.


    Just her and an angry goddess who needed someone to beat the absolute shit out of.


    And Grace had volunteered.


    Time to earn that hero title.

 Chapter 120: Playing With Fire

    Chapter 120: Playing With Fire{Seraph}


    Outside the volcano, the waiting was absolutely killing them. Alia was about to lose her shit.


    "This is so fucking stupid." She kicked a rock down the slope, watching it bounce and scatter smaller pebbles. "We should be in there helping her!"


    "No." Seraph tried to make her voice as commanding as possible. If she was being honest, she was saying this as much to Alia as she was to herself. "We wait."


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts." Seraph cracked one eye open. "Well, except yours. On the ground. Now."


    Alia flopped down with what Seraph guessed was the most dramatic sigh she could manage.


    "She could be getting her butt kicked in there right now."


    "She¡¯s definitely getting her ass kicked. That¡¯s literally the whole plan."


    "How is that supposed to make me feel better?!"


    "Because the Flame wants to make her suffer. Can¡¯t suffer if you¡¯re a pile of ash." Seraph stretched her arms above her head.


    Valkyrie, who¡¯d been doing her best statue impression this whole time, finally decided to contribute. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That¡¯s... really not as reassuring as you think it is, Commander."


    "It¡¯s realistic." Seraph shrugged. "The Flame¡¯s got centuries of rage built up. You think she¡¯s gonna waste that on a quick kill? Nah. She wants to savor this."


    Zephyr shifted nervously on her rock, white hair falling into her face as she braided and unbraided it for like the tenth time. Her brown fingers worked the strands, trembling slightly.


    "But what if something goes wrong? What if¡ª"


    "Look, you wanna help Grace? Then plant your asses and wait. If we charge in there like idiots, if we interrupt whatever¡¯s happening, the Flame might completely lose her shit."


    "So?" Alia crossed her arms under her small chest. "Isn¡¯t she already losing her shit?"


    "Controlled shit-losing versus uncontrolled shit-losing. Big difference." Seraph rubbed her neck absently, right where her head had been reattached. The skin there still looked a bit pink. "Right now, all that rage is focused on Grace. We bust in? That rage goes everywhere. Including..."


    She gestured broadly toward the base of the mountain.


    "Oh." Alia¡¯s mouth clicked shut. "The village."


    "Yeah. The village full of innocent people who can actually die. Permanently." Seraph¡¯s expression softened just a fraction. "The Flame needs this. She needs to let it all out on someone who can take it. Grace knows that. That¡¯s why she went in alone."


    "The plan where Grace gets turned into a punching bag still sucks though," Alia muttered.


    But she stayed put. Even pulled Zephyr down to sit in her lap, wrapping her arms around her best friend¡¯s waist. Zephyr leaned back into the embrace.


    "How long do we wait?" Zephyr asked quietly.


    Seraph closed her eyes again.


    "As long as it takes."


    ---


    {Grace}


    Inside the volcano, Grace was having the absolute worst time of her extremely short angelic existence.


    And that included dying. At least that had been quick.


    This? This was not quick.


    The Flame circled her like a big cat playing with its food. Slow. Deliberate. Enjoying every second. Her massive flaming sword dragged along the ground, leaving molten grooves in the volcanic stone that glowed orange-hot.


    [Fuck fuck fuck this hurts so much why did I think this was a good idea?]


    "You know what the funny thing is?" The Flame¡¯s voice was conversational. Like they were having tea instead of... whatever this was.


    Grace spat blood. Again. She was pretty sure she was running out of blood to spit at this point. Her mouth tasted like copper and ash.


    "What?" She managed to croak out.


    "I used to worship you."


    The Flame¡¯s boot connected with Grace¡¯s ribs. Hard. Grace had learned to roll with the hits by now though, came up on one knee instead of sprawling. Progress!


    Another swing of that massive sword. Grace ducked, feeling the heat singe her white hair.


    "I thought you were perfect."


    "Nobody¡¯s perfect." Grace wheezed. Her ribs were definitely cracked. Maybe broken.


    "No. But you came close." The Flame¡¯s voice turned bitter, centuries of pain bleeding through. "Beautiful. Powerful. Kind. Everything I wanted to be. Everything I tried to be. Everything I couldn¡¯t be."


    She moved faster than Grace could track. One second Grace was crouched, the next the Flame had her by the throat, slamming her back into the chamber wall hard enough to crack the stone.


    "Then I realized what you really were. A coward who couldn¡¯t handle her own emotions."


    Grace clawed at the hand crushing her windpipe. Useless. The Flame was way too strong. Level 100 strong, if Grace had to guess. Those question marks over her head still hadn¡¯t changed into actual numbers.


    "So you dumped them on us. Your faithful servants. Your devoted creations." The grip tightened. Grace¡¯s vision started going black around the edges. "Did you think we wouldn¡¯t notice? That we¡¯d just... accept it?"


    Just before Grace passed out, the Flame dropped her. She hit the ground hard, gasping and choking.


    Grace struggled to her hands and knees. Everything hurt. Her nose was definitely broken¡ªshe could feel the blood dripping steadily onto the ground. Pretty sure several ribs were cracked. Her left shoulder screamed when she tried to move it.


    But she got back up. Swaying, but standing.


    "Good. You¡¯re still standing." The Flame raised her sword, flames dancing along the blade. "I¡¯d hate it if I broke you too quickly."


    The next strike came impossibly fast. Grace threw herself sideways, but not fast enough.


    Not nearly fast enough.


    The blade caught her left arm just below the shoulder.


    For a heartbeat, Grace didn¡¯t understand what happened. Time seemed to slow as she watched her arm separate from her body, spinning through the air trailing an arc of blood. It hit the ground with a wet sound that she¡¯d probably hear in her nightmares forever.


    Then the pain hit.


    "AAAAAAH!"


    She grabbed at the stump, blood pouring between her fingers. Hot. So much blood. It spurted with each heartbeat, painting the ground in rhythmic splashes.


    "Hurts, doesn¡¯t it?" The Flame watched with deep satisfaction, like Grace¡¯s agony was the best wine she¡¯d ever tasted. "Good. Now you know a fraction of what I feel every second of every day."


    Grace fell to her knees. The pain was indescribable. White-hot agony radiating from where her arm used to be, spreading through her whole body like poison.


    "Stop looking so pathetic." The Flame¡¯s boot caught her in the chest. Grace went sprawling, unable to catch herself with just one arm. "You¡¯re a goddess. Act like it."


    "I¡ª" Grace tried to protest through gritted teeth.


    "Shut up." Another kick, this one to her stomach. Grace curled up instinctively, trying to protect what was left of her body.


    Blood pooled beneath Grace, spreading in an ever-widening puddle. Too much blood. Way too much. If she could die, she¡¯d probably be dead already.


    "Get up."


    She couldn¡¯t. Her remaining arm shook when she tried to push herself up. Everything was going dark and fuzzy around the edges.


    "I said GET UP!"


    Fire erupted around them, the temperature spiking so high Grace¡¯s skin immediately blistered. The smell of burning flesh filled the air. Her flesh.


    "We¡¯re not done. We¡¯re not even close to done." The Flame grabbed a fistful of Grace¡¯s white hair, hauling her upright. Grace bit back a scream. "I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for so fucking long. You don¡¯t get to pass out on me now."


    She threw Grace across the chamber like a rag doll. Grace hit the far wall with a sickening crunch and slid down, leaving a bloody smear on the stone.


    "Centuries, Eternia. CENTURIES of carrying your hatred. Your fury. Your rage. Everything you were too weak to face yourself."


    Grace tried to push herself up with her remaining arm. Failed. Tried again. Her whole body shook with the effort.


    "It poisoned everything I touched. Corrupted everyone who came near me." The Flame stalked closer, each step leaving molten footprints. "Do you know how many angels I¡¯ve killed? How many mortals? All because you filled me with rage I never asked for?"


    A boot to the stomach. Grace coughed up more blood, adding to the abstract art piece she was creating on the floor.


    "Answer me!"


    "I... I don¡¯t..." Grace wheezed.


    "Of course you don¡¯t. Why would you care?" The Flame crouched beside her, close enough that Grace could see her own reflection in those burning eyes. "You got what you wanted. You got to be the perfect goddess while we became monsters."


    She grabbed Grace¡¯s face with both hands, forcing eye contact. Her touch burned, but not as much as the pain in her voice.


    "Look at me. LOOK AT WHAT YOU MADE ME!"


    Grace looked. Really looked.


    "I see you," Grace whispered through bloody lips.


    The Flame¡¯s grip tightened enough to bruise.


    "No. You see what you want to see. You always have. Always making excuses, always¡ª"


    She cut herself off. Stood abruptly. Raised her sword high.


    "But I¡¯ll make you understand. Even if it takes another century. Even if I have to cut you apart piece by piece until there¡¯s nothing left."


    The blade came down.


    Grace rolled desperately. The sword struck where she¡¯d been lying, shattering stone and sending chunks flying.


    [Move. MOVE!]


    She scrambled away on her remaining hand and knees. Pathetic. Probably looked like a wounded animal. But alive. Still technically alive.


    Something chimed in her head. That familiar System notification sound.


    [Quest Received: Exhaust the Flame through combat]


    [Reward: +20 Bravery]


    Grace almost laughed. Almost. Would have if she had any air in her lungs.


    Combat? This wasn¡¯t combat. This was her getting her ass thoroughly kicked while missing an arm and probably about to lose more pieces.


    But...


    She looked at the Flame again. Really looked. At the centuries of pain twisted into rage. At someone who¡¯d been carrying Eternia¡¯s burden alone for so fucking long it had driven her half-mad.


    [She needs this. Just like the Tide needed to not be alone anymore. Like the Root needed someone to acknowledge his pain.]


    The Flame needed to let it out.


    All of it.


    Every last drop of rage, every moment of betrayal, every second of agony.


    And Grace was the only one who could take it. The only one who could survive it.


    [Well. "Survive" might be a strong word right now.]


    She pushed herself upright. Swayed dangerously. Blood loss was making her dizzy. But she stood.


    "That¡¯s more like it." The Flame smiled. It was a terrible expression, all teeth and malice. "Ready for round two?"


    Grace raised her remaining fist. Blood still poured from her stump, painting her side red, but she ignored it. Had to ignore it.


    "Bring it on, you... you... flaming bitch!"


    The Flame¡¯s smile widened into something genuinely delighted.


    "Oh, I will. We¡¯ve got all the time in the world, Eternia. And I plan to use every. Single. Second of it."


    Grace set her stance as best she could with one arm.


    Everything hurt. She was probably going to lose more body parts before this was over. The Flame was going to beat her into the ground over and over until either the rage burned out or Grace was nothing but a talking head like Seraph had been.


    [This is going to be a very, very long day.]


    But Grace was ready.


    Sort of.


    Maybe.

 Chapter 121: Anger Management

    Chapter 121: Anger ManagementThe wall cracked when Grace hit it.


    Again.


    She slid down, leaving another bloody streak to join the collection she¡¯d been painting across the chamber. Her remaining hand scraped against stone as she tried to catch herself.


    Tried and failed. Instead, she hit the ground face-first.


    "Pathetic." The Flame stood over her. "Is this really the best you can do? A goddess like you, being reduced to this?"


    Grace pushed herself up. Blood dripped from... everywhere, really. Her nose. Her mouth. The stump where her arm used to be.


    "I¡¯m... just getting started."


    "You¡¯ve been saying that for an hour."


    Had it been an hour? Felt longer. Felt like days.


    Grace made it to her knees. Then, through pure stubbornness, to her feet.


    The Flame circled her. Predator and prey. Except the prey kept getting back up.


    "You know what I¡¯ve realized?" The Flame¡¯s sword dragged along the ground. Sparks flew. "You¡¯re not even trying to fight back."


    "Hey, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯m giving it my all here."


    "No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re enduring. There¡¯s a difference." She stopped directly in front of Grace. "You¡¯re letting me hurt you. Why?"


    Grace wiped blood from her eye. The good eye. The other one was swollen shut.


    "I dunno. Maybe I deserve it."


    The Flame¡¯s fire flared.


    "DESERVE IT?" Her fist connected with Grace¡¯s stomach. Grace doubled over but didn¡¯t fall. Progress. "You think this is about what you deserve?"


    Another hit. This time to the ribs. Something cracked.


    "This isn¡¯t about you! It was never about you!" The Flame grabbed her by the throat. "This is about ME. About what you DID to me!"


    She threw Grace across the chamber. Grace hit the ground hard, rolled, came up on one knee.


    Still standing.


    Sort of.


    "You filled me with your rage and walked away. Left me to burn with emotions that weren¡¯t even mine." The Flame¡¯s voice cracked. "Do you know what that¡¯s like? To hate everything and not know why?"


    Grace spat blood. Her medallion was getting warm against her chest.


    Really warm.


    "Yeah? Well... Sorry about that."


    "Stop saying that!" Fire erupted around the Flame. The temperature spiked. "Stop pretending you care!"


    She charged.


    Grace tried to dodge. Too slow. The Flame¡¯s knee caught her in the chest, lifting her off her feet.


    She flew backward. Hit another wall. This time she felt something in her back give way.


    [Okay. That¡¯s probably bad.]


    The medallion was burning now. Actually burning.


    "Get up." The Flame stalked toward her. "We¡¯re not done."


    To her credit, Grace tried. Unfortunately though, her legs weren¡¯t working right. Everything below her waist felt... wrong.


    "I said GET UP!"


    The medallion pulsed.


    And suddenly, Grace wasn¡¯t in the chamber anymore.


    Black.


    Everything was black.


    Not dark. Not shadows. Just... absence.


    Grace floated in nothing. No up. No down. No pain.


    Well, that was nice.


    [Am I dead? Again? No, probably not. Or, at least I hope not.]


    She turned. Or thought she turned. Hard to tell in the void.


    A figure stood before her, made of fire. Not the Flame¡¯s controlled burn. This was wild. Chaotic.


    Pure rage given form.


    It smiled, which was a particularly terrible expression on something that barely had a face.


    "I¡¯m what she carries. What Eternia put inside her." It stepped closer. "One of many."


    "Many? Many what?"


    She regretted asking that almost as soon as the question was out.


    The void shifted. More figures appeared. Dozens. Hundreds.


    All made of fire. All radiating hatred.


    [This doesn¡¯t look good at all.]


    "Every moment of anger. Every flash of rage. Every time Eternia wanted to burn the world and pushed it away instead." The first figure spread its arms. "We¡¯re all here. Inside her. Eating her alive."


    Grace looked at them. At these manifestations of discarded emotion.


    "That¡¯s... horrible."


    It seemed like they agreed.


    Given that they immediately attacked.


    All of them. Grace moved on instinct. Dodged the first strike. Ducked the second. Her body worked here. No pain. No missing arm.


    Just her and a few hundred rage-made spirits.


    [Okay. I think I can work with this. As long as I don¡¯t get beat up just as badly as I did outside of here.]


    She summoned her blade. It appeared instantly, glowing brighter than ever.


    The first rage-thing lunged. Grace sidestepped, brought her sword up. The blade passed through it like smoke.


    The creature dissolved.


    [One down. Few hundred to go.]


    They came in waves. They moved and attacked like rage given form. No strategy at all, just fury.


    Grace danced between them. Her training with Valkyrie kicked in. Duck. Weave. Strike. Move. Each one she cut, managed to slice through, quickly dissolved into nothing.


    But there were so many.


    [I can¡¯t tell what I¡¯m supposed to do here, honestly. Is this helping? Is this making her feel better? Should I sit back and let them attack me like I did with the Flame herself? I don¡¯t know.]


    It didn¡¯t matter, though. She had already decided she¡¯d had enough pain for one day, so she was going to kill these things.


    More came. Endless. Relentless.


    Grace fought. Not because she was angry. Not because she hated them. But because they needed to go. And she was the only one who could do it.


    [This is what it means to purify stuff, right? Yeah, totally. I¡¯m releasing these things. Letting them go... somewhere. Somewhere that¡¯s not here!]


    Her blade moved faster. Each strike precise. Each cut merciful.


    The rage-things didn¡¯t scream when they died. They sighed.


    Relief.


    Finally, relief.


    Grace lost track of time. Of numbers. There was only the dance. Strike. Move. Strike again.


    Until...


    Silence.


    She stood alone in the void. Breathing hard despite not really having lungs here.


    [Any... wow, that was tough. Any left?]


    The first figure she cut down then reappeared. It was smaller now, however. Dimmer than before.


    It held out its hand. In its palm, a ball of fire. But not angry fire.


    Just... warm.


    [What is this?]


    Figuring she was meant to take this thing, Grace did. As soon as she did, it passed right through her skin and went inside her body. But... Grace didn¡¯t feel any different.


    [What did I just do?]


    She got no answer. The void shattered.


    Grace slammed back into her body. Into the pain. Into the chamber.


    The Flame stood over her, sword raised for a killing blow.


    But she hesitated.


    "What... what did you do?" Her voice shook. "I feel... different."


    Grace pushed herself up with her one good arm. Everything screamed in protest.


    Right. What was the appropriate answer to that question?


    Well, Grace guessed...


    "I set them free. All the rage that wasn¡¯t yours."


    "That¡¯s impossible."


    "Check for yourself."


    The Flame¡¯s fire flickered. Dimmed. For the first time since Grace arrived, she looked... confused.


    "I... I don¡¯t understand. The anger. It¡¯s..." She touched her chest. "Quieter."


    Grace held out her hand. With a thought, the fire she¡¯d just been given appeared again.


    "I think... I think this is yours. Your actual anger. Not Eternia¡¯s."


    The Flame stared at it.


    "Mine?"


    "Yeah. Just yours. Nobody else¡¯s."


    Slowly, carefully, the Flame reached out. Their fingers touched.


    The small flame passed between them.


    And the Flame gasped.


    Her fire changed. Still there, but different. Controlled. Purposeful.


    Hers.


    "I..." Tears made of molten gold ran down her face. "I can think. For the first time in centuries, I can think clearly."


    She fell to her knees.


    "What have I done? I... All those..."


    Grace collapsed beside her. Everything hurt. Everything was probably broken.


    But she reached out with her remaining hand. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, hey, calm down."


    [Last thing I need is for you to have a meltdown again, lady.]


    "I... I did..."


    "What you did, you did with someone else¡¯s rage poisoning your mind. Stop."


    Grace wasn¡¯t too sure she even believed that, but she¡¯d say anything right now if it meant not putting the town in danger.


    The Flame looked at her. Really looked.


    "... You¡¯re not Eternia."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened. Then, she smiled.


    "No, I¡¯m not. Name¡¯s Grace."


    "Grace." She tested the name. "Why did you let me hurt you?"


    "Because you needed to. And because..." Grace shrugged. Regretted it immediately. "Someone should have done this ages ago. Helped you, I mean. Not the getting beat up part."


    The Flame laughed. Wet, broken sound.


    "I cut off your arm."


    "Yeah, that sucked."


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    "Eh. I¡¯ll reattach it."


    They sat in silence, in a chamber full of blood and scorch marks.


    "What happens now?" The Flame asked.


    "Now? Now you get to decide who you want to be. Without anyone else¡¯s emotions fucking it up."


    "I don¡¯t know how."


    "Nobody does at first. You¡¯ll figure it out."


    The Flame stood. Offered Grace her hand.


    "Let me help you up. It¡¯s... the least I can do."


    Grace took the hand. Let herself be pulled upright.


    Swayed.


    Nearly fell.


    The Flame caught her.


    [Quest Complete: Exhaust the Flame through combat]


    [Reward: +20 Bravery]


    The notification chimed in her head just as her legs gave out completely.


    Worth it.

 Chapter 122: Aftermath of an Ass-Kicking

    Chapter 122: Aftermath of an Ass-KickingGrace stumbled out of the valley looking absolutely destroyed.


    Her left arm dangled from her right hand, fingers wrapped around the wrist. Blood dripped steadily onto the scorched ground. Pretty sure her spine was holding together through sheer stubbornness and angel magic.


    But she was walking.


    Kinda.


    "GRAAAACE!"


    Alia¡¯s voice hit her first. The pink-robed Love Sister came sprinting down the path. Zephyr was right behind her.


    "Your ARM!"


    "Yeah." Grace lifted the severed limb like she was showing off a weird souvenir. "Figured I should bring it. You know. For later."


    Seraph appeared next, took one look at Grace, and whistled low.


    "Shit. She really worked you over."


    "You should see her." Grace swayed dangerously. "Actually, don¡¯t. She¡¯s having a whole emotional breakdown in there. It¡¯s... a lot."


    Valkyrie stepped forward. Her usually icy face was doing something weird. Almost like... concern? Nah, couldn¡¯t be.


    "Sit. Now."


    "I can walk¡ª"


    "Sit before you fall on your ass."


    Grace sat. Or rather, her legs gave out and she happened to land on a convenient rock. Same difference.


    "There we go." Seraph crouched in front of her, red braid swinging. "Alright, let¡¯s see the damage."


    She poked at Grace¡¯s stump. Grace hissed through her teeth.


    "Yep, that¡¯s definitely not attached anymore."


    "Thanks for the expert diagnosis."


    "No problem. You can actually heal this into place, since your arm is so small," Seraph smirked as her hands started glowing with golden light. "Fair warning¡ªthis is gonna suck."


    "Everything already sucks. What¡¯s¡ªFUCK!"


    Divine energy poured into the wound. Grace¡¯s nerves screamed as muscle and bone started knitting back together. It felt like getting electrocuted while someone poured acid on the wound.


    "Hold still!"


    "I¡¯M TRYING!"


    Alia grabbed Grace¡¯s good hand, lacing their fingers together. Zephyr pressed against her back, dark arms wrapping around Grace¡¯s shoulders. Even Valkyrie helped, keeping the severed arm perfectly aligned while Seraph worked her magic.


    The process took forever. Or maybe just minutes. Hard to tell when every second felt like torture.


    Finally¡ªfucking finally¡ªthe glow faded.


    Grace looked down. Her arm was back. Still hurt like hell, still felt weird, but all five fingers wiggled when she told them to.


    "Holy shit."


    Seraph grinned, looking way too pleased with herself.


    "Pretty cool, right?"


    "I take back every mean thing I¡¯ve ever thought about you."


    "You¡¯ve thought mean things about me?"


    "Really, thanks for the help."


    "Oi, oi..."


    ---


    The walk back to town was awkward as fuck.


    Mainly, because the townspeople were waiting.


    All of them.


    A massive crowd had gathered at the entrance. Men, women, children. All watching their "hero" limp home covered in blood and looking like she¡¯d been through a blender.


    "She did it!" Someone shouted. "The demon¡¯s gone!"


    Cheers erupted. People rushed forward.


    [Oh no. Please no.]


    Grace wanted to tell them the Flame wasn¡¯t gone. Just... different. Purified. Still in that volcano ugly-crying about centuries of trauma. But explanations were hard when you could barely stand.


    "Thank you!" An elderly woman grabbed Grace¡¯s hands. "Thank you so much!"


    "I just¡ª"


    "You saved us all!"


    More hands. More thanks. More praise Grace definitely didn¡¯t deserve.


    Because yeah, she¡¯d stopped the immediate threat. But looking around...


    Burned buildings. Empty spaces where homes used to be. People wearing bandages from wounds that would scar forever.


    Like the Tide, and the Root, the Flame had done real damage here. Permanent damage.


    Grace had just kept it from getting worse.


    "Come on." Seraph steered her through the crowd with surprising gentleness. "Let¡¯s get you cleaned up before you bleed on everyone."


    ---


    The inn¡¯s bath was basically heaven.


    Grace soaked in the hot water while her body slowly put itself back together. Angel healing was weird¡ªeverything fixed itself eventually, but it hurt like a bitch the whole time.


    "How¡¯s the arm?" Zephyr sat on the edge of the tub, brown feet dangling in the water.


    "Still attached. So that¡¯s good."


    "Can you feel everything?"


    Grace wiggled her fingers experimentally.


    "Think so? Kinda tingly. Like when your foot falls asleep but... worse."


    "That¡¯ll fade." Alia appeared with fresh clothes, setting them on a nearby stool. "Probably by tomorrow."


    "Great. Can¡¯t wait to get my ass kicked in training with full sensation back."


    "You think Diana¡¯s gonna go easy on you?"


    Grace snorted so hard she almost inhaled bathwater.


    "Diana doesn¡¯t know what ¡¯easy¡¯ means. Pretty sure it¡¯s not in her vocabulary."


    "True." Zephyr grinned. "Remember when she made you run laps until you puked?"


    "Which time?"


    They laughed. It felt good to laugh. Normal. Like she hadn¡¯t just had her arm chopped off by a pissed-off fire spirit.


    A knock interrupted their moment.


    "It¡¯s open," Grace called.


    Valkyrie entered carrying a bottle and two cups. She set them on the table without a word, silver hair catching the lamplight.


    Grace blinked.


    "Is that... alcohol?"


    "Drink." Valkyrie poured amber liquid into both cups. "You earned it."


    She handed one to Grace, then sat in the chair by the window. They drank in silence. The alcohol burned going down, but in a good way. Better than divine healing, that¡¯s for sure.


    "You did good," Valkyrie said eventually.


    Grace nearly choked on her drink.


    "Sorry, what?"


    "You heard me." Valkyrie stared out the window at the darkening sky. "Whatever you did in there... it worked."


    "I got my butt kicked for over an hour."


    "And it worked." Valkyrie took another sip. "Sometimes that¡¯s what it takes."


    Grace stared at her, wondering if she¡¯d hit her head harder than she thought.


    "Are you... being nice to me?"


    "Don¡¯t get used to it."


    But there was something different in her voice. Less ice. More... respect?


    "Thanks. For the drink. And the... niceness."


    Valkyrie stood abruptly.


    "Rest up. We leave at dawn."


    She left without another word. Grace looked at Alia and Zephyr, who seemed equally shocked.


    "Did I just become friends with Valkyrie?"


    "I think you did." Alia¡¯s eyes were wide. "That¡¯s so weird."


    "So weird."


    ---


    The flight back to the Dominion took forever.


    Grace¡¯s arm worked, but every movement sent pins and needles shooting up to her shoulder. Plus she was exhausted. The kind of tired that went past physical and straight into her soul.


    "Stop fidgeting," Seraph called back over her shoulder.


    "It itches."


    "So?"


    "So it¡¯s MY arm and I¡¯ll scratch it if I want."


    "You¡¯re such a baby."


    "I literally got dismembered yesterday!" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah, yesterday. Ancient history. Move on."


    Grace wanted to argue more, but then the Dominion came into view and stole her words.


    Home.


    Weird to think of it that way. But seeing those golden spires and floating platforms, the rainbow bridges connecting everything...


    Yeah. Home.


    They landed on the eastern platform. Word had already spread somehow¡ªa crowd was gathering.


    "The hero returns!" Someone shouted.


    [Ugh. Not this again.]


    Too late. Angels swarmed them from every direction. Questions flew like arrows.


    "Did you really fight the Flame?"


    "Is it true she cut off your arm?"


    "How did you survive?"


    "Can we see the scar?"


    "What was it like?"


    "Are you single?"


    Grace tried to push through, but there were too many. All wanting to touch her, talk to her, hear about her "heroic" deeds.


    "MOVE YOUR ASSES!"


    Diana¡¯s voice cut through the chaos. The crowd parted instantly like she¡¯d cast a spell.


    She stalked toward them looking absolutely pissed. And hot. Pissed and hot.


    "Diana¡ª"


    "Shut up." She grabbed Grace¡¯s face, turning it this way and that like she was inspecting merchandise. "Your arm got cut off."


    "Yep."


    "Your face got pounded."


    "Also better."


    "Your... Wow, you got demolished."


    "Yes, indeed."


    "Next time, I¡¯m coming with you."


    "Next time?"


    A new voice interrupted. Smooth. Amused. Definitely trouble.


    "Oh good, you¡¯re back."


    Venus stood there in her usual barely-there pink outfit, looking entirely too pleased with herself.


    "Venus." Grace tried to stand straighter despite her exhaustion. "Mission accomplished. The Flame is¡ª"


    "Handled?" Venus¡¯s smile was sharp enough to cut. "Excellent. Because there¡¯s more work to do."


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped straight through the platform.


    "More?"


    "Much more. But we¡¯ll discuss that tomorrow." She looked Grace up and down with those golden eyes. "Bath. Food. Rest. In that order."


    "I just had a bath."


    "Have another one. You smell like volcano and failure." Venus turned on her heel, hips swaying. "Council meeting at dawn. Don¡¯t be late."


    She sauntered off, leaving destruction in her wake.


    "More to do?" Grace looked at the others desperately. "What does that mean?"


    "Nothing good," Seraph muttered.


    "Four more Pillars," Diana said grimly. "Plus whatever other shit is hitting the fan."


    "What else is going wrong?"


    "Everything. Always." Diana grabbed Grace¡¯s good arm. "Come on. Let¡¯s get you fed before Venus decides you need to fight another god immediately."


    As they walked through the Dominion, Grace caught glimpses of angels whispering. Pointing. Some looked impressed. Others worried. A few looked straight-up horny, which was... weird but flattering?


    Word was spreading fast. The girl who could kill demons had taken on a Pillar, multiple Pillars, and survived.


    Barely.


    But survived.


    [Three down. Four to go.]


    The thought made her want to cry. Or drink.


    Definitely both.

 Chapter 123: Power-Up

    Chapter 123: Power-UpGrace¡¯s sword crashed against Diana¡¯s, metal ringing through the arena.


    Something was different.


    She ducked under Diana¡¯s next swing, spun on her heel, brought her blade up. Diana blocked¡ªbut Grace caught that tiny flicker of surprise in her grey eyes.


    [What the heck?]


    Something was off. Twenty minutes of sparring and Grace hadn¡¯t eaten dirt once. Not even close, actually. Her body moved like someone had upgraded all her parts overnight. Smoother. Faster. Actually competent.


    Diana came at her with that combo that usually left Grace flat on her ass. High strike, low sweep, thrust.


    Grace parried high. Jumped the sweep. Twisted away from the thrust.


    Then countered with her own attack that actually made Diana step back.


    The watching Bravery Sisters went dead quiet.


    "Okay." Grace lowered her sword, panting. "Why are you going easy on me?"


    Diana¡¯s jaw clenched.


    "I¡¯m not."


    "Bullshit. You haven¡¯t thrown me once."


    "I¡¯ve been trying."


    Grace blinked.


    "What?"


    "I said¡ª" Diana reset her stance, looking pissed. "I¡¯ve been trying. You keep dodging."


    "But that¡¯s impossible. You always kick my butt. It¡¯s like... our thing."


    "Not today, it seems."


    They went again. This time Grace paid attention. Really focused.


    It really did look like Diana wasn¡¯t holding back. Her strikes came full force, full speed. The same moves that had put Grace in the dirt hundreds of times before.


    But Grace¡¯s body just... responded. Faster reflexes. Better balance. She blocked strikes that should¡¯ve sent her sword flying. Sidestepped charges that should¡¯ve knocked her flat. Even landed a hit on Diana¡¯s shoulder that made the taller woman grunt.


    "What the fuck?" Grace stopped mid-swing. "When did I get good at this?"


    "Apparently while you were getting dismembered." Diana rubbed her shoulder. "That actually hurt."


    The other Sisters started whispering. Grace caught bits.


    "¡ªnever seen Diana get tagged by a rookie¡ª"


    "¡ªthat speed though¡ª"


    "¡ªgotta be the Flame thing¡ª"


    Grace stared at her hands. Same hands. Same calluses. But something had changed.


    [Is this what 81 Bravery feels like? Holy shit.]


    "Again," Diana ordered.


    "Diana¡ª"


    "Again. I need to see something."


    Ten more minutes of sparring. Grace held her own the entire time. More than that¡ªshe was winning. Actually winning against Diana.


    When they finally stopped, Diana was breathing hard. Sweat dripped down her bare chest.


    Grace had never seen Diana winded from training.


    "Well?" Grace asked.


    "You¡¯re faster. Stronger. Better reflexes." Diana sheathed her sword. "Whatever happened with the Flame changed you."


    Grace thought about that void. Fighting rage demons. The notification about gaining twenty Bravery points.


    "Yeah. Maybe."


    "Definitely." Diana stepped closer, still topless and sweaty. "Which means we adjust your training."


    "Adjust how?"


    Diana smiled. Not her usual smirk. A real, terrifying smile.


    "Now I can stop holding back."


    [Oh fuck.]


    ---


    As usual, Venus¡¯s classroom smelled like sex and perfume.


    Grace walked in to find Love Sisters already going at it. Naked bodies tangled together, practicing their "morale boosting techniques" with enthusiasm. One blonde had another Sister bent over a desk, fingers working between her legs while she whispered instructions about "proper energy flow."


    "Grace! Perfect." Venus glided over in a dress made of suggestions and good intentions. "Energy transfer today."


    "Energy transfer?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Through kissing, obviously." Venus waved at a cute redhead nearby. "Carthy volunteered as your partner."


    Carthy waved. Freckles, green eyes, curves that made Grace¡¯s mouth water instantly.


    [Whoa. Since when do I just wanna jump random angels?]


    "Hi," Carthy said. "Heard a lot about you."


    "All terrible, probably."


    "Actually, all impressive." Carthy stepped closer. "They say you fucked the Tide into submission."


    Grace¡¯s brows shot up.


    "T-That¡¯s not exactly¡ª"


    "And survived getting chopped up by the Flame."


    "Barely¡ª"


    "And killed two Primal Demons."


    "Um..."


    Venus clapped.


    "Less talking, more tongue action. Show me that morale boosting."


    Grace looked at Carthy. Carthy looked back.


    And something in Grace just... snapped.


    She grabbed Carthy¡¯s waist and shoved her against the wall. Carthy gasped, but it turned into a moan when Grace¡¯s mouth crashed into hers.


    [Wait... What am I doing?]


    Her body didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t care. Hands roamed over curves, pulling Carthy closer. Tongue invaded like it owned the place. She could taste strawberries on Carthy¡¯s lips, feel the way the redhead¡¯s whole body trembled against her.


    Carthy melted, making these perfect whimpering sounds that went straight to Grace¡¯s core.


    "My my," Venus purred from somewhere behind them. "Someone¡¯s hungry today."


    Grace pulled back just enough to breathe. Carthy¡¯s eyes were glazed over, chest heaving.


    "Sorry. Don¡¯t know what¡ª"


    "Shut up." Carthy grabbed Grace¡¯s face. "Do it again."


    So she did.


    Kissed Carthy like she was trying to consume her. Hands tangled in red hair. Bodies pressed tight. One leg slipped between Carthy¡¯s thighs, making the other girl grind down with a needy whine.


    That divine energy Venus wanted? Definitely happening. Grace felt it crackling between them, warm and electric.


    When they finally broke apart, half the class was watching. Some had stopped their own activities to stare.


    "Impressive," Venus said. "You¡¯re really coming into your own."


    Grace tried catching her breath. Her whole body felt hot. Needy. Like she wanted to drag Carthy somewhere private and¡ª


    [Is that what this is?]


    Grace thought about it. The Tide. Every intimate moment that raised her stats. The way her body had been reacting lately to basically everyone.


    [Yeah, I¡¯m changing.]


    "Everyone pair up! Let¡¯s see that energy!"


    The room exploded into moaning. Grace watched one Sister push another onto a cushion, diving between her legs with practiced enthusiasm.


    Grace looked at Carthy still panting against the wall.


    "Round two?"


    Carthy nodded eagerly.


    [This is my life now. Could be worse.]


    After class, Grace stumbled out on shaky legs. Carthy had been... thorough in their "energy transfer practice." Very thorough.


    Venus caught up, looking amused.


    "Walk with me."


    They strolled through the gardens. Angels flew overhead. Everything looked peaceful.


    Too peaceful.


    "So," Grace said, trying to ignore how her lips still tingled. "This ¡¯more to do¡¯ thing."


    "Straight to business. Good." Venus plucked a flower. "What do you know about the Tempest?"


    "Pillar. Storm-related?"


    "Storms, emotions, chaos." Venus crushed the flower between her fingers. "Lives in the Shattered Isles. Charming place if you enjoy lightning strikes."


    "Sounds great."


    "Gets better. The Tempest moves between islands, carried by its own storms. Never stays put."


    "So we chase it?"


    "Find it first." Venus tossed the crushed petals. "Entire islands swallowed by hurricanes. Ships can¡¯t approach. Flying is... inadvisable unless you enjoy being electrocuted."


    "But we¡¯re going anyway."


    "Tomorrow afternoon. You, me, Diana."


    Grace stopped walking.


    "You¡¯re coming?"


    "Someone needs to babysit you two. Make sure you don¡¯t kill each other. Or fuck each other to death."


    "W-We don¡¯t¡ª"


    "Also, the Tempest feeds on emotional instability. Jealousy. Desire. Heartbreak. All those messy feelings seem to have some sort of... enhancing effect on its emotional manipulations."


    "So it¡¯ll mess with our heads?"


    "Absolutely. Should be funny to watch, in your case."


    "You¡¯re really rooting for this?"


    "It would be entertaining." Venus shrugged.


    Grace rubbed her face.


    Four Pillars down, three to go. Each one worse than the last.


    "How do I prepare for this stuff?"


    "How am I supposed to know? That said, I would guess the Tempest will use every emotion against you. Every frustration. Every bit of whatever¡¯s going on with you and Diana."


    "Nothing¡¯s going on with¡ª"


    "You¡¯re fuck buddies who fight constantly and basically undress each other with your eyes during training." Venus kept walking. "I¡¯m sure the Tempest won¡¯t find anything there."


    "We just¡ª"


    "Screw occasionally while pretending there¡¯s no chemistry?" Venus laughed. "Right. No tension at all. That¡¯s why she gets that look whenever another angel flirts with you."


    "What look?"


    "The ¡¯I¡¯ll rip your wings off¡¯ look. Very subtle."


    Grace hadn¡¯t noticed any look. Then again, she¡¯d been pretty distracted lately. By training. And all the sex. And more training.


    "Pack light," Venus added. "Waterproof everything. The storms are intense."


    "How intense?"


    "Think divine tantrum meets apocalypse. With extra lightning."


    "Wonderful."


    They reached the garden¡¯s edge. Venus turned, golden eyes serious for once.


    "The Flame was straightforward. Just rage and violence. I have a feeling the Tempest won¡¯t be. If I were it, I would dig into every insecurity. Every unspoken want. Every feeling you¡¯ve been shoving down."


    "I figured."


    "Are you ready for that? For it to drag everything into the open?"


    Grace thought about her growing attraction to everyone. The complicated Diana situation. The pressure of being the only demon-killer. The way she sometimes woke up from dreams about the Tide or memories of Eternia that weren¡¯t hers.


    "Not sure, no. But, I¡¯ll do it anyway."


    Venus smiled.


    "Good answer. Now go fuck someone. You look wound up."


    "I¡¯m not wound up."


    "You¡¯re wound up and horny. Very distracting."


    Grace fled before Venus could elaborate on exactly how distracting.


    Tomorrow. The Tempest. Emotional chaos incarnate.


    With Diana and Venus.


    Isolated island.


    Magic storms that would try to break their minds.


    [Yeah. This is gonna be a complete shitshow.]


    Grace headed back to her quarters, already dreading whatever emotional manipulation awaited. At least with the Flame, she¡¯d known what to expect.


    Getting her butt kicked? Simple.


    Having all her feelings dragged out and examined?


    That was terrifying.

 Chapter 124: Storm Warning

    Chapter 124: Storm WarningThe town of Stormcrest looked absolutely fucked.


    Grace stepped off the cliff path onto wet cobblestones, immediately slipping. Diana caught her arm, steadying her.


    Above them, the sky was having an identity crisis. Dark clouds twisted into baby tornadoes, dissolved into blinding sunshine, then reformed as angry thunderheads. Rain fell sideways. Then upwards. Then not at all.


    "Charming," Diana muttered.


    Venus twirled past them, somehow staying bone dry.


    "I love what they¡¯ve done with the place." She struck a pose. "Very end-of-the-world aesthetic."


    Thunder cracked loud enough to make Grace¡¯s teeth rattle. Lightning struck a place three buildings away, turning it into molten slag that dripped onto the street below.


    "Okay." Grace wiped rain from her eyes. "This is... not good."


    "Understatement of the year."


    The locals moved through the chaos like it was just another Tuesday. Which it probably was. An old man swept his porch while hail the size of marbles pelted his roof. A woman hung laundry during a ten-second break between downpours, only to watch it get sucked into a mini cyclone.


    "Excuse me!" Grace jogged toward a middle-aged woman hauling a basket of groceries. "We¡¯re here about the, uh, weather situation?"


    The woman stopped. Her eyes traveled from Grace¡¯s white angel robes (already soaked through and clinging), to Diana¡¯s warrior getup (which was basically just pants and confidence), to Venus¡¯s physics-defying dress that somehow repelled every raindrop.


    "Angels." The woman¡¯s shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank Eternia. I was starting to think you¡¯d forgotten about us." She set down her basket. "It¡¯s been three weeks of this madness," the woman continued.


    "Three weeks?" Grace¡¯s voice cracked. "How are you all still functioning?"


    "We¡¯re mountain folk. We¡¯re used to weird weather." The woman gestured at a house missing its entire roof. "But this is something else. Started small. Random rain showers, little dust devils."


    A funnel cloud materialized fifty feet away, casually sucked up an entire chicken coop, then vanished.


    Grace, Diana, and Venus, all found their jaws on the floor. The lady, though, simply sighed.


    "Then the real storms hit," the woman said, like poultry-teleporting tornadoes were just a minor inconvenience. "Those are the worst. They don¡¯t just take things."


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped.


    "What do you mean?"


    "They take people." The woman¡¯s voice went flat. "Seventeen so far. Just... gone. Sucked up into the sky and never seen again."


    "That¡¯s..." Grace couldn¡¯t find the right word. Horrible? Terrifying? Completely fucked up?


    "Mayor¡¯s daughter was first. Pretty thing, about your age. Had the sweetest smile." The woman¡¯s eyes went distant. "Tornado appeared right in the market square. No warning. She went up screaming."


    Grace took a deep breath.


    "Well, we¡¯ll help," Grace said firmly. "I promise we¡¯ll fix this and bring them home."


    The woman¡¯s eyes filled with tears.


    "You mean that?"


    "Absolutely not. We¡¯ll find them. All of them."


    The woman dropped her basket. Before Grace could react, she was wrapped in a crushing hug that smelled like wet wool and desperation.


    "Thank you." The woman sobbed into Grace¡¯s shoulder. "Thank you so much."


    Grace hugged back, trying to channel comfort through the embrace. Her hands found the woman¡¯s waist, rubbing soothing circles. The hug felt good. Warm despite the chaos. Natural, even.


    Then, her hands slipped lower. And lower. And lower. Until, without conscious thought, she ended up giving what she meant as a reassuring pat on the lady¡¯s butt, but definitely turned into a squeeze.


    Diana snorted.


    Venus giggled.


    The woman pulled back, face flushed but smiling.


    "I, um." She smoothed her dress. "Should get home before the next lightning round. But thank you. For the, uh, comfort."


    She grabbed her groceries and hurried off, throwing one last glance over her shoulder.


    Grace turned to find both Diana and Venus grinning like idiots.


    "What?"


    "Smooth," Diana said. "Real smooth."


    "Very comforting technique," Venus added, eyes sparkling. "The ass grab really sold the sincerity."


    Grace¡¯s face went nuclear.


    "I didn¡¯t¡ª"


    "You absolutely did."


    "Full palm contact and everything."


    "It was instinctive! Muscle memory!"


    "From what?" Diana raised an eyebrow. "All that turnip farming?"


    [Oh god. They¡¯re never letting this go.]


    Grace looked at her traitorous hands.


    "I didn¡¯t mean to! It just happened!"


    "Sure it did." Diana crossed her arms, which did incredible things to her chest. "Your Love stat had nothing to do with it."


    "Seventy is a significant number," Venus said sagely. "Your body¡¯s just expressing its needs."


    Thunder crashed overhead. Rain started again, fell for three seconds, then stopped mid-air. The drops hung there like crystals before reversing direction and falling up.


    "Can we please focus?" Grace wiped water from her face. "People are missing. Seventeen people."


    "Right." Diana¡¯s teasing expression shifted to business. "Mayor first?"


    "Mayor first," Grace agreed.


    ---


    They started toward the town center. The architecture here was all sharp angles and reinforced everything¡ªbuildings designed to handle whatever insane weather the mountain usually threw at them.


    This was clearly beyond the usual though.


    Windows were boarded up with metal sheets. Roofs had been chained down like someone expected them to fly away. One house had been picked up and set down backwards, its front door now facing the cliff edge.


    "The Tempest is really showing off," Venus observed.


    "Or throwing the mother of all tantrums," Diana countered.


    A miniature tornado danced past carrying someone¡¯s entire clothesline. Grace watched underwear spiral gracefully into the stratosphere.


    [At least it¡¯s just stealing laundry at the moment. Maybe it calmed down once we got here?]


    The mayor¡¯s house perched at the town¡¯s highest point like it was supervising everything below. Weirdly, it looked completely untouched by the chaos. Perfect roof. Spotless windows. Not a single weather mark anywhere.


    "Either he¡¯s got divine protection or the Tempest has a sick sense of humor," Diana said.


    They climbed stone steps carved directly into the mountainside. Grace¡¯s thighs burned after the first fifty.


    [When did I get this out of shape?]


    Halfway up, the temperature plummeted. Snow fell for exactly three seconds¡ªfat, wet flakes that immediately turned to steam when they hit the ground.


    Grace¡¯s teeth chattered.


    "This is ridiculous."


    They finally reached the mayor¡¯s door¡ªsolid oak reinforced with enough iron to build a small army. Grace raised her hand to knock.


    Lightning struck the doorframe.


    The thunder came simultaneously, loud enough to make Grace¡¯s ears ring and her bones vibrate. She definitely didn¡¯t squeak and grab Diana¡¯s arm.


    The door swung open.


    A man stood there. Tall, thin, grey beard trimmed to mathematical precision. His eyes were red-rimmed but sharp, like he¡¯d been crying but refused to let it dull his focus.


    "Angels." Not a question. Just acknowledgment.


    "Yes sir. We¡¯re here about¡ª"


    "My daughter." His voice was too level. Too controlled. Like he was afraid if he let any emotion through, he¡¯d shatter. "Come in."


    They entered a house that felt more like a memorial than a home. Everything perfectly placed. Not a speck of dust anywhere. No signs of actual living.


    One wall was completely covered in photographs. All of the same girl¡ªdark hair, bright smile, maybe seventeen. Recent photos showed her at town festivals, laughing with friends, dancing at harvest celebrations.


    A normal teenager before the sky decided to lose its shit.


    "Tea?" the mayor asked.


    "Sir, we should really¡ª" Grace started.


    "Tea." He was already walking toward the kitchen. "We¡¯ll have tea and discuss how you¡¯ll save her."


    Diana caught Grace¡¯s eye. Mouthed: "Let him."


    So they sat in a living room preserved like a museum exhibit while the mayor made tea with robotic precision. Outside, hail hammered the windows. Then blazing sun. Then rain falling at a perfect forty-five degree angle.


    Grace couldn¡¯t stop staring at the photos. The girl¡ªVeraline, according to a labeled picture¡ªlooked so alive. So happy.


    [Seventeen people. Just gone.]


    She thought about the Tide¡¯s victims. At least they¡¯d been transformed, turned into weird fish people. Still existing, just different. This felt worse. Grabbed by the sky itself and taken... where?


    The mayor returned with a tray. Four cups, perfectly arranged. He poured with hands that didn¡¯t shake even a little.


    "Her name is Veraline." He sat down like his spine was made of glass. "She¡¯ll be eighteen next month."


    "Sir¡ª"


    "She was buying ribbons." His cup stayed perfectly level. "For her birthday dress. Blue ones to match her eyes. I told her we could go to the city, get nicer ones. But she liked supporting local merchants."


    Silence except for the weather having a breakdown outside.


    "The tornado appeared from nowhere. She reached for my hand." A tiny crack in his composure. "I grabbed for her. Our fingers touched."


    Grace¡¯s chest hurt.


    "I couldn¡¯t hold on." Still that terrible levelness. "The wind was too strong. She went up so fast. Still had the ribbons in her other hand."


    "We¡¯ll find her," Grace said. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Will you?" The mayor looked at her directly. Really looked, like he was trying to see her soul. "Or will you find what¡¯s left after three weeks in the storm?"


    Grace thought about it.


    She wasn¡¯t too sure what she could say to that.


    But, she knew she could try.

 Chapter 125: Emotional Damage

    Chapter 125: Emotional DamageGrace¡¯s room in Stormcrest¡¯s inn was absolute garbage.


    The bed creaked every time she breathed. The walls leaked mysterious liquids that definitely weren¡¯t just water. Thunder rattled the windows hard enough to make the glass crack.


    But at least she was alone.


    No Diana trying to bend her into a pretzel while railing her senseless. No Petriel stammering apologies while somehow still managing to grope every inch of her body. No Alia and Zephyr turning a simple goodnight kiss into an impromptu orgy.


    Just Grace, a mattress that smelled like wet dog, and nature having a complete mental breakdown outside.


    She flopped onto the bed, springs screaming in protest.


    [Finally. Peace and quiet and¡ª]


    The dream yanked her under before she could finish the thought.


    ---


    "Well, well, well. My favorite little creation returns for another chat."


    Grace opened her eyes to that familiar white void. Eternia sprawled across a throne made of literal starlight, looking exactly like Grace would if Grace had tits the size of her head and negative amounts of shame. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey." Grace rubbed her face. "Let me guess¡ªthe Tempest is gonna be a massive pain in my butt?"


    "Oh, absolutely." Eternia crossed her legs, her dress riding up to show approximately three miles of thigh. "She¡¯s special, that one. My favorite disaster child."


    "Special how?"


    "Remember our little chat about the Pillars? How I shoved all my negative emotions into them?"


    "Unfortunately, yeah."


    "Well, the Tempest got all my indecision. My frustration. Every single time I couldn¡¯t make up my mind about something." Eternia twirled a strand of white hair around her finger. "Which, between you and me? Happened constantly. Do I make the sky blue or purple? Should angels have wings or tentacles? Is it weird to fuck a dragon?"


    "I¡¯m gonna stop you right there, my lady."


    "The answer was no, by the way. Not weird at all. Very enjoyable actually¡ª"


    "MOVE ON." Grace looked around the void, which somehow felt more solid than the inn¡¯s floor. "S-So she¡¯s indecisive. That explains the weather having an identity crisis."


    "Doesn¡¯t it though?" Eternia grinned. "She can¡¯t decide what storm to throw, so she throws them all. Can¡¯t decide who to be angry at, so she¡¯s angry at everyone. It¡¯s adorable."


    "Adorable isn¡¯t the word I¡¯d use for kidnapping seventeen people."


    "You haven¡¯t met her yet." Eternia¡¯s eyes sparkled with unholy glee. "She¡¯s going to hate you so much."


    "Great. Can¡¯t wait." Grace sat down on the void¡¯s non-floor, which felt weirdly warm. "So what¡¯s her deal? Gonna mistake me for you and try to fuck me into submission like the others?"


    "Oh no, no, no." Eternia leaned forward, tits threatening to spill out of her dress entirely. "The Tempest will know exactly who you are. See, she¡¯s the only one who figured out I abandoned them."


    Grace¡¯s stomach dropped.


    "What?"


    "The others? Still waiting for mommy to come home. But the Tempest?" Eternia¡¯s smile turned sharp. "She knows I¡¯m never coming back. Or, well, she gussed as much. Correctly, of course. And she is pissed."


    "Fantastic. So instead of confused and horny, I get aware and homicidal."


    "Exactly! Isn¡¯t it exciting?"


    "That¡¯s not the word I¡¯d use."


    They sat in silence for a moment. Well, Grace sat. Eternia continued posing.


    "Her indecision makes her unpredictable," Eternia added casually. "One second she might want to have a philosophical debate about abandonment. The next? Lightning bolt to the face. Keeps things spicy!"


    Grace groaned.


    "Any actual helpful advice?"


    "Hmm." Eternia tapped her chin. "Don¡¯t die? Ah, well, you won¡¯t have to worry about that, haha!"


    "Super helpful. Thanks. Really feeling the creator-creation bond here."


    "I do my best."


    More silence. The void hummed with distant cosmic energy that made Grace¡¯s teeth ache.


    "Can I ask you something?" Grace finally said.


    "Shoot, tiny me."


    "When you made the Pillars and dumped all your emotional baggage into them..." Grace struggled to find the right words. "Did you ever think about what would happen? Like, the consequences?"


    Eternia blinked. Once. Twice.


    "Consequences?"


    "Yeah. Of overloading primordial beings with concentrated negative emotions and then fucking off to who knows where."


    "Huh." Eternia tilted her head like a confused puppy. A confused puppy with reality-warping powers. "You know what? No. Not really."


    "Seriously?"


    "I was busy! Had a whole world to create. Angels to design. Mortals to populate the land. That thing with the dragon I mentioned¡ª"


    "Please don¡¯t."


    "The Pillars were supposed to just sit there and hold my emotional baggage. Like... cosmic storage units. Very convenient."


    "Storage units that developed consciousness and started creating demons and killing people."


    "That was, indeed, unprecedented."


    "Unprecedented?" Grace stared at her creator. "Thousands of people have died! Entire villages corrupted! Angels fallen!"


    "And you¡¯re fixing it! See?" Eternia sighed happily. "I knew it would all work out eventually."


    Grace wanted to strangle her.


    Which was probably the worst kind of blasphemy.


    "You¡¯re unbelievable."


    "Thank you!" Eternia beamed like she¡¯d been given a compliment. "I do try. Now, anything else? I¡¯ve got a thing."


    "A thing?"


    "Cosmic orgy. Very exclusive."


    "Of course."


    The void started dissolving around them. Eternia¡¯s form grew hazy, but her tits remained mysteriously in focus.


    "Oh, one more thing!" the goddess called out as reality reasserted itself. "The Tempest feeds on emotional instability. So maybe work on that before you meet her."


    "W-Wait that was actually helpful advice-DON¡¯T GO YET, ETERNIA, ELABORATE ON THAT!"


    But Eternia was gone, and Grace was waking up to the sound of hail punching holes in the roof.


    ---


    Morning in Stormcrest looked like someone had declared war on the concept of weather patterns.


    Grace stumbled downstairs, hair sticking up in twelve directions. The common room reeked of burnt eggs and existential dread.


    Diana sat at a table with her feet up, topless as always. Grace chuckled seeing some of the nearby men fight for their lives, trying not to look. Venus perched delicately beside her.


    "Sleep well?" Venus asked sweetly.


    "Yeah, I did." Grace collapsed into a chair that immediately tried to collapse under her. "So, I thought about it. I think the Tempest is made of pure indecision and knows she was abandoned. Also, she¡¯s- she might be aware I¡¯m not Eternia and will probably try to murder me."


    "You think so?" Diana asked.


    "I¡¯m guessing."


    "Delightful." Diana grabbed a piece of toast that looked more like charcoal.


    "Right?"


    A server approached¡ªsome nervous boy who kept glancing at the ceiling like it might cave in. Which, fair. He slid a bowl of something gray and lumpy in front of Grace.


    "Is this porridge?" Grace poked it with her spoon.


    "We... we think so?"


    "Good enough."


    The boy fled. Grace took a bite and immediately regretted existing.


    "I¡¯m thinking," she said, trying not to taste what she was swallowing, "I should go scout ahead. See if there are demons around. Maybe get murdered by weather."


    Diana¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    "Alone?"


    Grace nodded.


    "You two should stay here. Keep the villagers calm. Make sure no one else gets sucked into the stratosphere." Grace forced down another spoonful of maybe-porridge. "Someone needs to be here in case more tornadoes show up with grabby hands."


    "That¡¯s actually decent logic," Venus admitted. "Color me impressed."


    "I have my moments."


    Diana¡¯s jaw clenched.


    "Fine." Diana crossed her arms under her bare chest. "But if something decapitates you, I¡¯m dragging your ass back to heaven headless."


    Grace shrugged.


    "I¡¯ll figure it out."


    Grace finished her definitely-not-porridge and stood. Her Blade of Dawn materialized with a thought, golden light cutting through the inn¡¯s gloom like hope itself had taken sword form.


    "Try not to have too much fun without me."


    "Please." Venus smiled that smile that meant someone was about to get very lucky. "We¡¯ll be model angels."


    Diana snorted.


    "Yeah. Model angels who¡¯ll probably fuck half the village by lunch."


    "Only half?" Venus looked genuinely offended. "You underestimate me. I¡¯m thinking at least three quarters."


    "It¡¯s barely past dawn."


    "Your point?"


    Grace rolled her eyes and left them to their competitive endeavors. Outside, the weather immediately chose violence. Rain from the left, snow from the right, and¡ª


    [Is that a tornado made of fish?]


    Shaking her head, she spread her wings and launched herself down the mountain path.


    The wind tried to introduce her face to a cliff, but her new, recently-honed reflexes kept her from becoming a Grace-shaped splatter.


    [All this training¡¯s done wonders for me!]


    The path wound through dead trees and rocks. Every few feet, the weather changed. Blazing sun. Freezing hail. Weird, sideways rain.


    Ten minutes in, the first demon appeared.


    Level 45, red numbers floating above its head. It looked like someone had tried to cross a bear with a thundercloud and ended up with something that shouldn¡¯t exist. Crackling fur, too many teeth, and eyes that sparked with electricity.


    Grace¡¯s blade swept through its neck before it could even roar.


    The demon dissolved into nothing. No dramatic death scene. No final words. Just gone, like she¡¯d deleted it from reality.


    Two more demons burst from a cave to her left. Levels 52 and 48. They moved in sync, trying for a classic pincer maneuver.


    Grace spun, her blade extending into a whip of pure light. It caught both demons across their chests. They exploded like shadow-filled pi?atas at the world¡¯s worst birthday party.


    "That all you got?" she called to the empty air. "Come on!"


    Thunder answered. The mountain rumbled.


    Then more demons.


    A whole pack emerged from the caves¡ªfour of them, levels ranging from 40 to 63. They circled her with predator intelligence, recognizing a threat when they saw one.


    Grace grinned.


    [When did I start enjoying this so much?]

 Chapter 126: Probing Questions

    Chapter 126: Probing Questions{Diana}


    Diana¡¯s sword sliced through a demon¡¯s neck like it was made of warm butter.


    Black blood splattered across the mountain path. The creature¡¯s head bounced down the cliff while its body dissolved into smoke.


    "That¡¯s twelve," she muttered, flicking gore off her blade. "Twelve random strays."


    [Nice try, assholes.]


    She launched herself at them, wings spread wide enough to block out the sun. The first demon barely had time to open its mouth before her sword split it from crown to crotch. The second one actually tried to run.


    [Cute.]


    Diana¡¯s thrown blade caught it right between the shoulder blades, pinning it to a tree trunk. It twitched for three seconds before dissolving.


    "Pathetic." She yanked her sword free. "At least make it interesting."


    The mountain path stayed quiet except for that hectic rain and the occasional salmon plummeting from the sky. One fish smacked into a rock near her feet, flopped twice, then vanished.


    Diana blinked.


    [The fuck is wrong with this place?]


    "Having fun?"


    Diana whipped around so fast her chest jiggled. Venus leaned against a boulder like she¡¯d been there the whole time, completely dry somehow.


    "Shouldn¡¯t you be in the village?" Diana growled. "I was just dealing with some stragglers."


    "Oh, they¡¯re fine." Venus¡¯s smile could¡¯ve melted steel. "I left them with some... entertainment."


    That smile said everything about what kind of entertainment. Probably involved a lot of moaning and very little clothing.


    "Thought I¡¯d check on our brave guardian," Venus continued, pushing off the rock.


    "I don¡¯t need checking on."


    "Of course not." Venus sauntered closer, hips swaying like she was on a runway instead of a muddy mountain path. "You¡¯re Diana the Unbreakable Bravery Sister. Terror of demons. Professional warrior. Never needs anyone."


    Diana immediately narrowed her eyes. Venus was clearly using her "I want to mess with you" tone. Diana didn¡¯t like it.


    "What do you want, Venus?"


    "Can¡¯t I just enjoy your company?"


    "No."


    "So suspicious." Venus circled her slowly, like a shark that had spotted blood. "Fine. I¡¯m curious about something."


    Diana¡¯s eyes narrowed. Venus curious was never good.


    "Spit it out."


    "When did you start crushing on Grace?"


    Diana¡¯s sword slipped right out of her hand. She caught it before it could impale her foot, but barely.


    "Excuse me?" Diana had one brow arched up so high it damn near hurt.


    "You heard me." Venus kept circling, each step deliberate. "When did our precious little turnip farmer steal that heavily guarded heart of yours?"


    Diana cackled.


    "Alright, I¡¯m exaggerating," Venus admitted, hands up defensively. "But, really, you eye-fuck each other every time you¡¯re in the same room."


    "We don¡¯t eye-fuck!"


    "I¡¯m fairly certain you do."


    Diana¡¯s jaw clenched hard enough to crack teeth.


    "Stop talking bullshit."


    "Bullshit. Uh-huh." Venus stopped right in front of her, golden eyes sparkling with unholy amusement. "So you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t fuck her against the armory wall last night?"


    "Oh, come on, that was just¡ª"


    "Stress relief?"


    "Exactly."


    "Riiight." Venus tilted her head.


    "You¡¯re imagining things," Diana said flatly.


    "Am I?"


    "Yes." Diana wiped demon blood off her sword. "Can¡¯t you go bother someone else?"


    "But you¡¯re so fun to tease." Venus examined her nails. "Especially about those long stares during training."


    "I don¡¯t stare."


    "Sure you don¡¯t."


    "Venus."


    "Fine, fine." Venus pushed off the rock. "Oh, there might be some demons east of here too. Don¡¯t take too long playing with these ones."


    "Got it."


    Venus vanished in pink light, finally leaving Diana alone.


    [Thank fuck.]


    A demon tried to sneak up behind her.


    Diana spun and decapitated it without looking.


    "Not today," she muttered.


    Another demon tried to sneak up behind her.


    Diana impaled this one, throwing it aside with a flick of her blade.


    "Fuck off," she told its dissolving corpse.


    Another demon charged from the bushes. Diana¡¯s sword went through its chest before it could even roar.


    [Definitely gonna be a long day.]


    ---


    {Grace} S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace paced to the right. The demon in front of her stared her down, daring her to move first with its mindless... dumb face.


    Calm. Patient. Grace inhaled slowly before dashing forward with a burst of speed.


    "...!?" The demon didn¡¯t say anything but its widened eyes made Grace think it would have said something like "W-WHAT!?"


    Grace¡¯s rapier carved through the demon¡¯s flesh like it was made of wet paper.


    Another burst of shadow and sulfur. Another set of red numbers fading from her vision. Another rush of pure adrenaline that made her whole body sing.


    [Holy shit, is this what being strong feels like?]


    She¡¯d lost count after twenty. Maybe thirty? They kept coming, drawn by something¡ªher energy, the Tempest¡¯s chaos, sheer bad luck. Didn¡¯t matter. Nothing mattered except the next swing, the next dodge, the next kill.


    Her sword sang through the air, each movement perfect. Every dodge came naturally, like her body knew what to do before her brain caught up. The Bravery attribute wasn¡¯t just making her stronger¡ªit was making her into something else entirely.


    Grace ducked. A demon¡¯s claw whistled past her ear, close enough to ruffle her hair.


    [Whoa.]


    She twisted left. Another claw slashed the space where her ribs had been a second ago. Her body moved before the thought even formed¡ªduck, weave, strike.


    Her blade flashed up, catching the demon under its jaw. Black blood sprayed as it stumbled back, clutching its throat.


    [Did I just¡ª?]


    The demon lunged again, desperate now. Grace sidestepped. Not a panicked scramble like before. Just a simple shift of weight, like stepping around furniture.


    Her sword found its heart.


    The demon¡¯s eyes went wide. Probably would¡¯ve said something like "How the fuck¡ª" if it could talk. Instead it just dissolved, leaving Grace standing there, not even breathing hard.


    [Holy shit. I didn¡¯t even have to think about that.]


    A Level 67 demon dropped from above, all claws and teeth and bad breath. Grace sidestepped like it was moving in slow motion, grabbed one of its horns, and drove her blade up through its jaw into whatever demons used for brains.


    It exploded into nothing, coating her in more black goo.


    [Gross.]


    The power rush was incredible. Intoxicating. No wonder Diana walked around like she owned the world.


    [Am I the strongest angel now? Could I take Seraph in a fight?]


    The thought made her laugh out loud. Then reality kicked in.


    [Okay, slow down there, chief. Celestia exists. Azrael could probably sneeze and delete you from existence. And Diana... Diana could definitely still pin you down and¡ª]


    Three more demons charged from a cave, interrupting that dangerous train of thought.


    Grace met them head-on, blade extending into a whip of pure light that caught all three at once.


    They burst like balloons.


    "Next!" She actually bounced on her toes, energy crackling through every nerve. "Come on! Is that all you¡¯ve got?"


    The mountain path wound down toward angrier clouds and weather that looked personally offended by the concept of physics. Grace followed eagerly, hunting for more prey.


    Then she felt it.


    Cold. Not normal cold. Not even magical cold. The kind of bone-deep, soul-freezing cold that reached into your chest and squeezed.


    Primal Demon.


    Grace froze mid-step. Every instinct screamed at her to pay attention. Her enhanced senses searched for the source, finally pinpointing it half a mile down, hidden in a cluster of dead trees that looked like skeleton fingers.


    The presence felt massive. Ancient. Like the mountain itself had grown teeth and learned to hate.


    And it was watching her.


    But not moving.


    [Okay, that¡¯s... weird.]


    Grace gripped her sword tighter, knuckles white. The smart move was obvious. Go back. Get Diana and Venus. Face it together like a responsible adult who didn¡¯t have a death wish.


    But god, part of her wanted to charge down there right now. Test her new strength against something that could actually fight back. See just how strong she¡¯d really become.


    [No. Bad Grace. No suicide via demon. This is literally the only thing in existence that can kill you. Don¡¯t be stupid.]


    The Primal¡¯s presence shifted slightly, like it was adjusting its position. Still watching. Still waiting. Patient as death itself.


    Thunder crashed hard enough to make her teeth rattle. Lightning turned the entire sky white for a heartbeat.


    [In any case, this Primal is probably gonna be a problem. A big, nasty, problem. But, not a problem I need to deal with right now. Back up, Grace. Leave it alone.]


    Grace backed away slowly, keeping her eyes on the cluster of trees. The Primal didn¡¯t follow. Its presence stayed fixed on that spot, patient and immovable as a mountain.


    She¡¯d have to deal with it eventually. But not alone. And, also, not without knowing why it was here.


    [Yep. You¡¯re not stupid, Grace. You can be smart every once in a while.]


    Grace turned and headed back up the mountain.


    Behind her, she could still feel that cold sensation. Amplified by the feeling of being watched. It didn¡¯t matter. Grace wasn¡¯t about to get into that fight just yet.

 Chapter 127: Kicking Off

    Chapter 127: Kicking OffGrace found Diana and Venus exactly where she¡¯d left them¡ªexcept now Diana had some village girl pressed against a wall, one hand up her shirt, the other gripping her butt.


    [Of course.]


    "Oi, oi," Grace crossed her arms. "I don¡¯t remember seeing you in the Love Sister courses."


    Diana pulled back from the girl¡¯s neck. A massive hickey was already forming, dark purple against pale skin. The girl¡¯s eyes were glazed over, mouth hanging open.


    "Just some research." Diana didn¡¯t even look embarrassed. "Testing local stress responses."


    "Uh-huh." Grace watched the girl try to walk. "Have you learned anything actually useful?"


    "These ladies are very responsive, for one."


    The girl giggled, wobbling away on legs that clearly weren¡¯t working right. She bumped into a post, giggled again, then stumbled around the corner.


    "Scientific breakthrough right there," Grace said.


    "I do my best." Diana wiped her mouth.


    "Right." Grace shook rain from her wings. "Anyway, I¡¯ve got news."


    "Demons?" Venus asked from her bench, not even bothering to wipe the water off. She¡¯d apparently been enjoying Diana¡¯s show.


    "Killed about ten. Maybe twenty." Grace sat next to her, armor squelching. "Lost count after a while." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Diana¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    "Yeah?"


    "They kept coming." Grace tried wringing out her hair. Pointless effort. "Wasn¡¯t hard. Most were under Le- I mean, weak."


    "Most?" Diana raised a brow.


    "Yeah, about that... There¡¯s a Primal down the mountain. Big one. Just sitting there."


    Venus¡¯s whole body went rigid. Her casual lounging pose vanished.


    "A Primal? Here?"


    "Half mile down. Hiding in some dead trees." Grace remembered that bone-deep cold, the weight of its attention. "Felt massive. Ancient. Like the mountain grew a consciousness and decided to hate everything."


    "Did it attack?"


    "No, but then again, I ran out pretty fast as soon as I noticed it."


    Diana frowned, finally giving Grace her full attention instead of eyeing passing villagers.


    Grace continued.


    "I saw movement near it. Might not have been alone."


    Thunder crashed loud enough to rattle windows. The buildings shook. A fish fell from the sky and smacked the ground at Grace¡¯s feet. Still flopping.


    [Right. Normal Tuesday in Stormcrest.]


    Grace picked up the fish. It stared at her with accusing eyes.


    "This is bad," Venus said, ignoring their new fish friend. "It would seem we¡¯re on a timer now. Fighting a Primal and a Pillar at the same time seems... suboptimal."


    "No shit."


    "I mean it." Venus¡¯s usual playful tone was gone. "Primals don¡¯t just wait around. If it didn¡¯t go after you, there¡¯s a high likelihood it¡¯s planning something."


    "Great. Love it when demons have plans."


    "Let¡¯s go talk to the mayor," Venus said. "We should try to make some progress before we meet our Primal."


    They headed back toward the mayor¡¯s house. The storm had gone from bad to absolutely crazy¡ªlightning struck every few seconds, and rain came from at least six directions now.


    They reached the mayor¡¯s house. Grace knocked. The door opened before her knuckles finished hitting wood.


    "Angels." The mayor looked worse than before. Red eyes, trembling hands, shirt buttoned wrong. "Any progress?"


    "Uh, yes," Grace answered. "I cleaned up a lot of the demons surrounding the town. Now, we need the Tempest¡¯s location," Grace said.


    "The thing causing all this." Venus waved at the weather circus. A small tornado made of spoons whirled past. "Where is she?"


    "The... the peak." His knuckles went white gripping the doorframe. "The very top of the mountain. But no one goes there anymore."


    "Why?"


    "The storms are worst there. Lightning every second. Wind that can throw a grown man off cliffs. And the cold..."


    He shivered like someone had walked over his grave. Then dug it up. Then walked over it again.


    "What about the cold?"


    "It burns like fire but freezes your blood. Makes you want to tear your own skin off just to feel warm again." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Three angels tried investigating a few years ago."


    Grace¡¯s stomach clenched.


    "What happened?"


    "We found them in pieces. Took them forever to reattach."


    Dead silence.


    "Pieces," Diana repeated flatly.


    "Arms. Wings. A torso." The mayor¡¯s voice cracked. "Nothing whole. It completely ripped them apart."


    [Okay. That¡¯s... that¡¯s actually terrifying.]


    "By Eternia," Diana muttered.


    "How do we get there?" Grace asked.


    "There¡¯s a path behind the old shrine. But¡ª"


    "We¡¯ll find it."


    The mayor stared at them like they¡¯d lost their minds. Fair assessment.


    "You¡¯re serious? You¡¯re going up there?"


    "Yeah."


    "All of you?"


    "Someone has to stop this."


    "But if she tears you apart¡ª"


    "Then we¡¯ll pull ourselves together and try again," Diana said. "We¡¯re angels. Stubborn is kind of our thing."


    The mayor¡¯s laugh had no humor in it.


    "I distinctly recall those other angels saying the same thing."


    To be fair, from his point of view, their odds didn¡¯t look too good.


    Grace thought about it. Three angels versus one pissed-off Pillar in her home territory. With a Primal below and weather that literally tore people apart.


    However, Grace knew damn well they could do this...


    ... Though she did want to take a few precautions.


    "I¡¯ll scout first," Grace said.


    "Terrible idea," Diana said immediately.


    "Why?"


    "Because you¡¯ll end up in pieces."


    "I handled the Flame alone."


    "You lost an arm."


    "It reattached."


    "That¡¯s not the point¡ª"


    "And I handled the Tide."


    "By fucking her into submission!"


    "It worked!"


    Venus cleared her throat loudly.


    "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere? Away from civilians?"


    The mayor had gone from white to red. They left quickly, stepping back into the meteorological nightmare.


    "You can¡¯t solo a Pillar that dismembers angels for fun," Diana said the second the door closed.


    "The Tempest feeds on emotional instability." Grace had to shout over the wind. "More people means more emotions. Might make her stronger."


    "Or we might help," Venus suggested.


    "How?"


    "Moral support?"


    Grace snorted.


    "Since when do I need¡ª"


    Lightning struck ten feet away. The crack of thunder hit like a physical blow. All three angels jumped.


    "Fuck!" Diana¡¯s wings flared instinctively. "Too close!"


    "Yeah, no kidding!" Grace¡¯s ears rang.


    The ground where the lightning hit was glass now.


    "Look." Grace wiped rain from her eyes. Again. Pointless. "Let me scout first. See what we¡¯re dealing with. If it¡¯s too dangerous, I¡¯ll come back."


    "Define too dangerous."


    "If I start losing limbs? If I get turned into dust?"


    "Not funny."


    "Wasn¡¯t joking."


    "Grace¡ª"


    "Diana, we need information. We can¡¯t go in blind."


    "We also can¡¯t go in solo!"


    "I¡¯m not going in! Just scouting!"


    She lied. She was absolutely going to try to resolve this whole thing on her own.


    They stood in the rain, which now came from seven different angles because physics had given up entirely. A tornado made of leaves danced past.


    Diana stared her down.


    Then...


    "One hour," Diana said finally. "Scout for one hour. Then get back here."


    "Two hours."


    "One."


    "Ninety minutes."


    "One hour."


    "Hour and a half."


    "Fine." Diana crossed her arms. "But if you¡¯re not back¡ª"


    "You¡¯ll come find my pieces?"


    "Grace."


    "Sorry. Nervous joke."


    "It¡¯s not funny!"


    "It¡¯s a little funny."


    "No, it¡¯s not!"


    Venus sighed deeply.


    "This is incredibly stupid."


    "Most of my plans are." Grace¡¯s blade materialized, golden light cutting through the gloom. "Where¡¯s this shrine?"


    "Wait." Grace turned back to the mayor¡¯s house. "Hey! Where¡¯s the shrine?"


    The mayor poked his head out, looking even more terrified than before.


    "Behind the old temple! Northern edge of town!" He pointed with a shaking hand. "Stone arch! Can¡¯t miss it! So... You¡¯re really going?"


    "Yep!"


    The mayor blinked.


    The door slammed shut. They heard multiple locks clicking into place.


    "Northern edge. Stone arch. Got it." Grace spread her wings again.


    As if on cue, lightning struck something in that direction. The boom rattled windows all down the street.


    "Of course it did," Diana muttered.


    "Alright. I think I¡¯m good to go."


    "Don¡¯t do anything stupid."


    "When have I ever¡ª"


    Another lightning strike. Closer this time.


    "Just..." Diana¡¯s jaw worked. "Don¡¯t get torn apart. It¡¯s annoying putting people back together."


    "Speaking from experience?"


    "Unfortunately."


    Grace spread her wings. The wind immediately tried to introduce her face to the nearest building wall, but she pushed through with a grunt.


    [Not gonna make it easy for me, eh? Alright then. Ninety minutes to find an emotionally unstable weather goddess who rips people apart. No pressure.]


    She launched herself toward the shrine, fighting wind that changed direction every three seconds. Left, right, up, down, diagonal¡ª


    "Scout first, my ass," she muttered. "Should¡¯ve just stayed in bed. But no. Had to be a hero. Had to¡ª"


    A fish smacked her in the face.


    "Ah, ew!"


    She spat out and kept flying. The fish fell past her, looking offended.


    "Sorry!" she called after it.


    Hand-shaped hail pelted her. One grabbed her hair. Another poked her in the ribs.


    [This is so stupid. So incredibly stupid. I probably should have taken them with me, huh? Is this what having too much bravery is like? Dang.]


    But she kept flying, already regretting every decision that led to this moment.

 Chapter 128: Indecision

    Chapter 128: IndecisionThe path to the peak tried to kill Grace at least twelve times in the first five minutes.


    First, a lightning bolt hit the rock face inches from her head. The thunder came instantly, loud enough to make her teeth rattle and her ears ring like someone was playing drums inside her skull.


    [Great start. Love this.]


    Then the wind decided to get personal. It grabbed her wings like a drunk ex at a party and slammed her face-first into the mountainside. She scraped along jagged rocks, her robes tearing like tissue paper.


    "Fuck!"


    She pushed off and kept climbing.


    Rain started pelting her from below. Not above, like normal rain that understood basic physics. Below. The droplets shot upward like tiny liquid bullets, each one stinging against her skin.


    A mini-tornado made entirely of ice shards spun across the path ahead. Because regular tornadoes weren¡¯t horrible enough, apparently. Grace dove to avoid it. The thing actually changed direction to chase her.


    "Are you kidding me?"


    She scrambled along the path on hands and knees while the ice tornado pursued her for twenty yards before finally dissolving into snow.


    [This is insane. This is actually insane.]


    Higher up, the temperature dropped so fast her breath came out in clouds thick enough to obscure her vision.


    Then, without warning, blazing heat.


    Her frozen robes started steaming. The ice on the path turned to water so fast it created actual geysers. Grace¡¯s skin felt like she¡¯d stuck herself in an oven.


    "What the heck¡ª"


    Back to cold. Arctic, bone-deep cold.


    Then heat again.


    "Make up your mind!" she shouted at the sky.


    Time to keep moving.


    The path narrowed until it was barely two feet wide. On her left, sheer rock face that went up forever. On her right, a drop into churning storm clouds that occasionally flashed colorfully.


    Grace pressed herself against the rock and shuffled sideways.


    Lightning struck the path directly ahead. The rock didn¡¯t just crack¡ªit exploded, sending chunks flying everywhere. One piece hit her shoulder hard enough to spin her around.


    "Crap!"


    She windmilled her arms, teetering on the edge. For a second, she stared down into the abyss of weird-colored clouds.


    [Nope. Nope nope nope.]


    Again, she considered just flying, but she felt that the instant she was in the air, she¡¯d be at this Pillar¡¯s mercy.


    Instead, Grace threw herself forward, clearing the smoking crater the lightning had left. Made it by inches. Her feet scrambled for purchase on the far side while her hands clawed at loose rocks.


    [Yes! I¡¯m okay!]


    More wind hit her. But this wind came from above, pressing down like an invisible giant trying to squash her flat. Grace dropped to her hands and knees, wings pressed so tight against her back they hurt.


    She crawled forward, rocks digging into her palms. The pressure increased. Her arms shook with the effort of keeping herself up.


    Then, suddenly, weightlessness.


    A tornado had touched down directly on the path. But instead of throwing her off the mountain, it sucked her straight up. Grace screamed as the world spun into a gray-white blur.


    [This is how I die. Dizzy and probably about to puke.]


    The tornado spat her out fifty feet higher than where she¡¯d started. She hit the path hard, rolling to absorb the impact. When she finally stopped, she was somehow closer to the peak.


    It dissipated without acknowledgment.


    [Well. That¡¯s one way to climb.]


    The peak loomed above now. Just bare rock surrounded by a perfect sphere of swirling clouds. Lightning crackled between the layers, creating a cage of electricity that pulsed with its own rhythm.


    Beautiful, in a "definitely going to kill you" kind of way.


    Grace reached the final stretch of path.


    Grace remembered Eternia¡¯s warning. The Tempest potentially knew she wasn¡¯t her creator. But maybe, just maybe, pretending might buy her time to figure out the Pillar¡¯s mood.


    Or it might piss her off more.


    [Only one way to find out. Time to act like a goddess. You¡¯ve got this, Grace. Channel that big... deity energy.]


    She stepped onto the peak proper. The storm sphere closed around her, cutting off the rest of the world. Inside, the air felt electric. Every hair on her body stood on end.


    "Tempest!" Grace called out, trying to channel Eternia¡¯s confidence. She threw her arms wide like she owned the place. "I¡¯ve returned!"


    The storms paused.


    [Eh?]


    Every single droplet of rain froze mid-air. Every snowflake stopped mid-fall. Even the lightning held still, crackling arcs suspended between clouds.


    The silence was deafening.


    Then the sky screamed.


    Not thunder. Not wind. An actual scream that sounded like reality itself was having a breakdown.


    A figure descended from above. Where the Root had been earthy and the Tide watery, where the Flame had been solid and burning, the Tempest never touched the ground. She floated twenty feet up, surrounded by a personal hurricane that whipped her form in and out of focus.


    She looked like Eternia if someone had taken Eternia, put her in a blender with a tornado, and then tried to put her back together using only anger and bad decisions.


    White hair whipped in every direction, defying gravity and common sense. Golden eyes flickered between colors¡ªblue, green, red, purple, back to gold, sometimes all at once. Her body kept shifting between solid flesh and literal wind.


    "You." The word came out like breaking glass mixed with nails on a chalkboard. "You dare?"


    The frozen weather resumed. All of it. At once. Rain from seven directions, snow from twelve, hail shaped like fists, lightning that seemed personally offended by Grace¡¯s existence¡ªeverything hit her at the same time.


    She threw herself sideways. A lightning bolt carved a trench where she¡¯d been standing, the rock melting into glass from the heat.


    "YOU DARE WEAR HER FACE?"


    [Ah, crap. She knows.]


    Grace dropped the act immediately. No point pretending when the jig was clearly up.


    "Okay, I¡¯m not¡ª"


    "I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE!" The Tempest¡¯s form scattered into wind, then reformed ten feet closer. "Her little replacement! Her backup plan! Her INSULT!"


    "Look, I just want to talk¡ª"


    "Talk?" The Tempest laughed. "She sent you to TALK?"


    "She didn¡¯t send me. I came on my own."


    "LIAR!"


    More lightning. Grace¡¯s blade materialized just in time to deflect it. The impact still sent her sliding backward, her feet carving grooves in solid stone.


    "Eternia pretends to be a dopey airhead but everything she does is planned! Calculated! Even abandoning us!" The Tempest spun in place, creating a vortex that sucked up loose rocks and what looked like a confused bird. "Especially abandoning us!"


    "I¡¯m seriously trying to help¡ª"


    "HELP?" The Tempest¡¯s form solidified completely. She looked exactly like Eternia now, if Eternia had been fed nothing but rage and disappointment for millennia. "Like she helped by shoving her indecision into me? Her doubt? Her inability to commit to ANYTHING?"


    The temperature dropped to absolute zero. Grace¡¯s next breath came out as ice crystals.


    Then it spiked to inferno levels. The ice crystals immediately became steam.


    Then both. Then neither. Then something else entirely that made her skin feel inside-out.


    "Do you know what it¡¯s like?" The Tempest descended slightly, still floating but now close enough that Grace could see the madness swirling in her eyes. "To be made of questions with no answers? To never know what you want? What you are? What you¡¯re supposed to be?"


    "I¡ª"


    "OF COURSE YOU DON¡¯T!"


    Wind slammed into Grace. She hit a boulder hard enough to see stars, then slid down it to land on her butt.


    "You¡¯re her perfect little chosen one! Clear purpose! Clear path! Must be nice!"


    Grace tried to stand. The wind shoved her down again, grinding her face into the dirt.


    [Okay. Getting real tired of eating rocks.]


    "I didn¡¯t ask for this either¡ª"


    "But you got it anyway." The Tempest¡¯s voice went quiet. Which was somehow worse than the screaming. "Her favor. Her power. Her love."


    The storms calmed. Just for a moment. The eye of the hurricane.


    "While we got her garbage."


    Then everything exploded again.


    Wind shrieked. Lightning struck in bursts. The ground beneath Grace¡¯s feet started to crack and shift like it was trying to buck her off the mountain entirely. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can¡¯t decide if I want to kill you or keep you." The Tempest tilted her head at an angle that heads shouldn¡¯t tilt. "Both sound good. Or neither. Or something else entirely. Maybe I¡¯ll turn you into weather. Would you like to be a nice drizzle? Or perhaps a hurricane?"


    She raised her hand. The air around her fingers twisted into various odd shapes.


    "Actually, you know what? I can¡¯t decide. So I¡¯ll let others do it for me."


    Wind coalesced into other shapes. Humanoid but wrong. Made of compressed air and fury, with suggestions of faces in their swirling forms. Eyes that were just gaps in the wind. Mouths that opened on nothing.


    Five of them. Then ten. Then twenty. Then too many to count. All around level 40.


    "Yes... These things are like me," The Tempest smiled. It wasn¡¯t a nice smile. It was the kind of smile that made you regret being born. "They can¡¯t decide what they are either. But they know they¡¯re angry."


    The wind-creatures charged.


    Grace raised her blade as the first one reached her, its wind-fist already swinging for her head.