《Otherworld Avatar》


 Chapter I - An Accident

    Lily checked out from work, stepped outside and started working towards the bus stop. The weather outside was nice, and she was feeling better than usual. Her job in the city archive was not exciting, but she was starting to get along with her new coworkers. Working in the archive was not her dream job, but she had to make ends meet until she finished University, and sorting out old files was hardly the toughest job she had done to support herself. One of her coworkers had even invited her out, but she was not yet sure if she wanted to accept. Lily really liked Nat, but she had always been a little shy about these things, and she didn''t want to ruin a potential friendship. It is not like she had no experience with relationships, but she preferred to take things slow. She let the familiar thoughts around their course as she reached the bus stop. It was empty, as it often was when she finished work, and she took a seat on the small bench. She reached for her purse, and pulled out a book. It was another one of the fantasy novels she enjoyed reading, and she dove into it while she waited for her bus to arrive. Her reading was interrupted a few minutes later however,when she heard a car horn shrieking to her left. Lily spun around, and she saw a large, gray truck speeding through a red light. She had no time to react as the truck drove full speed into an oncoming car, sending it spinning straight into the bus stop where Lily was sitting. The car hit her, sending her flying through the glass back of the bus stop. She hit the ground hard, and she felt hot blood streaming down her face. She tried getting up, but could not feel her legs. Her vision became blurry, and her whole body hurt.


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    I guess I don''t have to think about that date after all, Lily thought to herself, as the light faded from her eyes.


    When Lily awoke, she had no idea how much, if any, time had passed. She felt no pain, which she realized was because she had no body. In fact,as far as she could tell, she was an orb drifting aimlessly in a formless void.


    Is this the afterlife?she wondered as she tried to get used to her new situation. If so, there must be more to it than being stuck in a dark void forever.


    She tried to make out anything in the darkness, which was not easy in her current state, but after a while she managed to spot two sources of light. One of them was above her, and the other was below, although directions didn''t make much sense in her current form.


    Do I go for the white light above,or the purple below, she asked herself as she contemplated her options. I always liked purple, so what the hell, let''s try that one first.


    Having made the decision, Lily tried moving her spherical form, and with some effort, she managed to slowly float downwards, closer to the source of the purple light, which became bigger and brighter. She had no way of telling how long it took, but eventually Lily found herself floating in front of what looked like a purple portal. She briefly contemplated checking out the other light, but it was barely visible now, and she didn''t want to spend any more time in the void that she had to. The portal had a seductive pull, like it was calling for her soul specifically, and seeing no other options, she floated inside. She was sucked in, and for a short moment, she ceased to exist as the portal transported her soul outside the void.

 Chapter II - Meeting the Divine

    "Finally a volunteer," Lily heard a voice say as she opened her eyes. Wait, I have eyes again, she realized as she noticed that she was back in what looked like her body. The next thing she noticed was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, sitting across from her. The woman had waist-long blonde hair, and was wearing a purple dress that was almost see-through. Her most striking feature, however, were her unearthly deep-purple eyes. Lily felt unable to divert her gaze from them, as if her very soul was being sucked in. After some time, Lily realized she had been staring without saying anything, and she mustered the courage to speak up.


    "Uhm, hello, my name is Lily and I don''t really know what''s going on here," she said, still unable to look away.


    "Hello there, Lily," the woman said. The voice was soft, and it seemed to Lily that it was coming from inside her own head.


    "This must be confusing, so I will explain some things. I am a goddess and you have entered my domain through a portal I opened in the great In-Between."


    Lily''s eyes went wide at that revelation, but before she could say anything, the goddess continued: "One of the worlds I''m in charge of is in danger, and I need someone to be my champion, so I opened a portal through which the souls of potential candidates could come through. It seems like you the In-Between decided that you are one such suitable candidate and showed the portal to you."


    Lily took a moment to compose herself before saying anything. She didn''t want to offend an actual deity, and she was still in shock from the events she had experienced recently. She had died, and then it turned out that souls were real, and hers had apparently found a way into a meeting with an actual deity (which as it turns out are also real). It was a lot to take in for a normal girl from Earth, and she didn''t want to make some mistake which would have her soul damned for eternity, or whatever the punishment was for being disrespectful.


    "You need not worry so much, I am not a vengeful sort. If it helps, you can call me Dahlia, as that is the name I am known in the world that is in danger," Lily heard the voice say. The words reassured her,  though the knowledge that her thoughts were not fully private was unsettling.


    "So you are asking me to be your champion and protect a world?" Lily said quietly. "Not to be rude, but I am not sure I am the best person for the job. That''s a lot of responsibility for an ordinary girl like me."


    "Don''t sell yourself short, the In-Between obviously thought you were up to the task, or you would not have seen the portal leading you here," Dahlia said. "You can of course choose not to reincarnate, and return to the In-Between. "


    "What would happen to me then?" Lily inquired, hoping to learn more about the strange place she was in and the afterlife in general.


    "I am afraid that I am not allowed to give out such details to mortals. We gods have our own rules, which is in part why I need a champion, and cannot intervene myself," the goddess explained. "In any case, the decision is yours, and I will not force you to do one thing or the other."


    "I see. Can you tell me something about the world in question then, before I make my decision," Lily asked.


    "Judging from your memories and interests, you will like it. It''s what you would call a fantasy world, full of monsters and magic, heroes and villains. I can''t give you more specifics, but you would have my gifts to protect you and help you on your path," the goddess explained.


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    Having calmed down somewhat, Lily slowly realized that the idea appealed to her. She had liked reading fantasy novels since she was a child, imagining herself as a great heroine fighting evil with magic. It was one of the escapes from her dreary life in the orphanage, and having an opportunity to play out those fantasies for real was enticing. She briefly wondered if all of this was some crazy hallucination her mind came up with, while she bled out on the sidewalk back on Earth, but deep down she knew it was real. She had really died, and now faced a choice of either returning to the dark void she had been in, or reincarnating in a whole different world. It was crazy to think that yesterday she was a no-name clerk in a dusty archive, and today she had the chance to become a hero, to be somebody. Lily didn''t think she wasted her life on Earth, she did well for herself considering she was orphaned at six, but neither did she do anything of note, and now she had a chance to make a difference, to help people.


    There is no way I can pass up that kind of opportunity, she thought as she finally made a decision.


    "I''ll do it. I will be your champion," Lily said with a look of determination, and the goddess nodded in response.


    "Excellent, now we can talk about some reincarnation details," she said and smiled for the first time. It was a mischievous smile, one that made Lily question her choice instantly.


    "Such as?" Lily asked with some concern.


    "Well for starters, I will have to change some of your memories." Dalia answered


    "In what way?" she asked. "Not all of them are great, but they make me who I am. "


    "I cannot let you keep all your knowledge of Earth''s science and technology and bring it to Teras. It is another one of those pesky rules we gods have to follow," the goddess explained, and Lily calmed down.


    She didn''t care much for science anyway, but she had twenty years worth of memories of people and places, and she didn''t want to lose those. If she could not go back to Earth, she could at least keep it in her memory.


    "Can''t say I am very comfortable with someone changing my memory, but if it has to be done, so be it," she assented, and the goddess nodded, before continuing:


    "You will also receive my blessings, but you will need to discover and learn how to use them yourself. What I can do however, since I am making your new body from scratch, is give you some skills to help you out. The rules don''t allow me to make you far stronger than normal, but you will have skills as if you trained for years, so you don''t have to start from nothing. After that, you will need to put in work to become more powerful, like everyone else," Dahlia explained and Lily nodded. That sounded fair to her, and she was glad she would not be defenseless to start, as she had no training back home on Earth.


    Though that is no longer my home I suppose, she remembered, but her sad thoughts were interrupted by a shrill noise that sounded as if it came from everywhere in the room at once.


    "We don''t have much time left, so I better get started," Dahlia said and started getting up.


    "But wait, you didn''t even tell me what I am supposed to do once I am reincarnated," Lily said quickly, but the goddess just waved her off:


    "You will be able to contact me through my temples on Teras once you are there. That is your first task, I suppose."


    She stood up and started walking over to Lily, who let out a sigh as Dahlia revealed her full form, which was truly stunning. She must really be a goddess to possess such beauty, Lily thought, but her thoughts were interrupted by Dahlia coming to a stop in front of her. The goddess leaned in and whispered in her ear:"By the way, I might make some small physical modifications to your body. I am a goddess of love and beauty, among other thing, after all. "


    Before Lilly could react to that information, Dahlia gave her a soft kiss on the lips. It was a chaste thing, hardly the most passionate kiss Lily ever had, but it set her whole body and soul on fire.


    "Good luck!" the goddess said as she pulled back from the kiss. As she spoke, Lily noticed purple strands leaving the goddess, and entering her body before her own vision faded to black and she fell asleep.

 Chapter III - Waking Up

    Lily opened her eyes slowly as the rays of the morning sun woke her up. As she came to, the first thing she did was to check if she felt any pain or injuries, but she quickly realized that she was fine.


    Wow, I really did die and get reincarnated, it wasn''t all a strange dream I got from reading all those novels, Lily thought, and  the reality of the situation hit her. She started sobbing quietly, tears streaming down her face as she remembered all the people and places she would never see again, all the stories whose ending she would never know. The worst thing,  though, was that she realized that nobody would miss her all that much. Her parents died when she was young, and she had no siblings, so there was no family who would mourn her death. She was a recent hire at work, and although she got along well with her colleagues, it would not be hard to replace her. She wondered how long it would take for the nice old landlady to find a new tenant for her apartment.


    Still, I don''t think I did all that bad in my life on Earth after being orphaned at six. I managed to get into a good university and was about to finish my education. I do wish I had more time for my social life though, Lily sighed, and started wiping her tears away. It seems like fate has decided to give me another chance, and I should not squander it. She took a moment to compose herself before getting up and taking a look at her surroundings. First, she took a good look at her own body. The goddess had said she was making it from scratch and that she would make some "adjustments", but Lily was not sure what she meant. The first thing she noticed was that her chest was noticeably bigger. She supposed that she couldn''t complain that a goddess of love and passion gave her bigger boobs, since she had been a little insecure about her old pair, especially since all of her girlfriends had been bigger. It was hardly the worst thing a protagonist could suffer, she supposed as she continued checking herself out. She didn''t feel any taller, but she couldn''t be sure, and she was fine with that. Being 5''8" was plenty tall for her, though she realized she had no clue how that compared to the average of this world. She was wearing a green sleeveless shirt, and a pair of plain blue pants. She wouldn''t call her apparel eye-catching, but it was practical. The next thing she noticed while checking herself out was that her muscles were noticeably larger. She wouldn''t call herself ripped, but it was the body of someone who exercised regularly. Dalia did mention she would give me skills equal to several years of training, the improved physique is probably a part of that, Lily realized, and made a mental note to exercise regularly to keep her new look. It was not something she managed to do back on Earth, spending most of her free time online or reading.


    She turned her attention to the nature around her. The alien sun looked a little larger than Earth''s own, but it was still low over the horizon. It''s good that it''s still morning so I have time to get a bearing, and find shelter before nightfall. She saw that she was standing under a tree, in the middle of a forest clearing. Tall, ancient oaks circled the area on all sides, but she did notice a small stream of water flowing in the direction of the rising sun. She also discovered a satchel bag next to the place she woke up. Lily had hoped Dalia would not send her empty handed into an unfamiliar world, and she was glad to be proven right. She picked the bag up and inspected it. At first glance it seemed ordinary to her, but when she opened it and looked inside she realized she couldn''t see anything, not even the bottom. She tried reaching inside but she could not reach the bottom,  despite the bag being much shorter than her arm. Lily knew magic was real on Teras, but coming face to face with it still felt weird. The bag she held violated every principle of reality Earth had, yet she suspected it was only the first of many wonders she would experience here. Provided I survive of course. I have to figure out how the damn thing works, Lily mussed. I wonder how I access the things inside. She started rummaging just around while trying to think about items that might be inside. She thought about food, and to her surprise she felt her hand grabbing something inside. She pulled out, and in her hand was a sandwich with some sort of meat inside. Eureka, though this would be easier if I knew what was inside. Maybe there is a way to access that information that I don''t know about, she thought as she regretted not getting more practical information from Dalia, instead of staring into her eyes the whole time. Can''t be helped, you don''t get to meet actual divinity every day. Well it''s time for the good old trial and error approach,  although I should eat first. Lily sat down and tentatively took a small bite of the sandwich. The meat tasted vaguely chicken-like, although it was salted, and there were some unknown vegetables mixed in. It was tasty enough, and she continued eating as she tried to think about things that could be inside her bag.


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    Few hours later, Lily sat in the same place,  surrounded by various items. She managed to dig up around two dozen sandwiches like the one she ate, so she wasn''t going to starve any time soon. She also found a metal canteen with water,  although she wasn''t as worried about that since she intended to follow the stream to try and find civilization. She managed to fish out a decent amount of clothing. Several shirts and pants like the ones she wore sat in a neatly folded pile beside her, along with some towels, but the more interesting items were laid out in front of her. There was a set of reinforced leather armor along with a white triangle shield, but the crowning piece of her little collection was a short sword whose hilt was adorned by six beautiful gemstones. Two diamonds flanked a central, larger, ruby on both sides. She also had a smaller knife that wasn''t as intricately decorated, but still had a nicely carved wooden handle. Beyond the weapons and armor, Lily also found some bandages and several vials filled with a red liquor that popped into her hand when she thought about healing. She also managed to figure out how to store the items back, by putting them inside and then closing the bag, the item would disappear inside. Satisfied with her findings, and with the sun higher in the sky, Lily decided to set out. She stored all of the items back, with the exception of the knife and the sword which came with a belt and a scabbard. She briefly considered putting the armor on, but she felt it would slow her down, especially since it was getting quite hot, despite a breeze. She had no idea how far she would have to walk to find civilization, so conserving energy was key. With preparations made, she made her way across the clearing towards the small stream, trampling the damp morning grass underfoot. She listened to the sounds around her; the cacophony of the chirping birds, different than any she knew from Earth, the rustling of leaves in the slow breeze, and the sharp smell of grass were foreign to a city girl like her. Take it all in, Lily, but remember that all of this beauty could be in danger, and you are tasked with protecting it. She pushed back the doubts about her role as she reached the stream at forest edge. It was a slow moving thing, with crystal clear water, and she took a quick look at her own reflection. Her familiar face looked back at her, less pale than usual,  but her pupils were different,  a  shade of purple lighter than Dahlia''s. If the goddess gave me bigger boobs, she could have also made my forehead a little smaller, she sighed as she saw her reflection.It is what it is though, I can''t really complain about being reborn, can I? Determined not to lose more daylight, she took a deep breath and plunged into the forest, and into adventure.

 Chapter IV - Finding Civilization

    The moss-covered forest floor was pleasant to walk on, so Lily felt confident she could make good progress,  especially since the underbrush wasn''t as bad as she had feared. Only rarely did she have to use her own sword to clear a path, to be able to stick close to the stream. It was a strange feeling, knowing how to swing a sword despite never wielding one before. She suspected it would take some time getting used to it, but it felt empowering. Swinging a weapon for the first time, like the heroes she red about, even if the opponent was only a bush, made Lily happy. She had always been a dreamer, like many of the other orphans she knew, and being able to act out a part of her fantasies was great, and she just hoped she would not disappoint her goddess. There''s a strange thought, thinking about her as MY goddess, when just yesterday I was sure gods and magic were not real. Just another thing I better get used to, she thought. As she made her way forward, Lily realized she was noticing thing she never would have previously. Her eyesight was better, able to make out details in the distance like never before. Her hearing had improved too, she could differentiate between various insect noises, for example. Even the wind felt more intense on her exposed skin. I wonder if this is normal on this world,  something every human can do, or if it is a part of the gifts Dalia gave me.


    The stream she was following had steadily grown wider, absorbing water from two springs it had passed by. Lily took that as a good sign that it would not disappear into the underground water system, leaving her directionless. Another good sign was the fact that the forest wasn''t getting denser, so she hoped she was moving toward the edge of the forest, and not stumbling into its depths. Despite hours of walking, she didn''t feel tired, and only took a break to eat another one of her sandwiches for lunch. The sun was past its zenith, and she was beginning to think about finding shelter for the coming night, when she noticed a gradual opening in the treeline ahead. She picked up her pace, and quickly realized there was a clearing ahead. The stream bent and flowed gently down the slope from there, but what caught her eye was the hill next to it. It offered an excellent vantage point, so she hoped she could spot signs of civilization from there. She climbed up swiftly, and took a look around the area. Her hopes were rewarded, and her heart soared, as she spotted a dirt road winding its way through the underbrush, some two hundred yards below. The stream she had been following flowed on, parallel to it. She was about to scream from joy when she noticed movement in the distance. She spotted a horse-drawn carriage making its way around the bend. Lily was still getting used to her improved eyesight, and she was amazed that she could make out details from such a large distance. There were two people sitting in front of the carriage, a woman and a man who was the driver. They were moving slowly, and Lily noticed they were armed. Not too strange if you are traveling through the wilds in a world of monsters, I suppose, Lily thought as she checked the carriage out. The two humans were dressed in plain clothes, with no armor. The horse looked old and a bit thin, and she noticed that there was space for another animal in front of the carriage.


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    That might be why they are moving so slow. But why set out on a journey in a two-horse carriage with just one animal? Maybe the other was injured on the way here? She was about to leave her vantage point on the hill, and make her way down to the road, where she would wait for the carriage as it slowly advanced, when she saw something that horrified her. The woman leaned to the side to tell something to the man, letting Lily take a peek into the covered inside of the vehicle. She was shocked when she spotted another young woman sitting inside, with her hands tied behind her back, and her feet bound. Her clothes were torn and ragged, and it looked like her face was bruised. Lily couldn''t tell if she was awake or not, but before she could make out more details, her brief look inside ended as the woman outside returned to her previous position. Lily was at a loss of what to do. The carriage and the couple were the best shot she had at reaching civilization, but they could be dangerous. If she approached them openly, they could attack and capture her, and she certainly didn''t want to start her new life as someone''s prisoner, or even worse, a slave. She shuddered at the thought, and decided to take a more cautious approach. The carriage was traveling slowly, so she felt confident she could follow them at a distance. It could give her time to learn more about the situation. The girl inside could be some sort of a criminal the pair was transporting, but Lily doubted that. It was far more likely that she was captured by the pair of brigands, and was being taken somewhere. If she followed the carriage, she could look for an opportunity to free the girl, or alert the authorities once they reached civilization. She didn''t like the thought of fighting or killing actual humans on her first day in a new world, but she remembered the oath she made, and steeled herself.


    If I am to be a champion of a goddess, I will try and act like it. I am not gonna leave an innocent person in a desperate situation. I should not rush, though. I have no idea how strong I am, or how powerful the opponents could be. Best to follow them silently, and only strike if an opportunity presents itself, Lily decided. Before doing anything, she took out her armor and put it on. It was light enough not to hinder her movement, and she wanted to be as prepared as possible if she was spotted. She kept her shield stored, since it was more unwieldy, and she feared its brighter color would make her easier to spot. That done, she made her way down the slope, using the brush to keep out of view.

 Chapter V - Rescue

    The sun was starting to set when Lily reached the bottom of the slope. She could hear the sounds of hooves approaching as she waited for the carriage to pass, before following it. It passed by, and the pair riding it gave no indication of having spotted her.


    Don''t celebrate yet, the hard part will be following them, Lily thought as she set off. Luckily, the area between the road and the stream proved to be easily traversable, while the tall grass and bush kept her out of view, should someone look her way. Now that they were closer, Lily could hear the conversation between the two people driving the cart. Some of it was idle chatter, but she did hear the man lamenting the fact they only had one horse. Mostly, though, they remained silent as they made their way through the dusk, unaware that they were being followed.


    After some time, with most of the Sun below the horizon, the carriage came to a stop and Lily heard the man speak:"It''s time to stop and camp for the night. I will collect some firewood, and you go and feed the bitch. Make sure she eats something, the Boss is paying well for this one."


    She heard the woman laugh, before answering: "Sure thing Tommy. Too bad we aren''t allowed to have some fun, this one is such a nice little prize."


    "No screwing around and damaging the goods this time, Beth. This is too big of a payday for a pair of level ones to pass up, and once we get the money, I will pay for your stay at the brothel if you don''t fuck this up."


    "I''ll hold you to that," the woman said, and Lily saw the man climbing down and walking away towards the forest on the other side of the road. As he slipped into darkness, the woman climbed down as well. She held some sort of a torch, which finally gave Lily a chance to look at her properly. She had short brown hair, and a taut red face, wrinkled around the eyes. She wore a scruffy shirt and dirty pants held by a worn out leather belt. A small sword was hanging by her side, and she strode confidently as she made her way towards the back of the carriage. Lily realized this would be her best chance to help the bound girl, so she began creeping slowly towards the road and the carriage. Adrenaline made her heart race, and she felt the blood rushing into her head. Her mind raced, and she took deep breaths as she tried to calm down.


    Getting spotted now would ruin everything. Besides, there is nothing to worry about, how hard could it be for a god''s chosen champion to take out a pair of level ones? Never mind that the champion has zero combat experience and those level ones look like hardened brigands. The woman, Beth, came to a stop behind the carriage and pulled a key out.


    "Wake up princess, it''s dinner time," Beth yelled out as she opened the door and stepped inside.


    Now is my chance to reach the carriage unnoticed, Lily decided, and she darted forward. Her feet hit the thick dirt of the road running, and she crossed the gap in what felt like a single breath. Beth, inside the carriage, gave no indication she had spotted or heard her, instead moving to the bound girl, and yelling: "Be a good girl now, and eat, or I will have to bust your pretty face up even more. Tommy told me not to mess with you, but a few broken teeth aren''t anything a healer can''t fix, are they?"


    Anger rose in Lily as she heard the woman''s words, and she considered her options. She could rush inside and try to take Beth out before she hurt the bound girl or she could wait outside and ambush the woman as she exited. She didn''t want to see the prisoner hurt further but she didn''t like the idea of facing the brigand inside. The adage about cornered animals came to mind, and she didn''t fancy her chances of taking out the older woman in a fair fight before she raised an alarm and alerted the man to Lily''s presence. No, Lily was smart enough to realize that surprise was her greatest weapon. She would wait in ambush outside, and she gave a small prayer to her goddess, praying that Beth would hold back and not abuse the prisoner more. Luckily, she heard no protests from the bound girl, and after a short while, Beth was moving towards the exit.


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    Well it''s now or never, Lily thought as she positioned herself behind the corner of the carriage. Beth slowly exited, and turned towards the girl inside:


    "As long as you keep being an obedient little girl, I am sure the boss won''t hurt you too badly," she gloated as she reached to close the door."I don''t know why he is paying so much for a bitch like you but I-"


    She never finished her thought for Lily moved with speed she didn''t know she possessed. Driven by fear and adrenaline, and guided by the reflexes of her new body, Lily smashed the pommel of her sword into Beth''s head. The older woman staggered, but before she could make a sound, a second strike to her temple knocked her out. Her limp body fell to the ground, and Lily took the torch and jumped inside.


    Mia heard the commotion outside, but she could not see anything from her position inside. Not that she cared all that much.  From what the thugs were saying,  they didn''t know about her powers, but whoever hired them surely did. Which meant that she was going to spend the rest of her life as a glorified slave to some rich bastard. My only hope is to convince them my father will pay more for my return than what they are getting for delivering me. It was a desperate thought, and the woman was too much of a sadist to listen to her, but the man was the smarter one, and might be persuaded. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of someone jumping inside.


    Was the thug gonna torture her anyway?


    She raised her head and looked towards the exit, where she saw a beautiful woman in armor walking towards her. Hope swelled, but she reminded herself that she needed to be careful, for the woman might just be another thug who was after her powers or wealth.


    Lilly saw the girl bound and gagged in the corner,  and rushed to help her. She knelt down, pulled out her knife and started removing the ropes. Lily noticed a few bruises on the smaller girl''s body, and her nice clothes were damaged. The right sleeve of her shirt was ripped off, and her leggings had holes in several places. That didn''t stop Lily from noticing how cute the smaller girl was. Her raven dark hair framed her petite face nicely, and she had strange emerald eyes, which were filled with tears. She must have been crying, the poor thing. Hopefully the thugs didn''t hurt her too much.


    She cut the last of the rope and removed the gag from the girl''s mouth. Stepping back to give her some space, Lily spoke out:


    "Are you well enough to stand up and walk? We need to get out of here as fast as possible, the man could return at any moment. I am Lily by the way."


    Mia''s heart soared when the girl released her, but she still needed to be careful. She didn''t look like someone her father would hire to rescue her, so who else would attack a carriage in the forest in the middle of the night but a bandit?


    She was surprised by the other girl''s questions though, and her accent was weird. It seemed like she really didn''t know who Mia was though, so after a moment to gather her thoughts, Mia answered:


    "Thank you for releasing me, stranger. My name is Mia, and I am afraid that I am not in shape to make an escape. That rope was enchanted to drain my mana, and that left me physically weak, too."


    She lowered her head, embarrassed of her weakness in front of her pretty savior.


    And she is pretty. Her platinum blonde hair looks radiant in the dim light of the torch, and the way her armor shows off her curves is amazing.


    Mia realized she was starting to stare at Lily and quickly looked away.


    "I could drive the carriage though, I am pretty good with horses," she said, after an awkward pause.


    "That''s great. Let''s get out of here and we can talk when we are safe," Lily said, and helped Mia get up. She needed help getting out of the carriage, so Lily sheathed her sword and used the free atm to give support to Mia as she leaned on her.


    She is really pretty, despite the bruises. The way she got embarrassed earlier was really cute, too.


    Lily gave herself a mental shake. Why was she thinking about how cute Mia was at a time like this?She had just met the girl and they were still in danger.


    You really are a pervert, Lily, aren''t you?You get reborn and you are checking out the first girl you meet right away?, she asked herself, not knowing that Mia was having similar thoughts right next to her.


    Keep it together Mia, you aren''t safe yet. You don''t know if you can fully trust her yet. Sure, she rescued you, and sure she is strong and fit and tall and could probably carry you out in her arms, but you two just met, you pervert. Stop checking her out, or she will think you are weird, Mia thought as they exited the carriage. The fresh air felt nice, and for the first time that day, she was starting to believe she would make it home safely, when the two girls heard a voice from the front of the carriage:


    "Beth, you stupid bum, where are you? You know I am an awful cook, I need your help with dinner."

 Chapter VI - First Blood

    "Oh, shit," Lily swore silently, and turned to Mia: "I''d hoped that we could escape before he came back, but it looks like that''s not happening."


    "I''m sorry, I am in no shape to fight," Mia stuttered, but Lily cut her off with a smile:


    "Hey, don''t worry. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the whole hero thing." In fact, she didn''t really know what she was getting into, but putting on a brave face seemed like the thing to do.


    She let Mia go, and reached for her inventory to get her shield.


    "Do you know anything about how this guy fights?" she asked, as she pulled the shield out.


    Mia slowly shook her head, before answering: "I am afraid that they ambushed me with the help of that bitch lying there, and while I managed to take out one guy and his horse, this thug hit me with something from behind that knocked me out. I heard a loud crack before it happened, so I guess he has Lightning or Earth attunement with some sort of ranged skill. Sorry I can''t help more."


    "It''s ok, that''s more than I knew before. And, you did manage to beat one guy, so at least now I have a chance," Lily smiled as she spoke. "No way I could beat two guys on my own in my first fight." She pulled out her knife and handed it to Mia: "Just in case you need a weapon, take this, but please stay here. I don''t want to see you get hurt even more."


    Mia nodded and Lily started slowly creeping towards the front of the carriage, where the thug, Tommy, was.


    I didn''t quite understand all of what Mia told me, but I did get that letting this guy attack me from range is a bad idea. My best chance is to ambush him like I did with the woman, but he is gonna be on alert."


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Tommy moving, and before she could hide she saw him coming around the carriage. He hung his torch on it, and the light revealed her.


    Damn it, I have no choice but to fight him directly now.


    "Who the hell are you, and where''s Beth?" Tommy yelled out as he reached for his sword. Lily lunged forward, sword in hand, but Tommy was quick and managed to deflect her strike with his blade. Lily grunted and pressed on, trying again.


    I have to keep him close and off balance, so he can''t cast his spell, she thought as the thug blocked her again.


    Mia saw the fight start, and she wished she could be of more help. The bindings had drained her mana and left her weak physically.


    I trained to be a mage, but I''ve sparred with enough guards at my father''s estate to know the basics of swordplay, and despite what Lily said about this being her first fight, she is good, Mia thought as she spectated the fight. She couldn''t help but be a little impressed when Lily managed to make a cut on her opponent''s chest. There was something strange about the way Lily moved, however.


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    She definitely swings her sword like someone fully trained, but her footwork is off. It''s as if she just got her mastery and is still not fully aware of her abilities, which is ridiculous. Everyone gets their first mastery by the time they are fifteen, like me six years ago, and Lily is certainly much older than that. But she didn''t even know how to use her inventory properly before, so just who is this strange cute girl? Mia''s head was a whirlwind of thoughts as she watched the fight that would  likely decide her own fate.


    Meanwhile, Lily was really starting to get into the flow of battle. She felt her heart jump as she landed another small hit on the thug. He cried out in pain, and she could see the fear creeping into his eyes. She was getting better with every passing moment, her mind catching up to the abilities of her new body, and her opponent was starting to realize he was outmatched. Tommy was no soldier, but this was not his first fight, and he knew he couldn''t win fairly. The damn girl was stronger than him, and just as fast. Well, there was no reason he had to fight fair, he thought, as he formulated a plan. He tried to pull away and use the carriage as cover.


    "No you don''t!" Lily yelled as she followed him. This was exactly what he had expected, and as he ran back, he cut the ropes holding the luggage atop the carriage, and the trunks started falling down.


    Lily managed to toll away and dodge, but she instantly knew she had made a big mistake. She saw Tommy''s eyes glow, and he raised his free hand towards her.


    "Die, bitch!" he yelled, and lightning started forming in his hand.


    Such a display of magic would have been cool if I wasn''t the target, Lily thought as she raised her shield in front of her. She couldn''t dodge, stuck between the carriage and the roadside ditch, so she hoped that her shield would be enough.


    Mia saw what was happening and cursed her weakness again. If Tommy took Lily out, the thugs would capture them both. The woman would abuse and kill Lily, she was sure of that, while her own fate would not be much better. She realized what she had to do.


    With no mana, this is the only way I can help. I hope she is as nice as she seems, she thought as she drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused inwards, first feeling the familiar warm glow of her own soul, and then sensing three others nearby. She ignored the one belonging to the unconscious thug, and reached out to the one which belonged to Lily. It was different somehow, not fully of this world, but there was no time to dwell on that, as she started the invocation. Her eyes opened, glowing white hot and she saw the man forming his spell.


    "Soul Link!" she yelled out, and for an instant nobody could measure, her world went blank as her soul reached out to Lily''s. When her consciousness returned, she knew it had worked, for she could sense Lily''s soul like it was her own. It was a strange feeling, like touching someone who wasn''t actually there, but she couldn''t savor it. She had to act as she heard a loud crack and saw the thug firing his bolt of lightning into Lily.


    "Absorb," she chanted out, and gritted her teeth in anticipation of the pain that would come.


    Lily heard Mia yell something behind her, but her focus was on the fight, as she prepared to take a beating. But it never came. The bolt struck her head on,  crashing into her shield and flowing around it, but then, for a moment,  nothing happened. Then, she heard Mia screaming out in agony,  and she realized that the thug had hit her. She didn''t know how, but that didn''t matter now, and she roared as purple light surrounded her.


    "How dare you hurt her!" Lily heard herself yell in a voice she didn''t recognize, and she lunged at the thug with incredible speed. Tommy was stunned by his spell having no effect on Lily, and before he could recover, he saw her moving towards him with murderous intent. Her eyes glowed purple in the dark and he could feel a powerful presence of mana around her. He tried parrying her blow, but it was too late. Her sword drove straight through the thug''s heart, and Tommy''s vision went dark, his life extinguished.

 Chapter VII - Aftermath

    When she returned to her senses, the first thing Lily noticed was that her sword was stuck in a lifeless body. There was no time to think about the implications of losing control and killing someone, she needed to help Mia, especially since she had no idea how much time had passed. She pulled the sword out and rushed back. Her body was shaking from shock, and she felt tired like never before, but she forced herself to move.


    She saw Mia lying on the ground, motionless, and panicked.


    "No, no, she can''t be dead, please goddess," she cried out in the dark as she knelt down beside the girl. Lily checked her pulse, and was relieved when she felt Mia''s heartbeats. The feeling was temporary however, because she noticed blood dripping out of the injured girl''s mouth.


    All Mia could do was open her eyes when she felt Lily''s touch, but she could not speak nor move, and her whole body was in incredible pain. Must be some sort of a stun spell-she thought deliriously as Lily pulled her up against the carriage.


    I never thought I would die like this, in the middle of a forest, taking a blow for someone I just met. Hopefully Lily is fine-Mia thought as her vision got blurry, and more blood seeped into her mouth.


    "I am not gonna let you die here," she heard Lily scream beside her, and felt a soft hand grab her, forcing her mouth open. More blood came out, and another hand holding a red vial came into view. It poured the liquid into her mouth and Mia felt instant relief. She could feel her tongue again, and she started swallowing the liquid as quickly as she could. After a few moments, she felt her body relax, and her vision cleared up. She saw Lily standing over her, with tears in her eyes and heard her pleas. She tried speaking, but only coughed up some blood. Lily reacted instantly, and knelt beside her.


    "Can you hear me?" she whispered and Mia nodded meekly in response.


    "Thank Dahlia, the potion must have worked, " Lily cried out, and hugged the injured girl. Mia''s body protested, but she forced her arms to move, and hugged Lily back.


    "Thanks to you, I think I am gonna survive," Mia said slowly, and felt Lily''s tears on her shoulder.


    "Never scare me like that again, ok? We just met and I thought you died and I have no idea what happened and I didn''t wanna lose the first person I met and¡­" Lily heard herself rambling, and closed her mouth. She let Mia go, and stood up slowly, before asking:


    "What happened? One second I thought I was a goner and then nothing happened to me and you got hurt instead?"


    Mia looked at her confused, before answering:


    "You really don''t know, do you? Everyone knows about  the legend of Stella and her Soul Link. Who are you?"


    Lily contemplated her options. Would her goddess get mad if she revealed who she was to the first person she met? Would Mia believe her? Is reincarnation common in this world,  or was she unique?


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    Only one way to find out, I suppose. And she deserves the truth. Don''t want her to think I am some thug ambushing people in the woods in the middle of the night.


    Having made the decision, Lily spoke out:


    "I will tell you if you promise you won''t think I am crazy, and if you tell me what happened back there afterwards."


    "Not sure I am gonna call anyone crazy after tonight, and certainly not a cute girl who saved me twice already," Mia answered with a cheeky smile.


    "Ok, so, I am not from around here originally. I died on a different world,called Earth, and the goddess Dahlia picked me to be her champion on this one. I woke up in the forest this morning." Lily stopped her story when she saw the look of embarrassment on Mia''s face.


    "What''s wrong? Are you okay?" she asked. Mia hid her face in her hands and stayed silent for a time, before finally mustering the courage to answer:


    "I am so sorry, your Grace, please forgive my transgression. I did not know who you were or I would never dare do what I did. "


    Her change in demeanor took Lily off guard completely.


    She seems to have believed me instantly,  but now she looks scared,  like she is expecting some sort of punishment.


    Lily sat back down and placed her hand on Mia''s shoulder, trying to give some reassurance to the scared girl.


    "So you believe me and don''t think I am crazy?" Lily asked in a gentle voice, trying not to scare Mia further. Mia seemed to relax a little, moving her hands away from her face as she answered:


    "Yes, your Grace. You being an Outworld Avatar explains some strange things I noticed about you, like the way you fight or the way your soul feels. "


    "I don''t know anything about my soul being strange, but that was my first fight with the skills Dahlia gave me, so I was not used to the way I could move," Lily said.


    "Call me Lily, please, and as I said, I am new here, so can you explain what happened back there and the Outworld Avatar business?"


    "Outworld Avatars are what we call those Avatars who are sent to Teras by the gods, as opposed to those born here and chosen at birth," Mia explained. Lily nodded and she continued:


    "As to what happened back there, let''s start from the basics. I am a Soulmancer, a person with the Soul attunement,  an extremely rare and valuable one, that works with the power of the soul, rather than  just mana. The reason I was captured in the first place is that I have a skill that is rare even among Soulmancers, Soul Link. It allows me to link my soul to someone else''s, granting them buffs, and me other abilities. Back there, I saw that you were about to be hit by a powerful spell, and I was desperate, so I did the only thing I could with no mana-I used Soul Link on you," she looked down in shame before continuing. "I then used Absorb to take the next hit instead of you, and that''s how I was injured."


    "Wow,  that''s great. Why would I be mad that you did that?You probably saved us both, and almost died in the process. I should be the one thanking you," Lily said with a smile.


    Mia felt her cheeks heating up in response to the compliments, and she looked away to hide her face  as she spoke:


    "It''s not that simple. Messing with someone''s soul without their permission can be seen as a grave injury, especially when their soul was touched by the Divine, and because Soul Link has some downsides, too."


    Lily sat silent for a moment, trying to come to grips with the fact that she was considered part of the Divine on Teras now, when she didn''t even believe in a god mere two days ago. My new life is going to be so strange, she concluded, and decided to focus on the situation at hand, for now. Mia was still scared, and her brooding could frighten her further,  which was not good,  not only because Lily liked Mia and didn''t want to scare her, but because the raven haired girl was her only source of answers in this strange world, so she needed her to be able to think clearly.


    "What kind of downsides?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as level as possible to not startle the injured girl.


    "Well for starters, it can only be used on one person at a time,  and it''s permanent. Only death can break it," Mia answered dramatically.

 Chapter VIII - Soul Link

    That sounded dramatic, but Lily still didn''t quite understand where the problem was for her. She could see how it would be unfortunate for Mia to have to spend her unique buff on someone she didn''t want to, but that didn''t explain why she was acting like she made some horrible decision.


    "A permanent buff doesn''t sound bad to me," Lily said, but Mia shook her head in response. "That''s not all. There is a major downside to connecting two souls. They have to stay in close physical proximity to each other, or they will develop a sickness that affects the body they are in," Mia explained."In other words, we have to stay close to each other or we will get sick and die. Any separation longer than a few hours a day leads to general weakness, and anything longer than a day can lead to death. "


    She spoke slowly, trying and failing to keep her voice from shaking.


    "The caster is affected more harshly,  because it''s their soul which makes the connection, so unless there is a big difference in level, they die first, freeing the other person. "


    "I see, you are worried that I will be mad that you forced this condition on me?" Lily asked, finally realizing what the problem was. She saw how this could be an issue, but weirdly enough, the thought of having to spend more time with Mia excited, rather than concerned her. She was starting to like the emerald-eyed girl more and more, her embarrassment at the situation making her look even cuter.


    "Yeah, and it''s not just that. The goddess might punish me for interfering with her work. And I am level one, just like you. So if you decide to leave me behind, I will die," Mia said, and Lily could hear the fear behind her words. She finally turned around and looked Lily in the eyes:


    "Please don''t leave me to die, I want to live!"


    Tears welled in her eyes as she begged, and Lily could feel her trembling next to her. She grabbed Mia in another hug that felt divine, and spoke softly in her ear:


    "Why would I do that, don''t be silly. I didn''t even want to kill that thug back there, but I lost control when he hurt you. So I would never hurt a pretty girl like you, especially not after you saved me. Please don''t be afraid of that. As for Dahlia, I will put in a good word for you, and I am sure she will understand you had no choice. "


    "I am very glad to hear that, for a moment I was terrified you were some monster sent out to punish us for our sins. Still, there is another problem. Someone out there wanted to kidnap me, likely so they could force me to bond with someone for buffs. I doubt they will stop after you foiled their attempt, and I''ve made you into a target. If they want to do that, and sell me to the highest bidder, they will have to kill you first to break the bond," Mia said, hugging Lily back. She held the other girl tightly, not wanting to leave the safety of her embrace.


    Lily considered what Mia just said, but she didn''t think it would be a huge deal. She was gonna have to fight to save the world anyway, she just now had someone else to fight for.


    "That''s not so bad. I was afraid that I would be alone in whatever quest the goddess gave me, but at least now, I know that I will have someone along," she pulled away a little, coming face to face with Mia and asked: "That is, if you want to save the world with me?"


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    Mia''s eyes lit up when she heard the question, and for the first time that night there was no fear in her voice as she spoke:


    "Yes, yes I do. I''ve always wanted to be an adventurer like my father. I just never found a party I could trust, so instead, I read all the stories of the heroes of old who performed great deeds in the name of the gods. "


    She could not keep excitement out of her voice, and she stood up slowly, still unsure on her feet. She managed to keep her balance, standing in front of Lily who was still on the ground, confused. Mia turned to face her, and bowed deeply as she spoke:


    "It would be an honor to be a part of such a story. "


    This time, it was Lily who felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she stood up. "Don''t celebrate just yet. I am not some legendary hero but a total novice who was literally born today. I will need a lot of help if I am to succeed," she said solemnly. "Well you can count on me," Mia said with a look of determination. She straightened her back and puffed her chest out, trying to look serious, but in Lily''s mind that made the shott girl even more adorable looking.


    Lily wiped away the dirt from her armor, and seeing how tired Mia was, despite her best efforts to hide it, she said:


    "It''s late, you should get some sleep. I am not sure how the potion I gave you works, but you''ve been through a lot and should get some rest before we set out tomorrow. I will stand on watch tonight. "


    "Aren''t you tired too? You had a big fight, and traveling through the woods must not have been easy, " Mia answered. "We should alternate on guard. "


    "I am fine, mostly. I was tired back when the fight ended, but I feel better now. Must be the new body, " Lily said. She grabbed Mia around the waist and helped her inside the carriage.


    "If you are sure, then okay, " Mia acquiesced, and the truth was that she felt very tired. The potion gave her an initial burst of energy, but it was wearing off, and she still felt jolts of pain in her limbs from time to time.


    "Oh, before I forget, what should I do with the knocked out thug? I have no idea when she could wake up, " Lily said as she entered inside.


    "Looks to me like you knocked her out, giving her the unconscious status effect. At her level, she isn''t waking up for twelve hours, at least. I assume you don''t want to kill her, so you should probably tie her up with the bindings they used on me,  and leave her some food," Mia suggested, and Lily agreed. She didn''t want to kill another person on her first day here, and leaving the thug in the forest to escape once she woke up felt like not harsh enough of a punishment, but she wasn''t gonna drag her into the carriage and take her to the authorities. People would ask questions along the way, and she felt she suspected that not everyone would believe her story as easily as Mia did. Leaving her alive where she could see Tommy would also be a warning for whoever sent them in the first place, and might deter another attack.


    Mia sat down on the bench opposite where she had been bound, but before she could lay down Lily spoke out:


    "Wait, let me make it more comfortable for you. "


    She pulled out a woolen jumper and a towel and folded them on the bench to make a makeshift pillow.


    "It''s no proper pillow, but it beats lying on a wooden bench," Lily said with a smile.


    "You are a very kind person. When I get home I will make sure to repay you," Mia promised as she laid down. She was about to say something else, but before she could, Lily placed her cloak over her, and exited the carriage.


    I can see why she was picked to be an Avatar. She really is great. Never once did she think about blackmailing me with the fact that I would die if she just walked away. Then again, she doesn''t really know who my father is, and how rich we are. Instead, she wants me to be in her party as she saves the world. Today went from the worst day of my life since my mother left, to the best one, all thanks to her. "


    She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep, her head filled with thoughts of the amazing girl she just met, and the adventures they would have together.

 Chapter IX - Setting Out

    Lily had a few things she needed to do while Mia slept.  First she used some of the rope Mia had been tied with to bind the unconscious Beth. Next, she had to figure out what to do with Tommy''s body. She didn''t have any way to bury him, so she settled on dragging him out into the woods. Hauling a dead body made her sick, especially since she was the one who killed him.  A few days ago, I couldn''t imagine hurting anyone, yet now I''m a killer. That was another in a long line of things she would have to talk about with Mia. Would there be repercussions for killing a bandit? She wouldn''t feel comfortable if her position as a champion of a goddess let her run around and kill people. Mia was afraid of her when she found out who and what she was, so she needed to find out what her status actually meant. Until then, she decided would focus on the task at hand. She removed Tommy''s sword and inventory and dumped him a small cave at the forest''s edge. Dealing with Beth was more tricky, but she carefully transferred her into the forest, taking care not to injure her further. She removed her weapon too, but left behind her inventory and the small dagger the thug had carried with her. Carrying two adults in the dark was tricky, despite the torchlight and her improved vision, and she was a little tired, but she needed to keep watch for the rest of the night.


    There was no moon out, so Lily spent her time gazing at the stars flickering in the night''s sky. She had been a city girl, the light pollution making it impossible for her to stargaze back on Earth, but one of her favorite memories of her parents was them all vacationing in the country, her father carrying her up to the roof of the small cabin they stayed at to stargaze together. She never had the time or money to use one of the telescopes in the city''s observatory (hardly the only thing she had to make do without as an orphan), but now she had the chance to look at the tapestry above with her own eyes. The sight of the countless stars looking down on her filled her heart with awe, and in that moment she was glad that this world had no great cities with brightly lit towers to block the view, for she intended to do this often. How many people back on Earth never get a chance to see this she wondered, and the thought of Earth made her realize something else.


    For as long as the human species has existed, they looked to the stars and questioned if they were alone in the universe. Well, now she had proof that they were not, the first human ever to look at the starry sky of another planet. She wondered how many of the lights above had planets like Earth and Teras of their own, filled with life.


    "I wonder if one of the stars I see is the Sun?" she asked the darkness, but the heaven above gave no answer. The thought reminded her of her past life and her dead parents, and she whispered, a single tear running down her cheek:


    "Mom and dad, wherever you are, don''t worry about me, I am gonna be just fine."


    The sun was out in its full splendor when Lily decided to wake Mia up. The smaller girl was sleeping serenely, and Lily wondered how she could look so pretty after everything she''d been through.


    I really am falling for her, aren''t I? Which is stupid, because I hardly know her. Is she even into girls? What does this world think about that sort of thing?Goddess knows Earth wasn''t always the most accepting place for a gay gal like me. Besides, if I make a move on her, she might think she is forced to accept or I would leave, which would kill her and I don''t want to take advantage of her like that. It''s for the best that I take it slow and see where we go from here. We are gonna be spending time together anyway, no need to rush anything.


    She gave the sleeping beauty one more look, before gently shaking her and saying:


    "Time to wake up, sleepyhead!"


    Mia opened her eyes slowly, and smiled as she saw Lily standing over her. The taller girl looked even cuter in the morning light and Mia let out a sigh.


    I like her a lot, but the whole situation is very awkward. I don''t even know if she is into girls, and she is completely new to this world. She is a champion of a goddess, Dahlia at that, and she doesn''t know all the implications of that. If I make a move on her, people will say I took advantage of her inexperience. I could live with others thinking that, but I don''t want Lily to think I am only helping her to get into her divine pants. No it''s best that I tread carefully.


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    She pushed the lecherous thoughts aside and asked:


    "Thanks for waking me up, what''s the plan for today?"


    "I thought I would leave that up to you. You are familiar with the world, unlike me, and you said you could drive this thing,"  Lily answered, gesturing at the carriage.


    "That''s true. Our best bet is to drive back to my hometown of Lundin. The brigands captured me yesterday, so it can''t be that far considering how slow they were going. There is a temple of Dahlia in Lundin as well, and they can officially proclaim you as a champion there," Mia answered while sitting up. "Until then, you shouldn''t mention your status to anyone else,"  she added, and Lily nodded.


    "Makes sense, you will have to explain a lot of stuff to me before we get there. But before any of that, I was planning on washing myself in the nearby stream, and then catching some sleep. This new body is awesome, but it has its limits too, " Lily said, before giving Mia a questioning look:"Wanna join?"


    "A wash sounds great, but I don''t have any other clothes," Mia said, looking down sadly on the rags she was wearing.


    "My inventory is not here."


    "No big deal, I have some spare clothes. I am a little taller than you, but that shouldn''t be a problem," Lily said cheerfully, reaching for her inventory.


    "The goddess gave you those items, I am not sure I should be wearing them," Mia said, but Lily quickly shot her protests down:


    "They are mine now, and I don''t think Dahlia will mind if I use them to help a cute girl in need."


    Seeing that Lily wasn''t taking no for an answer, Mia conceded: "Okay, if you think it''s fine. Let me at least teach you how to use the inventory properly, in exchange."


    She then proceeded to explain how Lily could place one hand over the inventory bag, think of the specific item she wanted to get, and it would appear inside. It was more efficient and easier than reaching inside blindly and then trying to think of an item. Lily gave it a try, and sure enough a pair of shits appeared in the bag. She gave one to Mia, and then repeated the process for the rest of the clothes they''d need.


    The girls exited the carriage, and Lily suggested that Mia go first while she tied back the trunks late Tommy had used as a distraction. Mia agreed and went into the underbrush, towards the stream. The luggage wasn''t heavy and there was enough rope to tie it back onto the carriage, so the work went smoothly. Lily briefly considered opening the trunks to see what''s inside, but she didn''t want to get in more trouble by rummaging through stuff that was most likely stolen. She also thought about checking in on the place she left Beth and Tommy''s body, but she wasn''t sure she had the time, and she wasn''t all that worried about the old woman anyway. Judging from the effects the binding had on Mia, even if she woke up she would be in any shape to fight. Just as she finished tying the final trunk back, she heard movement in the bush, and soon saw Mia stepping out onto the road. The green shirt and brown pants gave her a rugged look that went well with the determined look on her face. Lily was glad to see the girl look more confident, though she doubted Mia would forget the terrible events of the previous day any time soon. The petite girl walked up and said in a voice that was far more cheerful than before:


    "I really needed that. Your turn now."


    Lily nodded and started moving, but before she could leave she felt Mia grab her hand. She spun around but before she could say anything, Mia spoke up:


    "Thank you again, you are so very kind. I was very lucky to meet you."


    Her emerald eyes gleamed in the glory of the dawn, and Lily was taken aback by the beauty. Her whole body and soul was asking, begging her to embrace and kiss Mia right then and there, but her cautious mind said no. She let the moment pass, instead giving Mia a smile as she pulled her hand away.


    "Don''t mention it, I am glad that I could help someone who needed it, especially when they are so beautiful," Lily said, smiling. She spun on her heel again, and made her way towards the stream, leaving the blushing Mia behind.


    Getting out of the armor and feeling the slight breeze on her skin felt liberating, and Lily deeply enjoyed her bath. She didn''t want to linger though, so she quickly put on some fresh clothes and made her way back. She saw Mia feeding the horse, which reminded her of her own hunger, so she pulled out a couple of sandwiches."


    She gave two to Mia, before asking:


    "I was wondering if food can go bad inside the inventory?"


    "Thanks for the food. No, time doesn''t pass inside, so items in storage keep their condition. It''s very convenient," Mia explained.


    "You really don''t have to thank me for everything. We are in this together now,"  Lily said, before taking a bite of her food.


    "Okay, I''m just not used to kind people like you,"  Mia admitted, and Lily chuckled.


    "We''ll see how kind you think I am when I pester you with a hundred questions about everything, later on,"  Lily said, grinning. "But first I need to get some sleep. Are we ready to go?"


    "Yep, you just jump in the back, and let old Mia here take the reins,"  Mia said with a smile of her own.


    "Aye aye, captain," Lily replied, giving Mia a cheeky salute before making her way inside. As she laid down on the bench, she could hear Mia climbing into the driver''s seat and giving commands to the horse. Soon, they were moving, and Lily quickly fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of hooves hitting the dirt road.

 Chapter X - Questions I

    Lily slept soundly, and when she awoke, the sun had passed its zenith. She could hear Mia humming a tune as she drove the carriage forward. She poked her head out and asked: "Could we stop for a moment so I could join you in front? Easier to talk that way. "


    "Oh Lily, you woke up. I hope the ride wasn''t too bumpy and you got some rest. Sure thing, give me a moment. "Mia answered and stopped the carriage. Lily quickly got out and joined her friend in front.


    "The ride is great, I didn''t feel a thing. You are great at this, I am impressed," Lily commented as they got underway again along the dusty road.


    "I''ve always liked horses, so I spent a lot of time driving and riding around my father''s estate. I drove my guards crazy," Mia said. "It''s not that hard once you get the hang of it. "


    "I''ll have to take your word for it," Lily said.


    "I have a lot of questions, and I am not sure where to begin. "


    "Why don''t you tell me more about yourself, and I''ll do the same," Mia proposed.


    "Sure thing. My name is Lily Spears, I am 21 years old,  and I woke up on this world yesterday, after dying on my own and meeting the goddess Dahlia," Lily started.


    "My name is Mia Dawnheart, daughter of Eric Dawnheart. I am 21 years old as well, and I live with my father and stepmother on our estate in Lundin," Mia said, turning to face Lily. "Did you have any family back on your world?" she asked.


    "No, my parents died when I was a child,  and I had no siblings. I spent most of my time working and studying, so I didn''t have a girlfriend when I died," Lily answered, trying hard to keep the pain out of her voice. Memories of Earth were still fresh in her mind, and being reminded of the life she left behind, such as it was, was still painful. Mia''s eyes seemed to light up for a moment when Lily mentioned having no girlfriend,  but she said nothing,  so Lily continued: "You said you live on an estate -are you some sort of nobility?"


    "Ah right,  my name means nothing to you. My father is not a noble,  but he is one of the richest people on the continent. He started off as an adventurer,  but went into trade and banking afterwards. He made his money transporting luxury goods from one end of Rund to the other, "Mia said proudly.


    "I see," Lily let out a sigh. "I had no idea who you were when I tried to save you. I don''t want to take advantage of what happened last night, especially now that I know you are rich. "


    Mia looked at her, and saw the sincerity in her eyes. She didn''t really need confirmation though, as she was already starting to understand what kind of person Lily was. "Relax and don''t worry about it. Remember, I made the choice to use Soul Link on you, you didn''t force me to. That''s already better than what most Soulmancers end up doing, and far better than the fate that awaited me if you didn''t show up. So, what''s going to happen is that you are going to come and live in my father''s mansion until you find out what the goddess has in store for you, and you are not gonna complain about it any more," Mia insisted, giving Lily a fiercely determined look.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    She must be someone who is used to getting what she wants, and besides, it''s not like I have anywhere else to go. Lily thought, and decided to accept.


    "Yes ma''am," she finally answered, and Mia looked satisfied. "That''s better, " she said. "Now with that out of the way, you must have other questions, so go ahead. "


    Lily contemplated for a moment, before asking:


    "How does magic work? I also heard you and the thugs mention levels, what''s that about?"


    Mia gave the question some thought before answering: "Uhm, so the two are related. Everyone has attunements, which determine the spells they can get access to. Think of Fire, Earth, Water as examples. Then, as you advance in levels by killing monsters, you unlock new spells in those attunements, and sometimes even new attunements altogether. "


    "Sounds simple enough,"Lily said. "What about classes? What determines how good someone is with a sword or a bow,  for example? I ask, because, when I woke up, I realized I could use a sword despite never wielding one before."


    "That means you have a Sword Mastery. Masteries are gained through training and can be improved by experience. Everyone gets one by the time they are fifteen, and not all of them are combat related. There are no specific classes, but what spells you unlock as you advance is influenced by the way you fight, although it is not an exact science," Mia explained. "People try to match their Masteries to their existing skills and preferences,  for example if you have access to damage dealing Fire spells,  you might train with staffs or wands as those have spell-boosting effects more often, but nothing is stopping a mage like me from training with a sword to get a Mastery there, although the number of Masteries you can have active at any time is gated by level. Dahlia might have given you another one besides Sword, you should check. "


    "I don''t actually know how to do that," Lily admitted, a little embarrassed despite knowing that it wasn''t really her fault.


    Ok, it is partly my fault, I should have gotten more information from Dahlia instead of staring at her beauty for most of the time I spent in her realm.


    "Right, I forget this is all new to you, sorry," Mia apologized. "I will teach you once we are home. It is not that hard to access your own information, but it requires peace and quiet,  which is hard to get on a moving carriage. "


    "If you don''t mind me asking, what are your attunements?" Lily asked after a short silence. "That information is normally shared between party members, so I have no problem telling you. As I mentioned, I am a Soulmancer, which is a fancy name for people with the rare Soul attunement. I also gave a Lighting attunement, which is lucky, because most people start out with only one," Mia answered with pride.


    "Nice. I do have to say again that you don''t have to join me in fulfilling whatever task Dahlia gives me, if you don''t want to risk your life. I am sure we can figure something out. I know you said yes last night,  but you had just barely survived a kidnapping,  and had just used your skill on me,  so maybe you weren''t thinking clearly. I really don''t want to force you into something you aren''t comfortable with," Lily said carefully, trying not to offend Mia in some way.


    "You really are stubborn, aren''t you? I told you that I always wanted to follow in my father''s footsteps, and besides, one doesn''t decline an invitation to an Avatar''s party easily. Besides, I don''t want to anger Dahlia after visiting her temple many times. So, my answer is the same as last night, it will be an honor to join you in your adventures," Mia replied, and Lily could see the same determined fire from last night burning in her eyes. She then continued in a hushed voice:


    "Thanks for asking though, I really appreciate how considerate you are. "


    Satisfied with the answer, Lily decided to continue with her questioning.

 Chapter XI - Questions II

    "You mentioned levels, how many are there? You also said that items can have effects, how does that work?" Lily wanted to know.


    "The level question is a little complicated. Legends and historical records tell of heroes reaching dozens and dozens of levels, but nobody has reached higher than level 6 for over a millennium. Not since the Deluge and the great Sundering that followed. There is a similar problem with items, people are unable to see their own stats or that of items since that time. We can see rarities when inspecting items, as well as any special effects, but stat boosts are unknown. Testing in training can help gauge if your damage is increased or not, but it isn''t always reliable," Mia explained. Lily listened, and gave it some thought.


    That''s certainly inconvenient, but at least if the max level is 6, I don''t have a lot of catching up to do.


    "I see, that''s not ideal. What caused these changes in the way the level system works?" Lily inquired.


    "That''s an important story you should know, so sit back and listen while I tell you," Mia instructed, and Lily complied. She loved stories, and this was a world full of ones she never heard before.


    Mia made herself sit more comfortably, faced Lily, and started telling the story:


    "The events took place some 1080 years ago, at the height of the ancient Tilovian Empire that covered most of the continent. It was an Elven, Human and Half-Elven state which subjugated countries around it through diplomacy and force of arms, until only the leonin lands of Atara remained free. The jungle terrain there made it difficult to conquer, but the Emperor ordered a great army to march and complete the conquest of Rund. The historical sources are not clear on what caused the disaster which happened next. Some historians say that the rituals and spells cast in preparation overloaded the mana of the planet, others suggest that it was the greed of Tilovians that caused the disaster, and some even blame the Leonin, suggesting they caused the disaster to stop the advancing army. In any case, a great breach formed in East Rund, and monsters spewed forth from it and from all the dungeons in the world. They ravaged the land and destroyed the Tilovian Empire. Cities were burned, temples destroyed and thousands died trying to stop them, but more kept coming. The conflict raged for years, until five Avatars of different gods gathered together in the ruins of Tilovia to perform a ritual. It caused a great explosion which killed them, but whatever they did, they closed the breach and stopped more monsters from spawning. It took decades to clear out the remaining monsters, and a great deal of heroes gave their lives to do so, but civilization survived. However, the ritual and the resulting blast had consequences. High level monsters and dungeons stopped spawning, people''s levels were capped and we lost access to the stat screen." Mia paused to catch her breath, before continuing:


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "The continent was split up into a litany of city-states and petty kingdoms, most of which survive to this day. Even the Great Wall of Mist, which surrounds Rund, got thicker, making it impossible to reach the other continents." She stopped, looking at the slightly confused Lily, "Sorry, am I going too fast? Father always says I have a tendency to ramble when I talk about a topic I love."


    "I can keep up fine, it''s just a lot of names to take in at once," Lily answered. "You seem very knowledgeable, is this stuff you learn in school here?"


    "Some of it, yes, but I''ve always loved to read about ancient times, so I know more than the average person. Books were my best friend growing up," Mia explained, slightly embarrassed by the admission.


    "Ha, a fellow bookworm,"  Lily exclaimed, trying to put Mia at ease with a wide smile. "My favorite pastime was reading fictional stories about strange worlds filled with magic,just like this one. I am glad that I''ve found someone who can tell me the story of Teras."


    "Well I am no historian, but I will do my best," Mia said, glad that Lily didn''t find her interests weird. Seeing her companion relax, Lily continued her questioning.


    She asked Mia about the races which inhabited Teras and the countries they lived in.Mia told her about the half-elves and elves, who once ruled the Tilovian Empire, but now lived in the petty kingdoms of the west. There were also vampires living in the Vent mountains to the north, proud dwarves who suffered much during the Deluge, as their land was in the east of Run, where the Breach opened. They now lived scattered across the whole continent, without a true home of their own. Leonin, unconquered by Tilovia, mostly stuck to the jungles of Atara. She also mentioned dryads, living in the shadow of the Great Tree, on the isle of Souls which sat in the middle of a lake known as the Eye of the World. Lily asked about the country they were in now, and Mia explained that it was the mostly human state of Entara. A collection of city-states, ruled by an elected council, it was not one of the largest countries but its position between the elven and half-even states and other human nations made it rich from trade. Lily wanted to know if there were wars between the various states and races, and Mia explained that since the Deluge there was little conflict between the civilized races, as they focused on rebuilding what was lost. In fact, the current population levels were lower than those before the disaster, and states focused their efforts on clearing dungeons and destroying the few monsters which wandered out. There was a brief conflict four centuries ago, when the human Kingdom of Pax tried reestablishing slavery and conquering its neighbors, but an Avatar of Justice was sent by the gods, and he put a stop to their ambition by leading a coalition of states to oppose them. Tolerance of other races was common, though humans looked at vampires with suspicion, and elves and leonin still held grudges from their wars before the Deluge.


    Lily''s eyes grew wide in wonder as she listened, and her heart raced as she realized that she was truly in a world as wondrous as those she read about in the dim light of her orphanage room. Then came a sobering thought- all of it could be potentially in danger if she failed.


    I won''t let self-doubt ruin my fun, not when there''s a great story to be heard, Lily decided, and continued her questions.


    So Mia talked, and Lily listened, and hours passed as the carriage made its way forward.

 Chapter XII - Lundin

    After several hours of traveling, with a brief stop for lunch, Lily noticed that they were exiting the forested area. Soon after, she saw a crossroads up ahead. She asked if Mia knew which way to go, and her companion answered that she knew this area well, as this was the road from Lundin to the capital, where she had studied. All they had to do was turn left and they would be in her hometown soon. She explained that the road they came from was the old road to the capital, which fell into disuse when the new, shorter road was built through the mountain passes. The brigands must have used the old one because there were no checkpoints, and because there was less traffic, which would make it easier to smuggle Mia into the capital. Soon enough,her words proved true, as Lily spotted other carriages and riders traveling along the road. The pair made their turn, and Lily was amazed at the change in the landscape. No longer were they on a thin dirt track surrounded by tall trees or thick shrubbery. Instead, the carriage drove on a wide cobblestone road, spacious enough for more than one vehicle. The forest was replaced by pleasant green hills dotted by fields of golden wheat. Here and there, one could spot lonely farmhouses and animal pens breaking up the seas of grass. It was springtime, and she could smell the flowery scents of the blooming orchards and the vibrant fields where cattle grazed. She saw some farmers working the fields, while others walked along the road, taking cattle to the town markets.


    Lily didn''t know how long she spent lost in thought watching the idyllic landscape, but Mia''s hand on her shoulder snapped her out.


    "Look ahead, that''s Lundin!" Mia exclaimed, shaking Lily, as the carriage crested a small hill. True enough, Lily saw the sprawling town in the valley below. Stone and brick houses lined the cobbled streets, while taller spires rose from the larger, more impressive buildings. She could see that the town had outgrown the old stone walls that had once protected it. She wondered if it was safe for houses to lay unprotected like that in a world of monsters, but then remembered that there were no large monster incursions since the Deluge. Let''s hope it stays that way, she thought as she remembered the potential threat Dahlia told her about. As they got close, Lily noticed guards posted at the town''s edge. They stopped people who were trying to enter the town, checking their cargo and papers before letting them pass inside. Lily pointed in their direction and asked: ''Is that going to be a problem? I have no papers or documents of any kind, and we are in a stolen carriage."


    "Don''t worry about it, just leave the talking to me," Mia answered instantly. She seemed confident, so Lily didn''t press her further. Soon, they joined the queue of carriages and people waiting for inspection. Lily was glad that it wasn''t long, because the sky was starting to get filled with heavy,dark clouds. Mia told her that thunderstorms were not unusual this time of year, and that this one would likely start in the evening. After a short while, it was their turn, and a short,burly guard motioned for them to move into the area next to the road, and exit. Mia complied, and the two girls disembarked. The guard started moving towards them, but he was frozen in shock when he got a better look at Mia.


    "Lady Dawnheart, thank the gods you are safe," he exclaimed, after recovering."We got word that you had gone missing yesterday.".


    Mia gave him a stern, dignified look, before answering:


    "I was indeed kidnapped yesterday, but I am safe now, no thanks to the City Watch." She let her words linger for a moment, before speaking again: "The Watch''s ineptitude aside, I need to speak with someone more senior. Take me to your captain.". The guard only nodded when he heard the demand, and motioned for them to follow him. They followed him to a nearby house, and after exchanging a few words with its guards, he led them in. Inside, Lily saw an older, dignified looking woman discussing something with a younger man over a table.They were both clad in the same gray uniforms, but hers had a different shoulder insignia.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    When she heard them entering, she turned around and immediately asked:


    "What is it now Jacob, I am rather busy?" The guard saluted before answering:


    "Captain, I am sorry to interrupt, but Lady Dawnheart is here,and wishes to speak with you."


    At the mention of her name, Mia stepped forward, and both the captain and the man she had been speaking with froze up when they saw her


    "Are you the senior officer present?" Mia asked before they could recover.


    "Yes, I am Watch Captain Aria White, at your service my lady," the older woman blurted out.


    "Good, we have some things to discuss," Mia said, and started recounting the tale of how she got there. She told them about her kidnapping, Lily''s rescue and the subsequent fight with the bandit. She explained how she managed to injure one of her attackers, along with his horse, before she was incapacitated. She left out details about Lily''s identity and the fact that she used Soul Link on her, however.


    Everyone present listened to her story in silence, and at the end, she asked the captain:


    "Did the Watch manage to apprehend the third thug who attacked me?"


    The older woman shook her head as she answered: " I am afraid not, my lady. Guards rushed to the scene when the sound of spells and combat was reported, but by the time they got there, everyone was gone. We raised the alert, but the thugs managed to slip out of town before we even knew you were missing."


    She looked very unhappy admitting this to Mia, and Lily sensed a hint of shame in her voice.


    "So the Watch not only managed to let three criminals into town, but also failed to capture anyone, despite one of them being injured? Not your best work captain White, I must say," Mia said with an acid smile. The guards in the room bowed their heads in shame, and the tension was palpable. Obviously, Lily thought, Mia''s even more important of a person than she told me.


    "No matter," Mia continued after a pause, "Mistakes happen. Thanks to Lily here, everything ended well. I am sure there will be an official investigation into the matter, but for now, I would very much like to get back home. Could you provide transport for me and my friend?"


    "But she hasn''t even been checked out properly," the male guard spoke up for the first time. "We can''t just let a stranger into town after what happened."


    "Do you doubt me or my honor?" Mia said in an angry voice, "Lily will be a guest at my father''s estate. Surely the word of House Dawnheart is enough of a guarantee."


    The man''s face went pale at the mention of Mia''s father, and the captain quickly stepped in before he could respond


    "There is no need for suspicion, Richard. My lady, we will gladly provide transport for you and your friend. Furthermore, I will personally make sure Lily here receives a proper reward for your rescue, and the return of stolen property. We will also have the thugs'' inventories sent over for appraisal at the Adventurer''s Guild, and pay out a reward for them," she said in a conciliatory voice. Hearing that, Mia calmed down a little, and the captain turned to Lily.


    "You have the gratitude of the entire Watch for rescuing Lady Dawnheart and taking those criminals out," she said,and bowed slightly before Lily.


    "I am sure any upstanding citizen would have done the same," Lily spoke up finally.


    Hearing her voice, a hint of surprise showed on the captain''s face, but she said nothing. Instead she ordered the guards to prepare transport, and then asked a few questions. She wanted to know if Mia had been tortured or injured in any way. The girl gave her a few curt answers, still obviously unhappy with the Watch in general. Soon a guard reported that a carriage was ready, and before parting the captain promised to send someone over to take their full statements once the official investigation was underway. The girls exited the guardhouse and were led to a much nicer carriage than the one they arrived in. It was getting late, so they got underway immediately.

 Chapter XIII - Journey Home

    "That went well, I think," Mia said after sitting down next to Lily.


    "You really know how to boss people around, don''t you?" Lily said. "I felt bad for that poor captain."


    "I don''t like putting on the spoiled brat act, but it can be useful. If they had insisted on questioning you, and you told them who you were, they would have been forced to hold you until they confirmed you were a champion of a god, which would require getting a priestess of Dahlia from the temple, and if I wanted to stay by your side during the process I would have been forced to reveal that I used Soul Link on you, which would have made things awkward," Mia answered with a frown.


    "Much more convenient for us to go to the temple tomorrow on our own. Depending on the nature of your quest, you might want to keep your identity concealed for a time, and the priests at the temple are much more trustworthy than a bunch of City Watch guards."


    "If you say that''s better, then that''s how we will do it. You know more about these things than I, and I trust you," Lily said,smiling. "Anyway, what was that whole "My Lady" business about? You didn''t mention that your family was part of the nobility."


    "That''s because the Dawnhearts aren''t. My mother, on the other hand, is a half-elf noble," Mia replied, and Lily could see sorrow in her eyes when she mentioned her mother.


    "You don''t have to talk about it if you don''t want to," Lily said gently, not wanting to force Mia to relieve past trauma.


    "It''s fine, a long time has passed since she left. It''s not a complicated story, anyway. Basically, our Republic and the half-elf kingdom of Amar signed a treaty of friendship about thirty years ago. It is their custom to seal such treaties with a marriage between nobility, but since we don''t have any, my father was chosen due to his wealth and the fact that he was on the ruling Council at the time. That''s how he and my mother, Elena, got married. It was never supposed to be a permanent match, half-elves live longer than humans after all, and it was a political marriage to begin with but they fell in love with each other. They knew it wouldn''t last, but that didn''t stop them from spending a lot of happy years together. In many ways, I was my mother''s gift to my father, something to remember her by. The treaty ended when I was six, and a new one was signed. That meant a different marriage alliance, so her family recalled Elena. Refusing would mean jeopardizing the new treaty and tisking war, because her family is very influential in the politics of Amar, so she had no choice but to comply," Mia explained, unable to keep pain out of her voice.


    "That must have been hard for a young girl," Lily said quietly, but Mia shook her head gently.


    "Not as hard as you might think. I was mostly raised by maids and my grandmother anyway, and while I missed and still miss my mother, I don''t blame her for what happened. My father didn''t either, and a few years later he met one of his old party members by chance. They reconnected, and have been happily married since," Mia answered, but the sadness wasn''t truly gone from her face.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "So are you a half-elf too?" Lily asked, trying to shift the topic a little.


    "No, a child of a half-elf and a human is human. I did inherit my mother''s eyes, but that''s it, I won''t live any longer than a regular human," Mia answered. "Didn''t stop the bullies when I was a kid though. Not everyone in Entara is tolerant of elves and half-elves, and unfortunately, they pass that onto their children."


    "I am sorry to hear that. Must have been tough making friends." Lily commented. Her own childhood was not easy, but it was made more bearable by the friends she had at the orphanage, and she couldn''t imagine how much harder it would have been if she was alone.


    "Oh, once they grew up a little and realized how wealthy and important my father was, everyone wanted to be my friend," Mia said with a sour smile. "It was even worse when I joined the Adean Academy. The wealthy and the privileged from across the human states study there. Between my powers and my status I had to be really careful about who I associated with. It was a lesson I learnt the hard way.


    There was regret and pain in her voice, and she obviously wasn''t telling the whole story, Lily thought, but she decided not to press further. It was Mia''s story to tell, when she was ready to tell it.


    "For a rich, noble girl, your life hasn''t been easy, has it?" Lily said, "I grew up in an orphanage after my parents died, but at leastI didn''t have to worry about people constantly trying to take advantage of me because of who I was."


    "Maybe, but I can''t complain. Everything turned out fine," Mia said, turning to face Lily, with a smile on her face, "After all, how many people can say they were rescued by a beautiful hero in shining armor?"


    Lily couldn''t stop herself from blushing at the compliment, so she quickly decided to change the subject. "How long until we reach your home?" she asked, and tried to hide her embarrassment by looking out through the window.


    "It''s on the other side of town, beyond the old walls," Mia replied. "Still, we should be able to get there before darkness fully sets in and the storm starts."


    "What''s the plan afterwards, beyond visiting Dahlia''s temple?" Lily inquired, her face still glued to the window.


    "Well,that''s up to you. After the priests confirm your story, you''ll be able to contact the goddess through a ritual. I assume she will give you some instructions on what she wants you to do," Mia answered.


    "We also need to register you with the Adventurer''s Guild, and we could visit a low level dungeon to get you familiarized with fighting monsters," she suggested.


    "How big of a party do we need for that?" Lily asked, unsure if she wanted to add more people on short notice.


    "Introductory level dungeons, so called "zeros" can be started solo. The rewards aren''t great, unless you clear the whole thing, but neither is the danger. A pair of level ones, like us, shouldn''t have much trouble, as long as we are careful," Mia explained.


    "I see. Have you ever been to one of these dungeons?" Lily asked and Mia shook her head in response.


    "Oh, no. You are only allowed into an introductory dungeon once, the Guild is very strict about that, and I didn''t want to go until I Linked with someone," she said.


    "I am glad that we will experience it together, then," Lily said, happy to know she wasn''t behind Mia in experience. The smaller girl had a lot of other advantages due to being born in this world, so Lily''s competitive side was glad they would start at even footing, level wise, at least


    She wanted to say something else, but her thoughts were interrupted by the street lights outside turning on. The roadside lanterns started blazing in an unnatural light that was cleaner and colder than the sun''s. She pointed to one of them and asked her companion how they worked. Mia explained that Light mages made the lanterns with the help of certain enchanter attunements, and that all the lanterns needed to shine was an infusion of mana. They wouldn''t last forever, and they weren''t cheap, but they made the city safer, so the council gladly paid the bill.


    Shortly after, they passed through a gate and were outside the walls again. There were fewer houses here,  and Mia explained that this was the side of town where the richer folk lived. Lily certainly believed it, seeing the impressive gardens and facades. Ornate gatehouses, decorative statues and small fountains gave off an impression of wealth, and Lily wondered if Mia lived in a similar house.


    She got her answer soon enough, when the carriage came to a stop in front of a tall fence  that stretched as far as Lily could see. The driver exchanged a few words with a guard, and the great gate swung open, allowing them in.


    "Welcome to the Dawnheart estate," Mia exclaimed proudly as they entered. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

 Chapter XIV - Family Reunion

    As soon as they entered the compound, Lily could see why her friend was proud. Lanterns like those in the city illuminated both sides of the road, and in the darkness behind them, Lily could see the outlines of great trees neatly arranged into rows. She wanted to see more, so she opened the window, letting the evening breeze in. She peeked out, and saw that the road was leading to a huge mansion, several stories high. As they made their way towards it, trees gave way to neatly arranged gardens filled with hedges and intricately arranged flowerbeds. These were surrounded by small fountains and statues whose details Lily couldn''t quite make out in the artificial light. This continued until they reached another gate in front of the mansion, at the hilltop.


    "This is where we get off," Mia announced as she stepped outside. Lily followed her, and the pair passed through the open gate. As soon as they did, a guard approached them.He bowed slightly in front of Mia, before speaking: "We were not informed you had been rescued, Lady Dawnheart. I am sure your father would have been here to greet you himself if we had."


    "The Watch had no time to inform anyone, since I insisted on coming here as soon as possible," Mia calmly replied. "Is my father on the estate?"


    "He is, my Lady," the guard answered. "He was busy organizing the search effort for you throughout the day, and he returned from town recently."


    "I will find him in his study then," Mia said and started walking towards the manor.


    The guard shuffled on his feet uncomfortably, before speaking up:


    "I understand that the circumstances are unusual, but I must know who you are bringing inside, my Lady," he said, pointing at Lily. "Oh, this is Lily. All you need to know is that she rescued me, and that she will be staying here with us for the foreseeable future," Mia replied, and grabbed Lily''s hand. Before the guard could say anything else, Mia marched off with Lily in tow. Lily could barely keep up with the smaller girl, and she had no time to take in the sights before they reached the manor doors. They were open, with no guards outside, so Mia waltzed in like she owned the place (which she did, Lily realized upon further reflection).


    Inside, a grand entrance hall stretched out, marble statues lining the painting-filled walls. A grand chandelier hung from the high ceiling, midway between the entrance door and the grand staircase on the opposite side. It was a scene right from a novel, and Lily was sure she would have gotten lost in the many hallways if she had been on her own. Mia knew where she was going, though, and she made a beeline for one of the hallways on the left side. It was a smaller space than the grand hall, but the exquisite woodwork and the row of hanging lanterns gave it an air of opulence which matched the rest of the estate.


    "My father always ends his day by writing letters in his study, so we will find him there," Mia explained as they walked down the corridor.


    "Anything I should know before we speak to him?" Lily asked.


    "Not really, I will explain everything to him," came the answer. "Just tell him the truth if he asks you anything."


    "I can do that," Lily said, relieved. She didn''t like that they had hid things from the police equivalent of this world, and doing the same to Mia''s father didn''t feel right.


    Or maybe you think that because you like his daughter, and you don''t want to ruin your chances by making a bad first impression. Her musings were interrupted by Mia opening the door at the end of the corridor, and Lily followed her into a spacious living room. There was a fireplace across the room, burning brightly with no wood inside. A distinguished looking man, dressed in a butler outfit, stood beside it, in front of a door. He turned to face them, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw Mia, but he said nothing. "Is my father inside the study, Damian?" Mia asked after approaching.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Indeed he is, my Lady," the butler answered with a slight now. "In fact, both the master and the mistress of the house are inside. They gave orders not to be disturbed, but your arrival superseeds them."


    "Excellent, me and my friend will see them now," Mia said cheerfully, but before she opened the door, she remembered something and turned to face the butler again. "I almost forgot. This is Lily, and she will be staying with us in the manor. Make ready the guest room next to mine on my floor," she ordered. "And Damian, spare no expense." The butler gave a knowing look to Lily, before nodding and replying:


    "I will personally make sure the arrangements are made so that the room is ready within the hour, my Lady."


    He gave a small bow, this time to both of them, and left. As soon as he did, Mia opened the door and stepped in."


    "What is it now, Damian? I said no interruptions, I am trying to find my daughter," a man behind a desk spoke out angrily, not raising his head from the letter he was writing. "You don''t have to do that, dad," Mia replied. "I am here now."


    Upon hearing her voice, both the man and the woman sitting across from him, turned towards Mia. Her father stood up instantly, and Lily could see tears in his eyes.


    "Oh, Mia, my dear Mia, thank the gods you are safe," he said as he made his way over to her. "We were so worried when you disappeared." He grabbed his daughter in a great hug, almost picking her up from the ground. Mia returned his embrace, and planted a kiss on his cheek. As soon as they separated, the tall woman, who Lily assumed was Mia''s stepmother, hugged her too. "I was deathly worried too," she said in a husky voice, clearly holding back tears. "You must tell us what happened."


    Mia broke the hug before saying: "I will, but first I must introduce you to someone." She turned around and Lily felt all their gazes on her. "This is Lily Spears," Mia proclaimed. "She is the Chosen of Dahlia and the reason I am safely here." Her father was about to say something in response, but Mia continued: "She is also my Linked Soul."


    Hearing that, the man gave Lily a look of suspicion, but before he could say anything Mia spoke up again: "Father, you should know she came to my rescue before knowing who I was, and I willingly Linked with her when she risked her life fighting one of the kidnappers. She never blackmailed or coerced me, and I would still be a prisoner, or worse, if it wasn''t for her intervention."


    Hearing that, Eric''s face visibly relaxed and he wiped away his tears, before speaking to Lily: "If what my daughter says is true, and she has never been able to lie to me, you have the eternal gratitude of my house, Chosen. Ask for anything, and if it is within my considerable power, you shall have it." He spoke in a solemn voice, and bowed at the end. Lily''s face turned red from embarrassment for another time that night, but luckily, Mia came to her rescue.


    "You are embarrassing her, father. She''s only been on Teras for a few days, let her settle in before you promise the world to her," Mia said with a smile. "I owe you two a story, so let me tell it before you pester Lilly more."


    "That''s fair dear, and I think this reunion deserves a celebratory drink." Mia''s mother, Ranea said. She took a few glasses from a cupboard, along with a bottle, and poured a drink into each, before placing them on the small table. Mia and Lily sat on one of the sofas, and Lily took a small sip of the reddish liquor. The taste was strong and fruity, and it lingered long in her mouth.


    Mia took a sip as well, before starting the tale. She told the story of her ambush and rescue for the second time that night, not leaving out any details this time. She mentioned the business with the Watch briefly, ending with the carriage ride to the estate. For her part, Lily answered questions about how she died and  became a champion of Dahlia and how she happened upon the carriage carrying Mia. The parents wanted the details, and Lily didn''t know how much time passed in the talk, but by the end their glasses were empty. When the girls finished their tale, Eric stood up and after thanking Lily again, suggested that the two of them get some rest, while he wrote some more letters in the light of the changed situation. Mia wanted to protest, but her stepmother also insisted, so she admitted defeat, gave them a kiss, and left with Lily in tow.

 Chapter XV - Accomodations

    After leaving her parents behind, Mia told Lily that it was time for her to see the room she would be staying in. She led her back to the main hall, and up the great staircase. After climbing several flights of stairs, Lily really started to miss elevators, but she pushed on and they soon reached the top floor of the mansion.


    "This floor is all mine," Mia said. "There is a library, a study, and several other rooms, but let''s head to our bedrooms now." Lily tried to remember the layout as Mia led her down a wide corridor that ended up branching out. She saw a maid standing in front of a door on the left, and Mia wasted no time approaching her. "Has the room been prepared, as I instructed?" she inquired and the maid nodded. " Yes, my Lady. I''ve been instructed to provide any assistance your ladyship or Lady Lily might require," she said and Mia nodded herself. "Have the staff bring food and prepare the dining room for me and Lily, and then you can retire for the rest of the night," Mia instructed and the maid bowed gracefully before leaving. The girls entered the room, and once again, Lily was struck by the sheer opulence of the space. Leather furniture, woven rugs, and the largest bed she''d ever seen sat around the room.


    "Do you like it?" Mia asked. "This room was always meant for whoever I Linked to, and I think the servants did a good job getting it ready."


    "I don''t know what to say. All of this is overwhelming for an ordinary girl like me," Lily answered earnestly. "Like I said, you better get used to it. As an Avatar of a god, people will often treat you like royalty," Mia said. "Not that someone as pretty and kind as you was ever ordinary."


    "Uhm, thanks," was all that the red faced Lily could mutter out, but Mia saved her from further embarrassment by changing the topic. She pointed to one of the two doors which were on opposite sides of the room. She explained that one led to her room, and the other to the bathroom. She led Lily into it, and explained how everything functioned. The enchanted items were designed with capacitors, so that even a manaless person could use them, which was convenient, because Lily still didn''t know how to use skills or wield mana properly. Mia suggested that the two of them take a quick shower before dinner, and then she would teach Lily about magic some more. Lily agreed, Mia went into her own room, leaving Lily alone with her thoughts for the first time that day.


    Her mind was racing, starting to realize all the implications of her status as an Avatar (or Chosen, he didn''t yet know if there was a difference in the terms). She knew saving a world wouldn''t require simply killing monsters, but she had hoped to stay out of the limelight. It didn''t seem like that was happening however, so she decided to focus on the present. She picked out clothes from one of the wardrobes - and that was a novel thing too, having multiple of those, got undressed and went into the shower. The temperature regulator was simple to use and Lily took great joy from her first shower since dying on Earth. After getting out and drying, she put on the nightgown she had picked out. It was red, with floral patterns, and its silken touch felt sensual on her damp skin. Mia had said she would join her when once she was ready, so Lily decided to check out the balcony. She opened the glass doors and stepped into the dark.


    The air was cold, and no stars could be seen through the clouds. She heard thunderous rumbling in the distance, and she knew Mia was right about the oncoming storm. She stepped back, disappointed she could not stargaze, and made sure the door was firmly closed. She sat down on a sofa that was sinfully comfortable, and scanned the room. It was a far larger space than she ever expected, with all the necessary comforts, but it wasn''t truly hers yet. She wasn''t sure how long she would be staying at the Dawnheart estate, but she intended to add some personality to the room. I could start with a bookshelf and some books. Mia mentioned the floor had a library, maybe I could borrow some books about the history of the world and the previous Avatars of the gods.


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    One of her worries, other than the potential threat to the world, was not knowing how to act appropriately for her new station. Was she supposed to demand respect and obedience or offer help and encouragement? Where did she sit in the social hierarchy in relation to nobles and politicians? It wasn''t something she had to think about in her previous life, nor was it something the heroic stories she read talked about often, but she didn''t want to make a fool of herself and embarrass her goddess. She chuckled imagining the newspaper headlines:


    "Champion of Dahlia commits a horrible faux pas - religion shaken to the core".


    She doubted it would be that bad, but it was something to consider. Luckily, Mia seemed knowledgeable about that sort of thing, so Lily hoped she could get pointers from her.


    Just then, the dark haired girl opened the door and stepped back into Lily''s room. She wore a black kimono, with  floral patterns matching Lily''s, and once again Lily was stunned by her beauty.It clung to her damp body, accentuating her curves, and  making it seem that she wore nothing underneath. Her emerald eyes seemed to pierce the soul and see inside - not an unreasonable thought considering what Lily knew of her friend''s attunement, and in the moment, Lily''s heart wished for nothing more than to stand up, grab Mia in her arms and kiss her softly. But once again her cautious mind would not follow where her heart and body wanted to go, so she sat still as the moment passed, as Mia walked towards the exit door.


    "Let''s grab something to eat, we''ve had a long day and only ate sandwiches, and while I don''t want to offend her, I now know why Dahlia is not the goddess of cooking," Mia said, which made Lily chuckle. "I doubt she will strike you down for telling the truth," Lily replied in agreement and followed her outside.


    They made their way across the hallway and into a small dining room, where they found the table set for two. It was a cozy space, with both a dim lantern and a scented candle lighting the area and the girls sat at the table, across from each other.


    Lily found the food excellent, the flavor of the meat and vegetables blending perfectly, but she expected nothing less after seeing the opulence of the manor. Mia told her that the meat belonged to a predator from the jungles of Atara, and that it was one of the commodities her father traded in. Lily asked some questions about the vegetables, but before she could answer,Mia was startled by the sound of thunder outside.


    Rain soon followed, and the rest of their meal was accompanied by the sound  of raindrops hitting the windows. Combined with the candle, it made for one of the more romantic meals Lily ever had. The atmosphere chipped away at her caution, but she remained resolute in not making a move on Mia yet.


    Unbeknownst to her, the raven haired girl was having similar troubles, unable to keep her eyes away from her companion. Mia was certain that the sight of Lily in the beautiful nightgown, purple eyes blazing in the soft lantern light, would make even the most devout follower of Sar, god of moderation, reconsider their vows. And she was no monk. The butterflies in her stomach certainly confirmed that, and they reminded her of the last time she felt this way. But surely Lily was different? She was so kind and caring and considerate, she would not break her heart the way she had. But she had been kind and considerate too, before revealing her true nature, Mia''s mind protested, so she did nothing, except finish her meal. Lily was finished too so the girls exited the dining room, and made their way back. Mia stopped in front of the door leading into her room and pointed inside. "Time  to show you a whole new world of magic," she said with a smile. "But I don''t see any flying carpets," Lily responded with a smile of her own. "Excuse me, what?" Mia was confused,and Lily waved her off. "It''s an Earth thing,"  she said and went inside.


    That confused Mia even more, because from what Lily told her, Earth had no magic, but all she could do is shrug, and follow Lily in.

 Chapter XVI - Basics of Magic

    The room was similar to hers, but Lily could see Mia''s personal touch. There was a bookcase in place of one of the wardrobes, and an oil painting hung on one of the walls. It was a family portrait of Mia and her parents, and Lily could see that Mia inherited her mother''s beauty, not just her eyes. The woman was sitting on a chair, holding Mia in her arms, and she gave off an air of confidence that dominated the painting. Her gaze was piercing, and Lily quickly looked away, not wanting her staring to remind Mia of painful memories. Besides, there was work to be done, and she was excited to experience more magic. The girls took a seat on the edge of the large bed, and Mia began her instructions.


    "First of all, you need to learn how to access your soul and see the status screen inside. Close your eyes, and focus inward. Try and feel the warmth of your soul," Mia explained, and Lily gave it a try. She closed her eyes, and tried to tune the outside world out. Her heightened senses gave her some trouble, but eventually she managed to feel the heat in her core, and she dove in without hesitation. Her time spent as a soul in the In-Between helped her adjust to the strange feeling of weightlessness, and she noticed that her soul felt different than back then. She didn''t know if that was due to the influence of Dahlia, Mia''s Soul Link or the fact that it was in a body this time, but she felt stronger. Not knowing how to proceed, she opened her eyes and turned to Mia. "What do I do after I access my soul?" she inquired and Mia looked surprised. "Wow, you accessed your soul on the first try, very impressive. Most people take some time adjusting to the different feeling. Just think about your body and it''s strength and a screen should appear in your vision. I know it sounds strange, but it works, trust me," Mia replied, and Lily dove back in. She tried doing what Mia told her, and true enough, a screen appeared in her vision.


    Lily Spears


    Level 1


    Attunements:


    Dahlia''s Avatar


    ???


    Attributes:


    ??? ???


    ??? ???


    ??? ???


    Masteries:


    Sword


    Shield


    Lily could now clearly see what Mia meant when she said people did not know their own stats. There were two more bars, one red and one blue, which she assumed indicated health and mana. More question marks stood above them, but at least one could estimate one''s level of injury and mana available based on the fullness of the bars. Her''s were full at the moment, so she focused on the rest of the screen. Attunements were the only thing that she could interact with, so she "pressed" on the first one. A new screen appeared:


    Dahlia''s Avatar


    Skills Unlocked:


    Divine Body (Passive) - The Divine nature of your soul and body gives you heightened senses, reflexes and mana regeneration.


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    Invoke Divinity (Level 1) - Channel to assume your Avatar form, greatly increasing all stats while constantly draining mana.


    Smite (Level 1) - Greatly increases the damage of your next melee attack. Costs no mana in Avatar form.


    Apparently, being a champion of a goddess gave her three skills to start with, and while Lily was a little disappointed her skills didn''t let her do classic magic things like throw fireballs or freeze things, having two all around buffs at level one seemed powerful. She returned to the previous screen, and tried accessing the second attunement, but nothing happened. She shrugged mentally and, satisfied with her progress, opened her eyes. Mia gave her a questioning look, and Lily told her about her skills. The dark-haired girl let her finish talking, before getting up and grabbing a thick book from the shelf. She returned with it in hand, and Lily could see the title:


    Diary of Avatar Stella - Book One


    Lily vaguely remembered Mia mentioning someone by that name in the context of her Soul Link, and she waited patiently while Mia sat down and shuffled through the pages. "Stella was not only the most famous Soulmancer of all time, she was also the Avatar of Dahlia at the time of the Deluge, one of the Five who ended the disaster at the cost of their lives. Unlike you, she was born on Teras and chosen to be an Avatar at birth but her knowledge and experience could prove useful," Mia said, not taking her eyes away from the book. "It certainly proved useful to me, as there is not a lot of literature out there on Soulmancy and Soul Link. It''s not something people advertise as having, since it turns them into targets, but she and her linked companion, Clare, were so powerful, that nobody in their right mind thought about targeting them. Ah, here it is," Mia exclaimed, and finally ended her search.


    She gave the book to Lily, and pointed at the page on the left. It showed a sketch of Stella''s own Dahlia''s Avatar screen, similar to the one Lily saw. There was no Divine Body, and her version of Smite was called Judgment, was ranged and stunned instead of dealing bonus damage, but Invoke Divinity was the same. The more interesting thing, however, was the comment underneath.


    Mastering Judgement proved easy enough, but I had great difficulty in using and controlling Invoke Divinity initially, until I consulted the scriptures at the temple. Turns out that it''s easier to access the goddesses power in a place of her worship, so I spent time at the training grounds in the temple learning to access the Avatar form properly. It didn''t help with control issues, however, and I spent a lot of time apologizing to the priests and priestesses I gave a severe beating to in practice. Not all of them seemed to mind, and a few even enjoyed the experience, which I found strange at the time.


    "I see, it will be easier if I am able to practice at the temple. Do you think I will be allowed to?" Lily asked, and Mia chuckled. "Silly girl, once again you are forgetting your status. Allowed to? Once she sees who you are the Head Priestess will treat your every request as a word of god. Besides, she will move heaven and Teras to keep you there as much as possible. Being the temple where the first Avatar of Dahlia in over a millennium is training will boost the prestige of its priesthood immensely, and increase attendance, which is great for business," Mia said with a grin. "I hadn''t considered that fully," Lily admitted. She was not  comfortable with the thought of being an object of worship, so she didn''t think about the implications her presence would have.


    "Of course you didn''t, because you aren''t used to wielding power. I, on the other hand, was born into wealth and influence, and have lorded over lesser creatures my whole life," Mia said, managing to keep a straight face the whole time. "I recall someone saying, and I quote, ''I don''t like putting on the spoiled brat act'' a few hours ago," Lily said with a grin which broke through Mia''s sangfroid. "Okay, you got me, but in all seriousness, the sooner you get used to your status, the easier your quest will be," she replied. "An Avatar like you is basically royalty, and few states or organizations will dare deny your requests."


    Lily certainly saw how that could be true, but strange women distributing magic powers were no basis for a form of government, and she was resolved to keep her involvement in politics to a minimum. "I had hoped that you might have some skills you could try out tonight, but it seems that hands-on practice will have to wait until tomorrow," Mia said, and Lily nodded. She had hoped the same, but she had spent her whole life up to that point without doing any magic, so she was certain she could survive another night without it. "Agreed, and it''s getting late. We spent a lot of time traveling today, and you must be tired, so we should get some rest. From what you told me tomorrow is gonna be a big day," Lily said, and started getting up. In truth, with the distraction of exploring the magic system gone, she wasn''t sure how long she would be able to resist Mia. Sitting on her bed, right next to her, was already straining her willpower, and she cursed her empowered senses for the first time. The sight and smell of the raven-haired girl in her tight kimono was intoxicating, and Lily wanted some alone time.


    "You are starting to sound like my parents," Mia answered. "Unfortunately, you are also right." She stood up to return the book, but as she reached for the shelf, the sound of thunder broke the silence of the night. It surprised her, and she dropped the book. "How clumsy of me, I really am tired," she said in a husky voice, that Lily chalked up to her embarrassment. She quickly recovered, picked the book up and stored it away. "Good night then," Mia said with a smile that looked a little forced. "Good night," Lily said and went to her room through the door next to the bed. Her own bed was on the other side of the wall, so she turned off the small bedside lantern and went to bed.

 Chapter XVII - A Stormy Night

    Lily had always enjoyed sleeping when it rained outside, like most people, and under normal circumstances, she would have fallen asleep quickly. But there was no normalcy in her new life just yet. Maybe it was the thought of tomorrow''s excitement, or maybe it was her new body, but in any case, she couldn''t sleep. The butterflies in her stomach certainly didn''t help. There''s no denying it anymore. I fell in love with the first girl I met. There''s a cliche for you. But she''s so pretty and funny, not to mention adorable when she''s embarrassed. I wouldn''t think that someone as confident as her gets embarrassed so easily, but it''s happened often since we met. Is she falling for me like I fell for her? Lily gave it some thought and decided that can''t be it. Must be because of what I am. This Stella was certainly one of her heroes, and now after a millennium, a new Avatar of Dahlia shows up. One minute she is a captive facing what amounts to slavery, and the next she is being rescued by a hero from legend. Not to mention the whole Soul Link thing. No wonder she is getting flustered so easily. Well, all the more reason to proceed carefully. Not very heroic of me to take advantage of her when she is in so much emotional turmoil. But it isn''t easy, Lily thought as an image of Mia in her black kimono flashed in her mind. By Dahlia, it isn''t easy.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the fierce rumbling of the thunderstorm, as another bolt illuminated the night''s sky outside. The rain seemed to intensify as well, the rhythmic sound of raindrops breaking up on the glass window getting louder. One sharp crack followed another, and Lily hoped that the storm would pass by dawn. As if in response to her prayer, more rumbling came from outside, but this time there was another, fainter sound coming from somewhere else.


    Lily put her gifts to use, and quickly realized that she could hear faint sobs which grew louder and louder. They were coming from Mia''s room, and Lily''s heart sank when she realized who they must belong to. Did I do something wrong? Should I apologize? She had no clue what to do, but as the sobbing grew louder so did the pain in her heart until she could beat it no more. I  should talk to her, Lily decided and gently knocked on Mia''s door. "Yes?" came a meek response. "Are you okay? I thought I heard you cry," Lily said softly. " I really am useless, I even managed to wake you up," Mia responded through tears, and Lily realized she had to act. "I am coming in," she said, and stepped through the door. Inside, she could see that Mia was curled up at the top of the bed, hands covering her face, as tears streamed down.


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    "What''s wrong," Lily asked as she sat down on the bed beside her. "I am scared, I am really scared," Mia replied. "I tried to be brave, I really did, I thought everything would be fine once I got home, but it isn''t." She was sobbing uncontrollably now, and Lily put an arm around her, holding her tightly. That seemed to calm her down a little, but the tears kept coming.


    "I thought being home would make me feel safe, but as soon as you left me alone and I heard the thunder outside, the bad memories came back. Being ambushed, the kidnapping and then your fight with the thug, it was all real again," she continued. "I''ve always tried to be strong, to not show any weakness, like my mother taught me, but look at me now, so weak and pathetic."


    She removed one trembling hand from her face, stretching it out in front of Lily. "I can''t even make a single spark, that''s how afraid I am," Mia cried out, holding her hand in front of the taller girl''s face. Her fingers contracted, but nothing happened, and Mia let her arm fall limp beside her. "See, and I am supposed to be a Lightning mage in an Avatar''s party. Couldn''t even light a fire, let alone kill a monster. The only lesson I ever remember mother teaching me is that people like me can never show that they are weak or scared, because if they do, the world will eat them. But that''s all I am, weak, useless and scared." The rivers of tears kept flowing, soaking her kimono wet. Lily grabbed the smaller girl in a hug from behind, and started wiping away her tears.


    "It''s okay, you are gonna be okay, I won''t let anything happen to you, I promise," Lily spoke gently as she embraced Mia.


    "It''s okay to be scared. I get scared too, you know. I was scared when I fought that thug, and I am scared now.  Scared that I will let everyone down and fail to save the world, that I will be too weak. But I read once that you can only be brave when you are scared, and you''ve been so brave since we met."


    "You really think so?"


    "I know so. You saved us both when you took that hit for me, despite knowing how much it would hurt. Then you got us home safe and sound, despite being injured."


    She gently turned Mia around, so they were face to face. The smaller girl was calming down, eyes still full of tears but no longer sobbing uncontrollably.


    "You told me that I need to get used to my status. Well, here''s an order for you, straight from an Avatar," Lily said sternly, and Mia''s eyes lit up. "I don''t want to hear you call yourself weak or useless ever again, is that clear?"


    "Yes,ma''am," Mia replied sheepishly, and Lily embraced her into a proper hug this time. "That''s better. It''s okay to cry, you know, brave girls cry too," she said, patting Mia on the head. That broke open the floodgates again. They stayed in the embrace for a long time, until Mia cried herself to sleep in Lily''s arms. Lily put her down gently and laid beside the sleeping beauty. She couldn''t let the poor girl wake up alone and scared tomorrow, so she decided to sleep beside her for the night. She turned the light off and drifted to sleep beside the dreaming Mia, who remained fast asleep despite the raging storm outside.

 Chapter XVIII - Temple of Dahlia I

    When Lily woke up, she saw that the storm had passed and that the sun was out already. However, Mia was gone. She got out of the comfortable bed slowly, and went into her room. She wasted no time getting ready for the day ahead, and went into the shower. When she exited, she saw  that Mia was sitting on Lily''s bed, waiting for her.


    "I woke up earlier than you did, so I spent time in the library looking into something," Mia said. "Follow me and I can you show you." Her voice showed no sign of the night''s fear, but  Lily suspected that it would take more time until Mia was fully back to her confident self, and that for now she was putting on a facade. She made no comment on it, instead pointing at her towel covered body. "Sure thing, I just need to get dressed," she replied, and Mia''s face went red with embarrassment.


    "Of course, how silly of me," she said, getting up. "I will wait for you in my room."


    Few minutes later, after Lily picked some nice clothes and put them on, the girls were on their way to the library. "I took the liberty of having breakfast brought up, and ordering the guards to prepare transport for us, so we can go to the temple," Mia explained on the way there, and Lily nodded. That seemed like a good plan to her, and she was glad to see Mia take initiative. The library was on the other side of the floor, and Lily was impressed when she entered inside. Rows and rows of books sat on bookshelves stacked up to the high ceiling and Lily regretted that her duties would make it hard for her to spend time there. Mia led her to a reading table next to one of the windows, and pointed at an open book on it.


    "When you mentioned seeing question marks under your attunement, I remembered that I saw something like that once before," Mia said. "It was in this book about Jason, an Outworld Avatar of order and justice that lived a millennia before the Deluge."


    Lily picked the dusty book up and looked at the title. Lives of the Avatars - Jason the Second, it said and she gave Mia a questioning look. "The second?"


    "All Avatars of Val, god of order and Justice, take the name of Jason, in honor of the first Avatar of that god. It wasJason who established the Adventurer''s Guild, and the inventory system."


    "I hope I don''t have to change my name, I''ve always liked it," Lily replied, and Mia shook her head.


    "Your name is safe, no such practice in Dahlia''s church," she said.


    Lily sat down and started reading the marked page. Apparently, the author explained, Jason, as an Outworld Avatar did not start out with a second attunement,  having to spend some time on Teras first to unlock it. It reflected his actions up to that point, and Lily supposed that it made sense for the system to need time to give a suitable attunement to someone who wasn''t born on Teras. It meant  that she would get even stronger, and she hoped that this was not another feature that got broken by the Sundering.


    The rest of the page was uninteresting biographical information, and she put the book down. "I am glad you showed me this, I was a little worried that something was wrong," she told Mia, whose eyes gleamed at the praise. Well, at least I can help that way, since my damn lighting doesn''t work yet, Mia thought as the girls exited the library and made their way to the dining room. Lily was very pleasantly surprised by the sight of pancakes, and she enjoyed eating a very big breakfast.  She tried to ask Mia some questions about the religion and the temple they''d be visiting, and while Mia gladly explained that there were many gods, not all of whom had sent champions, she told her little about the worship of Dahlia. Instead, she talked about the truly old legends who spoke of mortal races and immortal elves achieving goodhood, and becoming local gods on Teras.


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    With the meal finished, they made their way downstairs. Mia told Lily that her father had already gone into the city, where he intended to show his displeasure with the Watch in person, so they would be traveling alone. A servant was waiting for them in the great hall, and he led them to the luxurious carriage that was waiting outside. Two armed guards accompanied the driver, a reasonable precaution in light of the recent events, Lily thought, and they set off as soon as the girls got in.


    The ride was more comfortable than the one they had the evening before, and it was made more enjoyable by the fact that it was broad daylight. Lily spent most of it asking about the various buildings she saw along the way, and Mia answered with her customary patience. Lily was starting to feel bad about having to ask Mia about everything, but the raven-haired girl seemed to enjoy talking and telling stories a lot, often going on tangents barely related to Lily''s original question.


    Eventually, they arrived in front of a gated complex with tall spires, and Mia explained that this was the temple. Lily saw the beautiful statues representing the goddess, and the whole area had a purple motif. She could smell the beautiful perfumes and the scented candles, and there was laughter coming from inside. They exited the carriage, instructing the guards to wait there. Mia explained that there was no need for armed escort inside the temple grounds, and the guards didn''t protest.


    The gate was open, and Lily saw several women and men clad in light purple robes moving around the courtyard, talking to the guests. None approached Mia and her, however and they passed through the great doors of the temple itself. The aromas and sounds were even more intense inside, and Lily had to try hard to not be overwhelmed. People stood and sat all around the room, talking and praying in front of statues and images of Dahlia. Mia led her to a desk in front of the room, behind which another purple-clad girl sat.


    She was even shorter than Lily''s companion, and when she looked up and saw Mia''s face, her whole face turned into a giant smile.


    "Lady Dawnheart, what a pleasant surprise. And you brought a cute girl along this time. We didn''t have you booked in the schedule today, but I can check which girls are available. I am sure none of them will object to spending time with our favorite customer and her partner," the girl exclaimed, giving Lily a jealous look. Mia''s face turned more red than Lily thought was possible, but she quickly recovered and waved the priestess off.


    "Actually, I am not here to use the temple''s services today. Me and my friend here need to see the High Priestess. It''s a matter of great importance that I cannot discuss with you," Mia said gravely, and the priestess nodded.


    "Normally that would also require making an appointment, but we will of course make an exception for you. Her Holiness is in her office, I am sure she won''t object to seeing you. Do you need a guide?" the girl inquired, and Mia shook her head. She grabbed Lily by the arm, and led her through one of the arches behind the desk.


    "What was that whole thing about ''favorite'' customer all about? And why did she try to kill me with a look?," Lily asked Mia once they were walking through the hallway.


    "I remember  that you mentioned visiting the temple several times back when we first met."


    Mia''s face was red again, but after a moment to compose herself, she mustered the courage to speak. She stopped walking, and turned to face Lily.


    "I''ve always had to be careful about the people I spent time with and trusted, due to my wealth and skills, and after some bad experiences during my studies, I kinda gave up on relationships. But a girl has needs, and the priestesses here are professionals, so I used the temple''s services from time to time," Mia explained, and Lily could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks. "That''s not something that''s frowned upon on Teras, but you are from a different world, and I didn''t want you to think I am weird."


    That explains some of the noises I''ve been hearing, she thought as she listened to Mia''s explanation.


    "I''d never think that about you, and I don''t think I can, as an Avatar of Dahlia, find it weird that someone is using the ''services'' her priesthood provides. That would be the height of hypocrisy," Lily replied. "Besides, it''s not like we are girlfriends or anything, right? So who you sleep with is none of my concern."


    "Right," Mia replied quietly. "Let''s not keep the Head Priestess waiting," she said and continued moving.

 Chapter XIX - Temple of Dahlia II

    A few hallways later, and the girls found themselves in front of a large, ornate door, which had the goddesses'' likeness carved on it. Mia knocked and a soft voice from inside replied: "Come in."


    Mia pushed the door open, and Lily followed her inside. She saw a middle aged woman sitting behind a desk. She was wearing the clothes of the priesthood, and a large headdress.


    "Oh, Mia, how wonderful to see you," she said when she noticed the dark-haired girl.


    "How can I help you? Was there some sort of a problem at the reception?"


    "Actually, I am not the reason why we are here, my friend is," Mia replied.


    "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" the priestess asked, turning to face Lily.


    "This is Lily Spears," Mia spoke out in a solemn voice. "And she''s the new Avatar of Dahlia."


    The priestess stood motionless for a moment, but then she pointed one arm at Lily and spoke out: "Sense Divinity"


    Her pupils went white, and when the skill ended she dropped to her knees in front of Lily.


    "I am truly blessed to be in your presence, Your Grace", the woman said solemnly. "What brings you to our humble temple?"


    "Please stand up," Lily said, and waited for the priestess to get up before continuing.


    "We are here for two reasons. Firstly, my friend told me you could confirm that I was Dahlia''s Avatar. Secondly, Dahlia herself instructed me to contact her through a ritual in one of her temples. Can you help with that?"


    The High Priestess considered her words for a moment and then nodded. "The confirmation process should be no problem, Your Grace. The skill I used allows me to see the Divine influence of our goddess, and your soul is full of it. Tell me, have you visited the Guild yet?"


    "No, I haven''t. It''s one of the things I planned to do today," Lily replied.


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    "I would ask that you delay your visit for a day, if possible. There have been no new Avatars in a few centuries, but the standard procedure is for the Guild to issue them special identification which confirms their identity. I will personally visit the Guild to inform them of your existence, and help prepare said identification," the priestess explained.


    "I see. No problem then, I can wait until tomorrow. What about the ritual Dahlia mentioned?" Lily inquired.


    "That might prove a little trickier, Your Grace. There have been no Avatars of Dahlia since the Deluge, so while we have the knowledge, nobody has attempted a Contacting Ritual with Dahlia in over a millennium. We should still be able to do it, but I ask that you give me some time to contact the other temples and make preparations," she explained.


    "How much time? I do not know the urgency of the mission the goddess gave me, but I would prefer to move as quickly as possible," Lily said.


    "One week should be enough," the priestess replied and Lily nodded. That seemed reasonable, and it was better to be safe than sorry when it came to ancient rituals in Lily''s opinion.


    The High Priestess, Emilia, tried to get Lily to stay at the temple until the time of the ritual, but Lily refused. She told Emilia about her Soul Link to Mia, but told her to keep it secret. The priestess acquiesced, and with that settled, she offered the girls a short tour of the temple. They agreed, and the three of them set out. The priestess explained that the temple was over  thirteen hundred years old, established by followers and lovers of Stella, the previous Avatar. That surprised Lily, for she remembered that Stella was alive during the Deluge, two hundred years after that, but Mia explained that in those times, high level humans could live for hundreds of years. Even now, a level six human could expect to reach 150 years of age, Mia told her, and the other races lived longer. The priestess led them to the main chapel, usually off limits to public visitors. It was impressive, situated in one of the talk spires on the temple grounds, with  marble statues of both the goddess and the previous Avatar flanking the altar. It was a powerful scene that made Lily wonder if they would make such statues of her one day.


    During the tour Lily remembered to ask about training grounds where she could practice her skill, and the High Priestess told her that they didn''t have use for such a thing normally, but that they could repurpose one of the living quarters for it. That would take a few days, so Lily wasn''t able to start her training right away. With the tour finished, the Priestess took her leave to start work on the business with the Guild, and the girls returned to their carriage.


    "What now?" Lily asked and Mia shrugged in response. The plan was to go to the Guild, but with that delayed, they had no plans for the rest of the day. Mia wanted to show Lily the rest of the town, but Lily, unable to test her skills at the temple, felt like she should do some training. She wanted to be ready for whatever Dahlia required of her, so polishing her combat skills was a priority. Mia suggested sparring at her father''s estate, so they returned there.


    The training grounds were situated near the guard barracks, and Mia explained that this was where she trained. She was still sad about not being able to use her lightning skills, but she did not despair. Instead she picked up a wooden sword and challenged Lily to a friendly sparring session.


    "First to score two hits wins," Mia said confidently. "And just to make things more interesting, let''s add some stakes. The loser has to fulfill one request the winner makes."


    Lily considered it for a moment. She was not experienced but she had a sword mastery and a physical advantage over the smaller girl. And her heart raced when she considered what she could do if she won.


    "Sure, I am in," Lily answered just as confidently. She liked Mia a lot, but she wasn''t gonna go easy on her.

 Chapter XX - Friendly Sparring

    I might be a little new, but I am not gonna lose to a mage, Lily thought as she picked up a sword of her own and faced Mia. She gave it a few practice swings as she considered her approach. She had no idea what kind of fighter Mia was, and since she had been in only one fight up to this point, she decided to keep it simple and go for a head on attack, using her speed to her advantage. It worked well enough against the thug, she thought as she waited for the nearby guard to give a start signal.


    Once the signal was given, Lily wasted no time. She lunged at Mia, hoping to catch the smaller girl off guard with her speed, but Mia was no novice. She deflected Lily''s sword with her own as she juked to the side. Lily''s momentum carried her forward, and before she could recover Mia scored a hit.


    "One - nil!" she exclaimed, and Lily had to concede she was outplayed.


    She''s no novice, I need to be more careful, Lily decided as they squared off for another round.


    I might actually win, Mia thought as she got back to her starting position. When she suggested the contest she was fairly sure Lily would win, as she had the advantage of her mastery, but even so, she knew the other girl was far too kind-hearted to take advantage of the bet in a big way. Even a small chance of winning was worth it when she considered the potential reward, and for a moment, her lecherous thoughts distracted her from the task at hand.


    Focus, you pervert, you haven''t won yet, she told herself as she assumed a defensive stance.


    This time, Lily closed the distance more slowly, taking care not to overextend herself, and the approach paid off. Her longer reach forced Mia on the backfoot, forcing her to deflect blow after blow, with no chance of striking back. The dark haired girl could not keep up with Lily''s superior speed forever, and eventually, her parry was late.  Lily had knocked the sword out of her hand, and scored a hit of her own. "One - one," Lily said and Mia grunted in acknowledgment.


    Good one, Lily congratulated herself as she got ready for the decisive round. Just take it slow, and you''ll overpower her eventually. And when I do ¡­ Well, I have ideas, she thought with a smile.


    Let''s see how good your defense is, Mia thought as she picked her weapon back up. This time, she was the one who closed the gap, which caught Lily by surprise. So far, she never really had to defend herself, and it took her time to adjust as Mia pushed her back, towards the edge of the arena. She was adjusting though, and Mia recalled Lily''s fight with the thug.


    She gets better and better as her mind catches up to her body''s abilities, she remembered, so she had to think fast and end the fight quickly. Already Lily was improving, deftly parrying Mia''s blows before launching attacks of her own.


    I am gonna lose if I don''t come up with something quickly, Mia thought as Lily started to beat her back. Her footwork is still poor, she suddenly realized as she deflected another swing. That gave her an idea.She dodged the next blow, ducking under it, and struck out with her leg, trying to knock Lily off her feet. She connected, but Lily realized what was happening and managed to reach out and  pull Mia down with her. The girls hit the ground hard, weapons flying from their hands. Mia was surprised to find herself sitting on top of Lily, her hands grabbing the taller girl''s chest tightly.


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    "Ok, you win this round," an equally surprised Lily said, but Mia barely registered her words. The sight of Lily under her played hell with her imagination, and made her forget the rest of the world. She''s so strong and yet so soft, Mia thought as she squeezed harder with her hands.


    "Hey, I said you won," an embarrassed Lily spoke out again, and Mia finally returned to reality.


    Yeah, I did, and in more ways than one, Mia thought as she got up and dusted herself off.


    "So what''s it gonna be," Lily asked as she got up. Her face was red, from a combination of embarrassment and effort, and Mia considered her options.


    "Well, we didn''t say we had to make the request straight away," Mia answered after a brief pause. "I''ll let you know when I come up with something." She smiled wickedly, but strangely enough, Lily wasn''t worried. Instead, the thought of Mia bossing her around excited her.


    Which is dumb, Lily thought as the memory of the fight replayed in her mind. She really did try to win, but losing didn''t sound so bad when she remembered the sight of Mia sitting on top of her, hands on her chest. Get your mind out of the gutter. Just because you were thinking about doing something lewd with the bet doesn''t mean she is too.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a guard approaching.


    "Not a bad showing for a novice, Your Grace," an older man in the uniform of a guard said. He noticed Lily''s reaction to him using her title, and smiled.


    "Rick, captain of the Dawnheart guard, at your service. Don''t worry Your Grace, your secret is safe with me. Mia''s father briefed me on your situation, and instructed me to offer you help. I used to be an adventurer myself, before I took this job and I helped train Mia here. Did a good job, if I can say so myself."


    "Indeed you have, captain," Lily replied, relieved that her status wasn''t quite public yet. "I would be more than happy to have an instructor in my training, especially one I can trust."


    "Excellent. Meet me here at the grounds tomorrow morning and we can begin your training," he said, before bowing and taking his leave.


    "Rick''s a great teacher, he''ll make sure you are ready for your first dungeon in no time," Mia chimed in once the guard left. "Looks like we have some more free time though, want me to show you the rest of the grounds here? Can you ride a horse?"


    "No, I''ve never ridden one before," Lily admitted. "These carriage rides are the closest I''ve ever come to one in my life. Well, lives actually."


    "Well it''s about time we fix that. Come on, follow me," Mia said, all excited. They got back to the manor to change clothes, and then Mia led her to a stable. She told Lily to wait outside before entering. Lily heard her chatting with one of the grooms briefly before exiting with a beautiful black horse in tow.


    "Lily, meet Percival," Mia said as she came close. "Don''t worry, he is a very gentle animal, and the first horse I ever rode."


    She jumped into the saddle and rode a few circles around the courtyard before stopping in front of Lily.


    "C''mon jump on," Mia said, inviting Lily on. Lily was a little scared, not being very familiar with animals in general, but she trusted Mia, and she wanted to partake in an activity the girl enjoyed. After all, due to the effects of Soul Link, Mia could hardly do stuff on her own for any extended period of time. She obviously loved riding, and Lily didn''t want to deprive her of that joy, so with some trepidation, she grabbed Mia''s arm and jumped on.


    "Hold on tight," Mia instructed and Lily complied. Not that I need incentive to want to hug her, Lily thought as they started moving. Mia took it slow initially, to accommodate her friend, but since Lily showed no signs of wanting to get off, she had the horse speed up. Lily sat behind the smaller Mia, and enjoyed the rush of fresh air. She could see why her friend liked this activity so much. Being out on your own, surrounded by nature was not the time of freedom a girl like Mia experienced often.


    After circling around the manor a few times, Mia had the horse stop back in front of the stable, where they began.


    "I hope you enjoyed that, cause I certainly did," Mia said as Lily got off.


    "It was fun," Lily replied honestly. "I wasn''t sure at the start, but I trusted you, and I quite liked it by the end."


    "Glad to hear that. It''s long past midday, let''s get back inside, clean up and grab something to eat," Mia suggested as she led the horse into the stable, and Lily nodded. Between all the traveling and the general excitement, she had lost track of time, and she was starting to feel hungry. Once Mia exited the stable, the girls headed back to the manor.

 Chapter XXI - An Invitation

    After cleaning up and changing, Lily joined Mia and her stepmother for lunch. Her father was still in town, so it was just the three of them. Ranea asked a few questions about their business at the temple, but otherwise they ate the meal in silence. Afterwards, the girls retired to their rooms, where Lily asked Mia to borrow the diary of Stella, the previous Avatar of Dahlia. She wanted to read more about her predecessor, and Mia gladly complied.


    It was interesting to read the thoughts of another Avatar, the way they dealt with the expectations and the pressures of the position. Stella''s case was different, of course, as she was chosen at birth, and spent her whole childhood preparing for the role. The diary started after she had turned eighteen, and talked about her training in the temple, mastering her skills and learning to communicate with Dahlia. It chronicled her budding romance with Clare, the girl she would end up using Soul Link on. Unfortunately, it was short on details of what Lily herself could expect from her powers in the future, as the volume ended with Stella entering her first dungeon.


    To Lily''s disappointment, Mia told her that the other volumes did not survive the Deluge, leaving the rest of Stella''s story to be told through various biographies and legends written after her death in the Sundering. Still, Lily very much enjoyed reading the diary, and in her customary manner, she lost track of time. It was already dark outside when Mia knocked on her door to invite her to dinner.


    At least some things are the same here and on Earth, Lily thought as she stepped into the hallway.A good book can really suck you in.


    Mia was once again wearing a beautiful silk kimono, and Lily let out an involuntary sigh when she saw her. They made their way to the dining room together, and at least this time there was no rain outside to add to the romantic atmosphere.


    I should really make a move. Maybe tomorrow, after we finish at the Guild, Lily thought as she sat down to eat. The food was great, and Lily was starting to get used to the lavish meals at the manor.


    When they finished eating, Mia spoke out:


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    "I''ve been thinking about the bet the whole day, and I think I have decided what to ask of you."


    "Oh, you have? Well let''s hear it then," Lily said with more confidence than she actually felt.


    "I want you to go out on a date with me tomorrow," Mia blurted out quickly. "After we are done with the Guild, of course."


    Lily''s heart raced as she heard the request. Truthfully, she would have accepted even without the bet, but she couldn''t really admit that to Mia now, could she? Instead, she just nodded.


    "I''ll make sure it''s the best date of your life," Mia said with a determined look, and Lily giggled.


    "Sounds fun, and you can show me around town, too," she replied, and Mia let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that Lily found the idea appealing, and wasn''t just fulfilling her obligation. With that settled, they made their way back to their rooms. Mia stopped in front of her door before entering, hand on the doorknob.


    "Oh, one more thing, I didn''t thank you properly for last night," she said, turning to face Lily.


    "I told you that you don''t have to thank me for everything. I -"


    Lily was interrupted by Mia reaching up and giving her a soft kiss. It was a small thing, merely a peck on the lips, but it meant the world to her. Before she could kiss Mia back, the smaller girl pulled away and rushed into her room with a hurry, leaving her alone in the hallway.


    What just happened, Lily wondered as she tried to calm down. She didn''t expect Mia to kiss her like that, and her heart raced like never before. Should I follow her in, or is that going too fast? No, I should wait and see how the date goes. Yeah, Lily, you are in a different world, remember that. A kiss like that might be how people thank their friends around here for all you know, better to wait and see what her intentions are on the date.


    It was hard, though. All Lily wanted in that moment was to follow Mia in and kiss her back, let her know she wanted her, but once again her innate caution prevailed. After a while, her brain started working again, and she made her way to her bed. Going to sleep was hard, as she could not stop thinking about Mia.


    I''ve had crushes before, but it was never this intense, Lily thought as she lay awake in her bed. Just thinking about the next day made her more nervous than she ever remembered being. I feel like a teenage girl back in highschool falling in love for the first time, which is stupid. Or is it? After all, this is my first time falling in love in this world, and I am the Avatar of the goddess of love. Falling for the first girl you meet is very cliche, but what chance did I have when Mia is so great. It''s not just her beauty. She''s a nerd like me, yet she is so confident most of the time. And the way she blushes when she is embarrassed is so cute. How can I not fall in love? Lily let out a deep sigh. She''s been alive for only a handful of days, and yet things were moving very fast. Well that''s what you get when you sign up to be a hero, I suppose. I do sometimes think if I made the right choice, back in the void, when I chose the purple portal. Maybe things would have been simpler if I took a different path. Then again, I wouldn''t have met Mia.


    Lily''s thoughts ran wild as the hours slowly ticked away, and it was long past midnight when she finally fell asleep.

 Chapter XXII - Training

    It was early morning when Lily woke up, and she was glad that her body wasn''t fully human. The day ahead of her was very busy, and she quickly got underway. After showering and eating breakfast, she put on her armor and made her way down to the training yard. Mia wasn''t there, but the guard, Rick, was waiting for her.


    "I am glad you could join us, Your Grace," he said once he spotted her. "I know you must be busy, so for today we will just do some basic training. I want you to start familiarizing yourself with your skills and mana usage in general. If I may ask, what kind of skills do you have?"


    "I have a skill that makes my next attack deal much more damage," Lily responded, and Rick nodded thoughtfully. "A common archetype for a melee skill, but a powerful one. Why don''t you try striking the training dummy without it, just so we have a baseline to work with, and then do it again with it."


    That seemed reasonable to Lily, so she made her way over to the dummies, and struck one of them with her sword. The blade cut deep into the wooden construct, lodging itself a few centimeters deep. Lily pulled it out, and prepared to use Smite. It was her first time using the skill, but she remembered what Mia taught her. She focused on her soul and her sword, trying to draw mana from one to the other. Sure enough, the sword started glowing purple, and she struck the dummy hard. This time, the damage was much greater. She didn''t quite manage to cut through the whole log the dummy was made out of, but she came close.


    "Impressive, that is a very significant increase in power," Rick said when he inspected the results of their little test. "I noticed it took you a moment to activate the skill, which is understandable for a novice, but that''s time you might not have in actual combat. Skill usage needs to become instinctive, and the only way to do that is practice." He pulled out his own sword, and struck at the dummy in one swift motion. Lily could see it starting to glow as it sliced the air, and when it struck the dummy, it split it in two.


    "For now, I want you to keep using your skill until you run out of mana," Rick explained as he sheathed his blade. "That way, you will become more familiar with using it, and you will know how many uses of it you have before you have to recharge, which is vital knowledge down in the dungeons. Many adventurers were hurt or killed by trying to use skills they didn''t have mana for. It is a mistake that''s easy to avoid, as long as you pay attention to what you are doing, and you practice beforehand."


    That made perfect sense to Lily, so she got to work. She struck the dummies one  after the other, pausing only to gather mana for each successive blow. The sensation of mana flowing through her body was a strange one, like standing naked in a soft breeze, feeling the air with your whole body. Except it felt like the wind was on the inside, and it creeped her out initially. She tried to ignore it, make the sensation a part of the background noise and focused only on her sword and the target.


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    Lily had no idea how much time had passed, but by the time she was exhausted and could no longer cast Smite, she had used it twenty times. Four dummies laid completely broken in front of her, while three more had significant damage. She got much better at using it too, reducing the delay between uses to a level Rick was satisfied with. He told her that they would take a day off tomorrow as he prepared a training regimen for her, before leaving. Lily was admiring her handiwork when she noticed someone approaching.


    "Very impressive," Lily heard Mia say. "You''re lucky I am rich, for that''s quite a lot of damage you did there." Lily wiped the sweat from her brow as she turned to face Mia. "I didn''t see you this morning," she responded, trying to hide her embarrassment. The training successfully distracted her from her feelings, but now it was time to face the music. I wonder what she''s gonna say about last night, Lily thought as the swarm of butterflies returned to her stomach.


    "I was busy preparing for today''s activities, but I wanted to see how your training was going and if you are ready to go to the Guild," Mia answered, making no reference to the events of last night. "The carriage is ready to take us there whenever you are."


    "Just let me take a quick shower and change, and I''ll join you in the courtyard," Lily responded and Mia nodded.


    After a refreshing shower, and having dressed in one of the shirts Dahlia gave her, Lily found Mia waiting in front of the mansion.


    "What''s the plan?" she asked the smaller girl, letting her take the lead, as usual.


    "We go to the Guild, get you registered as an official adventurer, and then we return here to prepare for our date, of course," Mia responded with a smile. "I have the whole day planned out, so we better get going." She wasted no time getting into the carriage, and Lily followed, sitting across from her. She was getting used to this mode of transportation, and while it wasn''t as fast as a bus or a car back on Earth, it had its own charms. She was also getting familiar with the road to Lundin, no longer having to ask Mia about everything they saw along the way. The Adventurer''s Guild was located inside the old walls, just like the temple complex. Mia pointed out the tall building long before they got there, and Lily was impressed. Only a few of the temple spires were taller, but the Guild was much larger, its size  similar to Mia''s family manor. It made sense too, as it was built before the Deluge, when the population was larger, and the Guild much richer. It was still rich, Mia told her, since the resources the dungeons provided were very valuable, and the Guild took a cut from every sale, but just like the world itself, it was past its prime.


    They soon arrived in front of the building itself, and Lily saw the crossed swords which were the emblem of the Guild above the great wooden doors.


    "Time to make a real adventurer out of you," Mia said, putting her arm on Lily''s shoulder. Lily was excited, remembering her childhood dreams. It was different from the temple business, for she never cared much for religion, but this felt official. A lot of the stories she read back on Earth had buildings like this, and many great heroes started their journeys there. Time to join their ranks, I suppose, Lily thought as she stepped inside.

 Chapter XXIII - The Adventurers Guild

    Stepping inside, Lily and Mia entered the main hall of the building. Large flags and draperies hung all around the mostly empty tables which lined the walls. Some carried the Guild''s insignia, others had the coat of arms of Lundin but there were many Lily did not recognize. The few people sitting paid no attention to the new arrivals, and Mia motioned towards the large desk at the end of the hall. The girls made their way over there, and the man sitting behind the desk adjusted his glasses before greeting them:


    "Good morning, welcome to the Adventurer''s Guild, how can I help you today?"


    "Hello, I am Mia Dawnheart and this is Lily Spears. I believe the Guildmaster is expecting us," Mia replied crisply, and the man started shuffling through his papers.


    Eventually he found what he was looking for, and nodded.


    "Ah, yes, it says here that you are ''visitors of great importance''," he said, before shrugging. "That''s above my pay grade, follow me and I''ll take you to the Guildmaster."


    He stood up and started walking up to the second floor. The girls followed him and soon found themselves in front of an ornate door with ''Guildmaster Orion Prax'' engraved in golden letters. The man entered without hesitation and approached the older man who was sitting behind his own desk inside.


    "Sir, Miss Dawnheart and Miss Spears are here to see you," he said, which caused the Guildmaster to quickly get up.


    "My deepest apologies my Ladies," he said as he approached Mia and Lily. "The staff was briefed about your arrival and status, but Michael here is a genuine airhead and must have forgotten." He gave the clerk a furious look, but the man remained unperturbed, just adjusting his glasses in response. Orion let out a sigh in resignation, before telling him to go back to his post.


    "I swear, the only reason we keep him around is that he is a wizard when it comes to paperwork," the Guildmaster said after the man left. "Please, have a seat," he said, pointing to the sofas across the desk he had been sitting at. The girls complied, and the man sat back into his chair.


    "An Avatar, huh?" he said, giving Lily a questioning look, and she nodded in response.


    "Well, let me start by saying that it''s an honor to be the Master of the Guild chapter which has the pleasure of registering an Avatar. I am sure you''ve been hearing that a lot, Your Grace, but it still needs to be said. Avatars don''t show up just every day, you know, and it is important to treat them with the respect they deserve," he said with a smile, before turning more solemn.


    "And it is a way to remind them of their responsibilities. I am a well read man, and I know that Dahlia and the other Deities don''t send their champions to our world on a whim." Lily was about to respond, but Orion raised his hand to halt her.


    "Please let me finish, Your Grace. I am not asking you to reveal the nature of your quest to me, for I am too lowly of a figure for that. I just want to let you know that if you need any assistance, the Guild here in Lundin will provide it, no questions asked," he said, tapping his fingers against the table. "And to give you a warning: not everyone is going to cooperate in the same way. After the Deluge, many see the Avatars as an ill omen, and as the reason the disasters they are solving happen in the first place. It didn''t help that we had no war for centuries, until the last Avatar before you, Jason, stopped the Pax kingdom''s attempt at establishing an empire and reviving slavery. Now, I am a reasonable man, and I know that they would have invaded others even if no Avatar appeared, but not everyone thinks so. Especially not most of the Elves."


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    "Because they lost the most in the Deluge and the Sundering," Mia chimed in, and Orion nodded.


    That wasn''t something I really considered, but I suppose it makes sense. Powerful figures and events which define history are often polarizing, and there will always be those who feel like losers. Just look at the recent history of Earth, and we didn''t have an excuse of an Apocalypse destroying most historical records, Lily thought, the memory of Earth still causing her pain.


    "Thank you for your kind words, and your warning, Guildmaster," Lily replied eventually. "It''s certainly something I''ll keep in mind."


    "You are a stranger to our world, Your Grace, and not everyone on Teras will admit to you that our world is not perfect in its faith to the Gods and their Avatars. I felt it was my duty to give you a warning," the Guildmaster said solemnly.


    "I think you''ll be fine, however, judging by the excellent company you keep," he said, looking at Mia


    "Yeah, Mia has been a huge help," Lily replied, and gave the smaller girl a wide smile.


    Mia blushed a little, and Lily was once again amazed at how cute she could be.


    The Guildmaster interrupted the awkward silence with a loud clap, and reached to open a drawer in his deck. "Now that you''ve heard the ramblings of this old man, let''s deal with the business you are actually here for," he said, pulling out a small jewelry box. "The High Priestess was here yesterday, and she helped create your identification."


    He opened the box slowly, as if he was afraid to damage its contents, and pulled out a small rectangular object. He handed it to Lily, and she saw that it was a metal plate with ''Lily Spears, Avatar of Dahlia'' engraved in large, golden letters. There were two crystals in the top corners, alongside the Guild''s insignia and a number engraved in silver at the bottom.


    "Go ahead, channel some mana into it," Orion said, and Lily complied. As soon as she did, the letters lit up and the crystals started glowing purple.


    "Only you with your Divine nature can activate this enchantment. It allows you to show your identity to any law enforcement or Guild official you wish to," he said.


    "It has your Adventurer''s number, which we use to track your level and handle quest payouts." He then pulled out another, similar card and gave it to Lily. This one only had her name engraved in silver, alongside her number.


    "In case you want to remain anonymous while doing business with the Guild, we also created a regular identification plate for you," the Guildmaster explained and Lily nodded.


    "Thank you, this will certainly prove useful," Lily replied as she deposited the two plates into her inventory. She was about to get up to leave, but the Guildmaster interrupted her.


    "Speaking of payouts, there is one more thing we need to deal with, before you leave," he said, and once again reached for the drawer. This time, he pulled out a sack which he placed on the table, in front of Lily.


    "Your payout, for defeating the bandits and recovering their inventories. The Watch had us evaluate their contents, and once I knew you would be coming here today, I thought that I should give you the money myself, to spare you from a potentially unpleasant trip to their station," he explained, and turned to Mia.


    "Apparently, your father gave a speech to Major Jacobs, where he was very insistent that Her Grace gets the reward she deserves for her actions in saving you, and gets it fast. He made some less than complimentary comments about the general level of intelligence in the ranks of the Watch. Apparently, words like ''gnat'' and ''cretin'' were used," he said, smiling. He was no fan of the Watch himself, Lily thought as she picked up the money pouch.


    "That does sound like my father when he is angry. He never suffered fools gladly," Mia replied. "Thank you for helping us avoid any further unpleasantness."


    "My Lady, any blow struck against the Watch''s bureaucracy is a blow struck for the betterment of all mankind," Orion replied, making Mia giggle.


    "I am sure that young ladies like you have much to do, so I will not take any more of your time," he said, standing up. The girls also got up, and the Guildmaster escorted them to the door.

 Chapter XXIV - Preparations

    Back in the hallway, Lily lifted the money bag and gave Mia a questioning look.


    "How much is this worth?" she asked, handing it to Mia. She peeked inside and whistled.


    "That''s dozens of gold coins, which are the universal currency found in the dungeons," she explained. "You could buy decent gear, and have enough left to live comfortably for like half a year. not that you have to worry about that sort of thing, being an Avatar."


    That was significantly more money than Lily expected, but she was glad that she would have some money of her own. She was sure that the temple or Mia would lend her money if she needed it, but she didn''t want to be a charity case.


    Good timing too, considering that I am about to go on my first date, she thought as she took the pouch back and placed it into her bag, to store it in her inventory. Strangely enough, it didn''t disappear like items normally did, and she looked at Mia all confused.


    "Ah, that''s just a quirk of the inventory system. The Avatar who created it millennia ago specifically prevented it from storing the dungeon coins," she explained, shrugging. "The reason why he did that has been lost to time."


    Lily nodded, and the girls made their way out of the building. The carriage was waiting for them, as usual, so it was time to find out what Mia had planned for the day.


    "Well we are finished with the Guild, so I suppose it''s time that I fulfill my obligation," Lily said. "Lead the way."


    "Not so fast," Mia replied. "We finished in good time, so let''s head back to the estate and prepare properly." She pointed at the red shirt and blue pants she was wearing:


    "These are functional, but if I am going on a date with the Avatar of the goddess of love and beauty, they feel inadequate. Besides, some of the activities I planned don''t start until later today."


    Lily could see her point, and truthfully she was willing to go along with pretty much anything Mia suggested at this point, and not just because of the bet. It seemed like the girl put a lot of thought into her plans, and Lily liked her confident, bossy side a lot.


    "Ok, you''re the boss today," Lily said, and Mia chuckled.


    "I''ll hold you to that," she replied as she entered the carriage. Lily got in, sat across from her, and Mia gave the signal to go.


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    One short ride later, the girls were back at the manor. Before going into her own room, Mia told Lily to be ready in about an hour. That was plenty of time, so Lily decided to take a quick shower. With that done, it was time to pick out clothes, and with a lot more options than she was used to, that was easier said than done. She shuffled through the giant wardrobe, picking out items to try out. Eventually, she settled on a simple red summer dress that was knee high, along with a lacy black bra and matching panties. Finally, she picked out a lavender perfume that wasn''t too overpowering for her enhanced sense of smell, and sat down to wait for Mia.


    It''s been a long time since I was this excited for a date, Lily thought, not even trying to delude herself into thinking that she was only going out with Mia because of the bet. Her own innate caution and the circumstances of their meeting prevented her from making the first move, but she was glad Mia didn''t waste any time.


    She didn''t have to wait for the dark haired girl long, as a few minutes later she heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Lily replied, and Mia stepped through. It was as if summer itself entered Lily''s room. Her sky-blue dress flowed around her as she moved, the floral patterns making Lily a little dizzy. She smelled of roses and honey and her emerald eyes glowed with the joy of life itself


    "Wow, you are even more beautiful than usual," Lily said, her mind grasping for words.


    "Thank you," Mia replied. "I did my best, yet I know my mortal beauty can not compare to one as illustrious as you, Your Grace."


    From her tone, Lily could tell Mia was half joking, but before she could respond, the smaller girl pulled out a golden flower from behind her back.


    "A beautiful lily for the most beautiful Lily," Mia said, handing it to the taller girl.


    "Thank you," Lily replied, her cheeks heating. "That''s very thoughtful of you." She went over to her bedside table, and placed the flower into the ornate porcelain vase that decorated it.


    "First, we are going to have a nice little picnic in the town park," Mia spoke as Lily filled the vase with water. "Then, we''ll go on a nice walk across town, before watching a play at the theater."


    That seemed like a good plan for a first date, Lily thought. Back on Earth, I always liked going out to see a movie on a date, and since that''s not an option here, a play sounds good.


    "Lead the way," she said, and Mia grabbed her by the hand. They made their way downstairs, and into the courtyard. This time, a different carriage waited for them. It was smaller, and more ornately decorated. The heart shaped windows gave it a real fairy tale feel, and Lily hoped that it would not turn into a pumpkin when the clock struck midnight. There were no guards, only a single woman in the driver''s seat who saluted them as they passed. Lily went in first, and Mia sat across from her.


    The intimate space, combined with the tinted windows and the sinfully comfortable seats gave the ride a more romantic feel.


    Wow, she''s really going all out to impress me, Lily thought as they set off. This time, Mia explained, they would be going to the town''s southern edge, where the park was.


    That meant more things and places Lily hadn''t seen before, and she quickly started asking questions.


    Reminds me of our first ride together, Mia thought as Lily pointed at another building she wanted to know about. Of course, back then I wasn''t as madly in love with her. I think she likes me too, which is more than I dared hope for when I found out she was an Avatar of Dahlia. I would have been happy with just being one of the girls in her party, someone whose presence was tolerated due to her skill. Someone who would warm her bed during a cold night in the dungeon, nothing more. But now that I have a chance for something more, I can''t screw it up. With newfound determination, she shifted in her seat slightly and started answering Lily''s question.

 Chapter XXV - First Date I

    The carriage soon arrived at its destination, and the girls disembarked. The conversation helped distract Lily from the butterflies in her stomach, but now that they reached their destination, they were back in full force.


    Which is weird, because it''s not like the journey wasn''t also a part of the date. Maybe it''s because we''ve done that before, and the whole romantic picnic in a park thing is new, Lily thought. I know I should relax and just be myself, but I don''t want to ruin my chances with her somehow. Doesn''t help that I don''t really know what the expectations are for a date, here on Teras.


    While Lily was nervously contemplating her situation, Mia grabbed a picnic basket from the back of the carriage and gave her instructions to the driver. The carriage was to wait for them outside the town theater at eight o''clock in the evening, but until then the driver had the day off. The woman acknowledged her instructions, and soon the carriage was underway, leaving the girls on their own.


    "Let''s go," Mia said cheerfully, and tucked her free hand into Lily''s elbow. She led the way through the opening in the fence and they entered the park. It was not much different than a park back on Earth in most ways, Lily noted, with green fields of grass criss-crossed by cobblestone walkways. The slowly meandering river which flowed through its center forked at one point, creating an islet, with a large tree at its center. She could see kids playing on the swings and in the sandboxes under their parents'' watchful gaze, while other couples walked around holding hands.


    "Other" couples? Slow your roll, girl, it''s just one date, Lily chided herself as Mia led her towards the center of the park, towards one of the bridges which linked the islet to the rest of the park. As they crossed the bridge, Lily realized that she was looking at the largest tree she had ever seen in real life, towering above the rest of the park. Mia stopped dragging Lily along once they reached a table just by the tree''s trunk, and placed the basket on it.


    "This is my favorite spot in the whole park," Mia explained as she started setting the table. "According to legend, a sapling of the Great Tree was planted here hundreds of years before the Deluge, and this tree sprouted out. That makes it pretty much our only tourist attraction, and since most of the locals prefer to stick to the sunlit benches outside its shade, I thought it was a good place to have a nice little private picnic."


    Lily nodded as she looked up in awe. She could barely see the sky due to the thick foliage. "All done," Mia exclaimed as she finished laying out the food. There were sandwiches, sausage rolls, pies and potato salad, along with several slices of cheesecake and some chocolate cookies. As Lily sat down, Mia filled their glasses with water, and then she opened a bottle of wine which she poured into the cups.


    "What do you think," she asked, setting the bottle aside and grabbing a sandwich.


    "It''s perfect," Lily replied, and she meant it too. The privacy of the spot helped calm Lily''s nerves, and the soft rumbling of the leaves above and the gentle flow of water around were the only sounds disturbing the silence. And Mia munching on her sandwich, Lily thought with a smile as she grabbed some food of her own. It was afternoon already, and she skipped lunch.


    The rolls were of the usual high quality, and she washed them down with a sip of wine.


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    "When I was planning for today, I realized I didn''t really know much about you," Mia said once she finished with her food. "Oh, you told me the basic facts about yourself, and that you liked reading stories about magic worlds like this one, but beyond that I have no idea what your interests and dreams are. Or, were, I guess."


    Thinking about Earth still caused some pain to Lily, and she was a little embarrassed that her old life wasn''t all that exciting or interesting.


    "I was just another girl trying to make ends meet as I finished my education," Lily finally replied. "Between my studies and work, I didn''t have much free time, and what little I did, I spent reading."


    Mia wanted to ask her more specific questions about her education and work, but seeing the sorrow in her eyes when she started talking about Earth, she decided to change the subject.


    Damnit Mia, this is supposed to be a cheerful little picnic. Way to ruin it by bringing up her old life. It''s been just a few days for her, obviously she is sad about dying and losing everyone and everything she ever knew. I am sure she will talk about it eventually, I just need to give her some space and more time.


    "Well, I doubt someone as kind and caring as you was ever ''ordinary'', even on Earth," Mia said, trying to cheer Lily up. It seemed to work, as Lily''s face heated up hearing the compliment, so Mia pressed on. "Pretty too," she said with a smile


    "I thought this was just a normal date, but I see your mplan now, Mia Dawnheart. You beat me in a fight and then you drag me here where we''re all alone so you could seduce and take advantage of the defenseless Avatar of Dahlia. Well it''s not gonna work," Lily replied, trying to keep a straight face. Hearing that, Mia''s face went pale, and she started stuttering. That finally broke Lily''s cool, and she burst out laughing. Seeing that the other girl was not serious, Mia relaxed, but she gave Lily a sharp look.


    "It''s easy for someone of your stature to make fun of a poor peon like myself, Your Grace," Mia replied, bowing her head. "Alas, it is the fate of the common folk to be trampled on by the high and mighty."


    "Good thing there''s no common folk around here, My Lady," Lily pointed out once her laughter stopped. "Touche." Mia cracked a smile of her own, and pointed at the cookies. "Try one, I made them myself," she said, and Lily could hear the pride in her voice.


    She obviously put in a lot of work to make this date work, she could have had a servant make them, but she wanted to do something special for me, Lily said as she grabbed a bite. Not as sweet as these cookies though, I can tell she doesn''t cook often.


    "Do you like them?" Mia asked nervously, and Lily forced herself to eat the whole thing. "They are nice," she muttered out as she reached for the water to wash the taste down. She saw the look of disappointment on Mia''s face as she gulped the water.


    "They suck don''t they? I really am useless in the kitchen," the dark-haired girl said sadly, looking down at the table.


    "They really are good," Lily assured her. "My throat was dry from all the talking, that''s all."


    Hearing that, Mia cheered up a little, but it didn''t look like she fully bought Lily''s story. The awkward silence was interrupted by a pair of white swans landing on the river, and Mia stood up when she heard them.


    "Oh, I love swans," she exclaimed as she sat down on the bench next to Lily.


    "They are so beautiful," she said, and Lily nodded. This pair was bigger than the ones she saw back on Earth, but that made them no less beautiful.


    "Look, these two must be mates," Mia pointed at the birds as they touched their necks together. "Did you know swans mate for life?" she asked, and Lily nodded.


    "Yes, that''s how they are on Earth too," she replied as the birds continued their dance. "It''s very romantic."


    "Indeed," came a husky reply as Mia placed her hand on Lily''s thigh. Her hand was cold, and the touch sent shivers down her spine, and  Lily turned to look at the smaller girl, heart pounding. A pair of emerald eyes full of passion stared up at her. They seemed as deep as the ocean, and she was unable to look away as she got lost in their depths.


    Before Lily could break the spell, Mia reached out and pulled her in for a kiss. As their lips touched, Lily finally closed her eyes. Mia''s lips were soft and warm, and just as Lily was about to pry them open with her tongue, Mia hurriedly pulled away.


    "I hope that was okay," she said, panting heavily, her face so red that Lily could feel the heat. "I don''t know what came over me, I.." Before she could finish her thought, Lily gently put a finger on her lips, silencing her.


    "It was more than okay, I loved it," she whispered and pulled Mia in for another kiss.

 Chapter XXVI - First Date II

    This time, neither of them hesitated. The kiss was deep and long, and their hearts raced in unison as their inhibitions finally broke. When Lily finally pulled away, she was out of breath, her excitement too great to breathe properly.


    "I loved it too," a red faced Mia said as she looked up at Lily. She pulled the taller girl in, and whispered in her ear: "I hope you know this is just the beginning, now that I''ve gotten a taste, there''s no way I am letting you go."


    "Who said anything about leaving?" Lily replied with a smile, and the petite girl smiled back. Time seemed to stop as they stared into each other''s eyes, but eventually Mia looked away.


    "We''ll continue this later, I promise," Mia whispered, getting up to clear the picnic table. Lily took a few moments to clear her head and get her thoughts in order.


    Things were moving much faster than she was used to, but she knew there was no point in resisting. Not that I want to resist, she thought with a smile, as she looked at Mia longingly. Besides, this is a new world, and a new me. Maybe being bolder is who I am now.


    She got up to help her companion, and soon everything was packed up into the  basket. "It''s time for us to make our way over to the theater," Mia said. "I''ll donate the leftovers, there is a place by the exit."


    Lily nodded, and in response Mia held out her free hand. Lily grabbed it without hesitation, and they made their way back across the bridge, onto the mainland. They walked back the way they came from, stopping only near the guardhouse at the entrance for Mia to drop off the food, and soon they found themselves back on the street where the carriage had dropped them off.


    Mia explained that she knew Lily was very interested in learning more about Lundin and Teras in general, and while carriage rides were all well and good, the only proper way to learn about a town was on foot. Lily made no objections, for she had always liked walks, so the girls set out for the theater. Carriages and people were going about their business all around, and it took Lily some time to adjust to the bustling noises. The noise levels weren''t so bad as to be unpleasant, but Lily could see the downsides of her enhanced senses. One more reason to avoid crowds, she thought as they exited into a side alley. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Mia explained that they were in one of the old residential neighborhoods, built back when the whole town was still inside the walls. Houses were packed one on top of another, with no space in-between. The solid mass of stone was only broken up by small streets meeting at right angles. It was certainly different from what Lily had seen up to that point. The temple district was just as old, but those were public buildings built with ample space and maintained with reverence. Here, the buildings truly showed their age, from their cracked facades and chipped stonework to the ancient looking windows and patched roofs. Even the tall chimneys seemed to look down on people with disdain of centuries long past.


    Small stores sat on the corners where the streets intersected, selling everything from food to magical items. When Lily suggested entering one, Mia explained that she''d find nothing of value there, and promised to take her to the main market when they had the time. Lily accepted, but as they were exiting the neighborhood, she noticed a small store with an ice cream cone as its sign.


    "I love ice cream, I didn''t know you had it here," she said, pointing at it. "Let''s grab some, my treat."


    Mia gave no sign of protest, instead leading Lily inside. An older, mustached gentleman stood behind a glass counter filled with various flavors of ice cream.


    "Welcome to Bassingtons, the home of the best ice cream in all of Entara," he exclaimed in a jolly voice when he noticed the girls entering. "What can I get you?"


    "I''ll have a classic vanilla cone, please," Mia answered, as Lily browsed the available options. There were flavors she recognized from Earth, like chocolate, strawberry or vanilla, but there were other, more exotic ones too, and she wasn''t sure which one she should pick.


    "Here you go," the man said as he handed Mia her cone. "And for your lovely girlfriend?" he asked, turning to Lily.


    "I''ll have a chocolate one," she responded after a pause, unaware that Mia was staring at her.


    "Oh, such an interesting pairing," the man commented as he handed Lily her cone. She thanked him, and paid for both, before following Mia outside. She gave her cone a tentative lick, and was pleasantly surprised that it tasted just like chocolate back on Earth did.


    "I might not be the best judge, being new around here, but I don''t think he was exaggerating when he said ''best ice cream in all of Entara''," Lily said. "I am glad we made the stop."


    "I am glad too," Mia responded. "After all, one must keep one''s girlfriend happy, don''t you think?" Her tone was serious, but her smile betrayed her true feelings.


    "Indeed, which is how people end up doing silly things like having picnics under giant trees," Lily replied, managing to keep a straight face until she noticed that Mia was nearly jumping up and down from excitement.


    How does she keep inventing new ways to look even cuter, Lily thought as she ate some more of her ice cream. Good thing I have a fresh new heart, or it might have exploded from cuteness overload.


    I did it,Lily really thinks of me as her girlfriend, Mia thought as she finished her ice cream. Her heart was trying to escape out of her chest, and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Just have to calm down, and not screw it up.

 Chapter XXVII - First Date III

    Mia led Lily onwards, and the girls soon arrived at the small square which stood at the center of Lundin''s small culture district. The theater building was there, along with the museum and the old concert hall. Mia explained that the whole district had to be rebuilt due to a fire some fifty years earlier, and Lily could definitely see the difference.


    The buildings looked much simpler than the ones in the old quarter or the temple district, lacking the grandeur and monumentality of the pre-Deluge architecture.


    They crossed the small square, and found themselves face to face with the doorman of the theater.


    "I have two reservations for the VIP section, for me and my girlfriend here," Mia said, taking great joy in using the title in public. "Should be listed under the name Mia Dawnheart"


    "Of course, my Lady," the man replied after checking his list, and handed Mia two tickets. "Take the stairs to the left and show these to the guard and he will lead you to your private booth."


    They did as instructed, and a short, bearded man led them into a booth overlooking the stage. "Everything is prepared according to the instructions you sent, my Lady," he said before leaving.


    As she sat down into the incredibly comfortable sofa, Lily could see the audience settling into their own seats below. Meanwhile, Mia opened the wine bottle sitting on the small table in front, pouring out a glass for both of them.


    "So, what''s the play about, or is that a surprise," Lily asked as Mia sat down beside her.


    "It''s a retelling of the legend about how the first human kingdom was founded. An ordinary girl becomes a hero and saves her tribe from a monster invasion, with some romance sprinkled in," Mia replied.


    "I remember you mentioning that you used to read those kinds of stories on Earth, so I thought you''d like this one."


    "It does seem like something I''ll enjoy," Lily admitted. Now that she was living in one, those kinds of stories appealed to her even more.


    "The main actress is very good, I had the pleasure of getting to see her perform a few years ago, when I was still studying in the capital," Mia explained as the crowd went silent and the curtains rose. "Her company is on a tour, and we are fortunate to get to see her while she''s in Lundin."


    The play opened with a narrator giving the background of the setting, which Lily found very helpful, although Mia made sure to chip in with details of her own. Then the main character took to the stage. She was Eliza, a hunter in a human tribe, and the play opened with her returning from a hunt to find her people under attack by some monsters.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    A truly spectacular battle scene followed, with performers using the full extent of magic to bring it to life. The monsters were played by actors using illusions, and they roared in pain as they were struck down by shards of ice and rock. On the other side, the human defenders fought bravely against the odds, but more and more of them fell before the monsters onslaught, until Eliza managed to strike down the giant leading them, causing them to scatter.


    Lily was awestruck by seeing the widespread use of magic for the first time, as the whole building shook around her. Talk about special effects, she thought as the scene ended. Certainly much more believable than any play or movie I saw back on Earth. Some of those injuries looked very real though.


    Seeing the look of awe and worry on Lily''s face, Mia just chuckled.


    "Don''t worry, they have great healers backstage to take care of the damage," she said to her bewildered girlfriend.


    "You''re telling me that all those injuries and damage were real?" Lily asked, a little shocked and Mia nodded.


    "They are practiced professionals, all of them. They know exactly how many spells and skills they can safely tank, and the healers are truly excellent," she explained. "I''ve seen them at work, and those extras will be ready to do it again by tomorrow. It does help that ever since the Deluge, healing magic has been the strongest of all the different attunements."


    "Even if that was all true, getting hit by actual fire and lightning must not be easy," Lily said, and Mia nodded.


    "That''s why it pays so well," she said as she took a sip of wine.


    The rest of the play wasn''t as spectacular, but Lily still found it very enjoyable. Eliza led her surviving tribespeople to join another tribe, where they were accepted after helping stop a raid. She earned everyone''s respect by saving the chief''s daughter from the evil advisor who killed the chief and tried to take over. Their marriage united the tribes, and they were crowned as the first Queens of any human Kingdom on Teras.


    I can definitely see why Mia wanted to see this play with me, Lily thought as the spectacle drew to a close. There''s definitely some parallels between me and the main character, and she wasn''t lying when she said the actress was excellent. Her monologue when she rallied everyone against the corrupt advisor was amazing.


    "Did you like it?" Mia asked as the actors took their bow on stage.


    "It''s  a little different than what I am used to, but I enjoyed it a lot," Lily replied honestly. "Hopefully, we can do it again sometime." Mia was overjoyed to hear that, and she promised to find another opportunity, although there was no regular schedule for performances since the theater companies traveled a lot.


    After the curtains closed, the girls got up to leave. Mia immediately placed a hand around Lily''s waist, holding her tightly as they walked. Her touch was gentle but firm, like she was trying to make sure Lily wouldn''t run away. They were directed to a separate exit, to avoid the crowd at the main door, and soon found themselves outside, in what passed for a parking lot.


    It was late, to cool evening wind sending shivers down the spine, which only made Mia hugg Lily tighter. She placed her head on the taller girl''s shoulder, and Lily put her own arm around her girlfriend. The carriage was not far away, but the walk seemed to take an eternity to both of them, as they fought their burning desire.


    Finally when they got there, Lily swung the door open, but before she could enter, Mia pulled her in for a deep kiss. She must be even hornier than me, a small corner of Lilly''s mind still capable of rational thought noted. Makes sense too, I was absolutely absorbed in the play while my girlfriend sat there right next to me, and all I did was ask her questions about how things worked. How inconsiderate of me. Well only one way to fix that.


    She grabbed the smaller girl in her arms, and carried her inside the carriage without breaking their kiss. Mia closed the door behind them, and as the carriage got moving, Lily knew that this was going to be a ride she would never forget.

 Chapter XXVIII – First Date IV

    Lily dropped Mia into the comfortable seat, and sat down beside her. As soon as she did, Mia''s hands were on her hips and she was reaching in for another kiss. Lily wasn''t sitting idle either, and as they embraced, her hands began roaming her girlfriend''s body. The days of caution and hesitation only made their passion burn brighter, and now that they gave in, there was no holding back.


    Eventually, Mia broke their kiss to recover her breath, and she let out a deep sigh as Lily''s hands worked their way down her back and onto her thighs. Not to be outdone, Mia reached in once again, this time kissing the taller girl on her neck. This elicited a moan, which only encouraged her further. At that moment, Lily wasn''t sure if she was supposed to curse or thank Dahlia for her gifts. Her enhanced senses included the sense of touch, causing her to melt under Mia''s caress much faster than normal. Her girlfriend''s short ragged breaths felt like gusts of summer wind on her exposed skin, sending shivers down her spine. Mia moved lower and lower, placing each kiss slowly and deliberately, until she reached Lily''s chest, where she stopped. She looked up at her girlfriend, asking for permission to continue exploring her body.


    Lily hated feeling like a high school girl who was making out for the first time, but the intensity of the experience in the new body surprised her, but she needed time to recover her breath and collect herself.


    "Before we continue, I wanted to ask you about something," Lily said, which made Mia pause.


    "Sure thing, you can ask me anything," a slightly confused Mia answered, still looking up at her girlfriend.


    "I wanted to know what gave you the idea to use the bet to ask me out on a date? Did you know I liked you, but was too cautious to make the first move?" Lily asked. It was something that she genuinely wanted to know, not just a way to stalk time and get her nerves in order.


    "Honestly, I wasn''t sure if you were into me or if I was just projecting my wishes. You kept giving me compliments and teasing me, but you grew up on a different world, right? So maybe things like that are normal there, and not a sign of affection," Mia answered after a brief pause. "Besides, with the whole Soul Link thing and you being the Avatar, I didn''t want it to look like I was taking advantage of the fact that you were stuck with me."


    She looked down, seemingly still a little embarrassed about the whole situation.


    "I was just overjoyed to be a part of your party, and I didn''t want to jeopardize that by trying to become something more."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "So what changed?" Lily asked as she gently touched Mia''s face, forcing the smaller girl to look up.


    "After we came back from the temple and had that whole sparring match, my head was spinning with all the possibilities. I decided I needed some advice from someone more experienced than me, so I went and talked to my stepmom," Mia said.


    "I asked her if I should ask you out or wait for a better opportunity, and she told me that she was in a similar situation years ago, when she was adventuring with my father. She always fancied him, and thought the feelings were mutual, but in all the years they spent together she never made a move, always waiting for that one perfect moment that never came. By the time she realized she was being a fool, the party had split up, my father was married and it was too late. Years later, when their paths crossed again and she learned that he was now a single man again, she knew she wasn''t going to let him slip out of her hands again." That got a chuckle out of Lily, and Mia smiled as she continued.


    "She was right about that, not that my father had any intentions of ''slipping away'', for he always liked her, but never made a move himself, out of respect for the party. So, the advice she gave me was not to wait around for some fairytale moment that might never come, but to take destiny into my own hands and go for it. Yes, my heart could have been broken, but better that than living your whole life in regret. Never knowing one way or the other, spending countless nights wide awake wondering what could have been if only you mustered the courage to try."


    As she finished speaking, she swung her leg around Lily and sat in her lap. Now it was Lily''s turn to look up at her girlfriend, and the change in perspective only made her appreciate Mia''s beauty more.


    "Remind me to buy her a gift next time we are in town, because that was some good advice," Lily said as she stared into Mia''s eyes. The dim lamplight made their emerald sheen stand out even more, and Lily knew she could get lost in them for hours. She wondered if that was because of their elven heritage that made them seem alien to her, or because of her feelings for the person they belonged to.


    "I don''t think I would have made the first move," Lily said, never taking her gaze away. " I was always cautious, and the whole new world thing made me even more uncomfortable. I didn''t want to take advantage of my power over you due to the Soul Link or my Avatar status, so I was just content to wait."


    "Well, there''s no need to wait now," Mia said, shifting slightly in Lily''s lap, as if she was reminding her of something.


    Oh right, I''ve really been an awful partner tonight, Lily thought as she finally looked away from Mia''s eyes. She reached in, kissing Mia on the neck as her arms started roaming all over the smaller girl''s body.


    "Took you long enough," Mia whispered through soft moans as it was her turn to melt in her lover''s embrace.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    By the time the carriage reached the manor, the girls were a mess of ruffled clothes and hair. Luckily, the driver was a smart woman who knew where the night was headed, so she dropped them off in front of the side emergency staircase that led directly to the top floor where their rooms were. They flew up, their passion carrying them up faster than any elevator, and Mia basically shoved Lily into her room. Lily sat down on the edge of the bed as Mia locked the door behind them.


    "Our souls are already joined, I think it''s only right that our bodies do so too," Mia said cheekily as she approached the bed.


    That logic seemed flawless to Lily, especially when her girlfriend started peeling off her dress.

 Chapter XXIX - The Morning After

    Lily could feel the warm rays of the morning sun on her face when she woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Mia''s face looking back at her. The other girl was lying on the edge of the spacious bed, wide awake and dressed.


    "Uf, how late is it?" a sleepy Lily asked, rubbing her eyes.


    "It''s almost noon," her girlfriend answered, smiling. She sat up, and lifted the sheets covering Lily. The morning air''s cold touch on her exposed skin made Lily realize she was naked, and she quickly pulled the sheets back, covering herself.


    "Oh no, I missed my morning practice," she said with a hint of panic. "Why didn''t you wake me up?"


    "I had several good reasons," Mia answered with a grin. "First, you are my girlfriend, and spoiling you is my job. Second, a message from the temple arrived last night while we were away. They''ve made space available for you to train in, and Rick left to prepare it this morning."


    Lily was glad to hear that, as it meant that she could start practicing her other skill soon. It made her feel better about missing a day of training, and she got up to a sitting position as Mia continued her explanation.


    "Third, you were so cute while you slept that I just didn''t have the heart to wake you up," Mia continued, causing Lily to blush slightly. "Finally, and most importantly, after last night''s activities, I didn''t think you would be in shape for any training without a good night''s sleep."


    Hearing that, Lily''s face turned fully crimson as she recalled the events of the night after they returned to Mia''s room. She remembered how Mia skillfully explored her body, while she squirmed in pleasure. It''s just not fair, my skill makes me very sensitive, Lily thought as she remembered what happened when Mia''s fingers and tongue got involved. She yelled out more than one blasphemous curse at her goddess as Mia sent her over the edge time and again. Lily wasn''t sure what this world''s equivalent of a ''hair trigger'' was but she was sure Mia would let her know after her performance last night.


    " Don''t feel so embarrassed," Mia said as she sat down next to her. "I think it''s cute."


    "Really?" Lily asked meekly, and Mia nodded.


    "It''s nice to see that your divine body isn''t perfect and has some downsides," she answered, using one arm to trace her girlfriend''s curves through the sheets. "And it''s a lot of fun to make you squirm." As if to make her point, she traced her fingers across Lily''s chest, making her shudder as the soft fabric touched her exposed skin.


    "I am glad that one of us is having fun," Lily said with a martyred look on her face, causing Mia to giggle.


    "Oh, I think you had plenty of fun last night," Mia whispered in her ear, and Lily could only nod. "Besides, some of the priests at the temple have a similar skill. I am sure any of the priestesses would be more than willing to help you get a better feel for your new body."


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    " And my girlfriend would be okay with that?" Lily asked, thinking of the possible implications of a priestess of the goddess of love ''helping'' her get a ''feel'' for her own body.


    "Sure I would, as long as I am there during the practice sessions," Mia answered with a wink. "Anything to make my girlfriend happy. Don''t forget, you are the Avatar of Dahlia. I am not so delusional to think I will always have a monopoly on your affections. They say the last person to hold your position, Stella, left a trail of broken hearts and pregnant girls wherever she went. I am just one girl, after all."


    "I would never do anything without your consent," Lily said, and she meant it. "I am not Stella, even one girl might be more than I can handle."


    "I appreciate your concern for me, but you have to remember your position. What if one of the rituals you end up having to do for your quest requires sexual activities?" Mia asked softly. "That''s not out of the question when you consider Dahlia''s nature."


    "It''s not something I''ve thought about," Lily admitted. She didn''t consider herself a prude, but her relationships back on Earth were monogamous. It didn''t really cross her mind that her position as the living embodiment of the goddess of love and passion might include physical as well as spiritual worship. Now that it was brought up, the idea of more than one partner excited her more than she would have thought possible back in her previous life.


    "I guess, if it''s fine with you," she stuttered, trying to hide her newfound enthusiasm, and Mia nodded.


    "That''s more like it, my girlfriend needs to be someone who isn''t gonna be satisfied with just one girl, even if that girl is the best one in the world," Mia said with a smug look.


    "Did anyone ever tell you that you are a pervert?" Lily asked her girlfriend seriously and Mia chuckled in response.


    "Only one of us was perverted enough to be chosen as the Avatar of Dahlia, and it wasn''t me. You even seduced and slept with the first girl you met in your new life, which is pretty perverted if you ask me," Mia shot back, forcing Lily to concede the point.


    "Maybe you are right," she admitted.


    "Acceptance is the first step on the road of progress," Mia said philosophically. "We''ll turn you into a proper follower of Dahlia in time. Imagine all the cute girls lining up to join our party when they hear that you''re the Avatar. You could even hold tryouts¡­" Mia whistled as she let the image linger in Lily''s mind. She grabbed some clothes and threw them onto the bed.


    "I think it''s time to get up, breakfast has been ready for a long time," she said, and smiled as she saw the hint of panic in Lily''s eyes. "Don''t work, the chefs made it, not me, I just set the table."


    She sat down cross legged in the sofa across from the bed, and gave Lily a look of encouragement.


    "Now, I think it''s time you thank your hardworking girlfriend by putting on a small small show," she said, pointing at the pile of clothes on the bed.

 Chapter XXX - A Day Off

    The girls spent most of the following afternoon inside, leaving Mia''s room only to grab something to eat. Having a day without carriage rides back and forth was a nice change of pace in Lily''s opinion. Getting to see more of the world she was reincarnated in was always fun, simply not as fun as spending a whole day with her girlfriend. Between her training and the whole saving the world business, Lily wasn''t sure how many free days like this  she would have once things really got going. Mia understood that perfectly well too, but she didn''t let the thought of upcoming trials ruin their newfound bliss. Whenever Lily''s thoughts strayed in that direction, she was there with a kiss to bring her back to reality.


    "Much as I love the idea of staying in the whole day, what do you say to a walk around the estate grounds? You''ve only seen a small part of it so far," Mia asked after beating Lily in another game of chess. The score was now four to one, and the fact that some of the pieces were different in Teras was a small consolation to Lily. She never liked losing, and she made a mental note to read up on strategy before playing Mia again.


    "That sounds nice," she replied, happy to end her losing streak. Hearing that, Mia was instantly up on her feet, pulling Lily along. Now that she''s fully comfortable around me, her real excitable personality is shining through, Lily thought as they descended the staircase. Mia checked in with one of the servants, to let the staff where they were, and led Lily outside, into the evening dusk.


    The golden rays of the dying sun shone through the trees as the girls walked into the orchards behind the manor. Lily had seen their beauty from the balcony above, but walking through on foot, breathing in the fresh air filled with fruity scents was a different experience altogether. From above, she couldn''t differentiate between all the species present, but the variety was staggering. The orchard was made out of a variety of citrus, many different kinds of apples, and more exotic looking ones which had no Earth analogues.


    "The climate here is very favorable, so we have fruits from all over the continent," Mia explained when she saw her girlfriend''s look of bewilderment. "Go ahead, try some," she suggested, handing Lily a green, apple looking fruit. She took a bite, and found it a little too sour for her taste.


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    "No worries, there''s more where that came from," Mia said with a smile, and reached for a different one. The next half an hour was spent on fruit tasting, as Mia offered Lily alternatives, trying to find her favorite.


    Eventually, Lily settled on a pear shaped fruit whose name she couldn''t pronounce. It was just the right amount of sweet, with a slightly sour aftertaste and an arena which was not too overwhelming for her enhanced sense of smell.


    "That''s good, I''ll have the servants bring you some fresh ones every morning," Mia said, satisfied. Lily was about to protest, but her girlfriend was having none of it.


    "What''s the point of having a huge orchard if you aren''t using it to spoil your girlfriend just a little. Besides, everyone should have a favorite fruit. You''re new to this world, and you need to figure out all of your tastes and preferences from scratch, which isn''t easy," Mia said as she put her arms around Lily''s waist. "I am here to help. Today it was a fruit, but when we have more time I''ll take you out to try the different cuisines Teras has to offer. The cooks my father employs are great, but some of the restaurants in town are truly excellent."


    I didn''t really think about the fact that I probably won''t ever get to eat my favorite pizza or pasta again, Lily thought with some sadness. Well it just means there''s new stuff out there to discover.


    "What''s your favorite fruit," she asked, trying to steer her thoughts away from Earth. Mia seemed to pick up on the slight sadness in the taller girl''s eyes, and she smiled in response.


    Thinking about her world is still painful for her, and she obviously doesn''t want to talk about it yet, Mia realized. Well I know just the thing to cheer her up.


    "It''s right here," she responded, and reached in to give Lily a cheeky kiss. They held it for a moment, before Lily broke it off.


    "I appreciate the sentiment, but I do wanna know the real answer," she whispered, her cheeks blushing slightly.


    "It''s actually the summergreen apple, the first one I gave you to try," Mia answered. "It has the best mix of -" Her though was interrupted by the sound of raindrops hitting the leaves above.


    "Another feature of the climate, rain can come out of nowhere at the start of the wet season. We better get back before it turns into a full downpour," Mia said as she started moving back down the road. There was no need for her to drag Lily along this time, as the taller girl had no intention of getting soaked.


    They rushed back to the manor, managing to get there before the sky truly opened. Lily was once again impressed by the efficiency of the staff, as they found their rooms completely cleaned and back in order. They finally split up for the first time that day, as a quick shower was in order, before going to dinner. Another excellent meal later, they were back in Mia''s room, Lily having no intention of using her own bed. She did remember to remind Mia to set an alarm for tomorrow, for she fully intended to start training her other skill, and Mia made no protest, teaching Lily how to use the old fashioned clock.


    That done, they went to bed, and Lily was soon fast asleep as her girlfriend whispered sweet nothings into her ear.

 Chapter XXXI - Invoke Divinity

    The next morning, Lily woke up before the alarm went off. Mia was still fast asleep, one arm hugging her girlfriend gently. There''s no way for me to get up without waking her, not with her face pressing against my chest like that, Lily realized as she looked down at the raven haired beauty lying next to her. She could now understand Mia''s decision to let her sleep in yesterday, for she had no heart to wake her up today.


    They spent some time like that, Lily feeling Mia''s every breath through her thin nightgown, until the alarm finally went off. Its shrill sound roused Mia from her sleep, and she quickly moved to silence it, finally releasing Lily from her embrace.


    "It''s a shame we have to get up, I''ve never slept so comfortably before," Mia said as she sat up on the edge of the bed.


    "I wonder why," Lily said with a smile as she too got up. "We better get ready quickly, don''t want to be late."


    "I respect you taking your duties so seriously, but you don''t need to worry, we have plenty of time to make it to the temple," Mia replied as she got up and slipped out of her nightgown. "In fact, there''s enough time for you to join me for a shower," she said, giving Lily a suggestive look before going into the bathroom. There was no way Lily could decline that invitation, not when it came from her half naked girlfriend, and she quickly followed Mia in.


    One not so quick shower and breakfast later, they were on their way to the temple. This time Lily wasn''t really interested in the outside world, instead focusing on a book in her lap. It was a sort of general history of the Avatars, a list of their appearances and achievements. The part that interested her, talked about Invoke Divinity. It was a skill that all Avatars shared, regardless of the god sponsoring them, which made sense. It allowed the user to draw power through their connection to the patron deity at the cost of mana, but it wasn''t as easy to use as a regular skill. A connection had to be established with the realm of the god in question, which explained why it was easier to use inside a temple; the "veil" between worlds was thinner there.


    That wasn''t the only issue though, because an inexperienced user had to be careful not to be overwhelmed by the intense emotions and potential physical changes that came with the increase in power. The author included several examples of otherwise experienced Avatars hurting bystanders after their Invoke Divinity leveled up, and they gained new abilities like flight. It wasn''t as big of a worry for Lily, since the level cap was so low now, but it was something to keep in mind. The final note on the skill was that it could only be used once per day to start off, which meant that Lily had to be careful when she used it. According to Mia, such restrictions on skills were not unusual, although mana tended to be the bigger barrier to skill usage in dungeons. That was another reason why even mages, like Mia, trained with bows and swords, as a backup.


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    Lily didn''t notice when they arrived at the temple, and Mia had to tell her it was time to exit the carriage. Time for hands on practice, I suppose, she thought as she put the book down and entered the temple grounds. They made their way to the reception desk quickly, and this time the priestess there was expecting them.


    "Your Grace, Lady Mia, if you would please follow me, I will take you to the chamber we prepared for your use," she said, and they nodded. She led them through several hallways to a small open square surrounded by buildings on all sides.


    "These are all quarters for the priesthood, built before the Deluge, when our numbers were greater. These days we don''t use all of the space, so the Head Priestess ordered us to convert one into the training space you requested, Your Grace," the young woman explained as they crossed the square. "Some of the living space was kept intact, and is available to Your Grace, should you ever need or want to spend a night in town."


    "That''s very considerate of you," Lily replied. She doubted she would spend time there often, but having the option was nice.


    "Your trainer, Rick, made the final arrangements earlier this morning, and is waiting for you inside," the priestess said as she reached the wooden doors. The old hinges squeaked, protesting the abuse, and they entered inside.


    "We had to demolish several walls which once separated different chambers to make enough room, that''s what took so long," the priestess explained as Lily surveyed the area. The space seemed large enough to her, and she saw Rick setting up some archery targets at the other end. "I''ll leave you to your training, Your Grace," the woman said with a bow, before leaving.


    Rick noticed the girls and quickly approached. "You are early," he said, smiling. "From what Mia told me, you want to try using a skill for the first time? She mentioned something about it being potentially hard to control?"


    Lily briefly explained what she knew about Invoke Divinity, and Rick thought it over for a minute before nodding.


    "So basically, it is a general buff skill that potentially includes a loss of control. I''ve worked and trained with some Barbarians who had something similar, and from my experience practicing with dummies is not very useful. To learn to control yourself during such a skill, a human opponent is best, so I will be your sparring partner today," he explained. Mia was about to protest, but he waved her off. "Sorry My Lady, you two have the same level, making the chance of injury much higher if something goes wrong. I, on the other hand, am level 5, meaning that Lily has little chance of hurting me even when buffed. There will be time for you two to spar again once Lily masters her skill."


    Mia had to accept that he was right, and she stood back as Lily put on her armor and picked up the practice sword. It was wooden, but a powerful skill enhanced strike with it could still break bones, so caution was in order, which is why Rick wore armor of his own. It was a well worn piece of plate armor, heavier than Lily''s mail.


    "Try using the skill whenever you are ready," Rick said, and Lily nodded. She focused, reaching for that place deep within where mana flowed. She tried to get it to flow all throughout her body, but it wasn''t easy to get it right. She attempted using the skill, and she felt a strange pull as purple light slowly filled her vision. There was an intense feeling of heat that broke her concentration, and the light dissipated.


    "That was a good first attempt. Remember, channeling is all about staying focused on your soul, drawing enough mana until the skill activates," Rick said, encouraging Lily to try again.


    She followed his advice in the next attempt, trying to ignore the rising heat and pressure by focusing on the mana flow. This time, the pull got stronger as the light filled her vision, until for an instant, it felt like all the mana left her body.


    It returned a split second later, and Lily yelled out Invoke Divinity as the purple light spread, engulfing her completely. Her vision went blurry for a moment, and then she spotted Mia standing off to the side. An overwhelming feeling of need and lust and hunger pushed out all other thoughts and emotions as she dashed towards her girlfriend with incredible speed.

 Chapter XXXII - Losing Control

    Before Mia even realized what was happening, Rick appeared between her and the oncoming Lily. This seemed to enrage Lily, and she swung her sword at her trainer with full force. Rick, however, deflected her strike easily, pushing her back.


    "Clear your head, and focus on the flow of mana," Rick yelled out, but it was in vain.


    Lily heard his words, but all she could think about were her intense feelings for her girlfriend, and the rising anger at the man standing between her and Mia.


    She lunged at him, this time using her skill to empower the strike. This time, Rick dodged her blow, sidestepping and using the palm of his sword to push her away. Lily stumbled and almost fell, but this did not stop her onslaught.


    Mia watched with concern as Lily kept attacking time and time again. She wasn''t worried about herself, as Rick maneuvered deftly, constantly keeping himself between the two girls, but for Lily, as it seemed that the skill was taking a big physical toll on her girlfriend. The normally tireless girl was breathing heavily and covered in sweat as she kept attempting to break through Rick defences.


    I wonder how long she can keep it up, Mia wondered as Rick pushed Lily back once again. Surely even with her increased mana regeneration from her passive, she can''t keep Invoke Divinity active forever.


    It turned out that the answer was very long, as almost two hours later, Lily was still in her Avatar state. Mia could see the exhaustion on her face, and at this point even Rick was sweating. Mia knew that he could have ended the fight at any point if he wanted to, but he was only defending, parrying and dodging blows as they came, never attacking himself.


    He probably wants to know how long she can keep the skill up, she concluded. That''s the type of information you want to have before you go into a potentially life or death fight in a dungeon. Still, it sucks to see Lily like this.


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    By this point, Lily was a complete mess. Despite managing to avoid falling the first time Rick pushed her, she had hit the ground multiple times in the hours they''d been fighting since. Mia was sure that there would be bruises all over her girlfriend''s body tomorrow, and she was already getting ready to tease her about it.


    It was finally looking like Lily''s skill was going to end, as the purple aura surrounding her started to shrink and fade away. It seemed that Lily realized that herself, as her last few attacks were even more wild and desperate than usual. She faced off with Rick one more time, and Mia could see the blood in her eyes. She lunged forward again, going for another empowered blow. As usual, Rick swung to the side, looking to dodge rather than parry it. He did so with ease, and then went for his customary push to get Lily away from Mia.


    However, this time something unexpected happened. As he dodged to the side, Lily went low, sliding forward and dodging his push. That left her face to face with Mia, and seeing the look on her face, the smaller girl panicked. She reacted instinctively, reaching out to cast a skill, and to her surprise, lightning actually left her fingers, arcing towards Lily. As it did, Lily''s skill expired, but it was too late. All Mia could do was watch in horror as her bolt hit her girlfriend head on. It seemed to knock out the already exhausted girl, and Mia cried out for help.


    -------------------------------


    Lily opened her eyes slowly, and to her surprise felt no pain. Exhaustion was present for sure, but from what she remembered of her training with Rick (and the finale with Mia), she should have been screaming in agony.


    "Oh, you are finally awake," she heard Mia''s voice say, and Lily turned around. Her girlfriend was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at her with a concerned expression.


    "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.


    "Surprisingly well all things considered," Lily answered with a small smile, and Mia smiled back.


    "You can thank the goddess Marissa for that. Her temple is right next door, and Head Priestess Emilia sent for their help the moment she heard about what happened to you," Mia explained, and Lily nodded. "They sent over a priestess who healed you. Apparently, it wasn''t as bad as we feared, but the combination of exhausting all your mana and being hit knocked you out pretty bad, but you should be fine after some rest."


    "That''s good to hear. Where are we right now?" Lily asked, realizing that she was lying in a room she was never in before.


    "We rushed you to the room they prepared for you here at the temple after I knocked you out with that bolt," Mia explained. "I really am sorry about that by the way."


    "I wasn''t exactly acting rationally. My skill is very intense, I thought I would be able to control it much better," Lily admitted. "I am just glad that we are both okay, and that you have your lightning back."


    Her smile was genuine, and Mia once again wondered how she ended up with such a great person as her girlfriend.


    "Well considering you slept through most of the day, we will be spending the night here at the temple," Mia said as she laid down next to Lily, her hand sliding down Lily''s thigh.


    "We have some time before dinner, and I have some ideas how I can apologize for knocking you out properly," Mia whispered softly as she reached in to kiss her girlfriend.

 Chapter XXXIII - Interviews

    The next morning, the break of dawn woke up the sleeping couple. Lily was feeling a lot better, but she wasn''t quite ready to train yet. It turned out that Mia had an idea how to spend their free time, however.


    "While you were sleeping off that lightning bolt yesterday, I made some inquiries about a suitable priestess for the training you and I discussed," Mia said as they got dressed. Lily''s face immediately turned red at the mention of their earlier discussion, but she motioned for Mia to continue.


    "As you might imagine, all of the priestesses here at the temple would be overjoyed to engage in any sort of carnal activities with the Avatar of their patron goddess, so I couldn''t just go around posting job adverts. Not unless I was prepared to use violence to beat back the onslaught, and somehow I think Dahlia wouldn''t approve of me decimating her temple," Mia said with a smile. "Instead, I went to the Head Priestess, and asked for a recommendation. She was happy to help, and quickly came up with a few candidates for the job. All of them had similar skills to your own, and had managed to master them in a short time. We are going to interview the girls today, after breakfast. That is if you are comfortable with the whole notion?"


    She cocked her head as she asked the question, and Lily once again couldn''t believe that her girlfriend was asking her to get sexually involved with another girl.


    Sure, the situation wasn''t ordinary, with a literal goddess of love being involved, but it was still crazy.


    Better get used to it, as I don''t think things will get any less crazy from here, Lily thought to herself as she considered Mia''s request.


    "The whole thing is still a little weird to me, but improving my self control is certainly worth doing, especially in light of yesterday''s events," Lily finally answered, trying to put a utilitarian spin on the whole notion. Mia''s eyes lit up as she realized she had scored her first victory, and she quickly stood up, pulling Lily to her feet.


    "Excellent, no time to waste then. I know an excellent establishment right next to the temple where we can have a nice breakfast before we get to work," Mia said as she led Lily outside. "The temple food isn''t bad, but I still feel like I need to make up for yesterday."


    I really need to learn how to say no to her and her damn smile, Lily thought as they exited the temple. And one day, I am sure I will. Just not today.


    Mia wasn''t lying about the excellent food, Lily thought as they returned to the temple, and entered the office where they would conduct the interviews. Her and Mia talked about it over their meal, with Mia insisting that Lily pick whoever she''s most comfortable with. Lily was very glad that her normally assertive girlfriend was willing to take a step back on this. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    They sat behind the desk, and Lily picked up one of the files the Head Priestess prepared on the candidates she picked. It had their basic information, like age, and some notes about their training and skills.


    As she skimmed the information, there was a knock on the door, and the first candidate walked in. The priestess introduced herself as Nila, and Lily picked up her file. She was a year younger than Lily, a recent arrival at the temple, and it showed in the way her voice trembled as the girls asked her questions about her training and ways of dealing with her skills'' intensity.


    That was the main thing Lily had decided on when discussing the interview process with Mia; she wasn''t going to pick someone who was so awestruck by her presence to not be able to think clearly.


    Which is a shame, because she seems like a sweet girl. Pretty too, Lily thought as the interview ended and the priestess left.


    Then again, I don''t think there are many ugly priestesses of Dahlia. I''ve never met one anyway.


    The following several candidates were similarly disappointing; the candidates were either of the wrong age, or too nervous in Lily''s presence. She was already beginning to lose hope that they would find a suitable candidate when the next girl walked in.


    Her name was Clara, and she was a year older than Lily. She was originally a priestess in the capital, before transferring to Lundin. There was a subtle air of competence around her, and while she was respectful of Lily and her status, there was no trace of the nervousness too many of the others displayed. She spoke clearly as she explained her way of dealing with sensory overload her skill could cause. It involved distancing one''s mind from their body using a technique similar to the one used for checking skills, which piqued Lily''s interest further. It sounded like it would be possible to use the same technique to help deal with the loss of control caused by Invoke Divinity. Lily suspected that learning it wouldn''t be easy, but it was the most promising solution she''d heard up to that point.


    It helps that she''s also gorgeous, Lily thought as she looked at the girl sitting in front of her. Her petite round face was framed with long blonde hair, and the robes she wore showed off her curves nicely. And boy does she have some curves, Lily thought as her eyes shifted down from the girl''s face. Clara wasn''t as tall as Lily, which only made her chest stand out more.


    Mia might get jealous if I pick her, Lily thought with amusement as Clara left the office.


    None of the following candidates stood out, so as they reached the end, Lily made her decision.


    "I think I am going with Clara," she said to Mia as the final candidate left. "It sounded like her technique could help with Invoke Divinity too."


    "Oh, are you sure that''s the only reason you are picking her?" Mia asked with a smile.


    "What other reason could I possibly have?" Lily answered, her expression pure as the driven snow.


    "Maybe she has some other qualities you liked," Mia answered, motioning in front of her chest. "I can''t compete with that."


    "Oh, is someone jealous?" Lily asked with a teasing smile.


    "It''s easy for you to make fun of me, with your ''assets'' I doubt you had to worry about such vain things," Mia said.


    "I''ll have you know I didn''t always have those ''assets''. They came with the whole Avatar thing, when Dahlia made my new body," Lily explained.


    "Ah, the goddess''s gifts are truly amazing. How are we, the common folk, meant to compete with divinity," Mia said, feigning despair.


    "Is anyone from that ''common folk'' in the room with us now, Lady Moneybags?" Lily asked as she crossed over to Mia. The smaller girl started giggling as she raised her hands in the air.


    "You got me, that was too much even for me," she managed to answer before Lily sat in her lap.


    "Besides, your ''assets'' aren''t the reason why I fell in love with you," Lily said, grinning back at her girlfriend.


    "And pray tell, what was the reason?" Mia inquired, as her hands started to roam Lily''s body.


    "Your huge tracts of land, of course," Lily whispered as she leaned in for a kiss.

 Chapter XXXV - Important News

    The next morning, Lily felt well enough to do some light sparring with Mia and Rick. She wasn''t willing to try  Invoke Divinity again, not until she mastered Clara''s control technique. Even so, getting more comfortable with a sword was important. After all, the majority of monsters in a starting dungeon could be dealt with without the usage of skills.


    Eric was still way out of her league, but as she got more experience, her superior speed and strength were starting to overpower Mia. Her girlfriend still managed to draw their sparring match, but Lily was convinced that was pure chance. The final hit Mia got in was pure luck, and she was confident she would start beating her constantly soon.


    That''s with no active skills involved. If I have to go up against her lightning, I don''t think I will have a great time, Lily thought as she deposited her  training sword on the rack. I really need to master Invoke Divinity to have a chance.


    Just as they were finishing for the day, the old doors opened with a creak, and Emilia, the High Priestess, walked in.


    "Apologies for interrupting, Your Grace, but I wanted to speak with you about an important subject," she said as she approached Lily.


    "No need to apologize, we were just about done. What''s the matter?" Lily asked, intrigued by her serious expression.


    "I am afraid the subject is somewhat sensitive, Your Grace," the priestess responded, glancing at Rick, who was collecting the training gear nearby.


    "I see," Lily responded and turned to Rick.


    "That''s fine Rick, me and Mia can finish cleaning up, you are free for the rest of the day."


    The experienced guard understood the situation immediately, and headed outside.


    On the other hand, Mia only got more intrigued after she heard Lily''s words, and quickly approached to join in on the conversation.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "What are you two scheming without me? she asked as soon as Rick was through the door, and Lily shrugged in response.


    "The Head Priestess has something important to talk about, and she wants privacy," Lily said.


    "Please call me Emilia, Your Grace," the priestess responded.


    "Only if you drop the Your Grace nonsense, at least in private," Lily said with a smile and the girl nodded.


    "Well, Your-, I mean Lily," Emilia said uncomfortably, "I wanted to talk to you about the topic we discussed the first time you visited the temple; the ritual to contact the goddess."


    I was wondering about that, Lily thought. Hopefully the news is good. She wanted to talk to Dahlia as soon as possible, to get some idea of what it was that she was actually supposed to do on Teras.


    "Yes, back then you said you needed some time to get everything organized," Mia chimed in, and Emilia nodded.


    "I need to apologize for not talking to you about this sooner. Unfortunately, there were some delays because it turned out that we didn''t have all the details here. We had to contact the temple in the capital about the ritual, and due to the sensitive nature of the topic, we had to use special couriers which delayed the process further," she explained, and Lily nodded, motioning Emilia to continue.


    "However, I am glad to report that we have solved those issues, and that we are prepared to conduct the ritual one week from now," the Head Priestess said solemnly. "That is if the timing is convenient for Your Grace."


    "I don''t know much about magic, but I don''t think ancient rituals should be rushed. The timing works just fine for me, so we''ll do it then," Lily said cheerily, and the priestess bowed in response.


    "As you decree, Your Grace. Once again I apologize for the delays," she said, before turning to leave.


    "One day, I will get her to drop the ''Your Grace''," Lily whispered to Mia as Emilia left, and her girlfriend chuckled.


    "She''s trying, the poor thing, but she''s still too shaken by the Avatar of her goddess just showing up in her temple one day," Mia said. "That alone is enough to make her the next big thing in the priesthood, if she doesn''t mess up and incur your wrath. If this whole ritual thing goes smoothly, she''s likely to become the head of the entire priesthood here in the Republic. From there it''s just one step to the Great Priesthood, which heads all of Dahlia''s temples on the continent. She could only have dreamed of reaching such heights before you showed up in her office, so you have to cut her some slack."


    Another thing I hadn''t really considered. Of course my appearance would be seen as a sign of divine favour for whatever temple I showed up at, Lily mussed. I just hope Dahlia knew what she was doing when she sent me here. Emilia seems a decent sort so far, but I don''t want to help some power hungry person rise through the ranks, even indirectly.


    "Politics," Lily said sourly after a moment.


    "At least with her you have the whole living deity angle, so you can be sure she is telling you the truth. The real politicians will make your skin crawl. Some of the people my father had to work with would have crossed anyone, Avatar or not, to get ahead," Mia responded. "I will tell you some of the stories when we have more time."


    "Wonderful, I can''t wait."


    "That''s the spirit," Mia said with a smile as she grabbed her girlfriend''s hand. "Time to hit the showers, and get something to eat.


    Clara is coming to start your training tonight, and we don''t want to make her wait, do we?"


    As usual, Mia was right, so Lily followed her upstairs, past the living quarters and into the bathroom.

 Chapter XXXV - Focus and Distraction

    Lily and Mia had just gotten back from dinner when Clara arrived. Mia got up from the couch to let her in, while Lily prepared herself mentally for the training that was coming.


    The first thing Lily noticed when Clara walked in was that she looked stunning outside the priesthood robes she usually wore. The short skirt and the white blouse she wore did not leave much to imagination.


    "Good evening, Your Grace," Clara said as Mia led her in. "Are you ready to start your training?"


    "I am, but please just call me Lily, at least in private," Lily responded and Clara nodded as she sat down on the sofa opposite her. Mia sat down next to her girlfriend and invited the priestess to begin.


    "I was taught the technique at the temple in the capital. As I explained to you, it relies on a similar mechanic to the one used to check skills. You distance your mind from your body, which reduces the intensity of senses and emotions you are experiencing," Clara explained, waiting for Lily to nod in acknowledgement before continuing. "The tricky part is in not going all the way, like you do when checking skills, so you are still conscious."


    "So, how do I go about learning it?" Lily inquired.


    "You begin by using the skill checking technique, but ending it before you actually access your soul. Go ahead and try it," Clara said and Lily nodded.


    She closed her eyes, repeating the technique that Mia taught her, and her consciousness started drifting away. She tried interrupting the process before it was completed, but to no avail. She found herself in the familiar warm place where she could access her skills. Disappointed, she opened her eyes and sighed in frustration.


    "You can''t expect to figure everything out on the first try," Mia said, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Take a moment, and give it another shot when you''re ready."


    Lily nodded, closed her eyes, and dove back in.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    An hour and five attempts later, Lily had still not succeeded. Her soul kept sucking her in, its pull too strong to resist. She was getting more and more frustrated, despite all the reassurance from Mia and Clara. So far, she had been great at all the soul related stuff she''d been introduced to, and not being able to get this technique to work


    sucked.


    "Maybe this just isn''t for me," she said sourly after another failed attempt.


    "Much as I think you are cute when you pout, I don''t think you should give up so quickly," Mia said as she ran her fingers through Lily''s hair. "I am sure you will be able to make it work if you keep at it."


    "Indeed. Perhaps the nature of your divine touched soul makes this harder for you than usual," Clara said, her expression thoughtful. "It''s all about timing, and because your soul''s pull is stronger than normal, try stopping earlier."


    Lily could see the logic in that, and decided to give it another shot.


    It''s not like I am tired or anything, the skill checking technique is so basic that a child could do it, she thought as she closed her eyes once again.


    This time, she didn''t tune out the outside world fully, trying to keep a connection. As soon as her consciousness started drifting into her soul, she cut the connection, trying to avoid being pulled all the way in. For a moment, it seemed to work, and she could see her girlfriend sitting next to her in slightly muted colors. She tried speaking out, but as she did, the effect ended and she was brought fully back into the real world.


    "I think I had it for a moment, but as soon as I tried saying something, it ended," Lily explained.


    "Good job. Learning to speak and act while in that fugue state takes time and practice," Clara said. "The important thing is being able to get there consistently."


    Lily nodded and tried repeating the steps again. This time it worked smoothly, and she found herself back in the world of muted colors and muffled sound. It was certainly a change when compared to her heightened senses since her rebirth. It reminded her a little of her existence on Earth, when she could walk through a crowd without feeling like she was being assaulted from all sides. She even managed to get up and walk around the room without much issue, which impressed both Mia and Clara.


    "You are certainly a fast learner, once you get going," Clara said as Lily sat back down and ended the effect. "Normally, I would be happy with our progress so far tonight, but I have an idea." She exchanged a devious look with Mia, who nodded in response, and pointed at the large bed in the corner of the room.


    "Why don''t we make ourselves more comfortable?" she said, and Mia instantly grabbed Lily''s hand, dragging her over onto the bed. Lily laid down and the two girls sat down on opposite sides of her.


    "Being able to use the technique under normal conditions is all well and good, but you need to be able to pull it off in more stressful and distracting situations,including combat," Clara said slowly. "After all, what''s the point of a technique that calms you down if you can''t use it if you are excited?"


    Lily nodded, not quite sure where Clara was going with this. Mia was grinning, however, which was a worrying sign.


    "Now, you''re gonna try using it again, but this time, me and your girlfriend aren''t just going to sit around," Clara said, unbuttoning her blouse. "Instead, we are gonna try and distract you the best we can."


    "And how do you plan to do that?" Lily asked, even though she knew the answer.


    In response, Mia started taking off Lily''s shirt. "Oh, I think you''re gonna enjoy those distractions very much," her girlfriend whispered gently as she undressed her.

 Chapter XXXVI - The Ritual I

    Over the next week, Lily settled into a routine; training with Mia and Rick in the morning, followed by afternoon sessions with Clara and Mia. The nights belonged to her girlfriend, and she wondered if Mia had supernatural stamina of her own, because even with her divine gifts, Lily often felt exhausted, while the shorter girl showed no signs of slowing down.


    To be fair, constantly practicing her skills took a toll,but it was worth it. She was getting much better at controlling Invoke Divinity, able to think and act rationally during it. She still had issues with using the skill outside the temple, but there was improvement there too. There was still work to be done, but she felt a sense of pride at her progress.


    The training helped keep her mind off the upcoming ritual. As the week went on and the time to contact Dahlia approached, Lily felt the anxiety growing.


    Would her goddess approve of her actions so far? If she didn''t, would she remove Lily from Teras? Would she tell Lily more about the threat to the world?


    These questions and more occupied her thoughts as the day approached, and Lily was grateful to have Mia with her. She was always supportive, working hard to dispel any self doubts Lily had. On one hand, having someone who believed in her felt good, but on the other, it just reminded her of her position, and the potential weight on her shoulders. Still, it beat the hell out of being alone, and she thanked the gods for meeting Mia every night, before she went to sleep.


    On the day of the ritual, Lily and Mia made their way over to the altar chamber. Lily didn''t know all the details, but she knew that the ritual involved a priest or priestess serving as a conduit for the Avatar to reach Dahlia''s realm. Luckily, Clara was a suitable candidate, and due to her familiarity with Lily, the Head Priestess selected her for the role. Having a familiar face would help, and Lily was glad that she wouldn''t have to work with someone who was nervous due to her Avatar status.


    My own nerves are bad enough, Lily thought as she and Mia approached the altar chamber. She pushed the old doors open, and slowly stepped through, unsure what to expect. The small chamber was empty, save for the altar where the Head Priestess stood, and a pair of chairs in the corner. Clara sat in one of them, and waved the girls in. As they started to cross the room, Lily noticed that the whole floor below the altar was inscribed in strange symbols and letters she could not read. The purple lettering formed concentric circles on the stone floor, leaving only a small clearing in the middle. She and Mia had to be very careful not to disturb any of the writing as they met up with Clara and Emilia. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Seeing the puzzlement on their faces, the Head Priestess spoke out:


    "These symbols are ancient, and were the reasons for the delay. Their magic is older than civilization itself, and we had to be sure their configuration was correct. Our records here at the temple were incomplete, so we had to consult the capital archives. But at last, we are ready."


    "What do I need to do?" Lily asked, wondering if she herself was ready.


    "The Avatar''s part to play is the simplest one. You and the conduit, Clara, will sit in the centre of the room. She will recite the incantation and channel mana into the symbols, and as she does, all you have to do is let go, and allow your soul to be pulled into Dahlia''s realm," she explained, motioning Clara towards the middle of the room. The priestess nodded, but before she moved, she started undressing herself.


    Lily gave Emilia a questioning look, and the Head Priestess smiled gently.


    "The ritual has to be performed while nude. After all, you can''t bring your clothes to a higher realm. Did I not mention that?"


    "Of course it does," Lily said with a sigh, and started removing her own clothes. Mia giggled after seeing her expression, and then quickly moved to assist.


    "There''s no way I am gonna miss this. All those other times I got  you naked, it was for my own selfish needs, but now I get to do it in service of a higher cause," Mia whispered as she pulled off Lily''s shirt. "It''s like a dream come true."


    Lily knew better than to argue, and she let Mia''s capable hands undress her. The raven haired beauty took her time, slowly removing one piece of clothing at a time. She moved at a leisurely pace, happy to show off her girlfriend''s body to the small audience. It was not a new sight for Clara, but Emilia was enjoying the show, which got Lily wondering about the situation. In any other temple, disrobing at a holy altar in front of a Head Priest would be high blasphemy, incurring the wrath of the deity worshipped there. But, this wasn''t any other temple, and this wasn''t any Head Priestess. This was Dahlia''s temple, and they were her disciples.


    From what I know about Dahlia, she probably approves of behavior like this, Lily thought absentmindedly. And I suppose you have to be at least a little perverted to become a Head Priestess in her religion.


    She did dare to not think about how perverted one needed to be for the universe to select them as the divine champion of that same religion. It was better not to dwell on such matters of theology, after all.


    The cold air on her exposed skin brought her back to reality, and she and Clara quickly made their way to the central circle. Lily shivered as she sat down on the frigid stone floor, and Clara wasted no time as she went to work pumping mana into the inscriptions. As the lettering started to glow, the priestess stretched out her hand towards Lily. She grabbed it, and the world began to fade away. Lily could hear Clara chanting, but it was only a background whisper as her soul started to leave her body. She let go, and for an instant there was nothing as she crossed the gap between worlds and entered Dahlia''s realm.


    "About time. I was starting to worry," Lily heard a familiar voice say as consciousness returned.

 Chapter XXXVII - The Ritual II

    "Hello," Lily said as she slowly opened her eyes. It seemed like she was  back in the same room she met Dahlia in the first place. The goddess was sitting across from her, looking as beautiful as ever. Lily avoided looking at her directly, not wanting to get lost in her eyes like she did during the first meeting.


    Remember, you are not here to admire her beauty, Lily thought, and shook herself. You have work to do.


    "Uhm, it took longer than expected to conduct the ritual to contact you," Lily explained and the goddess nodded.


    "I figured as much. Such a ritual hasn''t been conducted on Teras in a millennia, after all," she said, her voice echoing all around the room. "Anyways, before we discuss any other topics, I want to hear about your experience in the new world so far."


    She leaned back on the comfortable looking sofa, inviting Lily to speak. Lily suspected she would be asked to do something of the sort, and she decided to be completely honest with the goddess. Despite her reassurances to Mia, she was a little worried about how Dahlia might react when she found out about the whole Soul Link situation, but lying about the situation was out of the question, especially when Dahlia could access her memories if she decided to. It seemed like she refrained from doing so out of respect, instead allowing Lily to tell her own story, but that could change.


    In any case, the goddess gave no reaction when Lily recounted the story of Mia''s rescue, so she pressed on, telling her about her arrival and training at the temple. In fact, Dahlia gave no reaction at all until Lily started talking about her relationship with Mia. As she told the story of their first date, the goddess smiled, but she waited until Lily finished before giving any comment.


    "Thrown into a whole new world, you seduced the first girl you met. You really were an excellent choice to be my champion," she said, clapping her hands together.


    Lily''s face turned red, and she was about to protest how the circumstances were not ordinary, but before any words left her mouth, Dahlia raised a hand to stop her.


    "Oh, I am just messing with you. Adjusting to a whole new world can be hard, and from what you''ve told me, you have been extraordinarily lucky to meet someone like Mia, a person you can trust and share your journey with," she said. "Not every Outworld Avatar in history has been so fortunate."


    I am not sure if it was fortune, or you setting me on a path to meet with Mia, Lily thought to herself, but decided not to ask.


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    "Anyway, now that you''ve told me what you''ve been up to, I am sure you want to know what your mission on Teras actually is," Dahlia said, her expression turning serious. As it did, the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees, and Lily felt a chill down her spine.


    "Part of the reason I asked you about your life so far is that I wanted to get an idea of how much you knew about the world. Have you heard about the Deluge and the Sundering?" Dahlia asked, and Lily nodded.


    "Mia told me about the history of Teras, so I know those were big events some thousand years ago. It''s when the whole system changed and levels got capped," Lily answered, trying to recall all the details Mia told her. "I remember that the last Avatar of Dahlia before me died during them."


    "Indeed. And while most people on Teras know about the effects of the Sundering, they are not fully aware of why the Five Avatars attempted the ritual in the first place. It wasn''t just to stop the outpour of monsters in the Deluge," she said. Then she leaned forward, her expression grave, and Lily focused like she''d never before in either of her lives. Whatever she was about to hear was crucial information, both to her and to the world at large.


    "At this point you know I am not the only deity around. The truth is, not all cosmic entities are benevolent, and the Deluge was caused by one such entity. What the Five were attempting to do was create a barrier of sorts, to prevent further outside interference to Teras by non-benevolent deities. Unfortunately, something went wrong, and the very core of the world exploded before the barrier was complete," she explained, and for the first time ever, Lily noticed sorrow in her eyes.


    "Their efforts were not in vain, however. The work they did on the barrier was enough not just to stop the outpour of monsters in the Deluge, but to serve as a warning system in case of any further outside influence on Teras. A short while ago, that system set off an alarm. Some outside force has exerted its influence, and that is why I felt the need to send a champion of my own."


    Lily took a deep breath as she considered what she learned. So, some other god was messing with the world, and she was supposed to stop them?


    "Do you know what this outside force is trying to accomplish? Where is it located?" Lily asked the goddess, hoping for more information.


    "All in due time. I am pretty sure I know what they are after, but you are not ready yet. You need to get stronger, and form your own party. Luckily, if I am right, there is more than enough time. They will need to gather strength, much as you do, while also waiting for the right moment to enact their plan," Dahlia said, her mood finally turning more jovial. "I know all that sounds very cryptic, but I don''t want to give you any specifics until I feel you are ready. When I say that we have time, I mean it. So I don''t want you to go off risking your life on some harebrained scheme because you feel pressured to save the world. Is that clear?"


    "Yes, ma''am," Lily answered, and she meant it. "What do you want me to do then?"


    "As I said, form a party and get stronger. I don''t need to tell you that you must be careful about who you trust and share this information with, but from what you''ve told me, you already have a member in Mia. That''s good. Contact me again once you have a full party and you get a level or two," the goddess said, finally standing up. Lily took it as a signal that their little meeting was coming to an end, and she shifted in her seat as the goddess walked over.


    "I know you must be feeling a lot of pressure with the whole save the world thing, but do try and enjoy life too. I didn''t reincarnate you just so you would spend all your time training. Have some fun once in a while too."


    "Oh, trust me, Mia is making sure of that," Lily said with a smile, and the goddess giggled in response. It was a strange sound, especially when it seemed to come from all around the room and it took Lily by surprise.


    "She seems like a smart woman. I would love to meet here, but until then give her my thanks," Dahlia said, and leaned in, giving Lily a kiss on the forehead.


    The world turned white, and after a moment Lily found herself sitting on the cold floor of the temple.

 Chapter XXXVIII - Aftermath

    Lily''s whole body felt stiff as she woke up on the cold stone floor. Across from her, Clara groaned as her own consciousness returned. After confirming that the priestess was okay, Lily stood up and looked for Mia, but there was no sign of her in the room.


    "Where''s Mia?" Lily asked the Head Priestess, who was still observing from her spot at the altar.


    "Few hours into the ritual, she complained about not feeling well and retired to your quarters, Your Grace," Emilia explained.


    "What do you mean ''few hours''? My conversation with the goddess did not last anywhere that long," a confused Lily said as she started getting dressed.


    "I am afraid you are mistaken, Your Grace. The ritual took most of the day," Emilia said, pointing at the small window above. "See for yourself, it''s dark outside."


    Lily looked up, and she saw that the night''s sky had replaced the sun. Her mind raced, looking for an explanation, and she turned to Clara.


    "How long do you think the ritual lasted?" she asked the priestess.


    "I am afraid I have no idea. Last thing I remember is grabbing your hand and reciting the ritual. Sorry," the confused Clara answered, shrugging.


    It''s possible time doesn''t work the same way in Dahlia''s realm, Lily thought as she finished getting dressed. In any case, I need to find Mia, and make sure she is okay.


    "For now, all you need to know is that the ritual was a success. We will discuss it more tomorrow, but now I need to speak to my girlfriend," Lily told the Head Priestess as she left the chamber in a hurry.


    She made her way through the torch-lit hallways of the main temple building until she reached the exit which led to the small square. She could hear the rain falling outside, but she had no intention of waiting for it to pass. Not when Mia was potentially sick, and needed her. She made her way across the open space quicker, not caring that she got soaked in the process. There was no sign of her girlfriend on the first floor, so she rushed up the stairs, to the bedroom.


    She opened the door slowly, not wanting to scare Mia, and saw her girlfriend laying in bed. Her face was deathly pale, and for a moment, Lily panicked as she thought the worst had happened. Luckily, Mia was still breathing, albeit slowly, and Lily sighed in relief.


    "Are you okay, what happened?" Lily asked as she slowly approached the bed.


    It seemed like her words shook Mia out of her slumber, and her eyes snapped open.


    "Lily, you''re back!" she said, her weak voice unable to express the joy she felt.


    "Of course I am back, why wouldn''t I be?" Lily responded as she hopped onto the bed.


    "As the ritual started, I felt your soul drifting away. When it didn''t return after a few hours, I thought something had gone wrong," the raven haired girl said as she cuddled against Lily. "And then when I started feeling ill due to the effects of Soul Link, I assumed the worst."


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    "And what was that?" Lily asked as she hugged the smaller girl tightly.


    "I thought Dahlia was angry at me for using the skill on you in the first place, and was punishing me by holding back your soul so Soul Link would kill me" Mia answered, turning away so Lily would not see the tears in her eyes. " I didn''t want to suffer in public, so I hid here."


    As Mia finished speaking, Lily gently grabbed her by the chin and turned her so they came face to face.


    "I thought we went over this once already. I made you a promise, and nobody, not even a god, can make me abandon you," Lily said firmly. Her eyes blazed as she spoke and Mia nodded slowly.


    "I know you did, and I am sorry for doubting you. It''s just that seeing your motionless body sit there for hours made me think something had gone wrong," she explained. "And then I started feeling ill."


    "How are you feeling now, should we call for a healer?" a concerned Lily asked.


    "Now that you and your soul are back next to me, I am already feeling better. A couple of hours of cuddling is all the healing I need," she said, and smiled. "A horrible treatment, I know, but one I will have to endure."


    "My heart bleeds for you," Lily responded, glad that Mia was able to crack jokes again.


    "You could make the treatment more bearable by telling me what you and the goddess spoke about for hours," Mia asked, and gave Lily a pleading look. "Unless it''s some sort of secret only Avatars are allowed to know."


    "That''s the thing though, the ritual did not last that long for me. I did talk to Dahlia, but our conversation was not long. Sure, I spent some time recounting my life on Teras, but not hours," Lily explained. "Time might work differently in her realm though."


    "I see. But that doesn''t answer my question fully. What did she tell you?"


    Lily recounted the conversation she had with Dahlia, telling Mia about the barrier which detected outside interference on Teras.


    "Fascinating. The scholars writing about the Five have long speculated about their exact intentions, but with all five Avatars dead, the truth remained lost," Mia said, her eyes full of excitement.


    She really is a big nerd, Lily thought with a chuckle before she continued.


    The part about getting stronger and forming a party was no surprise, and Mia already had suggestions.


    "If you want to get first class teammates, we''ll have to venture out of Lundin. The capital, Adea, is much larger and has significant dungeon activity nearby. That''s our best bet," she explained.


    "That would mean leaving your family behind," Lily said, and her girlfriend nodded.


    "I always wanted to be an adventurer, remember? Can''t do that from the safety of your home, so I always knew that day would come," Mia said with determination. "Besides, I grew up in Adea, it''s hardly a huge deal to move back there."


    "Still, it feels like I am uprooting your life completely," Lily said with a sigh. "Tell you what, we are going back to the estate tomorrow. I know we aren''t leaving straight away, but you should spend time with your parents before we do. Besides, I have to continue my training outside the temple to master my skill completely."


    "Sure, and my father can help to organize the trip. He can handle that while I get us a slot in the small dungeon here just so we aren''t complete novices when we start looking for teammates. Once word of your Avatar status spreads, people will be flocking to join your party," Mia said.


    "We should look to find suitable candidates before that, on our own terms. We certainly need a healer. Those used to be much rarer before the Sundering, by the way, but there''s plenty of them these days, so that shouldn''t be a problem. For the last member I am thinking that we should look for another damage dealer, preferably¡­"


    Lily listened in silence as Mia went on and on, talking about potential teammates. The joy of having Lily back had cleared away the malaise which had afflicted her, and her enthusiasm for the task ahead was infectious. By the time they fell asleep, Lily too couldn''t wait to become a true adventurer.

 Chapter XXXIX - Memories

    In the morning, Lily informed Emilia that she would be going back to Mia''s estate for a time, to continue training there. The Head Priestess wasn''t thrilled to hear that, but there wasn''t much she could do about it. Personally, Lily was glad to get back to the manor. Their lodging in the temple was fine, but it compared poorly to the palatial space that was available at the Dawnheart residence. More importantly, however, she was happy that Mia would be spending more time with her family. She would not have much chance to do that in the future, as the girls would be moving to the capital.


    It took some time to get everything organized, so they arrived at the manor late in the day. Mia''s parents were thrilled to see them, and a long discussion over dinner about the future followed. They were of course worried about Mia, but also proud that she would be following in their footsteps as an adventurer. They understood that Lily couldn''t give many details about her mission, not because they were secret, but because she didn''t know much yet herself. Instead, Mia and Eric started discussing their move to the capital. Eric suggested traveling along with one of his trading convoys, for safety, but Mia protested, believing that traveling solo was faster, and therefore safer. They agreed that girls would say at the family house where the Dawnhearts lived while Eric was on the council, but could not agree about the staff. In any case, Lily was happy to leave the details to her girlfriend, and she retired to her room.


    The sun had set, but the sky was clear, which was unusual for this time of year. Lily stepped out onto the balcony, and looked up at the stars watching from above. Was Earth out there somewhere? Before the ritual, she was sure the answer was yes, but now¡­


    Who knows how much time passed between her death and reincarnation? Decades or even centuries could have passed on Earth, which meant that everyone she had known was dead. It was silly in some ways to care about a world she would never see again when a whole new one stood in front of her, but she couldn''t help it. She looked up to the stars for an answer, but they stayed silent, not caring about the mortals below.


    She went back inside, and found Mia sitting on the edge of her bed.


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    "You enjoy stargazing, don''t you?" She asked and Lily nodded.


    "It reminds me of Earth," she answered, sitting down next to Mia. Her girlfriend saw the sadness in her eyes and heard the sorrow in her voice.


    "Can you tell me more about your world?" Mia asked softly. "It''s ok if you don''t want to."


    Lily remembered her dead parents, the life she had left behind, and her barriers fell.


    She had tried to appear strong, as a champion of a goddess should, but all the craziness had got to her. She had died and been reborn, and then she had killed another person that same day. She knew that she had had no choice, to save Mia and herself, but the thought of it still made her sick. She tried to answer Mia, but she couldn''t stop herself from weeping.


    Mia saw her tears, and she moved closer to her, holding her girlfriend while whispering gently: "You are safe here dear, it''s gonna be ok."


    "Earth is not a world of magic, and only humans live there," Lily started, but before she could continue, Mia grabbed her head gently, and pulled her into her lap. She wiped away Lily''s tears, and the Earth girl continued her tale.


    She spoke of vast cities with mighty towers of steel and glass, of great rivers of people moving to and fro in their steel carriages. She spoke of terrible things, millions dying for the ambitions of sick men, horrifying weapons which could lay waste to the world and snuff out the light of humanity. She spoke of the cruelty of poverty, its sickly hand reaping the lives of children, while some had more than they would need in a thousand lifetimes.


    But she spoke of great and beautiful things too, works of art which could dazzle the mind and ignite the soul, great natural beauty everywhere, from the deserts to the great mountains, all conquered in the name of humankind. She spoke of liberties win against tyranny and oppression, paid for in blood. She spoke and she wept.


    Mia ran her fingers through Lily''s golden hair, and she asked her many questions. She asked about the flying metal ships which could cross whole oceans in a day. She asked about the many nations, their customs and traditions. She asked about the sports they played and the holidays celebrated. She asked until Lily fell asleep in her lap and could not answer anymore.


    People are the same everywhere, I suppose. Earth might not have monsters, but it too has its villains and heroes, like any world,  Mia concluded, as she placed Lily gently into bed. Her sleeping face showed no signs of the pain and fear from before, Mia thought, as she laid into bed next to her. The night was long, and she lost track of time as she watched the sleeping beauty, and hours passed before she too fell asleep.