A Real Goddess Would Let Nobody Die

Kalat couldn't move any of his limbs. He couldn't feel any of his limbs. He knew what that meant, but tried not to panic.

He had dozed off at the worst possible time. This whole situation was his fault. Absolutely his unforgivable fault. But, he could not afford to waste effort or time blaming himself right now.

As far as he could tell, his five passengers were either dead, or unconscious and about to be, and judging by how badly he was injured, Kalat would soon join them.

They were in the middle of the mountains, and now well off the road. Well below the road. No one would hear him if he shouted. No one would find them unless they knew to search, and where.

There was only One Who could help, and Kalat was the only one who could call.

He prayed with all his might that The Listener would hear him, and bring Salvation, even if he personally deserved only Justice. He tried to make it clear in his prayer that there were people here who actually deserved help.

He knew that the Red Goddess would be able to hear him only if She was in Benevin. Her powers had grown over the centuries, this was well-known, but calling Her from very long range still required the use of a Sacred Statue, and Benevin was the only significant city for many leagues. There were not many large settlements deep in the center of the mainland, in these mountains.

But, there was a chance. The Temple of the Deliverance was due to open in Benevin soon. Kalat's group had intended to go to the ceremony when they got back to town from their camping trip.

He hoped that the Goddesses would arrive before he couldn't move even his mind anymore.

----

Benevin had aspired to open a Temple for centuries, but it had started as only a mundane village. However, it had gained fame over the years for two reasons, and grown.

Menelyn took in the famous mountain vistas, and the cozy resorts. She had seen all of this before, and could remember every visit perfectly, but that only made the views more beautiful. The subtle changes, the enduring beauty across centuries, the steady growth of the village into a town that grew into a city without losing its identity...it felt like testimony to the peace and Renewal created by the Age of the Goddesses, the Age that She had created, with Her Sister and...Daughter-Friend-Protege-Sister-Sole Source of Human Contact-Sanity Maintainer? Whatever the word for Izenakee was, She loved Her like Izena.

"Mmmm," Izena agreed, reading Her mind based on the feeling that thought had produced.

These vistas were now more readily accessible to visitors than ever before, with the steady revival of the enchanted transportation industry. The old pattern of the ancient world, blue then black then white then green then red, had reasserted itself despite a fluky start. This was the first factor that had supported Benevin's growth.

The other was the reason that the Goddesses had chosen to visit this particular mountain village relatively often: its status as a pilgrimage site. Benevin had been home to Kozench, the first human to speak with the Sisters after the Resurrection of Justice, the first to hear the Black Goddess speaking from the body of the White, and the Guard who had first welcomed and guided the Goddesses when They came to relieve Their most faithful and trusted Helpers, to slay the ancient enemy. There were other mountain villages with pretty scenery, but this one had a claim to fame.

Now it was time for the first Filling at the new Temple. It had been constructed immediately to the north of Kozench's tomb, since Kozench had stood to the south of the Goddesses when he had welcomed them, and to grant him the opportunity to Guard Them once more, now that They had a Sanctuary in his home village-turned-city. A statue of him kneeled towards the Temple, and the Temple's statues of the Goddesses were visible from his location through the door when it was opened.

Menelyn smiled. He had met Izenakee here once before he died, when She was a child. Imagining him seeing Her statue through the door, next to the Goddesses he had served, what he would think of what She had become, was a pleasant thought.

As She walked toward the new Temple's door, down an aisle flanked by its newly-assigned Trusted Guards, Menelyn surveyed the assembled worshippers. As always, there was adoration and awe on every face. It had increased every year, and there had been 504 of those.

She had promised to accept gratitude and reverence for Her efforts, and a real Goddess keeps Her promises. Menelyn chose to interpret it all as an indicator of success and approval. The more worship the Goddesses received, the better a job They were doing. And apparently, They were doing a very good job.

But even after 504 years of habituation, and having learned to take pride in it, and understanding what generated it, and even working tirelessly with the conscious goal of earning more of it, the depth of the visceral worship She received still gave Her butterflies. People literally worshipped the ground She walked on and the air She breathed. Eye contact sometimes caused fainting. New Guards had to be weaned, so They could focus in Her presence. There was no way to become completely accustomed to this while still retaining the degree of humanity required to do Her job properly.

No one but Menelyn and Izena remembered that there had been a filthy helpless girl at a refugee camp, once, and aside from Her Sister, only Izenakee understood what it was like to go from diapers to dead-serious deification.

But She never blushed, never demurred, never self-deprecated, never told anyone they shouldn't feel that way. She was the Salvation Goddess, the Sun Goddess, Peace and Hope incarnate, for the rest of eternity. It was natural to inspire those feelings in people. She just got butterflies.

Izena was trying to suppress a snicker at Her train of thought, She could tell. They'd had 504 years to learn how to identify the Other's emotional state through Their body's shared reactions, and to guess what those states implied. Izena badly wanted to do some teasing, but was restraining Herself for the sake of the occasion.

Menelyn didn't need Izenakee's abilities to know what today's crowd was thinking. She had become quite skilled at viewing Herself objectively. On top of the usual feelings that divinity inspired, this crowd was particularly admiring the history walking right in front of them. There She was, the very same Fused Goddess Who brought Deliverance to their most famous ancestor and his brothers of the Guard, Who descended into the infinite dark of the ancient enemy's lair beneath the abyss and annihilated that evil on behalf of a helpless humanity, out of nothing but uttermost benevolence, seeking no reward. Then, She had returned to that same Guard and agreed to entrust them with the safety of Her body immediately afterward, so that She could shower Her blessings on the world for 504 years since.

A real Goddess, that One, on their side, forever. A friend in the highest of places. The world would always be fine, because She existed.

Menelyn had caused these feelings. She provided this cozy blanket of peace, security, and hope, and so She was worshipped. Menelyn knew this. It was Her intent.

Chief among Salvation's blessings was Her gift to the world of another Goddess, as benevolent and beloved today as the Sisters, now 434 years into Her Own divinity. She currently walked on the Sisters' right, also keeping Her promise to accept gratitude and reverence. Observing Her now, Menelyn was proud of how well Izenakee had grown into Her identity. She had much more quickly accepted Who She was, than Menelyn had. Menelyn and Izena felt that Izenakee was the best decision They had ever made, and this group of admirers, like all the others, agreed.

A young girl approached the Goddesses from among those watching. Everyone, the Guards most of all, knew that young children were always welcome, and she was not stopped. She waved a stick, causing in Menelyn a wave of nostalgia, but not because it had been a long time since this had happened to Her. Many children had asked the White Goddess to display Her sword of Light over the years, and the Black Goddess Her sword of Void. The nostalgia hit this time because this was the first girl to wave a stick at the Red Goddess. How had she heard that the Red Goddess now had that ability, Menelyn wondered? Had the Guards been unable to contain themselves?

Izenakee smiled at the girl, and walked in front of Menelyn. She would need to ramp to full power to summon her sword, a flawless ruby, but She could do it now.

Izenakee was currently about three times Azenum's strength, making Her easily the third strongest mage of Menelyn's considerable lifetime, far beyond any other currently alive. The impression given by Her red mana was now so strong that Her famously intricate hairstyles--Izena had become deeply proud of Her skills--looked like kindling tossed on a dying campfire to the Sisters' eyes, and not just because of the inlaid mana rubies.

Menelyn was curious whether Izenakee's hair would turn physically red as She approached the strength that Izena and Menelyn had possessed at the time of the Sacrifice. A few more centuries remained. It seemed like a reasonable explanation for Menelyn's unusual hair color. Mama's had been platinum blonde, common in their village, but not outright platinum. Izena's original deep black had been common to the Corzas, so They had no way to confirm or reject the idea yet.

Regardless, the Red Goddess was getting strong enough that She would soon enough be able to summon Her Own hover platform, but Menelyn knew without asking that She would still choose to share a bench when They traveled between cities.

The thought, the cozy blanket of that absolute certainty, turned Menelyn's for-the-crowd smile into a heartfelt one, and Her eyes moistened. The spectators would interpret this as their benevolent Goddess overflowing with love and tenderness as a result of the charming scene happening now. They weren't really wrong.

Menelyn's empathic friend turned back to hug Her as She walked past, wearing a knowing grin, but froze as She reached maximum power, frowned, and cocked Her head. Slowly, She turned back and forth, before walking to the west, staring.

The Red Goddess' regalia disappeared, providing Her a surge of mana, and She ramped to the threshold of suicide.

Menelyn's smile died, and She started a healing spell.

Taking in Salvation's reaction and the sudden brilliant white glow around both Goddesses, the crowd hushed.

On the one hand, seeing the Red Goddess performing Her most sacred purpose before their eyes was a thrill. On the other, it was not the kind of thrill anyone hoped for.

----

<I can hear you Kalat. It will take Us some time to arrive. Do not despair. We are coming.>

Kalat wept with relief. He had been trying for so long. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved the Red Goddess right now, and he loved his parents a great deal.

<I, We, love you too. Could We be as We are, otherwise? We are on Our way. I will play for you some of My favorite Songs of Salvation as We travel.>

Kalat's internal turmoil and physical agony were abruptly crushed beneath a mountain of some nameless emotion. He was safe and cherished.

He managed to listen to the Songs for about half an hour before succumbing to black. His last thought was that this was a much nicer death than he deserved.

And then he was alive again, and felt like he could leap back up the cliff to the road above.

He opened his eyes.

Kalat had seen the Goddesses before, from a respectful distance. They had often visited the pilgrims at Benevin when They were traveling in the area. But now, the Red Goddess was leaning over him from his right, Her face only a pace above his.

The rubies really suited Her.

A real Goddess, and anyone would know from Her appearance alone. She glowed faintly, and looked fresh from the bath, despite being at a crash site in the middle of a wild forest. It was like whoever colored reality had reused an old canvas depicting a faded landscape, and painted a fresh portrait of Her on top of it.

But Her divinity showed itself more strongly, profoundly, in a different way.

He could feel it. She knew everything, could see absolutely everything about him. He could hide nothing from this existence, and he didn't want or need to.

She saw everything and loved him anyway. It radiated off Her. This was a real Goddess, Who knew everything about him, and She found him worthy. Worthy of Her time, worthy of life, worthy of love. Her love. He knew this feeling would stay with him for the rest of his second life.

Empathy smiled, and said aloud exactly what he needed to hear, in the voice he needed to hear it from.

"I am glad you can tell what you mean to Us. Now, let Me finish what Salvation started.”

She took his hand in Hers, and held it in Her lap.

"Nowhere in Our Creed do We condemn mistakes. 'Help those who need help, with no expectation of reward.' You did this, with the last full measure of your ability. 'Bring to Justice those who lack compassion.' Your compassion for the others brought Us here. 'Bring to Justice those who cause harm.' You caused harm by mistake, but all will be undone, because you called Me. You require no meeting with Justice. You have already told yourself what She would tell you. Do not cast off your remorse, but do not let it crush you. Carry it with you, and be better for it."

Empathy leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"You've had a hard day. Relax for now, and listen. It is a tragedy if the Song doesn't finish."

She began humming the Song that She had been sending when he died, from his perspective not ten seconds ago, from the point where it had been cut off.

Most lullabies were for sleeping. This one was for living.

He was so glad to be alive.

He agreed, it would be a tragedy not to hear the whole thing.

...How was it possible to be this good at humming?

<Centuries of dedicated practice. I'm glad you approve of it, and My rubies too.>