The group was still reeling from the agility the woman had put on display. She tilted her head, her bright clear eyes looking from one member to another, behind her mask.
Satsuhiro was the first to regain his composure, walking forwards and saying:
"We're here on Savior business. We simply need to visit this church for a moment."
"The shrine?" The woman asked. "Why is that?"
Satsuhiro glanced at Ash and the half-demon stepped up, sighing.
"We were sent here by the gods to 'activate' it, sorta."
"... The penalty for blasphemous words is a heavy one." She stated, with a voice that was almost as though she were teasing rather than threatening. "Have you any proof of this?"
"Well, if you let us in, you'll see."
The woman was silent. She looked at each of them, her eyes scanning over every member of the group. However, there were two who she looked at for longer than the rest. She gazed for a few seconds at Keiko, who had her hands wrapped around her sword's hilt, and then she looked at Opah, who was tightly clutching Metsumi's right leg, scared.
Then, she nodded.
"Very well, though, should you cause any harm to this shrine, though it will likely cost me my own life, I will take some of you with me, mark my words."
With that, she turned around and walked in, presumably allowing them to follow. The group did so, though they were still feeling slightly tense. However, when they entered the building, what they found was surprising. The "shrine" as the woman had called it was composed of a single altar, surrounded by small statues belonging to each of the four gods. Alkoth, Lumina, Magia, and Niven, in that order. Ahead was a slab of stone with a few scented candles lit on it and a carpet ahead of that. The floor was made of wood, and it was spotless. A few decorative suits of armor were placed around the room, and the woman passed them by, ending up at the altar, which had a pair of doors behind it.
"Very well," she said. "Go ahead."
Ash nodded and walked forwards. Kaori did so as well, and then, reluctantly, Kasumi did too.
Ash placed a hand on the altar. Kaori and Kasumi did the same, and suddenly, it began to glow white.
The woman began to unsheathe her blade, and Ash saw Keiko instinctively do the same, but the effect was over as soon as it had started.
Kaori, Ash, and Kasumi's bodies all glowed for just a moment, and then, the light faded.
Suddenly, Ash, and Ash alone, fell unconscious. She heard a bit of a commotion happen before she was placed in a black room, her corporeal body still intact.
She looked around, a swirling of colors manifesting out of nowhere.
Here again, huh? She thought.
Sure enough, Magia appeared in front of her.
Above Ash, words appeared.
Updated Trait: Quick Learner
Old Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 300%
New Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 400%
However, there was something else.
It wasn't brought to her by the system though, but rather, Ash felt it inside of her. She could feel that something within her had changed. Magia, smiling, walked up to her.
"You've done it!" Magia applauded. "All three of the original Sites of Power have been activated."
Yeah, but what does that mean?
"Glad you asked," Magia replied, reading her thoughts. "It means that now, we the deities may help you a tad more directly."
... And what does THAT mean?
"It means, my love, that should you wish it... Well, I'll let the world explain it for me." She snapped her hands, and words, once again, appeared over Ash's head.
New Spell Gained
Champion of Magia
For one minute, become a representation of Magia. (This ability can only be activated once per day)
Mana Cost: 0
Incantation: None. Ability is activated by way of thought.
Look, you've given me like three explanations in a row, and I'm still confused. What does this do?
"I will simplify it. For one minute per day, you can gain my powers, as per my domains."
... Your domains? Okay, but unless there's a way to fuck demons to death, I don't think that's useful.
"Ash, by now you should know! Lust is but one of my domains, as is Passion and Creation! And, make no mistake, but Lust is a useful trick... Are some of the demons at Niven's disposal not Lust demons?" She rounded Ash, whispering her words seductively. "If you can control their Lust, you can control them."
... Okay, and what about the Creation domain?
"It is simple!" Magia clapped her hands. "How's this? Activate the ability and we'll try it out."
What, now?
"Yes, now!"
What if I need it later?
"Oh, it'll be fine," Magia waved a hand, "the demons you were sent to eradicate are busy tearing apart a group of travelers. You won't be fighting soon unless you look for a fight, that is."
Ash blinked.
... Alright, fine.
As the ability described, all it took was thought and the power activated. Suddenly, golden light burst from Ash's body. The instant that it did, Ash felt an intense heat all around her body.
W-What...? She clutched herself only to find that the mere touch of her own hands to her body nearly made her collapse with pleasure. What's happening?
"Okay! We only have a minute! Deal with the sensations, listen to me!"
That was a lot easier said than done. Ash was currently undergoing several different feelings at once, none of which mixed well, but she tried to focus on the sound of Magia's voice to ground her.
"Think of a sword. A giant sword! Oh, I've got it, think of a giant sword hitting me!"
Ash closed her eyes, and hugged herself, trying her hardest to picture that.
Suddenly, a longsword fell from the sky, larger than Ash's own body.
Ash saw it but was unable to focus on the feat she'd just performed. Instead, she writhed on the ground, feeling complete sensorial overload.
The only thing she could compare it to was when she'd transformed into a full Lust demon. That same desire was in her now but heightened tenfold.
"There you go! Now, um... How about... Oh, a strap-on!" Magia exclaimed. "You humans can get so inventive when it comes to the bedroom. It's one of my favorite little things you've conceived."
Drowning her voice out, Ash tried her hardest to think of one, though she'd only ever seen one and it was while she'd been walking the streets of Jade and ended up in a particularly shady place.
One appeared wrapped around her, but it faded as soon as it arrived, as did the sensations that Ash had been feeling. She gasped, taking a deep breath as though she'd been suffocating.
What... What. Was. That!? Ash yelled in her mind.
"Hahaha! Well, I'd say the experiment was a success." Magia conjured a soft-looking couch and sat both herself and Ash on it. "What just happened was that, for a minute, you essentially became me. Congratulations."
Ash reached up and massaged her forehead.
What?
"Yes," Magia nodded. "Think of it as your Lust Demon form, but far stronger. It only lasts a minute and you can only use it once per day, but you saw what you did, right? Think of how much you could do in a fight if you could manifest hundreds of swords at once and have them fall onto your enemies from the sky! Or, if you're fighting one particularly tough person, if you could create the strongest, thickest shield to defend yourself. That is what you've gained from me."
Ash breathed for a bit.
And then, Magia hugged her, and although the half-demon didn't particularly like or trust Magia, she couldn't deny that she wanted to be held right now. She needed help settling down. So, she wrapped her own arms around Magia as well.
"... Recently," Magia said to her, "Niven told you a little about me. About my... failings," she said, as though the word sickened her, "he is right. I did do exactly what he said I did," Magia told her and Ash looked up into those ethereal eyes. "I will not apologize for it, but I will acknowledge that I was wrong to do what I did. I am sure if you ask Lumina, she would agree."
Then, she smiled a little.
"But do not misunderstand. Though I may have committed mistakes in the past, and I will admit, I do not particularly care about humanity beyond the Lust they create, as far as you are concerned, I do truly love you."
Magia took her face by her cheeks.
"I mean this. I designed you, after all, to be my favorite creation of all. Now, part of your charm, of course, is that you are your own person and my status as a goddess is not something you care for, nor do you trust in me as my followers do, but I am saying this simply so you know, that I am on your side. And, now that the Sites of Power are activated, that support will be all the more powerful."
With those words, Ash was taken away from that world, and reemerged, back at the shrine.
---
Keiko
The woman took a deep breath as she watched Ash and Kaori come to. The two of them had fallen unconscious, Kaori shortly after Ash. Kasumi, who had also put her hands on the altar, never did though.
The half-demon woke up first, putting a hand on her head and shaking it.
"Fuck."
"Oh my," the woman said, "such language from a chosen champion."
"Fuck off. Oh shit, I'm dizzy, I need to sit down," Ash said, stumbling towards the nearest bench.
Kaori awoke with tears in her eyes, but unlike Ash, she simply remained eerily quiet.
"Is it done?" Satsuhiro asked.
"Mhm," Ash nodded, hunched over. "Give me a second... It was a lot."
"... It would seem you were telling the truth. I sincerely apologize," she bowed. "It... It has been a long time since I saw the face of someone without ill intentions."
Keiko ignored her though, and walked towards Kaori, putting her hands on her shoulders.
"Kaori?" Keiko said, at her with some worry. "Are you okay?"
The blonde looked back at her and smiled. Then, slowly she gave Keiko a brief kiss on the lips, which flustered the Zayama considering that they were literally in front of an entire group of people, and said:
"Yeah. Yeah, I just need a sec."
Kaori stood up and Keiko turned towards the masked woman as she spoke again.
"We should celebrate. I'll introduce myself first though," she said, her hands clutched together, "my name is Yumi Zayama, and I am a shrine maiden. A caretaker of this place."
Her voice was as soft as a morning breeze and just as gentle to the ears.
"Come, everyone. Well," she chuckled, looking at Ash, "once you are able to. I will prepare a meal for you all and we will rejoice in what the gods have given."
Ash scoffed upon hearing that, but Kaori nodded eagerly.
With that, the group went deeper into the shrine, to the room behind the altar.
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