6.41 – Holy Energy I

6.41 – Holy Energy I

After exploring Mantle for a bit and relaxing from the high tensions of the unexpected—or unexpectedly quick—meeting with Enzo, Zoey and her team returned to the estate at the top of the mountain.

Of the necessary meetings she had to attend to, there was one she shouldn't put off more than the others. After tracking down the portion of the d'Celestin guest rooms where Aria, Adrienne, and Sabina had been luxuriously stashed away, Zoey visited the most immediately important of her three peripheral allies. Aria. She'd promised her a thorough talk on what their future would look like, and seeing how the young priestess had uprooted her life at a moment's notice upon a deity's calling, she definitely deserved that talk as soon as possible.

Aria opened the door only seconds after Zoey knocked. The priestess had one thing to loudly proclaim, the second she saw Zoey.

"You didn't tell me you were bringing me to the d'Celestins."

Zoey paused, then asked, "Would you believe me if I said I didn't know either?" She laughed, stepping into the priestess's room. Aria closed the door behind her. "Recent development. Rosalie was keeping it on the down-low."

"For good reason! A d'Celestin, relaxing inside one of the capital cities of the Striders. Insanity. That had to be so dangerous for her." She shook her head. "Anyway, that was a shock. I knew a literal call to action by a goddess was going to come with some surprising turns, but wow. A girl could've used a warning."

"It was a surprise to all of us."

Aria shook her head again. She walked over to one of the plush chairs in the corner of the room. She was wearing a nightgown, having settled down for the night. Zoey couldn't help but steal a glance at her ass, which was rather generously hugged in by the silk outfit.

"At least the accommodations are nice. To put it very lightly. I don't think I've ever seen a room this ... ornate." Aria gestured at the other chair. "Join me? We've got some stuff to talk about, right?"

"We do." Zoey walked over and sat. The two of them were quiet for a second, Aria considering her with a curious look.

"So, answers?" she eventually prompted, lips quirking. "I've got some news of my own, you know."

"You do?"

"I moved up in advancement, rather randomly, last night. Advancement two. And the skill I got from my Rune of Worship is ... interesting."

Oh? Rune of Worship? And it had advanced? Zoey's assumptions might turn out to be correct, from how this conversation was starting.

A Rune of Worship was interesting by its own merit, too. She wondered what Aria's first ability had been. She'd just been a simple temple priestess, so Zoey assumed nothing crazy.

"Can I take a guess what is?" Zoey asked.

"Sure?"

"Does it have something to do with 'Holy Energy'?"

Aria jolted. "Hey! How could you know that?"

"I also got something related to it."

Aria stared at her. Her mouth fell slightly open. Several seconds passed with her wearing that dumbfounded look, before she shook her head to clear it. Her teeth clicked gently back closed.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," she said. "What else would the abilities of a growing goddess be? But still. Wow."

"I'm assuming it's so I can grow my following. Pick people that I want to be my allies and ensure they're a similar advancement."

Aria nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

"Oh. And it says, 'with a High Priestess, ritualistically select.' So it isn't a targeted ability. You're involved somehow."

That didn't surprise Aria either. "Rituals. Of course." Her head tilted. "What shape would those take for you, though?"

"Sorry?"

"Ephy's are rather clear." Her cheeks colored, as did Zoey's, remembering the thorough 'ritual' she had engaged in with Aria, that had kicked off all of this. "But you're not Ephythithys. Your aspect is ..." she didn't finish, waiting for Zoey to answer with a curious expression.

"Bonding." Zoey paused, then blushed. "Though not just that, I don't think. I'm pretty sure Ephy had an influence on me."

"So sexual intimacy is implied, somewhere. Just a softer, less hungry kind than Ephythithys's."

"I guess."

"Hm," Aria said. "Since it includes bonding, I wouldn't be surprised if the ritual should involve someone you have a deep connection to."

"Oh?" She didn't immediately understand what Aria meant by that.

"You know," Aria coughed. "Like how you had help with me."

The confusion cleared up. "Ah." She would need to enlist Delta's help again, for future rituals. Zoey knew Rosalie wasn't nearly as eager to sleep around with others, and she doubted Maddy would be either. The foxgirl would definitely not mind, though.

And, huh.

If she wanted to move Sabina or Aria up in advancement, she and Delta would have to ... show them a good time. Together.

Definitely not the worst requirement in the world.

"I suppose I should tell you how my skill works, too," Aria said. "How we're supposed to get the Holy Energy you need. There's a few ways, actually."

Oh. Yeah. They'd skipped that part.

"Let's hear it," Zoey said, bracing herself.