Ch. 38 – The Real Fae?!
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Kannon screamed in terror, curling her small body into a ball to comfort himself. Even Henna's held a hint of fear, though she did manage to prevent herself from crying out.
However, as frightening as the sinister mist wafting out og Fae's body might be, as much as it caused two of the chief goddesses of this world to tremble, there was one person who remained unafraid. Maven just watched the progress of her purification spell with interest, as if she couldn't even feel the sinister aura at all.
Fae, for her part, merely sat there with her eyes closed - basking in the comfort of Maven's magic. She remained completely unaware of the frightening nature of that which bound her. This was due to the overwhelming nature of Maven's divinity. No matter how frightening or foreign that dark purple aura was, it fled in terror before Maven's unique and mysterious brand of divinity - prey before its natural predator.
"M-Maven... T-This group Fae was from, it might be bigger deal than we thought... How can you not be peeing your pants at that aura??" Kannon asked, mental voice still reverberating with aftershocks of anxiety.
Tilting her head quizzically, Maven just asked, "Why would I pee my pants? I just thought the purple stuff was a bit strange… A bit creepy, but nothing to be scared of."
Everyone, except Fae, stared at Maven in disbelief. Clearly, they had all been terrified - Shayna above all others. As brave and bold as she might behave, Shayna was both a normal human and a small child. Even now, she was blushing and embarrassingly rubbing her thighs together.
All those present released a collective sigh of relief as the glow of Maven's magic began to die down, taking the disturbing aura away with it. With the disappearance of the light, Fae finally opened her eyes.
Blinking rapidly as she came back to her senses, Fae blankly looked around while everyone stared curiously back at her.
"Wh-what's going on? Why's everyone staring at me like that?"
Unable to respond instantly, everyone just stared back at her. Something about Fae's atmosphere changed. It had become more... normal. Before, she had always possessed the air of a fanatic, completely dedicated to the object of her loyalty - to the complete detriment of things like common sense or decency. Now, however, something about her just felt more grounded.
When Fae laid eyes upon Maven, comprehension and shame bloomed in her eyes, her face turning the red of a boiled lobster. This caused everyone to stare at the priestess, dumbfounded. They were all used to her blushing in fanatical excitement, but never in embarrassment.
"Wha-wha-what have I been doing?!" Fae asked frantically. All the things she had done rushed through her head. The shrine she made of Maven's clothes, the little fits she'd go into, the wide-eyed obsession that dripped from her every word and action - all the odd things she did over the last month ran through her mind all at once.
Desperately grabbing Maven's hand, Fae almost shouted, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!" She repeated it over and over again, as if it was a mantra. One begging god for forgiveness.
Maven had no idea how to react to this new version of Fae. All she could do was gently pat Fae on the head, reassuring her that it'd all be okay. Neither the two goddesses nor the little maid felt that they could interfere with the scene in front of them.
Fae sobbed into Maven's small shoulder as the weight of her past washed over her. All the lies, all the cruelty, all the despair - it hit her all at once, after years of abuse and mental distortion. Partner that with all the shame she was feeling and the emotional maelstrom broke the dam in her heart.
"Oh, Goddess! My goddess, I-I'm sorry-" Fae stuttered out, desperate to express her overflowing emotions toward Maven, toward life, and toward herself. Her feelings towards Maven had undergone a myriad of changes in the last month.
Originally, Maven was just to be a target of observation, in service to the lord she served and worshiped with all her heart. Then, after Maven first cast her magic at her, Maven usurped her lord's position - becoming the target of worship of a twisted mind. Now, Fae didn't know how to feel.
She certainly loved the little demigoddess, Maven had done so much for her, after all. However, with her soul freed from the bindings that distorted it, Fae could no longer just shamelessly worship the very ground Maven walked. With her heart healed, she had regained feelings which she lost - embarrassment, shame, and regret. These emotions tempered Fae's love and respect for her Goddess, ensuring she could no longer just ignore the atmosphere.
Finally, Maven could meet the real Fae.