Goddess's Apostle

Since the Shrine of Crusaders sits on the very edge of the Holy Capital, it didn't take long at all before we reached the outskirts.

Beside the Pitted Woods is a large meadow, stretching all the way into the curvature of the land. It's a beautiful day as well. Fluffy clouds float under the cerulean sky with such a laze that I wish I was up there.

After a bit of walk off path, we get far away enough from the city walls to not see anyone around. The grass and flowers reach up to my knees.

Astra keeps her eyes glued to the ground as we wade through the plains.

"Ah-hah!" She exclaims out of nowhere and bends down to a little plant.

"See right here," she says, "this is what we are looking for."

Astra points to a short stem with two large leaves sprouting out of both sides.

"Is that the yam?" Faye asks.

"That's right."

Astra uses her hands and digs around the leaves, then she pulls out a potato-looking thing about the size of her fist.

"You see?"

"Oh, that seems easy enough," Faye says.

"Well then," I say, "shall we split up to cover more ground?"

Faye nods, and Astra shrugs.

"Lohikaarmi, you go with Faye. Protect her, alright? Not that there's any danger around here. Astra and I will go look that way," I say and point to a different direction than the way we are heading.

"Yes, Master."

"Let's meet back at the west gate at noon. Faye, if anyone harasses you again, don't hesitate to ask Lohikaarmi to burn them to a crisp, got it?"

"Um…"

"Lohikaarmi, I will leave Faye to you."

"Yes, Master."

"Alright, see you later," I say and wave goodbye.

"Bye." Faye waves back.

We split up to our separate ways.

"Why were you so eager to leave them?" Astra asks after we gain some distance.

Was I that obvious?

"You caught me. You know divinity levels?" I ask.

"Yeah, of course. I was the one that made it."

"Uh, can you change someone's divinity levels?"

"No. A person gets their base divinity level when they are born, and it can increase or decrease depending on their devotion to me," Astra says.

"So there is no way you can magically raise that?"

"No, why?"

"Well, in the assessment, I was told that my divinity level is none, and I thought that, you know, seeing that you are the Goddess, maybe you can do something about it?"

"What? You want to pray?" Astra asks.

"Yeah."

"You can still pray. You've done it back in the convent."

"I know, but I can't like, summon lightning or anything."

Astra laughs. "When did you become such a child?"

"I admit it. It's cool, alright? I don't mind having superpowers," I say.

"Hmm…" Astra thinks about it for a second. "Maybe there is a way."

"Yeah?"

"Everyone in Terradivina gets one chance in their life to receive a blessing, and since you were born on Earth, you never got that chance, so maybe I can still bestow a blessing upon you."

"That's good."

"But there is a catch," Astra says.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Not all blessings raise the divinity levels of a person, in fact, very few of them do. The ones I can think of on the top of my head are Beast Blessings, Oracle Blessings, Angel Blessings, Fairy Angel Blessings, and Goddess's Apostle Blessings."

"Can you give me one of those?"

Astra puts her hand to her chin.

"The Beast Blessing, no. That needs to be done before the baby is delivered. The Oracle Blessing, no. There can only be another one when the current oracle the pope reaches adulthood. The Angel Blessing, also no, because you aren't the reincarnation of a past pope. The Fairy Angel blessing only works on women, so that leaves us with the blessing of the Goddess's apostle."

"And what's that?"

"It's when the Goddess, that's me, wants someone to carry out a task in her steed. So, let's say if I want to start a new country, I would send an apostle with a message to accomplish that for me. It's super powerful."

"So what's the catch?" I ask.

"The thing is, that is really the only card I have up my sleeve if I want something major to change in Terradivina without directly interfering. I used it for founding Terradivina, ending a few civil wars, and saving the population from disasters. I can only give this blessing to one person at a time, and you said that your lifespan is a thousand years, right?"

"Yeah."

"So that means I won't be able to have another apostle until after you die."

Oh, is that it? I thought there was some cost I needed to pay.

"So? I will just be your apostle, then," I say.

"It's not that easy, Kris. The apostle needs to unequivocally listen to the Goddess's wishes. They are essentially more important than the pope. If they fail their mission, then the whole world can be at stake. That means you will have to listen to my orders when I give them out."

"Oh."

There is a price to pay, a huge one at that.

"See? I doubt you will be willing to obey me," Astra says.

Yeah, she is not wrong. I am not willing to obey anyone's orders, let alone a ten-year-old, but, on the other hand, I will be more important than the pope.

"What kind of orders would you give?" I ask.

"Well, really, anything I want."

"So I become to you what Lohikaarmi is to me."

"That's right, but not always. You don't take everything I say as orders. I have to say: I, the Divine Goddess, ask for thee to obey my wishes, then blah blah blah."

"I see."

Is this a price I am willing to pay?

"Can you promise to not order me to do silly things?" I ask.

"No." Astra does not think twice.

"Ah… Is there cool down between each order?"

"No."

"Can you cancel orders?"

"No."

"Fuck it, you know what? Do it. What's the worst that could happen?" I say.

"That's the spirit. Do you want me to bestow the blessing here and now?"

"Sure."

"There is no going back."

"I understand."

Astra grins.

I know I am going to regret this.

"Alright. I need you to kneel down."

I do as she says.

"Now, close your eyes."

"Done."

A second of silence later, I feel a wind picking up around me, swirling in all directions. A warmth casts onto my face. Astra's lips press against my forehead, and a strange sense of euphoria flows through my body.

"My beautiful child," I hear a voice in my head. It's undoubtedly Astra's, but the image of that little girl is gone. This voice feels like it belongs to someone of infinite kindness. Hearing that sweet sound gives me the soothing sensation of going back into my mother's bosom, and yet I never had a mother to give me that sensation in the first place.

"I bestow upon thee the title of Goddess's Apostle. Under my divine guidance, thou will carry on thy shoulders the sins of thousands. Light all that's dark. Right all that's wrong. Salvation will be my gift, and thou shall be my harbinger. Go forth, child, and bring Heaven unto this world."