Her heart ached with pain as the golem’s eyes dimmed and it crumbled into pieces. She sighed in relief as she came to realize that the automaton had no fragments of humanity. It was a creature molded from the earth itself, nothing more.
“Grr... GRAKARA!!!” another golem roared as it lunged at her. She gripped her crimson spear and jammed it into the golem’s chest. She felt another pulse of energy fill her, one of hundreds now. She frowned as she felt the creature collapse into rubble. That one was once human. Memories of a young girl raced through her mind. The man had been a father. He’d come here hoping to make money and a faint hope in his chest. His daughter had suffered from a weak heart since she was born, and her parents had run through all the money they had to keep her healthy. Then, one day, while tired with worry for her health, his boss called him in. His team had just finished a big project, and it was about ready to be shipped. It promised to be just the boon he needed, and it was stripped away. His boss rambled something about needing to cut costs and letting go his team. The company made record profits and he was jobless. His wife had to carry their financial burdens and pay their daughter’s medical bills, and the job market was too barren for him to find a job. That was when the magical mist gave him an opportunity, and in his desperation, he’d turned to crime, which led him here, exploited again by a malicious employer.
The woman whimpered in pain as the man’s memories finally vanished, their only trace now resting in her heart. She’d taken in so many now. There were bound to be even more. She destroyed golem after golem, leaving nothing but plains behind her. She had to move on. She wasn’t ready to rest, not until she found him, the man behind this insidious charade. She’d make certain that their lives wouldn’t vanish in vain.
She marched forward, the plains growing ever quieter as she marched on, the rubble piling up behind her. And then she was greeted by darkness. The air grew still and distant echoes seemed to become crisp tones in her ear. She heard the familiar screams of a pair of girls, the fading voice of another, and the arrogant proclamations of that man. She ran in their direction. Even as the darkness faded, she still knew where they were. That was when the massive golem appeared. The bastard didn’t know when to stop. He’d defamed so many lives by grinding them down into the stone needed for the monstrous golaith. And even worse was why he’d done it all. The voices made it clear. As she arrived, she finally understood. Odin had disrespected his own daughter like he’d disrespected her own goddess. And she wasn’t going to take it anymore.
As the monstrous golem threw its next attack, she made certain to cut it off, literally in fact. As she came back to the earth, she turned her eyes skyward and readied her spear. “Odin! I’ve come to settle things!”
“You! Who...” Odin stared at the woman with confusion. His eye twitched as he glared at her. “That brat! Even now he chooses to...” His eye widened as he narrowly dodged the woman’s spear. “So, you’ve chosen to reject my power for this!? For that boy’s favor!?” Instantly, he raised his guard, the woman’s spear slamming into his armored arm.
“Call her that again, and I’ll make sure that the next one cuts out that wicked tongue!”
“Why are you here!?”
“I have come to avenge those hurt by your petty ambitions. For the men you sacrificed so carelessly. Furthermore, I will not allow you to hurt your daughter nor my goddess again!” the woman declared. The others gazed upon her with a mixture of awe and shock, as her long red hair danced behind her. The woman stood tall and strong, her crimson spear practically shimmering with power, her radiant white dress fluttering in the wind, elegant golden plated armor lining her arms and a more extravagant chest piece protecting her from the front.
“Impudent whelp! This is how you repay me. After granting you my boon and bestowing power upon you?”
“I have no need for a power that will steal away my heart. I have no interest in serving a master who denigrates those who look up to him and reduces them to mindless monsters. I had to slay the men I’d come to care for because you turned them into hideous heaps of stone! Never again!” She gripped her spear and lowered it point to point at the god. “In the name of my goddess, Ares! I will assist these valorous women and smite your hateful spirit! None shall suffer you bigotry again you decrepit relic!”
“Who is she!?” Ichkia gawked.
“Whoever she is, she’s strong!” Riri declared.
“I like her!” Carmen stated. “And she’s right! Let’s kick his ass!”
Sue chuckled. “With her on our side, I imagine we now have the edge in this fight.”
“Pompous women,” Odin seethed. “How dare you make a mockery of me!” He rose his hand, a glowing light emanating from it. Immediately, the land heaved. Spires of crystal erupted forth, striking at the women. Instantly, Riri and Carmen moved to cover the others, their hammers smashing through the crystal, puddles of water left in their wake. In the next second, Odin’s over hand flashed, and arcs of lightning raced toward the group, only to be met by the watery remains of the spires, now in the form of an icy shell.
“Ice and lightning!?” Carmen snapped. “The hell! Is he making fun of us.”
“Probably! Dad really liked trying to prove he’s better than others at what they do,” Riri explained. “We’ll have to be smart to...” She winced. “Carm, on our left!”
The two looked towards the massive golem which had already launched another fist at them.
“ENOUGH!” the mysterious woman yelled, her spear pointing at the golem. The spear began to glow with light and then a beam of violet energy shot forth, directed at the golem’s head. The light flashed as it met the golem’s head, its eyes dimming, and its fist slowing to a halt, stopping just as its fist began to meet the ground, the shadow of its knuckle spreading over the women. The others stared in awe as the golem began collapsing, a plume of dust spewing forth from its crumbled remains.
“How did she-!?” Carmen began to question.
“You scum!” Odin roared. He glared at the woman with scorn. “You think you can steal MY magic!? If you covet it so much! Then here!” Light erupted from his arms, a spiral of flame and lightning forming in his grasp. He tossed it out, the spiraling energy pulling other elements into its sway as it barreled at the woman. She smirked. A second later, the cyclone had been scattered as the woman ran forward, spear forward. Odin twisted his wrist, a wall of stone emerging from the ground and a series of spikes erupting from it, attempting to skewer the woman. She once again chose to ignore their threat, instead opting to climb upon them and leap at Odin. Her spear fell upon him, Odin using his magic to push himself out of the way with a jet of air, but it wasn’t enough.
The blunt of the spear crashed into Odin, forcing him to the ground, meeting it with a hard earth cracking slam. He stumbled back up, landing on his knees as he quickly collected his breath and prepared to strike back. He willed the heat of flame back into his hand, only for a frigid gust to snuff it out, and with it the daylight dimmed. He looked up back at the expanse before him, only for his gaze to be met a wall of blueish white. He rose back to his feet, his hand landing on another wall to his side, and then his gaze meeting another to his other side, only darker than before. He looked up to an icy ceiling trapping him, the light getting even lower. He looked behind himself, a dark void meeting his gaze.
“They think they can imperil me with a couple of tricks like this?” Odin chuckled. “A petty moon god and a snowy brat can never contain me,” he said as he once again willed energy to his hand, electricity licking the frozen walls around him. And then he flinched and then grinned. He spread his feet and raised his hands, meeting a pair of hammers slamming down upon him.
“D-dammit!” Riri grimaced as she and Carmen tried to fight against Odin’s steely grip.
“You think limiting my senses would ever be enough to overcome the weakness of that form,” Odin cackled. “Your tepid interest in that feminine form is a weakness. Had it been the old you, you certainly could’ve beaten me. Now give in Thor! And then perhaps I’ll forgive you, my foolish so-aaah...” Odin’s gaze fell as the darkness began to give way, revealing pair of women gripping the offending hammers, their partners standing behind them, their gazes staring at him in awe. No… they weren’t staring at him, but the woman in front of him.
The woman glared at him fury filling her eyes, and her spear filling his gut. “You will never hurt your daughter again.”
“H-how…? How could a mortal such as you…?” Odin questioned, his hand falling upon the crimson spear. His eyes flashed with realization. “I see, so she’s the one who-” he coughed. “Dammit. How could she give my spear to a mortal? How didn’t I see it? How could I let you… absorb my… power…like… that?” His voice slowed and his breath gave out. He slumped over in defeat, life leaving his eyes as his body slid off the spear, collapsing at long last onto the ground.
“I can’t believe it...” Riri muttered.
“Wow, we did it,” Carmen chuckled. “We really beat him.”
“No.. not that.” Riri shook her head.
“What do you mean?” Carmen asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Odin… what did he mean when he said she was absorbing his power?” Ichika questioned further.
“Pops… he said her spear was his,” Riri recalled. “But that would mean...” She stared at the weapon, as she began to gawk in awe. “No way! It’s different, but… it really is! It IS Gungnir!”
“It would appear that her spear was forged from the remnants of Gungnir, and it acted as a medium to transfer his divinity to her,” Sue explained.
“Then… that would mean...” Ichika stared at the woman turned goddess as she returned her confused gaze with her own. Ichika noticed a difference in her eyes, a kind of sparkle shimmering in her pupil and a glitter in her iris as if her newfound divinity were twinkling in her eyes.
“She’s a goddess now.”
“H-hold on.” The new goddess apparent frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s saying you killed Dad, and his godhood passed onto you!” Riri cheered. “Dad’s been replaced with a hot goddess! Talk about cool!”
“T-that! What do you mean goddess!?” The woman questioned, clearly flustered.
“I just said. You killed Dad, so-”
“Not that! I understand inheriting his divinity...” she paused. “Okay… maybe not, but… goddess… why are you acting as if I’m a woman? And why aren’t you two more upset at me?” She looked at Ichika and Carmen. “Last time I met you two… Well Yellow saved me from that witch, but… you two hated me, right?” She frowned. “I mean… I did do some really awful things for Zeus, but… why are you two acting like you’ve forgiven me?”
“Whoa, you’re throwing a lot out there.” Riri waved her hands, signaling her to slow down and calm down.
“I… s-sorry. I just… I’m so confused.”
“Us too,” Ichika grumbled. “I don’t remember meeting you. But… saving someone from a witch?” She looked at Carmen. “I don’t remember saving a girl from… But… hold on, you said...” Her eyes began to widen.
“From a witch?” Carmen repeated. “You don’t mean Cleo, do you?” The woman nodded hesitantly. “And that other part… That would mean… Wait, hold on! You… you were that jerk, Gunther?”
“W-were?” The woman frowned at the question. “What are you talking about?”
“I see,” Sue chuckled as she formed a mirror in her hands and handed it to the woman. “Here, I believe this will help clear your confusion.” She gazed into it, her eyes lighting up upon seeing her reflection.
“I… I’m a woman?” she asked as she gracefully held the mirror, her fingers gingerly cupping around its base. “W-when did that...” her voice began to tremble as she sniffled. “Wh-what’s… This feeling… What is this?” Tears began to flow from her eyes as her reflection’s lips gently curled into a sweet smile. “Why am I smiling? Why do I feel so good?”
“You said Ares was your goddess, correct?” The woman flinched upon hearing her words returned to her, realization of her own speech passing over her. “Perhaps this is a gift from her, the body you desire.”
“I… I wanted...” she smiled bashfully. “W-wow...” She shivered. “I… No wonder I feel so amazing… I… I didn’t know...”
Riri hugged her. “Congratulations!” The woman hugged her back.
“Thank you!” She cried happily. “Thank you so much...”
The others offered silence as the new goddess wept quietly to herself. She looked over her body with the assistance of Sue, gleefully reveling in her feminine and athletic body. She chuckled and giggled as she relished her legs and unleashed a brilliant smile as she hugged her prevalent chest, a satisfied moan escaping her lips as she reveled in their softness.
After several moments she finally began to collect herself. “S-sorry about that...” she said as she shyly look to the side. “I… probably shouldn’t have done that here, huh?”
“Girl, you’re good!” Riri grinned.
“Seriously, we know how much this stuff matters.” Ichika gave a kind smile.
“Thank you.” The woman smiled back. “Um… so what now?”
“Well, I think maybe you should explain what happened?”
“What happened?” She pondered to herself and nodded. “I can do that. I’m sure you’re all already aware of what Zeus is planning to do. Heck, you might know more than I do… He didn’t tell me too much. He only offered me power and standing in the world he was going to make,” she sighed. “It’s even more foolish saying it out loud. I was so desperate to prove myself that I ignored how obvious it was that he was just using me. I didn’t want to admit to myself that my hatred for everything was warranted.”
“Why did you stick around if you hated it so much?” Ichika pressed.
“Pride? Maybe?” She looked down at her body and shook her head. “No… I guess not that. I felt like I needed to prove myself. So much of my life I’d been hurt for being unlike the other boys. And I guess I felt like I finally had a chance to feel respected and valued… but it didn’t make me feel better. I kept trying to convince myself it was worth it, but...”
“You were trying to be what others wanted, not the woman you really were,” Sue commented, the woman looking at her in shock. “Am I right?”
“I… I think… maybe? I mean… I wasn’t a woman, but...”
“You have much to learn,” Sue chuckled. “But take it from me. If this is who you are, then I promise, this is who you’ve always been deep down. We have a tendency to try and bury who we really are to appease those around us, but that doesn’t invalidate the fact that this is who we always were.”
“I… T-thank you...” The woman sniffled. “U-um anyway. Today, we were supposed to move out. I met Odin and he granted my men and I runes to help us in battle. But, on our way to the army camp, we suddenly stopped. Our runes started to activate, and… you saw what became of them.”
“And you managed to resist his spell? How?”
“I… when my runes lit up, I got scared, and then they stopped. The others changed into...” She looked at the ruined golems around them and frowned. “I couldn’t save them. I could barely react before I heard Odin’s voice. He tried to force the runes to activate, I assume with the intention to turn me into one as well. A golem to lead the others.” She quivered. “Just thinking about being left to die in that kind of hideous hulking form terrified me. That was when I heard Ares’s voice. She… she told me to fight back and summoned this spear for me.” She stared at her spear.
“So, you had to fight your men with it? Did you know what it really was?” Sue asked, the woman shaking her head.
“It’s so strange, when I held her spear… when I held Gungnir, I felt this bubbling warmth filling me up. I felt so warm, and yet more than that. I feel like a fire burrowed deep within my chest and…” as she spoke her eyes began to widen, “it changed me. I felt more confident and comfortable. Each strike felt so good and… relieving almost. It was like it was reforging my heart, pulling it back together, after being broken so many times, so I could stand against the abuse I’d endured.” She chuckled. “I see now.”
“See what?” Carmen asked, crossing her arms.
“This flame, this strength, I can feel it. I’m her priestess now. I’m her Thermia. That’s it… that’s my name. Thermia.” Her voice swelled with warmth and gratitude as tears began to trickle down her cheek. Then she giggled. “How funny though, a goddess being the priestess of another. But… it feels right, after all she did for me.”
“This is a lot to take in,” Carmen complained. “And what the hell is with your personality. You’re nothing like when we fought you all those months ago.”
“To be fair, Vivi was pretty different too before she cracked,” Ichika commented.
“Cracked?” Riri repeated.
“Wait, is that that joke that Vivi mentioned? About trans girls hatching into chicks when they figure out they’re trans?” Carmen thought aloud, Ichika nodding. “Figures.”
“Well, it sounds like Ares was egging on our girl here,” Sue teased.
“Seriously!? You too?”
“Wait… you mean… she knew?” Thermia questioned. “W-wait… is that why she was calling me that!?” Her cheeks reddened.
“Oh? What did she call you?” Ichika asked.
“S-she kept calling me c-cutie...”
“Well, you are a cutie, right Sue?” Riri teased.
“I’d go with something a little warmer,” Sue laughed.
“If you’re going to call her hot, just call her hot!” Carmen shouted.
“Y-you think I’m h-hot???” Thermia’s cheeks grew ever redder, her ears brightening as well.
“I… uh… well...” Carmen failed to speak as she looked at Thermia’s pleading gaze, her own cheeks catching red. “I-I mean… objectively...”
“Oh, so you gonna finally admit you’re into girls, Carm?” Ichika grinned devilishly.
“Gaaaaah! What the hell...” Carmen groaned.
“C’mon Carm, les be lesbians!”
“Dammit Chi!!!”
“L-lesbians...” Thermia repeated her cheeks red now bright red. “Oh… oh my gosh… I… I get to be...” She smiled.
“One more to the cause!” Riri clapped.
“You made a really good call when you suggested Prism Girls, Carmen,” Ichika noted with a gleeful giggle.
“Oh, that was her call?” Sue grinned. “I must say, you were quite mischievous with that one.”
“Wow! And I thought Loki was the master trickster!” Riri laughed.
“Why meeeeeee!?” Carmen whined.
* * *
The beast snarled as it bit down. A splatter of red erupted from the curvaceous figure as it creaked and snapped in its jaws. It threw the figure aside and roared in agony as the bloodied figure reverted to a mess of wood and sap. Splinters sank into the beast’s maw as the glistening sap sank towards its gullet. It heaved, its ragged breath propelling its upward, its gaze seizing upon the familiar vision of the busty avian goddess once more. As it lunged at its adversary, the Celtic goddess and her fairy priestess watched over it as it sank further into her illusions.
“Who is Seth?” Wisp asked innocently. “I don’t remember him.”
“Seth, or as she is sometimes called, Sutekh or Set, is Hori’s uncle. In their past lives, Seth was viewed as a man who murdered Osiris, their brother and Hori’s father. They then fought with her over the throne,” Ceridwen. “They competed for the recognition of the other gods until Hori eventually won through.”
“That doesn’t sound nice,” Wisp commented. “Was she reborn as this monster thing to punish her? She looks to be in a lot of pain.”
“Hmm…” Ceridwen hummed to herself. “I’m not sure. Something doesn’t seem quite right. From what I know, Seth was a rather capable and intelligent god. They had strong compulsions and was quite violent and they was eventually vilified by their people, however they were far from a mindless beast.”
Wisp gasped. “Does that mean she was beat up?”
“Beat up?”
“Mhmm! People can become mean like that because they get hurt by others!” Wisp stated confidently. “My brother was like that.” She frowned. “Mommy and Daddy often got upset at him for fighting others, but I saw it. Those jerks attacked him and his boyfriend for no reason. He did it to defend me too!”
“Oh, Wisp...”Ceridwen frowned. “I hadn’t realized you’d seen such awful things.”
“It’s okay though. He could get kinda mean, but when he calmed down, things would get better. I think Seth is hurting too, and maybe if we help him, she’ll feel better and stop attacking us.”
Ceridwen laughed. “Goodness, Wisp, you’re delightful, you know that?” She flinched upon hearing a strange sound. She looked down upon the creature as the shadows dissipated, revealing the feminine form underneath.
“Please… stop it…” she cried. “I don’t… want…” She inhaled sharply, her eyes going wide and her rushed to her neck. She coughed up a dark sludge. “O… din…” she coughed harder. She took a deep breath, heaving from the pain, her clammy body going limp. Her eyes went wide as her gaze fell upon the goddess and the fairy. “P-please… Help me…” she cried as the shadows encroached upon her again. “AaaaAAAA!” she screamed again as a purple glow coated her body, shadows lapping up its glow, the chimera reforming around her. It snarled as it glared upon the pair, its low growl vibrating through the forest. It rose its head, opened its mouth and hacked up a ball of sludge like darkness.
“Hold tight!” Ceridwen shouted as she pulled Wisp to herself as she dodged a black glob suddenly hurtling towards them. “Odin, that explains a lot,” she grumbled as she drank another potion, a pair of wings, similar to Wisp’s own, appeared upon her back. She hovered into the air and began flying further into the forest, Seth’s roars echoing behind them as it pursued them. “I think little display proves you were right, sweetie.” She chuckled as she patted Wisp’s head. “I think I have an idea to help her, want to help?”
“Of course!”
“Good, then try planting more of those flowers you used earlier.”
“Got it!” Wisp cheered. She nestled herself into Ceridwen’s collar and shifted herself onto her back. As she reemerged, her gaze met the rampaging Seth as he stampeded towards them. She took a deep breath and cupped her hands together, pollen filling her palms. Then blew through the opening in her hands, the pollen rushing to the ground, agitating the plants below as they flew by. As Seth ran forward, the grass and shrubs all grew brilliant flowers, spewing a sweet fragrance which swarmed Seth’s nose. The beast clenched its eyes and released a soft rumble, but continued on unimpeded.
Wisp repeated the process again and again, her wings now fluttering about as she committed herself to the task, but despite her efforts the pursuing chimera stormed ever onward.
“It seems we’ll need to try something else,” Ceridwen mumbled to herself.
“Don’t worry, I have her” Wisp said cheerfully.
“Huh?”
Wisp’s wings fluttered faster and faster, a tailwind forming behind Ceridwen pushing her forward. She quickly glanced behind herself, her eyes widening as a pinkish cloud approached from behind, Seth unaware of its approach. Ceridwen chuckled as she prepared herself to slow down just as the cloud consumed the chimera. Seth began to slow, his movements becoming slow and his stomps becoming confused stumbles.
Seth made an unsettling noise, and then another as he began to thrash about. Grotesque noises erupted from its throat as if it were coughing something up. And then at last it began to yowl in pain. Along its neck, the shadows became thicker, a mane of shadow slowly enveloping its form. It crumpled on the ground as it made distressed sound after distressed sound.
“Poor thing,” Ceridwen cooed, her touch meeting the distressed beast. The goddess frowned. “I see. These shadows.”
“Are they a type of curse?” asked Wisp.
“Not quite. They seem to be a part of her natural magic. A kind of protective shell.”
“But, then why does she look in pain?”
“That purple glow we saw was from a set of runes.”
“Runes? Like you use Miss Cerywen?” Wisp asked.
“Not quite dear. They’re similar, but different. Like how different languages sometimes use different characters. These runes are from somewhere else, Nordic I believe. I suspect Odin was behind these as a form of control. He turned her protective form into a prison that would act as his weapon,” she surmised. “Here.” She pulled out a vial and began pouring its contents into Seth’s mouth. The beast finally grew calm, her pants slowing and calming, as the shadows began to dissipate, the runes vanishing from her neck. “There we go.”
“Did you mean to put her to sleep?” Wisp asked.
“No, but I imagine she’s tired. She’s been through...” Her eyes widened. “Wisp, I need you to do something for me right now.”
“Huh?” Wisp looked at Ceridwen confusedly and then back to Seth, her hands clasping at her mouth as Seth began to sink into himself. “Miss Cerywen, what’s…?”
“That bastard must’ve put some extra spell in there to kill Seth if his spell was ever undone.”
“W-what do we do!?”
Ceridwen took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I haven’t done it in this form yet, but I’m sure I still can.” She smiled. “I am a goddess of rebirth you know.”
“Then…?”
“Quickly, I need you to emit enough dust for the spell. A mix of a revelation spell and some of my resurrection magic should be enough, and fairy’s like you are particularly powerful when it comes to spells of truth. All you have to do is desire for the dust to reveal the truth.”
“I can do that?” Wisp gawked. “Okay! Let’s help him!” She landed on the ground beside Ceridwen resuming her full size. With a wave of her hand, shimmering seeds fell from her dress and burrowed into the ground, vivid flora emerging nary a moment later. “All I have to do is want it?” She repeated, Ceridwen nodding. She grinned. “Then I wish for the truth of your pain to appear so we can end it, so we can return to you your sense of peace,” she whispered gently as she summoned a gentle breeze to her side, the glowing dust rising upon its breath. She blew the dust away, forming a cloud that consumed Seth’s ailing body.
Seth’s breath began to ease as the dust began to glow, Ceridwen’s spell seeping into its body. The shadows began to fall away and the repulsive glimmer of the runes on its flesh began to dim. A hushed breath made its way through the shadows which shrank smaller and smaller, Seth’s body dissolving in its erosive murk. In its place emerged a pair of tall dark pointed ears atop a head of long flowing black hair. A gentle face peeked out as the final shadows dissipated, a slender feminine figure resting upon the soft ground. A tail emerged from her back, tipped with the head of a snake, which nuzzled her face before wrapping around her neck and resting upon her small breast.
“How beautiful,” Ceridwen chuckled. “So this is your true new form. You’ve been so battered over the years, haven’t you?” She sat beside the girl. “She won’t have her shadow anymore, but I think she’ll be far happier with her body this way.”
“Wow, she’s so pretty,” Wisp giggled. “We did it, we saved her, Miss Cerrywen! But what do we do now?”
“For now, let’s let her rest. The others are surely pursuing Zeus. Once she’s awake, we’ll follow them.”
“Okay!” Wisp cheered. She looked at the small resting goddess. “Be sure to rest up. I hope you’re having good dreams now.”