The Goddess of Sacrifice stood frozen, her smile brittle, as she stared at Callie in shock and amazement.
Callie herself was a bit amazed at what she'd had the gall to say. She didn't think she'd have had the guts if this was all real, but she honestly didn't think she'd be so bold with a goddess, even in a dream.
"You want to...accept Clark's punishment yourself?" Elesvir shook her head, looking confused. "Clark is headed to live on the planet Arion, do you have any idea what life there is like?" She didn't even give Callie time to reply before she continued, "It's a horrible place. The gods that designed it, made it with a system, like one of your world's video games. Some really bad people took advantage of their system and now use the power they gained from it to subjugate and control the rest of the population. Arion has never had anyone voluntarily be reborn in it since its creation."
Callie's mouth trembled as she thought about the way people of that world had to suffer. She firmed it resolutely and gave a determined stare towards Elesvir.
"That only makes me more sure." She said. "It sounds like those people are suffering and need someone willing to sacrifice for them, too."
This time, Elesvir laughed. This laugh sounded far more mocking than any that came before. She finally settled down and stared at Callie in consternation.
"You really mean this, don't you?" Elesvir sighed as Callie nodded. "Well, it's not my punishment, nor is it my planet. The Goddess of Luck and God of Power designed that system..." Elesvir looked distracted for a moment, before returning her gaze to Callie. "Well, if you're so set on sacrificing yourself for Clark, I can probably stick my nose in. I am the Goddess of Sacrifice after all. But, Callie dear, are you really sure this is what you want? I could give you a life better than your greatest fantasies, you know?"
Callie didn't even have to think about it. "I'm sure it's what I want."
Elesvir laughed again, this time without the mocking edge. "Well, alright. I happen to know both the Goddess of Luck and the God of Power have been greatly disappointed in how things have played out on their planet. I can probably use that to grant this 'reward' to you. And, well, the God of Cruelty shouldn't be a problem." She said with a mysterious smile. "Fine. Wait here, dear."
With that, Elesvir vanished, leaving Callie standing in an overly white, empty room, completely alone.
Callie sighed. "What a weird dream this is."
--------------------
A long while later, Callie jerked awake once more, this time to the sounds of an aggravated female voice.
Callie lifted her head from her arms, looking blurrily up into the beautiful blue eyes of the Goddess of Sacrifice. She seemed to be gesturing wildly as she explained something in a loud, aggrieved voice. But Callie couldn't understand a word she said because she was suddenly struck by one thought that took every bit of brain power she had to try to process.
She was still in the Temple?
Callie sat up quickly, startled. She continued to stare at the Goddess, uncomprehending the words coming out of her mouth. Instead, her brain was overwhelmed with this sudden realization.
This was real.
Callie was really here, in this Temple, with this goddess. Which meant...she was really dead?
"...so all this will be given to you as an additional reward, since you decided to sacrifice yourself once more." Callie finally phased back into the words the goddess was speaking. She blinked rapidly, unsure how long she'd been distracted for. Obviously, she'd missed something important that the goddess had to say.
Finally, Callie also realized the goddess hadn't come back alone. There were a woman and two men standing behind Elesvir. And judging by their overwhelming, mind-numbing beauty, she was gonna go out on a limb here and assume these three were also gods like Elesvir.
How could this possibly be real???
Callie pinched herself, hard, but the sting didn't reassure her. If anything, the panic in her chest felt like it was all the hotter for the pain in her arm.
If this was real...
"Well, she seems a bit dull-witted, but I suppose she doesn't need intelligence with the system upgrade we've designed for her," said a cruel voice. Callie finally comprehended some meaning in the words she was hearing again, and blushed hotly as she realized the gorgeous, villain-looking man was talking about her.
Callie didn't even have to bite her tongue to keep from speaking this time. Her shock had already rendered her effectively mute.
"Well, don't you have anything to say?" Elesvir huffed, impatient once more.
Callie looked up at the goddess with wide, shocked eyes. "What did you say?"
The Goddess of Sacrifice blinked back at Callie for a long, silent moment. Fury slowly overtook her beautiful features as she said, "You mean I just explained the whole system upgrade to you and you didn't listen to a word I said? Well, then, you have no one but yourself to blame when you don't know how to use it."
Callie reached forward to beg the goddess for her forgiveness, but as she moved, the goddess moved much faster. Before Callie could say a single syllable more, Elesvir had tapped her on the forehead with a brightly shining finger.
And then the world went black.