Sitting in the correct position and having my eyes closed, I started taking deep breaths.
I attempted to clear my mind of unnecessary thoughts while focusing on the image of the goddess.
The stagnant air in the room started to flow around me. I could feel and hear my clothes fluttering and the candles flickering.
My thoughts and worries were detached one by one. My mind was becoming clearer and clearer. All I could see or think about was the goddess.
Soon, that was all that was left.
Bing!
I entered the meditative state. My body stiffened and my consciousness froze. My body felt light so light that I felt like I was floating into the sky.
The feeling of weightlessness was surreal and my heart started to beat faster in anxiety. I could feel my throat drying up. Even if I had felt this before, these feelings still make me anxious.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally felt weight returning to me. I opened my eyes to a new scenery.
The inside of the magnificent hall is decked with gold and gems. Large pillars hold up a colossus space and mirrors are hidden in the shadows that these pillars cast.
A golden throne at the very end of the hall stood tall. Furnished with a cushion shaped like a cloud, it looked very comfortable to sit on.
On this throne and cushion sat a woman with long legs and wearing a sparkling silver dress. Her golden blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her piercing blue eyes look down at me.
Her gorgeous, ethereal face is identical to mine.
"Look at you, all grown up. I kind of miss the cute, pudgy face you had back then." said the woman. Her voice was soft and sweet like mine but a couple of tones deeper.
The difference is subtle but would be obvious to people who know me.
"Heh, don't lie. You probably like how I look now more." I scoffed at her obvious lie.
She smiled joyously when I said this.
"Ah, you're the only one who dares talk to me like that. I like you like that. Especially now that your face is exactly like mine." She then chuckles and stands up from her throne.
She walks up to me and kneels down. She stretches her hand towards my face and caresses it. She looks at me lovingly with her eyes. Her hands were warm. A kind of warmth that was hard to describe.
It made you feel whole, as if you were where you belonged.
"My child, my eyes never stray from you. I have seen your souls." she says, her tone now grim. She no longer smiled.
I knew it, there was no hiding what happened the day I returned. She must have seen my past soul arriving and merging with my current soul. She had eyes on me at all times.
There was no way she would miss it. Future Ryan would know this but he still sent me back. That means he wanted the goddess to see, he wanted her to at least know something about what was to happen.
"I.." right as I was about to speak,
"I saw a soul that is much older than the current you. Time must have turned back. As for why or who would do such a thing, I do not need to know."
As a goddess, there wasn't much she didn't know. She had figured it out without even having to say anything. Still, I want to expect her to not demand any answers.
This is unlike her usual curious self. She is a person who strives for entertainment. There was no way she wouldn't want to know, unless...
"Rather than you 'don't need to know', is it that you cannot know." I asked with a grin. This bitch, she can't trick me. Future me has dealt with her for decades.
"Hahaha!" Her originally kind smile changes to a sly grin as she laughs enthusiastically.
"There's no point in hiding my nature anymore, is there?" she says with relief. "I was worried that I had to keep up the act from when I first summoned you."
When she first summoned me to her palace, I was merely 5. I had come to the church for the first time. I suddenly fainted and found consciousness here.
I met with Goddess Helena for the first time then. She explained to me that I was someone who had by chance become her divine vessel. A body capable of holding the soul of a god.
She told me that I was a descendant of her as she was once a human as well. She was so kind and motherly then. She hugged me and said some sweet stuff to appease me.
Once I had calmed down, she told me to never say anything to anyone about what I had learned here as it could me in danger.
Being a young child, I obeyed. She then sent me back. Only after I returned did I realize the mess I had caused.
When I fainted, my soul was what went to her palace while the body lay limp, breathless. To the people around them, I appeared dead. My parents and the clergy were beyond panicked.
It was fortunate that the meeting was quick or things could have gone terribly wrong.
Thanks to the church and the influence of my parents, the incident was buried. Not even Ryan knows that it happened.
"Since you know what I'm really like, why did you come here?" she asked with intrigue. She understands that she must have thrown away her facade in the future.
It would be weird for me, to come to a selfish person like her for something. She knows I don't like her enough to voluntarily come.
"As much as I don't want to do this, I need your help." She smirked when I said this.
I sighed and continued. "I want more power." There, that should be enough. I had said it, The thing I least wanted to say.
"Does that mean you agree to become my divine vessel?" she asked with a wide smile. I didn't want to see her third excited but I had no other options.
"I...I agree." I say with hesitation and regret. There is no turning back. As much I know I will regret this, it had to be done.
"Then say the words I taught you." I could see the joy overflowing from her. Golden balls of light were coming from her, indicating her anticipation.
I sigh one last time and start the chant.
"I agree to become the divine vessel of Goddes Helena, Goddess of Healing, Ice and Spirits."
WOOONG!
As soon as I finished chanting, a bright white light covered the 2 of us. The entire hall was drowned in the light. I could feel my soul being dragged back down.
I was returning to my body. I could also feel the familiar weight increase. My soul was weighed down by something which I recognized.
After a moment, I could feel that I had returned to my body. I opened my eyes but the only thing I could see was darkness.
"Ah, you have no patience," I said.
"I haven't breathed in the air of this realm in a long time. Let me enjoy it for a while." the goddess said as her silhouette appeared in the dark space.
"Alright, just don't do anything too crazy," I said, trying to warn her. If Ryan noticed anything too off with my personality, things might become awkward.
"Don't worry, I'm just here to play a little. You have a toy that I would like to try." the Goddess licked her lips.
"Fuck! Don't you dare!" She was gone before I could do anything.
...
...
...
Elina opened her eyes and took a look at her surroundings. She turned her head left and right. She stood up and did some stretches.
"Ah, her body is quite flexible. As expected of my descendant." she said in an excited tone.
A tone that could never be heard from Elina.
"Oh, the statues aren't as detailed as I expected. I'll let those idiot priests know." she said while scrutinizing the statue in the room.
She walked towards the door and didn't even need to touch them. They swung open on their own. She sauntered out with a curious expression on her face.
Outside the room, Emily and Sister Fontaine stood quietly. They turned their heads as the door opened and Elina walked out.
Emily had a confused expression as he looked at Elina's expression. Curiosity was not something she usually saw in her cousin.
Lady Fontaine had an awestruck expression on her face as she felt a race of divine energy on Elina. It was small but it was there. Elina didn't have any before entering the room so the lady was lost in thoughts.
Elina looked at the two and squinted her eyes, scrutinizing the two. She then nodded in satisfaction.
"Let's go to the Vornix Estate!" she said excitedly as she jogged towards the exit.
The other 2 just stared at her as they subconsciously followed her