While Zemyna and her other siblings were saying their goodbyes, Zen was making her way to see their mother, Meera. While Zen wanted to know what was the cause of this shift she could feel in the bonds between her brothers and sisters, she knew better than to keep the Head Priestess waiting.
During her time in isolation and meditation, Zen had completely cut herself off from the outside, even temporarily closing her divine tether to the other members of her family. This was possible because while the divine tether had the capability to work on a subconscious level, meditation put Zen in a super-conscious state. This freed her from any unwanted stimulation. So she had no knowledge of what has been happening and unfortunately, the burden of filling Zen in had fallen to her mother.
Zen entered the palace and arrived at Meera's chambers without delay. She then bowed and announced herself.
"I am here as you commanded, Head Priestess."
"Zen. Thank you for coming so swiftly after ending your meditation. I have an important matter to discuss with you." Meera greeted her youngest daughter gracefully and continued. "I am aware of your strong admiration for Zemyna so these next words may be hard for you to take."
Zen perked up when the Head Priestess mention her favorite person in all of Creation, but also felt a bit alarmed by Meera's ominous words. "I thought Mother just wanted me to do a favor for Zemyna. What else is going on?" Zen thought to herself.
The Head Priestess could see no easy way to tell Zen what she had to she just chose to be as straight forward as possible.
"Zemyna has chosen a partner. A mortal named Elijah."
Zen's eyes widened from shock and she closed a her hand into a fist in front of her heart. So many emotions were rising up within her. In her eyes, there wasn't a being in the Cosmos worthy of her Zemyna. And she never really had to worry about it because Zemyna had never taken a potential suitor seriously before. But now there was someone who had stolen Zemyna's heart. And it's a human?! How could such blasphemy occur?!
"How could you let this happen?" Sorrow and rage could be heard in Zen's voice as she asked this, but the Head Priestess was did not care for her choice of words. She demanded respect at all times. Especially from those she bore.
"Mind your tongue, daughter." Meera warned.
Zen got a hold of herself and remembered who she was standing before.
"Please forgive my outburst, mother. I am in no position to speak in such a manner to you. No one is."
After Zen had somewhat come to her senses, the Head Priestess went on with updating her on the current situation.
"You are not the only one who feels this relationship cannot be allowed, but Zemyna will not end it. So Zemyna offered a two-fold solution to appease everyone. Can you guess what it was?" The Head Priestess chose to get her daughter's mind working to help further quell her emotions.
Zen's power of intuition was second only to her mother's and she had already thought of Zemyna as a being who is beyond all other gods and goddesses. This made it easy to guess Zemyna's first solution.
"She's about to do what I always knew she could. Perform the Rite of True Ascension and acquire the status of a True Goddess. As such she would not be bound by our ways and laws. She would even be free to live amongst the mortals for as long as she liked."
Zen theorized.
"It is as you say. And the second?"
Zen closed her eyes for a moment to think. But she could not see what else Zemyna could have proposed since she has never heard of what her mother is about to reveal to her.
"I do not know, Head Priestess." Zen said after giving up.
"I see. Well given we have yet to teach you about this, I suppose it can't be helped. Zemyna has proposed that Elijah perform a divine rite as well. The Rite of Immortality. So that their love can truly last forever. Of course, it has been ages since a mortal accomplished such a feat. In fact there are only three who have ever done so."
Zen was surprised by what she had just learned. "Mortals can become one of us? And three already have? Do they live somewhere among us in the nine heavens?" She asked for further details as such knowledge was just too mind-blowing.
The Head Priestess chose to satisfy her daughter's curiosity and answered her questions.
"Yes. A mortal can indeed become a god or goddess like us. But only if they either meet the requirements or are recommended by an Archon. As for the three mortals who became like us, they chose to stay in their world, albeit in a hidden place, so that they could live their long lives in peace."
Zen now had an increased comprehension of how mortals could become gods. But there was still something that didn't quite make sense to her.
"But couldn't Zemyna, as a true goddess, simply bestow Immortality upon Elijah after completing the Rite of True Ascension? Why have him risk his life? Is it just to give him an opportunity to prove himself? Even if she has complete faith that he will succeed, it is an unnecessary risk."
Head Priestess Meera smiled at Zen's words. "I see you have still yet to know love fully, my dear."
Zen was taken back by her mother's response. What could she possibly be missing? And how would love enlighten her? She was once again at a loss and had to depend on the Head Priestess for guidance.
"This is a chance for them both to demonstrate their love for one another. Romance is easy. Love is hard. If this were only a fleeting romance, Zemyna may have chosen to do what you just said. But since their love is real, she chose to believe in his ability to do what many think is impossible and give him a chance to seize his destiny with his own two hands while she does the same. Treating him as a true equal even though she is a goddess."
Zen was humbled by the gravity and depth behind her mother's words. How could she have claimed to love Zemyna, but failed to see this? She felt she was no better than her other siblings in this moment. Now she wanted a chance to make it up to Zemyna somehow. Hopefully, the task that the Head Priestess wanted her to complete would be a way to do exactly that.
"Thank you for helping me broaden my perspective, mother. You have enriched my soul. Whatever it is you require of me, I will gladly do."
The Head Priestess beamed with joy as she watched her daughter grow a little from their conversation.
"It's my pleasure, daughter. Now that we have that settled. Let us get on with the task at hand. The time for both Zemyna's and Elijah's rites to commence is nearly here. Mordecai is guiding Zemyna to the Gate of Ascension. You must guide her Elijah to the temple of the first mortal man to achieve godhood in the land of Ur. That is where his rite will begin."
"I promise I shall guide him there without fail, Head Priestess." Zen bowed as she accepted her task.
"Then I will consider it done."
With nothing else needing to be said, Zen left her mother's chambers, exited the palace, and immediately teleported herself to the border between Heaven and Earth. This was her first trip to the mortal world, but she was not nervous. And normally, Zen would need help in crossing this border since it put a great deal of strain on the very essence of any divine being who tried to cross it when there wasn't an Equinox. She had even heard tales of foolish gods and goddesses who had their souls shattered by the pressure of trying to cross the border with too weak a constitution.
But there was no need to fear that happening to her. The border was completely under the control of her parents. So the mere word of her mother as Head Priestess was enough to allow Zen to pass.
"Time to go see this human Zemyna has such faith in."