While walking back to the village I took the liberty of thinking through my next plan of action. I actually had only a vague idea where this place was and how far away it was from Doovlin, and while teleporting over there would have been instantaneous walking allowed me to ruminate on some ideas. Thankfully walking wasn't something that one needed to focus too much attention on and due to my size running into something wasn't a concern.

Firstly was this cult was a major concern. Of course my regrettable rampage wiped out everyone present at their little ceremony, but who's to say there aren't more out there? Its quite possible that the leader I killed wasn't the main leader at all but one of a sect. I'd keep that in mind for the future, though I don't think if they did still exist that they'd try anything for a long time. The purpose of their little ritual was more concerning to me. They did it for a reason and it clearly had some kind of mental effect on me. Was it just to send me into a rage state? Obviously that wasn't the end of it. Perhaps it went wrong and it was supposed to aim me at their enemies like a weapon?

The long term ramifications of this whole ordeal were of course Miya's death and the ongoing protection of my worshipers. While the former might still be reversible the following might be tricky. What was I supposed to do? Empower more people like I did Miya and train them in combat? Actually that wasn't a bad idea. Now how to go about it...

I stopped walking and retreated into my goddess zone and to any outside observer I simply came to a half dead in my tracks. Once in there of course was Miya sitting on the couch and looking intently at the map layout.

"Hey again" I said with a sigh. "I've got to go figure something out real quick."

Miya looked up at me with a smile. "Hello goddess! What sort of thing?"

Something was bothering me about my interactions with her now. It took a few moments to figure out but finally I realized it was how she was addressing me. I crossed my arms and frowned.

"I want to you address me as Jenna from now on. Just Jenna."

This of course shocked Miya greatly and she clutched her hands to her chest. Her eyes went wide and she gasped as if in disbelief of what I said.

"But... You're my goddess! Calling you less than that would-"

I cut her off. "No it wouldn't be disrespectful. Not if I say its not."

With another sigh I drop my arms to my sides again and begin walking towards the door to my memories, looking over my shoulder at her as I went.

"Now that you're living in my head we're going to be spending much more time together. I feel that having to call me goddess all the time lessens our relationship. There's no one else around but us in here. Think of me as a friend I suppose? Jenna is fine."

Miya nodded and blushed very deeply. "Yes of course Jenna!" She then gulped clearly nervous. "Its just speaking to you in such familiar terms will take some getting used to... It feels wrong but also nice somehow."

"I'm glad it does" I replied with a smile. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to go in here. I'll be back soon." I froze for a moment and turned to her. "By the way Miya. How exactly did you get captured?"

She looked down in shame. "Well after fighting that monster a great wind whipped up around me and I couldn't breathe. Then I passed out and fell over. I'm sorry but I don't remember much else. I was taken down so easily..."

That sounded like some kind of magic to me. Probably wind magic sucking the air from around her head and causing her to black out. Clever. I'll need a counter to that myself.

"Thanks for telling me" I said. "And don't feel bad. That was an underhanded trick that only a coward would use."

This seemed to cheer her up and she looked back up at me and smiled weakly. "Thank you Jenna."

After that I waved to her and opened the door to my mind palace. Once I had walked inside the door closed with a thump behind me. Once again I found myself inside the massive library of books and memories, the shelves expanding into the vast distance. There were more of them now it seemed with so many more books, each a memory filled with sound and moving pictures.

What I was looking for was something for breathing and non-magical things for extreme defense. Being inside this place was sort of difficult sometimes because when I wanted to remember something I kinda just floated over to where it was. Very cool but it made it easy to get lost. At least I imagine it would be if I couldn't just fly back to the door in the same manner.

Right now I was concentrating on "a thing that can help you breathe." Various books and shelves floated before me as I went around. Reading them brought to mind things like oxygen masks, scuba gear, and inhalers. Those things required a bulky air tank or were just medicine. What I needed was something more... Magical?

This line of thought brought me to a book that opened to some old sci-fi movie I had seen once. In it there were little tube things one could install on their face that either filtered air around them or contained magic science air. Now this I could use! It could be fabricated using my item creation.

As for defense this brought books to me of armor, energy shields, and magical barriers. Since I was planning on giving this to villagers it would need to be more mundane. Some kind of light armor that couldn't be easily stolen. One memory in particular was of a material called carbon fiber weave. Yes this would do nicely. It related to carbon steel which I can make a sword and shield combo out of.

I figured empowering and equipping at least three people would be the best to start. Then I could train them on fighting and they would keep everyone safe and not be easy prey themselves. The three people I would choose: Jackson Juniper and Miya's parents. These people I trusted most.

My plan was now in order and all that remained was to carry it out. The memory books were all put away and I floated to the exit door. When it opened and I exited back into the main goddess zone I noticed Miya was asleep.

"Hey Miya?"

She awoke with a start and sat up. Its good to know she can still sleep in here.

"Yes goddess? I mean Jenna..." she replied blushing.

Cute I suppose.

After she sat up I waved her over and she got up off the couch and walked towards me. As she did I walked over to the map and she followed. Once we were both there the display zoomed over to the village of Doovlin and onto someone praying to me.

"See this?" I said. "Because I can see anyone who worships me I can teleport to them. Pretty neat huh?"

Miya nodded wide eyed. "Yeah it is! Did you figure that out while inside that door?"

"No. That's where my memories are. I was in there figuring out the next course of action after your erm... Untimely demise. How long was I in there actually?"

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"Probably an hour" she replied while touching her finger to her chin and thinking.

Hearing that made me check the outside world with the "outside world monitor" screen of my display. It hadn't been an hour but it had been close to twenty minutes. Time was probably very nebulous inside my mind palace. My thought acceleration was also pretty potent when I wanted it to be, though it seemed to affect only me and not Miya. Thank goodness!

"I can think faster than humans" I said. "Not to mention time flows differently in the mind. Regardless of that I've decided to empower Jackson and both your parents like I did you. I'm then going to equip them with special items and train them for combat. Really all the villagers for that last part."

Miya looked at me wide eyed. "Wow!" she then looked at her feet. "But what's to keep them from being taken like I was?"

With a smile I produced a floating screen above my hand like a hologram with a display of the items I planned to make. Then I started explaining what they were to her and smiling as she took such keen interest in learning about them. After the explanation was done the screens vanished.

"Well now that you understand the plan its time to do it" I said. "I'll be going back up for a while for that. Of course I'll have to tell everyone what happened to you too. I can be an intermediary for you speaking to them, but probably not too much ok?"

Miya just nodded and bowed. "Yes maam."

"Very good! Now feel free to watch and do whatever you want in here" I replied. "Just be careful not to get too overwhelmed."

With her taken care of I jumped back up into my body and shook myself. While not much time had passed in the world my body had still been standing there for over twenty minutes and needed to be shaken awake like if a limb had fallen asleep. Once that was done I went about creating the three sets of items. First the carbon fiber full body suit, then the carbon steel swords, shields of the same, and finally the breathing device. Once all the items were in my massive hand I teleported over to Doovlin.

------------

The portal appeared above the homes near the middle of Doovlin, my gigantic body manifesting through it as my feet thundered down into the ground. All the villagers were quite used to such occurrences by now and besides being startled were no worse for wear. My entrance had the added benefit of getting everyone's attention directed at me. Pretty much everyone would need to be made aware of what happened. Its not like those I can't trust can do anything to stop me. They would find out what was going on eventually anyway and delaying it only would be a negative for me.

"Hello everyone!" I said as cheerily as I could. "Please everyone that can gather in the main field right away! I need to tell you all something."

To be honest I'd rather not go public at all. These three would be given special treatment and that would spread jealously to some degree. It can't be helped. Perhaps the announcement of Miya's death and the giving of gifts could be separate. Yeah that'd work.

With a dozen or so steps I was in the main crop field, now barren due to the winter. It would take a while for everyone to gather up before me and of course some that were out of the village would be unable to make it. They would get told by those here. Luckily the three I needed for later were all present.

"Perhaps you've all wondered where I've been for the last couple days." I started. "Well I'm sorry for being gone for so long. Something important happened after I found Miya."

Everyone seemed excited to hear that and the murmuring between them was hopeful. This is where I brought them crashing down. Crouching down I brought the crystal with Miya's body in it out between my fingers and held it close to the ground in front of the crowd. There were gasps and shrieks from the villagers.

"What happened goddess?" a woman yelled.

With a deep sigh I stood back up, the crystal still between my fingers as I looked into it. Of course Miya was inside me right now but this was her body, a stark reminder of my failure.

"A group of very evil people, including at least one powerful mage, kidnapped her and killed her." I then held up my hand to stop the predicted outrage. "I know I know. They had planned it all very well to catch me by surprise, but thankfully I was able to save Miya."

"What do you mean save?" a man asked. "You mean the crystal?"

I nodded. "Yes but also no. See this is just her body. Her soul I managed to capture inside myself!"

This was obviously quite a lot to take in and I had to let the information settle in to the crowd. After they had talked among each other I knew what question was coming next.

"I know what you're going to ask next. To prove she is inside me could her parents Duncan and Elentra come forward? Oh also you Jackson Juniper."

After I called them out it took a minute for them to all walk out in front of the crowd and before my feet. Once they were there I took a step back and lowered myself down onto the ground, first to my knees and then laying down with my face right in front of them.

I then jumped down into my goddess zone and manifested a news camera on a pole out of the ground. Once it was up I ran over to Miya and dragged her over in front of it.

"Here stand in front of this" I instructed.

Miya obeyed without question. "Oh ok..."

With her there I exited back above, the whole event taking less than five seconds. The idea was to project the image the camera picked up into my eye, thus allowing people to see Miya inside my goddess zone.

"Look into my left eye" I commanded the three before me.

All three stepped forward and looked into my giant eye, the swirling of the stars making way for the image of the young woman covering my retina. A glowing and moving image of the missing priestess. The villagers behind them could sort of see this as well and began gathering around in awe.

"Is that really my girl?" Elentra said with disbelief in her voice. She held her chest as her husband held her to his side.

Duncan then looked over to my other eye. "It's not that we don't trust you goddess. It's just too much to believe."

Hmm. Should've expected this. The only way she can communicate is through me. Or perhaps miming?

Jumping down into the goddess zone for a few more seconds I pulled up a tv monitor with the image my eye was seeing on it next to the camera. Miya gasped.

"Yeah cool I know" I said dismissively. "Anyway this is what my eye is seeing. I'm going to think down to you what your parents say and then you can mime back at them an answer. Fist for yes palm for no. Got it?"

I had been motioning what I meant with my hands while talking.

Miya nodded. "Got it!"

Back up into my body I went. Thankfully this didn't make me dizzy. I'd have to figure out a way to make it all faster and I'm sure after enough practice the thought acceleration could really be pumped up in speed. Both her parents were waiting tensely and Jackson didn't really know what he was there and stood a bit awkwardly. I need you for later old man.

"You can ask Miya questions and she'll answer." I said. "For yes or no ones it will be a fist for yes and open palm for no. Go ahead."

Elentra took a step forward. "Miya... Are you really inside goddess Jenna?"

After getting what they said thought down to her Miya made a fist and shook it. That was an obvious one.

Duncan was next to ask something. "H-How did you die?"

This time Miya thought about how to answer. It took only a few moments though before she took both hands and pretend to hold a knife out in front of herself. She then made a motion as if she had stabbed herself and went limp as if dead.

Everyone watching gasped in horror and many covered their mouths in shock.

"Was there really nothing you could do?" Duncan asked up as his wife began crying. "Is there no way we can hear her either?"

My eye was getting dry from being open for so long and I began blinking rapidly unable to hold it back anymore. Eventually it opened up again and the image remained. How best to tell them their request was impossible? I decided to tell them straight.

"First of all" I began. "I'm truly sorry what happened to your daughter. She was my high priestess too you know and my friend! And don't worry. Those that did this to her paid and I do have a plan to bring her back. That's why her body is in the crystal." I then sighed. "As for hearing her. Well this whole setup is using my body as an intermediary and sound would involve like my ears and mouth and well it would be like a big thing. Sorry..."

The look of disappointment on their faces was heartbreaking.

"Hey now! Don't be like that! Your daughter is right here with me. I'll be taking good care of her and I will bring her back. It might take a while though so please tell her brother not to worry about her ok? I'm planning on hiding away her body away as well for extra protection."

Both of her parents nodded in approval. That was a huge relief to me. This would have to be broken up now and these three be equipped. With a thought down I told Miya to say her goodbye for now. She mouthed "I love you" and her parents said it back.

"Now" I said standing back up and addressing the crowd. "As for preventing this sort of thing from happening again. Oh don't worry I have quite a plan in mind! I'm going to borrow these three for that though. Come along!"

After saying that I bent over and allowed Jackson, Duncan, and Elentra to climb into my hand. They were confused and looking up at me for answers. They'd get their answers once we were far from here. Someplace I could give them their presents and give them some combat training.

I waved down to the villagers. "I'll be back shortly with them! We're going to have proper guardians around now!"

The villagers cheered happily as they heard that news. With my three heroes in my hand I walked off into the forest, aiming to be far enough away that no one could hear me talking. If my thundering footsteps weren't enough my voice also carried far due to my size alone. This is to be a private conversation. Something I didn't realize how much I missed until I got this big.