The evening had come by the time I reached the village of Doovlin. In this winter season sunlight was a rather fleeting thing with darkness falling fairly early in the evening. Darkness held no sway over the goddess of light however and my hair continued its faint glow as wandered through the night. Here in the village there were plenty of torches set up outside in general foot traffic areas but most of the land was dark as pitch. Only the brightly glowing moon in the sky granted any illumination as the stars were usually hidden behind cloud cover.

Here I was planning to have another talk with Miya's parents, as well as her of course. Having her inside my head made such conversations difficult but I hoped that soon she'd be in her own body once again. As I walked through the village towards the Deuiden home I was conversing with her inside my mind.

Miya's voice reached me from within.

“My parents will never agree to that horrid plan either Jenna.”

I sighed externally and thought back my response to her.

“Listen I understand where you're coming from.” I replied. “I really do. But what if this really is the only way? I can't have you inside my head forever Miya! You need to get on living your own life. It was my mistake that stole that from you.”

“You know it wasn't your fault.” Miya responded in a soft tone. “Human sacrifice isn't the answer though! I can't have someone else die for me...”

I shook my head.

“Let's at least tell your parents about all this and see what they say ok?”

“Alright...” Miya said in a somber voice.

A small smile came to my face and I looked wistful.

“You know its gunna be lonely in here.” I thought to Miya. “With you back in your body.”

There was a certain sadness in Miya's response, conveyed so easily by the medium of thought.

“I know you'll manage. You are a goddess after all. Besides we will still be able to talk all we want.”

We then fell into a thoughtful silence for the rest of the walk to Miya's childhood home. It wasn't too much further though with us arriving after only a few more minutes. Here in the dark cold of winter the rather simple cottage looked almost forlorn, the darkness and light snow enveloping it like layers of blanket. Bright and warm orange light was coming from inside, a warm reminder shining through the windows of the warmth of home that their fireplace provided.

I walked up to the door and pulled my left hand out of its coat pocket. Its not like my hands got cold or anything, it was just a force of habit to keep them there. For a moment I hesitated with my hand raised up to the door, but I prepared myself and then knocked on the hard wood several times.

Inside I could see the two adults moving around: Miya's mother Elentra and her father Duncan. Her younger brother Tromly was already asleep in the bedroom and unlike my last visit I hoped he would stay asleep. Not that I hated him or anything, its just this conversation would be particularity difficult for someone so young.

Hearing the knock Duncan quickly walked over to the door and stood directly in front of it.

“Who is it?” He called out.

I lowered my hand and called back through the door.

“It's Jenna!”

Duncan sounded surprised and quickly opened the door. The swirling snowflakes were illuminated by the warm glow coming from inside and suddenly the yard was coated in a orange blanket of light. The big bearded man looked down at me from his height doubling mine with a surprised but happy expression.

“Goddess!” He exclaimed. “Please come in! Hurry out of the cold!”

With a slow roll of my eyes and a smile I walked into their house as the man ushered me in. Once I was inside the door was closed behind me, blocking out the cold of the night. I removed both my hands from my coat pockets and put my right on my hip.

“You remember I'm immune to the cold right?”

Duncan smiled warmly back down at me and put his hands on my shoulders. He then began shuffling me over to the kitchen area.

“Oh I remember goddess.” He replied. “Its still bad manners to leave a guest out in the snow.”

Elentra was sitting at the kitchen table and working on some kind of preserved meat. With the lack of refrigeration people usually dried out and heavily salted meats in order to preserve them and it appeared she was doing something like that with a huge chunk of venison. Upon hearing me enterin she turned around and smiled over to me.

“Oh welcome back goddess!” She said happily. “What brings you here this evening?”

I came to a halt next to one of the wooden chairs and was left standing there as Duncan removed his hands from my shoulders and stopped pushing me. I then watched as he walked around to the other side of the table and sat down where he had presumably been sitting before.

“Come now sit!” He said gesturing to one of the remaining chairs. “Don't just stand there.”

A small sigh escaped me as I shook my head. The pleasant smile on my lips proof that this wasn't out of frustration but rather lightheartedness. I then pulled myself up onto the chair and settled down sitting directly next to Elentra.

“Yeah yeah.” I replied. “You two always know how to get to me even with my status.”

Elentra smiled over at me as she continued slapping the venison about with the blend of twelve herbs and spices, or whatever it was she had in front of her.

“So what did prompt this visit dear?” She asked.

Miya spoke up from inside my head again and sounded somewhat hesitant.

“Are you sure we should tell them?” She asked nervously. “What if we really can't bring me back?”

“It'll be fine.” I thought back down to her. Then I spoke aloud to her parents while crossing my arms over my chest. “Its about Miya. We finally have a way of bringing her back to her own body.”

Both adults looked at me in complete shock at first with Duncan nearly falling out of his chair from surprise. Their faces were wide eyed and slack jawed as they ogled me in disbelief. It was Duncan however that recovered enough to speak first and his voice was shaking with emotion.

“Y-You can't be serious?” He asked loudly in awe.

Elentra had lifted her hands to her chest and was looking at me with a great deal of emotion swirling around inside those green eyes of hers.

“There's truly a way to bring her back goddess?” She asked in a hushed voice.

The sudden shout had disturbed Tromly in the bedroom and the sound of him rolling around in the bed could be heard in the main room due to the small size of the house. Elentra immediately noticed this and turned to her husband.

“Keep it hushed.” She said quietly. “Lest we wake him.”

Duncan nodded and stayed silent for a few moments. It seemed the child hadn't been woken up and when he realized that he spoke much more softly to me.

“Is it true goddess?”

With my arms still over my chest I nodded with my eyes closed. The solemn look on my face made the two of them concerned and I couldn't blame them for that. When I spoke I also tried to keep my voice down.

“Its... Complicated.” I started. “It all comes back to the way she died.” I explained. “When she was- sacrificed to me it trapped her soul inside my body. This method of transferring souls is a real thing and can be reversed.” There was a brief pause as I closed my eyes. “However putting her back in her body would require another human sacrifice.

Duncan and Elentra looked at me in surprise again, their eyes going wide as they thought about the implications of this. The manner of their daughter's death had been explained to them but they were ignorant to the far reaching effects of the method used. It was a complicated magical phenomenon not even fully understood by the lich who used it to discard his mortality.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I then opened my eyes and slid my arms down from my chest to my stomach.

“That's what the mage I met told me at least.” I tried to force a smile. “However I believe there's another way to do it. This sacrifice option would be a last ditch resort.” As I spoke I shrugged my shoulders. “I'm sure there are plenty of criminals prone to be executed we could use. Or even people willing to do it if only I asked.”

The two parents had troubled looks on their faces as they looked to each other and then back at me. It was clear they were having conflicting thoughts and were hoping for me to tell them their want to follow through on this terrible path was wrong to prevent them from wishing for it in their hearts.

“Miya is straight against this plan.” I said in a flat tone. “She hates the idea of someone dying to put her back in her body which is why I'll be finding another way.” I then smiled weakly. “And there is a way. I'll find it. I'm sorry I don't have better news for you.”

Duncan nodded with a disappointed but accepting expression.

“That sounds right for our daughter.”

“She'd never want others to suffer for her sake.” Elentra said looking down at the table. “How is she doing these days?”

Miya then spoke up in my mind.

“Tell them I'm doing fine! And that I love both of them. Even if it takes a while longer I will see them again, that I believe, believe from you Jenna.”

I repeated her words back to them out loud and they both smiled.

Elentra sighed deeply and put her hands on her lap.

“Oh how I wish we had our girl back.” She said. “We'll trust you to bring her back to us goddess.”

I nodded with a grim look of concentration on my face.

“I will.” Then I looked up at each of them in turn. “There is another thing I wanted to talk to you two about. That is if you're willing to.”

“Of course goddess.” Duncan replied. “You know we're always here to talk if you wish so.”

With their permission my thoughts turned to Barthenor and the issue of what to do with him. I lifted both my hands and rested them on the table loosely clasped together as I began my explanation.

“You two might not have heard about the undead threat that had been rising in recent weeks. You don't have to worry anymore as I've handled it and the threat is no more.”

“We heard rumors from people in other villages.” Elentra said. “It sounded horrible. Thank you for dealing with those monsters goddess!”

I smiled coldly due to my focus.

“Its part of my responsibilities as a goddess.” I said firmly. “However their leader remains alive, or unalive in this case.”

Duncan gave me a puzzled look and crossed his arms over his own chest.

“What do you mean goddess?” He asked.

There was a moment of silence while I took a deep breath and finalized how I was going to explain this to them. They've never heard of fantastical magic and the concept of living forever as a rotted husk was liable to freak them out. This was the truth of the situation and I'd have to believe in them to not be overwhelmed by the information.

“Well the leader of the whole campaign was an undead creature known as a lich.” I explained trying to be slow. “Basically it was a mage who went through a human sacrifice ritual to transfer their soul into an object so they can live forever. Their soul thus trapped means it can never go to the hereafter and they can stay here in this life for as long as they want.”

Elentra gasped and then was reminded she was trying to be quiet for her son and hushed herself.

“Goodness!” She exclaimed softly. “That sounds horrible!”

“This lich did this for a reason I assume.” Duncan added with a grim look on his face.

I nodded over to him before continuing my explanation.

“This particular man took this path in order to live forever in the pursuit of knowledge. Think of him as a mage who was so unhappy in the length of his life and how little he could learn that subjecting himself to an eternity of suffering was worth the knowledge he would gain. Even as his body rotted away into moving bones his will was so strong he kept going with singular focus on his goal.”

Duncan grunted and shook his head with a frown.

“Truly a terrifying man.” He said gruffly. “Though I suppose the will of some is already so astonishing this comes as less of a surprise than you might expect.”

Elentra put her hands down into her lap and looked at me very concerned and curious.

“So what happened to this terrible man?” She asked. “Were you able to kill this man even though he wasn't alive? Surely he ended along with his plots?”

This was where I worried they would judge me and I took several seconds to think about how I'd tell them the news. Eventually I couldn't stall any longer and just sighed deeply before sort of settling down into my chair.

“No I didn't permanently kill him.” I said almost ashamed. “I'm keeping both him and his only sentient minion locked away in my goddess domain where they can't interact with the world.” I then sat up again. “And before you judge me too harshly its because I feel like he's too useful to the world to just destroy. Yes he's killed who knows how many people throughout the hundreds of years he's lived. But I'm not sure redemption is beyond him yet. The last time he was even awake was over seven-hundred years ago and much can change about a person in that long a time.”

There was a brief pause as the two adults looked at me expectantly, their minds still processing all this information. Seeing this I took a direct approach in my quest for advice. I sighed softly and slid my hands closer to my on the table.

“I'm asking for your advice.” I said with a forced dignity to my stance. “Miya seems to think he should pay for his crimes and should be executed, though she is slightly conflicted on his usefulness. That's my major hangup as well.” I shrugged. “I mean if I was to run around executing anyone who committed mass murder that would include every general in war, most of this land's lords, many mages, and even the king himself! Surely if I'm allowing those people to live this mage deserves a change to redeem himself right? Especially if his knowledge from the age of the goddesses could be so useful to the world?”

Elentra looked down at the meat in front of her and appeared deeply lost in thought. Her husband however immediately raised his right hand, his face the picture of philosophical consideration.

“Give me a moment please.” Duncan said.

I simply nodded and sat back in my chair, my arms returning to cross over my chest as I waited for them to think about it. In the mean time I spoke with Miya inside my head.

“I really think all these terrible people should answer for their crimes goddess.” Miya thought up to me. “But you're right that you can't just go around the kingdom killing every sinner.” She sounded frustrated. “Oh why can't people just be good?”

“You're telling me!” I thought back to her. “You already know how huge of a problem I have with people in power. Having power is just a corrupting influence and I don't even think goddesses are immune. It certainly explains the terror of the past in their names. Heck even I've fallen to abusing my powers before even though I try so hard not to.”

“You're not like those other goddesses!” Miya thought back. “You're truly caring and loving of us.”

A smile came over my internal emotions and I closed my eyes for a moment.

“Thank you Miya.” I responded. “I really am trying.”

By now the two adults had come to a conclusion, or at least Duncan had. He sat up straight in his chair and looked over at me with a grim look on his face. His hands were slid down to rest on his forearms as he regarded me sitting across the table.

“As you say goddess this is no easy decision.” He finally said. “I happen to agree with you on this matter. According to you this man has done terrible things in the past but indeed its very long ago. In such a long time he could be a changed man and I don't think redemption should be denied him if he so chooses to pursue it.” He then sighed. “Especially considering your point about the king and his generals. If we were to execute everyone involved in war the world would be an empty place indeed.”

There was another pause as we both waited for Elentra to say her opinion. After several more moments she noticed we were waiting and jumped a little in her seat.

“Well I-” She said before pausing again.

“It's fine.” I interjected. “You don't have to have an opinion. I know this is heavy stuff.”

Duncan reached over and took his wife's right hand in his left. He then gave her a reassuring smile but said nothing. This made Elentra smile back and let out a long sigh of relief.

“Thank you both.” She finally said. “Honestly all this talk of horrible crimes and executions is really upsetting. I'd hate to have to be the one to choose who lives or dies.” She looked at me. “I don't envy you for your position.” Then she sighed again and looked down at the table. “What I truly believe is that you should follow your heart on this goddess. You've proven time and again how wonderful you are and thus I trust your judgment. I hope this isn't a disappointing answer.”

“It's as fine an answer as any.” Duncan replied squeezing her hand.

I dropped my arms again and placed my hands on my lap. Then I let out a long and deep sigh as I nodded.

“Yeah I think your answer is fine too. Honestly just hearing you two's opinions is really helpful for my own complicated feelings.” I looked out the window into the darkness beyond. “While I'd never do something like blow up a city it cant be denied that I've made choices that ended up killing many people. My reaction to Miya's death the prime example. An eye for an eye makes the world blind.”

Another silence fell over the small house as the conversation came to an unannounced close, something everyone present could sense even though it wasn't explicitly stated. The only sounds in the room were now the crackling of the fire on the fireplace as well as the light whistling of the frozen wind outside in the night.

Eventually however it reached the point of awkwardness which prompted Elentra to stand up from her chair with a huff of exertion. She then patted down the apron she had on and smiled over to me.

“Well if you have no other plans for the night you could stay here for the night.” She said. “I know you don't feel the bite of cold or fear the darkness but I'd hate for you to be alone out there in the world. Why don't you sleep here?”

Duncan looked up at his wife in surprise but quickly nodded and stood up as well.

“That's a great idea!” He exclaimed. “Yes goddess why don't you spend the night here? That is if you've no other important places to be.”

A rather shy smile came over my face and I looked up at each of them in turn. It was honestly pretty embarrassing hanging out overnight at the house of one of my worshipers, as being a goddess there was a certain level of appearances I had to keep up. These weren't just worshipers however, they were my friends. Spending the night here would actually be pretty nice I think.

“Sure!” I replied with a smile. “I don't see why not.”

Elentra seemed quite happy with my answer and started moving about to find a spare blanket for me.

“Why don't you make yourself comfortable goddess while I find another blanket?” She asked. “I'm sure you'll not want to sleep in the bed with us but I'm sure there's somewhere in here you could rest.”

Duncan nodded. “Just let us know if there's anything you need.”

While the two of them went above preparing a place for me to lay down I watched them and smiled happily. It was truly wonderful having people I could trust enough to speak plainly to in this world, my status as a goddess so often blocking me from meaningful relationships. Even someone as mighty as me needed true connections to remain sane, or at the very least retain the humanity I was so fearful of losing.

Thus it came to be that I spent the night at the home of my high priestess's home. This would be the first night in quite a long time since she had slept here as well, and though sadly she couldn't be in her actual body I hoped that just resting here would be a positive thing for her soul even if it was through another's eyes. Though the winter nights were dark and cold there was great warmth not only in this home but within the hearts of those that lived inside it.