It was late morning when Annita’s eyes fluttered open. The room was lit brightly with the sun pouring in through the window. Her chest felt heavier than normal, and looking down, she found Kat sprawled on top of her. The woman’s arms were wrapped around her torso, and she was drooling slightly.

Slowly, Annita remembered the night they’d spent together. The heat they’d started with had devolved into a carnal hunger for each other they’d done their best to satiate. She was pretty sure she had passed out still in Kat, but had softened as they slept.

Shifting slightly, she felt the stickiness of her lower half, and the completely ruined bed sheets beneath them.

“Kat, sweetheart, time to get up,” Ann whispered to her sleeping girlfriend. The thought still sent a thrill through her. Kat had reciprocated her feelings! So quickly too! She was terrified that it was a purely physical thing for Kat, despite some offhanded comments, but no. She liked her!

“Mmmm, time is it?” Kat groaned as she came out of her catatonic state.

“Not sure. Late. Bren’s probably been waiting for us,” Ann replied, running a hand through Kat’s messy hair.

“Fine. Ugh,” Kat squeezed, her strong arms constricting like a vise. “Wanna lay here longer, but ‘s fine.”

“Can snuggle more tonight,” Ann giggled, kissing her girlfriend’s head before rolling her off. “Besides, we’re a sticky mess. Housekeeping is going to hate us, too.”

“Wooorth it,” Kat mumbled as she sat up, wiping her bleary eyes.

“Yeah it was. Love you,” Ann said, feeling heat in her cheeks at the words.

“Love ye too. All right, get the bath started. I’ll join ye.”

Ann and Kat shared a quick bath, waking them both up quickly as they washed the remains of last night’s activities. For a few minutes, they relaxed with each other in the warm water, just enjoying the closeness, but time was something they couldn’t ignore.

Getting dressed, they headed back downstairs. Both were a little wobbly, but tried their best to play it off.

Bren, waiting for them as expected, wasn’t to be fooled.

“Have a fun night?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Damn right we did,” Kat beamed at him as she took her seat. “Gonna have a lot more.”

“Oh? That entails a deepening of your relationship past the physical. Did you steal dear Katlyn’s heart, Annita?”

Annita blushed furiously at the dead on accusation. “I guess I did. Seemed more like a mutual thing, though.”

“Well, I for one approve,” he said smugly as he sipped his tea.

“As do I.”

All three of them turned to the woman’s voice that had interjected in their conversation. A gorgeous woman stood just off to the side. None of them had noticed her in the room before, but there she was and clearly knew what was happening.

“Who?” Annita asked.

“Child, did you already forget about me? I’m hurt.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Annita cursed, as the woman grinned.

“First, can anyone else hear us?” Ann quickly asked the woman.

“Nope. Just you, me, your girlfriend, and your lovely companion,” the woman answered. “The rest of the tavern will hear a perfectly normal conversation.”

“Well, in that case. Guys, didn’t think this’d happen so blatantly, or this quickly for that matter, but meet Orenous,” Annita introduced.

Kat fell out of her chair.

Bren stood bolt upright.

“A pleasure, my darlings,” Orenous said, with a low bow to the table. “May I sit?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Annita pulled up an extra chair for her. “Gotta say you look different.”

Kat pulled herself back into her chair but her mouth still hung open. Bren was seemingly petrified, not even daring to look at Orenous.

“Oh, this thing? Hardly any fun to be stuck in one appearance when so many others offer a beauty all their own.” Orenous brushed her pristine shoulders. She was a feline Vulhardrin this time. The picture of a catgirl that Annita had drawn hundreds of times, with blue hair and fur, a tail, and yellow cat’s eyes. Her form was no less voluptuous than her appearance in Annita’s mind, and she was dressed to accentuate it with sheer cloth and pants that did not match the weather.

“Sculpture don’ do ye justice,” Kat murmured as she drank in the sight.

“There is a limit to human skill, dear Katlyn. Enjoying my gifts, are you?” she teased.

“Aye. I sure feckin am,” Kat grinned, with a sidelong glance at Annita, who blushed deep red.

“Good. I told her to have fun, and I’m glad she is. And you, dear Bren, how are you handling this new development in your life?” Orenous asked as she leaned on the back of her hands, folded primly before her.

Bren startled from his state, looking around hurriedly before sitting down. “I, uh, yes ma’am. I am quite all right with things. Would you, uh, would you mind me asking the reason for this visit? Our records rarely speak of the gods being among us. All of the records for the last two thousand years have merely been theories. I really must ask what prompted your appearance in the flesh?”

“And there is that beautiful curiosity of yours. You two,” she pointed to Kat and Bren, “have my sincere thanks for helping our Annita here get on her feet in this new lease on life. To your point about records, they are mistaken. We were only physically here during the cataclysmic time of our return. What you all are seeing is in your minds. A nice bit of trickery so I can more comfortably talk to everyone.”

“So I look like I just pulled up a seat for no one?” Ann asked.

Orenous let out a tinkling laugh. “Yes, and you were so dashing, doing so,” the Goddess teased. “I must say, though, you three have been doing a fantastic job of integrating with each other. One can practically see the bonds between you growing. I mean, I literally can, but you get what I mean.”

“Thanks?” Kat said, still with a supremely confused look on her face.

“You’re welcome. Now, dear Katlyn, how did you enjoy my champion last night?” Orenous said with a smirk, leaning over to Kat. “I’ve seen her body. Hells, I had a hand in shaping it. Did she take good care of you? Filled to the brim? I made sure she had stamina to spare for her lovers.” As she spoke, she took Katlyn’s hand in her own, gently stroking it.

Kat turned beet red at the blunt question. She tried to start a sentence multiple times before a quiet squeak escaped her throat. It was all she could manage before burying her face in her hands.

Orenous seemed delighted by the response. Laughing again, she leaned back and winked at Annita, who could feel her body heating up even further, somehow. Orenous then turned to Bren.

“Bren. While I would prefer more intimate relationships with my champion, I will respect your choice. Consent is everything, and the choice to say no will always be valid. I have plans for your group, and whoever else joins, but do not worry. I will make sure you share in the blessings bestowed without the need for carnal involvement.”

Bren looked like a weight was taken off his shoulders. He relaxed, slumping heavily in his seat. “Thank you, Your Holiness.”

“Your Holiness,” Orenous laughed again. “So formal. Just call me my name, darling. Now, as much fun as it is to tease all of you, I do have some actual matters to discuss. First of all, Annita, your new trait after interacting with the Core.”

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“Oh, yeah. I’d been kinda ignoring that until I had more information,” Annita admitted.

“Certainly the wise choice. I would encourage delving into it cautiously.” Orenous said, her face becoming serious. “The fact it takes your life force to use its skills is concerning. It is very rare for gifts from even the most violent Gods, like Nylir, to have a cost to one’s own life. Getting a closer look at you, body and mind, it does not appear that your id or ego have been altered. I sense a minuscule increase in corruption in your physical form, but far less than is to be expected from someone interacting with a fully corrupted Core. Certainly minor compared to the amount you sustained while sleeping in my Seed.”

“Well, that’s good then, isn’t it?” Annita asked. “It means I can keep helping with the Cores. Siphoning off the corruption, right?”

“For now, yes. That is what I would advise. Katlyn,” Orenous turned to the Protector, who had finally risen from her hands, “I trust your connections will be useful in this pursuit. Truly, I understand the burden I am putting upon your shoulders, but it is somewhat necessary. I hope you will forgive me.”

Kat tilted her head, looking like she was trying to make sure she heard that right. “Yer apologizin’. Tae me? A Goddess apologizin’?”

“Yes. I do not enjoy causing tension and stress in my children. I would much rather you spend your days happily in Annita’s lap, however, that is not the reality we live in.”

“I, er. Aye. I accept the apology? Feckin’ bizarre, all o’ this,” Kat grumbled. “So, just more o’ the same? Do we have a time we need tae be doin’ this in?”

“No, at least not for now. The Seeds seem to be behaving themselves from what we can see outside of them. No surges in Warped or anything too dangerous have fallen to the Corruption.”

“That is good news,” Bren sighed. “It has been some time since the last swarm. I was beginning to worry that one would begin soon with Annita’s appearance.”

“Sorry, swarm?” Annita interjected.

“Yes, child,” Orenous answered. “Now and then an increase in Warped activity occurs. Large numbers of the things will pour out from the Seeds to cause havoc to the surrounding environment and people. I would still advise vigilance, Bren. Even we cannot predict these things.”

“Understood. I appreciate the perspective of the Gods,” Bren said reverently.

“You’re very welcome, darling. Now, if you all would be so kind, could you please tell me what happened in Estvall’s Seed?”

The three mortals told the story of their expedition into the seed. They told her of the landscape, the tree, the Guardian, and the interaction with the Core. Orenous seemed to notice when Kat skipped the part where she and Annita had fingered each other in the Core’s cavern, but she didn’t press.

“Interesting. It appears that Core was only lightly corrupted. Enough that Estvall was not able to influence his domain, but left its overall structure intact. Interesting that he was able to enter briefly when you siphoned a portion of the taint. I will have to inform Qu’sella about this. They will undoubtedly love this information. That is all for now. I will check in again some time later.”

“How much later?” Ann asked.

“Aw, sad to see me go? I am not sure, darling. I am ever pulled by my responsibilities to humanity. This is but one of my multitude of focuses.”

“Fine. Just let me know if I’m fucking up all right?” Ann asked.

“You’ve been doing splendidly. Both in quest and conquest. Have some more faith in yourself.” Orenous smiled kindly, a hand reaching out to cup Annita’s cheek. “Now, I really must be off. Take good care of each other. Love and give of yourselves with an open mind and heart. Toodles!”

With that, the Feline form of Orenous shimmered and vanished.

“Toodles?” Bren asked, incredulously.

“Aye, what the feck?”

Annita groaned and hid her face in her hands. “Well, yeah. You wanted to know more about what she’s like? Congratulations.”

“She is a lot nicer than I thought she would be,” Bren sighed, sinking into his chair. “I mean, she is professed to be the goddess of love, beauty, and all things involved, but I always thought she would be more Godly? If that makes sense. More propriety.”

“Nope. She’s been like that since I met her. Honestly surprised she didn’t try to snuggle up with anyone,” Ann said as she raised her head to face the rest of the table.

“An’ ‘er arse was feckin’ great!” Kat blurted, coming out of her shock at the meeting.

“Is that really what you were focused on?” Bren asked incredulously. “We just met Divinity and you were looking at her rear end? Seriously?”

“Hey, not my fault Ann left that outta the first meetin’’ Kat defended herself.

“I think she might have been doing that on purpose for you,” Ann interjected. “She didn’t look like that last time. She was human, different colors, everything.”

“Hey, I’m not complainin’. Goddess wants tae flaunt herself I’ll happily enjoy. Though it seemed like she knew what we got up tae last night. That’s a bit odd.”

“She’s a Goddess, what do you expect? Figure she’s watching in some capacity even now,” Ann groaned.

“At least she provided decent guidance for our current course. Once we handle things here, and figure out where to find our next party member, dealing with Seeds would be the main focus,” Bren said, steepling his fingers and drawing a serious look across his face.

“Oh, speaking of. I should assign that skill,” Ann said, pulling up her stats. She opened the writhing black box and took a look at the options again.

Warping Increased!

You have absorbed a tiny portion of the corrupting forces affecting the Seeds of the Gods. This will allow mutability of the flesh. The more you consume, the stronger the effects will be.

Current Choices Available:

Minor Cosmetic Mutation

At the sacrifice of 2 HP, you may modify the length and or color of your body hair to your choosing. Color must be natural in some spectrum. These effects will last until the skill is used again.

Virility Manipulation

Channel your mutation to allow yourself to control the virility of your ejaculate. Sacrifice 10 HP per use. Options are Sterile, Natural, or Extreme.

“Actually, I have a question first. Are you safe, Kat? After everything last night?” Ann asked.

“Hm?” Kat asked over a mouthful, before swallowing. “Yeah. I’m fine. Figured it’d be a thing, so I snagged a potion at one o’ the shops when ye were talkin’ tae another shopkeeper. No worries of an accidental kid.”

“That’s good, at least. Still, think I’m going to take the Virility Manipulation thing. Just to be extra safe.”

“And not tae knock me up with a litter o’ pups?” Kat teased.

“I mean, Orenous’ tit’s Kat. Really?”

Kat just winked at her before turning back to her food, clearly enjoying the reaction she’d gotten.

Ann took the mental moment to select the skill. Unlike the rest of the times she took a skill, she felt a squeeze in her gut, almost like something was moving around, before it released and returned to normal.

“Oh Gods, that felt fucking weird,” Ann winced.

“Are you all right? What happened?” Bren asked, moving over to better check on her.

“I’m fine. Really. It just felt like my guts rearranged a little bit. I didn’t even activate the skill, just taking it changed something.”

“That is interesting. Try activating it. You said it costs a portion of your health. Better to test it now while I am present to mitigate the loss.”

Ann focused, pulling up the skill and setting herself to be sterile. Again that queasy feeling hit her and once it passed she felt slightly tired. Checking her health she confirmed that it sat at 220/230. Bren quickly topped it off.

“Same feeling, just a little tired after using it. Sterile, by the way,” she clarified, shooting a glare at Kat. The Alf pouted and kept chewing her food, grumbling something under her breath. “Hey, at least we can have fun without having to worry about any surprises.”

“True, true. I’ve also been meanin’ tae talk to ye about somethin’. Normally it’d be a more private thing, cause it’s a relationship thing, but it affects the party, so Bren gets tae be here for it. Ye thinkin’ about hookin’ up wit’ other girls?”

Ann stopped with her spoon halfway up to her mouth before lowering it back into her bowl of oatmeal. “I had considered it,” she said slowly, watching Kat’s reaction. “It seems to be a part of Orenous’ blessing, and she did seem convinced we’d pick up more people. Is that a problem?”

“It’s not… really somethin’ I considered bein’ a thing fer me, tae tell the truth. Figured I’d find a good man or woman an’ figure out life wit’ em. I’m not necessarily opposed, mind, but I might be a bit selfish.”

“I get it. Before all this, I had the same outlook on things. I guess it’s changing a little with everything I’ve gone through. No doubt Orenous has had a little influence there, but I can’t feel her finger in my brain, so probably not intentional.”

“This really is a conversation for the two of you,” Bren spoke up. “We will need further members to cover weaknesses in our current team, mainly magical. If they need to be compatible with you, Ann, then that narrows our search. I can contact a few people to put out feelers. Maybe we will get lucky.”

“But back to the main issue here,” Ann directed. “Kat, this is on you. I don’t care if you say no to it. That’d be perfectly fine with me. Like Orenous said, consent is king. Wouldn’t do anything like this without your go ahead.”

Kat sat there, pondering. She ate slowly, making sure to thoroughly chew each mouthful before she spoke. “I think we can try, aye. I get tae tell ye no on anyone, no questions asked. Understood?”

“That works for me,” Ann sighed with relief. “Seriously though, you say no, the person is gone. I don’t care how strong they are, or how hot they are.”

“I trust ye. Ye’ve trusted me with a lot o’ sensitive info about yerself, feels right tae return that trust.”

“As do I. I will be keeping an eye on things, though,” Bren warned. “Anything happens to Kat outside of the normal combat, I will be speaking my mind.”

“I can take care o’ meself,” Kat grumbled.

“Yes, I know. I can not, however, ignore my own feelings. Your hurt is mine. We’ve known each other most of my life. It is instinctual at this point.”

“Fair. Worrywart.” Kat returned to her food.

“Love you too, Kat,” Bren chuckled before returning to his own food.

They finished their meal quickly, a busy day ahead of them. Bren decided he would begin putting out feelers for a caster that might fit their group. Ann needed to visit an armory to get some sort of armor, and Kat needed to check in with a couple of official duties she couldn’t ignore with General Polaris.

“Meet back up at lunch?” Ann asked. “I figure we can find someone to check out the items we got from Estvall after, together.”

“That sounds like a good plan to me,” Bren said, standing. “I am quite curious as to the applications of such unique materials.”

“Same ‘ere,” Kat grunted as she stood. “See you two back here in a bit. If Clandalaria doesn’t keep me. She better feckin’ not.”

Ann laughed and pulled the grumpy woman into a kiss. Kat melted quickly, before she let her go.

“Gods damnit woman, let me be grumpy,” Kat sighed, trying to hide a smile.

“Nope! See you later!” Ann called as she turned and left for the industrial area she’d seen before.