Glaring at the shameless goddess asking her to save the world, Maven heaved out a big sigh.

“I want you to know… you’re acting really suspicious. I’m willing to believe I can’t go back and that I don’t have much choice but to cooperate, but don’t think you can hide things from me by acting cute!”

“C-Cute?! I haven’t heard those words from anyone in a long, long time” Kannon stuttered out behind a blushing face, “I-I promise I won’t hide anything. I’ll help you however I can, provide you my blessing, and give you a direct line of communication back to me. Unlike the people down below, you’ll be able to talk to me whenever you want!”

“That’s definitely a start… but there’s one thing I really want you to clear up. What exactly is this apocalypse you want me to stop? You never told me what would end the world,” Maven pressed Kannon.

Kannon looked at Maven gravely, “The races down below are at war. They have been for a long time now. The war goes through lulls and surges, but it won’t end anytime soon. Us gods and goddesses get along just fine, but the races below worship the god who breathed life into them and hate the others- it’s become the spark of war. They can’t even hear our voices anymore, so we can’t stop them. Most hated of all is the demon race, created by my sister Henna - the goddess of Death, Darkness, and creator of Demons.”

“The humans, elves, dwarves and others want to exterminate the demon race. But if they succeed, Henna would disappear. The circle of reincarnation would fall apart and a hole would open up in the protection we gods maintain around Avalon - allowing foreign gods and alien creatures to attack the planet.” Kannon held Maven in her arms and looked deeply into her eyes, “Please, help me rein in the war below. Help me curb the corruption at the heart of the human nation, protect the demon race, and save this world.”

Maven was slightly moved by the sincerity she saw in Kannon’s eyes and a bit embarrassed at being held in Kannon’s arms. She shyly looked to the side while murmuring, “M-Maybe I can help. A bit. I-I don’t want the world to end or anything, especially while I’m living on it!”

Kannon was thrilled at receiving a positive response, even a reluctant one, and firmly squeezed Maven in a hug - even swinging her around while grinning like an idiot, “Yay! I’m so happy! Thank you Maven, really, thank you!”

A little dizzy and very embarrassed, Maven told the grinning goddess, “W-well let’s move on then! Let’s just get that blessing of yours and get this party started.”

Embarrassed at her emotional outburst, Kannon continued on, “R-right - the blessing… I need to give you the blessing!” Moving her hands so they were holding Maven’s face, Kannon cutely puckered her lips and brought her face closer and closer. Maven panicked as the goddesses unbelievably beautiful face approached her own, the deceptively strong arms of the goddess holding her in place.

Kannon’s lips made a *chuuu* sound as they made contact with Maven’s cheek. Maven felt a warm sensation radiate from her face as some kind of warm current flowed in from Kannon’s flawless lips.

After a good couple of minutes, Kannon pulled away and when Maven took a peak at her expression she saw a small blush on Kannon’s cheeks and some concern in her eyes.

“Wh-what’s wrong? Y-you just k-kissed my cheek, why do you look concerned?” Maven stutteringly interrogated Kannon, face practically aflame from shame.

“I-it’s nothing! Nothing at all…” Kannon said, going right back to acting like a child that made a mistake, desperately trying to avoid a scolding. And, just like a guilty child, she gave herself away after some wordless staring from Maven.

“S-So… I pulled you here after you died… right?” Maven wordlessly nodded along as Kannon continued, “and the way you died was pretty traumatic… right?” Maven nodded even more emphatically to Kannon’s epic understatement, “And I mentioned that I disconnected you from the Earth’s cycle of life and death… right?” At this, Maven nodded with a bit less confidence - not having much knowledge about the circle of reincarnation.

Maven gulped as Kannon took a deep breath, readying herself as Kannon prepared to admit the truth.

“Originally, your soul and your attributes aligned perfectly with me… Purely aligned with the attributes of light and life… but… it looks like, somehow, in the process of your traumatic death and removal from the natural circle of reincarnation… your soul was tainted. ”

“Part of your soul is now dyed with the attributes of darkness and death.”