They finished talking through the events of the melee and admitted that it was still the early days in their understanding of mortal cultivation. They needed to keep an open mind about what to do and when to do it.

After two more minutes, Josh reached a point of healing where his shoulder had popped back into place. Pink and angry skin had also regrown in the many places where he had been missing it. He walked with Sen over to the temple to check on the woman hanging from the stone posts. When they got there, she was still shackled but fully healed. She was also naked from the waist up... and smiling at them.

Eye contact–hardmode level engaged. Josh thought, swallowing heavily.

“Stars, it’s been so long since I had a chance to heal! Thank you both for that– Can I get one of you to unlatch these ties for me?” she said, rattling the large iron bindings and chains on her wrists. “It’s been five thousand years since my grandson gave me a chance to sit!”

Josh looked over at Sen, who shrugged, seemingly just as confused as himself. “Um… don’t get me wrong or anything,” Josh began. “You seem very nice–” Ignore her boobs. Ignore her boobs. “... But… who are you?”

“Oh... I’m Gaia! Welcome to my temple!”

Josh and Sen had silently agreed that releasing her was the right thing to do. They could have acted paranoid and kept her there for a round of questioning. They probably would have if they were uptight asses. But they were both tired, and while Josh may never be confused for a gentleman–he had been raised well. Women should never be beaten or abused. And even more than that, there was a level of sincerity in everything about Gaia. It made them not want to live in a world where they couldn’t trust the beautiful woman, they had just saved from being chained to two posts and whipped by an evil specter for–presumably, if her remark about not being able to sit down was any indication–five thousand years. It wasn’t a logical conclusion, but guys were generally dumb that way. Enough said.

They quickly released Gaia. Freeing her was as simple as lifting the large, looped chain from a hook above her head, then sliding out the restraining bolts on her wrist cuffs. Mostly to make them more at ease, Josh suspected, she now adjusted her pristine white toga to cover her previously exposed… bits. It was obvious she didn’t seem uncomfortable with her body, both in and out of clothing. She then gave each a genuine hug of gratitude.

With a wave of Gaia’s hand, three low-to-the-ground sitting cushions appeared. She guided them to sit down and explained how she had ended up in the position they had found her in.

“It all started with my youngest son Cronus’s bad habit of eating his children.”

Sen’s eyes screwed up.

Josh simply nodded thoughtfully. It had been a long time since reading his Greek mythology, but some things had a way of sticking despite the passage of time. The father of the gods eating his kids was one of them, though any whys or hows of the myth had been lost to the intervening years. Admittedly, Josh was sure it was the painting by Francisco Goya that kept the particular tidbit of ‘child eating’ as accessible knowledge in his brain. It had been pure nightmare fuel when shown it as a kid, and Josh could never totally forget it.

“. . . That’s true? He ate his own kids?!” Josh's tone of surprise was unexpected, even by him, as he said it.

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Gaia nodded enthusiastically, confirming what she had said, and continued. “I know, right?! I tried to talk to him about it... But would he listen? Of course not. It finally got him in the end. Zeus, my only surviving grandson at the time, made Cronus throw up his brothers and sisters. They then proceeded to wipe out Cronus and all of his siblings... How was I supposed to take that? I was okay with rescuing the trapped ones. But I draw the line at killing the ones I still have... they are all my children, after all. My first set of kids, anyway. The ones I had with my son-husband Uranus. He is my heaven! It’s such a shame I had to have him castrated...

“Anyway... to show Zeus how unhappy I was with him, I had my last batch of kids, the Gigantes–

Boy, were they cute! — To try and teach Zeus a lesson. How could that go wrong!? Well, it sure did, I tell you! The rest is history. So, for siccing the Gigantes on him, Zeus has punished me for the last five thousand years with a never-ending lashing. Mr. Overkill, I used to call him when he was a baby...”

Josh looked at her, his mouth slightly agape. “You are a god?”

“Oh, silly! Of course not! I’m a Star Child. We come from deep in the galactic center and find planets where we can get the ball rolling for sentient life…” Gaia opened her thin hands to indicate the universe with a look of devout sincerity. “For everyone… We gave birth to the gods, the Titans before them... ultimately, everyone else here.” Gaia said brightly, her small hands spread, indicating the world. “We were the first ones on this planet. My cousins Ra, Osiris, Odin, and myself, that is. Some distant relatives we didn’t know very well went to what you humans call India and got things going there.”

She took a small sip of water and smiled warmly at them again. “Now, I can tell that you, and you...” She smiled at Josh and Sen, respectively. “Aren’t actually two of mine. Josh...” Gaia thinned her eyes for a second, focusing on him. “You are from one of my iterational sisters. I owe her a debt for bringing you into existence. And you...” Looking at Sen, she made the same expression. “You are from very far out of town. Unless I miss my guess? And not that I am in any way ungrateful to you for saving me from that—” Gaia pointed at the seven-foot posts behind them. “…But why are you here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Josh and Sen explained that they were cultivators looking for items of power in the cavern. And that they were still hoping to get two of them.

“Ahhh...” She touched her index finger to her lips and then continued speaking. “You are looking for the Earth Attunement crystals. I understand.” Gaia shifted to the left, and her brows drifted up as if trying to recall something from long ago. “... If I remember correctly... You should be able to find a few in the catacombs below this temple. I can guide you to the door. But every cultivator is obligated to get their own. Or as I understand it... the Attunement won’t work as well or not at all if the cultivator doesn’t acquire them... appropriately.” Gaia’s nose scrunched up, and she waved dismissively, “After all, cultivation and Karma are so closely tied... What can you do?” The small woman finished with raised shoulders and brows.

She put her hands together in her lap and continued, “...There is also a guardian you will have to defeat. A chimera– She is another grandchild of mine and is… a bit of a handful. She’s never listened when I’ve told her to do something.” Gaia sighed. “... A child of Typhon and all–But watch out for the fire!” Gaia laughed in sincere humor.

Truly grateful for her goodwill but feeling both out of sorts by the goddess’s strangely enthusiastic and light-hearted demeanor coupled with the exhaustion of strenuous battle and decreased Essence, Josh and Sen could only manage a few suppressed chuckles at the thought of being incinerated by an ancient-Greek-mythological creature.

Taking on the expression of a concerned mother, Gaia spoke again. “For now, I suggest you eat and rest up. I can tell that you are still wounded, and your Essence is low. Furthermore, you both need to cultivate to restore your Intent.” She stood, “Please consider this temple a refuge of safety until the morning.”

Two divans appeared in the nearby empty space. Between them, a low-profile table laden with fruits, nuts, moist goat cheese, unleavened bread, several bowls of washed olives, and one large decanter of olive oil made Josh’s mouth water. There were even two jugs. One of wine. The other with cool water. Each pitcher came accompanied by small earthen cups.

Josh couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten. He had skipped lunch the day this had all started, and he couldn’t even remember if he had breakfast that morning. But before Josh could even thank Gaia— Sen’s eyes bulged out, and he lunged at the table.

If Josh had given it any thought, he might have realized that Sen had never eaten physical food in his entire three million years of existence. He also would have realized that the brand-spanking new mortal had the same edgy, hollow feelings chewing at his abdomen that Josh had been feeling for the last several hours. While Josh knew these feelings of hunger and had no fear of them, this was certainly not true for Sen. Upon seeing the food, the novice mortal couldn’t help but be drawn by his instincts and surged to the table. He started shoveling food into his mouth, apparently not even looking at what he was cramming in while barely chewing. When he tried to swallow with an open, full mouth, he gagged and choked, spewing a fountain of food all around himself.

Gaia raised her brows and stifled a nervous laugh with a polite hand.

Knowing Sen had lost all reasonable perspective, Josh held up his hand to get his Karmic brother’s attention. Grabbing one olive and a cracker, he showed Sen how to eat without dying. Then, washed it down with a sip of water. After that, things went much smoother for everyone, including Sen’s GI tract.