Me, My Spirit, And I [Book 1 Complete]

Neither Lusha, Luca, nor Shada had engaged with the actual religion surrounding Sierra and the other Divine beings that inhabited the world. Knowing that there was life after death, having met a Goddess in person who acted casually, and of course staying busy building a life all contributed to their general avoidance of religion. It didn't help that they spent most of their time around Wyllderfolk whose religious observations were done at home or in the forest rather than in Temples, Shrines, and other such structures. Only when they delivered the Golden Goose did they venture into the Temple district dominated by Imperials.

Being a large city, Westlin had a variety of places of worship, but all the largest structures were in the Temple district in the Branches. Lusha was taking a rickshaw to the Temple along with Mina and Westlin.

"Why are we headed to the Temple again? Can't you pray anywhere?" Westlin asked. He hadn't been to the Temple district before so was looking around at the magnificent buildings in a bit of awe while enjoying the breeze.

"I can't say for certain. I am just following my feelings and those say pray at the Temple," Lusha said with a dismissive shrug. They were currently staying merged due to the inconvenience of Shada being back on a short list. Leveling back up quickly to improve their innate Skills was high on their current to-do list.

As Lusha looked around they could see many people milling about and talking to themselves. The city was currently rather chaotic as everyone adjusted to hearing their Guides and considering the implications of restored System functions. There were so many things people had gotten used to doing without that, so suddenly having those options back had created decision paralysis for many. Lusha could see it clearly in the ways people were moving, then pausing to talk to their Guides. They shuddered to think of how the poor Keepers were handling things with restored Shrine and Temple functions.

The rickshaw drove them right to the Temple steps where they got off. The Temple of Sierra was a magnificent structure made of white marble that resembled a palace more than anything. There were towers, columns, buttresses, and a variety of decorative frills that made the Temple look like a sort of fantastic confection. In other words, it was beautiful and well suited to being the home of a Goddess.

An Acolyte dressed in simple robes greeted them at the top of the stairs. Lusha asked about a private place to pray, and was led to a small room off the main antechamber. Mina and Westlin waited by the door while Lusha stepped into the room and shut the door.

The room was somewhat simple: a couple of chairs, a padded mat for kneeling, and a small altar with a surprisingly authentic looking depiction of a smiling Sierra. Prayer was not something Lusha was used to, but it didn't seem like the forms varied much from what they knew of Earth. You knelt, bowed your head, clasped your hands, and started talking, at least as far as they knew.

Turning thought into action, Lusha knelt on the padded prayer mat and faced the altar and the small statue sitting in an alcove behind it. They lit the candles and incense provided by the acolyte, then bowed their head.

"I apologize if I am not doing this right. I never had a reason to really study the local religions. I always get too caught up in my own head I guess, but I hope this is enough." Lusha took a deep breath. "Goddess Sierra, sovereign Goddess of Sierrallas, my patron and sponsor, I pray to thee in the hopes that your punishment was as light as mine has been so far…"

Before Lusha could say more, they heard Sierra's voice whispering in their mind. It was by far the weakest communication connection they had ever experienced so far, but Her words came through clearly, if quietly.

"Its about time you paid a proper visit to my Temple. A more paranoid Goddess that didn't know you would think you had been avoiding me." There was a humorous teasing lilt to the Goddess's mind voice that left Lusha feeling bemused.

"You never told me to and I have never really needed to." Lusha shrugged. "I got your message, so here I am. Are you ok? Did you get an obnoxious new voice in your head too?" Lusha quipped.

"Alas, no my punishment was a bit more severe, I am afraid. I have lost most of my administrative privileges and a few other things that wouldn't make sense to a mortal, but it was well worth it." The Goddess seemed well at ease with her punishment, which reassured Lusha.

"So what now?" Lusha didn't know what to do now that their entire reason for being on Sierrallas had been eliminated.

"Before we talk about the future. I must confess to a slight deception on my part. After centuries of struggling to fix the System on my own and not getting proper responses from those higher up in the System Administration hierarchy, I figured out a solution. Actually I figured out multiple solutions, but it turns out the optimal one came to pass." Sierra said this with a certain amount of satisfaction and smugness in their mind voice.

"You planned on getting punished by a Transcendent Precursor?" Lusha's face crunched up like they tasted something sour. "You planned for me to get punished?"

"Our punishments are both light and little more than a side effect of getting the Precursor's attention. The goal was to fix the System. We could have done it the hard way, ie the plan where you delved dungeons, interacted with the system, and we both fought off the Abyssal entity. However, that would have taken a long time and put everything at risk. The Precursor was able to do in moments what would have potentially taken us working together for decades or centuries to fix."

"But to be clear, this was one of your plans? Mess with the System and break a few System Laws to get the attention of a Precursor? Make me an unknowing accomplice to crimes I didn't even know I was committing?" Lusha couldn't say that they blamed the Goddess for hedging their bets, but they would have liked to have known what the stakes were. On one hand, they felt a certain amount of betrayal, but on the other knowing this sooner wouldn't have changed anything significant in their life.

"Yes I did. I would do it again, and honestly you got quite a bit out of the deal."

Lusha sighed and nodded. "I am not happy, but what is a mere mortal supposed to do after all?"

"You have the chance to be far more than a mere mortal, but I am pleased to know you aren't more upset with me. I am responsible for an entire world and billions of souls." The immensity of that responsibility weighed heavily in the Goddess's voice for a moment before She spoke again. "On the bright-side, you are no longer Contractually bound to me. If you so choose, this is the last time we have to interact. The Precursor nullified our Contracts. You will keep your Blessing of course, and access to the Holy Essence Conversion Skill, but beyond that, you are now free Lusha." There was sadness as the Goddess said those words.

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"Why would you be sad that I am free?" Lusha asked in curious confusion. "Aren't you happy to be free of the obligation of giving me rewards and such?"

"Having a mortal Agent on Sierrallas is useful. Now that the threat to the System is gone there are many lesser threats and issues that you could be handling for me," Sierra said wistfully.

"Are you really going to try and recruit me again after admitting to deceiving me, or at least not being forthcoming with all the information?" Lusha asked incredulously.

"Was the Adjudicar's punishment truly so onerous that what I have already given you doesn't make working with me worth it?"

Lusha didn't know what to say. They were only alive and on Sierrallas because of the Goddess, but she did admit to withholding information. Sure, their Stats were reset, but it had barely taken Shada more than a year to raise them before the strain was too much on their physical form. The obnoxious, obtuse, and overly cheerful Guide was something they would be stuck with, but it wasn't a catastrophic issue. Traits, Blessings, a new life, vs inconveniences?

"Wait, I lost my Path and I won't be getting another one. I will never have a Class or Profession. What could you offer me? I have actually lost part of the benefits I got from you, after all." Lusha said this last bit accusingly.

"Lusha, you haven't needed Skills in years. Your actual skill at magic already far exceeded the Skills granted by the System. Even in your physical form before you merged, you were using your innate Skills without the benefit of the knowledge and maturity of your spirit form's past life. For you, they were little more than crutches or handy tools."

"But they were useful and taught me a lot. Again, what can you offer me? Are your admin privileges still restricted?" Lusha couldn't believe that they were actually considering working for the Goddess without a world shattering event hanging over their head, but it had mostly worked out well for them so far, so why not?

"Do not forget I am still a Goddess. There is still much I can do without using my System Admin privileges."

"Ok, spell it out for me. What do you want me to do and what can I get out of the deal?" Lusha decided bluntness was the way to go with the less than forthcoming Goddess.

"I want you to do what you do best, create things: artefacts, spells, enchantments, and rituals. Magic that can benefit the Temples and the world. There are other minor things like relaying messages for me. Our link is still somewhat unique and it is far easier to talk to you directly than it is to other mortals."

"Why is it harder for you to talk to other mortals? You are a Goddess after all." Lusha was genuinely confused. Their concept of a god didn't match with the limitations the Goddess seemed to experience.

"Communication from the Divine Plane to the Mortal Plane is difficult and regulated by Divine society. It is easier with you because of your unique nature, attunements, and the connection we forged before your reincarnation. There is more to it than that, but that is the most I can explain in a way you can understand."

There was an entire society of Divine beings? How did that relate to the System, Transcendents, and System Law? These and many other questions went through Lusha's mind while talking to the Goddess, but they could feel the strain building. Direct communion with a Goddess was starting to have detrimental effects on them so the conversation needed to come to a conclusion sooner rather than later.

"Our time is running out it seems. I can sense the strain on your body, mind, and spirit. In return for your services I can offer the resources of my Temples. Rare materials, experts in a variety of subjects, knowledge known only to my Priesthood, and even favorable Trade deals with my faithful. Essentially, fair compensation will be provided for services rendered. You have the right to refuse and so forth. All will be spelled out in the Contract. Take all the time you need to decide." The Goddess's voice was beginning to fade, but she got one last sentence through. "Thank you Lusha, even if you choose not to work with me moving forward, know that you are Beloved by a Goddess!"

Lusha felt faint. With the communication link closed the full strain of the event hit them with the force of a stampede. They collapsed to the ground.

"A new Divine Contract is waiting for your approval. Would you like me to read it to you or would you prefer to read it directly?" The gratingly cheerful voice of their Guide chimed in their mind. A spike of non-physical pain shot through Lusha's mind as even the voice of their Guide aggravated their raw psyche.

"Do not speak to me again until I ask for something unless it is truly dire," Lusha whispered to their Guide, which surprisingly listened.

It took several long minutes for Lusha to recover enough to stagger from the prayer room. Mina caught them as they nearly tripped, and Westlin looked extremely worried at Lusha's state.

"Lusha?" Mina asked tentatively. "Are you ok?"

"I am fine Mina, please just take me home. I need rest."

Mina nodded and picked the light weight teen up in a princess carry and hurried to call a new rickshaw and take them home. An acolyte tried to offer assistance, but was waved away as Mina hurried to get Lusha home. Sometime during the ride Lusha passed out cold.

—

Lusha woke a few hours later laying in their own bed with their concerned mother sitting beside them reading a book. As soon as Lusha showed signs of consciousness Shinobin quickly set her book aside and started a quick examination.

"Are you well, my love? I was scared half to death when Westlin ran into the clinic saying that you had passed out and Mina was rushing you home. What happened?"

Lusha gave their mother a wan smile. "I am ok, had a conversation with the Goddess Sierra. Turns out doing so when not in some strange altered state of consciousness is rougher than I imagined."

Shinobin blinked rapidly as she parsed Lusha's words. "You spoke to the Goddess directly? While awake? No wonder you are in such a state. There are reasons direct communication with the Divine is rare. We mortals can't bear contact for too long." She sighed and ran a hand nervously through her hair before continuing. "You are officially on bed rest for the next few days."

The fact that Lusha didn't complain was a clear sign of how worn out they still felt. They kept the Contract to themselves and they were still unsure of whether or not they would agree. It was clear that they had much to think about while they rested.

Shinobin looked hesitant, but spoke anyway. "We will be leaving for Ahras, the Capital of Glodduss to meet your grandmother in a week so please rest and take care of yourself, Lusha. You will need to be at your best to meet my mother."

Lusha wondered what it was about Witch Queen Aseralis that made their mother so nervous, but figured they would learn that for themselves soon enough. Just a few more words passed between Lusha and Shinobin before Lusha fell back to sleep.

—

It was only after they had felt properly recovered that they went through the Contract offered by the Goddess. It seemed like the Goddess had chosen a more mercenary Contract this time. Lusha or their other selves would be offered specific missions that they could accept or turn down. In return they would be compensated. The right of refusal was perhaps the one thing that made the entire Contract palatable.

Lusha glanced upward, sighed, and agreed to the Contract. The possible rewards were nice and none of the listed tasks seemed too onerous. They did their best to think of this as a work Contract rather than the Divine Contract with a Goddess that it actually was.