Chapter 77: Rising Waters

Once again, Grace passed through the huge door to Celestia’s chamber. Grace still felt like a toddler standing in front of it, even after weeks of angel training. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and knocked.

“Enter,” Celestia’s voice called.

Grace pushed the heavy door open to find a circular room bathed in rainbow light from the stained glass ceiling. Celestia stood at the center, her multicolored wings folded behind her like some fancy peacock. And she wasn’t alone—Seraph, Mara, and Venus were already there, gathered around a floating map of Linaria like they were planning to invade it.

None of them were smiling.

[Okay… This is serious. No prizes for guessing what they’re going to talk about.]

“Grace,” Celestia greeted, her golden eyes warming slightly. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

Grace walked up to the map, noticing it showed the western coastline of Linaria. Several spots along the shore pulsed with an ominous blue light. Like evil little heartbeats.

“What’s going on?” Grace asked, though she already had a damn good idea. The Tide.

Seraph crossed her arms, muscles bulging like she was flexing for an invisible audience.

“More strange shit, unfortunately. Just like Rosewood.”

“Language, Seraph,” Mara scolded, but there was no heat in it.

“What? It’s accurate.” Seraph jabbed a finger at one of the blue spots. “Village called Saltmist. People turning blue, walking into the ocean, then coming back as water monsters. Or not coming back at all.”

Grace’s stomach twisted.

“Just like the plant zombies.”

Venus nodded, her usual sexy smile replaced with a worried frown.

“Three coastal villages so far. The survivors say they have weird dreams about the ocean calling them. Their skin turns blue, and then they’re drawn to the water.”

“And you think it’s another… Pillar?” Grace asked carefully, trying not to show that she already knew the answer.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed just a little.

“After what you found at Rosewood, it seems likely. The patterns match.” Celestia waved her hand, and the map zoomed in on a tiny fishing village. “Saltmist is the most recently hit. You’ll start there.”

“Me?” Grace blinked. “Do you want me to lead this mission?”

“Of course,” Mara said, all gentle but firm. “And your ability to cleanse corruption will be essential.”

“You won’t be alone,” Seraph added. “Diana will go with you as combat support.”

“And Petriel for healing,” Mara said.

Celestia gestured toward the door just as it swung open.

“And… one more.”

Grace turned.

A thin angel with short blue hair walked in, her face about as warm as a winter night. Grace recognized her immediately—Meridian from the Ascended Choir. The scholar who’d been watching Grace like she was some kind of science experiment since day one.

“Meridian will join you,” Celestia said. “Her knowledge of ancient texts and the western coast will, hopefully, be valuable.”

Meridian’s eyes locked with Grace’s. There was zero warmth there, just pure calculation.

“Um, hello,” Grace said awkwardly.

“Lightsinger,” Meridian replied with a nod so short it barely counted.

[Oh yeah. We’re gonna be best friends.]

“You leave at dawn,” Celestia said. “Prepare yourselves. If this is indeed another Pillar, the danger will be significant.”

Grace felt a weird cocktail of dread and determination swirling in her chest. The Tide. Another ancient entity stuffed with Eternia’s emotional garbage. Another source of corruption to deal with.

“I understand,” she said, standing a little straighter. “We’ll find out what’s happening and stop it.”

Celestia smiled.

“I trust that you will.”

—

Grace wandered the white marble halls of the Dominion, her thoughts spinning like a drunk ballerina. The mission weighed on her, but the quest notification gave her a slight edge—at least she knew what she was walking into.

[Sort of, anyway. Like knowing you’re about to step in poop but not knowing how big it is.]

She touched the medallion hanging around her neck, running her finger over its fancy patterns. It had been warm before, during her Root adventure, but now—

A sudden coldness shot through her chest. The medallion turned ice-cold against her skin like it had been dunked in a frozen lake.

The hallway disappeared. In its place, endless waves stretched to the horizon, dark and angry. The sky above was storm-gray, heavy with clouds. And somewhere beneath the surface, something waited.

“You’re afraid of being alone,” a female voice whispered, carried on salty wind. “I understand. I’ve been alone for so long. Come to me. I will give you eternal embrace within the depths. We need never be alone again.”

The voice was hypnotic, pulling at Grace’s mind like dough.

[So, I take it that this is Eternia’s loneliness,] Grace realized. [The feelings she couldn’t deal with.]

“Join me,” the voice called. “Join me in the—”

“Careful!”

“ACK!”

Grace slammed into something solid. The vision vanished, replaced by the marble hallway and an irritated Meridian holding her by the shoulders.

“S-sorry,” Grace stammered. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

Meridian’s blue eyes narrowed.

“Clearly.”

She didn’t back up right away, studying Grace’s face like she was trying to read a foreign language.

“Your pupils were massive. What did you see?”

Grace blinked in surprise.

“What?”

“The medallion,” Meridian nodded toward Grace’s chest. “It shows you things, doesn’t it? Visions, perhaps?”

[How the hell does she know that?]

Almost like she was reading Grace’s mind, she answered:

“It would be hard to believe that you merely have a habit of walking around staring at things that aren’t there.”

“Oh. I—” Grace hesitated, not sure how much to spill. “Yes. Sometimes.”

Meridian finally let go of her shoulders and stepped back.

“I’ve studied the western coast for a few years. The legends talk about an entity beneath the waves that has captured people for ages. The Tide. It’s described as ancient. Powerful.”

Grace was stunned briefly by the casual mention of studying the coast for years, but she reminded herself that to angels, a “few years” may as well have been a day or two to a human.

“What do you know about it?” Grace asked.

Meridian’s face turned analytical, like she’d switched into professor mode.

“The texts say Eternia created it to hold her feelings of isolation and loneliness. The pain of being one-of-a-kind, different from all her creations.”

She wasn’t far off.

“Did you… see something?” Meridian pressed.

“Waves,” Grace admitted. “And a voice talking about loneliness, offering an ’eternal embrace within the depths.’”

Something flickered in Meridian’s eyes—concern, maybe? It disappeared too fast to be sure.

“Interesting,” was all she said. “Pack warm clothes. The coast is freezing this time of year.”

With that, she turned and walked away, her wings pulled tight against her back.

[She definitely knows more than she’s saying,] Grace thought, watching her go. [Great. Another fun team dynamic to navigate. Just what I needed. Some suspense in between all the make-outs.]

—

“Two healing potions, three purification charms, an extra robe…” Grace muttered, digging through her pack in the equipment room. “What am I forgetting?”

“Protection?” Diana’s voice came from behind her, low and playful.

Grace turned to find Diana leaning against the doorway, arms crossed under her bare tits. As usual, she wore only those tight shorts, like clothing was something that happened to other people.

“Very funny,” Grace said, trying not to stare at Diana’s chest. “Don’t you ever get cold?”

“Do I look cold to you?” Diana pushed off the doorframe and walked over, a predatory smile on her lips.

Grace swallowed hard.

“N-no.”

“Besides,” Diana continued, now standing close enough that Grace could feel heat coming off her skin, “I’ve got you to warm me up, don’t I?”

“B-By the goddess, you really-”

Before Grace could answer, Diana’s fingers tilted her chin up, and suddenly they were kissing.

It was so sudden that Grace wasn’t quite prepared. Diana’s lips were soft but demanding, her tongue sliding into Grace’s mouth like it belonged there. Grace’s back hit the equipment shelf, her hands instinctively grabbing Diana’s shoulders.

Diana’s hand slid down Grace’s side, fingers slipping under her robe, creeping up her thigh—

“Oh! I’m so sorry!”

Grace launched herself away from Diana so fast she nearly took down the entire shelf. Petriel stood in the doorway, her face red as a tomato, hands covering her eyes but still obviously peeking through her fingers.

“I can come back later!” Petriel squeaked.

Diana, completely unfazed, just laughed.

“No need. We’re just getting started.”

“We are NOT getting started!” Grace protested, fixing her robe with shaking hands. “We’re preparing for a mission. A serious mission!”

Diana rolled her eyes, then walked over to Petriel, who still hadn’t uncovered her face. With surprising gentleness, Diana pulled Petriel’s hands away.

“Hi there, healer,” Diana purred.

And then she kissed Petriel. Right there. Right in front of Grace.

“A-” That single vowel crept out of Grace’s mouth on its own, with no other letters or words to accompany it.

Petriel made a startled noise that quickly melted into a soft moan as Diana deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into Petriel’s hair. When they separated, Petriel looked totally dazed, her lips pink and swollen.

“See?” Diana glanced back at Grace, smirking. “No hard feelings.”

Grace’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, heat flooding her face. She was saved from having to respond by Meridian’s arrival, who stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene with obvious disapproval.

“If you’re all quite finished,” Meridian said, voice colder than the medallion had been, “we have a mission to prepare for. I suggest you save your… exhibitions… for a more appropriate time.”

Diana shrugged, completely shameless.

“Just keeping up morale.”

Meridian’s lips went thin as paper.

“Be ready at dawn. And please wear proper clothes.” Her eyes pointedly dropped to Diana’s exposed chest. “All of you.”

With that, she turned and left, her footsteps echoing down the hall.

“Well,” Diana said cheerfully, “she seems fun.”

Petriel, still red-faced, cleared her throat.

“I, um, came to help with the medical supplies.”

“And I should finish packing,” Grace said, trying to sound normal again.

Diana looked between them, her smirk getting bigger.

“Sure you don’t want a quick break first? For morale?”

“NO!” Grace and Petriel shouted together.

Diana just laughed, stretching her arms above her head in a way that made her breasts lift in a very deliberate display.

“Your loss. See you in the morning, rookies.”

As Diana sauntered out, Grace exchanged a look with Petriel.

“This is going to be a very long mission, isn’t it?” Petriel asked.

Grace sighed, thinking of Diana’s shamelessness, Meridian’s suspicion, and the creepy voice from her vision.

“Probably.”

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