The Ascension

Lapis Lazuli

 The Aeian countryside was very green. Having to stare at it for a solid hour while she walked had brought this conclusion to Aster. Aeis had some good countrysides. Fairly flat, with maybe a risk of flooding but certainly some very green plants.

Despite the addition of a god to her travel party, Aster was bored. Even when the city- unnamed at this point, as the procession taking her there was utterly silent- came into view, she was unimpressed. It looked boring. Grey walls of square stone. A large triple-spired building in the center that was likely a religious altar. It wasn't a particularly inspired place.

"City Eight." Eii said as the procession checked in at the gates. "I will lead you from here." She then looked around at the soldiers and spoke up. "I am leading them from here."

There didn't seem to be a problem. As soon as they entered the gates into the grey city streets, Eii lead them away.

"Was there ever a point where you gained authority over them?" Wren asked when they had left their group behind. "Because I feel like I missed something. Why did they let you take away their prisoners so easily?"

"They're just soldiers." Eii said. "Coming in with some suspicious persons, sure, but otherwise here to rest briefly on their voyage or whatever. I didn't bother to check up on all of their life stories."

"But you barely spoke to them." Senya said.

"I told them I was going to take you, and then I fulfilled that promise. I'm quite trustworthy in that aspect."

"So... We're free? Good to go?" Aster said.

"Our boat isn't." Senya whined. The thing had been tied to the warship and left in the harbor.

"You're not free from we!" Eii cheered. "Ah, see, if I had used singulars that wouldn't have rhymed as well, would it?"

"You would have used me."

"Yes, but really listen harshly to that sound. It's not as pleasant as we. But I am digressing. I have business for you."

"Like... work? A job? What do you mean?" Aster was having a hard time paying attention as Eii took them from side street to side street in a pace that almost encouraged a jog. She knew she ought to bring up what Ikina had told her to ask, to discuss reversing her godliness. But it didn't seem to come up naturally.

"Business as in a seminar as in I'm going to drag you somewhere and talk excessively."

Senya groaned, and Wren looked at him once and shrugged. "Okay."

Senya groaned again.

Wren nudged him. "Come on, it's not everyday we get hijacked by an alien god. Probably ought to seize the chance and relax about it."

"You just delight in the holy, don't you?" Senya said. "More and more these days I want to just have house and sleep in it. I'm done with the trying to die thing. I'm done with the traveling. I'd like to be done with this god thing as well."

"Oh, you're done with the dying thing? That's good to hear. We were wondering about that earlier, you see." Eii remarked off hand. She had a weird way of walking where she swung on her narrow hips and flung her hands in the air whenever she pivoted to face the group behind her. "Are you still romantically tangled? We were wondering about that too."

"No." Wren said quickly. "We never really... were."

"We were concerned with that."

"...So what exactly are you going to show us?" Aster said. She was not exactly invested in the subject at hand.