Chapter 81: Clarity
Alaric
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Chapter 81: Clarity
"Thank you for saying you're sorry, but hundreds of lives were saved. So far as I'm concerned, we did everything in our power to set the situation right." The woman in your arms melts a little into your hold, which you redouble. You murmur, "I can't help but wonder..."
It's abundantly clear how much this all means to you, but both of you only have one thing on your mind.
Agriculture leans up to you. "How did I know you were going to ask?"
You can't help but smile, and nibble a little at the side of Her neck and ear. "...remind me of what other ways you can work through me."
A smile as bright as your own lights up the underground church, while a finger is placed to your lips. "You haven't forgotten already?"
"Don't tease me." A single kiss is risked. She tastes like strawberries. "I want to hear this from you."
Worming out from your hug, Agriculture manages to take your hands into what you can only presume to be a dancing position. "You know this motion." She's trying incredibly hard not to laugh, twirls, and encourages you to dip Her.
As the Goddess leans closer to the polished foundations underfoot, a single hand is extended with a flourish. She coaxes the nearest branches to burst into new sections of plant life, which all blossom instantly.
"You know growth better than anything. Don't think too much about it. Use what I've already given you."
You're leaning pretty close to the floor and can easily support Agriculture. Shifting to holding Her with only one hand, you reach out towards the same collection of flowering bushes. Your eyes close.
Agriculture is grinning, practically stretching out into Her pose. "Eyes open! You'll need to see where you're going, right? Who knows what danger is afoot!"
"Right."
Eyes open. It's clear that the Goddess in your arms is forcing you into an unusual position to intentionally strain your comfort zones, so you swiftly bring Her upright, and close your open hand in the same motion. With the lift of your hand, a swell of enthusiasm, and a skip of your heart, several dozen strawberries come to fruition on the bushes dead-ahead.
The growth is outside of the plant's normal life cycle. They should flower after the harvest.
Agriculture couldn't look more thrilled, and takes both of your hands into Her own. She dances a little, with a sway in Her hips that could kill. "You can manipulate life and growth without even invoking me. I know you have your limits, Richard. This doesn't push you anywhere near as much as I do, right?"
Whatever melody She's moving to is one you'd like to follow, too. "Compared to the way you work through me? I hardly felt a thing." You can't help but slide a hand along a few curves. "Keep going."
You both part with a few delighted motions, while Agriculture sweeps a handful of fruit into one hand, and closes Her fist around the bunch. A sickly, deep green liquid drips from Her palm for just a moment before She slinks back into your arms, and leads one of the seemingly innocuous items to your lips.
"Do you know what this is?" She's hesitating.
"You're going to poison me?" You're not afraid, just curious.
"Never." Clarity is definitely needed. "Your resistance to toxins will keep you safe, so long as you trust in me."
You eat the piece whole. It tastes like a normal strawberry. There's no odd taste, texture, or smell, but you're certain beyond any doubt that the item is packed with arsenic. What's more, you're not only immediately aware of what toxin is running down your throat. You're given a glimpse of the bushes on the surface of the earth. The years that each and every leaf has spent baking under Mercy's rays, tended to by devotees of Her church. They're bursting with love, and life, and you are gently kissed on the cheek to bring you back to the present.
"Well? What did you taste?"
"The origin of this strawberry's life. Its location, its properties, and what you changed about it. The toxin is something without any taste, smell, or odor. It's the poison of kings. I've read of it before, during my first stay in the Church of Agriculture." You fire a wary look towards the bush, and to your Goddess. "I should be dying, but I know I can resist even a poison this deadly."
"You possess the ability to recognize and control poison and life at will, Richard. The trick isn't just imbibing it. Don't let your guard down for a minute! Your enemies may find ways to track down you and your allies, but if you can keep your wits about you, you have nothing to fear." A cheeky smile is given towards the rest of the cathedral, and winding corridors that lead off into the distance. "Are you feeling alright? I'd like to show you more."
You're reminded of how it feels to drink a beer without a buzz. The taste of what you've eaten is still on your tongue, but there's no onset of confusion, headaches, or any other hallmark of the poison that you're certain should be there.
"I'm just fine."
"I mean it, about not lowering your defenses. That will stay in your system for quite a long time, and you don't want to go feeling it."
"I understand."
"Now, come here..."
She dances with you, talking all the way down the candle-lit corridor.
"While you're invoking me, you too possess the ability to manifest poison. You've done so before, and seen how it's worked. Remember our poison ivy, and the variety of Asphydel you made?"
"How could I forget?"
"What you did with the contact poison was lovely, by the way."
"Thank you."
"So. Your resistance to poison is God-like—" You probably make a face, but don't interrupt. "—oh, don't look so surprised! I gave you a part of me. What else am I supposed to call it? But that's not all." She's grinning from ear-to-ear, and incorporates a few playful pokes at your belly into Her motions. "Your sensitivity to toxins is greater than ever— including what you yourself produce. And I'm not just talking about what you can eat."
A few fleeting thoughts you've had about your influence (for better or worse) on your friends and family flits through your thoughts.
"Don't look so upset, Richard. It's a good thing. We can only improve on what we're aware of, right?" Agriculture spins right into your arms, and kisses you on the cheek. Her voice drops to a whisper. "On a lighter note— this isn't something anyone working down here needs to hear— but I don't need to tell you twice about your increased fertility." Your blush isn't going anywhere. She seems to love it. "There's more to virility than that, too! It's why your health has improved so significantly, and has a bit to do with the hair. Your energy, your vigor. And I'm sure you've noticed your voice is much richer, too."
There's no need to feel self-conscious about it. You have been far more confident as of late, and more assertive, too. "I have. And all of this is from invoking you...?"
"Well. Not necessarily. That's mostly from the green dahlia. You hardly use most of my domains when you invoke! You'll see more these effects over time, if you rely more on them. And if you're so worried about your weight— which is ridiculous, by the way— you really should. That was the whole point of trying all of this to begin with, right?" She winks at you.
"N-not necessarily—"
"Come here."
You're led by the hand to a more crowded section of the church's construction. At least four nearby working men and women stop what they're doing, drop their tools, and freeze in place. One woman actually drops to her knees, and starts muttering a prayer.
Agriculture continues dancing slightly, and speaks to you alone. "Generosity is a tenet of mine that you're well aware of."
"Kindness," you murmur, giving an apologetic look to everyone present. "Altruism. Selflessness..."
"You want to give something a try? This is really just to make my point, but I think it'll be well worth it."
You nod. While you both are still holding hands, Agriculture brings you to the ground, and encourages you to hold onto Her tightly.
"Then let's give a little."
Agriculture digs a free hand deeply into the soil, and looks to the church ahead. Every pile of grout, stained glass, and unlaid brick melds into the floor.
Bricks pile high, filling in with grout around each and every weakness in the church's foundations. Stained glass manifests in its intended location. The effort nearly takes you out of consciousness.
As you waver and start to lean forward, the Goddess responsible keeps you upright. Every single onlooker is staring at you both with some blend of terror, awe, and gratitude. Agriculture leans in towards you, paying them all no mind for one more moment.
"Generosity is not easy. But you know kindness and selflessness more than any other, Richard. Some people might say we could learn when to stop giving— but I think you'd agree that it's well worth the while."
Her eagerness to demonstrate your combined ability is almost too exciting. There's an itch in the back of your mind to build the entire Church of Agriculture here and now, but you're grounded enough to repress the urge. Calling out to some of the more terrified people present is more prudent.
"Agriculture wished to share Her wisdom with us all, through this unparalleled display of generosity. Please don't be alarmed. We'll leave you all to your work— and thank you so much for all that you're doing."
You're whisked back to your feet by the Goddess of Benevolence. "I'd do a whole lot more if it wouldn't run you into an early grave. Are you alright?"
It's less that there's an ache in your soul, and more that you're now starving on multiple levels. Hunger is on you to see to the needy, the destitute, and the weary.
You're included in that list, and look around for a quieter place to retreat to. You can barely focus on your surroundings. It's clear to you that simply being around other people during this demonstration is making it harder to think straight.
"I will be," you reply.
"Alright. Come on, then." Agriculture's dance slows. She can't help but call out to everyone before you both dip into another winding corridor.
"Our strength comes from each other. Remember: to give is to serve."
The sound of construction workers picks up behind you, accompanied by excited voices. You're led down darker and narrower passages, far below Daybreak Citadel's outskirts, while being urged to continue eating and drinking.
The gnawing feeling at the back of your mind creeps to the forefront. You fully realize the significance of imbibing something to your Goddess. Your connection to Agriculture's domains of the earth, harvest, life, and growth are not just heightened. You're literally making part of Her a part of you.
In this case, it's a reflection of Her generosity, too.
As the two of you slow your steps, it dawns on you that you (once again) have spaced out while partaking of your Goddess' gifts.
"Agriculture? I take it that you're still trying to teach me something...?"
"Yep." She comes to a stop, though continues peeling orange wedges apart. "So you might have your tendencies to work yourself hard exacerbated by Harvest..."
"The labor in hand. I— I see." You're a workaholic at the best of times. This also explains a lot. "The scythe that I wield...?"
"Quite literally, in your case. You know you can weaponize me." She's giving you a particularly feisty grin, that you absolutely love the look of. "And with your sensitivity to all of Life heightened..."
She's unable to stop Herself from guiding what's in Her hands to your lips. Or maybe She's still trying to make a point.
"Mhm." The glutton in you is not complaining. Everything She touches tastes exactly as good as She does.
"I know what you're thinking, but this is about more than your love of me. It's also your understanding of the Earth that you're feeling. We transcended it, Richard. You, and Mercy, and I."
Both of you thoughtfully nibble at the last of the orange at hand. Agriculture makes a show of encouraging you to lick one of Her fingers the moment you're done. "I don't think any of us know precisely what it's meant, but it's worth considering what we've been capable of. The bond that we share has been unlike any other."
While you're lingering on Her hands, She mentions, "We've both been worried about Mercy. It's not normal to have those hang-ups about invocation. I'll gladly still see to all my clergy, even now— but with you? I want to do more than teach you."
You're swept into Her arms, and pulled incredibly close. "You've done things for me that no one else ever could." Agriculture's voice drops to a whisper. "I want to return the favor."
The air grows cold.
"Death is far harder to deal with than any other domain that I possess. You may be struggling to spare your enemies. You've been preoccupied with the deceased. But I know that you've cared for me in every way, Richard. You wouldn't let Flesh or Vengeance come between us, and the challenges you've faced have never stopped you from doing the right thing. That's why your grief and all of the love you hold is a treasure beyond compare. It speaks volumes about the kind of person that you are. You don't simply fixate on the morbid and macabre."
She lingers just a breath away from your lips.
"You look to the darker side of life with the same open mind, and the same open heart that you show to all things."
She kisses you with enough passion to rival the sun.
The world doesn't give out from under you. You aren't imbued with some new power or ability.
You take Agriculture by Her waist, and intertwine your fingers with Her long, flowing hair, to pull a Goddess in as close as you can. The two of you stay with the heat of each other's bodies, impassioned whispers, and a deep desire to never part for many long minutes after.
When you breathlessly break away, Agriculture runs a hand through Her hair, and beams at you. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't ever want to catch you letting anyone give you a hard time for using your mouth."
You can't help but laugh, still fighting to catch your breath. "Good to know."
"Do you think you understand me a little better?" She's only teasing, twirling a little curl of hair around one finger, looking up to you lovingly.
"There is a lot—" Making a show of grabbing at every curve it mandatory. "—to understand, but I believe I have this much covered—"
"Richard." She's laughing. "We're in a church. How scandalous."
You smooch Her once more. "Our church."
The green throughout Agriculture's eyes softens. She's looking only at you, and seems to be at a loss for words.
"Is something wrong?"
"No." A broad, sincere smile shines at you. "I'm so happy just to see you."
Both of you spend a moment with the forest in each other's eyes.
"I'll miss you." She's completely unwilling to let you go.
You can't help but kiss Her repeatedly, and grin through each motion. "I'll be thinking of you each and every day."
"I know you can't get enough of me." She's laughing too. With both of you smiling, your teeth and laughter makes each kiss terrible. It's still one of the loveliest things you've felt in a long time. "Take care, alright? I don't mind if you can't travel safe. You know you can call on me for anything."
"I will. Thank you so much again, for everything."
"You're welcome. I love you."
"I love you, too."
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