This place looks old, a little overgrown, and with surprisingly large structures smoothly integrated into the forest.
It looks a lot like a palace.

 

"This is strange. The map didn't show anything like a temple in this area. Let me check where we are. Oh! My phone doesn't work." (C)

 

Did she really expect that the place we were lured to would have a working internet connection?
The wisp settles at a great structure in the middle of the complex.
It's an open shrine made of stone, wood, and maybe gold.
Also, a golden shimmer surrounds it.

 

"I guess we should check this out." (C)

"Or run away as fast as possible!" (I)

"For an unbelievably powerful goddess, you're quite the worrywart." (C)

"Don't call me that! And you're lacking any self-preservation instinct!" (I)

"My, my. We're already here, so come on." (C)

"That's as if you're saying: 'We're already at the grand canyon. Let's jump!'" (I)

"Sorry, I'm just too curious." (C)

 

As nothing can convince her otherwise, Chiaki approaches this shrine.
To make sure she stays safe I have to be close by her side and like this need to follow.
And naturally, Kuri follows behind me.
Yet Chiaki might be right in so far that this golden light is different from what I'm used to from demons.
To be precise it feels like the complete opposite of the black miasma.

Almost... Holy!?

 

"Wha-..." (I)

 

In a blink, the shrine's light explodes in a great, bright flash.
I feel how it tugs at me and that some part of mine gets scorched but is immediately replaced.
Also, I notice how black smoke drifts away from me as if it's pulled along with the stream of light.
I don't feel bad but worried look at Kuri.
Yet she seems to be fine.
There is more smoke than usual around her, forming some kind of bubble, and she appears to be slightly strained, but it already lessens.
Nonetheless, whatever this was isn't good for her.

 

"You finally came!" (?)

 

Excuse me?

Confused I look around until a newly forming eye points my attention to the shrine.
There I see a woman.
At least I guess so as she looks rather androgynous so that I got around a fifty percent chance to be right.
Oh, maybe I should also mention that she is almost three meters tall, has ephemeral whitish skin with golden hair, and emits this golden glow in an almost unpleasant intensity around her.

I contemplate her statement.
It seems like again someone wants something from me.
At least, I thought so until I notice that she's focusing on Chiaki, who questioningly points her finger at herself.

 

"M-me?" (C)

"Finally you came to reunite with me!" (?)

 

From her way of speech, I at least find that she has the same overbearing attitude as Chiaki.

 

"Ehm, sorry. Do we know each other?" (C)

"Oh my! Do you still cleanse your memories in each of your reincarnation cycles?" (?)

"I... Think you might've got the wrong person?" (C)

"Ah, no. Only you would be this casual when meeting me. And your aura is unmistakable. Such a fortune that I sensed it and was able to bring you here to my shrine. Still, even if you're only indirectly at fault it hurts that you treat me like this now we finally met after all this time." (?)

 

Chiaki looks extremely confused.

 

"Ehm, would you please be so kind to explain the situation to us?" (I)

 

I should maybe be much more reverent to someone who is obviously some kind of holy being.
But first, in modern times religion isn't as much a part of a family's daily life as it used to be.
And this includes mine which consists mostly of foreigners.
Albeit mum's side is quite traditionalistic, yet we don't have that much contact.
If not for the yearly family meeting.

And the second point is, I went through too much shit to really care anymore about supernatural stuff.
I mean, I have a demon daughter who can drown the city in darkness.
At least she seems to have noticed me.

 

"Huh, a human? How did you pass the barrier? It should prevent any unwelcome access. Hmm, maybe because you could follow in her shadow?" (?)

 

I really would love to know who I'm up to.
Or know anything at all.

 

"Excuse me, but I too really don't understand what is going on here. Or who you are." (C)

"Oh, right! I should introduce myself. Sorry, completely forgot that you wouldn't know. I am Soraja! The golden light which brought prosperity in ancient times!" (Soraja)

"Uh, okay... And who do you think I am?" (C)

"Oh this is hard to answer. You are obviously the person you are now but you are so many more. But who should I refer to? The first? The last? The one who made the decision? All of them?" (So)

 

Okay, I'm as well confused now.

 

"S-starting in some way would be right." (C)

"So when you were queen of Yamato? You shined so brightly at that time!" (So)

"Me? A-a queen?" (C)

"You were extraordinary in every way! Talking to spirits and gods as their equal. Not afraid of anything. Always ready to make the decisions you've seen fit! Truly a magnificent existence." (So)

"So you are..." (C)

"Tsk, tsk. Obviously a god. I helped your land to prosper as if it was the natural state of things. And in return was reverberated as it was appropriate. Truly a wonderful time. That is until it ended, as all things do." (So)

"Wait! You're saying she was a queen? And you're a god? But you're talking so proud of her. How does this add up? Aren't gods like much higher in rank? Why do you care?" (I)

"Sigh, the things truly aren't anymore how they used to be. In the old days, someone like you would have never talked to me like that. I can't even detect any kind of lifeforce from you small girl." (So)

"Iori is my friend! Whoever you are I won't allow you to treat her like this!" (C)

"Mhm, that's the way I know you. I hope your judgment is as good as it used to be. In the past you were always surrounded by the exceptional and... What's that!!?" (So)

 

Kuri didn't like the light and kept her distance but finally went closer.
It seems this god/goddess/whatever just noticed her.

 

"How could a demon enter my domain!?" (So)

 

She raises her hand in Kuri's direction and gathers golden light in it.
Chiaki as well as I manage to jump in front of my demon daughter.
I still switch places with Chiaki when I notice she's in front of me.

 

"What are you doing there?!" (C)

"Getting rid of a fiend, what else? Simply the way it pests her surroundings is an offense to creation itself." (So)

"Kuri is our best girl! I won't allow that you harm her!" (C)

"I support her on that matter!" (I)

"Best girl? Is this a joke? Do you have any idea how many people it must have drained to accumulate this much miasma?" (So)

"Kuri doesn't eat people! You didn't, right?" (I)

"No, mum." (K)

"See? Just ghosts and other demons. And we're really working on this." (I)

 

She raises a brow.

 

"Mum?" (So)

 

Really?
Now I even get questioned by gods about this?

 

"It's a complicated story." (I)

 

She turns to Chiaki.

 

"Uh, you always had a habit for the extraordinary. I'd just wish in this matter you would show better judgment." (So)

"I'm sorry, but I don't know you. Iori on the other side is my best friend since forever! I know I can rely on her and I won't allow anyone to badmouth her!" (C)

 

Thank you for this support, but on the other side, I would have liked to get out of this situation without making a scene.

 

"You're still the same. The usual intense willpower." (So)

"It's honestly a little confusing how you're acting as if you'd know me." (C)

"Is it so difficult? It should be quite simple to understand." (So)

"To let me get this straight. You're saying you know Chiaki from a past life where she was some kind of holy queen." (I)

"Past life? Are we really going to believe this?" (C)

"I was already told that reincarnations are the normal way things go. How did Zi-... Ahem, my friend say: A memory cleansing vacancy so that humans won't all go crazy after too much time." (I)

"Zi? Oh you mean Zi-umph!" (C)

 

I could just in time manage to cover her mouth.

 

"She hates it if others use her name. And this in front of us is a god! Do you really want to have an angry demon summoned here?" (I)

"Another demon?! How many are there? What did you just do in this life?! If I'd have known this I should have acted much sooner. No matter what kind of promise you took from me! This is unacceptable!" (So)

 

Her finger starts to glow and she closes alarmingly determined in on Chiaki.

 

"Hey, what that's gonna be?" (C)

"I will make you remember! If you would still know who you are you wouldn't let these degenerates corrupt you!" (So)

 

Excuse me!?

Wait, no time to be exasperated.
That finger comes alarmingly close to her face.

 

"Hey, hey, hey! I don't think that I want that! Hey no! Don't!!!" (C)

 

"Smack"

 

Just in time, I managed to impede her assault.

 

"She said: No!" (I)

"You're quite bold for your status. This can only be considered a sacrilege." (So)

"I don't care how great, important, or powerful you are, but you won't touch my friend and do who-knows-what to her without her consent!" (I)

"This might sound admirable if you wouldn't just want to corrupt and defile her." (So)

"Defile? Seriously?" (I)

 

If anything, people say Chiaki is a bad influence on me.

 

"You don't emanate the slightest bit of lifeforce and then this relation you have to this thing behind you! This is proof enough that you're a demon! I just don't know if you're absurdly weak or twisted enough to hide it." (So)

"You're wrong. Iori is no demon!" (C)

"Then please explain how else she could be in a relationship with that monster. It called her mother!" (So)

"That's enough! You're going to stop insulting Kuri!" (I)

 

While it is quite hard to apply common standards for reading the features of an ethereal being, right now I am sure I perceive slight surprise, disdain, and anger.

 

"Your eyes went black! How is she not a demon!? Can't you see this wicked creature is tricking you? She isn't human!" (So)

"Iori might not be human. But she's also no demon." (C)

"What else could she be?" (So)

 

An expectant gaze in my direction that demands me to clarify it.

 

"Do I really have to use that word? I don't want to apply that title to me." (I)

"Well, otherwise you're staying as a demon on her list. Is that so much better?" (C)

"Both is terrible! And I am rather sure the other option has a worse reputation." (I)

"God, you're such a baby." (C)

"That's still better than the other thing." (I)

"Excuse me, it seems I were forgotten." (So)

 

Oh, yes.
Maybe we shouldn't ignore the goddess next to us.
Again there's a gathering of light in her hand.
Which she just has to point at me.

 

"Kuri! Don't come close! It's fine if I get hit!" (I)

 

At least I think so.
It's not like I'm the self-sacrificing kind of person but what I know until now about my body tells me that there's no kind of injury that could be lethal to me.
I simply regrow everything.
I have no idea if I could recover if I'm reduced to nothing but my instinct right now doesn't seem to imply that whatever might hit me here would be anything else but annoying.
Yet the issue is that just like with the demons in the nightmare realm my body might react if she shoots this at me.

 

"I'm sorry, but I really don't intend to trick Chiaki in any way. You need to stop that or something terrible is about to happen!" (I)

"As if I would trust the words of a demon!" (So)

 

More light is gathering, ready to explode any moment.
Suddenly Chiaki, this idiot, jumps in front of me instead of gaining as much distance as possible from us.

 

"Stop this!!! Iori is my friend!" (C)

"This demon is deceiving you! You can't trust creatures which always have just their own benefit in mind. I have to get rid of it!" (So)

"This doesn't make any sense! Iori is no demon! And what she is would have no reason to trick me!" (C)

"And what is she?" (So)

"Fine! You've got me! If I tell you will you take that glower hand down?" (I)

"Speak, and I will decide! No lies! I can see through those!" (So)

"Okay! Ready? I am a goddamned outer god!" (I)

 

While saying this I take my obscuring talisman and throw it down.
The effect is apparently instantaneous.
While I can't see it myself I notice some kind of "whoosh" everywhere around me which can just be my aura.

 

"Now please, no assaults. Because I can't control my automatic self-defense measures yet. These critters can be really vile." (I)

 

Dumbfounded might be the right word to describe our dear goddess now.
At least her glowing hand lost its aim on me.

 

"M-my shrine. It's defiled!" (So)

"Ehm, I'm sorry. This wasn't planned." (I)

"What kind of joke is this?" (So)

"Huh?" (I/C)

"Are you seriously believing I would take this? You might certainly be a powerful demon and your aura is very odd but the mere idea that you are an outer god is ridiculous. There might be different kinds but they all have in common that they're pure entropy. If truly an outer god would walk on this world then the sky would crack, the earth erupt, and oceans turn into blood. Simply looking at them inspires madness. And while I am glad to say that I know none of them personally I have enough track of the existing aspects to say: You're none of them." (So)

"I am new and simply have great self-control." (I)

"Didn't you just say you don't?" (C)

"On whose side are you, Chiaki? I'm simply troubled to tell my body that it's fine to get destroyed. It happened once and was certainly no pleasant sight. For the rest, I believe I show great restraint." (I)

"What are you?!" (So)

"Seriously, I don't like this outer god thing and especially don't want to pose as such one. But if it helps. Is there anything I can do to convince you? Aside from causing this mentioned apocalypse scenario naturally." (I)

"There is. Give me your hand. " (So)

"You don't mean cut it off, right? I wouldn't want this." (I)

 

This might not hurt but is gross and very disturbing.
The mere idea gives me the creeps.

 

"No. A simple handshake and you open up and let me read you out. In this case, I will know all your schemes." (So)

"Did you think this through? Just assuming that I am an outer god, do you really don't want to stir up what is inside me? Or watch at the wrong things?" (I)

"Afraid I might expose you?" (So)

"No. Just about what might come from this. Here! But please be careful and do whatever you can to shield yourself." (I)

 

She extends her still glowing hand and grabs mine forcefully.
The next moment I feel the strange sensation of light entering me.
It's a burning feeling but at the same time too insignificant to really matter.
The goddess on the other hand.

 

"Aahhhhrgh!" (So)

 

I feel how the light inside me gets sucked in and at the same time squeezed together as illogical that sounds.
Also, tentacles start to grow out of my palm, all the way up the goddess' arm.
I become rather sure that that's not how it's supposed to be and focus all my will on cutting the connection and ripping my arm away without ripping hers as well.

 

• Stop that!
   
• No, not eating!
   
• I don't want to absorb her!

 

It takes some internal effort to convince my inside but I can manage to do so.
I check myself and aside from the fact that my hand transformed into my black demon claw, till up my arm, everything looks fine.

 

"Woah, what's with your arm?" (C)

"Oh, right. You haven't seen my real form yet. I all the time shapeshift to look how I used to. Uhh, this is how my arm looks without the blends." (I)

 

I was rather convinced that it wouldn't help Chiaki's fear of demons to pose in that form in front of her.
On the other side, maybe this would have been a more effective way to prove my identity.

 

"Really?! Show the rest! I wanna see!" (C)

 

But maybe I was wrong.

 

"This is certainly the wrong moment. Look at her!" (I)

 

The goddess is still holding her arm.
It looks mostly fine.
Maybe a tiny bit sore.
What is hard to detect as she is all this blue, grey, golden color tone.
Yet the glow around there looks... problematic.
A little bit like an emergency light.

 

"What, what did you do? What was that? What are you?" (So)

"Do we have to go through that again? The sole point of this was confirming my identity, right?" (I)

 

For a moment, I see pure dread flare-up in her face.
Which is quickly suppressed.
I get the feeling that she had a different intention other than just checking what I am.
Good that my body is exorcismproof

 

"R-right. But... What are you doing here?" (So)

"The normal answer would be that Chiaki asked me to accompany her for training. But the answer you're looking for is probably regarding why I'm in this world. And while I don't see that I have to tell you or think you'd even believe me... Sigh, I'm a human. Or rather was. This all happened rather accidentally to me and now I have to deal with it. I have a life here and no intention to seclude myself somewhere else. That's all!" (I)

 

Well, now we got her expression so far as to being flabbergasted.

 

"You... can't expect me to believe this!" (So)

"Listen! I don't care if you do. You're a stranger to me. So no one can expect that I speak with you about my personal circumstances. The only thing that is important for me is that you don't shoot whatever you prepared a moment ago on me. Not because it would hurt me, but because I believe this is for sure some kind of misunderstanding and it wouldn't be good to turn this place into ground zero of my involuntary and very disproportionate counterreaction. So believe what you want but don't shoot at me!" (I)

 

I think I'm not expecting too much.
I turn around to check on Kuri, who is still behind me.

 

"Are you okay, Kuri?" (I)

"Yes, mum. Before it felt a little bad here. But now I can feel you everywhere around me. This feels nice, like home." (K)

 

Uh, I really should stop desecrating shrines.
It's a bad habit.

At least this goddess doesn't seem to want to fight anymore.
I meanwhile fetch my talisman back to at least stop being the overwhelming presence that warrants attention even if I don't want it.
The situation in general seems to be under control now.

 

"Could you now please tell me why you lured me here? Who are you and why do you claim we know us?" (C)

"Didn't she already tell you that she's a goddess and you knew each other in a past life?" (I)

"And that shall tell me anything? I'm confused, seriously! Who shall this person have been?" (C)

"If I could just restore your memories. It would change so much." (So)

"That glowing finger thing? Oh no! Not before I know what that's even implying. Can't we just talk about it? Tell me about this person you think I am." (C)

"If you want. I guess this isn't affecting my promise. So talking. If your... escort isn't against this." (So)

"Sure. But don't pull anything funny like suddenly using this glowfinger, or teleporting away with her." (I)

"Such a behavior. This wouldn't be fitting for such an esteemed being as me." (So)

"If you say so." (C)