A Real Goddess Would Let Nobody Die

The Sanctum was immaculate, not a mote of dust suspended in the air; the Sun Goddess' radiance would have revealed any contamination if it were present. The floor, walls, and ceiling--were they originally alabaster?--glowed softly with Her Light, fainter than the brilliant liquid sunlight of the Pool in the Dome, but the shared origin was unmistakable. The ghostliness of it, more moonlight than sunlight, enhanced the sense of sanctity. Suri had to remind herself that she wasn't present in-person, so it was okay to breathe.

And that was just the room.

The Incorruptible Altar itself rose in its center, appearing to project from the glowing floor into whatever timeless dimension contained the Goddesses Themselves, as immune to entropy as its name suggested. The White Tunic atop it, shining as if molded from moonlight, was more than immune: Its relationship with entropy was akin to the Sun's relationship with snow.

There were surely many fortresses of Evil in the Universe, vile places which haunted the nightmares of the innocent. This shrine of Good haunted the nightmares of the wicked. They didn't need to have seen it to know what it looked like.

"So, let's start from the beginning," the White Goddess began, approaching Her Holy Regalia while the Violet Goddess approached the Red Tunic to the right. "The tunic has its own true pool and draws from it autonomously, instead of the standard blue magic approach where the user links to a simulated pool. I'll look it over for you."

Under any other circumstances, Suri would have dismissed that statement as a preposterous fable told by a mage who was either incompetent or trying to swindle her, and any purported evidence to the contrary must be a product of hallucination or a well-done fraud.

The present circumstances were that the claim had been made by an infallible Goddess, Whose overflowing Benevolence had transformed mundane clothing into Holy Regalia, and it was Her Own eyes providing the evidence.

So, it was step one, and Suri's mind whimpered.

<How?! Does that not imply that the White Tunic has a will of its own?!>

Suri's awe circuits were burnt out. She couldn't feel it anymore. Or, she had been feeling it for so long, that it had become her default state.

"Something like that," the White Goddess confirmed, Her casualness suggesting that breathing life into the inanimate just happened sometimes.

Suri abruptly realized that She had good reason for feeling that way. This miracle did seem significantly less miraculous than resurrecting a Goddess Who had been dead for 943 years! The Salvation Goddess was unimpressed by this aspect of Her divinity, because by Her standards, it was unimpressive.

Suri's awe circuits sputtered feebly again.

"Remember, each of Us has a fully conscious replica of Our minds in Our mana," the White Goddess explained. "These tunics were saturated in that mana for thousands of years."

Yes, yes, sorry. Suri had briefly forgotten that she was communing with Divine Spirits for Whom occupying physical bodies was optional and in some respects inconvenient. It was only natural that Echoes of Them could supernaturally leak into clothing.

Sigh.

<Don't be too impressed,> the Red Goddess chimed in. <They're not conscious. They just draw on mana, as We did while wearing them for so many years, and try to reproduce Our passive auras, which suffused them.>

Oh, is that all? A burst of maniacal laughter finally broke through Suri's practiced mask.

Actual, literal, zero-exaggeration, Holy Regalia of the Goddess of Life Herself, with an Echo of Her stored inside. And Suri was supposed to copy it?!

Hehe. Hehehe. Hahaha.

"We were their mana sources, while wearing them," the White Goddess continued Her description of their function. "They filled their pools, by drawing from Us."

Suri took a deep breath, and tried to refocus. This was important. She must not waste the Goddesses' time and favor.

"Any mortal entering this exhibit would not be perfectly clean, and so would deplete some of the mana that has leaked out of the tunic over the years, into the room. If a mortal actually put the tunic on, I think it would try to make them as healthy and clean as I am--look what it has done to the surface it is on--and thus, it would deplete itself almost immediately. I would need to resupply it by acting as a mana source for it to draw from. If you were to wear it, you would need to act as its mana source, simulating My mana with your own. And, you would need to do the same for Zyriko's copy."

<I am reasonably confident about the refilling process,> Suri replied. <And, even the spell copying will not be too different from what I've done before, vastly more difficult and intricate but fundamentally the same process. It's the innate will that I am worried about. How am I supposed to copy that?>

The White Goddess put Her right hand on Her chin and folded the other arm underneath, across Her ribs, exactly copying the pose that Suri had first seen the Violet Goddess assume. The Mother-Daughter resemblance was uncanny.

"I see. Well, I am no expert in blue magic on this level, but I can say that you should keep in mind what Izenakee said. Do not ascribe more sentience to the Echo than it really has--there's not enough mana available in the tunic for that. All it does is draw mana and cast, instinctively. Ultimately, it is still an effect stored in a magic item, in mana, which means you can mirror it, or so Izenakee believes. I do not doubt Her judgment."

Suri began trying to digest that information, but was interrupted by the Violet Goddess.

"The one downside of looking so fabulous is how long it takes to get it all off. It's simple to jump clothes on, but..."

Very uncharacteristically, the Violet Goddess trailed off, and Her chin started quivering. Suri suddenly found herself back in the Red Goddess' body.

"Let's give Them a few minutes," She said. "Kennalaria just learned with absolute certainty that, in Menelyn's Own opinion, Her Greatest Miracle is by far Her Daughter. And, that the Sun Goddess would stop shining if She lost Her Daughter. Permanently."

Ah.

"Now, let's continue. It is true that it is impossible for any common blue mage to replicate Our Regalia," the Red Goddess agreed with Suri's skepticism. "Zyriko was exactly correct. Forging a copy of the Radiant Mantle is a feat that only the Blue Goddess could achieve."

But She had brought Suri here anyway?

"I brought you here because I think you are the Blue Goddess."

Oh. What?

"I know everything there is to know about you. Do you think I would offer Our Regalia to just anyone? Your ambition to make your world less appalling consumes your thoughts, dictates your actions, and you suffer for it, constantly. It would be so much easier to drop the deception and actually be the petty despot that everyone expects you to be. You know that We cannot intervene in your lifetime. You would face no reprisals, personally. You could live just as all of your rejected suitors do, a life of exploitation and narcissism and cruelty, really embrace being the 'goddess of goddesses' in carefree opulence, nestling in the fawning of sycophants. Instead, you take enormous personal risks to help those who need help, with no expectation of reward. You aim to bring to justice those who lack compassion, cause harm, destroy livelihoods, spread corruption, and exploit the vulnerable. You seek every opportunity to serve The Creed. Like Zyriko."

Suri scoffed. The Red Goddess had poked a sore spot.

<So, not being actively evil makes me a goddess? That's all it takes? At least Zyriko has managed to do something helpful by contacting You. I am-->

"Suri, you just went over this issue with Menelyn. How do you think I know about your ability? I saw all that time you invested into constructing your impressive arsenal, in careful secrecy. I saw how many of your hours have gone into it. Your focus. Your dedication. Blue mages shouldn't be able to do that, independently. The list of enchanted arms that the Keyic lineage has in its possession should be public knowledge, because their manufacture should require the cooperation of lineages of other colors."

The Red Goddess spoke the rest in a low, conspiratorial tone, with just a hint of amusement. It sent shivers along Suri's spine.

"The pretenders believe that they know exactly how much military threat your family poses. But they have no idea, do they? Why? How is this possible?"

Suri squirmed. It was just--

"Because you are unique! Because you can do things that no one else can do! Zyriko has no idea that he is marrying a one-woman military-industrial complex!"

"Oh?" Zyriko verbally raised an eyebrow from the other sofa.

"And what will you use that power for? For profit? To seek more power? No. For liberation! The only difference between what you are now, and what I am, is time. We are trying to give that to you, right now."

Suri tried to explain. <I--I know...I just...Am I going to walk up to some false god and say 'I can make weapons that I can't use and have negligible combat power, so release your slaves?' Of course not! Would a real goddess need to tell people praying to her that she can't do anything for them except give them weapons and hope they succeed? And, I am only doing what I can do. Praising me for that is like praising me for having blue hair. I never did anything to earn-->

The Black Goddess interrupted with a dramatic sigh. <You are so--I am such a third wheel in here right now, anyway. Izenakee, get Me out. Time for a watch party in Your head. I have a memory that this idiot needs to see. It is the one that Menelyn plagiarized earlier, about continents and islands.>

<Can I watch, too?> Zyriko was excited. <I was wondering about what You were referencing. And thank You all for helping Suri to see how awesome she really is.>

This was the most emotionally overwhelming day of all time.

<Do not worry, young Zyriko. Izena the Orator will permit you to view Her finest rhetorical masterpiece, unmatched in the--> Her humor died abruptly. <Wow, it's nearly ten thousand years old. Yikes...Well, anyway, prepare yourselves to witness My true form, while I cope with an existential crisis.>

Suri could never quite tell how serious the Black Goddess was being.

"Even I barely can. Before We begin, let Me pose a question," the Red Goddess said. "Would a real Goddess tell people that She can't drive away a corrupted storm fly, but She can give them shields and hope they succeed?"

She paused while Suri reconsidered what counted as divine intervention. The White Goddess had literally done that...and the people She had shielded had needed to use enchanted weapons...

"Because of Suri," the Red Goddess resumed, "the Keyics have an impressive arsenal, but they need someone who can spread the word, discreetly, to the non-mages who need and can use them. Someone who can guide those non-mages, and organize them. Now, I am almost certain that I had an excellent Messenger of extraordinary power who is as good at keeping secrets as he is handsome. If only the Keyics had someone like that. Oh well."

She giggled.

"And don't worry, Zyriko. Suri wasn't hiding anything from you. She just has a very bad habit of focussing on her limitations while ignoring her successes."

<She monologued about how pathetic and inadequate she is, right before I asked her to marry me,> Zyriko said with palpable fondness. <I knew what I was signing up for. Honestly, I found it attractive.>

This day had shown not the faintest indication of emotional mercy.

<Now,> the Red Goddess' smile was audible, <let's watch that memory.>

A few minutes later, and Suri was dumbfounded.

<The White Goddess thought She was unworthy?! That-->

Suri had been about to say 'That being born with the ability to perform miracles meant She should not receive credit or praise for them?' It was clear why the Black Goddess had wanted to show Suri this memory.

<How could She not?!> Zyriko was in a daze. <Can you imagine growing up comparing yourself to the Black Goddess?! I have never felt so cool in my entire life, and I was just viewing a memory from Her body! Well, I suppose you grew up comparing yourself to the Red Goddess. It makes sense that you ended up with a similar diffident attitude. I was just happy to have someone to talk to.>

Zyriko sighed.

<But seriously, how is it possible to be so effortlessly cool?> he asked the Black Goddess. <Even the way Your hair flapped in the wind was like a posed painting, at all times! Did You ever not look like You were in a choreographed, scripted scene? It was like the Universe conspired to make You look as magnificent as possible no matter what.>

The Red Goddess began crying silently.

A few moments later, the Black Goddess responded.

<I like you.>

The Red Goddess fell to all fours, tears dripping silently to the ground.

<Suri,> the Black Goddess continued. <Do not forget to forge Zyriko his own copy, and keep it charged. Such eloquent, insightful commentary must be preserved. He shall be Editor-in-Chief of the Brochure, in perpetuity. And, young scholar, the answer is, no, never. I was and am so supernaturally cool that one Goddess is named after Me and the Others have a fetish for My magic. I was born that way. I could not help it. It just happened. I was only ever given one choice: Embrace Who I was, or try to hide it, as if it was something to be ashamed of. Like I owed the world an apology for being born the way I was.>

<Are You alright?> Suri asked the Red Goddess.

"Fine," Her voice cracked. "She's really--Pft." She was wheezing now. "He does it accidentally!"

<So, Suri, stop the 'but I'm not worthy' routine,> the Black Goddess instructed. <Consider yourself objectively, not by the standard of what you wish you were, but from the perspective of those you can help. It is true that you are not like Us. We Ourselves were not always like We are now. Even so, We still achieved miraculous things, things that no one else could achieve, all without expectation of reward. That should sound familiar. A real Goddess saves people who were beyond help for anyone else, and asks nothing in return. She aspires to save everyone, but that doesn't mean She can. Or are We false Goddesses? There are many people on your world that We have been unable to save, and there will be more.>

They were definitely not false Goddesses, and Suri understood Their point, it was just hard to cast away decades of internalized impotence in one conversation.

She drew in a long, deep breath, and exhaled just as slowly.

If she was ever going to achieve her lifelong ambition of actually answering prayers like a real goddess would, this was assuredly the path. Literal Goddesses had offered her this chance, this path to actually being able to help people, meaningfully. Seize it, accept the invitation to serve, accept Their votes of confidence and validate them, or why did she exist? What had everything been for?

Here goes.

<This will be a long and tedious process,> Suri resolved. <My pool is currently filled with the Red Goddess' mana, and I don't think I can cast precisely while this mentally distant from my body, anyway. There is no way that I will remember all of the details perfectly enough to replicate everything all at once, so I will need to leave, do what I can, and return, repeatedly.>

"That won't be necessary," the Red Goddess declared. The approval She was dumping into the link was so strong that Suri's head was spinning. "I will engrave your time with Menelyn into your mind, like Our language. You won't forget a single detail, anytime soon. And, right on time, Menelyn is ready for you."

Suri immediately found herself back in the White Goddess' body, with the Violet Goddess filling her field of view.

"Yeefmph," Suri squeaked. Still in the Red Tunic, Beauty was as dazzling as ever, beyond imagination.

<So,> the Violet Goddess said, not back to Her normal self but not on the verge of tears, either. <You'll be able to do it, right? I can meet you in person?>

The idea of beholding This in person made Suri's skin tingle. Meeting this way, Suri's psyche could rationalize Her as a kind of metaphysical ideal that existed outside reality, in the Goddesses' Realm, where such impossibilities were possible. To see Her on Suri's world, with her own eyes, would break her mind.

Nevertheless, <Yes, I will do it. The Others think I can, and I do not doubt Them. It will be challenging, but not beyond me.>

The White Goddess nodded.

"Then We should have that talk, about the difficult choices it will force you to make, and the practical issues. Can You grab Izenakee, Kennalaria?"