Balm of the Gods

Author's Note:

Thanks to all readers for an amazing reception to the last chapter! Glad that such a pivotal piece of the story really seemed to resonate -- I fussed over that one a lot. In a lot of ways, this one was much the same. You probably know what's on the docket here if you follow the storyline.

In addition to that, there's an F/F scene toward the end with some dom/sub roleplay. No idea if I want to keep exploring that aspect in this story -- the usual relationships and power dynamics haven't quite leaned that way so overtly thus far -- but even if it's a one-off, I hope it hits the mark and adds some fun flavor to this installment!

As always, thanks for reading, and hope you're looking forward to the final few chapters of this saga, coming soon!

10. Double Agents

Cal still tingled all over, even after his shower with Kjelle. It wasn't just for the fresh coat of magic balm that his new High Priestess had devotedly applied to his body. There were hotter memories than that, just as fresh.

Like how he'd had Kjelle pressed up against the shower wall, her toned legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck, her lips on his. His cock in her ass.

They'd fucked slow and sensually, enjoying the intimacy and the taboo thrill of this new way of bonding. Never before, for all his undeniable influence, had he asked any partner for anal. He'd long thought the act something that just looked good in porn -- not something you could really just jump into without a lot of careful, deliberate preparation.

With Kjelle, and the magic between them, it had come as easily as anything. The hot, relaxing water and steam might have helped, of course, but the real key was his magic soap -- taking away all resistant friction, adding good slickness where needed. Maybe Kjelle's High Cosmos physiology had something to do with it, too. Despite all exterior similarity, she wasn't quite human -- and literally built for sex at that. And his High Priestess had hinted that acts like this were much more common where she was from.

Regardless, Cal had sunk his cock into Kjelle's rear entrance with ease, and the two of them had enjoyed every second of the experience.

Her ass had felt incredible. Her reactions had made it even better. Cal had never seen a girl come apart quite like Kjelle did as he held her effortlessly aloft and fucked her. The soap's magic made her sensitive, receptive, and hungry for him. Her cries of pleasure had echoed through the bathroom. Her tight rear hole had milked his cock, clenching around him in orgasm after orgasm. Her nails had dug into his back, her teeth had bitten his shoulder, and her angelic voice had moaned his name over and over. Until he'd cum, too. And flooded her tight ass with his potent seed.

Now here they were, toweling each other off in the afterglow. They were both still naked, and Kjelle's body was as beautiful as ever. Cal couldn't stop looking -- and neither could she, it seemed. Her eyes roamed his frame, too. Even now, their fucking long concluded, there was still hunger in her gaze. A hunger that Cal knew he shared, and that the magic soap would feed and satisfy but never quite extinguish.

"So you worked for... a company that... captured moving pictures? Like holo-vids?" They'd been sharing more details about each other's lives since their rutting had concluded, and Cal had just described his old job to Kjelle. He was still trying to figure out the exact terminology to use, and how to explain concepts that were so normal to him but completely alien to her. But it seemed they were managing.

"Before the elixir, yeah. Before any of this." His sweeping gesture implied not just the bathroom, sumptuous as it was, but the greater luxury of Mina's condo beyond. "I was an audio-visual tech... if that term means anything to you. I'm guessing not."

Kjelle's brow furrowed. "Was this a position of some importance?"

Cal laughed. "Oh, anything but. I was a grunt. Up first thing in the morning in a polo shirt, lugging equipment, running long cables, setting up cameras on tripods and stressing about whether the whole operation would go off without a glitch. I don't miss it."

"I guess my job wasn't any more glorious than yours," Kjelle replied, her voice a little wistful. "Being a courier was... important enough, I suppose. But in the grand scheme of things? I guess I was a grunt, too." She sighed. "Not that it matters. Not anymore. I'm here now. I think we're both better off."

Cal nodded. "Yeah. Not going back. Not after all this. Especially with us together now."

Running the towel in his hands over Kjelle's smooth thigh, he let his mind roam. What was next for them? Sure; all concerns about agents, alchemists, and vengeful goddesses aside, they had all day to explore this bond and share the magic soap's power between them. But what was that leading towards?Something big,a tingle of magic reminded him.

"We talked about me being a god," he started. "That's one thing. I don't even think I'm close to done unpacking that. But I'm wondering, too. In your world, there are lots of gods, aren't there?"

Kjelle's expression became pensive. Her hand traced up his arm and onto his shoulder. "Yes. There are thousands of gods and goddesses across the High Cosmos. How many exactly, I'm not sure. I'm not a scholar or a theologian, but the number is staggeringly high."

"And what do gods, uh, do?"

"You mean their duties?" Kjelle asked. "Their responsibilities? Well, that depends on the god. Most have their own interests, purviews, or realms of expertise. Some of them personify aspects of existence or emotional states. They're powerful, but not all equally so. Some have worshippers by the billions. Others just keep to themselves and enjoy the power and freedom that being a deity gives. Some are high and mighty. Some are pure hedonists. Some are wise... and some, honestly, have no idea what they're doing. It's all over the place, really.

"Being a god isn't like holding office in a senate or parliament," she continued. "It's a lot less stressful than that would be, I'd think. They're not essential in the universe, either, like laws of physics or fundamental forces. Just very powerful denizens of the same cosmos we all inhabit. If a god decided to retire or went lax in their duty, the cosmos would continue to turn. It wouldn't be as if some critical aspect of reality was lost forever. Like-minded gods sometimes join pantheons. Maybe you could think of those like... fraternities, or clubs."

Cal almost snorted at the thought of that. "That's how it is? Clubs? What, do they get drunk together on weekends?"

"The more hedonistic ones probably do," Kjelle agreed, smiling. "Pantheons aren't all about that, though. They usually form to work together on some higher cause, or manage a large swath of reality. But it's all voluntary. Gods can fraternize, but in most cases, they don't cohabitate. Usually, each one has their own realm. There are other universes where the gods prefer to rule together. Asgard and Olympus feature in your world's own mythologies, correct?"

Cal felt stunned to hear those names. He'd always had a casual interest in mythology, though never a deep one. He knew the basics of the Greek and Norse pantheons. A bit of Egyptian stuff, too, from one obsessed ex who'd watchedThe Mummytoo many times. But he'd never thought of it all in these terms. He'd certainly never considered it all being real. "You know about that?"

"I remember a little from some Academy courses on realms outside my own. Those pantheons exist, but in other spheres. They're not part of the High Cosmos; a little lower on the hierarchy. They interact with the Lower Realms a lot more than the High Cosmos does."

"Explains why regular folks like me have heard of them, but never anyone like Nymphadottir," Cal mused.

"Exactly. Most of those gods' worshippers live on Lower Realms planets like Earth. But the High Cosmos is a loftier place. Its gods get their worshippers exclusively from within itself. Now that I think about it, that might make you more like an Olympian than a god of the High Cosmos, since you're starting your ascent here, in a Lower Realm, and all your worshippers so far -- me excluded -- are from Earth."

"But my magic is still High Cosmos?" Cal asked, a little uncertainly.

"Of course. Since you're ascending with High Cosmos magic, you'll be far beyond anything the people of this planet have known before. Coming into your full power is probably going to take some time, but in the grand scheme, the only thing that'll limit you is how far you decide to go."

Cal's eyes were wide. "Wow," was all he managed.

"Still never going back?" Kjelle teased him, her fingers tracing down his chest.

His hand slipped across his High Priestess's hip, drawing her a little closer. "I'm just glad you're here to help me figure this all out."

Kjelle sighed, a bit wistful. "I just wish I knew more. A seasoned mage or scholar would be able to help you so much better. Someone like Sariel. A prodigy. She knew the ins and outs of magic and realms and gods better than anyone I've ever met. If she'd just been the one to fall down to you instead of me..."

"Easy," Cal assured her. "You're doing fine. You know enough to teach me plenty. More than I ever would've found out on my own. And what we don't know, we can learn together. Maybe I have no idea what I'm doing, but that's kind of the appeal of the adventure. You don't need to be a scholar or a mage to be my High Priestess. I'm glad you're you, Kjelle."

"And I'm glad you're you." Another long look. Another rush of warmth through Cal's body. "You felt amazing in my ass. I hope you know that."

"Trust me. I do." He grinned. "Thanks for showing me that, too. It was fun."

"Fun." Kjelle's laugh was musical. "That's one way to put it. Mm. When was the last time I had any fun?" Way too long ago, certainly. She thought back. All those Academy years of study and stress. The straining relationship and ugly breakup with Sariel. Then the drudgery of her job; hundreds of courier runs across the Cosmos. The same thing day after day. Always rushed, rarely thanked. Never time for fun.

Until now.

"That settles it. I'm not going back, either." Her lips brushed his. "Not when I can be your High Priestess and be your slut and have all this instead."

"Good," Cal murmured, and he kissed her. They held each other. For a moment, he thought things might escalate past the brink all over again, and they'd end up rutting once more. Neither might have complained about that. But in the end, they both held back, knowing that they had to get moving. They had a day ahead of them, after all. And Mina surely had breakfast ready by now. For how long Cal and Kjelle had spent in the shower, that French toast was probably getting cold.

Cal pulled back, giving Kjelle a little wink. "We should go. Mina's probably waiting on us."

Kjelle just nodded. "French toast. Right. I get to find out what that tastes like." A pause. "It's not spicy, is it? Sorry. Incident with ramen in Chiang Mai."

Cal laughed as the two of them headed out together. "Oh, no. It's sweet. I promise."

Kjelle just grinned. "Mm. Good. Sweet is perfect. I could use more sweet in my life. Glad I've got you and Mina to get it from."

They dressed -- not out of any necessity in their de-facto nudist home. Mina had slipped into the bedroom while they showered and left clothes out for them on the mattress, so it seemed a shame to ignore them. Kjelle found the casual, comfortable top and leggings a refreshing change of pace. They weren't a perfect fit on her body, shorter and more slender than Mina's, but they beat the plain jeans and hoodie she'd swiped from Pim and worn halfway across the world to get here. Cal told her she looked beautiful. A pang of regret welled up for a second that she'd left her golden High Cosmos garb in Chiang Mai: a practical decision then, when travel was ahead of her and she'd have to blend in. But now? She wanted to present to Cal in full, golden splendor.

All that for a man from the Lower Realms.

Kjelle knew her old self would have balked, considering that. This was the last thing a good High Cosmos girl like her should ever have wanted. Her parents, her professors at the Academy, most of her peers -- all saw the Low Ones as inferior. Less developed. Less civilized. Less worthy. Their realm was less, too: darker, dirtier, uglier. The High Cosmos looked down on the Lower Realms because the latter was literally below the former. Crude and crass and primitive -- and without an ounce of worthwhile magic to their name.

Cal broke all those molds. He was handsome and brave and considerate. He was funny and smart and thoughtful. He was an amazing lover and an amazing friend. He had taken her in, given her a place to stay, treated her like a person rather than a servant or a tool -- even as the elixir he'd bonded with was taking him fast along the path to godhood.

All her shame and prejudice felt long gone. She couldn't stop fucking him. She couldn't stop looking at him. It felt like the most natural connection she'd ever made. When people described soulmates -- true, soul-binding love -- was this what they meant? Kjelle supposed most of those 'twin flame' believers didn't have magically-aided and ever-expanding polyamorous situations in mind, but did that really matter? Not to Kjelle.

This was fate. It had to be. A divine path. Like a worthy High Priestess, Kjelle was committed to walking it.

Mina's breakfast was delightful. Kjelle's taste buds rejoiced at the maple syrup, powdered sugar, savory butter, and soft bread -- all amazing. So the Lower Realms could do food right. Another opinion Kjelle would have to reevaluate. But then, since last night, she'd been doing a lot of that. It felt like the perfect cap on the perfect morning.

Only something interrupted it.

Cal's phone rang on the counter where he'd left it. A glance at the screen revealed a name that made him blink, surprised but not unpleasantly so. He'd expected Jody to stay in touch. Just not this soon.

"Who's on your, erm, communication device?" Kjelle sheepishly asked. She was still getting used to the technology of this realm. Cal appreciated her effort without correcting or berating. He held up a finger to indicate that he'd explain in a moment. "Friend of mine," he told her, then answered the call. "Jody? What's up?"

"Hey." Jody's voice was a little shaky on the other end. "Cal. Sorry to drop this on you with, like, no context, but... I, uh, had an interesting visitor a little while ago. Thought you should know. It... might concern you."

Cal blinked. That wasn't what he'd expected the teal-haired punkette he'd fucked last evening to lead off with. Kjelle's warnings about other forces out there -- forces that could be after him -- reared back up in his head. On instinct, he put the phone on speaker and maxed the volume, wanting the others to hear.

"Oh?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level. "Who was it?"

"I'm not really sure. She didn't explain much about her... organization. Just that she's some sort of agent. Like, the full-on X-Files type. No joke. She was definitely looking for you. Kept talking about magic, too." Jody paused, and Cal heard her swallow. "Last night? Us? That was... that was magic, wasn't it? You didn't tell me. Now these agents show up at my door. I'm not pissed. Still no regrets. But... maybe an explanation now would be nice."

"Shit." Cal's stomach churned. "I... okay. I'm sorry, Jody. I should have said something. I just... didn't know how. Or if I should."

He glanced between Mina and Kjelle, both of whom leaned in to listen. After all their discussion of threats, Cal knew they were on the same page. It was only because of that discussion that Cal wasn't panicking right now, though his heart rate still ticked up a little. He wasn't used to this feeling -- of being in danger, or his friends being in danger. Somehow the latter worried him even more. Kjelle's hand came to his shoulder. That eased a little of his tension. He offered her a thankful half-smile.

"But you're right," he continued to Jody. "It was magic. Something... special I have now, that I didn't used to have. Something I got by accident. If you'd rather not keep up this thing we've got going on now --"

"Oh, no way we're not keeping that up. I'm not saying I feel coerced or anything. Fuck, Cal. That was the best sex of my life. I'm not giving that up. I just... wanted us to get on the same page about this. This agent lady pressed, and I told her a little bit about what happened. She said she's not gonna do anything to hurt you, if that's any reassurance. But she's definitely on the trail. I wanted you to be ready in case she comes for you next. I don't want you to be blindsided like I was."

"Thanks for looking out for me, Jody." Cal took a deep breath. "How much did you tell her about me?"

"Just your name. Didn't tell her where to find you. I guess I don't know that, anyway. But something tells me her, or her people, have gotta have ways of finding that out. All this is definitely about magic. And if you're magic, then... yeah, she's coming for you. She was pretty clear on that. God, I just hope I didn't fuck you. In the bad way, that is."

"I'm not mad. You did the right thing. I'm glad you called."

Cal paused, then glanced to Kjelle. The High Priestess nodded, a silent confirmation of what both were thinking. A shady, female agent. Exactly what Kjelle had reported seeing on her dreamwalks. Exactly what one of the threats she'd mentioned amounted to. An agency against magic. Now, it seemed, they were closing in on him.

He also knew the other thing Kjelle would be wondering about.

"This agent," he spoke back into the phone. "Did she have someone with her? A Thai woman, maybe?"

"Oh, shit. She did." Jody sounded genuinely surprised. "Asian girl. Straight black hair. Cute... ah, not relevant, I know. She followed Ms. X-Files in, but didn't say much. Didn't seem much like an agent, either. How did you know?"

"I've got a friend here who knows this woman," Cal replied, looking back to Kjelle. "A friend who cares about her a lot. She actually warned me about agents, but I didn't think we'd see one so soon. Let alone that they'd go to you. We're gonna have to figure out what to do about this."

"Okay. I guess that's your business. Uh, Cal? One more thing. I'm not gonna ask what's going on in your personal life. If you're in some kind of... trouble? I'm not gonna pry. Been there. Believe me. But... if you need help, or backup, or anything, just know that I'm here."

"Thanks, Jody. I really mean that. We might have to talk again soon, but for now, I think we've got it. And... I'm glad you don't have any regrets." He smiled. "I don't, either."

"Fuck, yeah. I'll be thinking about last night for a long time, magic or no. When this blows over? If you're not in, erm, magic jail? We oughtta meet up again and... see where things go."

"That sounds perfect. Talk to you later, Jody. Stay safe."

"You, too."

When Cal hung up, the room fell silent. He looked to Mina first. His girlfriend's expression was one of worry -- not for herself, but for him. He could tell from her eyes. "This is serious," she murmured. "Isn't it? I suppose we talked all this through already, but... wow. I didn't think any of it would come at us this fast."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you. To either of you." Cal's confidence and protective attitude surprised him, even as he spoke. He should have been freaking out. A week ago, he would have. But a week ago, he didn't have god-magic, let alone anything worth protecting with it. Cal the mere human would have run and hid. Cal the rising god had a responsibility to stand and fight. That this agency had already messed with Jody just sealed the deal.