Balm of the Gods

13. Alchemical Reactions

The morning sunrise looked like a painting -- only these pinks and golds were real. Just as real as everything Cal saw around him. Even now, walking barefoot around the villa's grounds, he had to remind himself it wasn't a dream. None of it had vanished overnight. Even the dreams he'd shared with his lovers, while fun, didn't compare to a reality like this.

White flagstones paved the winding path through the gardens. He walked it barefoot, in only a thin robe he'd made with a twist of magic and a thought. He could make anything here, and change anything to his liking. All he had to do was want it. There must have been some limit. But he hadn't hit it yet. He'd never felt so powerful, so free. So much like the god he was.

But when Kjelle walked out to meet him, he felt like something simpler, too. A man who loved, and who was loved in return.

"Good morning, Cal," she said, smiling. "I thought I'd find you out here."

"Just exploring." He smiled, too, and took her hand. "It's like I can't get enough of this place. You? Seems like you can't get enough of that bed. Whether it's fucking in it or sleeping in it."

"Guilty as charged." Kjelle laughed, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "It's hard to resist. When I was a courier, I was up early every day. When I came to Earth to track you down across the planet, I rarely got any good sleep between all my troubles. I'm not used to feeling like I can relax. Like I don't have to worry about anything." She shrugged. "I know. Still plenty to worry about. And I'm in the hot seat today."

"Well, you're definitely going to put the 'hot' in it."

Cal's joke lightened the mood. Kjelle didn't object as his eyes roamed up and down her body, either. She wore a robe, too, but a longer, more flowing one, and far more elegant at that. Cal could only assume the closet attached to the bedroom had come out of his godly imagination well-stocked. But if that made a pretty sight...

He already felt his magic dancing, eager to go to work.

"Speaking of which, did we want to go ahead and try out the goddess look?"

"Oh, yes. We do." Mayim's voice behind them made both of them turn. She approached with the others close behind, each draped in a similar robe, wrap, or tunic. Her lips quirked up slyly. "Don't mind me. I'm just deathly curious."

"Then I guess I'd better not disappoint." Cal turned his attention back to Kjelle. "I've got... basic ideas of what to go for. You might have to correct for some details. But I'm happy to improvise first. How's that sound?"

"Perfect," Kjelle replied. "Make me a goddess, Cal."

His hands found her shoulders. His magic flowed. With pulses of golden light and swirling breezes that carried his elixir's scent, he felt the fabric of her robe shift and change. An ostentatious golden dress soon replaced it, with a plunging neckline that showed off a generous expanse of her pert cleavage. Its waist hugged her curves; it left her shoulders bare. A slit in the skirt ran high, showing off her legs. Jewels and bangles appeared on her arms, and a small tiara took shape atop her blonde locks, its golden filaments matching the dress.

But this wasn't all. Cal understood innately that an outfit alone didn't make a goddess. Magic did. So he poured more of his own into Kjelle.

The High Priestess gasped as she felt it sink in, taking effect immediately. Her skin became smoother, clearer. Her eyes glowed more brilliantly. Her hair, already beautiful, became even more lustrous and full. Cal didn't stop there. Drawing on his own godly instincts, he sensed her aura -- the innate magic of a High Cosmos denizen -- and knew he could upgrade that, too. Even that wasn't difficult. Kjelle's new aura shone; the very air around her felt charged with magic. The High Priestess gasped again, her eyes wide and her lips parted in awe.

"Too much?" Cal asked, grinning as he stepped back.

Kjelle looked down at herself. She ran a hand along her dress, then touched her tiara. "No," she breathed. "It's perfect. I feel..." She shook her head, as if in disbelief. "I feel like a goddess." Her smile was dazzling. "Thank you, Cal."

"I'll be the one thanking you soon enough," Cal insisted. "You're gonna knock her dead. Figuratively, I mean."

"Let's hope." Kjelle's smile took on a mischievous edge. "I've got a few ideas of my own. Just to really sell it. Oh, don't worry. Nothing that will endanger the plan. Just a few... embellishments." She glanced over at Mina and Pim. "Would you two want to come with me? I'm thinking I could use some attendants. It would look good."

Pim's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes, please. I can play up the whole 'doting handmaiden' thing."

"You know I'm down," Mina chuckled. "Won't even have to act too differently from my usual self. It'll just be you instead of Cal that I'm drooling over."

"This is going to be good." Cal was already imagining the scene in his head. "I just wish I could watch. Break a leg, you three." When Kjelle raised her eyebrow, he quickly elaborated. "That's an expression here on Earth. Means 'good luck.' I don't get it, either."

"Oh. Well, in that case, I'll break an arm, too, while I'm at it," Kjelle replied with a shrug and a smirk. "For extra luck."

"When the time comes, Cal and I will be on standby," Mayim added. "When she's good and distracted, we'll knock her off her feet."

"Right," said Cal. But as he eyed the agent beside him, it occurred to him that he wasn't even sure how they'd pull that off. Would this be a physical ambush with godly might? Or a more subtle, psychological one, relying on his usual tricks? Would Vythia even be vulnerable to the magic soap's effects? He'd rarely considered the possibility of someone being immune, but Vythia was the alchemist who'd created it in the first place. What if she'd made a contingency in case someone tried to turn it against her?

Mayim's sharp senses didn't miss the tells of his gears turning. "What's the matter?"

"Just wondering how we're actually going to handle this," he said. "Am I going to be able to just walk out, and..."

"Get the bitch on her knees?" finished the agent, wickedly smirking. "I guess it's a fair question. I'd say play it by ear. She might have brought some countermeasure or protection from the elixir, but that doesn't mean she's prepared for you, or for this." Mayim gestured to their surroundings.

"She's about to walk into a god's domain," Kjelle followed up, glad to play expert on the subject. "I may barely know Vythia, but I know the cosmic hierarchy. An alchemist, even one who can work miracles like our elixir, is still nothing to a god. Especially in a realm that said god controls. Remember, Cal. You're not just someone who smells unnaturally good. Not anymore. You're a god, this is your domain, and that gives you power over her that you wouldn't have out in the Lower Realms."

Mayim concurred. "Hell, even before you were making realms, you were already a force to be reckoned with. I thought I had good mental training before I met you. I resisted a siren once, you know."

"Actually, I didn't know," he admitted, looking at her with curiosity. "An actual siren? Those are a thing?"

The Department agent crossed her arms with a smirk. "You're a god in a realm you made yourself, and it's sirens that make you incredulous?" She chuckled. "If you're wondering, they're as tempting as the legends say. But you're on another level. Doesn't matter if you do it by scent instead of song. I thought I was ready to stand up to anything after I'd shaken off a literal siren. Then you walked in, blew past all my defenses like it was nothing... and, well, I fell in love with you for it."

"Not a bad outcome," Cal teased.

"A very good one." Mayim looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd say be prepared for anything. And if things get ugly? Remember what we talked about. I'm your lancer. Use me. I've fought demons and wizards and ghosts... and, as you know now, sirens. One pissed-off alchemist isn't going to take me down easily." The agent's smirk returned. "That said, I could use a weapon."

Cal got the message. So did his magic. "Any preference?"

"Surprise me. I'm handy across the board. Besides, I'm feeling especially flexible here."

Mayim felt a sudden weight in her hand, and she closed her fingers around it. When she raised it, her smirk became an outright grin. "You damn geek. I love it."

Mina knew what she was looking at, too. "Is it wrong if I'm suddenly really hoping you get to use that, Mayim?"

"Don't worry. I'm tempted, too." Mayim's free hand found Cal's and squeezed. "I don't know about you, lover, but I'm ready to kick some alchemist ass."

"Only if it comes to it," he reminded her. "First, we see how she handles our decoy goddess."

"Exactly," Mayim agreed, before sealing it with a quick, thankful peck on his cheek.

"And Cal?" Kjelle's voice brought his gaze back to her. "When this is done? Feel free to play dress-up with me however you like. If your imagination is all it took to make me look ready for the Perelandran Moon Gala... well, I'm curious to see what other looks you've got in mind. I'm sure the others would be glad to play along, too."

"Always wanted to try one of those latex bodysuits," Mina mused, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Just a thought."

"Or a French maid costume," Pim added. "Or a schoolgirl outfit. Or a cheerleader. Ooh, or a sexy nurse!"

"Or a sexy cheerleading nurse in a latex bodysuit." Mayim shrugged. "Hey. Why limit ourselves?"

"Easy." Cal laughed. "You four are going to give me a heart attack. Let's focus on Vythia for now. After that, we can talk about... sexy nurse cheerleaders." But as he brushed past Kjelle, the High Priestess caught him by the arm. Her kiss was as fierce as it was sudden. He tasted her, breathed her scent; like this, she was more intoxicating than ever, almost enough to make him wonder if this was how his lovers felt with him. Her hand found his cock through his robe, squeezing and stroking before he could protest. When Kjelle pulled away, he was left gasping and wanting.

"Don't get me wrong," she said, her voice low, husky, and full of lust. "That's not meant to be a distraction. Just... motivation." She smirked, and then let go of his arm. "I love you, Cal. See you on the other side."

"I love you, too, Kjelle," he managed to reply, before she and the other two slipped away. "And you're right. That was plenty of motivation."

"Good," Mayim replied. "Because I think we'd better get into position. I've got a feeling our guest won't be long."

***

***

Dense brush and forest flanked the country road. Vythia had risen before the sun today, driving through a dark early morning and through the dawn that broke. Her quarry was close; the tracking spell told her as much. And the closer she drew to the elixir, the more her determination rose.

But why here? Why the middle of nowhere? Kjelle had been in that big city until yesterday. Vythia had felt it through the spell as the elixir suddenly started moving northward. Now, in the middle of the woods, miles from the nearest town, the elixir had stopped. It was here. So was the thieving attendant. What did Kjelle have planned, leaving the easy cover and crowds of the city for a place like this, remote and unguarded?

"Bah," the alchemist thought aloud. "If she wants to make this easier for me, I'll count my blessings."

Vythia had been lucky enough to avoid any more run-ins with the Incursions Department so far. Her senses had stayed sharp since the skirmish in Mansfield, always on the watch for their approach. But so far, she'd avoided detection -- or was it that they'd steered clear? She could only guess at their plans and tactics, or the resources at their disposal. But that didn't matter, anyway. She was glad to have them out of the way.

More fights with agents would have just meant more of her single-use cantrips and charms burned through -- and less available for the task ahead. She'd used up enough outside that diner. The handful that remained would have to be enough now, but that didn't worry her. One High Cosmos courier playing goddess, and perhaps a few humans under her spell, would pose little more challenge than those mooks in suits.

And besides -- if Kjelle thought she had a trump card? Vythia had the answer. Carefully applied to her pulse points, flowing in an invisible current around her, the improvised balm she'd brewed back in Snow Lake was alchemically tuned to cancel the golden elixir's effects. That seductive scent she'd worked months to perfect would never reach her nose.

Cosmos Eternal, this would be like taking candy from a baby. Maybe Kjelle would even beg. That would be amusing.

Dirt replaced asphalt beneath Vythia's tires as she wound deeper into the overgrown forest. She turned a corner, following the last commands of the tracking spell -- though now there was a definite energy in the air, almost drowning out that signal. Magic. Strong magic, radiating like a star from somewhere ahead.

Vythia's eyes narrowed. Had Kjelle already made herself a domain? No; that seemed unlikely. That took magic only gods could wield. Even with a godly elixir at her command, Kjelle couldn't have ascended this fast.

But what else could explain the sheer amount of power Vythia could feel?

The alchemist's suspicions seemed all but proven correct when the forest around her melted away. Smooth white marble roads replaced the uneven dirt path. Overgrown trees and brush gave way to manicured gardens and statuary. Ahead, an azure lake glittered in the morning sun. And by the lakeshore rose a palatial villa with red roofs and elegant spires. Courtyards sprawled; fountains sparkled. None of this belonged. Not here.

"Blast it," Vythia muttered. "She's a quick study."

But to what end? What could a mere courier know of a goddess's role? Sure, the display was impressive -- but in the end, nothing more than a novice's trick. The small scale signified a weak grasp on this power, too; Vythia had seen deific realms that could have held a thousand of this one.

"Alright, you ditzy little minx." She pulled her car to the side and shut it off. No time to waste. "Hope you've enjoyed this game of pretend. Your party's about to crash and burn."

Vythia strode forward, robes swirling, vials and cantrips carefully arranged. She presented no outward threat as she closed in on the villa, but her hand stayed close to one hidden pocket nonetheless.

Three figures awaited her at the top of the wide, sweeping marble staircase ahead. One, she recognized, but only barely so. The wayward courier had left all trappings of that station behind. Neither was that twitchy, nervous demeanor anywhere to be seen. Kjelle stood proud and haughty in her golden gown and tiara -- of fucking course she'd wear a tiara. Vythia felt a flare of irritation. Kjelle's irises glowed with new, divine light; her skin shimmered as if bathed in gold dust. She looked every inch the goddess.

Except, of course, that she wasn't.

Vythia harrumphed. She was going to show this little bitch exactly how far down the cosmic ladder she belonged. As for the two women flanking her, dressed in elegant robes -- Vythia barely paid them more than a glance. Their mannerisms told the tale of the elixir's effects. Smitten, seduced, and here to serve their new mistress. Probably from the city, drawn in by the elixir's scent. The first of Kjelle's would-be worshippers. But how many more awaited within this sprawling estate?

"Alchemist." Kjelle spoke in a measured tone, her gaze unwavering from Vythia's approach. "I'm impressed that you came to see me. I'll admit, it would have been wiser to stay away."

Vythia crossed her arms. "Don't speak to me about wisdom, you little thief. Stealing from your betters to make yourself a queen down here in the Lower Realms? Pathetic."

Vythia saw no sign that Kjelle suspected her immunity. No surprise, really. The girl was drunk on her power and her new godhood -- and too stupid to imagine a threat to her perfect plan. The alchemist watched as Kjelle descended the wide stairs, her attendants in tow.

"I entrusted you to deliver my masterwork," Vythia continued, "but it's clear you had other plans. Some reliable courier you make, hm? Opening packages before they're delivered?"

"Oh, I know. I should have been a good dog and done what I was told." Kjelle came to a stop at the base of the steps, only a few paces away. "But I couldn't help it, I suppose. I realized your 'masterwork' would be wasted on that self-absorbed, self-important goddess. When I opened up that bottle and felt its power, just waiting to be claimed, I knew I could be so much more." Kjelle's smile was smug and superior. "And look where I am now. All because of the gift you handed right over to me. This place is all mine. These attendants are mine, too." A gesture from Kjelle, and the women beside her came forward. "Mina? Pimchan? Meet Vythia. The generous alchemist who changed all our lives."

Vythia regarded neither woman. Just the golden-haired would-be goddess between them. "Have you been enjoying all this sick fun? Sweeping up hapless humans and turning them into your personal playthings? How many have you taken?"

Kjelle regarded her coldly. "You'd dare speak that way to a goddess?"

"Smite me if I've offended," Vythia challenged.

But Kjelle just rolled her shoulders. "You wouldn't be worth the effort."

"Honestly, I'm just surprised that a twitchy little fuck-up like you could wield my creation to any effectiveness." Vythia felt bolder now, stepping closer, her posture aggressive. "It was designed for a powerful goddess, not a pathetic little errand girl like you. You're lucky. That's all."

The anger that flared up in those golden eyes was deliciously satisfying to the alchemist. "You'd better watch your tongue."

"Or what?" Vythia pressed. "I'm sure this must take a lot out of you, you nervous little poser. Having to stand here in front of me and try to convince me that you've got the upper hand. I'm not falling for it, Kjelle. Did you think I'd merely stride in, completely vulnerable to the elixir's effects, and fall under your spell like those harlots beside you? You think I'd have no way to ward off the effects of my own creations? You're denser than I gave you credit for."

"You don't realize how much power I have here, do you?" Kjelle's voice rose in threat, but Vythia had already broken through enough of the veneer. There was a tremble in the would-be goddess's voice. "I've... really been getting the hang of how this god-magic works. Do you like my realm? It's the real deal, if you can't tell. You should know what it means to be in the domain of a goddess."

Vythia was unamused. "Is that so? Fine. Since it seems I have to spell it out for you, I'm protected by an alchemical balm that renders the scent of the elixir ineffective. You can't make me kneel, and you certainly can't fool me. You're a pretender. A little girl playing in a sandbox, waiting to have her toy kicked away from her. All while my actual client is waiting for me to deliver the elixir she was promised."

With a flick of her arm, a small, glowing vial slipped out from her sleeve and into her palm. Vythia held it up like the weapon it was. "Here is my final offer. You'll give up the elixir. You'll renounce this domain. You'll release all of the people you've enthralled. Then, perhaps, there'll be some degree of mercy shown to you.

"Or you can tell me no. You can make it hard on yourself. I'll gladly clean this up myself. I won't be gentle. And I'll make sure you suffer every due consequence of your little game, you thieving slut."

Kjelle's hand strayed to her thigh, fingers twitching. The gesture was subtle. Vythia might or might not have noticed. Either way, her bluffing veneer was starting to crack.Focus,she reminded herself.Remember the plan. You weren't going to turn her away with words, anyway. Lure her in. Get her deeper. And then...