Darkness in Heaven (Part 3: Divane Intervention)

Stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke...

"...stroke, strutiap!" I exclaimed suddenly. The mantra in my head that had been playing suddenly stopping and causing me to stumble my words. My eyes shot open and I was quickly greeted to brain functions again. "Huh? Where are my breasts?"

The woman kneeling next to me sighed, "...why was that your first question?"

I blinked my eyes open and looked over to, "ERIS!" I exclaimed, feeling the need to prostate myself suddenly. Eris the Goddess of Luck was kneeling there next to me in all her glory, and though I'd seen Chris so many times... it felt so strange seeing my literal deity here.

"Hi D," she smiled reassuringly.

After a brief relieved smile back, the memories of what happened and where I was began to flood back to me. Images of a holy woman looking down on me, controlling Kazuma, and a sense of immense dread. "E-Eris! What happened to me? Where's Kazuma!?"

My hands went to reach her arms... but didn't reach her.

Things started to feel very strange. I realised why my arms didn't reach her, and why my chest had felt so light when I bolted awake.... because everything about my body was different. I rapidly began patting myself down, feeling new curves and senses all the way down. My outfit had completely changed, instead of a overly busty woman in a too-tight dress, I was now firm bodied and in a thief outfit! "I-I'm... Chris?!"

"Calm down D, don't fight it. Breathe so the body and soul can link," Eris warned, placing her hand on her/my knee while I was freaking out a bit, "Because you came up here not dead, I was able to sneak your soul out of your body while Divane wasn't looking." Eris sighed, looking rather upset about the whole thing, "But you would have been found out too quickly without a disguise. And this was the only one I had to hand..."

As I followed her instructions and kept breathing, I felt like it was beginning to work. Everything felt a little bit off. Not really that unpleasant, just different. My tongue was a different size, my eyesight was a little better, the parts of my thighs that always rubbed together now didn't touch at all. We slowly rose together, letting me hold her hand as I stood on shaky legs. It was certainly strange being the same height as her for once.

"We're just in one of the unused meeting rooms." Eris explained, I finally looked around to see the familiar universal patterns and twin chairs in the empty hall, "This is where I get changed into my Chris body before going down to Axel..."

It was all a little bit strange, but I didn't have the time for it. I looked to Eris and she gave me a look like she knew my question was coming.

"And Kazuma?"

She sighed, "Just... look."

"Hm~mmm~ Lalalala, doot-doo~" Hummed a cheery goddess. Bouncing around her stage with far more vigour than one her age would usually. She was just in a good mood, finally she'd be worshipped again! Mortals around the realms would be lining up to beg for their chance to prostate themselves at her feet once more! No more sitting here bored while her subordinates did her paperwork. She could just perform for her fans all day and all night! That's what Divane wanted to do when she was getting nominated for this leadership position. More power to play with, not all the shitty responsibility that comes with it.

Speaking of her subordinates, Divane turned at the sound of one fluttering into her room. "Ah! Glenn! Back already? Must have been easy work dealing with all those silly mortals."

The angel with slicked back hair and serious eyes gave an expression rarely seen by the goddess, one of pure nervousness.

"...uh, uhm... -Cough!- n-not r-really, M-ngh!-Ma'am." He struggled to get out. Pulling at his collar to reveal a bruise around his neck.

"My my! What happened to you? Did those sneaky demons get the drop on the unbeatable Glenn?" Divane laughed, mockingly brushing off the pain the angel felt.

"N-no... L-lady Aqua was m-more resistant than w-we thought," He spluttered, rubbing his neck to try and stop the coughing, "A rebellion has also f-formed to stop our advance as well..."

Divane considered the angels words, then shrugged. Running her hand through her hair to pose with her maximum level of 'cuteness', the shining stars seemingly cascading through her blonde locks as they seemed to float in place, "Oh well, they can't last forever! Just keep sending wave after wave of angels after them and I'm sure the mortals will tire eventually!"

He really wasn't a fan of the plan, but Glenn was slightly stunned at this heavenly goddess posing for him. With a blushing nod, the serious angel agreed, "R-right away, Lady Divane." Then flew away out from where he came.

With a school girl giggle, Divane once more summoned her favourite pet. The cage floating in place in front of her while those inside did what she'd programmed them to do. Currently there was three in there. A boy laid on his back, a dark skinned goddess jumping on top of him robotically, and another girl sat near the feeding tray with her hand on her crotch. "Ah~ There you are! My ticket out of this place! How are you enjoying your latest snugness, hm?" She cooed, reaching into the cage to push the butt of a dark skinned woman up and away from Kazuma's cock. Her massive finger easily moving it to uncover the twitching meat underneath, the angry looking snake seemingly annoyed to be removed from its pussy. "Sorry dearie! Just making sure you're healthy. Clarissa's the Goddess of Humility after all and I'd hate for you to get humble!" She giggled, pushing the blank staring girl back onto Kazuma. "Mommy's gonna be busy for a while, so if you're still hungry then feast on that human snack I left for you. The masochist is stuck on 'masturbate' mode for eternity but her mouth still works if you shove something in there. Ciao!"

And with a click of her fingers the cage was gone.

I'd witnessed the whole thing from Eris' viewing sphere.

"Oh my god..." I mumbled. Kazuma's continued mind ****, my eternal masturbation, the loathsome Divane's attitude. All of it more sickening than the last. Eris sympathetically rubbing my shoulder while I looked on in horror. "They mentioned a rebellion, how's everyone back in Axel?"

The goddess rotated the strange sphere around to show various moving paintings of what was going on down below. I could see Dust fighting with an army of adventurers, Bova crushing an angel with her horns, Vanir blowing up various angels with glee, and more.

"As you can see..." She gestured to one square and it rose up to hover over the rest. Inside showing a very ferocious water goddess, chewing the head of an angel. "Aqua is going to town and attacking angels left and right."

"Wow," I marvelled, very impressed by her moxie, "That's great!"

Eris very subtly cringed, "...not... really. She's creating a lot of holy water with her create water spell, and it's running into town..." said Eris, motioning the path of the water as it caused a small river. "Not only is the water poisonous to demons, making the streets unsafe for them to stand in." The screen showed a pair of succubae looking rather in pain at the sheer touch of the water and flying away in a hurry. "But it's also empowering the angels and making them harder to fight for the humans." The screen then showed a duel between several adventurers and a beefed up angel who was standing in the water. Easily fighting multiple humans at once.

"Ah..."

She nodded, "Yeah, though the angels haven't just shown up in Axel. They're searching all around Belzerg for your harem..."

With a mighty swing of his axe, Barret destroyed another winged deity with surprising ease. "These angels fuckers are pretty damn easy to kill." He laughed, nearly feeling like he was actually enjoying himself.

"Mm." Cloud grumbled. The two had been caught together after leaving 7th Heaven, now stuck protecting the bar while hordes of angelic assholes tried to shoot or stab them. It wasn't a tough fight, but Cloud was clearly down about something while he sliced his way through another five angels.

After a pause, Barret looked like he was in thought. He then reached forward to crush the skull of a nearby angel while also pointing at the blonde, "Aw hell! You're still fucking upset you weren't invited to girl's night!"

"Shut it!" Cloud hissed, grabbing an angel by the jaw and flinging him away into a crowd of them. The blush on his face revealing too much, "You weren't invited either!"

I sighed. Things had truly gotten dire. Any moments now, one of my harem could be sent through the pearly gates into the hands of that awful dictator. She'd control their minds and parade them around on her stage as the 'Harem for a Goddess'.

"We had to stop her."

My goddess nodded at my resolve, "Agreed."

I nodded right back at her.

We both stood silent for a second.

"Well?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"You freed me, so you have a plan yeah?"

"...oh. Uh... n-no. I was hoping that you'd have a plan."

I gave her a worried look. I'd thrown everything I got at the Goddess! How was I supposed to beat her with no earrings? "But... why? Why would you save me!?"

She recoiled a little, "D! Of course I'd save you! You're my best friend! What are you talking about?!"

"I'm not a schemer! I'm just a woman with high defence!" I nearly yelled, shocking the girl a little.

"Wha-?! I wasn't going to let her-!

My hands went through my hair, stressing out at the thought. "You should have just left me to masturbate for eternity! That's probably more useful than me being out here!"

"That isn't true! You-"

"Why in God's name wouldn't you save Kazuma?!"

"I told you I could only save you because you didn't die! That's just Kazuma's soul in there!"

"So we agree that Kazuma was the better choice." I surmised, changing gears from yelling to tapping my chin while coming up with a plan, "We'll have to figure out how to switch my soul's with his. Maybe making a distraction. It'll be weird for me, but maybe if Divane is happy with just his soul penis then you two can at least live out your lives down on-"

"Lalatina Dustiness Ford!"

I flinched. She so rarely used my full name, it really felt like when father scolds me, in a bad way. My head turned back to a disappointed goddess, scowling at me.

"You stop that right now! I will not entertain any notions that you are inferior to Kazuma or that his life is worth more than yours!" She said while wagging her finger at me. Without the height difference it certainly felt more intimidating. "I saved you because I think you're smart. I saved you because you're my friend. And I saved you because you always end up saving me and I needed to repay you somehow."

I blinked at her.

"W-when have I ever saved you?"

Eris eyes widened. Recoiling her wagging finger slightly, to nervously look away. "Um, you know..." She mumbled.

Her gaze was unsure and blushing, but I could only tilt my head in confusion. She scrunched her face cutely before grunting in exasperation.

"NNno! Gotta get it out!" She scolded herself before opening her eyes and looking into mine, "Darkness. Without you, I think I would have ended up just as bad as Divane. You're hard work and ability to smile at the worst of moments always made me want to be better. I can't tell you how many times I've been working through a difficult prayer or quest, thought of you, and continued on because of it."

She hugged me tightly, my small body gaping like a fish in her arms, with the only noise coming out was an errant, "E-Eris..."

I was so shocked. I... I never knew I had such an impact on her like that. She looked so adamant in her feelings as she threw them at me. I knew we were friends, but... wow.

"I'm sorry I never told you before... I'm just a coward at heart really." Eris whispered, earning a tight returning hug from me. "I can't even stand up to my boss when she's this bad... I want to, but..."

"It's okay." I told her. "I couldn't stand up to her either... not alone at least."

Eris released my Chris body lightly, the two of us firmly gripping each other while keeping looking into each other's eyes.

We both felt a rush of determination at the promise we silently made together to fight Divane as one.

The problem was... I had absolutely no idea how.

How was I supposed to fight a Goddess?

The normality earrings are useless on her. Logic suggests the other relics would be the same level of unhelpful.

I can't beat her in a fight. Even if I manage to steal Kazuma from her, she'd find a way to kill him again and take his soul forever this time. If she can kill him in his sleep then I don't think I can protect him 24/7.

No one else can really join us up here without putting them at incredibly high risk. Hiding me in Chris' body gave us just one chance to do a surprise attack somehow.

We had to take her down more permanently, but I can't think of a way to do it.

...

"I love you, Lalatina."

The passing voice of Kazuma floated through my mind.

"What are you smiling about over there?" Eris asked, "Did you think of a way to beat her?"

"Maybe." I admitted, walking towards the exit door, "It's dumb, risky, and could probably get us killed. You in?"

"Don't insult me by even asking, D!" She smirked, the playful nature I knew and loved shining through her Goddess demeanour as she joined me by the door. "I'm ready for an all out attack!"