Divine Star

"I'm awake!" I bolt upright, disturbing the fox laying atop me, only to immediately regret that and clutch my head, a pelting migraine drawing my attention. "Ah...shit... Kara?"

"Yeah..." Her two front paws hold her own head as she lies on the...'ground'... "Ow..."

I blink hard, before looking around and seeing the vast starscape. We're...asleep? "How did we end up here? Last I remember-"

"Father!" Kara shoots up, squinting from the pain. "We need to get back!"

I sigh. "Easier said than done..." Standing up, I look around again, finding nothing but my stat sheet. "I haven't found a way to **** myself out of here, yet."

"Then you haven't tried!" Kara visibly strains, probably trying to break out and wake up through sheer **** of will.

"Kara, you're not going to make things any better. Forcing yourself is only going to make this even worse for you." I purse my lips, trying to think of some other way out besides actually going to sleep.

"My dad is dying, Dusk!"

"You think-" I slump back into a sitting position, relaxing my voice a bit. "...you think I don't know that?" Is there even a way to get out of here quickly? I briefly look through my experience gains, noting I didn't quite get as much as I'd like from the wolves. Some of that probably went to Kara, though.

I look to the kitsune, who's still trying to 'focus' her way out. With a sigh, I wrap my arm around her. "He's gonna be okay, Kara."

She shivers. "But what if..."

"He's going to be okay. We did what we could..."

"But we could have done more!" Tears start dripping down her snout.

"...probably..." I look away. "He'll get through this. He's a fighter..."

. . .

I blink, squinting from the bright lights surrounding me. Looking around, I can't help but wonder why I'm waking up...back in the machine dungeon. Last time I fell asleep as Kara, I still woke up as Kara... I'm about to get up, only to feel a pressure on my side. Bel?

The undead doesn't stir at my movements, but looking around, I see Demona at the console, consulting the AI running this place. "Demona?"

The gargoyle jolts to look at me. "Dusk, you're awake." She sighs. "How's your friend?"

I purse my lips. "Hurt. I nee to get back soon."

She hits a key on the board. "I was just about wrapped up here. According to the computer, we've got an hour until sunrise, and I'd like to get back to Riverbend for that."

Only an hour left till sunrise? "How long was I out?"

"[D] Computer, how long was Dusk asleep?"

"[D] 5 hours, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds."

Shit! I begin shaking Bel awake as I lift her up, my arm having already been around her. "Then we need to get going. [D] Computer, what's the quickest way out of here?"

"[D] Emergency exit has been opened." I hear a long burst of pressurized air from the back of the room, and the metallic clanking of what's probably a door opening.

"Let's go."

. . .

I lead the pair back north, already dreading what's coming. As soon as we got in the air, I had spotted the faded plume of smoke from something in town. Just how many things can go wrong in one night?

We land next to the beginning and end of the burned bridge, and I let go of Belinda. "Shit..." I wipe my face. Not important. "Bel, find out what you can about this. Demona, go to bed. I need to check up on someone." I jog toward the kitsune's house, not even waiting for a response from either of them.

I burst through the door, immediately finding both of the foxes prone on the floor, Kara and Kaguya atop Miki. I quickly scan them each with God's Eye, sighing in relief. All alive...for now...

I pull the others off, pushing Miki to her side. "Shit, this is bad..." All three of them have a lot of bites and scratches, and even with just the pool here, in the house, it's clear they've lost a lot of blood, too.

I start on Kaguya. He's been worse off for longer, so it only makes sense. Almost immediately after I start healing him, Miki coughs up blood in front of me. Shit. Kara groans behind me. Shit... I can't heal them all at once... I reactivate God's Eye, and watch in real time as Miki's health whittles down, then turn my head and see the same with Kara. Fuck... They're already so low... How can I do this on my own? If I leave to go get Cap or Gilford- Kara coughs again, and I wince. Wait...Gilford...Ramel...

I close my eyes. "Ramel, I need your help. Make me your priest, I don't care, but I need more hands!"

The room around me brightens...no, wait, I brighten, my skin glowing bright white. The early morning bird chirping that I only now notice is replaced with silence, and I'm vaguely reminded of the moment Citrinas sped out of Camilla's house. "Do you swear to care for your partners?" A distant feminine voice speaks to me.

I blink. "What?" The glow begins to fade. "Wait, yes! Yes! I swear!" The light returns, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Do you swear to care for your family?" This voice is softer, motherly even.

Sounds like a no-brainer. "Yes. I swear."

"D̵̤̹͑o̶̢͈̿͝ ̶̝̎͐y̷̛̗̽o̸̧̊u̶̡̒ͅ ̸̥͑̒s̷͕̄w̸͍̄e̸͕͘a̵̿ͅr̵͍͒ ̵͔̼͘͠t̶̥͈͛͘ŏ̷̧ ̶̟̜͊̌ċ̸̥̩̅a̷̻̿ṟ̴͈̔é̵͔̅ ̶̞̃f̷̻͚͠o̵̢̗̎̚r̸̹̠͗̎ ̷͈̳̽y̴̤̐̑͜ǫ̸̭́u̶̞͆r̴̹͛s̶̺̱̓̽é̵̺̌l̷̯̱̄͘f̷̹̄͠?̷̡̺̈" I shudder at the cacophony of voices, barely able to make out what they say.

"...yes, I swear."

"Do you swear to fuck every-"

I pause. That voice sounds familiar...

"Do you swear...to care...for your lovers?" The hiss behind her voice makes her sound unhappy with...something, but I still can't shake the feeling I've spoken to this woman before.

I take a deep breath. "I swear."

"Then we will bestow our power unto you, Dusk. Aid is arriving presently. We will be watching you with great interest." Another motherly voice, but this one has more...presence to her. All of them feel like they're speaking directly to my very soul, but this one feels like she's speaking to the very idea of me.

The light fades again, more completely this time, leaving only the glow of my healing hands to illuminate the room. Good. Gilford's on the way...but that's still only two getting healed.

"[D] Dusk..." A yawn. "[D] ...you'd better have a good reason for waking me up this ea-...woah..."

I turn to the now open front door. Oh, shit... "[D] Knack, I need more hands. Can you heal?"

The succubus blinks before shaking her head. "[D] Yeah, yeah. Which one needs it more?"

"[D] Yes!"

She kneels down in front of Kara, her hands an odd, pinkish glow. I glance at her, remembering who she really is...and who she serves...

I just became a priest of Carnachias...

. . .

Knack, Gilford, and I sit against the wall, already exhausted. The family's mostly healed up now, but neither Gilford or Knack have the healing capabilities I do, by the looks of it, so Miki is the only one that's got completely healed after I had switched to her when Gilford arrived.

"Is anyone going to explain to me...what exactly is going on here?" Gilford rubs his temples.

I sigh. "Kaguya ended up finding a wolf den."

He looks to me. "I was more referring to-"

"Not my story to tell, Gilford." I shake my head. "Thanks for your help, though. [D] Both of you." I look to Knack. "[D] Looks like I owe you one."

The succubus chuckles. "[D] I'll collect on that next time I'm in town." She stands up, stretching. "[D] But for now, I'd better head out. If I leave soon, I'll make it to Bestion by sunset."

It's that close, huh? "[D] Need anything else before you head out?"

"[D] Nah, my rations should be enough. Keep an eye out for Banta, though."

"[D] Only if you introduce me to Halicarnassus." I smile, watching her exit the door as we both chuckle.

Silence falls upon the household, save for the heavy breathing from the kitsune family. After a few more moments, or maybe minutes, Gilford speaks up again. "So Ramel has taken you in..."

I look to him. "...yeah, she did. There were others, though...I think four more?"

He cocks his head, confused. "That can't be right. If anything, there should have been no more than three."

I purse my lips. Maybe I shouldn't bring up Carnachias... "Well, I could've been wrong. It's been a day, already."

"Who did you hear?"

"Fooooph, I didn't get any names. One of them was motherly-, no, two of them."

He nods, deep in thought. "Those would be Ramel and Matria, the goddess of family, and Ramel's daughter"

I nod back. "Another, I couldn't tell you much, but...sweet? Caring?"

"Like a wife seeing her husband come back home from a day in the field?"

Now's the time for me to cock my head. "Yeah..."

"Cupid, another daughter of Ramel, goddess of romance."

"Hey, I actually know that one." I smile.

"And the third voice, was more of a myriad of voices all speaking together?" After I nod, he continues. "Rimorr, goddess of reflection, and Ramel's third daughter. Ramel did have a fourth daughter, Eros, but scripture says she died long ago."

"I can guess that one. Goddess of lust?"

Gilford nods. "Not much is known about her, but she's still worshipped in the family's collective temple in Korinth."

I purse my lips. I definitely heard Carnachias, though...and Halicarnassus coming to help can't be a coincidence... With a sigh, I stand up, offering my hand to Gilford. "Anyway, I'd hate to hold you here any longer."

He looks up to me, hesitant. "...why did Ramel choose you?"

I shrug. "Good question. But if it meant saving them," I gesture to Miki and her family. "I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth."

Gilford cocks his head, chuckling. "You speak oddly, sometimes, but I think I understand." Then he takes my hand and I pull him up. "Ramel's gift is not given lightly, Dusk. I hope you use it wisely."

"I'll try, Gilford." We shake hands.

He gazes to the kitsune family, still conflicted. "I suppose I'll leave them to you..."

"I promise you'll get an explanation soon."

He sighs. "I suppose I will..."

. . .

"Nonono, lay down." I rush over to Miki when she wakes up first, resting my hand on her hackles as she tries to stand.

"But-"

"They're fine. You got them back home, and I came as soon as I could. Gilford helped get you all patched up." Let's keep Hali out of this for now.

The matron looks to her family, clearly relieved when she sees they're still breathing, before laying back down. "...thank you, Dusk."

I cock my head. She took that better than I-

Miki opens her eyes. "...did you say Gilford?"

-there it is. "...yeah. I didn't give him any details, but he knows something's up with your family, now."

The kitsune deeply sighs, flexing her claws. "I suppose...it was inevitable..." Another breath.

"Sorry." I purse my lips. "I wasn't quick enough to heal all of you by myself. Had he been just a bit later..."

"...I do not need that image, Dusk..." She crawls over to her husband, snuggling up beside him. "Leave us. I can explain the situation to my son."

I furrow my eyebrows, only now remembering Kara's little brother. "Where is Connor?"

"Enjoying sleeping in." She forces a chuckle. "Even the rest of his family dying one room over can't wake that boy up..."

I chuckle back at her morbid humor as I stand up. "I'll check back in, probably send Camilla and Gilford to check on you all, too."

"Please do. I'd like to explain to him personally. For now, we need rest."

Nodding, I head to the front door. "Take care."

"Dusk." I turn back to the matron. "...thank you. If it weren't for you..."

I smile. "You don't need that image, Miki." Chuckling, I exit the building.

A/N: Obligatory Patreon plug, spoiler chapter will be updated shortly