The best time to travel in the wilderness is right after a monster wave when the native population has been drastically lowered, but beware of juvenile and newly-hatched monsters.

―A. Bodelsen, “Making the Most Out of Your Two-Week Vacation,” Kraej Weekly Entertainment Magazine

Asteria

Closing my eyes, I entered a meditative state which I used to examine the three infected ELs. To my spiritual vision, Uriel and Sariel’s bodies were almost fully covered in tiny pulsing black spots. Seraphiel, on the other hand, was a seething mass of pure black. The Iah virus had bonded with Seraphiel on the cellular level and it was in all his cells.

I activated the special skill the goddess had given me. “Rite of Cleansing.”

Golden light flowed from my body to the three immersed in the pool. I’d previously deactivated the Iah virus in their bodies, but I’d been unable to completely remove it until now because of the Iah spawn strengthening the virus. The Iah spawn were all dead, which meant that the virus was weaker now than it had ever been.

The black dots on Uriel and Sariel that I saw with my spiritual sense gradually grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared. It took around thirty minutes, that was all. Cleansing the virus that had latched onto Seraphiel’s whole body, on the other hand, took an hour and a half.

I kept my eyes closed, but I could hear them puking, groaning, and cursing as their bodies were purified. When they were finished puking, a foul-smelling black gas was expelled from their lungs via their mouths. Slimy black gunk poured out from all their other orifices.

I didn’t pay much attention to their moans and whining.

Seraphiel kept saying, “Why?!”

Sariel kept complaining about the mess. “Disgusting! The whole pool is slimy! I’ll never get this out of my hair!”

Uriel kept grumbling about the stench. “I thought summer in the sewers was bad, but this is so much worse.”

The chibis continuously purified the black miasma and residue, but it just kept pouring out of the ELs. I didn’t want to imagine how much worse it was for them since they had enhanced senses. Thankfully, the smaller shield around me kept smells out.

Once I was done with the Rite of Cleansing, I waited a few minutes for the chibis to finish purifying the area before removing both shields.

“Alright, it’s done. You can put the bathrobes on. The guest facilities are to my right,” I said. I kept my eyes closed. “Tell me when you’re decent.”

I heard splashing sounds as they got out of the pool.

“You can open your eyes now,” said Seraphiel.

I put a hand over my eyes. “You’re not naked, are you? You exhibitionist!”

“I put the bathrobe on,” said Seraphiel. “Are you okay?”

“I’m a bit tired, but I’m fine.” I kept my eyes closed just to be safe.

“He didn’t deny the exhibitionist part,” said Sariel to Uriel.

“Go and get cleaned up. We’ll talk later,” I said.

I munched on the hors d'oeuvres and drank the fruit juice while the ELs showered and dressed.

Uriel was the first to finish. He sat down on the chair beside me and said, “Thank you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I know I’d be dead if it wasn’t for your help.”

He looked younger. The lines on his face had been smoothed out, and his voice was less raspy than before. It was as though the weight of years had been taken off his shoulders.

“You’re welcome. That’s five million credits, by the way. You can pay in installments,” I said.

Sariel emerged from the guest showers next. He’d put his pink and white striped pants and shirt back on. The purification had stripped his hair of dye, and he’d lost his contacts in the pool. I knew his eyes were light green, but I was surprised to see that his natural hair color was platinum blond. Like Uriel, he also looked younger. In fact, he looked even younger than Uriel now.

Sariel must have noticed me staring at him because he said, “Please, don’t marvel at my beauty too much. Seraph will be madly jealous.”

“You wish!” I said.

Sariel went to the bar to prepare drinks.

“Seraph is going to take an hour to fix his hair, isn’t he? Let’s get started on lunch. I’m hungry,” said Uriel.

“I’ll call the staff back,” I said.

The staff prepared the simple lunch I requested in record time. We were munching on steaks and fresh vegetables when Seraphiel appeared.

I choked on my food and pointed a fork at Seraphiel.

“Oh shit, she’s choking!” said Sariel. He got up, wrapped his arms around my waist, bent me forward, then thrust inward and upward with his fist. The piece of meat stuck in my throat flew out.

I drank some water. “Thanks, you’re a lifesaver.”

“Does this mean I won’t need to pay the five million credits?” asked Sariel.

“Okay,” I said.

“No, he’s going to pay it,” said Uriel.

I couldn’t get used to Uriel’s younger-sounding voice, but that was nothing compared to the change in Seraphiel.

“That… that…” I pointed a trembling finger at Seraphiel.

“I think she likes it,” said Seraphiel to Uriel.

“She loves it,” said Uriel.

“Asteria, stop drooling,” said Sariel.

I wiped the corner of my mouth, but there wasn't any actual drool.

“That’s…” I tried to say something more coherent for the third time but gave up. Uriel and Sariel looked years younger, but Seraphiel looked a decade younger. I couldn’t stop staring at him.

“I think she’s trying to bore holes into his face with her eyes,” said Uriel.

“She’s clearly into younger men,” said Sariel.

“Ely, give me your hand,” I said.

A smile playing on his lips, Seraphiel put his hand in mine. Since I’d taken the Iah virus out of his system, I no longer felt nauseous when we touched. Using my spiritual senses, I probed his body for anomalies but found nothing. He was perfectly healthy.

I ran a finger across Seraphiel’s forehead. His pale skin was as soft and smooth as a baby’s and radiated a healthy glow. I couldn’t stop myself from pinching his cheeks like he was a little boy and I was a doting grandma.

“It must be a side effect of being cured,” said Uriel. “I’m not sure Sidse will like me looking younger than her.”

“I think I look the same except for looking just a little bit younger. Then again, I’ve always been the most youthful of us three,” said Sariel.

“Seraph looks eighteen again,” said Uriel.

“The virus must have prematurely aged you guys,” I said.

“Aren’t you happy? Now you two look the same age,” said Sariel to Seraphiel.

“No, Asteria still looks younger,” said Uriel.

“She does have a very childish-looking face,” said Sariel.

“Hmph. Joke all you want. I’ll be the only one laughing when I punish you three,” I said.

“What? Wasn’t that our punishment?” asked Sariel.

“How was that punishment? I cured you of an incurable disease!” I said. “That was your reward for helping me.”

“If that was a reward, I’m not sure I’ll be able to bear the punishment,” said Sariel.

I laughed evilly. Sariel’s punishment was going to be epic.

Congratulations Seraphiel!