"Good, you're alone now." Demeter called out to me.

"I thought you couldn't talk to me until next year."

"Things have changed, those rules are suspended for the foreseeable future." Her voice seemed a little stressed this time.

"So, what does that mean for me?"

"It means a war that wasn't part of our arrangement is about to start, and we didn't see it coming." She sounded like she was about to cry.

"By your reaction, I'm guessing it's a little more than the normal political argument that results in soldier's blood on the ground." I say as more of a question.

"Yes, this has multiple pantheons, as well as the celestial monarchies in an uproar. The various gods and goddesses who reside over the damned are all in a panic. My daughter Persephone will be visiting your temple this evening, to explain it, and ask for your help." She seemed to be thinking about something. We both stayed quiet for a few minutes, but I could tell she was still there. When she started talking again, she was much quieter than I was used to. "Tasha, make sure you bargin with her for your help. You didn't ask anything from me for using you, be selfish with this, you need to be."

"Does she have the ability to bless me like you did?"

"No, we can only do that when we move a soul to the plane you are currently in." But you can ask for martial knowledge, knowledge of how your Gift works, or even perfect knowledge over a given pathway."

"Knowledge, but not the wisdom in how to use it properly. That could be dangerous. If I did what your suggesting, with Creation, wouldn't I gain some knowledge of the corresponding pathways?"

"To a certain extent. If your body can manipulate your Zeon in Creation well enough you could potentially make your spells permanent, no other Pathways can do that, even your cloak isn't permanent. It will only last another year at most. I'm still barred from interfering with you, but I can say Persephone is able to give you that, but it won't be easy."

"Thanks. Anythin Else you can tell me?"

"Yeah, tell The priestesses that the Sisters of Selene will no longer interfere with you. And I, Demeter Desito, have spoken with Sister Alexis, they now know who you are, and will no longer take contracts against you."

"Who are they? I haven't ever heard of them before."

"They are a sisterhood of assassins, but that's a simple answer. Specifically they are the best assassins of Gaia. They only recruit from orphan girls, who are younger than eight, and enjoy fighting. They are some of the most beautiful women you will ever see. Your guard was once one, she earned enough to buy her way out, which is not a light sum, once she left the sisterhood, she came to this temple, and became one of my priestesses. she figured out how to use the creation, air, and essence pathways to keep herself looking young."

"Can I learn how to do that? It could become useful?" I felt her shaking her head.

"She can't teach you about your gift. You have five affinities, one of those is creation. And although she also has the gift, only Air is her affinity, and it's in opposition to your earth. Also the spell she uses has some funny rules, which with your affinities, won't apply." And with that I felt her leave.

I climbed out of the hidden room, and headed for Oracle Darien. A few hours after I told him what Demeter said to me, a woman came Into the temple I immediately recognized. She looked just like Demeter, but instead of chestnut colored hair, this woman's was a deep black, when it shimmered it looked slightly blue. Instead of warm brown eyes, the new woman's eyes were an eerie shade of green. And where Demeter's dress had looked like a tree had wrapped its branches lovingly around her, this woman gave the same feeling, but with the bones of man and beast, the few gaps there were between the bones was a purple fabric holding the woman's modesty. I gave her a smile as she came into the sancuary, I saw a few of the priestesses in the room pull knives before I began to speak.

"Welcome to Demeter's temple, your mother said to expect you Persephone. I'm Tasha Heart, and I'm assuming your mother was correct when she said you would be here to speak with me."

She nodded, and the wide eyed women around me hid their blades again.

"They are quite protective of you." Her voice, like her mother's, reminded me of the tone of wooden instruments.

"Yes, they are in a panic because of a Sister of Seline was seen coming after me today."

She nodded, and swayed the fears of the staff, then we went to the Oracle's office.