The Ascension

'I hope you enjoyed your trip to the void, Salia.' A whisper entered Salia's ear, and Nuldeir reached out to caress her neck.

'I had a lot of fun stretching your spirit, my daughter.' Nuldeir said at her ear. 'But you probably did too. It will be necessary to bring you into the void itself in the future.'

Nuldeir exhaled a stream of death elements into Salia's ear, which created a tether to her consciousness. If Salia should ever find herself in danger, Nuldeir will know without having to monitor her constantly.

Salia was nowhere near as strong as her mother, Sol, and since they had been intimate within the void, Nuldeir found herself becoming as protective of her daughter as she was of her wives.

'I will bring you back soon. I have a lot of things I wish to try on you, my little darling.' Salia moaned softly as a red mark appeared on her back, while an insubstantial vision of Nuldeir stood behind her with a whip made of death elements in her hand.

'Just a little taste, my dear Salia.' She licked her lips. 'There are so many things I will enjoy doing to you in the void.' She lightly stroked her side.

'I shall enjoy strengthening you until you are as strong as Sol, and can help her to rule properly.' Nuldeir licked her lips.

'Now wake, my darling daughter. Your mate needs your voice.'

* * *

"Master, why did you wake up so early?" Clover whispered. Salia had opened her eyes, looked down at her mate, and sank her fangs into her breast.

"Oh, so good." Clover said softly. Salia lifted her mouth, and looked into Clover's eyes.

"I have been blessed by our Master to be able to call you my mate." Salia put her head back down on Clover's breast, and sighed a little. "I've been on my own for almost two thousand years, with only my sisters and mother for company. Now I have my mate." She rubbed her cheek on Clover's chest.

"Go to sleep, my beloved mate." She said softly. Clover smiled, and ran her fingers through Salia's hair.

"I love to hear you say it like that, master." Clover said softly. She felt Salia's possessive hand grip her hip firmly, while her leg slid up over her own, and pulled her in.

"In a hundred years, when you've matured, I will make you pregnant." Salia whispered, and traced her finger over Clover's flat belly. "We'll be able to hibernate many times in that period, sleeping in each others arms, just enjoying the company of our mates."

Nuldeir smiled fondly at the couple, and ran her hand down Salia's side. She looked at Clover, and ran her hand down over her chest. The smile turned into a grin.  She had intimately scanned Clover, and felt that the time was right to strengthen her as well.  She injected her venom into Clover, that would result in a small amount of strengthening that would advance her power, and settle Salia's heart down a bit.

'There, child of mine. Bite her nipple, and inject your venom. She is happy to accept your bite.' Nuldeir whispered at her ear. She watched as Salia bit her mate's breast, right around the nipple, used four fangs and injected her venom.

Clover moaned as she held Salia's head to her breast. Nuldeir grinned.

Clover processed the venom within her body, and so thoroughly that Nuldeir knew this mate of her daughter's would be able to give her good babies. She might even become a rare variant of the Sril.

That would only be known hundreds of years in the future. For now, her daughter would greatly enjoy her moans, and her company.

* * *

'SISTERS!' Aconia called out, and all of her sisters that had spread out to engage actively with her children, or her wives, heard the call.

'Aconia? What is wrong?' Nuldeir asked.

'She is getting ready to travel again. Return quickly.' Aconia said, and soon each aspect of Aila appeared within the void space. Beams of elemental essence shot out from their stars, and collected in the middle.

'Where do you think our sister is going?' Phyria asked as Aila glowed, and disappeared from the space. Aconia tilted her head.

'Can you not feel it, dear sister?' She asked softly. Hulda looked at the core as the gray star glowed brightly.

'Oh wow. She went to them.' Daria, the living embodiment of lightning and wind, started to tear up.

'It is them. The ones we have waited for.' Phyria said and closed her eyes. Aconia smiled gently.

'Do not worry, dear sister. I will send Nuri to them. She will heal them as soon as they arrive.'

This would be the moment that the sisters would finally feel complete. It would also be the moment that Aila's servants would begin to comprehend the depth of her power.

Though they started the journey into comprehending the enormity of her being, it would take centuries for her wives to understand who Aila truly was.

She was not Imera, as that was just the planet. The guardian deity, Aila, had not yet assigned someone to the position of being Imera. All this meant one thing.

She was something much greater than that.

* * *

"How odd." Aila said in a low tone. She looked around. "Aros? When did I come to Aros?" She frowned slightly, and by some strange compulsion, she walked towards a place she knew quite well.

She passed Underground Black, and narrowed her eyes at the place. The Great Ancestor was still alive within those walls, and he shivered in fear as she passed.

Though he was pure malevolence, and completely evil in nature, the amount of elemental essence that passed by was on a level he could barely see, due to how bright it was. Her power was not on a mortal level, nor could his own stores of death elemental essence compare to her vast storehouse.

While she passed, the stellar intensity of her elemental essence flared briefly in response to his presence. He hid himself in terror, and would never admit to anyone how much fear he felt.

Aila continued forward, unsure of 'when' she was, but sure she should not interfere just yet. She stopped at a the front of a shop.

"Toril's? Why would I come here?" Aila pushed open the door without touching it, and walked inside.

"MASTER!" The slave called out, and pulled a rope quickly. When Toril arrived, he lowered his gaze respectfully, and fearfully.  The slave reacted, seeking her master for protection.  He did not dare to assume anything, as he was sure of whom he stood in front of.

"What does Imera require of me?" He asked cautiously.

"Toril? Do you not recognize me?" She asked, as she tilted her head slightly.

"I have never before been in your presence, divine one." Toril said. Aila frowned, and lifted her hand to her mouth. She stopped abruptly, as her hand was transparent, and shining brightly.

"Oh. I see. I slid back, didn't I?" She whispered. She looked at Toril, and frowned. "Toril, do you have slaves of the Inaris clan in back?"

"I do, Imera." He said, and shivered. Aila nodded, and finally understood why she was there.

"There are four groups of two women. Two large. Two elders. Two young women. And two others close to death, right?" She asked. Toril lifted his eyes, and nodded.

"That is correct, Imera." Toril said, and waited.

"Bring the near dead ones out. Let the others believe they died." She said, and started to smile. "A young woman, someone you will come to know quite well, will buy those others from you. Several months from now, I will appear again. Now bring them out quickly. Before they actually die."

Aila smiled, and her light elemental essence swept over Toril, cleansing him of all his dark emotions that plagued men like him. Dealing with slaves, and treating people as property can leave a mark upon a man's spirit.

"Quickly. Bring those out, but treat them gently." He was quite grateful for what she just did as now his heart felt a lot lighter.

He might actually be able to sleep well tonight, and no longer be plagued with guilt.  As Imera herself forgave him for his profession, he should not feel guilty if he treated his slaves well.