With this talk about artifacts, Ada decided to get to the point. "Your priestess mentioned there was a test?"

Ruciella was sitting down but she arose and spoke. "Sorry to interrupt you two goddesses but being mortals, both Leanne and I are freezing our butts off here. I mean I'm not ice fishing for pike here! Can't you do something about that?"

"Average body temperature of a human is 37 degrees Celsius. That doesn't say anything about the ambient temperature a human body can cope with though. From what I recall of a 1958 NASA report, human bodies can survive between the ranges of 4 and 35 degrees Celsius for long-term survival which also depends on the humidity of the environment. For short-term survival on the matter of minutes though, this range is broader and depends on the constitution of an individual's constitution. Weirdly enough, as you probably already know, humans can actually undergo hibernation if it's extremely cold."

Ada pondered on this fact. "That's strange. I'm not trying to be snarky but I'm surprised. I would have thought that a goddess would know the limits of her own subjects."

"Hmm, well, when you're manipulating the environment, how do you ensure that your temples and other places under your control are comfortable then?"

Ada saw Ruciella shiver again. "Uh, like right now? I'm telling you that we're extremely cold. I mean I'm fine with you bursting my ears since I was unconscious but this is just ridiculous."

All of them grew wide-eyed. Ada blinked. "Uh..."

Ada felt a sudden temperature change. It now felt like a tropical beach with a light breeze. Leanne sighed with relief. The Seer has been quiet but it was obvious that she was suffering. Ruciella sat down again. "Uh, that joke really wasn't very funny. I'll suggest not doing that again."

Ada cleared her throat. "Now that we're all comfortable, care to reveal the test?"

Ada assumed that Ayula was thinking or preparing something that would be challenging since there was a long lull. After a moment, she finally heard the problem in her head which thoroughly shocked her not in its difficulty but in its simplicity.

"78386976146 and 80331931695 respectively if you're in base 10. The second one is obviously greater. It's larger by 1944955549. Do you want it in a different base like base 16?" Ada said without a beat.

Ada imagined a look of thorough confusion mixed with a bit of awe. Ayula did not disappoint in her reply.

She felt disappointed that she was unlikely to dive into any thoroughly interesting conversation on math with anyone soon here. Ada sighed. "Are you serious? There's no idiot savants in this world?"

"Forget that. Do you have another harder problem? What about the reverse problem of finding two prime factors of a really large composite number? Back in my world, it's used for RSA encryption."

Ada didn't have high hopes for a harder problem. Once again, she predicted Ayula's reply.

"Well, it's not my equation but I can go with that. So are we getting more details on the quest now like a good RPG?"

Ayula ignored the comment about RPG. Ada supposed that this conversation would take an interminable amount of time if she had to explain every little thing to the Goddess of Life. The level of ignorance would require several good solid courses. Ignorance kills as her dad liked to say. Though he probably didn't mean an actual life-and-death scenario, Ada thought. Perhaps the goddess would be willing to send one of her followers to take a course on basic mathematics she planned to teach? That would be providing the goddess a service though which would require something of equal value in return. Should she bring it up now or later?

Ruciella broke her train of thought. "Hey, before the epic revelation begins, can I ask some questions too? I'm just jumping here feeling like I'm going to drown from curiosity."

Ada heard Ruciella mutter quietly. "Oh good, she can't read my mind even here."

Ayula might not be able to read their minds but Ada was quite sure that the goddess could hear them. As if on cue, the voice rang out in their minds.

Ada was surprised. "Does that you mean you can't use Compulsion?"

Ruciella blinked rapidly and jumped up. "Holy mackerel! I thought all gods could do that? Leanne, did you know?"

Leanne looked surprised as well. "I did not."

Ada nodded. "Good, we're on the same page. Now that Ruciella has stopped hopping..."

Ruciella hopped in the air. "Yes! You know I have a million and one questions. Can't you just spare a few minutes and do a quick Q and A? I know Ada has her questions and maybe Leanne does too but as a true scholar, I have to at least learn a few other things!"

For a girl that was comatose a few minutes ago, this girl could beat the Energizer Bunny in her energy level. Ayula must be a master at healing, Ada thought. Ada interrupted the girl with a question that suddenly arose in her mind. "Hold on, Ruciella. Ayula, how does time work here in your subspace? Does it pass along at the same rate as on Urth?"

Interesting, Ada thought. Was God the one who decided what gods would exist on this world? That would seem like the case. In that case, does that mean there are gods and goddesses on Earth as well? Maybe the ancient gods of Greek, Norse, Indian, Chinese and all that were actually real. Does that mean there are more recent gods created as well? It definitely sounded like a possibility. Ah, I need to re-watch American Gods, Ada thought.

"First question. How do you heal without manipulating ether?"

"Yeah, but I felt nothing."

"Can you teach me how to heal the way you do?"

"But you can extend a mortal's lifespan right? All gods can."

"Fine, on a more general topic, how do you control the ether so finely? Like the temperature just now for instance."

Ada nodded. "That makes sense except that it still takes time for warm air to traverse to where we're standing. That doesn't make sense."

Ada imagined a shrug from the goddess.

She would have liked to ask what in the world was ether but that would derail the Q&A ensuing between Ruciella and Ayula. Ada felt that it was an important but not urgent matter right now to rectify her ignorance on this subject. Ruciella continued, "Do you know how to create spells? I have heard some of your followers have powerful ones."

"Yeah, but don't you follow a defined process as well?"

"This is pretty astounding. That means everything I've learned at the Academy is just wrong."

"I mean is there even a point of me learning any more magecraft from the teachers then?"

"Well, anyone who studies magic knows about the ether. You just concentrate and weave it in a certain way to activate a spell."

"Hmm, you're right about that. I've asked and I was just told to memorize them like everyone else."

"Well, can you teach me? And don't tell me that it would take several lifetimes."

"Uh, I'm curious but not that curious that I'll give away my freedom for knowledge. I'm sure I'll figure some if not all of it out."

"On to another topic. How does your priests make those stamina and healing potions?"

"Alright, well, can you or they provide us any potions or anything like that?"

Leanne nodded. "Goddess Ayula, that would indeed be very helpful."

She asked for our help and wasn't willing to give any assistance though it would clearly benefit her to do so? Ada opened her mouth in protest, when the ground shuddered underneath her. Ayula has been acting calm but now spoke with a sense of urgency.

Ruciella grumbled. "What impeccable timing! And you didn't even tell us who the thief is!"

Leanne nodded. "Yes, that would be very helpful, honored Goddess."

For them to be concur on something has been rare so far but this was reasonable, Ada thought. "Yeah, to be prepared, we really need to know this and at least some understanding of his or her powers."