"What kind of death curse?"

Mericel says "Why would you agree to something like that?"

Leyla says "How awful!"

Alannis says "I am the last of the Heath line, if I die the family ends. So I did whatever it took to stay alive. If I hadn't accepted the curse the king would have had me executed. The curse was placed on me by a priest of the death goddess."

"Wait, the curse is from Krenocia?"

Alannis says "That is correct."

Mericel says "Ash, do you think you can do something?"

"Maybe. I can certainly try."

Alannis says "What are you talking about?"

Mericel says "Ash has a relationship with Krenocia."

Leyla says "What kind of relationship??"

Alannis says "With the goddess of death?"

"Settle down you two, it's not that kind of relationship!"

Mericel giggles while Leyla blushes, Alannis just looks at me like I am insane. I close my eyes and create the same forest clearing in my mind.

'Create Soulscape!'

When I open my eyes I am inside my soulscape, Drog and Ruby are here with me. Looking around it is exactly as I pictured it, no missed details this time. Now I just need to bring the others here.

"Drog, how do I bring others into the soulscape?"

Drog says "You can either invite them or pull them in by force. Only people with some form of power can answer an invitation though."

Since Mericel is bound to me already she answers my invitation immediately. Leyla being a priestess has enough power to answer after a minute. Alannis I have to bring in by force since she is just a knight with no magical abilities.

Mericel has been here before so she doesn't really react to the soulscape. Leyla and Alannis on the other hand are slack jawed as they look around. It's Ruby's first time here but as a spirit she is more comfortable with the soulscape.

Leyla says "This place is so peaceful!"

Alannis says "What is this? Where are we? Why am I here?"

"You are here so we can fix your curse, and this is my soulscape."

Alannis says "You can't fix a goddess bestowed curse!"

"Krenocia, I invite you to enter my realm!"

Krenocia appears as soon as I finish the invitation. She is kind of transparent and obviously not completely here, but she is a powerful presence even only partially here. Everyone reacts to her differently, Drog runs over to hide behind me, Ruby and Mericel bow to her then move to stand behind me, Leyla and Alannis drop to their knees and avert their eyes.

Krenocia says "I can't stay long, it is too much of a power drain. What do you need, Ash?"

"Alannis here has a curse placed on her by one of your priests, I would like you to remove it please."

Krenocia moves over to take a look at Alannis, on her way past she gently pats Leyla on the head. Alannis somehow looks both hopeful and terrified at the same time. Krenocia takes a long look at Alannis then turns back to me.

Krenocia says "There is no curse on her, not mine or any other kind."

Alannis stares blankly at Krenocia for a minute then lets out a wail and collapses in tears. Mericel and Leyla rush to comfort Alannis as Krenocia walks over to me.

Krenocia says "It was probably a fake priest, they tricked the poor girl."

"Sounds like something the king would do."

Krenocia says "Ash, can you see auras?"

"Yes, well sometimes. I mean I am starting to."

Krenocia looks at me and says "You have been neglecting to work on your core haven't you?"

"Well, yes, but I haven't exactly had free time lately."

Krenocia says "You need to get stronger Ash, but aside from that look at Leyla's aura and see if you see a symbol."

I turn and stare at Leyla, as I focus on her it takes a minute of concentration before I see the symbol in her aura. The symbol seems to be made of her aura, it is a part of her.

"I can see it"

Krenocia says "That is my sister's symbol, this is mine."

She draws her symbol in the air, it is almost the exact reverse of her sister's symbol.

Krenocia says "If you encounter a priest or priestess claiming to serve me or my sister and they don't have the symbol in their aura I would like you to kill them."

"Okay, I can do that."

Krenocia says "You are a good boy, Ash."

Then she pats me on the head and rubs my ears, which feels really good for some reason. I hear growling, at first I think it is Drog, but it turns out to be Ruby who is growling. Krenocia laughs and gives my head one last pat before she disappears.

"Ruby, growling at a goddess is not a good idea. What has gotten into you?"

As I turn to look at her I am surprised again because her face is bright red and she won't meet my eyes. Before I can say anything else she just disappears, she must have chosen to leave the soulscape. Drog starts laughing until I turn to look at him, and then he takes off after a bunny like nothing at all happened.

What is going on? Things just keep getting more and more confusing! I really wish someone would give me an ability that would let me understand women!

Speaking of women I head over to check and see how Alannis is doing. It looks like she has calmed down, she is no longer crying at least.

"Alannis, I am sorry."

Alannis says "Sorry for what? You summoned a goddess to try and help me!"

"Sorry that you were tricked. Sorry the king is a pig who should have been killed a long time ago."

Alannis says "Thank you for that. I am sorry for trying to kill you."

"Don't worry about it."

Mericel says "Yeah, don't worry about Ash, he is pretty hard to kill."

"Anyway, is it okay if I ask you some questions?"

Alannis says "Sure, I am not loyal to the king anymore, ask away."

"How many troops are stationed at the border with Illium?"

Alannis says "As far as I know about twenty-five hundred."

"Then the slaver told the truth. Looks like we are going to need a new plan."