The newly transformed Kesi struggled with the unpredictable nature of the powered-up device. As the pistons fired and the gas built up its charge, she confidently aimed the device at the stone covering the entrance of the temple. However, when she pulled the trigger, the device recoiled with an unexpected force, catching Kesi off guard. The powerful kickback sent her sprawling backward, landing unceremoniously on her backside. In the process, the device slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground beside her as a collective gasp echoed behind her. Neither Eliza nor Eria seemed unfazed but smiled encouragingly. As they both bent down at her side, offering a helping hand, Eliza made a smart remark that reminded Kesi of the woman she knew.

"Floor: one, KesiTech: zero. Looks like you've embraced the ground in a way only a true follower of the Goddess could. The divine art of falling with style, brought to you by KesiTech."

Kesi grabbed both Eliza and Eria's hands, allowing them to pull her up, while the crowd behind her chuckled at the comment. Gathering herself from the unexpected fall, Kesi swiftly recovered the device, its metallic surface cool against her grasp before commenting, "You didn't tell me I was getting a crash course in divine invitation. Maybe it's just something you save for the best of us?"

"If only you knew, KesiTech," said Eliza, gently shaking her head. "If only you knew."

More determined than ever, Kesi once again powered up the device. The metallic whir of the pistons echoed in her ears as a surge of energy reverberated through its bronze casing. When the power reached its peak, she braced herself, planting one hoof slightly behind her, then secured the device tight into her shoulder. The anticipated recoil jolted through her body, sending a sharp searing pain into her shoulder, but this time, she held firm. 

To her relief, a blinding beam of light and searing heat erupted from the crystalline core, striking the door with expert precision. The stone glowed fiery red under the assault, and Kesi could feel the intense heat radiating toward her. The long-narrowed focus of the beam melted through the stone, creating a hot, molten opening that glowed with an orange hue. With the hard part now finished, she deftly maneuvered the beam in a precise n-shape, ensuring both ends touched the floor, completing the intricate process. Afterwards, she released the trigger, powered down the device, and watched as steam vented from the rock.

Silence rocked the clearing. Its eeriness exacerbated the bated breath Kesi held firm. When no one said a word, Kesi walked up to the entrance and carefully put her hand on the door. She could feel heat coming off the edges, but that was nothing compared to the wind that the stagnant air inside the temple was currently sucking inside. A small part of her was telling her the temple had naturally sealed itself, creating a vacuum, but the voice inside was soft and distant. Instead, she took it as a symbol of the Goddess urging them on, and she pushed with all her might.

"Help her!" Eria's voice called from behind. In a matter of moments, Eliza was at her side, followed by many other hands. In their struggle against the ancient stone, she locked eyes with Eliza. As the two pushed with all their might against the grunts and groans of the crowd, Eliza softly whispered the sweetest words she had ever heard.

"You did this."

I did this, she repeated to herself.

Slowly, the stone started to teeter. When Kesi felt it give way, she quickly grabbed Eliza's arm, pulling the two of them back into the people behind her. The sudden push backward caught some of the family off guard, and as the stone fell, so did she, Eliza, and a few others. With a loud smack of the stone, Kesi once more found herself on the ground.

"Make that Floor: two, KesiTech: zero," Eliza teased.

Kesi rolled her eyes and stood up as the crowd around her erupted into cheers. This time, she helped Eliza to her feet, and when she did, Eliza surprised her by planting a quick kiss on Kesi's lips.

Shocked, Kesi brought her hands up to her lips. Although the kiss was short, she could still feel Eliza's touch lingering in its absence. She wanted to say something, but Eliza, whether in excitement or hypocritical shame, ran into the temple with the others as the voices of the crowd echoed along the long hall. Unsure of what she should do, Kesi stood there until the voices died, and she once more found herself in the silence of the jungle.

For once, her thoughts were empty. Earlier that day, she was so sure she didn't want a physical relationship with Eliza, but that was before the Goddess. Now transformed, she felt no emotion whatsoever to her friend turned sister, and that confusion consumed her. It was as if the Goddess had placed a placid pause on the turbulent rhythm of her feelings, leaving her with a haunting silence that echoed in the chambers of her soul. Unable to process the emotion or lack thereof, she silently descended into the long hall.

Along the way, pictographs lined the stone, faded images telling a story Kesi didn't quite understand. At first, it depicted the world, a crude drawing of Sainta from hundreds of completions before her. As the drawings became more focused, she could see the different races, all save her own. After that came what appeared to be a farmhouse, a tree, and a small family consisting of two female elves, a disfigured human, and a young halfling. Above one of the elves, its artist had drawn a glow around the head signifying its importance. Carefully, Kesi stroked its rocky exterior and felt the presence of the Goddess stir within her.

"My love," she said to no one in particular.

A smile found its way to her face. Her eyes quickly darted down the path to explore the next few pictures. However, these images disturbed her. For what she expected to be happy pictures changed to depict the Goddess in conflict with the other elf, until the elf appeared triumphantly over a body mourned by the Goddess.

"No," she cried. A lone tear made its way down her cheek. A stirring of pure hatred for the unknown figure. She clenched her fingers into her hands, and she could feel her nails break her own skin. Hoping the outcome was better, she found herself hurrying to the next image, only to discover the Goddess raising an island out of the sea. Soon, ships followed its path. The last image showed them building the temple on the island, and the Goddess ascending into the heavens.

Frustrated and desiring to know more, she made her way down to an open clearing. Six pillars supported a ceiling that stood the test of time. There the family waited, where some had taken out gas lamps lighting the path. Although Kesi could see in the dark, she was grateful. When she got a free minute, she would take one of the gas lamps back to the pictographs and see if there was anything she missed, but for now, she wanted to know more.

"There you are," said Eria, grabbing her hand and leading her to the front. "For a second, we were worried you got lost."

"I'm sorry," Kesi explained. "I just got caught up in the images in the tunnel. You didn't have to wait for me."

"We wanted to," Eliza affirmed, grabbing her other hand. There was a clamminess to its touch, but if it was any indication of what had happened outside, Kesi couldn't read it in her face. "You got us in, you should be the first to delve its secrets."

"Really, I don't need—," she tried to say, but the two would not take no for an answer, forcing her to the front.

Seeing as there was no point in resisting, Kesi looked to see a wall in front of a path leading right or left. With their lights, Eliza and Eria cast her shadow, elongating her form in front of her like a spirit stirring from its slumber. Gingerly, she approached the wall, and it felt off. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something strange about the way the stone lined up. Looking to her left, she saw the path was blocked. That left only the right option.

For reassurance, Kesi looked behind her and saw Eria and Eliza giving her encouraging smiles. For a brief moment, fear washed over her before she remembered she was the new Kesi. The new Kesi was unafraid. The new Kesi would boldly lead her family to their birthright. The new Kesi would protect her family. 

She picked up her pace down the right path until it made a direct turn towards the left. From there, she could see down the long hallway that made two turns to the right, then one to the left at the very end. Curious about the vast size and shape of the temple, she moved confidently towards the first right path to see it immediately turn into a room.

"It's an armory," she stated, taking in the ancient armor. Once again, the small voice spoke, telling her the gear had to be at least a millennium old. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of ancient armor sets laid around broken stacks scattered around the room. What must have been gleaming metallic surface, crafted with intricate patterns and etchings, now exhibited a muted luster that whispered tales of battles long forgotten. Corrosion had claimed sections of the once-impenetrable metal, rendering it a patchwork of rusted scars. Leather straps that once bound the armor together had withered and frayed.

A few of the family filtered into the room, but Kesi passed it by. She had no interest in broke relics of the past, and none of them would have been useful to any one of them. Instead, she moved towards the next right and found another room full of ancient scrolls.

"A library," she said to those still behind.

A glimmer of excitement crossed Eria's face, and her eyes widened. Without warning, she moved past Kesi into the ancient library, a treasure trove of knowledge untapped for centuries. For a moment, Kesi stepped in, smelling the must scent of aged parchment and the promise of forgotten wisdom. Unlike the stacks that had held the armor, someone had taken the time to carve shelves into the rock, but as Eria eagerly reached for a particularly ancient-looking scroll in her unbridled enthusiasm, its brittle surface crumbled to dust in her tiny hands. Realizing this room would also be useless to her, Kesi moved on towards the left path.

The path led down another hallway, but not as long. Based on the size and the fact that there was another path leading towards the left at the very end, she assumed it circled back on itself. Still, she proceeded anyway. About halfway down the hall, the path turned to the right, and when she took it, her eyes widened in amazement.

"Oh. My. Goddess."

"What is it?" Someone asked from the back, but Eliza pushed past Kesi to convey the exact same sentiment.

"My Lilith," she proclaimed. "So much gold."

Kesi shook her head. 'So much' was underselling it. The vast treasure room unfolded before her eyes like a shimmering dream. A symphony of colors danced across the chamber, as ornate shelves and pedestals displayed a dazzling array of treasures. Golden statuettes of the Goddess stood proudly, their surfaces catching and reflecting the ambient light, casting warm hues upon the walls. Jeweled crowns adorned marble busts and precious gems filled every nook and cranny. From deep sapphires to vibrant rubies, each were meticulously arranged, forming a kaleidoscope of opulence.

A mutter stirred behind her. Brothers and sisters who had spent their whole lives living in poverty started to rush the room. A few of the close ones even managed to touch gold, but as soon as Kesi realized what was about to happen, Eliza's voice carried through the temple.

"GRIND THOSE GEARS!" she commanded. Her word cut through the hearts of all who heard. Even Kesi could tell it brooked no disobedience. It was a voice that demanded respect with a thinly veiled promise of punishment for those who dared to defy.

"We wait for the Teacher," Eliza said. "I will make sure everyone gets a piece, but no one moves without the Teacher's approval or you know what will happen."

Kesi didn't know what would happen, but a few shuddered at the mere mention of it. Making a mental note not to touch the stuff, not that she planned to anyway, she turned around as Eliza assigned a two-person detail to guard the room. As she did, she caught sight of the wall across the hall, and like the previous spot on the other side, this too felt off. Again, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, and for the first time that day, she missed her gift. If she had her gift, she was sure she could have figured out what was wrong about the wall in an instant.

Somewhat frustrated, she turned down the left hall and was faced with two more paths leading to the right. This time she could see the blockage at the end. Knowing that this was the extent of the temple, she followed the first right path to find an empty pool. Not even bothering to call out its contents, she moved on to the final room to find ancient beds of tattered cloth and rotten straw.

"It's not much," she said as Eliza and Eria looked into the final room. "But it's home. Needs a bit of polish, but given everything here, I think it's a great place where we can freely worship the Goddess."

"I agree," Eria nodded. "It's got more gold than all the wealth in Goldendale and enough room for our family to grow. When the Teacher gets here, we'll make a plan. He'll know what to do."

"Well, what do we do until then?" Kesi asked. 

Eliza and Eria shared a look, and Kesi could see an exchange of excitement between them. Without missing a beat, they both proclaimed at the same time, "We party!"

Kesi had never been to a party. She had been to gatherings where there was a festive atmosphere, but they never contain people her age, not to mention they were few and far between. Therefore, as the group reassembled in the main chamber, a contagious energy enveloped Kesi, infused with a sense of celebration, with both sects eager to play their part. 

Eria's sect had started playing an array of instruments, the enchanting melodies resonating through the temple halls. Harmonious notes emanated from string instruments with a skill that only came from completions of practice. Drums echoed rhythmically, setting the pace for the joyous celebration.

As the music played, members from both sects began to dance, their movements fluid and free-spirited. Eria herself joined the revelry, her glassblower's fingers moving gracefully to the rhythm as she twirled in the center of the chamber. Meanwhile, Eliza's sect's love for partying became evident as they passed around generous amounts of wine, sharing the intoxicating spirit of celebration. The flickering of the gas lamps and makeshift torches cast a warm glow, accentuating the merriment that had taken hold every single Saintian in the temple.

Kesi found herself caught up in the whirlwind of festivity, experiencing the joy of shared celebration for the first time. Reveling in the spirit, she drank long and deep with each step, each sway of the hips becoming more and more intoxicated. The old Kesi, would have hidden in a corner, a content wallflower.  Now, her new self surrendered to the rhythm of the music and the infectious laughter that echoed through the ancient temple. With every passing moment, as the swirl of her skirt matched the cadence of the drums, a new liberation stirred. 

A liberation that left her hungry. 

At some point after she had danced with half the room, she found herself stumbling back towards the wall that bothered her. Even in her intoxicated state, she couldn't help but stare at the spot, now becoming infuriated with its secrets. Haphazardly, she pounded on the wall, then fumbled around towards the other side by the gold room, to find the two guards asleep at their post.

"Idiots," she thought or said. At the moment she wasn't really sure. Instead, she ignored them, once more studied the wall. When it too failed to reveal its secret, she decided she had enough. Doing what seemed like the only logical step, Kesi took out the device and blasted a hole right through it.

To her surprise, and to the surprise of the male and female who were abruptly awakened from their slumber, the rock fell through to the space below. The two guards took off down the hall bumbling in confusion, but Kesi picked up their gaslight and stumbled through into a large chamber. Stadium-like seating surrounded an altar with one side hosting a very large stone chair. Had she been more sober-minded, she might have thought it similar to the way the senate operated in Lightmount, but instead, she thought it strange the room had been concealed. She started to move further into the room, but was caught off guard by an aged voice from behind her.

"You found it," said the voice.

Startled, Kesi jumped. Reflexively, she aimed the now powered-down device at the voice and was surprised to see Mr. Bidant. At least, she thought it was Mr. Bidant. Her intoxicated mind couldn't really tell.

For the moment, the elf ignored her. As if floating, he moved down towards the large chair, then tenderly stroked its marble. Kesi staggered over to him in her drunken state unsure her purpose. However, when he spoke, it wasn't to her. 

"If only I could have been here, my love. I could have stopped them. I could have been the one to herald in your priestess. Instead, I...," he stopped as he spotted something near the altar. There his eyes narrowed and his face turned beet red despite the paleness of his age.

"You!" he shouted in anger, making his way down the stadium. "You saved them. You allowed them to escape. You betrayed your sister."

Kesi peered around the altar just in time to watch the elf kick a small skull up towards the stands. In his frustration, bone and something small and metallic went flying, but neither did anything to quench the man's rage. He continued to kick and scream at the small corpse that she now saw was covered in rusted plate mail. To have lasted this long, she figured it had to be steel, but she had no way of knowing. Instead, she tried to find words to placate the man, but when he was done, he abruptly left the room as fast as he had come in.

For a long time, Kesi sat. At some point, she thought she might have fallen asleep because when she finally moved, her bones were stiff from the position they had been in, and there was a small amount of drool running down her face. Thinking the rest of the family might be worried about her, she made her way back towards the entrance. As she once more started to climb the stairs leading up and out of the room, she caught a reflection of metal off the gaslight. There, next to the fragments of the skull, was a pristine star pendant with a ruby center.

"How pretty," she said, placing it around her neck.

Once more, Kesi climbed out of the hole, completely missing the fact that the treasure room had no guards. Making her way back towards the first chamber, she could no longer hear the sounds of music bouncing off the stone walls, but instead it was filled with soft moans of pleasure. In that moment, she didn't know if it was her new home, the festive atmosphere, the wine, the will of the Goddess, or the burning hunger growing inside her, but she knew she wasn't going to miss a moment of her new life. As she made the final left turn into the chamber where moans of pleasure turned to screams of ecstasy, Kesi undid the lace holding her dress up, leaving only the star pendant upon her lithe form, and completely submitted herself to the Goddess's doctrine.