Nessia landed silently on the soft ground surrounding Teshbi’s hall in Kishar. 

The large monument made of white marble was nestled against the bottom of a hill, surrounded by majestic trees and waterfalls. Nymphs were sitting on glistening benches and on the vibrant green grass that covered most of the vicinity. The melodious sound of a harp mingled with the gentle burbling in the background. 

She had always felt more at ease in the realm of the deities. At least, there were no humans here. Like all the other nymphs, she would split her time between here and Joyia. Their mission was to be the bridge between the gods and the humans after all. 

As she walked up the stairs that led inside, she recognized the voice of her mistress.

“Father, I understand your concerns. Nonetheless, we cannot overlook our responsibility in what is happening.”

“That is true, my child. But promise me you will not meddle further with human affairs,” a tall figure replied. His long white tunic emphasized the intricate golden crown that circled his shoulder-length brown-gray hair. 

Both deities stopped as they saw Nessia who was standing silently by the entrance. 

The nymph bowed deeply. “Forgive my intrusion, King Asman, Divine Teshbi.”

“Welcome, Nessia dear. I am happy you made it back safely,” she beamed. 

The king of the deities greeted the nymph with a quick smile that barely reached his topaz eyes. He told his daughter that they would talk later and took his leave. 

The goddess took a seat on the throne that was flanked by silver braziers and waited for Nessia to do her report. 

“The Chosen One has been escorted to Atinama. She’s now resting at the royal palace.”

Teshbi placed her finger on her lips. “What do you think about her?” 

Nessia stiffened. “You already know what I think.”

The goddess’s emerald eyes sparkled. “Yes, you shared your doubts about Ash the minute I showed you her profile. But I would like to hear your thoughts now that you have met her.”

The nymph took a deep breath. Her eyes darted from side to side as she was searching for the right words. “With all due respect, I still strongly disapprove of her being the Chosen One. Surely, she may have been a somewhat accomplished person in the past. But when I observed her on Earth, she showed none of the qualities that should be expected for that role.” She paused and looked at her mistress who observed her with an enigmatic smile. She went on, “This quest is a perilous enterprise with acutely high stakes. Only the best combatants should be sent. She doesn’t even know how to fight!” 

Teshbi considered her nymph with a mellow gaze. “You don’t need to know how to wield a sword or cast spells to know how to fight. There is more to people than meets the eye.” She smiled. “You two are more similar than you think.”

“Me? Similar to her?” 

The goddess stifled a chuckle. 

Later that day, Queen Gidri was deep in her thoughts in the throne room. 

The royal was mulling over what Nessia had told her before she left the palace. She couldn't ignore the nymph’s skepticism. She had never met any Chosen One before so she didn't know what to expect. 

According to the nymph, her guest’s lifestyle was more than questionable, her mindset showed alarming signs of irresponsibility and carelessness, and her physical aptitudes were way below average. 

The future of Joyia depends on that woman. I have to know if she truly is the right contender, she thought. 

She summoned her advisors and got to work. 

Meanwhile, Ash was alone in her chambers. 

She examined the wide bed and cautiously bounced on its corner, assessing its firmness. She sat at the desk and marveled at the golden quill pen and the crystal inkwell resting by the sheets of parchment paper. 

To her right, the majestic fireplace, with its fine tapestries and brass weapons displayed above it, was filling the room with soothing, crackling warmth. 

She opened all the drawers one by one and inspected their content. It was an old habit she had whenever she would check in a hotel room. They were filled with beautifully crafted trinkets. 

She was fiddling with a comb made of fine silver when she opened the large wardrobe. Inside were two dozen outfits hanging. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the frilly dresses but she liked those refined tunics. One of them was spread across the bed. 

She looked at the pool that was supposed to be the bathtub and undressed. She eased down into it and sighed with delight as she reclined and let the warm water reach her chin.

Haaaa. I could get used to this, she thought with her eyes half-closed. 

There was a groaning noise coming from the entrance. Three female servants had pushed past the heavy brass doors and entered the room, walking in quick steps. 

Ash jolted and covered herself, “What are you doing?” 

“We’re here to assist you, esteemed Chosen One,” one of the servants replied, unsettled by her surprised reaction. 

“I don’t need any help with—hey, w-w-wait…!”

Ash’s face turned from red to crimson when the three women started to scrub her body and wash her long brown hair. 

Although the situation was embarrassing, she had never felt so clean when it was over. They even cut her nails and braided her hair. They helped her put on the elegant tunic that was put on the bed before taking their leave. 

Shortly after, another servant came in to inform her that dinner was served. 

As she followed the servant down the imposing marble stairs, Ash ran into Elnys. 

The princess complimented her on her attire and hair-do with glimmering eyes. “What a pretty color,” she went on as she delicately let her finger trail down the lighter, bronze lock of hair that ran from her guest’s right temple.

Ash could smell the flowery perfume wafting from Elnys’s neck that was now inches from her face. 

Too close! She cautiously stepped back. “T-Thanks. It’s always grown brighter than the rest, for some reason,” she managed. “It’s weird, I know.”

Elnys let out a tinkling laugh, covering her lips with one hand and clasping Ash’s arm with the other. “This makes you all the more unique.” 

Before Ash could step further away, the princess coiled her arm around hers and led her to the dining hall.