New Valis

Charlotte Valis Stories

Chapter 6: Divine Trinkets

Rebecca Keats, Frustrated Teacher

He was cheating on her. Right now, in her apartment, she knew it. Becky dropped the phone between her feet as she started crying. Sat alone on the park bench, her worst fears confirmed. Her fingers drew the small coin out from her pocket as she wept, her only long term lover was screwing her best friend. Feelings of loss and despair welled up as tears streamed into her hands. This was what it felt like to have nothing.

    "Is this seat taken?"

A soft feminine voice asked as Rebecca shook her head, hiding her face as she dug into her pockets for a tissue. The stranger sat down and offered her a fabric handkerchief. Becky stared at it for a long moment before taking it gratefully and rubbing the tears from her face. 

    "Thank you; not many people carry nice handkerchiefs anymore, do you make a habit of comforting crying women?"

Rebecca said, trying to make light conversation as she offered the now damp cloth back to the woman who gestured for her to keep it. The woman was wearing dark jeans and a comfortable looking coat, her long purple hair smoothly flowed over her shoulders as she smiled kindly. The woman spoke while observing the park around them.

    "Only occasionally when people ask very nicely, Boyfriend trouble?"

The woman's voice was calming, and the company was certainly welcome, although she didn't remember asking for her help. She rolled the coin around in her fingers as she thought on the best way to explain the situation, as she replied, the strangers' eyes locked onto the coin.

    "I installed a video doorbell on my apartment, linked it to my phone without telling John, the BF, so when Veronika came over to fuck him, I heard it all, he doesn't know I know but...well...anyway...that's where I am, Sorry I didn't mean to dump all of that on you I just needed to get it out you know!"

The other woman smiled and nodded her head in understanding; then she pointed towards the coin in Beckie's hand. Shrugging she handed the coin over;

    "It's just a small symbol of the Goddess; it makes me feel better knowing there is a woman up there looking out for us all you know..."

The stranger appraised the coin before handing back with a twisted expression;

    "Is that an official token from the temple? I've not seen it before,"

Thankful for the change of subject, Rebecca found a new appreciation for this stranger. Lifting the coin to the sun, it glowed slightly. The resin finish was refracting the light in a lovely pattern. She smiled and turned back to the stranger. 

    "No, They are expensive, this is from a lady who lives in my building, Jolinda, she makes them. Apparently, Priestess Lisa approved it, but I don't believe that. Priestess Lisa has never even been to our country. Here, you can have it."

She offered the coin to the stranger as a token of friendship; the woman smiled and pushed her hand away. Making to stand up, she stretched and turned to look down towards Becky with a wide grin on her face.

    "How about you take me to see, Jolinda, and then we can check in on your boyfriend while we are there?"

The two women just stared at each other for a long moment as Rebecca pondered over this sudden offer. It would feel good to confront John, and not being alone would certainly make her feel more comfortable. She slid the coin back into her pocket, picked her phone up from the floor and dropped into her bag. Pushing to her feet, she returned the stranger's smile and nodded.

    "Okay, sounds good, You get your token, and I get some backup. Afterwards, we should grab a drink!"

The two women wandered mostly in silence out of the park and into the tall jungle of apartment buildings. The busy streets provided ample distraction as they made their way towards her apartment. As they entered the tall tower building, Becky pointed out a poster on the notice board, ‘Jolinda's Artefacts of Worship; Approved by Priestess Lisa'. The stranger nodded and seemed to be lost in thought as they entered the elevator to the 11th floor where Jolinda lived. The stranger turned to face Becky and spoke almost conspiratorially.

"You go up and wait for me on your floor; I have a personal matter to discuss with Jolinda, I take my divine tokens very personally, I'll join you in a few minutes."

Becky shrugged and gestured to the 15th-floor button before pushing it.

"Don't be too long. I'm already anxious!"

 The stranger left the elevator with a reassuring nod and headed down the corridor. 

Charlotte Valis, Universal Goddess

Striding down the dirty corridor of this city apartment block made her feel filthy. Still, she enjoyed the conversation and playing with the lives of her pets from time to time. There was a rush of wind from behind her as Priestess Lisa appeared in the corridor, walking after her in her loose priestess robes.  She stepped but beside Charlotte as she stopped before the marked door. Lisa dropped to her knees on the dirty floor;

    "Goddess, I came as you called, How I can be of service!"

The Goddess smiled and lifted her servant by her shoulder, brushing her robes off with her other hand. 

    "Stand up, this place is disgusting, This woman claims to have your endorsement for selling fake icons in my image, I want to see her face when you walk in and do your thing, just don't kill her, I want her."

Stepping to the side of the door, Charlotte gestured for Lisa to knock. Her Priestess looked as nervous as her first day as she waited, the faint sounds of movement beyond the door. Charlotte touched Lisa's robes, giving them a slight illumination; she was representing her after all. After a moment the door swung open, Lisa tilted her head as a small Asian woman stood dumbstruck staring up at her from her dark apartment. Lisa glowered at the woman, staring into her eyes and stepping towards her, causing her to trip over backwards.

    "I've heard that you are selling false idols of our Goddess, How do you plead mortal!"

Charlotte giggled as her Priestess dominated the cowering mortal in a few steps and powerful words, even at mortal size her servants were powerful. The woman started babbling as she rolled onto her knees;

    "Please priestess, It's not true, whoever told you that is lying, I honour you and the temple!"

Lisa just stood and stared as Charlotte strutted beside her, admiring the various decorations and trinkets around the small living space. Lifting a few coins, she dropped them down in front of the kneeling woman and then gestured to her servant to continue. Lisa scowled as she chastised her.

    "You accuse the Goddess herself of being a liar, In her presence, may she have mercy on your soul as your fate is no longer in my hands."

Charlotte giggled as she knelt next to the trembling mortal, she was sweating and shaking in terror as the Goddess face entered her peripheral vision, the Goddess licking her lips slowly. 

    "I am a liar, am I mortal...I think you should make one final token to me."

The Goddesses slender fingered selected a coin from the floor, the resin warping and melting in her fingers as she shaped it with her magic. The Priestess and the Asian woman stared at the display in wonder as the material swirled around and took a new form, a small thimble-sized cage on a delicate chain. The short-chain hung from between her fingers in front of the kneeling woman. Lisa also crouched down to admire the design as the Goddess spoke softly.

    "Can you guess what comes next human? No? How about you Priestess, what do you think comes next?"

Lisa grinned as she stood and looked down on the cowering, trembling woman, then she spoke with a gentle, joyful tone;

    "I think Goddess, This deceitful human has a new eternal home to get comfortable in."

The Goddess and her servant both giggled as the woman cried, Charlotte's power already working itself around her, reducing her, punishing her. The Asian woman vanished, leaving only her clothes as the naked woman appeared in the tiny cages, dangling from the chain between the Goddesses fingers. 

Charlotte let her Priestess admire the work for a moment before sliding the cage and chain between her breasts. As they walked from the room, she spoke some parting words to Lisa.

    "This one is a gift for a new friend, You've done well on this world, for the most part, Tell the world of this woman and double the months' tributes, that should satisfy me for this transgression."

Lisa bowed deeply and accepted the commands, vanishing in a flourish of a courtesy, leaving the Goddess alone once more in the dank corridor. 

Rebecca Keats, Frustrated Teacher

Rebecca stood nervously outside her apartment, tempted to go in and confront her cheating partner. She turned to look out of the window down onto the street for only a moment when a light breeze brushed past her ear, a slight floral scent she recognised. Turning around, she found her new friend standing there, smiling sweetly. Becky nodded in appreciation as she turned back to the door and slid her key quietly into the lock. 

    "I didn't hear the elevator open. Did you take the stairs?"

She said in a low tone as she prepared to open the door. The woman let out a soft giggle as she shook her head and nodded towards the door.

    "Okay okay, here we go..."

The door swung open silently as the two women entered the apartment. She quickly led the way towards her bedroom, bracing outside the door before swinging it open quickly. The response was instant. A flurry of bedding erupted from her bed, Her boyfriend sitting up glowing red as his partner vanished under the sheets creating a prominent bulge in the sheets. The name quickly stood, fully nude and held his arms out before himself in a pleading gesture.

    "Becky, What are...Please, This isn't as bad as it looks! She's going through a rough time and needed someone I was just a good friend!"

Becky gawked indignantly as she strode in and ripped the sheet from Veronika, her naked form coiling up away from her. Her new friend stood in the doorway. Her flowing purple hair seemed to be drifting on its own as she watched. Anger boiled over, and she slapped John hard across the face, he grabbed her hand in the backswing and pushed her back. 

    "You cheating bastard! How could you! And you Veronika! WE WERE BEST FRIENDS! How could you! I AM DONE, I AM DONE WITH BOTH OF YOU! GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT! NOW!" 

She was screaming by the end of it, her tears flowing from her eyes as she flailed her arms towards the door, John approached her trying to calm her down with a placating gesture as her new friend stepped between them. John backed away immediately, walking backwards into the wall, mumbled incoherently. Her friend spoke without looking back,

    "Rebecca, would you like these two to suffer, be removed from your life forever, or are you looking to give them another chance..."

Her voice had a slight resonance to it that previously was not there. It made her feel calm and confident as she considered the words, not sure what they meant as she stared at John, who seemed terrified. Turning to look at Veronika, the girl seemed to be babbling in gibberish while staring at her new friend. Becky sighed slightly confused by their strange reactions as she answered her friends' question.

    "I'm done with John. I never want to see him again...I have to work with Veronika, I'm going to make her suffer for this betrayal..."

Her friend stepped forward towards John, her hair blowing as if caught in a light breeze. Everyone in the room watched as she approached John, who was pinning himself into the wall. With one hand she reached down and grabbed his throat, lifting him into the air in front of her. Becky gasped, She was strong, Lifting a grown man with one hand. Then she turned and opened the window with her hand, smiling at John, who was gasping for air. Becky finally saw her friends face. Her eyes were glowing a soft purple; she was not human. A small strike of fear was replaced with horror as the woman's hand dragged John out of the window and dropped him like a piece of waste into a trashcan. Then she turned back smiling, brushing her hands together as if the man had been dirty. She looked towards Veronika and spoke.

    "My new friend here wants you to suffer, so you got lucky!"

Becky wanted to say something to intervene, but the woman's hand stretched out, and a blast of pastel purple power shot out and into Veronika, the woman shrivelling up into a ball as she shrank down to the size of a tampon. Her new friend walked over and plucked her up between two fingers as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do and brought her over to Becky. 

    "This is for you. Do with her as you wish."

The warm smile ran counter to the act of murder she had just committed as Rebecca finally found her voice, ignoring the dangling Veronika and dashing to the window, Screaming.

    "Oh My  Goddess, Is he dead?`Did you just kill John?"

The woman laughed as she turned back, rolling Veronika into her palm before gripping her in a fist.

    "Oh I would think so, I don't know many mortals who can survive a 15 storey fall, could you imagine? Like some kind of super ant."

The woman was giggling as Becky felt her step beside her and look out of the window. Becky cringed at the word mortal. What implications did that have. She was backing away from the window she took in the full image of her new friend, Normal clothes, Normal accent...flowing hair and glowing eyes. She did recognise those eyes. Now she was looking carefully. She realised the profile. 

    "G...G...Goddess Valis?"

The woman smiled warmly back, extending her arm and letting Veronika dangle between her fingers, awkwardly by one leg.

    "Ah, You're learning, Here, take her." 

Becky felt awed as she gazed upon the woman, extending her arm she carefully gripped Veronika in two fingers, the small woman squeaked in protest as the Goddess released her. The Goddess withdrew her hand and dipped it into her cleavage, removing a little trinket, offering it to Becky with a nod. Taking the small pendant in her other hand, she studied it, a small gilded cage with a tiny woman inside, Jolinda. She looked back to the Goddess, who was observing her.

    "Jolinda? I guess she didn't have your blessing after all, Why give her to me, Goddess?

The Goddess gestured for the door and strode out, speaking her shoulder as she did so. 

    "You need a real token to worship me with, That's better than any coin. Now didn't we have plans for drinks? Stick those toys in your purse, and let's go. I can't wait to watch a barista swimming in my fresh boiling coffee."