Chapter 13: Materialization

Livia was waiting at the airport when Melissa deplaned.

After they embraced, Livia anxiously asked, “Do you really have it?”

Melissa nodded. “Let’s talk in the car.”

They went to the baggage claim, then headed out to one of the church’s SUV’s.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Melissa asked, “Do you want to see it now, or in your office?”

The senior high priestess sighed, “I suppose I can wait until we get to a place where I can truly examine it.”

The blonde nodded, “Good choice.”

Livia pulled the white SUV out of the parking garage and onto the freeway.

“I also have a couple hundred pics to text you. It contains reams of info about Aphrodite worship in ancient times.”

Livia looked disturbed, “That could change how we worship entirely.”

“The Goddess has not expressed any disapproval of our services. I would take what is on those scrolls as suggestions. If something reaches out and grabs you, we can try it.”

Melissa’s former mentor shook her head, “Venus really speaks to you often, doesn’t she? If I am lucky I hear her once a year.”

The golden-haired priestess shrugged, “i think it is because my mission is so important to her.”

When they reached Livia’s office, Melissa reached into her pocket and pulled out the sheer sheet. Holding it with both hands, she handed it to her sister. “Here you go.”

She delicately picked up the shawl, using her thumb and forefingers.

“You can be as rough with it as you want. It can’t be ripped.”

Livia felt the gossamer fabric. “It is so light! It’s like is not really there.”

Melissa snorted, “Tell me about it. Last night, I put it on the dresser of my hotel room. This morning, I couldn’t find it! It took me five minutes to locate it. It is so hard to see.”

“So, did you have any trouble acquiring this talisman?”

The young priestess told her mentor of her adventure in the Vatican;

Livia took the shawl and scrutinized it. “Does this sacred relic have any special properties?”

Melissa nodded, “Put it over your face and look at me.”

The brunette gasped, “You’re naked!” She pulled the shawl off her face, and saw Melissa still had her travel clothes on.

“That’s not all that is laid bare. The shawl sees through any type of deception, ulterior motive, or subterfuge. At least, that’s what Venus told me.”

Livia let out a gasp, “You’re going to die!”

A tear formed in Melissa’s eye, “My last secret is out.”

“But how? Why?”

“It’s like I told you before, I am one of the components needed to bring our Goddess into our world. She needs a physical body to occupy, then alter into a vessel she can live in.”

“But, can you ... you share your body with her?”

The tear trickled down her cheek, “It doesn’t work that way. Aphrodite is a Goddess. Her divine form is beyond us mere mortals.”

Livia took her sister high priestess in her arms. “Oh, Melissa! And you’ve known this since...”

“Since I was ten. It is another reason why Venus thought I wouldn’t go through with it.”

“You still can refuse it.”

Melissa shook her head, “She is my Goddess. I will gladly give my life for her. Wouldn’t you?”

Livia paused, “You’re right. Your faith and devotion continues to amaze me. If you are willing to make this sacrifice, I am willing to help you in any way I can.”

“Good, because I need someone to go with me on my quest for the mirror. If I were to hold both talismans at the same time, before the ceremony, it would kill me, without achieving the final goal.”

“I’d be honored to accompany you, but wouldn’t you prefer your father or step-mother to do the honors?”

The golden-haired priestess sighed, “I made my goodbyes with them two months ago. I will send them an e-mail just before the ceremony. I don’t think I can stand seeing their faces, if I were to tell them face-to-face.”

“I understand.

“Now, what do we do next?”

Melissa smiled, “We find the mirror, and that should be easy with the shawl.”

She went to Livia’s bookcase and pulled a large atlas off of a shelf. “We need a physical map. A GPS won’t do.”

Livia smiled, “I remember, as a little girl, you spent hours looking at that book.”

Melissa opened to the page showing the map of the whole Earth on Livia’s desk. “Now, put back on the shawl and ask, ‘Where is the mirror?’”

The brunette did as Melissa requested. Putting on the shawl, she said, “Where is the mirror?”

Livia let out a gasp, “Melissa, come look!”

The junior high priestess took the shawl. Looking through it, she saw a small “X” floating over the Central United States. “It looks like it is not far from here,” she said.

Flipping through the pages, she found the map for the Central US. Looking through the shawl, she saw the “X” was definitely above Omaha.

“I looked at this book all the time, when I was growing up. I know there is a map of just Nebraska.”

Retrieving that page, Melissa used the shawl. “On this page there were two “X’s”. One on the big map, over Omaha, the second one on the small detail map of Omaha, showing its exact location. Next to the second “X” was an address, also floating above the page.

Melissa gave the shawl to Livia. When she used it, she let out a whistle, “That’s on the far side of town, but a half-hour drive at most.”

“I haven’t been over to that part of town in years. Maybe if I had, I would have found it earlier.

“But, what is it doing in Omaha?”

Livia pondered for a moment. “Maybe it has been trying to get to us. Is there some intelligence in the mirror?”

“It is the basis for the magic mirror in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

“It is also what the female symbol around our necks is based on.”

“I knew that,” said Livia.

It was just after sunset as the two drove across town.

As Livia drove, Melissa looked at the GPS on her phone. “It says here, it is the address for “Blue Diamond Pawn.”

“A pawn shop?” the brunette exclaimed. “Who would have thought?”

As they approached the address, Melissa let out a gasp, “I feel the tug again. We are close.”

Blue Diamond Pawn was in one of Omaha’s shabbier sides of town. They parallel parked their car next to the shop.

Getting out of the SUV, they tried not to look too anxious. They slowed down their pace as they opened the door. A bell rang to signal their entrance.

Livia was wearing the shawl over her face. It was so transparent, it was not obvious to the casual observer. Though there had been a stiff breeze outside, the sheer fabric had showed no sign of blowing off.

Sitting behind the counter was a bearded man in his thirties, wearing a camouflage patterned vest, texting on his cellphone. “We close in ten minutes,” he said, not looking up.

Melissa walked slowly but surely through the store, guided by the tug on her clit. Livia followed behind. They stopped in front of a box of old vinyl records, stored vertically. Next to it was a handheld mirror, but not one that would be classified as a magic mirror. The oval pane was cracked all the way across; and the cheap clear plastic frame was also broken, barely holding the pane in place.

“This can’t be right,” Melissa muttered to herself.

Livia, still wearing the shawl, gasped, “Believe me. This is the right mirror.”

Nodding, the young cleric picked up the mirror and took the mirror to the front counter. “How much for this?” she asked the clerk.

Looking up from his phone, he frowned. “I’ve never seen that before. We don’t sell junk like that. If you want it, you can have it.”

Livia smiled, “Thank you very much.”

Melissa said, “May the Goddess bless you.”

As the door closed behind them, the man let out a gasp. The constant pain in his shoulder, from a bullet wound he’d received from his time in Afghanistan went away, for good.

In the car, Melissa carefully put the mirror on the dashboard before she took the shawl from Livia. Putting on the fabric, she saw the true nature of that cheap looking glass.

She called out, “Mirror, show me your true nature.”

In a flash the mirror changed. It now had a circular pane, and was held in place by a handle and frame, in one piece, made of some kind of clear crystal, maybe a diamond.

Livia, reached for the mirror, “Now all we need to know is where to perform the ceremony.”

Melissa grabbed her arm before she could lift it. “Just a word of warning; when you gaze into the mirror, you will see yourself not as think you appear, but as the world sees you. All your self-deceptions will be stripped away.

“Robert Burns had a poem that basically said that it would be an awesome gift to be able to see one’s self as others see you. Well, that is what you will see. For some people it can be traumatizing.”

With some trepidation, Livia brought the mirror up to her face. She looked for a moment, then exhaled. “Good, I look pretty much how I thought I did.”

Clearing her mind, she spoke. “Mirror, where should we go to perform the ritual to bring the Goddess back?”

Both women heard the reply. It was a mental message, not in any language. It could be understood by anyone. “It doesn’t matter what specific locale. It just needs to be somewhere that has been consecrated to Aphrodite.”

Livia put down the mirror. “That means we can use the temple here in Omaha.”

Melissa sighed, “That’s a relief. I was afraid we were going to have to climb Greece’s Mount Olympus or go to the remains of the temple in Corinth.”

“This is much easier,” the senior high priestess agreed.

The two women walked up to the entrance of the main temple of the Church of Love in Omaha.

Livia dug into her pocket and pulled out her key ring. “Doors will be locked by now. Fortunately, I have keys.”

As the door opened, soft beeps came from the alarm system. Livia punched the code into the keypad, turning it off.

A light came on in the hallway leading to the foyer. “Who’s there?” called a voice.

“It’s me, Jason.” Livia called.

The priest, with curly brown hair, who had taken Melissa’s virginity during her initiation, walked into view. He was wearing jeans and a Melissa Love t-shirt. “What brings you here, high priestess ... And Melissa ... I mean high priestess.”

Jason was one of the few priests from Omaha who did not move to new cities. He had a lot of family in the area, and did not want to leave. He was the junior priest at the main Omaha temple.

“Good to see you, Jason,” said the young priestess. “I like your t-shirt.”

“It is good you’re here,” said Livia. “You will want to see this. Take my phone and record us.”

“What’s going on?” asked the clueless priest.

“We’re bringing the Goddess into our world,” said Melissa.

“You’re kidding! You’ve found the talismans? Let me go get Tabitha.” Tabitha was the senior priestess.

“No need,” said Livia. “This may not work, and we don’t want a big crowd.”

The three walked to the entrance of the sanctuary. They took their clothes off before they entered the big room. Melissa pulled out the shawl and Livia produced the mirror.

“Are those what I think they are?” whispered the awed priest.

Melissa nodded.

“I-I’ll get the lights,” said Jason.

“I don’t think we’ll need it,” said Livia.

Walking into the sanctuary, Melissa glowed like a spotlight was trained on her. Her illumination spread in a twenty-yard radius.

“Like her initiation,” whispered Jason, turning on the camera on the cellphone.

Livia nodded.

Melissa walked down the aisle, love seats on both sides of her, slowly. She looked straight ahead, like she was in a daze.

Unknown by the three, Tabitha looked in the sanctuary and watched the proceedings.

The other two followed Melissa at a respectful distance.

In the middle of the auditorium was the center stage. A twenty foot idol of the Venus loomed over the three.

Melissa mounted the stage and then climbed onto the padded altar. She knelt, facing the altar with her knees spread. The shawl was in her left hand. “Quick, give me the mirror.”

Livia placed the looking glass in her right hand.

Instantly, her glow became bright enough to illuminate the entire sanctuary. Jason put up a hand to filter the intense light. He wasn’t sure how much the cellphone, that her was holding in his other hand, was able to see.

Melissa held the two instruments each to the side of her. Like on the idol. In ancient Greek she called out, “Goddess, I have your mirror and shawl. I am ready for you.”

Between her and the idol, as small silver sphere of light appeared. As it grew in size and brightness, Melissa’s light lessened.

The silver light took the shape of a well-endowed woman about seven feet tall. The form did not say anything, but Melissa heard and answered her.