AH! MY GODDESS!!!

Silence. Sweet, sweet silence.

Of course, the stunned looks of the adventurers and the warry look of an amazon make for an excellent welcome back to civilization. If you consider a caravan in the middle of the desert a part of civilization.

Well, guess that is my cue to make my way to dry land. Wait, don't I have qi now? I'm such an idiot, I think to myself while internally facepalming. Searching my new memories for the technique while treading water, I find a suitable one and begin using it. Walking on water is the most fantastic feat a person can do to startle people.

"Identify yourself, name, and familia." A man covered in beige robes wrapped head to toe asks.

"I am the Great Sun Wukong, and this Big Sister is single and without children," I said, striking a pose with my hands on my hips.

First, I noticed the weird look I was getting from the women and the lusty look from the men. This is just as I feel my chest settling from a bounce. Looking down, I now realize my chest wrap seems to have been damaged during the fight leaving me here topless. Which if I was born a female, I might be upset and possibly smack some people around; however, now I just see a hella nice pair of boobs, and they're all mine.

"What?" I ask, looking back with a confused look, pretending I don't get it. I mean, I went around naked in a cell for a decade. I have no sense of decency. Though sudden addon of flesh on the chest is, something ill have to get used to.

"First, put some clothes on! Guys, finish prep. We move in 5 minutes. Celene, help the exhibitionist find a top. Let's move." The tall Amazon with an even Bigger Sword rattles off commands one after the other. Everyone starts to move like a choreographed ballet.

Damn, that de-escalated quickly. I suddenly feel like all my momentum just crashed. I make my way to the caravan, a little depressed, not even bothering to hide it, as the one known as Celene started looking for a top my size. My energy suddenly moved of its own accord making my wrist guards warm up, and light flashes as I suddenly feel my chest tighten up. Huh, I guess my clothes self-regenerate. Thinking for a moment, I find the knowledge of divine reignment.

Divine Reignment, articles of clothing formed with the condensation of divinity. Self-repairing and proof of the divine investiture.

"ahh! You're a Goddess!" Celene shouts loud enough to alert the whole camp.

"You didn't know. I told you I am the Great Sun Wukong. Don't tell me you've never heard of me." I raise my voice a little while replying. With my memories, I'm sure I was a big deal in the mortal world.

"Celene, get her packed. We are moving now. We can ask questions later. We need to leave NOW!"

"YES, Team Leader." She shouts out before grabbing me and tossing me into the wagon like a piece of cargo.

Flipping through the air, I settle on my feet before finding a crate of apples before me. Let's just say I have no idea how. Still, my tail automatically picked up an apple, and I was suddenly on my side like a rouge casually eating the apple.

Sitting in the driver's spot is Mr. Robes. Holy Me, this apple tastes divine. I am not sure if this is some monkey king/ queen thing or if it's this world, but this apple tastes better than anything I remember consuming in my 3 lives. Ok, maybe it has to do with not eating anything but gruel for more than a decade before dying, but this is so satisfying.

"You shouldn't Steal so blatantly, Goddess. So in exchange for that fruit, you can tell me why a goddess is alone in a desert without her familia."

"Well, Mr. Robes, I am single and an orphan, so I have no family."

"You may call me Aziz Goddess. We know gods do not have a family. I asked about familia, the children of Gekia that you have marked with your divinity to allow them to grow stronger through the falna."

"I mean, I hear the words you are saying. And I understand the gist of this familia thing, but what the hell is a falna." looking both bemused and confused as I continued to snack on this apple savoring every bit.

"Are you sure you are a Goddess that descended like the others? You deities usually stick to Orario or at least nab a child or two before heading out into the world." He looked like he couldn't wait to get an answer, so I obliged.

"No, I am not like the others, as you say. I didn't descend to Gekai, as you call it. I appeared here after freeing myself from being trapped for 5 billion years. So I am a bit out of touch with you mortals." These fucking apples are now the bane of my existence. If I don't eat another, I'm not sun wukong.

Aziz is silently staring out into the distance, probably shocked at my statement, but who cares. I need to know why I'm a freaking cat when it comes to apples, and this catnip-like fruit will definitely be the death of me. Oh, me, it tastes like southern sweet tea on a hot summer day or a cold dark beer after a day of sweat.

"I know little about the affairs of gods, but I feel you should head to Orario and consult the other deities. I am unsure of what you need to know as a god in Gekai, and I wouldn't wish to lead you astray."

"So, are we headed to this Orario, and if so, how far out are we," I asked, trying to plan my cultivation as we moved.

"We are headed to Lioad Town on the northern edge of Israfan. Orario is only a bit further North, about two or three days of travel by caravan. We are headed west from there and would be unable to accompany you, Goddess."

"Ahh, that's ok. Traveling is a joy in itself. There used to be a saying that goes something like it's not about the destination but the journey. We focus so much on where we are going we miss where we have been and are non the wiser. You probably travel this desert many times a year, right?"

Aziz nods his head, still watching the shifting sands around us.

"When was the last time you sat on the warm sand without a fire and just appreciated the stars in the sky or admired the moon." My eyes go distant as if remembering all the years I was trapped and how every moment now is something of value. I may be new at being immortal, but I now feel the weight of age with all the memories and information I received in this life.

"It has been many years since I have had the time for such things. I thank you for your wisdom, Goddess. In exchange, I'll gift you that box of fruit you seem to love and recommend you to a merchant heading to Orario once we arrive." A hint of reverence in his voice is touching.

"You are welcome, young one. One day in the future, I must gift you some wine." And like this, we passed the rest of the day with the occasional gossip of the lower world and other small talk.