"Always, Lord G.o.ddess."
"Then guide Me now to Heaven, for there is much to do. I shall depend on your advice." She took his hand. "I will be seeing all of you again, soon."
The glow became blinding. Then it was gone, and She with it, and the Angel Gabriel. But Her Presence lingered.
"We have business too," Gaea said. "Luna, make the announcement: we have chosen G.o.d, and She is Ghost and G.o.ddess."
Luna nodded, and left the room. In just a moment, it seemed, there was a sound from all around: the sound of the mortals of the world, cheering.
The Incarnations linked hands and disappeared. Jolie was left with Roque. "I will remain with Vita as long as she needs me," she told him. "I hope you can settle for that."
"I can settle for that," he said.
"We thought Nox was plotting something sinister, but instead she plotted to save the cosmos. Why do you think she did that?"
"I suspect she feared the game would end if she did not, and she wanted the game to continue. Even Nox must get bored with just dreams. Also, it may be that she really does like the baby, with his ornery malady. She well understands the undisciplined pa.s.sions of the male. So, in effect, she traded for Gaw-Two, giving good value in return."
"I suppose so," Jolie agreed, awed now by the audacity of it. "Certainly she made our lives more interesting."
Jolie returned the body to Vita. "Orlene"s a Holy Ghost!" the girl said, and giggled. Then she sobered. "Gee, Roque, you gave up being an Incarnation, to be with me!"
"It was selfish of me, I know," he agreed.
"You are still G.o.d to me."
"You are still a nymphet to me."
"Yeah? And what are you going to do about it?" But she gave him no time to decide. She leaped into his arms.
Jolie shook her head, in her thoughts. These were interesting times!