Exhausted as well, Yulya retreats to rest with Ashley until the meal is ready.

Cat prepares: Pulled Bear in flatbread (essentially Kebap)
She thaws and simmers the bear meat in her pot with salt and her last spices for a considerable time. Cat prepares a simple dough of flour, water and salt and lets it rest. When the meat is almost done, Cat instructs Alice to shred it to pieces while she bakes thin flatbread in her pan with cooking oil. The bread is used as wrapping for the pulled bear meat, pickles are served as a side dish.

Yulya is a little unsure about bear at first but has become used to eating all sorts of animals (and humans). The scent is alluring and the taste great.

Alice claps her hands
This is marvelous! Well done! Even better than I had anticipated!

I concur! Another great meal Cat!

Yulya saves a serving for Ashley and then returns to rest. Just then it occurs to her that the mechatherial goddess never responded to her question as to why Alices ship was pulled from orbit.

{Ashley} begins her Godsight immediately afterwards and Yulya is blinded by white divine light. Instead of dark cavernous mine is a beautiful scene of peace and tranquility amid a garden of flowers. Ashley and SheShe are sitting at a table, having what looks like tea, and eating what looks like biscuits, cookies and small cakes. They smile and beacon Yulya to sit with them and this realm's Ashley speaks with a pleasant smile, "Join us Yulya, you'll like it here."
Before Yulya can do anything, she feels hands on her shoulders, she turns to see someone that warms her heart and sooths her mind.
"Greetings Yulya my faithful Acolyte, I've been watching your actions and heard your prayers." With a regal glance that put's {Ashley}'s to shame, she smirks at Yulya, "gone are the doubts I've had, your actions, amid the horrid and pathetic fates that have befallen you, speak for themselves."
She's come a long way to your side, and she can tell you're worthy to spread her name and her peace, "I am proud of what you've accomplished, and proud to ordain the title of hero of Eldath upon you. Your strength of will and peace under pressure is just what this world so desperately needs."
Ashley and SheShe both clap happily at Yulya's accomplishment as a rush of relief befalls Yulya, washing away any negative thoughts and affects.

Yulya bows
I am unworthy of such praise! For nothing was yet resolved and I could not even prevent the death of my comrade. We were foolish and reckless. I vow to advance with greater care as we clear this mine. Yet I humbly accept the title of hero and shall do my best to live up to it.

Eldath continues, "Though... I am disheartened by certain ends to our means." She speaks to you directly, not down to you as she had before, "He was such a foolish man, caught up in his own schemes to accomplish good himself, though careless in his means." She sighs, "Be ever vigilant you are not so careless, nor so foolish as powers beyond your knowledge play games with your fate. Stay in the light, your fate is placed on a knife's edge."

Sir Alric - yes!
A tragedy he seemed such a capable druid. How could he side with bandits? He attacked us with the intent to kill. Had we known his identity, maybe we could have subdued him alive.  By the way...

Yulya nestles with the rings she took from Alric rings.
He carried these rings though I am unaware of their powers and hesitant to use them. Are they safe or is their magic part of what led this man astray?

Yulya sighs.
The cloaked wolves - I am not fond of fighting people. I set out to rid the world of monsters yet we appear to face an organization made up of humans. I am glad we managed to avoid more bloodshed but I fear we will not have this luxury deeper in the mine. What can we do? There is no way to detain a larger number of prisoners and take them with us back to Phandalin. If we are to rid the mine of these men, the result will be death. So far our attempts to negotiate with those bandits were not exactly successful and even those who claimed to cooperate apparently deceived us. Their loyalty to who they call the Black Spider is strong. I wish there was a way to make them repent and change their ways instead of killing them.

[The demigoddess has spoken. According to her, Ashley is the one who needs convincing.]
"Time for tea? I didn't know I'd like it until SheShe made me try it." Ashley pours a cup and offers a chair.

Yulya sits down at Ashley and musters her with  smile.
I am glad you are ding well it is not common even for a cleric to meet up with the Dead. I wanted to say I am sorry I could not prevent this tragedy but it appears you are quite enjoying this! I must say I am a little jealous...



Yulya takes a sip of the tea.
I am the last person to not understand you would like to take a break from the harsh adventurers life -but!
I do not want to wast the time of gods so let us get to the point. How long do you intend to stay here? Serene and peaceful it might be here, but is this really how you want to spend - eternity? Frankly I would but the Ashley I know? As far as I recall you wanted to gather as much money as possible get a a posh carriage find out what happened to you - and maybe even return to your original world?

To be honest we need you back! I cannot negotiate prices and organize things like you do. Even Alice wants you to return! I believe there will be plenty of time in the afterlife when our final day arrives. But you still got most of your life ahead of you. The ability to return to life isnt something to cast aside carelessly. I am not saying you must return immediately but please come back to us soon!

Yulya leans forward and whispers to Ashley - her face is slightly desparate.
Also I cannot deal with that mechatherial goddess too well. She barely speaks and does even more unpredictable things than you! I feel I am constantly running after her not knowing what she will do next. Its very stressful!

Yulyaa, I'd like to keep the Jade froggo - and the signet ring from that moron we ate might be useful! I think we have more than enough coins. Hey, does that ornate handaxe from the ooze also count?

Yulya nods with a kind smile.
Certainly we have enough coinage. Especially now with M3gans find. Now you two get along we have enough enemies out there!

Yulya adds all her coins to the heap.

Yes we all know you. At least you dont steal others money.
Regarding cantrips and feats I would like to take Word of Radiance and Metamagic Adept. Unless you all can think of something better?

What Yulya receives in return is more like static, disjointed images at first then a vibrant scene of {Ashley} Panther fighting a Bear and stealing her Cub. Then Yulya watches as time is reversed and hours upon hours of travel in the snow, looking even faster so close to the ground it feels, at dizzying speeds, {Ashley} Panther was running for hours, covering many miles searching, being drawn to something. She gets hints of a guiding voice, {Ashley} as if talking to the metallic beast, guiding her and directing her to something. She slips into a vent shaft further down the mountain and with true sight mixed with blind sight, Yulya sees through the panther's eyes, she gets the impression that this speed along with the chase for something is... fun. More hours pass, as she winds through a maze of dug tunnels, some lit, but most pitch dark and interlacing in three dimensions, impossible to navigate without some kind of guiding help, squeezing through cracks beyond what has been dug, she comes upon a crystal cavern, small crystal growths are scattered at first but eventually becomes crystal lined with a terrifying but beautiful geode-like cave and at the center is a dark and mysterious black crystal, floating motionless, it feels almost alive. Yulya can feel the Mechathereal Demigoddess' presence within the crystal and the feeling between the panther and her is like two old friends meeting not as if they're the same being.
What happens next is frighteningly eerie, the crystal moves on its own to {Ashley} Panther and she can feel it root itself through unseen tendrils into the panther's mind, from that point forward it follows her, no matter how fast she runs, the crystal follows.
Yulya breaks free from the stream of consciousness memories and can sense the panther is near, she turns her head and sure enough, in the shadows {Ashley} Panther is staring at her with those ghostly glowing eyes.

Yulya looks at her in awe.
Where in Eldaths name have you been? This is not the Amethyst Heart from the deepest chamber of this mine that Gundrens brothers have spoken about - is it?

{Ashley} Panther then moves deliberately and silently toward her pile of clothes and sits, then as if petals of a flower bud give way to an opening blossom, the metal is shed and dissapears into the shadows as {Ashley}'s form emerges. Chalk white, brilliant skin, from her thin and frail frame is soon all that's left. She silently redresses, casting her shield aside, she lastly takes up her pack and then takes a deep breath. Once settled, she turns to Yulya again and addresses her question in her eloquent and beautiful Celestial tone, "The artifact whistle is my burden to bear, I can feel its draw to another, they are here. [in the mine]. The tools [Thieves'] are this body's concern."  She reaches out and the dark crystal moves to her hand, suddenly it's as if a solid object and {Ashley} puts it in her pack.

Yulya is not exactly happy about this eccentric behavior and reminded of the clash she had with Ashley regarding her shield. But she realizes she can do even less against this demigoddess' behavior that about Ashleys.
Do as you please I shall inform Alice and Cat. However I ask you to work on communicating better. We as a party have to rely on each other and this is a bit troublesome if you do not speak to your companions.

She then turns and walks away toward the front of the mine again, Yulya gets one last communication basically telling her she's going to open the chest in question and not to worry about her business. She finally mentions that these bodies [all of you] are ready to advance and she asks that you collect the equivalent worth of 1000 silver each as sacrificial offerings but not to worry about her share as she has her offering ready.

Yulya is even more confused.
Wait are you telling me this is an orb? Well that at least saves us a journey back to Neverwinter. I wonder what Freya will think of this...
And Alice...

Yulya calls Alice as she is gathering poison at the elevator and relays what she has witnessed. before returning to rest
Alice you realize this is basically a goddess and not Ashley yes? Please behave accordingly even if it is hard. I do not know how to deal with her either. To be honst she frightens me. We must work on getting the real Ashley back in this body as soon as possible!

Yulya briefly wakes to bestow temporary HP with AID on Alice, Cat and herself as Ashley is nowhere to be found.
I'm worried about that demigoddess. Who knows if she can control her body in Panther from properly. So troublesome! Please see if you can spot her outside!

Relieved there is no trouble, Yulya returns to sleep.
Wake me if something unusual occurs or you need help! Be careful! I do not trust the peace.

The treasure is not running away right? Maybe we can wash it with water from the bucket on the other platform. I suggest we consolidate and rest a bit first.