Ilias stared long and hard at her reflection. Every single last detail, to the most minute point, needed to be flawless.


    She checked her face first: Soft and free of blemishes, just as beautiful as a Goddess''s should be. The epitome of what every man craved in a woman, although none could ever have something akin to her beauty, obviously.


    Some things were simply unobtainable.


    Ilias''s eyes were dazzling, a striking shade of blue that put any sapphire to shame. On her forehead, partly hidden by her luscious locks of long blonde hair, was a small golden headband with a red jewel that hung from its lowest point on her face.


    After that, she rechecked her attire. Below her chin, resting between her throat and chest, was a golden necklace with another red jewel emblazoned upon it. The pendant fit secured on her collarbone, resting beneath her dress''s shoulders. Speaking of, her pearl white silk dress was spotless, seemingly cleaned by the will of Heaven itself.


    After all, Eden had worked very hard cleaning it that day.


    The dress fit her body snugly, helping to show the more alluring side of the Goddess''s beauty, not that this particular feature was of great importance to her. Though it did help raise her self-esteem a bit.


    Finally, the Goddess gave her entire body a once-over. She took into account her wings, ''Pristinely white and fluffy.'' Then she examined her skin, ''Fairer than any other, in both color and content.'' Yes, every little last thing seemed to be just right...


    ...Aside from one awful blemish.


    Ilias looked down at her right hand, glaring at the one and only discrepancy. The appendage, even after all this time, still bore the same hideous scarring of her battle with Lucifina. The Goddess''s face scrunched up in frustration, ''It doesn''t make sense, it should''ve faded after two whole years! I am a Goddess, something as trivial as a flesh wound shouldn''t stay with me this long!''


    This singular flaw spat in the face of the Goddess, driving her absolutely mad. Such a thing should never be present on her; it was an imperfection suited only for those beneath her, for Monsters and nonbelievers! Not for her, not for the Goddess of Light! So, to hide the scarring, Ilias had been covering it up with magic. A technique she would have to use again, as she could not allow her Prophet to view her with such a disgusting deformity.


    No, Ilias needed to be beautiful beyond compare. She is the Goddess of Light, of all Creation! She had to exude these traits in all ways, and this hideousness just wouldn''t do! Ilias put her left hand on top of her right, concentrating her magic on hiding the scarring. Slowly, they disappeared. Not completely gone but hidden for the time being once more. ''I have to find a way to get rid of that blemish for good, I can''t keep fretting about it, not now. I have a Prophet to enlighten.''


    Yes, it was almost time.


    Luka was fourteen, old enough to better understand the World and how it works, though not quite old enough to go out on his own just yet. The perfect time to further sow the seeds of her plans once and for all so that he may be properly guided by her.


    Then, in two years, when he was of age, he would leave Ilias Village, prepared to save her World. ''After Luka, I won''t need nor want any more Heroes. He''ll be the end, the solution to all my problems. He has to be...'' The Goddess clenched her right hand, ''...I''ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.''


    Ilias took another moment to collect herself, taking a deep breath to help her do so. She adjusted the front of her dress for the dozenth time before giving herself one very last once over. A self-satisfied smile came onto her face, ''Why have any doubts? I am the Goddess of Light, after all. There is no one more desired to be seen in a dream than Ilias herself.''


    Even still, an aching feeling of doubt squirmed itself into the back of her mind.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    ''Where am I...?''


    A soft, golden light surrounded Luka. It looks as if he is flanked by luminous clouds on all sides, even underneath him was nothing but these golden clouds. It was familiar, solemn. It reminded him of one of the dreams he had the night his Mother had passed two years ago. The one where he had met Ilias, in particular, was similar to this one.


    ''...Is this, too, a dream?''


    At least, he believed they had been dreams.


    "Luka... Oh, brave Luka..."


    The voice of the Goddess Ilias, the one he heard from his dream two years ago, stopped him in his tracks. ''Really, could it be?'' Luka wondered, but he did not have to wait long to recieve an answer.


    Slowly, the Goddess of Light began to manifest into his sightline. As she did, Luka became conscious of the fact that he was dressed in his night garb, the white color of his night shirt shining as the Light of Heaven cascading onto his form. Similarly, Ilias''s own form was bathed in such light.


    Luka was struck by how beautiful Ilias looked, even when towering over him with a height doubling his by a meter and a half, he felt no fear when he looked upon her. It was like everything he had remembered, but was this real? Or was this just his mind playing the same trick on him for a second time? It had certain felt real the first time, but...


    "Oh, brave Luka. Can you hear my voice?"


    The boy realized he had failed to respond to her call the first time and moved to respond, "I-I can hear you, Ilias!" The purple-haired boy fought the trembling that threatened to overtake his adolescent form as he looked up in awe. Even if this seemed to be another dream, the feeling of being in such a pertinent figure''s presence was still causing him to feel thunderstruck.


    "Luka, do you remember when last we met? When I showed you the World and how I told you that you could help me end the fighting and suffering?" Ilias asked, the question eliciting a gasp from Luka, "Y-Yes, I d-do!"


    Did this mean that his last meeting with Ilias was real? It had to, didn''t it!?


    "Good." Ilias continued, "With that, I want to better explain to you where and how all of this bloodshed began..." Ilias paused, watching the purple-haired boy''s bright eyes intensely focused on her. Something about that made her chest feel strangely tight, and she felt a twinge of pleasant warmth spread throughout her body.


    "...Many Eons ago, in a time so far away that men cannot comprehend, I created this World you live in now." Ilias raised her arms high above her head, "First, I created the Earth, the Sky, and then the Sea..."


    Ilias lowered her arms to stretch out on both of her sides, "...After this, I made the Animals, the Birds, and the Insects. Ilias then brought her arms together, gesturing to Luka with open hands. "Finally, I created my greatest creation, Humanity."


    The Goddess crossed her arms over her chest, closing her eyes in displeasure. "However, not everything I created stayed as I intended, for even I made mistakes. These failures were created whilst I sought to perfect Humanity. These failures are now known as Monsters. They are a blight upon my otherwise perfect World, Luka..." The boy watched in silence, his face becoming grim.


    Ilias opened her eyes, continuing her monologue.


    "...Monsters are nothing but evil. They seduce Humans to commit awful sins, sins of salaciousness, and savagery, often resulting in the death of innocents. While Humans are very weak to Monsters, I still love them as my favorite creation. Which is why I despise all of Monster-kind, as they do nothing but bring pain to Humanity and my World as a whole."


    Luka felt a great sadness overtake his heart as he listened to her lament, silently watching on as she continued.


    "Which is why I came to you, my child. For I need your help, as like I had said to you two years prior, you are very special to me." The Goddess drew near, dropping to eye level while taking hold of the boy''s hands with her own. "For, in two more years, I want you to be the next one I Baptize when I descend to Ilias Village on my birthday."


    Luka gazed at the Goddess with wide eyes, knowing the importance of such a thing. "Y-You want me to become one of your H-Heroes?" To be a Hero of Ilias was the highest title one could aspire for, at least on the Ilias Continent. They were revered as protectors of all Humans and of overall Peace. To be picked as one was a great honor.


    However, Ilias nearly floored the boy with what she said next.


    "No, I don''t want you as just a Hero, Luka." A very broad smile grew on the Goddess''s face as she leaned in, the two suddenly becoming very close as she whispered, "I want you, as my Prophet." Luka, not familiar with the title, tilted his head in confusion. "Y-You want me to be a Prophet, wh-what does that mean? Is it m-more important than being a Hero?"


    Ilias giggled, "Oh yes, it is infinitely more important, Luka. As my Prophet, you won''t just protect Humanity. You''ll save it, you''ll save the entire World. And in doing so, you would be saving me, as well." The young purple-haired boy felt somewhat overwhelmed; the idea of someone as benign as him being picked for such a monumental task?


    If it didn''t feel like a dream before, it sure did now.


    Sensing his unease, Ilias removed her hands from his and placed one on both of his cheeks. "Calm yourself, Luka. This is why I wanted to come to you now. It may seem like a lot, but I know you will be able to do it. I believe in you, Heaven believes in you, all that is good and Holy will be on your side." Luka smiled as the Goddess let go of his face, retreating back to give the boy space.


    "I-Ilias?" Luka asked, his voice nervous. "Wh-What is it that y-you would have me do as your Prophet? H-How would I save the World in your name?"


    The Goddess beamed; her eyes closed in happiness for the boy''s quick acceptance of her word. "Ah, yes. I will not lie, as my Prophet, there will be much responsibility on your shoulders. First, you will need to learn to defend yourself as you will need to venture out of the safety of Ilias Village and travel for Sentora..."


    The adolescent''s smile faltered in its brightness, but he listened intently anyways.


    "...Then, once you''ve fought your way through Sentora, you will need to get to Hellgondo, the Continent of Monsters..." Luka found his smile diminishing even more at Ilias stressing the word fought. Would he really need to do that much fighting?


    Ilias missed Luka''s wavering confidence, finishing her instructions with a grin. "...Finally, you will battle your way to the Monster Lord''s Castle, wherein you will slaughter the Monster Lord!"


    Luka''s face had completely lost its smile. The boy didn''t know anything about the Monster Lord, other that she was the Queen of all Monsters and was also the strongest of them all. But what really struck him, what really bothered him, was that the Goddess herself was telling him that the only way to bring peace to Earth, was to kill?


    ''But I don''t want to kill anyone.'' Luka thought to himself with a distressed frown.


    Ilias opened her eyes, quickly becoming uneasy upon seeing Luka''s upset face. Swiftly, she squatted down in front of the boy, clasping his face in her hands once again. Misunderstanding the boy''s distress as nervousness, Ilias moved to comfort what she thought were his worries.


    "I know that this is a lot, my child. But do not fret nor worry, this is why I came to you two years before I''ll Baptize you. I am giving you ample time to prepare, you see. By then, you should be ready to carry out your responsibilities, I am confident of that!" Ilias exclaimed.


    However, the Goddess''s words did not ease Luka''s mind at all, for his entire problem was that he did not wish to do such a thing in the first place. Yes, he wanted peace. Yes, he wanted to help save the World. But no, he did not want to fight and kill!


    "Do not be wavered by the odds, Luka. I know a Monster Lord hasn''t been defeated in five centuries, but I have faith that you can be the next to do so!" Ilias said with a smile.


    Luka knew what Ilias was referring to. She spoke of when Heinrich Hein defeated an especially cruel and ruthless Monster Lord, Alipheese Fateburn the Eighth, five hundred years ago. But Heinrich was known the World over as the greatest Hero of all time! Could Luka really mirror the actions of a man of that caliber?


    Luka was brought from his thoughts by the melodious sound of Ilias''s voice. "So, go now, my soon-to-be Prophet!" Ilias said while releasing him, the light around him fading away. "I believe in you and will always be watching over you!"


    Luka watched as she and Heaven started to disappear before his eyes, his heart conflicted about what she had just told him. On one hand, the idea of bringing peace to the World as Ilias''s Prophet sounded fantastic. He wanted to help people, but to fight, to someday even kill? The very thought made him sick.


    As everything turned black, one final thing struck the boy as odd. He couldn''t remember seeing before, but it was clear as day when the Goddess''s palms were faced outwards during her retreat.


    Ilias''s right hand had an unusual scar on it, as if she had been wounded.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka awoke to soft white rays of light pouring through his bedroom window, the color of the sun''s rays being wiped by the numerous clouds in the sky. He lay in bed for a while, simply staring up at the ceiling, contemplating what he had just experienced. Now, he was certain that this was not just a dream.


    But that just made it worse.


    Everything about it had been so immense. To think, that the Goddess herself would bestow onto him such profuse responsibility was mind-boggling. ''She really wants me to be her Prophet? There are certainly others who are more capable than I am, and there are certainly more willing.''


    Luka had never even considered leading a life of conflict, for he was far too mild-mannered for violence. Even on his worst days, the purple-haired boy couldn''t bring himself to wish ill-will to even the rudest person he met on the street.


    He just didn''t have that edge.


    "Is that really the only option? Is there really no answer but bloodshed?" Luka murmured to himself, lost in a sea of his emotions. Even with Ilias''s explanation of how Monsters were corrupt creatures, he couldn''t find it in his heart to agree that killing was the answer to the problem. ''I know Ilias said she hates Monsters, but she also said they were a failed creation.''


    Luka sat up as his mind began to mull it all over. ''Maybe, they are simply weak like us, but in their minds instead of their bodies? They are sentient, freethinkers like us; surely, they could be reasoned with.''


    A small speck of hope entered the boy''s thoughts, ''Maybe if we tried to understand them, then some sort of agreement could be reached?'' In the back of his mind, doubt lingered. Something about how insistent Ilias had been about fighting and killing seemed a bit too enthusiastic.


    Luka swung out of his bed and planted his feet to the ground. He made for his closet first, looking to change out of his white nightshirt for something presentable. He threw on a brown tunic and black pants, leaving the room in a hurry once he clothed himself. He slipped on a pair of wooden sandals for his feet and left his bedroom hastily.


    Even though Ilias specifically stated that killing the Monster Lord was the only path toward peace, he believed he could convince her otherwise if given the chance. She hadn''t asked for him to make peace in that way specifically, but it could become a pleasant surprise for her. After all, she said he was special enough to save the entire World.


    Technically, that included Monsters too, didn''t it?


    Perhaps he could even convince the Monster Lord herself that coexistence was possible. Then, nobody would have to die! Ilias would see that he had pacified her "failed" creation, and she''d have to be happy with that! Ilias surely wouldn''t support the killing Monsters if they wanted peace as well...


    ...Right?


    Luka paced through what was now solely his house, though he had a difficult time thinking of it that way. He came to his parent''s bedroom, taking the time to place a hand on the door as he passed. Entering his living room, the boy contemplated how to start his day. He wasn''t quite hungry after the already complicated meeting with Ilias so he skipped the kitchen to make for a small closet along the wall next to the front door.


    The inside was mostly bare, as it had never needed to store many things other than a few coats and boots. Some of them belonged to his Mother for the rare times she would venture outside, but most of them were his Father''s things.


    Case in point, the item the boy grabbed for was one of his Father''s most notable possessions: his red cape. Luka took the long garment in his hands, pulling it down from its spot in the closet. As he did, the purple-haired boy revealed something else hiding in the little storage space.


    In the corner behind where the red cape had been hung, was his Father''s sword. It stood up against the wall, the plain black hilt resting against the wood as the blade kept it upright by resting on the ground. Hanging off the hilt was a pair of plain brown gloves for protecting his Father''s hands as he wielded the weapon. Luka stared at the items momentarily.


    Steadily, Luka crept up to the back corner, slinging his Father''s cape onto his shoulder for the moment. Then, he carefully reached out to grab the brown gloves off the hilt. Clutching them tightly, the boy easily slipped on the adult-sized gloves onto his less-than-adult-sized hands. Once he had the gloves properly fitted, or as properly as he could, the boy tentatively grabbed a hold of his Father''s sword.


    The blade was heavy, though not just in its weight. Something about the weapon, something about its very presence was oppressive. Quickly, he returned the sword and gloves to their place in the closet.


    He was not ready for that.


    ''If I ever will be...'' Luka lamented. He shut the door tight, ready to abandon the uncomfortable feeling the items gave him.


    Luka went to the front door, exiting his home to begin his day. He took his Father''s red cape and wrapped it around his neck as a makeshift scarf, as the boy did not possess one of his own.


    Truthfully, he could go out and purchase a real scarf with the meager amount of free money the boy had, but out of all the items his Father had left his cape was the only one he felt comfortable enough to hold.


    Luka pulled the scarf up some as a cool winter wind blew across his form. The sun may be at its highest point in the sky, but its heat was not prevalent this morning. ''Wait, highest point?'' He glanced up, verifying his observation. ''Was I really asleep for that long?'' He turned his pale-blue eyes downward as he ventured deeper into Ilias Village, somewhat surprised by his uncharacteristic sleeping-in.


    As he passed through the town, Luka was met with more impassive eyes from the ones around him. Even now, with the death of his Mother, the villagers still would rather turn a blind eye than even acknowledge his existence. It was still painful to think about, but the boy forced himself to ignore the cold shoulder he got from all of those around him.


    So, Luka trudged through town with an irregular destination in mind. For the first time, Luka was going to attend Sunday Mass at the Temple of Ilias. It wasn''t something he had done before, but considering the circumstance of newly made Prophethood, Luka found himself compelled to at least show up for her proclaimed day of worship and prayer.


    Sunday Mass in Ilias Village was a very sacred undertaking. Every family from every home in the small town came in droves to meet in the revered Temple of Ilias. Every man, every woman, every child, all were expected to meet in the Temple to pray to the Goddess.


    There were some exceptions, such as those who guarded Ilias Village''s gates remained on post, and some of the busier places of commerce remained open with a skeleton crew for the occasional traveler. Otherwise, most people would come to Mass over anything else.


    Women came with infants even if they were born just that morning, men came even if their bodies were racked with pain from work, and children were brought even if they were inflicted with sickness.


    After all, what better medicine than worship?


    Within a few minutes of travel, Luka found himself standing at the bottom of the Shrine of Ilias, a fair amount of trepidation lying in his heart. ''Come on, Luka. Ilias named you her Prophet, certainly, she would want you to be here.'' He began climbing the steps, still keeping his gaze to himself, even when he felt the judging eyes of many of the Villagers on him.


    Trying to go on as if it didn''t bother him was very difficult.


    Luka tried to shrug off the stares and whispers as he climbed the marble steps, but it wasn''t easy when he had nothing to support him when he came back home. It was one of the things he prayed for the most now, for he wanted to be down in the procession, and he wanted to be involved. But no matter what he did, he still wasn''t accepted by the people he lived around.


    The purple-haired boy entered the Temple, gazing around the large prayer hall. Everything inside was specifically designed to bear the mark of Ilias. The color pattern was of deep royal blues, which made up the carpeting, the walls, the tapestries, and the seat covers of the prayer booths. The color white offsets these details in areas such as the carpeting''s trim, the marble columns, and the wooden frames of the prayer booths.


    If nothing else, it was uniform.


    Luka eyed the packed rows of booths in front of him with apprehension. Everyone here was with family, friends, partners, someone close. However, Luka had no one. He trembled slightly, a nervous hand reaching up to tug at the ends of his hair as his blue eyes frantically searched for somewhere for him to sit. Then, he noticed a small ramp of sorts at the back of the room that seemed to lead to an upper level of the Temple.


    He quietly climbed the carpeted incline until he reached a wooden brown door marked simply as "Second Floor". Luka cautiously turned the doorknob, pushing open the door and peering into the room. The doorway seemed to be centered in between two large slopes of inclined prayer booths, the ones towards the back being higher up whilst the ones in the front being lower.


    The entire setup seemed to be designed to seat a much larger gathering of followers. Either there used to be more people in Ilias Village or it was believed that there would eventually be more as the second floor was completely empty.


    Or so he thought...


    Luka sat in the first row, looking over the railed balcony at the pedestal on which the Reverand would soon conduct his sermon. He sat cross-legged in the booth seat, holding his knees as he silently watched the gathering commence. Glancing up, the purple-haired boy noticed the large stained-glass visage of the Goddess of Light, depicted with her eyes closed and her hands in a praying position.


    The sight of Ilias drew his mind back to his somewhat upsetting dream, ''I hope coming to Mass may help me understand you better, Ilias. Then, maybe you too can understand me as well.''


    Sitting still in his seat with his eyes on the image of Ilias, Luka failed to sense the pair of blue eyes watching him from the highest row of booths. The owner of the blue eyes was a girl who had watched the purple-haired boy with great interest as soon as she had noticed him enter the second floor.


    She was soon to be two years older than Luka and was a head taller than him. Her blonde hair fell down to her back and was covered by a blue and white nun''s cap. Her budding form was clothed by a similarly colored long-sleeve dress that came down to her lower thighs, meeting the thigh-high black stockings she wore.


    This girl was Sofia, the disguised Lamia who had become an "official" disciple of Ilias through Black Alice two years ago. Now, after a year of tutelage and study under the older Monster and about a year of on-again off-again traveling, the pious Lamia came to Ilias Village to meet the fabled Prophet Luka!


    ''What do I do, what do I say!?'' Sofia thought, anxiety riddling her mind.


    Ever since Black Alice told Sofia about the Prophet''s place in Ilias''s grand plan, Sofia had been pining for the day that she finally got to see the boy. However, she hadn''t any real plan for what she would do when she met him, and Alice hadn''t instructed anything other than for her to get "familiar" with the Prophet.


    Was she to actually talk to him, or should she simply just observe him? The thought of possibly learning how to become a better believer from the boy was exciting. If the Lamia wanted to be a pious follower, who better to learn it from than Ilias''s own hand-picked Prophet? The only better source of Holy guidance would be Ilias herself!


    And so, making up her mind to at least get closer to him, Sofia carefully crept down the stairs to the boy. So far, he hadn''t seemed to notice her, so the disguised Lamia was able to get a good look at Luka before he saw her.


    His clothing was simple: It consisted of a plain brown tunic, black pants, and brown sandals. ''Definitely humble like a Prophet should be, though I wonder why he''s up here by his lonesome instead of down there with everyone else?''


    Reaching the row just before Luka, Sofia took a moment to glance around the second floor, trying to understand why Luka would be there. In doing so, the disguised Lamia missed the crooked board that jutted from the oncoming step she was nearing, only becoming aware of it when it was too late.


    Creak


    The sound of squeaking wood filled the air of the second floor, causing the girl to freeze and snap her gaze to her "foot."


    ''What, an uneven floor in the Temple of Ilias!? This place is not being maintained as it should!'' Sofia glanced back to the boy, just to jerk back in shock as she found his bright blue eyes staring widely at her. The Lamia nun stood deathly still as his eyes bore into hers.


    The only thing that Sofia had not prepared for, was Luka''s full undivided attention.


    Said boy merely watched, somewhat confused, as the girl seemed to freeze at his presence.


    ''Strange.'' Luka thought, before remembering his manners. The purple-haired boy held up his right hand and said, "H-Hello." The greeting snapped the disguised Lamia out of her trance, allowing her to muster a reply.


    "H-Hello there!" Sofia said, forcing herself to continue forward. Cautiously, she sat a seat away from the boy, trying to respectfully keep a seat''s worth of distance between herself and the Prophet. Luka peered at Sofia curiously, as her face wasn''t one he recognized around Ilias Village. Judging from her Nun attire, he had to guess she was well-versed in the teachings of Ilias.


    Tentatively, Luka started to converse with her, "F-Forgive me, but I-I don''t recognize you. A-Are you a tr-traveler?" He asked. Sofia beamed and replied, "Ah yes, I''m staying here for a little while before I continue on my way. It is a quaint little town you have here."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Luka idly tugged on a lock of his mid-length hair, trying to think of what would seem like a proper response. ''Quaint would not be a word I''d use to describe it, but she wouldn''t know that. Even if she is an outsider, I don''t think they''d find the courage to disrespect a Nun.''


    The girl''s voice broke him from his thoughts, "Oh, where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself." Nervously, the girl placed a hand up to her collar, "My name is Sofia. Luka smiled, "Sofia, that''s a nice name. Mine is Luka."


    The disguised Lamia fought the rising blush that made its way onto her face, squirming about in her seat from the compliment. A quick giggle came from her lips, "Hehe, thank you, Luka."


    A hush came over the prayer hall, spurring the two adolescents to fall silent as well. Luka watched as the elderly Reverand began Sunday Mass with half-interest. In his heart, Luka knew that he should at least attempt to pay attention to whatever the man would drone on about, but he was having trouble now for one very particular reason.


    Or rather, a particular person.


    Luka couldn''t help but watch the blonde girl sitting next to him out of the corner of his eye. She was pretty, Luka certainly could not lie about that. But that wasn''t what had made her stand out to the boy. What had, was the fact that she had actually interacted with him.


    Ever since his Mother had passed, the boy had been terribly lonely. To call him attention-starved would be too dulcet a way of putting it. After two years of nothing but impassive stares and whispers behind his back from those living in Ilias Village, the boy went out of his way to seek out unfamiliar faces to welcome.


    This usually had varying success, as few people passing through the town were too interested in some orphaned boy''s need for acknowledgement. So, to put it plainly, Luka tended to latch onto anyone who seemed even a sliver of interest in him.


    But this girl had approached him, something more valued than he could even word.


    Swiftly, Luka got out of his chair and moved to the one directly next to the girl. Sofia jumped, not expecting the boy to get so close. "S-So wh-why are you here? Are you just visiting the Temple?" It was the only thing Luka could figure a Nun would be visiting Ilias Village for, as he wasn''t too familiar with the duties of her station.


    The disguised Lamia gave a wide smile, turning in her seat to fully face the younger boy. "Why yes I am, and I must say it is a very nice House of the Goddess. It must be very nice to live so close, I must admit that I am jealous of you for that."


    Luka cringed inwardly at the comment, seeing as that luxury wasn''t one that he taken advantage of. Still, he replied, "I-It is, yeah..." The boy trailed off, trying to muster anything further to talk about. Which was difficult, as he didn''t really have experience in conversation. Then, an idea struck him.


    "Hey," Luka gulped, fighting to get the question out, "W-Will you be busy a-after Mass?"


    Sofia''s mouth parted in a nervous smile, not having expected such a forward request from the younger boy. "U-Umm," Sofia''s "legs" twitched, "I suppose that I wouldn''t have anything else going on." It was true, as she really didn''t. Sofia had only intended on seeing the Temple and meeting Luka, after all.


    "G-Great, I could sh-show you my house then!" Luka''s face practically glowed briefly before he became reserved again, "That is, i-if you want."


    The Lamia stared at him with wide eyes, clutching her seat tightly with her pale hands. ''He''s inviting me to go to his house? Me, a lowly Monster entering the abode of the Prophet himself!? That''s as righteous as being invited to Heaven!'' Sofia quickly nodded to accept the offer.


    "L-Let''s go then!" Luka exclaimed and - before Sofia could verbally respond - grabbed Sofia by her hand and yanked the older girl from her seat. "W-Wait, but Mass isn''t even over yet!" She exclaimed.


    Luka looked over his shoulder with a bright smile that silenced any further rebuttal, "I-It''s fine, there''ll be other Sundays!" The purple-haired boy yanked the upper prayer hall''s door open, guiding his newly found acquaintance down the ramp and onto the first floor.


    For once, the glares of the others didn''t bother the adolescent boy as he dragged Sofia to the front door, bursting through it with not a care in the world. Behind the two was the entire congregation staring back at the pair, over two-thirds having very disapproving glares on their faces.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    In Heaven, a certain sage-haired Seraph was hard at work receiving the prayers from the Earth below.


    Now, one would think that the prayers sent to the Goddess Ilias would be received by her directly, but that was not the case. At one time, it had been. However, once the population of Humans increased to such a point and the Monsters became so much more prevalent, Ilias had no time to take in the prayers herself anymore.


    At least, that was what she claimed.


    So, sometime after the Monster Wars, Ilias stopped receiving the prayers herself and designated Eden to sort them out for her. But even that grew tiresome as so many prayers were still flooding in, so Ilias further narrowed it down to only receiving the prayers on Sundays, hence the tradition of Sunday Mass. That way, Eden could take in all the prayers at once and sort them by their worthiness, viability, practicality, etc.


    Once they were sorted as a written list, Ilias would, somewhat begrudgingly, go through them all and decide which ones should be answered and which should not. Most prayers ended up being tossed away due to the Goddess''s stipulations.


    In fact, the last prayer she had actually technically answered was Luka''s. Which, coincidentally, was the Human first prayer to directly go to Ilias in a very long time.


    Either way, Eden diligently listened to the prayers, writing them down with spectacular speed and accuracy. For the Seraph, doing this arduous task was a magnificent blessing, as she was quite literally doing the Goddess''s work. Each prayer to her was unique, although not always for the greatest of reasons. In fact, most were less than impressive in her mind and shouldn''t even be sent to her Goddess for evaluation.


    But withholding the prayers from the Goddess was not Eden''s job, so she merely put them in order by importance.


    ''Ah, finally, the prayers of Ilias Village. I cannot wait, theirs are always so innocent and righteous!'' However, as the Seraph sat on her knees in her Garden, her look of satisfaction turned to that of befuddlement. ''Wait, what?'' It only got worse from there, as many of the prayers came in bearing similar requests...


    ...All of them speaking quite negatively about Luka.


    "What is this? Why are they praying such awful things about The Prophet!?" Indeed, over two-thirds of those residing in Ilias Village were praying for the boy to be punished for being a disturbance.


    Rarely did any prayer requests upset the sage-haired Seraph, but she felt her face redden from her rattled composure. Instead of stopping her work, however, the Seraph worked even quicker in recording the prayers, making sure that the names of the ones wishing Luka ill will be properly marked for their audacity.


    Then, Eden flew to Ilias''s throne room to report the incident to her Goddess.


    Breaking through the layer of Golden cloud, Eden bowed in front of the throne quicker than she ever had before, for once abandoning her usual formality to report her findings. "My Lord, I come to you with awful news!" She lifted from her bowing, staring straight to face her Goddess with hardened eyes. "I''m afraid that the people of Ilias Village... haaave..." Eden halted, quickly noticing that the Goddess was not currently awake.


    On her throne, Ilias snored away, not having heard her Daughter''s entrance. Flying over to Ilias, the Seraph gently shook the arm of her Goddess. "Ilias, Ilias, please you must awaken!" Soon, the blonde Goddess did so, her blue eyes tiredly opening without haste.


    "Ah, Eden..." Ilias let out a quick yawn, "...What is it? Have you already finished taking in the prayers for today?" Eden gave Ilias a grim look, to which the Goddess began to perk up as her Seraph spoke. "I have, my Goddess; however, I have disturbing news..." Eden briskly handed the section of prayers from Ilias Village to Ilias, which the Goddess curtly took and raised to read.


    As her blue eyes scanned through the pages, Ilias felt a righteous fire erupt inside her body. Her brow arched dangerously, and the rage building inside of her threatened to burst.


    "How dare they..." Ilias muttered as she went through the list. "...To speak ill of my Prophet is to speak ill of me! This will not stand, not beyond today." The Goddess mulled over her options, wanting to quickly snuff out this situation before it really became a problem. If the villagers began to push Luka away from the village, they could possibly be pushing him away from her as well, and that could not happen.


    "Eden, send for Principality Nagael. I wish to give her this list of yours. As far as I am concerned, these Humans are just as bad as the nonbelievers, if not worse." Eden nodded, teleporting away to the Seventh Level of Heaven while Ilias continued to brood. ''Nobody is going to inhibit my plans for Luka, not even my own followers. Their lives are expendable anyway. I can always get more followers, but I only have the one Prophet.''


    As this sinister undertaking was planned in Heaven, a more innocent venture was occurring in Ilias Village.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka had eventually stopped dragging Sofia across town, allowing a much slower and relaxed pace as they walked alongside each other as the cooled winter sun shined down upon them. The roads disguised Lamia watched with amusement in her eyes as Luka led the two through Ilias Village.


    "So," Sofia began, "What exactly do you have planned for me, Luka?" The purple-haired boy slowed in his pace, a ponderous expression coming onto his face. "Well..." The boy trailed off, "...I-I guess we can figure out when we get there." Sofia began to giggle, her voice echoing through the mostly empty road.


    Soon, Luka''s house came into view as they reached the edge of Ilias Village. It was a humble abode, one of the smallest houses Sofia had seen thus far. ''Again, fitting for some like the Prophet. I still can''t believe that this is happening! The Goddess has truly blessed me with this opportunity!''


    Sofia fought to keep her composure as they reached the front door, which Luka quickly pulled open with one hand while beckoning his spur-of-the-moment guest with his free hand. His new friend entered the doorway with a thankful bow of her head, the boy following soon after with the front door closing behind them.


    Sofia was quick to analyze the Prophet''s home, taking in all the details she could.


    There was a small open stove inside the kitchen, with scattered bits of counters and kitchenware throughout. In the middle of the kitchen was a small square table with two seats on either side. Sofia noted the small, unlit candle in the middle of the table. The room, despite its small size, was not devoid of cutlery. Hanging from the walls, were a decent array of skillets, bowls, ladles, and knives.


    The disguised Lamia found herself impressed with the selection the boy''s house had. ''There''s enough supplies here to help cook for two families!''


    Suddenly, Sofia felt her blood run cold. Merely thinking the word "families" made her realize something. Turning to the boy, she started to ask an innocent question. "Luka, do you live alone?" Luka reacted strangely to the question, his breath awkwardly hitching in the back of his throat as he looked away, "O-Oh... Y-Yes, yes I do."


    Thump Thump


    Sofia''s heart thundered in her ears. ''Alone?'' She thought, ''It''s only me and him, in his house, all alone?'' The disguised Lamia felt herself involuntarily shiver at the thought but quickly fought off any inappropriate ideas. ''No, no, NO! I can''t think like that, not here, not now, not with him! Thinking such scandalous things about the Prophet is surely a sin!''


    Sofia coughed, trying to recompose herself. "Ah, I am sorry, I wasn''t aware."


    Luka kept his gaze averted, "D-Don''t be sorry, you d-didn''t know." Her eyes softened as she watched the boy''s earlier enthusiasm wash away, a wave of sadness hitting him. Trying to salvage the situation, the disguised Lamia offered a suggestion. "Hey, how about you show me around your house? I''d love to see the rest of it."


    The young boy''s mouth turned into a small smile, "Sure, I''d like that." So then, while grabbing onto the taller girl''s hand again, he led her through the rest of his house. Thankfully, with a much slower pace, although the contact drew a blush from her, thoughts of a less innocent nature invaded her mind again.


    There wasn''t much else to show, as the house only had a handful of rooms. Luka also decidedly rushed past his parent''s old room, much to Sofia''s confusion, eyeing the room with curiosity as they passed it. Before she could ask about it, the boy led her to the last room of the house. His room.


    Sofia twitched.


    "And this is my bedroom!" Luka proclaimed, pushing open the door to reveal the modest area. Luka walked over to his bed, turned on his heel, and sat on the edge of his mattress. The boy stared expectantly as Sofia glanced inside the room. There wasn''t much inside other than a small bed, a closet, and a small dresser with some books stacked on top. All in all, a very unassuming space. And a very private space.


    And, traditionally, a very intimate space...


    "O-O-Oh! How very nice, L-Luka! A very nice bedroom indeed!" Sofia shook, her face growing even more red from her traitorous thoughts. Luka, noticing that something was off, tilted his head at the older girl. "Wh-What''s wrong, Sofia?"


    Sofia ignored the flutter of her heart when Luka said her name, trying to get past her increasingly risqué thoughts. "Oh no, noooothing is wrong..." Sofia drawled, drumming her fingers together as Luka''s prolonged gaze felt like an iron claw around her heart. "...I''m, just, hungry! Yes, I''m hungry."


    At his new friend''s exclamation, Luka hopped off of his bed with excitement dancing in his blue eyes. The purple-haired boy reached out and grabbed the girl''s hand again, leading her along to the kitchen.


    Once he got there, Luka released his hold of the girl''s hand to start collecting the ingredients and utensils for cooking. Sofia watched him, a quizzical look on her face as the boy ran water into a decently sized pot. ''Well if he''s been living by himself, I suppose learning to cook for himself had been a necessity.''


    Sofia stood to the side as Luka began a fire in the large hearth, dark smoke rising into the chimney. A question manifested in her mind, but the girl was afraid of asking it for fear of upsetting her host. Luka hung the pot over the hearth, letting the fire lick at the bottom of it as he began placing different dried flakes into the pot.


    "So," Luka said, "How l-long have you been practicing?" Sofia grinned at the question, glad to talk to Ilias''s Prophet about her faith. "For most of my life. Ever since I was a small child, I have had an admiration for the Goddess." Luka pulled out a cutting board and placed it on the counter, taking down a small blade hanging off the wall shortly after.


    "That''s nice." He said as he paced over to the pantry, pulling out green onion before returning to the counter. He placed the vegetable on the cutting board and began chopping, "D-Does the rest of your f-family practice so strongly?"


    Sofia''s smile faded from her face upon hearing the question. She shook her head slowly, "No, I am the only believer in my family. That is why I travel by myself."


    Luka looked over his shoulder, stopping mid-cut as a pang of sympathy hit his heart. "R-Really? That''s awful. I h-hope that your trip hasn''t been too lonely." Sofia gave a sad smile as he turned his head back around to continue his prep work. "Thank you, but the destination mattered much more to me than the trip. Being in Ilias Village is a blessing to me."


    The disguised Lamia sauntered to the table in the middle of the room, pulling up a chair as her host began mixing more ingredients into a small bowl.


    Sofia watched him whisk, noticing how natural the process came to him. "How long have you been cooking for, Luka? You seem to be an expert." The boy kept his eyes on the bowl, pursing his lips in thought.


    "Hmmm..." Luka added the bowl''s contents to the pot, watching as it simmered. "...P-Probably since I was six or seven, m-maybe even earlier. I started just by helping my M-Mother cook, and then I took over when she... c-couldn''t anymore."


    The Lamia Nun heard the hesitation in his tone; naturally, speaking of his family was as much a sore spot as it would be for herself. The idea that her Prophet had to do without a proper family brought a frown onto her face.


    "But, I like to cook, so it doesn''t bother me." Luka quickly added as he turned away from the pot, grabbing a couple of bowls and spoons. He placed them on the counter next to the fireplace, then reached up to pluck a ladle hanging from the wall above him.


    "I-I''m just happy to be cooking for more than j-just me for once. It''s..." Luka paused, his emotions getting the better of him once more. "...B-Been a while since I''ve done this with someone else." The boy finished before he went back to the pot, dipping the ladle into the soup and stirring it for a bit before bringing it to his mouth. He smiled, evidently satisfied with his work.


    Luka quickly grabbed the two sizeable bowls, filling them with his now-completed soup. With an eager grin, he turned and brought the small meal to his awaiting guest. He gently placed each bowl on the table and retrieved the spoons, handing one to Sofia.


    "Enjoy!~" Luka exclaimed, watching her face closely as he sat across from her, foregoing his food to gauge her reaction.


    Sofia nodded, "Thank you, Luka." She replied before dipping her spoon in the broth, bringing it to her mouth to sip. In the few breaths after, the girl''s face lit up in surprise. "Wow, that''s really good! It''s Miso, I can tell that much, but this is so much better than any other Miso soup I''ve tried..."


    Luka''s smile lit up his whole face as the girl complimented his cooking.


    "...How did you do it?" Sofia asked, but Luka just shook his head as he raised a hand. "N-Nope, can''t tell you that. It''s a secret!" Sofia gave an amused look at the boy''s insistence on keeping his "secret."


    The pair finished the meal, the disguised Lamia thanking the boy for his hospitality.


    Luka looked out the window as he placed the used dishes into the sink. The sun was well past noon now, the dimming rays streaming through the window at a noticeable angle. ''Huh, that''s strange. Is it getting that late already?'' Luka thought in disappointment.


    Luka glanced back at the girl who was now standing up from her seat at the table. In the lighting provided in the sun, her blonde curls shone vibrantly, nicely offset by her mostly blue attire. Sofia''s blue eyes met his own, and she faltered upon realizing that her host was seemingly inspecting her.


    "I-Is there something wrong?" She asked.


    Luka shook his head, but his soft blue eyes kept locked on Sofia''s. "N-No, I-I just..." He stopped, trying to make sense of his own feelings. Luka hadn''t even known the girl for longer than a couple hours, but it had already been so much more than what he had received his whole life from anybody in Ilias Village.


    Adults avoided him and taught their kids to do the same, forcing Luka to become isolated even more after his Mother''s passing. Until this day, the boy had thought he''d gotten used to the loneliness, having accepted that he was an outsider in the town. But now, he couldn''t stomach the thought of going back to that again, not just yet.


    Luka nervously put his hands together, trying to psych himself up. "...I-I k-know you said you were staying here j-just to visit." He gulped, looking down to ground. He felt his throat threaten to close up, but he forced it open.


    "So, I-I was wondering i-if you''d like to stay here for t-tonight? If you don''t already have somewhere to go, that is." Luka silently waited, eyes still aimed down, as the girl''s face turned from curious to something more conflicted. There was an unsureness swimming in her bright blue eyes, and even deeper, there was a great yearning.


    "I..." Sofia began, her voice soft and timid. A tiny voice was telling her that it was a terrible idea to stay the night, that certain temptations could easily set in if she was too reckless, but she couldn''t find it in her to say no.


    After all, if the Prophet wanted her there, how could she say no?


    "...I-I suppose I could stay the night here." Sofia said, fighting the growing heat rising throughout her body. However, no matter how hard she fought, the disguised Monster couldn''t shake the excitement growing as her mind kept thinking that she and Luka would be alone the whole night.


    Especially with the large and relieved smile that Luka aimed at her as he raised his gaze from the floor.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The sun was dropping quickly in the air, the winter day passing at an astonishing speed as it was now well into the afternoon. Luka felt the oncoming chill as he silently clipped on a hedge with a small pair of shears.


    Kneeling on the grass beside him was Sofia, who watched as the boy trimmed the bush. "You have a steady hand, Luka. Have you done this for a while as well?"


    Luka nodded, keeping his eyes on the shears. "Y-Yes, I''ve helped in the garden f-for even longer than I''ve helped with cooking. I''d stay out here for hours, sometimes even the whole day depending on what my Mother had planned."


    He paused, holding his shears idle for a moment. "Eventually, I began doing the gardening by myself. M-My Mother always said that she didn''t know where my green thumb came from since she was never good at it."


    He snipped a couple more leaves off. "...S-Same with cooking, I suppose."


    The disguised Lamia nodded, watching as the boy finished up the hedge. "So, everything planted here was planted by you?" Luka shrugged, "Just about, I believe my Father may have planted some things though..." Sofia saw Luka''s face fall, a dour expression appearing on his face. Sofia frowned as the boy held the closed shears close, tapping a finger absent-mindedly against the handle.


    Luka''s eyes looked up to the sky, noting that while it was still light out, he could no longer see the sun due to the fading day and the height of the wooden fence. He glanced back to Sofia, realizing that if the girl really was to stay the night, he needed to figure out some sort of sleeping arrangement.


    ''Well, she obviously can''t sleep in my bed with me. I mean, there''s not enough room for that.'' Luka bit his lip in thought, ''The only bed in the house otherwise, would be my parent''s...'' He contemplated the idea, unsure if he had the heart to even have the courage to open that door. ''...But they would surely want me to do so for a guest. After all, I made the offer in the first place, so accommodating is my responsibility.''


    Luka turned, noticing the girl yawning into her hand. ''That, and it seems as if she''ll be needing that soon. I''m sure her travels have been tiring.'' He strode up to the girl, offering his hand to her. Sofia seemed somewhat surprised at first but ended up taking it. He pulled her to her feet, keeping his grip gentle. "I-I want to show you where you will be staying s-since it will be late soon."


    Sofia smiled, "Very well, lead the way." Heading inside, Luka led her back to the room he had gone out of his way to pass when showing Sofia his home. He stood in front of it for a heartbeat, before forcing himself to grab the knob and twist.


    Once the contents were revealed, Sofia immediately understood why the boy had not addressed the room the first time, inferring by the queen-sized bed that this room had once belonged to his parents. She watched the boy press on with belated steps, his gaze strictly staying on the bed.


    Upon reaching it, Luka tentatively placed a hand on one of the pillows. "Th-This is, w-w-was, my parent''s room. A-Apologies if it isn''t v-very clean."


    The disguised Lamia took a glance around, noting that the room actually was very well cleaned, but didn''t say anything to the contrary. "Do not apologize, Luka. I appreciate you allotting me room for tonight, it is very kind of you." Luka nodded, pulling his hand away from the bed.


    Sofia saw the sadness on Luka''s face clearly, his blue eyes telling of a deeper pain. Noticing her staring, the boy forced a small smile, "W-Well, if you want you can take the first shower. I won''t mind." He offered and Sofia nodded, "Thank you, Luka. I would appreciate that very much." She slowly backed out of the bedroom, feeling conflicted as the boy''s gaze returned to the bed.


    As Sofia left, Luka inwardly cursed himself. ''Look at me, I shouldn''t be sulking about this right now. What kind of host broods in front of his guest like that?'' Luka heard the shower go off, the sound of water splashing on the ground echo through the house. His gaze rose to the window, noticing that the sun''s life was nearly gone. The sky was painted with dark blues and vibrant purples, the grass and trees only barely visible due to the fading light''s last gasp before night fell.


    Luka''s heart throbbed sadly knowing that this day would soon be over.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Half an hour later, the roles were reversed as Sofia lay under the silk sheets, listening to her host take his own shower. The faint sound of falling water like a rainstorm from where she rested. However, one look outside could easily confirm that this wasn''t true. The gray clouds had vanished, leaving the stars uncovered.


    ''The Moon is even out, in full no less.'' Sofia noted.


    Indeed, the pale light of the Full Moon shimmered through the window, bathing the room in white light. This light was so bright, that she would need to close those blinds soon so she could sleep, but not yet. She wanted to be awake to say goodnight to Luka.


    It was certainly surprising to Sofia that the two had gone from being complete strangers to her sleeping in his home as a guest. Even the most humble and generous of believers would be a bit hesitant to offer sanctuary to someone they had just met, but Luka hadn''t been hesitant.


    In fact, the idea seemed to have been very exciting to him. Though, the implication of this was saddening. ''He seems awfully lonely, with how quick he was to try and befriend me. Why is it that Ilias''s Prophet so isolated from the Goddess''s very own hub of worship?'' The disguised Lamia just couldn''t fathom the idea.


    Sofia''s thoughts were broken by the sound of running water being cut off. It seemed as if Luka had finished his shower. The disguised Lamia squirmed, retreating into the sheets. Her body felt nervous, almost...


    ...Expectant? Though of what, she was not sure.


    "Gah! I haven''t been able to properly think straight since I''ve been around him! I need to focus!" Sofia exclaimed, then suddenly sitting up as a startling realization hit her. "I-I haven''t even prayed since before Mass!" She gasped, covering her mouth in horror.


    But before the disguised Lamia could continue in her downward spiral, she heard a light rap of fingers knocking on her door. Sofia stopped moving, her whole body tensing up at the noise. Sofia''s blue eyes locked on the door, hearing as her heart thundered crazily in her chest. She slowly removed her palms from her now very dry mouth.


    "C-C-C-Come in!" Sofia squeaked, suddenly having to fight to find her voice.


    Slowly, painfully, the wooden door opened as Luka peeked his head into the room. "I-I''m sorry if you were a-already asleep, I j-just wanted to make sure you were comfortable before going to b-bed myself." Sofia, still huddled beneath the sheets, shook her head. Luka watched the movement closely, just now noticing that the girl''s long blonde hair was fully uncovered.


    "Oh no, you are fine, Luka. Th-Thank you for checking on me." The purple-haired boy nodded, "You''re welcome." He turned from the room, fully prepared to leave, but Sofia stopped him.


    "W-Wait!" She called, nearly jumping out of the bed when she did. Luka stopped, fixing a questioning gaze on the blonde girl. Sofia clutched the sheets tightly, her mind racing to think of a reason to explain her outburst. "I... I wanted to pray with you!" It came out more desperate than she had intended, but Luka seemed understanding as he flashed her a smile. "A-Ah, okay!"


    However, when he walked back through the door and into the room, Sofia even more desperately wished she hadn''t called him in.


    Luka walked through the door, wearing his white nightshirt as he had for years. The hem reached just above the knees, and the sleeves reached down to his forearms. His hair was not dried, beads of water shimmering in the pale moonlight. He paced up to the bed, unaware of how starstruck his guest had become.


    Sofia, meanwhile, felt her heart about to burst.


    The disguised Lamia tentatively uncovered herself, stepping out of the bed to stand in front of Luka. The girl was wearing the only other article of clothing she used, a light blue nightgown with white trim on its hem. It was modest, not too loose or tight, so she could keep her from looking too scandalous.


    It fell past her knees, only leaving her calves and below uncovered. Even with its simplicity, Luka could confidently say that the girl before him was the cutest he had ever seen in Ilias Village. Though to keep from offending the young Nun, he kept the comment to himself.


    Luka reached out his palms, and Sofia quietly took his hands into hers in response. Luka closed his eyes, prepared to listen to the girl send up a prayer to Ilias. However, no such thing came. He opened his eyes, confused at the girl''s silence. But when he opened his eyes, he was met with something startling. Sofia''s gaze was intensely fixed on his face. Her blue eyes seemed to glow with how strongly they were bearing down on his.


    Sofia''s eyes were so transfixed, that he nearly didn''t notice how hard her hands were shaking in his grip. "S-Sofia, a-are you o-okay?" His question seemed to break the girl from her trance, as she seemed to calm down.


    "Oh, I''m s-sorry!" Sofia gasped, releasing his hands. "I-I, well, y-you know it is getting late and I''m just so tired. I will just make up tonight''s prayer tomorrow I think!" The disguised Lamia grabbed Luka a bit more tightly than she had meant to, it being her turn to drag him as she took him to the door. "Thank you so, so, sooo very much Luka, I am going-to-bed-now-goodnight!"


    The purple-haired boy was all but thrown from the bedroom, giving a look of complete bewilderment at the now-closed door.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Hours later, Sofia was still awake.


    Her breathing was heavy, loud gasps for air filling the room. The disguised Lamia tossed and turned, feeling clammy from the sweat that soaked the sheets. She turned again, looking at her Nun attire sitting on the bedside table as if it was a disapproving parent. "I-I cannot believe it, what''s wrong with me!?" Sofia lamented, grabbing the sides of her face as she turned over once more. However, it did little to help her condition.


    Sofia sat up sharply, growling in frustration. Her body was burning. It was as if the Hellfire was licking at her, trying to punish her for her sinful thoughts. Finally, she threw off the sheets, her self-anger growing. "This is ridiculous, why am I so weak-willed!?" She panted, wet strands of hair falling over her eyes. She glanced down at the bed, feeling something different about how the air felt.


    Then, she saw it.


    Sofia''s "legs" had somehow morphed back into a very long, scaly green serpent tail.


    The now un-disguised Lamia gasped in horror, "No, this can''t be! Not when I am in the house of the Prophet!"


    Sofia''s eyes scanned the bed, before she all but jumped out of it. "I have defiled his very home by dirtying his parent''s bed! H-How could I!?" She slithered in circles around the room frantically, rambling as she grew more worked-up. "I-I-I''ve done nothing but fall further and further from grace since I''ve met him! Why now, why are these perverted thoughts all hitting me now!?"


    When holding Luka''s hands, she had tried to think nothing but pious thoughts, but she couldn''t with him there. Everything at that moment had hit her like a brick wall. His adorable, innocent face. His freshly cleaned smell. His soft, inviting lips calling to her to... to...


    Another shudder wracked her body, but she slammed her tail down violently onto the ground. "No. Stop that! I won''t think such things about him. It certainly is a horrible sin to do such a thing!" But Sofia couldn''t shake the urge, the desire to run down the hall to him and abandon the Goddess''s Commandments in a flash of blind passion.


    It was becoming too strong to simply ignore. So, she made the decision to leave. ''Every moment I stay is a danger to his innocence, for his sake I must leave!''


    Sofia scooped up her Nun attire, throwing it on quickly over her head. She had nearly opened the door but stopped her hand before she could. ''I can''t go through there, if I go by his door, I may not be able to control myself!'' As if to reinforce this, she felt a wave of heat hit her body, a very uncomfortable heat. Instead, the girl rushed to the window, nearly ripping it open and slithering through.


    Sofia closed it behind herself, pacing backward away from the house. "I... I''m sorry, please forgive my sinfulness." The young, confused Monster fled into the night, unknowingly saving herself from discovery by fleeing the house. For there was something much worse than her coming to Ilias Village...


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    A mass of thick, scaly red tendrils slithered across the ground. They moved methodically, taking their time as they glided across the grass and stone. There were dozens of the serpentine arms, each coming from the same origin point. That origin was a writhing ball of snake-like appendages that hovered just above the ground in the heart of Ilias Village, stationed in front of the Temple of Ilias.


    They could be seen entering various houses in the small town through cracks in the walls or even open windows. At each end of these large red tendrils were strangely human-like heads, complete with red locks of hair that fell past their jaws. Each head was a carbon copy of their master, Principality Nagael.


    The Principality in question sat airily on the throne of red serpents, gently petting one of the snake heads as the others began the process of soul collection. Her body was illuminated by the Full Moon, the white robes adorning her body glowing in its light. Nagael wore an aloof grin on her face, feeling great satisfaction as she felt some of the souls in the Village already begin to fade.


    In short, the Principality was poisoning them.


    The snake heads gently bit into their victims, injecting them with pure Angelic essence. This energy, while part of any Angel''s natural makeup, was inherently corrosive to Humans and Monsters. If left untreated, it would eventually melt the insides of anyone inflicted, eating them from the inside out.


    Nagael smiled pleasantly to herself as, one by one, the villagers who had dared to desecrate the name of the Prophet were eaten alive from the inside by pure Holy magic. Some would perish during the night, while others would pass on in the coming weeks, depending on how strong the person afflicted was. No one would ultimately survive in the end, as their souls would all return to Heaven where they would be further punished until they were ready to be sent to Ilias.


    Nagael''s serpentine appendages returned to her, the job given to her by Ilias now finished...


    ...However, there was one more destination for her. A job given to her by someone other than Ilias. She hovered quietly at the edge of the village, the green vines wrapped around her body dragging against the ground as she came closer and closer to her final stop. Eventually, Nagael found what she was looking for.


    It was a quaint, unassuming home. At first glance, one wouldn''t think much of it, but Nagael knew differently. She could feel a repressed Angelic aura pulsating off her target as she drew near a small bedroom window. With ease, the Principality raised the glass door open and held her arm out, hand on the window frame.


    Then, from her sleeve, a small red worm slithered out onto the window. It slinked in, dropping to the ground and crawling along the bedroom floor before it hid underneath the sleeping Luka''s bed.


    Nagael''s sick smile grew as she closed the window shut, leaving the house quickly with her real job now done.


    Surely, in Heaven, a certain scheming Cherub must be ecstatic.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    End of Act 1:


    Son of the Daystar