《Jeremiad of the False Hero》


 Year 0, Birth of Luka

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    Ilias''s Six Commandments To Man


    1) Thou Shalt Not Have Intercourse With Monsters


    -Monsters are a disgusting scourge onto My Beautiful Earth; do not indulge in their lustful ways.


    2) Thou Shalt Not Have Interspecies Marriage


    -If you cannot consummate the Marriage in adherence to My First Commandment, it is a false preceding and an insult onto My Name.


    3) Thou Shalt Be Dutiful In Their Prayers


    -Stay loyal to Me above all else, and your rewards will be Heavenly.


    4) Thou Shalt Not Turn Their Sword Towards Their Goddess


    -If one wishes not to bathe in Eternal Hellfire, they should keep their wrath pointed away from their Goddess.


    5) Thou Shalt Not Worship, Nor Bear False Witness To, False Idols


    -Keep only Ilias in your prayers, lest you wish to suffer eternal damnation.


    6) Thou Shalt Not Disgrace Their Goddess


    -Keep my name with respect, and your rewards will be Heavenly.


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    Ilias''s Six Commandments To Angels


    1) My Daughters Shalt Not Have Intercourse With Humans


    - Keep your modesty and do not indulge in lust with Humans.


    2) My Daughters Shalt Not Fraternize With Monsters


    - They are enemies of your Mother, and the friend of an enemy is also an enemy. Do not become an enemy of your Mother.


    3) My Daughters Shalt Be Dutiful In Their Prayers And Obligations


    - Stay loyal to your responsibilities, and your rewards will be Heavenly


    4) My Daughters Shalt Not Worship, Nor Bear False Witness to, False Idols


    - Mutineers will receive a judgement worse than eternal Hellfire


    5) My Daughters Shalt Not Deny Their Goddess


    - If your Mother asks, you will give. My demand is of the utmost.


    6) My Daughters Shalt Bring Greatness Unto Their Goddess


    - Shine glory onto my name, and your rewards will be Heavenly.


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    Towering high aloft Earth hovered a large swath of resplendent golden clouds. Standing out powerfully from the ones that shape the Earth''s weather, these "clouds" were an entirely different plane of existence separate from everything around it.


    The facade of this dimension seemed to be the size of a small island but in reality, it wasmuchlarger than even that. This mythical realm was known asHeaven,and it was home to a being of pureLight.


    This being sat upon a polished marble throne, which rested in a field of seemingly endless golden cloud found at the very top of Heaven. She was adorned with a split dress of only the purest white, the cloth held close to her body with a thing golden waist-piece. Cascading down alongside her dress was similarly golden hair that drifted through the air, rippling as if underwater. Coming out of her upper back were the grandest pair of feathered wings in all of Heaven.


    This was the self-proclaimed Goddess of Light, the World, and all Creation,Ilias.


    A look of reserved discontent marked Ilias''s face as she started muttering,"She should be finished by now, why is it taking so long?"The rather blunt question betrayed the woman''s visage as a Goddess, as her impatience was almost childlike.


    Ilias slowly raised a gauntlet-clad arm and a rift formed in the collection of cloud before the Goddess''s throne. Inside of this newly formed hole was an image of a scene taking place on the Earth below in a small village aptly named Ilias Village.


    In this vison, a woman could be seen laying on a small futon. The woman had messy, golden-brown hair and eyes as bewitchingly blue as the Goddess looking down upon her. However, unlike Ilias, there was no aura of grace radiating from her form.


    Such a thing is difficult to preserve when in the middle of giving birth.


    This woman was Lucifina, the second Angeleverto be created by Ilias. In what seemed like eons ago, she was better known as one of theThree Great Seraphs butwas known more infamously known in Heaven as the firstFallen Angel.Besides the flustered and panting Lucifina was the one who held the pregnancy become possible, a man named Marcellus.


    The man clasped Lucifina''s hand with one of his own, putting on a very believable facade of concern on his face to help mask the unbelievable amount of pain radiating from his most certainly crushed hand. His short pale purple hair was frizzled from the stress of the situation as, even with numerous years of fighting under his belt, the now-retired Hero had trouble processing the event.


    At the foot of the futon, a nurse worked assiduously to help the painful process, but Lucifina''s labor had been ongoing for a worryingly number of hours now and had been rife with many troubling issues. One such issue being the fact Lucifina had already lost a concerning amount of blood.


    This, unbeknownst to anyone in the room but the pregnant Fallen Angel herself, was due to the fact that her Angelic body was simply notbuiltfor the stresses of the birthing process; even though it was -technically- physically possible, Angels were strictly forbidden from mingling with Humans in such a way. Angels were supposed to protect, guide, and provide wisdom to Ilias''s followers, notbed them.


    But after leaving Heaven, Lucifina lived on Earth while disguising her Holiness by sealing away her powers. Living under the guise of a Human, she had roamed the Earth for Hundreds of years until eventually settling down with Marcellus in Ilias Village, which eventually led to the situation at hand. Despite the overwhelming odds against it, an Angel ¨Calbeit anEx-Angel¨C might very well finish the day by being the first being of Light toeverbear a child.


    Which presented a complicated problem for the Goddess of Light.


    If the pregnancy was a success, it would becomequitethe revelation. Ilias herself had no idea if an Angel, upon indulging upon in a particularlyforbidden fruit, could indeed bear a child. If not, then nothing really changes. However, if Lucifina was able to pull through and do what should be impossible, the ramifications would becolossal.


    Lucifina''s child would be the first of a whole new breed of creation, an entirely new species! And on top of everything else, Ilias would have to decidewhatto do if this hypothetical half-Human half-Angel baby were to actually be brought into her World...


    ...However, merely seeing if it was possible wasn''ttrulythe only reason Ilias was observing the event.


    Ilias would not admit it, but the Goddess did still have some lingering fondness for her second Daughter; even if Lucifina did turn her back on Heaven, Lucifina had served her Mother well for millions of years and had proved to one of her most diligent Daughters when she was following Ilias. In a strange and somewhat warped way, Ilias being an audience to this birth was the Goddess showing the stray amount of affection she had left for Lucifina.


    Down on Earth, Marcellus diligently used his uninjured hand to brush a set of tangled, knotted locks out of the face of his beloved as she continued to push. He tried to avert his light blue eyes from the ever-growing amount of blood coating the small bed; he was not a squeamish man, but the sight cast a dangerous question about the health of his wife and their soon-to-be newborn child.


    Lucifina, clothed in only a blood-stained white nightgown, continued to push and cast out the thoughts of her pain as she did. Meanwhile, Ilias watched on, thus far unimpressed with the lack of any real progress. The Goddess of Light sighed, beginning to believe that this birth would ultimately prove to be a fluke.


    Just as this doubt began to grow in her, Ilias watched as Lucifina practicallysnarledand gave a grueling final push.


    From between the ex-Angel''s legs, a small head began to sprout. On top of the head was a small fluff of pale purple hair, just like his Father''s. Within the few breaths allotted to the fatigued Lucifina, the rest of the baby nearlyflewout into the bed nurse''s arms as if all of the subsequent pushing had finally caught up to launch the newborn out like a cannonball.


    Despite the intensity of the moment, the child was silent. Strangely enough, he was also clean of blood all other debris from the birthing process. Marcellus quickly rushed to the nurse as Lucifina collapsed onto the bed, overcome with exhaustion. The newly-made Father tentatively approached, looking in wonder at the tiny form of his newborn son.


    Marcellus chuckled, the joyful cadence in it resonating through the room. "A-Amazing!" The newly made Father reached for his son, gently procuring him from the nurse and holding him close to his chest with a gentleness that he had only before used with his wife in the afterglow of the nights when they had begun to work towards this day.


    Marcellus chuckled again as he strode to his wife, his face adorning a smile nearly as bright as the setting sun just outside the window. The late evening light of said setting sun washed over the child, shining off of his purple hair and reflecting off of his pale-blue pupils. Even his skin, as pallid as it was, had an ethereal glow that enchanted a certain Goddess of Light


    Ilias''s vibrant blue eyes were dumbfoundedly locked on the boy, unable to even spare a second''s long glance at anything but the baby. Ilias had witnessed many births over her impossibly long lifetime, too many to her liking. The process of birthing to her was unpleasant, so she usually shied away from watching what she would usually think of as a disgusting ordeal. So, if it wasn''t for theextraordinarycircumstances, Ilias wouldn''t even bother.


    How glad she was that she did, though.


    As Goddess of Light, Ilias could view many more layers of existence than the regular being. All levels of Light were visible to her, and one of those levels that she could observe was the Light of a living being''s very soul. In her lifetime, Ilias had only ever observed three different types of soul light.


    To a degree, the souls of her Angels were on a spectrum of gold that, at its brightest, shined like the sun. None of them burned brighter than Ilias''s, which was naturally the brightest.


    Monster souls, on the other hand, were on a spectrum of violet, their darkness being a reflection of their inherent devious nature. The darkest of these belonging to whatever Monster was the current Monster Lord, the champion of the Universe''s Darkness.


    Humans were a special case, each one being on a certain spectrum of gray. Some were lighter and some darker, depending on how much good versus evil lay dormant in the Human soul. This boy''s soul, however, was one she hadneverlaid her divine eyes on before.


    The image of his soul was purewhite. That, to her knowledge of the Universe, meant that his soul was purer than any Human''s, purer than any Angel''s!


    This was an exciting, yet confusing discovery for Ilias to make.''How could the crossing of an Angel and Human create something this divine!? Sure, Lucifina had been a model Seraph for millions of years and Marcellus had aided my cause well by slaying the Fifteenth Monster Lord...''The Goddess thought,''...But both of them have sinned in excess! How could they create something this pure!?''


    It didn''t make sense to the Goddess; it had always been that two wrongs don''t make a right, hadn''t it!? But right here, right before her eyes, the copulation of a Fallen Angel and a Failed Hero resulted in thepurestsoul ever created. They had made something Ilias could never do; they made theperfect soul.


    "His soul''s Light is even..."She paused while whispering her sudden revelation; clutching the collar of her dress, she could feel her heart pounding erratically against her chest as her mind went haywire as it tried to digest this discovery. She looked down to her own golden aura."...Even greater thanmine."


    Unfamiliar, conflicting emotions manifested inside the Goddess. She felt ecstatic to gaze upon something like this but also terrified that it appeared to be a greater force of Light thanher, the very Goddess of Light! Should she bejealousor even somewhatafraidof this? Should she be thankful? Perhaps the boy is a gift, a blessing sent to her from the Universe itself?


    With these questions floating through her mind, Ilias gazed closely as the boy was given to Lucifina, laid down with the utmost care by Marcellus. Ilias felt a pang of envy as Lucifina held the baby but ignored this as she listened to her ex-Seraph speak.


    The tired woman looked to her husband,"Luka,yes, that name will be perfect." Marcellus whispered with something to support this, but Ilias paid it no attention.


    "Luka...My, you are correct, Lucifina. It is aperfectname." The Goddess murmured to herself, still not breaking her gaze from the newborn. Suddenly, an idea breached her mind, one that put a rare genuine smile on the Ilias''s face.


    Sitting back on her throne, unconsciously having leaned more and more forward when she had inspected Luka, Ilias clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. The small smirk on her face morphed into a wide smile as her mind began to weave together a stratagem from this new event. "This ratherblasphemousaffair may actually end up beingjustwhat I needed..."


    The way Ilias saw it, she figured that where Luka''s parents had both failed her, this boy Luka could make up for their failures and more. Naturally, being the son of a Seraph should mean that his power should at least rise to the same level that his Mother had possessed, perhaps even higher if such a thing were possible. This would be very beneficial, as the Goddess was in short supply of truly powerful and fearsome followers on Earth.


    The full-blooded Humanstried, but they just weren''t enough by themselves to make any difference. Plus, they were easily swayed by temptation. With the recent attempts of Heaven''s enemies to unite once more, she needed strong leaders to help control and guide the Human race before the Monsters took them away from her for good.


    "...Yes, then so it will be done." Ilias proclaimed to herself. Without needing to do even as little as lifting a finger, Ilias summoned two of her Angels to her throne room.


    The first to appear was Ilias''s right-hand Angel in Heaven, Lucifina''s younger sister, the last of the Three Great Seraphs,Eden.


    Thick tresses the hue of sage fell behind Eden''s shoulders, reaching all the way down to her lower back, and came to rest in the middle of the Angel''s six large wings. She also had two fluffy twin tails of hair fall down to her collarbone and rested below her chin. Above her head, hovering over another small set of wings attached behind her head, was the largest and brightest halo of any living Angel.


    Eden''s clothing was simple and modest, consisting of nothing more than a plain white robe that started at the middle of her neck and went down to the top of her sandaled feet. The sleeves of her robe went all the way down her arms, ending just below her wrists.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Very abruptly, the Seraph dropped to her knees and clasped her hands in front of her bosom. "My Goddess, to what do we owe the great honor of residing in your presence?" Soon after, a light snickering could be heard emanating from the Seraph''s side, much to her visible annoyance in the form of a scowl.


    Floating next to her was a morescandalouslydressed Angel. She was the Angel ofLove, to be more exact, Cupid.


    Her blonde locks poked out messily from underneath a large pink cap, some of which partway covered her right eye and face. The length of her single braid behind her was impressive, going nearly the entirety of her body. The front of her cap had a golden outline of a heart emblazoned upon it, which connected to the hat''s golden trim.


    Cupid''s eyes flashed a bright pink as well, fitting as her pupils themselves were glowing hearts. Sprouting from her back were a single pair of wings that looked much simpler and smaller than that of the other two. Her halo was also very -very- small. If one were to spare only a passing glance, they wouldn''t even be able to see it.


    The Angel of Love''s clothing consisted of a light pink dress, with half the length being button-up. A fraction of which was unbuttoned, leaving an ample amount of flesh visible, including half of a heart tattoo on her right breast. The dress also split at the bottom, showing a questionable amount of thigh as it did, despite the effort from her knee-high boots to conceal her legs.


    In her forearm-length pink gloves haphazardly held Cupid''s famous ¨Cand for some,infamous¨C bow and arrow: The ultimate instrument of "Love".


    Eden hmphed as she glared at Cupid with her eyes, not having moved a muscle of her body or face away from her Goddess, "Is there something terriblyamusingabout that?" The Seraph snapped in annoyance.


    Cupid''s thinly veiled snickering turned to an outright cackle before she proclaimed: "Aha, nothing to do with you my dear Sister, just something amusing from earlier that I remembered just now." Of course, it was a lie, but even Cupid wouldn''t joke about Eden''s nonstop groveling when Ilias herself was right in front of them. Even when she oh-so-terriblywanted to tease on how accidentally provocative Eden''s position looked fromjustthe right angle...


    ...Such things being implied of the Seraph would drive her absolutely insane with anger.


    Eden huffed, rising from her knees to stand in front of her Goddess just as Ilias began to speak. "Listen close now, you two. What I have for you is very important news. Something has just transpired on Earth, something that could aid me in finally bringing peace to my world."


    This quickly gave Ilias the full attention of what she considered to be some of her most useful subordinates. Looking at them both, she evaluated them quickly. For they were, perhaps begrudgingly, some of her best choices for this new project of hers.


    Eden looked at her, eyes steeled and determined. The last Seraph looked at her with a fierce loyalty that had never waned once throughout her entire existence. For that, she could consider Eden her most important piece on the chessboard as the leader of her Angel army. That being said, Eden could be considered somewhat...


    ...Daft.


    As said, Eden''s loyalty to Ilias was greater than any Angel or Human, but alongside her devotion to Ilias was a seemingly complete incapability to musteranysuccessful attempt at free-thinking. The Angel could personally relay every single last order of Ilias''s to every single last Angel from top to bottom with no issue but was utterly unable to come up with any decision by herself on her Goddess''s behalf when needed.


    She was as lost as a baby bird outside its nest if she were to be with her Goddess''s guidance. It wasendearing, but also could bevery annoying.


    Ilias''s eyes scanned to the next Angel, who took a moment to... Well,floata bit straighter and more proper once she noticed that her Goddess''s gaze was upon her.


    Cupid was a mentally exhausting case. Her loyalty, though not as unwavering as Eden''s, was usually without question. Additionally, the Angel of Love was much free-willed than Eden was, which led to her having an easier time with spur-of-the-moment decisions. With little trouble going off on her own, she could spread Ilias''s will through her own means, as perverted as these means could be.


    Ilias could even say that Cupid was a bittoocunning for her own good, as she easily found ways to circumnavigate certain restrictions put on her due to the depraved tendencies the Angel of Love had shown to have. To put it plainly, the Angel quite frequently had ratherscandalousulterior motives when performing her duties. Which is why she often needed to be put back in line.


    Cupid''s primary poison was that the Angel''s Soul was probably one of the mostpervertedof all of Ilias''s Angels. This was due to theegregiousamount of desire in her heart. She was supposed to be the Angel of Love, yes, but Ilias had noticed her foster more and more lustful tendencies as time went on.


    Now, Cupid had never actually engaged in any physical relations with Humans, but she had certainly pushed the limitations that had been put on Angels when it came to matters of intimacy. An impulsive voyeur, Cupid often watched as Humans consummated their marriages a bittooclosely and did so in a mannerfarfrom innocent.


    The phrase, "Caught with your pants down" had been quite literal, especially in the last few hundred years.


    In short, the Eden and Cupid had very conflicting personalities. However, they were begrudging the best options Ilias had available as any Angels more capable were busy on Earth with the fight against Monsters, or in Heaven trying to manage the flow of the Realm of Light. Ilias couldn''t afford to waste any of her assets, as creating Angels took much more time and effort than her enemy did in creating more of their licentious kind.


    ''At the very least, even if I''d rather my Angels not suffer from such unhelpful behavior as these two, their differences could balance each other out some.''Ilias mused in her mind.


    Indeed, Eden''s dogged strictness and focus could help wrangle in Cupid''s lecherous thoughts while Cupid''s spur-of-the-moment thinking couldpotentiallyinspire Eden to take initiative in situations instead of calling upon Ilias''s guidance every time a decision needed to be made.


    Ilias put on her best benevolent smile and cast an arm toward the portal she had been viewing."Behold,my Daughters."


    The two Angels drew near, Eden being the first to recognize the severity of the development, "I-Is thatLucifina, w-with achild!?"She exclaimed, eyes wide with confusion and just a touch of awe.


    Cupid''s eyes grew soft, a look that was more akin toactuallove rather than her usual lust."Aww~"She cooed, "What a cutie!"


    Ilias replied, "Yes, your dear Fallen Sister has had a child with a Human." Ilias slowly hovered up from her throne and flew closer to the vortex until she came to the side of the Angels to examine their reaction. "His name isLuka, and I believe he may be the one to finally aid me in bringing peace to this world for good."


    Eden quickly glanced back to her Goddess, her wings shuffling wildly behind her. "Truly, could it be? But how could something..." She turned back to the scene where Lucifina had begun to nurse the small newborn. "... born from such asinfulact, be able to help us in our War againstsin itself!?"


    Even Cupid, while she didn''t voice it, seemed to be confused by her Mother''s words as she peered down at the son of Lucifina.


    Ilias sighed, frustrated but sympathetic to her Daughter''s lack of understanding. After all, what Ilias could see was a privilege to her as a Goddess. How then, could she have mere Angels comprehend what their Goddess sees? Ilias folded her arms underneath her breasts, her face contorted in thought as her Angels waited for Ilias''s eventual answer. An epiphany struck her, and Ilias addressed her loyal followers.


    "Here," The Goddess beckoned to her Daughters, "Gaze upon the one sent from the stars to purify my poisoned World..." Ilias paused, searching for a fitting title for the boy. Then, deep in the recesses of her memory, she found one she had long since forgotten.


    "...YourProphet, Luka."She placed a hand on the heads of both her Angels and temporarily morphed their essence to be more akin to her own, allowing them to see the physical manifestation of souls. Eden and Cupid were startled by the new sensation, as they could now see the souls of Marcellus, Lucifina, and most importantly, Luka.


    Marcellus had a very gray soul, a trait he inherited from his distant ancestor Heinrich, whose soul was similarly mixed. Lucifina''s soul was a faded golden hue, showing how she was still Angelic like any other of Ilias''s daughters, but her''s being dimmer due to her cutting off her Holiness by betraying Heaven and sealing away her power. And just as Ilias had seen it herself, Luka''s soul was a pure and Holy white.


    It was difficult for the Angels to even look upon, as they were not used to such anoverwhelmingsight.


    Eden especially was staggering, completely ill-prepared to take in this discovery. She stammered, "It-it is amazing my Lord. It''s as if the b-boy''s Soul is¡­ is¡­" She trailed off, Ilias finishing it with an enthusiastic interruption.


    "-Perfect, isn''t it?" Ilias cut in.


    The Seraph nodded, having nothing more to say. Eden couldn''t fathom ever actually having admiration for anything but her Goddess. However, this was very different from anything she''s ever experienced. Luka''s soul was the paragon of purity, so much so that she wondered how her own soul could compare if it even did at all.


    ''Does¡­ mine hardly even come close to his? How deep could that gap possibly be?''Eden''s thoughts trailed off, going down a route unknown to the Seraph. This train of thought that she had never considered, ever, in all her years of assuredness in her own abilities.


    Eden had always prided herself in being Ilias''s most loyal and most pure creation since she became the last and now only Seraph, but now that position was now contended. Luka''s soul being the purest ever born on Earth must mean that his aspirations reflected her Goddess''s more than Eden''s did. With this inclination, he could become a great spiritual leader for Humanity. Which would naturally discharge her from her position as Ilias''s right hand.


    The position shealonehad owned with great pride for hundreds of years...


    ''Wait, I shouldn''t think of it like that,''The Seraph berated herself,''This isn''t about me; it is about my Goddess and her will! We need every advantage we can get, and this Luka could be exactly what we need to turn the tide!''The World was in desperate need of Human leadership, as the Monsters continued to corrupt whatever they touched without much challenge from Humanity itself.


    ''Once he is mature, he would be invaluable to Heaven''s will as a spiritual leader for Humanity, like a candleflame in the night he will guide them to Heaven and away from the bane of Alipheese''sbastardabominations...''With her mind and heart now settled on this idea, Eden began to envision how Luka could serve Ilias in the future. She could see him as a beacon of light, Ilias''s light, cleansing a dark and unholy world.''With his will alongside Heaven''s, we could not possibly fail.''


    Using Luka''s Father as a template, she could imagine an older Luka in her mind. Clad in Angelic white silk, a mark of his divinity, he rose above all other creation as a pillar of Holiness, abastionof Ilias''s will.


    New, interesting emotions began to swim in the Seraph''s head at this image. It was warm and fuzzy yet exhilarating at the same time.''Maybe,''Eden thought,''Luka could even help to cleanse us of our impurities. In order to help better ourselves in serving Ilias of course...''The thought of this holy purification excited her, her heart''s beating quickening as she clutched her hands together tightly in front of her.''...I look forward to the day I can be cleansed.''


    Floating beside the great Seraph, Cupid was having a similar internal battle. However,anythought of purity was absolutely not involved. Instead, the Angel''s heart-shaped pupils homed in on the boy''s soul in reverence. Inside her bubbled up a mixture of something different than her usual love and lust.


    Cupid felt light-headed, and her legs would wobble if she were to actually stand on them. This Luka was most definitely something ofhighinterest to her now. Not because of his Holiness, though, but because of a veryunholyidea pervading Cupid''s mind.


    A thought having to do with a very particular Commandment that Ilias had placed on her Angels:


    "Thou Shalt Not Have Intercourse With Humans."


    This Commandment was the only one for Angels that expressly forbids them from having intercourse, all other avenues being closed off without even needing thedistinctionof being a Commandment due to their outrageousness. Because of this, all Angels were virgins aside from the Fallen Angel Lucifina.


    Now, to most Angels, such a thing was no issue as they were content with nothing more than praying to and fighting for Goddess Ilias. However, Cupid was in the very small percentage of Angels that felt lust. Watching and helping select Humans in finding partners to bear children with for millions of years had made the previously pious Angel turn perverted, wanting in any way possible to feel such a sensation.


    And so, this Commandment was the one that had caused the Angel so much grief. It was the one that made it to where she must remain so frustrated, regulated to just being able to watch at most and merely dream at worst. It had reduced her and, to a lesser extent, all the other Angels to living in forced chastity.


    Of course, none of the others had nearly the amount of overflowing lust as her, but was it not to be expected? She had to watch as literally hundreds of thousands of Humans got to receive such Heavenly pleasure! Why, then, should she be denied the sameexhilarating release?


    It was the only misgiving Cupid had against her Goddess and was why she bent that Commandment''s rule whenever she could.


    But as Cupid had listened to her Goddess and watched Lucifina hold her child, she came to a startling realization.''The Commandment says we cannot lay with Humans...''the Angel grinned,''...But Luka is not reallyjustHuman, is he? No, he is a mix of Human and Angel, the only one of his kind!''


    Cupid''s grin widened, depraved thoughts entering her mind.''Whichtechnicallymeans that there are no Commandments specifically saying that I can''t have sex with him!''With this admittedly shaky realization dawning on her, Cupid became ecstatic. Of course, the day when she could metaphorically fly through this loophole was far away, but when that day did come¡­


    ...She tightly squeezed her bow, as quiteblasphemousthoughts entered her mind. Cupid fought to stifle her giggles in check, not wanting to leave any hint of her internal thoughts. She wanted no one else to know her plans to use Luka as the "key" to unlock her chastity.


    "Now then, your mission statement." The two Angels gave attention to Ilias, her face stern to match her tone. She looked to the Angel of Love first, "Cupid, since most of your work is done on the planet below, it would only be fitting for me to add onto you a new priority."


    Ilias turned towards the portal; her arms folded. Before her, Lucifina and Luka had already fallen asleep due to the stressful birth. Marcellus was beside the futon, watching the pair with a soft smile. "You will be tasked with observing young Luka in the periods in which you aren''t undergoing your usual daily tasks, until he is of age to beBaptized."


    She looked down at Cupid. "In short, watch his progress from asafedistance and report any significant events to your commander, Eden. And do try to do this before the day ends. Prayer requests are already backed up enough as it is, I don''t need last-minute extra paperwork clogging up communications."


    The Angel of Loveattemptedher finest and most dignified bow, though Ilias looked on with disappointment as the surprisingly graceful curtsy ended up doubling the amount of cleavage Cupid was already showing.


    ''It wouldn''t be half as shameless if she could just keep the loose shoulder strap up on her shoulder...'' Ilias thought, though it was really her fault, since she really should have made the regular white Angel robesmandatoryas her legion''s uniform, instead of a meresuggestion. Still, to go back on that now would be too much paperwork for her.


    After exasperatingly rubbing her eyes, Ilias then turned her attention to the aforementioned Seraph. "And Eden, it will be up toyouto review everything Cupid has for you, and ultimately decide whether it istrulyworth being relayed to me or not."


    Ilias sharpened her gaze, staring directly into Seraph''s eyes, "I alone, as powerful as I am, don''t have time to keep tabs on this boy due to my responsibilities, so I need you to be able to decide what is truly needing of my attention." Ilias backed up on her intensity some, noticing Eden''s anxious look. "Otherwise, I am to trust that you are diligently carrying out my plan."


    Eden was about to give a nod but hesitated. "Wait, whatisthe plan, my Goddess?" She held her arms out as if waiting for an explanation to drop into her waiting arms. "That, and would it not be best to bring the childhereto Heaven if we wish to-"


    "-No."Both Angels flinched at the immediate change in tone from the Goddess, her previous benevolent cadence replaced by one of immense displeasure. But it wasn''t without reason.


    "Luka needs to stay on Earth. If he is to be My Prophet and assist us in purifying the world, then he''ll need to be there to combat it. Being in Heaven would merely distract from his true purpose. So, the best way to ready him for his destiny is to allow him to grow up in the fields in which he will have to battle." Ilias tilted away, gazing up into the swath of golden clouds above before continuing.


    "It may be somewhat cruel, but his duties as My Prophet will be taxing, and he will need to bear that burden to be this World''s Savior. And once he is ready, he will come to me and embrace his Prophethood, I''m sure of it." Her sage words had an obvious effect on the Angels, as they both looked to their Goddess in awe. To them, it was another example of the sheer depth of Ilias''s wisdom and divinity.


    To Ilias, it was pathetic that she felt the need to lie.


    Ilias quickly focused back on her Angels, banishing her inner turmoil to the back of her mind until she was alone. Ilias waved away her Angels, "Then you may leave." Cupid disappeared quickly, not wishing to draw the ire of her Goddess.


    Eden, however, was hesitant. "My Goddess," she nervously started, "Don''t you wish for therestof your Angels to know about their Prophet?"


    Ilias considered it for a moment, debating whether she wanted the rest of the legion to know about such a thing. "For now, only inform the Order of Archangels about Luka. They are the only ones who I can trust to hold that information for the time being. I don''t want regular soldiers carrying such precious information with them. If his existence is known before he''s ready, it could be catastrophic. The rest of the Angels will find out when the time is right when Luka is older and more capable."


    Eden nodded, teleporting away without another word. Ilias stared at the spot the two had occupied, her mind and heart colliding as she was filled with more unfamiliar emotions.


    Simply enough, Luka couldn''t live in Heaven simply because Ilias did nottrusther Angels around him. They had good intentions, but there was corruption in her ranks, Ilias could see the sinful urges in their souls. She couldn''t say for certain that any of them would try anything with the boy, but...


    ...She would level her very own Heaven if his purity was to be stained by unholiness.


    Therefore, ironically, Ilias Village was much safer for the boy due to its isolation. Then, when he was ready, he would help Ilias finally take back the world she was created to rule. At least, she hoped.


    She glanced back at the boy''s face, his small body curled tightly against his Mother. She watched as the aura of his purity radiated off of him, almost like a warm fire pulsating around him. Right in front of her had been born a soul genuinely worthy of her. A soul deserving to aid her in finishing her eternal battle with the Goddess of Darkness for good. Then, he would help her bring true peace to Earth...


    ...Unless he rejected her and proclaimed her a false, corrupted Goddess.


    "No, not him too. So many before him, especially of his bloodline have turned on me. If he were to turn on me as well, with a soul as pure ashis..." Ilias reclined on her throne, unable to finish the forbidden thought, tired of the what-ifs floating in her mind.


    It wasn''t something that could be helped, even by her. For now, Ilias had to be patient and wait to see if the seeds planted on this day would grow to be fruit perfectly ripened for her picking or become the weeds that would strangle her roots.


    With her malfunctioning Angels and the unyielding Monster forces that conspire against her, Ilias was getting desperate. Luka could be her very last chance to win back Earth for good. If not, the planet may just be put toruin.


    However, without realizing it, Ilias had just placed a trap for her very own forces. For, when the word of her "Prophet" would spread through Heaven, it would be like a poison, as each Angel latched onto the idea of their Savior as much as they latched onto Ilias''s word itself, if notmoreso.


    For the Goddess''s own complex emotions towards the boy would reflect upon Heaven and cause their already warped minds to react disturbingly. It had already manifested in Eden and Cupid that day and would continue to spread throughout the rest of all Angel kind from top to bottom. This was due to Ilias inadvertently giving her Angels encouragement to break one of her most crucial Commandments:


    "My Daughters Shalt Not Worship, Nor Bear False Witness to, False Idols"


    A False Idol, they had been given. And they would witness his rise, even if it were a role that Luka would not desire to have.


    To make matters worse for both Ilias and Luka, Angels would not be theonlyears to hear of this new development. Said eavesdropping being done by a small stuffed teddy bear hiding amongst the clouds behind Ilias''s throne.


    Once satiated, it slowly sank into the clouds, swallowed up by a nearly unseeable pale blue rift that closed as soon as the brown stuffed bear had disappeared.

 Year 0, Prelude of Chaos

    Somewhere deep in the dark recesses of Heaven was a seldom-visited area of the Holy realm. It was an area that very few Angels ever ventured.


    It resembled a cave, though its physical shape was blurred. All of its walls blended together, making navigation difficult at points, as the halls of the place were not easily defined. Fitting as it wasn''t a place that was supposed to exist in the first place. No, it was one of the more recent areas of the realm, if one could consider five hundred years ago to be recent. It had been built to be nigh unreachable by the average Angel, specifically due to those who resided in it.


    From the ceiling of this cavern, a peculiar sight could be seen. A pale blue rift opened, and gracefully, a brown teddy bear floated downwards from the opening, shimmering with a strange glitter until it bestowed itself into a pair of cold, pale hands. The feminine hands turned the bear as though to gaze back at its beholder, and a light feminine giggle reverberated throughout the depressing residence.


    The giggling quieted, the high and raspy voice calling out, "Aha, yes this is quite the development, wouldn''t ya say?" The pale hands nudged the teddy ever so slightly, causing its head to nod lopsidedly. Another fit of giggling came from the thin lips of the teddy bear''s owner. The arms pulled the bear to her body, hugging it tightly to the woman''s body, and then she began to twirl about the room.


    Despite currently residing in Heaven, one could quickly tell that this was not one of Ilias''s Angels, the lack of wings or a halo not even needed to give it away. No, nothing about this woman was Angelic. In fact, one could consider her to be quite the opposite.


    This being was at one time known as Alipheese the Eighth, the holder of the title of Monster Lord almost five hundred years ago to the present day, now reborn and known as Black Alice by the very few that knew of her continued existence.


    Her baby blue dress swished along with her dancing, the white apron rising slightly off of the dress as well. Her pale green hair flew through the air, bangs and all, barely being held back by a bow as blue as her dress that fastened atop her head.


    Black Alice came to an abrupt halt, her black dress shoes clacking underneath her dress as she stomped on the stone floor. She turned a single foot completely backwards used the torque to quickly spin around to face the opposite direction, her baby-blue dress twirling once again with the movement. Her bright carmine eyes flashed a mischievous light that betrayed her innocent-looking face as she found her only companion inside the dark underbelly of Heaven.


    However, calling the two companions may be a stretch.


    Standing before Black Alice was a steel table a couple of meters long, on its top lay various tubes and beakers. Some were part of ongoing projects, while some were remnants of unsuccessful experimentation that haven''t quite been cleaned up yet. Sitting at said table was what used to be one of Ilias''s Angels.


    The Fallen Angel''s sizeable wings and Halo were translucent, and her body was covered by a dirtied white lab coat. Beneath her coat was a dark grey sweater that covered a navy-blue collared shirt. A simple black skirt and black stockings adorned her legs as well. The ex-Angel scarcely gave indication that she even noticed the Monster behind her.


    Instead, she kept her ruby red eyes squinted harshly onto her work before her, meticulously working away while only pausing to move a lock of similarly ruby-colored hair.


    "Prrromestein?~" Black Alice sang the Angel''s name, much to her visible annoyance.


    Again, Promestein did not look from her workstation but this time she did offer a reply, "Yes, Alice?" The former Monster Lord in question giggled again, rounding the table until she stood opposite where Promestein was sitting. "I''ve found a secret, and I''m looking to share~" Black Alice hunched down slightly, staring at the Fallen Angel through the glass beakers.


    "A little teddy..." Black Alice held up the stuffed animal, "...Told me that Ilias has found a little slice of Heaven on Earth!" She cackled, amused at her little joke, as the Fallen Angel finally gave the former Monster Lord her full attention in the form of a scowl.


    "I don''t enjoy your riddles," Promestein started removing her gloves, forgoing her work for the moment as she couldn''t concentrate otherwise. "If you have something of importance to relay to me, then simply do so."


    Black Alice stood up straight; her face contorted into childish disappointment. "Ah, Promestein, Promesteeein! How is it that someone who has been around for as long as you could be so absolutely booooooring?" The carmine-eyed Monster shook her head, "I had truly hoped that all your time spent with me would at least help you with that."


    With that, Black Alice let go of the teddy bear, but it continued to float in mid-air by itself. It then spun to face the nearest wall and began projecting an image. It showed a scene from just minutes prior: a ragged and tired Lucifina holding her newborn son, Luka. The boy''s eyes were scrunched close, and a small smile adorned his face as he snuggled with his Mother.


    Promestein gaped at the scene, ''The First Fallen Angel, Lucifina? And with a child...'' The Fallen Angel looked to Black Alice for confirmation, her mind racing at the implication of such a thing.


    Black Alice''s disturbed grin flashed again as she sauntered backward to the projection. She then turned, mockingly holding out a hand to pretend-caress the face of the infant. "Yes, my dear friend. Your intuition is correct. This boy, Luka, is Lucifina''s son; One half Angel, the other half Human. I believe that in your hypothesis you referred to such a thing as a Nephilim."


    Promestein could hardly believe it. She had predicted it to be possible before, but had never expected to see one due to Ilias''s dogma banning Angel and Human relations.


    Black Alice continued, "And the best part?" She stood to fully face Promestein, her face turning into one of mockery as she described Ilias''s plan, "That foolish "Goddess" wishes to turn him into a "Prophet" for humanity!" She quickly scoffed before continuing, "It''s one of the worst jokes I''ve ever heard."


    Promestein stood from her seat for the first time, her curiosity peaked by her "partner''s" words. The Fallen Angel''s coat swished behind her as she walked up to the projection, a smirking Black Alice merely watching on as she did so, letting the gears in the Fallen Angel''s head turn.


    Promestein stared at the image for a moment, disbelief coloring her normally stoic face, before she shook her head. "I''ve always known that Ilias was a hypocrite, but this is a completely new low. Taking something that should be a sin to her-" Promestein aimed a hand at Luka. "-A Human-Angel hybrid, and trying to use it as her new tool to control a World that isn''t her''s. It would be sadder if it wasn''t already pathetic."


    Black Alice stepped forward, "Indeed it is, but this could be helpful to something other than Ilias''s will..." Promestein turned her head to the Monster, an eyebrow raised. "...What I am saying, is that this Luka could possibly be the leverage we would need to sway matters into our own favor. The severity of his power could be considerable based off of his genetic makeup alone. Taking into account his Mother''s rank as a Seraph and his Father''s... particular ancestry..."


    Black Alice paused, the smile leaving her face as something more unpleasant replaced it.


    Seemingly aware of her own falter, the former Monster Lord forced the smile back on her face, before continuing, "...That alone could make him at Seraph level power at the very least when he reaches his prime."


    Promestein took note of Black Alice''s words, pondering the idea. "Maybe so," she started, "But how exactly would we be able to capitalize on such a thing? Surely, Ilias will be of the mind of taking him to the top of Heaven as soon as she can, if he is of such importance."


    Black Alice closed her eyes, a very pleased look appearing on her face as she gave another twirl while pushing herself away from the wall, catching the floating bear on the way back. "Usually, you would be right, but the joke doesn''t end there; for whatever reason her "highness" has decided to leave him where he was born and, if it wasn''t hilarious enough, she has appointed the combined forces of Cupid and Eden to watch over him!"


    Promestein''s disbelief grew at the statement, "What!? Those two!? The only thing that the pervert Cupid is capable of paying attention to is a harlot going down on her gentleman caller in a back alley!"


    Black Alice covered her mouth with her hands, trying in vain to contain her laughter as Promestein ranted. "And Eden is a dimwitted bimbo at even the absolute best of times, she couldn''t even take care of a goldfish without supervision! Ilias is truly more lost than I thought if she believes they could do such a task, the boy is destined to die long before he could ever become her "Prophet" if they are to be his personal Guardian Angels!"


    The carmine-eyed Monster stifled herself in amusement to call to her cohort, "Yes, all that and more contributes to how he will be of great use to us."


    Promestein was swift to ridicule the notion, "How exactly is that? It''s not as if you can simply go and pluck him from Ilias Village and bring him here, and even if you could..." She crossed her arms, "...I doubt we could do so without being found out, as I''m sure that even those two idiots would realize that he is gone. And if Ilias were to find him here, the consequences of such a thing would certainly be dire."


    Black Alice drew close and grabbed Promestein by her arm, startling the ex-Angel. The former Monster Lord shook her head, a sickening gleeful smile growing on her face. "Whoever said anything about bringing him here?"


    The carmine-eyed Monster turned towards the table, "Right now, Luka will help us best by staying right where he is; the more eyes Ilias puts on her new pawn, the less of them watch us as we corner the Goddess. Think of it, Ilias''s cockroach of a spy Cupid won''t come skulking about and that airhead Eden will have much less time to come digging her nose around our lil'' lab here!"


    Promestein couldn''t help but agree. Eden especially could be very bothersome, as the Seraph took it as her responsibility to check up on the two as often as her duties allowed. That and she was very good at wasting their valuable time checking and re-checking their living quarters ad nauseam.


    The Fallen Angel nodded, "I see your point. The less we see from them, the better. And then we can start making strides to bettering the White Rabbit formula. It''s been too long since the last time we were able to work extensively towards that project."


    Black Alice grinned with approval, "Yes, and once that serum is complete, we will rid this world of that pathetic Goddess and destroy this wretched realm!" The Ancient Monster tilted her head, hand put to her chin as if she were daydreaming. "Now that sounds like Heaven to me..."


    Promestein marched to the single seat at the table, reaching for another pair of gloves. "Agreed, any strides we can make towards perfecting that drug is another step towards victory for us." Black Alice gave no further reply, instead opting to turn away from Promestein as her interest in prolonging the conversation had dwindled.


    Soon, silence fell in the cave, leaving the Fallen Angel to work in her preferred silence. ''To think that Ilias continues to fall so much from grace, each day it seems to get even worse. I just wish my fellow Angels could see her delusions for what they were.''


    Promestein started to think back to Luka, seeing his face in her mind. ''That child, his potential would be wasted if he were to fall under that False Goddess''s command. A Nephilim could possibly become stronger than any Monster or Angel. Perhaps even stronger than Ilias herself...'' The Fallen Angel paused, hesitating in her work on her own command for once, and pondered the idea.


    Her red eyes darted up, watching the figure of Black Alice growing more distant as she tended to her own "work."


    Promestein didn''t exactly trust Black Alice. The former Monster Lord had been a key part of the Fallen Angel gaining her freedom. For it was because of her that Ilias released Promestien from the Sealed Sinner''s Prison, a place where traitors of Ilias were trapped and left to rot for the rest of eternity. Undoubtedly, she was thankful for being unchained from that nightmarish realm, but not in any way did that mean she trusted Black Alice.


    No, to Promestein, Black Alice was as trustworthy as Ilias was, the only difference being that the former Monster Lord''s goals were more closely aligned than those of the Goddess of Light. Simply put, they held a common enemy, no more and no less. If it had no adverse effects on her own plans, she''d rid herself of Black Alice simply due to how dangerous she was.


    ''However, if I could acquire a stronger ally, one under my control, then that Monster''s help would no longer be required. Plus, I''d be eliminating one of my biggest threats.'' Pondering the thought, the Fallen Angel thought of Ilias''s soon-to-be Prophet Luka. Her eyebrows furrowed as she weighed the potential. ''Getting to him would be difficult unless Ilias would allow for me to travel to Earth again for further research...''


    The Angel growled, irritation beginning to settle in. ''...But even then, Black Alice would surely be sent down with me and that would smother any and all chances for one-on-one contact, if that would even be successful in the first place.''


    The Fallen Angel''s hands flew across the table, working faster as her frustration grew. Her time was limited, as she was sure that she would be cast away as soon as her usefulness ran out.


    ''For now, I will have to play the waiting game and hope that my efforts bear fruit. My chances of success are slim, but if I could acquire the power of that Nephilim, then it might just be possible to release this world from the grip of Ilias and the Alipheese family line for good. Then, I might actually be able to cultivate a world worth living in.'' Promestein gave a rare smile at the idea.


    She had always believed that humanity could be so much greater if it wasn''t for the stronger forces at play. They had already shown what they were capable of with the little nudge she had given so long ago simply by gifting them fire. All they needed now was a point of focus, a common purpose united by a strong leader.


    Luka''s face flashed in her mind at the thought and the Fallen Angel smirked again, ''How delightfully ironic that would be; Ilias''s hand chosen spiritual leader of humanity, leading those same humans to rebel and overthrow her and burn down Heaven. It would be so cathartic.''


    Unbeknownst to Promestien, her partner/rival in the race to dethrone Ilias was thinking of a very similar strategy for things to come, albeit her reasons for doing so came from a more personal place than the Fallen Angel. Black Alice watched the ground move beneath her feet as she walked, not quite having a destination in mind.


    Rather, she simply wanted to be by herself.


    Seeing Luka, and to some extent his Father as well, had dug up emotions Black Alice had thought long since buried by time. A bittersweet chuckle briefly escaped her lips, ''Ironic that a man who came to be known as the Angel Killer would have Angel blood mixed into his lineage, the universe can be exceptionally humorous when it feels so inclined...''


    To distract herself from the feelings of longing and mourning for a man long since gone, Black Alice focused on the situation she was in now. As she saw it, time was running short. Ilias was growing impatient, and the more impatient she got, the greater the chances that Ilias would cast Black Alice and Promestein into oblivion, even if it would trip up the Goddess''s plans for ultimate dominion over Earth.


    For, even if Ilias loathed the thought, she needed Black Alice or at least someone on her level of magical prowess. It was the only reason she had saved her from Heinrich''s final blow in the first place, as that was their deal. Ilias would allow Black Alice to live as long as she reigned in the remnants of Alipheese the First''s dark powers still remaining on Earth.


    However, Black Alice had other plans, one of which she had brewing in her mind at that very moment. White Rabbit was the biggest project on her plate, but the Nephilim born on Earth just minutes before had become a delightfully fascinating development.


    There wasn''t necessarily a clear path to utilizing this untapped resource, but Black Alice was wise to his potential. ''Luka could be an advantage to such a degree that even the White Rabbit serum itself could be rendered obsolete. Of course, there isn''t any reason to be hasty. That drug will continue to be my forefront priority, though I might just use what little planet-based operatives I have left to expend to keep tabs, just in case.''


    Black Alice stopped once she was a suitable distance from Promestein, no longer able to see the Fallen Angel due to the thick fog that seemed to permanently inhabit the realm. In her solitude, the Monster Lord had Luka''s image projected out of her bear once more for her to see.


    She reached out to pretend-caress the boy''s face once more. This time, with less mockery and something more tender, a ghost of a fond familiarity that still existed in her for the one she had loved before. Black Alice analyzed the soft and round shape of the boy''s face, the pale gleam of his purple hair, and the slight glimpse of blue pupils she could see from the part of his eyelids. Without needing any evidence, she could say that this boy was of Heinrich Hein''s blood, the blood of the Angel Killer.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The blood of the man who had single-handedly brought to naught the already minuscule amount of love her heart was ever capable of having.


    But despite the man''s indefensible transgressions against her, she couldn''t find it in her now ruined heart to hate Luka for his relations to Heinrich. In fact, she was ecstatic now, for Luka could become a very potent force in her limited arsenal of pawns. If nothing else, Black Alice was the epitome of patience and manipulation. If she could subtly persuade an unwilling Promestein to do her bidding, she could surely bring Luka to do the same.


    ''And who knows, once this is said and done, and Ilias has fallen...'' Her grin turned manic as a pale blue aura began to radiate and rise around her, ''...Maybe I''ll keep her cute little Prophet all to myself!''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Eden descended through the upper levels of Heaven quickly. After leaving Ilias''s throne, she passed through her Garden with care not to mess with her floral handiwork. The rest of the levels she passed quicker than her own - with a particular emphasis on passing the Cherubim level as quickly as Angelically possible - until she finally reached the realm of the Archangels.


    The Archangel realm was simpler than Eden''s but more extravagant than that of the common Angel''s Level. Most of it was made of a large, misty lake with scattered islands of rock that spanned from a few meters wide to the size of a decently built village. On some of these rocks were the private residences of the Archangels themselves, their homes for when the day was over.


    Landing on one of the smaller barren landmasses, Eden surveyed the area around her. The sage-haired Seraph scanned the horizon, her sensing ability telling her that all of the Archangels were indeed present, but they seemed to be otherwise occupied...


    ...That, or they were blatantly ignoring her.


    She pulled her hands together as if to pray, calling out to the Archangels with her mind. "Come, my sisters. I beseech thee to come forth to hear of my exciting news!" It was only then that the Archangels started to appear.


    The first to show was the youngest Archangel Mariel. Being one of the youngest in Heaven, she had a petite stature, even shorter than Cupid and very much less endowed. She floated in the air, held aloft by a single pair of white wings. Her blonde hair had slight highlights of blue at their ends, and above her head were two halos, the smaller one residing within the larger one.


    Unlike the other Archangels, Mariel wore a peach-colored dress with an orange trim along its bottom. On her wrists and ankles were orange gauntlets, the ones on her ankles in particular having another smaller pair of wings attached.


    A long, see-through white cloth floated around her as well, seemingly stuck to her as if it was revolving around her. Like most other Angels, her eyes were a piercing light blue. Inside of them was an innocently mischievous glow that helped accent her soft and childlike face.


    Archangel Mariel smiled brightly at her superior, "Hello, Seraph Eden!~"


    Next to appear was the newly promoted Archangel Chamael. Having just ascended to her new position due to her power and upholding of Ilias''s teachings. Her six golden wings shone bright, as did her single Halo. Her blue eyes were sharp, and her indigo hair came out in several distinct locks. Two of these strands actually curved upwards, creating a sort of crown in her hair that hid the golden headband she wore.


    She was dressed in a ridiculously large white robe that covered nearly her entire body, leaving only her collarbone bare as even her feet and hands were hidden underneath. As large as it was, however, its looseness caused the front of her robe to accent her rather generous bust by hugging her body''s figure just a bit too tightly. Chamael nodded quickly, sparing no unnecessary words to the Seraph.


    After her came a very. overwhelming sight.


    The Archangel Runael''s appearance was one of the most extraordinary out of all the Angels, with her abnormally large golden wings, of which there were four main sets with three sets of lighter ones lying low around her feet. Additionally, two more pairs of much smaller ones came from the back of her head, meaning that the Archangel had an impressive eighteen wings in her possession.


    Runael''s hair was a flaxen hue, coming down in two front-facing braids. In between the two braids, in the middle of her forehead, was a dot just big enough to be noticeable. Above her head was a massive and somewhat distorted halo. Her arms were crossed like an ''x'' in front of her, folding her large beige robe. This, combined with her closed eyes, gave her a calm look that aligned more with her gentle nature.


    "Greetings, sister." Runael said softly, giving her superior a bow.


    Second to last came the Leader of the Archangels, Ariel. Her massive single pair of white wings dwarfed all but Runael''s. However, the silver-haired Angel''s double Halo was nearly unmatched in its majesty, as they crisscrossed over each other while hovering over her head.


    Around her collarbone, lying right above her white robe was a golden collar denoting her status. Matching this were two golden crisscrossing gauntlets she wore above her wrists. Her robe''s sleeves ended at the forearm to show these gauntlets, another display of her tremendous power.


    Her uniquely red eyes glowed menacingly, her annoyed look showing her dislike at being summoned. "Seraph Eden." Ariel said, bluntly addressing superior.


    And lastly, the perhaps most infamous Archangel arrived, the Archangel Ranael. Her three pairs of golden wings shone brightly, as did the smaller pair coming from her head. Even her Halo was impressive; its size was larger than even Runael''s was. Her robe hugged certain assets of hers tightly like Chamael, but her robes were a bit more faded than her fellow Archangel''s.


    The rust-red eyes of Ranael were disturbed, their sharpness betraying an almost empty stare that her eyes gave off. There were small shadows underneath her eyes as well, making the Archangel appear to be constantly tired. Ranael''s hair was a dark shade of teal and looked greasily slicked down underneath her thorn-riddled hairband.


    Overall, sickly was a good way of defining her physical and mental state. Her words came out saccharinely, "Oh salutations, Great Seraph Eden. To what, do we own your precious appearance?" A warped grin plastered the Archangel''s face, a sight that even Monsters would cower away from.


    Eden scowled at Ranael, not appreciating the subtle slight against her. But, being Ilias''s right hand, she ignored it with dignity. "As I said, I have great news for you all. Ilias has made a fantastic discovery!"


    The Archangels listened closely as Eden continued, "A Prophet has been born on Earth today, a boy who will help guide the humans away from the sinfulness of Monsters." Eden crossed her arms, looking quite pleased as she closed her eyes. The reactions varied from Angel to Angel. Some were happy, while others had more complicated reactions.


    Mariel positively glowed, her wings fluttering posthaste as she flew up to Eden. She looked to her superior with hope, "Is this true, really? That sounds wonderful!"


    Her enthusiasm was infectious, rousing Archangel Chamael to pitch in too, breaking her usual stoic nature. "Indeed, this is very exciting news. However, how exactly did this come about? How was he chosen?"


    Ariel decided to pitch in, her disbelief coming through strongly. "I also would wish to know how such a thing had occurred." The red-eyed Leader of the Archangels hardened her gaze, "I don''t recall ever hearing Ilias mention a Prophet before." The others watched, unsurprised at Ariel''s challenge. Eden met the Archangel''s look, the water between them all starting to swirl just that much more as the two faced each other fully.


    Eden merely waved a hand, "There is no reason to fret over useless details. I''m sure Ilias had this planned from the start, as she has with everything else."


    Ranael tittered in reaction to this, bringing all of the Angel''s attention to her. "So, what you''re saying is that you don''t know anything more than we do about this Prophet?" Eden bristled, "Of course I know about him! I was there to witness Luka after he was born!"


    The Archangel Runael peeked out of one of her closed eyes for the first time since she appeared, revealing a single emerald pupil. "So, Luka is his name?"


    Eden nodded, "Yes, and there is something else you all should know about him as well..." She paused to look over her lieutenants, trying to decide how in-depth she should get with them. "...His Mother was Lucifina."


    All the Archangels balked at this revelation, Mariel being the first to express her excitement. "The Second-Greatest Seraph herself? Why, that means he could be as strong as you Eden, maybe even stronger!" The Third Seraph deflated a bit by this, "W-Well perhaps he could become very strong, but-"


    She was cut off by Ariel, who was now very interested in this boy. "Mariel, "as strong" doesn''t even begin to describe it. I fought alongside Lucifina in the Great Monster Wars. She was much stronger than Eden is."


    ''Smarter, too.'' The white-haired Archangel added in her mind.


    Eden stomped on the stone beneath her, the Seraph''s barefoot cracking the rock. "Lucifina and I were very evenly matched! Perhaps she had better strategic sense, but she couldn''t overpower me that easily!" Chamael chipped in quickly, "I''m not so sure, I was not but a regular Angel during the Wars, but I often heard that Lucifina''s intensity was second only to Seraph Micaela''s iron will. Most will agree that those two were easily the strongest of Ilias''s Angels."


    Finally, Eden snapped.


    "Yes, yes, those two were very strong, but that was BEFORE they fell. Now that they have disgraced themselves, I am the strongest of Ilias''s forces. None are my equal!" Eden gave Ariel a pointed look specifically, one that was matched full force by the silver-haired Archangel.


    "Now, if there are no further questions, the last of your instructions is this:" Eden sternly addressed her lieutenants, "No Angels outside the Eighth Order are to be aware of Luka''s existence by decree of Ilias herself. This means that under no circumstances can any of you talk to any Angel outside this room about Luka. Understand?"


    Some of the Angels mumbled acknowledgments of Eden''s demand, Mariel giving a great big ''affirmative!'' as the Seraph ascended upwards to return to her Level of Heaven.


    A few moments passed after that, in which the Archangels said nothing. The most senior Archangel, Ariel, spoke up. "So, what is the consensus on this?" She looked to her fellow Archangels, "A half-human, half-Angel boy becoming our Prophet? It seems strange to me that Ilias would decide on something like this."


    Chamael was quick to agree, "It does seem strange. Technically, his entire existence is a sin, is it not? But, if the Goddess says so, it must be permissible..."


    Quickly flying in between the two, Mariel beat her wings in elation. "I, for one, think it is fantastic! So what if he was born from sin? That just makes him more interesting..." The young Archangel paused and whispered to herself. "...I just hope that he''s cute, there are too many ugly-looking believers out there..."


    Having heard the comment, Ariel sternly chastised her fellow Archangel. "Mariel. That is no way to talk about the followers of Ilias. True beauty lies with one''s faith, not their face." She planted her hands on her hips, faltering for a moment in her thoughts. ''Although, it would be nice if the face and faith were equal in beauty more often than it tends to be as of late.''


    Ignoring the more vocal Archangels of the group, Chamael turned to Ranael and Runael, both of whom had not said a word since Eden had left. She quirked an eyebrow specifically at Ranael, who seemed uncharacteristically... timid, at the moment. Chamael directed attention to the two, "Ranael, Runael, how do you two feel about this?"


    Surprisingly, the more reserved Runael opened her green eyes to reply first, "I truly see something special brewing here... Even if a sinful act brought this boy onto the world, maybe he could help bridge the ever-growing gap that seems to continue between Humans and Angels."


    Chamael shrugged, "You have a point there. Being a mix of both bloods could make an ambassador of sorts..." She trailed off, looking off towards the disturbed-looking Ranael. Strangely enough, the senior Archangel was still unresponsive, her lips rapidly moving as if she were talking to someone who wasn''t there. Chamael squinted at the Angel in confusion.


    Ranael was always the odd one out of the group. The aloof Archangel was drastically powerful, with only Ariel being her better in pure strength in the Order of Archangels. However, she acted more as the group''s rabid attack dog than a leader like she should, and it had only gotten worse as time went on.


    Especially after a certain mission she had been given, thirty years ago.


    Ranael seemed to snap from her haze, her rust-red eyes bouncing between all of the other Archangels before whispering. "I need to leave." Without any elaboration, the Archangel simply teleported away.


    The others peered at where Ranael had stood, a mix of confusion pervading the group. Finally, the awkward silence was broken by the silver-haired Ariel. "Alright," She clapped her hands together, bringing her fellow Archangel''s attention to her. "This has been a curious development. However, we still all have our duties to return to. Farewell, my blessed Sisters in arms."


    With that, Ariel hovered off to her corner of the realm and, after sharing various departing words, the rest of the Archangels dispersed as they went to tend to their Heavenly duties.


    Once safely returning to her corner of the Archangel realm, one that seemed to have considerably more murky water and much harsher fog, a certain teal-haired Archangel surveyed her area. Ranael''s rust-red eyes shifted quickly about the area, making sure the others were out of hearing distance.


    Ranael could sense that their Heavenly auras were far away, but the nature of what she was doing warranted the utmost secrecy. She walked to the edge of the rock she stood on and got to her knees, scanning the small patch of dirt between the water and the stone. Ranael, in a hushed voice, called to something unseen.


    "I don''t suppose that you heard anything of that, my mistress..." She placed her hands on the ground, bending down closer to listen closer to her unseen partner. "Yes, the news is this; Lucifina has given birth to a boy on Earth. Angel and Human blood mixed together, and his Mother was the Seraph Lucifina herself."


    Ranael paused, her rust-red eyes staring intently toward the ground.


    Suddenly, her body shook, and something ruffled and pulsed beneath her Angelic robes as her breathing became somewhat heavy. "Y-Yes, I am excited too. This is the chance we''ve been waiting for." The dirt on the ground before her began to move some, and Ranael shuddered fiercely.


    For a moment, something purple and slimy swished right under the rim of her robe, billowing the dress. "By any means, my mistress. My dedication to you is without equal. This boy will become yours, surely..." Shaking nervously, the Angel leaned down even closer to the shifting mound. "...If I am diligent enough, W-Will I be able to satiate my own... needs?"


    The dirt broke partially, revealing something thin and red squirming underneath. "You mean it!? Thank you, thank you, my mistress!"


    Ranael stood upright, a sick smile grew upon her face. She watched the mound settle once the hidden creature retreated into the ground. The rust-red-eyed Archangel looked upwards to the pale clouds above, her chest heaving as she cackled quietly to herself. "I cannot wait, I''ve been holding myself back for faaaar too long now because of that Fake Goddess''s damned Commandments..."


    The depraved Archangel looked down at her body, feeling the familiar heat rising in her loins. "Well, until then..." Her hands reached down, hiking up her white robe, revealing a writhing mass of purple tentacles underneath. "...I''ll be patient, if it means I can one day wallow in my desires together with you..." She pulled the tentacles apart to reveal her slime-covered vulva underneath.


    "...Luka~"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Far above the mentally unstable Ranael, residing in the Second Level of Heaven, was a peculiar plane of the Holy world. The home of the Cherubs was a simple, flat wasteland. At one point, it had been a lush grassland, but centuries of degradation had reduced it to a glorified desert. The ground was beaten and barren, any plants being dry and near death but never allowed to die off as there was just enough sustenance to support them.


    The lushest area of the Cherubim realm lay right in its middle, where its very heart thudded in rhythm to the sole Cherub of the Order, also known as the last of the Cherubs. Also feared as the second-most powerful living Angel.


    The heart of the desert was the liveliest area, though how it showed life was a truly disgusting display.


    The center of this desert was a pit residing deep in the dry dirt. The deeper one went, the wetter and healthier the soil became. Fitting, as soil like this was absolutely perfect for the ecosystem it supported. That ecosystem in question being a writhing, throbbing mass of bright red worms. Each worm was at least as long as an arm and just as thick. They crawled around each other, wriggling and squirming around each other in a tight, moist clump of disgusting flesh.


    And right in the middle of the surface level, with only one faint golden eye showing through the top layer of undulating worms, was the last Cherubim: an Angel known as Wormiel. A fitting name for a bizarre being such as herself.


    The golden eye blinked lazily before the pupil turned to look where her little spy should be arriving. This oncomer slithered over the hole''s rim, crawling towards its master. It was the worm the Cherub had been using to communicate to her disciple, Ranael. Wormiel slowly began to rise out of her pit until half of her body was protruding from the conglomeration of red creatures.


    Cherub Wormiel had an interesting appearance. Despite the monstrous details in her worm tentacles, the Cherub herself was not ugly. Her mid-length golden hair fell to her shoulders, framing her lackadaisical face nicely. Her similarly golden eyes watched the lone worm crawl towards the pit with a gleeful glint as it drew nearer. Her body was completely bare, the Cherub often choosing to do without her white robes.


    Because of this, her larger-than-average breasts and slim upper body were on full display, not that there was anyone to see. Also showing were her oddly placed wings and a Halo that hovered around her midriff, surrounding her like the belt of Saturn itself.


    Jutting out from her waist was six oddly shaped Angel wings. However, her wings less resembled wings of flight and looked more like contour feathers that were sharpened and frizzled. This gave her "wings" a much more unpleasant and aggressive appearance.


    As unique a look as hers was, Wormiel was best known by name alone. No one who gazed upon her saw her for long, and very few ever survived doing so. Wormiel was a Cherub with only one purpose: to eradicate any threat that had the potential to do serious damage to Ilias''s forces. Essentially, as the Archangels were to control the Angel army, The Cherubim was a final resort in a desperate battle, a last-ditch effort if a major battle were to go against Heaven''s favor.


    However, it hadn''t been since the Great Monster Wars that Wormiel had been needed to intervene, as Monsters have been having trouble mounting the same kind of unified force they had in the past. Now, Wormiel simply resided in her realm and waited for orders...


    ...Or rather, that''s what she had been doing until recently.


    Wormiel beckoned her servant forward, grabbing the worm and adding it back into the pile. She placed it on the top layer, where it joined its brethren. She grinned at the mass of creatures. Most would find the sight repulsive, but to her, it was beautiful.


    No, it was those who lived on Earth who were truly hideous. Monsters, Humans, all of those were things deserving of hatred in her mind. Those beasts, to her, were lower than dirt. However, over the years, she began to see that it wasn''t just Monsters and non-believing Humans at fault.


    Ilias was at fault as well.


    It was clear to the Cherub that the Goddess of Light had fallen from grace many, many years ago. In the Cherub''s mind, Ilias''s particular methods had brought Heaven nothing but failure and would more likely than not continue to do so. This is why Wormiel had begun weaving her web of a plan decades ago. The first step was infiltrating the minds of Angels similar to her, ones with more Monster-like mutations.


    Wormiel had a soft spot for these Angels like Archangel Ranael, who possessed decidedly un-Angelic body makeup. In her eyes, they were more powerful and capable than the regular Angel, but Ilias did not see it this way. She saw them as horrible mistakes, warped creatures she regretfully had to call her own Daughters.


    However, the Cherub viewed it as quite the opposite, for she no longer saw Ilias as her Goddess. As the golden-eyed Angel resided in Heaven, she began to scheme her Mother''s downfall. Wormiel herself wasn''t strong enough to do it alone, of course, but if she were to convert others like Ranael, then such a thing would be possible.


    And now, another opportunity to grow her power had just fallen into her waiting lap. The boy born of the Fallen Seraph''s blood, Luka.


    ''If he were really to become as powerful as Lucifina herself, then he would be an invaluable addition to my cause.'' She raised her arms, bringing her hands up to rest around her collarbone before slowly sliding them down the voluptuous mounds on her chest. She shuddered as a jolt of pleasure ran through her body.


    ''After all, I''ll need someone with a strong seed to help breed my new legion of Angels when I become this world''s new Goddess...''

 Year 4 AL (After Luka), Spread of Sin

    Lucifina gingerly sat in her rocking chair, her hands folded and resting in her lap. She gently rocked back and forth, a very slight creak emanating from the wooden floor beneath her. Faint golden rays of the dim daylight shone through the window, bouncing off her unkempt golden-brown hair. This light also illuminated the modest white nightgown she wore. Lucifina''s bright blue eyes gazed ahead through the window, captivated by the enchanting scene playing out before her.


    Outside the modest dwelling, a man lightly jogged across a small patch of grass. This was Lucifina''s husband, Marcellus.


    Marcellus grinned as he briefly hopped, planting his feet into the ground with a thud when he fell back down. Glancing quickly over his right shoulder, the Former Hero spotted a small form stomping right for him with reckless abandon. Marcellus''s right eye widened, and so did his grin.


    Just as the small figure was out to run into him, he leaped high in the air again in a feat that easily allowed him to dodge the "attack". When he landed, though, the purple-haired man found that his chaser had already spun around with great speed and was barreling at him once again just as quickly as the man had landed. Resigning himself to his fate, Marcellus allowed the small blur to tackle him to the ground, laughing as he fell into the grass.


    "Ah, Luka you got me!" The man cried with mock defeat before laughing as he locked the boy into a tight embrace. Eventually, the man pried Luka off of himself and climbed to his feet. He looked to the setting sun, his left eye noticeably squinting harshly, even the softened rays of the evening seeming to agitate the eye.


    He looked to his son, "Well, it looks as if it''s time to call it a night, my boy. We don''t want to be out for too long when the Sun goes down." Luka laughed at his Father''s comment, spurring the man to heave his son into the air, catching and then cradling him into his arms despite the boy''s excited flailing.


    Marcellus climbed the steps, eyeing the back window with a grin as he did. Pressing the door open with his foot, he stepped loudly into the home and dropped his son feet-first onto the ground. "Yes, now that the night is nearly upon on us, it is time to wash ourselves!" Being very familiar with what bath time was, the small boy dashed away to prepare himself for the end of the day.


    His scuttling got another laugh from the Father, who watched Luka run for the bathroom. The man turned to look at his wife, meeting her loving gaze. "Oh Marcellus, I can''t imagine a more wonderful Father existing, you know?" Lucifina cooed, watching her Husband as he huffed in breath.


    Marcellus chuckled, walking over to her as he wiped away a bead of sweat from above his eyes. "A title I will carry with diligence, if I must." He said, eyes twinkling with mischief. The purple-haired man cautiously took his wife''s hands into his own, and she tentatively rose out of the chair, legs quivering just a bit as she did. Even with his hampering sight, though, the Hero noticed this with a slight frown growing on his face.


    He looked back in the direction where Luka had run, "Still not talking much, is he?" Marcellus asked, to which Lucifina shook her head, "He will speak to me from time to time, but only so many words..." Lucifina hesitated, "...I''m afraid that he doesn''t respond much to me, Marcellus."


    The taller man took his wife into a gentle hug and whispered into her ear, "I''m sure it all will come to him in due time. As long as he has his loving Mother," He gave her a light shake, causing the woman to giggle as Marcellus released the hug, "And his strong Father to support him, then I''m sure he will grow up to be a fine young man. You saw how he was out there, even if his words aren''t all there, his sense of balance and body control is staggering! I''m afraid that soon the boy will move swifter than me in my prime."


    Marcellus sighed, "As long as he doesn''t get taller than me, I may still stand a chance!" Lucifina laughed, before staring into her Husband''s eyes for a couple heartbeats, finding solace in the pools of blue before nodding with a smile. "You''re right, as always. Perhaps I worry too much..."


    Marcellus was about to reply before a slight quake in his wife''s legs made him pause. That was a tell-tale sign of weakness brewing in the muscles. He''d seen it in her many times before. "I will give Luka his bath tonight again if you wish..." The normally bright eyes of the former Angel dimmed somewhat, a sadness brewing in her. Lucifina gave a slow, begrudged nod, "Yes, if you would please."


    It was shameful to Lucifina that she needed her Husband to tend to Luka''s needs because of her shortcomings. Truth be told, Lucifina hadn''t been able to give her son a proper bath in weeks at that point. It was a miracle that the boy was growing more independent, for the things that he still needed help with were becoming increasingly difficult for her to do.


    More and more, Marcellus had to overcompensate in order to help take care of Luka as Lucifina''s physical state started to deteriorate.


    Watching Luka growing up while she steadily had to become more and more uninvolved was a bittersweet pill for her to swallow. On one hand, she was amazed while watching his ever-quickening progress. While on the other, she loathed her weakness as it slowly made her lose the ability to be a part of that growth. Marcellus hesitated, saddened by his wife''s depressed state, but couldn''t find any words that seemed fitting to uplift her demeanor.


    So instead, he changed the subject, "Will you be going to bed soon then, my dear?" She shook her head, "Not quite yet I think I shall wait for you..." A playful gleam found its way into her eyes, "... I want to show you my appreciation for all you do for me."


    Marcellus smirked, knowing the undertone quite well. "Hmm, well, I''ll be done soon," he raised a finger, "Wouldn''t want to be known as a man who keeps his woman waiting, would I?"


    Lucifina giggled, then twirled to face away from Marcellus, beginning to make her way down to their bedroom. Not without putting a little more sway in her strides, of course.


    The purple-haired man took a moment to admire his Wife, silently thanking Ilias for sending such a woman into his life. Once Lucifina rounded the corner, however, Marcellus''s grin faded slowly and was replaced by concern. They could dance around the subject, but the truth hadn''t changed. No, it had only grown worse and worse as time went on. There was no identified affliction, not one that any of Ilias Village''s doctors could - or were willing - to identify.


    All that they could tell the couple was that Lucifina''s body seemed to be shutting down.


    That day had been the first in many years to render Marcellus so unfathomably angry. Here he was, supposedly having been such a great Hero in his youth, but he couldn''t do a damn thing to help his Wife as she ever so slowly became more and more crippled by some unknown ailment. It was a type of weakness he wasn''t used to having: absolute helplessness.


    Marcellus bowed his head, a terrible shame grasping him for a moment.


    Eventually he stood straight and began to walk to the house''s washroom, trying to banish his negative thoughts. Lucifina had already lectured him on how he shouldn''t burden responsibility on himself when he was not at fault, but the ill-conceived thoughts continued to lurk at the back of his mind.


    The Father reached the end of his short walk to the house''s bathroom but found himself pausing at the door. He quirked an eyebrow, noticing something off in his last step. Glancing down, he noticed a growing puddle of water rushing by his feet. Recoiling, the man all but ripped the door off its hinges to see that his wonderful son had diligently started running the bath but had allowed the water to overflow the tub while doing so!


    Luka, seeing his Father''s horrified face, merely laughed.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina, meanwhile, prepared herself as she waited for her Husband to arrive. It was an arduous process just to disrobe, as the Fallen Angel had to work at a pace that even a snail would scoff at. While it wasn''t necessarily her fault, it was still all the more frustrating. The simple truth was that repressing her Angelic powers was beginning to catch up to her. An Angel, after all, was supposed to be in tune with Holy magic, not cut off from it.


    However, that hadn''t stopped her from sealing her powers away, and no matter how awful the pain, she would not reconnect herself to Ilias. Even if it meant speeding up her death, Lucifina would not return to serving that "Goddess". As glorious as she had felt in the past while serving Ilias, Lucifina felt nothing but shame for it now, a shame that made her hide her true identity when she first fell from Heaven.


    Even her own loving Husband didn''t know the truth of her identity, and in her mind that was for the better.


    Slipping off her pale nightgown, the now nude Angel crawled onto the silk sheets with a slight tumble, not bothering to appear graceful since Marcellus would most likely not be due to come to her for a good while. She smiled in contentment as she snuggled under the bed covering, ''Ah Marcellus, who knows where I would be now without you and Luka...''


    Turning her blue eyes to the window, Lucifina watched the dying light of the Sun bleed through the cracks of the window, day fading into night right before her very eyes. For a moment, she was saddened as the golden rays began to remind her of Heaven and the Goddess whose memory she had just cursed moments ago in her head.


    Truly, despite her hatred for what Ilias had done, there was a time when she had resided in Heaven happily. For Ilias''s ways weren''t always so hypocritical and evil. No, years of trying to control humanity and destroy all Monsters had warped and changed Ilias into something much more brutal than what Lucifina had known when she was first created.


    ''It seems so distant now, but I remember my first prayer to Ilias even now. Upon creation, I thanked her for bringing me to life.'' The ex-Seraph sighed at her reminiscing, ''She had seemed so benevolent back then, so justified in her wrath towards Monsters...'' Lucifina signed, laying back deeper into the pillows.


    Lucifina lost track of time as the last rays of sunlight faded and darkness enveloped the sky, waiting for her doting Husband to return from putting their son to bed. Her gaze lingered on the spot where the light had once been, and she felt a pang of longing for what she had left behind in Heaven.


    While tugging gently on her wedding band, Lucifina thought about Marcellus and their life together on Earth. The silver ring was a tangible reminder of both her past and present, a connection between two Worlds.


    But it also reminded her of what she would never give up.


    So preoccupied in her thoughts, Lucifina hadn''t even noticed a freshly showered Marcellus enter the bedroom. He crept up to the bed slowly, almost at a crawl, trying to get into just the right position...


    ...Before jumping into the bed without any warning!


    Lucifina yelped, being thrown a significant distance into the air from the impact. "Marcellus!" She gasped, "Don''t do such a thing when I am deep in thought!" The playful gleam from before danced in the chuckling man''s eyes as a wide smile appeared on his face. "Don''t think too deeply now, I wouldn''t want you to hurt yourself."


    The Fallen Angel scoffed at her Husband before grabbing him by his arm, "Now, now~" She pulled the man towards her, locking lips with him quickly and pulling away just as fast. "If you are thinking of taking this further, then flattery will do you much better than jesting, my Hero."


    Marcellus traced a hand up his Wife''s arm, chills spreading through her by the action. "My apologies, Lucifina. Will you allow me to make it up to you?"


    The Fallen Angel''s expression began to morph into that of hunger, and she brought her arm up and around her husband''s head, cradling it for a moment, "Gladly~" And with a speed not often seen from the former Seraph, she jerked him towards her so that the couple could indulge in each other.


    Unbeknownst to either of the two, they were not alone.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Carefully peeking through the window, Cupid watched from outside the house as the scene unfolded. It was an invasion of privacy, but Cupid couldn''t help herself. Although, it wasn''t as if she really cared, either. Finding an active pair of humans to observe was difficult enough, let alone a couple that had sex so often. To Cupid, it seemed like a blessing from Ilias above herself.


    ''With the pace they kept, one would think that they were trying for another child!'' The Angel of Love thought to herself in amusement, leaning with one hand against the side of the house, and with the other...


    ...Well, one might say she was putting that hand to good use.


    Cupid feasted her eyes at the sight of Marcellus hovering over Lucifina, trailing his lips down her neck and body, enraptured by the display of passion. ''Sensual and romantic... I wonder if Luka will inherit the same talent for such things.'' Cupid couldn''t contain the excited giggle that erupted from her, ''As good as this may be, I think I would prefer something straighter to the point...''


    The Angel of Love continued to watch, amazed at how the man caressed and groped Lucifina''s body, taking note of how she seemed to tremble at each touch. She then noticed Marcellus reach down between Lucifina''s legs, in the same spot Cupid had put her own hand to once this had first started...


    ...Except at least the Angel of Love had actually been wearing underwear beneath her dress, unlike Lucifina, who had apparently only had the nightgown on.


    ''I would never have guessed she''d be such a fan of easy access. I guess that''s why she only wears that horrid-looking nightgown." Cupid giggled, the lust-filled chuckled echoing through the night. ''Though I think I''ll take that page from your book, Lucifina. Being able to cut so quickly to the chase could be useful for my intentions with your son...''


    Lucifina bent and buckled, grasping at the sheets and gasping as her Husband serviced her. The Peeping Angel outside their window happily noticed the man seemed to be nearly ready for the next step of this situation, or at least, that''s what his now hardened member seemed to imply. Cupid gazed, mesmerized, as the man got into position to impale the eager ex-Seraph beneath him.


    Cupid''s hand was working into overdrive, rubbing feverishly against her soaked panties, pressing against her sensitive flesh through the cloth.


    Lucifina gasped, excitement overcoming her as Marcellus teased his needy Wife''s vulnerable entrance by rubbing against it instead of going right in as soon as possible. Cupid was actively short of breath, feeling a familiar building-up of arousal flow through her. "Come on, you tease! Just get to the good part, nail her down already!" The peeping-Angel encouraged.


    However, right when Marcellus was about to unknowingly fulfill the request...


    ...Trouble appeared.


    "Cupid!?"A hushed, but harsh voice whispered from behind the Angel. Cupid''s heart nearly leaped from her throat as she spun around, eyes that were previously filled with lust now showing fear. Standing before her was someone she hadn''t expected to see.


    It was Valkyrie, an Angel specialized for battle. Her steel blue eyes glared daggers at Cupid, a familiar dissatisfaction radiating from her.


    Valkyrie''s ridiculously long pearl-white hair spilled down nearly to her knees as she marched forward to Cupid. Her Angelic armor adorned her chest, arms, and lower legs alone, leaving the rest of her either bare or covered in similarly colored spandex, as the occasion didn''t warrant her wearing her full gear. Nevertheless, her appearance made the Angel glow with majesty in the moonlit night, giving her an appropriately ethereal glow.


    This, coupled with Cupid being literally caught with her "pants down", made it a frustratingly embarrassing moment for the Angel of Love.


    "Valkyrie!" Cupid hissed, furiously pulling her panties up in a vain attempt to recover her already waning modesty, "What the hell are you doing here!?"


    Valkyrie said nothing to reply, instead looking up and down at her fellow Angel in disgust. She recoiled slightly upon spotting a viscous liquid rolling down Cupid''s leg, shining faintly in the moonlight.


    Lowering her eyebrows, Valkyrie hardened her glare at Cupid. "Your behavior is reprehensible and embarrassing, Cupid. Masturbating in private is sinful enough, but in to do it public as well? Where is your shame!?" Despite the difference in power and authority between the two, The Angel of Love shot an indignant look at Valkyrie.


    "I simply indulge in Earthly pleasures from time to time; no Commandments are saying I can''t, after all." Cupid pulled up her loose shoulder strap to straighten her attire, "Maybe you should try it sometime. It might help you loosen up some!" The pink-eyed Angel hissed.


    Valkyrie scowled at the suggestion, saying, "To do such a thing would be an insult to my training at becoming an Archangel." She whispered back as she put a hand on her hip, loosening her posture somewhat before she continued, "Eden sent me to monitor you. She had said you were slacking off in your reporting as of late."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Valkyrie gestured towards Cupid with some disgust, "I see now what has had you so preoccupied, though I had assumed that if it were you, then it was no doubt something lewd."


    Cupid rolled her eyes, and responded, "Listen, tell that woman that daily reports are absolutely unnecessary. Toddlers don''t change that much in a day, Valkyrie!" The War Angel waved dismissively, harshly hissing out, "Whether you like it or not is of no relevance; it is an order from your superior, and you will follow it."


    Cupid threw her hands up, exasperated by the lengthy interruption. "Okay, okay, fine! I''ll give her a stupid report about how nothing has changed since yesterday!" The Angel of Love quickly turned away to peer into the window once more, much to Valkyrie''s outrage.


    "Cupid, I did not permit you to continue your depravity!" Valkyrie marched right up behind Cupid, reaching the window right alongside the Angel. Without meaning to, the War Angel glanced through the blinds herself, catching a glimpse of what was transpiring.


    In the Full Moon''s gleam, one could see that things had escalated greatly between the couple. Marcellus had successfully impaled Lucifina and was now quickly thrusting in and out of her. Lucifina''s feet were pointed towards the ceiling, her legs straddling the former Hero''s strong shoulders.


    Being practically bent in half looked awkward, but judging from the look on Lucifina''s face, it must''ve been worth the trouble. That and Lucifina wasn''t exactly the quiet one; the two Peeping Angels could hear her moans very clearly.


    Cupid and Valkyrie watched with lustful enjoyment and morbid curiosity as Marcellus pounded away at his Wife, the bed shaking and creaking under the strain of the force. Cupid''s hushed voice purred, "Mmm, no wonder they were able to have a child. With breeding methods like this, it''s less about if she could become pregnant, but when~"


    Valkyrie hated to agree with such a statement, but as she watched the sensual display, she couldn''t help but acknowledge it in a whisper. "Yes, his technique is impressive. However, such a thing is of no interest to us Angels. What Lucifina is partaking in is a sin."


    Cupid sighed, "Yes, it is. But isn''t there something so enthralling about it? Look at them, Valkyrie. Look at their impassioned faces; can you not see the desperation, the need for a release!?" Despite her aversion to Human intimacy, Valkyrie could not force herself to look away this time. She gazed upon Lucifina''s face, analyzing her expressions.


    The Fallen Angel''s blue eyes were fixated upon her lover, a manic arousal burning in her stare. Her hands tightly grasped the ruffled bedsheets, tugging on the silk as Marcellus rammed into her ceaselessly. The longer the Valkyrie watched, the more she felt something awaken within her.


    Then, things began to ramp up.


    Lucifina, seemingly desiring an escalation, released the sheets and dug her fingers into her Husband''s purple hair. From outside, the two could hear the Fallen Angel call out to Marcellus even as he continued to thrust. "There is no need to be g-gentle, I can take it, all of it!"


    Marcellus thrusted once more, eliciting a gasp from his Wife as he held his entire length inside for a moment. He exhaled before smirking, "My pleasure."


    He grabbed his Wife by her hips, pulling and rotating the both of them until he stood at the bedside while she hung halfway off, with her legs still hanging on his shoulders. She squealed when he wrapped his arms around her, holding on to him in preparation. Then, the man hoisted her up into the air, all with his member still inside, as Lucifina giggled in her lustful haze.


    Meanwhile, outside, both Angels watched in awe as the man was able to thrust upwards now, causing his Wife to quite literally bounce on his member. Cupid subtly glanced back at her fellow Angel, somewhat surprised that Valkyrie was still watching something she considered unworthy of an Angel''s interest. At that moment, Cupid noticed something that caused her to gape at the War Angel in shock.


    The look on Valkyrie''s face was one she had seen many times before in her long tenure as the Angel of Love, for she had watched many consummations of all types, from virgins to veterans and often even mixes of both. The reaction on Valkyrie''s face was most definitely that of intense interest. From her wide steel-blue eyes to her parted mouth, there was even a heavy blush forming on her face. It was as clear to her as the Sun shined.


    The War Angel had become aroused.


    An almost sinister smile grew on Cupid''s face, and her heart-shaped pupils glowed pink in the darkness. She leaned in close as she whispered a question, "Sooo... likin'' what you''re seein''?~'' Valkyrie grimaced but couldn''t break eye contact with the scene before her.


    "I..." The white-haired Archangel to be took a moment to collect herself, "It is certainly more engrossing than I had previously thought."


    Cupid nodded in understanding and stepped closer to Valkyrie''s side. "It does make you wonder..." Cupid placed a hand on the War Angel''s shoulder, "...How good it would feel to be in her position, doesn''t it?" Before Valkyrie could even fully process the question, both Angels had their full attention pulled back to the window as Lucifina''s moaning loudened to that of a scream.


    Marcellus''s thrusting had shown down, but his thrusts were much deeper. Each time he speared Lucifina it elicited another cry from the Fallen Angel, whose eyes had begun rolling upwards to face the ceiling. Suddenly, Lucifina''s entire body began to quiver, and she seemed to almost glow the same Heavenly light she did when she was an Angel. Seconds later, Marcellus ramped up his thrusting again, lifting her even higher than before with each movement, until...


    "Ah, Ah -oh, FUCK!" Lucifina yanked herself forward, burying her face in her husband''s chest. Though even with that attempt to censor her noise, the Angel duo outside heard Lucifina''s wail of ecstasy anyways as the former Seraph came violently from the fucking. Looking closely, the two could see a wave of cum leaving her vagina, no doubt the result of her Husband having climaxed as well.


    This was the final straw for Valkyrie, who immediately spun to stride away. Cupid, despite wishing to see if the pair might decide to go for another round, quickly followed the other Angel as she left.


    Valkyrie''s mind was a mess; here she was, a very diligent Angel of Ilias who prided herself on her obedience to the Goddess''s will, getting flustered and worked up upon watching a Fallen Sister get bred until she came! ''Why, why did I watch that? Why did I stay until they were finished!? Why... why...'' The War Angel stopped, placing her face in her palms, ''...Why did I enjoy it?''


    With these thoughts plaguing her, she hardly noticed a stupidly smiling Cupid drawing closer. "So," Cupid said loudly now that they were a decent distance away from the bedroom window, "What do you think?" Valkyrie''s lungs heaved, causing her chest to rise and fall deeply and rapidly. She felt herself shiver when thinking back to the look Lucifina had given towards the end.


    ''The ecstasy Lucifina must''ve felt, the absolute rapture... No, I can''t think like this!'' Valkyrie dropped her arms quickly at the thought. "I-I think... that it is time for us to return to Heaven." With nothing else to say, the Angel of Battle flew away, content to leave Cupid''s question unanswered. Not that the Angel of Love didn''t know already what it was.


    Cupid snickered to herself, content to watch her friend fly away. "And they call me delusional," she mused, "At least I can admit that I''m a pervert." She muttered as she turned back to the house, now peering at Luka''s bedroom window salaciously. "Well, more for me to enjoy at least. When the time is right-"


    A cold breeze blew through the clearing, startling the Angel. Cupid quickly glanced at the collection of trees and brush bordering the village and she swore that she heard something rustle in the bushes from across the clearing.


    For a second, the Angel of Love debated investigating the sound but decided against it. "N-Nothing unholy would dare venture here anyway, it''s too far into Ilias territory. Any Monster would have been killed by the time they got halfway here, surely... Hehe..."


    Despite the show still going on inside, Cupid flew away to return to Heaven, not so intent to find out if her assumption was correct.


    She was none the wiser of the glowing magenta eyes peering from those same bushes, the hardened gaze glaring holes in Cupid''s back as she flew away.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Much later in the night, sometime close to midnight, the owner of the magenta eyes finally decided that the time to strike had come.


    Cautiously, she crept forward on her stomach, taking in all parts of her surroundings before making any movements. Slowly, she began to reveal herself. The first part of her made readily apparent was a pair of unusual-looking beige horns that appeared to have a slit of red at their tips. These horns jutted from a mound of wild aquamarine hair.


    Another breeze blew through the village, ruffling the unkempt hair and causing her long, pointed ears to sway somewhat in the wind. Her face was colored a similar beige, the only perceivable imperfection being the strange cut running across the bridge of her nose.


    From under the locks of hair were a pair of striking magenta eyes that had been staring down an unwitting Cupid hours beforehand. They were the eyes of a cold and calculating killer, and they were now set upon a darkened bedroom window...


    ...Luka''s bedroom window.


    One abnormally large black hand came out of the thicket as she continued, jutting out of them were large black claws perfectly cultivated for ripping at flesh. Another equally Monstrous hand came into view beneath the pale moon. This one held no elongated claws, but attached to the arm was a scythe as long as the limb itself.


    As it lurked out from the foliage, the rest of the body came into view.


    If Cupid''s look could be considered risqu¨¦, then this creature''s attire was absolutely scandalous. Not much could be left to the imagination as her torso''s black skin was covered by light-gray armor around the shoulders, chest, and upper legs. The only piece of actual clothing was a satiny turquoise singlet that covered her ample chest, midriff, and most of her pelvic region.


    The Monster''s very muscular lower half came into view, the catlike crawling doing well to show her specific physical conditioning. The legs themselves were particularly impressive, and the muscles pressed firmly against the tight fabric as she swayed with each Monster was no ordinary creature. No, she was a Chimera, a creature made up of other Monsters to create something stronger than the usual beast one may encounter.


    This creature had no name, at least not anymore. It had just a designation, a title, through which her masters referred to her as.


    She was classified as Assassinroid, and she was highly specialized in infiltration and elimination.


    Soon, this Monster had reached a patch of tall grass that lay not far from the home. She pushed up to a squatting position and turned away from her target just once to peer into the bedroom of Marcellus and Lucifina. Deducing that both were still asleep, Assassinroid trudged on, returning to a prone position as she crawled all the way to the house, not making a single noise as she did so.


    Within a matter of seconds, the Monster found herself at Luka''s window. With the utmost care, she used the outside walls to pull herself up and she peeked inside. Laying before the Monster was her target, sleeping silently in his small bed. She stared as the boy soundlessly snored, curled up in his bedsheets as tight as can be.


    With carefully practiced poise, Assassinroid pushed the window open without even the slightest creak to be heard throughout the house. Clasping the border, the Chimera crawled up through the window, quickly closing the window behind her again.


    Finally, Assassinroid had reached her target, the objective of her given mission. As she got on all fours once again, the Monster crawled low against the floor, her bountiful chest nearly dragging across the floor as she did so. While she drew nearer to the unsuspecting child, she thought of what her mission was.


    The one given to her by her co-creator, the Fallen Angel Promestein herself.


    ''Unfortunately, I cannot simply drop you into Ilias Village itself. That type of spell would be too powerful for me to use at the moment as I am severely... limited in my means at the moment. That, and the amount of magic it would require, would turn you into an unholy beacon in the middle of Angel Country. This would inevitably bring the wrath of Heaven onto you within minutes...''


    The silence of the bedroom was deafening, making even the most benign noise that may occur seem magnified to that of a lightning crash. Sounds like the flooring''s occasional creak when Assassinroid would take a tentative step forward or even the howling of the wind that wanes for a second just to pick up once again. Despite it all she remained collected. Her heart was calm, her mind in control.


    ''...And so, you will instead have to be teleported a good distance off of the border, as to not alert and patrols. From there on, getting to Ilias Village will be soley up to you. If you falter at any point, I will not be able to recover you.''


    Assassinroid was within a meter of the bed now, close enough to hear the boy''s breathing. She kept the bedroom door in her peripheries, looking for any sign of movement. Other than her target, the room and house were deathly silent.


    ''Now, the mission itself. The boy I showed you, Luka, is your target. I need you to get to him, when he is at his most vulnerable and isolated.''


    Similar to how she got into the window, the Monster climbed the boy''s wooden bedframe until her sleek frame hovered over the much smaller boy, claws and scythe gleaming in the meager light of the dark bedroom.


    ''This, however, will not be like your other missions thus far. I know that it goes against your initial programming, but I need you to try something much different to this boy. It will be a much more experimental mission for you to carry out...''


    As unfamiliar as it was, the Monster retracted her claws into her hand. Then, with no small amount of effort, she was able to pull her scythe back into the arm it was attached to through sheer will. For what she was to do here required none of her fatal weaponry. Assassinroid, with significant unsureness, reached out to the bedsheets and gently tugged them off the boy.


    Before her was perhaps the most adorable sight an experimental mutant like Assassinroid could ever see. In his bed, the young Luka dressed in a long white nightshirt, unintentionally making him resemble his Mother''s lineage. Fittingly, the moonlight streaming onto his face gave him an ethereal glow as well. All he was missing was a pair of wings and a halo.


    ''...It all has to do with a little theory I like to call subconscious imprinting...''


    Awkwardly, the Monster climbed into the bed with the child, shifting on the mattress as quietly as possible before lying down on her side whilst facing Luka. It was strange for her to be in such a compromising position, but it was the mission her Masters had assigned, so she would complete it.


    ''...In short, we desire young Luka to be subconsciously drawn to monsters. Drawn to their touch, their smell, their very presence. The further we can pull him away from that bastard Goddess Ilias and nudge him to us, the better...''


    Lying there, the Monster felt completely out of her comfort zone. Before her was the ultimate fusion of two races she had been taught were beneath her, fit only for either destruction or enslavement; an amalgamation of Human and Angel, something she should have looked down upon. Instead of killing him, though, she was supposed to bond with him as part of some hypothetical psychological test.


    ''...You are my only agent who can infiltrate enemy lines effectively enough to do this, so I put my trust in you...''


    Holding one hand out, she brushed a few stray hairs out of his face. The boy didn''t even flinch at her touch. In fact, it seemed as if he even leaned into her hand. Following through, the Monster curled the hand around the boy and pulled him close to her chest. It was a strange sensation. Assassinroid had never held anything before, let alone to this degree of gentleness.


    Looking down at the boy, whose head was now resting comfortably between her breasts, she could feel something alien growing in her. It was warm and soothing and caused her to pull him even closer to her own body. She found herself enjoying the feeling greatly, almost as much as she had enjoyed killing. Maybe, even more than killing.


    The Chimera pulled him just that closer, feeling his light breath tickle her skin as it did. Then, she began to excrete her pheromones as per Promestein''s request, making sure he was to be facing her, breathing the aroma in deeply.


    ''...It is also sufficient to say that we keep this mission between us, yes? Even if we work alongside her, Black Alice is not to become privy to this whatsoever. If she were to find out about our conditioning of the boy, then things may get complicated. I want this advantage to be mine alone.''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    It was early in the morning when Lucifina awoke. The Sun had not even peaked; however, the sky had begun to lighten up some as the star made its journey to start the day. She stretched, her back crackling up and down her spine, a testament to the absolute mauling she had received the night before.


    Slipping out of bed quietly so as not to disturb her Husband, who had been working late for days on end, the Fallen Angel dressed in a similar nightgown to the one she wore yesterday, except this one was clean. Having rarely ever needed - or been able to - leave the house, she eventually decided that she didn''t need to wear anything too fancy if she would only be staying within the confines of her home.


    That and, depressingly enough, she somewhat missed the Heavenly garments she wore so many lifetimes ago. If there was one thing about that life that still suited her, it was the color white.


    She stood up quicker now than she would have the night before, as her physical state seemed to peak in the mornings and gradually worsen until nightfall. This meant that she placed much incentive to accomplish as much as possible, as early as possible. Naturally, this made it to where she rarely was ever still asleep after sunrise.


    She took a deep breath, instantly noting with a wince that the room still heavily reeked of sex; the bed sheets would have to be cleaned as quickly as possible.


    But it will wait until her Husband has awakened at least.


    Using the wall to both support herself and conserve her energy, she successfully left the master bedroom uninhibited by her usual weakness. She sauntered down the hall until she came to a sight that caused her to pause. Ahead of her on the left, was Luka''s bedroom door. Pausing, Lucifina took note of an otherwise small detail that struck her as very strange.


    Luka, ever since he first was promoted to having his own bedroom, never wanted the door open while he was asleep. The two parents never quite understood his insistence on the matter but never forced the issue either. So, for every day since then when she went to check on Luka in the morning, his door would always be closed.


    But this morning, there was a very slight crack in the doorway. She arrived at the door and pushed, eliciting an awfully loud creak from the door as she peeked inside. To the unfamiliar eye, nothing would seem wrong. Luka was still sleeping peacefully in his bed, sprawled on the mattress with the sheets covering just his legs. Everything was technically correct and in place.


    Except, not quite.


    It was a small detail, but Lucifina thought it odd that the bedsheets were only partially covering the boy. Similarly, Luka always insisted on being completely wrapped in his blankets from the moment he fell asleep to the moment he woke up. She knew this because every morning since this habit had been observed, she saw it firsthand when she came to check on him.


    ''Perhaps he had a nightmare and began kicking off his sheets?'' She thought to herself.


    It hadn''t happened before, but it was a better explanation than nothing at all. Lucifina came into the bedroom, moving to rewrap her son. When she came to his bed and started to cover him properly, something else struck her as odd. There was... a certain smell she could detect. Something about it was familiar. It scratched at the back of her mind, clawing at her memories and fighting to be none.


    The scent was flowery, almost... feminine? And it was strong, almost like a cloud was hovering above the bed.


    ''That can''t be coming from Luka, he doesn''t smell like that all. But then what is that?'' Deciding that it would have to be a question for later, Lucifina left the bedroom, begrudgingly getting another large creak from the door as she left and closing it shut tightly as she left.


    Continuing on her journey, the ex-Angel arrived at the kitchen. She scanned the room with a more critical eye, her earlier suspicion of Luka affecting her still. However, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Content that they had just been oddities for now, Lucifina began to cautiously prepare her kitchen for breakfast as the sun just began to rise over the horizon.


    Lucifina never noticed the burning magenta eyes glaring at her from outside the window...

 Year 8 AL, Death of a Hero

    The day had been a rather uneventful one for Cupid. With a storm brewing in the background behind her, the Angel of Love watched with disinterest from the backyard window as Luka and Lucifina prepared dinner, a simple chicken stir fry for two. As admittedly delicious as the food smelled - and how absolutely adorable it was that Luka helped his Mother cook - Cupid quickly became very bored with watching the two do, well, normal day-to-day routines.


    From the Angel of Love''s observations, however, she learned that routine was sacred in the young Prophet''s life. There was a certain set of things he needed to do to go about a day. For instance, every time he awoke, his Mother would have a glass of cold water ready for him to drink. Evidently, this was a necessity, as Luka hated morning breath and needed to be rid of it as quick as possible.


    There was a litany of other things as well, like how the boy needed his hair to be brushed frequently to untangle, or he would start pulling on it. Luka also insisted on certain things having to be his responsibility, such as trimming the hedges outside so that they were the perfect length.


    ''Being out in the garden with Luka could be nice, getting on my hands and knees out there in the flowerbed might help plant the seed in more ways than one...'' Cupid giggled, finding a great amount of amusement in her lewd pun.


    There were also things he met in the middle on, such as how the boy decided that while he couldn''t pick his own clothes to wear for the day, only he could dress himself. Additionally, Luka had to be completely alone because he didn''t want anyone to see him naked. Cupid giggled again, squirming where she stood, ''Well, not completely alone. I was told to watch over him anytime I could, right? Why not feast my eyes every now and then...''


    Cupid''s giggling trailed off, giving way to boredom again as she watched the pair cook more.


    Or rather, the Angel of Love watched Lucifina - now wearing an apron over her nightgown - as she in turn watched her son as he tended to the nearly finished food. Although Cupid had discovered that this was for the best, as apparently the Fallen Seraph was a terrible cook while Luka excelled at it. ''Personally, if I was cookin'' with Luka, I''d ditch everything but the apron~'' The depraved thought sent a wave of excitement through Cupid.


    "Well, just another idea for the future..." Cupid grimaced, "A future that''s about... ten years from now..." She laid her chin on the windowsill, "...If I''m lucky..."


    "Daydreaming about your depraved fantasies once again, Cupid?" The Angel of Love let out a heavy sigh before turning to the voice, not very surprised to see the familiar sight of a disappointed Valkyrie.


    Cupid gave a sly smirk, "You''re one to talk, considering that you keep coming back to find out if Marcellus has returned yet..." She sauntered over to the War Angel, "...Hate to disappoint you, but he hasn''t shown up still. So, the changes of us getting a good show tonight are slim."


    Valkyrie huffed, "That isn''t the only reason why I visit you, I still have to force you just to send in one simple report." Cupid raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, not the only reason? Tell me, what''s the other reason?" Valkyrie blushed madly at the implication, having to tighten her fists as Cupid fought to quiet her laughter.


    "J-Just come on already!" Valkyrie hissed, spinning on her heel to stomp away in a somewhat dignified manner.


    Cupid rolled her pink eyes but complied nonetheless, taking off into the sky with her comrade. The flight was mostly silent, the stoic Valkyrie leading the charge as the blonde-haired Angel followed behind, jaded by her lack of erotic stimulation for the entirety of the day. To their right, the sun was already three-quarters beneath the horizon. To their left, distant lightning strikes screamed through the air. Each strike elicited a roar of thunder from the storm clouds.


    The two Angels flew past the end of the Ilias Continent, eventually leading them into the much larger and more contested Continent of Sentora. Passing over the Natalia Region, the pair flew by San Ilia, keeping mindful of the particularly dark area of cloud above it, and flew up to the range of mountains in the center of Sentora itself.


    Their destination? The Navel of the World, home to Heaven''s Gate. Otherwise known as the only way for anything to enter or exit Heaven.


    Heaven''s Gate was located at one of the topmost peaks of the unnamed mountain range. On this peak was an ancient stone Temple of Ilias, perhaps the first ever created by the first followers of the Goddess of Light. At its center, a large ivory tower loomed over the Temple. At its top, laid this Heavenly entrance. Dropping on the top of the large, uncovered battlement of the tower, the two Angels gazed upon the entrance to Heaven itself.


    It was a deciding unholy-looking creation. The door itself was large, almost ten meters tall, and a little over six meters wide; it certainly dwarfed any of the Angels that ventured through it. The door was the color of volcanic soot, its large facade having engravings of naked Angels on it. Though they seemed to be in poses one would hesitate to consider Angelic.


    Some say that the engravings used to be more modest, but none dare to ask The Gate about why this was no longer the case.


    Out of the door''s sides sprouted many golden tentacles, some of which seemed to curl around the dark gray columns that stood erect against the edges of the two giant doors. On these columns were also multiple sets of horns, along with a giant golden eye on the top half of these two adjacent pillars. On the top of this door were many black angel wings, all of them seeming to be connected to a single golden statue of an Angel prostrating at the very top.


    This was the esteemed Heaven''s Gate.


    Cupid and Valkyrie gazed upon the odd-looking door, both Angels having a similar distaste for the Monster-like appearance of the door. Valkyrie narrowed her eyes at the Gate, ''Could it be any more deplorable? Angels are not supposed to be depicted in the nude; I scarcely understand why the Goddess allows it to have such a design.''


    Cupid next to her grimaced, dreading what was to come, ''Gah, I hate talking to this thing, can''t it just open and shut like any regular old door!?''


    However, neither uttered a word about such a thing, for Heaven''s Gate itself is one of Ilias''s most powerful Angels. One would be a fool to cross words with the Angel formerly known as the second-strongest Cherub.


    The golden Angel statue on the top started to transform, its golden husk melting off of it like a second skin as the Angel underneath began to show herself. The Angel''s coal-black hair fell behind her head in a bowl cut. From the top of her head sprouted a pair of ivory horns, and behind her black mane was a pair of white wings that came out from the back of her head.


    Like her fellow Cherub, the Angel''s body was completely unclad, showing her bare breasts and midriff. The Angel''s green eyes shone through half-lidded eyes as she analyzed the two Angels standing before her. "Ahhhh, the soon-to-be Archangel, and the Angel of Love..." She tilted her head, "Are you wishing to enter Heaven?"


    Cupid snorted, looking off to the side as Valkyrie stated what the Angel of Love found to be the obvious. "Yes, we are. May you allow us safe passage?" The Angel''s green eyes glowed, "I may... if you were to tell me some of your journey." Even Valkyrie, one who holds the utmost respect for her fellow Angel, sighed at the request.


    Heaven''s Gate was particularly interested in hearing of the travels of the Angels who walked the Earth. Most could assume that this was because of the nature of her position as the entrance to Heaven. The Angel herself could not leave, as she was quite literally physically connected to the gate, assimilated into it at Goddess Ilias''s command so that the door to her realm could be safely guarded. It was surely an honor for the former Cherub, but it was no doubt a mostly boring one as well.


    However, most Angels did not care for her strange solicitations, though her overwhelming strength was reason enough to placate her.


    "Well, I had to check in on Cupid again to make sure she was being compliant with her duties..." Valkyrie paused for a moment, "...To which she was." Cupid was surprised at the comment, having been sure that the War Angel would take the opportunity to rub salt in her wound through mockery.


    Heaven''s Gate shifted her attention to Cupid, her emerald gaze locking onto Cupid. "Is this true? Ah, you were watching over the Prophet Luka today, weren''t you?" At her own statement, Heaven''s Gate started to become even more energized, clapping her hands together. "I pray and pray that one day he can come visit me, I would be grateful to send him to Heaven, it would be an honor!"


    Cupid raised her hands up, nervous that the former Cherub would get stuck on the boy. ''Nobody''s enthralled with the boy as much as I am, but last time she kept me here for thirty minutes talking about how great he''ll be one day! I don''t wanna talk about the boy all night with some overblown door-freak! That kinda fantasizing is what I do when I''m good and alone in my own bed at night.''


    Valkyrie spoke up, startling the Angel, "Yes, that would be well and good. However, as of now, we really must be leaving quickly. Important business, after all. Cupid''s reports need to be given to Seraph Eden, as you know." Cupid watched as the Angel of Heaven''s Gate dipped some, a look of extreme dismay came upon her head.


    "Ah, yes. Well, you can enter through. Ilias blesses you two for doing her work, I''m sure." The two Angels were able to pass through, the Angel on top of the door opening herself to allow them to go through, closing the doors quickly once they were gone.


    Unseen by the two Angels, was the look of visceral anger on the face of Heaven''s Gate.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Fuck!" Marcellus hissed, nearly tripping on the umpteenth root jutting from the ground. He stomped his non-hooked foot to the ground, reorienting himself as he did so. "Alright, had just about enough of that!" The Hero turned to his right, searching the dark ground with one good eye until he saw it. He walked off the path briefly before reaching down and grabbing hold of a waist-tall stick. He stabbed one end of it to the ground while holding it from the other end.


    "Can''t forget the family wisdom, Marcellus." The purple-haired man leaned on the stick as he ambled back to the path, "Walking-sticks are essential to any journey, in case of needing to walk or whack."


    Marcellus trudged on, trying to make his way back home in good time as the night only grew darker. The crescent moon above was partially obscured by some nefarious-looking storm clouds. This sudden darkness made an already treacherous nighttime all the more potentially dangerous. A distant crack of thunder caused him to pause, but he quickly continued.


    Even if Ilias Continent had fewer Monsters overall than most places, there was definitely a chance that an isolated man such as him could be ambushed by a Monster. However, he was not afraid of the possibility. Even with a good number of years since his prime Hero-ing days, Marcellus was no slouch when it came to fighting.


    It was still bizarre for him to think of when he took these missions, for him to be helping Monsters instead of fighting them had been a drastic change for him. Case-in-point: He had just dropped off some sanctuary-seeking monsters at the town of Enrika. It was one of the only towns peace-seeking Monsters could find nowadays, but it wasn''t easy to find.


    After all, with everything but all-out war going on between monsters and angels, one couldn''t just toss around information like that without compromising the place. This is why it was easier to do these missions at or around nighttime.


    However, being effectively blind in his left eye made the task a bit more of a burden. Luckily, he had been doing this for years with more success than not in avoiding having to physically fight. This he was glad for it made atoning for his own mistakes easier if he could keep any further blood off his hands.


    Regretfully, however, blood would be spilled that night.


    But not by Marcellus.


    Snap


    Marcellus stopped in his tracks, his one good eye staring ahead. Ilias Village was just a bit further down the path; he could see the tops of some homes from where he stood. Sighing, he dropped his walking-stick and began to slowly turn and face whatever it was that had made itself known.


    Standing before him was a figure cloaked in black with their face obscured by a dark hood. They were tall, at least a head taller than himself. Underneath one of their steel boots was a small twig in the path, one that Marcellus had purposely stepped over, a gesture his unexpected guest had not bothered in doing.


    The Hero wasn''t afraid. Encounters here and there during his time as an escort to Enrika were expected. Some Monsters, and even Monster-hating humans, had attempted to take his life before and, well...


    ...It''s not as though he held the title of Hero for nothing.


    Marcellus stood at attention, sizing up his potential opponent. In particular, he eyed the small break in the figure''s cloak, where he caught glimpse of a sword hilt. "Whoever you are, I''d advise you to state your business. Or better yet, turn around and never let me see you again."


    Silence permeated the desolate dirt path, filling the air with a palpable tensity, causing the normally composed Marcellus to ready his left arm in case the need to grab his own sword were to arise. This action finally drew out reaction from the figure.


    "Really, Marcellus? Are you so easily prepared to draw your weapon against an old friend?" The voice was deep, with a calmness that betrayed his demeanor. It was a voice Marcellus recognized. He squinted his right eye, trying to confirm an answer he already knew. The purple-haired man''s gaze softened when the opposing figure dropped his hood.


    From beneath the garment came long, dark hair. It was slick, falling from his scalp in strings. His face was long and pale, with a long patch of unkempt stubble covering his chin and jawline. The man''s small black pupils were steeled, a silent hostility emanating through them as they bore into the blue eyes of the Father across from him.


    Marcellus''s breath hitched, causing the man to give an uncharacteristic stutter. "L-Lazarus?" The man before him was not just an old friend. At one point, the man was his best friend; a remnant of a life he thought he had cut off long ago.


    "Your eyes do not betray you..." Lazarus shouldered off the rest of his cloak, revealing that the man had indeed come prepared to fight as a large sword was at his side. "...It''s been a while, hasn''t it?"


    Marcellus shuffled awkwardly, his eyes flickering back to the sword once more before meeting Lazarus''s cold gaze again. "It has." he paused, trying to figure out where to go about this treacherous situation. "How is it that you found me?" Marcellus asked, to which the man across from him tensed but said nothing. His cloak fluttered in the wind before he started to walk forward.


    "Y''know something, Marcellus?" He continued to press forward, "When you just up and decided to disappear from Gold Port, I figured I''d just respect your decision because of our history. I wasn''t gonna argue, bargin'' to keep you there, blackmail ya, nothin''. Thought I''d just vouch for you to when the rest of Ilias Kreuz came askin'' and make up some bullshit about why you left us for good."


    Lazarus stopped suddenly, just shy of two meters from the Hero.


    An empty chuckle escaped his lips, "Wanna know what I said?" Lazarus stared off into the trees, "Told ''em, that you were lookin'' to settle down and start a family now. That you wanted to hang it all up for the sake of starting your legacy and all that crap, yeah?" He shook his head, looking at his feet. "And I, almost, convinced myself that you were actually doing that, too."


    Marcellus remained silent.


    "But then I heard talk about this sort of underground smuggling business going on. Guys getting paid for safe passage to monster-friendly towns, some even in the heart of Ilias Country itself." The gloved hand of Marcellus tightened as Lazarus''s expression turned to that of disgust. "At first, I just figured it as just another head on the Hydra, one more problem that would need to be taken care of in due time. But then..."


    Quickly, Lazarus unsheathed his sword, the silver flared dangerously in his right hand. "...I heard talk of one of their best guides, some called him a purple-haired miracle to the cause of co-existence..." He aimed his sword in the Former Hero''s direction. "... But I thought to myself, naw, can''t be Marcellus, right?"


    The taller man''s body began to shake, "I didn''t want to believe it, I couldn''t, man. After all, my best friend wouldn''t just drop our cause so he could go being a damned heretic himself, would he?"


    Lazurus took a step forward, "But then, why is it that when I go and ''interrogate'' some blasphemers pretendin'' to be merchants, that I hear your name involved with all this shit? And why is it that they tell me specifically that Marcellus is going to drop off some fuckin'' monsters off in a safe house near Ilias Village itself!?"Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Marcellus finally snapped, "Enough, Lazarus!" The man glared his wide eyes at the purple-haired man. "Why? Not comfortable with being faced with your own treachery!? Just tell me, is it really true? Is the great Marcellus, not-so-great anymore? Is he a Monster sympathizer now?! TELL ME WITH YOUR OWN WORDS!"


    A coarse wind blew through the clearing, whipping at the men''s clothes. The sound of Lazarus''s scream bouncing through the small valley. "Lazurus, what you''ve heard..." Marcellus delayed, heart-wrenching at his old friend''s forlorn expression, "...It is true."


    The tall man''s face darkened, the moon above becoming more obscured by some errant clouds. "So... that''s it? Everything we''ve worked towards for all those years for nothing, ''cause it just stopped mattering to you? I thought we would avenge our friend''s deaths, not insult their memories."


    A wrathful look appeared on Marcellus''s face now and the man clutched his sword with his left hand tightly. "You, of all people, know that I would never soil the names of Merlin and Karen!"


    Lazarus quickly bit back, "You are no longer fit to even speak their names, heretic!"


    Marcellus, having enough of the insults, furiously drew his own sword and pointed it to Lazarus, catching the man off-guard. "I am just as fit as you, after what we did together in Ilias Kreuz, neither of us deserve to speak of them! At the very least they had died as Heroes that day and hadn''t lost themselves to blind revenge like we!" Marcellus drew in a shaky, wrathful breath. "We spit on their graves and abandoned Alice the Fifteenth''s sacrifice when we betrayed their dreams, Lazarus!"


    Gritting his teeth, the dark cloak of Lazarus flailed wildly in the wind, "I HAVE NO USE FOR THOSE DREAMS ANYMORE!"


    Lazarus blindly charged at Marcellus, a maneuver that would usually be of no issue to the Hero, if it were not for the speed of the attack. Lazarus''s swing came from overhead, and Marcellus parried it to his right. He moved back, leaning on the back foot, and swung down, then up towards Lazarus''s dueling hand.


    Seeing his opportunity, Lazarus dodged the attack and crossed the gap with a nasty forearm to the other man''s face. Marcellus took it head-on without so much as a flinch, before kicking his former friend away. Lazarus rolled backward, kicking up almost immediately to swing again and again, putting Marcellus on the retreat with his furious strikes. Then, on his last swing, he feinted.


    Marcellus raised his sword to block, not wanting to strike back at his former with his sword. Lazurus cut across his swing, managing to strike his former friend in the face with the steel hilt of his own sword, which buckled Marcellus''s knees.


    He dropped to the ground, clutching the grass with his right hand while his sword hung limply from his left hand, the blade''s tip resting on the ground. His face was downcast to the side, his one good eye facing away from Lazarus. "Why, Marcellus?" The black-haired man lamented between haggard breaths, "Why did you turn your back on me?" He stalked forward, "Did you just lose your edge, get soft?"


    He stopped just a sword''s length away. "Or..." He craned his neck to, hardening the intensity of his lour, "...Were ya doin'' it so you could go get yer rocks off with some MONSTER WHORES!?" The accusation immediately sent Marcellus into a rage, yelling as he swung his sword backhandedly. Lazarus deflected it, fear in his eyes for the first time since the fight had begun. On instinct, as he finished his parry, he twisted his sword and thrust it back towards Marcellus.


    Squelch


    A heaving gasp erupted from Marcellus''s mouth; the man was not even able to scream in pain as he felt the air leave his body in a large hiss. Lazarus balked at the sight before him, at first not understanding what had just happened. Kneeling before him was Marcellus, clutching his opponent''s sword in vain as it was currently wedged deep between the ribs in his chest.


    Lazarus''s strike had punctured Marcellus''s left lung.


    The taller man was shocked into silence, his thoughts having been scrambled at the sight of the fatal strike. ''How, Marcellus should have seen that coming, he''s better than... that...'' As the dark clouds above slithered off of the bright white moon, Lazarus saw the reason for Marcellus''s mistake. The Hero''s left eye, the side where Lazarus''s strike had come from, was a milky white.


    The taller man felt his blood freeze as he realized far too soon why he had been getting the upper hand on Marcellus. The man he was fighting, was not the one he had last seen in his prime. The Marcellus he had known would have easily dodged the attack, but that was because that Marcellus wasn''t half blind. The one he had just cut down, though, most certainly was.


    So he hadn''t even seen the swing coming until it was too late.


    Lazarus''s sword slid out of the man as he fell, his own weapon dropping to the ground with him. Marcellus could desperately choke and gasped, his blood spewing violently out of his mouth, an unyielding river of dark red painting the front of his brown shirt black as it did.


    Lazarus stood still, horrified at what he had done. "No, I-I... I didn''t m-mean..." He dropped to Marcellus''s side but hesitated. He stared at the ghastly wound, stricken by the sudden realization that this had gone much too far. "...I never wanted this, I just... y-you-" Lazarus ceased his mumblings, a bloodied hand grabbing him by the arm. The hand clung to the man with the last of the body''s quickly dying energy.


    Feebly, Marcellus tried to pull himself up off the ground, perhaps not yet realizing that the effort was hopeless. More blood came pouring out from the man as several coughs racked his body. Lazarus quickly wrapped his arms around the man to keep him from slamming into the ground, ignoring the warm pool of blood now staining his own shirt.


    There were no final words said as Marcellus quickly succumbed to death. He merely spasmed in Lazarus''s arms as his heart and body eventually gave out from the blood loss; a forlorn Lazarus watching helplessly as the man he had called his best friend for so long died from his sword, his hands being literally stained by Marcellus''s blood.


    With this deed done, all of his anger and vengefulness from before was gone. Now, all he felt was regret as he watched Marcellus take his final ragged breaths.


    The troubled former Hero died that night trying to atone for the mistakes of his past. To wash away the blood he had spilled by saving the ones that he would have slaughtered thoughtlessly before. In his last moments, Marcellus could only hope that he could be forgiven. More than that, he prayed to whoever might hear, even if it was Ilias herself, that his son would grow up to be a better and more true Hero than he had been.


    Lazarus, sick with grief, hoisted the body of his friend onto his shoulders, leaving behind only two things: A trail of blood, and the now-dead Marcellus''s sword.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina stared outside her bedroom window. A crescent moon peeked from behind a legion of dark clouds. It looked as if a storm would be coming soon if the rumblings in the distance were any indication. But this wasn''t much of a concern for the Fallen Angel. She was far too worried about the fact that her husband had still not returned home from his latest trip.


    Of course, it wasn''t unusual for her Husband to take an extra two or three days to get back home, but this night would mark the sixth extra night he had yet to return.


    She fiddled with her fingers, particularly picking at her wedding ring anxiously. It was a simple silver band, somewhat rough and scratched from years of wear. Though no matter how worn it became, it was never something she could or would part with.


    Creak


    Lucifina looked at her bedroom door in curiosity. She knew in her heart where that sound had emanated from, as the Mother had come well acquainted with the sounds of the house from nearly two decades of living in it.


    It was Luka''s door.


    She struggled for a moment to stand but got to her feet successfully within a couple seconds of effort. She heard the pitter-patter of small feet running towards the room; the sound roused a smile onto her face just as a little purple-haired boy in a long white nightshirt came into the doorway.


    Lucifina opened her arms as the boy ran towards her and almost jumped into her as she wrapped him into a hug. "Is there something wrong, Luka? Why are you awake?" It was drawing close to midnight now, and the boy should''ve been asleep hours before. However, Lucifina did not fret over the abnormality and instead took the boy''s hand, knowing how this usually went.


    Luka''s small, soft hand began pulling his Mother toward the door and out into the hallway. Shuffling along the wooden floor, the ex-Angel painstakingly moved as quickly as possible to keep up with her son''s pace. Very soon, the pair arrived at the open door of Luka''s bedroom. The boy almost tripped on his own white sleeping garment whilst pulling his Mother into the room. At first, the woman thought she knew what the situation was until Luka stomped past the bed and towards his window.


    Per usual, when his Father was gone, Luka would nearly drag his Mother to his bedroom so she would co-sleep with him. She always assumed it to be his need for extra comfort with Marcellus being gone, but it never bothered her. Usually, she could leave after about fifteen minutes, but she sometimes she even stayed with him the whole night.


    But this time, he didn''t stop until they reached his bedroom window. Luka came at a halt and pointed towards the window.


    Lucifina, confused, asked her son about the unknown issue. "What is it, darling?" She looked closer, noticing that the open curtains were shifting somewhat. "Ah," she said, noticing the window was cracked just a bit. "Did you open this, Luka?"


    The boy behind her spoke up. "No, M-M-Monster did."


    Lucifina stopped dead mid-movement, hands still on the window to close it. She felt a chill rack her body at her son''s words. She jerked her head towards Luka, an incredulous look on her face as she stared into his matter-of-fact expression. "You... you said a Monster opened this?" Luka simply nodded and turned to walk towards his bed as if he hadn''t just said something so pertinent.


    Lucifina followed close behind, not wishing to overwhelm her tired son but also absolutely not ready to let that piece of information go without an explanation. "Luka, Luka!" She grabbed his arm, helping him to crawl into his bed for a moment, before having him face her. "I need to you to be clear with me, what happened here?"


    The eight-year-old sat there, dark rings underneath his pale-blue eyes. He looked more exhausted than usual. "...C-Couldn''t sleep... was w-wanting Father..."


    Her eyes softened, understanding the boy''s sadness. "My baby," She hugged the boy close, "I know, I''ve been missing him too." Lucifina pulled away to look into his eyes, arms still wrapped around him for comfort. "So you were still up after I put you to bed?" He nodded tiredly in response.


    Lucifina felt awful for her son. He was valiantly trying to stay up so he could see his Father... she should''ve known he''d be doing something like this. "H-Heard something outside." The purple-haired boy said curtly.


    Again, that chill struck her. ''Could a Monster really be here? It isn''t impossible, but it certainly isn''t probable either.'' She got off the bed, kneeling so that she was at eye-level with her son.


    "Luka, did you see this Monster?" The worried Lucifina asked. Luka stared off into space, a common habit when he was thinking hard, before eventually he gave her an answer.


    "N-No, just heard..." The boy trailed off, grasping and releasing the bedsheets absent-mindedly as he recalled the sounds he had heard. Lucifina stood up and walked over to the window in question, seeing if she could get some clue as to whether there really had been a monster outside or not.


    Peering out the window, Lucifina scanned outside in the small clearing. Aside from the swirling black clouds above, indicating the approaching storm, she couldn''t find anything malicious around the window. Not scratch marks, hairs, nothing. She opened the window and stuck her head out of it, just in case she could be completely sure that nothing was falling amidst her analysis.


    She felt a very light mist of rain, adding to the sheer humidity of the air around her. It caused her mind to drift back to Marcellus for a moment, ''It has been raining quite a bit on and off here, maybe that''s why it had been taking him so long to get back?'' The Mother could only hope that this was the case. As she was thinking about this, a certain smell struck her.


    Amongst the wet smell of the rain, she could detect something else. It was faint, but she could smell something sweet. It was almost a floral type of scent...


    ''Strange, I feel as though...'' Before the thought was finished, a gust of wind bled in from the left, tossing her hair wildly. She made a move to brush it away but nearly shrieked as she felt something long and claw-like suddenly grasp her head!


    Lucifina jerked with an embarrassing squeal, yanking herself inside the window. She backed away quickly, eyeing the window with uncertainty before nearly slapping herself due to what she saw.


    A low-hanging branch was now visible, barren of leaves and all; it almost even looked like the terrible set of talons that something like a Harpy would have. The branch waved in front of the window briefly, before one of its limbs scratched against the windowsill. Lucifina sighed in exasperation, turning to her son with a tired smile. "Luka, was that scratching close to what you had heard earlier?"


    The boy stared at the window as his Mother paced over to him, he reached up with one hand and began to tug at some of the errant locks of his disheveled purple hair while he thought about it. "T-Think so..." He said with a frown as Lucifina kneeled down once again to gently grab his hand and hold it in her own.


    "Alright Luka, then could it be possible that there was no Monster?" She asked.


    Luka gave a tired nod, "Y-Yeah..."


    The Fallen Angel smiled and began running her fingers through his hair, an action that gave the boy a serene smile. After a while, Lucifina rose from the bed with a smile of her own. "Good, will you be okay in here for the rest of the night, darling?" The boy nodded silently. Lucifina got up to leave, stopping only for a moment longer to whisper a quiet "Goodnight" to her son before she left. Unaware that there was a Monster like Luka had thought, but it had not been outside his window...


    ...No, it had been inside their house since Marcellus had left.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Hours later, Assassinroid emerged. The rain outside was drizzling lightly, more akin to a mist than actual rain. Thunder rumbled overhead, a perfect addition to the plethora of advantages she wielded in her mission.


    With great caution, the Monster slid open the door of the dark closet she was hiding in, moving it only as much as she needed to whilst clutching an item that the Monster had risked the entire plan to procure for her own...


    ...Personal interest.


    The Chimera glanced towards the Mother who was peacefully sleeping before her. A strange mix of emotions bubbled through her.


    Assassinroid despised Lucifina, as the ex-Angel was the most prominent obstacle in this strange plan. The Monster thought that if Promestein wanted this Luka so badly, then it would be much easier if Assassinroid just cut the Angel''s throat open right now and steal the boy away into the night.


    As much as she hated the Fallen Angel, the Monster also had a bizarre amount of envy for her, as Lucifina had something she did not have. Something Assassinroid wanted, even though she knew it was a ridiculous thing to desire.


    The Chimera snarled soundlessly, turning away from the ex-Seraph and quickly leaving the room before her unreasonable anger caused her to do something ill-advised and potentially ruin the mission.


    Speaking of...


    The Monster made what one could describe as an amateurish amount of sound rushing to get to Luka''s room but was confident that the overhead rumblings of the storm would censor her, perhaps overeager while rushing towards her goal with an unnatural amount of excitement. Assassinroid stopped abruptly to calm herself before slowly opening the bedroom door.


    Sleeping before her was the object of what had become, admittedly, a bit of an obsession that the Monster had been unintentionally cultivating over the years as she visited him.


    Luka slept silently, a picturesque visage of peacefulness as he lay wrapped up in his bedsheets, vulnerable to her will. Assassinroid felt it in her beating heart, in the warmth building her body. She was beginning to indulge in this mission more than perhaps intended if she was supposed to enjoy this at all. However, the Monster couldn''t help herself, as each subsequent mission after her first started to change her one-sided relationship with Luka.


    Any night Promestein tasked Assassinroid with journeying to Ilias Village to start another session of pheromone therapy, she felt herself enjoying it more and more. Each time the Chimera would quicken her pace to get to Luka faster, to stay longer, even before she could actually get in his room. Sometimes she''d reach her target during midday or even the morning.


    In times like those, she would watch the boy throughout the day, paying very close attention to his relationship with his Mother in particular.


    It was clear to Assassinroid that Luka adored his Mother, always following close behind throughout the day. And despite how weak Lucifina was, she tended to him as best she could, and in turn, the boy began to do the same. And somehow, in the process of the Chimera imprinting onto Luka, the boy began to imprint onto her, too. This fact was something she become well aware of, but at the same time, she found herself not caring.


    Assassinroid''s warped mind had even begun to fantasize herself in the Fallen Angel''s place, knowing that she was more physically capable than the woman. She could run where Lucifina couldn''t. She could chase Luka through fields as he did so often with his Father. She was even confident that she could do it better. She imagined it often while holding him at night. She wound bound after him, dashing on all fours while chasing him, hearing his laughter as she drew nearer...


    ...Until she pounced on him.


    And once she had him in her arms, she would press into him, smothering him close into her body like he so often did when hugging Lucifina. Except, with Assassinroid, the action was not with Motherly intent.


    It was not a part of her programming, but that did not stop the Chimera from fantasying taking care of Luka in more than just in a Motherly sense. No, in fact, the thought was deeply tempting. This is why she had stolen the nightgown in the first place, as she couldn''t help but imagine playing the part of his Mother in a more heated, intimate fashion.


    The scenario in her mind was deeply disturbed, an unforeseen product of her corroded mind by way of Promestein''s and Black Alice''s experimentation, and it drove her to push the mission''s parameters, against her better judgement.


    Assassinroid took one of her long, sharp claws, and sliced down the middle of her green singlet. The mutated Monster''s clothes fell quickly, revealing her bare, lewd body in the darkened room. Her breasts fell and rose alongside her quickened breathing. Little beads of sweat were dripping down various parts of her body as she could feel her very core heating up alongside her growing excitement.


    Quickly, the Monster pulled the white nightgown over her head, slipping her voluptuous body into the thin garment. The cloth gripped and tugged at her skin, the unnatural color clashing against the pure, silky white as her larger assets fought to fit in clothing better suited for the smaller Lucifina. Something about the new look excited the monster even more than simply being completely naked moments ago.


    Assassinroid, now desperately trying to drag herself back to her mission, found her broken mind neglecting logic in her increasingly depraved stupor. As often practiced, the monster began to crawl along the ground toward the boy; however, unlike times past, the Monster instinctually leaned more into her natural sway, increasing her sensuality.


    The deepness of her cleavage was accentuated by the revealing nightwear, somehow more so than her previous outfit. As she neared the bed, the monster''s body began to radiate the pheromones she was fixed to excrete, her body uncontrollably over-producing the substance due to her increased feverishness. Luka had already begun to react to it, breathing it in deeply while he slept.


    The Monster crept into the bed, pulling the boy against her body as quickly as possible. Almost immediately, she felt her body heat rise once more as she pressed against Luka. Just like every other time, she made specifically sure that his face was kept close to her breasts, which barely could be contained by the top of Lucifina''s nightgown. She breathed in and out deeply, taking in the feeling of having him lay against her.


    It was an addiction she couldn''t fight, even if she wanted to. This was what made her jealous of Lucifina. She watched the pair often during the day and even at night, watching how Luka would seek out this physical comfort, and it angered her to see him hold her. The Chimera wanted to know how it felt not just to hold him, but to be sought out by him. For the boy to come to her and seek to embrace her.


    But he didn''t, he couldn''t. He didn''t even know her, so how could he?


    She gave a shaken, defeated sigh as she tightened her grip on Luka. This will have to suffice for the time being, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep herself from growing attached to this sensation.


    Especially when she was becoming more and more aware of the fact that the boy''s journey into puberty was growing closer every day.

 Year 12 AL, Attempts at Degradation

    The early morning dew glittered vibrantly in the still-dim rays of the rising sun. Emerald grass beneath the peaking light of the springtime sun was at its most majestic, waving slightly in a cool breeze that whistled through the countryside. In the sky, giant white clouds of fluff hovered against the blues and reds that mixed above in the early morning day.


    Not many were awake yet, but one of those very few was a small purple-haired boy named Luka.


    Besides the high fencing, the young boy squatted in the peacefully secluded garden of his home''s backyard. He was calmly watching a delicate spider spinning its web amongst some of the taller grass towards the edge of the fencing, analyzing each one of the carefully spun webs as they were made by the small arachnid.


    The boy''s pale-eyes were unwavering, solely focused on enjoying the creation of such an intricate design. The spider strung together a few more strands of web, the final touches before it returned to the middle of the web to rest after all of its hard work.


    "B-Beautiful..." Luka muttered at the sight, a small smile forming on his face.


    Luka stood up, straightening his white robe as he rose. It was a garment he normally wore to bed or around the house, but the morning was so pleasant that he decided to forgo changing into something else for the time being. ''Well, I''ll be doing laundry later today anyway!'' He thought.


    Luka scanned around the bed of grass and flowers, looking to see if there were any other members of his tiny ecosystem scurrying about. It seemed, though, that this was too early for even some insects to be up and about.


    Looking back down, Luka glanced at the spider''s web to see how the arachnid was doing but frowned at what he saw. Naturally, the spider had caught something, this victim being a small purple-winged butterfly. The poor thing thrashed and fluttered, but it was futile. The spider was slowly crawling towards her prey, and unfortunately, the purple insect would not escape the large web weaved for him.


    Luka understood the process was a common part of nature, but he still disliked seeing things in pain, let alone killed.


    "Psst!" A hiss rang out from the nearby fence, startling the purple-haired boy. With an owlish stare, Luka stood frozen before the fence. A hushed voice called to him, a feminine one at that. "Hey you, come over here, cutie!~" The alluring voice whispered to him again. The young boy took a couple careful steps forward, stopping half a meter from the tall wooden fence. The fence shook some as the woman behind it leaned up to her side of the wooden planks.


    "Come on, don''t be shy. I won''t bite, promise~" The way the comment was made Luka blush, the crimson tone painting his face heavily. The coquettish voice was persuasive enough to get the twelve-year-old to come within arm''s length of the fencing, who looked about the wooden wall in an attempt to figure out who or what was talking to him right now.


    "Up here, boy~" Luka lifted his head to see a small eye-sized hole in the fencing. It was about a quarter of a meter taller than him, which wasn''t very tall, considering his diminutive height. Upon looking closer, Luka could see a bright pink eye intensely fixed on him. The pupil of said eye actually being in the shape of a heart. Luka hesitated now that he was acutely aware that he was in the presence of a complete stranger.


    "H-Hello there." Luka''s timid voice came out in a stutter, as talking wasn''t his strong suit even on the best of days. His own tripping of his words caused the boy to hold his arms behind his back nervously.


    "Aww, I already told ya not to be shy, kid. I''m as friendly as they come." The woman claimed. Luka averted his eyes from the woman''s gaze, kicking lightly at the ground as he wondered how he should go about this. His Mother always told him to be polite and friendly, but he felt a bit ill at ease under this hidden-woman''s sultry stare.


    Deciding to, at the very least, be cordial before he found an excuse to leave, Luka began to introduce himself. "My name is-"


    "-Luka!~" The high voice trilled, causing both parties to stare wide-eyed at each other.


    Luka, growing more nervous, slid one foot back in preparation to retreat. "...H-H-How, do you k-know m-my name?" He stressed in question as the previously confident voice stumbled on her blunder.


    "Ah, um, well that is... a good question..." She paused, her eye looking about the backyard frantically. The young boy started shuffling backward when the voice nearly shouted at him. "Wait! Don''t leave!" He stopped in his tracks, slightly confused by the woman''s desperation.


    The woman''s heart-shaped pupil glowed bright as an idea struck her. "How ''bout this, what if I told you my name, would that make you feel better?" Luka shrugged, looking away from her to see if his Mother was awake yet. ''I don''t think I like this lady very much...'' He thought warily.


    The woman was undaunted and continued, "Well then, if you insist~ My name is Cupiii - erm - uhh..." The voice began to trail off, the woman muttering to herself frantically.


    Luka tilted his head a bit, ruffling his purple hair while doing so. "Y-Your name is Cupi?" He questioned. The voice deliberated; he could see the eye close as if she was deep in thought before reopening. "...Yes, my name is Cupi! So do you trust me now?"


    Luka felt a tad bit better at having a name to the voice but still wasn''t very convinced that the stranger was entirely trustworthy. "I-I..." The young boy had to pause to find his voice, "...I''m n-not sure. I m-mean, it''s hard to tr-trust someone when y-you haven''t even s-seen them before..."


    Unwittingly, the boy had just piqued the woman''s more unsavory interests. "Ahaaa~ So you wanna take a peek at me, huh?" Something about the way she whispered the question made him feel funny inside. "Weeeell, if you wanna come see me, I''m waiting for you. Maybe we can get to know each other a bit better, Luka~" she purred.


    "Okay-have-a-good-day-Ma''am!" Luka replied before immediately spinning around, dashing away into the house as the woman pathetically called out to him from behind the fence.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Shit!" Cupid cursed under her breath, watching Luka almost tripping over his suspiciously Angel-like garb while running into the house.


    The Angel of Love smacked the wooden fence in frustration. "How did I screw that up so bad!?" She moaned, thumping her forehead against the fence soon after. "I am the Angel of Love, being enticing should be a given!"


    Cupid stared at the ground with defeat in her pink eyes. ''And to make matters worse, I almost gave him my real name. Might as well stamp "virgin" on my forehead for eternity if I keep making blunders like that.''


    Despite her woes, the Angel of Love choked out a small snicker, ''Ilias forbid any girls named Cupi fall in love with him, doubt that he would take kindly to them now.''


    The whole ordeal was Cupid''s mistake, though. She tried to sample her bouquet instead of waiting to quench her thirst all at once.


    Cupid pouted whilst pushing herself off the fence to stand upright. ''I just wanted a little kiss or two, maybe hold him close for a bit...'' The Angel of Love thought, not-so-subtly rubbing her thighs together as her mind unsurprisingly went down a more depraved direction ''...Could even convince him to take a walk in the woods! Though a LOT can happen in one short walk. Luka is starting puberty, after all. Find somewhere secluded enough and eventually certain urges start to take over~''


    The Angel of Love shuddered as her internal fantasy started to form. ''Find just the right bed of flowers to lay in, and it won''t take long for temptation to set in.''


    Cupid giggled while pushing off the fence and began to hover in place, "Well, just ideas for later, I suppose..." A chill shot through Cupid as a cold breeze blew through the little area between the fence and the forest behind Cupid. She had sensed her fellow Angel before seeing her.


    "What exact type of idea do you have, Cupid?" The Angel of Love huffed, turning to see a fully robed Valkyrie standing behind her, no armor to be seen on the War Angel. A rarity for her.


    "Oh, nothing you care about, just creating fantasies for my own whims." Cupid spouted off, waving a dismissive hand at the white-haired Angel.


    Valkyrie shook her head dejectedly at her fellow Angel''s answer, "Cupid, I just don''t understand why you do what you do." She stepped up to the Angel of Love, concern painting her face. "You chase after sensations not meant for our kind, and you know that, yet you still continue to skirt that line. Pining for what simply cannot be is insanity."


    Cupid did not say anything as Valkyrie continued, "Why is it that you torture yourself? Surely you understand that a Commandment is final, no sex is permitted, so why bother with such depravity?" The Angel of Love looked away, frustration brewing inside her, causing a rare scowl to form on her face. However, she quickly stuffed it away.


    "It doesn''t matter, but you know what does?" The Angel of Love met Valkyrie''s gaze with a smirk, "I wanna know what you are doing here. You usually come by at the end of the day, not the start." The blonde-haired Angel placed her hands onto her hips, "If you''re looking to find a show with me again, then you''re much too early. The Humans here in Ilias Village are waaaay too prudish to have sex during the daytime!"


    Valkyrie blushed furiously but stifled her oncoming outburst with a forced cough. "... No, that isn''t why I''m here." She eventually answered, "I''ve been ascended to Archangel status by Ilias today, and in celebration, the other Archangels and I will be attending Mass in Ilias Village today."


    Cupid balked, "Eh, how come I didn''t hear about your promotion before!?" Valkyrie covered her face with a hand in embarrassment, "Cupid, the memos been on Heaven''s Gate for weeks."


    The Angel of Love blinked a couple of times, "Well, I don''t stick around there for long, Heaven''s Gate is creepy and talks for way too long." Valkyrie hardened her stare, "And the party last night you showed up for?" Cupid cringed, her shoulders raising up to her head, "Ah... that one was for you?"


    The former War Angel sighed, deciding to simply ignore her friend''s ignorance. "Either way, I will be in Ilias Village soon to greet the populace. Ranael is due to arrive soon as well, and-" Archangel Valkyrie was cut off by Cupid, who flew with tremendous speed towards her superior, who flinched at the uncharacteristic display of fear.


    "Did you say Ranael!? As in, ARCHANGEL RANAEL!?" Cupid shook Valkyrie by her shoulders, "She''s, like, crazy!"


    The white-haired Archangel scoffed at Cupid, opening her mouth to say something before pausing. Valkyrie''s eyes widened a bit as well as she carefully pried Cupid''s hands off her shoulders. "I think that you should choose your words more wisely." Valkyrie cautiously said to her fellow Angel.


    Cupid then noticed that Valkyrie was not looking at her but past her now.


    The Angel of Love felt an awful pang of anxiety run up her spine as she suddenly became aware of the tall, dark shadow that stood eerily still next to Valkyrie''s and her own on the ground next to them. Looking over her shoulder, the pit in Cupid''s gut deepened as she saw the comparatively massive figure standing behind her.


    If the dirty teal hair held back by a thorn hairband wasn''t identifying enough, the empty rust-red eyes that stared right into Cupid''s Angelic soul were an indication of Ranael''s presence. "Salutations... Cupid." Archangel Ranael spoke with a barely held-back malice. "I do hope that you''re upholding your righteous duties today."


    Cupid stammered, floating around so that Valkyrie stood between the two. "Y-Yes, of course. Y''know, in fact, I think I got a couple of Humans across town that needed to be brought together, like, right now." Ranael''s hand immediately shot out before Cupid could even tense up, stopping the smaller Angel from moving with just the hand movement.


    Still as a statue, Ranael''s eyes remained fixed on Cupid in that same empty stare as she spoke to the now confused Valkyrie. "Archangel Valkyrie, you go on ahead to Ilias''s Temple. I need to ask Cupid some things... I won''t be long..." Valkyrie looked between the two, giving Cupid an apologetic expression before flying off. Cupid shook, her fear screeching at her to flee even though she knew the Archangel could easily stop her dead.


    The wind blew Ranael''s hair into her face, but the Archangel made no move to fix her hair. The sight of her dull red eyes burning at Cupid through the stringy, wet locks gave Ranael an animalistic look to the younger Angel. "Cupid..." The Archangel name came out like a curse, causing the Angel to shrink in on herself "...How''s Prophet Luka?"


    Cupid had to take a moment to collect herself, confusion setting in at the question. "Huh?"


    Ranael, with deceptive speed, cut half the distance between the two in the blink of an eye. "Have you seen him today?"


    The Angel of Love shriveled under her intense staring, "N-No, I haven''t seen him." Ranael''s rust-red eyes bore into Cupid''s pink eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time. The Archangel''s mouth was stretched thin, a barely hidden rage boiling underneath her apathetic facade.


    "Ah, I see." She stood upright quickly, "As you were. Go tend to your duties, Angel of Love." Cupid nodded quickly in response, wasting no time to fly away.


    Archangel Ranael''s face morphed into a bloodthirsty scowl as Cupid retreated. "My mistress despises liars, you lecherous irritant. I hope to purge you personally when the time is right..." Ranael''s frown morphed into a sick smirk, "...Cupi."


    The sound of a wooden door opening and shutting brought the Archangel''s attention to the home of her true reason for being there. The Archangel paused, her heart jumping into her throat when she sensed that Lucifina''s dormant magic signature was still inside the house. Which meant one thing...


    ''He is alone.'' Ranael thought, excitement taking over her as if she were a shark smelling blood in the water. Wasting no time, the rust-red-eyed Archangel quickly cut around towards the front of the house just in time to see the young boy retreating from his home. The Archangel''s long, blood-red tongue slithered from her mouth to wet her lips.


    Ranael hid her wings and Halo before disappearing into the underbrush, stalking her prey as he made his way into town...


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka, dressed in plain black pants and a brown tunic that was still a tad bit too big for him, walked with purpose towards the heart of Ilias Village by himself. His efforts to raise his Mother from slumber were fruitless, something he found to be more and more prevalent as the years went on. Especially after his Father...


    ...Passed.


    At first, his Mother had difficulty with getting on her feet. Then, it eventually devolved into her having trouble simply getting out from beneath the covers. Then eventually - though Luka hated to admit it - his Mother''s condition got so terrible that he wouldn''t even bother trying to wake her, instead allowing her rise whenever she was ready.


    Of course, this was not because of a lack of caring or love for his Mother, it was quite the opposite. No, it was because of his love for her that he didn''t push harder to rouse her. Luka hated seeing the pain that flashed in her eyes when she tried to stand. The torture it was just for her to get upright was easy for him to see.


    So, even if they had agreed to go grocery shopping together the night before, Luka went out by himself so that his Mother could rest.


    With this in mind, the twelve-year-old boy marched forward toward the center of town alll by himself. All around, the people of Ilias Village were going about their day, giving the purple-haired boy a considerable berth as he passed through. A litany of quiet "e-excuse me''s" and "p-pardon me''s" left the boy''s mouth for every person he passed, though the same could not be said in return.


    Luka darted through the small crowd to enter a small grocery store, intent on making his trip quick. The store, like most of the other businesses in the small village was more of a larger-than-average living room with shelves of various fruits, vegetables, and spices.


    The hoary old storekeeper at the end of the room glanced up for a second, looking right back down once he identified the boy. Luka ignored it as best he could, quickly shuffling along the wooden floorboards as he passed by other customers. None of them gave a second glance at him, but he was acutely aware of the whispers now that he was in an enclosed space.


    In particular, whilst grabbing Leeks, he had heard a woman speaking to her Husband about "Marcellus''s boy." Luka had to swallow down the wave of resentment that grew.


    Luka''s Father had been a respected man, but evidentially that respect only went so far. It had been made very clear since Marcellus passed that not many in Ilias Village cared so much for Luka and his Mother. There was no open hostility, but there were absolutely no warm welcomes either.


    Swallowing down his dejection, Luka rushed to grab the rest of what was on his list before sprinting to the front to check out so he could leave. Luka deposited his meager number of groceries tenderly and then laid his money on the counter next to them. Then, the boy waited for the elder man to ring him up.


    With reluctance, the man looked over to the items and simply said, "You''re short." Luka, confused since he knew he had the right amount of change, looked at the man in doubt. "H-How is that?" He asked.


    Without looking from his book, the man simply grunted, "New tax."


    At that point, Luka could feel his cheeks burn as he looked to see if anything could be taken back, deciding that the Mandarin Orange he grabbed as a snack would have to go.


    The purple-haired boy hurried back to the counter, to which the man finally took his money and sent him off with a paper bag of groceries without another word. Luka opened the door with a grunt and walked back to the main path to head back towards his home.


    The sun was fully over the horizon now, a quarter of the way in its trajectory towards the middle of the sky. Long shadows went from building to building, blanketing the alleyways in darkness. A faint golden gleam illuminated the village, giving it a warm glow that betrayed how cold the townspeople could make him feel.


    Luka looked around, noticing that the thinning crowd around him were all going in the same direction, to the very heart of the village where the Shrine of Ilias stood tall above the rest of them. Luka himself had only ever seen the Temple a handful of times.


    His Mother had never been a strong follower of the Goddess, never going to Mass even on the best days, or even praying to Ilias as far as Luka knew. As for his Father, well, it was a topic the man brought up even less-so.


    As such, Ilias never had a strong presence in Luka''s upbringing. The young boy had, in secret, read various books about Ilias but all of the teachings held in Ilias Village seemed somewhat skewed in his mind. They talked wonderfully of Ilias''s love and care for Humankind but stated nothing but hatred and death for Monsters.


    Now, Luka had never actually met a Monster before, they weren''t exactly common in a place as isolated as Ilias Village. However, his Father in passing had spoken of how they were intelligent enough to have villages and societies of their own beyond the Ilias Continent. If this was so, then surely they could live peacefully alongside Humans.


    Couldn''t they?


    Luka was halfway down the cobblestone path when he took note of something peculiar. He stopped to glance around his surroundings with curious pale-blue eyes, "Wh-Wh is everyone?" He muttered in question.


    Indeed, it seemed as if the streets had become completely cleared, a sight only usually seen at night due to the strict curfew in place.


    Luka then remembered something he had heard the other villagers clamoring about in the last few days, something about actual Angels coming to visit Ilias Village. He did not know what for, but it had sounded vaguely important. ''I do recall seeing more people than usual at the Temple; perhaps that is where everyone is?'' Luka thought.


    For a hairbreadth of a moment, the purple-haired boy debated turning around to join them, as even he thought it would be interesting to see some of those who resided up in Heaven. Just as Luka was mulling over the decision, he heard something wet sliding along the stone ground besides him. His pale-blue eyes snapped to a particularly dark alley on his left. He then heard it again, the sound being louder this time.


    Tentatively, with his groceries still in hand, Luka squinted into the darkness, creeping just a bit closer to the source of the noise. He nearly jumped once a pair of glowing eyes opened to gaze at him. The eyes were a faded, rust-red. If they were a couple shades darker, they would be brown.


    Despite their fierce color, the eyes seemed dull, almost as if they lacked life. This, however, didn''t make them seem any less piercing. And they were completely locked onto Luka, an intense hunger lying in the pools of rust-red.


    Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old Luka was naive to the implication of such things. So, he thought he should try to greet the unknown person.


    "H-H-Hello, th-there. M-My..." The young boy gave a light groan, frustrated by how his throat was locking up. "M-My n-name''s Luka."


    Luka took a couple of steps towards the alley, placing his groceries on the ground for the moment, "A-Are you a-a-alright?" The owner of the eyes crept closer to him, their unseen tentacles writhing on the stone floor as they moved closer to the shadow''s edge.


    "Salutations..." The voice was slick, almost oily.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Luka shuddered, the woman''s sickening cadence immediately putting him on alert. Bizarrely enough, he found himself missing Cupi now. As off-putting as that encounter, at least there had been a fence between the two. With this unknown person, he felt strikingly vulnerable while standing out in the open.


    Luka slowly began to backpedal, reaching down to grab his grocery bag. "W-Well, it''s b-been nice m-meeting you, m-ma''am. H-However, I need to g-go home now, I think my M-Mother may be-" Out of nowhere, a large pale purple octopus-like tentacle flew from the shadows, quickly wrapping itself around his ankle in a vice grip. The twelve-year old tensed, his mouth parting in mute horror.


    "Ohhh nooo..." The voice moaned, "You won''t be going home to your Mother just yet."


    Luka squealed when his leg was ripped out from under him, his body landing harshly onto the cobblestone with a thud. He opened his mouth to yell out in pain but another slimy tentacle writhed around his head, covering his scream as he was dragged into the alleyway.


    "Shhhhh..." The "Monster" hissed, "...Be not afraid, my child. I merely desire a small taste of you, that''s all." More and more tentacles came, restraining the boy''s arms and other leg. The bag of groceries was soon the only thing left behind, as the boy''s thrashing body was engulfed by shadows and taken deeper into the alley, away from prying eyes.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina woke up with a start, nearly falling out of her bed as she did so. Her golden-brown blonde hair fell lopsidedly off her head as she propped her body up with an elbow, looking around in a haze. Idly, the Fallen Angel noticed that the sun was quite high in the sky.


    Lucifina frowned, ''How long was I asleep for? Strange, Luka usually wakes me up before the day gets this far along.''


    A pang of worry struck her, causing the Mother to hurriedly stagger out of her bed. Forcing herself forward despite the aching of her joints, Lucifina ambled to her closet and quickly threw on one of her white nightgowns over her otherwise bare body. Lucifina quickly left her bedroom, arriving in the first place she could think to check to find her son.


    "He doesn''t usually oversleep, but..." Lucifina said out loud to herself as pulled open his bedroom door, finding nothing other than a made-up bed and a vacant room. "...Alright, perhaps he''s simply playing outside?"


    Lucifina''s steps became somewhat more anxious as she shuffled towards the back of the home, her footsteps being the only noise going throughout the house at this point. She reached the back door, the familiar rocking chair she used to watch her son play sitting idle by the back window. However, a quick look outside told her that Luka was not in the backyard.


    The Fallen Angel, now sufficiently worried, spun around hurriedly to head to the absolute final place she could think that Luka could be. For once, she was easily able to ignore her soreness, the Mother''s increasing stress pushing her forward until she reached the kitchen. Lucifina''s bright blue eyes feverishly scanned the room, seeing no sign of her purple-haired son anywhere.


    But seeing the kitchen made her think of a possibility. ''It could be that he may have gone to the village to buy groceries without me.'' Lucifina thought. The idea eliciting a complex mix of happiness and sadness in her heart.


    It was sweet to think that Luka went without her to minimize Lucifina''s suffering, as she knew that he was aware of her physical limitations at this point. However, the idea of her twelve-year-old boy being out there by himself was terrifying to her. Quickly, the Mother all but ran out the front door to head straight towards the main hub of Ilias Village, not caring that her garments weren''t necessarily fit for such a thing.


    If only she knew what was happening to her son.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The purple-haired boy in question was currently in a dead sprint.


    Luka flew around a corner, furiously trying to regain some sense of composure and clear-headedness, but the effort to do so was becoming increasingly difficult. What just happened to him - what almost would''ve happened - was still fresh in his mind and he had trouble not breaking down then and there. However, the horrible memories would not cease, assaulting his mind with terrible visions of what had just transpired.


    Luka felt himself be pulled until he was pressed up against her supple breasts. Uncomfortably, he noted that that the "Monster''s" nipples had hardened in excitement as he squirmed pitifully in her tentacle''s grasp.


    "Don''t fight so hard, my child. Give me a moment, and soon, you''ll be wanting this as much as I am~" The "Monster''s" rust-red eyes illuminated not just her lustful gaze but also the long pink tentacle that slithered down to the top of his pants, its orifice open and throbbing. Her terrible gaze boring into his very soul...


    Luka tried to shake the memory away, fighting to re-button his undone pants as he ran. Looking over his shoulder, the boy saw no sign of his abuser. Once Luka was sure he had put enough distance between himself and that thing, he stopped to catch his breath.


    The purple-haired boy hunched over in the middle of the cobblestone path, sucking in wind erratically as his poor heart thundered in his chest.


    ...Luka gasped as he felt something warm and wet slip into his pants. The glowing rust-red eyes of the "Monster" came bore into his with even greater intensity as her face drew near. He could feel her frenzied breathing caress his cheeks now as the tentacle wrapped around his face loosened, then fell away.


    "P-P-Please don''t-" Luka began to plead but was cut off by the "Monster''s" thin lips meeting his own. He hated how overwhelming it was, the "Monster" seemingly trying to smother him. With a great deal of furious effort, Luka was able to break off the unwanted kiss. Suddenly, multiple thin and scaly teal tendrils came from her head and curled around his skull, pulling Luka in close.


    The "Monster" leered into the young boy''s tear-filled eyes, "There''s no shame in giving in, my child. It''s only natural to want this, don''t fight nature. Let yourself drift away into my love~" The "Monster" opened her mouth, a long red tongue snaking out to trail his face in a sickened, loving manner...


    Luka pushed down the memory again, desperately trying to drown out the lingering feelings of his violation clogging up his mind. However, the twelve-year-old''s puberty-onset hormones raged in him, sticking him in an awkward spot between absolute terror and unconsented arousal. The mix of the two warring emotions were as confusing as they were disturbing.


    Luka aggressively rubbed the tears from his eyes with a forearm and forced himself to start sprinting. In his haze, he knew only that he needed to get back home, to get back to his Mother.


    ...Luka whimpered, keeping his lips closed tightly for fear that the "Monster" would try and invade his mouth again. However, that was not what she had in mind. Suddenly, the pink tentacle that she had been engulfing his member let go, a stomach-turning pop echoed as its slickened insides released the boy.


    "T-This... This isn''t enough." The "Monster" stuttered, her voice thick and hot with a disgusting carnality. Then, the purple tentacles from her lower body forcefully shoved him to the ground, the back of his head violent smashing into the ground...


    Luka couldn''t stop the visions any longer, dropping the groceries he had barely retrieved as he stopped in the middle of the still-empty path. The sea of warring emotions inside became too strong for him to ignore now and he felt his head throb painfully. Luka crouched down with a sharp wail, grasping his hair tightly with both fists and ripping at his purple locks. He couldn''t stand it anymore!


    ...The "Monster" crawled sensually closer to him, breaking into an errant ray of sunlight that spilled over the rooftops above. It was then that he got a somewhat clearer look at his attacker.


    The "Monster''s" teal-colored "hair" was not hair at all, the mass actually being multiple strands of snakes that came out of her head. They waved to and fro as if they were sentient apart from the "Monster" they were attached to. Her skin was an awful pale, almost sickly.


    Her rust-red eyes had a manic look now, her pupils visibly shaking in excitement as she gaped down at Luka''s upright member. In the dim light, he could faintly make out the peculiar white cloth she had been wearing, now ripped down the middle to expose her large breasts that sunk in and pushed out significantly due to her now labored breathing...


    Luka''s own breathing was irregular, unable to steady because of his almost violent weeping. The boy looked around to see if someone - anyone - was around but he could hardly see anything through his tears. Everything was a blur and he was quickly losing himself in anguish.


    ...Luka could see that the "Monster''s" right arm was a regular Humanoid forearm. However, her left arm was the writhing pink tentacle that had been fellatioing him moments prior. The worst sight of them all, was the large purple octopus-like tentacles writhing from beneath the woman''s robes where her legs should be. Half of them held him down, while the other half started pushing her forward, closer to Luka.


    "My Mistress said to merely take a sample of you to bring back, but..." The "Monster" gripped the bottom of her robes, slowly pulling them upward. "...I''m afraid that my body is burning for more than just a mere taste. I have to apologize, my Mistress, for I cannot hold back these urges any longer!" The cryptic words were lost on Luka, his heart thundering so loud that he could barely hear them anyways.


    "Luka!" The purple-haired boy froze, suddenly able to control his breathing now. He quickly attempted to rub the tears out of his eyes again as a semblance of hope rose in his chest. He knew the voice, but what he needed was to see her.


    ...The "Monster" yanked up the rest of her white robes, revealing her abnormally large and puffed-up vulva. Luka was shocked into silence, the sight of her hypnotically pulsating vagina eliciting an undesired twitch from his erection. This did not go unnoticed by the Monster, whose rust-red eyes lit up in glee.


    "Yes, yes! I knew that you wanted this as much as I did!~" The "Monster" hurriedly crawled closer, her glisteningly wet entrance mere inches from his upright member, open and ready to copulate with the unwilling boy.


    "Prepare your body for a taste of True Heaven!" But then, before his virginity could be stolen from him, Luka was able to wrench his left arm out from her tentacle''s grasp, desperately thrusting it out to the creature.


    His feeble "strike" made contact with the "Monster''s" right breast, the touch getting a loud and lewd moan from her. The "Monster" giggled, "Hehehee, now that is more like it, embrace this sensation with-..."


    Suddenly, a powerful white light began to grow from Luka''s palm, immediately causing the "Monster''s" face to morph from one of desire to one of absolute shock. "...Wha-What is thi-"


    Before the "Monster" was able to finish her question, she was suddenly launched into the brick building behind her at an outrageous speed, easily cracking the wall. Luka lay there, stunned at the display of power he had just caused.


    However, upon noticing that the Monster''s tentacles were still flailing from the dust cloud, he quickly pulled himself off the ground and ran while he still could. He couldn''t think of what that was now, he just needed to escape...


    Luka was nearly flattened by the speed of the contact he was hit with, only being able to remain upright due to the tender arms that pulled him close. He heard the gentle but scared voice of his Mother, her usual calmness completely gone as she clutched her son tightly.


    "L-Luka, it''s alright! I''ve got you, I''ve got you..." Luka wanted to tell her everything, but the comfort of her embrace and the sudden emotional exhaustion that was assaulting him caused the boy to become limp as everything went dark...


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    A half-naked Archangel Ranael watched from the shadows; a furious look adorned on her face. She peered down to the blackened burn mark on her right breast and the demented Angel inspected the injury with her remaining hand, wincing at the touch.


    "How... inconvenient..." Ranael said in between breaths. Looking past her chest, she saw her still prepped and wet vulva. She could feel the waves of hot desire pulsating in her loins, a desire that would not be satiated now.


    The Archangel clenched her hand in rage, the fist visibly shaking now. "And to think, I had him right where I wanted him!" She hissed.


    Ranael would''ve given chase if she hadn''t sensed the quick arrival of Lucifina. As powerful as the Archangel was, a fight with even a weakened and rusty Seraph was not one she believed she could risk. That, and this mission of hers, was supposed to have been covert.


    A pit of grief grew in her gut as Ranael began to assess her situation. Her Mistress Wormiel will no doubt be very displeased by her failure, as collecting a healthy sample of Luka''s essence had been the sought-after outcome.


    The Cherubium had made it quite clear that she desired to feast on a significant sample of Luka''s seed, as it would help indicate how powerful he would become. Ranael felt the inside of her tentacle, sensing that there was indeed a good amount of precum inside at the very least. However, this was not what she had been asked to retrieve.


    ''I do hope that this is enough for her...'' The Archangel thought as she turned a curious eye behind her to the now wrecked brick wall. ''...Although, if I had to guess, then I would say that this boy is already on track to become very powerful.'' The crazed Archangel smirked, instantly fixing her clothes and reverting back to her Angelic form, wings and Halo shining bright as ever with minimum effort.


    Ranael left the alleyway, beginning her flight towards the center of Ilias Village to continue her charade as an Ilias-faithful Angel.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina sat stiffly in her rocking chair, the piece of furniture remaining stagnant as she stared blankly into the horizon. The shining sun above had long since passed its peak, now three-quarters of a way down the sky. The evening was now upon Ilias Village, but its majesty was lost on the Fallen Angel.


    It had been many long hours since Lucifina had found her son wailing inconsolably on the cobblestone path not far from where their home resided. After he had passed out, she quickly took the boy home and to his bed, where he had been asleep ever since then.


    Thus far, Lucifina had not been able to find out why her boy had been in such a state. An errant urge to go investigate the town herself came to mind, but Lucifina quickly quashed this. As much as she would want to find whoever or whatever was responsible for this, she couldn''t bare the thought of leaving her son alone in case he awakened.


    "If one of them did this to Luka, I swear not even Ilias herself would be able to save them from me..." Lucifina murmured, horribly dark thoughts clouding her mind. There were many possibilities of what could''ve happened to Luka, but there was no way of knowing for sure. However, there was a worry at the back of her mind, one that made the ex-Seraph pull at her wedding ring in worry:


    She worried that her son had been attacked by a Monster.


    It was a stretch, because Monsters did not often show up this deep into the Ilias Continent, but it was not impossible. That and, minutes before finding Luka, Lucifina had felt something strange. Somewhere in the village, somebody had used Holy Magic.


    It had been so familiar, so potent, that Lucifina had been reminded of the times when she fought in The Great Monster Wars. This explosion of power greatly concerned the Mother, especially when she found that she could sense remnants of it coming from Luka''s left arm.


    Lucifina exhaled, her body shuddering slightly from the action. ''I had considered the possibility before, but I never wanted him to bear that burden.''


    The Fallen Angel stood from her chair, paying little attention to the creaking of her joints. She entered through her back patio door, making way for Luka''s bedroom. Lucifina pushed open his door, peering inside. Her heart throbbed painfully upon seeing the dried trail of tears going down her son''s face, but otherwise, Luka seemed to be sound asleep. Walking to his bed with significant dread in her heart, Lucifina watched with melancholy eyes as Luka twitched in his sleep.


    The Former Seraph rounded the bed, coming to his left side and then sitting next to him on his mattress. Lucifina deliberated for a moment longer before reaching out and caressing his face ever so slightly. She winced, immediately noticing a volatile change. Earlier, when she first found him, it had only b???¨¦¨¨e?¨¦?bpeen the boy''s left arm, but now the entire left-hand side of his body was raging with Angelic power. Power that, if left unchecked...


    ...Could potentially destroy the human part of the boy''s body.


    She could see it in the sweat that was beginning to pour down his face and in his harsh breathing. If this went on, Luka might not make it through the night.


    A choked sob escaped Lucifina''s throat, but she did not let the tears fighting at the edge of her eyes fall. She''d have to be strong, stronger than ever before. Silently, The Fallen Angel held up her left hand, inspecting the silver band with conflicted blue eyes. Though in her heart she knew that she was simply stalling the inevitable, Lucifina continued to stare for a few more breaths before she gently pulled off the ring.


    Holding it between two shaky fingers, the Fallen Angel bent forward and took her son''s left hand. Deliberating for a second, she held his left pointer finger and slid the ring onto it. Almost instantly, the ring took effect in two ways.


    Firstly, the Angelic power that had been going haywire inside the left half of Luka''s body now became dormant inside of the ring. His powers had been safely sealed away for the moment.


    Secondly, the reverse took place in Lucifina. It could not be immediately felt like with Luka, but she knew it all the same: Her powers were now freely unsealed within her body. Her wings and Halo could not be seen, but the Light of her Angelic power was moving freely inside of her once again.


    A power she had vowed to herself to never use again.


    ''All that matters is that I don''t use it, right? Just don''t cast any spells, don''t fly, don''t do anything that my Sealed body couldn''t do...'' However, the thought alone that Lucifina could at any time dip into that power, even by sheer accident, greatly upset her. Standing uptight, Lucifina briskly stepped out of the room. With a good pace, she reached the kitchen at record speed.


    It seemed as though her body had already began healing itself, then.


    Upon entering the room, Lucifina eyed the bag of groceries Luka had grabbed earlier that day. They were supposed to be for an elaborate Miso soup that the two were supposed to prepare together. However, it now laid untouched on the dining room table.


    The Seraph sighed and turned to look out the kitchen''s window. The sun would be setting soon, and the Mother felt anything but hungry as her appetite had been squashed by her son''s episode. "I don''t even know if Luka will be getting up again today. Let alone whether he will be hungry or not..." Lucifina said as she stood there, debating with herself.


    ''Well, I could just hold off cooking it until tomorrow or I could cook it now and save it for tomorrow ahead of time...'' Lucifina hummed thoughtfully, placing a hand on her chin, ''...Or maybe I can have the Miso simmer overnight. Wait, can one even do that with Miso soup? No, that''s with Oden... wait, no...'' The Angel grimaced, knowing that her son would probably be the one to ask about that.


    "Maybe I should just stick with Tomato soup." Lucifina finished after much stalling, mostly just to distract her mind from her still-sleeping son''s potential trauma. The Seraph left the kitchen to check on Luka again, finding that he was still asleep. Lucifina turned away, closing his door tightly behind her.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The sky was completely blackened out, neither the Moon nor the accompanying stars could be seen as the entirety of the sky was enshrouded by a black blanket of storm clouds. The rain had been pounding down all-around Ilias Village, drenching the entire area. Anyone who had any sense would be safely under cover, as none one would want to be traveling in this weather.


    Aside from one Monster, that is. Or rather, one Chimera.


    Assassinroid dashed with ease through the thicket of trees and bushes. Her muscular limbs pushed and pulled in tandem as she effortlessly navigated her way through the storm. The Monster was dripping wet from the rain, but that mattered little to her.


    All that mattered was getting to Luka.


    The Chimera broke through the last layer of trees with great vigor, skidding across wet grass as she did. Gazing towards the boy''s unlit window with glowing magenta eyes, the Monster already began to feel herself heat up in excitement.


    It wasn''t long before Assassinroid had cleared the gap in a frantic dash, reaching the house in what could be considered record time for her. However, the Monster still took her time opening the bedroom window, making sure she did not compromise the mission.


    Even though at this point, she''d be lying if she said she was doing this for Promestein anymore.


    Truthfully, this had become her obsession. During the day she had fantasies about doing this, and her nights were filled with dreams of nothing but her times with Luka. Assassinroid successfully made her way into the bedroom window, but closed it behind herself a bit too quickly.


    Crack


    Assassinroid gasped, spinning around to see her id¨¦e fixe thankfully still sound asleep. The Chimera let go of a breath she hadn''t realized she had been holding, before facing the boy completely now to analyze him.


    Her head grew foggy as she took note of the fact that the boy seemed to be much more attractive to her than he was before. It was difficult to pinpoint, but something had changed since the last time she saw Luka. Something much different than before. Usually, there was a good amount of noticeable physical change in the years between her missions to visit him. Assassinroid understood he would grow a bit taller and become more mature, but that wasn''t what she noticed.


    No, it wasn''t how he looked, it was how he smelled. It was intoxicating.


    Assassinroid shook her head, trying in some capacity to cling to the quickly crumbling restraint she had left. The Chimera crawled to the bed with little hesitation, coming to a stop at its foot-end. Instead of climbing into the bed as she would usually, the Monster reached underneath the bed to retrieve an item that had become a staple of these visits.


    It was the white nightgown that she had taken from Lucifina, almost half a decade ago.


    Without pausing, Assassinroid quickly shredded off her green spandex, somewhat clumsily pulling the white cloth over herself. Once the Monster had "prepared" herself for the sleeping boy, she began crawling her way into the bed. However, Assassinroid was halted midway through her journey.


    Something between the boy''s legs had brushed against her hanging breasts, sending a jolt of electricity throughout her body.


    The fire raging inside Assassinroid burned hotter than ever as she instinctually realized what this protrusion from under his blanket was. Her magenta eyes were wide as she gawked down at the sight, and her mind raced as she wrestled between her designated mission and her basic Monster instincts. In the end, her lust won over her logic.


    With one hand, the Monster pulled down the bedsheets, exposing the boy''s body. He was clad in his white nightwear, a long shirt that had a noticeable bulge in it at his waist. Assassinroid felt her body''s lewd reactions as they took place. Her nipples had become stiff and sensitive as they pushed against her borrowed nightgown, and her entire pelvis was practically on fire now that she had the boy in such a compromising position.


    The Chimera''s arousal had clouded her mind completely, pushing the Monster to grab the hem of the boy''s nightshirt and pull it up his body. She watched as the boy''s erection began to rise even more with the movement, each growing throb causing her breath to hitch.


    And then, it was finally revealed to her.


    Without any more fanfare, the sleeping boy''s penis jutted from underneath his clothes, standing tall in the light of the Monster''s glowing magenta eyes. The sight of such a thing brought the fire in her to an inferno, her weakened doubts pleading at her to think rationally as her hand began to draw closer by itself. Unfortunately, despite her finer programming, Assassinroid broke under the urges assaulting her body.


    Tossing any thoughts of caution out of her mind, Assassinroid reached out and grasped the warm member, eliciting a small gasp from the sleeping boy. Having him at her mercy, the Monster opened her gapping, drooling maw, prepared to finally let go of her inhibitions.


    It was time to claim what was her''s.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina rolled and squirmed about in her sheets, groaning in annoyance as she did. The night had set in for hours at that point, but Lucifina had probably only accumulated around thirty minutes'' worth of sleep in that time.


    Whether it was the pelting rain, the constant crashing of thunder, or the fact that she couldn''t seem to find a comfortable position in her bed, the Seraph was unable to get any substantial rest. ''I wish that I had half of the ability to sleep through a storm that Luka does. I swear, that boy can sleep through a hurricane as long as he has a blanket wrapped around him!'' She thought, but the humor of her joke felt hollow.


    The Seraph groaned, rising up into a sitting position in bed. She idly glanced throughout her room until her eyes fell onto the empty side of the two-person bed. Her lips tightened into a frown, strong feelings of longing entering her mind as usual when thinking of her missing Husband.


    She placed a hand on the bed where he should be, ''Marcellus, how I wish that you were here.'' Her Husband''s disappearance had been a disastrous event. Even four years later, the Fallen Angel felt his absence just as strong.


    Lucifina had always feared for his life with all of the risk that came with his missions outside the village but eventually, she came to ignorantly believe that the man was untouchable after so many years. He was the formerly feared Hero Marcellus, after all. Who would dare take him on? Evidently, due to her Husband''s blood-soaked sword being found alone just outside Ilias Village, someone had finally taken that challenge.


    Never had the blade been heavier than when she had to clean it that day.


    Crack


    Lucifina jumped in alarm, the sound of wood being smacked echoing from somewhere within the house. "What in Ilias''s name..." She muttered instictfully as she slowly rose from her bed. The Seraph paced to her closet, grabbing and throwing on one of her nightgowns so that she may properly investigate the noise. Not wasting a step, the worried Mother stepped out of her bedroom.


    The Seraph crept through the halls, nearly jumping again as another loud crash of thunder rumbled outside. Lucifina tensed at the noise, pausing for a few seconds before she continued through her small home. For some reason, she felt an instinctual desire to the shadows.


    Lucifina could see Luka''s room at the end of the hallway and inexplicitly, she felt her heartrate skyrocket. The Seraph then stopped dead when she heard something a sound emanating from her son''s room. Lucifina crept forward until the sound became clearer.


    Slurp


    The Seraph frowned, something about the noise knotting up her insides terribly.


    Sluuurp


    A chill went up the Seraph''s spine as she drew closer, the sloppy wet noise invading her eardrums.


    Sluuuuuurp


    Lucifina''s heart started beating like a drum, the sounds becoming awfully familiar. If it was what she thought it was...


    POP


    "That... C-Can''t be..." Lucifina whispered out between her breath hitching, unable to finish the sentence. "...No-No, please no!" The Seraph threw away caution and dashed to her son''s room, hoping that what she heard wasn''t what she suspected. As Lucifina drew closer, she could smell something in the air. It was musky, but also flowery.


    Lucifina furiously grabbed a hold of Luka''s door and yanked it open, ignoring the loud creaking that the door made as she was given full view of the scene occurring within Luka''s bedroom...


    ...And nearly screamed at what she saw.

 Year 12 AL, Awaking of the Seraph

    Assassinroid''s head bobbed up and down the young boy''s length, her magenta eyes and mind glazed over from the ecstasy devastating her entire body. The feeling of Luka''s entire girth filling her mouth had lit a fire inside her that was quickly burning away any self-restraint the Monster had left, and that inferno was only growing larger by the second.


    The pheromones she was tasked to use on the boy permeated the room like a mist, helping to further cloud Assassinroid''s mind. Soon, the Chimera wouldn''t be able to hold anything back.


    Slurp


    Luka moaned softly in his sleep, spurring her to suck harder. She wanted to hear more of him, feel more of him.


    Sluuurp


    Assassinroid could taste a sample of what was to come from the boy and swallowed it down hungrily.


    Sluuuuuurp


    Her mission, her purpose, her mind, everything was fading away into an inescapable carnality.


    POP


    Assassinroid choked after releasing his member, panting furiously to catch her breath. The Chimera gasped and heaved, only partially aware of the fact that her depraved noises were filling the room in a very un-covert manner. But it didn''t matter now...


    ...Not when her brain was melting.


    Pushing herself into a squatting position, the Chimera hovered over the still-sleeping Luka who had begun to breath harder himself. Assassinroid grabbed the bottom of her borrowed nightgown, nearly ripping it while pulling it past her hips. Once pulled up far enough, the Monster''s quivering vulva was revealed, ripe and ready to be penetrated.


    A lustful grin grew on Assassinroid''s face, and the Monster began lining up herself for the point of no return.


    Assassinroid pressed her wet vulva against the base of the twelve-year-old''s member, slowly dragging herself farther and farther up his shaft until his head was right at the entrance of her inviting lips. The sleeping boy quivered at the depraved "kiss" between their most intimate areas, another light moan escaping his lips. Yet, Luka did not do more than stir.


    For a moment, the Chimera thought of stopping.


    Luka was asleep for now, but surely, the young boy would wake up if she actually went as far as to impale herself on him. If something like that happened, then her Master''s plans would certainly be ruined; all so that she could take away the boy''s innocence.


    However, the thought of such a thing occurring, of Luka waking up to her mounting him, just made the Monster all the more excited. Assassinroid leaned forward and dropped her knees on either side of the boy''s petite body, entrapping him between her powerful legs. The bed beneath the two creaked as the Chimera bent over even more, placing both hands on the mattress as she lined up Luka''s penis with her awaiting vulva.


    Assassinroid''s perverted smirk grew as she felt the tip of his member poke right at her quivering entrance and the Chimera began to move down, ready to steal away the boy''s virginity and claim his as her''s...


    ...And then the door opened.


    Assissinroid froze, the cloud of lust fizzling away at the abrupt noise. The Monster could feel her body grow cold as she slowly turned to see the one person she had forgotten, the one person whose footsteps the usually alert Assassinroid should''ve heard but had missed in her haze of lust. Standing in the doorway was Lucifina, who wore a face of absolute horror.


    However, the horror on the Seraph''s face morphed into unrestrained hatred.


    Lucifina''s mouth stretched into a thin line, a single demand barely able hiss out from her lips, "Get... Off... NOW." Something in the air changed as Lucifina''s blue eyes bore into the Monster''s magenta ones, the Chimera could sense it now.


    Assassinroid swiftly left the bed like a scolded dog, dropping hunched onto all fours as she crept away from the bed. The Chimera''s haywiring brain was having difficulty focusing, but even then she could realize the gravity of the situation.


    Lucifina kept her death glare as she strode towards Luka. The Seraph did not break her gaze, but her anger grew as she could see in her peripheral how Luka''s white nightwear had been forcefully pulled up to reveal his privacy. Lucifina felt another great wave of rage hit her, cursing the fact that the night clothes she had changed her son into while he was unconscious lead to this Monster being able to more easily violate his body.


    Lucifina watched as the Monster tensely stood in the middle of the room, watching her every move with those awful magenta eyes. Undeterred, Lucifina grabbed her son''s clothing and fixed it back over him, disgust coming to her as she inadvertently felt the result of this Monster''s work. Lucifina then grabbed the blanket, pulling it over the boy in a last attempt to save his modesty.


    With no other goal in mind, the wrathful Seraph began to stalk towards the intruding Chimera. Seeing the scorned Seraph approaching, Assassinroid began to retreat towards the bedroom window. Lucifina''s fist trembled, she would not allow it to be that easy.


    In the blink of an eye, the Mother cleared the gap between the two and grabbed the creature by the hair in a vice grip before it could even attempt to escape. The Chimera yelped as Lucifina pulled her towards the window, quickly opening it with one hand. With terrifying strength that the Mother should not have, she tossed the Monster head-first out the bedroom window.


    Assassinroid rolled and skidded to a stop along the muddy ground, her face morphing into an angry grimace as her hardened eyes glared at the Seraph through her wetting turquoise hair.


    CRRAAACCKK


    A flash of lightning illuminated Lucifina as she climbed through her son''s bedroom window, closing it behind her with barely restrained fury. Assassinroid stood upright, unsheathing her claws and scythe as the Seraph approached. More thunder reverberated all around the two as the small field outside the house was made alit by a lone string of lightning in the distance. Silently, the two glared each other down.


    Lucifina stood as the epitome of determination and rage, her body shaking with a power that had been long dormant and now burst at the seams to be released.


    Assassinroid, meanwhile, was beside herself with confusion at Lucifina''s showing of power. Everything she had observed made her conclude that Lucifina was a shell of her former glory and halfway to being considered handicapped. Yet here she was throwing her around like a child. However, this would not deter the Chimera now. She would have the boy even if she''d have to dirty her hands with the blood of his Mother.


    "Mine..." Assassinroid snarled at Lucifina, who briefly flinched at the word before realizing what the Chimera was referring to.


    Lucifina''s eyes grew cold, a long and forgotten bloodlust starting to seep back into them as Assassinroid raised her scythe to the Seraph, her other hand''s claws drawn and held close to her body just in case the Seraph got too close for comfort. However, despite the Hybrid Monster''s startling capabilities in combat, it paled in comparison to the furious Seraph standing before her.


    For while Assassinroid was built to be a killer, Lucifina was one.


    Hundreds of thousands of souls slaughtered during the Great Monster Wars could attest to the Seraph''s prowess.


    "I''ll have your head..." Lucifina''s voice was a whisper, but Assassinroid could hear it clearly despite the wailing winds around them, "...For violating my SON!" The Seraph stomped her right foot forward, pushing against the ground to launch towards the Monster at a frightening pace, the Angel''s hair and soaked nightgown whipping around due to the velocity of the charge.


    With her left shoulder aimed forward, Lucifina reared her right first and slung it straight ahead to smash Assassinroid in the face. The Chimera gawked for a breath too long, only able to pull away just enough so that Lucifina''s punch only grazed her face. The Seraph''s knee, however, successfully planted itself directly up and into the Monster''s gut. Despite feeling as though her intestines had been rearranged, the Monster pushed Lucifina away with a forearm and cut through the air with her scythe.


    The wild attack managed to earn a deep gash on the Angel''s left arm, but the spurting of blood did little to stop the frenzied Seraph. Lucifina grabbed onto the spot where Assassinroid''s scythe connected to her arm and violently ripped it off completely!


    Assassinroid screeched both in pain and surprise as the large weapon was discarded by Lucifina, but she was quickly cut off as the Seraph went low and shouldered the Monster up before shooting the two towards the forest behind Assassinroid.


    Whizzing through the air, Lucifina crashed them into a tree. The Chimera was driven back-first into the bark, of which the bits of tree exploded around the impact as she screamed in pain. Lucifina moved back for a moment, inspecting the Monster with an unnerving grin.


    The Seraph''s enjoyment of her handiwork ended quickly as she made a sudden, belated observation: The white nightgown that the Monster was wearing was one of Lucifina''s.


    Not noticing it before in her initial shock, Lucifina now felt the wrathful fire within her burn with renewed fury. The Seraph reached out with both hands, grabbing the dress by the collar and ripping it down the middle with ease. The purpling and bruised flesh of the Monster was now bare before the Angel, who looked on with disgust.


    "You try to rape my son whilst wearing my clothes..." She swiftly pressed her left hand into the Monster''s throat, eliciting a choked gurgle from her. Assassinroid''s hands feebly reached up to stop the overwhelming onslaught but was stopped as Lucifina squeezed down on her windpipe. The Seraph readied her opposite fist, "...I will beat you to Death!"


    And beat the Monster she did, releasing an onslaught of fists, elbows, knees, whatever she needed to do to punish the Monster that had dared to touch her son. The rain grew more intense as Assassinroid - somehow still standing - took the full brunt of the assault, her body now devastated by the attack.


    Lucifina raised her bloodied first one last time, a macabre smile plastered on her face as her bright sapphire eyes bore into her victim. At this point, the Seraph was taking far too much enjoyment in tormenting the Chimera. Assassinroid was nearly limp, only holding on by the minuscule amount of energy left inside her. But at this point, she could do nothing to stop the Seraph.


    CRAAA-AAACKK


    Another large bolt of lightning struck overhead, illuminating the one-sided brutalization. "Now..." Lucifina said, pulling the fist back far behind her. "...To finish you off for good." Before she finally ended the Chimera''s life, Lucifina came to a sudden stop. A look of confusion grew on her face, for the Seraph noticed a peculiar brightness illuminating the Monster. Lucifina''s blue eyes widened as she let out a gasp, dropping the Monster immediately.


    Assassinroid''s body fell with a disgusting splat, a low and pitiful whine coming from her mouth as she laid there, unable to even move.


    Lucifina looked around, her bright blue eyes searched around desperately before finding a large puddle of water on the ground; Lucifina sprinted right to the edge as she looked on, desperate for an answer she already knew deep-down. She gazed into the small pool, her stomach knotting up as she looked upon her disturbed reflection.


    Blood was splattered all over the Seraph, from the gushing of crimson from her left arm to all of the mutilated Monster''s blood coating her once white nightgown. The Seraph would look much like a Monster herself, if not for the large white wings jutting from her back and the golden Halo hovering above her matted golden-brown hair.


    Lucifina muttered incoherently as she started shaking her head in disbelief, unable to accept what she was seeing. Her rage, her fury, it had reawakened her Angelic Powers without Lucifina even realizing it. She looked down at her blood-soaked hands and body, her revulsion building at the sight.


    ''Luka, Marcellus... what would they think if they were to see me like this?'' Tensing, the fully-awakened Seraph turned to the Monster she had beaten, wondering if it had even survived the onslaught.


    Peering over to the dirtied and bloodied mass of flesh on the ground, Lucifina shivered at her handiwork, the Chimera lying face down in the mud and absolutely drenched in rain as displayed by the soaked and ripped nightgown barely clinging to her body. Lucifina could see the Monster trembling, whether it be from the pain or the cold rain, she wasn''t sure.


    The Seraph slowly approached the downed Monster, scrutinizing every movement it made. She watched as it labored to push itself upright, only being able to get so far before her trembling became nearly violent, and she collapsed once again. Assassinroid''s eyes became visible as she turned her head, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the Seraph looking down at her only a handful of meters away.


    Lucifina watched silently as the Monster tried to crawl away feebly. Lucifina watched the display with a mix of disgust and pity, not entirely sure what to do with her son''s would-be abuser.


    ''Why delay the inevitable? Just gut the abomination now and get over with it.''


    The Seraph froze, aghast at the coldness of her own thoughts. ''No, that''s what the Lucifina under Ilias''s control would do... I don''t kill anymore.'' Lucifina continued stepping forward to the panic-stricken Assassinroid, who was starting to claw at the ground uselessly in an attempt to escape her.


    ''And to what end would sparing this creature serve, exactly? She tried to rape my son, my son. To take away the only thing I have left in this World is a sin punishable by butchering.''


    Lucifina was close enough now that her ethereal glow illuminated Assassinroid''s bruised and bleeding body. The Seraph grimaced, nausea building at the sight of what she had done. ''And go back on everything I''ve done since leaving Heaven? I was the one who had convinced Marcellus to stop killing Monsters in the name of revenge, how could I be so hypocritical as to go back on that now?''


    Lucifina was within arm''s length now, able to see the terror in the Monster''s bright magenta eyes. Lucifina recognized the look all too well, as she had seen it so many times during her time serving Ilias.


    ''This beast was already molesting my son. She surely would''ve taken his virginity too if we were too late; that is, if the whore hadn''t already done so...'' Lucifina''s entire body tightened, ''Who''s to say this was the first time she''s abused my son? Maybe she had already been doing this for weeks, or even months!? Either way, she surely had to at least touch Luka in order for him to be like that. That alone is reason enough to eviscerate her right now!''


    Lucifina''s right hand began to emit a bright white glow. Assassinroid shook ever stronger at the display, able to feel the Holy Power radiating from the Seraph. The Monster shook, fear clutching at her heart as the Angel''s palm drew closer by the second. The Chimera closed her eyes in an attempt to accept her fate as the hand of her opponent drew closer to her.


    However, instead of obliterating Assassinroid, the Seraph grabbed the Monster by her hair once more. Lucifina bowed down, bringing herself down to eye-level with the intruder. She pulled the Chimera close, "Leave... NOW."


    Lucifina then roughly pushed the Monster back, not even watching as the beaten creature hurriedly crawled away, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Lucifina looked back to her house, a storm of emotions brewing inside her. She could feel her cursed power flowing as her thoughts screamed at her to turn around and finish the job, to disembowel Assassinroid before she escaped.


    The one thing stopping her now, though, was remembering what remained in her home.


    Lucifina couldn''t see Luka but could feel him inside there, still sleeping as soundly as she had been before. "Luka..." The Seraph whispered out as she clenched a fist, waves of disgust and anger hitting her. All the years of repression were driving her Angelic instincts into overdrive. The bloodlust, the craving to slaughter, all of those urges were coming back to her.


    As much as she hated to admit it, Lucifina was aware enough to realize that she was in a very fragile place mentally. She hadn''t even had her powers unsealed for a day, yet she had nearly lost control that quickly. There was only one person she could turn to for help now, and she had to do it quick if she wanted to ensure Luka''s safety.


    "...I''m sorry, my son." Lucifina muttered sadly, hating how weak she had become so easily. With a single flap of her wings, Lucifina rose high into the sky amongst the storm clouds, disappearing in a flash of lightning.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The storm now over Ilias Village was quite large. Large enough, in fact, that it spanned the entirety of the Ilias Continent and even bleed onto the southern coast cities of Sentora. It was a record-breaking storm size, possibly.


    However, no one would wish to be out of their homes long enough to confirm this. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught outside in the rain would find themselves in a very treacherous situation.


    Luckily enough, being on the Ilias Continent meant that any Humans seeking shelter could rush to any one of the many Churches of Ilias to seek sanctuary from the storm, as long as they were a believer of the Goddess. Nonbelievers were welcome to stay out in the rain to find their own manner of sanctuary.


    San Ilia, one of the southernmost cities of the large Continent of Sentora, also had many of these Temples that one could take shelter in. Due to it being a fairly compact city, not many residents actually needed to utilize this privilege. However, on the outskirts of this large city, there was a single lone believer who was using an older, now-abandoned religious hub as shelter from the onslaught of rain pouring down.


    In this run-down Temple outside of San Ilia, this girl was kneeling down in the very first row in the darkened Temple, her head hung low and hands clasped together in front of her petite form. She was young, appearing to be no older than fourteen or fifteen years old; her soft face could be considered Angelic to some, especially when put in conjunction with her bright blue eyes and waist-length blonde hair.


    Topping her blonde locks was a blue and white habit, one typically found on Nuns of the region. Her light blue dress matched this, with the white collar matching the white band on her hat. Her arms were modestly covered in dark gray sleeves ending in white cuffs. Similarly, any part of her legs not covered by the skirt of her dress was clothed by dark gray stockings that paired nicely with her dark gray shoes.


    At a glance, any man or woman of Ilias would assume this young girl to be a sparkling example of what a pious follower of the Goddess of Light should be.


    The girl had been traveling for a long time and had finally been able to enter what could be classified as "Ilias Country". While not a part of the Ilias Continent, a place she prayed she''d be able to visit someday, San Ilia was perhaps the holiest city outside of the aforementioned Continent. Until she was able to venture there, she''d continue hopefully praying for her salvation. For, this was truly no ordinary little girl...


    A loud bang reverberated throughout the Temple''s hallowed halls and the girl whipped around, frightened by the sudden sound. "Wh-Who''s there!?" It was very unlikely that anyone would be there, she had made sure of that for specific and personal reasons. The young nun desired there to be very few other worshipers in the Temple, if there couldn''t be none at all.


    No answer came, but the girl knew someone was there as she could sense a dark presence inside the Church.


    ''Could it be a Monster? Oh, Ilias, please, I hope not!'' The thought caused the little girl to mutter Prayers to herself so that she may have protection against the forces of evil. However, she was not so lucky, as said force of evil right outside the doors showed up whenever and wherever she felt like doing so. The darkened foyer of the Temple grew alit as the main doors were practically flung open, a strike of lightning accompanying the act a little too conveniently.


    "Ahhhh," A raspy voice trilled out, the voice''s figure waltzing inside with something akin to a skip in her step. "I had always thought these places as somewhat pompous, but I have to admit that there is something to the majesty that just feels right." As the woman spoke, she continued skipping forward lackadaisically, seemingly ignorant of the shaking girl in front of the prayer hall.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    She continued forward, slowly revealing herself as she drew nearer to the scared woman''s bright carmine eyes stared up at the enormous stained-glass window of Ilias at the head of the prayer hall, a slight twinge of disgust playing on her face as she viewed the piece of "art". She snickered, the act slightly ruffling the white apron lying atop her blue dress.


    "Hmmm, mighty tacky for a Goddess, isn''t it?" Her pale green hair swished as she looked about the Temple. "Personally, I''d rather have whole monuments carved out the sides of mountains. Let the whole countryside know who rules the world just by walking outside."


    This late-night visitor to one of Ilias''s Temple was the Former Monster Lord: Black Alice.


    The girl, not knowing of the Monster''s identity and having heard enough of her babbling, worked up enough courage to call out to her. "Have you no shame!? To disrespect the Goddess''s name in her own house of worship!? The audacity!" Black Alice immediately locked in on the child, a sight that immediately caused her to deflate.


    "Aha, almost forgot about you, Sofia." The woman steadfastly approached, her black shoes clacking horribly against the stone floor as she rapidly crossed the room.


    Sofia''s bright blue eyes enlarged, and the girl backed away quickly as the woman neared her. "How do... how do you know my name!?" The older woman gave no answer, continuing to approach the child. "S-Stay a-away! I know what you are, you''re a Monster! Demons like you don''t b-belong in a house of worship!"


    Black Alice''s face broke out into a wide, disturbed grin. "Funny you mention the term "Monster", considering what you are. Here, let me remind you." The Former Monster Lord snapped a finger, instantly powering down a spell the girl had woven on herself.


    "NOOOO!" The girl wailed in disbelief as her spell disbanded, her previously human legs reverting back into their original form: A long green snake-like tail that was easily over half her body''s length. Right inside the Temple of Ilias was a Monster, one that prayed to the Goddess despite her hatred for such creatures.


    The carmine eyes of Black Alice watched the pathetic display with a twinge of disappointment. ''Is this really how low the current generation of Monsters have fallen?'' She thought disappointedly. ''To be so lacking in self-worth that they stoop to worshiping a Goddess that wants them eradicated, how far did things fall in the last five-hundred years?''


    Forcing a gentler tone in her voice, Black Alice asked, "Now, now, certainly this isn''t something to get all worked up over, is it?" The little Lamia glared at her through her frustrated tears.


    "Of course it is! You revealed th-this u-u-ugliness of mine inside of a Temple of the Great Goddess Ilias! What if she were to see me now, displaying this sin inside such a Holy place!?" Black Alice bit her tongue to stop the berating that she was desperate to bestow onto this misguided fool of a Lamia, but she was able to press on with the act she needed to give to make this ridiculous plan work.


    "Oh, don''t fret about that, young one. The Goddess," A great deal of effort went into not spitting venom while uttering the title, "Is infinitely forgiving, especially towards those who worship her so greatly." The older Monster felt herself sick just by saying such a thing, but it seemed to brighten Sofia''s disposition some.


    "R-Really?" Sofia asked hopefully, "I know all of her teachings talk of such things, but I was afraid that her contempt for Monster would overrule her capacity for forgiveness." The blue bow on top of Black Alice''s head bounced some as she let out a somewhat bitter giggle. "Oh, but of course, she saved me after all so surely she could save you as well."


    Ignoring the bile rising up her throat at her own words, the Former Monster Lord watched the small Lamia practically glow with happiness at her words. "Is this really true? Even I can be saved!?" Sofia paused, recognizing a detail from what the older Monster had said. "Wait, you said Ilias has already saved you?"


    Black Alice chuckled bitterly, "Oh yes, she saved me, young one..."


    ''Despite the fact I would have rather died on that day.'' The dark thought rang through her head unpleasantly.


    "Wow, I never would have thought that the Goddess of Light would be willing to spare our disgusting kind. Her mercy really is infinite!" Sofia exclaimed, a wide smile growing on her face.


    Black Alice gritted her teeth but halted her tongue on the matter to rush through the process quicker. "It is, and in fact, she has sent with me a great "gift" to all devout Monsters!" The little Lamia beamed as the older Monster summoned a large slab of stone. It was an ugly, chipped, and worn-down block of rock. One could only assume that whoever picked out the stone searched for hours to find the most hideous, most awful-looking rock in all of creation.


    Considering the fact that Ilias herself chose the stone, this was no mistake.


    On the front face of the stone was etched this inscription:


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Ilias''s Six Commandments To Monsters


    1) Your Kind Shalt Not Have Intercourse With Humans


    - Your bodies are not worthy of engaging in intimacy with my followers. Reject your base instincts and embrace chastity.


    2) Your Kind Shalt Not Fraternize With Humans


    - Only the very bare minimum of communication is allowed. If something is needed of you, my legion will call. Otherwise, keep to yourselves.


    3) Your Kind Shalt Be Dutiful In Their Prayers


    - Devote your life to prayer, know nothing else but devotion and submission to your Goddess.


    4) Your Kind Shalt Not Turn Their Claws Towards Their Goddess


    - Mutineers will be cast into the hellfire, know nothing else but submission to your Goddess''s will.


    5) Your Kind Shalt Convert, Or They Will Perish


    - You are to convert as many of your sinful kind as you can. If they are not compliant, then they are only fit for damnation.


    6) Your Kind Will Aid In Upholding Ilias''s Glory


    - You will assist your Goddess in her fight against your sinful brethren. If they do not submit, they are the enemy.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The Lamia gasped upon reading the title, hand covering her mouth in shock. "It-It cannot be, truly?"


    Black Alice rolled her eyes, an action that went unnoticed by the snake girl, who kept reading down the stone tablet with reverence. "Your eyes do not deceive you. This is the real deal, handwritten by Ilias herself, who certainly took many painstaking hours to bestow such wisdom onto us."


    ''Heh, more likely that it took her a couple minutes, at best. Hell, she probably just made Eden reuse and edit the other Commandments to save time...'' Black Alice thought to herself.


    "How blessed are we to have such a charitable Goddess! This is deserving of a prayer of thanks." The blonde-haired Lamia exclaimed, looked up to her senior with admiration as she outstretched a hand. "Will you join me in sending gratitude to Ilias?"


    At the question, the Former Monster Lord seemed to get reluctant. "Ehhh, well, probably not. I, uh, prayed before I got here, you know. Wouldn''t want to send too many prayers to her now."


    Sofia''s face shrunk, "...Ah, yes. I suppose Ilias wouldn''t want to have to see so many tainted prayers." Black Alice''s carmine eyes flashing with disappointment again at her fellow Monster''s self-loathing behavior, spurring her to turn and walk away. "Yes, well I will be taking my leave, study those Commandments closely now."


    "Wait, is there not anymore to what Ilias would want me to do other than studying her Word? Perhaps, if I am worthy, there may be a mission I could complete for her? Please, I wish to serve the greatest good however I can!"


    Black Alice glanced back at her, a curious glint in her eyes. "Why, yes, there is something you can do." She turned around sharply, fully facing the little Lamia. The Former Monster Lord drew close, leaning over to whisper in the younger Monster''s ear. "It will require you to take a treacherous journey, young one. You will need to travel to one of the most anti-Monster areas of the entire Ilias Continent, Ilias Village."


    Sofia''s blue eyes widened, "Oh my, I''ve always dreamed of going to Ilias Village. It is one of the most pious cities in existence, I''ve heard."


    Nodding, Black Alice continued. "Indeed, now listen closely. This is not information that can be uttered too carelessly..." The older Monster spoke in a hushed voice to Sofia, making sure that only the Lamia would be able to make out what she was saying. One could never be too careful of eavesdroppers, after all.


    As Sofia was retold the tale of a certain purple-haired Prophet, her eyes practically glowed in happiness. "This is fantastic. Something like this could finally take our world into a real and true Golden Age of peace and piety!" Sofia looked up to the older Monster, "O thank you, thank you! I will take this mission steadfastly in the Goddess''s name!"


    Black Alice stifled down a snort, thinking the whole thing was a gigantic joke. As much as she loathed the thought, this Lamia and others like her would be useful to her as pawns to her end goals, if nothing else. "Well, it is time for me to take my leave. Study those six laws well, as you are expected to know them by heart..."


    "Wait, a Monster trusted by Ilias herself to give spread this message must be known by name. That is, if I am deserving of such knowledge." The older woman stopped, facing away from the girl still. "You may refer to me as Black Alice, nothing more and nothing less."


    Sofia looked to the older Monster, a question lingering in her eyes as she opened her mouth. "Black Alice? But Alice is a name reserved only for those of the Monster Lord bloodline, I thought?"


    Black Alice twitched, her head tilting ever so slightly. Unseen by Sofia, the older Monster''s mouth turned into a very thin, tense line. "No, there is absolutely no relation. I am simply another lowly Monster, like you." Without another word, Black Alice walked out the door into the storm, leaving the bewildered Lamia behind.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Meanwhile, alone in the underbelly of Heaven, Promestein sat silently at the large metal table in the middle of the abyss. Black Alice was gone, given a rare Earth-bound mission by Ilias to recruit Monsters for her "cause".


    ''It''s ridiculous enough that humans still follow Ilias, but Monsters too? One would think they would know better, considering the commonly-known fact that Ilias wants all of them dead.'' Promestein shook her head, disbelief emanating from her very core. Even with having been filled in on this plan for weeks now, it was as strange to her now as it was when she was first told.


    And so, the Fallen Angel was uncharacteristically stagnant, forgoing her research and work to reflect.


    ''It seems as if my mission is as far off as entirely possible. Ilias ever still keeps a strong foothold on Earth through her believers, Monsters ravage or enslave whatever they can get a hold of, and humans are no closer to freedom as they were when I first fell. And I''ve done very minimum in the way of progressing in my own goals...'' The Fallen Angel took off her glasses, freeing her face to rub her throbbing temples. A familiar frustration was beginning to set in.


    ''...I need to free my mind of such things. If I am not moving forward, then I will be left behind by my opposition. Then, the truth of this world would never see the light of day.'' Promestein''s fingers stop their rubbing, the word truth causing her to pause as it echoed through her mind. ''It has been long since I''ve communicated with one of them, and seeing how I am otherwise unoccupied.''


    Promestein reached into a pocket hidden in the fold of cloth between her sweater and her lab coat, pulling out a rather primal piece of technology. It was a small handheld radio. The equipment was unorthodox and nearly obsolete, but it was also Promestein''s only avenue for communicating with those outside of Heaven.


    The Fallen Angel clicked the radio on and held it up to her mouth. "La Croix, are you there? Pick up."


    Promestein jerked as a wave of static quickly emitted from the device. "Present." The Fallen Angel perked at the immediate response, taking note of her comrade''s monotone voice having seemingly been ready to answer her call.


    Promestein reclined a bit in her seat, "I am surprised that you were so prepared for my call, La Croix." The radio cracked with more static, "I simply keep myself prepared ahead of time for all possibilities. So, what is it that you require?"


    The Fallen Angel adjusted her glasses, beginning to busy herself by cleaning up the table before her while she spoke. "Nothing irregular, I simply had time to touch base. Is there anything out of the ordinary to report?" The line went quiet, and for a moment, Promestein thought that her query had not reached her partner before La Croix''s somewhat hesitant voice breached through the radio.


    "Yes, well Assassinroid seems to be heading back from Ilias Village now, according to my tracking device..." Her voice trailed off, muttering something unheard to herself. Promestein frowned, sensing something was amidst. "Why is that? Per my instructions she is to keep up the imprinting process throughout the night if possible. Has something gone wrong?"


    Promestein began collecting dirtied beakers as a reply came through. "I haven''t more than just a hunch at the moment, considering that all of my readings indicate that Assassinroid is currently in critical condition."


    The Fallen Angel''s hand slipped, dropping a particularly fragile tube onto the ground, a loud shatter filling the empty air. Promestein cursed, raising her voice at the radio as she stared wildly at the device. "What, how is that she is in critical condition!? She is built to face down and kill Queen-Level Monsters if needed, what could she had fought to be brought to death''s edge!?"


    La Croix''s voice came through with an equally perplexed tone, "I do not know for sure; I thought the readings were off at first, but it must be true if she''s returning this early." The ruby-haired Fallen Angel buried her face in her hands, disbelieving in what she was being told. "The only clue I do have, however, is a spike of Holy Magic I am getting off of her body."


    Promestein furrowed her eyebrows at the new information, "Holy Magic, do you believe she was beaten by an Angel?"


    La Croix affirmed this quickly, "Yes, a powerful one at that. I am not certain of how in the loop you are with Angel movement there is Heaven, but do you perhaps know any Earth-bound Angels who could have pulled off such a thing?"


    Promestein mulled the question over, racking her brain for any idea as to the identity of the Angel in question. ''It could not have been any Ninth Order Angels, not that they would be on Earth right now. Archangel Ariel or Ranael could''ve taken her but none of the Archangels be on the Ilias Continent either.''


    Promestein crossed her arms over her chest in frustration, running through any possible suspects. ''Principality Nagael could probably defeat her, but I doubt that she would be in Ilias Village. The same goes for the Order of Powers. The Virtues are in Heaven at the moment, I know this much; Dominion Endiel would not be on Earth either, not to say she that she could beat Assassinroid though...''


    Winding down to the last three Orders, The Fallen Angel still struggled to reach an answer. ''Throne Eggiel and Cherub Wormiel are in Heaven, Seraph Eden is there as well...'' Promestein hissed in annoyance, "None of this makes sense. No Angels that I know of would be in Ilias Village right now!"


    Suddenly, La Croix''s curious voice called from the radio, "What of the boy''s Mother? She was a Seraph, correct?"


    Promestien''s eyes widened at the suggestion, nearly rejecting it right then and there until she gave it proper thought. "...It may be possible, but Lucifina''s power is sealed, this much I know."


    La Croix scoffed, "Just because she had sealed her powers, does not mean that she could not unseal them if given good enough reason. Surely, seeing a scantily-clad Monster in bed with her underage son would be reason enough for her to break that seal."


    Promestein nodded, practically seeing how such a situation would play out. The Seraph''s powers would be more than enough to brutalize Assassinroid. ''But then why is Assassinroid still alive? Surely, Lucifina would have finished the job and kill her outright?'' The ruby-eyed Angel stowed the question away for the moment, focusing back on the situation at hand.


    "Is there any chance of recovery from this?" The Fallen Angel asked, to which La Croix quickly answered.


    "Possibly, if she is able to cross over into Senorta, I have already sent Lamiaroid to pick her up at the shoreline." Promestein nodded; although Lamiaroid was not as powerful, she would be more than capable of such a thing.


    However, La Croix spoke up again, uncertainty in her voice. "There is something I must bring to your attention, however. It is something I have noticed with Assassinroid. A particular reading that was even higher than the Holy Magic that she was assaulted with..."


    Promestein leaned in the radio, curiosity plastered on her face. "And what is that?" Her compatriot''s voice came through, delivering some unexpected news.


    "...Her measurable levels of excitement were astoundingly high before she was attacked, and her body heat levels had become critical. The last reading, I had clocked in on her internal mechanisms was between one hundred and one hundred fifty degrees." La Croix answered.


    The Fallen Angel''s mind blanked before she became irate. "La Croix, Assassinroid should not even have levels of excitement. Did I not expressly request that she be programmed for stealth and combat alone?"


    The line went silent, the radio static filling the dead air again for a couple of seconds. Then, La Croix replied, "That is true, but I promise you that I only programmed her with battle in mind. However, she is still built from Monster DNA. As much as I tried to reign in those desires, I could not erase millions of years of instinct from those genes, Promestein."


    Sighing, the Fallen Angel slowly put down the radio as her friend continued, "Even then, not even I had thought such base instinct would be awakened by a twelve-year-old boy. It makes as little sense to me as it does to you. I will have to see if adjustments can be made once she is returned."


    An odd chuckle came through the radio, "I can only imagine how such a thing occurred. I am sure Lucifina must''ve walked in on something quite disturbed if she did that much damage..."


    Promestien cringed, her mind concocting all sorts of demented possibilities just with the suggestion, but she curbed those thoughts quickly, "Either way, this will have to be her last mission to Ilias Village, I doubt she''d survive a second encounter with a renewed Lucifina. When you reprogram her, erase her memories of the event. We don''t need her as a potential flight risk, we have few enough in our forces as it is. Losing someone of her prowess would be a set-back."


    La Croix paused for a moment, silently pondering something. "Affirmative, it will be done."


    Promestein clicked the radio off, slipping it back into her lab coat. She gazed about the table, her mind fogged by the information she had just been given.


    ''Unfortunately, that seems to take Luka off the table for now as a viable advantage, I''d rather not even attempt to quarrel with the likes of Lucifina if she truly does have her powers back. I''m not even sure myself how she factors into everything.'' Promestein''s frown deepened, frustration seeping in as she seemingly found herself back to step one.


    The White Rabbit Drug, once again, would have to be her Ace in the hole.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Black Alice happily hummed as she skipped to Heaven''s Gate, her crooked grin unwavering as she climbed the ivory tower. She truly could''ve flown or teleported to the Angel Gate, but as she didn''t often get to leave Heaven on her own fruition, she decided to take her time in coming back. Reaching the top of the stairs, Black Alice pushed open a large wooden door with ease to reveal the entrance to Heaven.


    Atop the door was an already revealed Angel, the former Cherub merged with the Gate. Black Alice skipped up to the large doors, uncaring of the Angel''s obvious glaring. "Hello, hello!~" She greeted, "I''m done for the day, now let me in."


    Heaven''s Gate simply continued to scowl openly at her, not amused at the former Monster Lord. "Aww, why such a mean look? I''m on your side, you know?" The former Cherub snorted, her black locks bouncing slightly. "I doubt that, Monster."


    Black Alice shrugged, "Most do, nothin'' I can do about it. Now..." She dismissively waved the back of her hand at the Angel, "...Do your job, and let me in." Heaven''s Gate quelled with rage but opened up her doors just as well, knowing that she wasn''t allowed to deny Black Alice entry by order of Goddess Ilias herself. Through the doors spewed golden rays emitting from Heaven itself, engulfing the immediate area in its splendor.


    Black Alice, having seen such a thing many times before, held no awe for the sight. "See ya!" She said, before hopping in. Quickly,


    Heaven''s Gate closed, a storm of rage brewing in her emerald eyes. ''If only, if only I wasn''t stuck like this. If I was a free Cherubim still, I would have erased you, you awful creature.'' At first, being Heaven''s literal entrance had been a great honor for her, but now it felt like nothing but a prison as she watched all of her compatriots walk freely. Lost in her thoughts, the Angel was caught off-guard by a voice calling to her from the dark.


    "Greetings, Heaven''s Gate." The voice was sickly but familiar. The former Cherub peered over to another figure coming from the tower''s staircase. The person''s white robes, along with her wings and Halo, immediately gave away her Angelic identity.


    "Archangel Ranael, I had wondered when you would be returning. All of the other Archangels have already returned, why not you?" Heaven''s Gate asked.


    Ranael was silent, staring up at her fellow Angel for a prolonged time as she approached. She chuckled silently, taking note of a dormant anger residing in the Angel''s emerald eyes. "I simply needed to be sure that no one else would be around. I and a certain Cherub have taken note of your frustrations, and we believe we can help. That is, of course, if you have any interest in becoming freed?"


    The Angel listened to Ranael talk, a twisted grin of her own forming as the Archangel informed the former Cherub of her Mistress''s plans.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Past Heaven''s Gate, Black Alice quickly made way for Heaven''s underbelly. With little trouble, she navigated her way down, out of sight from the prying eyes of Ilias''s daughters. However, as she turned a corner, she came face-to-face with perhaps the only person she hated above Ilias herself.


    The Third "Great" Seraph, Eden.


    Even the ever-aloof Black Alice couldn''t keep the facade look of twisted cheerfulness on her face as she met the gaze of the sage-haired Seraph, who seemed to be quite annoyed. "Ah, finally. I had almost figured you had forgotten how to get back into Heaven, Alice."


    The Former Monster Lord partly turned away from the Seraph, lifting her nose up at Eden. "I know quite well how to return here, Eden. I simply took my time in hopes of avoiding any unwanted trash on my return." She glanced back to Eden, her carmine eyes focusing on the Seraph with mock-aghastment.


    "Oh no!" She said, gesturing towards her object of hatred, "Here''s some right now! Gosh, and here I thought Heaven would have its pearly roads free of unsightly roadkill such as this!" Eden''s face flared in fury, her face turning red at the insult. "You abhorrent creature, do you know no respect for your betters!?"


    Black Alice began to approach Eden, a self-satisfied smirk on her face. "If you find anyone better than me, let me know and perhaps you''ll get to see such a thing. Until then, though..." The ancient Monster was within arm''s reach Eden, "...Give me wide berth, Seraph."


    Black Alice passed the fuming Seraphim, content to keep walking until she heard Eden call to her. "Do you wish to know something, Alice?"


    The Former Monster Lord stopped, not turning to face the now smug-looking Seraph. "There is only one decision I have ever disagreed with the great Goddess Ilias on, do you wish to know what that was?" Black Alice glanced over her shoulder, somewhat curious at the statement. Eden stepped closer, her wings flapping as she moved.


    "I do often wish that she had let that pathetic Heinrich Hein run you through that day, instead of saving your pitiful soul from death. Sometimes I even fantasize about how much cleaner Earth and Heaven both would be if he could''ve rid us of the scourge formerly known as Alipheese Fateburn the Eighth."


    Eden clutched her hands in front of herself, a grin forming on her face, "Oh, if only that Fake Hero could''ve done his job correctly just once in his miserable life." The Seraph spat, her disgust for both Heinrich and Black Alice on full display.


    Black Alice''s face was obscured by her hair, having turned away as her body shook uncontrollably. Eden watched, amused, as the Former Monster Lord''s knuckles grew white as they formed fists. Eden continued, undeterred by this.


    "Alas, however, here you are still. A shell of your former self. Perhaps, Ilias willing, you can join him someday. Yes, I think I''d like that." Eden turned away, leaving Black Alice in her barely contained rage. Sensing the Seraph''s departure, Alice exhaled shakily. However, there was no sign of anger on her face. Instead, her face twitched as an abnormally large and crooked smile spread on her face.


    ''Oh, I cannot wait to tear this place down...'' Black Alice thought as her carmine eyes flashed dangerously, ''When I do, I''ll hang you up by your bloodied wings like a beautiful chandelier, Eden. I want you to be the last to perish so you can watch as I slaughter your Goddess and burn your beloved Heaven to a blackened crisp!''

 Year 12 AL, Heavens Light

    Not far from Ilias Village, tucked between a large forest and the Irina Mountains on the western side of the Ilias Continent, was an even smaller merchant town known as Enrika. In contrast to the more uniform and rigid Ilias Village, this town was more rural and varied.


    The tempest that had been raging over all of Ilias Country had yet to let up at all. Inside one of the centermost houses, a lone window was dimly glowing yellow, made alit by a single candle flame. This candle sat atop a bedside table, illuminating a certain Fallen Seraph sitting in bed.


    However, this former Seraph wasn''t Lucifina; it was her older sister, the First of the Great Three Seraphs, Micaela.


    Upon looking at the woman, one didn''t have to take much time to deduce her kinship to Lucifina. The elder Seraph''s hair was blonder and ran down her back in long curls, as opposed to Lucifina''s shorter, browner hair. Additionally, her face and eyes were sharper than her sister''s, though the resemblance was as undeniable as her beauty.


    Micaela, dressed in a sage nightgown, sat upright in her bed. Her face was contorted in thought as she observed the storm raging outside her home. The thunder rumbled constantly as the storm picked up, it nearly felt as if the Earth itself was trembling under the force of the strikes.


    The Fallen Angel watched as Enrika lit up in the quick flash of lightning. ''This is getting much too treacherous; if the storm gets any heavier than this, someone could get hurt.'' Micaela shifted underneath her bed covers, her nervousness not quite reaching her face but her body conveying it quite clearly. Being the very founder of Enrika, the town''s well-being was her responsibility to watch over.


    Little did the Fallen Angel know, the currently raging storm would be the least of her worries in a matter of moments.


    Abruptly, Micaela felt herself being struck, as if some invisible force had come from the ether and hit her full force. The ex-Angel recoiled at the feeling, a wave of shock coming soon after as she was able to identify the sensation. Someone, somewhere, had just flared a very substantial amount of Holy Magic. ''No, not just any someone. But why would she do that?''


    Micaela stood from her bed, throwing the covers to the side so that she could stand in front of the rain-battered window. The Seraph stared off into the storm, fruitlessly searching for an answer that wasn''t there. ''Judging from the power alone, either Eden also finally decided to find a life outside of Heaven as well, or...''


    Another shockwave of Holy Magic hit the former Seraph. "Lucifina!"


    The name came as a gasp from Micaela''s lips, another bolt of lightning cracking through the sky just outside her window. The blonde woman jogged out of the room, making way for her front door. She had almost gotten a hand onto the doorknob before hesitating. ''Wait, I can''t just run outside in this!'' She looked down to her nightgown...


    ...A nightgown that was a tad too thin, and much too revealing to be wearing in a storm like the one outside.


    With a groan of annoyance, Micaela turned to go back and change her clothes to something more protective. That is until a knock almost too gentle for her to hear sounded from the front door. Warily, Micaela strode to the front entrance. Several loud rumbles of thunder growled overhead, the sensation actually shaking Micaela''s very house.


    And yet, even that now paled in comparison to what was soon to show up outside her door.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Breathe in.


    ''Blood.''


    Breathe out.


    ''Pain.''


    Exhale.


    ''Heads roll.''


    Expel.


    ''Heads fall.''


    The crash of the lightning all around Lucifina was nothing compared to the thunderous contractions of her heart in her chest. She could feel her blood rushing through her arteries and veins with a fierceness that hadn''t been felt in her body for hundreds of years. She could feel so much more of everything as if a switch in her mind that had long since been turned off had been flipped on.


    The air around her crackled with energy, her energy. It felt fantastic, but it also terrified her. She could sense Monsters below her as she flew through the air above a large forest. They were loosely scattered about, and there were not many of them at that. They only amounted to a couple of slimes and fairies here and there, low-level Monsters she could cut down without a second thought if she wanted to.


    And by the Goddess, did she want to.


    Despite the urges, Lucifina held back. Despite the blood she could still smell on her nightgown, Lucifina held back. Despite how much that filthy beast touching her son maddened her, Lucifina held back. ''Just for a little bit longer, just until...''


    A bright light erupted in the storm clouds above her, from them coming a bolt of electricity that cut through the air in a flash. It zoomed close by the Seraph, but she hardly paid it any mind as she continued to her destination. There were more important matters for her to attend to now. Soon, Lucifina could see the forest end before it reached the edge of a mountain range called Irina Mountains.


    In the little pocket of land between the forest and the large hills, Lucifina spotted what she had been seeking out:


    Enrika, a village her Husband Marcellus often visited when he helped smuggle Monsters onto the Ilias Continent. It was also the town where Lucifina''s older Sister Micaela had taken up residence after she had fallen from Heaven.


    Lucifina descended quickly, landing just within the village''s border. Idly, she noticed that the wind and rain had picked up tremendously. Not that it mattered, as she could hardly feel that now. All she could feel was the sheer number of Monsters living inside Erika. Lucifina shook, her sensing ability causing her body to tremble from being surrounded by the enemy.


    The Seraph convulsed, forcing herself to trudge forward and ignore her instincts. ''No! Not the enemy, Lucifina. Only peace-loving Monsters live in Enrika, you know that!'' Lucifina furiously chastised herself. However, darker thoughts of her psyche kept breaking through.


    ''Not likely, that disgusting creature that we should''ve killed was not an exception to the rule. All Monsters have those desires, all they want is to breed and destroy. Depravity is just a part of who they are. If protecting Luka is the end goal, then the easiest method to doing that is obvious.''


    Lucifina stopped, gazing about the village. The thatch and wood houses looked tranquil enough, but identifying the one she was desperately searching for was difficult. This was especially difficult when her thoughts were devolving at such an alarmingly rapid pace. Sensing around herself, Lucifina felt many Monsters around her, predominantly Elves.


    ''They''re more sophisticated than most Monsters, but they are still Monsters. If you give them the chance, they will be after Luka all the same. Why bother giving them the benefit of the doubt? Erase them.''


    The Seraph bit her tongue, blood entering her mouth from the cut. ''I know better than that, I''ve been here before, I''ve met the Monsters here before. They are no threat to my son.'' Lucifina felt herself unraveling as the dark thoughts only grew.


    ''Yes, the only true threat to your son is your own weakness. Your uselessness is what led to Luka being raped in the first place. Perhaps if you had never kept these powers sealed, his innocence would still be safety intact.''


    The Seraph almost buckled but held on to her rekindled Angelic strength. A wetness had formed on her face. One not from the rain but from the tears she had begun to shed. Because, even if she didn''t want to admit it, there was perhaps a hair of truth to that.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Micaela was always somewhat prepared for the worst, or something close to it, but to see a bloodstained and rain-soaked Lucifina standing at her doorstep was way beyond what she could''ve imagined.


    The look on her sister''s face was telling enough as it was, but the sight of her Halo and wings showing at full power was an unsubtle tell that something was most definitely wrong. Micaela admittedly didn''t talk much with her younger sister, even after reuniting with her after they had both left Heaven. Hell, Micaela communicated more with Marcellus when he was still alive than she did with Lucifina overall.


    This was in part because of Micaela''s responsibilities with running Enrika. Combining that with Lucifina''s health, which didn''t allow her to leave Ilias Village much, made it to where the Sisters didn''t see each other more than a handful of times since they''ve both been out of Heaven.


    Looking at her now, though, Micaela could easily confirm that the problem at hand now seemed to be much more serious than Lucifina''s degrading health.


    Micaela grabbed Lucifina by the arm, tugging the Seraph inside her house with little hesitation. Her little sister offered no resistance, allowing herself to be dragged inside. Once the door was shut, Micaela gazed upon her sister in concern, not sure how to even begin. Lucifina''s very aura was illuminating the room in a white glow. However, the majesty of such a thing was quickly lost when considering the egregious amount of blood painting her once-white nightdress red.


    The most telling detail, though, was written right on Lucifina''s face. Usually, the Fallen Angel''s blue eyes held one of the most pleasant and gentle gazes one could ever see on a person. But now, those same eyes were wide and frenzied like a cornered animal. That, coupled with her ruined attire and soaked hair, left the Seraph looking absolutely manic.


    "M-Micaela," Lucifina started, a wavering edge in her tone. "I need your help, I-I fear something terrible is happening, and I don''t know if I can stop it." The older sister stepped forward, clasping both of her sister''s hands and leading her to sit down in one of her dining room chairs. Micaela noted just how much Lucifina was shaking even though her sister didn''t feel cold to the touch. In fact, she felt quite the opposite, as if she were burning up.


    Micaela steeled her gaze, attempting to put on a brave front for this uncertain situation. "What is it, Sister? Why are you like this?" Unexpectantly, a wrathful glare materialized on her sister''s face. "I. Cannot. Say." She said bluntly through gritted teeth.


    The older Seraph searched her sister''s face, startled by the presence of such fury on her normally peaceful sister''s face. Then, a thought struck her, one that made the growing pit in her stomach widen. "Lucifina..." She began, feeling the tension coming off of her sister''s ever-shaking body. "...Where is Luka? Is he safe?"


    Lucifina finally snapped, "NO!" She stood up from her seat with terrifying speed. She grabbed Micaela by the shoulders roughly. "NO, HE IS NOT, AND IT''S ALL MY FAULT!"


    Micaela froze, not knowing what to think as Lucifina released her and frantically paced about her older sister''s foyer in distress. "I... I couldn''t protect him, Micaela! Now, I don''t even know if he''s... if he''s still a..." A choked wail came from the awakened Seraph, her body nearly collapsing as she fell to her knees.


    Micaela ran over to her sister, bending down to eye-level with her. "Lucifina, sister, listen to me. Where is Luka?" Her younger sister let out more cries, tears openly streaming down her face. "He is back at the house, sister. Still asleep in his bedroom, as far as I know." Micaela gently caressed her sister''s arm with a hand, trying to calm the frantic Angel.


    "Okay, then if you wish I can go with you back to Ilias Village and we can figure things out from there." Micaela offered, but Lucifina shook her head, "N-No, I can''t go back."


    Micaela frowned, "Why not?" Lucifina jumped to her feet, breaking away from her sister. Her blue eyes bore into Micaela''s, something crazed dancing in them. The Seraph''s body shook so hard that it seemed as if she was vibrating.


    Micaela started to stride towards her younger sister, "Lucifina, you can''t just abandon your son!" Lucifina just kept shaking her head, her dirty hair flailing wildly. "Y-You don''t understand! I don''t think that I can''t... can''t..." The feverish Angel trailed off, leaving her older sister to grab her by the arm tightly.


    "You can''t, what?" Micaela asked pointedly, not grasping what her younger Sister was trying to say.


    Lucifina couldn''t even look her in the eyes, "...Control myself."


    The awakened Seraph smacked her sister''s hand off her arm, pushing the older woman away. Lucifina then spun around, smashing through the front door and flying into the torrent falling outside.


    "LUCIFINA!" Micaela cried, watching her sister disappear into the storm cloud. "Damnit!" The elder Seraph cursed under her breath, turning back inside the house in a hurry.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Numbness.


    Coldness.


    Darkness.


    This is all Luka could feel as he stood in a small circle of pale light surrounded by an endless expanse of black. His body felt heavy, no part of it wanting to budge even an inch in its place as he stood stiff despite the exhaustion.


    It was as if a thick wool blanket had been soaked in water and wrapped around his entire body. Every part of him wanted to do nothing but collapse, but he couldn''t; for some reason, Luka''s fatigued body remained upright.


    "...ka!"


    A distinctly feminine voice reverberated through the dark. Luka could only hear a fraction of what the call was due to how much it echoed, but for whatever reason, he had a hunch that the call was for him.


    Luka attempted to turn towards the voice, quickly finding that doing so would be a herculean task to overcome. Slowly, very slowly, he began to sluggishly turn his body around. He was able to get his head facing where he thought the voice to be coming from. Then, the rest of his body from the neck down began to follow. Finally, he had completed a single turn. He tried to return the call but found it difficult to muster any type of response. From the darkness, another call was made.


    "Luka!"


    Luka gasped; it was his name.


    Now, he was completely sure that the woman was calling for him. At the same time as his realization, a very faint path of pale white light illuminated the previously black ground in front of him. With no other alternatives, Luka began to trudge towards the light. The effort was akin to having a walk at the bottom of the deepest sea. The pressure on him was immense. However, he kept moving forward.


    The purple-haired boy had made it just over a meter down the path when a dark silhouette materialized in front of him. The feminine shape no doubt was the source of the voice, though he could not make out any details other than the fact that her palms were facing him as if she was leaning on something.


    Even more peculiar was the fact that Luka could not make out any legs on the woman''s body. Instead, her abdomen seemed to stretch and end in a heap of black mass on the floor. Ignoring the fact for now, Luka continued his slow march forward. Something about her was familiar nonetheless, and he was determined to keep on.


    "Luka... don''t...please!"


    Her words were muffled, making Luka miss most of her message. Her tone was desperate and made Luka push even harder to bridge the gap. Deep inside, he felt that he needed to reach her. But he had no idea why that was, or what was even happening.


    ''Just a couple more steps.'' He thought, his legs feeling a burn hotter than coal. Mirroring the woman, Luka began to raise both arms forward as he had only half a meter left in his journey.


    Just as his hands were about to touch hers, they stopped. Confused, Luka looked around as best he could, not understanding what had stopped him. Idly, as he searched, he noted that the mass underneath the woman trailed behind her in a very suspiciously serpentine manner.


    "Pl-... P-Please..."


    Luka strained to hear her, leaning in as close as he could. Though no matter the distance or lack thereof, he could not see or hear her any better than when he started. He opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn''t choke out any words from his dry and sore throat.


    He stopped, catching in his sight something in the far distance behind the woman. It was faint, but he could just barely make out multiple other figures standing far behind the woman in front of him. He squinted harder, desperately trying to make out any detail that he could-


    Squelch


    CRACK


    At first, Luka felt nothing. Although from the bottom edge of his eyesight, he could see something jutting from his chest. His eyes slowly drew downwards until the horrible sight was revealed to him, and once it was an overwhelming fire of agony swept his entire torso. From there, protruding from his chest was a golden spear.


    At the end of that now bloody aureate pike, still loosely connected to his body by a series of dangling arteries and veins, was his now ran-through heart.


    A sickening wail rang through the air, prompting Luka to use the last of his rapidly fading energy to meet the gaze of the woman in front of him. As before, none of her face or body held any more detail or familiarity than he first saw her. But something about her gnawed at the back of his brain. There was a sense of fondness. A closeness between them, stronger than he could register.


    Luka''s eyesight began to darken, no doubt from the excessive amount of blood cascading down from his now ruptured chest cavity.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka''s pale-blue eyes opened slowly, meeting nothing but more darkness. For a moment, the young boy thought he had actually died, but quickly, his eyes began to adjust to his surroundings. Once adjusted, he realized that he was in his bedroom, wrapped tightly beneath his bed covers.


    He exhaled a long-held breath, feeling his heart thump crazily in his chest. ''I have to calm down, it was just a strange nightmare.''


    The thought helped little to comfort him as he shivered aggressively due to the sheer coldness of his room. He propped himself up with one hand, turning to gaze outside his window, to which he found there to be a light mist falling outside. Dark clouds above obscured any view of the moon he may have had otherwise, but it wasn''t too dark to see if one needed to venture outside.


    ''How long have I been asleep? The last time I was awake, it had to have been midday.'' Luka swung out of his bed and stood straight. With his shivering increasing, Luka pulled and wrapped his arms around himself. The boy flinched, suddenly feeling something even colder on his left pointer finger touch his arm. Glancing down, the young boy noticed that he was wearing a silver ring on said finger.


    "Th-That''s..." Luka paused, having to fight to even get the proper word out. "...p-peculiar." Despite him knowing that the ring wasn''t his, he couldn''t quite find it in him to take the metal band off. ''Well, may as well keep it there for now.'' He thought as he dropped his arms.


    Things even got stranger, as the purple-haired boy realized that he was not wearing the brown shirt and black pants he had adorned when he left to get groceries that day. Instead, he was wearing his long white nightshirt. ''I didn''t put these on, unless...'' Luka paused, his young and hazy mind thinking back to the Monster that had attacked him.


    ''...Was all of that also just nightmare as well? But it all felt so real.'' Then he remembered the last thing that had happened when he blacked out. His Mother was holding him close, telling him everything was going to be okay.


    Thinking about his Mother started to make the boy upset, ''I should go see her, it''s late but I can''t go back to sleep without seeing her again.'' Not only this, but maybe she would be able to help him understand the disturbed nightmares he had just had.


    Turning quickly, Luka made for his bedroom door, slipping on a pair of sandals as he left his bed. The purple-haired boy opened and closed his door silently, slipping into the hallway and making way for his Mother''s bedroom.


    Luka made an effort to be quiet as he neared the closed door, not wanting to cause a ruckus on top of everything else. When arriving at the door, however, the boy hesitated to knock. ''Should I really be waking her up over something like this? I''m twelve now, nightmares shouldn''t be bothering me anymore. Even one like that.''


    He looked down at the ring on his finger once more, making a startling discovery once he scanned it over more closely. "...W-Wait, isn''t th-this my Mother''s r-ring?" Luka exclaimed to himself. It indeed was, he could tell now that he saw its slight roughness from age, the familiar scarring that he knew from so many years of holding his Mother''s hand.


    Now knowing this, Luka decided that at the very least, he needed to return the item, even if he didn''t know why he had it in the first place.


    Hesitantly, the boy rapped against the wooden door. He paused, fidgeting his fingers together as he waited. However, he didn''t hear the familiar voice of his Mother calling to him. The only reply he received, was that of silence. Somewhat confused, Luka rapped against the door a second time, albeit with more force.


    Yet again, still no answer.


    Nervously, Luka glanced down at the doorknob. Very rarely did the boy enter his Mother''s bedroom without permission, as he was taught to always respect other people''s privacy, especially if that person was a woman. However, his desire to see his Mother and give her the ring back was stronger than his usual adherence to respect.


    Steeling himself, Luka grasped the doorknob with one small hand. Twisting the knob carefully, the boy opened up the bedroom door.


    Luka practically crept into the room, hating that he was about to bother his Mother''s sleeping schedule. With his Father gone, Luka had put a lot of responsibility on himself to take care of his Mother''s needs. From cleaning the house to helping cook - or just cooking all of the food himself, as they both quickly found Luka to be the better of the two - he always ended up putting her needs first.


    However, this wasn''t something he could keep to himself, not even until she woke up. But when Luka reached his parent''s bed, he discovered something that chilled him to his core. Something he almost couldn''t accept upon first seeing the empty bed.


    Lucifina, his beloved Mother, was gone.


    Immediately, Luka''s anxiety began to flare. Despite there obviously being no sign of her in the bed itself, Luka still tossed the sheets about, searching for any clue as to where she had gone. "M-M-Mother?" he asked, his voice croaking. He dipped down to look under the bed, but she was not there either. Nor was she in the closet. Becoming more desperate, the boy ran through the house, checking every room he could think to check.


    The house echoed with the clacking of his sandaled feet on the wooden floor. However, after cleanly sweeping the house, the boy could only come to a single conclusion: His Mother was gone.


    ''She would never be gone at this hour, something''s wrong!'' Luka thought as he ran back to his Mother''s bedroom, tears threatening to fall as he made a mad dash for the empty room. The purple-haired boy came to a stop just short of her bed, freezing in the middle of the room.


    His blue eyes searched the room once more, but Lucifina was still nowhere to be seen. Luka stood stiff, fingers wringing once again as he quickly lost any sense of direction or purpose in his actions. Then, an idea came to the boy, and he fell to his knees in front of his Mother''s bed.


    Luka folded his small hands together, resting them on the bed in front of him while he closed his tear-filled eyes. He truly didn''t know if doing such a thing would help or not, but he was desperate. If anyone could help him now, it''d have to be the Goddess herself, right?


    ''For my Mother''s sake, it''s worth a try!'' Luka thought, before beginning to send up his first prayer.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    In Heaven, all was still as night was well underway. There was not necessarily any reason to adhere to the day/night schedule of the Earth, though it did make certain things easier for the Goddess and her Angels. For instance, neither Ilias nor her Angels technically needed to sleep. However, since it did help with rejuvenating energy, it was "encouraged" by Ilias''s strict curfew time of sundown.


    Specifically, when the sun had set from the perspective of Heaven''s Gate.


    Now, not every Angel always were able to return to Heaven by the time the sun had set over the horizon at the Navel of the World. Mistakes did happen - especially when Cupid stays out for too long with her eavesdropping - so some leeway was allowed. That and many Angels were stationed either permanently due to their roles on Earth or were kept there as part of Ilias''s forces to keep her cities safe from Monster threats.


    All others were to report back to Heaven. Case in point, Ilias was currently sleeping on her throne at the top of Heaven. Propped up lazily by one hand that held her head up, the Goddess of Light quietly snored from her throne, the normally golden clouds around her darkened to allow for a more peaceful sleep. However, this peaceful sleep would not last for very much longer.


    Noiselessly, something very odd floated up from the floor of Ilias''s throne room. It was a small object, only about the size of a child''s playball, but it looked more like a small white sphere. The only object one could feasibly compare it to would be the stars in the night sky. The small orb of white light rose and then drew closer to the Goddess. It began to pulse slowly, unbeknownst to the sleeping Ilias. Then, the ball of light phased into the Goddess, immediately causing her to snap awake.


    "Uhaa!" Ilias moaned, the foreign sensation hitting her like a chill. The Goddess of Light shook her head to and fro, looking for what had caused the disturbance, "What the He-" Ilias was stopped as her mind was suddenly struck by something otherworldly.


    "O, Goddess of Creation, h-hear my p-plead..."


    Ilias felt her heart skip at the voice. It was young but almost ethereal. Even without having heard his voice before, The Goddess somehow felt she knew who this was. "Could it really be!?" The Goddess of Light was not hesitant to tear open a portal in the clouds below, her bright blue eyes opened wide now to confirm what she suspected as she homed in on her Prophet. Peering down into the portal, she was able to see the boy himself inside his home in Ilias Village.


    The Goddess felt her heart swell in delight upon seeing what was transpiring. There, right before her eyes, was Luka praying up to her. "Just as I thought, a soul made perfectly Light worshipping the Goddess of Light, me!" A huge smile adorned her face as she listened to the boy''s prayer. ''Whatever this is about, consider it done! This happening alone is reason enough for me to grant his wish. Whatever I need to do, I will!''


    "...I-I need y-your assistance now, if you would b-be so willing..."


    Ilias leaned in closer, almost giddy at it all. Who could blame the Goddess, though? She had been patient, waiting for the purple-haired boy to reach out to her all this time. And now, here he was, praying to her in reverence, beseeching her will. It was everything she had waited over ten years for!


    "...Please, I need y-your help in finding my Mother, for s-she is missing."


    In less than a second, less time than it took to blink, Ilias felt her mind completely blank at the request. She continued to stare at the boy. However, the frozen smile on her face was only still there because of her overwhelming shock at the boy''s request. "E-Eh, Lucifina''s... missing?" The Goddess searched the rest of the house quickly and found what the boy said to be true. "What... Where is she? That woman never leaves that house!"


    Then, Ilias felt it. It was a similar sensation to when Luka''s prayer reached her, but much more aggressive. Instead of a poke of Holy Magic, it was a shove.


    The Goddess flinched, unprepared for the startling feeling; however, she most definitely recognized whose energy it was. "So you''ve finally let loose once again, Daystar. But why?" Annoyingly enough, Ilias had a difficult time actually tracking down her former Seraph, the still active and aggressive storm inhibiting her normally impeccable sensing prowess.


    "No matter, I couldn''t be called a Goddess if I couldn''t do away with a little rain. This might just be a bit fun as well..." Ilias held both arms forward, calling upon an older spell of her''s that, much like Lucifina''s current form, hadn''t been seen for thousand years. Ilias spoke, her voice reverbing throughout the throne room with tremendous force.


    "Give thyne Goddess limitless sight, and bathe the World in Heaven''s Light!"


    The golden clouds on the bottom of Heaven began to part, sending the lower levels of Heaven into a frenzy as droves of Angels were awakened from their slumber by the action. ''Ah, perhaps a warning could''ve been dealt to my Angels...'' Ilias thought for a moment, before shrugging it off. ''Eh, Eden can handle that for me. This is far more important.''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina flew aimlessly amongst the storm, drifting through the dark clouds while effortlessly dodging any bolts of lightning that may strike through the air. Her mind was a mess, with her thoughts bouncing between Micaela''s words, killing Monsters, and what she was to do now. The awakened Seraph couldn''t sort through any of these conflicting feelings permeating her.


    ''Ever since I unsealed my powers, I haven''t been able to think straight! I should''ve prepared myself for this possibility. Now I am sure to lose myself soon...'' The darker part of the Mother''s mind began to bleed into her thoughts once more.


    ''Preparation for what, being able to make a difference in Luka''s life? Without our interference, our son would''ve been violated by a Monster right in the bed we had tucked him into. Why hold any shame for that?''


    The Seraph''s cold blue eyes hardened, glaring at nothing in particular. ''It is not protecting my son that is the problem, it is the bloodlust that is the problem. I cannot teach my son not to kill and then go mutilate Monsters! What good is my word if I cannot follow it myself?'' Lucifina trembled hard, the movement throwing off her nondescript flight path.


    ''Perhaps, then, that is the very problem here. Why teach him to be kind to Monsters if they do not deserve it? What if we have been wrong all this time in our beliefs? Ilias could''ve been right about the World this whole time.''


    Lucifina grabbed fistfuls of her own hair, pulling on them aggressively, "ENOUGH!"


    CRRRAAAACCKKK


    The darkened clouds around the Seraph started to swirl around her, rumbling heavily as they continued to cascade down rain and lightning. Lucifina''s breathing became heavy and erratic as she hovered in the middle of the storm. Lost as to what to do with herself now, Lucifina glanced everywhere around, trying to formulate some sort of plan for moving forward.


    ''I can''t go home, if Luka were to see me like this, to see how barbaric I can be... It would crush him. No, it''s better to stay away and trust that he will be safe with Micaela.'' But, just as the Seraph thought her Sister''s name, the Angel in question flew in with incredible speed through the clouds, stopping just meters away from the unstable Lucifina. The blood-soaked Seraph''s entire body flinched, somehow not noticing her elder Sister''s approach whatsoever.


    Micaela was much more properly dressed this time, clad in a bright green dress with golden trim. From her back were two enormous white wings, and a golden Halo rose above her head as well. Micaela was awakened, but not quite the same way as her younger sister. Lucifina could see her sister, but for whatever reason had issues sensing her power. Either way, the First Seraph looked determined.


    "Lucifina, I''m only going to ask you once to stop all of this now. I won''t have you throwing yourself to madness if there''s something I can do about it!" Micaela declared.


    Lucifina hovered stiffly, shocked by this new development but unwavering. "That is not important to me, Micaela. I only want Luka''s safety above all else." The elder Sister doubled down, anger in her sharp blue eyes. "If you wish for his safety then you and him both need to stay together. I have no qualms with taking him in, if need be, but I''m not his Mother, you are. How do you think he will feel with both parents gone from his life?"


    The younger Seraph felt herself lose steam, ''She''s right, isn''t she? Marcellus''s passing was hard enough for the boy, losing me too... it could devastate him.'' A battle raged inside of Lucifina, a storm of emotions rivaling the one that warred around her in the clouds. She turned her gaze downwards, eying her still blood-stained nightgown. ''But wouldn''t seeing me as I am now be just as bad as losing me?''


    Micaela peered at her sister, analyzing her expression. "...Lucifina, you never did answer my question before..." She paused, trying to approach the topic carefully. "... What caused you to unseal your powers?"


    Lucifina flinched, almost as if she had been slapped. "Luka," she breathed, a hard edge in her tone. "Something horrible happened to him, Sister. I couldn''t stop it until it was almost too late. Or at least, I hope it wasn''t..."


    Micaela floated closer, an errant strike of electricity flashing behind her. "What do you mean, I thought you said he was safe at the house?" Lucifina''s teeth gritted, "He is now. But I''m afraid that the damage may already been done."


    Micaela grabbed her sister''s arm, a grave look on her face as she eyed her bloodied Sister. The First Seraph pushed back a question as to whose blood it was to ask, "You must tell me what happened to him, Lucifina. There is no more reason for secrets."


    The Mother steeled herself, trying to ignore the wrathful thoughts bouncing around her head. "I... I-I..." She gulped, "...I found a Monster in Luka''s room, Micaela." A barely audible gasp came from the older Sister''s mouth, "No... Had, had the Monster...?"


    "Yes," A huge shudder wracked Lucifina''s body as she answered her Sister''s unasked question. "She hadn''t gotten that... far along, with him yet when I arrived. I''m just thankful he was still asleep..." Lucifina paused to calm herself, "...Once I got my hands on her, Micaela, I lost myself. I nearly tore that Monster apart, I w-would''ve too, I''m sure, if I was around it a second longer."


    The bloodied Angel''s eyes began to tear up, streams of sadness running down her face. Micaela grabbed her Sister into a tight hug, feeling the strength of Lucifina''s sobs as her body shook. "M-Micaela, I can h-hardly stand it! My precious s-son was being violated in my own home!"


    Micaela pulled her sister in tighter, "I''m... I''m sorry Sister, here, let''s just go back to Ilias Village. We''ll¨CWe''ll figure something out, I promise you."


    The moment of embrace was cut off, both Seraphs jumping out of each other''s arms due to their shock. They had both felt a massive release of Holy Magic erupting nearby. Lucifina, being the first to ascertain its location, gasped upon realizing that the wave of power came from the direction of Ilias Village.


    "LUKA!" Lucifina screamed, rocketing towards the source immediately, a visibly shaken up Micaela following close after.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka finished his prayer, dropping his small hands onto the bed covers in front of him. Undoubtedly, he had felt something transpire during his prayer. There was a certain warmth that had filled him when he prayed to Ilias, the only way to describe how he was feeling from it was to say he was glowing. But now that he was done, the purple-haired boy found himself a bit lost.


    Would Ilias answer him? Perhaps maybe the Goddess would send an Angel down to him even. Or maybe nothing would happen, and his effort would be all for naught. The thought caused the twelve-year-old to frown for if that was the case, what would he do? The others in Ilias Village kept him at arm''s length even on the best of days, so he didn''t know anyone to go to for help. If the Goddess of Light herself couldn''t help him...


    ...Then he may never see his Mother again.


    The mere thought caused Luka''s heart to nearly shatter and tears came to his pale-blue eyes. However, before the floodgates could break, something otherworldly occurred. From the bedroom window came a bright flash of golden Light, a Light that instantaneously filled the entire house with its spectacular glow. Then, as swiftly as it came, it was gone.


    A mixture of shock and awe marked Luka''s face as he gazed out the window, his despair melting away as curiosity took a hold. Luka slowly stood from his kneeling position to look for more signs of the large beam. He began to pace backward, eyes still peering out the window for any further sign of the light. ''Is this the Goddess herself trying to give me a sign?''


    Luka dashed out of the room, not bothering to close any of the doors he opened while he ran. In his mind, finding out if Ilias herself had truly heard his prayer was more important. Especially if it meant getting his Mother back.


    The small form of the purple-haired boy flew out of the front door and onto the front yard in a hurry, turning his head up to the dark sky above. A wayward haze of mist still falling all around, shimmering in the now-revealed Moon. That, however, was not the only thing glowing in the sky.


    "Wow..." The boy breathed, caught off guard by the sight ahead of him. Radiating brighter than anything else, more than the Moon and the innumerable stars, was the large collection of golden clouds known as the realm of Heaven. It was closer now to the Earth than it had been in thousands upon thousands of years.


    All of a sudden, the bright golden light erupted from the clouds once more but this time, it was pointed directly at him.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Ilias frustratingly searched around the area of Ilias Village but found that anytime she felt Heaven''s Light reach Lucifina''s signature, it vanished.


    ''This makes no sense; even if she was just teleporting all across the place, I shouldn''t be losing her this easy. Somehow, she''s evading my senses.'' Ilias snorted, frustration turning to anger as she realized that this search was quickly turning into a wild goose chase. With a wave of her hand, she shaded the Light.


    The Goddess gave a sigh, "Now what... I can''t just leave her flying around like that, a rouge Seraph could cause me significant issues. That, and I can''t leave Luka''s prayer unanswered now that he''s called upon my help. What kind of Goddess would I be if I betrayed my only Prophet''s first prayer?" Ilias pondered her problem while raising a hand to her chin.


    To leave Luka on Earth with his prayer seemingly unanswered would surely push her out of his good graces, which would be an egregious setback for her plans pertaining to the boy. But she couldn''t just chase Lucifina all across the Ilias Continent either. Such an undertaking would be much too undignified for a Goddess like herself to do.


    But how else was she supposed to isolate the Mother of her Prophet?


    It was when Ilias thought of Luka again, though, that a much more underhanded plan started to grow in her mind. With a sly grin on her face, the Goddess pointed Heaven''s Light back to Ilias Village, seeing the object of her plan standing perfectly outside for her. ''There you are, my Prophet. Time to flush your Mother out now. After all, I''m sure she''ll come running if her precious son were to be ascended from right underneath her...''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The two Seraphs had made it to the outskirts of Ilias Village, just in time to feel a colossal shift in the air take place. The dark clouds moved from their place in the sky as if they were violently shoved, careening them across the sky until they stopped with an unnatural suddenness. From the hole that had opened up came a piercing glare of golden Light, a Light the two Seraphs knew far too well.


    "What is Ilias doing?" Micaela wondered aloud, but Lucifina wasn''t paying attention to where the beam was coming from. She was locked on to what it was illuminating, or rather, who. Down below inside the giant spotlight of Heaven was her son, Luka. Lucifina felt her body freeze completely, her heart sinking into the deepest depths of despair. Something instinctually screamed at her, yelling at her to move.


    And so, with little debate, she did.


    Faintly Lucifina heard Micaela shout something as she shot down to her son, but she couldn''t hear that. Not now. Tears flew out of her eyes as the speed at which she flew began to physically hurt her, but the pain mattered little.


    Thump Thump


    Lucifina was barely aware of the fact that Micaela wasn''t too far behind, having finally seen what she had. Idly, she was aware of her heart pounding in her ears as she careened out of the sky.


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    Lucifina felt her body burning, but she pressed on despite how exhausted she felt. She was closing in, far past the storm clouds now as they seemed to shoot out bolt after bolt of lightning, each one cracking through the air with deafening roars. The blood-soaked Seraph was nearly hit by a few but she paid it little heed.


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    Luka turned to her, a look of confusion and shock on his face. Could he tell it was her? Probably not, with how fast she was going. Either way, she couldn''t have been far now; she could see the white of his eyes!


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    What she couldn''t see, though, was the guileful sneer on the face of Ilias up above as the Goddess already knew it was too late.


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    Thump Thump


    Thump-


    Luka vanished into the Light; he was gone.

 Year 12 AL, Receiving the Daystar

    The air was too still, too silent for what had just transpired. One would think that now would be the time for the storm to pour down its heaviest rain, to shake the ground itself with its thunder, to send out lightning that streaked across the entire night sky!


    But none of that happened.


    Even the wind died, causing the storm clouds to half-heartedly scatter across the sky. It seemed as if the hush that had enveloped the landscape was created by Ilias herself as an insult to Lucifina''s metaphorically ripped-open and bleeding injury in the form of her son, who had just been ripped away right in front of her very eyes.


    Almost to say: "Yes, clear your mind and think of the entire World you just lost."


    A mockery it was. No, a spit in her face! Lucifina knew better, she knew that eventually Ilias would grow interested in Luka. Now, for whatever reason the Goddess had for doing so, she decided to take him away to Heaven.


    Lucifina, still kneeling on the ground Luka had been moments before when she had all but crashed into it, wept bitter tears onto the grass and dirt below. ''First a Monster violates Luka, and now that bitch steals him from right in front of me!? No, no I can''t stand for that...'' Lucifina gripped the ground under her tightly, easily clawing out soil and grass. ''...I WON''T STAND FOR THAT!''


    Lucifina pushed herself to her feet in a hurry, barely noticing her older sister standing beside her as she stared up at the low hovering Heaven above. The closeness of the realm was just as much a tease as the dreaded silence, daring her to come and get her son back.


    Micaela''s gaze was hardened as moved to her Sister''s side, "I''m sure I know what you''re planning, Lucifina..."


    Lucifina never broke her haze from Heaven, her Angelic body shining bright like her sister''s. "I know it would be a lot to ask for your help, Micaela. If you don''t want to get involved, I understand..." She turned to her sister with a fire raging in her eyes, "...But I cannot stay here a moment longer while Ilias has Luka."


    Micaela met her sister''s gaze, her tone resolute. "I won''t allow you to fight this battle alone, sister. Whatever the outcome, I will fight alongside you."


    A small smile came onto Lucifina''s face after hearing her sister''s words. "Thank you..." She trailed off, the smile disappearing as she tensed her body before firing off the ground and into the air. Micaela quickly followed suit, the pair of Seraphs both soaring up towards Heaven.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka had his eyes closed tightly, the sheer amount of Light around him keeping the boy from being able to open his sensitive eyes. He was lying on his back, though the ground beneath him was oddly soft. It felt as if he was lying on a large, feathered quilt. The young boy sat up, trying to open his eyes again, but everything around him was much too bright.


    In time, Luka was slowly able to uncover his eyes and soon, he could glance around to get a sight of his surroundings. All around the purple-haired boy were heaping mounds of golden, fluffy cloud that seemed to stretch on forever. Reaching out carefully, Luka felt just how soft they were. As he inspected the golden fluff, a voice spoke to him.


    "I''m glad that my Heaven is to your liking so far, Luka." The voice could be described as nothing short of harmonious, almost as if a harpsichord was being played to the boy. Luka attempted to peer at where he had heard the voice coming from, gasping lightly when it rang out once more. "Here, child, let me help you see..." The purple-haired boy felt a hand gently cover the top of his head. "...Your Goddess."


    Almost immediately Luka felt his vision strengthen, the harsh Light of Heaven fading away and becoming less overbearing. However, no amount of preparation could help prepare him for who appeared before him.


    The woman had to be close to three meters tall, her form absolutely towering over the boy with ease. Nevertheless, despite the overwhelming size difference, the boy held no fear for the figure as she pulled back the hand that had been lying on his head. For he knew who this was, it was Ilias herself.


    The Goddess''s face was very soft-looking, a pleasant youthfulness radiating from her. The woman''s bright blue eyes struck him with their color and size, the orbs almost piercing in their gaze. Luka then noticed that behind her ridiculously long blond locks was a pair of massive white wings coming from her back.


    Ilias bent down in front of the boy, who felt himself blush upon reluctantly noticing that the pure white dress that the woman wore significantly helped in showing her endowment. Though this wasn''t something Luka tried to focus on and so, for the sake of respectfulness, he turned away his gaze.


    Misunderstanding Luka''s aversion for shyness, Ilias cupped his cheek with a hand, gentling guiding him to look up at her. "Do not look away, my child. Your Goddess wants for you to gaze upon her." At her urging, Luka looked back at her, focusing his gaze on her own. The Goddess''s blue eyes were striking, though were devoid of any menacing pressure. In fact, the boy could say that her eyes were very warm, disarmingly so.


    "There, much better." Ilias said, rising to full height once more. "I want you to feel welcome here, Luka."


    Ilias turned, walking up to the large throne behind her and sitting down on it. "What do you think of my Heaven?" The purple-haired boy glanced around the large room. At least, he thought it was large. Due to how it was made up of nothing but golden cloud, it was difficult to tell how big it really was.


    "I-It is quite lovely, b-but..." Luka paused to glance around, "...W-Where are all the A-Angels at?"


    Ilias laughed at the question, a very pleasing noise to the boy. "Well, Luka, this is the very top of Heaven itself. It is reserved only for me. The levels below are where the Angels would be at." Luka nodded to show his understanding, and then Ilias continued. "But enough about them; for now, I want to talk about you."


    Something about her cadence made him shiver, "M-Me?" he asked. The Goddess bowed her head, "Oh yes, you are a very special boy, Luka. Special to me, as well as all of Heaven."


    Luka frowned, a more important matter coming to the forefront of his mind. "B-But Ilias, my G-Goddess, I m-must ask you something..." Ilias''s smile stretched all across her face at the sound of Luka addressing her in such a way, the endearment causing her heart to flutter. "...H-Have you found my M-Mother yet?"


    The bright smile on Ilias''s face fell, the Goddess herself having dreaded the moment as she knew that the purple-haired boy would inevitably ask about Lucifina. "Yes... Come here, my child." Luka frowned at the Goddess''s heavy tone. He made for her marble throne, feeling nervous from the regretful look in her eyes.


    The Goddess bowed over deeply; her eyes leveled with his own as she placed a hand on his cheek. "This may be difficult for you to hear, Luka, but your Mother..." Ilias paused, resolving herself to the lie she was about to tell. "...She is no longer with us, I am afraid."


    Luka''s breathing hitched, a strange gasping noise coming from his throat. "Wh-Wha-..." The words caught in the boy''s throat for a second, but he was able to force it out. "...N-No, pl-please..." Luka trailed off, grabbing at the hand Ilias still had on his cheek. His heart knew what the Goddess meant, but his mind couldn''t accept it.


    Ilias shook her head slowly, feigning grief as she elaborated. "Your Mother, Lucifina, is dead." Luka fought to keep himself steady, his small hands moving from the Goddess''s hands latching to her arm in support as he felt his heart throb painfully. Ilias''s face shifted into a genuine sadness as Luka began to cry, a rare pang of remorse coursing through her.


    "I am sorry, my child." Ilias said, but the boy could barely hear her now. Luka nearly fell to his knees, unable to even hold himself up anymore. He felt as Ilias grabbed him from under his arms and Luka latched onto her back, burying himself in the only comfort he now had. The Goddess of Light felt Luka''s body shake aggressively as his wailing intensified, his tears wetting her white dress.


    The devastation Luka felt was crushing his poor heart. Losing his Father four years prior was still a pain he was having trouble coping with. Marcellus was the rock of the family, and his passing had left a void in the household that both himself and his Mother felt daily. But that void had now just doubled in size, leaving Luka all alone to bear its brunt.


    Truly, Luka now felt like he had nothing.


    Ilias gazed down upon the crying child, feeling in equal parts satisfied and upset at how her lie had affected Luka. It was a necessary deception though, for if he was to be her Prophet, then she needed to be the centerpiece of his life. Marcellus''s death had been an unexpected step in the right direction for this, and it was only natural that Lucifina would have to follow suit sooner or later...


    ...Which would lead to Luka only having his Goddess to turn to after these heinous tragedies.


    Ilias''s face twisted into an eerie smile as she gazed down at Luka, the boy''s crying starting to dwindle just a bit as the Goddess held him close to her chest. ''So quickly you seek comfort in me, that is very good. Hopefully, you''ll only go to me for support from now on.'' Ilias ran a hand through his hair, noticing something a bit odd. ''Huh, why does he smell like... flowers?''


    It was quite the nice smell, although it... stirred something strange in her chest. ''Perhaps that is his normal scent? I quite like it, actually.'' A certain type of warmth flowed through Ilias''s body, and she felt her cheeks start to redden from the sensation it gave her.


    Ilias hid her glee with a more sympathetic look as she gently pushed the boy away by his shoulders, although this was difficult due to her overwhelming desire to hold him even closer now. "H-How?" Luka asked bluntly through tear-filled eyes, "H-How did m-my M-Mother p-p-pass?"


    The Goddess of Light shook her head knowingly, "I''m sorry to say that your Mother perished at the hands of a Monster, Luka. It was a tragic thing, but do not worry. I made sure personally that your Mother passed on with ease. She is in a better place now."


    Luka grimaced, a dark thought entering his brain. ''A Monster... Could it have been the same one I encountered in town?'' The grimace disappeared from Luka''s face as he quickly shook the "illogical" thought away. ''No, that was a dream. I''m certain of it.'' Despite seemingly making up his mind, the purple-haired boy''s frown deepened as his confusion worsened. But before he could think about asking Ilias about clarification, he felt a hand under his chin.


    His somewhat puffy eyes rose to meet Ilias''s tender and loving gaze.


    "Luka, do not lament this. Your Mother''s passing upsets even me, but there is more you can do than just mourn." The blonde-haired Goddess waved her hand, and in an instant, a large portal opened up in the ground. Luka turned to view what she had done, sharply taking in a breath as he did. The sight he was allowed to see was somewhat impossible for him to comprehend.


    Before him, in the clouds, was an image of the entirety of the World. The Ilias Continent, Sentora, and Hellgondo were all visible to him. It was an amazing sight to the boy who had only seen the continents before in sketches.


    Ilias watched with soft eyes as the boy gawked at the sight, though her smile disappeared as she began to sense a disturbing amount of power being gathered outside of the borders of Heaven. ''Very rude to cut into my time with My Prophet, Lucifina...'' Ilias sighed, before reaching out with her mind to her Second in Command, Eden.


    "Eden, if you cannot already tell, we are expecting company soon in Heaven. Clear out the lower levels, I do not wish for a second Angel Killer incident to occur. Await in your Garden for further instruction."


    The Goddess of Light, satisfied with her order, moved on to more important matters. "Tell me, Luka, do you know of the Great Monster Wars?"


    The boy tilted his head at the question, caught off guard by the inquiry. "My Moth-..." Luka became a bit chocked up, having to take a few moments to shove down a wave of despair welling up inside. "...M-M-Mother never s-spoke about it, but I h-had seen books about it in th-the library. My Father once t-told me it was a large and h-horrible war that happened a long time ago."


    Ilias hummed, "Yes, that is true. It was a war between my Angels and the Monsters. Though to say that it was bloody would be too cordial." Luka turned to Ilias, finding her gaze locked on the Continents below, something swimming in her eyes that he couldn''t quite identify. It seemed angry, yet sad at the same time.


    "Great loss came from that, terrible loss. Truthfully, Humanity itself was nearly lost completely due to the fighting. There was a point in which there were ten times more Angels than Humans, and easily over a dozen times more Monsters..." The Goddess of Light shook her head, "The fighting had brought so many casualties, that Humanity almost became extinct, Luka. Even now, the affects still run deep on My World."


    Luka somberly watched on, not sure what to say about all of the information he was being told.


    Ilias continued, "The end of the war was a blessing, but the times after haven''t exactly been peaceful, either. Tensions are still high, and fighting is still prevalent." Luka looked down at Earth again, watching the continents and imagining all the pain that was occurring right at that moment. "Is there nothing that can be done to stop it?" He asked, a great sorrow in his voice.


    A satisfied smile grew on Ilias''s face, ''Oh, there is now...'' The Goddess thought as she leaned down, grasping the boy by the shoulder and slowly turning him towards her. She placed a hand on either side of his face, bringing him close to her own face in order to gain his undivided attention. "You can help stop it."


    The boy gawked at the Goddess, "M-Me? H-How could I do th-that?"


    The Goddess of Light pulled away some, allowing the boy breathing room while she began to sow the seeds for her Prophet. "I said you were special, and I meant it. I''ve seen it for a long time, you were meant for greatness, to help liberate this World from evil." The air was still, for a long moment all Luka could even register was his own breathing and the intense eyes of the Goddess looking down upon him. "But how? What can I-I do?"


    Ilias chuckled at Luka''s disbelief, "You will know in all due time..." She placed a hand on his head, conjuring a spell as she did. In moments, Luka''s eyelids began to feel very heavy. "...All in due time, My Prophet."


    Luka began to collapse from a sudden onset of exhaustion that hit him, falling into his Goddess''s awaiting arms.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Breathe in.


    "Blood."


    Lucifina hated this. The power surged through her, the glow coming off her body as the air around her shifted and changed. She hated all of it. She had abandoned it so long ago, she had cleansed herself of its barbaric nature, she had rid herself of the strength that had only the capacity to brutalize and kill. It wasn''t what she had wanted, at least, not anymore...


    Breathe out.


    "Pain."


    ...After falling from Heaven, Lucifina had lived among Humans as something of a hermit. She traveled from village to village with little aim in her destination other than to meet people, to talk to people. She even talked to some friendly Monsters from time to time, slowly strengthening her beliefs that Ilias was wrong about the World. However, the Seraph was still terribly lost. She had no Goddess, no Heaven, no fellow Angels. She was truly, for the first time ever, alone...


    Exhale.


    "Heads roll."


    ...Then she met a young, troubled man named Marcellus. The purple-haired man was strikingly handsome and was endlessly charismatic, it had always struck her how much he could make her laugh. She had never laughed before then unless it was the adrenaline-fueled cackling she would utter while cutting down Monsters by the dozens during her time in the Monster Wars...


    Expel.


    "Heads fall."


    ...But the feeling of happiness the man gave her had been more precious to her than anything she had received under Ilias''s rule. The man was complicated, as she soon found, when certain activities he partook in with a group known as Ilias Kreuz came to light. However, Lucifina didn''t leave him even after finding out his radical views because he had reminded her of herself. A lost soul, looking to drown themselves in pain...


    ...When Lucifina finally got the lost Hero to break down, to tell her of everything, she had a breakthrough with him. Oddly enough, knowing that Marcellus had been just as misguided drew her closer to him. After all, taking into account her towering body count, she could not judge the man for his wrongdoings. The blood on her hands far superseded his. Eventually, she helped to heal his heart of anger and sadness, and in return, he had stolen hers...


    "I am the Star of Mourning, the Child of Dawn cascaded into the Dark."


    ...Then, after getting married and having a stretch of what some might define as too much fun, they settled down and had Luka. And was it worth it, for she fell in love with that boy the moment he was born. First seeing him had brought the single greatest feeling of joy the Seraph had ever known. It felt as if a Light a hundred, no, a thousand times brighter than Heaven''s was shining just for her.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    So much so that since then, Lucifina had been convinced since that day that she gave birth to the most perfect and precious child in existence.


    "The Star thrown to Earth, now aimed to Heaven, will obtain Vengeance!"


    Marcellus''s passing had torn apart her heart but having her son with her helped to heal the wounds. The scars still remained, but she could bear that burden as long as she had her son. However, now that last savior of her now fragile heart, the only Light she had left in her life, was being threatened by the Goddess she had turned away from.


    But as long as she was still breathing, Lucifina would not accept that loss. She would accept having Luka taken away without a fight, even if the Seraph went down like the shooting star she was, burning all the way down.


    Lucifina didn''t know when the sword manifested in her hands.


    The golden hilt had not been before, that was for sure. While staring at herself in the silver blade, she concluded that it didn''t matter. Now, all she felt was rage and sorrow as she glared at the image of herself in the sword''s blade.


    Taking this form was breaking a promise. Not a promise she made to herself out of regret for her actions, not a promise made out of spite towards Ilias. No, it had been a promise of love for her Husband and her son, a promise to never betray them in reverting to what she once was. To never being the Daystar ever again.


    And she had fucking shattered that promise into innumerable pieces.


    "Receive the Daystar!"


    Lucifina raised the sword high above her head, seething as she did, taking aim at Heaven above. A bright blue light radiated off her person, engulfing her form until she was completely unseen. Brighter and brighter she became, turning into the brightest star in the night sky. It almost looked as if it was daytime. That is until she swung downwards.


    Then, the bottom of Heaven was torn open.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    There are few appropriate ways to describe the ferocity of such an attack. Daystar hadn''t been seen in hundreds of years, and that was for the best. To call it devastating was something of a simplification. To truly capture its essence, one would have to imagine how being hit by an attack just a couple steps below a small supernova would feel like. In short, most would instantly die from such a thing.


    Daystar was not an attack Lucifina used to submit opponents. It was one she used to lay ruin to them. Any Monster strong enough to live from a direct hit should then be completely helpless if a follow-up attack were to take place. Its sheer pressure was enough to crush cities, to level entire countrysides.


    If Ilias wished for a cesspool of Monster to be eviscerated, she would send Lucifina and then the Goddess would never hear of them again. So, with an attack like that right at the helm of Heaven, one would think that Ilias would react immediately to the oncoming strike.


    However, none came. And this is what worried Micaela the most. As Ilias''s first daughter, her very first creation, she was confident that she knew the Goddess better than anyone else in existence. It was well within the Goddess''s power to stop the attack if she wanted, although she rarely would personally step foot into something like this. But Micaela knew that at the very least, Ilias could send Eden out to counter Lucifina''s attack. But instead, the Goddess allowed the strike to happen.


    Micaela watched as a gigantic gash opened up in the belly of Heaven. The clouds easily split, allowing the two Seraphs entry without needing to bypass Heaven''s Gate, a formidable Angel in her own right. Lucifina flew quickly into the opening; Micaela, however, followed with trepidation. ''It should''ve never been this easy, if Ilias wanted us out then we would''ve had to fight for it. But there wasn''t even an attempt to stop us...''


    Even still, Micaela flew right behind her sister.


    Strangely enough, the two would find Heaven utterly devoid of any defenses. Up and up they went, flying through each level of Heaven with quite literally no resistance. "Lucifina," Micaela called, "This seems a bit too easy, does it not?"


    Lucifina did not look back but agreed to the sentiment. "It does, I am not sure what Ilias''s plan is here."


    Micaela frowned, unsure of what the Goddess had planned. ''Does she simply plan on dealing with this by herself? That would be a surprise, Ilias has never liked getting her hands dirty.'' Quickly, the two reached the Level of Heaven right below Ilias''s throne room: The home of the last Great Seraphim, or rather, the last loyal Seraphim.


    Entering the Garden again was a strange sensation. Micaela never believed that she''d ever come back here and was sure that Lucifina thought likewise. The lush shrubbery and neatly trimmed trees were indications of Eden''s handiwork. A curious thought entered Lucifina''s mind as she gazed around at the greenery, ''I wonder if this is where Luka gets his gardening skills from...''


    As interesting an idea as it was to ponder, she didn''t get much time to think on it as the Angel responsible for the upkeep of the Seraphim realm was near. The two Sisters happened upon a very familiar figure. The Third Seraph''s back was facing the two, her head was bowed as she kneeled on a lone rock jutting from a large pond that lay in the very of center the Garden.


    Surprisingly, despite her kneeling, Eden was not praying. Her hands were on her thighs, and her eyes were tightly shut in concentration. The water around her was at unrest, rippling waves drifting away from the Seraph. She huffed, her multiple wings flickering slightly as she stood up from her kneeling position.


    She turned, deliberately stopping midway in her to gaze out into the garden. "Hmm, I knew you were coming, Lucifina, but Micaela is a surprise." The two ex-Seraphs stood silent as Eden''s solemn eyes drifted aimlessly. "I never wanted it to be this way, you know..." She started, her voice empty of its usual energy. "...You two leaving Heaven really had crushed me at first. I had learned to go on despite it after a while, but..."


    Eden gazed at her older sisters, "...I always wondered if maybe I could''ve done something different. Perhaps it was something I could''ve said or maybe I simply should''ve prayed harder, though it probably wouldn''t have mattered either way." Eden''s fists balled up as she brought them up to waist height. "Please, if you couldn''t listen to me before, do it now for I fear this is our last chance."


    The sage-haired Seraph stepped to the edge of her rock, both hands held out to her Fallen sisters, pleading with them both. "We don''t need to fight over this. If you two repent now, then all will be forgiven. Please," she said, an edge to her voice now, "I can promise you that I will plead your case to the Goddess myself if I must!"


    Eden''s plea, while genuine, fell on deaf ears.


    Lucifina stepped forward, anger in her eyes, "I have no interest in rejoining Ilias, Sister. Especially not when she has stolen my child away from me!" Eden flinched at the retort but was unable to answer as Micaela followed up, "Indeed, such a thing is impossible at this point. We no longer see the World the way Ilias does, her ways are as evil to us as ours are surely evil to her."


    The last loyal Seraph leveled a sorrowful glare at her sisters, "If that is how you wish it to be, Sisters..." From the air around her, Eden conjured up a weapon hadn''t used in a long time. It was a long metal spear, its long golden tip shimmering in the light around as she manifested it from the energy of Heaven itself. She took a stance, aiming the pike towards her sisters.


    "...But first, a quick pre-battle prayer." Eden put her weapon to the side, leaving it to hover there as she muttered into her hands. Lucifina took a slight turn towards her sister behind her, whispering to her "Micaela, I have to request something of you, though you may not like the idea."


    Her older sister replied without taking her eyes off Eden, "What is it?" Lucifina shuffled in place, nervous energy riddling her body. "Can you take on Eden by yourself while I go on ahead?"


    The hushed question caused the First Seraph to break her gaze off of Eden to staunchly glare at her younger Sister. "What!? Do you plan on fighting Ilias yourself!?"


    Lucifina met a confused look of Micaela with one of unease. "I know it sounds idiotic, but I can''t let Luka stay up there with her for another moment. I just can''t." The golden-brown-haired Seraph shook her head as she continued, "I can sense my son up there with Ilias. I-I don''t know what she''s doing with him, but I can''t bear one more second being apart from him. I''ve already failed him once, I must not do so again!"


    Micaela bit the inside of her mouth, still unsure if it would be wise. "I can handle Eden, I''m sure, but even when fighting together, our chances of beating Ilias would still be slim to none. This is something I had accepted when I came here with you."


    Lucifina offered a sad smile to her sister, "And for that, I am thankful, as after you defeat Eden, I want you to leave here with Luka."


    The eldest Seraph gave an incredulous look to her Sister, who continued before Micaela could retort. "Listen, I know how you feel already. But there''s no way we are all getting out of here together. However, if Eden didn''t know you were here, then there is a good chance Ilias doesn''t either. So, you''re the only one who could get out of here with my son, as I can''t even attempt to mask my powers right now."


    Micaela considered what her sister said, ''She isn''t wrong. Eden has always been the greatest sensor out of us all, Ilias always would always use her first to track down our enemies in the past. Out of the two, I''d be more likely to escape if needed...'' Micaela''s thoughts were cut off by her younger sister''s pleading.


    "I implore you, Micaela. Do whatever it is you need to do to get my son out of here, that is my final wish..." Lucifina''s eyes bore into her Sister''s, a look more desperate than ever before in her gaze. Micaela tried to think of any other solution, but they were already low on options as it was. If the goal was to get Luka away from Ilias, then there wasn''t any other option than one of them staying behind and facing the consequences.


    The potentially fatal consequences.


    Micaela steeled her face, dreading what was to come but ready, nonetheless. She nodded to her younger sister, "I promise you; Luka will be safe under my watch." Lucifina smiled, "I know he will..." The bloodied Fallen Angel grabbed her Sister into a tight hug, more likely than not the last one they would be able to share. "...I love you, Micaela."


    The older sister felt Lucifina bury her face in her shoulder, said shoulder quickly becoming wet from the tears that were falling from her eyes. "I love you as well, Lucifina." They released without another word and Lucifina shot up into Ilias''s throne room.


    The action created a small boom, which startled the concentrated Eden from her praying. "Wha... H-Hey!" Eden reached out a hand to the ceiling of cloud, "I hadn''t finished my prayers-"


    "-Enough." The firm voice of Micaela brought the flabbergasted Eden to attention quickly, an instinctual response from centuries of hearing her older Sister''s commanding tone. "Your battle is with me alone, Eden. Lucifina is now no longer your concern."


    Micaela quickly straightened out an arm, summoning a spear of her own. Although this one seemed to be made of pure energy, as opposed to Eden''s metal pike. She spun it around with one hand, ending the rotation by pointing it at her opponent. "I''ll give you a reminder as to why I am the First Great Seraph in more than just name..."


    Eden scowled, grabbing her own weapon. "There is only one Great Seraph now, and she stands before you!" Micaela''s face stayed stoic, unaffected by the slight as she whispered a cold rebuttal.


    "...Not for long."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina burst through the floor of Ilias''s throne room, scattering golden clouds every which way with ferocious intensity. She hovered high in the air for a moment, scanning the room with wide-open eyes. It didn''t take her long to find what she was looking for.


    Just a couple meters away was Ilias sitting on her throne, holding the now sleeping form of Luka. The Goddess of Light paid Lucifina no attention at first, simply continuing to caress the peaceful sleeping face of her Second Daughter''s son.


    Ilias had him cradled in her arms, a strangely loving expression on her face as she stared down at him. "Such a beautiful child he is, I couldn''t imagine parting with someone so perfect..." Lucifina felt her blood start to boil as Ilias gently brushed an errant strand of purple hair from Luka''s face.


    "...Of course, I suppose some know no other instinct but to abandon everything at a moment''s notice when things start to go against what they want." Ilias faced Lucifina with a smug grin, "Isn''t that right, my Daughter?"


    Lucifina snapped at the insult, "Hold your tongue, you understand nothing about me or what I do! You only know your own desires."


    Ilias scoffed, a doubtful look plastered on her face as she stood from her throne, descending down its steps without haste. Lucifina scowled at how close her Mother was holding Luka, the tease of it all making the Fallen Seraph seethe.


    "You are my Second Daughter, are you truly under the belief that I''d have nary a clue as to how, you, work!?" Ilias shook her head, annoyance in her voice. "Tell me, it was a Monster, that caused you to change, wasn''t it?" Lucifina eyed Ilias warily while the Goddess gently placed her sleeping son down on a tuff of cloud, depositing him down with utmost care while she did.


    It would be a touching sight, if it were any other situation.


    Ilias turned towards the boy''s Mother. "I''m no fool, Lucifina. I know enough by now that if you have gone hundreds of years without using your powers, then you must have had a good reason for finally unsealing them. And..." The Goddess aimed a pointed look at Lucifina''s blood-covered nightgown, "...It seems to me as if you found a reason. Or rather, the reason found your son." Ilias turned to gaze solemnly at Luka, her arms crossed and meeting above her waist.


    "Succubi steal men away in the dead of the night, Harpies steal away children to ensure that their nests will have men for the future, Lamias will latch onto men they want and damned be anyone who tries to interfere with what they want, even if he is already married! Lucifina, you know all of this by heart, dare I go on!?" Ilias asked, her outrage echoing throughout her throne room.


    The Seraph in question stood still, unshaken by Ilias''s outburst. "I am not here to debate viewpoints with you, I am only here for my son."


    The Goddess of Light fixed a disappointed look at Lucifina. "As am I..." She whispered while striding towards the Daystar. "...Unlike you, I know how a vulnerable boy like him can become just another victim. However, that will not be the case for long. In fact, I think Luka will do well with assisting me in ending this Monster problem once and for all."


    Lucifina''s face contorted into a look of confusion, "What do you..." The confusion quickly changed to that of indignation, "...You had better not think of having him as one of your Heroes!" Lucifina raised her sword to the Goddess, "I will not allow you to turn him into one of your pawns!"


    Ilias chuckled before shaking her head. "Oh no, "pawn" is too expendable a term for your precious son here. I''ll be having him known the World over in a much more fitting title: Ilias''s Prophet." The Second Seraph snorted in contempt, "You''ll be having him in no such way, I''ll see to that!"


    The Goddess of Light pointedly gazed at her daughter, her eyes plagued by disappointment. "I wish that it hadn''t come to this, you were precious to me for so long. Though I suppose, when he is ready, Luka will fill that void and then some."


    Ilias turned to the aforementioned boy, who was sleeping unaware of the everything going on around him. "Speaking of..." Ilias approached Luka, putting a hand to his forehead. "...I do not desire to have him leave so quickly, but things will get much too bloody for a child to safely be around." Upon being touched on his head, Luka vanished.


    Lucifina snapped at the Goddess, "What did you do, where''s Luka at now!?"


    Ilias spun around to face her former Seraph. "Safely away from you, sleeping as peacefully as the day he was born. Knowing that is the final courtesy I will afford you before you fall at my hand." Lucifina grabbed a hold of her sword with tight fists, "We''ll see about that, for you know I will fight to my very last breath."


    Ilias held an arm out, a massive golden pike materializing in her hand.


    The Goddess of Light gripped it tightly, "Oh I understand your bottomless naivety quite well. Fight, if the pointless struggle will make you feel any better..." Ilias turned up her nose at her Former Daughter, a smug smile forming on her lips as she watched Lucifina''s body shake, the energy in the room becoming unstable. "...And worry not, I''ll take good care of Luka when you''re gone."


    Lucifina, having heard enough, charged the Goddess head-on. Gone was the kindness of Mother and Wife, now all that was there was the rage of The Daystar.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Far away from Ilias Village, quite literally across the entire known World, was the continent of Hellgondo. It was the smallest of the three continents, but the mountain range that stretched the entire shoreline more than made up for it. The sheer height of these mountains, some may even say the tallest in the World, made up for this due to their daunting nature.


    The thick fog that rolled off this shoreline made its foreboding mysticism doubly so. Standing tall in the northernmost region of the bowl-like island was the enormous Monster Lord Castle. This gothic-styled fortress was the antithesis of Ilias''s Heaven. Whereas Heaven was ethereal, bright, and majestic, the Monster Lord Castle was tangible, dark, and lowly.


    Atop one of the numerous spiral towers was a large balcony. On this balcony was a bizarre-looking Monster. Her body was quite small, perhaps no larger than that of a preteen child. To assume that this meant that she was a weak creature, however, would be a terrible mistake. Her nine golden fox tails ebbed and flowed like waves behind her back, the Monster''s golden fur glittering in the moonlight.


    Just as striking were the pair of large emerald eyes that may as well be glowing with how bright they were. Atop her head, alongside her mane of golden hair, were two large fox ears. Right below the left ear was a cute little red ribbon tied right into her hair. The Kitsune''s attire was that of a white and purple kimono that seemed to be a bit too big for her body, as the collar practically fell from her shoulders, exposing an odd red tattoo-like seal on her collarbone.


    This Kitsune was none other than the infamous Tamamo no Mae. Not only was she one of the most formidable Monsters of them all, but she was also the one who had mentored previous Monster Lords for hundreds upon hundreds of years, ever since the end of Alipheese Fateburn the Eighth''s reign.


    Tamamo stood at the edge of the balcony, her emerald eyes fixed upon the southern horizon towards the Sentora and Ilias continents. The reason at first was due to her curiosity about the enormous storm system that had been raging for most of the night.


    But now, she knew there was much more to it than just that.


    Earlier, she had faintly felt a shockwave of Holy Magic hit her as the storm began to worsen. That paled in comparison to the quickening strikes of at least Seraph-level power flowing through the air. To make matters even more interesting, the Kitsune could now make out small peeks of gold in the holes of the storm, which could only mean one thing.


    Heaven has descended.


    As interesting as this was, though, it was also somewhat worrying. The Kitsune had to wonder why Ilias would ever resort to doing such a thing. ''The last time she had to do this was at the end of the Great Monster Wars, and that nearly threw the planet into ruin.'' However, judging the fact that not nearly as much power was being generated here as it was one thousand years ago, Tamamo had no worries over the planet''s potential destruction.


    However, this only made matters more complicated. ''Why, then, would Heaven be this close? I can''t imagine that there are many things that could makes Ilias bring Heaven down to Earth.''


    Tamamo watched on as the waves of power kept rising and falling, her face was set in a look of puzzlement as what seemed to be a battle raged on far in the distance. Truly, the Queen of the Kitsunes could probably get to the scene in time to assess the situation and get back at a good time, but that would be a good amount of effort and energy being used on her part. ''Eh, either way it''ll get back to me eventually, no sense to rush for knowledge.''


    Even still, the ancient Monster observed the show, a gnawing sense of curiosity at the back of her mind.


    The Kitsune quickly removed a hand fan from her kimono, prodding the closed end into her own chin in thought, a habit she had developed sometime over the very long time she had been alive. ''Though I do wonder what''s got Ilias''s panties in a wad this time...''


    Tamamo turned away from the somewhat chaotic scene in the distance, deciding to carry on inside the castle. She sauntered down the large and somewhat dilapidated halls with only one destination in mind: The bedroom of the current Monster Lord, Alipheese Fateburn the Sixteenth. Tamamo came up to the sizable wooden door and gently rapped her knuckles against the door. As the Kitsune had figured, the knocking goes unanswered. With a small huff of annoyance, the Nine-Tailed fox wrenched open the door to peer into the bedroom of the Monster Lord.


    And of course, she was still asleep.


    Tamamo rolled her eyes, knowing that only this child could possibly sleep through such disturbances. The golden Kitsune snuck into the room, closing the door behind her with a tail. Nearing the large bed, the fox was able to get a better look at the adolescent Monster Lord. The small Monster was burrowed in a nest of silk sheets that didn''t actually cover her body but merely surrounded her like a barrier.


    The young Monster''s long red snake-like tail was interestingly coiled around a large body pillow, the item being somewhat tightly squeezed as it was held close to her petite body. If it was any other Monster Lord, they would''ve easily sensed the Angelic magic pulsating in the air and had awakened long before now. Tamamo snickered into her hand, ''I swear, she can sleep through a hurricane as long as she''s got herself snaked around something.''


    The Golden Kitsune''s humorous moment was quickly snuffed, though, by what she saw. The lavender face of the adolescent Monster Lord, framed by her waist-long white hair, was contorted in a deep frown while she slept. Tamamo bit her lip, upset at the sight of the upset child. It wasn''t a surprising discovery, but the fact that it was so common a sight made it all the worse.


    ''The only thing I can do is guide her and hope for the best...'' The Kitsune glowered, ''...Too many times I''ve had to cultivate one of Alipheese''s lineage, just to watch them be cruelly cut down all the same. This time will be different, it has to be.'' Tamamo turned away to leave, brooding to herself as she did so.


    "I won''t let you die in vain like all the others; this I promise to you, Alice."

 Year 12 AL, Snuffing out the Daystar

    Long before Lucifina''s sword crossed with the golden spear of Ilias, the Seraph had understood that her fight was futile. Even with the unbalanced and chaotic thoughts warring in her mind, she had clearly analyzed the situation at hand.


    Lucifina had always been the undisputed second strongest being in Heaven, just a step below Micaela in strength despite Lucifina''s infamy on the battlefield being higher than her older sister''s. Simply put, Micaela was the strongest Angel, while Lucifina was the most dangerous. However, this scale of strength in Heaven was superseded by one person in particular:


    The Goddess of Light herself, Ilias.


    The reason for this was simple: Ilias was on another level of power entirely. It would be like comparing the strength of an Asteroid versus the power of the Sun. Nothing can be taken away from the Asteroid''s formidable capacity for destruction, but the Sun could do hundreds of times more damage with little to no effort. The gap between levels was just too large.


    Even still, Lucifina didn''t hesitate to keep pushing as if she did have a chance.


    The Seraph swung wildly, abandoning any actual technique and opting to overwhelm Ilias. The Goddess parried away every swing, a look of dissatisfaction plaguing her face. Thus far, The Goddess hadn''t even attempted to actually strike back. "I do hope that after all of your talk, you have something more planned than just attacking me over and over again like an enraged child, Lucifina."


    The Seraph in question grits her teeth in frustration, finding herself agreeing with Ilias''s criticism. ''My powers are restored, but I haven''t used them for hundreds upon hundreds of years. To say that I''m rusty would be a tame way of putting it.'' The blood-coated Mother zig-zagged her way to Ilias, hoping to catch her off guard.


    Lucifina stopped on her left foot sharply, kicking off of it with great speed to deliver a backhand swing to Ilias''s right side. The Goddess, however, twisted her spear upwards and cut off the umpteenth attack from her ex-Daughter. "I would''ve thought that your last stand would be more dignified, Daughter. You haven''t even scratched the surface of what I can do, yet you already seem out of ideas!" Ilias mocked, her face looking somewhat bored.


    Lucifina fought to keep herself from losing her temper, stopping herself from blindly charging the Goddess once more. ''I need something different, just rushing her won''t work.'' Lucifina mulled over her options; she wasn''t going to overpower the Goddess at this point, so she needed to take an indirect approach.


    The Second Seraph eyed Ilias''s stance, the Goddess in question was almost lazily holding her golden spear with just one hand. The pike hung from her grip loosely, a technique reserved only for those who don''t know what they''re doing or those who believe they know far too much to actually try. ''It''s a stretch, but considering the fact that Ilias never has had any real fights, I''m sure she''d be holding that with no real fear of being disarmed.'' Lucifina thought, a shaky game plan now in mind.


    Lucifina flew towards Ilias, charging at her in the same fashion she had been previously. The Goddess''s unamused eyes watched the Seraph flew towards her, uncaring for the attack that would otherwise frighten any other opponent. When Ilias raised her weapon in preparation, she was caught off guard by her Daughter''s change in approach. In the last moments of the Seraph''s backhanded swing, she angled the sword down, running it downwards along the shaft of the spear.


    Right towards the startled Goddess''s right hand.


    Ilias let out a shocked cry as Lucifina''s sword cut deeply into the top of her pale hand, the pain causing forcing her to drop her spear in the process. Lucifina''s sword cut down into bone and splattered blood all over Ilias and herself. It only lodged halfway into her hand as Lucifina''s swing hadn''t enough power to cut right through. Ilias wailed as she raised her other hand and smashed a fist in the Seraph''s face, flinching but not stopping Lucifina.


    The Seraph pulled back her sword, the slicing sound of metal leaving flesh filling the air as she reared back the sword and swung again at Ilias. The Goddess lunged back to dodge the follow-up attack, summoning her spear to her unharmed left hand on the way back. Ilias gritted her teeth, pulling the spear back across to her right side and swinging it to the left, catching Lucifina in the ribs with a backhanded strike.


    The actual blade of the spear did not cut the Seraph, but the pole smacked into her body with terrifying force and sent her flying away and skimming along the clouded floor. Tuffs of cloud flew every which way as Lucifina eventually fought to a stop. The Seraph made to stand straight but faltered and fell to a knee.


    Lucifina grasped her left side''s ribs with a hand, grimacing as she felt what was no doubt shattered bone underneath the skin. ''Just one hit was that bad... I hope Micaela is faring better than I am.'' Lucifina watched as Ilias raised her bloody hand, rage in her eyes as her wound closed up in an instant. The hand, still covered in the blood from the initial cut, clenched tightly as the Goddess glared at the wound. "You little rat, I''m through humoring this pathetic display."


    The Goddess of Light turned towards her Second Daughter, readying her golden spear. "If you have any final prayers, say them now..." Ilias lowered her gaze, her glowing blue eyes coldly leering at Lucifina. "...Just know that I won''t be answering them."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Below in the Level of Seraphim, the Garden''s namesake was the one having trouble with her interloper. As opposed to the battle raging on above, Micaela and Eden were more evenly matched. However, the edge for this one was in Micaela''s favor.


    The two dueled with their spears, each getting in small blows on the other here and there, but it was becoming quickly evident who had the overall better battle knowledge as the fight drew on. Eden had the edge in power due to Micaela still putting in effort to mask her presence from Ilias.


    However, Micaela by far had more experience as Eden was much less involved in battle, even in the Monster Wars. Because of that, Eden had a tendency to overextended and hesitate. So, every time she did...


    Slash


    ...Micaela punished her for it.


    Eden growled as she clutched the side of her now bleeding face with a hand, smearing blood in the process. The sage-haired Seraph thrust the pint of her spear toward Micaela''s guts, causing the Fallen Seraph to jump from the slab of stone they had been fighting on. Eden watched as her eldest sister took a stance on the adjacent shoreline, readying her spear for the next exchange.


    Eden looked over her sister who, excluding an errant cut on her right shoulder, was practically unharmed.


    The Seraph of the Garden, however, now had a fresh cut on her left cheek, various bruises on her body, and a large gash on her left thigh. ''Damnit, even now I''m not good enough to take her on! As much as I abhor the very thought, I may need to use my true form just to get an edge on Micaela.''


    Eden shudders just from the mere memory. She used her true form very sparingly in her life and did so with absolute disdain. To her, it was a truly ugly metamorphosis, even if it was one that Ilias had created for her to use specifically. It gave the Third Seraph a great boost in power but made her appear even more vile than most Monsters.


    Hell, it was lewder looking than most Monsters! But it would give her a significant advantage...


    "Hesitant to go on, Sister? You are always welcome to turn around and walk away if that is what you want." Eden sneered at Micaela''s remark, holding her nose up at her older Sister while giving her reply. "I am not hesitating, and I am not your Sister, not anymore. You mock me now, but when this over I will be victorious, Ilias willing."


    Micaela''s tone grew somewhat softer, the intensity of her eyes wavering just a bit. "If only you''d listen to reason. I understand that it is difficult to shake Ilias''s dogma, but can you not even consider that what she is doing here is wrong? She kidnapped a child, Eden. Your Sister''s child, and your nephew by extension. Does that not in any way bother you?"


    The sage-haired Seraph squinted at Micaela, "The Goddess''s guidance is greater than all others, Luka is better off without Lucifina, if that is what Ilias wills."


    Micaela narrowed her blue eyes at Eden, "You are truly a fool if you believe that! He has already lost his Father, is that not enough? Why add to that pain by taking even more from him?" Eden laughed, smugness radiating off of her form. "To be closer to the Goddess is not taking away from him. In fact, it only gives him much more than what he had. Surely, he will grow up thankful to be raised alongside Ilias''s divinity, rather than the pathetic sinfulness of his so-called parents!"


    Micaela bristled, her face burning in anger. The First Seraph marched up to the edge of the shoreline, where the water began to propel away in waves in response to her flaring power. "Halt your tongue, Eden. To speak so disrespectfully about Lucifina and Marcellus, you should be ashamed of yourself!"


    Eden merely smirked at her sister''s words. She grasped her spear with two hands, bringing it in close while she stared up to where her ex-sister and the Goddess were battling. "Oh Micaela, how I wish you and Lucifina could see the truth as I do. At the very least, Luka will be guided to the light. And with him as our Prophet, the world will finally be saved from the scourge of Monsters!"


    Eden''s eyes practically shimmered with a sick and twisted glee. Micaela, meanwhile, watched her younger Sister rant and ramble with disgust.


    "Ilias intends to use Luka in her pointless Holy War against Monsters? That is what this is about!?" Eden blanked, becoming nervous at her oversharing, "Umm..." Eden grimaced at having revealed Ilias''s plans so easily. "...Perhaps I''ve said too much..."


    Micaela propelled off the shoreline, launching water into the air with her speed. Catching Eden off guard with the burst of speed, Micaela thrust her spear forward with murderous intent. Eden, in the split second of reaction time she had, yelped as she dove to the side to dodge the attack.


    However, she was a touch too slow.


    Eden squealed as the tip of her spear ripped into her right side, skimming the surface of the skin and tearing a large and bloody cut in the side of her abdomen. The Seraph''s screaming was cut off by Micaela''s shoulder block that followed her two-handed thrust and sent Eden flying backward into the water. The sage-haired Angel''s metal spear dropped from her grip, clattering on the stone below at Micaela''s feet.


    The eldest Seraph glared down at the flailing form of Eden as her wound began to darken the water. Eden stumbled as she climbed to her feet in a hurry, looking out of sorts as she held her bleeding gash with a hand. Micaela swiftly kicked Eden''s spear into the air and towards its owner who, to her credit, was able to have enough reaction time to catch her weapon before any further damage could occur.


    Eden scowled through her now-soaked hair as she readjusted her stance. Micaela scoffed at her sister''s poise, "If you believe so strongly about what you say, then surely you should be able to fight me off better than that." Eden snarled in response to the jest, "There is nothing else to believe in but this! Which is something you''ll so find out, though it will be much too late."


    Micaela prepared herself for a response but was cut off as the entirety of Heaven began to rumble and shake. Micaela turned her gaze upwards, feeling a large build-up of energy occurring from Ilias''s throne room.


    Eden, similarly, was taken off-guard by the sensation, "What''s going on!? That much power will tear Heaven apart!" Micaela agreed with Eden''s sentiment, afraid for her sister''s life as she felt the titanic amount of power being gathered up above.


    Micaela flinched, tensing at the sound of a splash coming from Eden. She relaxed somewhat, finding that the Seraph had merely dropped to her knees so that she could start praying despite now being partly submerged in water. The older Seraph gave a small sneer at her ex-Sister''s behavior, finding the Eden''s action ridiculous.


    Nevertheless, Micaela glanced back up to the ceiling, unsure as to what was about to happen but knowing that it couldn''t be good. Despite knowing Lucifina would rather her stay away, Micaela flew up, leaving the shell-shocked Eden behind.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Lucifina pivoted to the right, her muscles straining from yet another desperate dodge from Ilias''s large pike. The Seraph struck out with her sword, swinging for the Goddess''s head, but Ilias pulled her head back just far enough to avoid being cut.


    To keep herself from overstepping, the Second Seraph pulled away and put distance between herself and the wrathful Goddess. Ilias, seeing her opponent''s retreat, reared back her spear and hurled it at her Daughter.


    The narrowed eyes of Lucifina widened at the swiftness of the weapon, barely able to twist her body around to dodge the attack. The spear shot through the air at a maddening speed, before lodging itself into the back Ilias''s throne.


    Ilias''s face became shocked for a moment, before morphing back into fury. "Oh, you will suffer exceptionally for that, Daughter!" Lucifina, meanwhile, was standing still on one of the clouds of Heaven, wheezing as she fought to keep herself upright. ''I''m not getting anywhere with this; I''m almost completely drained at this point.''


    Slowly, Lucifina began to realize the severity of the situation. She knew in her heart before coming that she didn''t have much of a chance at defeating Ilias, but now it was beginning to sink in. She was in dire straits, and the Seraph had a dwindling number of options left. ''If I''m not getting out of here, then I am at least going to go down while throwing out everything I''ve got.''


    Lucifina''s wings flapped, the powerful burst sending her high above Ilias. Lucifina shakily held her sword with both hands in front of her, closing her eyes as she did so. The Seraph began collecting the last waning shred of her energy together, desperately trying to pool together the power while she still could. Lucifina took a deep breath, wincing slightly at her sore ribs.


    "Blood."


    She let the breath out slowly, the air coming out like a hiss, causing her to wheeze through her chant. Ilias stared at Lucifina with an unreadable expression on her face. She knew this chant well, the chant of the Daystar.


    "P-...Pain."


    Lucifina felt her chest heave from the effort, and the Seraph fought the rising bile coming up her throat.


    "Heads roll."


    Ilias flared her wings, a shimmering aura building up around her as she stood still in the face of Lucifina''s oncoming attack.


    "Heads fall."


    The Seraph began to glow a bright blue, her Angelic aura becoming visible as she pushed herself to the edge, her limit almost being reached.


    "I... am the Star of Mourning... The Child of Dawn cascaded into the Dark."


    Ilias''s own form began to glow, her body being surrounded by a bright Golden light. Her face remained stoic in the face of Lucifina''s ultimate technique.


    "The Star thrown to Earth... Now aimed to you, Ilias, will obtain... Retribution!"


    The Goddess scoffed but offered no comment at her Daughter''s chant. Her own Holy power danced in the air around her. Lucifina gasped, choking out a cough as blood dripped from her mouth.


    "Now... R-Receive the Daystar! Receive her Blood, her Pain, her Loss... EVERYTHING!"


    Lucifina lifted her sword high above her head, the blue light encompassing her entire form now, a power that had laid dormant in her for hundreds of years finally having been fully released.


    Time seemed to slow as Lucifina swung her sword downwards, the slash tearing through the air itself as the bright blue flash of magic rained down onto an awaiting Ilias. The clouds around the throne room were briefly stained blue by the powerful flash of light. The Goddess, observing the impressive attack, flexed her massive wings and whispered her counterattack softly.


    "Thunder of Judgement."


    A resounding crash sounded out, louder than any of the thunder clashing from the long night''s storm. The deafening crack was followed by an intense shockwave that vibrated the very air itself in the room. Ilias''s golden wave collided with Lucifina''s blue slash, the two attacks erupting into a blinding white light that bathed the throne room completely once the two warring forces of magic met.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    She couldn''t see or hear anything, but Lucifina felt her descent.


    The free-fall was surprisingly peaceful this way, almost as if she was floating like a wayward feather of a bird or a dandelion when it traveled with the wind to spread its seed. She hardly felt her body land on the soft mound of cloud beneath her back, almost as if she was being laid down in it. Much like Ilias had done earlier when she laid her son down...


    ...Lucifina jerked, the memory of Luka being swept away in front of her eyes not just once but twice, helping to elevate her misery considerably.


    The Seraph fought to get her eyes open, the strain of just this being a monumental undertaking. Once she was able to, she was surprised to see the star-scattered night sky above her. She was confused by this, knowing that she was still in Heaven due to the cloud she could feel beneath her. ''Was our clashing so powerful that it destroyed the top of Heaven itself?''


    Some wisps of cloud began to come in from the corner of her eyes, the ceiling of Heaven had already begun to reform itself as she thought of the now-finished battle. Lucifina rolled her eyes to look around, as she had no strength to move her head. Absent-mindedly, she felt that her wings were now gone. Her Halo was more likely than not gone as well, her power completely and utterly spent.


    "Are you satisfied now, Daystar?"


    Lucifina steeled herself, knowing in her heart that the end was surely near now. She peered downwards, past her bloody and torn nightgown. There, she saw Ilias approaching. Her face was stern like that of an upset Mother doting on her child, "It is very disappointing to me that you caused all of this-" She waved a hand around the ruined throne room, "-It will soon be fixed, yes, but I will know the difference. These clouds you destroyed were billions of years old, you know!"


    It felt surreal to Lucifina that of all things, Ilias was most upset about the state of her throne room.


    Ilias shook her head, coming to a stop right when she came to Lucifina''s right side. "It never needed to be this way, you did this to yourself, not me." Ilias placed her left hand on her own chest, right below her collarbone. "However, I am a forgiving and benevolent Goddess..."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    With startling quickness, The Goddess''s right hand shot down, eliciting a yelp from Lucifina as she felt Ilias''s scarred hand grab the collar of her nightgown and easily hoist her up off the clouds. "...So, I am willing to give you a Divine Ultimatum: Proclaim me as your one and only Goddess once again and I will allow you to live with Luka again as his Mother. That way, you can be a part raising him until he fulfils his role as my Prophet. That, or..."


    In Ilias''s left hand appeared her golden pike, having become dislodged from Ilias''s throne at some point. "...I''ll end your miserable, sinful existence right now as I should''ve when you first fell from grace."


    Lucifina hung limply at the end of Ilias''s grasp, only having enough power to hold her head up as Ilias''s eyes bore into her own with impatience. For just a moment, the Seraph considered the offer. To be able to have her son back with her was something she desired greatly, but she knew that joining back with Ilias now would be impossible.


    Ilias was at one time someone she looked up to, someone she believed in. But like Micaela, like so many others, she had found the truth long ago: Ilias''s mind was sick and twisted. She was not above committing atrocities to get her way and was Hell-bent on riding the Earth of what she perceived to be sinful. For the Goddess, it mattered little to her how many lives had to be wiped out to achieve her goal.


    Lucifina eyed the scarred hand holding her high in the air and then opened up her mouth to respond, causing the Goddess to lean in as she awaited the Seraph''s offer.


    Crunch


    Ilias cringed, screaming, "Ahh! Damn you!" Lucifina, now biting into the wounded right hand of Ilias in one last act of defiance, was swung around violently as the Goddess angrily thrashed her limp body with the now twice-over bleeding hand. The ordeal didn''t last long, however, as Ilias quickly found a sadistic way to dislodge the Seraph.


    The furious Goddess flew a few meters away, reaching the remnants of her throne, broken in half by the earlier clash of attacks the two had shared. Ilias swung the still-gripped Lucifina over her head, slamming the Seraph back-first onto the exposed rubble of the shattered marble seat. Lucifina choked out a scream, immediately letting go and crumbling onto the clouds behind the throne.


    Ilias snarled as she marched around to the backside of the throne, madness blazing her eyes as she stared daggers at the Fallen Angel. "You..." The Goddess savagely gripped Lucifina by the throat with her bleeding hand, smashing the back of Lucifina''s head against the remnant of her throne, causing blood to gurgle from the Seraph''s mouth.


    The Goddess of Light raised her into the air again, Lucifina thrashing weakly in Ilias''s grasp as the Goddess held her golden pike steadily in her left hand. "...Fine, if you are in such a hurry to be dead and gone, I will help you along to the other side!" Ilias was nearly about to finish off her Daughter for good, but she stopped before she even ever began to thrust the spear into Lucifina''s guts.


    Lucifina, having closed her eyes in wait for the inevitable, was confused by the lack of action on the Goddess''s part.


    That was until Ilias started laughing.


    It started as a chuckle, her lips not even opening to let the sound out at first. Then, it became a full laugh, the around ringing through the room loudly. Her tone made it seem as if the Goddess had just been told the best joke she had ever heard. Lucifina opened her eyes, staring dumbfounded at the radical shift in behavior in the Goddess. Ilias''s laughter trailed off, her face gaining a sinister look as she grinned at her former Daughter.


    "No, I think I change my mind..." Ilias''s spear suddenly vanished, and the Goddess raised her left hand up to the Seraph''s head. "...A quick death would be too good for you. In fact, I don''t want you dead at all anymore! Death would be a mercy for you, wouldn''t it? After all, that''s why you came here so brashly, wasn''t it? You wanted to be swiftly cut down, I''m sure. However, I will not be affording you that luxury."


    Ilias''s hand grasped Lucifina''s head, though not with intention to hurt, but with intention to heal.


    "Wh-What?" Lucifina weakly asked as all of her injuries began to disappear, she winced as she felt even her broken ribs mold back into place. Ilias stayed silent, a small smirk on her lips as she watched Lucifina fight to make sense of what was happening. Without another word, the Goddess closed her wings around the two, teleporting them away. The only thing to fill the air was the sound of wind whipping outside of the slowly closing hole in the top of Heaven.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Just like when experiencing the fallout of Daystar, Lucifina was unable to see anything, the rush of the teleportation combined with her weakened state made her very sensitive to the sensation. She fell, roughly landing on what felt like cold cobblestone. Lucifina grunted upon impact, only barely being able to brace herself as she landed on her back.


    She heard Ilias utter a quick and ridiculing "Oops!" before pacing away, humming happily to herself as she moved away from Lucifina.


    "Ah, yes. It has been a long time since I''ve been here, Daughter. It is almost nostalgic." The Seraph slowly sat up, fighting to get into a sitting position. Her eyes were very slowly adjusting, for it was terribly dark. "Where, is here?" Lucifina asked, trying to stall for time as her eyes slowly were able to see more of her surroundings.


    Lucifina was indeed sitting on cobblestone, dilapidated cobblestone. Wherever they were, it certainly hadn''t had much upkeep. The place was also quite cold, a mist-like air surrounding her, causing waves of shudders to rack her body over and over again.


    "Where we are now isn''t as important as where you will soon be." Ilias answered cryptically. A grating scratching noise began to fill the air as if someone was carving into stone with another stone. The Goddess''s statement worried the Seraph greatly, unsure as to what Ilias was talking about.


    "Lucifina! Where are you!? Ilias''s throne room is in shambles. Are you alright?"


    Lucifina gasped, having completely forgotten about her older sister back in Heaven. She quickly began calling back to Micaela.


    "Micaela, I am not sure where I am. Ilias has taken me somewhere away from Heaven. It''s dark, I cannot tell where she has taken me."


    The sound of carving stone stopped, "There we go, now..." Ilias approached the downed Lucifina, hauling her up by an arm. The weak Seraph was barely able to keep on her feet as she was all but dragged away by Ilias until she was unceremoniously dropped once again by the Goddess. Her eyes were able to perceive general shapes around her, but it was all still too dark for her to see.


    Sensing Lucifina''s trouble, Ilias projected light off of her very body, illuminating her Holy form along with the area around her. "There, wouldn''t want you missing a single, miniscule detail of your awaiting fate, would we?" The Goddess''s tone was sickly sweet, almost as if she was talking to a small child about going to a candy shop.


    Looking around, Lucifina found them to be at a crumbled, run-down alter of some sort. The cobblestone walls that were, somehow, still left standing, only went up about halfway to what appeared to be their original height, as the rest seemed to have been broken down sometime in the past. The columns that ran on either side of the altar table in the middle also ended halfway up their length, and some seemed to be gone entirely. Surrounding the half-destroyed building was a dark, silent forest.


    ''Perhaps this is an ancient Temple of Ilias?'' Lucifina thought, ''It doesn''t seem familiar, though. I''ve been to some of the very first ones created for worship, and this doesn''t appear to be one of them.''


    "Confused, are we?" Ilias''s voice trilled out, "Understandable, you wouldn''t know about this place. It is fairly new, built after your betrayal." Despite the Goddess''s venomous words, the wide smile was still stuck on her face, "I call it the Sealed Sinner''s Prison." Something about the name sent a chill up Lucifina''s spine.


    "Micaela, Ilias called this place the Sealed Sinner''s Prison. Does this name mean anything to you?"


    Lucifina jerked as her sister''s loud and anxious response came to her almost immediately.


    "No... No! Lucifina, you are in grave danger. Stall her as long as you can, I''m coming immediately!"


    The Mother hastily responded, not wanting her sister to get involved.


    "Micaela, DON''T! I will be fine; I need you to look after Luka!"


    Ilias stepped over to Lucifina, wrenching her up by the arm once she got nearby. Micaela''s distressed voice rang out once more in her head.


    "You don''t understand, Sister. The place Ilias has brought you to, it''s a prison for souls, Ilias will have you locked there for all of eternity!"


    Lucifina snapped, cutting off her older sister.


    "I DO NOT CARE! I will face the consequences here today ALONE. You will have no more success with Ilias than I did, so stay away!"


    Micaela was silent, spurring Lucifina to continue.


    "I beg you, Luka has no one to look after him other than you. You are his ONLY family now, the ONLY one I can trust!"


    Micaela''s reply came begrudgingly, the First Seraph dreading her younger Sister''s fate.


    "...Okay, I will do what I can, Lucifina."


    Lucifina was brought to the Alter table, or rather, thrown into it, having to weakly lift her arms up to stop her ribs from being reinjured. Looking down at the tabletop, the Seraph discovered that there were two names carved into it. The first one she saw was freshly carved, meaning it was the one Ilias had just made. It simply said:


    Daystar


    Lucifina felt that familiar chill run through her body upon reading her title on the table. But more surprising to her, was what had been inscribed higher above her title. The carving was older than hers, and she could tell just by looking at it. As faded as it was, though, she could read it clearly.


    Angel Killer


    Lucifina froze, recognizing the moniker from an incident that had occurred after she fell from Heaven.


    ''Angel Killer, so this is what Ilias did to you...'' She gulped, ''...And what she''s going to do to me too.'' Lucifina looked higher to see what seemed to have been a third even older inscription. However, this one was cut through multiple times, leaving the name illegible. The Serpah flinched as she saw movement from the corner of her eye, watching Ilias walk around to the other side of the Alter table.


    The Goddess''s grin was obscenely large now, a sickening look in her eyes as she reached for something under the table with her left hand. "I hope your soul is prepared because this will be its new permanent home..." From beneath the table, Ilias drew a small dagger. Its blade was pitch black, and the similarly black hilt lacked any guard. Where the blade and hilt met, however, was a small red jewel that resembled the one on Ilias''s necklace.


    The Goddess raised the knife, the blade reflecting Ilias''s glow. Then, to Lucifina''s confusion, the Goddess took the blade and ran it across her scarred and bitten hand, slitting it open at the palm. The Seraph was aghast at the sight, not quite understanding what she was seeing. Then, Ilias began to speak.


    "Here I hold in my palm the Blood of the Goddess, the Essence of Light, the Power of the Universe itself..."


    Ilias raised her hand up high, her blood shining red even in the golden light coming off of her own body. Lucifina felt a shift in the air as Ilias began her spell.


    "...I call upon this Power, to defend my Divinity from the Bane of my enemies, the enemies of Light..."


    Ilias brought her hand onto the table, dropping it onto the name Daystar, covering the inscription in her Holy blood. All was still and silent, as Lucifina and the Goddess stared at each other. Ilias''s eyes were gleaming with crazed excitement, while Lucifina''s eyes were filled with unease as she felt something unseen latch onto her.


    "...You, Daystar, are a Heretic. An Apostate of the Way of Light. For your Sinful crimes against your Goddess, I sentence you to the Ultimate Punishment..."


    The Alter began to give off a golden glow, much in the same way the Goddess was. Lucifina tried to back away from the table, but something stopped her. Ilias removed her hand from the table, the blood smeared on the table began to sink into the etching of Daystar, which also started to glow. Once the glow started to strengthen, Lucifina started being pulled in towards the middle of the Alter.


    "...You, Daystar, I give my Holy verdict. My ruling is ETERNAL BANISHMENT!"


    Lucifina felt her feet start to burn. With wide eyes, the Seraph shakily glanced down to her feet. When she saw what was happening, her heart stopped. Lucifina''s body was disintegrating before her very eyes. Despite this, the Seraph stayed in place, hands stuck to the Alter. The Mother could only watch as her very essence was being sucked into the vortex growing on the table before her.


    The Seraph fought the urge to scream, not wanting to give Ilias the satisfaction of seeing her suffer. The Goddess, meanwhile, threw her hands up to the sky. The manic grin on her face grew even more as a beacon of light rose from the Alter, climbing high into the dark sky.


    "BEGONE, DAYSTAR! VANISH, AND SUFFER A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH, IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL HELL!"


    Lucifina felt the entirety of her body begin to burn, more and more of it beginning to fade away as her very soul was being pulled into a different plane of existence. The pain of the transformation was becoming too much, and tears beginning to fall from her eyes and down her face. But the Seraph gnawed on the inside of her mouth, fighting to keep the guttural scream from leaving her throat.


    Only Lucifina''s upper torso remained, the lower half of her body having completely vanished by that point. With Lucifina nearly gone, Ilias lowered her arms, letting them fall to her sides as she watched her second-created Daughter fade into the Sealed Sinner''s Prison. The smile fell from her face, her expression morphing into a facade of impassiveness. "Any final words before you leave My World forever, Daystar?"


    Lucifina buckled, her chest, arms, and head being sucked into the chasm now. Fighting through the inferno of pain wracking her body, Lucifina only had one last thing to say to the Goddess she had once considered her Mother:


    "I h-hate you."


    It came out as a stuttered gasp, fading quickly alongside the rest of the Seraph''s body. With the final shreds of her soul being sealed away, the vortex on the Alter fell into itself. Once it was gone, all that was left was the two titles etched into the stone. Ilias stood deathly still, not even an errant twitch of the eye occurring as Lucifina''s final words sunk in.


    "And I..." The Goddess murmured to the empty air, "...Had loved you, my Daughter." Without further delay, Ilias teleported away from the Alter, leaving the Sealed Sinner''s Prison shrouded in darkness once more.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Now, standing in her throne room, Ilias surveyed the damage. Scattered bits of cloud floated through the air as they returned to where they had been before the violent altercation minutes ago. Ilias glanced upwards, finding that the large gaping hole in Heaven had been reduced to a hole only a handful of meters wide. The Goddess frowned, crossing her arms under her chest at the violation of her Heavenly realm.


    Even more aggravating to the Goddess was her half-destroyed throne sitting in the distance. The back of it was nearly gone and had a splatter of blood left on it from her manhandling of her ex-Daughter. The Goddess paced towards the broken chair, frustrated at the sight of its destruction. ''Oh well, I''ll probably just get Eden to make me a new one, she enjoys the extra work.''


    Ilias paused before reaching her broken throne, having realized that more likely than not, all of Heaven was still shut down. Quickly, she summoned Eden up to Heaven. She turned around, putting on her best Godly facade as she did, a facade that was almost instantly shattered when she saw her right-hand Seraph. Eden stood before her, a shaky smile on her pale and blood-stained face.


    Both of her hands were to her right side, fumbling as she attempted to cover her heavily bleeding wound. "O-Oh my G-Goddess, to what do I owe such-" Ilias cut off the sage-haired Angel. "Eden, what happened to you?" The Seraph stuttered as her Goddess drew near with a concerned look. "E-Eh, yes. I had some trouble earlier when Lucifina and Micaela attacked."


    Ilias walked up to her last Seraph, putting her right hand on her head. In moments, the cuts began to close up, Ilias''s magic speeding up Eden''s recovery much like she had with Lucifina. "My Daughter, this is why I told you to..." The Goddess paused, removing her hand from the now fully healed Eden. "...Wait, did you say... Lucifina... and Micaela?"


    Ilias''s scarred hand began to tremble as Eden eyed the Goddess with a look of confusion. "Yes, Lucifina and Micaela were both here..." The Goddess blanked, causing her to freeze in place as her mind raced. ''How? HOW!? I knew Lucifina was here from the start, so how did I miss Micaela when she was right below me fighting Eden!? I know that she''s been masking her power all these years, but could she really do that AND defeat Eden at the same time?''


    Ilias was brought out of her stupor by her concerned Seraph''s prodding, "Eh, my Goddess, are you feeling well?" The Goddess forced a benevolent smile onto her face, "Absolutely, my Daughter. Will you please go down to the lower levels and tell your Sisters that they are safe to come out, now? I would very much appreciate it." Eden nodded quickly, ever happy to carry out the Goddess''s wishes. Ilias watched the sage-haired Seraph leave, deflating in almost the instant Eden had left.


    The Goddess ran her hands over her face, turning to sit on her throne, before realizing it was still broken. "Damn it, I was going to have her fix that before she left..." Ilias sighed, snaking her hands around quickly, forming a makeshift throne of cloud for her to sit in for now. She reclined in the seat, taking a deep breath, the shaky exhale afterward giving her some slight satisfaction after all that had transpired.


    ''Micaela will be a problem to solve another time. Unless that mutineer has a death wish, I''m sure she''ll stay away from me and my Angels.'' Then, with a wave of her still scarred hand, Ilias opened up a portal so that she could view something she knew would clear her tired mind. In the vortex that opened in the clouds, was the image of Luka, asleep in his bed at home with what seemed like no care in the world.


    Ilias watched as his ever-pure soul flickered and waved like a white flame in the wind. The Goddess sighed heavily, "Ahhh, now that''s much better. I know you''ll never disappoint me, my Prophet. With you safely in Ilias Village, under my watchful eyes, surely this World will soon know true peace."


    The Goddess of Light watched Luka sleep; her own eyes half-lidded from the mental exhaustion catching up to her. A certain warmth filled her as she watched the purple-haired boy.


    "Yes, you''ll serve me better than all those before you. Better than Marcellus, better than Lucifina, better than Heinrich, better than anyone! And once it is all said and done, this world will become as perfect as you are..." Ilias felt herself fall back into slumber, utterly unaware of the presence of the one interloper still left in Heaven...


    Micaela, squatting behind a considerably large section of cloud behind Ilias''s shattered throne, kept absolutely still as she listened for any sign of Ilias still being awake. A few moments passed where the Goddess had fallen silent, but then Micaela eventually heard the sound of light snoring coming from the other side of the throne.


    Only then, did she leave her hiding place.


    The Seraph slowly crept up to the Goddess, looking to confirm a suspicion she had formed while listening to Ilias talk to herself. Micaela rounded the corner of cloud, coming close enough to see in front of the sleeping Goddess but not too close enough to be easily detected.


    The blue eyes of the Eldest Seraph narrowed at the image before her, watching as her nephew''s small form was still projected in the portal in front of Ilias. The words of the Goddess rattled in Micaela''s head while she observed the peaceful slumber of the purple-haired boy. ''I don''t know what Ilias has planned for you, Luka, but I won''t let it happen. She won''t use you for her evil plans, not as long as I can do something about it.''


    Micaela turned her attention to the visage of the sleeping Goddess, watching as she slept in an oddly peaceful manner. Looking at Ilias now, one could hardly tell that there was such dormant evil lying inside of her, but Micaela knew the truth. She knew how bloodthirsty and merciless Ilias had become, seeing it firsthand as the years went by. And now, this evil had set its sights on her Sister''s only son, looking to take him as a pawn in her game of war.


    But Micaela would be damned if she let that evil Goddess try and brainwash her nephew into becoming her "Prophet."


    Micaela gently pushed off the ground, hovering up slowly so as not to cause any noticeable disturbances in the room, and flew out of the slowly closing gash in the ceiling of Heaven. She glided down from Heaven, seeing Ilias Village from her perspective high in the air.


    As she fell, the Seraph started taking steps to formulate her plan going forward. As of now, it was her responsibility as Luka''s Aunt to look after him. However, this would be a complicated undertaking. Because of this, the last free Seraph needed to realistically go over her options.


    Simply removing Luka from Ilias Village would be potentially catastrophic, as no doubt the Goddess would go berserk the moment she discovered the boy was displaced. Taking into account how quickly she had descended Heaven itself just for Luka, Micaela was convinced Ilias wouldn''t hesitate to do so again to get to him upon finding out he had been compromised.


    However, there was another, more pressing problem, getting to Luka in the first place. Ilias now knew that Micaela was active and that alone was sure to put her on high alert. This would surely be doubly so for Ilias Village itself, which is sure to be under Ilias''s personal watch if that vortex she was viewing Luka in was any indication. With all of this in mind, any rescue mission was seemingly off the table for the time being.


    ''Unless, if I was able to mask his power in the same way as I do my own. Then, maybe I could go in and take him out of Ilias Village. However, that could still bring about Ilias''s rage, causing her to cause serious collateral damage.'' The Goddess had proved in the past that she''d do just about anything to get what she wanted, and for whatever reason, she had her sights firmly set on having Luka. Micaela hadn''t seen much of this desire, but it seemed to border on obsession.


    One thing she had noted in particular was how she had described Micaela''s nephew earlier before nodding off:


    And once it is all said and done, this world will become as perfect as you are...


    The term was odd for Ilias to use when referring to anything other than herself. For her to call something perfect would be an acknowledgment that there was something on par with Ilias herself. The Goddess never gave anything such high praise and the way she had said it was strange as well. Her voice had become very vivacious when she talked about the boy, almost as if she had become infatuated by him.


    The implication of such a thing created a pit in the Seraph''s stomach, one that made her feel very uncomfortable. For her own sanity, Micaela shoved those thoughts aside. "Whatever your reason might be for taking an interest in Luka, I will make sure your plans for him never bear fruit. Even if it means I end up sharing the same fate as Lucifina, or worse, I will do whatever is in my power to protect Luka from your evil ways."


    Micaela flew past Ilias Village in the direction of Enrika, casting a regretful glance back in the direction of her nephew. ''I am sorry, Luka. But it is not safe for us to meet again just yet, I fear. I need time to prepare. I hope that you can stay strong without help for the time being.''


    This was all the Seraph could hope for, as she truly feared for what the Goddess of Light had in store for the World she craved to dominate.

 Year 14 AL, Forced Upon Destiny

    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 risqu¨¦ 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

 Year 16 AL, Unraveling Plans

    Heaven was abuzz with activity.


    Today was the day, the day of all days. No other dare was as revered, as sacred, as this one. For it was Ilias''s Birthday. Every Angel, if not otherwise preoccupied with their respective jobs, spent every second they could kneeling or prostrating in prayer to the Goddess. All around Heaven and Earth, Angels were proclaiming their loyalty and admiration for their Mother.


    Well, most of them at least.


    In the Ninth Level of Heaven, reserved for the common drone Angels, was a large collection of marble buildings.


    They were very plain, square-shaped structures made for housing all of the Angels of the lowest and largest Level of Heaven. In these complexes was a small unit set aside for one of the few specialized Angels that are still regulated to the lowest level, due to her powers only being a couple notches above that of a regular Angel.


    The room was marked above its gray marble door with a golden plaquette that held a carving of a heart with an arrow through its middle. Below that was a somewhat faded engraving that read this:


    Cupid:


    Angel of Love


    Being one of Ilias''s oldest Angels, Cupid held claim to her own living quarters for billions of years, being nearly as old as the Seraphs themselves. Though when Cupid first received this honor, she had been a much more respectable Angel who used this privilege to help better herself in her station.


    However, nowadays Cupid uses her private quarters in a rather different manner than worship.


    Inside the unit was a single room, as even a specialized Angel needed no more than a room for sleeping and praying. The carpeting was a light pink that clashed heavily with the usual blue and white associated with Ilias. The walls were decorated with bright pink tapestries that had various designs of golden hearts, most of them with arrows through them.


    At the end of the room farthest from the door, was Cupid''s sleeping quarters. It was cut off by dark red curtains that fell from the ceiling to the floor, surrounding her bed on all sides. Behind these curtains was a large heart-shaped bed adorned with dark red silk bedsheets that were currently tangled and disarranged, kicked around wildly by the current occupant. Also lying around the bed and floor haphazardly was a collection of fluffy pink and red heart-shaped pillows.


    Lying half-covered amongst the discarded pillows and sheets was Cupid herself, drenched in sweat and face red in frustration. Her blonde hair was disheveled and strewn about on the bed under her. Her dress''s top was covering only part of her glistening flesh as one shoulder strap was completely off and most of the buttons were undone. Her left-hand pawing at the exposed breast in an attempt to elevate her pleasure.


    The other hand, naturally, was beneath the hiked-up skirt of her dress mauling at her labia in desperation. The Angel of Love''s legs were hiked, lifting her lower body off the bed in a physical showing of her attempts to reach the apex of release.


    "F-F-Fuck!" Cupid shouted before she collapsed, her body going limp. However, it was not because she had finished. Her crumbling was due to sheer exhaustion, as Cupid had been at the very edge of a climax for hours.


    The Angel of Love gasped, the strained fighting for breath filling the otherwise quiet room. A tight, infuriated sneer comes to her face, the Angel of Love grabbing hold of a nearby pillow and throwing it through the curtain and across the room.


    "Damn it!" The Angel flailed and kicked around in a fit, "Damn it, DAMN IT!" Cupid''s cursing grew louder as she beat at her bed, much like an angry child when denied their favorite toy. It was a sad state of affairs for the Angel of Love, as for weeks now she had been unable to orgasm. Her issues, strangely enough, had started once her fantasies during these sessions started to revolve around Luka.


    For the longest time - quite literally millions of years - Cupid had used the consummations of her targets as fantasies for masturbation. It was a simple process. Each new couple she brought together would become the next material for the coming weeks until she was given a new set of Humans to bring together. However, ever since Luka started getting into his teens, she began having fantasies about him and her.


    At first, it was a revelation! Those climaxes had been the best she had ever had, wracking her entire body with pleasure. Quickly, Cupid stopped bothering with imaging regular Humans having sex as those releases started to become less and less intense. Then, even her Luka-centered sessions started to weaken more and more until she finally found herself plateauing completely.


    Simply masturbating wasn''t enough.


    "I-I..." Cupid huffed, "...I can''t stand this anymore." She sat up, a look of tired frustration on her face. "I need to have him, I''ve been denied for far too long!" The Angel of Love rose from her bed, standing barefoot on the red carpet as she adjusted her dress.


    It was more complicated than that, as getting the boy wasn''t as easy as just swooping in and snatching him up, as evident by past events. Today would be much too difficult as all of the Archangels will be in Ilias Village to witness Luka''s Baptism. There would be too many eyes watching the boy for her to attempt such a thing.


    Though was about to change, as after Luka''s Baptism by Ilias he would be sent into the World to become her Prophet. ''And after he leaves the safety of Ilias Village, he''ll become my little loverboy!~'' The thought brought Cupid into a fit of giggles. In her mind, Luka would be easy pickings for her. An innocent boy like him would easily be at the mercy of her allure.


    How could he resist her temptations? Monsters do it every day to young vulnerable boys like him, surely Cupid could do the same with ease! And then, when she has him powerless under her, it won''t take long for her to get what she wants.


    Knock knock


    Cupid flinched, jerking her head towards her door. ''Who the Hell is that!?'' She quickly turned to the bed, frenzy trying to find her discarded underwear as the knocking continued.


    "Just a minute!" The Angel of Love yelled, slipping her mostly dry panties back on as she hobbled over to the door. Cupid peeked through after cracking it open, her eyes widening at who was there.


    Standing before her, dressed in her pure white Angel robes, was the newly Archangel Valkyrie. Cupid''s pink eyed gaze meet the blue eyed gaze of the former War Angel.


    "Greetings, Sister Cupid." Valkyrie greeted. The Angel of Love stared at her superior, looking up and down the white-haired Archangel in confusion. Valkyrie, either not picking up on Cupid''s disorientation or not caring for it, continued on. "I''ve heard talk of you missing appointments on Earth recently. Is this true?"


    Cupid''s mouth opened and closed repeatedly, lost for words as the Archangel watched her with a questioning expression. "...Eh, yeeeaah?"


    Valkyrie shook her head slowly, "Cupid, this is very disappointing. All Angel''s responsibilities are important, and yours is no exception. You''re very pivotal in helping increase the population of Ilias''s Human followers and that needs to remain maintained."


    Cupid''s face became increasingly befuddled as Valkyrie continued until she finally replied. "Did you, come here just to lecture me?"


    Valkyrie stood furrowed her eyebrows, "Not to lecture, no. You can call this a wellness check. As the most recently appointed Archangel, it is a privilege for me to maintain morale by uplifting the other Angels. This, in turn, helps make sure all Angels are steadfast in their duties."


    A smirk appeared on Cupid''s face upon hearing this, the Angel of Love''s posture turning relaxed as she leaned against the doorframe. "Oh, I get it now. Valkyrie, if you really want to shadow me that bad, all ya gotta do is ask." Cupid leaned in close, her next words coming out in a whisper, "I can find you a reeeeeal nice show if you want one that bad."


    The white-haired Archangel scoffed, "You really must stop your lecherous thoughts, Cupid. Technically, as I am an Archangel now, I should be reporting your behavior to Archangel Ariel."


    Cupid''s entire body flinched at the mention of the Leader of the Archangels, her demeanor flipping in an instant. "Woah-ho-hooo, wait, wait!" The Angel of Love grabbed hold of Valkyrie by her arm, "Now, now, there''s no reason to do anything like that! I mean, we''ve been friends for sooooo long now, can''t ya just let this little hiccup slide?" Valkyrie gently pulled her arm away, removing it from Cupid''s grip.


    "I will be overlooking this error for now, though not because we are friends." Valkyrie straightened out her sleeve, never removing her gaze from Cupid. "I''m doing it because I know that you can do better than this; I''ve been around for as long as you, and at one point you were as virtuous as any other Angel of Ilias."


    The Archangel put a hand on the distressed Cupid''s shoulder, "All I ask is that you do your job, Cupid. No more, no less. Trust that I only want the best for you. That is why I will not be telling Archangel Ariel of this." Valkyrie turned to leave, though not without providing one last glance back.


    "Take care, Cupid." Valkyrie then walked away, leaving a shaken Angel of Love behind in the doorway. Said Angel gritted her teeth, closing the door somewhat sharply with a huff.


    Once inside, Cupid leaned back-first against the door with a steeled expression. ''I guess I''ll have to be more careful moving forward, having Valkyrie nag on me is much more preferred than Ariel. That bitch is always looking for an excuse to fuck up a perfectly fine day. She''s a sadist, I swear.''


    Cupid let out a long sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. All the previous frustration seemed to fade, as a smile grew on the face of the Angel of Love. She opened her eyes, scanning the room in front of her before she found what she was looking for. ''But even she won''t be able to keep me from getting what I want...''


    She sauntered confidently across the room, eyeing something sitting on a pillowed pedestal in the corner. ''...Nobody will, not when I have this...'' Cupid picked up her bow and arrow, watching the heart-shaped arrow tip shine in the low lighting of her bedroom. ''...I''ll have that boy, even if I have to make him fuck me.''


    The Angel of Love''s depraved laughs vibrated through the room with an uncharacteristically sinister edge.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    On the opposite side of Heaven - at the very top - the Goddess Ilias sat on her throne, waiting.


    Her face was that of calm, serenity even. But her body told a different story. Her left leg was bouncing up and down rapidly in an attempt to release the nervous energy inside of her. Her right hand, the scars already being covered in preparation for the day, was drumming frantically on her throne''s armrest as the left hand played with a lock of her long blonde hair. Today was the day to end all days.


    Ilias''s birthday had come around once again, and Luka was of age to be Baptized.


    Come noontime, when the sun was at its highest, the Goddess would descend from the Heavens to Ilias Village where Luka would be waiting in her Temple. Then, she would officially send off the boy, beginning his quest to save the World in her name. Ilias was excited, more so than she had ever been before. Not since Heinrich Hein had there been anybody more fit to serve her.


    Except, where Heinrich had ultimately failed and rebelled against Ilias, Luka would not.


    He couldn''t, in her mind. Luka prayed to her, had been attending Mass, and as far as Ilias knew, held the Goddess in high regard. So, therefore, everything should go off without a hitch. Ilias Baptizes him, sends Luka off, he kills the Monster Lord, and then Glory will be obtained in her name as she finally reigns supreme over Heaven and Earth!


    Why, then, was she uneasy?


    It felt as if Ilias''s intestines were being raveled, then unraveled, then re-raveled over and over again. She stood from her throne, stepping down from the marble chair to walk off her nerves as she felt her composure crumbling. The Goddess didn''t need to peer outside to see that the sun was not even a quarter of the way in the sky, a number of hours still needed to pass before it would reach midday.


    Much like she had two years prior before appearing in Luka''s dream, Ilias summoned up a full-body mirror from the clouds to inspect herself. Like the last time, the Goddess made sure to micromanage all details of her appearance. "Everything is perfect, everything will go perfect, everything will be perfect. Perfect for Earth, perfect for me, and perfect for him."


    However, Ilias''s speech to herself fell flat as the Goddess felt her own words to be somewhat empty. Something about it all was flawed. She could feel it.


    Ilias frowned at her own reflection, suddenly feeling as though her appearance was unsatisfactory. For one of the few times in her life, the Goddess felt unsure of herself. This doubt caused her to quickly turn the mirror away with a wave of her hand, making it disappear from her throne room as quickly as she had brought it there.


    "This is utter nonsense!" The Goddess exclaimed, stomping her way back to her marble throne. "Luka has steadfastly accepted me since this began. Surely, he will continue doing so! Without any doubt, when I descend to Baptize him, everything will fall in place as is should..."


    Ilias turned, reclining back into her chair with a look of annoyance. "...There is no reason for me to be so worried about this. I should be happy! Glad, even! My Prophet is about to be finalized; the World will know Ilias as its one true ruler. So WHY then am I so AFRAID!?" Her yell rang through the highest level of Heaven like thunder, yet nothing came in response to her question.


    As always, she was alone in her search for an answer.


    Which, unbeknownst to even herself, was what held a cold grip on her heart so tightly.


    "There is nothing for me to fear, there is nothing for me to worry about. Once I have Luka, there will be nothing else for me to fear." Ilias said, but her words still rang hollow.


    If only Ilias knew, that today would mark the beginning of the end of her ambitions. As the very focal point of her obsessions, Luka himself would ultimately be the one to tear down her dreams of conquest.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The soon-to-be Prophet in question was in his home, having awoken much earlier in the day before the fledging rays of morning had peaked over the horizon when the sky was still dark.


    The summer sun was now peaking over the rolling hills and forests, bringing daytime to the village of piety. The last two years had been certainly strange to the boy. Ever since Ilias had come to him in a dream proclaiming to him that he would be her Prophet, the direction his life had been heading had been much different than what he ever thought possible.


    The morning after being visited by Ilias had already been a confusing one when, disappointingly, Luka had found that his guest Sofia seemingly disappeared in the night.


    It had upset him as the boy had become quite fond of the girl; however, he had been given little time to feel sorrowful for the loss, as he quickly made the horrifying discovery that a third of Ilias Village had perished that same night from an unknown illness and that another third of them were suffering its effects as they battled for survival.


    Luka, despite how he had been treated, had been quick to help.


    However, it had not been enough.


    Efforts on all sides were for naught, as all the sick villagers who were still alive passed in the coming weeks. Luka remembered vividly how dark those last days had been, up until the very last ill man - the very Reverend of the Temple of Ilias himself - was so afflicted with pain that he couldn''t even leave his bed to spearhead Sunday Mass.


    It had been a depressing time, watching the Reverand''s son try and preach in his elderly Father''s place. In the end, nobody even knew what this fatal illness was as all the doctors in Ilias Village were struck down early into the epidemic.


    As awful as it was to admit, this event really helped Luka turn a new leaf in his hometown. He wasn''t sure if it was because he became so much more involved in the goings-on made him more familiar, or if perhaps his attempts to help whenever possible simply made those who survived fonder of him. Either way, Luka actually began to be treated more fairly around the Village.


    Although, even with this positive change in status, Luka still found himself as something of a loner. At this point, the purple-haired boy had gotten used to it. So most of Luka''s time was spent at home, only leaving to buy groceries, attend Mass, and do the occasional odd job around the village for money.


    Case in point, Luka was currently sweeping the wooden floor of the kitchen, humming a small tune as he did so. Only a few hairs taller than he was two years prior, the boy fit the brown tunic and black pants a bit better than he had in the past. Luka wasn''t the most gracefully with the broom, but he got the job done well enough, especially considering the storm of emotions brewing beneath his calm facade.


    When Luka had awakened from a dreamless sleep, feeling uncommonly sluggish from the weight resting on his mind, he lacked any interest in leaving his mattress. For nearly half an hour he had simply laid in bed, having trouble finding the energy to move from his position and start his day. It wasn''t until sun rays started to lighten his window that he sat up, feeling as if his head was a burlap bag of sand.


    Luka had eventually gotten better dressed, untangling his hair with a brush and washing his throat out with a cold glass of water. However, the purple-haired boy''s spirit had remained crestfallen throughout the morning even as he partook in his favorite morning chores. Even gardening hadn''t lifted his dour mood, as he had half-heartedly trimmed the hedges, giving up halfway in his efforts to retreat into his home.


    The reason for the young man''s restless morning? It was the Goddess Ilias''s birthday, and come noon, it will be time for his Baptism. The finalization of his Prophethood.


    And he did not feel ready.


    The two years of knowing what was to come hadn''t helped Luka at all; as fear clung to his mind like a cancer, casting his heart into an abyss of suffocating dread. No amount of preparation from the two years beforehand felt as if they mattered now, bringing even more doubt to his entire situation.


    But Luka couldn''t back down, not when Ilias herself would be coming today to send him off! He couldn''t disappoint her, not when she had put so much faith in him. How could he turn away from her like that? The thought alone was completely out of the question, Luka would be letting down perhaps the most important figure in all of the World!


    The soon-to-be Prophet scrunched up his face, conflict brewing even deeper in his mind as he had to, yet again, abandon another chore before he had finished it. Luka leaned the broom against the kitchen wall, unsatisfied but unable to focus enough to finish. The purple-haired boy pulled up a chair, falling curtly into it as he folded his arms onto the table. Another more conflicting, question plagued his mind. One that was somehow even more difficult for him to grasp.


    Would his parents approve of all this?


    With his Father, Luka wasn''t sure. He was somewhat aware of the fact that his Father had been something of a Hero in his youth, although Marcellus never spoke of those times with his son. Luka had many fond memories of his Father but knew little about what the man believed about the World.


    Dying when Luka was still too young to properly understand, Marcellus had never gotten the opportunity to instill much in the way of ideals in Luka.


    With his Mother, Luka had a very strong belief that she cared little for the Goddess, as she never attended Mass or encouraged Luka to do so. Therefore, the boy had the troubling feeling that his Mother would''ve been distraught to know what he was doing now. But he couldn''t know for sure, as she too had passed before they could ever talk more deeply about such things.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    So now, the conflicted boy sat alone in a house of a past he could not reclaim, living unsure of the present, and terrified of his future. Luka leaned away from the table, reclining wearily on the back of the chair as he stared at nothing, his troubled thoughts offering no comfort as he contemplated the weight that was soon to be on his shoulders. However, this moment of reflection would be halted in its tracks by a truly rare event.


    "MONSTER!"


    Luka jumped from his seat in reaction to a distant but shrill scream, slamming his right knee into the table''s bottom in the process. He hissed, grabbing the now bruised kneecap in frustration before what he heard finally registered in his mind. ''Hold on, there''s a Monster here!?'' The boy could hardly believe it, a Monster being in Ilias Village? It was unheard of!


    Luka hobbled towards his front door, hurrying his pace when he began to hear more screams outside. However, he stopped just short of his front door, freezing by the small closet next to the entrance of his home. There was a hesitance in Luka''s gaze as he turned to look at the closet. The boy opened the door, pulling the ever-hanging cape with a hand.


    He inspected the sword and gloves hidden behind the cape with reluctance but reached out to grab them anyways.


    The brown gloves fit his hands better than they had before, only somewhat loose now. Luka gulped, grabbing a hold of the hilt of the silver blade with one hand, then the other, raising it up to point towards the ceiling. The blade wasn''t as heavy as it was before, though the boy was sure that he looked a bit awkward while holding it. The purple-haired boy stepped out of the closet, shakily adjusting his grip on the weapon.


    Luka''s chest felt tight as he stood there, not feeling much more confident than he had two years prior. However, another shriek rang out and garnered his attention.


    "HELP, SOMEONE HELP!"


    Luka cringed, knowing very well that the number of able-bodied fighters in Ilias Village was few and far between ever since the mysterious illness that had hit the town. If he didn''t get out there to face this Monster, it may be too late before anyone else can.


    Psyching himself up, Luka held his Father''s sword in his left hand, wrenching open his front door with his right. Outside, he could see Townsfolk running away from his house and closer to the heart of the Village. ''The Monster must be only just reaching the village then. I hope it hasn''t attacked anyone yet...''


    Luka dashed out, running past the retreating people, some of them looking back at him with incredulous looks as he ran towards the direction of the attacking Monster.


    Luka cursed himself while running down the dirt path, only then realizing that he hadn''t changed into his boots yet and was running with his sandals on. He had put himself in a very uncomfortable position, but couldn''t turn around to fix his mistake, not now. ''Not when lives could be at stake! Who knows what awful things this Monster could be doing right now?''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    At the edge of Ilias Village was the Monster in question, slowly crawling her way towards Ilias Village.


    The Monster''s form was gelatinous, holding a defined but also very malleable body. Her bright blue skin shone as it reflected the summer sun, said body being that of a voluptuous woman from her head down to her calves, which lost its otherwise humanoid shape as a large mound of slime lay where her feet would be at. Her teal eyes looked to and fro, searching for satiation in the form of a suitable mate.


    However, the search is quite difficult when you move only so much faster than a snail''s pace.


    ''Come on, where are all the willing men at!? Anyone I''ve seen has just run away screaming!'' The Slime thought in annoyance.


    Indeed, the lonely Slime has had nothing but bad reactions from the Townsfolk since she had been first spotted in the forest bordering the village, the small group sprinting in the opposite direction whilst screaming about a "frightening beast" making its way to town.


    Even worse now, she could hear the faint cries of the rest of the Humans yelling about her arrival. ''I''m not even that frightening!'' She thought as her face pouted heavily, her frustration at her situation growing by the moment.


    Of course, the Monster perhaps knew better, as it was otherwise widely known that most Humans on the Ilias Continent had a great aversion to Monsters. So, it wasn''t very surprising that none of the men were unenthusiastic about even being around the slime, despite her tempting offer of a good time. That sentiment did little to make it less frustrating though, as the Slime had traveled for a long time to get to this Village.


    A considerable effort, as most Slimes can''t move very fast by themselves.


    Soon, the Monster found herself at the edge of the forest, a dirt path leading to the unguarded entrance of the village. The Slime stopped, finding herself having an epiphany. ''They just run if they see me, but if I were to hide, I''m sure someone will come running to see if I''m still around. And when they do...''


    The blue Slime giggled as she slid across the ground to duck behind a wide tree, the act causing her body to jiggle, ''...I''ll be here to snatch him up!'' Her very rare stroke of brilliance would indeed pay off, as a certain purple-haired boy was not far away and was steadfastly approaching...


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Ilias watched from her throne as the sun inched closer and closer to midday. Her calm facade was gone, a look of near dread on her face now as she felt every last second tick by as time marched on, bringing her closer to having to descend. The Goddess twitched, her arms and legs shaking with nervousness. ''What is going on? I have to get a hold of myself, I''m behaving worse than a virgin schoolgirl before her first date! I am the Goddess. I must collect myself!''


    Ilias stood from her throne, having enough of her own behavior.


    "This is a simple affair, all I need to do is descend to my Temple, proclaim Luka to be my Prophet, and then Baptize him in water that I have personally blessed. I have done it numerous times before, this is no different."


    Except, this was very much not the same. She had Baptized Heroes, men who rose to prominence through strength in combat and faith. Luka wasn''t just some soldier, he would be a spiritual leader. He would be someone to bring the greatest of all glories to Ilias''s name.


    He''d need something more special than that.


    Ilias looked up at the sun, noticing that it was nearly time. In less than a quarter of an hour, Luka would be at the Temple, waiting for her to Baptize him. It was time.


    The Goddess''s wings extended, bringing her up and out of the hole in Heaven''s ceiling. She then quickly began hovering down to Earth, swiftly falling through the atmosphere. ''Perhaps, since he is so much more special, I should go the extra mile for him. I only ever wash the heads of Heroes when I Baptize them. Maybe, I should wash more of him.'' Ilias pondered the thought, wondering if such a thing would be truly necessary.


    The Goddess of Light was very quickly nearing the Ilias Continent, gliding over the Irina Mountains towards Ilias Village. She slowed her descent, not wanting to arrive too quickly. Ilias couldn''t show up to her Temple before Luka did, after all, that would just be embarrassing. ''It would be unorthodox to wash more than just his head, but I need him to know that I believe in him, that he is special.'' Ilias felt a strange rising heat from within, one that certainly wasn''t from the sun high behind her.


    Ilias was very low now, passing between Enrika and Iliasburg with dwindling speed. Her mind began to drift further and further from the situation at hand. ''I wouldn''t mind having to do that, and I''m sure he wouldn''t mind either. Surely it would be as enjoyable for him as it would be for me.'' The Goddess slowed down even more, noticing that she was perhaps a bit too early. The sun was still not completely in its place.


    The Goddess began to ramble to herself, ''Enjoyable in a completely professional way, of course. It would be ridiculous to think that bathing him would be something I''m looking forward to. No, of course not. It''s not as if I feel excited about it. This is nothing more than ritual to me-''


    SLICE


    The Goddess of Light froze, feeling a large cut form on the right side of her face. Slowly, Ilias raised her hand to her face, gasping as she felt a trail of blood falling down her face. She turned; her eyes widened to comic proportions as she found her attacker''s smug face.


    "HAHA!" The Monster Lord laughed, "Gotcha, BITCH!"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka stood at the entrance of Ilias Village, flanked on both sides by the trees that created the naturally made gateway into the town. Everyone was gone, hiding in their houses or businesses to protect themselves from the Monster. So, essentially, the boy was alone.


    ''Well, until I find this Monster, that is.'' The purple-haired boy thought.


    Luka bit his lip, nervously holding his Father''s sword in his hands as he took a couple tentative steps forward onto the dirt path ahead of him. The gravity of the situation was falling onto him quite heavily as he realized how real this was becoming. ''I''m really doing this, I''m going after a Monster. I don''t even know what to do!''


    The young boy froze, realizing something that he hadn''t accounted for before. ''Crap, I don''t even know what the Monster is or what it looks like!'' He felt very vulnerable now, his blue eyes rolling in his skull as he scattered his gaze all around, searching every tree and looking in every bush for any sign of his soon-to-be combatant.


    Luka looked to the sky, ''Oh goodness, what if it flies!? How do you fight something that FLIES!?'' In his frightened stupor, the boy failed to realize that he had completely missed the blue Slime standing quite obviously behind a tree next to him, barely hidden at all in her hiding spot.


    The Slime eyed the adolescent up and down shamelessly, evaluating the morsel that had just practically presented himself to her on a silver platter. She slid behind him, following as he went deeper into the thicket. ''Ooo, a young one. Pretty cute too, though the purple hair is strange. I don''t think I''ve seen a man with hair like that before. Although...''


    A sense of familiarity scratched at the back of her mind, keeping the Monster from outright assaulting Luka like she would usually. ''...Purple hair and blue eyes, puuurple hair and bluuue eyes...'' She pondered it a moment, before deciding it didn''t really matter. ''Eh, whatever. Time to get down to business!'' The Slime reached towards the boy with a single hand, her fingers outstretched to her target.


    Luka, meanwhile, glanced around confusedly, unsure if he had missed the Monster or not. "Perhaps she gave up and left?" The purple-haired boy murmured to himself, not so sure. He''d never met a Monster before, but he knew that many of them were notorious for their tenacity, and he was sure none of the villagers would''ve scared it off.


    Luka stopped to squint down the dirt path ahead, trying to find any sign of this mysterious Monster. Instead, though, all he saw was the retreating darkness of the forest ahead. He flinched, feeling a strange sort of buzzing in the back of his head. Luka very abruptly felt the sense that he was in danger, this feeling being immediately followed up by something warm and wet landing on his shoulder.


    "Hiya there!~" Whipping around, Luka separated from the intruder''s grasp at a startling speed. The boy backpedaled, kicking up a cloud of dust as he did. The boy finally skidded to a stop, his eyes wide with surprise.


    Having never seen a Monster once before, the boy found himself thrown off by how Human this Slime looked. The amorphous blob before him was strikingly alluring, especially in the Monster''s generous bust, which jiggled at a rate that alarmed the innocent boy''s composure quite quickly. ''Okay, Luka. Just ignore that, can''t let yourself be distracted.''


    Luka boy raised his gaze at the Slime''s teal eyes, which stared back at him with scandalous intent.


    "Ooo, you''re a quick one. Hopefully not too quick, I like to take my time~" Luka gulped at the Monster''s trilling voice, grasping his sword tightly now with both hands. His mind raced as he slowly stepped backward as the slime slid closer to him. The Slime eyed the weapon with some caution, but looked back to the boy''s weary face, confident that she could coerce him into dropping the blade.


    "Awww..." The Slime cooed, "...Why don''t you drop that sword, huh? I''m more interested in unsheathing the other sword you have." Luka recoiled at the lewd comment but put on a brave face. "S-Sorry, I''m not interested in that. I-I''m afraid I''ll have to ask you to leave Ilias Village!"


    The Slime giggled, the act bouncing the Monster''s curvaceous form once more. "Hehe, you are too adorable! I might just-" The Slime stopped, her face looking at the boy in confusion. "Wait... am I not at Iliasville right now?"


    It was Luka''s turn to look befuddled, as he stammered out an answer. "E-Eh, no. This place is named Ilias Village, not Iliasville."


    The blue Slime looked truly beside herself, "B-But," Bizarrely, the Monster reached inside her own body, pulling out a soaked piece of parchment from her gelatinous form. Yet again, Luka had to avert his eyes from the unintended bouncing of her assets. "My map says that this town is named Iliasville!"


    The Slime slid over to the boy, all of her earlier lustful aggression now gone as she presented her slime-covered map.


    Luka rested his sword against a nearby tree, grabbing the paper with some reluctance. ''Good thing I''m wearing gloves...'' He thought, reading over the moist map. "Let''s see..." Luka said to himself as the Monster watched him with worried eyes. Indeed, though, the map had his hometown marked as Iliasville. "...That''s strange, must be a mistranslation." Luka mused.


    The blue Slime pointed an accusing finger at the boy. "See, I told you this place is Iliasville! I can read it clear as day!" Luka glanced up from the map. "I see that, yes. However..." He pointed past the Monster to a marker sign on the side of the road. Clearly emblazoned upon it was the inscription:


    You are now entering Ilias Village!


    May the Goddess Smile Down Upon You


    "...It had always been called Ilias Village, as far as I know." Luka finished, dropping his hand as he did.


    The Slimed gawked at the sign, then looked back down to the map with confusion. Luka watched the Monster as she mumbled to herself about her obviously amateurly made map with softening eyes. Before now, he had been afraid of this confrontation. So many scenarios had blossomed in his mind about how meeting his first Monster would go, one of his prime worries being how Monsters behaved.


    The boy had always heard the Townsfolk speak of Monster as horrible creatures that only knew how to pillage and rape, that they would take advantage of any weakness they saw. Watching this Slime, however, made him doubt those words. ''The way she''s acting, it''s strangely Human. If more of them are like this, I could plead their case to Ilias and there would be no need for conflict!''


    "No wonder I had such a hard time finding this place! Wait, is that why people kept giving me looks when I asked for directions!?" The Slime said, breaking Luka from his thoughts. The purple-haired boy stepped forward, "Well, I''m sorry that you were given an unreliable map. If you want, I can get you a good map of the area so that you can travel more easily."


    The Slime looked to Luka, her teal eyes locking back onto him. A devilish grin came to her face, "Oh no, that''s fine." A gelatinous tentacle came from the base of her body, wrapping around his ankle. "All I need right now is you in me!"


    Luka fell onto his back, the impact knocking the air out of his lungs. He heard his Father''s sword fall onto the ground next to him. The blue Slime began to crawl over the boy, her body enveloping his lower half. "That''s it, let''s get those pants off!"


    The Monster started to reach down for the boy''s belt, intent on having her way with the boy right there and now.


    Luka, meanwhile, struggled against the slime''s gelatinous body but found that his legs were completely stuck inside the Monster. "No, please stop! I-I-" The familiar feeling of helplessness brought a painful memory to the forefront of his thoughts, a memory of a nightmare that he had tried to forget long ago...


    Luka opened his mouth to call out to somebody to help him, but another slimy tentacle writhed around his head, covering his scream as he was dragged into the alleyway. "Shhhhh... Be not afraid, my child. I merely desire a small taste of you, that''s all." More and more tentacles came, restraining the boy''s arms and other leg.


    "NO!" Luka reared back and smashed his left fist into the slime''s body, the Monster jiggling violently from the impact. The blue Slime giggled, squirming from the hand that was now embedded inside the Monster. "Hehehe! Stop, that tickles!"


    The Monster leaned over him, her breasts smushing into his chest. Her face was painfully close now, a red blush growing on her blue face. "Now, just lay back and relax, I''ll take care of eeeverything..." Her hands were unbuckling his belt now. He tried to plead with the Monster again...


    Suddenly, multiple thin and scaly tendrils curled around his head, pulling him in close. The Monster leered into the young boy''s tear-filled eyes, "There''s no shame in giving in, boy. It''s only natural to want this." She opened her mouth, a long red tongue snaking out to trail his face in a sickened, loving manner.


    Luka screamed, an awful cry resounding through the forest as he grabbed his sword with his free hand, and quickly cutting off the Slime''s head. The Monster''s head rolled off into the brush, the rest of her body collapsing around him in a large puddle of blue goo. As soon as he could, Luka crawled away from the substance, furiously wiping it off of him.


    The young boy gasped and choked, wiping away a couple stray tears that had fallen from his eyes. But then, he froze and looked over to the remnants of the slime.


    Quickly, Luka dropped the sword and re-buckled his pants. ''I can''t believe it. I was almost, almost...'' He couldn''t finish the thought, a few sobs coming from his mouth. Luka looked back at the collection of Slime now lying on the ground.


    "Did I, kill her?" He softly asked himself, a conflicted frown growing on his face. Everything that had transpired had gone completely wrong. Now, a great sickness began to take a hold of himself as what he had just done began to-


    "You meanie!" Luka jumped up to his feet in response to the voice of the Monster he had just decapitated.


    He looked to the left, finding a very bewildering sight. It was the head of the Slime, feebly hopping from the thicket! "I offer you my body with no strings attached, and you cut off my head!?" That''s so awful, you should be ashamed!" The head reached the pile it had been beheaded off of, reattaching itself to the goo.


    Quickly, the Slime''s voluptuous body began to reform, though the Monster''s face remained upset. "And to think, I was going to take you back home with me to be my Husband. Well, not anymore!" The Slime quickly slid past the incredulous-looking Luka, looking back at him one last time with tears in her eyes. "Good luck finding a Slime girl who likes having her head cut off! I''m sure there aren''t very many!" The blue Slime retreated down the dirt path, disappearing from sight.


    Luka gawked at the area where the Monster had disappeared, now having so many more questions than answers. ''So quickly she went from wanting to rape me, to talking to me as if we were strangers meeting during travels, to trying to rape me again. Not to mention, whatever that just was at the end.''


    The soon-to-be Prophet shook his head, trudging back to Ilias Village with more questions than answers. ''I think I could''ve reasoned with her if given more time. She didn''t seem all that horrible, really. Just a bit airheaded. One thing is for certain, though, I can''t let my guard down like that again. That easily could''ve been it for me...''


    The purple-haired boy found himself at the entrance of Ilias Village, stalling at the entrance of his hometown to look back into the forest again. ''...I''ll have to be more careful; I can''t take any more unnecessary risks. If that Slime could catch me so easily off guard like that, then I am nowhere near ready to meet the Monster Lord herself.''


    BOOM


    A literal ground-shaking impact occurred, throwing the boy from his feet. "Ahh!" Luka fell, tumbling some back down the dirt path, dropping his sword with a grunt. "O-Ow." He mumbled, gracelessly stumbling up to his feet while grabbing his sword with his left hand.


    Luka peered into the forest, not seeing anything, but hearing a cacophony of birds and other woodland creatures going absolutely ballistic in the aftermath of whatever just happened. "Should, I..."


    The purple-haired boy looked up to the sky, seeing that the Sun was nearing its peak in the sky. Ilias will be descending soon, which was something he didn''t want to miss. But he couldn''t just ignore whatever had happened.


    Gripping his sword tightly, Luka steeled himself and took off in the direction of the blast.


    He ducked through the thicket, weaving between trees and brush somewhat competently. A strange burning smell began to assault his nose. ''That''s peculiar.'' He thought as the scent of burning wood began to get stronger. Then, he broke through a wall of bushes to find himself in a small clearing in the forest.


    In front of Luka was a very unusual sight. In the now bare dirt was a very large crater, the grass around it being burned and replaced with smoldering ash. Ahead of him, beyond the crater, was a long trail of trees that were all snapped in by some half!


    ''What would''ve caused something like this?'' He thought as he stalked up to the impact sight, peering down into the hole in the ground.


    Luka had no Earthly guess as to what he would find at the bottom of the crater, but what he did see was certainly not one of the ideas he had in mind. At the bottom of the charred pit was a Monster; a Lamia, from what he could tell. Her tail was very long, starting out as a dark red, almost maroon, becoming brighter as it reached its tip. Right at the point between her main body and her tail was a strange black skirt that was pleated into spike-like strands that almost resembled claws.


    Her Human-like upper body was a pleasing lavender color, the left side of her torso offsetting this with unfamiliar-looking black tattoos that ran from her waist to her chest and even to her arm and the left side of her face. Her admittedly generous bust was what the boy would call "loosely covered" by strands of cloth resembling those on her skirt. On her arms were black gloves that ran up above her elbows.


    In short, her appearance was certainly one that would cause many men to gawk. The sheer exoticness was an eye-catcher for sure, and her scant amount of clothing more likely than not worked double to help with that. However, Luka did not focus long on the more sexual aspects of her appearance. In fact, those particular details had been forgone by something else that had struck him.


    His gaze had been drawn in particular to the Lamia''s face.


    In the fairly recent and short amount of time where Luka was aware of the beauty of the opposite sex, he had only really appreciated such a thing in very few people. The first, naturally enough, had been his Mother. He had always found his Mother to be very beautiful, her gentle and calming demeanor always having been something he cherished even after her death. Her loving face was one the boy could never forget, not that he would ever want to.


    The second, interestingly, had been Ilias. When she had visited him in his dreams, there was an undeniable grace that radiated from her. It was a type of beauty would expect to be from a revered Goddess such as herself.


    The last example he had seen was from the Nun he had met two years ago, Sofia. She had been the first girl close to his age that he had noticed as being pretty, and more importantly, she had been the first instance of him feeling an attraction towards a girl. Luka wouldn''t admit it, for fear of being seen as pitiful, but the girl''s very abrupt and unexplained absence the morning after inviting her into his home had deeply wounded the boy''s fragile heart.


    However, the beauty that he saw on the face of this Monster somehow superseded all of these.


    It was difficult for him to pinpoint exactly what it was, but the boy knew it was much different than the previous occurrences in his life. There was a sharp, yet majestic charm to her face, helped elevated by the curved black horns on her head that almost looked like an unconventional crown of sorts, adding to her regal appearance. That, and her ridiculously long white hair was enchanting in the way it shone in the sun''s bright rays.


    If his feelings for Sofia had been that of a budding crush, then what he was feeling for this Monster he hadn''t even talked to was that of being captivated. Luka grunted as he cleared his throat, trying to keep himself calm despite the thundering of his heart. ''Come on, don''t lose your cool. This could still be treacherous.'' Despite the thought, Luka was unsure as to how to approach the situation.


    This Lamia, for currently unknown reasons, seemed incapacitated. Her eyes were clamped shut, and the expression on her face made it seem as if she was sleeping, the notion supported by the slow movement of her chest as she breathed in and out. ''Do I dare go down there? It seems unwise, but I don''t want to leave her here if she is hurt. Even if she very well could be dangerous.''


    Even with the Lamia''s undeniable attractiveness, Luka wasn''t foolish enough to think she was safe. After all, he had just been nearly assaulted by an attractive Monster, there''s no sense in thinking it would be different a second time. His mental debate would not last long, however, as the Lamia started to stir.


    Luka flinched, his mind frantically trying to create a plan that avoided fighting. ''Okay, okay. Talking in a calm and friendly with that slime had worked for a little bit. Just do that again, but better this time!''


    The soon-to-be Prophet leveled his wary gaze down onto the awakening Monster, trying his best to not look threatening even though there was absolutely nothing imposing about him whatsoever. Luka watched as the Lamia''s eyes opened, his heart skipping a beat as he noticed that her eyes were a striking gold. Her gaze, while somewhat lost, was absolutely enthralling to stare into.


    Luka watched her eyes hone on him, a questioning look coming to her face. The boy steeled himself, ''Okay, now or never. Calm and friendly, calm and friendly!'' Dramatically, Luka raised his right hand up, palm open and fingers extended in a relaxed wave. The boy opened his mouth to speak, thinking up the most calm and friendly greeting he could muster...


    "Yo!"

 Year 16 AL, The Prophet and The Monster Lord

    The wind picked up, the gentle zephyr began to sway the trees around them.


    As they silently stared at one another, the sound of the branches and leaves shaking filled the dead air, creating a somewhat tense atmosphere. Luka, with his confidence quickly faltering, forced himself to maintain eye contact with the Lamia. However, the grin he had put on quickly became strained with anxiety as the Lamia below continued to just lie there, staring up at him with a questioning gaze.


    ''Perhaps I came off too strong?'' Luka wondered to himself, unsure how to salvage the rapidly worsening situation. The Lamia, on the other hand, silently appraised the odd sight above her.


    The pale purple hair was the boy''s most striking feature; it wasn''t a hair color commonly found in Humans. The only notable example was the infamous Hero named Heinrich Hein, a man that most Monsters had at least heard of, despite him not being around for over five hundred years. However, this Lamia recognized the purple hair from someone else, a less famous purple-haired hero.


    This similarity bothered her, as it stirred up particularly disturbing memories.


    The Lamia sat up, rolling her large tail underneath herself to stand upright. Luka watched as she effortlessly slid up the incline with her tail, finding himself memorized by the movement. They were graceful, but also held power. The Monster stopped just within arm''s length of the boy and stood almost two heads taller than him. Luka stumbled back a bit, surprised by her sudden approach.


    She crossed her arms under her chest once she stopped before Luka. Her eyes glowing dangerously, though she made no move to attack.


    "Where am I?" Her voice was painfully direct, offering no room for pleasantries.


    Luka, having been distracted by the lovely peach flowers he had noticed resting in the locks of the Monster''s hair, missed the question. "Eh, h-h-huh?" The lavender-skinned Lamia curtly repeated, "I said, Where am I?"


    Luka''s face widened in realization, quickly fixing his blunder. "A-Ah, yes. You are on the o-outskirts of Ilias Village!" The Monster''s golden eyes looked at with confusion, a much more pleasing sight than her earlier apathetic stare. "Ilias Village? Do you not mean, Iliasville?"


    It was Luka''s turn to gawk now, not expecting to get this same question again so soon. "U-Um, no..." He began, trailing off into a pause. "...I-I''m quite certain that it is Ilias Village. I''ve l-lived here my whole life, and that''s the only name I''ve e-ever known it by."


    The taller Monster hummed, eventually shrugging off the town''s inconsistent naming. "To be sent all this way just by a single attack..." She murmured while looking to the side, her expression troubled as she whispered. "...Damn, that girl really is that strong."


    Not quite catching the Monster''s final comment, Luka asked, "I''m sorry, wh-what about a girl?"


    The Lamia swiftly turned back the boy, startling him. "Nothing, who are you?" Luka recovered quicker this time, replying swiftly. "M-My name is Luka, and as I said I-I hail from Ilias Village." The Lamia''s gaze fell downward, inspecting the sword in Luka''s left hand.


    The blade was pointed to the ground in his grip as he forgot to grab its holster. Something about the blade seemed to bother the Monster, her eyes narrowing at the weapon. Unbeknownst to him, the sword was as familiar to her as his purple hair was. "I see..." She said before raising her gaze back up to his face.


    "...Are you, a Hero, by chance?" The Lamia asked pointedly.


    Luka answered honestly, "N-Not yet no. I haven''t been B-Baptized yet." The purple-haired boy looked up through the thicket of tree limbs above, having difficulty seeing where the Sun was positioned in the sky but also knowing that it was soon to be time.


    The Lamia watched Luka squint into the sky with a curious look. ''Not yet Baptized.'' She thought, ''That must be why he still smells so nice.'' Luka looked back at the Monster, now aware that the Monster''s gaze was still fully set on him. The look in her golden eyes made him feel very squeamish.


    "A-Ah, well, if you are not i-injured than I suppose I should be going now. Th-That is, if you don''t need any further assistance..." As the woods grew silent, the two simply watched each other again, neither of them entirely sure what to make of the other. Luka bounced on his heels nervously, still not completely comfortable being alone with the powerful-looking Monster.


    The Lamia, however, was unfazed by his aversion.


    "...S-So, I''ll b-be leaving now, if you don''t-" Luka had begun to turn mid-sentence, intent on heading back to the Temple. However, the Monster''s large tail cut him off with tremendous speed, coiling around his small frame in the blink of an eye! "Gah!-" A grunt came from the boy''s mouth as he was quickly coiled around by the appendage, his Father''s sword landing on the ground.


    "Stop." The Lamia uttered, turning him around with ease. She faced him head-on, her piercing golden eyes boring into his. She scanned his worried face, though whatever she was searching for, he did not know. "You say you intend to become a Hero, correct?"


    Luka nodded hesitantly, "Y-Yes..." The Monster''s face became confused as she asked, "If that is so, why did you not kill me when I was unconscious?"


    Luka, not understanding the idea, turned the tables on the Monster by asking his own question. "Why would I k-kill you?" The Lamia recoiled slightly, not expecting the reply. "Because," she started, "Any Hero would jump at the chance to kill a Monster like me."


    Luka frowned at the comment, not finding it in his heart to agree with such a sentiment. "I wouldn''t. I''m only interested in saving people, not killing them. And that includes Monsters." His captor closed her eyes, the words spoken by her temporary prisoner causing her some thought. "You don''t see Monsters as enemies, then?" She questioned.


    Luka nodded his head, using the only movable part of his body to emphasize his answer. "No, I don''t see them as enemies."


    She opened her eyes again, her questioning gaze looking deeply into his face again. "You, someone who doesn''t want to kill, seeks to become a Hero, someone whose ultimate goal is to kill the Monster Lord?" The question had some venom behind it, and he could feel the air around him grow heavy.


    "I-I don''t know about those before me," Luka started, trying desperately to keep his voice under control. "B-But I don''t intend to kill the Monster Lord, no." Luka said with growing vigor. "I just want to end the fighting, to bring peace between Humans and Monsters."


    Luka steeled his gaze, true confidence coming from him for the first time since this encounter started. "I want a World where everyone can live together without bloodshed!" The Lamia listened to the boy speak, her face becoming more and more shocked as he continued. Until her expression was that of complete bewilderment.


    "I see..." She said, feeling as another breeze rippled through the landscape. She blinked, and her expression became dismissive. "...You''re an idiot."


    The Monster''s massive tail quickly released Luka, who landed with a harsh thud on the grass below. Luka shook from both the pain of fall and the Monster''s cold insult. She went on as he lay there, coughing up dust. "Believing that Humans and Monsters can live in peace simply because you want them to, is childish."


    Luka got to his hands and knees, raising his pained gaze to Monster''s scrutinizing one. "Hero or not, if you think everyone can simply live hand-in-hand, then you need to wake up. Coexistence is an immature dream that could only be thought up by someone who is woefully ignorant of reality." Her words struck the boy heavily, more so than she realized as his breathing silently hitched in an odd manner.


    Slowly, he rose to his feet, averting his gaze as he did so. Luka''s blue eyes kept to the ground, as he didn''t want the Monster to see the tears forming in his eyes. Feelings of embarrassment and shame filled him, her words agonizingly hurtful to him. He wasn''t prepared for such treatment, as he had never been talked to in such a demeaning manner before.


    There were many things Luka wanted to say, as his body shook with anger and sadness, but he couldn''t voice the impulsive responses. He didn''t want to say anything that was even a fraction as hurtful as the Monster had just done.


    "O-O... O-O-Okay, I..." Luka lamely trailed off, barely able to wrench the words out of his suddenly clamped-up throat. "...I-I''m sorry if you think coexistence is ch-childish, but I-I think it''s s-something worth f-fighting for." He suddenly spun, turning on his heel and to head back towards Ilias Village. The Lamia behind him watched as he sprinted away, watching with judging eyes.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    In Ilias Village, a small congregation was forming inside the Temple of Ilias in preparation for Luka''s Baptism. Waiting on the second level of the Holy palace, were all of Ilias''s Archangels. They all had their Halos and wings hidden to hide themselves, as they were only there to silently observe the proceedings.


    "This is ridiculous." A stern voice criticized.


    The comment was made by none other than the leader of the group, Archangel Ariel. The silver-haired Angel sat in one of the booths with her arms crossed over chest, her red eyes flaring with impatience. "This boy is supposed to be Ilias''s Prophet, but he can''t even show up to his own Baptism on time? What an insult."


    From a couple seats down rang the melodious voice of the second-eldest Archangel, the golden-haired Runael. Her eyes remained closed as she addressed her superior, "We must have patience, Sister. The Baptism does not begin for another ten minutes, after all."


    Ariel scoffed, though not out of ill will for her spiritual right-hand Archangel. "That doesn''t excuse his absence. Being early is more preferred than being late. The Goddess requires diligence, and nothing is more diligent than punctuality."


    Runael quickly moved to counter, "Yes, certainly. But is it not also true that one should uplift their duties first and foremost? Perhaps, he has been delayed by a desire to pray or to help ease the Townsfolk with their troubles." Ariel huffed, "Maybe so, though this wait is still infuriating."


    A couple rows below the two were the three lower Archangels of the group.


    Chamael sat quietly in her seat, listening to the other two in her row chatter to each other. At the Moment, the youngest of them, Mariel, was gushing about the proceedings to Valkyrie. "I still can''t believe it! My first Baptism, how wonderful!" The stone-faced Valkyrie was making a valiant attempt to calm the flames of her fellow Archangel. "Yes, it is very exciting, though do try to keep quiet, Mariel. We need absolute silence when it does begin."


    On the inside, Valkyrie was growing as impatient as Ariel was, wondering where the soon-to-be Prophet was.


    Chamael chipped in, "Listen to Valkyrie, Mariel. It won''t be long now until the Prophet will be Baptized, there is no need for further rambunctiousness." The youngest Archangel pouted at Chamael''s stern words, sitting low in her seat as she glared at the ground beneath her.


    Far off to the side, several rows over, was the demented Ranael. The Archangel was currently whispering into her sleeve, intent on keeping the act hidden from her peers. "Yes, soon, very soon. I cannot wait, my heart feels as though it will burst, my Mistress!" Her rust red eyes twitched as her robes ruffled from the bizarre movement going on underneath them, very perverse goings-on happening right in Ilias''s very own Temple.


    Up above the six Archangels, the roof itself began to open, signaling that the Temple''s clergy were now almost ready for the proceedings to begin. Yet, Luka was still not yet there. This elicited another growl from Ariel, but the Leader of the Archangels said nothing more as her gauntlets flared with small red bolts of power.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Halfway between the entrance of the village and the Temple, was the Prophet-to-be in question.


    Luka had noticed the sun''s position in the sky being quite clearly high noon, but he didn''t feel very enthusiastic in his journey to get Baptized now.. He should be thinking, ''Who cares what that Monster thinks, I''ll become a Hero and show her what-for!''


    But he didn''t. In fact, the boy had never felt more doubt in himself before.


    Luka''s mind kept echoing the Lamia''s harsh words, feeling his self-worth crumble away more and more as he went on. He wasn''t even sure why her words had stung him so much; it wasn''t as if they knew each other, they were complete strangers. Logically her words, while hurtful, should ultimately mean very little to him. He didn''t know the Lamia''s name, yet here he was, on the verge of having a crying fit because of what she had said.


    ''Maybe she was right, maybe I am just a kid in over his head.'' Luka found himself at the bottom of the steps leading up to the Temple of Ilias, but he did not begin the climb. ''Maybe I should just turn around and go home, there are surely others more fit to become Ilias''s Prophet, or at least others who can pretend to be more fit. I can''t even do that much.''


    "Hey, Luka!" The boy in question looked up, peering at the top of the marble stairs leading into the Temple. Standing in front of the large entrance was a man Luka had become somewhat acquainted with these last two years. He was the son of the old Reverand and was now the new religious leader of Ilias Village, Reverand Grigori.


    The man was obviously elderly, though not nearly as much as his Father before him. He was very tall, being just as tall, if not taller, than the Lamia that had just harassed him. His wrinkled face was partly covered in a neatly trimmed gray beard.


    The man descended the stairs in a hurry, his blue and white religious garb flailing in the wind chaotically. "What are you doing boy!?" The man''s deep voice was questioning, but not unkind. "Ilias will be here any moment, you do not want to miss your own Baptism, do you?" The relieved smile on the man''s face fell as he noticed Luka''s dour face.


    "Say," Reverand Grigori began as his dark brown eyes assessed Luka''s upset disposition. "Today should be the most joyous day of the year, doubly for you in particular. Yet you look as if you are about to attend your own funeral!"


    Luka sighed, "I-I almost wish that was the case, Reverand." The older man regarded Luka with a concerned look. The boy''s demeanor was crestfallen, his shoulders sagging, and his head hung low. It wasn''t the proper attitude for a boy his age. The Reverand clasped a large hand onto Luka''s shoulders, unintentionally rocking the smaller boy''s body for a moment. "Here, walk with me, Luka."


    The two ascended the staircase towards the Temple''s doors, Grigori attempting to find the source of Luka''s troubled appearance as they went. "So, what is it that has you so down, my boy? You are looking positively sour." Luka hesitated, not wanting to recount the entire tale of his emotional and verbal beatdown.


    "I-I..." Luka began, trying to find the right words as they reached the top step. "...I just don''t know if I''m the right pick, Reverand. Do I really deserve Ilias''s Baptism?" Grigori made a hmph as they passed through the doors of the Temple, clergymen passing them as they entered, closing the large doors behind the pair.


    "Luka, do you remember when I first came to Ilias Village?" The Reverend asked. The purple-haired boy nodded his head, "Y-Yes I do, it was not l-long after the plague hit this village." Grigori nodded, his face turning grim.


    "Yes, that epidemic was the worse I had ever seen. Never before had I witnessed such a depressing sickness. People''s bodies failing themselves, slowly breaking down until all that was left of them was an empty shell..." The man trailed off, his dark eyes staring ahead in deep thought.


    "...I pray to Ilias every night that such a thing never happens to anyone again, so many people lost so much in those short few weeks..." Luka watched as the man''s darkened face began to soften. "...Though when I met you, I swear I saw a bit of Ilias''s Light shine against the Darkness of those uncertain times through you!"


    Luka shook his head, but the Reverand stopped the boy with a hand. "Listen, my boy." The older man stopped, kneeling down to look into the boy''s face with hardened eyes. "There was no one, not even me, who worked harder than you to help during those times. I saw it, the villagers saw it, even my Father had talked to me of how shocked he was at your turn-around."


    Luka drew back, surprise in his eyes at hearing that the old Reverand had spoken positively of him, considering that the man had been just as uncaring of him as anyone else had when he was alive.


    "R-R-Really?" Luka asked. Grigori nodded strongly, "Absolutely, and I know for a fact that he took pride in how you managed to grow so quickly. Though he was not able to voice that in his final days." The man stood up straight, walking the boy deeper into the Temple. "Either way, being a Hero isn''t just a privilege you can be given, it''s an acknowledgement of your very character."


    Luka gave the man a questioning look as they entered the prayer hall. "Wh-What do you mean?"


    Reverand Grigori said nothing as they continued down the long blue carpeting to the end of the room. Ahead of them on the prayer stage - in place of where the sermon podium would usually be at - was a waist-tall marble bowl. It was filled to just below the brim in crystal-clear water, the water Luka would very soon be baptized in.


    "What I mean is that receiving the title of Hero isn''t what makes you one. The traits of being a Hero are already within you; being Baptized is simply, as I said already, acknowledging those traits."


    Luka felt his spirits uplift at the older man''s words. He turned to the Reverand, his blue eyes holding hope in them once again. "D-Do you really believe I-I have those traits?" The man nodded his head with great enthusiasm, "If I did not, I would truly be a fool!" Luka chuckled as the man walked away for a moment as the man disappeared to fetch something.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    When he returned, he held a large blue and white ceremonial robe in his hands. "Now quickly, the Sun is at its peak and Ilias is sure to be here soon. Hurry and change, I am sure you would not want to be caught with your pants down when the Goddess arrives!" Luka blushed madly at the comment, leaving the Prayer Hall to go change into clothes fit for the baptism, both him and the Reverand unaware of the six gazes watching their interaction from the unused top level of the building.


    Luka quickly returned, nearly tripping as he made it to the large bowl stationed at the front of the prayer hall. From the ceiling cascade golden rays of sunlight that bathed the room in its wonderous glow, high noon was now upon Ilias Village. "Finally, I thought you had gotten lost, Luka."


    The older man chuckled at the boy''s face of embarrassment, the sound of laughter echoing throughout the building. "Alright, now if there are no further delays, I will now begin. Luka, if you would please kneel before the ceremonial bowl, I will now begin the prayer." Luka did so quickly, folding his hands together while closing his eyes.


    "O, Great Goddess of Light, hear my call."


    The Reverand''s deep voice reverberated through the room, Luka closed his eyes tighter as the man continued.


    "I call upon you to accept this boy, Luka of Ilias Village, to become your next chosen Hero."


    Luka''s shook, he could feel the Sun''s warmth beginning to fall down upon him as he kneeled there. Everything was starting to become clear to him, he felt at ease.


    "Bless him with your guidance, your wisdom, with Heaven''s Light itself as he begins his quest to serve you in helping heal this wounded World."


    The boy''s breathing quickened, he felt something in the air shift and change. Could it be, was it Ilias descending!?


    "If you are to have this boy as your own, then I ask for you to come now, come and bless him with your love and proclaim him your next Hero!"


    With that, Reverand Grigori''s prayer to Ilias was finished, and now came the descending of Ilias, who would baptize Luka and proclaim him as her Prophet!


    Luka, Grigori, and the Archangels above all waited...


    ...And waited...


    ...But yet, Ilias did not come.


    Luka opened his eyes, glancing warily around the Prayer Hall. He looked up to the Reverand, who seemed baffled himself as he looked up to the hole in the roof. "I don''t understand..." The Holy Leader said to himself, "...Th-This has never happened before to my knowledge..."


    Luka felt the warmth and hope in his heart freeze into despair once again as the sun''s light began to fade as it passed through its apex. Luka called out to the Reverand, "Gr-Grigori, isn''t Ilias s-s-supposed to b-be here by now?" The older man looked back down to Luka, pain in his eyes. "Well, yes she is..."


    The man wasn''t sure what to even say, as he was not lying when he had said that something like this had never happened before. ''The Goddess always came down to Ilias Village on her birthday to ordain a new Hero. Why, then, had she not done the same for Luka? This makes no sense!''


    The man snapped from his thoughts as he heard a sharp intake of breath come from the purple-haired boy. Luka''s face was quickly becoming soaked in tears. Grigori moved quickly to the boy''s side, grabbing him by the arm. "Here, here." Luka pulled the man in with surprising strength, burying his burning face into the man''s religious garb, viciously trying to hide his shame.


    The older man''s dark eyes peered at the shaking boy in sadness, feeling each heave of air he took in between sobs. ''This isn''t right...'' He thought, looking about the otherwise empty room for something, anything that could somehow salvage the situation.


    Eventually, the boy pulled his face away, his face now crimson and inflamed from his anguish. The boy took many long breaths, eventually being able to return himself to a more regular breathing pattern. "R-Reverand, does this m-m-mean I-Ilias has denied m-me?"


    The question felt like a dagger to the older man''s heart.


    Truthfully, he was worried that the lifestyle and responsibilities of being a Hero may prove too much for the kind-hearted Luka. He felt as though it might be too much of a burden on the boy''s good-natured soul as he was too trusting, too innocent. However, Luka had also proved himself as an honest, well-intention soul who had a genuine desire to help people. These, above all else in Grigori''s mind, made him more fit to be a Hero than most.


    And so, he made his decision.


    "Come with me, Luka." He grabbed the boy''s much smaller hand, pulling him up to the bowl of blessed water. The purple-haired boy was confused as the Reverand brought him to the stage, leading him to stand in front of the large marble bowl. "Wh-What are you going to do?" Luka asked.


    The older man gently grabbed the back of the boy''s head with one hand, cupping his other hand under the boy''s chin, "I would hold my breath, if I were you."


    "Wait, why-" Without warning, the man dunked Luka''s head into the water, eliciting a yelp from the boy as he very much so did not hold his breath.


    Quickly, the boy''s head was pulled back out of the water, splashing the blessed liquid everywhere as the boy sputtered and squawked from the abrupt Baptism. "There," The Reverand proclaimed, "You are now a Hero, Luka!"


    Luka wiped his soaked face with a hand, fighting to clear his sight. "W-Wait, I thought Ilias had to-" Grigori waved away the boy''s question, not having any of it. "Nonsense, I''ve witnessed the Goddess''s Baptisms many times before. This should suffice."


    Luka frowned at the man''s words, "B-But, only Ilias can B-Baptize people, right?" The Reverand simply shrugged, "Perhaps, though they won''t know the difference." He gestured to the closed doors of the Temple as he gave his reply. Luka, realizing what the man was implying, stared at him with shock. "Y-You are going to l-l-lie to the people about my Baptism!?"


    The tall man knelt down to hold Luka''s gaze, grabbing him by both shoulders. "Luka, remember what I said before. I believe that you can be a Hero, and that doesn''t change because of this. Truly Baptized or not, you can be a Hero and don''t let anyone tell you otherwise." The face of the purple-haired boy turned from one of unsureness to one of relief. "D-Do you really think so?"


    Grigori nodded his head without hesitation, "I know it."


    Luka grinned, not fully feeling better, but the man''s kind words uplifted him a great deal. "Th-Thank you, thank you so much." The Reverand stood up straight, holding up a hand. "No need to thank me, Luka, it is my pleasure. Now, you should go get changed. You have a long journey ahead of you, so do your best, young Luka."


    Luka shook his head up and down multiple times, unknowingly casting more water around the room. "Okay, I-I will!" The older man watched Luka turn and run off to get out of the ceremonial robes, a troubled chill crawling up his back. He could only hope that this was the right decision.


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    Even after the Reverand had left, the Archangels above were still silent, each of them shocked at what had just occurred. None of them, not even Ariel, had ever witnessed Ilias simply not show up to a Baptism. This situation was even more confusing, when taking account if the fact that this was supposed to be her Prophet''s Baptism, the most important Holy cleansing in the history of Heaven and Earth.


    "Th-That..." A confused Mariel spoke up, "...Wasn''t supposed to happen, right?"


    Ariel, standing up from her seat, replied "No, no it was not. Something is wrong." All of the Archangels turned to her, "We need to return to Heaven immediately, something must''ve gone wrong." Swiftly, the Leader of the Archangel extended her wings, the light of the act filling the top floor in golden rays. One by one, each Archangel quickly followed, even Ranael following with diligence in her speed, until they were all gone.


    All but one, that it.


    The recently appointed Archangel Valkyrie stood isolated on the balcony overlooking the prayer hall. Like the others, she was troubled by her Goddess''s unusual absence from the proceedings. However, something else was disturbing her, something that had bothered her before that.


    Valkyrie''s issue was the fact that upon seeing Luka''s face, her mind had been flooded with long-repressed memories of the night when she and Cupid watched as Marcellus and Lucifina''s nighttime activities. The Archangel''s face was that of shame, her blushing face turned downwards in embarrassment of the fact that seeing the Prophet had caused her to become excited.


    ''This is appalling! I shouldn''t be feeling such things, especially whilst in a Temple. That is a sin, Valkyrie. You know better.'' Despite her chastising of herself, the feeling of want did not go away as the Archangel flew through the still-opened hole in the ceiling. The troubled Angel flew quickly as to catch up to the other Archangel, her irregular thoughts growing more and more confused by the moment.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Luka quickly left the Temple after changing into his regular clothes. It was customary for a newly Baptized Hero to stay behind and pray, but the boy didn''t have the inclination in his heart to do so. While the Reverand''s words had struck a chord for him, there was still a lingering disappointment in his mind that grew more as he was left alone with his thoughts.


    ''Why, after everything she''s told me, would Ilias not come down to Baptize me?'' His steps were heavy as he walked through the town, his demeanor solemn. ''Did the Goddess change her mind? Does she no longer think me worthy of even being a Hero, let alone her Prophet?'' The depressing thoughts continued to flow through his mind, helping him to ignore the looks of concern coming from those he passed. He did not feel much like talking, so he kept his head facing the ground.


    Luka quickly left the inner hub of Ilias Village, no more than a couple minutes left in his journey. The wind picked up again, blowing the boy''s long purple hair across his face. He turned his eyes upwards to the bright blue sky. Large clusters of white clouds rolled across the sky, surrounding the bright yellow sun ahead.


    ''What am I supposed to do now? Grigori said that I''m a Hero either way, but is that really true?'' Luka considered praying to the Goddess herself, but his heart just wasn''t in it. If she didn''t even show up to his Baptism, why would she want to hear his prayers?


    Obviously, he had done something to displease her.


    Luka practically crawled up to his house''s front door, leaning on it as he twisted the handle and pushing the door open. He swiftly pulled the door shut, letting the silence of the empty house wash over him. He groaned, leaning back-first against the door. ''I may as well just go back to bed, there''s nothing else to look forward to now.'' He closed his eyes, simply resting now. ''At the very least, it couldn''t get any worse from here.''


    "You''re slow." The awfully familiar voice caused him to snap his eyes back open. Slowly - painfully so - the boy turned his neck to the far left to find the Lamia from before standing in the middle of his kitchen. The Monster''s large red tail was coiled on the ground around her, mirroring the impatience in her crossed arms. Her still admittedly enchanting face was expressing severe amounts of boredom.


    Luka stammered out the obvious question, "H-How did you find my house?" The Monster quickly gave an un-obvious answer, "By scent, I could smell your unsophisticated musk all over this house."


    Luka ignored the subtle jab, his thoughts running into overdrive. ''Wait a moment, a common Slime threw everyone into a panic! This Monster is surely titanically powerful in comparison, how did nobody in the village notice her being here?'' Luka opened his mouth for another question, "How did you get in here without anyone knowing?"


    The Lamia raised an eyebrow at the clueless boy, "Tricking Humans is easy for someone like me, what do you take me for?" Luka shrugged exhaustedly, giving an honest answer, "I have no idea."


    The two stared at each other for a while, an uneasy silence festering in the air.


    Luka turned his head at the Monster, "Wh-Why did you come here?" It was a justified question, as the boy was under the impression from their last meeting that the Lamia thought of him as a pathetic child not worth her time. It was painful to reflect on, but he figured from her brutal treatment of him earlier in the day that she''d go out of her way to not see him again.


    Something complex danced in the gold eyes of his intruder, her face showing something he didn''t quite recognize. "I... was interested. There was something I wanted to confirm." There was an equally odd tone in her voice, something that confused him. Her attitude now felt much different than before, more reserved.


    "Ah... I see..." Luka responded, although he certainly did not see. The boy straightened, "...Anyways," He began walking over to the nearby window, pulling the curtains shut. "I won''t say that you have to leave, but I can''t have anyone seeing you, either. Most people around here aren''t very Monster-friendly."


    The Lamia''s gaze followed him as he covered the windows enough to keep wandering eyes from seeing in, though left enough light in the house to adequately see. Luka asked a question as he continued to pull the curtains together. "S-So, you said you wanted to confirm something?"


    The Lamia crossed her arms, "Well, since you do not smell as though you''ve been Baptized, one of my questions have been answered." Luka flinched, a look of pain coming to his face. "Ah, yes. Ilias did not come to Baptize me..." Luka begrudgingly turned to look back at his guest, noting the odd smile on her face. It was a strangely pleasant expression, despite the circumstances.


    "I-I do hope you didn''t come by j-just to make fun of me." Luka said. The Monster''s eyes looked to him with that same look, "Oh no, I take more joy in knowing that I was able to pay her back for wounding me so exceptionally..." She muttered something under her breath gleefully, though Luka paid little attention to that, being caught on what she had said at the start.


    ''Pay who back, is she talking about Ilias?'' Before he could ask for any clarification, not that he expected to actually get any at this point, the Monster dropped her smile. "Food." The single word came from her mouth strictly as a demand, the Monster ordering him around as if he was a lowly servant.


    The attitude behind her command was frustrating, but Luka bit down the reply he was bout to give. ''Calm down, no need to anger her now. Be the bigger person.''


    "Okaaay..." Luka said, drawing out the acknowledgment of the Monster''s blunt request. "...I''ll find you something." Even with the Lamia constant prodding and technically breaking-in of his property, Luka was determined to be a good host, as he believed it to be the respectful thing to do.


    That, and the act of cooling may even help lift his mood, if just by a little bit. However, once reaching his pantry, the boy remembered something very important.


    He had cleared his kitchen in preparation for his journey as Ilias''s Prophet. In doing so, he had no perishable ingredients in his house. ''Oh my, that is not good...'' Luka thought as he looked back to the Monster with hesitant eyes.


    She stared at him expectantly, golden eyes glowing as Luka started to explain the situation. "W-Well, I will h-have to w-warn you that I don''t have m-much in the way of food right now. I-I sort of cleared out the kitchen ahead of my journey." The Lamia closed her eyes in frustration, letting out a very long sigh from her lips. "Isn''t there anything at all to eat? I''m so hungry that my stomach is set to devour itself."


    Luka frowned at the comment even though it was likely an exaggeration. He didn''t like the idea of anyone, even this very rude Monster, going hungry. The young boy opened up his pantry, retrieving one if the few things he did have in the kitchen. "I-I''m afraid that it isn''t m-much, but if you really are so hungry than it will have to do for now." The boy pulled out a small bag, approaching the Monster with the item outreached in his hand.


    Inside, was dried meat.


    "Jerky?" The Lamia almost spat, a look of immense disappointment on her face. Luka perked, a sly smile forming on his face as he stressed, "Homemade jerky, mind you." The Monster eyed the meat, before shrugging. "Oh well, it will do as an appetizer, I suppose." She takes the meat and eats it quickly, a displeased look on her face.


    However, as she begun to register the taste if the meat, her expression flipped completely. "Oh..." she muttered, "...This is actually good. You do seem to know your seasonings." It felt like a backhanded compliment, but the boy took it in stride. He gave a nod, thankful that he finally got something other than distaste from the Lamia.


    "I''d hope so, I''ve been cooking for most of my life! A good thing, too, since being able to cook for myself will make setting up camp so much easier for me..." His tone dimmed a bit, "...Even though I now won''t be able to become a Pr-, erhm, Hero." The snake Monster regarded the boy with a curious glance, which morphed into a strangely mischievous grin. "Well, either way you have satiated my hunger. I suppose I will be good without having a main course."


    Luka glanced up at her, "I''m glad, because I have no more food." The Lamia gave the boy a long, hard look. Silence befell the kitchen, as Luka felt a sudden chill go up his spine. He squirmed a bit, feeling a tad bit uncomfortable now. Reflexively, the boy lifted a hand to tug on an errant sting of hair, averting his eyes from the taller Monster.


    "Sooo... Wh-Why else did you come h-here, if not to mock me more?" Luka asked, a bit of pain unintentionally coming out. The Lamia closed her eyes, evidently perturbed by something. Whatever it was, she did not voice it.


    "I suppose I had said more than I had meant to earlier, but you had sounded so childish that I couldn''t help myself. In all my travels, I''ve never heard such things being said so honestly..." Luka felt his frustration build, feeling wounded at her words once. "...Though, I think it is a good thing, even if it is unorthodox."


    Luka''s face softened at her tone, ''Well, that wasn''t exactly an apology. But I suppose it will do.'' She opened her eyes, a quizzical look about them. "So, what is it that you will be doing now?" Luka shrugged, "Well, I may not be a Hero, but I will leave here nonetheless. Hero or not, I''d like to think I can still do some good for this World."


    He heard the Lamia give out a full chuckle, a wonderfully cute noise to the purple-haired boy. She stopped, fixing a genuine smirk on him. "Well, that is good. In fact, you''ve piqued my interest." The boy looked to her in surprise, "Really?"


    The Monster nodded, "Really, you''re a fascinating person..." She crossed her arms under her chest again, "...You''re able to say such ridiculous things with such confidence, it''s somewhat endearing." Luka''s face hardened, showing his dismay. "I-I don''t think coexistence is ridiculous..."


    The Lamia chuckled with mirth, the sound now furthering his frustration. "Oh, but it is. You''ll see that soon enough, I''ll be there to witness it myself." Luka flinched in surprise at her statement before asking, "What do you mean?"


    She leaned over some, meeting him eye-level. "I was already planning on traveling the World myself; so, if I am going to do so, I may as well tag along with you to do it." At first, the very thought nauseated the boy. Thusfar, while with a scattered moment of reprieve here and there, this Monster had battered and bruised his already diminished ego and self-esteem so easily. His treatment in Ilias Village had been bad, but this was on a different level. However...


    ...The one thing he had been dreading the most leading up to this day, was the idea of traveling alone.


    In the Village, Luka was alone in a different sense. He didn''t interact with many people, the only notable example being the Reverand who he saw every Mass, but at least there were people around. But outside the Village? He knew next to nothing about the people he would meet. So, even if the familiar face was the Monster''s mocking one, it would be better than simply going in alone.


    "Okay," Luka said with tentativeness, "I-If you want to come with me, I suppose I can''t stop you." He paused, looking down to the side before gazing up at her again. "Though, if you are going to be accompanying me, can I at least know your name?"


    The Lamia held up her head with pride, "My name is Alipheese Fateburn, however you," She said whilst extending a hand, "May call me, Alice." Luka appraised the Monster for a moment, his face livening. "Ah, Alice, I quite like that name. It''s very pretty."


    Caught off-guard by the comment, Alice''s normally reserved face broke out in a small blush, one that Luka missed as he turned back to the curtains. He peeked outside, watching as townsfolk walked about in the distance. "I-If you don''t mind, would you leave through the back? I''d imagine the others seeing you would cause a stir."


    Alice agreed with the sentiment, "Yes, that does sound like a good idea. I''d rather not deal with the headache of screaming Humans. I will meet you outside the Village, then..."


    The Lamia started to slither away, though she stopped to look back a final time. "...Ah, by the way, you may want to go and retrieve your sword if you want to properly begin your journey. You left it by my crater." With that, the Lamia disappeared through the back door.


    Luka, eyes wide, looked around his person in bewildered realization. ''You''ve got to be kidding me! How could I leave my Father''s sword behind!?'' The boy ran for the front door but stopped before opening it. ''Wait, this''ll be the last time I''ll see my home for a long time. I should say my goodbyes.''


    The boy spun back around, passing through the kitchen and down the hallway. There was really only one destination in mind, the one place he hadn''t been to since Sofia had stayed with him for that short time.


    Luka slowly pushed the door open, feeling the waves of melancholy wash over him as he stepped into his parent''s room. His eyes fell on the bed first, as it always did. He stood in the middle of the room, a heavy pit settling in his stomach. He breathed in sharply, folding his hands together as if to pray. However, he would not be speaking to Ilias.


    Instead, he spoke to his Mother.


    Closing his eyes shut, Luka began. "I''m heading out now, M-Mother. I don''t know when I''ll be back..." His breath hitched, the awkward sound jumping up and down in the back of his throat. Even after all these years, it was still so difficult for him. Truthfully, he didn''t know if it ever would be.


    "...S-S-So t-take good care of the h-house for me. I-..." Luka lip trembled, though he quickly fought the sensation down, this was no time for crying. "...I lo-love you." Trembling some, the boy opened his eyes, his blue eyes threatening the release of tears.


    "N-No, c-crying now. I need to grow up now." Luka reigned in the emotions, turning away from the bed and leaving the room. He closed the door behind him and walked through the house to leave through the front door.


    Luka never even noticed that Alice had not yet left the house, having heard the boy''s farewell to his Mother.