Ilias stood silently in the middle of her throne room beneath the aperture in the top of Heaven, watching as the Moon crawled into place in the middle of the dark sky. The lunar satellite was in full display, a perfect white circle towering high above the Earth. Sitting before Ilias was a raised mound of cloud shaped like a bowl and filled to its brim with water purified by the Goddess herself.

She smiled, very satisfied at having the perceptiveness to create this new plan. It was a simple remedy. If Ilias couldn't Baptize Luka at the height of the midday Sun, then she would do it at the height of the nighttime Moon!

Technically, once the Moon hit its peak, it wouldn't be her Birthday anymore. However, Ilias was a Goddess, so she was above such semantics.

Ilias folded her hands together, closing her eyes as she did. The air around her started to glow and shimmer as she reached out to Luka's mind. Her smile widened as she felt the familiar feeling of his soul down on Earth, glowing so bright that she could barely make out the smaller and dimmer Human souls. However, before the Goddess of Light could truly begin, a very purposely fake cough vibrated through the room.

"Erh-ehem!"

Ilias's smile wiped off her face as if she had been slapped, her blue eyes opening with disgust at the abrupt cough. She slumped, asking with a very strained tone, "Yes, Black Alice?" From far behind her, skipping up to the Goddess with giddiness, was the Eighth Monster Lord herself.

"Weeeeellll..." The Monster sang as she skipped around to the front of Ilias. She hopped up and stomped down, her carmine eyes meeting Ilias's blue ones. "...I really don't want to interrupt your little ritual here, but you're too early." She pointed to the Moon with childlike vigor, "The Moon is only eighty-three one-hundredths of the way to the middle of the sky!"

Ilias furrowed her brows and replied, "And?" With feigned concern on her face.

Black Alice gasped. "If you're too early, then you wouldn't be baptizing Luka right at midnight! Surely, such an important thing needs to be perfectly on time!" Ilias groaned, placing a hand to her face in annoyance as Black Alice continued on. "Trust me, I'm an expert on these things!" Black Alice insisted.

Ilias rolled her eyes, "Oh yes, I'm sure that you are. Although, if it wasn't for your seven-times over great-granddaughter, I wouldn't even need to be doing it this way!" Black Alice raised a finger and corrected, "Actually, seven-times over great-grandniece."

Throwing up her arms, the Goddess yelled at the mocking Monster. "Whatever, it doesn't matter either way! Her blood is yours all the same!" Black Alice smirked, tilting her head away from Ilias. "Well, not for long. If this Baptism of yours works, then you won't have to worry about any other Monster Lord's other than yours truly." Black Alice gave a small, mocking curtsy to emphasize her point.

Ilias huffed, "True enough. Now, why are you really here? This preceding is none of your concern." Black Alice looked up to Ilias with faux offense, "None of my concern? He is my Prophet as much as he is yours."

Ilias glared at Black Alice, aware of the Monster's sarcastic tone. "Do not talk to me in such a way, especially when it considers Luka. Remember that your continued existence depends on my grace and his success. You'd be wise to take these matters with the utmost severity."

The smile on Black Alice's face diminished but did not disappear completely. "Oh, I do not mean to jest, I merely enjoy my position as the shepherd of your Monster flock!" Being reminded that there were actually Monsters who believed in her made Ilias feel conflicted. In the end it would work to her advantage, but she could not keep her disgust of them hidden from the ever-observant Black Alice, who took note of the expression.

"Though to answer your question, I come bearing good news. The number of Ilias-faithful Monsters is growing steadily, if slowly. Although, there have been questions concerning a place of worship for Monsters to attend. They cannot continue hiding during the day and practicing during the night for much longer if you want them to embrace you wholly and unquestionably." Black Alice informed.

The Eighth Monster Lord herself felt her stomach knot up in sickness as she ended her report. The very thought of there being a Temple of Ilias built specifically for Monsters made her feel nauseous in the same manner as it did for Ilias, albeit for different reasons.

The Goddess of Light looked down in thought, as it was a justified concern. If Ilias truly wanted to cultivate a following of believing Monsters, they needed somewhere to meet in secret that wasn't just a Human-owned Temple. It needed to be secluded, close enough to enemy lines to be easily accessed by Black Alice's Monsters, but not too close to be easily discovered. 'Maybe somewhere in the area of Heaven's Gate...'

Ilias peered down at Black Alice, "I'll think of something after I Baptize my Prophet. Now," she raised a hand, waving her cohort away. "Go! Leave me be. This is to be a private affair." Black Alice did a very exaggerated bow in response, "As you wish, My Goddess." The Former Monster Lord quickly left, teleporting down and away from the throne room.

The Goddess of Light turned her attention up to the Moon above, scoffing as she thought back to what Black Alice had said about the Moon's place in the sky. "Let me guess, is it ninety-two one-hundredths of the way to its peak now? Bah, as if she would know that better than I!" The Goddess clasped her hands together, reaching out with her mind to find Luka once more. 'There you are.' The clouds started to part as Ilias homed in on Luka.

In her impatience to get the proceedings underway, Ilias did not notice the brown teddy bear that had been snuck behind the marble throne of the Goddess. It peered from behind the stone chair, perfectly angled to witness the entire event that was about to occur.

----------------------------------------

Soft white rays of Moonlight bathed the countryside in white glow as night was well underway. In one very particular clearing north of Ilias Village, the Moon's rays shone done quite strongly on the camp of The Monster Lord and Ilias's soon-to-be Prophet.

The lavender-skinned Lamia was sound asleep, her long red tail wrapped tightly around the tree branch. The ethereal illumination brightened her form, showing the deep frown that was etched onto her face. Alice writhed in place, her tail coiling tighter and tighter around the large branch she laid on top of.

The troubled Lamia was in pain. Not pain of the body, though. She had pain of the mind. Memories she fought to keep away during the day were free to torture her during the night, as her subconscious mind betrayed her desire to distract herself from her past.

A small Lamia slithered down the dark halls, having been led to the throne room by the sounds of fighting and yelling. She could hear a man's voice calling out something, but the clang of sword and claw made whatever he said become lost in the noise.

Then, her gut wrenched when she heard her Mother's voice yell in pain. She quickened her pace, nearly flying through the castle until she came to a set of large black doors. The young Monster Lord burst into her Mother's throne room, the sound of the doors hitting the walls echoing throughout and startling the four figures standing on the other side.

The tiny Lamia gasped, seeing her Mother's now lifeless body lying on the ground. The girl's golden eyes stared wide at the empty face of Alipheese Fateburn the Fifteenth, then looked up to the man standing above the girl's deceased Mother.

He had a head of dark purple hair that was damp and ruffled with sweat. His blue eyes were locked onto her with surprise as he loosely held a bloodied sword in his left hand, the red jewel on its guard glaring at her in the pale Moonlight. A disheveled man with long black hair stepped beside the purple-haired man, his eyes wide as he whispered something to the man with the purple hair.

Something guttural and feral came from the throat of the Lamia, her claws breaking through her gloves before she charged forwards with intent to kill. Seconds before she reached them, a frail and elderly man leaped from the side with speed unbefitting of someone who appeared so fragile, shoving the two younger men away.

Almost perfectly, his throat lined up with her outstretched claws on her right hand. His head was taken clean off as her hand stabbed through his esophagus and came out the back of his neck. She watched as his head was thrown by the force of the attack and his thin body fell over, dark blood being sprayed like a busted faucet from the sheer intensity of the attack.

A woman's voice wailed from behind the young Lamia, but she paid it no attention as she made for the other two men. The one with the purple hair was the first to raise his guard, the other man frozen as he stared at the still-rolling head of the old man that had just been decapitated. She met the purple-haired man's sword with her claws, the two locking in a clinch.

She glared at him in hatred, watching his panicked face as he shouted out something. She wasn't sure if he was pleading with her or if he was calling to his partners, but it didn't matter either way to the young Monster Lord. She couldn't understand them anyways, not with her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

Alice shoved him off and swiped upwards with her right hand in an attack that just barely scraped the skin of the man's left eye. He hissed, covering the socket with a gloved hand. She spun quickly, her long red tail smacking him away and colliding with the still-frozen man with the black hair. They thudded against each other, falling onto the stone ground with groans of pain.

The Lamia charged again, intent on ending the two men just as quickly as the first one. But before she could reach them, a translucent barrier was cast around them, stopping the girl before she could attack. The Lamia wildly spun about, searching for the one who had created the shield.

She found the source, seeing a taller brown-haired woman wearing a nun garb holding a large wooden staff. Her bright blue eyes were desperate as she screamed something at the Monster. From behind the Lamia came the sound of the other two men shouting words of their own. However, it all fell on deaf ears.

The Lamia screeched, flying towards the woman at terrifying speed. The tall woman made a valiant effort to meet the Lamia with a defensive parry with her staff, but it was useless.

The Monster's horizontal swing cut through the staff as if it were a twig, the attack continuing past it until it tore into the supple woman's torso. The woman heaved as the Lamia's claws tore through her intestines, ripping her completely in half as her body collapsed into two pieces.

"KAREN!"

"NOOOO!"

The shouts from the two men behind her were the first words she had heard clearly thus far, but it was too late. The barely alive woman on the ground wriggled and writhed before the young Monster. Each movement did nothing but let more of her organs and blood tumble out from the gaping orifice that had just been made above her waist.

The young Monster Lord froze, watching as the brown-haired woman fruitlessly grabbed at her intestines with her hands, trying to keep them from pouring out. Her blue eyes were quickly dimming, her body going into shock as she continued to lose more and more blood by the second.

The Lamia watched with now shocked golden eyes as the woman fought to stay alive. Her mouth fluttered between opening and closing, but nothing but blood-filled gurgles came out. The Monster, understanding now what she had just done, looked down at her crimson-painted hands in horror. She shakily looked back at the other two men.

The purple-haired man was staring vacantly down at the dying form of the brown-haired woman, seemingly in a daze. The blacked-haired man, however, had lost his earlier nervous demeanor, now glaring at her with gritted teeth and tear-filled eyes. The young Lamia started to slither backward, before fully turning away and fleeing from the throne room.

She heard one last thing being yelled to her from one of the men as she left the room.

"DAMN YOUUU!"

Alice thrashed awake with a yelp, her nightmare ending with the final yell vibrating through her head. She frantically gazed around the small clearing she and Luka were camping in but naturally found nothing but her and the tent occupied the area. Nothing was out of place, everything the same as when she was last awake. The Lamia's breath came out in short, sudden gasps as she clutched the branch tightly with her hands and tail.

Evidently, too tightly, as the branch she was resting on violently snapped under the pressure. Alice fell with a small shriek, crashing onto the grass below unceremoniously. She moaned, pushing herself up with her elbows. "Fuck..." She spat, turning to look at the large branch hanging loosely from the tree she had been sleeping in. The Lamia rose to stand, feeling her face flush in a mix of embarrassment, pain, and self-deprecation.

Even with their seemingly being no one around who had seen her fall, she still felt a burning shame inside. However, the shame wasn't just from the then swiftly looking to Luka's green tent, hoping she hadn't awoken the boy. Not really from a fear of interfering with his sleep, though. Alice just wanted to make sure that he of all people didn't see the humiliating fall.

Slithering over to his sleeping quarters, Alice carefully unzipped the flap of the tent, flooding the inside with the white of the rising Full Moon in the sky. Alice didn't take long to find the boy, seeing his calm and thankfully not awake face right away. She noted that his blankets seemed to wrap around him as if he had been mummified, an observation that caused her to pause.

'How did he even accomplish that?' The Lamia shoved the thought away, inspecting the boy's face once more. She had to admit, in the luminous glow of Moon, his face was very appealing. The paleness of his soft-looking face reflected the light nicely, giving him an innocent appearance.

'Nothing like his Father, in that regard.' The Monster Lord cringed at the thought, quickly zipping the tent's flap door closed afterwards. She turned to slither away, wanting to leave those thoughts alone. However, it was difficult when this Luka was practically the spitting image of his Father. Practically being the key word.

The purple hair and blue eyes made Luka a dead ringer for the man that had killed Alice's Mother, but it would be false to say that they looked completely identical. Luka's face was softer and rounder, while his Father's had been a bit more rugged and angular.

Alice lightly scoffed, moving away from the boy's tent. 'I am not even sure why I'm thinking such things. In the end, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that he becomes even stronger than his Father before him. Then, he'll help me fix my mistake...'

The somber Lamia left the campgrounds despite her tiredness, needing to calm her mind with a late-night stroll before she could return to sleep. Leaving a sleeping Luka as the sole occupant of the campsite, vulnerable to the approaching grasp of Ilias.

----------------------------------------

The sensation of being hoisted up to Heaven was similar to falling asleep. It was a quick but lulling transition, being. This time, however, the boy had felt this process while being awakened in his tent by the initial pull that had come from Heaven. In essence, it made it to where he felt like he had been jolted awake by a strike of lightning, just to be knocked unconscious immediately after the fact.

So, while lying face-down in a golden cloud, Luka fiercely fought to keep his wits about him as he struggled to recover from the sheer intensity of the few quick moments of panic he had just gone through. The purple-haired boy pushed himself up in a daze, his blue eyes attempting to get adjust to the overpowering light radiating all around him. He could tell where he was but was completely lost at the same time.

"Hello, Luka." The young boy heard a very familiar voice call out to him, one that caused him to pause. He opened his mouth hesitantly, "Ilias?" Just like when he first met the Goddess, she placed her hand on his head to clear his vision.

Luka found the smiling face of the Goddess as he looked up, her warm blue eyes looking down upon him. "You are correct, Luka. It is I." Luka felt conflicted; he was happy to see her, but only to such an extent. It seemed as if his apprehension was visible, as Ilias's smile faded from her face after a moment. "I expect that you have some confusion, Luka..."

The purple-haired boy quickly stood as her hand retreated from his head, not wasting any time in seeking out an answer to his burning question. "Yes, why didn't you come down to Baptize me, Ilias? I-I don't understand, I thought you had wanted me to be your Prophet?"

A rare look of pain came onto Ilias's face, though the Goddess had a prompt explanation prepared for him. "I do want you as my Prophet, Luka. However, I had a different type of Baptism prepared for you. That, is why I brought you here." She gestured an arm towards something behind the boy; he turned, seeing what she had in store for him.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

Sitting before Luka was a raised section of golden cloud shaped like a geyser. The tip of the mound opened up, revealing a shallow pool of crystal-clear water about a meter in diameter. Luka gaped at the sight, realizing what it was that he was seeing.

"Is this..." Luka started as he peered into the pool's reflection, noticing the lunar image shown inside of it. He looked up, confirming that the Moon was directly overhead, shining through a large gash in the clouds above. "...I-Is this for me?"

Ilias grabbed the boy by his arm, slowly leading him to the pool of water. "Yes, it is, Luka. It is for your true Baptism. A Baptism fit for the one to be my Prophet." Ilias lead Luka up to the crater of golden cloud, stopping right before the edge of the pool. The Goddess turned and looked down at the purple-haired boy.

She squatted beside the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder as Luka peered into the pool. 'That has to be the cleanest water I've ever seen.' Luka thought, his blue eyes watching his and Ilias's reflection below him. The Goddess's soft voice called out to him, "Alright, Luka. Are you ready?" Luka shook his head up and down vigorously, placing his hands on the pool's edge, getting into position to prepare himself for his Baptism.

The young boy called out to the Goddess, "I'm ready!" Ilias clapped her hands together, "That's wonderful!" She stood up straight, a wide smile growing on her face as she looked down at her very-soon-to-be Prophet. "Now, you may remove your clothes!" Luka stood still, his face very slowly going from jubilation to horrified confusion.

The very nature of the request made his blood run cold, so many different thoughts and emotions running through him now. His body shook, a pit growing in his stomach while he tripped over his next words. "E-E-Eh?" He turned away from the pool, peering up at Ilias in blatant confusion. "I-I'm sorry, but I think I m-m-misheard? D-Did you say to... t-t-take my clothes off?"

To his horror, Ilias's smile did not waver. In fact, it only seemed to grow.

"You heard correctly, Luka. As I had said before, your Baptism will be much different than that of my past Heroes. With them, I would only wash their hair. But you are to be my Prophet, so your Holy cleansing will be much more special." She spun around, facing away from Luka. "Don't fret, I'll let you disrobe in peace. Call upon your Goddess when you are ready, and we will begin."

Ilias said it so nonchalantly that - for a moment - Luka could almost fool himself into believing that this was normal.

Luka turned his attention to his nighttime garments, the white nightshirt he had grown accustomed to wearing for all these years hanging down to knee level. He wanted to believe that he was merely overthinking things, but he couldn't shake the feeling that being completely undressed in front of Ilias was wrong.

Even so, Luka unsteadily grabbed the hem of his nightshirt with both hands. His face was contorted in hesitancy, 'I really, really don't want to do this. To be undressed around Ilias seems very unbecoming.' He gave a few more ragged breaths, trying to calm himself. Steeling his face as he pushed down the bundle of nerves worming around in his stomach, he began to lift the silk cloth upwards.

Luka shuddered, the act shaking his entire body. 'Okay, okay, nothing weird about this. Completely normal.' It wasn't, but he wouldn't admit to himself for fear of panicking in front of Ilias.

Pulling the garment over his head, Luka now stood completely bare in front of the pool. He looked over to Ilias, who was thankfully still faced away from him. "O-O-Okay Ilias, I-I'm ready." He grimaced, feeling somewhat risqué due to his vulnerable position and choice of words. The Goddess turned, appraising the boy quickly.

"Wonderful! Now," Ilias gestured to the pool, "If you will now enter the pool, we can begin your cleansing." Luka shuddered again, the whole thing still being very odd to him.

'Come on, Luka. Stop thinking weird of it, you're just looking too much into it. I haven't waited this long just to doubt it all now.' He was ready to receive it as much as Ilias was ready to give it. This was the moment he had been waiting since she had first reached out to him four years ago. Even with how bizarre it was becoming; it was meant to be. It had to happen if he wanted to bring peace to the World.

After all, this was Ilias, the Goddess of Light herself! Surely, she had asked him to undress only because it was completely necessary to complete the Baptism.

So, while forcing the last strands of hesitation away, Luka stepped up to the pool and broke through the water's surface with his feet. He slowly sank in, the water coming up to his collarbone. The purple-haired boy let out a shaky breath, leaning back into the wall of cloud. The water helped to calm him, its pleasant warmth spreading throughout his body. 'So far, so good. Maybe this won't be so bad.'

Then, he felt Ilias's hands grasp his shoulders, gently pushing him down. He gasped, the water rising past his shoulders and to his head. The Goddess gave one last push, positioning him in a way where his body was completely submerged up to his face. His gaze was forced upwards, peering up to the Moon, which was now directly overhead.

It suddenly hit him just how close the Moon was, as it seemed much more pronounced here than it was down on Earth. 'Just how high up in the sky is Heaven, anyways?'

Before Luka could further ponder the idea, the face of Ilias came into view, partially blocking out the Moon. Her blue eyes peered down at him with a strange glee, her pupils seeming to shine. Ilias's hands went to his scalp, gently running through his submerged hair. Her fingers massaged the top of the boy's head, jolting him with the pleasing sensation.

"Perfect..." The Goddess of Light whispered, the hushed tone carrying a very strange undertone to it.

Luka blinked owlishly before asking, "H-Huh?" Ilias merely giggled at his bewilderment as she leaned to the side. The Goddess then cupped her hands together beneath the water, gathering it in her palms. She raised her hands above his head, "You may want to close your eyes."

The young boy did so, feeling a gentle stream of water pour onto his face, wetting down the rest of his face and whatever hair had not yet been submerged. Luka felt the Goddess's soft hands rub along his face, brushing the excessive water away from his eyes. Said eyes opened, looking up at Ilias once again.

He felt his heartbeat quicken upon finding that Ilias had leaned over closer, her half-lidded gaze intensely fixated on him. She reached down, her slender arms dipping into the pool as she pulled him up by his shoulders. He shivered as the purified water rolled off of his skin.

The Goddess pulled him back into a sitting position, but her hands did not leave his bare skin. Unseen by either of them was how the red jewel on the necklace around Ilias's neck started to glow.

Luka sat there for a moment, feeling a light breeze on his back. He opened his mouth to ask if they were finished but stopped when he felt Ilias's hands start to trail across his shoulders. "Uhh..." He began, not understanding where this all was going. "...I-Is this p-part of the B-Baptism?" Ilias's melodious voice came out hushed, passionate.

"Yes; as I said, I wanted it to be special. Because you are special. Special to the World, to my Angels, and to me." Ilias stopped, words and hands pausing suddenly. Luka noticed a sudden shift in the air, a peculiar sensation. Everything grew quiet, uncomfortably so. "You, Luka, are my last hope. So many before you have failed, and I am afraid that there may not be much time left before the World I love so dear is thrown into chaos."

Ilias hands went lower, trailing down his back. "I can hardly bear the thought, which is why I chose you as my Prophet. When I first met you, I knew that you would help lead Humanity out of this age of Darkness and set them in the path of Light, away from the evils of the Monster Lord. This is why you must fight and destroy her before she envelops the entire planet in Darkness."

Luka frowned at the mention of the Monster Lord. Already, he had met two Monsters, and while they were definitely peculiar to him, they didn't seem all that different than Humans. Really, they were quite similar to people, just more powerful and more intense. The wheels in his mind spun, trying to think of some way he could convince Ilias to see things his way.

Perhaps even the Monster Lord herself could be a good person at heart who was simply misled.

The young Hero stared down into the pool, a conflict building in his heart. He wanted to help end the conflict between Monsters and Humans, but he didn't know if he could do it the way Ilias wanted him to. "I-Ilias, may I a-ask you something?" The Goddess leaned close to his shoulder, a bit too close for his comfort. "You may ask me anything, Luka."

He readied himself, somewhat nervous that his question may upset Ilias. "D-Do I truly n-need to k-kill the Monster Lord? Can I-I not t-t-try to reason with her?" Ilias froze, hands stopping on his shoulders. Her fingers ever so subtly clamped a bit tighter onto him, causing the boy to shiver. Her voice came out strained as she questioned him back, "You... You want to try reasoning with the Monster Lord?"

Upon hearing Ilias's tense voice, Luka felt his heartbeat go into overdrive, "W-Well," He stammered, "I-I just th-thought that, s-since you said I am to s-save the World, maybe I could do it without needing t-to k-kill anyone?" He glanced down at Ilias's face in the pool's reflection, noticing her strangely intense stare aimed at the back of his head.

"I-I-If that is possible." Luka finished, his body shaking with nervous energy. It was then that he saw something even stranger happen in the reflection of the pool. He caught a glimpse of the red jewel hanging from Ilias's neck faintly glow, as if illuminated by something. He squinted at the jewel, but the glow was gone as quickly as he had noticed it.

But then, he saw something even more concerning.

Luka gazed deeper into the pool, analyzing the Goddess's reflection. Luka squinted, noticing something peculiar on the woman's usually unblemished face. Suddenly, he recoiled back into her touch. His head spun quickly to face Ilias, the movement splashing the water around him. Ilias's face looked at the boy with concern, "Is there something wrong, Luka?"

The young boy gawked at the Goddess's face, not quite understanding exactly what he was seeing. Along the right side of Ilias's face, was a very pronounced scar that had most certainly not been there before. It started at the height of her eyebrow, went down through her right cheek, and then ended at her soft jawline. Unconsciously, the boy put a hand up to his own face, "Erm, w-w-well. Th-There's something..."

Ilias noticed the position of his hand, the realization striking her like a harsh slap. She snapped her gaze to the pool, seeing the offending cut on her reflection's face. The Goddess choked on her own breath, looking away from the water and back to the now anxious-looking Luka. Ilias's mind was unraveling, fruitlessly searching for some sort of reason for the imperfection residing on her face.

'What!? How is it back already!?' Ilias thought in panic, before an idea struck her. She gave a convincingly sad smile, lowering her hand to let the scar show freely.

"I didn't want anyone to know, as I thought it would cause unnecessary alarm. Though it seems as if my attempt to hide it have failed. But, as my Prophet, you can be trusted with this information." Ilias gestured to the cut, "This offending scar, was given to me by the current Monster Lord." Luka's eyes widened, and he couldn't keep the question from rolling out of his mouth. "Wh-What happened?"

Ilias shook her head, "Oh my Prophet, the tale behind this, is an unfortunate one." Luka tilted his head as the Goddess continued.

"I had descended this morning to meet with the Monster Lord, as I wanted to plead with her one final time for a truce! I wanted to plead for peace, something I have attempted to do with every Monster Lord that has ever been. However, this," The Goddess of Light placed a hand on her cut face, "Is what I receive for my trustful and optimistic offer. Regretfully, no Monster Lord I have ever met with had ever wanted peace and this one seems to have been the worst of all, as she attacked me before I could even make the offer!"

Ilias clasped her hands together, "That is why you must stop her for good, Luka. She will not stop until the World is decimated."

Luka's face fell at Ilias's words, 'The Monster Lord attacked Ilias when she was offering peace? If she is that combative, I may have no choice but to fight her...' He gulped, not very confident in the idea. '...Unless I could convince her where Ilias could not? If that's even possible, I'll find a way. I have to.' He felt a hand on his shoulder, a sensation that caused him to gaze upwards.

"Do not worry, Luka. I know you have your doubts, but you can do it. I believe in you." He searched the Goddess's face, finding nothing but confidence in her demeanor as she talked to him. Ilias retrieved his shirt from the floor, "Now rise, the Moon is at its highest, it is time I finish your baptism." The boy quickly stood from the pool, thankful to be handed the garment, throwing it on without hesitation.

A twinge of disappointment struck the Goddess briefly as he did.

"...Alright, take my hands and close your eyes, Luka." The young boy promptly did so, bowing his head and closing his eyes as he did. She stared down at him as the Moon's light shone brightly overhead, even brighter than the golden clouds surrounding them.

Something about her position caused the Goddess's heart to throb just a bit more erratically. She swayed in place, her head and thoughts hazy from a strange sensation of lightheadedness. Ilias tried to shake it off as she opened her mouth to speak.

"O, Universe. I call upon you to accept this boy, Luka of Ilias Village, as he becomes my very own Prophet of Light."

The clouds around the two started to pulsate, each throb causing the clouds to grow brighter than before. The pattern was like that of a slowed heartbeat, every shine they gave off being like a breath of life being given to them by Ilias as her Light flowed through them during the closing moments of the baptism.

However, as well as things seemed to be going, the Baptism would be laid astray by an unforeseen interference.

"I bless him with my Guidance, my Wisdom, with my Light as he begins his quest to serve me in helping heal this wounded World."

The ruby stone lying on Ilias's collarbone start to pulse with the clouds, growing bright before fading again just the same as they did. Luka felt a warmth building in the air, almost as if he was surrounded by the reaching breath of a distant flame. Ilias, on the other hand, was feeling a much different heat. One that seemed to be coming from the inside.

"I claim him as mine, and I bless him with my L-Love and take him as my Prophet!"

Luka became somewhat confused as the Goddess's tone started to shift, and he could feel the Goddess's hands - still interlocked with his - begin to shake. 'These words are different than what the Reverend said, did she change it just for me?' He wondered to himself.

The jewel of the necklace glowed even brighter, putting off an even stronger light now. Ilias continued, not seeming to notice this as her blue eyes were still intensely locked onto the purple-haired boy.

"O, Universe. Accept him as I have and allow him to be a part of Heaven's Will. So he may be my most beloved and precious servant, my intended p-partner in Light. So that..."

Ilias paused, feeling beads of sweat start to form on her brow. The Goddess's eyes were blurry, the only clear object remaining in her sight being Luka himself.

"...So that he may receive a H-Heavenly Reward for his courageousness, one I will bestow onto him personally."

Ilias twitched, feeling an odd urge to rub her legs together. 'What is happening?' She thought, 'Am I sick? Why is my body so hot? I need to finish this now, before I start acting like a fool.' The Goddess gulped, her mouth feeling dry. The jewel on her neck was burning red, but the sensation seemed dull compared to the inferno raging in her chest.

"Now I pronounce Luka of Ilias Village to be my Prophet, may he be steadfast in his mission as he goes to save my World!"

With those final words, the Baptism was over...

...Except, it wasn't.

The Baptism was incomplete, something Ilias noticed even in her currently impaired state. Usually, once a Human had been given a Baptism by Ilias, their very soul would gain a golden edge to its border. This border was a barrier that would then make that Human's presence abhorrent to Monsters in the same way Angels were, making them less sexually appealing to the enemies of Ilias.

The Goddess quickly became confused, as for whatever reason, this did not happen for Luka.

Ilias looked at Luka's soul, which remained pure white, completely negating her appeal to it. She pressed a bit harder, The Goddess's Magic flowing like a river around him. The act whipped the boy's clothes and hair as if blown by the wind. Yet, nothing changed. He was the same as before, completely unfazed by her attempts to shield it in her own essence. She stared down at the unbaptized boy, her heart distraught.

'Can he... Not be Baptized? But then, that means that he can't have my protection.' The very idea threw her into misery. Did this mean that Luka wasn't destined to be her Prophet? That couldn't be, all the signs were there! His bright soul, his unlikely existence as a Nephilim, everything pointed towards him being her savior! But yet, he couldn't be Baptized.

Something any regular, mundane Human could receive from her.

Ilias looked up to the Moon shining apathetically overhead. 'Is it really because it did not happen at the height of the Sun? Is...' The Goddess of Light shook, '...Is this failure my fault? Did I miss my chance at having my Prophet?' It was a train of thought she never would have thought herself having before, but the notion spread through her mind like a poison, eating away at her usual confidence. The golden clouds around them dimmed, Ilias's powers returning to her.

"U-Um, is the B-Baptism over now? I-I don't feel any d-different." The timid voice of Luka spoke up. Ilias glanced down at the boy, meeting his uncertain blue eyes.

A great dilemma now presented itself to the Goddess. Truly, he was not Baptized and now, Ilias didn't know that Luka even could be. However, to admit this would be acknowledging the fact that she wasn't able to carry out her duties as his Goddess and that just could not stand. Ilias forced a somewhat benevolent smile on her face in an attempt to ease his worries.

"Yes, the Baptism is complete!" Ilias lied, "The, erm, effects are just very subtle." She finally released her hold on his hands, begrudgingly.

A pang of doubt fired through the newly crowned Prophet, as he couldn't shake the feeling that he was no more different now than he was when Grigori had "Baptized" him at the Temple. But, when he looked at the confidently smiling face of Ilias, he couldn't bring himself to air out his uncertainty.

Luka nodded, "A-Alright then..." Luka hesitated, feeling a bit awkward now as he stood in the pool with the Goddess staring down at him. "...T-Thank you for taking me as your P-Prophet, Ilias. I suppose you'd want me to be back down at my camp now."

'No, I don't want you to go.' Ilias smiled through the abnormally bitter thought.

"...Yes, I suppose that it is time for you to leave now, my Prophet." Ilias lifted her hand, placing it on top of Luka's head. She gently grasped at the boy's wet purple locks, taking her time before she sent him off. A golden shimmer surrounded the boy, who stared up at the Goddess of Light with a small smile etched on his face. She tried to ignore the way her heart throbbed at the sight.

"Remember that I will always be here for you to support you on your journey. Go, O Prophet Luka, and bring Greatness onto your Goddess's name!" The purple-haired boy nodded slowly, giving a small nod.

"Okay," He said, "I-I'll do my best, and I won't let you down!" Ilias beamed at the boy, "I believe in you, my Prophet." The air around the boy glowed bright as he disappeared, leaving the Goddess alone once again. Ilias stared at the empty air beneath her outstretched hand, an empty feeling settling in her heart.

The clouds around her dimmed, their own self-maintained Light fading somewhat. Ilias brought the still held-out arm back but remained standing in front of the baptism pool. A frown grew on her face, highlighting the somber air that spread around her. 'Why is it that I feel so sad now?' The Goddess lamented to herself, feeling as though she had just lost something very important.

The Brown teddy bear behind the marble throne vanished in a portal in the ground, returning to its master to show her the very... disturbed set of events that had just transpired.