As the morning sun cast its first rays through the hospital window, Kenny slowly opened his eyes to a new day, one that felt fundamentally different from any he had experienced before. There was a sense of renewal as if he had been given a second chance at life.
Curiously, he moved his hands to his head, discovering to his astonishment that his hair, which had been lost to illness, had returned. He looked at his hands, noticing his skin no longer bore the pallor of sickness but radiated with health.
"Was this a miracle from God?" Kenny whispered to himself, gazing down at his hands in wonder.
"How could you say that after this goddess saved you." Lilith entered the room, her presence immediately drawing Kenny's attention. She carried a basket filled with fruits and flowers.
"You are..." Kenny began, his voice trailing off as he tried to piece together his fragmented memories of the mysterious visitor from the night before. The realization dawned on him slowly. "Ah... Something like this..."
Lilith, undeterred by his initial confusion, expressed her hope directly. "I hope you will continue believing in me," she said, her voice calm and steady.
"Believing in you?" Kenny repeated, seeking clarification.
"Worshipping me," Lilith corrected with a smile, making her intentions clear.
Kenny, however, hesitated. "I think you have a misunderstanding," he countered. "People worship God to express their faith, find comfort, and seek guidance from God. They want to feel connected to something greater than themselves. But I don't see any of that from you."
"I am different. In exchange for your faith, I also give comfort and guidance. In exchange for faith, I'll make sure the farmlands are blessed, the lakes and ponds fresh, and no diseases plaguing the world."
"That is..." Kenny was taken aback by her declaration.
Before Kenny could delve deeper into his thoughts and respond to Lilith's proposition, the sound of children's voices interrupted the moment.
"I'm sure you would do what is right," Lilith said, imparting a final word of encouragement to Kenny before she moved to exit the room.
As she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of a single mother with two children, a brother, and a sister, both looking to be under ten years of age. Without saying much, Lilith offered them a gentle smile as she passed by, leaving the family to reunite.
"Dad...!" The children rushed to Kenny's side, their voices filled with concern and hope. "Are you okay now?!"
"Yes... I'm fine," Kenny reassured them, his voice steady and calm.
The relief and happiness on his wife's face were noticeable; tears of joy welled up in her eyes as she witnessed her husband's improved condition. The family shared a precious moment, basking in the unexpected joy of Kenny's recovery.
After some time, curiosity got the better of Kenny's wife. "Who was that woman?" she inquired, referring to Lilith. Her intuition told her there was more to the stranger's visit than met the eye.
"That was... a colleague," Kenny quickly improvised. "From church."
"Hmmm..." his wife murmured, not entirely convinced but willing to let it go for the moment. "Is that so? But how did you get so well?" she persisted, seeking an explanation for Kenny's miraculous recovery. The doctors had been clear about the grim diagnosis.
"It was a miracle, from the new deity..." Kenny found himself saying, his words carrying a mix of hesitation and belief.
...
Cloaked and hooded, Seraphina ventured into the slums of the territory she governed, a place she had never personally witnessed. The reality of its condition struck her deeply; it was far worse than she had imagined. Walking down the muddy streets, she observed the dire circumstances her people were living in, realizing her previous ignorance.
Her contemplation was interrupted when a group of men approached her from behind. One man, in particular, became too bold, draping an arm around Seraphina's shoulders and leaning into her. Seraphina's initial reaction was calm, recognizing the all-too-familiar taint of lust influenced by cursed magic, similar to what she had encountered with her father.
With a quiet mutter, 'Hmm... Just like my father... lust,' Seraphina attempted to dispel the corrupting magic, expecting it to free the men from their unnatural behavior. However, the situation did not resolve as she anticipated. Instead of snapping out of their influenced state, the men remained aggressive, unaffected by her attempt to cleanse the magic.
"Eh...?" Seraphina's confusion deepened as the situation escalated unexpectedly.
In a bold move, one of the men yanked her hood off, unveiling her smooth hair and clear skin to the group. The revelation of her appearance, so different from those typically found in the slums, made it immediately apparent to the men that they were dealing with someone of noble birth.
However, any thoughts of her nobility were swiftly overshadowed by the captivating sight of her eyes. Seraphina's emerald-like eyes, with their subtle hints of gold, commanded their attention. But it was the extraordinary transformation of her pupils, altering in shape and shimmering a bright red, that truly stunned the men, stopping them in their tracks.
Taking advantage of the men's dazed state, Seraphina quickly seized the opportunity to distance herself from them. She made her way to a nearby well.
Peering into the darkened well, Seraphina was confronted with her reflection. The sight of her eyes, glowing bright with a golden-like hue and red pupils, stared back at her. The unusual appearance of her eyes was startling, yet she had no doubt that she was looking at her own reflection.
"What's going on?" she murmured to herself, puzzled by the transformation.
Her contemplation was interrupted by a gentle tap near her waist. Glancing down, Seraphina noticed a young girl holding a wooden bucket, indicating she needed access to the well.
"Excuse me," the girl said politely, her voice cutting through Seraphina's confusion.
Acknowledging the request, Seraphina stepped aside, allowing the girl to proceed with her task.
"I'll help you," Seraphina offered as the girl began to lower her bucket into the well. Taking over the task, Seraphina found herself answering a series of questions from the young girl.
"Why are your eyes shiny?" the girl asked.
"I don't know... but I do have an idea..." Seraphina answered honestly, still coming to terms with the changes herself.
"Why are your pupils shaped that way and why is it red?" the girl continued.
"That..." Seraphina started, unsure of how to explain the complexities of her situation to a child.
"Why are you..."
"You sure are curious," Seraphina interjected, pulling up a bucket filled with water, attempting to steer the conversation. "It's because of the blessing of the new goddess."
"The new goddess?" the girl echoed, confused by the concept.
"Yes. Do you know of the duchess or the stories here?" Seraphina probed, seeking to clarify her identity and the rumors surrounding her.
"Uh-huh. The stories and rumors of how a witch cursed her eyes for eyeing too many men lustfully," the girl relayed, sharing the local folklore as it was told to her.
"Uhhh... well, I don't think it went like that," Seraphina corrected gently.
"That's what mommy told me," the girl said, relaying the story with an innocent expression.
"Well, that duchess is me," Seraphina revealed. "And I have yet to eye any men lustfully. I was blind at birth."
"What...?" The girl's eyes widened in surprise, her previous assumptions challenged by this revelation. The realization that the woman before her was the duchess made her reassess her initial impression. "I-I... um."
"You don't have to worry," Seraphina assured her with a smile, aiming to ease the girl's sudden embarrassment. "But the reason why I'm able to see now is because of the goddess."
"The new goddess?" the girl repeated, now with a hint of awe.
"Yes. If we believe in her, she will bless us," Seraphina explained, hoping to instill a sense of hope and possibility in the young girl.
With that, the girl took the water from Seraphina, offered a bow in thanks, and quickly left, her mind undoubtedly full of new thoughts and questions
Unbeknownst to anyone from the small city, a miraculous was happening- the previously murky waters turned crystal-clear. The change wasn't from any humans or animals but a direct consequence of a single person's unwavering faith in a goddess.
Meanwhile, Lilith experienced a sensation unlike any other, a comforting feeling that seemed to come from the very depths of her soul. "Hmmm... that feels nice,"