SCENE VII

Look also at the human cities.

Waking in the morning, she saw Magnus lying on the other side of the bed, beside her. He was sleeping peacefully. She smiled. Lazily stretched on the bed, and after dressing in her black chasuble, she took the iron bowl in both hands and left the chamber to fetch water.

The corridor was as usual—quiet and dark. Only from the chamber where the fallen angels had entered last night came the vague sounds of snoring. Akasha smiled and, shrugging, began descending the stairs. The Temple was dark; not even the torches had been lit yet. She walked very slowly until she reached the massive wooden gates. With difficulty, she pushed them open and entered the dead garden, immersed in darkness.

"It's dark here too," she thought bitterly, and suddenly noticed the flame of a torch stuck in an iron gazebo surrounding a pond in the center of the garden. Overjoyed, she set off in that direction without hesitation and was soon drawing water from the well.

Suddenly, however, she heard a rustle behind her. She started and, turning in the direction of the sound, saw one of the Fallen Angels. The two stood facing each other, staring at each other, but above all, unsure what to expect from the other.

"Uh..." Akasha muttered, clutching the heavy basin in both hands before her. "I'm Akasha.

" "You bear the name of the first vampire, you know that?" the unfamiliar angel said in a melodious voice.

"No," she shook her head in surprise. "I didn't know, what's your name?"

The angel looked at her in surprise, but then shrugged indifferently and approached her.

"My name is Nilajhash."

"You were once an angel of the choir of dominions. Did I guess?

" "Yes," he agreed. "What are you doing here?

" "I came for water. We need something to wash ourselves in."

"I didn't know Magnus had a concubine here.

" "You know that?!" she exclaimed indignantly. "I'm no concubine. Magnus is my Mentor, that's all!

" "I see no reason why that should interfere."

The bowl Akasha had been holding slipped from her hand, but she ignored it. She walked up to him and struck him in the face with all her might. Nilajhash looked at her indifferently. Akasha was furious, turned on her heel, and lifted the basin from the ground. Filling it with water again, she left the garden without a word.

Walking briskly across the hall, she felt anger boiling inside her.

"Idiot!" she hissed through gritted teeth, and suddenly all the torches hanging from the seven columns in the Temple, one by one, began to light.

"I did it?" she thought, surprised, walking slowly, her face turned away from the fire. "Can I do things like that too?"

In Magnus's chamber, she placed the bowl on the dresser, then sat on the bed, staring mutely into the fire. Her thoughts were jumbled. Nilajhasz's conversation had unsettled her.

"Hmmm..." Magnus turned to her. "Are you awake yet?"

"I slapped Nilajhasz. Do you know him?"

Magnus blinked, surprised by her response.

"Woman, are you mad?" he yelled. "He's one of the most important angels in their midst.

" "But you know what he said? That I'm your concubine!" I couldn't help but get angry.

"But Akasha, what do you think it looks like if we sleep in the same room, in the same bed?! Everyone probably thinks we've made love more than once.

" "Nonsense! Nothing like that happened.

" "Tell them. Besides, Akasha, does it really bother you that much? I don't understand; personally, I wouldn't mind.

"Stop it," she got out of bed and walked over to the fire.

"I'm sorry," he touched his forehead, turning onto his back. "I guess I always have thoughts like that when I'm hungry.

" "There's still a lot of food left from Daniel's recent shopping," she replied absently.

"I don't mean that kind of hunger." He stood and started putting on his pants. "I need blood.

" "Do you want mine?" she turned to him just as he was zipping up his zipper.

She gazed intently at his gorgeous, athletic, dark-skinned body. He had a lot of chest hair, but the lower he went towards his navel, the less it became. When she caught herself looking at him, her gaze quickly shifted to his face.

"I wouldn't want to take advantage of you now."

"You won't. I want to help you because you helped me."

She walked over to him. Magnus motioned her to sit on the bed, then settled down next to her.

- Don't be afraid - he ran his hand along her neck - I won't hurt you seriously.

Perhaps without control, he gripped her arm tightly, clearly trying to prevent her from escaping with her neck, and after a moment, he licked her skin lightly. Akasha felt a pleasant shiver run through her body. Shortly before his teeth pierced her skin, Magnus brushed his lips gently against it, then sank into her skin. Akasha shuddered, feeling only a slight pain, followed by a pleasant sucking sensation.

Slowly, under the pressure of his body, she lay down on the bed, sticking her neck out so he had easier access. She didn't know how long he had been drinking her blood, but when he stopped, she felt weak and dizzy.

The man, having satisfied his hunger, sat down beside her and, leaning against the wooden column of the double bed, pressed a white cloth to the wound on her neck.

A wonderful sensation took over his entire body. He closed his eyes in delight and tensed his relaxed body. He hadn't felt this great in a long time...

Waking up, she stretched on the bed and looked around. Magnus wasn't beside her. The spot where the man had been sucking her a moment ago hurt, but not unbearably. She stood and hesitantly left the room; the corridor was unusually crowded. Plenty of fallen angels were also milling about on the balcony. Akasha felt their eyes on her, but pretended it didn't bother her. To her disappointment, she didn't see Magnus in the Temple either, but she did stumble upon Nilajhash. She sighed heavily, not particularly fond of him at the moment.

"Have you seen Magnus anywhere?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head.

The girl wordlessly headed for the gate leading to the dead garden.

"Where are you going?" Nilajhash asked.

"None of your business," she grumbled, ignoring him.

"When you have business with me, you know me, but as soon as you don't need me, you treat me like air. "

Akasha suddenly felt terribly foolish. She turned and faced him.

"I'm going for a walk. But I'd like to go alone, if you please."

Then she entered the garden, leaving him in the Temple. She made it outside without a problem. Tired from climbing the stairs, she knelt on the grass near the entrance and looked up at the sky. The sun was just setting, bathing the entire horizon, which was lined with the grim ruins of the monastery, in a blood-red color. Akasha waited until the stone pentagram forming the entrance closed behind her, then set off across the plain toward the forest.

The grass here was exceptionally tall, reaching up to the girl's waist. The fresh air and the grass around her brought her incredible pleasure. Soon she reached a beech forest, whose branches bowed low to the ground, covered with a carpet of brown leaves. There was almost no undergrowth here, and only here and there were larger clumps of bushes. Quite often, on her way to the ruins, she encountered large rock piles or single boulders protruding from the ground. Akasha was enchanted by the forest and gazed at everything with intense curiosity—the twisted roots, the canopies of spreading branches, the single beam of moonlight, and the massive stones jutting skyward.

The sound of a twig snapping suddenly ripped her from her thoughts. She lifted her head and saw a large, gray wolf perched on one of the rocks. She froze at the sight. The wolf growled ominously, revealing sharp fangs. The girl's heart began to pound incredibly fast in her chest, but Akasha couldn't bring herself to make any move. Suddenly, the wolf flicked its tail nervously and, in a split second, lunged at her. Akasha squealed in terror and covered her face with her arms.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp tug. Then she fell back onto the leaves with a thud. She groaned and looked up. Above her, one of the Fallen Angels stood, his back to her. The wolf, however, wouldn't give up. He faced the angel and bared his snow-white teeth. He didn't wait long, instantly lunging at him, knocking him flat on his back. Akasha watched in horror as the angel grabbed the animal by the muzzle with one hand and the throat with the other, holding it above him. Although it lasted less than a minute, it felt like an eternity. Then she heard the wolf's terrible howl, and with a jerk, it jerked away from the Angel. Bubbling blood gushed from his muzzle, ears, and eyes. For a moment, he stood there, howling and shaking his head desperately, until he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Akasha stared at his body, shaking like a leaf in the wind. The Fallen Angel knelt in front of her, blocking the gruesome sight with his large, black wings. Akasha looked at him and blinked in surprise.

"Nilajhash...?" she whispered in a trembling voice. "...You... helped me!?

" "Come. I'll take you to the Sanctuary." He held out his hand.

"What... W-what did you do to him...?

" "Blood Cauldron," he replied, looking at her impassively. "A spell Magnus once taught me. By touching someone, you can boil their blood. The victim suffers terrible injuries." loses most of his blood and dies...

- ...poor...

Ignoring him, she ran to the dead wolf and knelt beside it, stroking its thick fur. Nilajhasz looked at her in surprise, completely unable to understand her behavior.

"You're a monster, you know that?" she asked, looking at him from under her thick fringe. "You killed him..."

"You've got to be kidding me!?" he blurted out, rising to his feet. "After all, if it weren't for me

, he would have killed you. You should be grateful I saved your life." "I didn't ask you to follow me!

" "I..." he began, but then he waved his hand and, with a flap of his great wings, took off into the air, vanishing before her eyes in the black mist.

Akasha sat beside the wolf for a moment longer, then stood up and, having found a suitable stone, began digging a large hole, into which she then placed the wolf's body. After burying it, she placed a pile of stones on the grave, creating a large mound.

When she was finished, she resumed her journey towards the ruins. She didn't know why, but from the moment she saw them, she had been desperate to get there.

The climb to the top of the hill took her a long time and a great deal of effort. But when she finally reached it, the view around her was worth all her hardships. There were great, high walls and the stone remains of houses, and above it all loomed a tall, steep tower covered in thick ivy.

Suddenly, Akasha thought she heard voices. Curious, she began to creep toward the wall, and a moment later, a carefully cleaned courtyard came into view, where thirteen women had gathered. They were dressed in colorful, old dresses, with their hair long and loose down their backs. Akasha saw that they had various feathers, pendants, and small bones woven into their dresses. One of them looked like a Priestess. In the center of the courtyard, a bonfire blazed with flames.

"Wicca..." she said to herself, pleasantly surprised to see the witches.

The witches said almost nothing; they sat around the fire and began to hum an old, throaty song quietly under their breath. Akasha had a strange feeling as she listened, as if the entire forest were falling silent, as if all the trees, birds, and forest animals were falling still to listen to this beautiful melody carried by the wind. As they sang, the Priestess took an herb from each of them, grinding it one by one in a small clay bowl in her hands, and then threw it all at once into the fire. The fire burst into a new, fresh flame, and blue-red smoke rose into the sky. Suddenly, Akasha saw the smoke form the form of a child, with a very ugly and malicious face. The witches' whispers of terror reached her ears.

"Lilim..." they whispered, "Lilim... it's Lilim..."

The girl shook her head, uncomprehending, and then, to her horror, saw the child laughing maliciously, pointing in her direction. The witches gathered around the fire followed the Lilim, but Akasha managed to crouch down at the last moment to avoid being discovered. Immediately, as fast as her legs could carry her, she began running down the hill. She ran across the meadow and, out of breath, reached the stone pentagram. Collapsing to her knees beside it, she breathed heavily, gasping for air.

"What happened to you?" Daniel asked her suddenly.

"Ah!" Akasha squealed, pulling away from him. "You scared me to death!

" "I can just feel your state. What's wrong?

" "Because I... because I..." she stammered. "I was in the ruins of the monastery, and there were Wicca, you know, witches... And they were performing some ritual, as a result of which a child was formed from the smoke." And they called it Lilim, and when it pointed at me, I started running. I was very scared.

"Are you sure they called it Lilim?" Daniel asked, opening the hatch to the Sanctuary with his amulet.

"Yes. You could hear everything quite well. And what is it, anyway?

" "You know, that's what we call Lillith's children, whom she fathered when God banished her from Paradise. Magnus knows that better than I do; I never cared..." Daniel helped her inside and waited, holding the torch in his hand, until the pentagram fell back into place.

"I'm dead tired," she moaned, pushing her hair back from her face. "I'm longing for a cold bath.

" "A bath?" he snorted. "Here?! You must have mixed things up...

" "I'd like to go back to my apartment. All my plants are probably dead.

" "Don't worry, I took care of them.

" "What?!

"Don't shout like that, the angels might think a stranger is coming in. I don't go there that often anymore, but I do sometimes, when I can focus on Attacking the Giver.

" "How could you?!" she hissed. "This is my apartment, you have no right to go in there!

" "I'm not governed by any law, there's nothing that limits me..."

They both stopped now in the dead garden, and only the torchlight illuminated the vast stone chamber with high walls decorated with dark bas-reliefs.

"You're just as repulsive as Nilajhash, you know that?" she snapped, irritated. "I'm disliking it more and more here."

Daniel shrugged brusquely.

"I just wanted to help, but you managed to yell at me. Is this how you thank people for their good intentions?

" "You could have at least asked..." she muttered.

"I don't have that habit. When I want something, I take it; when I do something, I don't ask if I can. Those are my rules."

Akasha didn't answer. She walked silently beside him, staring at the floor. After a short while, they reached the Temple. There, they saw four hooded figures. From the colors of their vestments, Akasha immediately recognized the Elders of the Community.

They were three men in the prime of life and a Priestess whom Akasha had already met during a mass in Lillith's honor. Daniel flinched uneasily at the sight of them, but as soon as he saw Magnus beside them, his face brightened somewhat. They both approached and bowed respectfully.

"And this is Akasha," Magnus pointed at the girl. "She is the one who has now joined the Community.

" "We will be of great use to her." One of the men extended his hand toward her.

Akasha didn't pull away. There was something about him that prevented her from defying him. The old man didn't touch her, however, but made a motion with his hand above her head, as if he were stroking her. And then everyone present saw Akasha's aura. It was very colorful and surrounded her like a shield. Akasha's aura was warm and very pleasant to the touch. Suddenly, however, she felt a terrible cold begin to fill her from within. She groaned with pain that pulsated through her and curled up. She slumped to the ground, losing consciousness....