SCENE XIII

But above all, my child, beware of others.

With a smile of joy and peace, she entered the Sanctuary. Grand preparations for the mass in honor of Lillith were already underway, and there were quite a few people inside. Akasha slipped past them and locked herself in Magnus's empty chamber. She wanted to rest there for a moment, away from her apartment, the city, and the screams of the people who had found the body...

Suddenly, the door opened. She raised her head, averting her eyes from the fire, and smiled shyly.

"I'm sorry I entered without permission, but there are so many people I don't know outside..."

"Akasha?! It's wonderful that you came!" Magnus smiled, enveloping her in his arms. "Today we will have the honor of meeting our mother.

" "Really?! I'm so happy!

" "How are you coping in the city?

" "Fine. I just feel this anxiety inside me when it's daylight outside...

" "You don't feel it here.

" "Exactly. That's why I haven't gotten used to it yet.

" "...change quickly into your chasuble... I'll wait outside..."

As soon as he left, Akasha stripped off all her clothes and put on a black chasuble, then stepped outside.

"Remember the hood." "Put it on your face," Magnus admonished her as they walked down the corridor to the Temple.

Mass began soon after, and everything proceeded exactly as before. This time, the mass was led by a Priest.

"We are gathered today to honor our lady, whose name is Lillith!" the Priest said.

"Lillith!" the assembled crowd exclaimed in a mighty chorus, making the gesture of folding their hands before their foreheads.

- Let us say the names that belong to her - at this moment everyone began to say the names of the Black Priestess one by one - Odam, Parca, Patrota, Podo, Satrina, Talto, Abeko, Abito, Amizo, Batna, Eilo, Ita, Izorpo, Kali, Kea, Abro, Abizu, Ajlo, Alu, Amiz, Amizu, Ardad Lilih, Awitu, Bitua, Galu, Gelou, Gilou...

And each time they said one of Lillith's names, they raised their straight hands to their foreheads, joining the tips of their fingers opposite their foreheads.

"Lillith, our mother and friend! Be with us this night, who profess that..." the Priest began, and then continued with the others. "We are vampires. Blood is our food, night is our time. Cursed and chosen, intoxicated by your beauty, we profess allegiance to you, Lillith, and to your laws, and to our nature, which you have bestowed upon us...

" "Great is Lillith!" the Priest exclaimed.

"Lillith!" the others chimed in.

"Let us honor the lady of the senses with dance!"

At that moment, Akasha heard a loud male song. It was so beautiful and captivating that before she knew it, she began dancing to the rhythm of the song. For a moment, she saw herself running through a vast meadow, then a moment later, on a galloping horse, and a moment later, flying with arms wide open through a blue expanse filled with white clouds. It was a truly incredible feeling, to which she surrendered completely. But suddenly the singing abruptly stopped. Still in a light trance, she looked at the Priest, who held an intricate dagger in his raised hand.

Again, the captivating feeling evoked by the Fallen Angels' singing vanished. But at that same moment, she saw a black mist begin to rise around the altar, slowly swirling and forming the silhouette of a woman. Akasha was speechless. It was Lillith!!!

Their mother was exquisitely beautiful, with long, auburn hair reaching down to her waist. Her brown, very deep eyes were large and expressive. She had a lovely figure, a beautiful bust, and a dress so beautiful that she had never seen anything more beautiful in her life. The material of her dress was almost transparent and silky, like a fleeting mist. Lillith had a light blue skin, and full, blood-red lips. At the sight of them, she smiled with maternal pride.

"Great is Lillith!" they all shouted in unison, crossing their hands at forehead level.

"Greetings, my children," she said in a beautiful, nightingale-like voice. "I am glad to be with you again... Listen to the words of the Great Mother, She who has been called Atermis, Astrate, Diana, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerdwen, Aria, Brigid, and many other names. When the need to achieve something comes to you, then once a month, or better yet, when the Moon is radiant in its full splendor, gather together in a secret retreat and honor my Name, Queen of all the Wise. It is not lawful for you to be slaves, nor to enslave others; as a sign of your freedom, you shall honor me clothed in heaven itself. Sing, celebrate, play, make love in my Presence, for Mine is the joy of the spirit and Mine is the joy of the Earth. My law is Love, equal for all living beings." Mine is the secret that opens the doors of youth, and Mine is the Chalice of the Wine of Life, which is the Cup of Cerrdwen and the Holy Grail of immortality. I am the giver of wisdom, with a spirit eternally alive and beyond the gates of death. I give Peace and Freedom and union with those who have passed away. I do not demand sacrifices, for know that I am the Mother of All, and My Love pours out upon the entire Earth. Listen to the words of the Star Goddess, from whose dust the stars arose, whose body envelops the entire Universe. I am the beauty of the green, primeval Earth and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters. It is I who call upon your soul to arise and come to Me, for I am the Soul of Nature, who gives life to all things. From Me all things come and to Me must return. May devotion to Me and joy be in your heart, forever and ever. Rejoice! For all acts of Love and Delight are My rites. May there be Beauty and Strength, Power and Compassion, Honor and Sincerity, Joy and Devotion within you. And you who seek My knowledge, know that your acquired knowledge and all your intentions will not bring you solace unless you experience the Mystery of My Initiation. And it is simple, and such that you will not find outside what you have not first found in your heart. Know, then, that I Am with you from the beginning of your existence. And I Am That Which You Achieve. And I Am your final Desire...

Akasha listened to Lillith's words with emotion, enchanted by her beauty, femininity, and sensuality. Lillith was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Real, yet at the same time fleeting as a dream.

Then, to her surprise, she saw Lillith approaching with soft and confident steps Nilayhash, kneeling by the columns with other fallen angels. She took his hand and led him to the altar. There, she wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing him passionately. The angel didn't resist; on the contrary, he kissed her back intensely. Akasha felt warm tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't want to show that she was crying, but the tears flowed freely from her eyes...

Meanwhile, Nilajhash reverently undressed the beautiful Lillith, then stripped himself, and finally united with the Black Priestess in a litany of love witnessed by all. Even before the service ended, Akasha, to the outrage of many in the Community, slipped out of the Temple, hiding in Magnus's chamber.

There, she sat by the fireplace and began to cry in earnest. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to... But she felt an incredible weight, bitterness, and pain within her... And every sigh, every cry of Lillith brought her incredible pain...

"Don't cry," she heard Magnus's voice in her ear. "Don't cry..."

The girl looked at him with tearful eyes and, sobbing, nestled into his arms. Magnus held her close for a long time, until Akasha finally calmed down somewhat.

"I didn't think it would come to this..." he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I thought it was impossible for you to fall in love with your guardian angel... I could have warned you that fallen angels belong to Lillith... do you understand?"

Akasha didn't look at him, but clenched her fists tightly around her black chasuble. For a moment, tears ran down her cheeks, until she finally spoke softly.

"I... I didn't think I'd be so hurt by what I saw today... I thought I only liked him... that he was my friend... Magnus..." She looked at him, and he saw the painful despair in her eyes. "Magnus! I... I love him... I can't help it... I simply love him..."