In the inner courtyard of the Holy Church, roses bloomed unnaturally fast. Morning dew kissed the petals, and birds hummed hymns that mortals mistook for miracles.
Saintess Elira knelt by the crystal spring, her pale fingers brushing the water's surface. But her eyes were not on the lilies.
They were on a vision.
A vision of the forbidden temple. Of a man cloaked in shadow touching the Black Lotus. Of fate splitting like shattered glass.
Priyanshu Yadav.
She blinked rapidly, her heartbeat quickening. Her divine senses were never wrong. Ever since she'd been blessed by the Celestial Mirror, she had seen glimpses of future threads.
But this one?
This wasn't just a glimpse. It was a warning.
"No one is supposed to reach that place…" she murmured.
"Talking to yourself again, holy lady?"
She gasped and spun. A handsome man leaned lazily against the stone archway, an apple in his hand, half-bitten. His expression was a mask of amusement, but his eyes… those ancient, cold eyes… they stared through her.
"Priyanshu Yadav…" she whispered.
He raised an eyebrow. "You speak as if we've met in another lifetime."
"You were in the sealed temple. The Lotus bloomed for you."
The air thickened.
He bit the apple again, chewed slowly. "You saw that?"
Elira didn't answer.
[System Alert: Target Possesses Unique Divine Clairvoyance. Danger Level – Medium. Suggested Action: Recruit or Erase.]
He sighed. "So, what now? Run to the Pope? Declare me a heretic?"
Elira stood, graceful yet firm. "The gods are watching."
"And yet," Priyanshu smiled darkly, "they do nothing."
She faltered.
"I have no desire to harm you," he said, tossing the apple core into the spring. "But you've seen too much. And you're clever enough to know that knowledge is dangerous."
She trembled. "Then what do you want?"
He stepped forward, shadows pooling beneath his feet like ink. "I want an ally within the church. Someone who sees beyond blind faith. Someone with power and vision."
"You want me to betray the gods?"
"I want you to understand them. And then realize why they must fall."
[System Notification: Potential Ally – Saintess Elira – Affection +12]
Her lips parted. Her breath caught.
"…You're insane."
"I'm free," he replied.
She hesitated.
And then, with a deep breath, she whispered, "If I agree… what happens next?"
He smiled. "Then you get to see the world from behind the curtain."
As he walked away, Elira stood frozen, the lilies wilting around her feet. The path she'd walked for years cracked beneath her.