Episode 20| A visit from the Goddess of Light
Something had changed.
Riley felt it the moment she woke.
No—
Not just felt it.
Understood it.
---
The flow of her holy power had always been strong.
Unusually so.
But now—
It was different.
Clearer.
Sharper.
Alive.
---
As she walked through the temple halls in her form as Ryan, every step felt… heightened.
The air itself seemed to whisper.
Energy moved around her—
Threads of light she could now perceive.
“…So this is it,” she murmured under her breath.
Full attunement.
---
At first—
It was beautiful.
Warm.
Comforting.
The essence of life itself.
---
Until—
She felt something else.
---
Riley froze mid-step.
Her breath hitched.
“…What… is that?”
It was faint.
Hidden.
But unmistakable.
A presence that didn’t belong.
---
Dark.
Cold.
Rotten.
---
Her gaze slowly lifted.
At the end of the corridor—
The High Priest.
---
The moment their proximity shortened—
The feeling intensified.
That dark energy—
It coiled around him.
Subtle.
Carefully concealed.
But now—
Impossible for her to ignore.
---
Riley’s fingers twitched.
Her body reacted instinctively.
A surge of holy power stirred within her.
Violent.
Rebellious.
As if—
It wanted to purify.
---
“…What is this?” she whispered internally.
Her heart pounded.
Her instincts screamed.
Cleanse it.
Destroy it.
---
But—
She didn’t move.
Couldn’t.
Because she didn’t understand it.
Didn’t know what she was sensing.
Didn’t know what it meant.
---
The High Priest glanced at her briefly.
Their eyes met.
And for a split second—
Riley felt it.
That discomfort again.
Not hers—
His.
---
“…Ryan.”
His voice was calm.
But something beneath it—
Shaken.
“…You seem distracted.”
Riley lowered her gaze immediately.
“…My apologies, Your Eminence.”
Her voice steady.
Controlled.
Perfect.
---
But inside—
Her thoughts spiraled.
What is that energy?
Why does it feel so… wrong?
---
She said nothing.
Revealed nothing.
But one thing was certain—
Something was deeply, dangerously wrong with the High Priest.
---
That night—
Sleep came easily.
Too easily.
---
And then—
Light.
---
Riley opened her eyes.
But she wasn’t in her room.
She stood in an endless space of soft, radiant glow.
Warm.
Divine.
Peaceful.
---
“…Where am I?”
A gentle voice answered.
“…You are where you were always meant to be.”
Riley turned.
And there—
She saw her.
---
A woman bathed in golden light.
Ethereal.
Untouchable.
Yet… kind.
---
“…Riley.”
The voice was soft.
But it carried power.
Authority.
Truth.
---
“…Or should I say… Mikayla.”
Riley froze.
Her breath caught.
“…You—”
---
“I am Athena.”
The Goddess of Light.
---
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Unreal.
---
“…You’re… real?” Riley whispered.
Athena smiled gently.
“…More real than you think.”
---
Riley’s mind raced.
“…Why am I here?”
Athena stepped closer, her presence warm yet overwhelming.
“…Because you are finally in tune with your holy power.”
A pause.
“…The power that deems you my Saintess.”
---
Riley’s expression tightened slightly.
“…Saintess…”
Athena tilted her head slightly.
“…I must admit, I was surprised.”
“…You abandoned that path.”
---
Riley looked away slightly.
“…It wasn’t for me.”
A faint smile appeared on Athena’s lips.
“…I’m not angry.”
“…In fact…”
Her gaze softened.
“…I find your choice… refreshing.”
---
Riley blinked.
“…What?”
---
“That book you read,” Athena continued.
“…It was never just a story.”
Riley’s eyes widened.
“…What do you mean?”
---
“It was a summary.”
“A record.”
“Of a previous timeline.”
---
Silence.
---
Riley’s heart skipped.
“…Previous… timeline?”
Athena nodded.
“…Yes.”
“…A world that already fell.”
---
Riley’s breath hitched.
“…What happened?”
---
“The real Riley,” Athena said quietly.
“…Did not fulfill her purpose.”
A pause.
“…She was kind.”
“…But weak.”
Her expression dimmed slightly.
“…A love-stricken fool.”
---
Riley frowned.
“…That’s harsh.”
“…It is truth.”
---
“She was used by the temple.”
“…Manipulated.”
“…And eventually…”
Athena’s voice lowered.
“…She was murdered.”
---
Riley froze.
“…By who?”
---
“The High Priest.”
---
Silence.
Absolute.
---
“…That wasn’t in the book,” Riley whispered.
Athena’s gaze darkened slightly.
“…No.”
“…Because the story you read…”
“…Was incomplete.”
---
“The moment she died…”
Athena continued.
“…Everything collapsed.”
“…The demons of the underworld surfaced.”
“…And the High Priest…”
Her voice hardened.
“…Was no longer human.”
---
Riley’s heart pounded.
“…What do you mean?”
---
“He made a contract.”
“…With a demon.”
A pause.
“…A very powerful one.”
---
“…Amesdious.”
---
The name echoed.
Heavy.
Ominous.
---
“…After the Saintess died…”
“…That demon took over his body.”
“…And this world…”
Athena’s voice softened.
“…Was reduced to ruin.”
---
Riley stood frozen.
“…So this… this is—”
---
“A second chance.”
Athena smiled gently.
“…The only one I could create.”
---
“I used my power…”
“…A power I can only use once…”
“…To reverse time.”
---
Riley’s breath trembled.
“…And you chose me?”
---
“Yes.”
A simple answer.
Certain.
---
“…Why?”
Riley asked, her voice quieter now.
“…Why me?”
---
“I have watched you.”
Athena’s gaze softened.
“…In your previous life.”
---
“A scammer.”
Riley scoffed lightly.
“…Not exactly Saintess material.”
---
Athena smiled.
“…And yet…”
“…You saved people.”
---
Riley stilled.
---
“…In your own way.”
Athena continued.
“…You took from the corrupt.”
“…And gave to those in need.”
---
Riley looked away slightly.
“…That’s just how I operate.”
---
“…You are kind.”
Athena said gently.
“…You simply have a… unique way of showing it.”
---
A small silence followed.
---
Then—
Athena’s expression turned serious.
“…Mikayla.”
“…This is your purpose.”
---
“…Destroy the High Priest.”
---
Riley’s gaze snapped back to her.
---
“…Before Amesdious awakens.”
---
Silence.
Heavy.
Final.
---
“…Or this world will fall.”
---
Riley’s fists clenched slightly.
Her heart pounded.
Her thoughts raced.
---
Everything made sense now.
The dark energy.
The discomfort.
The instinct to purify.
---
“…I understand.”
Her voice was steady.
Resolved.
---
Athena smiled.
Soft.
Proud.
---
“…You’ve already done well.”
“…And I believe in you.”
---
The light around them began to fade.
Slowly.
Gently.
---
“…Wait,” Riley said quickly.
“…If I succeed… what happens?”
---
Athena’s form began to blur.
“…Then this world will finally be saved.”
---
A pause.
A final smile.
---
“…And you will decide your own ending.”
---
Light—
Consumed everything.
---
Riley’s eyes snapped open.
---
Her room.
Her bed.
Her body—
Tense.
Alive.
Real.
---
“…So it’s real.”
She sat up slowly.
Her hand clenched against her chest.
---
The High Priest.
The demon.
The future.
---
Everything had changed.
---
But this time—
She wasn’t running.
---
A slow smile formed.
Sharp.
Determined.
---
“…Guess I’m saving the world now.”
A pause.
---
“…While scamming it.”
---
And for Riley—
That sounded just about right.