Luna gasped a lungful of air as if she was submerged underwater, drowning.

She was about to get up, but she was held back aggressively to a small rectangular pool, a coffin which only one person could fit by a dark-skinned woman, wait–this was Hecate, her long sharp nails were wrapped around her neck.

Luna’s whole body was submerged in purple liquid and pink lotus surrounded her.

She didn’t dare breathe and laid still.

“Calm down, priestess.” Hecate smiled, her lips blood red. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She was wearing a turban, adorned with glittering diamonds.

Silver and gold hoops were hanging around her ears and neck.

Hecate’s sari was decorated with bronze feathers all over.

She was glowing like the sun, and her almond dark eyes were soulful and held a pearl of deep wisdom within.

“Goddess Hecate,” Luna whispered.

“It was a miracle that you still managed to call and reach out to me before the evil spirit took full control of your body. If I were too late, then I would not have separated that entity from you.

Hecate tilted away and raised an eyebrow as if she expected Luna to protest.

“The parasite has become too weak because you never gave up. Given your knowledge and wisdom and being the magic’s seat of power as my priestess, demon possession is dangerous.”

Hecate held out her left hand, and a blinding white bolt arced out of her palm and connected with her.

It stung a little bit, but it made her feel relaxed.

“I admire your bravery. Dealing with dark magic and not being consumed by it will require a strong moral compass when the boundaries of a good and evil blur for a selfish High Priestess’ advantage.” Hecate clarified, a corner of her mouth curved up as she watched her intently. “What’s more if an evil spirit unconsciously possesses it?”

“You have an unbreakable mind for a newbie.” Hecate continued. “You are perfect as my new High Priestess.”

Hecate held the grimoire in her right hand, and it transformed into a blue ball of energy.

“Energy can’t be destroyed.” She stared at Luna dead in the eye. “It can only be transformed into another.”

“I declare you the last High Priestess. ” Hecate spoke clearly, her voice ringing in her ears. “If they kill you, the Vampire King, his curse, and his entire Kingdom will die along with you. Their ruthlessness had been going on for centuries creating havoc far and wide in the neighboring realms. This will not continue any longer. I’m tired of the Vampire King. That is why I have become elusive for a couple of centuries. If anything happens to you, I will let him deal with the consequences tenfold.”

Hecate held Luna’s chin delicately and motioned at her to open her mouth.

Luna prepared for the incoming pain but there was none.

After swallowing it, her skin glowed blue and coursed with power.

Hecate gave her a wry smile. “You are now a living artifact.”

Luna almost cried with gratitude.

The Goddess Hecate had favored her skills and talents for mastering manifestation magic very quickly without reading the entire grimoire yet.

Everything, every single thing, was automatically stored in her brain.

She will never waste time.

The Goddess of the Moon, Artemis, then revealed herself, standing behind Hecate.

  A simple crown adorned her long dark hair hanging down her back, and her snow-white dress revealed her slender shoulders.

Artemis had pale and smooth skin ad when their eyes met, her lips curved into a delicate smile. 

“My goddess Artemis, you’re here.” Luna breathed, her eyes locked with Artemis.

Hecate turned to faced Artemis, and in return, she bowed to her courteously. “You arrived just in time.”

“This is written in the stars,” Artemis replied in a steady voice, sending a warm shiver through her. “I have foreseen these events a long time ago.”

Luna’s eyes widened, Artemis’ meaning suddenly dawned on her.

Did she know?

Luna frowned and began to shake her head at her, but she never got a chance to voice her concerns when Artemis offered her a fancy goblet. “Here, take a sip. I have brought ambrosia.”

“Thank you for the gift, goddess,” Luna said under her breath.

It’s unsettling to her that a goddess brought her offering instead of the other way around.

Luna looked and saw Artemis holding Hecate’s hand as both of them reached out to her.

“I now release you from your vows as the master caretaker of the Sacred Valley, my child,” Artemis said. “You will now belong to Hecate.”

Thunder rolled across the sky as she was released from her first vow.

“It is done,” Hecate whispered as she and Artemis let go of her hands, laying her back down gently as she could. “Artemis will help me with the purification rituals to get rid of the dark energies imprinted on you.”

There was a small black cauldron over the fire on the hearth.

Vials and jars and pouches containing herbs and crystal littered every shelf that lined the walls and every spare inch of the counter.

Hecate went over to stir the cauldron, keeping her back to Luna.

A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling with shining crystals dangling like stalactites.

The walls were papered in white with gold designs.

Hecate scooped water from the cauldron into a small bowl using a large oyster shell, grabbed a cloth, and then walked over to Luna.

“This is your rebirth.” Hecate touched tentatively at Luna’s hand, cleaning her wound of dirt.

Luna cringed, expecting it to sting, but the hot water from the cauldron and the scent of the lotus blooms only soothed her pain.

Artemis said as she squeezed her hand in reassurance. “You may now return to your world.”

Luna didn’t know if it would work or not.

According to Hecate, she could come and go from all levels of the Underworld when she meant it to, but this was the first time she had ever tried it awake.

She didn’t know if she could open a portal or if she was going to treat this entire thing as a dream, and she will wake up to the real world, to the Vampire Kingdom.

She didn’t even know where her body was left.

Was it still in the caves?

With Jon?

With the Vampire King’s monsters?

She concentrated on staying calm, and she relaxed into sleep.

It was time to ascend.