In the heart of the Capital, there was a modern-looking church. Its spires shimmer not with cold marble solemnity, but with polished white veined in gold and amethyst. Unlike the stern cathedrals of other orders, its façade bloomed with curves and arches, as though the very stone had been coaxed into a living, sensual rhythm. Incense drifted in lazy violet plumes from braziers shaped like reclining figures, perfuming the air with notes of honey, rose, and something intoxicatingly arcane.
Inside, the sanctuary was no less extravagant. Velvet draperies cascaded from the vaulted ceiling, dyed in shades of crimson and midnight. Jewelled chandeliers caught candlelight and refracted it into a kaleidoscope of warm colours that danced across the polished floor of black glass.
Once a branch of the Holy Church, it was now prepared to serve as the new headquarters of the Utopia Church. Offerings to the Goddess were replaced with debaucherous idols, and the doctrine of peace and restraint was replaced with pleasure and ecstasy.
The priests wore robes that were formerly fitted to be restrained, as fashionable items. Women wore low-cut blouses and skirts with slits, while men often revealed much of their bare chests, wearing golden chains to display their wealth.
High-ranking executives, formerly bishops and dignitaries from the upper echelons of society, gathered together and did as they pleased. Wealthy men would have a young beauty by their side, while older, influential women would have an array of young men at their disposal.
If the Archbishops from the Holy Church saw what the Utopia Church was doing to their once-sanctified land, they would have fainted while vomiting blood.
But the infidels didn't care.
The mantra of the Utopia Church was disarmingly simple: live as you please, and find joy in every breath.
Life was fleeting, they taught, and there was no sense in squandering it on distant gods, endless toil, or futile wars against demons.
Why suffer for tomorrow when bliss could be embraced today?
Pleasure was their creed, indulgence their prayer, and the pursuit of happiness their sacrament. That message resonated across Zephys like wildfire. Disillusioned faithful abandoned the austere Holy Church, wavering souls on the brink of the Demon Cult found solace in its allure, and countless others flocked to its doors simply because the doctrine spoke to their hidden desires.
The Utopia Church had become the fastest-growing faith in the capital, its gilded halls overflowing with believers. Each gathering was not a sombre ritual, but a celebration of freedom and ecstasy—and the swelling tide of followers was proof enough of its power.
A breathtaking woman sashayed through the lavish halls, her every step echoing with poise against the backdrop of indulgence. Her venomous eyes narrowed at the scenes of unrestrained debauchery that unfolded around her, yet the glow of her golden hair and the sharp allure of her gaze drew every eye in the chamber. Desire stirred like wildfire; men surrendered to impulse, lips wet with hunger, and more than a few, emboldened by the atmosphere, dared to close the distance toward her.
"Hey there, beautiful! Are you new here? Heh, come with me and I'll give you a lifetime of pleasure!"
One of the most prominent preachers of the Utopia Church grabbed the woman's dainty hand and attempted to force her into submission.
That was the creed of the Utopia Church. Anyone who stepped through the doors of their halls would be subject to lust and debauchery. Seeing such a fine, untainted woman enter his halls, the lecherous man aimed to 'claim' her before anyone else could.
But, alas, the preacher had picked on the wrong woman.
The moment his fingers closed around her wrist, the woman's temper ignited.
From the air behind her, an ethereal knight took shape: its armoured form radiant, its blade gleaming with spectral light. The spirit stood like an unyielding sentinel, a guardian born of wrath, and with a single, merciless swing it cleaved through the preacher's neck. His head struck the ground before his body even realised it was dead.
Even with her foe brutally murdered, the woman didn't call back her spirit knight. Instead, she held her arm out, the same one that had been touched by the preacher, and gave the unthinkable order. The spirit knight obeyed and swung its blade down ruthlessly, and severed her arm instantly.
Yet, even after being mutilated, the woman didn't flinch. She waited for a moment and allowed her body to regenerate itself. With her new arm grown back, she spat at her old arm in disgust, for a man's touch had tainted it. Without any further instructions, the spirit knight pierced its sword down onto the ground, burning the severed arm without any mercy.
A chorus of gasps rippled through the decadent hall, silencing music and laughter alike. None dared to move. To summon such a powerful spirit here, within the very heart of the church, could only mean one thing: this woman wasn't ordinary in the slightest.
Only those of the Elune House commanded such mastery, and rumours had already spread of their rising star: Yue Elune, the new liege of spirits.
One half of the famed Fantasy Couple, Yue was spoken of as an unstoppable force: seven circles condensed, a host of spirits at her beck and call, and Monarch-ranked guardians that bent to her will. A name already etched into every household across Zephys.
And yet, as the blonde woman stood before them—unflinching, her spirit knight looming at her side—an unsettling realisation dawned upon the crowd. This stranger radiated a presence that rivalled, if not equalled, Yue Elune herself.
"Apostle of Lust… what are you doing at the heart of our temple?"
Fortunately for the spectators, their saviour had just arrived.
A suave young man with hair like molten gold and eyes of verdant green stepped forward, a gentle smile playing across his lips. Draped in cloaks of white and gilded silk, he embodied the very image of a decadent scion—wealth, indulgence, and beauty distilled into human form.
His handsomeness was undeniable, his voice smooth as honey, each word flowing with an effortless charm that seemed to weave directly into the hearts of his listeners.
His presence was intoxicating. The faithful leaned in unconsciously, compelled to drink in his every syllable, worship carved into their very souls. He did not so much command loyalty as inspire it, their devotion blossoming into something close to adoration.
It was the arrival of the Pope of the Utopia Church…Nirvana Karnam.
"Sorry for the chaos," Nirvana chuckled and waved his followers off. "My guest has caused quite the stir. But, she means no harm. Just leave it and well… don't bother her in the future."
The followers gulped and left the Pope and the Apostle of Lust alone. Some of them stayed behind to clean up the mess, but otherwise, the pair were completely isolated.
"Now, Apostle of Lust. Would you answer my question? Or would you reply to me if I call you Demon Shaman? Or your real name? Isadora Elune?"
"... young man, you sure have some nerve." The rıghtful source is NoveI-Fire.ɴet
"The young should be bold, don't you think?"
Nirvana didn't seem fazed by Isadora's threat and shrugged off the pressure. Seeing that there was nothing she could do to chip off his impregnable smile. Sighing, the Apostle relented.
"He touched my body… a body that must be pure. So, I killed him."
"Are you going to blame me? For killing your subordinate?"
"Hmmm? Why would I do that?" Nirvana laughed. "The Utopia Church's mantra is to live as we please. If killing that man pleases you, then why should I punish that?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Nirvana gave an extravagant bow, and Isadora's expression scrunched up. She was utterly disgusted by the Utopia Church's Pope's behaviour, but she was well aware of how valuable he was to the Demon Cult.
The Utopia Church had been secretly gathering followers for the Demon Cult. It behaved like a gateway drug. Followers who joined the Utopia Church were likely to fall deeper into temptation, eventually leading them to the Gospels of the Demon Cult.
One such example was the Gospel of Lust. The majority of Isadora's cultists were recruited from the Utopia Church, and for the Apostle of Lust, it was practically a godsend. Isadora was never one to openly recruit talent, for she had only one objective in mind.
Stealing talents from the Utopia Church was far easier than building a network from scratch on her own.
"Remind your followers not to touch every woman who walks through those doors. Or at the very least, make them remember my face. Otherwise, I'll kill more of your followers in the future."
"I will keep that in mind."
No apologies, no remorse.
Simply an order for the Pope to do a better job managing his followers. Such was the hierarchy of the Demon Cult. Nirvana Karnam was undoubtedly one of the most influential humans in Zephys, and some might say his influence exceeded that of Pope Verena herself. But, against the authority of the Demon Cult, even he had to bend the knee.
"So what brings you to the Utopia Church?"
"Kieran has given you the funds to grow your religion, right?"
The Apostle of Domination, Kieran the Mind Stealer, recently forced the Chairman of the Paradis Conglomerate to invest copious amounts of cash into the Utopia Church. As a result, the Utopia Church had grown rapidly, with thousands of followers joining daily. At its current growth rate, it was only a matter of time before it became the second most dominant religion in the capital.
"I will need you to filter half of the new followers into the Gospel of Lust."
"Oh my?! Looks like the Apostle of Lust has turned into the Apostle of Greed."
"Greed? No, I'm just collecting what I'm due."
Isadora shook her head, and her eyes began to drip with venomous desire.
"I am going to… enact my lust."