She stood on a balcony, a Priestess in untainted and pure white above a great mass of Crimson Denizens. Each and everyone in that multitude was kneeling, praying and wishing for that which they unanimously wanted. The sky was dark above, with deep black clouds swirling.

A man completely clad in dark armor, with a helmet that covered his eyes, approached her from behind. In his hand was a broad-bladed halberd. His voice was deep and somewhat aged, and he spoke with a tone that showed held-back sorrow and reluctance.

"Priestess... it's time."

A Fine Lord

"Hecate-chan, would you like to help me with this cake?"

In the Sakai household, Chigusa peeked into the living room to invite the Priestess into helping her bake. She turned away from the TV and nodded at her with a small smile.

She turned to Yuji, who was slouched on his couch while watching TV with her, and spoke before standing.

"When it is done, would you like to try it?"

Yuji smiled. "Sure, I'll look forward to it," he replied.

The Priestess smiled happily and walked into the kitchen with his mother. Yuji spared a moment to follow her with his eyes. The once-cold Crimson Lord who had been feared by hundreds of friends and allies was starting to act more and more like a human girl. And it showed whenever she met a new experience that she found interesting.

Yet, sometimes, when she would have to perform some duty of hers, she would return to that cold, emotionless Priestess. Now that he thought about it, Yuji still had no idea what all of her duties were. In fact, he still barely knew anything about the girl. Although he was sure of two things: she is an important Crimson Lord and Priestess to the Denizens, and that she easily gets lonely.

Ages before that day, the Priestess once again looked over a balcony. She overlooked a city of stone, with hundreds of people in the many streets. The city was thriving and prosperous, she knew, as if it had been blessed by some sort of god.

"Priestess, our Lord wishes for your presence," a servant Rinne with its body hooded and cloaked said, and she turned and nodded with a blank expression, yet with a slight twinkling of eagerness in her eyes.

In the very center of the castle, orbiting a tall spire was a massive serpent. Its scales were completely black, and it seemed more dragon-like than a snake, although its face was more like the latter. Long spikes as large as pillars lined its spine.

Its attention was on a large bowl on the pinnacle of the tower it coiled without touching. That vessel contained a holographic projection of the city all around the castle. The Snake spoke his thoughts as if he was also smiling, could he have the ability to do so.

"It's been years since we created this city under our own law. I could get used to this idea of 'ruling'."

Walking up the spiraling steps in solemn reverence, yet with a hint of excitement in her quick pace, the Priestess approached her Commander. As she reached the summit beside the representation of the city, she bowed.

"You summoned me, my Lord Snake of the Festival?"

The Snake of the Festival acknowledged her presence and raised its head to peer over the high walls of the castle.

"Hecate," he said. His voice was deep and menacing, yet to the Priestess, there was also a kind tone. "Through many lifetimes have you stuck by me and your two peers."

The Priestess listened intently at his words.

"Yet, you have isolated yourself away from the world. At least for today, I ask of you to go out into the city and observe the many different existences that dwell here."

The Priestess blinked. To be honest with herself, she could not understand why her Commander would tell her to do such a thing, but she did not give voice to the thought and simply obeyed. She bowed, and when the Snake said no more, she took leave of his presence, somewhat disappointed and still puzzled. She did not show it on her face, but it showed in the slight reluctance in her walking pace.

As the Priestess left the castle, a mature woman with long silky yet dark hair and three emerald eyes, one of which was on her forehead, approached the Snake.

"You finally asked it of her, my Lord?" she said.

The Snake seemed to nod with the way he answered. "She would need it."

It was a city where a great number of humans dwelled, as well as an equal number of Crimson Denizens, some in the form of humans, and others in their own unique shapes. Most either refused to make eye contact with the other species, while others simply denied that they were there even when face to face with them. Rather than coexistence, it was simply cohabitation.

All eyes were on the Priestess in white when she traversed the streets however. Her posture of silent and solemn superiority and her powerful aura was not something that could be easily ignored. She was a Crimson Lord in the guise of a human, whether that was her true form or not, a young girl who would be deemed beautiful, if not for the icy cold expression – or lack thereof – on her face.

She walked through the street without any acknowledgement of those around her, be they human or Denizen. But everyone was all too aware of her, and they moved aside as far as they could when she headed their way, clearing a path for her by a wide berth.

They had all the reason to fear her. Besides being one of the most powerful Crimson Lords, she was also the sacred Priestess of the Snake of the Festival.

"I do not understand," Hecate said to herself as she finally made herself look at those around her. "Why would he ask me to observe these people? As one, their wish becomes important, but they are divided amongst their own selfishness. Pitiful and worthless worms the way they are."

And that was how she saw them. Every human, every Rinne, every Denizen that caught her gaze was a being too caught up in their own desires. There was nothing of interest with them. As she saw it, they were just as cold as she was. She could see it in their eyes. As much as the Denizens revered her, and the humans feared her, none of them would truly wish to become close to her, and thus, she kept away from them as they wished.

As she continued walking, one person did not move out of the way as all the others did. She was but a little child with long bright hair, but she had quite the spirit in her. She stood in the Priestess's way as her friends watched in petrified fear from the side.

The Priestess stopped and looked at her without emotion.

"She is an existence with a burden too great for anyone else to bear," said the Snake of the Festival. "Just as you have your role as Strategist, Bel Peol, the Priestess has hers. Her role is the most vital, as she is the one who gathers the wishes of all Crimson Denizens so that I may use my power for them. And yet, it could count as suffering for the Priestess herself."

"Yet she is glad to serve you through it," Bel Peol replied. "You know that she is more than willing to give everything up for your ambition."

The Snake seemed to shake his head with his next words. "Only because it gives her purpose."

"Wh-who are you that we have to stand aside?" the little girl said bravely.

Hecate's only response was a silent stare. It was certainly surprising for her to be challenged by such a youth, although that naivety and childishness would be the only reason she could do such a thing. But either way, who was this child, a human child, to stand in her way? The Priestess allowed herself to gaze at the people around her, to see if anyone would pull the child out of her way, but no one moved, not even the humans. And the Denizens only faced away as if they had nothing to do with it.

"I see," the Priestess told herself. "Not even this child's mother would save her own offspring. To think that the Commander works for the sake of dirt who would not even defend their own."

"At the same time, that purpose is the source of the anguish within her," continued the Snake. "To accept everyone's prayers and wishes to pass on to me, while none of her own could be granted, it must leave her envious. But more than that, she spends more time asleep than either of us four, and all the memories and feelings she receives prior comes to naught."

The Snake looked over the city he ruled as Bel Peol continued to listen to him.

"The first time the Priestess came into being, she was a sweeter girl, not unlike a human child, although she was quite timid back then, despite her power. But the more we performed the ritual, and the more memories she had to lose due to the wishes and ceremonies, the harder her heart became, and the more she has detached herself from everyone around her. She protects herself behind a void of emotionlessness so that she will not have to suffer the pain of such loss so easily again.

"But she is still happy when she is with you," said Bel Peol.

"Only because I treat her more than as a Priestess, and because she knows I will always be there for her."

"Then why does she shun me?" said a man fully clad in dark armor.

"Because you force yourself upon her Sydonay. As much as you desire her, she has her own dignity," Bel Peol answered.

"Indeed. In the end, she is still a person, not too different from another Denizen or even a human. But the eons of the same torment have not been kind to her, and thus she is how she is now. I must admit that there are times that I must admit that I regret to have resigned her to her fate. But such is her duty, as much as it pains me."

"G-Go away!" the little girl said, frowning with tears in her eyes.

The Priestess glared at her sharply now. "You are not afraid? No one will come to save you."

The girl shook her head. "N-No, I don't care. I-!"

With a wordless wave of the Priestess's hand, the girl vanished in a puff of clear aqua blue flame. The eyes of the Crimson Lord showed absolutely no remorse.

If they were already afraid before, every spectator was now terrified, and shrank to cover. Without sparing any of them as much as a glance, the Priestess turned around and headed back to the castle.

"I do not understand," Hecate wondered. "He always has a purpose for his commands, yet how did I end up wasting my time?"

The mighty Snake seemed to sigh with how he spoke. "Even if I were to tell her to be happy, she could not truly do so, and will remain as she is. She is bound by a duty important to all that she could never be free from."

"Then why did you tell her to go out there when – with all due respect – you know it wouldn't work?" asked Sydonay.

"Because I have an ominous feeling that this would be the last chance we have for her to interact with someone from the outside. Whether she does learn something from them or not is up to her."

As they spoke of the Priestess, the Crimson Lord in question returned.

"How did it go, my daughter?" the Snake asked her with a gentle and kind tone.

The Priestess bowed reverently. "I much appreciate it my Lord," she said before returning to her chambers.

After a long pause, Sydonay shook his head and shrugged. "She didn't get the point either way," he said.

"It was worth an attempt," said the Snake. "But in the end, I suppose, she will always remain an empty, lonely shell."

"My Lord…" Bel Peol muttered.

The Snake turned to Sydonay and spoke in a more business-like manner. "Now, your report, General?"

Sydonay nodded. "They're finally on the move again my Lord, and there's more of them than any of the other times."

The Snake lifted his head to the heavens.

"Let them come!" he said fiercely. "Regardless of their intervention, we will perform the ceremony for paradise."

Half-a day's march away, from the ridge of a hill, a girl with long blue hair donned with a translucent dress with a bluish cape observed the city. On her brow, she bore a distinctive golden circlet.

"We've come this far, Tis," said her contractor, a gentle male voice. "He will be unlike any enemy we have ever faced, so be careful."

"We'll be fine Asiz, I'm sure of it. I've got you to keep us safe," Tis replied with a smile. "I do have one request however."

"What would that be?"

The girl smiled. "If we win this battle, let's have a child of our own."

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long. It's not easy juggling a teaching job, a club, and Grad school at the same time as this. At least I have the arc plotted out now. The next couple of Episodes won't be too long though, although they will have just as much depth as other Episodes.

Also, Tis and Asiz are NOT OCs, they are actual characters from the history of the Shakugan no Shana canon.