There's A Succubus Born Every Minute - Prologue
#1 of Saint Cecilia
The fall of Saint Cecilia- Prologue
Just loading up the lore upfront, fun stuff incoming for further chapters
Saint Cecilia lived a life of virtue. Even with the immense privileges she had as the strongest living holy magic user, she was bound to live humbly.
And she wasn't happy about it.
Today, she felt that displeasure poignantly. There was no joy in her morning preparation of purifying her body- scrubbed head to toe by attendants, soaked in water hot enough to make rabbit stew, perfumed with headache-inducing botanicals and oils. She felt a bit of shame at her secret pain- it was a luxury to receive such treatment and here she was, miserable about it. She was able to keep a patient and serene face through it all, at least until it was time to put on her raiments.
Her attendants tightly braided her long lavender hair before coiling it into a tight bun, with not a single strand out of place. Her white dress was certainly a work of art, but was not made for comfort at all. Starched thoroughly to make sure there was not a single wrinkle, and embroidered densely with all manner of holy imagery and symbolism. Itchy. Difficult to move in. Looking saintly was important for inspiring the masses, she was told by the monastery elders. And these vestments were also loaded with defensive enchantments so they had at least some practicality. It was an investment to protect the saint from danger, not a wasteful piece of luxury attire. She had mixed feelings on the decadent look of it, though.
Then it was off to morning prayer, to make sure her soul was bolstered and fulfilled. She was grateful for this time. No one would disturb her solemn prayers. This time quietly communing with God truly eased her troubled mind. And meeting faithful individuals and blessing them was her favorite part. Her job as saint had a lot of burdens, but tending to the gentle flock of followers was a fulfilling aspect.
It was midday by the time an important visitor arrived. The very reason she had to prepare more thoroughly than normal today. The main hall of the monastery had been cleared of visitors and even most of the nuns. Only the Mother Superior and one of the elder sisters remained with her when he arrived.
Lucenté, a dragon prince. His formal attire was a stark black with glimmering gold accents. His warm silver scales were slightly iridescent, making him dazzling when he passed beneath the light filtered through stained glass windows. In his claws he carried a hefty wooden box, encrusted with sigils, locks, bindings, all manner of warding objects. Prince Lucenté and the Mother Superior had been exchanging letters on the topic of this item. An amulet from the royal family had been stolen by some vile demon, its old magics put to use for dark purposes for a long time. It had only recently been recovered, but had been severely tainted. Cecilia was a bit taken aback by the state of the box- it apparently needed a LOT of wards to keep contained.
Formalities were exchanged with brevity. There was an important task at hand, after all. "Please, open it alone with your most powerful protections," Lucenté advised. "I fear that the evil within the amulet could influence all but God's most pure souls. I'm sorry to burden you with this, Your Holiness, but the light of your cleansing aura is the only power that stands a chance at restoring it."
Cecilia accepted the box from the kneeling prince. "I'll do what I can." She spoke solemnly, trying not to let her concern or doubts be apparent in her voice or expression.
The Mother Superior spoke up, to her relief, to voice concerns. "Is this an artifact that truly requires restoring? The risks are so immense..."
Lucenté remained kneeling. Cecilia was used to even those of noble blood showing her deference like this, but she understood how much an act of humility this was, to remain beneath a saint. "My family's ancient power is sealed within the amulet. I can say no more on the matter."
"It's alright, Mother Superior," Cecilia said, "We have safeguards in place. If my presence does not drive out the evil, I need only return it to its sealed state. Your Highness Prince Lucenté, thank you for trusting in my power."
Another round of formalities exchanged before she could dismiss her guest and the Mother Superior. She was quite distracted during this time. The box in her hands gave her a crawling sensation, like a numb limb painfully regaining pins-and-needles sensation. When Lucenté was passed off to a few nuns to arrange lodgings, the Mother Superior went ahead to make sure the halls were clear of wanderers. Cecilia didn't want any curious eyes on the box. She was worried just to bring it into the presence of any of the monastery residents.
And thus began her isolation with that infernal amulet.