Ratella was greatly conflicted after his meeting with the Primordial Darkness.
Her unbridled love and passion for him seemed truly sincere, leaving no trace of deceit in her feelings.
But the teachings of Zafikel and the overall beliefs of Kathoros had taken root in his mind.
Although the sense of familiarity and love once seeing Nuit's face and beauty banished those deeply ingrained prejudices. Her face evokes a similar sense of love in his mind, much like the feeling he gets when he sees and thinks about Luna.
Her words, devoid of any lies regarding Luna's impending doom, whether the Primordial Light was capable of such a monstrous feat, couldn't be judged from his position.
Luckily, his upcoming meeting with the God of Light would help him decide whether Nuit was telling the truth.
His current opinion was swayed towards Nuit's side. His need and longing for a motherly figure were among the reasons for his thoughts of treason.
Eventually, the boundless expanse of light appeared before Ratella, its design unlike the Primordials' Darkness. The realm of pure light, devoid of any life and darkness, every inch covered by God's divinity.
A collection of brighter lights compared to the rest stood in the middle of its realm, looking into the endless void of light. Its gaze was far and unfocused, not noticing Ratella's presence or simply ignoring him instead.
"You certainly took your time," stated the mass of light, turning its attention to the approaching boy.
Meeting two Gods in a single day was an unexpected gift for his fifteenth birthday.
Ratella remained silent in the face of God's words, finding no excuse for his lateness and deciding it was better to remain silent.
"A Seraphim not made in my image or from my body. You truly are an odd occurrence, but I sense nothing wrong with your heavenly form."
"I have no knowledge of my early life."
"I didn't give you permission to speak, silence," demanded the God, its authority weighing down upon his body, reducing him to his knees.
Its power is absolute in the confines of the boundless light.
Ratella reduced himself to silence, not uttering the many curses running around in his head.
The pressure soon lifted, allowing him to stand once again.
"I believe all unknowns are useful if used correctly. I shall permit you to live even if you are nothing but a leech as long as you listen to my every word," declared the Primordial Light, spilling its intentions to the boy without a second thought of the repercussions.
Ratella knew this attitude far too well. Those who see themselves as absolute in the face of others become arrogant and detached from the feelings and emotions of those they manipulate.
Many in Nova had adopted the persona of the God standing before him.
Ratella no longer doubted Nuit's words that the Primordial Light was a cruel and emotionless being devoid of any empathy.
Although this did seem too convenient for the Primordial Darkness' plan. Inviting a certain inkling of doubt to spread across his mind about whether this was the actual Primordial Light.
He would just have to observe its Radiance for longer to form an unbiased opinion.
"So will you listen to my every command, little leech?"
"How am I a leech?" blurted out Ratella, not controlling his thoughts well, often speaking his true thoughts.
"That was not the question, but I shall humour you anyway. You come into my Kathoros and waste my angels' time training you, despite my refusal to give any order regarding your resolution. We could have made major progress if you hadn't shown your ugly head," declared the Primordial Light, its tone and aura twisting sinister in the face of the boy's words, seeing him as an insolent pest.
Ratella's opinion of the Primordial Light was only dropping further into the void. Its oblivious attitude to its disrespectful and rude way of speaking disgusted him, reinforcing his suspicion that Nuit's warnings were true and pushing him to consider alternative allegiances more seriously.
"Now you have your answer, will you answer my previous question, leech?" hissed the Primordial Light, its words laced with aversion despite its search for partnership.
"I shall listen to your every command, my God," declared Ratella, bending the knee in front of the God, capitalising upon its arrogance and selfish demeanor.
"That's what I like to hear, but remember this, any act of treason, and I'll order Luna to behead you personally, and Zafikel will record and watch your death despite his many years training you up. They'll follow my command so that you can be sure of it. Sounds like the perfect melody to my ears."
Ratella didn't doubt God's words. Luna was a devoted follower of the Primordial Light, but he severely doubted that Luna would hesitate before following the God's commands.
If he died by her hand, he doubted she would ever be the same Luna again, hence why his trust in the Primordial Darkness only grew stronger.
To save Luna from the blinding cruelty was to succumb to the darkness of this world and dirty his hands with the blood of angels, most likely.
"May I speak, your eminence?"
To save the one he calls dearest, he'll play the role of the dutiful subject for now, hoping his obedience will give him time to find a way to keep Luna safe, even if it means embracing darkness as his strategy.
"You may, my subject."
Although its incorporeal form, Ratella, sensed a wicked, twisted grin growing on the Primordial Light's obscured face.
"May you grant me an Edict to further my usefulness to your eminence."
"Well, of course, since you're so obedient, I'll let you pick whichever you wish."
Ratella suppressed the feeling to smile at God's foolishness, unable to decipher reality from an act brought upon by his ever-growing hatred for God's wicked personality.
How an embodiment of Light and Purity could talk so freely about using its subjects in such cruel ways merely for its amusement to rectify its twisted ideals was sickening and the height of impurity.
Ratella once again suppressed his desire to confront the cruelty incarnate standing before him, playing the role of the loyal servant.
"I'd like to receive an Edict of Time," requested Ratella. He wasn't sure if God's openness was a trick, but he still took the gamble, banking upon God's ignorance of his true motives.
"If it'll further your usefulness to me, so be it. I grant you an Edict of Time."
Ratella's right eye burned after the Light's declaration, branding his eye with the mark of time.
An emerald colouring replaced the whites of his eyes, a yellow hourglass nestling within his iris and pupil, casting away the former bluish colouring.
"To summon the power of time, just channel divinity into your right eye. I'll give you some knowledge on the Edict of Time, so you don't waste anyone's time, leech."
After its words, a flood of information entered his mind, teaching him all there was to know regarding the Edict and how to summon its power effectively.
The key information was that to summon the heights of an Edict's power, you need to say a command word to channel and form an image in the mind, strengthening its effects and power.
Some of those command words were implanted into his long-term memory; the others needed to be discovered through feats of valor.
"I look forward to using your power. Don't disobey my will or else I'll just discard you and actualise the many plans involving your death circling in my head."
Ratella's beliefs were firm after the poison spilled from God's mouth.
His words were vile and unfit for a deity of harmonic light, whether or not this was convenient for Nuit mattered not anymore.
His hatred for the Deity was boiling over in his mind; one slip would let his true thoughts spill from the shackles of secrecy.
Leading to his certain demise at the hands of his newfound mortal enemy.
"Yes, I shall follow your every command. My God."
"Oh, how I love those words. Pure ecstasy floods my mind at a filthy mongrel's servitude. Ratella Evergarden, I'll cherish my memory of you and the fear that will fill your eyes as I rip everything you hold dear from your hands. Luna will be my instrument of your demise if you ever challenge my divinity," stated the Primordial Light, amusement laced within its words. The never-ending threats to his life spilling from its mouth.
Ratella's body shook, his face twisting into horror at vile words being uttered by the purity incarnate, and a newfound terror danced along his nerves.
Screaming at him to retreat from the realm immediately, the threat this God posed was exponential to his and Luna's safety.
Not a single lie has left the light's mouth, its intent wicked and sinister with no intention of deviating from the plans formulating in its brain.
The light twisted around the God as if caressing its face in pure, unbridled bliss at Ratella's fear and terror.
"Goodbye now, new subject of the Light," stated the Light. A clicking sound banished the looming silence, causing a portal to appear, shimmering at his feet.
Free-falling down into the cavern of blinding light, transporting him back to the throne room. The last sound to reach his ears was twisted and wicked laughter rippling through the cavern.
"God of Cruelty, your demise is imminent at my hands."