The Next Day:
With the soft sunrise shining over Skypiea's sky, Luka slowly advanced toward the shrine that once served as the residence of God Gan Fall. The white clouds that formed the sacred ground stood silent, as if preparing to welcome their new master.
Luka was accompanied on his short journey to the shrine by only three priests, dressed in simple cloud-colored robes, adorned with necklaces symbolizing heavenly authority. Behind them followed two royal guards, silent as the breath of the sky.
The Holy Land, where only soldiers and priests reside, was nearly empty save for the cautious gazes that observed Luka's passing. As for the common residents of Skypiea, they remained on Angel Island, where their homes and farms floated atop the clouds.
They arrived at the shrine, built upon a solid cloud formation, its columns carved from hardened clouds blended with celestial marble. Its roof was a half-sphere crowned with a golden dome, surrounded continuously by faint lightning since yesterday… since Luka touched the sky with his power.
Inside, the heavy door—only opened for gods—was pushed open. The scent of old incense, lingering from Gan Fall's time, filled the air. The place still held traces of him: a winged metal helmet and a traditional spear that once symbolized his rule.
Luka stepped into the center of the hall, where the elevated throne stood—made of black clouds and cushions of heavenly velvet. He sat on it calmly, feeling the place respond to him… as though the clouds beneath his feet welcomed his new strength.
He looked toward the horizon from the high balcony, where Angel Island hung in the distance… but now it was under his rule.
He smiled, saying nothing.
One of the priests stood beside the throne, then bowed slightly and said reverently:
"Lord Luka of the Sky, many matters await your decision: daily arrangements, management of the guards, distribution of agricultural clouds, and dispatching letters to the high priests on Angel Island… Shall we begin preparing your private council?"
Luka motioned calmly with his hand and said:
"No, I want you to go to Gan Fall."
The priest lifted his head, slightly surprised, as Luka continued in a firm tone:
"Tell him I don't mind him continuing his usual duties. Let him keep overseeing administrative matters as he did. I'm not here to govern every detail."
The priest bowed his head once again and said submissively:
"As you command, Lord of the Sky."
Luka returned his gaze to the horizon, and the clouds moved slowly before him, as if waiting for him to write Skypiea's new fate upon them.
---
That morning, Gan Fall sat on a small stone bench near a field of agricultural clouds, wearing his old helmet but without his spear, watching a boy trying to guide a wandering farming cloud. His features were calm, yet burdened by years and changes that Skypiea had witnessed.
When he heard the soft fluttering of cloud wings behind him, he slowly turned. A priest approached aboard a small cloud, his eyes shining with respect and hesitation.
The priest landed and bowed before Gan Fall, saying:
"Gan Fall-sama… I bring you a message from the new god, Luka."
No surprise showed on Gan Fall's face; he merely looked at him in silence, prompting the priest to continue:
"He said you may continue your duties as before, and that he doesn't intend to interfere in administrative matters. All he asked… is that you proceed as you always have."
A brief silence followed before Gan Fall nodded slowly and smiled wearily:
"Hmm… I didn't expect that from him. But it seems he's smarter than I thought."
Then he stood slowly, brushed light dust off his robe, and added in a slightly stronger voice:
"Very well. Tell him I will. I'll remain here… to protect the people and preserve balance."
The priest nodded respectfully, then returned to his cloud, while Gan Fall remained watching the horizon.
---
After the priest returned, he stood quietly at the entrance of the hall and informed Luka that his message had been delivered, and that Gan Fall accepted the role without hesitation. Luka nodded slightly, as if he had expected that response, then rose from the throne and slowly walked toward the high balcony, his eyes still fixed on the distant Angel Island.
He stood there for a moment, silent, watching the sunlight pour over the clouds around the island.
Then he turned to one of the priests who had remained by his side and said in a low but clear voice:
"I want you to go to Angel Island."
The priest bowed respectfully and asked:
"For what purpose, Lord of the Sky?"
Luka replied without taking his eyes off the horizon:
"Summon a woman named Inara… and her husband, Yan. Tell them the god invites them to the shrine."
The priest hesitated for a moment but quickly said:
"As you wish."
He then departed on a small cloud toward Angel Island, while Luka remained standing in place, his eyes following the slow-moving clouds.
---
A humid breeze swept across the edges of Angel Island, where the clouds were softer and the sounds of daily life echoed in the air: hammering, children's screams, and the whistle of wind between houses made of hardened clouds and celestial wood.
In a small square near the fish market, Inara was drawing a bucket of pure cloud water, while Yan was loading small crates onto the back of a cloud. The weather was calm, as if the recent turmoil on the island had become a distant memory.
Suddenly, the priest appeared behind them.
He spoke in a solemn voice:
"Inara… Yan… By order of the heavenly god Luka, I have come to summon you both to the sacred shrine."
Yan froze, staring at the priest with a mix of surprise and caution, while Inara quickly lifted her head, her eyes widening with a curiosity she didn't try to hide.
Yan stepped forward and said:
"Did he say why?"
The priest calmly replied:
"He did not disclose it. Only commanded that you both attend… together."
Inara looked at her husband, who looked back at her for a moment, then she said:
"Very well… If the new god calls us, we cannot refuse."
The priest nodded, then gestured to his boat, saying:
"Follow me."
As the boat slowly headed toward the horizon, toward the sacred land, a heavy silence hung between the couple… neither knew what awaited them at the shrine, but Inara's heart beat to a different rhythm.
Across the calm clouds that separated Angel Island from the sacred land, a small boat moved at a moderate speed, carrying the priest, Inara, and Yan. Silence dominated the journey, and no one dared break it. Only Inara's curious glances toward the horizon spoke volumes.
The shrine began to appear before them, towering over a dense cloud mass, crowned with its golden dome surrounded by faint lightning sparks, as if the sky itself watched the incoming visitors.
When the boat landed at the shrine's entrance, the three disembarked in silence. The priest slowly opened the inner door, releasing the scent of incense once again, and a cold air brushed them, as if the shrine still held the awe of those who had passed through it.
Inside, Luka lay upon the throne.
The priest stepped forward a few paces and bowed, saying:
"Lord of the Sky, I have brought Inara and Yan as you commanded."
Luka lifted his hand lightly, signaling that the priest had completed his task. Then he gestured for him to leave.
Only Inara and Yan remained before the throne, upon the polished floor of frozen clouds. They exchanged a brief glance.
Luka smiled faintly, then straightened his posture on the throne, gazing at them with calm eyes, though beneath them shone a glint Inara couldn't decipher.
Then he spoke in a low, calm voice, but with a tone that accepted no debate:
"Yan… I have an offer for you."
Yan's expression hardened, but he said nothing, so Luka continued:
"Tell me… what is your wish? Anything you want… money, land, power, a position among the priests…"
He paused, then added slowly:
"Choose what you want, and I'll grant it."
Yan stared at Luka in disbelief, then asked in a strained tone:
"Why would you do this?"
Luka answered while shifting his gaze to Inara, then back to him:
"Because I don't want to be a scumbag… You know the nature of the relationship between me and your wife, so I want you to forget about her."
Inara's eyes widened, as if her heart stopped for a moment. Yan remained frozen in place, unable to respond.
Luka continued in a softer, yet more dangerous tone:
"Take what you want… and leave. Stay alive, free, far from the shrine… and far from Inara."
Then he leaned slightly forward and added:
"This offer isn't made twice."
Yan stepped forward as if the words were burning in his chest, then said in a trembling voice:
"You're powerful, Luka… and you can do anything you want to me. You could kill me, exile me, or take her from me, and I couldn't stop you."
He sighed, then looked at Inara for a long moment before returning his gaze to Luka:
"But… don't take her away from me completely. Don't separate me from her."
His voice shook as he added:
"I love her… more than I can explain. Even if I no longer have her, even if she no longer cares for me… just let me stay close. Let me hear her voice, know she's safe."
He paused, then pleaded sincerely:
"Let me work here… in the shrine. I'll do whatever you ask. Clean the floors, cook, fetch water… it doesn't matter. Just don't push me away from her."
Inara's lips quivered, and her eyes filled with shock and confusion.
As for Luka, he remained silent for a long moment. He was stunned by Yan's response. Is he stupid? It's obvious she doesn't love him and keeps ignoring him, yet he still clings to her.
Should I kill him? No point in that. Letting him stay will make things more… interesting, Luka thought to himself.
"Fine, you may stay," I told Yan.
Inara looked at me with surprised eyes, as if to say, You're letting him stay?
I smiled faintly, then rose from the throne and walked slowly toward the hall's edge, hands behind my back, thinking about this new development. Yan had thrown himself into the lion's mouth willingly… and that alone intrigued me.
I stood at the tall window, looked at Angel Island stretching in the distance, then turned to the two of them again.
I said calmly:
"Yan… starting today, you will be part of the shrine's service staff. Simple responsibilities, but important. And you'll remain close to your wife, just as you wanted."
I paused for a moment, then looked at Inara and said in a deeper tone:
"As for you… you will reside here, in the southern wing of the shrine."
A smile formed on her face and she nodded.
Then I looked at the priest who had just returned silently and told him:
"Arrange two separate rooms for them."
The priest bowed quickly and took Yan with him. But Yan, as he walked behind the priest, turned to me for a moment, his eyes filled with a strange mix of gratitude, sadness… and weakness.
As for Inara, she kept looking at me, a charged gaze that couldn't be easily explained.
I approached her, whispered in a soft voice only she could hear:
"Now… you're mine, without needing to force you."
Her face flushed slightly, but she didn't respond. Maybe because she knew… I was right.
Then I walked away from her, leaving behind new shadows beginning to take shape within the shrine.