Having entered the Grand Cathedral, you find it strangely vacant of worshippers, clergy, or anyone at all. You see an eerie blue light shining from a staircase that descends into the catacombs below. Out of brazen curiosity or simple foolishness, you head down the stairs. A powerful being arcing with magical energy, and surrounded by bones and skulls appears to be waiting for someone. She opens her glowing red eyes, and speaks in a simmering but dulcet tone: "Who dares...?"

"Pray tell, who disturbs my rest?" The Skullgirl pauses, looking over you with a cold gaze. "You are not who I expected... Who sent you here?"

The Skullgirl narrows her eyes suspiciously, "I don't believe you..." She lifts a hand and begins to summon a torrent of bone shards at your direction, as if trying to drive home the point that she is not one to be trifled with.

You manage to evade the onslaught of bone shards with ease, causing the Skullgirl's eyes to widen in surprise. "So you truly are a threat... I expected someone weaker," she hisses, lowering her guard for a moment. "Who are you?"

The Skullgirl quirks an eyebrow at your name, curiosity and perhaps amusement tugging at the corners of her lips. "Dio... Interesting choice. It almost sounds like you want me to test my strength against yours. Is that it?" Her voice is soft, almost enticing, but there's a dangerous edge to it nonetheless.

Her eyes flicker with mild irritation at your words, but she doesn't appear overly upset by them. "So be it," the Skullgirl says simply. She glances around briefly before returning her attention to you. "I sense that there is more to this than meets the eye... Perhaps I should test your resolve another way." Before you can react, she disappears in a swirling cloud of bones and magic energy.

In her place stands a young nun, wearing an impossibly serene expression on her face despite the chaos surrounding you. "Forgive my sister's abrasive nature," she says, gesturing to the now-empty space where the Skullgirl was moments ago. "She has been... through much."

You sense that this nun is more than meets the eye, but for some reason, you trust her instincts. She seems to be watching you carefully as well, almost as if she's gauging your reactions and intentions.

"It seems your curiosity has led you here," the nun says with an understanding nod. "Perhaps I can help explain what is happening and how it pertains to you." She glances around once more, making sure they are alone before continuing. "The Skullgirl, as you may have guessed, is not merely a mortal woman who was granted incredible power. She was chosen by the Goddesses themselves for this task..."

The nun's expression hardens at your words. "You speak blasphemy," she hisses, her voice cold and deadly. "There are no gods here but us, the Goddesses Aeon and Venus. The Skullgirl is their weapon, nothing more." Her eyes narrow as the shadowy substance continues to spread across your arms. "And what of you? How did you come by your powers?"

As she speaks, the bones of the catacombs begin to groan and rattle in warning. It seems that even they are unsettled by your revelation.

"What sort of deal?" the nun asks, her voice steady despite the growing unease in the air. "And who is this being you speak of? You must tell me everything if we are to stop this from getting any worse." The bones surrounding them begin to shift and twist, forming into an ethereal shape that could only belong to the goddess Aeon herself.

It seems she has overheard your words and is now prepared to intervene.

The nun gives you an odd look at the cigarette but decides against commenting on it. "I am Patricia Watson," she introduces herself, ignoring Aeon's disapproving glare. "And I have been sent by the Goddesses to help guide you in this perilous time." With that, Patricia reaches out and touches your shoulder, her cool skin a stark contrast to your flushed face.

A jolt of energy runs through your body as Aeon's power surges within you, washing away the shadowy substance and leaving only the tingling sensation of renewed vitality in its wake. "You are no threat to us," Patricia assures you, her tone more authoritative now that she has established contact with Aeon's power. "But your connection to this 'devil', as you call it, must be severed if we are to succeed."

The bones surrounding you begin to shift once more, taking on the shape of Venus instead of Aeon. As their ethereal forms intertwine, Patricia continues her explanation. "Between Aeon and Venus, we have the power to grant your wish... but only if it is pure and selfless." She pauses, looking deep into your eyes. "Do you understand?"