Daughter of Night - First Assignment.

A faint shuffle of feet pulls Anythe from the dark haze of her induced sleep. Her head feels heavy, her body sluggish as if it's weighed down by invisible chains. In the far corners of her mind, whispers linger. A faint echo of the strange voice from before. Though slightly distant now, it feels tied to her, a presence she can't entirely shake.

Her eyes snap open fully at the sound of a firm knock on the door. For a moment, she freezes, her heart racing. The candle on her desk is still extinguished, leaving the room cloaked in the moon's shadow. The knock comes again, more insistent this time.

"Who's there?" She asks, her voice shaky. She glances hurriedly at the small clock but even though she can hear its ticks, she can't see it in the darkness.

"It's Mother Superior." comes the calm but authoritative reply. "I'm here with Sister Margaret and Sister Elizabeth."

Relief washes over Anythe, dispelling the lingering dread from her dreamlike state. She pushes herself to move from the stiff standing she had been, her legs unsteady and shaky beneath her. With trembling hands, she fumbles for a match, striking it to relight the candle. The tiny flame flickers to life, bathing the room in its warm orange glow.

"Come in." She says, her voice slightly steadier now.

The door creaks open, and the three women step inside, the second set of visitors in the space of an hour, their presence filling the small space. Mother Superior stands tall, her posture commanding but kind. Beside her, Sister Margaret, the nun who had cared for Anythe since she was a young girl, offers a gentle smile. Sister Eleanor, known for her quiet humor, carries a small basket.

"Happy early birthday, dear," Mother Superior says, her tone warm and celebratory.

Anythe manages a small smile, the weight in her chest easing slightly. "Thank you."

Sister Eleanor steps forward, setting the basket on the desk. "We brought you a little something for tomorrow. Nothing much, just a few treats to celebrate your big day."

"Thank you." Anythe murmurs, touched by the gesture, almost touched to the point that she forgets her ordeal since the day has started.

The three women settle themselves around the room, their laughter and lighthearted conversation momentarily dismissing the dark thoughts lingering in Anythe's mind. 

Sister Eleanor teases Mother Superior about her strictness, drawing a rare chuckle from the elder woman. Even Sister Margaret joins in, recounting a fond memory of Anythe's childhood that brings a genuine smile to her face.

But the warmth in the room falters slightly when Mother Superior leans closer, her brow furrowing as she studies Anythe's face.

"Child," she says, her voice soft but serious. "Your eyes... they're glowing."

Anythe seems to stop still. She stiffens, her pulse quickening. "Glowing?" Something else is happening? She is confused, and scared and… alone.

Mother Superior nods, a concerned look crossing her face. "Yes, a faint purple. Have you been feeling unwell? Or what could be the cause behind this?"

Anythe forces a laugh, her fingers brushing against the flame of the candle on her desk. "Oh, it must be the candlelight reflecting in my eyes. That's all." She forces her voice to stay calm, steady, even as her stomach roils with unease, hoping, praying that the elderly woman drops the issue.

Mother Superior hesitates but nods. "Perhaps. Still, you must take care of yourself. Today is an important day, more than just a birthday, you will also be reborn as a bride. I can't wait to see you in your new clothing."

Sister Margaret steps forward then, her kind eyes searching Anythe's face. She outstretches her hand to Anythe's forehead and feels her temperature. "Are you feeling all right, child? You seem... troubled."

"I'm fine." Anythe lies, her voice firmer this time.

Lies.

Something a new bride should not do.

But she just did it, and it came out so easily, even though that is scary, she is more scared by the fact that she does not feel any form of guilt for doing it.

Margaret studies her for a moment longer, then gives a small nod. "If there's ever anything you need, you know where to find me."

The three women take their leave soon after, their soft footsteps retreating down the hall. Anythe closes the door behind them, leaning against it as the tension drains from her body.

She makes her way back to her bed, exhaustion pulling at her. Lying down, she pulls the blanket over herself and closes her eyes, hoping for rest to come quickly.

But it doesn't.

The night has yet to come an end.

Instead, she feels a strange sensation, like her consciousness is slipping away. When she opens her eyes again, she isn't in her bed. 

She's standing beside it and yet, she is still on the bed.

Her breath catches as she stares down at her own body, still lying motionless on the bed. The sight is surreal, her mind struggling to comprehend what she's seeing.

"What... what is this?" she whispers, her voice trembling, as she begins to hyperventilate.

She tries to move closer, to touch herself, but her hands pass through her sleeping form like mist. Her heart pounds as panic sets in.

And then she hears it… The voice from before, something it had said.

"You cannot escape me, child…" It says, clearer now, cutting through the stillness like a blade but she knows it's in her head, nowhere else.

"Leave me alone!" She cries, spinning around, but there's nothing. Only darkness, and herself.

The voice laughs, low and menacing. "You are wasting your time with them, with their rules and prayers. You cannot change what you are. You have been Anythe, before birth, since birth and you will remain after death."

"I don't belong to you. Please, just leave me alone. I don't want to be this demon." Anythe says, her voice shaky but defiant.

"Demon? Fancy name. You are whatever you call it, but above it all, you answer to one. And that is your desires and when the time comes, you will receive your calling. Until then, mark my words, you will grow stronger and stronger and less human until you choose to admit who you really are. I hope it won't be late before you realize there is no way out of this dark." The voice hisses. "You are one of us, and you will lose control soon enough. Get out of that holy place before you ruin it, before the darkness within you consumes everything."

Tears prick at Anythe's eyes as she shakes her head. "You're lying."

"Am I? Well, it might be what I do best. But, why would I lie to you? I'm just your identity, your guide. Accept me." the voice and then, it fades into the dark.

Before she can respond, the world shifts, and she feels herself being pulled back into her body. Subtly relieved, she lets go but suddenly, it stops. She opens her eyes and she is still outside her body.

"What now?" She questions the thin air.

But there is no response.

"Hello?" She yells, knowing she is not in the real world so no one can hear her.

This time, it is not the regular mocking voice that answers, those laughing voices retreat into the shadows.

"Anythe, Daughter of Night, you have your fi

rst assignment. Taint Atlas."

Atlas?

Anythe gasps when she realizes. "Father Atlas?!"