Velvet Abyss

Inside the draw lay an Amulet split into two half's, one black with a red crystal in its center and the other red with a black crystal in its center.  The amulet rested atop a scroll of yellow parchment.

 

Mari dried her eyes took the amulet with her left hand while picking up the scroll of parchment with the other, the ink on the scroll had been smudged and some parts where impossible to make out but Mari read the letter to the best of her ability.

 

Dear Mari, how many of these have I penned in my feeble attempt at communicating my feeling this must be my dozenth attempt and hopefully it pans out this time.   The night’s that we’ve shared with each other company have been the best nights of my life.

It’s dangerous to write this down, but I need to make it concrete for myself to believe it. I love you, Mari. I love you more than you can possibly realize, my love for you has turned from embers on a dying fire to a blistering inferno poised to engulf me entirely.

 

I feel safe in your arms I feel flustered when I rest my head on your chest and hear your heart beating as you snore your head off, yes you snore just wanted to let you know.  

I realize it’s ridiculous to confess my love for you when we only met two months ago but these feelings are louder than ever before they’re a battle cry roaring inside my head whenever there’s a moment of silence.

This romance might be nothing more than a maidens dalliance into a frivolous daydream,  Even if you reciprocate my feelings Mari, the situation won’t change all because I’m a member of this forsaken church.

 

Once you’re a member you can never leave, resources are scarce and if you’re exiled, you’ll most likely be monster shit in less than a week or you’ll starve to death due your complete and utter lack of survival skills.

 

Why is it that only the elder sister and one other can go hunting and foraging for food despite most nuns having a least novice mastery over their element?  I’ll tell you they do it because it’s just another form of control the High Bishop and his underlings hold over us.

 

The more helpless we are the fewer options we have than the more dependent we are on the church for protection and resources than before too long every girl realizes the true nature of the church but they’re too afraid to leave because it’s human nature to prioritize your own survival.

 

Like pigs in a farm, they stay because they know they’ll be fed and have a roof over the head even though they’re little more than living property. Can you even call that living, though?

Daphne is a cruel sadist who delights in dolling out punishments with her authority sanctioned by the church and flaunting her status as one of the five elder sisters.

 

I suspect that many other sisters share my sentiments, but none would dare rise against the tyrannical order, so should anything happen to me please don’t look upon them with scorn, they are as much victims as anyone else.

 

You’re probably confused why I talk like I know how the future’s going to play out and how I know that I’m already going to die.  Well, to tell you that story, I must tell you the story of the only other woman that I’ve ever loved.

 

She’s far older than I am, so it was nothing more than a childish crush, a love unrequited and best left forgotten.  

She came to stay at the church headquarters when I was ten and she was sixteen. Our days were filled with study and chores, so the seldom free time we were given had to be used wisely.

 

Many girls sat around the courtyard gossiping and playing with their magic while I on the other hand secluded myself in the citadels sprawling library away from prying eyes where I could consume myself with fairy tales of great sorcerers or learn about the many great beasts that roam the land of Ascar.

 

I was always alone as I never had a talent for making friends and I was content with that my own parents had discarded me so I had developed a well-earned ire towards people that all changed one spring day.

 

 

“So you’re the ghost of the library, I take it?” she asked teasingly

 

Her voice was like silk as it entered my ears, and I raised my gaze from the page of my book to greet her smiling eyes.  She was tall and beautiful with hair like the scarlet moon and matching eyes ablaze with vigor.

 

She wore the clothes of a noblewoman, a luxurious black dress with a snow white scarf draped across her slender shoulders.

 

“Can’t you see I’m busy.”

“Ah yes, haunting the library must be a demanding occupation.”

“I’m not a ghost.”

“That’s exactly what a ghost would say.”

“Can you just leave me alone.”

Afraid I can’t do that.”

‘Fine, what do you want, madam.”

“Madam, why the fancy tittle?”

“Look at how your dressed no one here could afford such lavish attire, it’s obvious you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

“Well, you’re half right the spoon was gold not silver though.”

“This is tiring just tell me how I can help you so you’ll leave me alone.”

“Be my friend.”

“What..”

“I said I want you to be my friend.”

“Just like a noble, thinking they can buy people like they buy everything else in this world.”

 I closed my books and glared at her as i put it back on the the self

 

“Like an insect like me could ever be friends with someone like you.”

“Your words, not mine.”

 

    “At least tell me your name before you storm off.”

 

   “ Shinobu”

   

   "Shinobu huh, well i'm Setsuna pleasure."

 

    “Well, Madam Setsuna, I hope you enjoy your stay.”

 

Little did I know that Setsuna would change the course of my life irrevocably in less than a single year.