Sin and Sanctum

"It's December 20th, 2004, and I've done nothing with my life—not one damn thing," a woman mutters under her breath. There's a chill in the air; it's roughly 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The woman walks toward a perfectly frozen puddle and stares at her reflection. She has short, messy white hair and a pair of silver eyes. Letting out a sigh, she thinks about how much she has always hated her eyes and hair. After all, she was bullied in school for looking so different. Her pale skin and dirty clothes make her appear quite disheveled.

"What the hell are you doing with your life, Luna?" she says, pointing at her reflection. "You have nothing—no job, no home, nowhere to go!" She stomps on the frozen puddle in frustration. As cracks form, she suddenly notices a shadow approaching her, one made even more menacing by the nearby streetlight.

Turning to face whatever is behind her, she sees a tall, muscular man—at least, he looks like a man at first. But as the creature comes closer, its appearance becomes less and less human. Its mouth stretches into a wide, unnatural grin, and its cold, malevolent eyes lock onto hers. Luna freezes in place. Every instinct in her body screams at her to run, but something is holding her back.

As the creature approaches, Luna musters the strength to look down, only to see her dirty, disheveled clothes now soaked in blood—her blood.

After what feels like an eternity, she finally falls to the ground. Her eyes meet the monster's eyes—malevolent, cold, and callous, without a shred of remorse. The creature raises its hand to strike Luna's wound, intending to ensure her death.

As the hand moves downward, Luna sees it fall to the ground with a loud thud. The creature swiftly turns around, only to see a woman wielding a sword. In an instant, the creature's neck meets her blade, and its head falls to the ground. The woman kicks the beast aside and crouches down next to Luna.

She opens her mouth to speak. "So, you're in bad shape, and I hate to break it to ya, but you're gonna die soon!" She strokes her chin as if deep in thought. Then her eyes light up. "However, I can offer you a second chance. Be my partner, and I'll save your life!" She extends her hand, offering a handshake.

Luna can hardly believe what she's hearing. "I have to be her partner for her to save me?" she thinks to herself. "What does she even mean by partner?" She ponders her options. Become her partner or die—those are her only choices. Then she wonders, Can she even save me?

As Luna continues to think, she hears a voice in her head. "Accept." It sounds eerie yet confident at the same time. Luna's eyes widen. She's never heard voices in her head before, but not wanting to die, she looks the mysterious woman in the eyes.

"D-deal," she stammers, mustering the strength to groggily extend her hand for the handshake. Little does she know, this deal will change the course of her life forever.

After some time.

Luna jolted awake, springing forward as she threw the covers off her body. Her breathing was ragged, her hands trembling as they instinctively moved to her stomach.

What the—?!

The massive gash that should have been there was gone. Her skin was smooth and unscarred, as if the wound had never existed. Panic began to set in as her mind raced. Where am I?

Her eyes darted around the room. The space felt strangely cozy—too cozy. A wooden wardrobe sat in the corner, its polished surface gleaming faintly in the warm light of a bedside lamp. Across from her, a large box tv sits comfortably in a entertainment center, a stark contrast to the rustic charm of the rest of the room.

The bed she sat on was soft, layered with thick blankets and plush pillows. The faint scent of lavender hung in the air, calming yet out of place given the chaos of last night.

This place is too nice. Too comforting.

Her chest tightened as her mind flashed back to the events of the night before: the monstrous grin, the gash across her stomach, the mysterious woman with her blade.

All she could remember was that voice in her head, the grotesque creature, that woman, and the searing pain of her wound. But now the pain was gone. That woman... Luna frowned, struggling to picture her. Her face had been obscured—hidden beneath a hood, her eyes concealed by a pair of sleek black-and-white goggles.

She'd been dressed all in black, save for that strange brown cape draped over her shoulders. It reminded Luna of something out of the medieval era, like a relic from another time.

Luna's breathing quickened as the questions clawed at her mind. Where am I? Who is she? And... what the hell is happening to me?

Without wasting anymore time Luna finally works up the courage to approach the door she's expecting the door to be locked she's expecting to be a hostage or something but to her shock the door knob turns and the door opens!

She sticks her head out of the door and she thinks W-what is that it smells great! her mouth begins to water and her stomach begins to rumbling W-well maybe this person isn't so bad!

Luna gingerly steps out of the room trying to sneak into the kitchen as she cautiously enters the kitchen her eyes meets another's a cats eyes a nervous sweat runs down her brow then the cat simply meows alerting the woman cooking.

"So, you're awake! Hungry?" The woman says with a calm yet inviting tone.