Eclipse of the Divine

Whispers in the Shadow

'The little girl found herself standing in a field of endless golden light, a place that felt familiar yet distant, like a memory from a life she barely remembered. The air was warm, filled with the scent of wildflowers, and a soft breeze danced through her hair. She looked down to find herself as a young child, small hands reaching out in delight as her laughter echoed across the field.

Ahead of her, two figures stood, their forms shimmering in the light. Her father was there, his usually stern face softened, a gentle smile curving his lips as he knelt down, arms outstretched to welcome her. She felt an overwhelming warmth and comfort radiating from him, a feeling she had nearly forgotten.

Beside him stood a woman, her figure cloaked in soft light, warm and welcoming, like the sun at dawn. The little girl felt an instinctive pull towards her, a recognition that ran deeper than memory. Her mother. She could sense the woman's love, gentle yet fierce, wrapping around her like a protective shield. But no matter how hard she tried to focus, her mother's face remained hazy, hidden beneath a veil of mist that blurred her features.

The little girl reached up, trying to brush the mist away, hoping to see her mother's face, to memorize it. But the harder she tried, the thicker the mist became, until her mother was barely visible. A whisper brushed against her ears, a voice like a lullaby she had once known. "My sweet girl... I will always be with you."

As her mother's voice faded, the little girl turned to her father, searching for the warmth she had felt only moments ago. But his face had changed, hardened into the cold expression she had come to know. His eyes, once filled with love, now looked through her as if she were a stranger, distant and closed off. The warmth of the field began to chill, and the sky above dimmed, casting a shadow over them.

Desperately, the little girl reached out to him, her small hand trembling. "Father... please." But he only stepped back, his form fading into darkness as his gaze turned indifferent, leaving her alone in the cold silence.

As the field darkened completely, she felt the emptiness settle in her chest. She tried to call out, but her voice wouldn't come. Her mother's figure was gone, vanished like a wisp of smoke, and her father was now a distant shadow, unreachable. The golden light was replaced by an endless gray fog that seeped into her bones, a reminder of the family she had lost and the love that had slipped away.'

She awoke with a gasp, her heart pounding, hands clenched tightly around her blankets as though clinging to the remnants of the warmth she'd felt in the dream.

"Lisa , are you awake?"
"Yes, I am."
"Good. Get ready; it's almost time to leave."

(Sigh)

As the morning light filled her room, she knew the dream was nothing more than a painful echo of what once was, a reminder of the parents who had vanished from her life, leaving her to face the darkness alone.

A gentle morning mist wrapped around the private terrace where four figures sat, their presence a guarded secret against the rising sun.
Lalisa, Jisso, Rose, and Jennie gathered around a wrought-iron table laden with breakfast-fresh bread, ripe berries, and silver pitchers of tea. Their attire echoed elegance yet restraint; Lalisa wore a dark, tailored coat over fitted trousers, the edges embroidered with threads of midnight blue. Jisso's long sleeves and structured capelet bore quiet intricacies of gold, Rose's dress a reserved burgundy with hints of silver, and Jennie's blouse fastened high at the collar, her skirt layered subtly for a classic touch.

The quiet clatter of cups and plates played against the background hum of a world waking up.

Breaking the silence, Jisso glanced over her cup, a faint smile curving her lips.

"It feels strange, doesn't it? Actually attending this place we've studied from a distance all our lives."

Rose grinned, her voice light but edged with nerves.

"Strange is one way to put it. We're supposed to be just... students. For once. I'm not sure I even remember how to be 'just' anything."

Lalisa's gaze remained cool, her fingers methodically breaking her bread.

"Perhaps that's why they won't expect us."

Her voice was low, her words measured.

"No one will be looking for the 'anonymous prodigies' they've only ever heard about. We go, we learn, and we leave. No attachments."

Her tone held an edge, final and firm.

Jennie shot her a look, eyebrows raised.
"No attachments? Lalisa, we can't avoid everyone. Students will talk to us-ask questions. If we stay too cold, they'll get curious."

Lalisa's eyes flickered, though her expression didn't change.

"I have no interest in curious eyes or idle chatter. They won't know us, and they won't want to."

There was a glint of something beneath her calm exterior-an old, deep-seated discomfort that surfaced in these rare, quiet moments.

"You should all be... prepared."

Jisso leaned back, crossing her arms.
"Prepared for what, exactly? That a few will ask questions? Or that someone might actually figure out who we are?"

Lalisa's lips pressed together, her eyes narrowing.

"I don't intend for anyone to find out who we are. There is a reason we've stayed... discreet. You know the consequences if we're discovered. My powers-our histories... are better left buried."

Her fingers tightened around her cup as she lowered her gaze, shadows of past betrayals flickering in her eyes.

Rose glanced between her friends, her smile more subdued.

"Then... we stay close to one another. Keep our circle tight. We're already top students, even without ever stepping foot on their grounds. If they try to probe, we'll simply remind them why we're the ones to avoid."

Jennie nodded, offering a reassuring look to Lalisa.

"And if anyone gets too close, we have ways to... deter them."

Lalisa's expression softened by a fraction, though her tone remained steely.
"Precisely. We maintain our distance. We observe. And we do not become entangled in their... trivialities."

Her gaze swept over them, firm and unyielding.

"Remember, we are there for a purpose."

For a moment, the silence stretched, each of them pondering the reality of stepping into a world where they'd always been mere whispers in the shadows. The idea of socializing, of letting down even the smallest guard, weighed heavily on them all.

Then Jisso broke the tension with a small, wry smile.

"I suppose we'll just have to see how 'discreet' you can keep us, Lalisa."

A faint, rare smirk touched Lalisa's lips.

"I'll keep you invisible if I must."

They all shared a glance, united by a silent resolve. Their lives might shift under the weight of their hidden identities and guarded pasts, but they knew one thing-they would remain as untouchable and enigmatic as they had always been.