Catrina approached the city gates with quiet steps, her cloak drawn tightly around her.
The guards at the entrance straightened as she neared, their expressions firm. One of them stepped forward and asked for identification. Without a word, she reached into her satchel and held out a polished silver badge, the mark of a Saintess.
The guard took a step back. He examined the badge carefully, then glanced up at her face. His brows pulled together in visible concern.
"Are you sure you want to enter the city, saintess?" he asked, voice low.
Catrina nodded gently, her big blue eyes soft but unwavering.
The guard hesitated, shifting on his feet. "This place... it's rough," he said. "Folk like you don't usually come here. It's not meant for someone so—" He stopped himself. "You should be careful."
"I have something important to do," she said quietly, her hands folded in front of her. "Could you tell me where to find the residence of one, Vivian the Rose? I believe I got the title right."
The air between them tightened. The guard blinked, caught off guard by the name. For a moment, he didn't speak.
"Don't say that name out loud," he whispered sharply, glancing around.
Catrina stepped back, her head lowered. "I didn't know, I'm seeking forgiveness if I have broken any sacred law." she said quickly, her voice light and full of regret.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not a law," he said, his tone softening. "Just... people get nervous. She's powerful. Feared, even. That name has an influence you know."
"Ah, that is a relief indeed, I worried that I may have offended the local divine of your world," Catrina said, barely above a whisper. Her fingers curled around the edge of her cloak. "But, but, I still need to see her."
The guard studied her for a moment longer. She definitely looked like she didn't belong there—like she had stepped out of a different world. She was too delicate, too pure, too clean for the dust and filth of this city.
He gave her the directions anyway, slow and careful. Before she left, he added, "I insist that you be very careful with who you chose to speak to. If anyone tries to do something you don't like, report them immediately. Use my name if you need to."
Catrina nodded once, thanked him, and walked past the gates.
The guard watched her go, very troubled. She looked so delicate and too kind. And she was walking straight into Dragon city.
As Catrina passed beneath the arch of the city gates, the noise of the outer world dimmed.
The wind shifted. In the space between one breath and the next, a translucent screen shimmered before her eyes.
[Quest Reminder]
Objective: Convert Vivian the Rose from her sin.
Sin: Adultery
Required Penance: Confession before a Divine Shrine of Yargua
Time Remaining: 13 Days, 21 Hours, 16 Minutes
Reward: Blessing of Clarity Volume 1
The words pulsed gently before fading into a corner of her vision.
Catrina stopped, just for a moment. The world pressed on around her—shouts from market stalls, the clang of hammers from a nearby smith, the thud of heavy boots on stone. But her thoughts turned inward.
She remembered the opulent marble of the Hall of Immortals. The everpresent scent of sacred oils.
The Head Saintess standing tall beneath the banner of her throne, her eyes full of power and sorrow. "The world changes through conviction," the Head Saintess had started when she summoned Catrina. "Go to the planet of Yargua, the 13th world. This shall be the test of your ascension to immortality. Turn the sinful maidens of that world to penance. "
Catrina had nodded then. Her voice hadn't shaken. But now, as she walked deeper into the city, she could feel the heaviness and fear settling in her chest.
Vivian the Rose. Even the guard had flinched at that name.
Catrina adjusted the hood of her cloak and took a steady breath. One way or another, she'd force this vampire to give up her adultery.