Gentle moonlight shined through the window of a small room, softly landing on the pages of a book that seemed just too large for the hands holding it.
Only gentle snores and the periodic sound of pages turning kept company to the only lucid person in this room, a small girl.
Sitting silently at the top of a bunk bed and leaning on her back the wall was a young girl holding a thick book, the room was quite dim and the words on the pages could barely be distinguished but the girl continued to flip through the book.
The book spoke of this world's mythos and claimed to explain it's origins though whether it's contents were fact or merely dogma she had yet to confirm.
The girl's ears twitched as she heard a familiar set of footsteps, closing the book and glancing at the other young girls sleeping soundly, the girl quickly lied down on her bed and pulled the covers over her as she closed her eyes.
Soon, the door to the room was softly pushed open and a woman in white clergy garbs engraved with golden stitching walked in holding a candle to light the path.
Walking slowly to each of the beds she put a hand over each of the children and a few moments later a small white circle of symbols made of light appeared over her palm and bathed the children in a white light, a few moments later they woke up.
Slowly the cleric woke each of the children who silently got up and waited next to each of their beds.
When it was Vesper's turn, she felt soft heat momentarily wrap her body warmly before entering her core and spreading to her limbs making her feel the urge to jump off her bed.
Still she merely pretended to stir from sleep and got off her bed waiting next to her bunk mates silently.
Once the Clergywoman finished waking all the children, she left the room and the two dozen children followed her silently in a neat line.
Walking through the hallways silently, a group of a clergywoman followed by children would pass them every now and then.
Each time, the girls from each group would look curiously at the those from the other groups.
Finally arriving at their destination, a large bath, all the young girls stripped themselves of their sleeping clothes and placed them into a large basket before washing their bodies with the warm water provided to them in large wooden buckets.
Staring at her reflection in the water, Vesper still found herself unable to get rid of the severe body disphoria that still plagued her even after 5 years had already passed and her previous face had slowly become a blur of features.
Still, she could tell that this wasn't her body, even ignoring the difference between each of her bodies' ages all her physical features were wrong, her skin was too fair, her poison green eyes too angular, her ink black hair too straight and her lips too thin.
It was all so horribly wrong, Vesper felt as if she was tightly wrapped in someone else's skin as if inside a pythons stomach.
Overcome by a sudden tightness in her chest, Vesper's breathing quickened as her breaths grew shallow.
Snatching the wooden bucket Vesper poured it on her head in one go illiciting a loud crash of water over the marble tiles that drew the attention of the other girls.
Placing the bucket on the floor, Vesper moved a strand of her black hair from her face as she calmly glanced at the other girls before leaving the bath.
Once outside, Vesper dried her body before wearing the plain white robe provided to cleric apprentices.
Once the other girls had finished bathing and done the same they followed the clergywoman outside the large building where they stayed and walked towards the grand and white cathedral in the distance looming over the city like an imposing judge.
The sun had only half risen at this time and yet the cobbled streets were bustling with people in white holy garbs or donning heavy suits of armour with long swords at their waists.
All of them however shared the same destination as Vesper, as they got closed and closed to the cathedral more and more people joined as the streets became crowded, yet although thousands of people were gathered not a single person spoke.
Hoards of people walked through the cathedral's massive gates and all stood in silence awaiting for one person's appearance.
All gazes landed on a large podium as they waited silently. Soon, a woman in magnificent white and gold robes and a golden pointed hat holding a gold scepter appeared.
Finally for the first time on that day someone finally spoke, although she did not shout, her voice was easily carried into everyone's ears
"Dear brothers and sisters,
We gather here this morning once again, united in faith, bound by the love and grace of our lord. It is in these moments of togetherness that we remember the profound power of our shared beliefs, the strength of our community, and the purpose of our lives.
Let us reflect for a moment on the sacred gift granted to us again on this day once more."
The pope on the podium and everyone else lowered their heads in silence for a few minutes before the poke lifted her head and spoke once more "You may now go and see to your duties, may the lord's hands guide you."
""May the lord's hands guide you"" everyone shouted in unison making the earth tremble and Vesper's ears buzz before they slowly streamed out of the cathedral and scattered in all directions.