The night was suffocatingly quiet, save for the faint rustling of the wind against the loose boards of Anna's crumbling room. She lay curled on the worn mattress, its springs pressing uncomfortably into her skin. The dim moonlight filtering through the cracked window highlighted the tears on her pale cheeks, remnants of a day spent working until her fingers bled.
As her eyes fluttered closed, the agony began.
It started like it always did—a slow, creeping burn spreading beneath her skin. But tonight, it felt sharper, more relentless. Her body jerked involuntarily as the first invisible cut tore through her back. Then another. And another.
The night dragged on with its usual torment. Anna lay curled on her tattered mattress, her body trembling as the invisible wounds began their nightly ritual of carving pain into her skin. The raw agony stole her breath as her muscles spasmed uncontrollably.
Her nails dug into the coarse blanket, the only anchor against the storm of pain searing through her. Her lips quivered, the words of a prayer escaping as little more than a whisper.
"Please…" she murmured. "Make it stop… I'll do better tomorrow."
The words were as empty as her breath, swept away by the sharp sting of another unseen cut slicing across her ribs.
Suddenly, the creak of the door pierced through the haze of agony. Anna barely had the strength to lift her head when Isabella stepped into the room.
"Isabella…?" Anna whispered hoarsely, her voice raw and fragile.
Isabella's golden hair glowed faintly in the moonlight, and her delicate features were calm—eerily calm. Without saying a word, she strode toward Anna, her bare feet making no sound on the floor.
Before Anna could react, Isabella climbed onto her bed and pressed her hands tightly around Anna's neck.
Anna's eyes widened in shock as she struggled beneath her sister's weight, her hands clawing weakly at Isabella's fingers. The pressure against her throat made it nearly impossible to breathe.
Her lungs burned as she kicked feebly, her legs tangling in the thin blanket. The pain from her nightly wounds intensified, each cut tearing deeper into her flesh. Blood seeped through the fabric of her nightgown, staining it a dark, sticky crimson.
Anna's vision blurred, tears streaming down her cheeks as her sister's face loomed above her, cold and unyielding. But then, Isabella's lips curled into a smirk.
"You don't deserve to be here," Isabella hissed. "You've always been a curse, Anna."
Before Anna could process her sister's words, Isabella let out a piercing scream.
The sound reverberated through the room, shattering the stillness of the night. Anna flinched at the sheer volume, her hands falling limp as the scream rang in her ears.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Anna's heart sank.
"No… no, please," she croaked, her voice barely audible.
Isabella's expression shifted in an instant. She released Anna's neck and quickly flipped their positions, wrapping Anna's limp hands around her own throat.
The window shattered as Caius burst in, his massive, black-furred wolf form a blur of speed and fury. His glowing amber eyes locked onto the scene before him.
"Isabella!" he roared, his voice a thunderous growl.
Without hesitation, Caius lunged.
His claws extended as he grabbed Anna by the arm and hurled her across the room. Her body slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, the jagged wood tearing at her skin.
Anna's head snapped back, her skull colliding with the wall. The impact sent a sharp jolt of pain through her entire body. Blood trickled down her forehead, warm and sticky as it dripped into her eyes.
Before she could recover, the elite force of Caius's family stormed into the room.
The knights, clad in black armor adorned with the crest of the wolf, surrounded Anna in an instant. Their glowing eyes burned with hatred as they closed in on her.
One knight stepped forward, his claws glinting in the dim light. Without hesitation, he grabbed Anna by the neck and lifted her off the ground.
Anna's body convulsed as she clawed desperately at the knight's grip. His claws dug into her throat, blood gushing from the deep wounds and staining her already tattered nightgown.
Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, each gasp a choking, wet sound. Her vision blurred as her body grew weaker.
And then, the air shifted.
The room was filled with a sudden, oppressive presence as the God of Life materialized. His radiant form glowed with an almost blinding light, his eyes burning with fury as he surveyed the scene.
"Enough!" the god commanded, his voice booming like a thunderclap.
The knights immediately stepped back; their heads bowed in reverence.
The god's gaze turned to Anna, and his expression twisted in disgust.
"You," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "You dare bring harm to the Chosen One?"
Anna tried to speak, but no sound came out. She could only gasp for air, her body trembling under the weight of his anger.
The God of Life raised his hand, and a searing pain shot through Anna's chest. She screamed, the sound raw and guttural as her body convulsed.
"You are a blight upon this world," the god continued, his voice cold and unyielding. "Your very existence is an affront to life itself."
With a flick of his wrist, the god sent Anna crashing to the floor. Her body hit the ground with a sickening thud, her limbs sprawled out as she struggled to move.
He stepped closer, his radiant form towering over her. With each step, the pain in Anna's body intensified, as if his very presence was tearing her apart.
The god knelt down, his hand glowing with a blinding light as he placed it on Anna's chest.
"This will teach you," he said, his voice a low growl. "This will remind you of your place."
The light seared into Anna's skin, the pain unlike anything she had ever felt before. She screamed, her voice echoing through the room as her body writhed in agony.
As the punishment continued, the Goddess of Order appeared, her elegant form radiating calm authority. She ignored Anna entirely, her focus solely on Isabella.
"Are you hurt, my dear?" the goddess asked, her voice soft and soothing as she knelt beside Isabella.
"I'm fine," Isabella said, her voice trembling. "But Anna… she…"
"Say no more," the goddess interrupted, her eyes narrowing as she glanced briefly at Anna's battered form.
The goddess turned to Caius, her expression stern. "We must protect Isabella at all costs. The threat cannot be ignored."
Caius nodded; his gaze cold as he looked at Anna.
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe," he said firmly.
The goddess placed a hand on Caius's shoulder, a small smile gracing her lips. "Good. Together, we will ensure her safety."
As the god and goddess consoled Isabella and solidified their alliance with Caius, Anna lay motionless on the floor, her body broken and her spirit shattered.
Her faint, labored breaths were the only sign that she was still alive.