The following day, Shanane woke up even earlier to head to her internship. The walk to the pharmacy where she worked part-time seemed a bit more grueling than usual, but her dedication to her work kept her going.
The cool, early morning air helped clear her mind and prepared her for the long day ahead. The sun was just starting to peek above the horizon when she reached the pharmacy, where her mentor for the day was already waiting for her.
As she entered, her mentor, a middle-aged man named Paul, greeted her with a friendly smile. They discussed their plan for the day, and Shanane dived into her tasks.
The day's work was as demanding as always, a relentless stream of patients and customers coming in to have their prescriptions filled or to ask for advice. Shanane threw herself into the tasks at hand, her shyness and reserve quickly replaced by efficiency and professionalism.
As the hours went by, she assisted her mentor in completing the tasks of the day, from organizing medication stock to checking labels, helping the pharmacist with complex medicine combinations, and dealing with customer inquiries. It was a never-ending flow of activity, but Shanane loved the satisfaction of being useful and accomplishing something.
The routine was repetitive but rewarding. Her mentor praised her for her good work and dedication, encouraging her to continue pushing her limits and learning more. Shanane took it in stride, her self-confidence quietly growing amidst the constant cycle of work.
As the evening drew near, Shanane's back was a bit sore and her feet felt heavy, but a sense of accomplishment warmed her heart. She had been working hard all day, and it showed in the way her mentor praised her efforts.
After a long day of hard work, She stepped out of the pharmacy into the early evening air. The sun was setting in the distance, casting warm hues of orange and pink across the sky. She took a moment to inhale deeply and release a tired sigh before setting off.
She stopped by the local coffee shop near the campus, ordered a latte and a pastry to snack on. As she sipped her coffee, she checked her phone, scrolling through social media to pass the time. The cafe was fairly empty, and she enjoyed the quiet ambiance.
After a short while, she finished her snack and checked the time. She made her way to the university, her steps a bit slower than usual due to fatigue. The campus was still bustling with life as students and professors went about their business, the hum of conversation and the occasional laughter filling the air.
As she approached the library, she saw groups of students huddled together, deep in study sessions for final exams. She felt a pang of sympathy for her peers, as she had been in their place many times before.
The library was a welcome shelter from the cool evening air, and she found a quiet spot to settle down at a table in the back, away from the hustle and bustle of the main hall. Her notes and books were spread out on the table in front of her as she began to study.
It wasn't long before Shanane's phone beeped, breaking the near silence of the library. She reached for the device and checked the message, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was a message from a friend, checking in on her.
The message read: "Hey, where are you? Are you on campus already?"
She quickly typed a response, her fingers moving deftly over the screen. "Hey. I'm in the library, studying. Just got done with my internship."
She hit send and waited for a reply. Her phone beeped again after a few moments, signaling her friend's response.
The message on her phone read: "Working hard as always, huh? Need a break for some coffee or a snack?"
Shanane smiled again, appreciating the concern of her friend. She typed out a reply, "I've already eaten, but thanks. You're a sweetheart."
Her phone beeped once more, another message from her friend: "You're the hard-working sweetheart here. Just making sure you're not overworking yourself. If you need anything, I'm just a text away."
Shanane couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. Her friend was always so thoughtful, checking in on her and making sure she wasn't pushing herself too hard. It was nice to have someone like that looking out for her.
She typed out a quick message to say, "I know, I know. I'll take a break later, I promise. Just need to get this studying done first. But thanks, I appreciate it."
She set her phone down and returned her focus to her books and notes, a warm smile still on her face from the comforting thought of her friend's concern.
As Shanane put away her study materials and stood up, she checked the time and realized the class was about to start. She gathered her things and headed to the classroom before the clock struck 6 PM.
Her eyes scanned the room, and she spotted a familiar face. It was her friend, Aurora, who was already seated at the back, waving at Shanane to come over.
Aurora was tall, with long, flowing dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a slender figure. Her fashion sense leaned more towards bohemian chic, favoring comfortable, earth-toned clothing. She was confident, charismatic, and had a naturally flirtatious demeanor, which often drew attention from people around her.
"There you are," Aurora said with a smile as Shanane approached. She patted the empty seat next to her, inviting her friend to sit. "I was starting to think you weren't going to make it."
Shanane took the seat next to Aurora and let out a soft sigh, a small hint of exhaustion on her face. "Sorry, I lost track of time at the library," she replied, setting her bag down on the floor. "But I made it just in time, so that's something."
"Well, we both knew studying was more important than sleep," Aurora teased with a gentle nudge. "But seriously, you needed to rest a bit more. You were always burning the candle at both ends, you know?"
Shanane rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling at her friend's comment. "I'd rest when the semester was over," she said with a hint of playful sarcasm. "But in all seriousness, I'd try to take it easy. I just really wanted to do well on these finals."
"Of course you did. You were the biggest perfectionist I knew," replied Aurora, shaking her head with mock exasperation. "Just promise me you wouldn't pull too many all-nighters, okay? I worried about you; you worked too hard."
"I know," Shanane replied, her smile softening at the concern in her friend's voice. "I wouldn't pull too many all nighters, I promised. I'd try to take care of myself, alright? You didn't have to worry about me so much."
"I would always worry about you, you knew that," Aurora responded in an affectionate tone, gently nudging Shanane's shoulder. "You were like my little sister; I had to keep an eye on you. Plus, who else was going to nag you about getting enough rest if I didn't?"
Shanane chuckled softly, her heart warmed by her friend's affectionate gesture. "You were like my big sister too. And you did it so well, always keeping me in check," she teased lightly. "I didn't know what I'd do without all your nagging. Probably work myself to death, most likely."
"Then I'd just have to keep nagging you, wouldn't I?" Aurora retorted, a grin on her face. "It was my duty as the more reasonable one in our duo. I couldn't have you working yourself into the ground, after all."
A few moments later, the class professor entered the room, his presence immediately catching everyone's attention. Shanane and Aurora exchanged knowing smiles, mentally preparing themselves for the next hour or so of the class.
________________________________________
∆ ☆ ATHERAMOND ☆ ∆
________________________________________
While Shanane diligently focused on her class, carefully noting every important detail the professor shared, far away in a remote mountainous region, nestled in the heart of the sleepy village of Kubeyra, some event was about to take place.
As the night deepened, the atmosphere became ominous. A strange energy stirred in the air, something dark and heavy that settled over the sleepy village. The temperature, instead of cooling down, grew hotter, as if some unseen force were heating the very air around it. The sky became an inky black canvas with no trace of stars or the gentle glow of the moon. Even the crickets stopped their usual nighttime symphony, adding to the sense of unease that cloaked the area.
A palpable unease began to grow, a sense of something sinister brewing in the shadows, like a coiled serpent ready to strike.
In the inky depths of a dark cave, a woman sat in the center of a large circle, surrounded by six black candles. The candles cast flickering shadows on the surrounding stone, and the air was thick with an acrid, unpleasant odor, as though the very flames were infused with some potent substance.
The woman herself was a strange sight. Her face was illuminated by the candlelight, and her eyes were closed, as though in concentration. Her hands were clasped tightly together in a tight, trembling grasp, and her lips moved silently in what might have been a whispered incantation, or a curse.
The old woman had been paid a handsome sum by a wealthy man who had ventured to the remote village of Kubeyra for a very specific reason. His wealth and desperation had led him to seek out the woman's unique services, a service that the isolated nature of the village provided ample privacy and cover for.
The rich man had come seeking the service of the old woman with a specific request. He wanted her help in getting rid of an enemy who stood in his way of a lucrative project. The project was worth a staggering sum of ten million dollars, and he was willing to pay handsomely for the removal of the barrier standing in his path to success.
He had been searching for a way to ensure the success of his venture and had been told that the old woman could make his problems disappear.
The old woman agreed to the wealthy man's request, but there was a hitch. She had specific needs to perform the ritual, which included certain items that only she seemed to know the nature and significance of, and a very specific animal: a black rooster, to be exact. She explained that without these items, the ritual wouldn't be effective. The man, desperate to get rid of his adversary, agreed to provide whatever the old woman wanted.
So there she was, in the depths of the cave, attempting to conclude a pact with a powerful and malicious demon. The old woman knew that in order to successfully summon the demon and request his assistance, she must sacrifice the black rooster, a necessary offering to seal the dark bargain. The air was thick with anticipation and the faint smell of sulfur, a reminder that the ritual she was about to undertake was fraught with danger and otherworldly powers.
The woman took a deep breath, summoning all of her courage and focus. Her eyes closed once more, and her lips moved in a whispered prayer, calling upon the dark forces of the supernatural realm. With each word, the air in the cave grew heavier and more oppressive, the shadows around the candles growing even deeper and more ominous.
Despite her experience, the old woman couldn't shake the feeling of fear and uncertainty that always plagued her every time she performed a summoning ritual. She knew that the demons she summoned were powerful and dangerous creatures, capable of wreaking havoc and destruction. No matter how much planning or care she took, the outcome of the summoning was uncertain. The demon who would appear before her was unknown and unpredictable. The thought that the demon might be hostile and turn on her always lurked at the back of her mind, a constant reminder of the dangers she confronted.
Despite her trepidation, the old woman remained focused on the task at hand. She knew that the slightest mistake in the ritual, a misspoken word or a deviation from the established procedure, could have dire consequences.
Consequently, she paid meticulous attention to every detail, carefully pronouncing each syllable of the incantation and burning the required item at the exact moment specified. In this way, the woman hoped to ensure that everything went as planned and that the demon she summoned would be under her control. There was no room for error, and her years of experience had taught her that any mistake could mean disaster.
The old woman continued through the final stages of the ritual, her movements precise and deliberate. As she reached the climax of the invocation, a low, guttural sound emanated from the center of the circle. The air crackled with supernatural energy, and a sinister figure slowly began to materialize.
At first, it was little more than a shadow, but it quickly solidified into the form of a terrifying female demon. The demon's face was hideous, with sharp, pointed teeth and glowing red eyes set deep in a gaunt, skeletal skull. Its body was thin and emaciated, with talons instead of fingers, and the creature was nearly seven feet tall. Its body was covered in scales. The air around the demon was thick with the stench of brimstone, and the very presence of the creature brought a chill to the old woman's soul.