She woke up, half expecting to find a hot iron waiting to be shoved into her skin, or the wet snap of a bone breaking. Instead she was met with a sensation of warmth, being wrapped tightly in a bedsheet, and sweating from every part of her skin that was not burnt shut from torture. Soon after, a maidservant entered the room, and without a word, washed away the sweat on her body with a wet cloth. She had subsisted on a strange, disgusting liquid fed to her through a rubber hose, a dainty butler watching her expressions with quiet amusement.

Daily exercises involved getting some movement back into her limbs, checking the status of her mending bones and thorough health examinations. That was when she had caught the first glimpse of her body in the doctor’s mirror: Her body had been thoroughly burnt from the ankle all the way up to her shoulder along her left side, the burnt skin’s line frequently interrupted by streaks of burnt skin or minor puncture wounds extending further over the front and back.

Some sort of branding had been done to her whole right shoulder. Made by an iron somehow fitted to her size, the brand looked like licks of flame, with the double angled daggers, the symbol of Acrypha imprinted in the center. Along her back, the signs of whipping were visible, deep gashes in her skin told the tale of a whip having in places torn flesh and skin away entirely. Her face bore spots of burns, and in some places where her skin had not completely closed, she could see the amber merged with her bone and skin.

Soon, her scars were closed back in behind a layer of fresh bandages, and her pain soothed with a powerful concoction that somehow turned the pain into a funny tingle. Still on her high, she was brought back to her bedroom and put to rest.

The next morning, the usual ritual continued, but unlike the previous day, she remained in bed. Soon Ellistin appeared, walking like something of a ghost, looking over her shoulders, eyes full of worry.

“Hi Firran… I’ll be brief. They… Want you dead. I’ve done what I can, but there’s only one way to save you now… You must get better. I will receive a set of very dangerous missions… If you carry them out, they’ll rescind your death sentence. Nod if you understand…”

She nodded, which to which Ellistin displayed a hit of relief, before her expression once more darkened.

“They will be… Dangerous, and you’ll be required to kill. If you don’t want to do it… I can give you a swift and painless death, but not before I’ve had mine…” She opened the palm of her hand, revealing two small copper capsules. “Shroud poison… Very effective, you won’t feel a thing… What will it be? Nod if you’ll do what it takes… Or shake your head if you desire death…”

Without a hint of hesitation, she nodded. This was not Ellistin’s fault, but rather those with more power. She was the voice that had soothed her pain and given her hope. With this resolve, she silently vowed to repay her generous kindness in full. She was willing to do what it would take.

“I don’t want to put you through it all, But with this, I can take your life into my hands and safeguard you…” Ellistin leaned in a very gently placed a kiss upon Firran’s forehead. She then stood back up and hurriedly left the room, her step echoing with confidence in the room. A few moments later, the butler entered the room.

“I see you’ve cheered my lady Ellistin up, well done. I believe I have not introduced myself properly yet: My name is Farsilden, I am the head butler of Lady Ellistin’s estate, and also her personal bodyguard. It will be my duty to take your gutter-skills, and hone them into precise tools… Lady Ellistin desires after all, that you meet your challenges with the best possible chance of survival… But first, I’d like for you to meet the people you will be cooperating with… Enter!”

The door opened, and four teenagers entered the room, all wearing the same anonymous attire made from pieces of leather and cloth wound snugly to minimize sound. Both sexes were equally represented, but the two shortest ones left some doubt, as apart from the slightly better proportioned, and taller two, the smaller two had any obvious features hidden behind leather sheets.

“From the right to the left… Carys, Rein, Tilia, Indas… Why don’t you tell a little about yourselves to the newcomer? Her name is Firran.

The tallest of the four stepped forth. “I’m Carys… I don’t really need to tell you anything, beanstalk… You’ll be dead soon enough… But listen to my orders and you might live a little longer…”

The other three rolled their eyes and sighed, and the second one, a tall, lean guy stepped forward, smiling and waving his hand dismissively.

“Don’t listen to her, she said that to all of us, and yet here we are… I’m Rein by the way. I’m the one who reads the letters and makes plans... And split the profits…” Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the third one, a half-head shorter and the only one flashing a genuine smile.

“Watch him closely! Or he might cheat you out of your pay! I’m Tilia, and I’ll be something of your big sister! So, come see me if you need anything okay?”

“Little sis… I, got some bad news for you… She’s a half-year older than you are…” Rein tried to conceal a gleeful smirk.

“Whaaaaaaat!?” Tilia’s lower jaw looked like it would come off at any moment and fall right to the floor. For a second she worked frantically on collecting her jaw, and was left looking like a fish on land. After another quick outburst of vivid expressions, she finally mumbled: “Big sister…”

The last one remained in place, made some weird gestures with his hands, and shyly pulled his hood down over his eyes.

“That’s Indas, he’s mute. He can hear really well, and can talk using his hands like you just saw. He said that he looks forward to working with you.” Rein’s translation drew a slight nod from under the big hood.

“That takes care of introductions… Welcome to the Shade Pentacle… Now hurry back to your training children... Carys, I’ll expect you to take the newcomer through the usual courses?” Farsilden threw Carys an expectant look, to which the girl nodded in response.

“Fine with me…” She mumbled, and led the others out of the room, followed closely by Farsilden.