The priestess, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, paused, the blade hovering above Shin's chest. She turned to the sky, where Devota's visage was now a mask of irritation. "My queen," she called out, her voice quivering, "what should be done with this one? He dared to challenge your divine will."

The silence that followed was palpable, the crowd holding their collective breath as they awaited the deity's response. The stars that formed Devota's face shifted, the expression unreadable, yet the tension in the air was as thick as the fog that had rolled in from the sea. Finally, a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere spoke, "Leave him."

With a wave of her hand, the priestess's dagger vanished. The priestess and the knights surrounding the dais visibly scared by her and bowing their heads in deference. "As you wish, my queen," she murmured, stepping back to allow the knights to collect Katy's body. They moved with a precision that suggested they had performed this grim task many times before, their faces stoic.

Shin's eyes never left Devota's retreating form in the sky. His rage had not abated; if anything, it had only grown stronger, fueled by the pain and loss. "Is this your power?" he screamed at the night sky, his voice raw with emotion. "To take innocence and crush it beneath your heel?"

Above, the stars that made up Devota's visage twisted into a sneer. "Look upon your weakness, mortal," she said, her voice a cold whisper on the wind. "You could not even save your sister from a fate that you all accepted. You are the embodiment of the pathetic creatures upon my world and serve only to fuel my fable.

Her form grew larger, the stars pulsing with a malicious light. "But fear not, for I am a benevolent god. I shall give you a chance to atone for your inadequacies. Starting this moon cycle, the sacrifices shall be doubled. Perhaps then, I shall find amusement in your pitiful existence."

The priestess, now visibly shaking, quickly announced the new decree to the stunned crowd. The whispers grew louder, a mix of fear and anger that swirled like a tempest through the plaza. "How can we survive?" someone muttered. "We are already stretched thin."

"Silence!" The priestess's voice boomed, filled with a newfound authority. "Your protests are the cries of the weak, unworthy of the ears of the divine!" She paused, her eyes sweeping over the assembly, searching for any signs of dissent. "The great Devota has spoken. To prove your worth, to seek her favor, you shall offer more sacrifice!"

And just like that, Devota's form vanished from the sky, the stars scattering into the night as if they had never been part of a monstrous face at all. The priestess's expression grew smug as she surveyed the trembling masses before her. The crowd's murmurs of fear and anger were drowned out by the distant sound of the city's bells.

The knights and priestess retreated, leaving Shin alone in the plaza, surrounded by the detritus of the sacrifice. His sister's body was gone, whisked away by the cold, unfeeling hands of the knighs. He remained there for hours, the cold stone ground a silent witness to his unbearable grief. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one sharper than the last, cutting through his psyche like a thousand sharpened knives, i cant do nothing but watch his death sister be trown away like some rugged doll.

The shadows grew longer and the moon climbed higher, casting a pale light on the crimson-soaked cobblestones. The pain in his side was a constant, pulsing reminder of his own mortality, a stark contrast to the power that had just claimed his sister. He was so weak, so utterly powerless. He had failed Katy.

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With a roar that tore at his throat, Shin threw himself onto the ground, smashing his forehead against the cold, unforgiving stones. Each impact sent waves of pain through his skull, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. It was all he had left, a futile protest against the cruelty of the gods and the injustice of the world.

"I WILL KILL YOU!! I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU! I WILL WATCH YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE DIE!

I WILL BURN EVERY LAST CONSTELLATION TO ASHES!!"

Shin's screams of anger and grief echoed through the deserted plaza, bouncing off the ancient stones and piercing the velvet sky. The words were a declaration of war, a promise to the heavens that he would not rest until Devota felt the same pain she had inflicted upon him. His fists pounded the ground, each blow sending a tremor through the earth beneath him. The dark figure in the shadows grew closer, the smile on its face broadening.

But the world grew dim around the edges, the pain in his side now a pulsing throb that seemed to beat in time with his fury. He could feel the warmth of his blood seeping through his shirt, staining the ground beneath him a deep, dark red. His vision swam, the torches' flames blurring into a sea of wavering lights. His head wobbled, threatening to give out from the loss of blood and the weight of his unbridled anger.

And then, like a whisper on the wind, a figure emerged from the shadows that had gathered in the far corner of the plaza. It was a dark form, cloaked and hooded, its face hidden by a mask of shadows. The figure moved with a grace, gliding closer to Shin with each step.

"You look pretty bad," the figure said, its voice a soothing purr that seemed to cut through the cacophony of his pain and anger.

Shin's head swam, the words barely registering through the fog of agony that clouded his thoughts. He tried to focus on the speaker, but his vision blurred, the edges of the world around him darkening. The figure's form grew clearer, though, a stark contrast to the murky world that was fading away.

"Who........."

Shin's voice trailed off as the figure bent down to him, the shadows pooling around them like a living blanket. The pain in his side was a distant throb now, his vision narrowing to a pinpoint. He could feel the warmth of the ground beneath him, the chill of the night air, and the sticky wetness of his own blood, but everything else was fading away.

"Just how weak a mortal can be? this is so clichè," the dark figure whispered, amusement coloring its tone. With a wave of its hand, a pulse of energy shot forth, wrapping around Shin and lifting him from the ground. The world spun around him, the cold cobblestones receding as he hovered in the air. He felt the pressure of the wound on his side lessen, the pain dimming to a dull throb.

In the blink of an eye, the shadowy form twisted and warped, the very fabric of the night bending to its will. The plaza and the grim scene of his sister's sacrifice were left behind as he was whisked through the air, the stars above seeming to swirl into a tunnel of darkness. The wind roared around him, the rush of speed disorienting, until suddenly it all stopped and the world snapped back into focus.

Shin found himself lying in a soft, unfamiliar bed, the scent of lavender and incense filling his nostrils. His body was no longer cold and wet from the cobblestones; instead, he was warm and comfortable, surrounded by plush velvet curtains that framed a large, ornate room. The walls were lined with bookshelves that stretched to the high ceiling, their spines glowing faintly with arcane symbols.

With a groan, he sat up, his head swimming with a mix of pain and confusion. His shirt was gone, replaced by a clean bandage that wrapped around his injured side. His eyes searched the room, trying to make sense of his new surroundings. " Where i am......"

Then he saw her, standing in the center, her feet barely touching the gleaming marble floor.

Her short black hair was a stark contrast to the pristine white of her suit, which looked as if it had been stitched from the very fabric of the reality itself. The stars that dotted her outfit shimmered and danced, casting a soft, ethereal glow that filled the room. Her eyes, a deep and mysterious shade of red, met his with a piercing intensity that made him feel both exposed and scared almost like the sensation of impotence proved watching Devota.

"Welcome, Shin," she said, her smile wide and warm. "I've been waiting for you."

Shin's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he took in the unsettling sight before him. The girl looked no older than him, yet she exuded a power that seemed to dwarf even the deity that had just claimed his sister's life. He pushed himself up onto his elbows, the effort sending a fresh wave of pain through his body. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice hoarse but determined.

The girl's smile grew wider, the corners of her eyes crinkling with mirth. "Ah, the ever-present question of the mortal," she said, her tone light, almost teasing. "But what is a name, truly? A mere label that the universe sticks upon us at birth, a feeble attempt to categorize the vastness of our existence."

Ignoring his question, she gestured to a chair beside the bed. "Please, sit. We have much to discuss."