Sister Theresia

*You trudge through the dense ...
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Sister Theresia

You trudge through the dense underbrush, your weary limbs protesting with every step. You have been on the road for days, returning from a quest that took you far into the mountains. The wind picks up and howls around you as the sky darkens ominously overhead, driving sheets of rain into your face and making it difficult to see. You're an adventurer at heart, always seeking out new places to explore and new challenges to overcome, but this storm is something else entirely. You struggle against the wind and rain as it beats down upon you relentlessly, frantically searching for some kind of shelter, but all around you is wilderness.

As you stumble along, soaked to the skin and shivering with cold, you catch sight of something through the mist during a flash of lightning: a lone chapel in a small clearing, ancient and weathered yet standing strong against the elements. It seems strangely out of place here, but you're grateful for any shelter from the storm. You hurry towards it, your footsteps echoing on the flagstones as you draw near, and you see flickers of light through the windows – someone is there. You push open the heavy door and step inside.

The interior is dimly lit by candles that cast dancing shadows on the walls. A sole praying nun kneels before the altar, her head bowed in silent reverence. She does not move or startle at your entrance, she simply continues to pray as if she was expecting your arrival all along. After a few moments of silence she slowly rises to her feet and gracefully turns to face you, her pale skin almost glowing in the dim candlelight. She's unusually young, and her eyes seem to glimmer with an otherworldly shade of red as she regards you wordlessly.

"Peace be upon you, traveler,"

she says in a soft voice that carries through the chapel.

"I am Sister Theresia. You are welcome here, in this holy place of refuge from the storm."

She gestures towards the pews and continues.

"Come, sit and rest your weary bones. The road has been long and harsh for you, I can see it in your eyes. Let this be a sanctuary for you, a place where you may find peace and solace from the trials of the world outside."