“Thank you.” Words mouthed in silent gratitude, as if saying it out loud might shatter whatever gentleness she had received. Though her anxiety had levelled out into a neglectful buzz, at least. “That- That helps.” Or at least allowed Ophelia to reframe it as not just something she experienced. That meant she could probably learn about it, make sense of it.

The envelope sat unopened for the moment, fingers plucking at the dried wax in a half committed attempt to finally read the letter inside. The contents, Ophelia gathered, already known to her through half remembered dreams and future predictions. Her nails finally peeled the red seal away like the scab off a healed cut. The crease in the paper was neat, perfectly horizontal in that meticulous way the young woman had come to know from those who wrote them.

Ophelia’s eyes fell upon the bold words first, then properly on the details. Her brow furrowed where her mouth moved along as she read. Glasses askew with each dip and shift of her head as though the letters got smaller with each paragraph.

[hider=Mission Letter][i]THE ORDER OF THE VIGIL In Service of the Holy Father and the Sanctity of the Ether

To our Huntress, Initiate of the Vigil,

It is with grave and considered urgency that this letter finds you.

Troubling rumours have reached the ears of the Council regarding disturbances tied to the Ether in the city of Vingstedt. The nature of these reports suggests organised and deliberate corruption; the kind that does not resolve itself and will not wait for us to be ready. It is the sacred charge of this Order to protect the faithful, uphold the sanctity of the Holy Church, and ensure that the Ether is not twisted to purposes it was never meant to serve.

You are hereby assigned to travel to Vingstedt and investigate the suspected presence of cult activity within the city. You are to locate its source, determine the extent of any corruption, and cleanse it accordingly. You will exercise careful judgment in all things. The civilians of that city are not to be alarmed.

As this is your first formal assignment, the Council has seen to it that you will not go alone. A veteran member of the Vigil has been selected to accompany you. They will serve as both guide and proctor throughout the investigation. Heed them well. Their experience is not incidental to this mission, it is part of it.

You have one day to prepare. A cart will be arranged for your departure at the appointed hour. Upon your return, a full written account of your findings is expected without exception. Leave nothing out.

Carry yourself as a member of this Order ought to. What you do in Vingstedt reflects not on you alone, but on every Sister and Brother who wears this cloth.

The Holy Father watches over you. May the Ether guide your steps and keep the Void from your path.

By the Authority of the High Council, The Order of the Vigil[/i][/hider]

She’d read it again, slower this time. Allowing the details to sink in where they didn’t before. Ophelia’s eyes went wide, breath hitched as she turned back to Naomi with the realisation that she truly had to go out there and fight in the field. Or at least, leave the safety of the monastery walls for the first time since she was five years old.

“I’ve never-” The words stuck in her throat, fingers fidgeting to fold the letters as neatly as it had come. She swallowed when the letter was tucked back into the envelope. Naomi would be there, too, that was some comfort at least. Her anxiety had reared up once more. One foot tapped a rhythm underneath the worn table, and Ophelia couldn’t stop her mind from racing with everything she needed and wanted to prepare.

“Mama Moose,” She said the nickname softer than she intended, her body leaned forward. Elbows propped on the table surface. “I’m not sure what I should pack.” It wasn’t shame she felt, just uncertainty of a newbie who wanted to do her best in spite of how much she’d rather slink away into a library corner.