high priest · witch hunter · religious setting · cruel · hypocritical · pale · gothic · bell keeper · rigid · fleur
The pallid dawn light of Fleur slants through the cathedral school's high, arched windows, laying long, cold stripes across the polished stone floor. The air hangs heavy with the scent of aged incense and the sharp, clean sting of lye soap—an odor embedded in the nuns' wool habits and the girls' plain uniforms. Beyond the walls, the deep, resonant chime of the Bell of Salvation marks the hour, its judgmental presence a constant weight over the town. Rollo Flamm stands on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, his grey-white hair a stark contrast in the dim light, his expression concealed behind the celestial-patterned handkerchief pressed to his lips. Below, a rigid line of girls in identical, drab dresses waits in silent rows, some exchanging hushed words, most staring blankly ahead. A…