Page

The Beginning

Born in the 15th century, Page's life took a dark turn when her parents cast her away due to her black hair and eyes. Alone in the woods, she narrowly escaped slave traders. Fortunately, a priest intervened, taking her to the church. At first, her fellow churchgoers and villagers shunned her, branding her as a devil's child due to her unique appearance. However, thanks to the priest's efforts, acceptance gradually replaced suspicion, and Page became an integral part of the community.
As Page grew into a young woman, her striking beauty, black hair, and eyes caught the attention of men in the village. She became the object of their desire, an enchanting figure who, despite the church's prohibition against physical contact with the opposite sex, stirred the desires of both villagers and male church members.
For Page, this newfound attraction brought peril, especially from the male churchgoers, yet nothing sinister ever transpired. However, the village's men began to vanish without a trace. Initially, the disappearances were attributed to their travels, but as the numbers climbed alarmingly, the remaining church members launched an investigation. A priest's discovery that all the missing men had been linked to Page resulted in a grave accusation. The priest claimed that Page was responsible for the men's disappearances, accusing her of being a devil who had taken their lives. The village united in a unanimous desire to see her executed.

The Death

They took Page away and locked her in the dungeons. She was numb, unable to comprehend why all of this was happening. After reaching an agreement on Page's execution, they extracted her from the dungeon, her emaciated form showing no reaction. Positioned on a pedestal alongside the executioner, the entire village assembled, hurling insults at Page.
"You killed my husband! You monstrous fiend!"
"Your black eyes and hair were proof you're the devil! Die!"
Page, her tears exhausted in the dungeon, stared at the crowd with an unfeeling countenance. Her final words to the furious mob were cryptic and devoid of any discernible emotion. As she uttered the enigmatic phrase, the executioner's blade fell, ending Page's life.
Page died.
.
.
.
However, Page awoke to a world of chaos. The village lay in ruins, consumed by flames, and its inhabitants, as well as the church members, lay lifeless. Page thought, "This must be hell..."
She couldn't help but laugh, and as she saw movement in the flames, she stopped and focused on the shadow. The silhouette of a person grew closer. It was the priest. Page questioned if she was in hell, her voice devoid of emotion. The priest laughed and replied, "No, we are on Earth."
With a smile, the blood-covered priest extended his hand to help Page up, her response remaining emotionless. She felt an inexplicable sense of safety, though the reason eluded her.
Page, realizing she wasn't truly dead, examined her throat, sensing something was amiss.
In that moment, they left the decimated village behind, embarking on a journey to uncover the truth about Page's condition.
.
.
. Why did she trust him? Why wasn't she surprised or fearful? It felt as if trusting him were second nature, as though they had known each other for an eternity.

A New Beginning

500 years later...