Noa woke up from her slumber already exhausted when thinking about the day that lay ahead. 

She was looking at another fifteen hour shift at the coffee shop and no matter how much she tried to psych herself up, she couldn't bring herself to smile. Begrudgingly getting out of bed, Noa pulled her hair into a ponytail making her way to the washroom. 

She had once again gone another night without sleeping with a satin pillowcase so she knew without even having to look in the mirror that her hair was a mess. 

"Looks like I'll have to wash my hair this morning." She sighed. 

After two hours of getting ready, Noa was out the door ready to seize the day. Her schedule was pretty much the same everyday, clocking in, in the morning and clocking out at night. Luckily today was friday so she would have the weekend off since her friends had been begging her to go out and catch up. 

After finishing her shift, Noa made her way back to her apartment as she took a quick shower, restyled her hair and put on a more bar appropriate outfit. As she was about to spray her favorite perfume on, her eyes caught sight of the photo inside a frame she had received as a gift. 

Inside the frame was a picture of her parents and twin sister Neveah who died in a terrible car crash five years ago. She still remembers the horrible accident like it was yesterday and every time she looked at the photo she could feel her left leg throb.

Her gaze was now fixated on the photograph that was a snapshot of a happier time with her family smiling, living carefree, captured in a fleeting moment of joy. Now that image was a cruel reminder of the life that had been taken away from her, losing everything in a blink of an eye. 

The car crash had left her scarred and profoundly unsettled by the shadow of death that loomed over her. Guilt washed over her and the feelings of fear followed her everywhere she went, anxiously waiting for her turn. Noa felt like she was no longer in control of her life, the choices she once had, stripped away. Death was cruel, indifferent and unyielding, taking whomever it wanted not caring about the people being left behind. She resented death, hated it, wishing it would go away. 

The feelings of melancholy took over her body as she contemplated on whether or not she should go out but her dark thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She got a text message from her friend telling her she wasn't allowed to bail out. 

Sighing, she quickly fixed her appearance and left her apartment. The cold night air hit her face sobering her from her negative thoughts. She made her way down the buzzling streets while promising herself to have a good time. 

"Heyyy Noaaaa!" Someone yelled from across the street. 

Looking towards the direction the voice came from, Noa saw her three best friends standing by the entrance of a popular bar that had just opened up recently. 

Joining them, she greeted her friends with a smile. "Hey guys!" 

"Hey girl~ You look so cute by the way." Her friend Danielle exclaimed. 

"Yeah, yeah" Her two other friends nodded their heads in agreement. 

Noa couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You know how I feel about being called cute." She whined. 

She was already a grown woman in her mid twenties, how could she still be referred to as cute?

"It's true though you look cute."

"Whatever, let's go inside." 

Just like she had promised, Noa had fun as she drank the drinks her friends gave her and she was finally able to let loose. The girls spent an hour drinking before Noa made her way towards the bar asking the bartender for a glass of water. 

She always felt extremely dehydrated after a couple of drinks and liked to replenish her energy by drinking water. As she took a few sips of the cold and refreshing beverage, something shiny caught her eye. She stumbled slightly as she bent down and picked up a circular object that was left under one of the stools. Squinting her eyes, she tried to analyze the content in her hand. 

Grazing the metal that felt cool to the touch, she was able to discern that the object was a ring. Though it didn't belong to her and was most likely left by someone who had frequented the bar, she felt compelled to keep it. She impulsively put the ring in her bag and proceeded to join her friends after she had finished her drink. 

The four girls went their separate ways after a few more hours of drinking. Since Noa lived close by, she decided she would walk home and sober up in the process. She decided she'd take the more scenic route home by going through the park. 

Noa meandered through the park, her steps slightly uneven but kept afloat by the crisp, refreshing night air. The coolness felt soothing against her skin, and her long curly tresses flowed beautifully in the wind. For once, the weight of the world seemed lighter as she was no longer plagued by her negative thoughts. She walked along the path, swaying from side to side, the soft crunch of gravel beneath her shoes being the only sound accompanying her thoughts.

After a few minutes, she spotted an empty bench beneath a tall oak tree, its branches forming a canopy over her. She lowered herself onto the bench with a sigh of relief, her fingers reaching into her bag. The contents were a jumbled mess, but she felt around until she found the ring she'd taken from the bar.

The ring was an intriguing piece, its blend of black and silver metal catching the sparse light in a way that made it look almost alive. The design was deceptively simple but had an intricate quality that gave it an air of quiet dignity. As Noa held it, she noticed its chill, a shiver running through her hand as she touched it. The weight of the ring seemed to carry an unspoken gravity.

"You're a pretty little thing aren't you." She whispered to herself. 

With a mix of fascination and hesitation, Noa slid the ring onto her finger. The metal was cold against her skin, and as soon as it settled into place, her vision darkened, shrouded by a swirling black mist. A wave of loss, loneliness and melancholy washed over her, bringing a dizzying sense of disorientation.

Through the encroaching darkness, a figure began to materialize. He was strikingly handsome, standing at an imposing 6'10", dressed in black traditional robes with a white coat. His pale skin glowed faintly like the moon, and his eyes were a piercing gold with hints of red reminiscent of fire and brimstone that contrasted starkly with his long dark hair, which seemed to absorb the surrounding light. His expression was cold, a mixture of annoyance and curiosity flickering in his gaze.

Noa's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the enigmatic man, her confusion and fear battling with the lingering effects of her intoxication. The ring seemed to pulse faintly on her finger, its heavy presence reacting strongly to the man before her. 

Though she was temporarily paralyzed, she still managed to say: "W-Who are you?"