"Abigail is waking up."The words hang in the air as I watch Serafine rush back into the room where her daughter lies. Abigail stirs on the bed, fluttering her eyes open, the haze of unconsciousness lifting. I stand at the doorways, watching the girl's every move. So much power resides in her, more than any might realize. But also, there's a danger which cannot be ignored.The moment I am inside, Abigail's eyes widen with curiosity and fear mixed in them, "Who. who am I?" she asked, slightly quivering in her voice."My name is Amara," I told her, calm, in a very steady tone. "I have come to help you."Serafine stands watch beside Abigail, her eyes wary yet hopeful. Susan, too, hovers close by, her eyes filled with a mother's concern. They want answers, and they need guidance. But what they really do not know is that the path ahead of them will not be easy to walk. The truth lies deep inside, in places where only the bravest go."We can't keep fighting this power without understandi
Before us, the clearing spreads, and the further we go towards the sacred lands, the heavier the air feels like the very air has thickened. The magic here is old, as heavy as fog, that clings to each breath I take. Every step forward feels like moving through water, growing thicker with every minute. There's this weird sound in the back of my mind like a whisper. I'm not sure if it's coming from the land or from inside me.That night, when we made camp, finally, exhaustion weighed me down. I barely got my head against the earth before my eyelids closed. I was expecting an unconscious sleep to claim me, but rather it was a vision seized me.The world around me is dark, though not in a sense of lacking content. It's that type of darkness that pulsates with energy, seemingly watching me as I am standing in the center of some aged stone chamber. Torches dance across the walls, casting long shadows against the rough cut stone. The air is thick with a strange scent of a mixture of herbs
"And you have to decide whether to embrace it… or let it consume you."Her words still echo in her mind as we moved toward the sacred lands. Serafine walks by my side, but her eyes are farther away still. There's heaviness within them, one that has seemed to grow further day by day. She has been quieter than usual since the visions really started. I can see the stress building in her features, the fear that she tries hard not to show.The sun was setting, and it was growing dark by the moment. We would have to set up a camp for the night. Slip out to the edge of the forest I did manage to catch Serafine doing. There, she disappeared among the trees as her silhouette grew dimmer into the darkness. Something tugged at me ,the urge to follow her, to see if she's all right.I find her standing in a small clearing, her back to me. She gazes at the moon, the outline of her back lit by the soft glow of the night sky. She looks lost, searching for answers that aren't there."Serafine," I
"What… was that?"David's voice is no more than a whisper, and the fear written across his face is immense as he struggles to rise. I reach out toward him-my limbs all heavy and weak. But before I even touch him, the darkness around us shifts again, and suddenly we are not alone.A flash of movement catches my eye, but it's too fast to follow. Something sharp slices across David's arm, and he cries out in pain, stumbling back. My heart pounds furiously in my chest as I try to find the source of the attack, but there's nothing-no figure, no creature-just the eerie darkness swirling around us like a living thing.David!" I scream, my voice shaking in panic, as another cut appears on his shoulder, then another on his side. He struggles to defend himself, swinging his arms in all directions, but he is hitting nothing but air. The shadows appear to mock us, dancing in and out as if it's some sort of sadistic game."We're. trapped," he gasps, falling to his knees, blood running down his arm
With every step we take, going deeper into the ancient forest, the air grows colder. It is as if the trees close ranks around us like it guards some precious cargo from the outside world. The path is narrow and indirect in its course. Magic pours in thick enough that I can feel its weight upon my skin. We are getting close to something significant,something powerful.And then, as if out of nowhere, trees give way to this little haven among the pines,tall, piercing. All at once, it is a different world altogether. The air shimmers faintly, and I can feel the energy inside my veins. The stone walls around the sanctuary were etched with wolves and runes depicting the tales of old.We reach the entrance, and upon reaching the huge double doors, an ancient voice booms from nowhere, startling us all in the process."To enter, you must pass three trials. Each door will present a test. Fail thrice at any door, and you will be trapped forever. Choose wisely and proceed with caution."I tur
We walked down the large halls of the ancient sanctuary, the echoes of our footsteps following the corridors deeper into the belly of the place, right into the heart of mystery. The air swirled around, thick with age-old magic, like a cloak of protection. Still reeling from the trials that had gotten us in here, the urge for a moment of levity couldn't be more dire.Daniel and I find ourselves at a quiet corner of the sanctuary, away from the main group. Serafine and David are catching up with Amara and Susan on what's to come, while Abigail has gone off to rest after the ordeal of the trials. There was tension, but Daniel seemed determined to break it.So, Serafine," Daniel says, a sly grin spreading across his face as he elbows me. "About those powers of yours."I laugh, knowing where this is going. "Oh, here we go. Are you going to tell her she's got the power to turn you into a toad?"Daniel bursts out laughing, having his back to the stone wall. "Nah, more like a rabbit. You k
"It would appear Abigail's powers are stronger than we realized," Amara says, her voice resounding in my mind.But even as I stand here surrounded by everyone, I feel another kind of pull, one the depth of which is so much deeper. Lucian's voice has plagued my mind since the sanctuary, whispering words that made me doubt it all. Every time I shut my eyes, he's there, waiting; it would seem, reaching through the darkness.That night, as I retire to the sleeping chambers, I attempt to free my mind of thoughts. However, it becomes a night of dreams. I find myself thrust into a darkened room; the air is thick with a weird sense of familiarity. Lucian stands there, looking down at me, his eyes kindly, his arms open in greeting as though greeting me into the family."Abigail, my sweet girl," he says softly. "Come here."Before I even have time to process this, I am running toward him, and he wraps me in a warm hug. His arms feel strong and comforting, just the way a father's are suppo
We finally reach the hallowed lands. The air is thick with magic-the hum of it in the ground, a surge of it across the firmament. It's alive, this place. It watches and waits, waits for us to prove ourselves. There's a great stone arch before us, and through it, an ancient pathway leading further into the heart of the sacred lands.The voice booms from the arch, just as it had at the sanctuary. "There are five tasks to get through. You shall have three trials for each. Fail, and you shall be here forever."Those words send shivers down my spine, but I know there's no turning back now. We step forward, and the first task appears before us.First Task - The Family PuzzleThe ground in front of us shifts, and a huge stone slab rises, carrying a puzzle. The pieces are from polished marble, each one engraved with symbols of different family members. There were six pieces in all, each containing markings related to our family, symbols of wolves, magic, and elements of who we are. The p
"Let's get this over with."The words are still on my lips when the dungeon door swings open, and the man steps out, pulling me along with him. But before we can take more than a few steps, the sound of heavy boots echoes down the corridor. I froze, my heart pounding as Lucian's familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows, his cold eyes narrowing at us.What are you doing here?" Lucian demands, his eyes flicking with suspicion from the man to me and back again.The man's hand tightens on my arm for a moment before he releases me, his face smoothing into casual indifference. "Just checking the prisoners," he returned smoothly, his tone didn't betray him."I wanted to make sure everything was in order.A mocking smile curls around Lucian's lips. "You're not normally this watchful" he says, stepping closer to him. "What's the real reason you're here?Nothing in the man's face alters, but I catch a flicker in his eyes that says he works something out. "The ritual draws near," he says
"We are left alone again, imprisoned by this impossible choice and its weight presses upon me now more than ever."Days run together in a haze of dark depression. The chill, wet air rises up from the dungeon, filling our bones, and constantly reminds us that we are imprisoned. Every moment seems like a fight to cling on to that little hope. But despite all, I find myself awaiting Abigail's visits with a mind set to expect little or no warmth, yet still hoping something may penetrate that wall she has thrown up around herself.The next time she comes, she lingers by the door longer than she usually does, hesitates a second before stepping into the dim light. I see it in her eyes now, something flickering inside that wasn't there before. Is it a doubt? Or regret? I cannot tell, but enough to make my heart beat just a little bit faster.She sets the tray down in front of me, her eyes not even flicking in my direction before she turns to leave, but I just can't let her go. "Abigail,
"As much as I try to keep hope alive, I couldn't help this nagging feeling that Lucian's grip on Abigail was increasing. and the time for all of us was running out."The air was thick in this dungeon like the walls were closing in on us. Days will pass in tense silence, our minds focused on nothing else but the ritual that closes in with each passing heartbeat. We know we can't wait any longer. The more time we spend here, the more powerful Lucian will become over Abigail, over our combined destinies. And the more his power grows, the smaller our window becomes.We sit in the darkness, tired, and on our shoulders weighs the heavy mantle of our tiredness. No one needs to say it, but it's there, hanging in the air amongst us, like a ghost not invited.Susan breaks the silence. Her voice is soft but firm as she turns to each one of us. "We have to accept that man's offer," she states. "There's nothing else we can do.And then the words came like a kick to the stomach, and a moment pa
"I don't know. I really don't know."The words just seem to hang in the air, heavy with weight, almost choking. It is as if the dark dungeon walls are closing in on me as my mind finalizes the weight of our situation. The others are staring at me, their eyes drilling into me for some sort of answer, a decision that would somehow change everything. Only I don't have one. The very thought of agreeing to the terms of that man makes my skin crawl, and yet… the desperation in our situation is simply not to be denied."No," I whisper, shaking my head. "We can't… I can't do this.The triplets exchange a glance, their faces filled with a mixture of pain and uncertainty. Damien steps forward, frustration and sorrow etched on his face. "Serafine, we gotta think this through," he says in a low, urgent tone. "I hate the thought of it as much as you do, but what choice do we have?I glare at him, narrowing my eyes. "There must be some other way," I answer, though my voice carries no convictio
"Am I really on the right side?" The sound of Abigail's question echoes through her head The creaky door to the dungeon drags me back into the reality before me.I look up, expecting to see Abigail or another of Lucian's followers come inside to mock us some more. Instead, it is him, the man who has been to see us before the one that proposed such a crazy deal. He steps inside, into the poor light and as I have come to expect, a dark silhouette greets me with a curled smile that truly chills.Well, well," he says, his voice dripping with mockery. "It would appear that you still have not made a decision. I gotta say, for one so hesitant, it's quite disappointing." He moved closer, his eyes glowing with amusement and annoyance. "I am a busy man, and I don't like waiting around."We got nothing to say to you," Damien growls from the corner, his voice weak but defiant. "Go back to wherever you came from."The man chuckles, shaking his head. "You're in no position to make demands, w
This dungeon is cold,the walls heavy with the weight of despair. Every day is no different: I pace down the narrow corridor, carrying trays of food to my family,if they still are, that is. Chains rattle around me, their metallic clicking no louder than the guilt whispering in my ear. I force myself to remain calm, my expression cold, detached. I have nothing else for them to see. If I do, it all will fall apart.I set a tray down in front of my mother, and she reaches out, catching my wrist. Her touch is soft in every movement. "Abigail," she murmurs, her voice hoarse. "Please, you don't have to do this. You are stronger than what Lucian's influence has done. Come back to us.I pull my hand away, the gesture sharp, deliberate. "It's too late" I say, keeping my tone as flat as possible. "I've made my choice.But even as I say it, an ache burns hollow in my gut. I glance around at Serafine, the triplets, Amara, Susan,all of them shackled, weakened. They have been reduced to mere
"The last thing I see before they shove us into the darkness of the dungeon is Abigail's silhouette, bathed in the pale light of the moon."It was ironic that it would be a heavy iron door slamming shut behind us, right in the heart of cold, damp walls of a dungeon that seemed to swallow every echo of such shutting. Darkness seemed to choke, weighing in from every side, the weight of our failure pressing down on us literally. The air was thick with mold and damp earth, while faint tricklings of water somewhere only made it hang in the air even more heavily.I tug at the chains spellbound onto my wrists; with a tingling of magic, the metal seems to have sucked the strength out of me. I try and try but I cannot raise even a spark, much less the smallest manifestation of power. It would appear that my magic has been snuffed out, and the hollowness that does feel to leave me so-never before-has rendered me vulnerable.We need to get out," Daniel says in a hoarse voice from the fight.
"The battlefield erupts once more, but this time the threat comes from within. Abigail's power surges forth, and everything I thought I knew about this war shifts in an instant."I stand in shock as Abigail steps forward, her magic alight like an inferno. I can feel it-a raw, dangerous energy that I have never felt before. It's the kind of power that makes you feel the weight of air, makes it hard to breathe, one that rattles you down to your bones. And it's coming from my granddaughter.Abigail !" Serafine's voice breaks as she screams her name, trying to reach the little girl lost behind this veil of darkness and fury. "Please, listen to me! This isn't who you are!But Abigail doesn't heed my warnings. Her face is distant, her eyes aglow with that unnatural brilliance and the air between us grows thick with every passing second. Lucian is standing just behind her, the satisfaction twisted within his face, as if he revels in the view of his masterpiece unfolding.Damien then appe
The moment Abigail stepped forward, a dark storm of magic swirling around her, my heart sank. She was different, no more the little girl that I had seen growing up. Now she was strong and terrifying, an aura cloaked in shadows. The density of her energy was everywhere on the battlefield, and it was hard to breathe."Abigail!" I screamed, my desperation clawing at my throat. "You don't have to do this! Remember who you are!"But my words fell on deaf ears. Lucian stood behind her, an irritating smirk stretched across his face; he was enjoying some sort of grand performance. "You see how easy it is to manipulate a child?" he said, his voice slick as oil. "Abigail is the key to my plans, and nothing can stop us with her by our side!The pack was in disarray. Fear and confusion spread like wildfire, and I could see Serafine and David trying to break through to her, pleading that she remember love for her family. But Abigail's face remained cold, really implacable, her power crackli