The weight of everything happening lingered as Lucian staggered into his study room. His legs moved without thought, propelled by the voice echoing in his mind. "You are a devil, it runs in your blood." The study was dim and cluttered with books and papers he rarely touched. Yet something drew his eyes to a cabinet in the corner. It was a worn piece of furniture, but tonight, it pulsed with an unseen energy. Lucian hesitated. "Go ahead. Open it," the voice whispered to him, softer this time but no less commanding. Seems like his father was back to watch over him. With trembling hands, Lucian approached the cabinet. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled the handle. The door creaked open, revealing a single-wrapped box. He had been given the wrapped gift by his parents on his tenth birthday with strict instructions to wait until the time was right before he could open it. He had long forgotten about it because it had been many years and not once had he ever thought about it.
Stella wandered through a vast, hollow cavern floating in the depths of space, illuminated by an eerie, pulsing red glow that seeped through the jagged cracks of nearby floating asteroids. Twisted, blackened trees loomed on either side of her, their skeletal branches reaching out as if trying to ensnare her. A cold mist seeped through the floor, tugging her deeper into the oppressive shadows.She moved cautiously, her breaths shallow as the weight of the void pressed down on her. The air was heavy, thick with a suffocating silence, broken only by the faint crunch of her footsteps on the brittle, cracked ground.And then she saw him.In the distance, a figure emerged from the shadows, moving with deliberate, determined steps. Lucian. His piercing eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her chest tighten."Stella!" His voice called out, deep and resonant, echoing eerily in the cavern.She froze, her heart pounding. It was unmistakably him, his face as clear as day, and yet his
The house was quiet. Stella moved cautiously through the halls, her steps muffled by the thick carpet. Uncle Xavier's stern warning echoed in her mind: "You’re safe here, Stella. Don’t tempt fate by leaving before your twentieth birthday before you have received your powers. There are forces you don’t understand waiting for you out there. To kill you." But she couldn’t stay. Not when Lucian needed her. He was Clutching the pendant tightly, she crept toward the back door. Her heart pounded with every creak of the wooden floorboards, the ancient house seeming alive and intent on betraying her. She paused at the top of the grand staircase, scanning the darkness below. "Almost there," she whispered to herself, her breath fogging in the chill air. As she descended, a shadow shifted at the bottom of the stairs. Stella froze. "Where do you think you’re going?" Uncle Xavier's deep voice cut through the silence. Stella’s heart leapt into her throat as Xavier stepped into view, his shar
Stella followed Xavier down the dimly lit hallways. The creaks and groans of the old floorboards mirrored her apprehension. Xavier’s lantern cast flickering shadows on the walls. "Where are we going?" Stella finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Xavier glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. "The truth, Stella. If you’re truly determined to pursue this path, you need to understand the gravity of your choices." They stopped in front of an ornate door Stella had never noticed before. Its surface was carved with intricate patterns that seemed to shift in the lantern light. Xavier pressed his hand against the door, murmuring words in the ancient language. The carvings glowed faintly before the door creaked open. Inside was a small room, circular and lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes, and objects that seemed to hum with latent power. At the centre of the room stood a pedestal, and upon it rested the ancient book bound in dark leather, similar to what h
In a secluded corner of the bustling city, under the dim glow of a street lamp, Stella stood confused about where she was supposed to go, not after she was chased away from her family mansion. She was always the outcast in her family, and friends, not like she had any anyway, never quite fitting in with her peers in class for reasons she didn't know. It was not once that she had heard that it was all because of her skin color, they called her an alien because her skin was paler than normal. As she walked along the deserted alley, lost in her thoughts, she stumbled upon a figure slumped against the wall, and due to darkness, Stella had to use her flashlight. She took note of a pale, haggard-looking young man, his face was so calm that one might mistaken that he was not in any pain at all. The scene before her was horrible. The young man was sitting in a pool of blood, and an angry, crimson river flowing from the several wounds that scattered all over his body, there was the smell
Surprising why Stella did not take the wounded guy to the hospital? She would not afford his medical expenses, and he might die before being attended to. She was very sure she could combine her scientific knowledge of medicine with her grandmother's ancient treatment to save his life. Grandmother Elizabeth, all the while, hadn't spoken a single word to her that she thought maybe the old lady had forgotten her. Her face had no evidence of excitement at all. Instead, she maintained a straight, expressionless face which saddened Stella. Grandma Elizabeth gestured them to take the young man through a sliding door on the wall to the inner room, one which Stella and Morgan didn't know of its existence until then. She led them in until they found a stone platform resembling an altar in the middle of the room, where she gestured for them to place the already unconscious man. The room itself was so strange to Stella and Morgan. As Stella scanned around, she was shocked when she had a faint r
It was around ten in the morning when Stella and Morgan finally woke up. They didn't have any recollection of how they had slept last night. The only thing that they could remember was their grandmother's last words before everything had gone dark in their mind. "Stella, I know you both have a lot of questions to ask me, but unfortunately I don't have any more time to answer any of your questions. I would leave you a book from which you would get the answers. In the meantime, take care of yourselves. Stella, remember to always put on the pendant, never even for once should you ever remove it because the time is near. Morgan, I'm sorry that you have to take on this duty at such an early age." Thinking about it, they immediately swung into action to find their beloved grandmother so that she could explain to them what exactly had happened and what she meant when she said those words. They hoped that whatever she meant when she said she didn't have any more time was not what they were
Stella and Morgan stood by Lucian's bedside, they had had him transferred from their grandma's secret room to one of the guest rooms. Their gazes were unwavering as they monitored every flicker of his unconscious state. Lucian lay motionless, his vital organs stable but his consciousness was yet to return. It was already a week since his rescue and Grandma Elizabeth's disappearance. As the two watched over the patient they always created time to find their grandmother, but it was a shock to them when none of the neighbors could recall her at all, they were all clueless each time any of them was asked whether they had seen an old lady around, they didn't have a single recollection of her at all. As the hours passed by, Stella would meticulously check Lucian's vital signs, her trained medical instincts guiding her every move. Since there were no machines, she would improvise noting any fluctuations in his heart rate and oxygen levels. Morgan, equally dedicated, kept a close watch on L
Stella followed Xavier down the dimly lit hallways. The creaks and groans of the old floorboards mirrored her apprehension. Xavier’s lantern cast flickering shadows on the walls. "Where are we going?" Stella finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Xavier glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. "The truth, Stella. If you’re truly determined to pursue this path, you need to understand the gravity of your choices." They stopped in front of an ornate door Stella had never noticed before. Its surface was carved with intricate patterns that seemed to shift in the lantern light. Xavier pressed his hand against the door, murmuring words in the ancient language. The carvings glowed faintly before the door creaked open. Inside was a small room, circular and lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes, and objects that seemed to hum with latent power. At the centre of the room stood a pedestal, and upon it rested the ancient book bound in dark leather, similar to what h
The house was quiet. Stella moved cautiously through the halls, her steps muffled by the thick carpet. Uncle Xavier's stern warning echoed in her mind: "You’re safe here, Stella. Don’t tempt fate by leaving before your twentieth birthday before you have received your powers. There are forces you don’t understand waiting for you out there. To kill you." But she couldn’t stay. Not when Lucian needed her. He was Clutching the pendant tightly, she crept toward the back door. Her heart pounded with every creak of the wooden floorboards, the ancient house seeming alive and intent on betraying her. She paused at the top of the grand staircase, scanning the darkness below. "Almost there," she whispered to herself, her breath fogging in the chill air. As she descended, a shadow shifted at the bottom of the stairs. Stella froze. "Where do you think you’re going?" Uncle Xavier's deep voice cut through the silence. Stella’s heart leapt into her throat as Xavier stepped into view, his shar
Stella wandered through a vast, hollow cavern floating in the depths of space, illuminated by an eerie, pulsing red glow that seeped through the jagged cracks of nearby floating asteroids. Twisted, blackened trees loomed on either side of her, their skeletal branches reaching out as if trying to ensnare her. A cold mist seeped through the floor, tugging her deeper into the oppressive shadows.She moved cautiously, her breaths shallow as the weight of the void pressed down on her. The air was heavy, thick with a suffocating silence, broken only by the faint crunch of her footsteps on the brittle, cracked ground.And then she saw him.In the distance, a figure emerged from the shadows, moving with deliberate, determined steps. Lucian. His piercing eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her chest tighten."Stella!" His voice called out, deep and resonant, echoing eerily in the cavern.She froze, her heart pounding. It was unmistakably him, his face as clear as day, and yet his
The weight of everything happening lingered as Lucian staggered into his study room. His legs moved without thought, propelled by the voice echoing in his mind. "You are a devil, it runs in your blood." The study was dim and cluttered with books and papers he rarely touched. Yet something drew his eyes to a cabinet in the corner. It was a worn piece of furniture, but tonight, it pulsed with an unseen energy. Lucian hesitated. "Go ahead. Open it," the voice whispered to him, softer this time but no less commanding. Seems like his father was back to watch over him. With trembling hands, Lucian approached the cabinet. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled the handle. The door creaked open, revealing a single-wrapped box. He had been given the wrapped gift by his parents on his tenth birthday with strict instructions to wait until the time was right before he could open it. He had long forgotten about it because it had been many years and not once had he ever thought about it.
Lilith's POV The smell of blood hit me before I saw him. My heart leapt, not out of fear but instinct. Someone was bleeding a lot. But what drew me in was something deeper. I wasn’t just curious. I was compelled. I crouched low among the shadows of the trees, my hybrid senses sharpening. My ears twitched, catching the crunch of leaves and the faintest groan carried on the wind. Whoever it was, they were badly hurt. The forest was darker than usual, the moonlight barely breaking through the thick canopy. Every step forward was cautious. My instincts screamed at me to turn back, to leave it alone. After all, I had no obligation to help. But I didn’t listen. Something about the pull of that blood, it was familiar yet dark. Not humanly. And then I saw him. Lucian. I know him from a thousand years ago, the legendary prince of the dark who went against his father for love and saved the world against his father's annihilation plan. I froze. He was the last person I’d expect to
Morgan sat in the dimly lit living room of his house staring at the half-empty glass of whiskey on the table. The midnight air hung thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant cry of an owl. Stella’s decision to leave with Uncle Xavier stung more than he wanted to admit. He understood her reasoning, but the ache of her rejection lingered which gnawed at his core. Suddenly, the air grew colder, and the flames of the candles dimmed as if an unseen hand had smothered them. Morgan snapped from his thoughts. He stiffened, his senses sharpening. He wasn’t alone. It was late, and he wasn’t expecting anyone. Slowly, he rose from the couch, his silver hair catching the faint glow of moonlight streaming through the window. A slow, deliberate knock echoed from the heavy oak door. Morgan approached the door cautiously, his senses on high alert. "Who dares disturb me at this hour?" He called out, his voice laced with irritation. As he ope
The day was no different from any other, the weight of silence pressing down on Lucian’s shoulders like a heavy fog. He sat by the window of his dimly lit room, gazing out at the crumbling skyline of the city. Shadows lingered in the corners of his mind, constant companions, unnoticed by others but ever-present to him. They whispered to him when the night came when the wind howled through the alleyways. He felt them now, those creeping, unseen eyes. He shook his head, trying to clear the thought, focusing instead on the rhythm of his breathing, the pulse of his veins. The quiet was unbearable. Ever since Stella left nothing has ever been the same again. But just as he closed his eyes, a voice came, clear, deep, and resonant. A sound that vibrated through his very bones. "Lucian…" The name, the way it was spoken, sent a shiver down his spine. Lucian's body stiffened, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he was still sitting in his room or if he had been pulled into another re
Stella awoke to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains, her head pounding. The events of the previous night returned with brutal clarity, the strangers, the truth of her lineage, and Xavier’s revelations of Lucian and Morgan's identity before everything turned black. She hoped all that was a bad dream, but it wasn’t. Now everything made sense in her mind, but she still had several doubts. Her grandmother was a witch! The reason why she had disappeared was because she had helped and interacted with a devil, Lucian!Stella's heart was heavy with grief for her grandmother, she had read the consequences of her grandma's action very well in the ancient prophecies, the book that she had left them. It was a life imprisonment in a dungeon full of poisonous insects and snakes. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and at that moment, she felt enormous hate for Lucian. A sharp knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Stella? Are you awake?" Layla’s smooth,
It was around five after she had taken a nap when Stella came down."Master said you should meet him in his study," a maid informed Stella when she asked for him. "Uncle Xavier?" she called hesitantly at the door of the study room. "Come in, Stella," came his deep, commanding voice. Stepping inside, Stella found herself enveloped in the same suffocating air she had felt the night of her accident, something unearthly only that it felt pure and harmless. To her shock, the room was filled with strangers, her uncle's friends who had welcomed her earlier on. A dozen figures sat on the sofa, their expressions filled with excitement and expectant gazes. Each exuded an aura of power, their very presence unsettling. Stella faltered, her voice shaking. "Who… who are all these people? What’s going on?" Xavier motioned for her to sit in the high-backed chair opposite him. "Come, Stella. There is much to discuss." Her legs carried her forward, though her mind screamed for her to run. She sa