Seraphina stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the rolling expanse of darkness that stretched out before her. The moonlight bathed the land in an eerie glow, making it appear both beautiful and dangerous. The wind tugged at her hair, and she closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the cool air to steady her racing thoughts.
She had always been drawn to the forest. Its depths, its secrets—there was something primal about it. But tonight, it felt different. The call of the trees was no longer comforting. It was a beckoning.
A pull.
The weight of her decision pressed on her chest like a heavy stone. She couldn't escape the words of the Seer—the prophecy that clung to her like a shadow. The child of dusk. She was not just any girl. She was the key to a future no one wanted, a future filled with war, destruction, and bloodshed.
And she had no idea how to stop it.
"Seraphina?" Eryn's voice cut through the silence. She was standing behind her, just a few paces away, her eyes wary. "We need to leave. Now."
Seraphina didn't turn. She wasn't ready to face anyone—not yet. Not with all the confusion swirling inside her.
"I can't," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't run anymore."
"You're not running," Eryn replied, stepping closer. "But you're not fighting alone, either. There's a better way than this."
Seraphina spun around. Her heart pounded in her chest. "How do you know? How do you know what's best for me?"
Eryn flinched, but she didn't back down. "I don't know. But I know you're not the monster they want you to believe you are."
Seraphina shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "You don't understand. This isn't just about who I am anymore. It's about what I might become. The prophecy… it's real, Eryn. And I can feel it. I can feel the power inside me growing. I don't know how to control it."
"You don't have to control it," Eryn said, her tone softer now. "You have to embrace it."
Seraphina's gaze dropped to the ground. She could still feel the remnants of the shockwave she had unleashed the night of the vampire attack. The way her body had pulsed with power, as if she were something… other. The fear that had gripped her at that moment still lingered.
"What if I can't control it? What if I hurt someone?"
"You won't," Eryn said firmly. "You're not alone in this, Seraphina. You have allies. You have me. And you have Vael."
Her heart skipped at the mention of Vael's name. He had been quiet since they arrived at the ruins, his presence more of a shadow than a person. Every time she looked at him, she couldn't help but wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. And worse, if he was keeping things from her—things she desperately needed to know.
"What if I don't want to be part of this war?" Seraphina asked, her voice thick with emotion. "What if I don't want to choose between blood and moon?"
Eryn stepped forward, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "You don't have to choose right now. But you can't run away forever. The storm is already here, Seraphina. It's inside you. It's in the world. And it's coming for you, whether you're ready or not."
Seraphina closed her eyes, the weight of Eryn's words sinking deep into her bones. She knew she couldn't hide forever. Not from her past, not from her future.
Not from herself.
"Let's go," Seraphina said, turning away from the cliff and walking back to where Vael was waiting. He had been standing silently, watching her from the shadows, his eyes intense, unreadable.
His presence had become a constant. A reminder of everything she didn't understand about herself.
"We need to find out more," she said quietly, her voice laced with determination. "The answers are out there. And I'm going to find them."
Vael's gaze softened just a fraction. "I'll help you. You don't have to do this alone."
Seraphina met his eyes, searching for the truth behind his words. There was something about him—something that made her feel like she could trust him. But the uncertainty that still clung to her like a second skin kept her from fully letting him in.
"I know," she whispered, but the words felt hollow.
They traveled for days, moving swiftly through the forest, their destination clear but their path uncertain. Eryn led them through hidden trails, ancient paths that had been used for centuries by wolves and other creatures of the night. But it wasn't the forest that was on Seraphina's mind. It was the prophecy. The storm that had been awakened within her.
The power was there, always. Always just beneath the surface, pulsing with energy she didn't understand. And every time she tried to ignore it, it would rise—like an animal trapped in a cage, clawing its way to freedom.
Vael's words echoed in her mind: The storm chooses no favorites.
What if the storm chose her? What if it was already too late?
They arrived at an old church in the dead of night, its towering spires reaching up into the sky like the fingers of some long-forgotten god. The air felt thick with magic, the kind that made the hairs on the back of Seraphina's neck stand on end.
"This is it," Eryn said, glancing around nervously. "The place where it all started."
Seraphina felt her breath catch in her throat. This was the place. The place where she was supposed to find the answers. The place where the prophecy had been written.
She stepped forward, heart pounding. But just as her hand reached for the old iron door, a voice from behind stopped her.
"Seraphina…"
She turned to find Vael standing there, his expression unreadable.
"What?" she asked, her heart skipping.
"I need you to understand something," he said, his voice serious. "The storm… the one that's coming for you—it's not just about power. It's about control. You're not just the key to the prophecy. You're the lock."
Seraphina stared at him. The words made no sense. And yet, in the depths of her soul, she could feel the truth of them.
The storm was coming for her.
And she was the only one who could stop it.
Author's Note:
Things are heating up! What do you think of Seraphina's journey so far? Are you as ready as she is for the storm? Let me know in the comments! What do you think Vael is really hiding? Will Seraphina finally embrace her destiny? Let's get ready for Chapter