2 DAYS AGO
Ava Gonzalez felt the cold sting of the iron shackles tightening around her wrists. It wasn't just the physical pain that seared into her skin—it was the humiliation of being dragged like a criminal in front of students who barely blinked at the scene unfolding before them. But deep within, Ava knew something far more sinister was at play.
Why didn't anyone question the existence of magic? Why had the entire student body so easily accepted a truth that should've shattered their reality? If anything, the silence was more terrifying than any chaos could've been. And Harlan's words still echoed in her mind like a curse etched into her bones: "They will come for you, Asher, Jeremy, and Rose."
Ava didn't need an explanation to know who "they" were—those who wanted them dead. Especially Asher, whose emerging powers were now the talk of dark whispers and ancient warnings. A power so rare, it was feared.
Then there was the blue light. That blast that exposed her in front of everyone—it wasn't some petty magic. It was a mystical weapon, ancient and powerful. So why had no one brought it up during the assembly? Aaron had been suspicious from the start, and her father—Lyon—his sudden alliance with Aaron now confirmed her worst fears. He wasn't trying to protect her. He was part of this.
Before she could string her thoughts together, Ava was shoved into a building. Not one she recognized. The cold air that greeted her felt like a punch to the lungs. It smelled of rust and decay. The place was ancient, its walls pulsing with memories of suffering, its columns cracked like they wept for every soul lost here. A chamber of torment.
Her captors halted abruptly, and she found herself standing in the center of the hollow corridor. Echoes of footsteps faded. Then a voice slithered from the shadows.
"So, Ava Gonzalez… a goddess. What a shock. I never expected someone as powerful as you to descend from the Lyon lineage—Avery's reincarnation."
Ava froze.
The voice was unmistakable. It belonged to the same man who had condemned her at the assembly. Aaron stepped out of the darkness, dressed in black, his eyes glowing with a dangerous hunger.
She stood her ground, trying not to tremble. "Can I speak to my father? I'm innocent. Free me, and this madness ends."
Aaron's lips curled into a smirk. "Brave. But the farce I put on at the assembly—pretending to protect the school—was nothing but a means to an end. I want power, Ava. Being a vampire isn't enough. Not anymore. But if I deliver you to him, I will be granted something beyond imagination."
Ava's pulse raced. Him? What was Aaron truly after?
"I'm not what you think," she said, her voice tight. "I'm just a girl. A teenager. This whole goddess-Avery theory—it's absurd!"
Aaron's laugh was harsh and soulless.
"Teenager? Is Asher not one as well? Yet he is called the Divine Being, the child of light. One of the most powerful creatures in the supernatural realm. And you… you are second to him. Or maybe even stronger. That's still to be confirmed. But with you by my side, Ava, Asher will be no more. His reign will end."
Ava's blood ran cold. She took a step back. "Then I'll escape before you lay a finger on me."
She flicked her wrist, summoning her inner power—but a blinding pain burst through her stomach. She screamed and collapsed, writhing on the cold stone floor.
"Why… can't I…" she gasped, looking up at Aaron who was laughing madly.
Moments later, Lyon entered. Her father. His face was devoid of emotion, as if the sight of his daughter in agony meant nothing.
"Escaping is futile," Aaron said. "The shackles you wear aren't ordinary. They bind your divine core. Any attempt to use your powers, and pain will tear through every inch of you."
Ava sat up weakly, her breathing ragged, watching as Lyon approached a stone wall and began carving strange symbols into its surface. They glowed with a sickly green light.
"Dad?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What are you doing?"
Lyon didn't glance back. "We're taking you to Dagon, the dark god of the sea. Once your divine essence is drained, the sirens—our true race—can ascend to their full form."
The chamber shook violently. Dust rained from the ceiling as Ava's eyes widened in horror.
"I'm your daughter!" she cried. "Don't you care? Why did you lie to me about who we are—about the sea, the sirens—everything?"
Lyon finally turned, his face hard. "You're not a pureblood. Only purebloods can ascend the throne. But with your power, I can divert it to Rowan. And with the Torch of Light, we will awaken the kingdom beneath the ocean and prepare for the war that's coming."
Aaron interjected, "There's no point in arguing. Your fate was sealed long ago."
"But how did you convince the students?" Ava asked, desperation seeping into her voice. "No human would stay silent after watching magic unfold in front of them. How did you do it?"
Aaron smirked. "Oh, Ava, you're more perceptive than I thought."
He grabbed her hand and, without warning, sliced through her skin. Ava screamed as blood spilled, and he forced her bleeding palm onto the center of a glowing sigil.
The symbol came alive instantly, glowing brighter as it hungrily absorbed her blood.
"No! Please, stop!" Ava sobbed as the burning intensified. Her skin felt like it was being peeled from her bones.
Aaron's voice grew darker, more triumphant. "Yes, I spelled the school. Every student is under my command. Your blood will bring back the Seven Sea Gods—the same gods Avery locked away long ago. Once freed, they'll grant us what we seek. Your father will gain divine protection, and I will become immortal."
The wall behind them exploded.
Stone shattered like glass, sending debris flying and carving gashes across Ava's face. She shielded her eyes just in time, gasping at what lay beyond.
Seven statues loomed in the hidden chamber. Each one radiated immense power—terrifying and ancient. Though still, they seemed to breathe with unseen life.
"No, Father… please," she whispered, tears streaking her bloodied cheeks. "Don't do this. Don't give me to them."
Lyon approached her slowly, then grabbed her neck without a second thought. "You've always been a tool, Ava. And now, you will serve your purpose."
With a cruel shove, he threw her into the heart of the chamber.
Ava hit the ground hard. Her blood spilled freely, circling the floor like it had a will of its own. The air grew thick. The statues shimmered.
Then—they moved.
The nearest statue, once lifeless, extended its hand and gripped her arm. She screamed as razor-sharp fangs sank into her throat. The others followed, each claiming a part of her body as if feeding from her essence.
She screamed—a sound that shook the chamber to its core.
Pain unlike anything she'd ever known clawed through her. Her vision blurred. Her heartbeat slowed. And in the distance, Aaron smiled.
"Yes… let it begin."