Chapter 213: Digital LoveSERENA'S POVThe blue glow of my laptop screen illuminates my face as I wait for Damon's call, my heart racing with the same anticipation I've felt every night for the past two weeks. It's become our ritual—nine o'clock sharp, no matter what else is happening in our lives. I've arranged my entire schedule around these precious moments of connection.My phone buzzes with a text from him: *Running five minutes late. Organic chemistry study group went over. Miss you.*I type back quickly: *It's okay. I'll wait forever if I have to.*But even as I send the message, something tight and uncomfortable settles in my stomach. This is the third time this week he's been late, and each delay feels like another small crack in the foundation of what we're trying to build across the distance.When his face finally appears on my screen, pixelated and slightly delayed, my heart does its familiar leap. Even through the imperfect video quality, he's still beautiful—his dark ha
Chapter 212: Empty HallsSERENA'S POVThe first day of senior year arrives like a slap in the face, gray and unwelcoming under the overcast September sky. I stand in front of Crescent Moon High's familiar brick facade, watching streams of students flow through the main entrance with excitement and nervous energy that I can't bring myself to share. My hands shake as I grip the straps of my backpack, the weight of it feeling heavier than it should. Everything about this moment feels wrong—incomplete, like I'm missing a vital piece of myself. Because I am. Damon should be here beside me, his hand warm in mine, his voice teasing me about my first-day jitters. Instead, there's just empty space where he should be and the dull, persistent ache in my chest that's become my constant companion over the past week.I force my feet to move forward, joining the crowd of students making their way inside. The familiar hallways that once felt like home now feel foreign and hostile. The cheerful yello
PART 2: THE LONG-DISTANCE STRAINChapter 211: The GoodbyeSERENA'S POVThe phone call comes at dinner on a Tuesday evening, shattering my world into a million pieces with just a few simple words."I got the scholarship," Damon says, his voice a mixture of excitement and something that sounds dangerously close to panic. "The full ride to Blackwater University. They want me to start next week."My fork clatters against my plate, the sound echoing through our dining room like a gunshot. Mom and Dad look up from their meals with concern, but I can barely see them through the sudden blur of tears that spring to my eyes."Next week?" I whisper, my voice barely audible even to my ears. "But we thought you had until the end of summer. We thought we had more time.""I know, I know," Damon says, and I can hear the strain in his voice through the phone. "My dad has been pushing me to accept it immediately. He says opportunities like this don't wait, that I need to grab it now or risk losing it f
Chapter 210: The Way ForwardFrederick is observing Morgana with intense scrutiny as she continues her detailed explanation, her voice carrying the weight of centuries of supernatural knowledge and recent regret. With countless thoughts running through her mind like a rushing river, she takes a deep breath before addressing the larger implications of what has transpired."This situation explains everything that has been happening recently," Morgana says with growing clarity and conviction. "This is the exact reason why Serena has been consistently targeted by dangerous dark species from the most malevolent corners of the supernatural world."She pauses, allowing Frederick to absorb this crucial information before continuing. "They have sensed the divine essence residing within Serena's mortal form. They have detected the incredible power of the celestial being that now shares her body. You must understand how incredibly powerful she is destined to become as these two essences learn to
Chapter 209: The ExplanationThe journey to explain the situation to Serena's parents is not quite as easy as any of them had hoped it would be. The weight of what they must reveal hangs heavy in the air as they approach the familiar apartment building, each step feeling more difficult than the last.They stop directly in front of Serena's family apartment, the building standing tall and welcoming in the afternoon light. However, Serena—or rather, the divine being possessing her body—appears reluctant to step inside the place that should feel like home. The unfamiliarity of mortal emotions and family dynamics clearly makes her uncomfortable.She turns to Morgana with an expression of uncertainty and frustration. "You're going to be the one to handle all the explanations," she instructs firmly, her voice carrying that otherworldly authority that has become her trademark. "I don't understand these human family relationships well enough to navigate this conversation properly."Damon fol
Chapter 208: Acceptance Of Double EssenceMorgana looks thoughtful for a while, her ancient mind clearly working through the complex implications of their current supernatural predicament. She continues thinking about their situation while standing in the destroyed abandoned laboratory, as Serena sits down on one of the cold metal tables and begins examining some of the scattered equipment with a look of genuine confusion and uncertainty.As if she is completely unsure of what she is seeing before her, Serena examines some of the damaged scientific apparatus with growing bewilderment and slowly shakes her head in obvious disapproval. "These mortal are really weird with the strange things they create and consider important," she declares with divine disdain, and carelessly drops a broken test tube to the floor before looking around the destroyed space with continued puzzlement.Damon remains exactly where he is with his arms folded defensively across his chest, still desperately trying