Before I could realize what was happening or remind myself that this wasn't real, I missed a step and slipped down the stairs. My body collided with the wooden steps, and pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning.When I finally hit the floor at the bottom of the staircase, leading into the sitting room, I couldn't move. The pain was paralyzing, making me question whether this was real or just another nightmare. I forced my eyes open, and that was when I saw it—a glimpse of a shadow standing in the darkest corner of the room, where the dim glow of light barely cast its reach.Panic surged through me as I pushed myself off the floor, backing away from the figure. My body screamed in agony, but I ignored it. A wave of cold air wrapped around me, sending chills down my spine, every hair on my body standing on end. From the size of the figure, I could tell it wasn't an adult—but a child. A girl."Who are you?" My voice came out small, unsteady, weak—barely a whisper."Me?" she echoed,
"Eric, this is insane! There is no way I’m letting you go to the Witch City just to seek their queen. It’s already obvious they’re planning to attack us like they did before, and you’re at your weakest moment. No, I think you should do as Tythorax said," Jess argued, her voice firm with defiance.I wasn’t surprised to find her waiting when I resurfaced from Drakemere. The moment she saw me, suspicion clouded her eyes, and she demanded to know why I had gone there. As we made our way back to the palace, I had no choice but to tell her everything.“I am not at my weakest point, Jess," I muttered, exhaling heavily. "I’m about to lose myself. That’s not weakness—it means I’m losing control over my powers. If I stay here, I become a danger to every demon in Terranovae.”Her expression hardened. “Then what about the Black Stone? What are you going to do about it?”“I don’t know,” I admitted, my gaze flickering toward the vine-covered barrier. The creeping plants had nearly sealed off the en
Lily's POVIt felt like I had been swimming east for ages, every little sound sending a jolt of fear through me. The water was eerily silent, but no monstrous creatures had surfaced—yet. That didn’t mean they weren’t there, lurking beneath, waiting.I didn’t have much time. I needed to reach the Heart and return to Terranovae before it was too late.Drakemere was growing colder with every passing moment, the icy grip of the deep tightening around me. My mind had wandered, lost in anxious thoughts, when something suddenly caught my eye—a glimmering fragment of light against the dark water.A small, diamond-like stone was embedded in the jagged surface of a massive rock, its crystalline glow hypnotic, almost calling to me.Curiosity pulled me forward. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the smooth, shimmering surface, but as I shifted my gaze beyond the rock, I froze.A veil of liquid silver wavered before me, stretching across the depths like a living curtain of light.I gasped.
"Michael, wait up! Mum says we need to come home together.""I know, Lily, but you need to keep up.""I'm trying, but you're way too fast. And besides, why didn’t Dad pick us up today?""Because it’s your birthday. Dad is helping Mum at home—I’m sure of it.""Are you sure? Or is he just in another meeting?""I don’t know, Lily. But Mum wants us to take the bus home.""This birthday is going to suck if Dad isn’t around.""You invited your friends, right?""I’m not like you, Michael. You have friends. You’re smart and cool. But no one wants to be friends with a freak like me.""That’s not true, Lily. And you need to stop saying things that are way beyond your age.""Way beyond my age? Michael, I’m turning eleven today. I’m not a child anymore. Complaining about not having friends isn’t something beyond my age."I sighed in frustration. Why does she always have to be so sharp? It’s always been like this with Lily, and honestly, that’s one of the things I love most about her."I’m not say
Michael left, shutting the wardrobe doors behind me. The space was too small, too tight—I could barely breathe. My knees were pressed to my chest, and the scent of wood mixed with my own sweat filled my nostrils. Time dragged on, stretching into what felt like forever. My heart pounded so loudly I was afraid someone might hear it.I wanted to stay hidden like Michael told me, but fear and curiosity gnawed at me. I couldn't take it anymore. With shaky hands, I pushed the wardrobe door open and climbed out. My feet barely made a sound as I crept toward the bedroom door, every step feeling heavier with dread.Slowly, I opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. My body trembled, but I forced myself to keep going. I had to know what was happening. I had to see.Reaching the top of the staircase, I gripped the railing and peered down.Mum and Dad were on their knees, their hands restrained by two men. My breath caught in my throat. A woman I had never seen before sat before th
I woke up after the worst nightmare, my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes darted around, and I found myself inside my room. A wave of unease washed over me. Without wasting a second, I rushed outside to find my mum, but the entire house was eerily silent.“Mum! Mum!!” I called out, but there was no response.Swallowing the growing fear, I walked to her room and knocked. No answer. With trembling hands, I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open—only to find an empty room. My breathing grew shallow. Something was wrong.Panic set in as I ran upstairs to find Michael, but his room was empty too. My chest tightened. Everyone was gone. I was alone.“Mum! Dad! Michael!” I screamed, my voice breaking as tears blurred my vision.Then, I heard it—footsteps approaching. My entire body froze. Slowly, I turned around, and there she was—the lady in the red dress. She stood in front of me, laughing like a maniac. The sound of her laughter echoed around me, growing louder and louder until it
Lily’s POV"Lilly! Lilly! Wake up, you log of wood!" Annabella’s shrill voice pierced through my ears as she screamed beside me.I groaned, reluctant to leave the comfort of sleep, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Anastasia standing at the door, arms crossed with an unimpressed expression. Of course, the twins. They made my mornings a living nightmare, and today was no exception."You’re in so much trouble," Annabella sneered, her lips curling in disgust. "Mum told you to wake up earlier, and it’s already 6:30 a.m. Yet, here you are, still sleeping like some useless princess."I sighed, pushing myself up from the bed and walking past them without a word. There was no point in arguing—I had learned that the hard way.It’s been eleven years—eleven whole f*cking years—since I was washed up by the sea and found by a kind farmer who took me in. But instead of the life I hoped for, he died, leaving me with his wife, who has done nothing but turn my life into a living hell alongside her chil
"You weren't supposed to eat from the stand, and even if you do, you need to pay for it.""I will pay for it; I just need to wait until I receive my money, and then I will pay.""Are you trying to get me sacked? If you were going to eat the burger, you were supposed to pay," Sam said, sounding like I stole the burger."I told you I would pay. I just need to get my money, and I will.""Get your money? When I'm sacked?" she asked with so much anger in her eyes. She was causing a scene as people started taking an interest in our conversation."I will pay for the burger; there is no need to be all aggressive." I looked up to see a guy standing in front of me.He handed his credit card to Sam, which she took and glared at him. I didn't know what to say; before I could say thank you to the guy, he was gone.“You are so d*mn lucky,” Sam said as she brushed past me.I was trying as much as possible to hold back my anger. The rest of the day went in a rather terrible direction for me.Immediat
Lily's POVIt felt like I had been swimming east for ages, every little sound sending a jolt of fear through me. The water was eerily silent, but no monstrous creatures had surfaced—yet. That didn’t mean they weren’t there, lurking beneath, waiting.I didn’t have much time. I needed to reach the Heart and return to Terranovae before it was too late.Drakemere was growing colder with every passing moment, the icy grip of the deep tightening around me. My mind had wandered, lost in anxious thoughts, when something suddenly caught my eye—a glimmering fragment of light against the dark water.A small, diamond-like stone was embedded in the jagged surface of a massive rock, its crystalline glow hypnotic, almost calling to me.Curiosity pulled me forward. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the smooth, shimmering surface, but as I shifted my gaze beyond the rock, I froze.A veil of liquid silver wavered before me, stretching across the depths like a living curtain of light.I gasped.
"Eric, this is insane! There is no way I’m letting you go to the Witch City just to seek their queen. It’s already obvious they’re planning to attack us like they did before, and you’re at your weakest moment. No, I think you should do as Tythorax said," Jess argued, her voice firm with defiance.I wasn’t surprised to find her waiting when I resurfaced from Drakemere. The moment she saw me, suspicion clouded her eyes, and she demanded to know why I had gone there. As we made our way back to the palace, I had no choice but to tell her everything.“I am not at my weakest point, Jess," I muttered, exhaling heavily. "I’m about to lose myself. That’s not weakness—it means I’m losing control over my powers. If I stay here, I become a danger to every demon in Terranovae.”Her expression hardened. “Then what about the Black Stone? What are you going to do about it?”“I don’t know,” I admitted, my gaze flickering toward the vine-covered barrier. The creeping plants had nearly sealed off the en
Before I could realize what was happening or remind myself that this wasn't real, I missed a step and slipped down the stairs. My body collided with the wooden steps, and pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning.When I finally hit the floor at the bottom of the staircase, leading into the sitting room, I couldn't move. The pain was paralyzing, making me question whether this was real or just another nightmare. I forced my eyes open, and that was when I saw it—a glimpse of a shadow standing in the darkest corner of the room, where the dim glow of light barely cast its reach.Panic surged through me as I pushed myself off the floor, backing away from the figure. My body screamed in agony, but I ignored it. A wave of cold air wrapped around me, sending chills down my spine, every hair on my body standing on end. From the size of the figure, I could tell it wasn't an adult—but a child. A girl."Who are you?" My voice came out small, unsteady, weak—barely a whisper."Me?" she echoed,
“What do you mean? Are you saying the Water Demon Princess is alive?” I asked, waiting impatiently for his reply.“Great, so now who am I even talking to? Because I don’t understand a thing,” Tythorax complained, but I was more focused on whether Eric’s biological mother was truly alive.“Yes, she is still alive. I thought you, of all people, would know that,” Tythorax finally answered.“I never expected her to be.” I shook my head, disbelief tightening my chest. “You and I both know how devastated she was after being forced to leave her baby at the doorstep of some random humans. I don’t even know if I should say Eric and I were lucky to end up with Mr. and Mrs. Sarton.”Memories of that fateful night came rushing back, burning through me like wildfire. I could still see the agony on the princess’s face as she made her way to Drakemere, pleading for her baby’s life. Even when she was warned of the consequences, she still agreed to them.No mother willingly gives birth only to abandon
We swam as fast as we could, the icy water pressing against us like an unrelenting force. Time felt endless, every stroke stretching into eternity, but finally, after what seemed like forever, we arrived.The first thing I noticed was the storm—a raging, untamed force swirling right in front of us. The water churned violently, reacting to our presence with a low, menacing rumble. I wasn’t surprised that the sea itself seemed to resist us, but what unsettled me was why the sea god had chosen to place a storm here, turning it into the first trial to reach the heart.The sheer power of it sent a shiver down my spine, a stark reminder of the impossible task ahead."This is it," Jess murmured beside me. "The Forbidden Abyss."I exhaled, staring at the churning waters. "It looks far more terrifying now that I’m actually here. When Tythorax spoke of it, it seemed like a legend—now it feels like a death sentence." My voice wavered slightly, but I steadied myself. "I guess this is my first tri
"Does this mean the power barrier created by Drakemere won’t be enough to stop them?" Jess asked, pacing anxiously across the room."You and I both know it takes Terranovae’s full barrier power to keep the witches out. The fragment that remains here might hold back the creatures, but definitely not the witches."Jess let out a heavy sigh, frustration evident in every step she took. But my attention remained fixed on Lily. She stood still, lost in her own thoughts, the fear in her eyes something I never wanted to see. I had hoped to shield her from this truth, to spare her the weight of it, but keeping it from her wouldn’t have been right either.“This is bad,” Alex muttered under his breath."Jess, you know what to do. Make sure Lily reaches the Abyss safely—please, look after her for me," I said, my voice carrying a silent plea. Jess gave me a firm nod of assurance."Hey, Lily," I called gently, taking her hands in mine."I never wanted you to worry about this—that’s why I didn’t men
“You did a great job,” I said, taking her hand and offering an encouraging smile. She returned it, but there was a heaviness in her eyes that refused to lift.“You think? I just hope this is a new beginning for all of them,” she murmured, her voice laced with worry. It wasn’t just her voice—her entire expression carried the weight of uncertainty.“You worry too much. You just managed to get all of Terranovae’s leaders to work together—something that hasn’t happened in decades,” I reminded her. She needed to believe in herself if she was going to make it to the Abyss of Vareth. That place required strength, not doubt.“I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without Jess,” she admitted with a heavy sigh. Then, after a brief pause, her expression shifted. “But there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”“Okay, ask me anything,” I said, giving her a small nod of encouragement.“Can you really not come with me to the Abyss of Vareth?” she asked, her eyes locking onto mine, pleading.
“Enough!” I screamed, my voice ringing through the hall, sharp and commanding. The room fell into silence as I finally drew their attention back to me.“What is wrong with all of you? Why can’t you work together for once to save our home? The chaos that has fallen upon us is the result of your petty disputes and the foolish mistakes of our forefathers—mistakes they passed down to each generation! If they hadn’t driven the dragons away, if Drakemere were still here in Terranovae, none of this would be happening! But it did. And now, instead of bickering like fools, put aside your arrogance and fight for what truly matters!"I let my gaze sweep over them, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yes, I am Princess Jessandria, the runaway princess. But at least I am better than every single one of you here. Do you know why? Because I love Terranovae! And I would give my life to ensure its safety!” My voice shook with passion, the weight of my words pressing into the heavy silence.“I left Terrano
As we approached, the sheer grandeur of the castle became even more overwhelming. The towering gates, adorned with intricate silver filigree and engraved with the ancient symbols of the four demon clans, loomed over us like silent sentinels. The air was thick with tension, an oppressive weight pressing down on the demons who lingered outside their homes. Their anxious gazes followed us, their whispers barely audible, as though they feared even the wind would carry their secrets to unwanted ears. It felt as if we carried the fate of Terranovae on our shoulders.When we reached the gate, the guards immediately stepped forward, blocking our path. Jess wasted no time; she jumped off the horse with a determined stride, her presence alone demanding attention. The moment they recognized her, they bowed deeply, a show of respect, yet not a single one of them moved aside."I need to speak to my father. Now!" Jess commanded, her voice cutting through the heavy air like a blade.“We were strictl