And Then There Were 5 Novels & Stories

“And if the gods are right, more will follow.” That gets their attention. Nythor finally looks up from his pan. “The gods spoke to you?” “In a dream,” I say, lowering myself onto a rock near the fire. My stomach rumbles again, and Fenrick laughs as he tosses me a slice of meat. I catch it and start eating mid-story. “They called themselves the Old Five, Rootmother, Solon, Luneth, Virel, and Galeon.” Zarrk tilts his head, listening intently. Even Hadrian goes still beside the fire, his lion eyes watchful.

“Wait, wasn’t he married before? I don’t remember ever seeing his wife.” “No way! Was he married? I never heard about that!” I stared at the screen, my lips curving into a mocking smile. Back then, he had told me coldly, “This is nothing but a deal between us. Don’t make it too public. Keep it simple.” I had nodded in agreement. At that time, I only cared about the children at the orphanage; nothing else mattered. Hence, we simply registered our marriage at the city hall. There was no ceremony or celebration.

Five down. Fifteen to go. The work continued.

Chapter 55 is OBLIVION and it's the beginning of the END! END OF CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

_ Ivy. _Thump-thump._ Alex. _Thump-thump._ Me. _Thump-thump._ Adrian. Five. No cages. Just quiet. Just home.

“You see? This is thanks for decades of good education.” “You taught us to light pancakes.” “That was science.” “That was fire.” No one won the discussion. As usual. In the end they drove anyway. Aren. Mira. Kai. Elio. And Jonas. Five old friends. Five former lost children. To the west. The ride lasted almost all day. The further they came, the emptyer the streets became. Villages were rarer. Mobile phone reception disappeared. The sky became grayer. And at some point the sea appeared.

"What of it?" Aurora reached inward, toward the warmth still humming beneath her skin, toward the bond that had ignited five times over on a single night that had changed everything. She thought of Damon's voice screaming her name against a barrier he couldn't break. She thought of Ryder's laughter, Kieran's quiet loyalty, Luca's careful calculations, Elias's hidden grief. Five threads, still connected, still pulling toward her even now, wherever they were. "They're still bonded to me," she said. "You didn't take that."

"You’re still the same arrogant, delusional fool. You really don’t know, do you? That child you’ve been dreaming of, the one you thought was waiting for you, died five years ago." I paused, letting the weight of the words settle. "Funny thing is, he could’ve lived. You remember those dozen missed calls right before I disappeared?" Aiden’s face drained of color. His lips trembled. He stared at me as if he were staring at a ghost. I remained calm. Time had dulled the pain and made my voice still. "I was in a car accident. A bad one. They rushed me into surgery, and I needed a next-of-kin to sign off. I kept calling you over and over. But you never picked up.

“…you all fall.” Elijah swore under his breath. “Then maybe I don’t finish the bond,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction. Claudia shook her head. “It’s not a choice anymore. The magic will find a way. The fifth thread will come to you, drawn like iron to a lodestone. And when it does, the Council will know. The sirens will be forced out of hiding. The war will begin in earnest.” “Why hide for so long?” Dylan asked, his voice soft but laced with tension.

The fire burned through the night. Maria and Elias stood side by side, watching the mountain crumble. Smoke rose into the sky like a warning to the whole world. Atlas was gone—but what he left behind felt heavier than his shadow. Maria stared at the screen on her phone again. PROJECT ATLAS SERIES ACTIVE SUBJECTS REMAINING: 5 Five. Not one mistake. Not one weapon. Five living people. Elias ran a hand through his hair. “He wasn’t the only one.”