The Awakening

- Third Person's POV -

Far beyond the clearing, the wind carried a strange power across the land. It wasn’t normal. It wasn’t natural. It felt alive.

The witches felt it first.

Inside their caves, candle flames twisted and snapped like they were afraid. Shadows crawled along the stone walls as an old woman muttered spells under her breath, words fast and shaky. Her gnarled fingers clutched the edge of the table.

“The veil shudders,” she whispered, voice trembling. “Something woke tonight.”

Another witch, standing by the window, froze as the cold wind pushed inside. Her pale eyes flicked toward the mountains. “The air… it’s heavier. I'm afraid, you're wrong.”

In the corner, a woman sat, beautiful as snow under moonlight. She looked no older than thirty, but her eyes had seen a thousand years. They rolled back, turning white as visions flooded her mind. Her voice rasped low, cutting through the room.

“Not something,” she said. “Someone.”

Before anyone could speak, thunder crashed over the mountains, shaking the cave walls until dirt rained down from the ceiling. The witches went silent.

“Even the skies know,” one muttered.

The snow-white woman’s gaze sharpened. “This is the beginning… of the prophecy.”

Outside, the night grew still.

The wolves on the ridges stopped moving. Their ears pressed flat. Their tails stayed low. Not one of them howled. Even the wind lost its song, carrying only the weight of warning.

In towers of silver and bone, the vampires felt it too. They raised their heads sharply, red eyes glowing in the dark. None of them breathed. None of them spoke.

The air had changed.

It felt thick. Heavy. Alive.

Another roll of thunder ripped through the night.

Deep inside his castle, the Vampire King... opened his eyes.

The dreaded king. The one even monsters feared. He rose slowly, the sound of his armor shifting in the darkness.

But none of them knew the truth.

The power didn’t belong to a king or a monster.

It didn’t belong to any of the creatures that ruled the night.

It belonged to a fourteen-year-old girl.

A girl who had just stumbled into their world.

And the monsters who thought they ruled the darkness…

Had no idea they were about to be hunted.

- Lyra’s POV -

I opened my eyes to the cold press of dirt and leaves against my skin. My body hurt everywhere. The air smelled like rain and moss, heavy and damp. My head throbbed like someone had smashed it against stone, but worse than the pain was the emptiness inside me.

Where… where was I?

And who… was I?

I didn’t know my name.

I didn’t know where I came from.

I didn’t know anything at all.

The only real thing was the silver crown on my head. It sat crooked, almost falling off. My shaking fingers touched it. It was cool and smooth, too beautiful for someone like me. It felt wrong on me. Like a mistake.

I tried to remember something. Anything. A face. A voice. But my mind was an empty, dark room.

I pushed myself up on weak arms even though my body screamed in pain. How had I ended up here? Did someone leave me? Did I have enemies?

The forest around me stretched tall and endless, shadows moving between the trees like they were alive. Every rustle made my heart jump. Even the sky was covered with dark clouds.

My legs shook when I stood, but I stood anyway. I couldn’t stay here. I needed to find someone. Maybe they could tell me who I was.

I walked forward, holding on to tree trunks when the ground tilted under my feet. My throat was dry when I called out, voice cracking:

“Hello? Is someone there? Please… I need help!”

The forest didn’t answer.

Then… movement.

Figures stepped out of the shadows.

Men.

At first, they looked human. But their eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

Relief burst inside me so fast it hurt. People. Finally, people. Maybe they knew this place. Maybe they knew me.

I limped toward the closest one, a tall man with dark hair and a crooked smile.

“E-excuse me,” my voice shook but I kept going. “I… I think I’m lost. I can’t remember anything. Could you help me?”

He tilted his head, studying me the way a butcher studied a lamb before the knife. His grin showed teeth.

“Lost, are you? Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing. Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll help you… remember.”

Hope jumped in my chest. “Really? You can help me?”

His smile widened, slow and sharp like a cut opening. More men stepped out behind him, tall and thin, with hungry eyes that slid over me in ways that made my stomach twist.

A warning whispered in my head: Run.

But I was too desperate. Too tired.

“Yes, darling,” the man said smoothly. “Close your eyes. Memories come back easier that way.”

I hesitated only for a breath. Then I closed my eyes. I wanted answers too much.

The next moment, hands grabbed me. Rough. Hard.

My eyes flew open. The crooked-smile man’s face was too close now. His grin was darker. Behind him, the others circled, blocking the trees.

“Wh-what are you doing? Let go!” My voice cracked.

They laughed. One shoved me hard. Another caught my arm when I stumbled.

“You said you’d help me!” The words came out broken.

“Help you?” The man chuckled low, ugly. “Oh, we will. After we have some fun.”

Another man grabbed my hair and yanked my head back. Pain shot down my neck.

“Pretty little thing,” he said, breath hot and sour near my face. “Look at those scared eyes. Like a rabbit.”

They shoved me between them, hands rough, bruising.

“Please stop!” My voice shook so bad it barely came out.

The crooked-smile man laughed again. “Cry louder. Maybe the wolves will hear you. Or maybe we’ll keep you all to ourselves.”

Another grabbed my wrist and twisted. I bit back a scream.

“She’ll sell for a good price if she stays this pretty,” one said. “Not after we break her, though.”

Their laughter cut through me worse than the pain.

Something inside me twisted hard, like a rope pulled too tight.

“Hold her still,” the first man ordered.

They gripped my arms. Fingers like iron dug into my skin.

My chest heaved. “Let go of me! Please!”

“Beg all you want,” the crooked-smile man whispered near my ear. “No one’s coming.”

Something snapped inside me. I shoved him with everything I had. He stumbled back a step.

For one heartbeat, they all froze.

Then their faces changed. No more smiles. Just sharp, cruel anger.

“Get her!” he snarled.

I ran.

Branches whipped my arms and legs, tearing skin. My feet pounded the ground, sharp rocks slicing through the thin soles of my shoes.

“Catch her!” someone yelled.

“Don’t let the little rabbit run!” another laughed.

“She screams nice,” one called. “Bet she cries sweeter.”

Their voices chased me, claws at my back.

I ran harder. My lungs burned, my vision shook.

The forest twisted and spun but I didn’t stop.

If they caught me, I would never leave these woods alive.

The trees thinned out. I burst into a clearing.

Moonlight poured over me, cold and silver. I felt exposed, like the light itself betrayed me. Despite the dark clouds, the moon shone bright like eyes... Watching me.

I couldn't hold much longer as my legs gave out, followed by the sound of a thunder. I hit the ground hard, gasping.

The men were close. I heard their footsteps. Their laughter.

And for the first time, I felt something else moving inside me.

Hot... sharp... and alive.