The night was a velvet canvas, stitched with a million tiny stars that flickered like the eyes of forgotten gods. Seraphina stood at the edge of the cliff, the wind whipping her dark hair around her pale face, her heart beating in a rhythm that matched the ancient power thrumming beneath her feet. Below, the ocean roared, its waves crashing against the jagged rocks, as if the very earth itself was trying to dissuade her from the path she had chosen.
But Seraphina was no stranger to defiance.
She had always been different. From the moment she was born, the elders of her village whispered that she was touched by the darkness. Her eyes, a piercing shade of violet, were said to see beyond the veil, to glimpse the shadows that lurked in the corners of the world. As a child, she had tried to ignore the whispers, to be normal, but the darkness called to her, a siren song that she could not resist.
Now, at eighteen, she stood at the brink of a destiny that she had neither sought nor wanted. The moon hung low in the sky, a pale crescent that seemed to watch her with a knowing gaze. It was the appointed time, the hour when the barrier between worlds was at its thinnest. She could feel it, a shiver in the air, a tingling in her bones.
It was time.
Taking a deep breath, Seraphina reached into the folds of her cloak and drew out the blade. It was an ancient thing, the hilt worn smooth by countless hands, the blade etched with runes that pulsed with an eerie light. This was no ordinary dagger; it was a key, a tool to open the door between realms. Her mother had given it to her on her deathbed, her final words a cryptic warning that had haunted Seraphina ever since.
"Beware the darkness within."
The words echoed in her mind as she raised the blade, the tip gleaming in the moonlight. She hesitated for only a moment, then plunged it into her palm. Pain flared up her arm, sharp and bright, but she didn't flinch. Blood welled up, dark and thick, dripping onto the ground at her feet. The earth drank it in, and the runes on the blade flared with a crimson light.
The air around her shifted, the wind dying down to a whisper as the world seemed to hold its breath. The ground beneath her trembled, a low rumble that grew into a deafening roar. Seraphina stumbled, her heart pounding in her chest, but she kept her grip on the blade, her blood continuing to spill onto the earth.
And then, with a crack like thunder, the ground split open.
From the chasm emerged a figure, tall and imposing, cloaked in shadows that seemed to writhe and pulse like living things. Seraphina's breath caught in her throat as she met the figure's gaze, eyes like burning coals boring into her soul. This was no mere spirit or demon; this was something older, something far more dangerous.
"You have summoned me, child," the figure said, its voice a low rumble that seemed to resonate within her very bones. "Do you understand the price?"
Seraphina swallowed, her throat dry as she nodded. "I do."
The figure stepped closer, the shadows around it parting to reveal a face that was both beautiful and terrifying, sharp angles softened by the faintest hint of a smile. "You are brave, but bravery alone will not save you. What do you seek, Seraphina?"
She steeled herself, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. "I seek power," she said, her voice stronger than she felt. "Power to protect those I care about, to stop the darkness from consuming everything."
The figure tilted its head, considering her words. "Power comes at a cost, Seraphina. What are you willing to sacrifice?"
Her heart clenched as memories flashed through her mindâher mother's gentle smile, her father's stern but loving gaze, the warmth of the village she had called home. But she knew what she had to do. There was no other way.
"Everything," she whispered, the word slipping from her lips like a prayer.
The figure's smile widened, a slow, cruel curve that sent a shiver down her spine. "Very well. The pact is made."
With a flick of its wrist, the figure reached out, and Seraphina felt a searing pain in her chest. She gasped, her vision blurring as the world around her twisted and darkened. She was dimly aware of the figure speaking, its voice fading in and out of her consciousness.
"You will have your power, Seraphina, but know thisâdarkness cannot be controlled. It will consume you, piece by piece, until nothing remains."
The pain intensified, a white-hot fire that spread through her veins, burning away everything she was. She wanted to scream, to cry out, but no sound escaped her lips. She could feel herself slipping away, her consciousness dissolving into the void.
And then, just as suddenly, it was over.
Seraphina collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, her body trembling with the aftershocks of the pain. She felt different, hollowed out and yet filled with something new, something dark and potent. She looked down at her hands, half-expecting them to be stained with the blood of the pact, but they were clean.
The figure was gone, the chasm closed as if it had never existed. The night was still and quiet, the stars above twinkling innocently as if they had not just witnessed the birth of something terrible.
Slowly, Seraphina pushed herself to her feet, her legs shaking beneath her. She felt the power coursing through her veins, a dark, insidious energy that whispered promises of strength and destruction. The blade, now cold and lifeless, lay at her feet, the runes dimmed to nothing.
She was no longer the same girl who had stood at the edge of the cliff just moments before. She had made her choice, and now she would have to live with the consequences.
As she turned to leave, the wind picked up once more, carrying with it the faintest echo of laughterâa dark, mocking sound that sent a chill down her spine.
The pact was sealed, and the darkness within her had been unleashed.