Olivia hesitated for a moment before following Edmund through the halls of the mansion, her mind spinning with questions. Why had these creatures targeted her? What did they want? And more importantly, how did they know who she was?
They walked in silence until they reached Edmund's study, a large room filled with ancient books, maps, and various artifacts. The heavy wooden door closed behind them, sealing them in the quiet, dimly lit space. Edmund walked to his desk, pulling out a small, intricately carved box from one of the drawers. He held it out to Olivia with a serious expression.
"This belonged to your father," he said quietly. "He wanted you to have it when the time was right."
Olivia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her father. She had barely known him, but she had always felt the weight of his legacy hanging over her. She hesitated before taking the box, feeling its weight in her hands. It was small but heavy, and the carvings on the surface were strange, almost otherworldly.
"What's inside?" Olivia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Edmund sighed, his expression unreadable. "I don't know exactly. But whatever it is, it's tied to your family's legacy. Your father entrusted me with it before he disappeared. He said you would know what to do when the time came."
Olivia's fingers traced the carvings on the box, her curiosity and anxiety building. Slowly, she lifted the lid.
Inside was a single stone—a deep, glowing purple crystal that seemed to pulse with a strange, ethereal light. It was beautiful, but there was something unsettling about it. As soon as Olivia's fingers brushed the surface of the stone, the purple glow shifted. It darkened, turning into a swirling black mist that coiled around her hand like a living thing.
A sharp, cold shock surged through her body, and before she could react, her vision blurred. The room around her spun, and the last thing she saw was Edmund's alarmed face as everything went black.
***
When Olivia awoke, she was lying on a couch in Edmund's study. Her head was pounding, and her body felt heavy, as though she had been dragged through a storm. The strange stone was nowhere in sight, and Edmund was standing over her, a worried expression on his face.
"What… what happened?" Olivia mumbled, trying to sit up.
"You fainted," Edmund replied, his voice calm but laced with concern. "The moment you touched the stone, something in it reacted to your energy. I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."
Olivia blinked, her memories rushing back. The black mist, the overwhelming power—it had felt like something ancient and dangerous had awakened inside her the moment she touched the stone.
"What is it? What's happening to me?" Olivia asked, her voice shaking.
Edmund knelt beside her, his expression serious. "That stone… it's connected to your family's bloodline. Your father never told me exactly what it was, but he believed it was the key to unlocking your true potential. Whatever is inside you, Olivia, it's powerful. More powerful than anything we've seen in a long time."
Olivia's mind raced as she tried to process his words. She had always known there was something different about her, but this… this was beyond anything she had imagined. The creatures, the stone, the sudden surge of power—it all felt too much.
"We need to figure out who sent those creatures and why they're after you," Edmund continued. "But one thing is clear: they know who you are, and they're not going to stop until they get what they want."
Olivia stared at the ceiling, her thoughts a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. She had never felt so lost. The world she thought she knew was crumbling around her, and now, it seemed she was at the center of something far bigger than she could comprehend.
But one thing was clear. If she was going to survive whatever was coming, she had to master the power inside her—and fast.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Olivia said quietly, her voice firm despite the tremble in her heart. "I'll train harder. I'll learn to control this. I won't let them win."
Edmund nodded, standing up and offering her a hand. "Good. Because we're going to need every bit of strength you've got. This is only the beginning, Olivia. There's a war coming—and you're at the center of it."