Aria followed the Netherlands' marks on the trees, leading her to the secret meeting arena. The clearing was filled with fourteen males, eight women, and three teenagers around her age. Amidst them stood an older witch, her dark aura unmistakable. A black witch, unbound and unafraid.
Aria's curiosity turned to alarm as the old witch's gaze locked onto hers.
"Ah, a taboo! A sacrilege has been committed!" the witch exclaimed, her voice piercing the air.
Aria's heart racing, she suspected the old witch had discovered her mate bond with Alpha Elijah.
The witch's bony finger pointed at Aria. "You!"
All eyes turned to her.
"Me?" Aria asked, feigning innocence.
"Yes, you! You're a child of sacrilege. I can feel it. Your blood is that of the rumored prophecy child. You have the blood rush of both black and white sorcerers within you. Your parents committed a sacrilege."
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
Aria's mind reeled. Her parents had hidden her for a reason, but she never knew this was it.
The crowd converged around her, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and accusation.
"Your grandfather, Warlock Silvermist, came to the council with a vision from you about the destruction of Netherlands," the old witch continued. "We couldn't conclude anything."
A wizard spoke up, "So you ran away instead of warning the entire Netherlands?"
The crowd erupted into chaos, murmurs and fingers pointing at Aria and the old witch.
The old witch raised her hands, silencing the crowd. "I argued with the council to inform everyone, but they refused, saying the vision could be false or not imminent. I warned my village, and some fled while others stayed. I did my best. The gods know that."
The crowd's murmurs turned to angry whispers.
Aria stood frozen, her heart heavy with the weight of her family's secrets.
The old witch is Eira Shadowfire, leader of Willowdale village, Aria's maternal homeland. She gazed at Aria with a mix of curiosity and warmth.
"Do you have information about my mother, Lirien Moonflower?" Aria asked, hope flickering in her chest.
Eira's expression softened. "She escaped with your grandfather and the rest of the moonflower household. They're safe."
Aria's relief was palpable.
"Do you know where they are? I need to see her and my family!" Aria implored.
Eira nodded. "They're at the Down West Cave. I didn't know Lirien Moonflower had a daughter. What a small world! She's married to my niece."
Aria's thoughts swirled. Her mother had never claimed ownership of her, never showed affection. Aria felt a deep-seated withdrawal from her mother's absence. She's very sure her mother's husband doesn't know about her either. Her mother never considered her as her daughter or anything. She didn't want Aria close to her.
The meeting began, and a new leader emerged: Kaida Emberwood. His hatred for wolves radiated like a dark aura.
"I lost my wife, my children, my family to the invasion," Kaida's voice cracked with anguish. "I'm alive to avenge their deaths. And I have one target: Axel, the Alpha's beta. He's responsible for my family's slaughter."
Kaida's eyes blazed with determination.
"Our purpose here is to plan a rebellion against the wolves. We must learn combat, rely on our physical strengths, not just magic. That's the mistake Netherlands' leadership made – dependence on magic, neglecting our visible strengths."
A female witch countered, "But werewolves have magic too. They transform into powerful wolves with great claws, great strength, and good speed."
Kaida's gaze narrowed. "We have an advantage – the child of the sacrilege!"
All eyes turned to Aria. She felt a surge of confusion and trepidation.
Are they talking about me? she wondered. How can I be their savior?
Eira Shadowfire's knowing glance settled on Aria. "The prophecy child, born of black and white sorcerers. Your blood holds the key to our victory."
Aria's mind reeled. What prophecy? What key?
Kaida's voice rose above the murmurs. "With Aria's unique heritage and our combined strength, we'll bring down the wolves and reclaim Netherlands!"
The group's fervor grew, but Aria's doubts lingered.
Aria stepped back, overwhelmed. "Me? I think you have the wrong person. I'm no special witch!"
A familiar witch pointed at Aria's wrist. "How did you remove Malakai's magic bracelets?"
The witch had seen Malakai put it on Aria's wrist. "You have your magic?" another asked.
Aria stuttered, "I don't know... I... I just woke up without the bracelet."
The crowd murmured, their excitement building. "Remove mine!" they pressured Aria. "You can remove mine!"
Aria pleaded, "I don't know how to. I can't."
Eira Shadowfire intervened, her authority commanding attention. "Halt, everyone! Don't pressure the child. You can see she's as confused as ever. Leave her!"
The old witch succeeded in pushing the crowd away from Aria.
Kaida Emberwood stepped forward. "She has a lot to learn. And we all have to teach her. Starting from what the prophecy entails."
The group recited the prophecy in unison:
"A child of darkness and light shall be born,
With hair as white as snow and heart of dawn.
She shall wield the four elements with ease,
Earth, water, fire, and air, in perfect breeze.
Her path shall unite the divided lands,
Wolf, vampire, witchdom, and every hand.
The world shall bow to her gentle might,
As she brings harmony to the darkest night.
Her identity, a symbol of her fate,
White hair shining, like a beacon great.
The prophecy foretold, a chosen one,
A daughter of black and white love, now begun."
Aria listened, her mind reeling with the weight of their words.
One thing was certain about the prophecy: Aria was the only white-haired girl in Netherlands and beyond. Her hair glowed at night, a phenomenon Elijah had mentioned before.
Aria hesitated, then removed her scarf, letting her hair cascade down. As night fell, her hair transformed, illuminating the arena like a bright star. The crowd murmured in awe.
"This is impossible," someone whispered.
"But it's true," Eira Shadowfire affirmed. "The prophecy's sign is clear."
Aria's glowing hair confirmed her identity as the child of sacrilege, the chosen one. The crowd's doubts dissipated, replaced by determination.
"She will help us rebuild netherlands" Kaida Emberwood declared.
But the question remained: how? Aria's powers were unknown, even to herself.
The crowd's eyes locked onto Aria, their expectations palpable.
Eira Shadowfire stepped forward. "We must teach her control, guide her to harness her abilities."
Kaida Emberwood nodded. "And prepare her for the battles ahead."
Aria's glow illuminated the resolve etched on their faces.
The meeting concluded, infused with newfound hope and faith – faith in Aria, the prophecy child, and hope for Netherlands' unity. Even as captives, they stood united.
Aria retired to her cottage, her mind swirling with more questions than answers.
"How can I be the prophecy child?" she murmured to herself, seeking solace in the darkness.
Unaware, her mate bond to Alpha Elijah transmitted her words. Elijah gasped, his eyes widening as he heard the whispered phrase.
He knew of the prophecy. Every land in the world knew of it, though versions varied. Some spoke of a savior, others a destroyer. But one thing remained constant: the child of darkness and light.
Elijah's thoughts raced. Aria, his mate, the prophecy child? The implications were staggering.
He rose from his chair, pacing his chambers. How could he reconcile his duty as Alpha with his bond to the chosen one?
Aria, oblivious to Elijah's turmoil, struggled to comprehend her newfound destiny.
"What does it mean?" she whispered, her glowing hair illuminating the cottage.
As the night wore on, Aria's questions lingered, and Elijah's concerns deepened.