The night stretched on, oppressive and heavy. Lila stood motionless in the forest, the damp air seeping into her skin, her breath a cloud in the chilled air. She could still hear Lucian's voice echoing in her mind, the weight of his words pressing down on her chest like an unseen hand. The serpent's mark is a curse.
The words had taken root in her thoughts, twisting and turning as she tried to make sense of them. She wasn't just a hunter. She wasn't just an innocent part of the war her family had fought for generations. No—she was something much worse.
Lila shook her head, trying to dispel the fog of confusion. The forest was no place for doubt. She had come here to find answers. She had to stay focused.
But as she moved deeper into the woods, the trees seemed to close in around her, their limbs like the long fingers of some forgotten creature, bending and reaching toward her. The map was gripped tightly in her hands, though the more she looked at it, the more it seemed like a puzzle she couldn't solve.
Her father had taught her to be cautious, to follow the rules that had kept their family safe for centuries. But Lucian's presence in the woods had shattered everything she thought she knew about her world. If she couldn't trust her own family, then who could she trust?
The path in front of her seemed to fork, two distinct routes leading deeper into the heart of the forest. The markings on the map indicated both, but one path was darker, its shadows deeper, as though it were calling her in a way the other wasn't. Lila hesitated for a moment, her instincts warring with each other. But then, without a second thought, she made her choice and followed the darker path.
The air grew thicker as she ventured deeper, the silence more profound, as if the forest itself were holding its breath. The ground beneath her feet was uneven, roots and stones twisting in ways that made her stumble. Still, she pressed on, each step heavier than the last. It was as if the forest itself didn't want her here, but she couldn't turn back—not now.
Then, through the thickening trees, she saw it—a faint, glowing light flickering in the distance. At first, it appeared to be a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing in the corner of her vision, but as she drew closer, it took shape. A stone structure—ancient, covered in vines and moss, yet undeniably familiar.
It was a temple.
The serpent's mark was carved into the stones, etched so deeply that it seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Lila's breath caught in her throat. This was it—the place Lucian had warned her about. But it was more than just the temple; it was the memory of something older, something that had been buried for centuries.
She stepped inside cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. The air inside the temple was cool, though the faint glow seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat. Her eyes scanned the interior—stone altars, broken statues, and walls covered in faded, intricate carvings. And then, at the far end of the room, she saw it.
A statue.
It was large, towering above her, and its shape was unmistakable. A serpent.
But this was no ordinary serpent. It was coiled around a figure—a woman, her arms outstretched, her face serene yet mournful. The serpent seemed to be protecting her, its body twisted around hers in an eternal embrace. And beneath the statue, written in a language Lila didn't recognize, was the same symbol—the mark of the serpent.
Lila stepped closer, her fingers brushing against the cool stone. She could feel the weight of history pressing down on her, the ancient power that had been locked away in this forgotten place. And yet, there was something else. Something that tugged at her, calling her forward.
Her fingers brushed against a small indentation in the stone at the base of the statue, and before she could stop herself, she pressed her hand into it. The ground beneath her trembled, the soft rumbling echoing through the chamber. Lila pulled her hand back in alarm, but it was too late. The stone began to shift, a low grinding noise filling the air as a secret passage opened before her.
The darkness beyond was impenetrable, but there was no turning back now. She had come this far.
The passage led her downward, deeper into the earth, until she was surrounded by darkness. The only light came from the faint glow of the symbols etched into the walls, illuminating her path just enough to keep her from losing her way. The air was thick, and the walls seemed to close in, making her feel as though the earth itself was swallowing her whole.
After what felt like an eternity, the passage opened into a vast underground chamber, its ceiling stretching far above her head. The walls were lined with more carvings, more serpents, their eyes watching her as she entered. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, and on it, a large, black stone. It was smooth, like obsidian, but its surface seemed to shimmer with an unnatural light, casting eerie shadows across the chamber.
Lila approached it cautiously, her pulse quickening. As she reached out to touch it, she felt a shock of energy rush through her body, like a bolt of lightning coursing through her veins. The stone was alive.
The moment her fingers made contact, the ground trembled once more, and a voice, ancient and powerful, reverberated through the chamber.
"You have come, child of the serpent. The time has come to embrace your fate."
Lila stumbled back, her heart hammering in her chest. The voice seemed to come from all around her, filling her ears, vibrating through her bones. She looked around wildly, but there was no one there. No figure, no presence—only the stone and the markings.
"Your blood runs deep, child. You carry the legacy of the serpent. You will either destroy or awaken the darkness that has been waiting for centuries."
The voice faded into silence, leaving Lila standing alone in the chamber. The stone beneath her fingertips hummed with energy, as if it were alive, as if it had a will of its own. And for the first time, Lila understood.
She wasn't just part of the war. She was the key to its end—or to its beginning.
The serpent's mark wasn't just a curse.
It was her destiny.