The following morning, I waited at our waterfall spot, my thoughts a swirling mess as I replayed the message carved into my front door over and over again.
I needed Cecilia's help, though I wasn't even sure what kind of help I was asking for. Maybe a protection spell? Something—anything—that could keep me safe until I found a new place.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear her approach.
"Good morning, Blake," Cecilia greeted, with a light and cheerful tone. She waded right into the water with an effortless grace, her movements as fluid as the river itself.
I stayed perched on a protruding rock, watching as she began her morning ritual.
"Cecilia, I need your help." The words tumbled out of me, carrying a weight I couldn't suppress, no matter how hard I tried to steady my voice.
Her hands glided through the water in an elegant dance, the ripples catching the light like liquid silver. She moved with her usual serenity, dipping her hands in again and again as if communing with the river. Then, she submerged herself fully, letting the current embrace her as it always did.
I couldn't tell if she'd heard me or if she was simply ignoring the panic that laced my tone.
"They found me," I blurted out, my voice cracking as the words left my mouth. "And I need to help my parents."
Cecilia didn't react, didn't pause, didn't even spare me a glance. She moved through the water with an almost otherworldly calm, as if my confession was nothing more than a breeze passing through the trees.
"Can you teach me how to—"
A sudden splash of icy water hit me square in the face, cutting me off mid-sentence. I gasped, stumbling back as Cecilia resurfaced, her hair slick against her glowing skin. There was something ethereal about her now, a light radiating from her that made her look like she belonged to another realm entirely.
"What was that for?" I snapped, rubbing the water out of my eyes.
Cecilia stuck her tongue out at me, her grin full of mischief. Before I could say another word, another cold splash drenched me.
"If you do that one more time, I swear—"
Splash!
The water hit me harder this time, and I stood there sputtering like an idiot while Cecilia doubled over in laughter. Her giggles rang out around us, bouncing off the rocks and blending with the sounds of the river.
"You..." This time, I stepped into the river, cupping some of the water in my hands before throwing it at her.
"Pathetic!" she laughed, her eyes gleaming with playful delight.
I crouched low, dipping my hands into the river and scooping up a fistful of mud. She didn't notice my move until it was too late. With a wicked grin, I flung the muddy mess right at her.
"You should be more..."
Before she could finish, I flung the muddy sand straight at her face again, cutting her off mid-sentence.
"Mud? Seriously?" she sputtered, blinking in shock. But her surprise quickly dissolved into another fit of laughter, her voice ringing out over the rushing water. It was so infectious that I couldn't help but laugh with her.
"Well, splashing water on you felt kind of pointless since you're already soaked," I said, smirking. "Mud seemed like the next logical step."
"You ridiculous child," she said, shaking her head and wiping her face. "Come here."
She grabbed my wrist and tugged me closer with surprising strength, her grip firm but not unkind.
As I wiped droplets of water off my own face, I noticed her expression shift. The playful spark in her eyes dimmed, replaced by something heavier and more serious.
"There's a line drawn between two worlds," her voice dropped solemnly. "You want to stand on both sides of the line, but that's not where you belong."
Her words felt like a riddle, one I wasn't ready to solve. I blinked at her, confused. "Cecilia?"
Her grip on my wrist tightened, sending an icy shiver up my arm. The cold wasn't just physical—it felt like it seeped into my very bones.
"This is your destiny, Blake," she said, her tone sharpening. "You can't escape it. You have to choose: peace... or war."
A chill ran down my spine, colder than the water that surrounded us.
Before I could respond, she yanked me closer, her piercing gaze locking onto mine.
"The hatred," she continued, her voice rising, "it's been passed down from generation to generation, festering like a wound. You have to be the one to cleanse the world, it's your duty."
I flinched as her grip suddenly burned against my wrist. The pain made me wince. "Cecilia, you're hurting me."
But she didn't release me. Instead, her expression shifted into something almost otherworldly.
"It's your destiny, Blake," she whispered, and then, without warning, she shoved me beneath the water.
The icy river swallowed me whole, its currents roaring in my ears. I struggled, panic setting in as she held me there. Her chants echoed through the water, in a language I couldn't understand, the syllables twisting and vibrating unnaturally.
I clawed at her hands, at the water, at anything that might free me, but her strength was unyielding.
Cecilia, what are you doing? My chest screamed for air, but she didn't let up.
"Blake, relax," her voice sounded clear as day, even though we were completely submerged. Her calmness made it even more unnerving.
My heart pounded in my ears. "What the hell is going on?" I choked out, my words barely holding together in the chaos.
"Your baptism," she said, flashing a grin that felt disturbingly out of place.
"Baptism?" I sputtered, bubbles flying from my lips. "Cecilia, take me back up!"
"Not yet, Blake," she said firmly, her playful expression replaced by a deadly seriousness. "If you survive this, you'll understand."
If I survive? That was all I needed to hear. My body surged with adrenaline, and I pushed against her grip.
But she let go before I could even try to free myself.
For a brief, blissful moment, I thought I was free. But instead of floating to the surface, an unseen force latched onto me, yanking me downward like a puppet on a string.
"Cecilia, help me!" I screamed, but the water muffled my voice until it was swallowed whole.
I clawed at the void, desperate for something—anything—to hold onto, but all that surrounded me was an endless, crushing darkness.
The light above grew dimmer and dimmer until it vanished completely.
I was alone in the abyss.