The car rumbled slowly along the gravel driveway, the tires crunching beneath them as the towering gates of the Landi estate loomed ever closer.
Venus could feel her heart pounding in her chest, a combination of nerves and curiosity rising within her. She hadn't set foot in the estate in years, and yet, everything about it felt familiar, almost like a dream she hadn't fully awakened from.
The mansion itself came into view, an imposing structure with ivy crawling up its stone walls and windows that seemed to watch them as they approached.
Despite the grandeur, it felt empty, cold even. The large wooden doors loomed ahead, their dark oak finish gleaming under the afternoon sun, as if waiting to open and reveal secrets long buried.
Matteo, driving in silence, gripped the steering wheel tighter. His jaw was clenched, and Venus could tell he was trying to suppress whatever emotions stirred within him.
Banibi, sitting in the backseat beside her, was unusually quiet. Normally, he would crack a joke or comment about the estate's imposing look, but today, he was just staring out the window, lost in his thoughts.
As the car came to a halt in front of the mansion's grand entrance, Venus felt an eerie sense of déjà vu. The same grand staircase leading to the door. The statues that lined the walkway. The same cold stone façade she remembered from her childhood. It had all been unchanged, frozen in time.
"Stay close," Matteo said softly, his voice laced with a warning. His tone was serious, and Venus could see the tension in his shoulders.
"Is everything okay, Dad?" Venus asked, her voice shaky. She didn't know what to expect, but something told her that the moment they stepped inside, everything would change.
Matteo didn't respond immediately. Instead, he put the car in park and turned off the engine. He glanced at both Venus and Banibi, as though weighing his words.
"There's something you need to understand," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "The Landi family… We have traditions. Long-standing traditions that have been passed down for generations."
Venus and Banibi exchanged a glance. Banibi raised an eyebrow, clearly not sure what Matteo meant. "Traditions?" he repeated, his voice skeptical. "Like what? We're just here to clean up a few family things and leave, right?"
Matteo's eyes softened for a moment, but his face quickly hardened again. "It's not that simple. And it's not just about what's left behind. There's something else. Something you'll both need to participate in."
Before Venus could ask more, the heavy front doors of the mansion swung open, and two figures stepped out onto the porch. They were unmistakably part of the Landi family, their proud postures and regal demeanor impossible to miss.
One was an older man, dressed in a sharply tailored suit. His silver hair gleamed under the sunlight, and his eyes were sharp, cold even. This was Matteo's uncle, Rafael Landi.
The other was a younger woman, with long black hair and dark eyes. She wore a floor-length black dress that flowed as she walked, her posture impeccable. This was Matteo's cousin, Bianca Landi.
"Well, well," Rafael's voice broke the silence, as he stepped down the steps to greet them. His expression was a mix of curiosity and disdain. "Matteo, you've finally returned." His gaze flicked to Venus and Banibi, sizing them up with an appraising look. "And your children, I see. How charming."
Bianca followed closely behind, her expression unreadable. "It's been too long," she said coolly, her eyes lingering on Venus for a moment longer than necessary. "I trust you've come to honor your family's history?"
Venus swallowed hard. The tension in the air was thick, and she could feel it closing in around her. Matteo didn't respond immediately, but his shoulders tensed as if bracing for something he knew was coming.
"You know why we're here, don't you, Matteo?" Rafael continued, his voice now tinged with something darker. "The Rite of the Ancestors is upon us. It's time."
"The Rite?" Banibi muttered, his face betraying confusion. "What are you talking about? What 'Rite'?"
Rafael's lips curled into a thin smile, and Bianca's eyes gleamed with an almost predatory sharpness. "The Rite of the Ancestors," Bianca repeated, her voice as cold as her gaze. "It's the ceremony that binds us to the Landi legacy. To our bloodline."
Venus felt a chill crawl up her spine as she glanced at Matteo. His expression was now unreadable, his face hardened as though he was preparing for an impending storm.
"Every generation of Landis must undergo the Rite," Rafael explained, his gaze flicking from Venus to Banibi. "It's a tradition, one that has been followed since the first Landi came to this land. The Rite ensures that we remain true to our ancestors. That we honor their legacy. And that we…" He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "That we are worthy of our inheritance."
Inheritances. Legacy. Venus felt a knot tighten in her stomach as she tried to process what was happening. She had heard whispers of the Landi family's mysterious rituals, but she had never known much about them. She'd always assumed they were just eccentric old family traditions, like old money with too much time on their hands. But this, this felt different. The weight of Rafael's words hung in the air, a subtle threat beneath his otherwise calm demeanor.
"Worthy of our inheritance?" Banibi repeated, frowning. "What does that even mean? You're talking like we have to prove something."
Bianca's eyes flicked to Banibi, her lips curling into a tight smile. "You'll see soon enough," she said. "The Rite isn't just something you 'prove' yourself worthy of. It's a test of your blood. A test of your resolve. And when it's done… you'll understand your place in the Landi family. You'll understand what you're meant to carry."
Venus's mind raced. Her place? What was that supposed to mean?
"Enough with the cryptic talk," Matteo interjected suddenly, his voice sharper than before. "I've come to settle what needs to be settled. If you have a problem with that, then we can discuss it later."
Rafael's gaze hardened for a moment, but he said nothing. Bianca, however, stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Venus. "You have no idea what you're walking into, do you?" she asked, her voice low, almost teasing.
Venus didn't know what to say. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something she couldn't quite see, something bigger than her, bigger than anything she had prepared for. She glanced at Banibi, who was now visibly tense, his hands clenched into fists.
Matteo turned to them both, his face serious. "There's no turning back now," he said quietly. "Once you begin the Rite, you cannot stop it."
Venus's stomach twisted. What had her father gotten them into? What was the Rite? What did it mean for her and Banibi?
And most importantly, why hadn't her father told them any of this before now?
Matteo led them up the grand staircase, his steps quick and purposeful. Venus and Banibi followed, trying to keep up with the pace, but both of them felt the weight of the situation sinking in.
The air seemed to grow colder as they entered the mansion, a sense of foreboding hanging thick in the atmosphere. Venus couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous awaited them.
The interior of the mansion was just as she remembered: cold, dark, and filled with relics of a bygone era. Paintings of past Landis adorned the walls, their eyes seeming to follow them as they walked past.
The antique furniture, the grand chandeliers, and the marble floors all exuded an air of wealth and old-world grandeur. But there was something about the silence that unsettled her, something unnatural about how the mansion seemed frozen in time.
Rafael and Bianca flanked them, each step they took echoing down the long hallway. Bianca moved silently, her eyes scanning Venus as if assessing her every move. Rafael, on the other hand, moved with purpose, his gaze never leaving Matteo, as though he were silently judging every action Matteo made.
"Come along," Bianca said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "The Rite won't wait forever."
Venus couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down her spine at her words. What was this Rite? What was its purpose? She felt as if the questions she had about her family were multiplying by the second, and yet none of the Landis family members seemed willing to explain anything in detail.
Finally, they reached a large set of doors. Unlike the rest of the mansion, these doors seemed new, sleek, modern, and contrasting with the grandiose decor of the rest of the house.
The dark wood was polished to a high sheen, the golden handles gleaming as if they had been recently cleaned. Without saying a word, Rafael opened the doors, revealing a large, circular room bathed in dim, golden light.
The room was unlike any part of the mansion Venus had seen before. The walls were adorned with hangings illustrating scenes of ancient rites, tribal symbols, fire rituals, and ancestors in ceremonial attire.
The air smelled faintly of incense, and the only light came from an intricate chandelier hanging from the ceiling, its candles flickering like tiny flames.
At the center of the room stood a stone altar, draped in dark velvet cloth. The air around the altar seemed to hum, as if it were alive with some unseen energy.
Venus's heart skipped a beat. This was it. This was where the Rite would take place.
Rafael stepped into the center of the room and gestured for them to follow. "We begin now," he said, his voice low and reverent. Bianca stood behind him, watching them closely with an unreadable expression.
Venus and Banibi exchanged nervous glances but obeyed, stepping into the room. Matteo, standing beside them, looked pale, almost ghostly, as if he were reliving something painful. He reached out and placed a hand on Venus's shoulder, as if to steady himself.
"This is the Ritual of the Ancestors," Matteo said quietly, his voice tight. "It is not just a ceremony, it's a binding. It connects you to the past, to our legacy."
Banibi, ever the skeptic, frowned. "Connects us? To what, exactly? All we've ever heard are whispers of these family traditions. What do they really mean?"
"You will see soon enough," Bianca answered coldly, stepping forward with a solemn expression. "Now, stand together."
Venus and Banibi moved to the center of the room, where the altar awaited them. It was covered in dark velvet cloth, and a strange, multicolored object rested on top of it. Venus's eyes widened.
The object was a piece of artifact, round and rainbow-colored, with swirling patterns that seemed to shift as she looked at it. It shimmered like it had a life of its own, almost hypnotic.
"This," Rafael said, his voice filled with reverence, "is the Heirloom of the Landi family. The artifact is a symbol of our bloodline and our strength. It is said to be imbued with the power of our ancestors, their spirits, and their knowledge."
Venus stared at the object, a mixture of awe and unease building within her. There was something about it, something unsettling. The colors that shifted, the way the light reflected off its surface, it seemed almost unnatural.
"What are we supposed to do with it?" Banibi asked, his voice full of skepticism.
Rafael's eyes gleamed. "The Rite requires you to touch it. To embrace the power it holds. Only then will you understand the true nature of your bloodline."
Bianca stepped forward, her movements graceful and deliberate. She reached out and touched the artifact, her fingers caressing its smooth surface. The moment she made contact, the room seemed to shift. The air grew heavier, and Venus felt a surge of energy pulse through her body, a strange tingling sensation that left her breathless.
"There," Bianca said softly, her eyes glowing with a strange intensity. "You're beginning to feel it now, aren't you?"
Venus hesitated but then reached out, her fingers brushing the artifact. A shock of energy coursed through her, and for a brief moment, everything around her went silent.
The noise of the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of her own heartbeat. She felt an overwhelming pull, as if the artifact were drawing her in, calling her to something deeper, something ancient.
Banibi stood beside her, his fingers hovering just above the artifact. He looked at Venus, his expression tense. "Venus, what's happening?" he whispered, but she couldn't answer. She was too lost in the sensation.
Rafael's voice broke through the silence. "You must embrace it," he said, his tone almost a command. "The artifact does not simply belong to you, it chooses you. And now, you must prove you are worthy."
Venus's heart pounded as the sensation intensified. She could feel the power within the artifact, it was almost as if the energy of the Landi ancestors were surrounding her, watching her, judging her. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself, but it was like the world around her was shifting.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw something that took her breath away. The artifact, which had once been stationary, was now glowing with an ethereal light. The swirling patterns on its surface seemed to move, almost as if they were alive.
"Your bloodline," Rafael said, his voice echoing in the room, "has always been marked by power. The Rite binds you to that power. It tests your resolve. And now, you must decide: will you accept your legacy?"
Venus stood frozen, her mind racing. She felt the weight of the decision bearing down on her, the sense of responsibility, of inheritance, flooding her every thought.
And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. The power she felt was intoxicating, but it was also terrifying.
"I…" Venus's voice faltered, her hand still resting on the artifact. "I don't know what this means."
"You will," Bianca said quietly, "in time."
The room seemed to grow darker, the shadows stretching longer, and Venus's heart skipped a beat. The sense of unease had only deepened. She couldn't shake the feeling that this Rite, this ceremony was far from over.
The ceremony ended as abruptly as it began. Without so much as a word, Rafael declared the proceedings complete, leaving Venus and Banibi dazed and confused.
Matteo avoided their eyes, muttering something about needing rest, before disappearing down one of the mansion's endless corridors.
Venus stood frozen for a moment, her hand still tingling from touching the artifact. A wave of anger and confusion welled up inside her.
"Come on," Banibi said softly, tugging at her sleeve. "Let's go to our rooms."
Venus nodded, reluctantly following him through the maze of hallways until they reached their designated quarters.
The rooms were luxurious, far too large and polished for her liking but Venus barely noticed. Her mind was spinning with everything she'd just witnessed.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands as if the answers to her questions might magically appear there. The artifact, the energy, the cryptic words about her "legacy", it was all too much.
And her father…"Why didn't he tell us anything about this?" she muttered to herself, her anger bubbling to the surface. "How could he drag us here without warning?"
Banibi's voice came from the adjoining room, muffled but clear enough. "Because he's scared. He knows this place is messed up."
Venus didn't respond. Her frustration with Matteo burned too hot for her to agree or disagree. She curled up on the bed, pulling her knees to her chest, and stared out the window at the dark estate grounds.
Hours later, a knock sounded on her door. Venus stirred, her anger still simmering but dulled by exhaustion.
"Yes?" she called.
The door creaked open, and an older woman stepped inside. Venus recognized her immediately, the housekeeper, Mrs. Louisa, who had worked at the mansion for as long as Venus could remember.
Her graying hair was neatly tied back, and her uniform was spotless.
"Dinner is served," Mrs. Louisa said, her tone neutral. "You're expected in the dining room."
Venus blinked. "Dinner? After all that?"
Mrs. Louisa gave her a thin smile. "Family tradition, Miss Landi. We always gather for dinner after the Rite."
Venus opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. Instead, she nodded curtly and followed Mrs. Louisa down the hall, meeting Banibi and Matteo along the way. She kept her distance from her father, her silence sharp enough to cut.
The dining room was just as she remembered; long, opulent, and uncomfortably formal. A massive chandelier hung above the table, its crystals catching the light from the roaring fireplace.
The table was already set, laden with silverware, crystal glasses, and steaming dishes that smelled tantalizingly rich.
The rest of the family was already seated when they arrived. Rafael sat at the head of the table, looking as composed as ever, while Bianca sipped her wine with the air of someone who owned the world.
Several other relatives Venus barely recognized filled the seats, chatting and laughing as if the events of the evening had been a simple family gathering rather than a surreal, ancestral ritual.
Venus slid into a seat beside Banibi, her jaw clenched as she observed the others. Matteo sat farther down the table, his gaze fixed on his plate. No one seemed to acknowledge the tension radiating from their side of the table.
"Ah, the younger Landis have joined us," Rafael said, raising his glass in a mock toast. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "I trust you found the Rite enlightening."
Venus bristled but said nothing. Banibi gave a noncommittal shrug, reaching for the breadbasket.
"Enlightening?" Venus thought bitterly. More like terrifying.
As the courses began to arrive, the conversation flowed freely among the others.
Bianca regaled the table with tales of her recent travels, while another relative, a distant cousin named Marco, boasted about his latest business venture.
Venus barely touched her food, her appetite drowned by the absurdity of it all. How could they act so normal? Did no one else feel the weight of what had just happened?
"Venus," Bianca's voice broke through her thoughts. "You've been quiet."
Venus looked up, startled to find Bianca's sharp eyes fixed on her.
"I'm just…processing," she said carefully.
Bianca's smile was faint but pointed. "Understandable. The first Rite can be overwhelming."
Venus forced a tight-lipped smile and returned to her plate, unwilling to engage further. But Bianca wasn't done.
"You'll find," Bianca continued, her voice smooth, "that the Landi legacy has a way of revealing itself in time. It's not something to fear, it's something to embrace."
Venus's grip tightened on her fork. "I don't even know what that legacy is."
Rafael chuckled, a low, humorless sound. "All in due time, my dear. For now, enjoy the meal. You'll need your strength."
The cryptic remark sent a chill down Venus's spine. She glanced at Banibi, who gave her a look that said, What the hell does that mean?
The rest of the dinner passed in a blur of conversation and laughter that Venus found increasingly surreal.
By the time the last course was served, she felt like she was suffocating under the weight of the family's collective denial.
When the meal finally ended, Rafael stood, raising his glass once more.
"To family," he said, his voice carrying a strange finality. "May the bonds of our bloodline never falter."
The others echoed the toast, their voices ringing out in unison. Venus stayed silent, her eyes fixed on her glass.
As the family dispersed, Venus lingered at the table, her mind racing. She felt Banibi's hand on her shoulder and looked up to see his concerned expression.
"We need to talk," he said quietly.
Venus nodded. "Yeah. We do."
Together, they left the din