The rain whispered against the arched windows of the grand Valencary estate, a steady rhythm that seemed to echo the melancholy within its walls.
A pale moon cast its light over the vast gardens, illuminating statues of serpents and ancient gods, their unblinking gazes fixed on the eternal.
In the heart of the sprawling mansion, an infant's cry pierced the stillness, fragile yet commanding—a harbinger of something profound.
She was born with eyes that mirrored the storm and a presence that seemed too large for her tiny frame.
Her mother, weak but resolute, cradled her against her chest, murmuring ancient words in a language long forgotten.
A shiver ran through the air as though the world itself had paused to witness the moment.
"She carries the mark," her mother whispered to the nursemaid, her voice trembling with both fear and reverence. "Take her. Hide her. She must not know who she is… not yet."
The nursemaid, an aging woman with weathered hands and a loyal heart, hesitated. "But, Signora Valencary, the family—"
"They would destroy her or use her for their games," her mother cut in sharply. "She is the heir to something far greater than their schemes. Swear to me, Esmeralda, that you will keep her safe until the time comes."
Esmeralda nodded, clutching the swaddled infant as though her life depended on it. "I swear it."
The mother's gaze softened, but her voice held a warning edge. "Remember, she is not like other children. Keep her from the world's corruption, but never let her forget that she is not ordinary. The Valencary bloodline is a curse and a blessing. One day, she will face her destiny, and when she does, the world will tremble."
Years passed like whispers in the wind. Within the confines of an unassuming villa in the American countryside, the girl grew.
Sheltered and secluded, she learned of the world only through books and stories. Her days were filled with gentle lessons, her nights with dreams of serpents and shadowed figures calling her name.
She remained blissfully unaware of the truth—that she was the last of a bloodline feared by gods and monsters alike.
But fate, like the serpent in the garden, is never idle.
Eighteen years later, the girl—naive, innocent, and yearning for freedom—stood before the gates of the prestigious Istituto di Venefica, an elite academy nestled in the heart of Italy.
To the untrained eye, the school was a haven for the wealthy and brilliant, a utopia of learning and prestige.
But beneath its marble facade lay a world of sin and shadow, where alliances were forged in blood, and the line between friend and foe blurred into darkness.
Among its illustrious students were the heirs to the world's most feared mafia family: the De Luca quintuplets.
Known as the Sons of Hades, they ruled the school with an iron fist, their supernatural abilities as legendary as their tempers.
They were chaos incarnate, the very embodiment of danger, and they had been waiting.
For her.
As she crossed the threshold of Istituto di Venefica, the air seemed to shift, heavy with an unspoken promise.
Eyes turned toward her, curiosity mingled with unease.
The quintuplets, seated like dark kings on their thrones, exchanged a glance, their predatory smiles belying their amusement.
The girl's journey had begun.
Unbeknownst to her, she was not merely stepping into a school but into a battlefield where myths would awaken, legends would collide, and love—twisted and perilous—would challenge the very fabric of destiny.
And at the center of it all was the Valencary emblem—a Medusa, her serpents poised to strike.
The serpent had whispered.
The world was about to listen.
To Be Continued...