Night had fallen over Blackthorn Academy, casting its shadowed halls into an eerie stillness. The faint sound of the wind echoed through the corridors, brushing against the stone walls like a whispered warning. Most students were asleep, their minds occupied with dreams, but Lyanna, the head of the Amazons, was wide awake, sitting in her chambers with a dark glint in her eyes.
The rumors about Alice had not subsided in her mind, no matter how much they seemed to have dissipated around the school. Lyanna's instincts told her there was more to Alice than what anyone knew. The girl was dangerous, unpredictable, and worst of all, powerful. No witch—no matter how skilled—could best Andrea and her loyal Amazons the way Alice had.
But what truly unsettled Lyanna was the idea that Alice might be the last mermaid. It was impossible—or so Lyanna had thought. Yet there was something unearthly about her, something Lyanna couldn't ignore. And if Alice was a mermaid, Lyanna knew her duty: to eliminate her before she became a threat.
Sitting before a silver bowl filled with water, Lyanna chanted an ancient Amazon incantation. Her voice was low, resonating with a dark energy that seeped into the room. From the shadows, a large serpent slithered forth, its scales glinting like molten silver in the moonlight. Its eyes glowed a venomous green, and its forked tongue flickered menacingly.
"Find her," Lyanna whispered, her voice cold and commanding. "Strike her down where she lies."
The serpent raised its head, hissing softly in acknowledgment, before it vanished into the darkness. Lyanna leaned back in her chair, a cruel smile tugging at her lips. This time, she thought, Alice wouldn't stand a chance.
Alice lay sound asleep in her bed, the faint glow of moonlight streaming through the window. The room was silent, save for the soft rustling of the trees outside. Her bracelet gleamed faintly on her wrist, but she paid it no mind in her dreams.
The serpent moved silently through the halls of the dormitory, its sinuous body blending seamlessly into the shadows. It crept under the door to Alice's room, its glowing eyes fixed on its prey. The creature slithered closer, its fangs bared as it prepared to strike.
But just as it lunged toward Alice, a sudden burst of light erupted in the room.
Flaming swords materialized out of thin air, forming a protective barrier around her bed. The blades glowed with an intense, otherworldly light, their flames crackling with divine energy. The serpent recoiled, hissing in pain as it tried to break through the barrier, but the swords held firm, their fiery aura repelling the creature.
Alice stirred slightly in her sleep, unaware of the danger or the magical protection surrounding her. The serpent circled the bed, searching for a weak point in the barrier, but it was no use. Defeated, it retreated back to Lyanna.
The serpent returned to Lyanna, its body trembling with exhaustion. Lyanna frowned as she saw its condition, her frustration mounting. "What happened?" she demanded. "Why didn't you finish the job?"
The serpent hissed, its glowing eyes dimming as it conveyed the presence of the flaming swords. Lyanna's frown deepened. "Impossible," she muttered. "No witch could summon such a barrier. And mermaids don't possess that kind of power."
Determined to succeed, Lyanna sent the serpent back again. This time, she infused it with a stronger spell, its scales shimmering with an even more potent dark energy. The serpent slithered away, disappearing into the night.
The serpent returned, its presence darker and more menacing than before. It approached Alice's bed cautiously, wary of the flaming swords, but determined to complete its mission. It struck once more, and again, the swords flared to life, burning even brighter than before.
The serpent hissed in agony as the flames licked at its body, forcing it to retreat. But this time, instead of fleeing back to Lyanna, the serpent lunged a third time, determined to break through the barrier.
The swords responded with overwhelming force, their flames consuming the serpent entirely. Its body writhed and twisted in pain before it dissolved into ash, leaving behind only a faint trace of smoke.
Alice remained undisturbed, her bracelet glowing faintly as the swords slowly disappeared, their job complete.
In her chambers, Lyanna felt the serpent's death as a sharp pang in her chest. She clutched her heart, her face pale with shock. "How could this be?" she whispered to herself. The creature she had summoned was one of her most powerful, and yet it had been utterly destroyed.
As the realization sank in, a chill ran down her spine. This wasn't the power of a mermaid. Mermaids were strong, yes, but they were creatures of the sea, bound by the water and its limitations. The kind of strength Alice had displayed was something else entirely—something ancient, something far more dangerous.
Lyanna paced the room, her mind racing. "She can't be a mermaid," she muttered. "But if she's not a mermaid... then what is she?"
For the first time in a long while, Lyanna felt a flicker of fear. Whatever Alice was, it was clear she was more powerful than anyone had anticipated. And if Lyanna wanted to protect the Amazons—and herself—she would need to find out the truth, no matter the cost.
Alice woke up feeling unusually refreshed, unaware of the events that had transpired during the night. She stretched and got out of bed, glancing at her bracelet as it caught the morning light. It looked the same as always, but something about it felt... different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
As she got ready for the day, Alice noticed that the students in the hallway seemed to be whispering more than usual. She caught snippets of conversations—rumors about strange lights and mysterious occurrences during the night. But Alice paid them no mind. Rumors were always circulating at Blackthorn, and she had learned not to let them bother her.
For now, she was just another student at the academy. But deep down, she knew that whatever had happened last night was only the beginning.
And the truth about her identity was closer to being revealed than ever before.