The cabin shuddered under the weight of the storm outside—not of rain or wind, but the relentless onslaught of the Fallen. Shadows clawed at the windows, their growls shaking the very air. Inside, Grandma Imogen stood resolute, her glowing staff planted firmly on the wooden floor. The children were gathered behind her, huddled close, their faces pale with fear.
"Listen to me, all of you," Imogen said, her voice calm despite the chaos. "This is not the end. This is only the beginning. You are stronger than you think, but you must trust each other. Trust what's inside you."
Freya stumbled, clutching her head as a vision surged through her mind. The room blurred, and the horrifying scene played out before her once again. She saw the Fallen overwhelming the cabin, their grandmother falling to her knees, her staff shattered. She saw herself and the others running through the forest, tears streaming down their faces, clutching the objects Grandma Imogen had entrusted to them.
"No," Freya gasped, stumbling back. "This can't happen! Grandma, you can't—"
Imogen turned toward her youngest grandchild, her expression soft but firm. "Freya, child, you are seeing what might be. But you must remember—visions are only possibilities, not certainties. Now, focus. We don't have much time."
The Fallen surged again, and Imogen raised her staff. A wave of shimmering blue light radiated outward, forcing the shadowy creatures to retreat momentarily. The Harbinger stepped forward from the doorway, her glowing blue eyes blazing with defiance.
"You will not harm them," the Harbinger said, her voice echoing with power. She raised her hand, and a wall of blue flame erupted in the cabin's entryway, holding the Fallen at bay.
Imogen seized the moment, turning back to the children. "Gather around me. Quickly!"
The children obeyed, their fear momentarily replaced by determination as Imogen again reached into a chest near the hearth. She pulled out a series of items, each glowing faintly with an inner light.
"Alex," she said, handing him a sword with a glowing yellow hilt. "You are the Protector. This blade will serve you well, but remember—it is your heart, not your strength, that makes you worthy of this role. But do not doubt yourself for if you do it will be the end."
She turned to Pip, pressing a rolled-up map into her hands. The parchment felt warm to the touch, the markings faintly glowing red. "Pip, you are the Navigator. This map will guide you, but only if you awaken the magic inside you. Trust yourself, even when the path seems unclear."
"Antigone." Imogen handed her a staff carved with intricate runes. "You are the Leader. This staff carries the wisdom of our ancestors. Use it to guide, to protect, and to unite."
"Ophelia." Imogen placed a thick, leather-bound book into her hands. The book seemed alive, pulsing faintly with power. On top of it, she placed a small dagger, its blade wreathed in blue flames and a gem embedded in its hilt. "You are the Reader. The answers you seek lie within these pages and within you. You just need to learn how to awaken the book. Keep the dagger safe, for one day, he will ask for it as payment for an important deed. When the time comes, you'll understand."
Freya stepped forward hesitantly, and Imogen took her hands, placing a small pouch of vials into them. "Freya, my sweet healer. You have always felt more deeply than others. Your gift is not a burden—it is a strength. This is just the beginning of your visions, but do not let them paralyze you. Let them guide you."
Finally, Imogen reached into a small wooden box and withdrew five stones, each glowing faintly with a different hue. She placed one in each child's palm.
"These stones will awaken the magic within you. It has been asleep for generations, ever since the Forgotten were trapped in the in-between. Alex, yours is yellow. Pip, red. And you three, my precious triplets..." She smiled at them, though tears shimmered in her eyes. "Yours are purple and as identical as you girls on the outside, and as different as night and day inside ."
The children gasped as the stones began to glow brighter, then dissolved into their bodies in a flash of light. Alex clutched his chest as warmth spread through him, and Pip felt a strange pull toward the map in her hands. The triplets shivered as a wave of energy surged through them and they felt a unity, a cohesion and symmetry to their essence that went far beyond a triplet bond.
Imogen straightened, her face resolute. "You must go north," she said, her voice firm. "Find the ruins of the Forgotten. There, you will find answers. But you must move quickly. The Fallen will not stop until they have you."
"What about you?" Antigone asked, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You're coming with us, aren't you?"
Imogen placed a hand on her cheek, her expression soft. "My place is here. I must buy you time. Now go. Run!"
The Harbinger let out a cry as the Fallen surged again, her blue light flaring brightly to hold them back. The children hesitated for only a moment before Alex grabbed Pip's hand and led the charge out the back door. The triplets followed, Freya glancing back one last time.
"Grandma!" she screamed, but Imogen only shook her head, motioning for her to go.
The door slammed shut behind them, and Imogen turned back to face the Fallen. The Harbinger was on her knees, exhausted, but her light still flickered defiantly.
Imogen raised her staff high, her voice steady as she chanted an incantation. The runes along its length glowed brightly, and a pulse of energy erupted outward, forcing the Fallen to halt.
Out of earshot, as the children disappeared into the woods, Imogen whispered to herself, her voice filled with heartbreak. "I just hope they are strong enough to withstand the prophecy. And I hope the prophecy is wrong…"
Her voice broke, and tears streamed down her face. "What is lost… was never lost. It was just asleep. You will not be our curse, my loves. You will be our salvation. If you can bear the cost…"
The Fallen surged again, and Imogen raised her staff one final time. A brilliant light engulfed the cabin, the force of it shaking the earth.
Far away, the children stumbled as the ground quaked beneath them. Freya collapsed to her knees, sobbing as the vision came true.
The light faded, and the cabin was silent. The Fallen were gone, but so was Imogen.
The children ran north, their grandmother's final words echoing in their minds.
"To the north," Alex murmured, clutching his sword tightly. "To the ruins of the Forgotten."
And so, their journey began.