"Good, my daughter. Very good, my Selenia."
A woman's voice echoed through the void of darkness surrounding me. Her tone was warm yet distant, like a memory from a life I couldn't quite recall.
"For restoring hope to a mother who had lost everything, I grant you this gift—your lineage shall be numerous and powerful. Go now, little one, and finish what must be done."
I tried to speak, to ask who she was, but no sound came from my lips. I felt myself being pulled upward, away from the comforting darkness, through a whirlpool of light that made my skin tingle and my bones ache.
"Pass, Seraphina. Pass this trial."
The words faded as consciousness slammed back into me. My lungs burned as I coughed violently, expelling water onto what felt like a smooth, solid surface. My vision swam, blurry shapes gradually coming into focus as I gasped for air.
Golden. Everything around me was golden.
