The private room was a testament to the clinic's state-of-the-art facilities. The walls were adorned with sleek, silver accents, and the floor was covered with a plush, cream-colored carpet. The room was filled with the soft glow of LED lights, and the air was fresh and clean, thanks to the advanced air purification system. A large window on one side of the room offered a stunning view of the surrounding landscape, but the blinds were currently closed, casting the room in a warm, golden light.
Selena and Ava had been lying in the room's two beds, both of them unconscious and connected to an array of beeping machines. Liam stood beside Ava's bed, his eyes fixed on her pale face. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as Ava's eyes flickered open, but it was short-lived.
"Ava, oh thank God," Liam whispered, his voice shaking with emotion.
But Ava's eyes were wild and unfocused, her gaze darting around the room with a look of terror.
"Daddy," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Daddy, what's happened? Did it hit us?"
Liam's heart sank as he realized that Ava was still disoriented, still trapped in the trauma of the vision. He felt a pang of worry and helplessness, unsure of how to calm his daughter's fears.
Jonah stood on the other side of the room, his eyes fixed on Ava's small form. He felt a lump form in his throat as he watched his sister struggle to regain her composure. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he didn't know how.
Liam tried to reassure Ava, his voice soft and gentle. "Ava, it's okay," he whispered. "You're safe. Mom is going to be okay." But Ava's eyes only grew wider, her gaze fixed on something beyond Liam's shoulder.
"The asteroid," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's coming. We have to stop it."
Liam's heart skipped a beat as he heard Ava's words. He knew that she was still trapped in the vision, reliving the trauma of the asteroid's impact. He felt a surge of determination, knowing that he had to find a way to help Ava overcome her fears and stop the asteroid before it was too late.
"Don't worry about that, you're only a kid. Let Grandma, Mom, Dad, and the older seers take care of it. Dônn only tells us what we might see happen. Dônn didn't see you or Aya coming. We can change things just like that." Eun Ho comforted her.
Liam's heart froze as he realized the truth. Ava's vision had shown her the impact, something that threatened the very survival of their world. Had the mission not succeeded? Back to the conference calls for him. That was after his wife woke up. He did not know if he could survive the world alone without her. He looked at his daughter.
But he quickly composed himself, trying to reassure Ava. "Ava, we're already working on it," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "Mom, Dad, Uncle Mike, and I are all working together to stop the asteroid. Don't be scared, sweetie. We've got this."
Ava's eyes locked onto Dad's, and for a moment, he saw a glimmer of hope. She was scared, but she trusted him. She trusted her family.
Ava looked at her sleeping mother, her eyes filled with concern. "Dad, what happened to Mom?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Liam's face was etched with worry as he looked at Ava. "I'm not entirely sure, sweetie," he said, his voice honest. "But we're doing everything we can to help her."
Just then, the door to the lab area swung open, and Amelia, Selena's grandmother, walked in, using a cane to support herself. Time had indeed caught up with her, and she looked much older and frailer than before.
Jonah, Selena's brother, followed closely behind his grandmother Amelia, his eyes filled with concern. She had the hardest time getting off the jet when he picked her up. He steadied her protectively as she opened the door.
Amelia's eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene before her. Her gaze landed on Selena, and she quickly made her way to her granddaughter's side. She felt a powerful pull.
Amelia reached out and gently cupped Selena's face, her eyes filled with love and worry. "She knew it'd be the last one if I was here and helped," Amelia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Poor thing didn't consider Rose or her mother."
As Amelia spoke, she reached in and read her consciousness and felt the familiar presence she didn't have the strength to talk to; her gaze saddened. Amelia's eyes narrowed, "She wants to speak. Can you talk to her?" Amelia looked to Eun Ho.
"Dônn, we only see her once. That should be impossible," Eun Ho said, her voice filled with shock.
Liam's eyes widened as he looked at Amelia. "She already talked to her again, multiple times," Liam said.
Amelia's gaze turned bewildered. "She has seen her more than once?" Her eyes locked onto Liam's, and she nodded slightly. Exactly how powerful was her grandchild? Her own abilities were magnified after the twins were born.
"It seems we have more to speak about with her," she said, her voice anxious and saddened for her granddaughter. "She's holding on to Selena. Selena's consciousness has been with her these days. Eun Ho, let's not keep her waiting." There was a likelihood that it could drive her crazy. Amelia had been out of sorts after her own days of visions when she was awakened. Her granddaughter was lying there in yet another vision.
Amelia's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as she handed the hatpin to Eun Ho. Eun Ho sighed, looking at the slightly dulled point.
"Would you prefer a scalpel? The cuts heal better, it hurts less?" Liam asked, his voice laced with a hint of concern.
Eun Ho's gaze flicked to Amelia, her eyes questioning. It seemed like Selena had indeed confided in Liam about her family's secrets. Perhaps she didn't want her relationship to be like Noe Jin-ae and Park Gulduk's, where secrets and lies had torn them apart.
Eun Ho's eyes narrowed slightly, her mind racing with thoughts. She didn't have to tell Jonathan about this, but would Rose tell Greyson? The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Amelia's eyes locked onto Eun Ho's, and she nodded slightly. "Let's just get on with it," she said, her voice calm and collected.
Eun Ho's eyes locked onto Liam's as she replied, "I'll have a scalpel."
Liam's face was a mask of calmness, but his mind was racing with thoughts. He had seen the toll that the Seer's power had taken on Selena, and he was determined to do everything in his power to protect her.
He quickly set a tray down in front of Eun Ho, stocked with everything she would need to perform the ritual. Liam's eyes met Eun Ho's, and he asked, "You will be staying here, right, Eun Ho? Aya is probably going to need you next."
Liam's thoughts were consumed by the weight that Selena had to carry. She was no longer the last Seer, but the goddess seemed to be relentless in her demands. Why was the goddess so cruel?
"Of course, my daughter did not tell me about this being a possibility, I would have been here. Selena must have had her reasons or was surprised." Eun Ho said as she cleaned her hand and the scalpel with alcohol, and she took the scalpel and cut into her hand with a hiss. "I really dislike how much it costs to make a call to the goddess. This should be a free call."
As he watched Eun Ho cut into her palm, Liam's mind wandered to Aya and Molly's future. He knew that they would one day have to face the same challenges that Selena had faced.
They'd need to learn this rite, thought sent a shiver down his spine. All the kids would. Their grandchildren. He looked at the women with reverence.
Eun Ho's eyes seemed to glaze over as she spoke the words, "Faiceamaid a' Bhan-dia." The air in the room seemed to thicken, and Amelia's eyes widened in shock.
Eun Ho's eyes locked onto Selena as she grasped her daughter's hand, her own hand bleeding profusely from the scalpel cut. The blood pooled in her palm, a deep crimson that seemed to glow in the dim light.
As Eun Ho reached into Selena's mind, her vision began to intensify, shifting from a foggy haze to a golden splendor that seemed to illuminate everything around her. The golden warm light first grasped her soul like a warm bath.
"Daughter of Jin-ae, speak my words exactly," Dônn commanded, her voice low and hypnotic.
As she spoke, the air around them seemed to shimmer and tremble, as if the very fabric of reality was being manipulated. The golden light intensified, and Selena's eyes seemed to shut tighter, both their minds becoming a vessel for Dônn's words.
Dônn, the ancient power that they had seen in visions, flashed into being, its presence filling the room with an otherworldly energy. The air seemed to vibrate with its power, and Selena's body began to glow with a soft, golden light. She seemed to be enveloped by an aura of gold.
As the light intensified, Selena's voice began to speak, her words echoing Eun Ho's exactly. "A thig a dh'fhàgail an t-saoghal seo, tha mi a' cur a dh'aindeoin do bhàs…"
Selena's eyelashes fluttered, and Eun Ho gasped, her head thrown back. Her voice was no longer her own, but a low, raspy growl. "Feumaidh tu a' ghealach a ìobairt."
Amelia's face contorted in horror, and then anger. "Nach eil a pian gu leòr? Ciamar a b' urrainn a fuil agus a beatha do shàbhaladh?" she countered, her voice shaking with anger. Liam was utterly shocked by the otherworldly event. They were speaking Gaelic, an old language.
She slammed her cane on the floor, the sound echoing through the room. "I gave you my life, she has too, why?" Amelia demanded, her eyes blazing with fury.
Ava scrambled into the corner of her bed in fear. Jonah backed away; he stared transfixed at the being he held in the highest esteem. The room pulsed in waves of heat and chill. It looked huge, like a wall in the vision. It must have scaled itself down to fit in here.
Eun Ho's face contorted, her eyes rolling back in her head. She gasped, confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean, child, the moon is mine, she belongs to me?" Both Selena's and Eun Ho's voices sounded.
"Oh, now you'll speak the modern language back?" Amelia spat. "No, she serves you. She is not yours." Amelia argued.
Eun Ho's neck flicked. Dônn spoke through the pair, "It occurred to me I am being misunderstood. I was trusting you to deliver the message to the right person. I must say it again.
Eun Ho's gaze changed as her head turned forced and panned, her brow furrowed in confusion as Dônn continued to use her and her daughter as a mouthpiece. "You," Dônn paused. "You must sacrifice the Moon." Tears streamed down Eun Ho's face as she heard it.
Liam looked on, his face twisted in agony. The golden light seemed to envelope Selena, the heart rate and blood pressure monitor beeping like crazy. Dônn seemed to sink into her. The golden light disappeared as it sank in.
Eun Ho's knees weakened, and her face crumpled; she sobbed. "No, not my moon." She scrambled to her daughter. "Selena," she cried. "I won't, Amelia, not over my dead body. Take me Dônn, please..please.. please." Eun Ho's fist beat the hospital beat and shook.
Amelia collapsed from the stress of it all; it was just too much for her. All the planning just for a human sacrifice? This wasn't what she was taught about Dônn.