The Chosen shall rise in light or fall in shadow.
It was midnight, and Ember Drew could not sleep. She lay in bed, listening to the rain hit her window. The house was quiet. Her dad Daniel Drew, stepmom Clara Drew and stepsister Hailey Drew were asleep.
Ember felt lonely, like she didn't belong anywhere.
She held the necklace around her neck—a small black stone that used to belong to her mother before she died. It was the only thing Ember had left of her.
THUD.
Ember sat up fast. That sound came from downstairs.
She slowly got out of bed and picked up her desk lamp, holding it like a weapon. She walked out of her room, down the hall, and to the stairs. Every step made her heartbeat faster.
She reached the living room.
The front door was wide open.
Cold rain blew inside the house. Right in the middle of the floor was a book. A strange, thick, old book.
Ember walked closer, confused and scared. The book looked ancient, covered in black leather with strange symbols on it. She felt it before she even touched it—this belonged to her mother.
Her hand shook as she reached out.
The moment her fingers touched the cover the book opened by itself.
Pages flipped fast on their own until they stopped on a blank page.
Black ink began to appear.
Words were writing themselves.
First, a strange language appeared, letters Ember didn't understand. Then, under it, clear English words formed:
THE PROPHECY HAS AWAKENED.
THE SHADOWS KNOW YOUR NAME.
Ember stared at the words. What did that mean?
A cold feeling spread through the room.
She felt something behind her.
Slowly, she turned toward the open door.
A tall dark shape stood outside in the rain. It looked like a person—but made of smoke and shadows. Its body was black and twisted. It had no face. And it was moving toward her.
Ember backed away, shaking. Her breath caught in her throat.
The shadow rushed toward her.
Suddenly, someone pulled Ember back.
"Move!" a woman's voice shouted.
Ember stumbled and looked up. A woman stood in front of her—dark hair, sharp eyes, long coat. She held a silver knife glowing with blue light.
She slashed the shadow creature and it screamed like metal tearing apart.
Ember stared in shock. "Who are you?!"
The woman looked at her with serious eyes.
"My name is Lyra. I'm your aunt."
She grabbed Ember's arm. "If you want to stay alive, come with me. Now."
The shadow creature lunged toward them again.
Ember didn't think.
She ran
Ember ran into the night rain beside Lyra. Her heart pounded as they reached a black SUV parked by the road. Lyra pushed Ember into the passenger seat and jumped into the driver's seat.
The shadow creature came rushing after them.
Lyra started the car fast and drove away. Ember looked out the back window and saw the shadow standing in the street, watching them leave.
"What was that thing?" Ember asked, breathing hard.
"A shadow demon," Lyra said. Her voice was calm but serious. "And it won't be the last one you see."
Ember stared at her. "A demon? That's not real."
Lyra looked at her. "You just saw it."
Ember had no answer. She held onto the strange book, still shocked it was real. She looked down at it. "This… this belonged to my mom, didn't it?"
Lyra nodded once. "Yes."
Ember frowned. "You knew my mother? My dad said she had no family."
"Your father doesn't know the truth," Lyra said, eyes on the road.
"What truth?"
Lyra glanced at the book. "Your mother was not a normal person. And neither are you."
Ember shook her head. "No. I'm normal. I go to school, I live in a normal town, I don't—"
"Normal?" Lyra cut in. "Then explain why a demon came after you tonight."
Ember went silent.
Lyra continued, "There is something inside you, Ember. Something powerful. Your mother tried to hide you from it—but it has found you now."
Ember pressed a hand over the necklace she wore. "Why was that thing after me? Why me?"
Lyra hesitated before answering.
"Because of the prophecy."
Ember frowned. "What prophecy?"
Lyra looked straight ahead. "The prophecy of Raven's Peak."
Ember didn't know why, but the name sent a strange chill through her.
"And what does this prophecy say?"
Lyra didn't answer right away. For a moment, Ember thought she wouldn't. Then Lyra said:
"It says a girl will rise. Marked by fate. Hunted by shadows. And in the end… she will either save us all."
Ember swallowed. "And if she doesn't?"
Lyra looked at her with cold eyes.
"Then she will doom the world."
Ember felt a cold weight in her stomach. "You think that girl is me?"
Lyra didn't blink.
"I know it is."
The car fell silent. Ember didn't want to believe any of this. Prophecies. Demons. Raven's Peak. None of it made sense.
"I just want to go home," Ember whispered.
Lyra shook her head. "You can't go home now." She drove off the main road, turning down a dirt path surrounded by trees.
"Why not?"
"Because the shadows know who you are now. They will come. Tonight was only the beginning."
Ember looked at her, fear growing inside her again. "Where are you taking me?"
Lyra finally answered.
"To where it all began."
Ember's eyes narrowed. "Where?"
Lyra looked at her.
"Raven's Peak."
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