My eighteenth birthday was supposed to be the turning point of my life. As the only child of my Duke father, I had been declared the heir to his legacy and lands. This, of course, attracted the attention of many noble families' sons around me. But there was one among them whose gaze managed to make my heart flutter from the very first moment: Count Alaric.

Alaric was a charismatic young man whose handsomeness was legendary. At every reception, every ball, he would approach me, showering me with the most beautiful compliments that caressed my heart. Although I initially enjoyed this attention, my father's advice echoed in my ears: "A noblewoman should act with her mind, not her heart, my Seraphina." My father believed that Alaric's family was not well-established and that his true aim was my wealth.

However, love is an emotion that transcends the boundaries of reason. I couldn't ignore the warm feeling that blossomed within me with every glance, every touch of Alaric's. He spoke such beautiful words to me that it felt as if the entire universe consisted only of the two of us at that moment. The poems he wrote for me, the serenades he played, the rare flowers he brought... they all drew my heart in deeper. Despite my father's expressions of concern, my feelings for Alaric grew stronger day by day.

During a luncheon, Alaric knelt down and, looking into my eyes, asked that magical question: "Beautiful Seraphina, will you unite your life with mine?" At that moment, my world seemed to stop. My heart was pounding as if it would break out of my chest. Ignoring the disappointment on my father's face, I said with a trembling voice, "Yes." At that moment, I would never forget the triumphant smile that appeared on Alaric's face and the sorrowful look in my father's eyes.

Our engagement was held shortly after in a magnificent ceremony. Everyone shared in our happiness, at least seemingly so. My father remained distant throughout the engagement. His coldness towards Alaric never subsided. He even secretly called me aside once and said, "Seraphina, there's something about this man that makes me uneasy. Please, keep your eyes open." Although my father's words planted a small seed of doubt in me, my love for Alaric didn't allow that seed to grow.

While the wedding preparations were in full swing, my father suddenly fell ill. His condition worsened within a few days, and unfortunately, we lost him. This sudden loss deeply shook me. My father was everything to me, my mentor, my closest friend. The darkness that descended upon me with his death was somewhat dispelled in Alaric's arms. Alaric was the one who gave me the greatest support during those difficult days. His compassion and care gave me hope even in the deepest moments of my grief. With my father's death, I clung to Alaric even more tightly. It was as if he was the only branch I could hold onto in life.

After my father's funeral, Alaric hastened the wedding preparations. I was in no state to object. My grief was fresh, and Alaric's presence gave me comfort. As our wedding day approached, a strange unease began to creep into me. It felt as if something was wrong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. Perhaps it was the doubt created by my father's last words.

Finally, that day arrived. The preparations for the wedding were complete. I put on my wedding gown, and my hair was carefully styled. Alaric was waiting for me in the church. When our eyes met, it was difficult to describe the complex emotions I felt at that moment. On one hand, great happiness, and on the other, a gnawing suspicion...

The marriage ceremony went smoothly. The "I do" that fell from Alaric's lips felt like the confirmation of a curse falling upon me. As we exited the church, amidst the applause of the guests, I took Alaric's arm. I was now Countess Seraphina Alaric.

The wedding feast and ball were joyful. Alaric didn't leave my side for a moment. With the loving words he whispered in my ear, he managed to steal my heart anew. That night, I fell asleep in my new husband's arms. I felt safe and happy.

The first weeks of our marriage were like a dream. Alaric was extremely kind and attentive towards me. He would bring breakfast to my bed in the mornings and surprise me with various delights throughout the day. We would go horseback riding together and stroll hand in hand in the manor's gardens. My father's suspicions seemed unfounded. Perhaps he had only thought that way out of fear of losing his daughter.

However, as time passed, I began to notice small changes in Alaric's behavior. He wasn't as attentive as he used to be. He would come home late at night and get up early in the morning. The warm looks he used to give me had been replaced by a more distant expression. When I asked what was wrong, he would say he was tired or had important business to attend to.

One morning, Alaric said to me, "My dear Seraphina, today I want to take you to a very special place." His voice was as warm and inviting as ever. Despite the slight unease within me, the thought of spending time with him made me happy. Perhaps he was going to make up for his recent coldness.

I got ready, and Alaric and I got into the carriage. As we moved away from the manor, the greenery around us increased. When I asked Alaric where we were going, he simply replied, "It's a surprise."

The carriage entered a wooded area. As we made our way through the trees, the unease within me grew stronger. Finally, we arrived at a small clearing. In the middle stood an old, moss-covered log. Alaric stopped the carriage and helped me down.

"Where is this, Alaric?" I asked, looking around. This place was nothing like the places we usually chose for our outings.

Alaric turned to me with that enchanting smile from the early days. "I wanted to give you a memory you would cherish forever, my dear."

My suspicions had intensified. What were we going to do in this ominous forest? Just as I was about to open my mouth to ask something, Alaric pulled a gleaming dagger from his pocket. My eyes widened in horror.

"Alaric, what is this?" I whispered, taking a step back.

The smile on Alaric's face vanished, replaced by a cold, cruel expression. "I'm sorry, my dear. But your father's inheritance should have been mine."

At that moment, my father's concerns, Alaric's recent coldness, and now the dagger in his hand... everything came together in my mind. Alaric had deceived me. All those beautiful words, those loving looks, those wedding vows... they were all lies. His only goal was my wealth.

"You... did you poison my father?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Alaric shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course. I couldn't wait for that old man to leave you his inheritance. And you were so naive and easily believed everything, so everything went according to my plan."

Tears began to stream down my face. The man I loved, my husband, had killed my father and was now preparing to kill me.

"Why?" I whispered in agony. "I trusted you. I became your wife."

Alaric let out a mocking laugh. "My wife? You were just a source of inheritance, you foolish countess. And now, prepare to bid farewell to that inheritance."

He raised the dagger. I stumbled backward helplessly. I could feel the cold breath of death on my neck. I closed my eyes.

I felt a sharp pain. When I opened my eyes, I saw Alaric's dagger plunged into my chest. I looked at his face in shock. He was smiling with a triumphant expression.

He pulled the dagger back, and I collapsed to the ground. An unbearable pain shot through my chest. Blood soaked my clothes like a warm flood. Alaric looked down at me.

"Goodbye, you foolish countess. Your inheritance is now mine and my family's."

Then he turned his back, got into the carriage, and left me in that forest, abandoned to die.

My eyes were slowly closing. The life energy was draining from my body as if it were being pulled away. My blood began to flow from the wound, down the log it had pierced. Drop by drop, it seeped into the earth.

And at that moment, deep beneath the earth, something that had been in a deep slumber for centuries began to stir. With my blood mingling with the soil, the chains of a forgotten magic were breaking. A race imprisoned in the dark depths below was awakening from its long sleep. My dying blood had become the sign of their rebirth. But I, unaware of this miraculous awakening, was dying in that forest...

As the signs of life within my body gradually faded, my consciousness was also drifting towards darkness. The burning pain in my chest had begun to give way to a cold numbness. As my eyes closed, I could make out the silhouette of the departing carriage one last time. Alaric... That treacherous man had left me to die for his own selfish gain.

My father's face appeared in my mind. I should have listened to his warnings. But I had been caught in the blinding spell of love, setting aside my reason. Now I was paying the price with my life. Regret pierced my heart like a dagger. If only... If only I had acted differently.

My blood continued to flow silently down the log. It met the dark color of the soil, slowly spreading on the damp surface. At that moment, the silence of nature was eerie. Even the birdsong seemed to have ceased. Only the sound of my weakening breath and the rhythmic patter of my blood dripping onto the earth could be heard.

However, this silence didn't last long. A slight tremor from the depths of the earth became perceptible. At first, it was like an indistinct hum, then it gradually grew stronger. It was as if the ground beneath was boiling. While my eyes tried to comprehend this strange event in a half-open state, cracks began to form in the trembling earth.

The cracks widened, and the ground around me slowly began to open. I watched in horror. It was as if the bowels of the earth were being torn apart. A dim light began to seep from the opening fissures, and then... creatures appeared.

They resembled human silhouettes but were very different from them. They were tall, with muscular bodies. Their skin was pale white, but it wasn't an unhealthy pallor; rather, it was bright and smooth. Their eyes were unusually large and seemed to glow even in the dim light. Some had long, silver hair, while others' was as black as night. Their facial features were sharp and flawless. Each one looked as if they had been sculpted by a master. They wore intricately embroidered garments that seemed to be made of natural materials.

These beings silently gathered around me. There was neither surprise nor fear on their faces. It was as if my being left to die here was not an unexpected event for them. One of them, taller and more imposing than the others, stood out. His hair was a dark night color that reached his shoulders, and his eyes held a piercing expression. This man seemed to be their leader.

The man who appeared to be their leader slowly approached me. He bent down and looked at my bleeding chest. There was no sign of emotion on his face. Then he touched my flowing blood with his finger and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his gaze seemed to hold the wisdom of thousands of years.

Then, they began to speak among themselves in a language I didn't understand at all. Their voices were melodic and like whispers, but they also had an authoritative tone. The words flowed from their mouths like a melody.

After they finished speaking, their leader turned back to me. Our eyes met directly for the first time. At that moment, I felt my heart race. There was both deep sorrow and determination in his gaze.

Then, an elderly woman among them stepped forward. Her face was etched with deep wrinkles, but her eyes were still bright and intelligent. In her hand, she held a stone carved with strange shapes. She raised this stone into the air and murmured something again in that incomprehensible language. A dim light began to appear around the stone.

The old woman began to move the stone over my chest. At that moment, I felt a strange warmth spread through my body. It was as if the unbearable pain inside me was slowly subsiding. My bleeding also seemed to have slowed down miraculously.

I couldn't make sense of what was happening. Who were these people? Where had they come from? And why were they helping me?

Their leader approached me again and this time spoke to me in my own language. Of course, I didn't understand anything. I looked at him helplessly.

Understanding the situation, the leader gestured to a young woman beside him. This young woman's facial features were as flawless as the others, and she had long, golden hair. At the leader's signal, the young woman stepped forward and touched my temple with her hand.

At that moment, it was as if lightning struck my mind. Suddenly, I began to understand the language they were speaking. The words flowed into my mind as if I had known them since birth. I looked at the young woman in astonishment.

The young woman smiled. "I am Lyra. Don't worry, you are safe."

Their leader also smiled slightly. "I am Kael. We have awakened from our centuries-long slumber by your blood, Seraphina."

Seraphina... They knew my name. How could this be?

Kael continued, "Your blood has broken an ancient spell upon us. If you die, we will also die."

These words echoed in my brain. So my life was tied to theirs. I had awakened them by chance, and now my survival was a necessity for them.

Lyra and the others gently lifted me from the ground. My body was still very weak, but the unbearable pain from that first moment had passed. At Kael's command, we began to move down through the opened fissure.

Below was a completely different world. Wide tunnels and caves were illuminated by a dim light. The walls were covered with glittering stones. Everywhere, there were people with pale skin and captivating beauty, just like them. Women, children, the elderly... they all watched us with curious eyes. There was both astonishment and hope on their faces. They were a race that had been trapped beneath the earth for centuries, and I was the one who would bring them to the surface.

Kael and Lyra led me to a larger cave. This seemed to be their living space. There were interesting pictures and symbols on the walls. A large fire burned in the center, and people sitting around it were conversing.

They laid me down on a soft bed, and the old woman began to heal the wound on my chest again with that strange stone. After a short while, I felt much better. The cold breath of death was slowly being replaced by the warmth of life.

Kael sat beside me and took a deep breath. "Seraphina, you have freed us from our centuries-long captivity. I don't know how we will ever repay you."

I looked at him. There was a stern expression on his face, but sincerity could be read in his eyes. "Who... who are you? How did you get here?" I asked, my voice still trembling.

Lyra interjected, "We are a clan that was forgotten long ago. Because of our powers and our differences, we were forced to hide beneath the earth for centuries. The world forgot us, but we did not forget the world."

Kael nodded. "Once, we lived freely on the surface, but then our enemies came. They couldn't defeat us, but with a powerful spell, they trapped us here. The prophecy says that when the clan awakens, the enemy will also awaken."

These words sent a shiver down my spine. So my awakening was perhaps also the beginning of a great danger.

"Then... what will happen now?" I asked anxiously.

Kael stood up resolutely. "Now, we will survive. And we will avenge you, Seraphina."

At that moment, the stern and determined expression in Kael's eyes deeply affected me. My heart began to beat in a way I had never felt before. This man... this mysterious and powerful man was promising to avenge me. And for some reason, I believed him.

My first hours in this new world beneath the earth were filled with astonishment and curiosity. Kael and Lyra told me many things about their clan's way of life, traditions, and their centuries-long captivity. Although they had human appearances, they were much stronger and more resilient. They could see perfectly in the dark, move at incredible speeds, and some could perform simple magic. Their centuries of slumber hadn't dulled their powers; on the contrary, they seemed even more honed.

However, the idea of the enemy Kael mentioned gnawed at me. If this clan's awakening would also cause that ancient enemy to awaken, then staying here, underground, wouldn't necessarily mean safety. Moreover, it pained me that these beautiful people had been unjustly imprisoned for centuries. I wanted to help them, at least offer them a safe place to live.

"Kael," I said one evening, as we gathered around the fire in the middle of the cave. "I know this is your home, but if an enemy is coming, you might be vulnerable here. I... I have a manor. Large lands and a tower surrounded by walls. Count Alaric has settled in the manor, but there are many empty houses inside the walls. If you want, you can come there. You would be safer, and... and I wouldn't be alone either."

Kael and the other clan members looked at me in surprise. Lyra said, "Seraphina, this is a very generous offer."

Kael thought for a while. Complex expressions crossed his face. "Wouldn't it be dangerous for you? The Count... he harmed you."

"He is no longer my husband," I said, trying to hide the pain in my voice. "And the manor is my rightful inheritance. We can remove him from there. With your strength, it will be possible."

A glint appeared in Kael's eyes. "We will consider your offer, Seraphina. We need to speak with the clan council."

The next day, the elders and leaders of the clan gathered. Kael conveyed my offer to them. A long and heated discussion took place. Some were receptive to the idea of going to the surface, while others were worried about breaking their centuries-long secrecy. In the end, with Kael's decision, my offer was accepted. They would come to the surface and settle in my manor.

This decision made me very happy. A hope had blossomed within me that I could help these people. Ensuring their safety would somehow alleviate the pain Alaric had caused me.

Our return to the surface was carefully planned. Taking advantage of the darkness of night, we quietly climbed up through the opened fissures. When the cool air of the forest touched my face, I felt freedom for the first time in a long time. The same excitement was in the eyes of the clan members. For the first time in centuries, they were walking under the sun and the moon.

When we arrived at the manor, everything was as Alaric wanted it. He had settled in my home, in the place that was rightfully mine. The men guarding the gate recognized him as the count. Anger and pain mixed within me.

Kael and the clan members silently surrounded the manor. Thanks to their superhuman speed and silence, no one noticed their presence. Kael turned to me. "What do you want us to do, Seraphina?"

I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding with anger. "I want to talk to him. I want to make him account for what he did."

Kael nodded. "Be careful."

I knocked on the main gate of the manor. The servant who opened the door was surprised to see me. "Countess... is that you?"

"Where is Count Alaric?" I asked in a cold voice.

The servant ran inside in a panic. A short while later, Alaric appeared at the door. When he saw me, the surprise on his face turned into a mocking smile.

"Ah, my dear wife. So you're not dead after all? I thought I left you in that forest."

His words pierced my heart like an arrow. I understood once again how cruel this man was.

"I have come to make you account for what you did to me, Alaric," I said in a resolute voice.

Alaric laughed. "Account? Who are you to demand an account from me? Thanks to me, I am now living a comfortable life. I am enjoying the wealth of your foolish father's inheritance."

My anger reached its peak. Seeing that this man felt no remorse, but rather enjoyed what he had done, infuriated me.

"You are a murderer, Alaric," I hissed. "You poisoned my father and left me to die."

Alaric shrugged. "I did what was necessary to survive. You were such a naive and easy target."

Just then, Kael came to my side. He sized Alaric up from head to toe. I could clearly see the anger and hatred in his eyes.

"Is this the man who harmed you?" Kael asked, his voice like ice.

I nodded. "Yes."

Alaric looked at Kael disdainfully. "And who are you? Where did you find this vagrant, Seraphina?"

Kael couldn't take it anymore. Moving with incredible speed, he lunged at Alaric. Before Alaric could understand what was happening, Kael's strong hands were tightening around his throat.

Alaric began to struggle, his face turning red. His eyes were wide with terror. Even I was shocked by this sudden attack.

"Don't do it, Kael!" I cried out, but it was too late.

Kael's grip tightened, and Alaric's lifeless body slumped to the ground. The manor's servants and guards began to scream in terror.

"This man tried to take your life," Kael said, his voice still filled with anger. "He paid the price."

At that moment, the hatred I felt for Alaric was replaced by complex emotions. His death hadn't brought me relief. On the contrary, we were now in an even more complicated situation.

Kael immediately took action. Clan members spread throughout the manor, driving out Alaric's family and close associates. Those who resisted were subdued with force. Within a short time, the manor was cleared of Alaric's supporters.

Then, the clan members moved towards the tower. The empty houses within the walls quickly began to fill. These people, who had lived underground for centuries, had finally found a new home.

I returned to my own home, the manor filled with the memories of my father. But I was no longer alone. By my side was this mysterious clan that had brought me back from the brink of death and avenged me. Especially their leader, Kael... The protective demeanor behind his stern gaze deeply affected my heart. A strange bond seemed to have formed between us. Although I couldn't fully understand what it was, being near him gave me a strange sense of peace. My life had completely changed, and I was curious to see where this new beginning would take me.