2

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.

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