Mara's POV
Things are really falling apart. Lis has been missing for six months and we still haven't found her. I sit down on the couch, deep in thought. I watch Ash pacing back and forth, so I get up and put a hand on his shoulder. He turns to me.
Mara: "Are you okay, Ash?"
I ask in a calm voice, despite how desperate this situation feels.
Asher: "No, I'm not okay. Lis is nowhere to be found, and Atlas vanished as if he never even existed."
Garth: "Calm down first."
Asher: "Calm down? It's been six f***ing months since she disappeared, and you know as well as I do that she's pregnant. For God's sake, it's like you don't even care!"
Kévine: "She's what!?"
He blurts out, completely shocked. Damn it, Asher.
Garth: "Well, great. Another problem added to the pile. Thanks a lot. Lis is my cousin."
Asher: "And how do we know you're not involved in her disappearance? You've only known her for a few months."
Garth: "She's still my cousin. Even if I've only known her for a short time, she's my blood. And to us, blood ties are as important as life itself."
He says this in an irritated tone.
Mara: "Okay, both of you calm down. Asher, go take a walk outside, it'll help."
He storms out, slamming the door behind him. I turn back to Garth, who is just as upset.
Mara: "Don't take what he said to heart. You know how he gets when he's angry."
Garth: "That doesn't give him the right to insult others."
Kévine: "So… is someone going to tell me what this whole pregnancy story is about?"
Garth: "Dad…"
Kévine: "Don't 'dad' me. Tell me the truth!"
I hear Garth sigh.
Mara: "Uncle, Athènia was pregnant. By now, she must have already given birth."
Kévine: "Pregnant… with who?"
I sigh as well.
Garth: "With her partner."
Kévine: "Kemran STALOR!?"
Mara: "Yes."
Kévine: "Damn it."
I see him boiling with rage. This was really not the best time for him to find out.
Kévine: "You're telling me she was pregnant, and you still let her walk around alone!?"
Garth: "We were supposed to go to the library…"
Kévine: "The library is more important than your cousin!?"
Garth lowers his head, knowing full well that once his father is in this state, no one can reason with him.
Kévine: "I can't stay here to help you search for her. I need to go to HASRLAND."
Mara: "Why there, uncle?" I ask, confused.
Kévine: "In two days, it's the coronation of the new King of Harmonie."
Mara: "It's also the twins' birthday."
Kévine: "Exactly. I hope you find Athènia before then, and make it to HASRLAND on time."
Garth: "You can count on us, Dad. We'll find her as quickly as possible."
Kévine: "Don't disappoint me again."
Mara: "Yes, uncle."
Uncle Kévine leaves, and we both let out a sigh of relief.
Mara: "Come on, Garth, we need to get to work."
Garth: "What about Asher?"
Mara: "It's better to leave him be, for now."
Garth: "Alright… but where do we even start?"
Mara: "I don't know. Could you try traveling into the past one more time?"
Garth: "Impossible. My powers have felt broken ever since Lis disappeared."
Mara: "Then we'll have to try another way."
Garth: "Another way? Like what?"
I pull out some photos of the park.
Mara: "Like this."
Garth: "I still don't get it."
Mara: "We're going to analyze these photos carefully. There might be clues we missed."
We start examining the pictures in detail when I notice something strange.
Mara: "Garth, do you see what I see in this photo?"
He looks at the picture in his hand and sees the same thing.
Garth: "I just see the park."
Mara: "No, look. That red dot on the poles."
Garth: "What!?"
He stares closely.
Garth: "How the hell did I miss that?"
Mara: "Do you think they're…"
Garth: "Cameras."
Mara: "But who do they belong to?"
Mara: "We can't find out ourselves, but Asher can."
Garth: "Then let's call him."
I grab my phone, dial Asher's number, and he picks up.
Asher: "What? What is—?"
Mara: "Get back to the building right now."
I cut him off and hang up.
Garth: "Nice request."
Mara: "We don't have time for politeness."
Asher bursts into the apartment at super speed.
Asher: "What was that about?"
Mara: "We need you to find the hidden cameras in the park."
Asher: "What cameras?"
Garth: "Stop asking questions and just search."
Asher: "Toxic."
He sits at the computer, types rapidly, and after a few minutes, closes it.
Asher: "They belong to Rock Music Industries—the building across the street."
Mara: "What are we waiting for, then?"
We rush out of the apartment, nearly running through the hallway, and take the elevator.
Mara: "Damn it, I hate elevators."
We reach the ground floor, exit our building, cross the street, and enter the building across. We approach the receptionist.
Mara: "Hello, miss. Could you tell me where the security control for the park is located?"
Receptionist: "No one is allowed access."
Mara: "Please, our sister disappeared in that park. She's been missing for six months—we need to find her as soon as possible."
Receptionist: "I can't…"
Mara: "Please."
She sighs.
Receptionist: "Fine. Take that corridor, all the way down. There's a door, but no one has the key."
Mara: "Thank you so much."
We hurry down the hallway. At the end stands a locked door.
Asher: "How are we supposed to open this?"
Garth grips the doorknob, closes his eyes, and the door clicks open.
Mara: "Didn't you say your powers were damaged?"
Garth: "I just tried."
We step inside. A small room filled with screens.
Mara: "Alright, Asher, do your magic."
Asher sits, searches, and pulls up the footage from the night Lis vanished.
Asher: "Got it."
But it's broad daylight.
Mara: "Perfect. Skip ahead to when she arrives at the park—everything else is useless."
Arthmy (in my head): Shouldn't we check every detail first?
Mara: Yes, but we need to save our time for finding her.
Asher stops at the moment Lis enters the park. She sits, talking on the phone. He skips forward until she stands, walking toward the lake—when suddenly, a blinding light bursts from the water.
Mara: "What the hell is that?"
Garth: "Probably just an illusion."
Asher: "An illusion that shines like that? Please."
Garth: "Just watch."
A man appears, standing on the lake. He speaks for a while before Athènia's voice is heard.
Athènia: "Vortexus, come forth."
Dracos: "Not that… oh no."
Athènia clutches her stomach as a violent wind erupts. A portal opens before her, the gusts push her in, and it seals shut behind her. Asher freezes the video.
Asher: "So now we know where she went, right?"
Mara: "Garth, can you open a portal to that same place?"
Garth: "I don't know if I can. My powers have been unstable…"
Mara: "I believe in you."
Asher: "We believe in you, Garth."
Garth: "I thought you suspected I was involved in her disappearance."
Asher: "I'm sorry for what I said."
Garth: "Don't worry. I'm not the easiest person to trust."
Mara: "Let's go."
We leave the room and rush outside, heading toward the deserted park—no one dares enter because of its so-called dangers. We stop at the lake.
Mara: "Come on, Garth, you can do this."
Asher: "We believe in you."
Garth breathes deeply, raising his hands toward the water.
Garth: "Vortexus, open!"
The wind howls, the portal bursts open, and we're sucked inside. Suddenly, we're floating above an island—but somehow, we land without injury.
Arthmy (to me): Mara, I can smell Lis.
I get up and follow the scent, with the others close behind. At last, I see her lying on the ground, holding someone. I rush to her, throwing myself at her with a crushing hug as she tries and fails to stand.
Mara: "Lis! We've been looking everywhere for you!"
Athènia: "Mara…"
Mara: "Who else did you expect?"
But something unsettles me. Why didn't she sense me coming? She always feels us before we reach her.
Garth: "Cousin!"
Asher: "Thank heaven you're alright."
They come closer.
Athènia: "Garth, Asher… what are you doing here?"
Garth: "We came to get you, stupid."
Asher: "We finally found you."
I ignore them, noticing Lis is covered in blood.
Mara: "Lis, are you okay? You're bleeding—tell me you're not hurt."
She lowers her eyes, staring beside her. I follow her gaze—and cover my mouth in horror. A body, drenched in blood, arm severed.
Mara: "Who… is that?"
Garth: "Dracos!?"
She nods, tears falling.
Asher: "Im was here!?"
She looks at Dracos' body. Oh no… she saw him die like that, so horribly, powerless to stop it. I understand her pain. Even if we knew what was coming, we can't help but grow attached to someone fated to die.
Arthmy (to me): It's hard for her, Mara. I just spoke with Kora—she said they had built such a strong master-and-student bond that they even forgot what was destined to happen.
I keep my eyes on Lis as I listen to Arthmy.
Mara: "Lis…"
Athènia: "Don't worry about me. I will avenge him—for his death, and for Tevi's. I will be strong."
She lifts her gaze to the sky and smiles. I look in the same direction but see nothing. Still, I know—no matter what mountains fall upon her, she will always endure. She will overcome every trial, because she is destined to lead all supernatural beings in this world.
She is Athènia Nancella Lisiane Gronds.
And she is the one who will free us from the grip of evil.
I trust her. She will be stronger than her enemy. This—this is the Athènia I know.