Scarlet chains

Chapter 13--The forgotten order

Suddenly, her hands sparked—flames and light.

Cayden whispered, "Too late. You're already waking up."

Nova's glowing hands dimmed. Her breath was shaky, but her eyes—those Paraiba flames—were steady.

"I'm not their weapon," she said.

Cayden looked uneasy. "Nova… Dominion isn't your only enemy."

Dominic's smirk faded.

Nova narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Cayden glanced around like he was being watched. "There's another group—older than Dominion. They don't work in the open. They call themselves *The Forgotten Order*."

Dominic scoffed. "I thought that cult died off years ago."

Cayden's jaw clenched. "You *thought* wrong. They're active. Very active."

Nova tilted her head. "What do they want?"

Cayden looked her dead in the eye. "You."

Nova's stomach dropped.

"They believe you're the *'Harbinger'*—a being born to break the boundary between realms. They've been searching for you since you disappeared from the lab."

Dominic muttered, "Figures. Freaks like that would worship her."

Cayden ignored him. "They've already made moves. They won't come for you with force."

Nova's voice was tight. "Then how?"

He swallowed. "They'll try to *possess* you. From the inside."

---

"Wait, isn't Dominion yours?" Nova said to Dominic

"There's two types, the vampires and my gang and I do not associate with them anymore."Dominic said in defense

Then suddenly Nova swayed.

Her skin tingled.

A rush of cold air swept through the room. Her knees buckled—

—and then *darkness*.

---

She floated in an endless void. But it wasn't empty.

*Stars whispered. Shadows shimmered. The realm pulsed with ancient magic.*

Her body began to glow—skin shimmering like moonlight, her eyes now *blazing Paraiba Tourmaline blue*, brighter than ever.

A voice echoed, soft yet mighty.

*"Daughter of many, blood of all... you've been found."*

Nova turned, heart racing.

Figures emerged—*spirits*, cloaked in light, in flame, in mist. One by one, they stepped forward.

A graceful woman cloaked in velvet-black shadow bowed her head. *"I am the Spirit of the Night. I have watched you from your first breath."*

Another, with eyes like swirling galaxies: *"I am the Spirit of Sight. The seers favor you."*

Then came the others—*Wind, Flame, Earth, Memory, Soul*—all bowing before her.

"You are touched by all," they said together. "No cult, no king, no blood can claim you."

Nova's voice shook. "Why are you telling me this?"

The Night Spirit's glow deepened. "Because *The Forgotten Order* is moving. They seek to *steal your spirit* before it awakens fully."

The seer spirit stepped forward. "Your visions will come faster now. Use them. Trust them."

Nova looked down at her hands—*light and flame dancing freely again.*

"But I'm not ready—"

*"You don't need to be."* the Night Spirit whispered. *"You were *born* for this."*

---

Nova's eyes snapped open.

Everything looked sharper—too sharp. She could hear Dominic's heartbeat, Cayden's breath, even the buzz of electricity in the walls.

Her body pulsed with energy she couldn't contain.

*Crack!*

The floor beneath her feet splintered, glowing faintly. Her hands flared with light and shadows at once—opposites colliding.

Cayden stepped forward slowly. "Nova, breathe. You're not in the realm anymore."

Dominic watched with narrowed eyes, calculating. "She's unstable."

Nova shook her head. "I—I can't shut it off."

The chandelier above them exploded in sparks. A mirror shattered across the room. Her aura surged like a storm.

Cayden moved closer. "Your powers are clashing. Spirit energy, wolf blood, vampire instinct—it's too much."

Dominic muttered, "She needs to be restrained before she burns the whole damn house down."

Nova's eyes flicked to him, glowing brighter. "Try it. I dare you."

But then—*boom*—a shockwave blasted from her body, knocking both men off their feet.

She dropped to her knees, clutching her head, whispering, "Make it stop…"