Ethereal had always lived a quiet, ordinary life on Earth with her aunt Roni, who had raised her since her parents' death. But that afternoon, something felt wrong. The air was heavy—too still. When she reached home, the front door hung slightly ajar, swaying on its hinges.
A faint crash echoed from within. Glass.
Her pulse quickened.
"Roni?" she called softly. No answer.
She pushed the door open—and froze.
A grotesque creature loomed in the living room, its massive claws wrapped around her aunt's neck. Its skin shimmered with a sickly hue, veins pulsing like molten tar. Roni struggled weakly, her face turning pale beneath the creature's crushing grip.
"Leave her alone!" Ethereal shouted, her voice breaking.
The monster turned. Its gaze—an abyss of hunger—locked onto her. With a violent swing, it flung Roni aside like a rag doll and lunged. Ethereal barely had time to think; instinct propelled her toward a crumbled hole in the wall. She dove through, scraping her knees on jagged wood, and spun around just in time to see the creature wedge itself halfway through, roaring in frustration.
Panting, she scrambled back to her aunt's side. Roni's breaths were shallow, her pulse fading. Ethereal cradled her trembling form. "Roni, wake up! Please, wake up…"
But the creature was breaking free—its claws raking at the edges of the wall.
Something inside Ethereal cracked. A burning cold surged through her veins. Her tears froze before they could fall. Frost crept across her arms, blooming into intricate patterns, and a pale mist swirled around her like a storm given life.
Her aunt's fading voice whispered through the haze, weak but steady.
"I'm sorry, my ruby… I lied to you. I thought… I could give you the best…"
"No," Ethereal whimpered, shaking her head. "Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me!"
The fog thickened. The creature halted mid-step, sensing the power awakening before it.
Then, the room filled with blinding light.
From the brilliance stepped a woman—tall, radiant, and otherworldly. Her robes shimmered with living frost, and in her hand gleamed a sword forged of pure ice, humming with celestial energy. With one graceful swing, she cleaved through the monster. The air cracked with power as the creature split apart, dissolving into black mist.
Ethereal's body trembled, half-frozen, half-alive, as the woman's piercing gaze met hers—filled with both recognition and sorrow.
The light dimmed, leaving only silence, frost, and the echo of something ancient awakening within her.
Ethereal's frost-covered skin trembled uncontrollably. The woman in white stepped closer, placing a warm hand on her icy cheek. Gradually, the frost receded under the touch, and Ethereal blinked up at her, trying to steady herself.
"I… I'm okay," she whispered, voice shaky. Then her gaze fell on her aunt. "My Roni… please… look at her. She's seriously injured."
The woman nodded solemnly and bent down toward Roni. Her lips moved near Roni's ear, whispering words that Ethereal couldn't catch. A moment later, Roni exhaled her last breath, eyes open in a quiet, tragic farewell. Ethereal froze, unable to cry or even move. The weight of loss pressed down on her chest.
The woman gently closed Roni's eyes, shook her head with sadness, and stepped back. Ethereal's shock anchored her to the spot as other figures arrived, silently erasing the traces of the creature—and of Roni herself—as if nothing had happened.
"What… what are you doing?" Ethereal demanded, her voice breaking the eerie silence. She ran toward them, panic and denial written across her face. "Not this one!" she shouted, shaking her head.
One of the cleaners stepped forward cautiously. "Young miss… if you resist, we'll have to—"
Before he could finish, the woman in white stepped behind him, voice low but dangerous. "You dare force a Dane's blood? Hmmm… I wonder what her father would think if he heard about this."
The man trembled, stammering, "M-Madam Silith… if this reaches the S.E.R.E.N.E Council… it could—"
The woman leaned in, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You are speaking to a member of the Council, Mr…? Even I would not dare deny a Dane. Don't be a smart ass. Obey her, follow her instructions, and finish the cleanup."
Ethereal, still numb and trembling, showed them everything she needed. Then she slumped onto the steps near the door. The grief weighed heavy on her, but tears wouldn't come. She refused to cry—not here, not now. Showing weakness was a luxury she could not afford.
Then-