BLOODBOUND FATE

"Calista! Smile! You know that a smile is what you should show while you walk the runway! Are you ready? You're next. Good luck my sweetheart, we are doing pageants for almost a decade.... so I know it is just a piece of cake to you."

I smiled at Ms. Gina, our production team member or should I say my ALMOST mom...... I have a pageant now, and this is not just an ordinary pageant. This is an international pageant, and the winner will receive 100,000 USD. If I win, I will surely be able to pay all of my family's debts.

"And now...... Let us all welcome! Calistaaaaaa Vespeeeraaa!"

"Good luck, sweetheart!" Ms. Gina said as she smiled at me.

When my name was called, I immediately walked to the front just like I always do. Pose here, smile there. There were so many people. Not only the people here are watching, but the whole world.

I faced the camera and immediately changed my aura. This is one of my signatures to win. "Good evening, Ms. Calista... Your question is from....... Mr. Atticus...so.... here is your question."

I closed my eyes and felt the question being spoken by the host so I could think properly.

"If the world stops....."

I waited for what the host would say next but...... it felt as if the world really stopped. When I opened my eyes, none of them were moving. I closed my eyes and opened them again, but it was still the same. I don't know what is happening. I looked around, but everyone truly was not moving not even time, their breathing, the lights, the birds. Everything stopped. What is happening? Why is it like this? Am I dreaming?

"Ca-calista?"

I turned around and saw Ms. Gina. She was moving too, but her face did not look confused or scared about what was happening to the world.

"Ms. Gina! What is happening? Why aren't they moving?"

Ms. Gina did not answer me, and her eyes filled with tears. "Calista... it's really happening again... the prophecy...." she said and her face is like she have seen a ghost. "You need to be careful... you need to come with me... you will understand it later...."

"What do you mean? Ms. Gina-"

But before I could finish what I was saying, we heard a loud explosion. Ms. Gina immediately grabbed me and held the emerald green pendant on her neck. It suddenly glowed, and my eyes widened at what was happening.

"Ms. Gina...."

She did not answer me, and my attention shifted to the loud explosion we heard. We saw a woman, she is wearing a black clothes, black lipstick and black make up.....she also have four black shadows on her sides. She looks like a witch but doesn't have a witch hat. The woman seemed to be looking for something until her attention turned to us.

"Oh! well well well..... Calista, my darling.... come to me, to us! To your home."

"She is not coming with you! Stay away from her or I'll make a force," Ms. Gina said with anger on her face.

"What is happening?" Despite their sharp glares, I was still able to ask even though I was already scared and confused.

"Ohh... she still don't know huh! Don't worry, hun, you will understand it later when you come with us. But... if you don't... well, we don't have a choice but......"

I saw her raise her hand, and it glowed. It looked like she was holding a black diamond. It was sparkling and very beautiful, but.... terrifying.

My heart pounded violently as the black diamond pulsed in her hand, as if it were alive. The air around us grew heavier, pressing against my chest until it became hard to breathe. I took a step back without realizing it.

"Calista," Ms. Gina said in a low, urgent voice, still standing in front of me, shielding me with her body. "No matter what happens... do not listen to her."

The woman laughed softly, a sound that echoed unnaturally through the frozen space. "Still protecting her after all these years?" Her eyes slowly moved toward Ms. Gina. "You know you cannot hide her anymore. She is already reborn by the prophecy."

"I promised it to someone...." Ms. Gina replied firmly. "And I will keep that promise even if it costs me my life."

I looked at them, confused and terrified. "Promise? Hide me? What are you talking about? I don't understand any of this!"

The woman's gaze returned to me, and her expression softened almost lovingly. "You will, my dear. You were never meant to live an ordinary life. This stage, this crown you desire... it is nothing compared to what awaits you."

The black diamond glowed brighter, and suddenly the ground beneath us began to crack, thin lines of darkness spreading like veins across the floor.

Ms. Gina reached for my hand and pressed something cold into my palm. It was a pendant identical to the one around her neck.

"When the time comes," she whispered, tears streaming down her face, "trust yourself, you will understand."

Before I could ask anything, the shadows surged forward, stretching toward me like claws.

I screamed. I tried to move, but my body felt frozen in place. This is my end......

Then..... A powerful voice thundered through the entire area, shaking the air itself.

"STAY AWAY FROM SARINA! OR I WILL MAKE SURE YOU WILL ALL DIE! ALL OF YOU!"

The shadows instantly froze mid-air, as if struck by an invisible force. The woman's eyes widened in shock, and the black diamond in her hand flickered violently.

I gasped, my heart pounding.

"Sarina...?" I whispered, confused. "Who is Sarina?"

The voice echoed again, closer this time, stronger filled with authority and rage. The light around us trembled, and cracks spread through the frozen world.

The woman clenched her jaw. "So... you've finally found her."

Ms. Gina tightened her grip on my hand, her voice shaking. "They know now."

I stood there, surrounded by fear, power, and questions I didn't even know how to ask.

Because in that moment, I realized.... That I am not really dreaming.

"Goodbye for now, Calista.... or should I say..... Sarina... See you around my dear." And after that, their shadows immediately vanished.

"What are you talking about? I don't get it! What prophecy??? Who is Sarina? Who is that woman? Can you please answer all of my questions Ms. Gina?"

After what happened that time, I no longer knew what happened. After that woman on that stage disappeared like a bubble, I apparently lost consciousness, according to Ms. Gina. I also cannot remember everything about how people were able to move normally again.

I saw Ms. Gina staring blankly, as if she did not know how to explain everything that happened to me.

"Calista.... It is hard to explain, but I just want you to know that everything I will tell you is the truth. Everything you will find out, you need to accept. I know it is difficult, but that is the reality."

"What do you mean?"

"You are an immortal. You are not a normal human. We are living in an immortal world. I have powers. You have powers, and in the coming days you will also know everything."

"But why can't I know now? Who am I really?"

Before Ms. Gina could speak, I suddenly asked her a question because I remembered something. "By the way Ms. Gina.... After what happened that night. What happened to the people? How did they return to moving normally?"

She smiled at me and stood up. "Come, come with me outside, there are many people there."

Even though I was curious, I followed Ms. Gina. I don't know if she plans to answer my question.

"What are we doing here outside? Is there an answer to my ques-"

My eyes widened at what I saw. Ms. Gina snapped her fingers while I was speaking, and I was shocked when the world stopped just like what happened at my pageant yesterday.

"Do you believe me now? Calista you are not dreaming. Try to snap your fingers."

Even though I was nervous, I still did it. I snapped my fingers and my face was totally shocked.

When Ms. Gina snapped, the world and surroundings stopped. But when I tried to snap my fingers, it suddenly returned to normal.

For a moment, I just stood there, my heart pounding so loud it felt like the frozen world could hear it. The people around us moved again as if nothing strange had happened, laughing, walking, talking, completely unaware that time itself had just stopped and restarted.

I slowly looked at my hand, flexing my fingers as if they no longer belonged to me. "I... I did that?" My voice trembled. "How is that possible?"

Ms. Gina turned to me, her expression serious now, no trace of a smile left. "That is only a fraction of what you can do, Calista," she said softly. "What you just witnessed is proof. Proof that what I told you is real."

My chest felt tight. Questions flooded my mind, faster than I could speak them. "Then the pageant... that woman... Sarina... all of it wasn't just my imagination?"

"No," Ms. Gina replied firmly. "Everything that happened was meant to awaken you. Your powers are beginning to surface, and once they do, there is no turning back."

I swallowed hard. "Then tell me the truth," I said, meeting her eyes. "If I'm an immortal... if this world is real... then what is my role in all of this?"

Ms. Gina took a step closer and lowered her voice. "That," she said, "is the part of the prophecy you are not ready to hear yet."

The weight of her words settled heavily on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I looked around once more at the ordinary world that now felt unfamiliar cars passing by, children laughing, people glued to their phones none of them knowing that reality could be bent with a simple snap of a finger.

"Then what happens now?" I asked quietly. "Do I just go back to pretending everything is normal?"

Ms. Gina sighed, her eyes softening. "For now, yes," she said. "You must live as you always have. But things will change, Calista. You will start noticing strange dreams, sudden emotions that don't feel like your own, moments where your power reacts before your mind does."

A chill ran down my spine. I remembered the nightmares I used to brush off, the voices I thought were just thoughts. "And Sarina?" I asked. "Who is she to me? Is my name sarina or what? Why they called me Sarina?"

Ms. Gina hesitated, and that pause frightened me more than any answer could have. "Sarina is connected to your destiny and past," she finally said. "Whether as an ally or an enemy... that will depend on the choices you make."

"Choices?" I repeated. "You mean this isn't already decided?"

"The prophecy shows possibilities, not certainties," she replied. "Even immortals are bound by choice."

I clenched my hands into fists, feeling a faint warmth pulse through my palms. Power. Mine. The realization was terrifying and thrilling. "Then teach me," I said. "If I have these abilities, I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to lose myself."

Ms. Gina nodded slowly, a small smile returning. "That is why I'm here," she said. "To guide you... and to protect you from those who will come once they sense your awakening."

My heart skipped a beat. "They're coming?"

"Yes," she answered honestly. "And when they do, Calista, you will finally understand why the world had to stop for you that night."

Ms. Gina wasted no time after that night. The very next morning, she came to my room carrying an old leather bag filled with unfamiliar symbols stitched in silver thread. The moment she stepped inside, the air in my room felt heavier, charged with something unseen. Even the curtains fluttered despite the windows being closed.

"Calista," she said firmly, placing the bag on my desk, "it's time to prepare you. We're leaving today."

My heart began to race. "Leaving?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "Leaving where? You can't just say that and expect me not to panic."

She gave a small, knowing smile. "You're already panicking," she said gently. "But you'll understand soon. We're going to the Immortal World."

I swallowed hard. "The... Immortal World?"

"Its name is Aetherion," she replied.

The moment the word left her lips, something inside me stirred. My chest warmed, my heartbeat shifting into an unfamiliar rhythm, as if my body itself recognized the name. I pressed a hand over my heart, confused and unsettled.

"Why does it feel like I've heard that before?" I asked.

Ms. Gina's eyes darkened slightly. "Because your soul remembers things your mind does not."

She opened the leather bag and pulled out several items, old scrolls, crystal shards glowing faintly, and a dark cloak folded neatly at the bottom. "Aetherion exists parallel to the human world," she explained. "Hidden by ancient seals and protected by immortal guardians. Humans cannot enter unless invited, and even then, their minds would not survive the truth."

She handed me the cloak. The fabric felt impossibly light, yet warm, like it was alive. The moment I touched it, glowing symbols appeared and then vanished beneath my fingers.

"This will suppress your aura," she said. "Your power is awakening too fast. Others will sense you the moment we arrive."

"Others?" I echoed. "You mean... dangerous ones?"

"Yes," she answered honestly. "And curious ones. Both can be equally dangerous."

Before I could ask more, Ms. Gina raised her hand and traced a glowing symbol in the air. The rune pulsed, humming with energy, and the floor beneath us rippled like water. I felt dizzy as the world twisted, sound fading, colors bending inward.

"Don't fight it," Ms. Gina said firmly. "Trust me."

I barely had time to nod before the world collapsed into light.

When my feet touched solid ground again, I gasped.

Before me stood a massive castle made of white stone and crystal towers that reached into a sky painted with violet, gold, and deep blue. The structure floated slightly above the ground, as if gravity had no authority here. Golden bridges connected spires suspended in the air, and glowing runes pulsed along the walls like a heartbeat.

"Welcome to Aetherion," Ms. Gina said softly. "And to Aetherion Academy."

I couldn't move. "This... this looks like something out of a legend," I whispered.

"It is a legend," she replied. "Just not a myth."

As we walked forward, my shock only grew. Immortals filled the courtyards and floating platforms, students training, sparring, and studying. One boy summoned fire that curled around his arms without burning him. Nearby, a girl controlled the wind, lifting herself into the air with a flick of her wrist. Water formed sharp blades in another arena, while someone nearby bent shadows into living shapes.

Then there were powers I couldn't name....light folding space, time slowing briefly around certain individuals, energy crackling in colors I had never seen before.

"They're students?" I asked, overwhelmed.

"Yes," Ms. Gina said. "Every immortal must train. Power without discipline leads to chaos."

I felt small standing there, my hands trembling beneath the cloak. "What if I can't do any of this?" I asked quietly. "What if I don't belong here? What if I don't have any power that won't come out?"

Ms. Gina stopped and turned to face me, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. "Calista," she said softly, "you don't just belong here. Aetherion has been waiting for you."

"For me?" I repeated.

"Yes," she said. "Your power is ancient. Different. That's why the prophecy exists.... and why Sarina's name follows you."

The massive doors of the castle slowly opened on their own, releasing a wave of warm, unfamiliar energy that made my breath catch. Something deep inside me stirred, stretching, awakening.

As I stepped inside Aetherion Academy, fear and excitement collided within me. I didn't know what awaited me beyond those doors but one thing was clear.

This world wasn't just new to me. It was home and yet, it felt like a home I had abandoned long ago.

The moment my foot crossed the threshold, a sudden rush of memories I couldn't fully grasp flashed through my mind.....laughter echoing through stone halls, the sound of my own voice calling a name I couldn't remember, and the feeling of power flowing freely through my veins without fear or doubt. I staggered slightly, clutching the edge of my cloak.

"Calista," Ms. Gina said quickly, steadying me. "The Academy is reacting to you."

"Reacting?" I whispered. "How is that even possible?"

She glanced at the towering pillars and glowing sigils above us. "Aetherion is alive in its own way," she explained. "It recognizes ancient energy. It recognizes you. They are welcoming you."

As we walked deeper into the academy, I became painfully aware of the stares. Conversations hushed. Training slowed. Some students turned fully toward us, their eyes narrowing with curiosity, amusement, inspiration, and something else I couldn't name recognition. I could feel their powers brushing against mine, testing, probing, like unseen fingers.

"Keep your focus," Ms. Gina murmured. "Do not respond to them yet. You are still new so they don't know you. But once they found out who you are, they will definetely love you."

A group of students passed by, their uniforms marked with different crests. One of them, a girl with silver eyes glowing faintly, stopped and stared at me. "That aura..." she whispered to her companion. "It feels... old and strong."

My heart pounded. "They can feel me," I said under my breath.

"Yes," Ms. Gina replied calmly. "And that is why your training must begin immediately."

She led me into a vast circular hall at the center of the academy. The ceiling stretched impossibly high, constellations moving slowly above as if the sky itself had been trapped indoors. In the middle of the room stood a crystal platform, pulsing softly.

"This is the Initiation Hall," Ms. Gina said. "Where immortals first learn what they truly are."

I stared at the platform, dread and anticipation twisting inside me. "And what happens if I fail?"

Ms. Gina met my gaze, her expression unwavering. "You won't," she said. "Because this time, Calista... you won't face it alone."