The rise of the forgotten blood

"Morning, Dad!" Emily said cheerfully, her face beaming with smiles as her father emerged down the stairs clad in his shirts and trousers neatly tucked with shiny black Tomford shoes.

"Morning sunshine, all ready for school yeah? " Mr Carter asked his daughter as he always loved to see her radiant face in the morning. At least she lit up his day, disregarding the fact that he was always at the hospital and barely had time to take care of her.

"Yes, but Alice says you didn't have dinner last night; I still have much time before school, so we can wait to have breakfast because I'm actually really famished," Emily said, smiling as she cleared the dining table and pulled out a chair for her father to sit on.

Tom had no choice because he knew there was no convincing his daughter; he reluctantly had his seat, staring at Emily as if she was punishing him.

"You know, Dad, you always told me when I was little, My sunshine, you have to eat well so the worms won't eat your belly up and cause you to have an ulcer, mum wouldn't like that and that is exactly what I'm applying here; Mum wouldn't want you to get ulcer either, right mum? "Emily stated as she faced her mum's photo that hung on the dining wall smiling.

She was always like that and she made Tom's heart melt whenever she spoke to her mother as if she was alive. To Tom, Emily was the strongest girl he ever met, not because she was his daughter but because she was a fighter.

Emily survived a ghastly accident that took her mother's life and left her in a coma when she was just three.

A lot of people thought she wouldn't make it, but she did after three years of being in a coma and, in fact, with all her neurological senses intact, something the medical field has never experienced a miracle.

Those days were the darkest for Tom, but when his daughter woke up, he could remember that feeling of hope that came over him, that rush of happiness; she brought back light into his life; she was his sunshine.

Emily restored everything dead in Tom back to life; so many years had passed, and she grew up quite well.

Emily was the exact replica of her mother, she had hazel brown eyes, ivory skin, a sharp-turned nose, and thin lips that exposed her perfect set of glistening white teeth whenever she smiled. She was a beauty with brains just like Racheal.

"Breakfast is ready to be served, Miss Carter! " Alice, their old housekeeper, said from the kitchen.

"Coming... I'll be right back, Dad," Emily said as she gave her father another soothing smile before heading toward the kitchen for food inspection.

* * *

"Bye, love you, Dad," Emily said as she kissed her father goodbye before rushing down the car frantically on sighting her best friend.

"Beth! " Emily called out as she ran to catch up with her.

"Hey," Beth said, smiling as she turned to see Emily.

"Hi... " Emily managed to reply, trying to catch her breath.

"You should save those athletic moves for the Roger finals, Em, not trying to spend another day pestering me" Beth jokingly said.

"C'mon, Miss Bucker, I'd do anything to spend my whole life disturbing you, girl," Emily replied sarcastically.

The school bell rang in the distance, breaking the moment.

"Come on," Emily said, grabbing Beth's hand. "Let's get to class before Mrs. Caldwell decides to make us the subject of her morning lecture."

"I know, right? With her four-eyed wigs," Beth joked as they both walked hand in hand to the classroom, giggling.

* * *

Emily looked out the window as her mind wandered away and the voice of the teacher echoed faintly in the background.

Suddenly, she saw a strange beast in the field, a wolf; it was snarling at her as if it was wounded as it continued to growl and make uneasy movements.

She looked around to check if anyone was looking but she seemed to be the only one seeing the strange beast.

Emily looked the wolf straight in the eye, and she could feel her hormones trying to reach out to the beast. Then, all of a sudden, Emily began to hear familiar words in her head as if the beast was speaking to her.

"Ezudabasi luma akoko mako ebbaho kama si kurizoni lerago! " meaning "Great warrior, it's time for you to awaken, be careful because the enemy is on watch."

Emily heard clearly; these were the same words from the strange woman that always appeared in her dreams, and she had no idea how she could even understand the strange language.

It started as a silent chant, but as the wolf continued to move swiftly as if in pain, the volume increased as if it was being recited by a large crowd. The chant was heavy with strange emotions and Emily began to feel nauseous.

"Emily! Is everything okay?" Mr Shank, the Physics teacher, called out as he noticed Emily's distraction and the sparkle of fear in her eyes, bringing her back to reality.

"Ummm... Yes sir. I'm sorry, sir," Emily replied as she tried to take the imagination out of her head.

"You good Em?" Beth asked as she turned back to look at Emily, her expression filled with worry.

"Yeah, sure, just got distracted a little bit," Emily replied, reassuring Beth.

Something called out to her from the field again; Emily tried hard to concentrate, but suddenly she heard the same voice in her head again, sharpened with urgency and fear. "Ragaaa! " meaning "Run!" Then suddenly, a loud howl followed, deeper and laced with hatred and war.

Emily looked out the field immediately to be faced with a dirty black wolf with sharp yellow eyes and a big scar that drew a long line from underneath its eyes to the jaw.

"Long time no see Lycanthar! " Emily heard the beast say, followed by a peal of wicked laughter, but before she could comprehend, the beast attacked and jumped at her.

"Emily... Emily.... " Those were the last words Emily heard before everything went black.

Emily's world faded into darkness, but her mind wasn't silent. Whispers surrounded her-familiar yet foreign, like echoes from a forgotten past.

Images flickered through her mind: flashes of golden eyes, ancient symbols carved in stone, and a figure cloaked in shadows standing atop a mountain beneath a blood-red moon.

Then, a voice-soft but commanding-cut through the chaos.

"Wake up, child of the Forgotten Blood. Your time is near."

Emily's eyes snapped open, her heart racing as if she'd been running for miles. She blinked, trying to adjust to the harsh fluorescent lights above her.

The faint hum of machinery buzzed in the background, and the air smelled faintly of antiseptic. She was in the nurse's office.

"Emily?" Beth's worried face hovered over her, eyes wide with concern. "Thank God-you scared the hell out of me!"

"I... What happened?" Emily's voice came out hoarse, her throat dry.

"You passed out in class. Mr. Shank called the nurse, and they brought you here. You've been out for about twenty minutes."

Emily pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to shake off the lingering sense of fear. The image of the black wolf with yellow eyes burned behind her eyelids. Its wicked laughter still echoed faintly in her ears.

"Did you...did you see anything outside?" Emily asked cautiously, searching Beth's eyes for any hint of recognition.

"Outside?" Beth frowned. "No. Why?"

Emily hesitated, her pulse quickening. So I was the only one who saw it... again.

Before she could say more, the nurse approached with a warm but professional smile. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy," Emily replied, sitting up slowly.

"Well, your vitals are normal, but you should take it easy for the rest of the day. If it happens again, we'll need to notify your father."

Emily nodded absently, her mind already spinning with questions. She knew this wasn't just some random fainting spell.

The wolf... the voice... the strange language that somehow felt natural to her-it all meant something. But what?

Beth helped her off the cot, and they made their way back toward the hallway. Students bustled past, their chatter echoing against the lockers, but Emily barely noticed.

"You sure you're okay?" Beth asked again as they approached their next class.

Emily forced a smile. "Yeah. I'll be fine. Just... a weird day, I guess."

* * *

The final school bell echoed through the halls of Creston High, signaling the end of another long day. Chairs scraped against the floor as students shuffled to gather their belongings.

Mr. Shank, the physics teacher, stood by his desk, adjusting the sleeves of his plaid shirt as the students filtered out of the classroom.

"That's all for today. Don't forget to review Chapter Seven for next week's quiz!."He called out after them. His stern voice softened as he added, "Take care, everyone. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Mr. Shank," the students chorused, some more enthusiastically than others.

"Hey, how do you feel now? " Beth asked concernedly as she slung her backpack over her shoulder facing Emily.

"I'm alright Beth" Emily replied reassuringly

"Okay..." heaving a huge sigh of relief. " Let's get going now, "Beth added as she grabbed Emily's hand and led her out of the classroom.

"Come on, Em. Let's get out of here before the hallway turns into a stampede," Beth said, lightly bumping her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, let's go," Emily replied with a slight chuckle.

The two girls navigated through the noisy crowd, weaving past clusters of students chatting by lockers.

Their footsteps echoed faintly against the tiled floor as they stepped outside, the air was crisp with the promise of fall, and leaves danced lazily in the breeze as they made their way toward the school gate. Though Beth chatted lightly about an upcoming school project, Emily's mind kept drifting.

Emily offered a faint smile as they reached the school gate, where a few cars were already pulling up to pick up students. Beth spotted her father's black sedan waiting near the curb.

"Good afternoon, Miss Bucker," The driver greeted Elsbeth from afar.

"Afternoon, Mr. Mark; I'll be with you shortly," Elsbeth replied, facing Emily.

"Let me drop you off, Emily; I don't want to leave you in this condition," Beth said, squeezing Emily's arms.

"Ugh, thanks, Beth, but I'd rather walk today; I just need to clear my head. Talk to you later, okay?"Emily replied politely with a warm smile.

" Okay..." Beth huffed, flashing a smile before jogging towards her father's car.

Emily walked out of the school premises; her father had told her he had an important meeting and would send a driver, but she had told him not to bother.

As she strolled along the quiet, tree-lined avenue thoughts about the strange beast and the chant she heard earlier flooded her mind. Suddenly Emily heard light footsteps behind her as if someone was following her.

Her pulse quickened. It's just your imagination, she told herself. Still, she found herself glancing over her shoulder again-nothing. Only the long shadows stretching across the sidewalk and the distant hum of traffic from the main road.

She paused, gripping the straps of her backpack tightly against her shoulders, her breath visible in the cool evening air.

A faint rustle came from within the park, and Emily froze.

Someone was following her!

Chapter three

Emily's gaze scanned the darkened trees beyond the fence. Fallen leaves swirled across the path, but the shadows within the woods seemed... thicker somehow. Heavier.

Another rustle. Closer this time.

"Hello?" she called, her voice wavering slightly. Only the whisper of wind answered.

Swallowing hard, Emily quickened her pace. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears as her sneakers tapped against the sidewalk.

Then-soft footsteps.

Light and deliberate, echoing faintly behind her.

Emily whipped her head around. The street was empty, but the air felt wrong-thick with an unseen presence.

Panic surged as she broke into a jog, her breath coming faster. The footsteps quickened to match her pace. She rounded the corner onto Victoria Lane, her house just a few blocks away.

The footsteps stopped.

Emily skidded to a halt, gasping as she spun around-again, nothing. Just an empty sidewalk and swaying trees.

Then, a low growl.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Slowly, she turned toward the edge of the park.

Golden eyes gleamed from the darkness. Large. Unblinking. Watching.

And then-

"Emily!"

A distant voice-human, familiar-snapped her out of her trance.

Chest heaving, Emily staggered back onto the sidewalk, gripping a nearby lamppost for support. Her vision swam with flashes from earlier-the wolf's laughter still echoing faintly in her mind.

"Wake up, child of the Forgotten Blood. Your time is near."

Footsteps approached from down the street.

"Emily! Hey, are you okay?"

Beth's voice.

Emily turned to see her friend hurrying toward her.

"I-I thought you went home," Emily stammered, glancing back at the park.

"Mr. Mark had to stop by the pharmacy, so I asked him to drop me off here. What are you doing out here? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"I... I don't know," Emily murmured. "Maybe I have."

Beth frowned. "Come on. Let's get you home."

As Emily followed her down the street, her mind remained trapped in that moment-those golden eyes, that sinister smile, and the voice that whispered through her blood.

Nothing felt right.

---

The faint click of the door stirred Emily from sleep, though she remained curled beneath her blanket, dreams clinging to the edges of consciousness.

Her father stepped inside, shoulders sagging beneath the weight of another long shift. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he spotted Emily, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

"Dad..." Emily mumbled sleepily.

"Sunshine, you're awake?" Tom replied, leaning down to brush a strand of hair from her face. His gaze was heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Sinking onto the edge of the mattress, he exhaled slowly. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve.

"Emily... There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Dad?" she asked, sitting up.

"I've been offered a new position-Director of Dairon City Medical Center." He paused, the gravity of the announcement settling between them like an invisible presence.

"It's a big opportunity," he continued. "But it's more than just the promotion... They want me to lead research into unusual cases-things that science can't quite explain. Strange beings... things I don't fully understand yet.

We opened the hospital there two years ago, but the doctors are struggling to make sense of what they've seen."

His gaze dropped to his hands.

"We'll have to move to Dairon. I know it's a big change-leaving your school, your friends, this house-but... I think this is something I have to do."

Silence settled over the room, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock downstairs. Emily's brow furrowed slightly. She wanted to refuse, but something stopped her.

After everything her dad had done raising her alone, she couldn't hold him back. Maybe this move would help him heal.

"Dad, I... I don't... I mean... It's fine. I understand. I'll talk to Beth about it tomorrow." Emily forced a smile.

"Is that a yes?" Tom asked, his shoulders easing with relief.

"Of course, Dad! Have you forgotten? I have superpowers-I can adapt anywhere! Let's go kick some monster butt!" she joked, trying to lift the mood.

Tom chuckled softly. "Alright now, sunshine. How was school today?"

Emily hesitated. "It was... strange." She recounted the odd feeling during physics class, the footsteps on her walk home, and the eyes in the woods.

Tom placed a hand on her forehead. "Did you see the woman from your dreams again?"

"No, but I heard the same chanting," Emily replied, uncertainty tightening her chest. "Do you think... could it be Mom trying to tell me something?"

Tom's smile faltered, but he masked it quickly. "No, sweetheart. Maybe the nightmares have been disturbing you lately. Try not to think about it. You need your rest."

"Yeah... Maybe you're right," Emily said, though doubt lingered beneath her words.

Tom stood and kissed her forehead. "We leave for Dairon on Sunday. Goodnight, sunshine."

"Goodnight, Dad."

As the door clicked shut and darkness settled around her, Emily closed her eyes, hoping sleep would offer peace.

---

Beneath the veil of dreams, shadows stirred.

Golden eyes emerged from the dark. Laughter, low and ancient, echoed through the woods.

A voice whispered from the depths of her mind:

"Child of the Forgotten Blood... The path has been set. Dairon awaits."

Emily jolted upright, heart hammering against her ribs. Sweat clung to her skin as her eyes darted around the moonlit room.

No eyes. No laughter.

Only the faint echo of those words lingering in her mind.

Dairon.

As her pulse slowed, unease coiled deep within her chest.

This wasn't a coincidence. Change was coming.

And something out there was waiting for her.