Tessa found herself in a dream, standing in a meadow bathed in golden light. The air hummed with a melody she didn’t recognize but somehow felt familiar. Before her stood a woman with radiant silver hair and eyes like the dawn, her presence both comforting and commanding.

“Tessa Hale,” the woman spoke, her voice like the ringing of a distant bell. “I am Morgana, the Goddess of Light. You are no longer just human. The accident that nearly claimed you awakened the light within you. You are now one of us—one of the People of Light.”

Tessa stared, words failing her.

“The darkness hunts you,” Morgana continued, stepping closer. “But you are not alone. My kin and I will stand with you. The war is upon us, and we will fight by your side. But you must find me, Tessa. Seek me where the veil between realms is thin. We must prepare together.”

The dream began to fade, the meadow dissolving into blinding light. Morgana’s voice echoed as Tessa’s vision blurred.

“The war is here, child. Find me, and together, we will protect the light.”

Tessa woke with a start, her heart racing, Morgana’s words burning in her mind.

At dawn, Tessa, Liam, and Ryker stood at the edge of the ancient forest Ryker had spoken of. The air here was different—denser, quieter, as if the world were holding its breath. Tall trees loomed overhead, their branches tangled together like skeletal fingers, filtering the sunlight into fractured beams.

Ryker took the lead, his wolf-like senses attuned to the forest’s peculiar energy. He moved with purpose, his steps careful but confident. Liam walked beside Tessa, his heightened vampire senses on high alert.

“This place is alive,” Liam muttered, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.

“It is,” Ryker confirmed without turning around. “The forest has a will of its own. If it doesn’t want us here, we’ll know soon enough.”

Tessa shivered. “You mean it could...reject us?”

Ryker nodded grimly. “Or worse.”

Despite his warning, the forest seemed to accept their presence—for now. The trees creaked softly in the breeze, and the occasional rustle of leaves hinted at unseen creatures watching them. Tessa couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being followed, though no threat had revealed itself yet.

“Tell me again why this Morgana can’t just come to us?” Liam asked, irritation edging his voice.

“She’s bound by ancient laws,” Ryker explained, glancing over his shoulder. “Her power is immense, but it has limits. She can guide, influence, and protect, but she can’t interfere directly unless we step into her domain.”

Tessa frowned. “But why me? Why is she so invested in protecting me?”

Ryker hesitated. “Because you’re one of her kind now, Tessa. Whether you realize it or not, you’re connected to the light. That makes you a threat to those who thrive in darkness—like the Reaper and the vampire clan.”

Tessa swallowed hard, her thoughts swirling. She had barely come to terms with the changes in herself, let alone the fact that she was part of something far greater.

Suddenly, the forest fell silent. No wind, no rustling leaves—just an oppressive, eerie stillness. Ryker stopped abruptly, his hand raised in warning.

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“What is it?” Liam whispered, his fangs already descending.

“We’re not alone,” Ryker said, his voice barely audible.

From the shadows, a figure stepped into the faint light—a man clad in dark robes, his face partially obscured by a hood. His presence radiated malice, and Tessa’s heart sank.

“The Reaper,” she breathed.

He smiled coldly, his skeletal fingers gripping a black scythe. “You’re venturing into places you don’t belong, little lightbearer,” he said, his voice like a rasping wind. “Did you think you could walk this path unnoticed?”

Ryker growled, stepping in front of Tessa, while Liam mirrored the motion on her other side.

“You’ll have to get through us first,” Liam hissed, his eyes glowing crimson.

The Reaper laughed, the sound chilling and hollow. “Oh, I intend to. But not yet. You’re far too entertaining to end so soon.”

Before any of them could react, he vanished into the shadows, leaving only the faint echo of his laughter behind.

“What just happened?” Tessa whispered, her voice trembling.

“He’s toying with us,” Ryker said, his fists clenched. “But he won’t wait forever. We need to move—now.”

They pressed onward, their determination renewed. Tessa’s mind raced with questions, but one thing was clear: the Reaper wasn’t just a threat to her anymore. He was a threat to them all.

The air grew heavier as they continued down the forest path, the oppressive silence thickening with each step. Tessa's heart pounded in her chest, her senses heightened, and though she tried to focus on the journey ahead, she couldn’t shake the unease that had settled deep within her bones. The Reaper's chilling presence still lingered, like a shadow that refused to leave.

Liam walked with a tense grace, his gaze flicking from one side of the forest to the other, constantly alert. Ryker, too, remained vigilant, his every sense sharpened, attuned to the slightest change in the environment.

“We can’t keep running,” Tessa murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “The Reaper will always find us.”

Liam glanced over at her, his expression softening for a moment. “He might find us, but we won’t just hide. We’ll fight. We have to. Morgana will help us.”

Ryker nodded in agreement, though his eyes were still scanning their surroundings with caution. “Morgana’s power isn’t limitless, Tessa. But if we can get to her, we might have a fighting chance. She’ll give us the strength we need.”

Tessa’s mind whirled with the gravity of the situation. She was no longer just a girl who had lost her brother, no longer someone who could go about her life oblivious to the dangers that lurked in the shadows. She was now part of a world that didn’t make sense, a world that had suddenly grown far darker than anything she had imagined.

And the Reaper wasn’t the only threat.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag, and she shook her head, pushing away the spiraling thoughts. “But why me?” she asked again, the question gnawing at her. “Why is the Reaper after me, and why did Morgana say I’m connected to the light?”

Ryker’s expression darkened. “It’s because you’re not human anymore. You were touched by the accident, changed by it. And when you did, you connected with the light that protects our world from the darkness—the same light Morgana represents. You have power, Tessa. Power that can stop the Reaper and the vampire clan from taking everything.”

Tessa’s breath hitched. Power. She didn’t feel powerful. In fact, she felt more vulnerable than ever. The light that Morgana had spoken of was foreign to her, elusive. How could she fight with something she didn’t even understand?

Before she could voice her concern, the forest ahead darkened again, the air growing colder. Ryker froze, his muscles tensing, his wolf senses on full alert.

Liam’s eyes narrowed, his fangs flashing. “We’re not alone,” he hissed, his voice low but intense.

Tessa could feel it too—an unmistakable presence, heavy and suffocating. And then, like a nightmare made flesh, the Reaper appeared again, emerging from the shadows with an eerie grace.

“I’m back,” he said, his voice laced with amusement. “You really think you can outrun me?”

Liam growled low in his throat, stepping forward to shield Tessa once again. “I won’t let you take her.”

The Reaper’s grin widened, his skeletal face eerily serene. “You can try, vampire. But this is your last warning. The light is nothing compared to the power of death.” His eyes locked onto Tessa, and the cold weight of his gaze made her shiver. “You think you’re the exception? You’re just another soul waiting to be claimed.”

Without warning, the Reaper raised his scythe, and the wind began to howl, twisting into a violent vortex. The trees groaned under the force, their branches twisting as if alive, trying to fight back against the dark force that surged around them.

Ryker snarled, his wolf side breaking through, his claws lengthening as he prepared to strike. “Stay behind me,” he told Tessa, his voice low and commanding. He moved forward, his eyes glowing with the intensity of the battle ahead.

Liam wasn’t far behind, his vampire strength fueling him. “We’re not giving up without a fight.”

Tessa’s heart raced. The air around them was charged with magic and malice. She could feel the darkness pressing in, trying to smother the light that had awakened inside her. She wanted to do something—to fight back, to protect the people she loved—but she wasn’t sure how. The light was there, somewhere inside her, but how could she use it against something like the Reaper?

Before she could gather her thoughts, the Reaper’s scythe swung down, and a burst of shadowy energy shot toward them. Ryker leapt into action, his wolf form fully realized, fangs bared as he collided with the dark force. The scythe barely missed him, but the blast still sent him reeling.

Liam darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, his fangs flashing as he aimed for the Reaper’s bony arm. But the Reaper was faster, vanishing into the shadows before they could strike him.

“Not fast enough,” the Reaper’s voice echoed around them, his words full of malice. “I will return, little lightbearer. And when I do, you will be mine.”

Tessa’s heart pounded as the Reaper disappeared into the shadows once again, leaving nothing behind but the eerie silence of the forest.

“Is he gone?” Tessa whispered, her voice trembling.

For a moment, Ryker and Liam remained still, their senses alert for any further threats. Finally, Ryker lowered his stance, though his eyes remained sharp. “For now. But he won’t stop. We need to get to Morgana. It’s the only place we’ll be safe.”

Tessa’s thoughts raced. The Reaper was relentless. He wouldn’t give up. But neither would she.

As they continued forward, their pace quickening, Tessa couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming—something darker, more dangerous than the Reaper himself.

And she had no choice but to face it head-on.