Home engulfed in flames. All that could be heard was the roar of a deafening inferno as a father rushed to rescue his 13-year-old daughter, Elara. Storming into the burning house, eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of Elara. He called out her name, but the flames and smoke swallowed his cries out to her. 

Suddenly, he spotted her tiny figure huddled in the corner of the room. He immediately sprinted towards her with no thought of the intense burning flames licking his heels, heart racing with fear. As he reached Elara, he scooped her up in his arms and turned to make his way back to the door. 

Shielding Elara's face with his own, pushing through the smoke-filled air. Finally reaching safety outside. But the fire had spread too quickly, and the house was beyond saving. Placing the unconscious Elara down, he collapsed onto the grass, exhausted and traumatized by the events that had unfolded. 

Only hours later did Elara gain consciousness. Seeing her almost dead father she panicked. Struggling to call 911 she rushed to the hospital, James' condition worsened rapidly! Her father would not survive the night.

Elara, now orphaned at 13 years old, was left alone and adrift. Feeling responsible for her father's death felt an overwhelming grief. With no other family but her psychiatric mother, she was taken into a hell she could’ve never imagined. She suffered abuse, exploitation, neglect, and blame. All of it was too much for her.

As time passed, Elara began to withdraw from the world to cope with the pain and grief. She stopped attending school and lost interest in everything. 

After about three years, Elara looked like the homeless now, hair-tattered, clothes dirty, just neck-and-bones.

Isolated and withdrawn she spent hours alone in the attic, replaying memories of when she was happy. Every other waking night convinced that she was still trapped in that burning house with her father. She would cry out for them in desperation, only to be met with silence.

One night like any other Elara’s quiet tears began when suddenly she heard..

POP!

Bubbles were forming in the corner of the room. Elara began moving towards them to find the source. Still in tears when…

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

POP!

The bubbles began to carry her away in a surreal journey drifting her far away in the sky until she passed out, waking up hours later.

Panicking! Elara jumped up realizing she was on someone else’s assumed bed. 

As her nervousness died down she wondered... “Where the h*ll am I?!” She left the dark and dusty room she was in to go outside and discovered that she seemed to have woken up inside a cabin located inside a forest.

The trees seemed to loom over me, casting long and ominous shadows on the ground. Taking a deep breath, she walked back in, heart racing with every step.

But before she could reach the inside of the cabin, a strange sensation washed over her. The air seemed to thicken and swirl around, making it hard to breathe. She tried to push through it, but it was too late.

The world became blurry as it swirled. As she tried to clear her vision's haze, she saw a tall and gaunt hunched-back figure stare into her soul. Eyes that looked to be filled with a deep and ancient power. Elara fell to her knees from the pressure that was being put on her. Until she heard a shrill voice like the ghost of an opera singer...

"You're going to make a perfect vessel…"

Demonic laughter is all that could be heard for the next minute. 

Fear gripping her soul. The chilling words echoed in her mind, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to speak, to protest whatever the creep meant, but her voice failed her in the presence of such malevolent power. 

The figure stepped closer, its eyes burning with an otherworldly light. Elara felt another surge of energy coursing through her. Struggling against the invisible bonds that held her, but it was futile. The figure's laughter filled the room, a haunting sound that froze her blood.

Elara's heart pounded even harder as she stared up at the looming figure before her. The words spoken by the figure sent a chill down her spine, and she felt a surge of fear and confusion wash over her. 

Summoning her courage, Elara managed to stammer out a question, her voice barely above a whisper, "W-Who are y-y-you?”

The figure's eerie laughter filled the room once more, echoing off the walls in a haunting melody. "I am Darcy, Witch of Silent Night," 

"I have chosen you, Elara, because I sense within you a well of immense mana that even transcends worlds."

 Elara's mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. She felt a spark of hope flicker within her at the mention of her potential power. Gathering herself up, she asked, "Could I get back home?" Wondering if she even wanted to.

Darcy's nebula eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light as she leaned in closer to Elara, her presence exuding a mixture of wisdom and danger. "You can return home but only if you gain the power to return by your own strength,” she said with a wide smile. “I will teach you the ways of the arcane, but be warned, I am not a gentle lady.” 

Elara shuddered, making a silent vow to find her way back home. 

Elara couldn’t even make it to the first dawn. Being woken up by thrashing sounds around the cabin. Looking out the window, heart racing, Elara spots a bat. The bat spotting her exudes an aura similar to Darcy's.

Elara convinces herself it's just a few bats and tries to calm her racing heart. As she prepares to defend herself, a voice echoes in the darkness, "I see you've met my familiar, Flim." Elara turns to see Darcy standing in the doorway, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light.

Elara felt sort of jealous. She’d know what those were as she used to watch lots of fantasy shows. Familiars were like pets, a built-in best friend. She needed one of those. Working up the courage she asked, “Darcy… How do I-??”

Darcy laughs to herself and says, “In time..”

Elara hesitantly returns to bed, her mind racing with questions and fear. Fear is all she has felt since she arrived here beyond her usual home heart aches but tiredness overwhelmed her. The night passes fitfully, haunted by strange dreams and the eerie presence of Darcy's magic.