𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 | Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski

Chapter 8

It was a peaceful Saturday morning, and Sylvia woke up to her usual 6 AM alarm. She freshened up and sat down to brush her hair, then pulled it into a bun, put on a headband, and started her extensive skincare routine. When she checked the clock, it was 6:45 AM, so she still had time before breakfast. Deciding to go through the last few journals that were left, she pulled out a box of old journals. Most of original Sylvia's  journals were black, identical in appearance, except for a few she used for writing memorable moments, often with pictures or polaroids in them.

That was when she noticed a lavender journal, hidden behind the box of old journals. It was firmly placed between the shelf and the box.

"Voronov" was the first word written on the first page.

'I am Sylvia Paige Sommers, and I have a legacy. My mom, Audrey Sommers, used to be Audrey Voronov. Our family carries both a curse and a power, and I've been the one to bear this curse. But now, I'm giving you, Paige Krasikeva, another chance at life. You have the opportunity to harness the Voronov power, change your fate, and live your life to the fullest.

Please don't be sad for me. I did what I had to do to keep everyone I love from getting heartbroken and to make sure they stayed happy. I wish you could've met Grandmother; she helped me understand my powers and how I could bring you into my body. But by the time I could revive you, she was already gone.

Go to the attic and find the wooden box with a crow insignia. It will help you understand why you were brought into my body.

And please, don't ever feel guilty or think for a second that you've taken my life away from me. I'd rather have you live my life than endure such a painful curse, which would break my parents' hearts more than anything. I hope you can live a happy and fulfilling life. I wish that from the bottom of my heart.

The journal fell from her hand. Sylvia felt something inside her break as she read it. She bent over from the pain she felt, which was more physical than emotional. The pain held her heart captive, like prickly vines growing around her tender flesh, causing her agony. A choked sob escaped her lips, and then no more sound escaped. She couldn't breathe. Tears slipped from her eyes as she gasped for air. Then she broke completely—body trembling, eyes red and leaking. All she could hear were her own sniffles and broken breaths. She never felt so unwhole before and feared she would never feel whole again.'

After what felt like an eternity, Sylvia finally composed herself. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her body ached from the tension. Taking deep breaths, she gathered her strength and decided to head to the attic. She needed answers.

The attic was dusty and filled with old boxes and forgotten memories. After rummaging through various items, she found the box with the crow insignia. It was old, made of dark wood, and intricately carved. She opened it to find a leather-bound book with yellowed pages, significantly older than her entire existence.

A page was bookmarked, titled "Curse of Vorona." 

Sylvia read the passage:

'Upon the cycle of three centuries, when the scion of Vorona doth reach the 72 seasons, the dread curse is invoked. Sustenance consumed turneth to ash, wounds inflicted endure unyieldingly, and the bones within their form grow fragile as ancient parchment. Sight shall wane, and longevity curtailed, for they shall not surpass 107 seasons. No mortal means may break this binding malediction, save for the slaying of an ensnared soul, adrift in the liminal void, whose destiny hath been left unfulfilled. The soul shall be woven into the corporeal vessel through this grievous act, thus perpetuating the Vorona lineage unto the succeeding generations.'

Sylvia felt the weight of the sacrifice that the original Sylvia had made. The burden of the curse, the pain, and the inevitability of death—it was all too much to bear. But the question remained: what unfulfilled purpose did she, Paige Krasikeva, have? What was her destiny? She knew she had to read and understand more about the powers of the Vorona family.

She sat down, her mind whirling with the implications of what she had discovered. The original Sylvia had given up her life so Paige could have another chance. This revelation left her feeling both grateful and burdened. She needed to learn more about the powers and legacy of the Vorona family to understand her true purpose.