𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗘 ━━ l. valdez

vi ━━ every breath feels like rarest air

05. chapter six

━━━━━━━━ ( 💫 ) ━━━━━━━━

IN MY DREAM, I FOUND MYSELF STANDING on the desolate banks of the River Styx, the boundary between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. The underworld stretched out before me, a vast expanse of shadowy landscapes and eerie silence, punctuated only by the occasional wail of lost souls. The Styx itself was a dark, sluggish river, its waters shimmering with an otherworldly glow, carrying the weight of countless oaths and promises. As I gazed into the depths, a chill ran down my spine, sensing the ancient power that flowed within.

This wasn't the familiar spot where I usually met my mother. Instead, I stood at a much deeper and faster-flowing section of the Styx. The river here was darker and more dismal, its currents swirling with a menacing intensity. The oppressive atmosphere filled me with dread, the shadows seeming to close in around me.

Suddenly, the waters began to churn, and from the depths emerged a towering figure, her presence both majestic and fearsome. It was my mother, her form wreathed in mist and shadows.

"You have come far, my daughter," Styx's voice echoed, resonating with the very essence of the underworld.

"Mother, why have you brought me here?" I asked irritably.

"The path you tread is fraught with peril and sacrifice. You must be prepared for what lies ahead," she replied, her gaze unwavering.

"What?"

"You must embrace your destiny, Camille. The choices you make will shape the fate of many." Her tone was cryptic and devoid of warmth.

"Why do people keep telling me that?" I asked, glancing nervously at the swirling waters. "I'm only fourteen. I shouldn't have to accept my destiny yet."

"I will see you in the underworld soon, under much worse circumstances."

A shiver ran through me at her words. "What do you mean? What circumstances?"

"Sacrifice is part of your journey, and you must welcome it rather than prevent it," Styx continued, her eyes piercing through me. "You will never escape your prophecy, dear Camille."

"Stop," I said, desperation creeping into my voice.

"Leo has finally accepted it, but can you?" she said, her voice echoing with an ancient, unyielding power.

"Accepted what? What has Leo accepted?" I demanded, my heart pounding.

"That sacrifice is inevitable. That destiny cannot be altered," Styx replied, her form beginning to fade into the mist. "You must find the strength within yourself, my daughter."

The shadows seemed to grow darker, and the river's currents swirled with even greater intensity. Styx's form was slowly fading.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "Mother, wait!" I called out. "What sacrifices do I have to make?"

The mist around me thickened. "The sacrifices will reveal themselves in time, Camille. Trust in the river's flow."

"Why would I ever trust a river that leads people to death?" I doubted, my voice echoing in the eerie silence.

"The Styx is a reflection of life itself—dark, unpredictable, yet ever-flowing," she replied, her words carrying a weight that seemed to settle in my very bones. "You must find your strength within its depths."

I felt a surge of frustration. "What about Leo? What has he accepted that I haven't?"

"Leo has accepted his role in the prophecy, his place in the grand design," Styx's voice answered, now closer, as if she were standing right beside me. "He understands that some battles are fought not with fire, but with sacrifice."