AVA's EDGE

nine

Ava's mind raced. Questions gnawed at her-about Liam, about the secrets he was keeping, and about the dangerous road ahead. She couldn't help but glance at him from time to time, her gaze sharpening with suspicion. He seemed distant, almost calculating, but she also sensed something deeper: a weight he carried, a burden that wasn't just about the plaquette or the ancient book.

"Liam," Ava said, breaking the silence, "you haven't told me everything, have you?"

Liam slowed his pace but still walking. "No," he admitted after a long pause. "I haven't."

Ava felt her chest tighten. "Why not? You know I can handle it."

Liam finally turned to face her. His expression was unreadable, but the flicker of red in his eyes seemed to burn brighter for a moment. "It's not about whether you can handle it. It's about what you should know. There are things-things about the plaquette, the Book of Secrets, and... you-that are better left unsaid. For now."

Ava's heart skipped a beat. Things about me? She have lot of questions about but still it was unsaid. "What are you talking about?" Her voice sharpened. "How am I involved in this?"

Liam sighed, glancing up at the stars, as if searching for guidance. "The plaquette... it's not just a tool for unlocking ancient secrets. It was forged with something else in mind. A prophecy."

Ava blinked. "A prophecy? About what?"

"About you." u have gone throw a lot in your life and after that murder u have find many things, haven't u?

The words hung in the air like a curse. Ava stopped walking, her breath caught in her throat. "Me? But... how? I know I have find and try to connect but every dot end with a different mystery"?

Liam stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "That's because it wasn't time. The plaquette was never meant to be found by anyone unworthy, but there's something special about you, Ava. I don't know all the details, but I do know this: the ancient scholars who created the plaquette left a warning. One day, someone would come who could either use its power to reshape the world-or destroy it. I've been searching for years, but I always suspected it would come down to you."

Ava's knees felt weak. This was too much-too fast. "But how can that be possible? I'm just... me". And u are now creating a suspense?

Liam placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. "You're more than you think. You've always been drawn to the strange, the unexplained. Haven't you ever wondered why?"

Ava felt a cold shiver race down her spine. She had, in fact. Since she was a child, she had always felt a pull toward the unknown, an insatiable curiosity for myths and mysteries. But she had never thought much of it, chalking it up to a restless mind. Now, though, the pieces were beginning to fall into place.

She narrowed her eyes at Liam, feeling the tension between them grow. "And you've known this the whole time? Is that why you've been keeping secrets from me?"

Liam hesitated, his face softening. "Not exactly. I didn't know everything. I just knew you were important-that you were part of something much bigger. But I didn't want to put you in danger until I was sure."

Ava's gaze darkened, like a cat ready to strike. "Danger? You mean like the Keepers of the Hidden, right? The people who want to kill us now?"

Liam smiled grimly. "Yes. Them."

Ava crossed her arms, trying to keep her emotions in check. "So, what now? We go looking for this plaquette, fight off a group of ancient guardians, and what-hope I don't destroy the world by accident?"

Liam's smile turned serious. "Pretty much. But we won't be doing it alone. There are others-people who have been searching for the plaquette too. Some want to protect it, others... well, their motives aren't so noble. We need to find allies before the Keepers close in."

Ava frowned. "Allies? You mean like more secret societies and cryptic prophecies?"

"Something like that," Liam said, his voice tight. "I know of a few places where we can start. But once we make our move, there's no turning back."

Ava looked out at the horizon, the weight of Liam's words sinking in. Her world had already been turned upside down.

Still, she couldn't deny the thrill coursing through her veins.

"All right," Ava said, her voice steady. "Let's find this plaquette. And Liam... no more secrets. We do this together, or not at all."

Liam's expression softened, and for a brief moment, the hard edge in his gaze faded. "Together, then."

As the night deepened, they set off, their path uncertain, their fates intertwined with powers far greater than themselves. But one thing was clear: the plaquette was only the beginning. The true secrets of the universe-the ones that could unravel existence itself-were still waiting to be discovered.