The Awakening

Chapter Thirty Nine

Before her stood a figure, radiant and imposing, yet calm.

"I am Dana. The Goddess of Knowledge. I reckon you needed some guidance." She introduced herself with a warm smile.

Her presence felt like the merging of light and shadow, the balance between wisdom and power. She was draped in robes that shimmered like liquid silver. Her eyes were a deep, ancient blue, filled with what seemed like endless knowledge and secrets of the universe, and her hair flowed in effortless loose curls, almost as white as clouds.

Avelon's breath caught in her throat. She had only heard whispers of Dana, stories of the goddess who protected the libraries and knowledge, and who held the power to shape and preserve knowledge across realms.

But standing before her... the reality of her was overwhelming.

"You... you're real," Avelon whispered, her voice barely a tremor in the air.

Dana's gaze softened, and the quiet hum of her presence resonated in Avelon's chest.

"I am more real than you could ever understand, child."

"That means that the Gods really do exist?" Avelon spoke before she could stop herself, causing Dana to laugh. The sound was melodic and soothed a part of Avelon she did not know needed soothing.

"Of course. And I have been with you for longer than you think." Dana nodded her head, silently watching Avelon.

Her confusion deepened as her mind swirled with questions. "You... have been with me?"

Dana nodded. "Yes. It was I who led you to the tome and to that riddle. The path that has brought you here was shaped long before you were even thought of. I have watched over you, since you were brought into my library."

The words pierced Avelon's heart. Watched over her? All this time, she had felt alone, lost in her search for answers. To know that some unseen hand had been watching over her... it was as comforting as it was unsettling. Her questions burst from her in a rush.

"Why me? Why did you choose me? What do I have to do with anything? Why are you here?" Her voice trembled, but there was a fierceness in it too—an insistence on understanding the role she had been thrust into.

"Hush." She waved a hand in the air. Avelon's mouth shut instantly. Dana's smile was small and understanding flashed through her eyes.

"You have a lot of questions, child." Embarrassment painted Avelon's cheeks as she cast her eyes to the ground.

"You have the blood of ancient Fae running through your veins, Avelon. The Daghlan bloodline is speculated to be non-existent. With the exception of you." Avelon's face paled at the confirmation. She opened her mouth to shoot more questions, but Dana rose her palm to quiet her.

"The bloodline of those who once wielded great knowledge and power- their blood runs within you. The path you are on is not by chance—it is fate. Your journey, though difficult, will unlock the doors to truths you are not yet ready to comprehend."

Avelon's breath quickened. She could not help but wonder whether the dream she had, was not just a dream, but rather a memory.

"Your bloodline," Dana continued, her voice now soft, "is intertwined with the knowledge I protect. You are the heir to a legacy older than the stars themselves."

Avelon's mind reeled.

"Heir? To what? The library? To knowledge?" Her words tumbled out in a rush.

"What am I supposed to do with this... this power?" Avelon's body shook as she tried to process what Dana was declaring.