Zyra was startled, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped animal. She watched, wide-eyed, as the glove magically folded back, revealing a hidden storage pod built right into its structure.
She shook her head, blinking a few times as she wondered if she was imagining the whole thing. The compartment was impossibly big to fit in a flat glove and yet...somehow, it was!
From the outside, the glove was just... a glove. But on the inside, it had a compartment that was about the size of an extra-large suitcase. Her breath caught in her throat.
"What in the world...?" she whispered to herself. How many wonders would her rebirth bring her?
This had to be the thing her uncle was looking for! There were no more doubts about it. So, what exactly had her mother been up to? There were rumors that the Somnivores had arrived on earth with technology like never seen before. Was this one? Her uncle would probably sell his own soul for a spatial treasure like this.
It was not as big as the beast realm, not even a small fraction. But for any human, this was a treasure.
Within the storage pod lay three distinct objects.
A knife: at first glance, it looked like an ordinary, rather boring brown knife, though it shimmered with a strange, oily light. Curiosity getting the better of her, Zyra drew it out and touched the hilt.
Whoosh!
The weird blade suddenly elongated, the metal flowing and expanding like liquid gold until it transformed into a magnificent, double-headed spear. Embedded near the blades were pulsing green crystals, humming with a vibrant resonance energy. Zyra could literally feel the power vibrating through her fingers and running up her arms, making her hair stand on end, she felt powerful...nearly invincible.
"So cool," Zyra said, her eyes wide with genuine admiration. She rose and tried to swing it, but it was far heavier than she anticipated, sending her crushing back to her ground. Still, her own greed latched onto the weapon. It was probably more powerful than any gun man had ever made. With it, she would slay the beats in the Wild lands. Instead of her being afraid of them, they would be afraid of her. "Blood frogs! please, I have an otherworldly spear."
She took her hand from the spear, and it shrunk back into a blade as if it knew that she had no use for it in that moment. In another compartment sat a small glass vial filled with a thick, crimson liquid. It glowed faintly, swirling softly inside the glass as though it were alive. And in the largest compartment lay a folded letter, sealed with wax and marked with her mother’s unmistakable, elegant handwriting.
The letter was addressed to her. The moment Zyra saw those familiar curves of ink; the breath choked in her throat. Tears instantly flooded her eyes, blurring her vision.
Her heart had hardened a long time ago. After her parents vanished, a nationwide search had been launched for them as they had been some of the republic’s greatest hunters. And her mother’s position as a Soul maiden made her loss a great loss for humanity. But when even the bravest, black guild hunters returned from the other side of the Veil with empty hands, they declared them dead.
They said nobody could survive beyond the veil for more than a month. That was when she and her twin brother had been packed off to the Froods, the foster family who later adopted them.
But Zyra had always refused to believe they were gone. Especially her mother. They shared a bond.... a deep, special connection. They weren’t just mother and daughter; they were soul maidens, bonded by blood.
"Mother...oh mother...." Zyra choked out.
A single, heavy teardrop fell from her cheek, splashing right onto the paper. This was the first time she was crying over her mother in years. Maybe it was the yearning for her in that moment, or maybe it was because the storage pod perfectly masked her scent that she finally allowed herself to let her guard down and cry.
After about five minutes, she wiped her tears away. With trembling hands, she broke the wax seal. Her mother’s words spilled out across the page, heavy with sorrow, love, and terrifying urgency.
My dearest Zyra,
If you are reading this, it means the worst has happened, and you two are alone. Not time for sappy hello’s and how are you’s, I will be quick. You must know the truth that is hidden from us all by the High clan council. Soul maidens are born with one of two bloodlines. The first is pure; it grants healing, the power to mend both flesh and soul. It is celebrated.
The other bloodline is darker. It is very rare, feared, never spoken of in polite society, and deeply coveted by those with bad intentions. It devours souls, binds them, and grows stronger by controlling them. The aliens... the Somnivores... wield this exact same power. It was named the dark bloodline by Eve.
Our ancestor was the unlucky recipient of this trait among the first seven soul maidens. It was said to be purified and declared gone. But that was a lie. I carry this bloodline, Zyra. And so do you. [Oops, my bad, because I passed it on to you.]
But I didn’t know at the time. For many of the soul maidens, the pure bloodline is prominent but once in a while someone with the dark bloodline is born. I was born with a pure bloodline but somehow, it changed.
I did my research and it turns out; our Scorpion bloodline has been unfortunate to produce a few Soul maidens with this bloodline. Most die from accidents shortly after Resonance Day. My guess, the High clan council is getting rid of us.
Your father and I found a way to seal your bloodline; to let you live a normal, happy life. It means you will not awaken on the official Resonance Day when you turn 22. That is why you were meant to access this glove only after that day passed, in case I was not around to explain things.
The vial contains the strongest version of the Resonance Serum. It is the only way to break the seal and awaken your true bloodline. But I beg you, Zyra, do not use it unless you face absolute, grave danger, or if you have no other choice.
Your father and I are in danger because of this secret. We are being hunted down by our own people—people we trusted, who had their own selfish, political goals at heart. We are about to make our way to The Aurora Dominion to seek shelter with an old friend, Demerides. We can’t take you; it is too dangerous.
Trust no one with this secret. If you awaken, hide your gift. Live quietly. Because if you do not... those same people will hunt you down to use you in evil ways. But if death comes for you, or if they come after you anyway... awaken, fight, and survive.
Take care of your brother, he is not the most intelligent in the world, but he is still your brother and all you have got is the two of you now. I love you both to infinity.
Always your mother, Zena Scorpion.