THE WITCH’S REBIRTH

Ardenvale...

The road stretched endlessly ahead of them, grey and quiet, with fog rolling in slow waves across the highway. The hum of Lana’s car was the only sound between them, low and steady like a heartbeat. Neither of them had said much since leaving Salem, and it wasn’t because there was nothing to say. There was just too much. Too heavy. Too uncertain.

Lana’s fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel. Every few minutes, she would glance sideways at Una as if to make sure she was still there, still breathing, still not breaking apart.

Una stared out the window, her reflection flickering faintly against the glass. The trees blurred past dark silhouettes standing tall and strange in the mist. Her heart had been racing since they left. She could not shake the thought of Aunt Reina returning home, seeing the note, and realizing she was gone. But it was too late to turn back now. The path had already been chosen.

Lana finally broke the silence.

“You okay?”

Una hesitated before answering. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. “It feels like… something’s changing. Like I can’t stop it, even if I wanted to.”

Lana gave a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Change isn’t always bad, you know. Sometimes it’s just… creepy.” She chuckled softly. “And knowing you, creepy’s kind of your thing now.”

Una almost laughed, but her chest was too tight for it. She looked back out the window and saw the faint outline of a sign emerging from the fog.

WELCOME TO ARDENVALE – FOUNDED 1848.

The letters were carved deep into weathered stone, moss creeping around the edges like old scars.

The moment they crossed that point, the air changed. It got cold, and the road ahead started to fog up. It wasn’t there a second ago, and yet now it was everywhere, thick and heavy, like smoke.

Lana leaned forward a little, squinting. “Weird. It was sunny a second ago.”

But Una didn’t answer. Her gaze was fixed outside the window.

Just below the sign, an old man, or at least, she thought he was a man stood by the road. He was tall, lean, wearing a tattered brown coat. His eyes were a pale grey, almost colourless, and his lips were curved into a strange smile.

When the car slowed slightly to make the turn, he lifted a hand and waved.

At first, it was gentle. Then it wasn’t. His hand twisted oddly, his fingers bending in impossible ways, and his head tilted too far to one side, as if his neck was made of string. The smile widened unnaturally.

Una’s stomach turned cold.

She gasped sharply and jerked in her seat. “Did you see that?”

Lana’s foot slammed on the brake for half a second. “See what?”

“That man…by the sign! He…he waved at me…no, not just waved, he—”

Lana squinted through the window. “There’s no one there, Una.”

Una turned back. The space beside the sign was empty now. No man. No movement. Just fog swallowing the edges of the forest.

Lana exhaled hard and shook her head. “Oh no, not creepy things again. Girl, we’ve had enough horror movie moments for a lifetime.”

“I swear, he was there,” Una muttered, her hands gripping her knees.

“I’m sure he was,” Lana said lightly, but her tone was careful and too calm. The way she always spoke when she was trying not to sound scared.

The rest of the drive was silent again, the unease sitting between them like a shadow.

As they kept driving, the light around them seemed to dim, even though the sun was still out.

The shadows of the trees stretched longer across the road, and for a second, the whole place seemed to hum like the world itself was breathing.

And somewhere in the not so far distance, something did stir.

The Lantern of Lights, hidden deep in the Alpha’s temple, flickered wildly on and off, on and off, until it glowed red for the first time in years.

In the pack’s territory, wolves lifted their heads and howled. The Alpha’s guards stumbled to their feet, confused by the sudden wind that tore through the clearing. Cassian himself felt it, a shift so strong that it made his heart race.

“Nevera’s bloodline…” he whispered. “It’s awake.”

By the time the ladies reached the university area, night had already fallen. The small town looked peaceful at first glance, cobblestone streets, dim street lamps, and a few shops still open. But there was something strange in the air. It felt like the entire place was holding its breath.

They checked into a small inn just outside the university’s main gates. The woman at the front desk was polite but distant, her eyes darting toward Una a little too long before handing them the key.

Their room was simple, a single bed, a small table, a mirror that looked older than both of them combined. Lana dropped onto the bed and sighed. “Well, here we are. Creepy sign, creepy man, creepy town. Perfect place for a girl with powers she doesn’t understand.”

Una smiled faintly, sitting beside her. “Thank you, Lana. For coming with me.”

Lana waved her hand like it was no big deal, but her eyes softened. “You’re my best friend, Una. I wasn’t going to let you go chasing your haunted destiny alone. But…” Her smile faltered. “I can’t stay.”

Una nodded. She had known that part was coming, but it still hit like a punch.

“I have classes,” Lana continued. “And… my mom would freak out if I just disappeared. Besides, someone has to stay behind and keep an eye on Aunt Reina in case she—” She stopped when she saw Una’s face. “Sorry. Too soon?”

“It’s okay,” Una whispered.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sound of rain starting to fall against the window.

Lana reached into her bag and pulled something out—a small, sleek cell phone. “Here,” she said, handing it to her. “A new phone. New number. Just in case your aunt tries some kind of herbal GPS spell.”

“Lana.”

“Don’t argue. Just take it.”

Una did and handed over her old phone in return. “Destroy it.”

“With pleasure.” Lana smirked, slipping it into her bag. “Maybe I’ll drown it in that creepy lake we passed.”

Una blinked at her, surprised. “You really thought this through.”

“Of course I did,” Lana said with a grin. “You think I’d let you go off to creepy-ville unprepared? Please.”

Una took the phone, feeling a lump rise in her throat. “Thank you. For everything.”

Lana leaned over and hugged her, tight. “You’ll be fine,” she said against her shoulder. “You always are.”

But they both knew it wasn’t true.

The next morning came too fast. The sun barely touched the horizon when Lana’s bags were already packed and waiting by the door. They walked together to the car, their breaths misting in the cold morning air.

“So, what do we tell Aunt Reina if she somehow finds us?” Lana asked, forcing a small laugh.

“Tell her…” Una paused. “Tell her I’m safe. And that I’ll come back when I’m ready.”

Lana nodded slowly. “Okay. But don’t wait too long, okay?”

“I won’t.”

They hugged again, longer this time. When Lana finally pulled back, her eyes were bright with tears she refused to let fall. “You better text me. Even if it’s just to say you’re alive.”

“I will.”

Lana smiled one last time and climbed into her car. She started the engine, rolled down the window, and called out, “Don’t go joining any creepy cults without me, okay?”

Una laughed weakly. “No promises.”

Then the car pulled away, disappearing down the foggy road.

Una stood there until she couldn’t see it anymore. The silence pressed in, and for the first time, she realized how alone she was.

She turned toward the university gates. They were tall, black iron with curling vines climbing up their sides. The crest of Ardenvale University gleamed faintly in the morning light.

When she stepped closer, a shiver ran down her spine.

Something brushed against her mind, soft and unfamiliar—a whisper that didn’t belong to the wind.

"Welcome home, Nevera…”

Una froze. Her hand clutched the pendant hanging around her neck.

Then, just as quickly, the whisper was gone.

The fog thickened, curling around her feet, and the gates creaked open with a slow, heavy sound.

She took a deep breath.

And stepped inside.