The Orphan Who Was The Heavenly Snake Goddess

The slap echoed through the entire dining hall. Luna Vale’s face snapped to the side. For several seconds, nobody spoke. The enormous dining room of the Vale family was filled with silence, broken only by the soft crackling of the fireplace and the distant sound of rain striking the tall glass windows. Luna slowly raised her hand to her cheek. It was burning. Standing in front of her was Seraphina Vale, the beloved daughter of the family. Seraphina’s beautiful face was twisted with anger. “You stole it.” Luna blinked. “What?” “The necklace,” Seraphina hissed. “My mother’s jade necklace. It was in my room, and now it’s gone.” Luna stared at her in disbelief. “I didn’t steal anything.” Another slap almost followed, but this time Luna stepped backward. Her dark hair fell across her face. “I told you, I didn’t take it.” Seraphina laughed coldly. “Of course you would say that.” Behind them, several members of the Vale family sat around the long dining table. Nobody looked surprised. Nobody looked concerned. They had already decided who was guilty. Mr. Richard Vale, the head of the family, slowly placed his wineglass on the table. “Luna.” She immediately turned toward him. “Yes, Uncle?” “Search her room.” Luna’s heart dropped. “Uncle, please—” “Search it.” Two servants immediately left the room. Luna stood frozen. She had lived in the Vale mansion for twelve years. She had learned long ago that nobody believed her. When Seraphina broke an expensive vase, Luna was blamed. When Seraphina lost her earrings, Luna was blamed. When Seraphina argued with her mother, Luna was blamed. And whenever something disappeared, everyone looked at the orphan. Because that was what she was to them. An orphan. Not a daughter. Not a sister. Not family. Just a girl they had taken in because her parents had died. A servant with a room at the back of the mansion. A person who was allowed to exist only as long as she remained useful. Seraphina folded her arms. “You should be grateful that my parents allowed you to stay here.” Luna lowered her eyes. “I am grateful.” “Then stop pretending you’re innocent.” “I am not pretending.” Seraphina stepped closer. “You think you’re better than me?” Luna looked at her. “No.” “Then why do you always look at me like that?” “Like what?” “Like you’re secretly judging me.” Luna almost laughed. She had never judged Seraphina. She barely had enough courage to defend herself. Before she could answer, one of the servants returned. He was holding something in his hand. Everyone’s attention immediately turned toward him. “Sir,” the servant said. He placed the object on the dining table. A green jade necklace. Seraphina gasped. “That’s mine!” Luna’s stomach twisted. “No.” Everyone looked at her. “I’ve never seen that necklace before.” Seraphina’s lips curled upward. “It was found inside your wardrobe.” Luna shook her head. “Someone put it there.” Seraphina laughed. “Who would do that?” “I don’t know.” “Exactly.” Luna looked toward Mr. Vale. “Uncle, please believe me.” Richard Vale’s expression remained cold. “You have lived in this house for years. I gave you food, clothing, and shelter. Yet you repay me by stealing from my daughter?” “I didn’t steal anything.” “Enough.” His voice thundered through the room. Luna flinched. Seraphina smiled. “Perhaps she should be thrown out.” Luna’s eyes widened. “Please don’t.” For the first time, fear entered her voice. She had nowhere to go. No parents. No relatives willing to take her. No money. No home. If the Vale family abandoned her, she would truly have nothing. Mrs. Vale finally spoke. “She has always been troublesome.” Luna’s eyes became wet. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know why she was apologizing. She had done nothing. But she had learned that apologizing was safer than arguing. Richard Vale stood. “Take her upstairs.” Luna looked up. “Uncle?” “You will pack your belongings.” Her lips parted. “Please.” “You are leaving this house tonight.” The words destroyed the last piece of hope inside her. Luna slowly shook her head. “Please don’t send me away.” Seraphina smiled. “You should have thought about that before stealing my necklace.” “I didn’t steal it.” Nobody listened. The servants grabbed Luna by the arms. She struggled. “Please! I didn’t take it!” Her voice cracked. “Please believe me!” But the great Vale family simply watched. Nobody moved. Nobody defended her. And as Luna was dragged through the mansion, she heard Seraphina laughing behind her. “Goodbye, orphan.” The front doors opened. Cold rain rushed inside. The servants pushed Luna onto the stone steps. She landed hard. The door slammed behind her. Luna sat in the rain. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Then the tears came. She covered her face with both hands. She had nowhere to go. The mansion lights glowed warmly behind the enormous windows. Inside was food. Warmth. Shelter. Everything she no longer had. Luna slowly stood. Her thin dress was already soaked. She looked at the mansion one last time. “I didn’t steal it.” Her voice was barely audible. Then she turned and walked into the storm. ⸻ The forest surrounding the Vale estate was nearly impossible to navigate at night. Luna walked without knowing where she was going. Rain ran down her face. Her shoes were filled with water. Her body trembled from the cold. But she continued. She couldn’t go back. Not tonight. Not after everything that had happened. Eventually, Luna reached an old stone bridge overlooking a deep ravine. She stopped. Her breathing was heavy. Lightning illuminated the mountains in the distance. For some reason, Luna suddenly felt dizzy. She grabbed the stone railing. “What’s happening?” A sharp pain exploded inside her head. Luna gasped. Images flashed before her eyes. A palace floating among the clouds. Thousands of people kneeling. A woman wearing silver armor. A gigantic white serpent coiling around a golden throne. A man with golden eyes standing beside her. And blood. So much blood. Luna screamed. The vision disappeared. She fell to her knees. “What… was that?” Something burned beneath her skin. She looked at her wrist. A strange silver mark had appeared. It resembled a tiny snake curled around a crescent moon. Luna stared at it. Then she heard a voice. Soft. Ancient. Female. “You have finally returned.” Luna froze. “Who’s there?” No answer. She looked around. The forest was empty. Then— A branch snapped behind her. Luna turned. A tall shadow stood among the trees. She stepped backward. “Who are you?” The figure moved closer. Luna’s heart began pounding. She turned to run. A hand grabbed her shoulder. She screamed. “Let me go!” The stranger shoved her. Luna stumbled backward. Her foot slipped from the edge of the bridge. For one terrifying second, she hung there. Then her fingers lost their grip. She fell. The world disappeared beneath her. Luna screamed as the ravine rushed toward her. But before she hit the rocks, the silver mark on her wrist erupted with blinding light. The rain stopped. Every drop of water froze in the air. The forest became completely silent. Then something enormous moved beneath Luna. A silver serpent rose from the darkness. Its body was larger than a house. Its eyes glowed violet. Its enormous jaws opened. Instead of killing Luna, the serpent wrapped itself around her falling body. A shockwave exploded through the valley. Mountains trembled. Trees bent. The clouds above the forest twisted into a gigantic spiral. And far away, in a place no human had entered for hundreds of years, a pair of golden eyes suddenly opened. A man sat upon an ancient black throne. Long black hair fell over his shoulders. Golden light burned inside his eyes. Around him, enormous chains trembled. A gigantic dragon sleeping behind him suddenly raised its head. The man slowly stood. For the first time in centuries, his expression changed. Shock. Then disbelief. Then something dangerously close to hope. “She has awakened.” The dragon released a thunderous roar. The sound shook the entire mountain. The man closed his eyes. He could feel it. That familiar soul. That familiar presence. The woman he had searched for through centuries. The woman he had believed was lost forever. His hand tightened into a fist. “Luna.” ⸻ At the bottom of the ravine, Luna opened her eyes. She was lying on a bed of glowing silver flowers. The rain had stopped. The storm clouds had vanished. Her soaked clothes were strangely dry. Luna slowly sat up. “What happened?” A silver snake was curled around her wrist. She stared at it. The creature lifted its head. Its violet eyes met hers. And somehow, Luna understood its words without hearing them. “My goddess.” Luna’s breath caught. “What did you call me?” The serpent lowered its head. “My goddess.” Luna stared into the darkness. A strange warmth spread through her chest. Then the mark on her forehead began to glow. Her eyes slowly changed. Brown disappeared. Silver-violet light filled them. Above the ravine, the clouds parted. A gigantic crescent moon appeared in the sky. And somewhere beyond the mountains, the Dragon Master began walking toward her. He had waited centuries. He would wait no longer. Because the Heavenly Snake Goddess had finally returned. And this time… the heavens themselves would have to answer for what they had done to her. :::