“Yes,” Maddie said. “Oleander captured me and tortured me for my prophecy powers. He tried to use me to predict his victory, but was unsuccessful, because prophets cannot be forced to see visions. They must come naturally. While I was his captive, I snooped around his office. I was looking for things your father could use against Oleander to end the Hawkei Civil War. While searching, I found files in Oleander’s desk. One of these files had details about Darke Island. Oleander was working with Doctor Taurus to learn how to utilize other supernaturals’ powers.”
“Figures those two would be working together. They’re two of a kind,” Ava snarled.
“Yes. They were allies, although not on good terms. Both of them wanted to be in charge, and that didn’t work well between them,” Maddie said. “Although the Wardendidsupply Oleander with inferichite crystals, which he used to torture me in an attempt to harness my abilities. Obviously, it didn’t work.”
“The Warden was performing experiments even decades ago,” I said. “This has been a long process for him.”
“Indeed. The Warden’s letters spoke of demigods and powerful keys— though I don’t remember all the details. This bloodstained paper was in these files,” Maddie said.
“But Erasmus was never arrested and sent to the prison on Darke Island,” I remarked. “How’d the Warden get his hands on it to send it to Oleander?”
“Amalie and Dante were arrested,” Ava said thoughtfully. “The Warden could’ve confiscated that page from Erasmus’ allies and sent it to Oleander to gain information from it.”
“When I touched the bloodstained paper, I received a vision of you, Ava,” Maddie said. “I knew the page was important for your journey, so I kept it and snuck it out with me when I escaped Oleander. I sewed it into the journal later, for you to use to decipher your prophecy.”
“Do you remember the rest of the journal?” Ava asked.
“I recall some of these drawings,” Maddie admitted. “But I never quite knew what any of them meant. Lindsey and Miranda attempted to help me find the meaning, but nothing became concrete enough for me to point you in the right direction. Even if I tried deciphering these visions, they mean nothing without context of your experience, because they are meant for you alone.”
Ava’s disappointment sank through our bond. I was almost certain she’d been avoiding her aunt because she expected this very answer, but I also thought she hoped for more.
“What about the prophecy wording?” Ava wondered.
“I remember it well.” Maddie paused, before she began to recite.
“The balance between the light and the dark
Will be brought together by the light of the new dawn
A discovery of the ancient ones on the island of shadow
Will change the course of our universe
A second war breaches the horizon
Mountains will fall and villains will stand
The heavens will crumble and hell will open wide
Unleashing the demons that fester within
The path she will walk determines our fate
She dances the line both dead and alive
A new world formed from gods of old,
One from ashes or one from light
The choice is hers alone.”
Quiet harnessed control over the room, and Maddie stated softly, “I think you already know what it means. Most of this prophecy has already come to pass— all the signs leading up to the end. The discovery of the ancient ones, hell opening wide… these are all omens to tell you when it’s time to make your decision.The choice is hers alone. Ava, all that’s left of the prophecy is your decision on how to move forward.”
“I was hoping anadereicould tell me how to make that decision,” Ava said lowly. I felt her side of our bond flare.
“The prophecy is a warning about the end of days,” Maddie explained. “You are in the center of it all, but how it plays out is up to you.”
“That doesn’t help!” Ava’s tone was short. “You made my prophecy. I need you to tell me what to do!”
