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Chapter 1: The Children of Legends

The summer sun shone brightly over the sparkling waters surrounding Aeternum Island.

For most people, the island was nothing more than a private family retreat somewhere in the Mediterranean. A beautiful place filled with gardens, beaches, and ancient stone buildings.

But for a handful of people, Aeternum was much more than that.

It was where legends had changed the world.

And today, it was incredibly boring.

At least according to Alessia Blackthorne-Rossi.

The sixteen-year-old sat upside down on a lounge chair, reading a book she wasn't actually paying attention to.

Her dark hair hung toward the floor as she sighed dramatically.

"Nothing ever happens around here."

Across the patio, her mother looked up from her coffee.

Valeria Rossi Blackthorne raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing ever happens because your father and I worked very hard to make sure nothing happens."

Alessia groaned.

"Exactly."

Liam Blackthorne nearly choked on his drink.

Valeria gave him a look.

He wisely pretended to be interested in the ocean.

Years ago, Liam would have laughed.

Now he had learned survival.

Alessia rolled off the chair and landed on her feet.

"Can I at least explore the eastern cliffs?"

"No."

"Western cliffs?"

"No."

"The old tunnels?"

"Absolutely not."

Alessia threw her hands into the air.

"This is oppression."

Valeria calmly sipped her coffee.

"You'll survive."

Before Alessia could continue complaining, a speedboat approached the dock.

Her face immediately brightened.

Finally.

Civilization.

The boat stopped and two teenagers jumped onto the pier.

The first was Noah Voss-Blackthorne.

At sixteen, Noah had inherited Andrea's intelligence and Kalix's ability to cause trouble.

An unfortunate combination.

The second was Sienna Kane-Blackthorne.

Fifteen years old, fearless, and always smiling, Sienna could talk her way into—or out of—almost anything.

Usually into.

"Alessia!"

Sienna shouted.

Alessia sprinted toward the dock.

"You're late!"

"We got distracted."

Noah replied.

"By what?"

"A drone."

Sienna answered.

"A goat."

Noah corrected.

"The goat stole the drone."

Alessia stared.

Then nodded.

"Reasonable."

The three friends immediately burst into laughter.

Nearby, their parents exchanged concerned looks.

The children had been together for less than a minute.

Chaos was already happening.

Andrea stepped off the boat next.

"You three behave."

The teenagers immediately answered in unison.

"We always behave."

The adults laughed.

Nobody believed that.

Not even a little.

Later that afternoon, the three friends wandered through the island's gardens.

Ancient statues lined the pathways.

Flowers bloomed everywhere.

The sea sparkled beyond the cliffs.

It should have been peaceful.

Yet Alessia still looked bored.

"I'm serious."

She said.

"There has to be something interesting around here."

Sienna grinned.

"You want an adventure."

"Obviously."

Noah adjusted his glasses.

"That's how every bad decision starts."

"That's how every great story starts."

Alessia corrected.

Before Noah could argue, something caught Sienna's attention.

"What's that?"

She pointed toward a section of the garden wall.

The others turned.

A strange symbol had been carved into the stone.

A compass.

Surrounded by a circle.

Old.

Very old.

Alessia frowned.

"I've never seen that before."

Noah stepped closer.

Neither had he.

The symbol looked ancient.

Weathered by time.

Almost hidden beneath climbing vines.

Sienna brushed away some leaves.

More markings appeared.

Letters.

Words.

A message.

The three teenagers exchanged glances.

Then Noah carefully read it aloud.

"'For those who seek their own path.'"

Silence.

The air suddenly felt different.

Exciting.

Mysterious.

Dangerous.

Exactly how adventures usually started.

"Guys."

Sienna whispered.

"I think we found something."

Alessia's eyes sparkled.

For the first time all summer, she wasn't bored.

Not even close.

Noah examined the wall.

The stone seemed slightly different around the symbol.

Almost like a door.

A hidden door.

The kind that only existed in stories.

Or on Aeternum Island.

Which was basically the same thing.

Alessia pressed her hand against the compass symbol.

Nothing happened.

For a moment.

Then—

Click.

The three froze.

A low rumble echoed beneath their feet.

Dust drifted from the wall.

Ancient mechanisms groaned somewhere underground.

The hidden door slowly began to open.

Noah's jaw dropped.

Sienna's eyes widened.

Alessia grinned.

"Now we're talking."

Beyond the doorway stretched a narrow stone staircase descending into darkness.

Cold air drifted upward.

Carrying secrets buried for decades.

Perhaps even longer.

The three friends stood at the entrance.

Staring into the shadows.

Knowing they should probably tell their parents.

Knowing they definitely weren't going to.

Sienna smiled.

Noah sighed.

Alessia stepped forward.

And together, the children of legends descended into the darkness.

Unaware that they had just discovered the first clue to a mystery their parents never knew existed.

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