Chapter 1.

She opened her eyes in surprise, not knowing what had happened and the doctor gave her a small smile that didn't last long on her face. Her body felt strange, heavy. Her mind processed things slowly and as if it were an eyedropper, her memories were slow to come. The only thing she knew for sure was that she was in a hospital room. The unmistakable smell, the beeps of the machines and the formal and cold decoration were characteristic.

-Quiet, we had to sedate you, your body is responding in strange ways and we are studying if they are consequences of the accident.- The man explained while checking the machines that were ringing next to him. -A nurse will verify your information and she will ask you for some that are missing. How are you? -The doctor looked at her curiously, he couldn't believe what had happened with that girl.

- What about my parents?- She asked somewhat anguished, she had a horrible feeling and the doctor's gaze did not reflect anything good. -And my family?-

-Calm down, you'll know about that in a while. Does nothing hurt? Any discomfort? - He also insisted again intrigued and Ciara shook her head, she felt nothing except a hole in her chest from her anguish.

- Do you remember what happened? You are a miracle girl. You were expelled from the car and you don't have a single scratch. - His surprise was notorious and what had happened came out of the man's understanding.

Flashbacks of what happened invaded her. The journey to London, the road, the light and the impact. She clenched her fists and an icy cold invaded her. She had a bad feeling and it filled her with anguish. She knew something had happened to them but she still had a small ray of hope that she imagined waiting in the hallway. Her father worried about her walking back and forth because her little girl was there connected to all those cables. The scared mother, sitting next to Freddie with her arms around him praying that she had nothing. It could be a similar situation to when she broke her leg climbing a tree when she was just 9 years old but there was something missing. She noted her absence.

Her vision was blurred by the tears but she could see how the stretcher she was resting on was covered with a thick black liquid. The doctor ran to the door in terror and disappeared. Inside and mixed with the pain of losing her, she wondered what was happening to her? Why wasn't the doctor helping her? Where were her parents? And Freddie? She needed to see them. She was also terrified, the liquid was gushing out of her hands and now she was washing the floor. What was that? What if she was the one who hadn't managed to survive? What if that was welcome in hell? No, she felt her heart racing and she could assure that she was alive or so she believed. The whole room was stained and everything came from her hands. She picked them up examining them. She wanted to convince herself that it was the drugs they had given her but her intuition told her that something much bigger and more unreal was happening. And this is just beginning.

- Help!- She screamed desperately. -Please!-

- Shhhh, call no more attention.- A decrepit voice spoke, pushing through the substance.

A small, gray-haired old woman gently took her arm and wiped her tears with her other hand. Her vision cleared and she was able to see the room better. The ground, previously white, was now totally black. That viscous substance, similar to tar, kept coming out of her hands and began to climb the walls. She couldn't stop her eyes from starting to fill with tears again. Her entire body, every cell was awash in dark fear.

-Calm down.- The woman placed her hand on Ciara's heaving chest.

-What is happening to me?- She asked scared.

-I can't explain now but trust me.- She glanced at the door quickly. -I need you to take a deep breath and think about this clean room again, without any trace of this.- The old woman acted with great determination. They had to get out of the room before the doctors and nurses invaded the room.

-What?- Ciara didn't understand what the woman was asking her. She had thought that she was dealing with a nurse.

-Girl, we don't have all day, hurry up.- She looked at her firmly, something told her that she had to obey.

She nodded and closed her eyes. She desperately obeyed what that mysterious woman had said and took a deep breath. She thought of the white room, as it was before. In which it had all been a crazy hallucination or a bad dream. She imagined her hands clean and warm, free of any matter. At that moment, she felt the cold begin to leave the room. She took another deep breath and felt the lights flicker for a moment. She kept her eyes closed trying to contain herself and convince herself that this was going to work or better, that everything had been the product of her imagination.

-Now you can open your eyes.- The old woman said sweetly. -Now, get dressed.- She left a small bag at the foot of the bed and went to the door to watch.

-What?- Although she was a little calmer her confusion didn't stop growing.

-That you dress.- She repeated again from the door. -We have to get out of here quickly.- She wasn't looking at her, she was busy watching the movement at the two ends of the hall.

The woman had haunted the room so that no one would remember her but the effect would not last long. She looked at the room in surprise, it was clean again and without any trace of that dark substance. Her head was trying to plot everything that had happened but she was still a bit groggy from the drugs. Her hands were still connected to the machines and there was some dirt on them. Her heart rate was incredibly fast according to the monitor. She looked away from the device and trying to control herself, she removed all the cables and the serum. She looked at the bag at the foot of the gurney and didn't hesitate. Something made him want to trust this woman. She knew what was wrong with her and Ciara needed to find out. She was starting to get dressed when something stopped her, she still didn't know anything about her parents.

-But I can't go like this. What will happen to my parents and my brother? I'm hospitalized, I can't leave the hospital.- Her chest was heavy and she felt strange.

- If we don't leave now, you will be a guinea pig to scientists and you will be in the news because they will never find a good reason to explain what is happening to you. Also ... Your family is in good hands but you can't see it now.-The old woman needed to get her out of that place as quickly as possible and that implied the occasional white lie. -Come on, get dressed.-

She took a deep breath, her body seemed like lead and her head was thinking about too many things, she was overwhelmed. She was worried about her family, leaving them there and going with an old woman she did not know. She needed answers and her intuition was screaming at her to go with her. She opened her bag and took out her clothes. Some tears still managed to escape. Her family was not there but she was afraid to ask about her. She was sure of what had happened but she didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to realize that it was real.

-How do I know I can trust you?- She asked, approaching the woman.

-Because I am the only one who can help you with what happened to you.-

-But ... why can't the doctors help me?- Her head did not clear doubts but created new ones.

-This goes beyond medical knowledge and science.- This time she looked at her and before leaving the room, the woman began to pray in a language that Ciara had never heard but could understand.

After finishing the prayer, the room began to change little by little. Everything returned to its place, the bed was armed, the devices turned off and the folder where all her information was, blank. Ciara had her big blue eyes wide open and she didn't believe what she had seen. Her head could not process what she had observed and she was beginning to convince herself of her madness. The old woman called her name when she saw her so shocked by what happened. Another question added to this great mystery, how did she know her name?

-What ...- She was stunned.

-Quiet girl, I just erased all traces of you from the hospital.- The woman acted with total normality and downplayed what happened. - Let's go before the doctor arrives and finds us here.-

-But how will my family find me?- Ciara was not even starting to walk when her mind and heart led her to them.

-You will find them first.- All the mystery that the woman brought with her captivated Ciara who decided to follow her.

They walked down the hall, as if nothing had happened. Ciara was completely tense and it was a mess of emotions. She felt that the entire hospital was looking at her suspiciously. She hugged her body trying to hide her hands that were beginning to darken again. It was as if they knew she was escaping. The old woman walked calmly and seemed not to notice the stares. As they turned down the hall the doctor and the two women found themselves face to face. The doctor was puzzled. He had sent a group of nurses and doctors to check on his patient but she was standing in front of him as if nothing had happened but that was not the strangest thing for him. The worst thing was that he could swear that when he left that room the young woman was enveloped in a dark liquid that stained everything in her path.

-What are you doing here Miss Hodel?- He asked, trying to hide the fear that the situation caused him.

-You will forget that she was here, you will erase her medical history and you will go on with your life. Ciara Hodel was never in this hospital.- With a firm voice, the old woman approached the Doctor and stared at him.

The man's eyes grew darker and sparkled for a moment. The doctor nodded and walked away, as if nothing had happened. Ciara was beginning to suspect what was happening here. The woman was a witch, it was the only explanation she could think of. They continued on their way to the exit in silence but Ciara's tongue itched from so many questions she wanted to ask. She didn't know about the old woman, she didn't know where they would go, she didn't even know where she was. She took a deep breath with each step, afraid that the same thing would happen as in the room. The silence between them created a bubble that seemed to leave out all the bustle of the hospital but it could not stand it for another minute.

-What are you?- She asked as they left the hospital.

-I'll tell you when we get home.- The old woman gave her a smile and headed for an antique red car.

...

Neoma took her home and stayed with her, teaching and caring for her. She comforted her when she finally learned about her family's death. Patiently, she explained and answered each of her questions. The old woman turned out to be a witch, one of the last remaining Druids. And what happened to Ciara was the work of the goddess Morgana, who had saved her life but at great cost. That goddess had also left her a powerful and dangerous gift that had a purpose. Ciara could control the entire dark realm and what had happened in the hospital was only a small part of what she could do. Witch taught to control it and use it properly. Not all that these gifts carried was positive at all. The darkness brought destruction, death and suffering. Unfortunately, Morgana had to negotiate for his life with the beasts of Carman who had claimed as his own. She would have to live with these secrets and dangers for a lifetime.

Over time, the pain of the death of her family diminished and at the age of 25, after intensive preparation and a completely changed face to what she was, she began to lead the company that belonged to her. Her life had become lonely, she only took care of the publishing house, she did not want to disappoint her parents. That company was the legacy of her grandfather and now her father, she could not fail. She had to show temperance and responsibility, make the company grow as she would have done with her father. But, as the company took off and her shares rose, she was walking away from anyone who wanted to come into her life. And she did it to protect them and protect herself because of her gift, which was controlled by her emotions. That way, isolated from everyone, her emotions were not too many and could be controlled.