"Okay, people! Let's light it up like we got a brand deal with the gods!" Rhiannan's voice rang out across the beach like a goddess blessing a rave. The sun glinted off the turquoise water of Maui while her content team adjusted tripods and held reflectors, trying to catch the golden hour glow. Her long reddish chestnut hair danced in the salty breeze like it knew it was part of the damn show.
Rhiannan was barefoot, bronzed, glittering in a sheer beach cover up that did fuck all to hide her personality or her thighs, and posed in front of the camera. Her smile was brilliant. Her eyes? Ferocious. Her vibe? Unbothered chaos.
"One more spin! Hair flip! Show the toes, Rhi! The sponsors love that feral barefoot aesthetic," her assistant Beck called out, laughing.
Rhiannan flipped him off, grinning. "You're lucky you're cute, Beck. I should summon a fuckin' tsunami on your ass."
They all laughed. Rhiannans smile never reached her eyes as she took a deep breath and focused. Her life had not been easy. Foster home foster home, abuse, trauma she buried deep. She sighed. This influencer gig was just another face. A mask. To cover that deep empty pit inside her.
She looked around this beautiful beach with a furrowed brow. This had been a last minute gig shed snatched because the pay was absolutely insane. They traveled thousands of miles to film on this incredibly remote beach, and she couldn't help but feel she was there for a reason. She had never seen such a beautiful place.
She posed, switched outfits and directed her camera crew. The whole time, her mind reeling. *This can't be all my life is...* She thought. There has to be more. She dug her toes down into the sand and wiggled them back and forth, giggling. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught the scent of sea water and breathed deeply. She didn't want to leave her. That feeling kept growing. She frowned, puzzled. Why would she not want to leave? She giggled again. She felt light headed, almost tipsy. Beck peered at her under his designer sunglasses..."You good sweet cheeks? Ready for the last shot?"
She nodded, stepping towards the water. She felt alive for the first time in her life. Something thrummed in her chest like a drumbeat too far off to catch. A...static, maybe. Her skin prickled. Her body knew something was off before her mind even caught up.
As she turned for the last pose...back to the water, arms wide to the sky, sass dialed up to eleven, her foot landed on something smooth and circular. She glanced down in surprise.
A symbol.
Burned into the sand.
A perfect silver circle, etched with swirling runes that shimmered like moonlight.
"Guys, what the hell is.."
She didn't get to finish.
The ground beneath her vibrated like it had a damn heartbeat. The wind surged. Her long hair snapped into her face, her skin buzzing with electricity. Her team screamed. The air cracked like lightning.
And then....
Nothing.
No beach. No waves. No Beck. No camera crew.
Just black.
Endless, suffocating black.
Then...
She was falling.
Spinning.
Screaming.
And then Rhiannan slammed into the future.
Hard.