It was a normal afternoon at school, and you and your classmates were assigned to clean the classroom. Some were sweeping, others were wiping the desks. You were in charge of arranging the chairs near the window.

Everything was calm until someone suddenly screamed.

“There is a snake,” one of your classmates shouted.

A white snake slithered across the classroom floor. Panic exploded instantly. Chairs scraped loudly, and several students jumped onto their desks. One of the boys grabbed a broom.

“Kill it,” he yelled.

“Wait,” you said firmly.

Your classmates stared at you as you stepped forward. The snake moved slowly, its white scales almost shining under the classroom lights. You did not feel fear. You walked closer and crouched down.

“Are you crazy,” your friend whispered.

You gently reached out and picked up the snake. It felt cool and smooth against your skin. It coiled slightly around your wrist but did not attack. The classroom fell completely silent.

“Put it down,” someone hissed nervously.

“It is not attacking anyone,” you replied calmly.

You walked to the window, opened it carefully, and lowered your hands outside. The snake slowly uncoiled itself and slid into the bushes. You watched it disappear before closing the window.

When you turned around, everyone was staring at you.

“You are insane,” one of them muttered.

You simply shrugged. “It was just a snake.”

What you did not notice was a faint mark forming on your arm where the snake had wrapped around you. It glowed softly for a second before fading into your skin.

Later that afternoon, you were walking home alone. The sky was quiet, and the street was empty. Suddenly, the air around you felt heavier. The wind stopped.

You froze.

A tall man appeared a few steps in front of you as if he had stepped out of thin air. He had striking white hair and sharp, piercing eyes. His presence felt powerful and unnatural.

Your heart started pounding. “Who are you?”

He looked at you calmly, then his gaze dropped to your arm. The faint mark began to glow again.

He smiled.

“Hello, my bride,” he said smoothly.

Your breath caught in your throat. “Excuse me?”

“The bond has been marked,” he continued. “You freed my messenger. That snake chose you.”

You stepped back. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

“You will,” he said, his eyes never leaving yours. “You are not ordinary.”