It happened during lunch the next day.
A new girl entered.
No fanfare. No announcement. Just walked through the gate like she belonged.
Eira Callen.
Pale eyes. Short white jacket. Expression unreadable. She carried no visible tech, no spirit tag, no ID chip.
But every sensor in the academy pinged at once.
Hayk was the first to speak. "Her registration timestamp is wrong."
"What do you mean?" Declan asked.
"It says she enrolled three weeks ago. But we only got the system update today."
David frowned. "So?"
"She's already ranked 3rd in our year."
The group stared as Eira walked across the courtyard. Students cleared paths instinctively.
As she passed by Brian's table… she turned. Just slightly.
And whispered.
"The Void is watching."
Brian's heart skipped.
His eyes met hers. Something in her wasn't right. Not in a monster way. In a wrong kind of silence way.
Later, Kendall confronted the instructors.
"Who is she?" she asked Vehlan.
"Someone who doesn't answer to you," Vehlan replied. "She's under observation. That's all you need to know."
Kendall narrowed her eyes. "She's dangerous."
"Then stay out of her way."
Brian dreamed that night.
Not of monsters. Not of spirits.
But of a massive black sphere spinning over a broken city. A voice whispered something in a language he didn't know.
He woke up gasping.
His hand glowed — faintly.
The vibration wasn't gone anymore.
It was awakening.