Night settled over the academy, but sleep refused to come to Elara.
She sat on her bed, staring at the cold locket.Aurelia's words echoed endlessly:
"Someone you love… will forget you."
Every heartbeat felt like a countdown.
Her roommate, Liora, peeked over from her desk."You're trembling again. You had another vision, didn't you?"
Elara shook her head. "It's not a vision… it's a truth."
Liora walked over and sat beside her, worry in her eyes."Elara… whatever you're carrying, you don't have to go through it alone."
Elara tried to smile, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"I'm scared, Liora. If I lose someone again… I don't think I can survive it a second time."
Liora surprised her — hugging her tightly.
"You're stronger than you think. You always have been."
Elara gasped softly.Always have been? How does she know what I was like before?
She pulled back, studying Liora's face.
"Have we… met before? Before this life?"
Liora froze — breath caught in her throat.
Then, slowly, she lifted the sleeve of her uniform.
A glowing mark appeared on her wrist — the shape of a celestial lily.
"The sign of reincarnation," Elara whispered. "You… too?"
Liora nodded, eyes misty.
"It's me, Elara. Your best friend from your first life. I died with you that night."
Elara's heart broke — and healed — all at once.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged Liora again, shaking.
"I thought I lost you forever."
"You didn't," Liora whispered back. "I remembered you the moment I opened my eyes in this world. I've been at your side ever since — waiting for you to remember me."
Elara felt warmth spread through her, stronger than fear.
Someone had remembered her. Someone had stayed.
But Liora's face darkened.
"There's more… I wasn't the only one who reincarnated."
Elara's breath halted. "Who—?"
Before Liora could answer, a loud knock thundered against the dorm door.
"Elara! Open up!"
It was Lucian — his voice urgent, shaken.
Elara rushed to the door and opened it — Lucian's face was pale and distressed.
"You need to come with me. Now."
"What happened?" she asked.
Lucian swallowed hard, pain flickering in his eyes.
"It's yours. Your locket. Someone tampered with it."
He held up the locket — but it was glowing dangerously, cracks of light splitting across the surface like breaking glass.
Every instinct screamed danger.
"Elara," Lucian said, voice trembling, "whatever is inside this… it's awakening."
The locket shuddered — and a shockwave of magic burst out, blowing open windows, shattering glass across the room.
Elara fell backward into Lucian's arms, breath ripped from her lungs as a voice poured into her mind:
"The price will be paid in blood."
The light faded.
The locket stopped glowing — but the countdown had truly begun.
Lucian held her tightly. "I won't let anything take you away… not again."
Liora stepped forward, eyes sharp and worried.
"We need to tell her the truth," she said. "If we wait too long, the curse will activate."
Lucian looked at Liora — and for a moment, something unspoken passed between them.
Something that made Elara's stomach drop.
"You—both of you," Elara whispered. "What are you hiding from me?"
Lucian lowered his head.
Liora bit her lip.
And both of them spoke at the same time:
"I was there the night you died."