The guardian's roar shook the shelves as the spell finally collapsed.
Lucian tightened his grip on Elara's wrist."Run— NOW!"
Damien lunged forward, slashing through the guardian's shadowy tendrils. Black ink splattered across the floor, sizzling like acid.
Liora shouted a spell, throwing a glowing sigil into the air."Barrier— up!"
A translucent shield flashed into existence, blocking the next swipe of the guardian's massive claws.
Elara snapped out of her shock and stumbled backward, the echo of Caelum's warning ringing in her mind.
"Someone close to you will betray you."
Her gaze flicked to Damien—His flames burned too intensely.
To Lucian—His eyes were colder than she remembered.
To Liora—Her hands shook, but her expression was unreadable.
Her heart hammered wildly.
Which of them…?Who would betray her?
She didn't have time to think.
The guardian lunged again.
Lucian yanked her behind him, blocking the blow with a burst of defensive magic."Move, Elara!"
Damien grabbed her other arm. "I've got her— go!"
They dragged her toward the exit as Liora's barrier cracked with a deafening shatter.
The guardian roared, shaking the entire archive.
Lucian slammed a seal onto the door. "Everyone out!"
They burst through the heavy doorway just as the chamber collapsed behind them, sealing the guardian inside.
Dust and debris exploded outward.
Elara coughed violently, bracing herself against the cold wall.
Damien's hand slid to her back."You okay?"
She nodded weakly— though her mind was far from okay.
Lucian leaned against the opposite wall, breathing hard."That… was too close."
Liora rubbed her temples."If we go back in there, it'll kill us next time."
No one argued.
✦ The Walk Back
They moved silently through the abandoned corridor.
But the silence wasn't peaceful.
It was heavy.
Damien walked beside Elara, jaw tight.Lucian flanked her other side, unusually quiet.Liora followed, gripping her satchel tightly.
Elara felt the weight of Caelum's warning pressing on her chest.
"Someone close to you will betray you."
She felt it every time Damien looked at her.Every time Lucian breathed too sharply.Every time Liora avoided her gaze.
Her steps faltered.
Damien frowned. "Elara? What's wrong?"
She shook her head quickly. "N–nothing."
Lucian's eyes narrowed, as though he didn't believe her for a second.
✦ Outside the Archives
The moment they stepped out of the hidden passage, two professors nearly collided into them.
Professor Maelis gasped."What were you doing in there?! Those areas are sealed for a reason!"
Damien stepped forward calmly."There was an attack yesterday. We were gathering information."
Lucian added sharply, "And we found something that could save the entire academy."
The professors exchanged a nervous glance.
Before they could question further—
The sky darkened.
Not clouds.
Not nightfall.
Something else.
Something wrong.
The ground trembled beneath their feet as a deep hum filled the air, like a heartbeat echoing across the sky.
Liora looked up first— and froze.
"Elara… t-that's—"
Everyone looked.
And Elara's blood turned to ice.
Above the academy, a colossal ring of shadow formed in the sky— rotating slowly, pulsing with dark magic.
A symbol.
A warning.
A declaration.
Damien swore under his breath."No… not now—"
Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief."That's the Seal of Oblivion… Astravelle's destroyers."
Professor Maelis backed away in horror."If that sigil opens— the academy will fall."
Elara felt her knees weaken.
Her past had finally caught up to her.
Liora whispered, terrified:"Elara… this is because of your awakening."
Damien stepped in front of her defensively."No one blames her."
Lucian mirrored him, drawing his sword."Whoever comes through that… isn't getting to her."
But Elara barely heard them.
Because the sigil pulsed again—
And through the center of the shadow ring…
A figure stepped out.
Tall.Armored.Hooded in black.
He floated above the academy like a descending omen.
And the moment Elara saw him—
Her heart stopped.
Because even from a distance—
Something about him felt familiar.Too familiar.Like a memory buried deeper than all the rest.
Her breath caught.
Damien felt her freeze."Elara? What is it?"
Her lips trembled.
"I… I think I know him."
Lucian stiffened. "What?"
The figure raised a hand.
Shadows spiraled around his fingers like serpents.
He spoke with a voice that echoed across the academy—
"Elara of Astravelle.""Your time has come."
Elara felt her heart shatter into fear.
Because the voice…
She remembered it.
From the night she died.
From the moment her former life ended.
Damien's expression twisted."You recognize his voice."
Elara nodded slowly— horrified.
"Yes."
Liora whispered, terrified,"Then who is he?"
Elara swallowed hard.
And her answer chilled all of them.
"The man who ordered my execution."