"My parents left me something before they disappeared."
June said nothing.
David appreciated that.
Normally, silence and June didn't coexist for very long.
A joke would come.
A sarcastic comment.
Something meant to lighten whatever weight had settled over the moment.
Not this time.
June simply sat beside him on the edge of the ancient platform and waited.
The dead city stretched below them.
Faint violet light glowed between the buildings, illuminating pieces of streets that hadn't felt footsteps in longer than either of them could imagine.
David rested his forearms against his knees.
For years, his parents had been the easiest part of his life to talk about.
And the hardest.
Everyone knew they were explorers.
Everyone knew they'd disappeared.
That version was simple.
It required no lies.
Only omissions.
"My parents were explorers," David began.
June nodded.
"I know."
"They worked for Astralis Frontier Company."
"Yeah."
"Their last mission was Verdalis."
June's expression shifted slightly.
He knew that too.
Most of Gamma did.
David had never hidden where his parents disappeared.
"They were supposed to come back."
His voice became quieter.
"They didn't."
June looked toward him.
David kept his eyes on the city.
"The company searched. There were no bodies. No confirmed deaths. Nothing that actually told me what happened to them."
"Just gone," June said.
"Yeah."
David rubbed his thumb slowly across his palm.
"For two weeks, I kept thinking they were going to show up."
June didn't interrupt.
"Every time somebody came to the door, I thought it might be them."
David gave a humorless smile.
"Stupid."
"No."
David glanced toward him.
June's expression remained serious.
"Not stupid."
David looked away again.
"After two weeks, Commander Hale Varic came to see me."
June recognized the name.
"The Astralis commander?"
David nodded.
"He brought something my parents had left behind."
"What?"
"A package."
June waited.
David drew a slow breath.
"Inside was a letter."
His parents' words surfaced in his memory.
He didn't repeat them.
Some things still belonged only to him.
"And a book."
June frowned.
"A book?"
"An old one."
"How old?"
"I don't know."
David looked toward the distant city.
"Older than it should be."
June studied him.
"What was it called?"
David hesitated.
This was the first threshold.
Once he crossed it, there would be no taking the words back.
"The Book."
June's eyebrows lifted.
"Never heard of it."
"Neither had I."
"What was in it?"
"History."
June waited for more.
David gave it.
"Human history. Wars. and words spoken in creation."
"Okay."
"And things that hadn't happened yet."
June's expression changed.
"What?"
David turned toward him.
"The book knew things that hadn't happened."
June stared at him.
"You're saying it predicted the future?"
"I don't know if predicted is the right word."
"What other word is there?"
"I don't know."
June leaned back slightly.
"That's becoming a very popular answer today."
David almost smiled.
Almost.
June noticed and let the comment die there.
"So your parents left you a book that could predict the future."
"Maybe."
"David."
"I'm serious. I don't know exactly what it does."
"All right."
June accepted that.
"What happened when you read it?"
David looked down at his hands again.
"I reached the last page."
He could still remember it.
The old paper.
The silence.
The feeling that something was wrong before anything actually happened.
"It was blank."
June waited.
"Then writing appeared."
"What did it say?"
"My name."
June stared at him.
"David Wyn?"
"Yeah."
"Just your name?"
"At first."
June's eyes narrowed.
"At first?"
David nodded.
"Then everything changed."
June shifted slightly toward him.
"Changed how?"
"The System appeared."
Silence.
June stared at him.
David stared back.
"The what?"
"The System."
June waited for David to elaborate.
David didn't.
Finally June asked, "What System?"
"The one I've been seeing ever since."
June's brow furrowed.
"Seeing where?"
David raised one hand and pointed toward the space in front of himself.
"Here."
June looked.
There was nothing.
He waved one hand through the empty air.
David watched him.
June looked back.
"There's nothing there."
"For you."
June's hand stopped.
He slowly lowered it.
"You see something right now?"
"No."
"But you can?"
"Whenever it appears."
June's eyes moved over David's face as though searching for some indication that this was a joke.
He found none.
"What does it look like?"
"Usually text. Information. Alerts."
"Like a display?"
"Sort of."
"Inside your helmet?"
"No."
"Implant?"
"No."
"Neural interface?"
"No."
June stared.
"Then where is it?"
"I don't know."
June opened his mouth.
Stopped.
Then tried again.
"You've had an invisible computer following you around since you read a magic history book your missing parents left you."
"When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."
June slowly turned toward the impossible ancient city.
His gaze moved across the towers.
The bridges.
The violet-lit ruins.
Then toward the sixty-foot doors barely visible in the distance.
He looked back at David.
"I'm adjusting my definition of ridiculous."
David smiled faintly.
June didn't smile back.
Not yet.
"What does the System do?"
"A lot."
"Such as?"
David considered where to begin.
"It identifies creatures."
June's expression immediately changed.
David saw the moment pieces began fitting together.
"That's how you know."
"Sometimes."
"The levels."
"Yeah."
June leaned forward.
"Back on the planet. The creatures we've been fighting. When you call out their levels—"
"The System identifies them."
June stared at him.
"Threat classifications?"
"Sometimes."
"Creature rarity?"
"Yeah."
June rubbed both hands across his face.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
"I'm not."
"I know."
June lowered his hands.
"That's the problem."
David waited.
June pointed at him.
"All those times I thought you were just freakishly good at recognizing creatures..."
"I've had training too."
"Not helping."
David almost laughed.
June shook his head.
"What else?"
"It tracks my level."
"Your level."
"Yes."
"Experience?"
"EXP."
June's eyes widened.
"You actually get experience?"
David nodded.
"For kills?"
"Among other things."
June stared.
"That's why you keep getting stronger."
"Partly."
"Partly?"
"The System doesn't fight for me."
"I didn't say it did."
"It gives information. Tracks progression. Sometimes gives quests."
June held up a hand.
"Wait."
David stopped.
"Quests?"
"Yeah."
"Like objectives?"
"Yes."
"With rewards?"
"Sometimes."
June stared at David for several seconds.
Then looked upward.
"I have so many questions."
"I figured."
June looked back at him.
"Does it talk?"
"No."
"Then how does it—"
"It displays information."
"So there's no voice?"
"Not from the System."
June went still.
David saw the realization happen.
Not from the System.
June slowly turned toward him.
"There's the other part."
David didn't answer.
"The person you've been talking to."
David looked toward the city.
June's voice dropped.
"That's not the System."
"No."
"What is it?"
David hesitated.
"I don't know."
June frowned.
"David."
"I mean it."
"You've been talking to something inside your head and you don't know what it is?"
"That's why I didn't tell anyone."
June stared at him.
"What does it call itself?"
David looked at him.
"I AM."
June waited.
David waited.
June blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"I AM what?"
"Just I AM."
June stared.
"That's either incredibly profound or incredibly unhelpful."
"Usually unhelpful."
A faint smile finally appeared on June's face.
"At least we agree on something."
David's smile faded as quickly as it came.
"I AM isn't part of the System."
"How do you know?"
"They're different."
"Different how?"
"The System gives information directly. Levels. EXP. Quests. Ability progression. Things like that."
"And I AM?"
David thought about the voice.
Ancient.
Measured.
Sometimes frustrating.
Sometimes silent when David desperately wanted an answer.
"He guides me."
June's expression became thoughtful.
"Guides you where?"
"I don't always know."
"That's reassuring."
"I didn't say I blindly listen to him."
"Do you trust him?"
That question stopped David.
June noticed.
David looked toward the ancient streets below.
"I think so."
"You think so?"
"He's helped me."
"That's not what I asked."
David looked at him.
June's expression had become serious again.
"Do you trust him?"
David thought about everything I AM had told him.
And everything he hadn't.
The warnings.
The guidance.
The strange moments where the ancient presence seemed to know far more than he would reveal.
Then David remembered what he'd said about June.
I have seen his heart.
He would carry your secret beyond his final breath.
"Yes."
June nodded slowly.
"Okay."
No argument.
No warning.
Just acceptance.
David frowned slightly.
"That's it?"
"You've been dealing with him longer than I have."
"You haven't dealt with him at all."
"Apparently he knows me."
David looked at him.
June caught the reaction.
"He does, doesn't he?"
David said nothing.
June pointed at him.
"That face."
"What face?"
"That one."
"I don't have a face."
"You definitely have a face."
"You know what I mean."
June leaned closer.
"What did he say about me?"
David hesitated.
June's eyes widened.
"He said something."
"June."
"What?"
"Can we finish one thing at a time?"
June sat back.
"Fine."
A pause.
"You're telling me later."
David ignored him.
June smiled faintly.
The moment passed.
Then David continued.
"There's more."
June's smile vanished.
"Of course there is."
David looked toward him.
"The ability I used against the Apex Guardian."
June's expression immediately changed.
"Spatial Severance."
David nodded.
"That's not my Gift."
"I figured that out."
David raised an eyebrow.
June shrugged.
"Shadow Step and tearing space apart aren't exactly close cousins."
"It's called Cosmic Spatial Severance."
June repeated the words quietly.
"Cosmic Spatial Severance."
David nodded.
"And I didn't awaken it naturally."
June waited.
"I got it from a Relic."
The silence returned.
June stared.
"A Relic."
"Yes."
"An actual Relic."
"Yes."
June stood.
David looked up at him.
June walked several steps away.
Then turned around.
"You have a Relic?"
David remained seated.
"Not exactly."
"What does 'not exactly' mean?"
"I absorbed its ability."
June stared.
"That's worse."
"How?"
"I don't know yet."
June walked back.
"Where?"
David told him.
The unknown planet.
The separation from Gamma.
The ancient structure.
The Relic.
He told June about reaching it before reuniting with Nyra.
About touching it.
About the power that entered him.
And about what came with it.
"A vision," David said.
June sat again.
"What kind of vision?"
"Another time."
"Past?"
"I think so."
"What did you see?"
David looked toward the city.
"Celestials."
June's expression changed.
"Celestials?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah."
"What were they doing?"
David was quiet for several seconds.
"Fighting."
June waited.
David continued.
"There were others. Celestials too. Something had happened between them."
"The rebellion?"
"I don't know what to call it."
"What happened?"
"They stole something."
June already knew the answer.
"The Relics."
David nodded.
June looked toward the city.
His voice dropped.
"Like the one you found."
"Yeah."
"What happened after they stole them?"
"The vision ended before I saw everything."
June frowned.
"Convenient."
"Tell the Relic."
"I would, but apparently you absorbed it."
David gave him a look.
June shrugged.
"Sorry."
David looked away.
For several moments, neither spoke.
Then June asked the question David had expected eventually.
"Does anyone else know?"
"No."
"Cass?"
"No."
"Nyra?"
"No."
"Lucian?"
"No."
"Mira?"
"No."
June's expression slowly changed.
"Nobody?"
"Nobody."
"What about your parents?"
David looked at him.
"I don't know what they knew."
"But nobody you've met since the book?"
"No."
June stared at him.
David felt increasingly uncomfortable beneath that stare.
"What?"
June shook his head.
"Nothing."
"That's obviously something."
June looked toward the city.
"How long have you been carrying this?"
David didn't answer immediately.
"Since before the Academy."
June went quiet.
David expected another question.
None came.
Instead June leaned forward, resting his elbows against his knees.
His hands clasped together.
For nearly a minute, they sat without speaking.
David finally looked toward him.
"You okay?"
June laughed quietly.
David frowned.
"What?"
June shook his head.
"You're asking me?"
"Yeah."
"David, you just told me you've got an invisible System nobody else can see, an ancient voice living in your head, a prophetic book your missing parents left you, and the ability of a Relic that showed you some kind of ancient Celestial war."
"When you put it like that—"
"No."
June looked at him.
There was no humor in his expression now.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Make it smaller because I'm joking about it."
David fell silent.
June looked down at his hands.
"I joke about everything."
"I've noticed."
"Doesn't mean I don't understand when something matters."
David watched him.
June's voice softened.
"You've been carrying all of that by yourself?"
David looked away.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
David almost laughed.
"Who was I supposed to tell?"
"Cass."
David immediately shook his head.
"Why not?"
"Because Castiel's a Nightvale."
June's expression tightened.
"He wouldn't betray you."
"I know."
The answer came without hesitation.
That surprised June.
David continued.
"But that doesn't mean knowing wouldn't put him in danger."
June considered that.
"Nyra?"
"Her father's military."
"Lucian?"
"Bloodthrone."
"Mira?"
David hesitated.
Then shook his head.
June looked at him.
"And me?"
David didn't answer.
June understood anyway.
"You weren't going to tell me either."
"No."
That could have hurt.
June didn't let it.
Instead he nodded.
"Fair."
David looked at him.
"Fair?"
"Yeah."
"You've spent the last hour accusing me of hiding something."
"You were hiding something."
"And now it's fair?"
June turned toward him.
"Those aren't opposites."
David frowned.
June continued.
"You had reasons."
David stared at him.
June shrugged.
"I don't have to like them to understand them."
David looked away.
The words settled between them.
Then June asked quietly:
"So why tell me now?"
David knew the answer.
But saying it felt strange.
"Because I AM told me I could."
June blinked.
"The voice gave you permission?"
"Basically."
June looked offended.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that."
David smiled faintly.
"You wanted to know what he said about you."
June immediately became interested again.
"Yes."
David hesitated.
Then told him.
"He said he's seen your heart."
June's expression changed.
"What does that mean?"
"I asked the same thing."
"And?"
"He said it means exactly what he said."
June stared at David.
"He's irritating."
"You have no idea."
"What else?"
David looked at him.
"He said you'd carry my secret beyond your final breath."
June went completely still.
For once, there was no immediate joke.
David continued.
"I asked if he was sure."
June watched him.
"He said yes."
Silence.
"I asked about the System."
David paused.
"He told me to tell you."
"The Book?"
"Tell you."
"The Relic?"
"Tell you."
June's eyes shifted toward the ancient city.
"Everything."
"Everything."
June sat quietly.
David couldn't read his expression.
That was unusual.
June normally wore his emotions beneath humor, but the humor itself gave David something to work with.
Now there was nothing.
Finally June looked toward him.
"And you trusted him."
David nodded.
"Yeah."
June took a slow breath.
Then stood.
David watched him.
June turned to face him.
"Then listen carefully."
David's brow furrowed.
June pointed toward him.
"Nobody hears this from me."
David said nothing.
"Nobody."
June's voice was firm.
"Not Cass."
A pause.
"Not Nyra."
Another.
"Not Lucian."
His expression softened slightly.
"Not Mira."
David watched him.
"If they ever find out, it'll be because you told them."
June lowered his hand.
"Not me."
David felt something tighten in his chest.
He hadn't expected the promise to affect him.
Maybe because I AM had already told him what June would do.
Maybe because he'd known, somewhere underneath all the hesitation, that June could be trusted.
But hearing June say it himself was different.
"You don't have to—"
"Yeah."
June cut him off.
"I do."
David looked at him.
June's voice softened.
"You trusted me with it."
David said nothing.
"That means something."
The ancient city seemed strangely quiet around them.
David looked down.
"Thanks."
June sat beside him again.
"Don't make it weird."
David laughed.
A real one this time.
June smiled.
"There he is."
David shook his head.
For the first time since he'd opened the Book...
The secret didn't belong only to him.
Someone else knew.
Not pieces.
Not suspicions.
Everything.
The book.
The System.
I AM.
The Relic.
Cosmic Spatial Severance.
And strangely...
David didn't feel exposed.
He felt lighter.
June leaned back on his hands.
"So."
David immediately became suspicious.
"What?"
"I have questions."
"Of course you do."
"A lot of questions."
"I figured."
"Possibly hundreds."
David sighed.
June smiled.
"First."
He pointed at the empty air in front of David.
"Can the System see me?"
David blinked.
"What?"
"Can it see me?"
"It's not a person."
"You know what I mean."
"It can identify people."
June sat upright.
"What does it say about me?"
"I'm not doing that."
"Why?"
"Because."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the one you're getting."
June stared at him.
"Does it rank us?"
David gave him a look.
"June."
"Just asking."
"No."
"Can it tell how strong I am?"
"Sometimes."
June's eyes widened.
"Am I stronger than Lucian?"
"I'm not answering that."
"So he is."
"I didn't say that."
"Interesting."
David rubbed his forehead.
"This was a mistake."
June grinned.
"Too late."
David heard the voice before he could respond.
I AM:
He is pleased.
David paused.
June immediately noticed.
His grin disappeared.
"Was that him?"
David looked toward him.
"Yeah."
June leaned forward.
"What did he say?"
David hesitated.
June's eyes narrowed.
"David."
"He said you're pleased."
June looked around.
"He's listening right now?"
"Apparently."
June slowly looked upward.
Then left.
Then right.
David watched him.
"What are you doing?"
"I don't know where to look."
"Nowhere."
"That's unsettling."
David smiled.
June looked into the empty city.
"Can he hear me?"
David waited.
I AM:
Yes.
David nodded.
"Yeah."
June's expression changed immediately.
"Okay."
He sat straighter.
"Hello."
Silence.
June waited.
Nothing.
"That's rude."
David tried not to laugh.
June looked at him.
"Did he hear me?"
"Yes."
"Is he going to answer?"
I AM:
No.
David laughed.
June stared.
"He answered, didn't he?"
David nodded.
"What did he say?"
David tried to stop smiling.
June pointed at him.
"What did he say?"
"He said no."
June's mouth fell open.
Then he looked toward the empty air.
"You're hilarious."
No response.
June waited.
Still nothing.
David stood.
"We should move."
June rose beside him.
"Ask him how old the city is."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because we're not turning I AM into your personal tour guide."
June picked up his Kinetic Baton.
"Seems wasteful."
David started down the stairs.
June followed.
"Ask him who built it."
David stopped.
That question mattered.
June saw the change immediately.
"See?"
David looked out across the city.
The question had been sitting inside him since the doors opened.
Who had built this?
Who had walked these streets?
Who had carved those statues?
And why did I AM know them?
David focused inward.
"Who built this city?"
For several seconds, there was no response.
June waited beside him.
"Anything?"
"Not yet."
They descended the stairs.
Then I AM spoke.
I AM:
Those who had lost what they desired most.
David slowed.
June noticed.
"What?"
David looked toward the towers.
"Those who lost what they desired most."
June frowned.
"That's who built it?"
"That's what he said."
June considered the answer.
"Ask him what they lost."
David didn't need June to suggest it.
"What did they lose?"
Silence.
Their boots reached the ancient road.
David waited.
Then—
I AM:
The Relics.
David stopped.
June stopped beside him.
Neither spoke.
The word seemed to change the city around them.
The doors.
The carvings.
The twelve figures.
The structures.
The impossible age of everything surrounding them.
David looked toward June.
June was already staring at him.
"The Relics?" June asked.
David nodded slowly.
"That's what he said."
June turned toward the ancient city.
His humor disappeared.
David followed his gaze.
For the first time, the ruins no longer looked like the remains of some unknown civilization.
They looked like evidence.
A piece of the story the Relic had begun showing him.
A story that had never ended.
Somewhere ahead, deep within the forgotten city, something shifted in the darkness.
Neither of them heard it.
And beneath the ancient streets...
A faint purple glow awakened.