For the first time in his life, Aurel was afraid of silence.
Silence used to be safety — a place to hide from the world, from expectations, from memories he never understood. But now silence had become a hunting ground. Every quiet moment felt like something was listening to him. Waiting.
Ever since the sigil in the abandoned library burned itself into his mind, nothing felt normal. He wasn't just having nightmares — nightmares were following him into reality.
Every shadow looked like it was shaping itself into hands.
Every whisper sounded like someone speaking in his ear.
Every reflection in glass looked a second too slow.
Aurel could no longer tell if he was losing his mind… or finally discovering the truth.
The school hallway was loud, but Aurel heard none of it. In his head there was only the memory of last night:
The whisper that breathed his name.
Not loudly.
Not threateningly.
But far worse — like it already owned him.
His body kept walking through school on autopilot, but his mind was trapped in a loop of fear.
That was when someone bumped into him.
Books fell. A gasp followed.
"Aurel — are you okay?"
Elara.
Her soft voice always carried warmth. Today it cut through him like cold water.
He knelt reflexively to pick up her books. Their fingers brushed — and for a second, just one second, her eyes met his. Something fragile passed between them… before Aurel tore himself away.
"Sorry," he muttered.
Elara frowned. "You're avoiding me."
"No, I'm just—"
"Don't lie," she whispered. "Not to me."
She wasn't angry. She wasn't dramatic. She wasn't demanding anything.
She was hurting.
And that made Aurel hate himself in a way that shadows never could.
"I just need time," he said.
"Time for what?" Elara asked, eyes glossy. "To fall apart alone?"
Aurel didn't answer.
She swallowed hard, then brushed her hair behind her ear.
"If you shut the world out, that's your choice. But I'm not leaving you — even if you try to push me away."
She walked past him, quietly devastated.
Aurel watched her leave, unable to breathe.
He didn't deserve her.
He didn't deserve anyone.
But even if he had wanted to chase her, something else stopped him.
Because someone was already watching him.
Aurel didn't turn around immediately. He didn't need to. He recognized that presence.
Cold. Weightless. Impossible to ignore.
Nox leaned against the wall near the staircase, silver eyes locked on Aurel.
"You're coming apart," Nox said flatly. "The shadows are getting stronger."
Aurel felt his stomach twist. "You knew this would happen. You knew when I touched that sigil."
"That sigil didn't choose you," Nox said. "It remembered you."
Aurel blinked. "What does that mean?"
Nox walked closer, so silent he didn't make footsteps.
"Aurel… tell me the truth. Have the shadows spoken yet?"
Aurel hesitated — then nodded once.
Nox's jaw tightened. It was the first time Aurel had seen him rattled.
"What did it say?" Nox asked quietly.
"It…" Aurel shivered. "It said my name."
Nox exhaled slowly. "Then it's already begun."
Aurel grabbed his arm. "Tell me WHAT has begun!"
Nox's voice turned sharp:
"You called the Night Sovereign — the ruler of the Shadow Plane. It knows you now. It remembers you. And once the Sovereign remembers someone, it never forgets."
Aurel felt the ground tilt under him.
"Why me?"
Nox stepped back, suddenly guarded.
"You want the truth?"
Aurel nodded.
"You weren't supposed to survive your birth."
Time stopped.
Aurel stared. "What?"
"You weren't meant to be here. The world wasn't built with you in it. You are… an error. Something ancient tried to erase you before you could exist — but something stronger forced you back into existence."
Nox's voice dropped.
"That 'something' wants you again."
Aurel's voice cracked. "And what about the whispers?"
Nox's silver eyes glowed darkly.
"They're not whispers."
He leaned close.
"They're invitations."
Aurel stepped away, shaking. "You're insane."
"No," Nox said. "You're marked."
He held out a slip of paper — an address scrawled in messy ink.
"Come here after sunset. If you stay alone before that — you won't live long enough to understand what you are."
Before Aurel could ask more, Nox was gone — like a shadow blinking out of existence.
Aurel didn't remember walking to class. He didn't remember the bell. He didn't remember teachers talking.
All he remembered was fear.
When the last bell rang, he didn't move. Students left. The classroom emptied. The world outside continued like nothing was wrong.
Aurel stayed frozen — until someone touched his shoulder.
He jolted.
"It's just me," Elara said softly.
Of all people in the world, she was the only one whose presence didn't suffocate him — it soothed him.
"I waited for you," she said. "You didn't come."
He stared down at the desk. "I didn't want to drag you into anything."
Elara sat beside him, close enough to feel her warmth.
"You don't get to decide what's good for me. I do."
Her voice trembled — not out of fear, but out of care.
"Aurel… stop pretending you're alone. You're not."
He clenched his fists. "You don't understand—"
"Then help me understand."
Aurel's throat tightened. He wanted to tell her everything — but how could he?
How do you tell someone:
Shadows whisper my name.
Something ancient wants me.
I don't belong in this world.
So instead he whispered, broken:
"I don't want to lose you."
The look on Elara's face changed — surprise, then warmth, then something deeper.
"You won't," she said. "Not unless you let go."
Her hand gently touched his.
Aurel didn't pull away this time.
For the first time in weeks, he felt… safe.
Maybe the darkness couldn't take everything from him.
Maybe it couldn't reach him while she was here.
Then — the temperature dropped.
Aurel stiffened.
Elara felt it too. "Why is it suddenly cold?"
Aurel's heart pounded. "Don't move."
At the far end of the room… the shadows lifted from the floor. Not like a trick of light — like a creature rising.
A silhouette of black smoke, head tilted, limbs wrong, like a puppet made of darkness.
Elara gasped. "Aurel… what is that?"
The shadow twitched, then spoke — but not aloud.
Found you.
Aurel's blood went ice-cold.
The shadow surged toward them like liquid night.
Aurel grabbed Elara's hand and ran. They tore through the corridor, footsteps echoing wildly behind them.
"Aurel—!" Elara cried.
"Don't look back!" he yelled.
The shadow slammed against walls, warping the air, crawling across the ceiling like a nightmare alive.
They burst out of the school building into the fading sunlight.
The shadow hit the entrance — and stopped.
Burning at the edge of the sunlight like smoke.
Elara collapsed against him, shaking, eyes wide with terror.
"What was that…?"
Aurel held her tightly, heart racing.
"That's why I tried to push you away."
Elara buried her face in his chest — terrified, but refusing to let go.
"You'll have to try harder," she whispered through tears.
And Aurel realized something terrifying:
The shadows weren't after everyone.
They were after him.
Anyone near him was just collateral.
"Elara," he said gently, voice rough. "Go home. Please."
"No." She wiped her eyes. "I'm not leaving you right now."
"You have to."
He cupped her face, desperate.
"If you stay with me, you'll die."
Elara froze — breath unsteady.
For a moment she didn't move… then she slowly nodded.
But before she turned to leave, she whispered:
"Promise me you'll come back."
Aurel stared into her eyes — and for the first time, he didn't lie.
"I promise."
Elara walked away, every step hurting both of them.
Aurel didn't watch her go — because he wasn't alone anymore.
A figure stood across the street.
Nox.
Silver eyes glowing. Waiting.
Aurel stepped toward him — and the streetlights flickered to darkness as he moved.
The shadows had learned his name.
Now the world was about to learn his truth.