The words on the floor —"The traitor stands beside her."—hung in the air like a noose.
No one breathed.
The Memory Archives were silent again—too silent.
Then somewhere deeper inside the wing—
CLICK.
A door unlocked itself.
Slowly.Deliberately.As if the room had been patiently waiting for them.
Reyon turned pale. "We… aren't opening that, right?"
Seren grabbed Lina's hand, trembling. "Something is behind that door. Something old. Something wrong."
Kai stepped in front of all three of them.Shadowsteel rippled across his arms like black lightning.
"No one goes near it unless we have no choice."
But the door didn't care.
CLICK.Another lock turned.
The sound echoed through the corridor like bones snapping.
Lina's flame pulsed violently, responding not to danger…
…but recognition.
"I know this feeling," she whispered.
Kai's head snapped toward her. "Lina—don't. Don't let it pull you."
"I'm not trying to," she said, voice strained. "It feels like… like my flame knows what's behind that door."
Reyon frowned. "Maybe it's another shard?"
Seren's eyes widened. "No. No… it's stronger. It's like… like someone is trying to open a memory."
Lina's heartbeat thudded painfully.
"A memory of what?"
Seren swallowed. "A memory of you."
Lina staggered.
Kai caught her instantly. "Lina—look at me. Not the door. Me."
She nodded weakly.But her gaze kept drifting toward the end of the hall, toward the door that kept unlocking itself—
CLICK.
Another lock.
Only one remained.
Reyon's illusions flickered uncontrollably now — images of a shadowed version of himself walking behind him.
He shook his head violently. "No—no—stop showing me that—stop—!"
Seren flinched. "Reyon, focus—your illusions are bleeding into the room—"
"It's not ME," he shouted. "It's the ARCHIVES—they're forcing visions—!"
Kai growled low. "Everyone stay close."
Then—
A sharp burning cut through the air.
Kai hissed, doubling over.His hand flew to his shoulder—
Where the Oathbreaker mark burned through his uniform, glowing like molten metal.
Lina gasped. "Kai—Kai, what's happening?!"
Kai gritted his teeth. "It reacts to lies, betrayal, forced memories—this place is twisting all three—!"
The mark pulsed—a violent black surge—and the shadows around Kai thickened.
Reyon backed up. "Uh—Kai? You're glowing like a cursed lightning rod again—"
Kai snarled. "I'm in control."
He wasn't.
The shadows around him cracked the stone floor.
Seren cried, "He's slipping—Lina—talk to him!"
Lina grabbed Kai's face with both hands.
"Kai! Listen to me!"
His pitch-black eyes flickered.Focused.Returned.
"Lina…" he whispered.
She exhaled shakily. "Stay with me. Don't let this place twist you."
He nodded once, breathing hard. "I won't. I swear."
Then—
CLICK.
The final lock on the forbidden door slid open.
The door creaked inward.
And a soft light spilled out.
Reyon's voice broke. "No. NO. Nope. Turn it off. Close it. I don't want anything glowing inside a haunted school basement."
But it was too late.
The room had decided.
The door opened fully.
Lina stepped forward despite her fear.Drawn.Compelled.
Kai moved instantly to her side. "Lina. Be careful."
Inside the room—
A single chair sat facing them.
And someone sat upon it.
Someone who should not exist.
Someone who made Lina's blood freeze.
Herself.
But older.Hair longer.Flame mark dimmed.Eyes vacant and exhausted like someone who'd lost every battle.
Lina whispered, "No… no this isn't real…"
The older version of her looked up.
And spoke.
Her voice wasn't a whisper.It wasn't distorted.
It was heartbreakingly clear.
"You waited too long."
Lina stumbled back. "What—what do you mean—?!"
Older-Lina lifted a trembling hand.Her fingers were burned.Her rune cracked.
"You didn't run," she said softly. "I told you to run."
Kai's entire body went rigid.
"This is a memory construct," he said sharply. "It's not real. Lina, don't believe it—"
But the older version wasn't finished.
Her gaze drifted to Kai.
Her voice cracked.
"He breaks.You break.And the flame burns everything."
Lina shook her head violently. "STOP—I don't want to hear—!"
But the construct leaned forward, eyes suddenly filled with pain.
"And the one you trust most…"Her voice dipped to a whisper."…is the one the prophecy takes from you."
Kai inhaled sharply.
Reyon stepped between them, eyes fierce. "You're not real. Shut up!"
The construct didn't even look at him.
It looked only at Lina.
"Run," it repeated."Run before everything repeats."
Then—
The construct burst into golden dust.
The room went dark.
Silence closed in.
Lina collapsed to her knees.Her flame went dim and cold.
Kai knelt beside her instantly. "Lina—Lina, breathe—"
She looked up at him, eyes full of tears and terror.
"Kai… I don't want to lose you."
His expression shattered.He pulled her into his arms, holding her like she might vanish.
"You won't," he said fiercely. "I swear—you won't. You're not living a prophecy. You're breaking it."
But behind them—the forbidden door slowly shut.
Locking them inside the Memory Archives…
with the truth still unfinished.
To be Continued© Kishtika., 2025All rights reserved.