The three of them hurried back to the dorm building, but Aeri's steps were unsteady.Her mind replayed the moment the sigil appeared—an eye watching her, judging her, remembering her.
Inside, Lior locked the door and drew a crimson ward across it.Soren sealed the windows with shimmering blue glyphs.
Aeri stood in the center of the room, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
She finally whispered,"I… think I'm starting to remember how I died."
Both boys turned instantly.
Soren approached first, gently but with the stiffness of someone holding back panic.
"Aeri, listen. You don't have to force anything—"
"But it's happening," she cut in, voice trembling. "Every time danger gets close… a memory breaks free."
Lior leaned against the wall, eyes sharp. "Tell us what you saw."
Aeri closed her eyes, heart pounding.
"There was someone with me. Someone I trusted."A shiver ran down her spine."And I think… they betrayed me."
Soren's hand curled into a fist. "What did they do?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I only remember… an argument. A flash of red. And then— darkness."
Lior exhaled slowly."That's enough to know your death wasn't an accident."
Silence filled the room—thick, heavy, suffocating.
Aeri sat on her bed, trembling."Why can't I remember their face? Why is it blurry?"
Soren looked away. "Trauma. Magic. Or both."
Lior nodded. "Someone didn't want you remembering the truth."
Aeri's heart dropped."So… they erased my memory?"
Soren turned to her, eyes fierce."Maybe. Or your soul is blocking it to protect you."
Aeri stared at the floor.She didn't feel protected. She felt hunted.
Lior moved closer, kneeling in front of her."Aeri. Whoever it is—they won't get near you this time."
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten.
Soren sat beside her, his presence warm, steady."We'll guard you until you're strong enough to face whoever did this."
Aeri nodded weakly. "But I don't know who to trust…"
The room darkened suddenly.
Aeri gasped—A burning pain shot through her forehead.
Soren grabbed her shoulders. "Aeri? AERI?"
Lior's eyes glowed red. "It's happening—her memory is breaking open!"
Aeri clutched her head.
A voice echoed in her mind—cold, familiar, chilling:
"You should never have been reborn."
Aeri screamed.
Soren pulled her into his arms.Lior pressed a glowing rune to her back.
The voice whispered again:
"You were mine."
Aeri felt tears spill.
The darkness shattered.
And she saw—A shadowed figure.A hand reaching toward her.A red mark glowing on their wrist.
Lior recognized her expression instantly.
"What did you see!?"
Aeri's voice shook violently.
"I saw… his mark."
Soren froze.
"Aeri… what mark?"
She looked up, eyes wide, terrified.
"The mark of the man who killed me."