Nobody moved.
The creature stood in the middle of the clearing, its enormous body covered in black scales that shimmered beneath the weak sunlight. Smoke escaped through its nostrils as it stared at Rohgah.
Then, slowly, it lowered its head.
It bowed.
Nicole's eyes widened.
"Did anyone else see that?"
Bella tightened her grip on her sword.
"I saw it."
Ashbel's voice was barely a whisper.
"Why would a creature like that bow to him?"
Rohgah didn't answer.
He couldn't.
His eyes remained fixed on the creature.
For some reason, he wasn't afraid.
That frightened him more than the creature itself.
The beast lifted its head.
Its red eyes moved toward Sofia.
Sofia immediately stepped backward.
"No."
Rohgah noticed.
"What?"
Sofia shook her head.
"Nothing."
"You know this creature."
"No."
"You recognized it."
"I said no."
Rohgah stepped closer.
"Sofia."
She looked at him.
"Please don't ask me."
He stared at her.
She looked terrified.
Not confused.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
Before he could say anything else, the Guardian suddenly turned toward the trees.
It growled.
Something else was coming.
Bella raised her sword.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves."
Branches snapped.
A group of dark figures emerged from the forest.
They wore black cloaks and carried weapons.
Nicole's eyes turned crimson.
"Who are they?"
Rohgah's expression hardened.
"I don't know."
One of the figures stepped forward.
"We're not here for you."
His eyes moved toward Sofia.
"We're here for the girl."
Sofia's face went pale.
Rohgah stepped in front of her.
"Then you're in the wrong place."
The stranger laughed.
"Move, Perez."
Rohgah's eyes began glowing.
"I don't think you understand."
The stranger raised his weapon.
"We understand perfectly."
He pointed toward Sofia.
"Hand her over."
Rohgah's voice became cold.
"No."
Nicole looked at him.
Something about the way he said it surprised her.
He didn't hesitate.
He didn't even think.
He simply refused.
Bella moved beside him.
"If they want her, they'll have to get through us."
Ashbel stepped forward too.
Nicole smiled.
"Now that's more like it."
Sofia stared at the three girls.
"Why are you helping me?"
Nicole looked at her.
"Because we're not leaving you here."
"But you don't even know me."
Bella answered,
"We don't need to."
Ashbel nodded.
"We know you're afraid."
Sofia's eyes filled with tears.
For the first time, she didn't know what to say.
The cloaked men attacked.
Bella moved first.
She charged forward with her sword.
The first attacker blocked her strike.
Their weapons collided.
Bella kicked him backward.
Nicole disappeared.
A second later, she appeared behind another attacker.
He barely had time to turn before she struck him.
Ashbel raised both hands.
A wave of water erupted from the ground.
It wrapped around two men and threw them into the trees.
Rohgah watched them.
For the first time, he realized exactly how powerful his classmates were.
These weren't ordinary girls.
And he suspected they weren't ordinary royals either.
The Guardian roared.
The remaining attackers froze.
One of them whispered,
"The Guardian has chosen."
His companion looked frightened.
"We have to leave."
They began retreating.
Rohgah stepped forward.
"Who sent you?"
Nobody answered.
He raised his hand.
Magic surrounded them.
"Answer me."
One of the men laughed.
"You don't know what you're protecting."
Rohgah's eyes darkened.
"Then tell me."
The man looked toward Sofia.
"Ask her."
Then he disappeared into the trees.
The others followed.
Rohgah lowered his hand.
He turned toward Sofia.
She looked away.
"You know them."
"No."
"You're lying."
"I know."
Rohgah stepped closer.
"Who wants you?"
Sofia shook her head.
"I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"Because you're safer not knowing."
Rohgah laughed bitterly.
"I'm standing in a forest surrounded by monsters and assassins."
His voice softened.
"How much safer can I possibly be?"
Sofia looked at him.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"I can't."
Rohgah stared at her.
Then the Guardian moved.
It walked toward Sofia.
She immediately backed away.
"Don't."
The creature stopped.
Rohgah noticed something strange.
The Guardian wasn't attacking her.
It was protecting her.
It lowered its head again.
Sofia stared at it.
"Why?"
The creature made a low sound.
Then it turned toward Rohgah.
Its red eyes seemed to look directly into his soul.
Rohgah felt a sudden pain in his chest.
He stumbled.
Sofia rushed toward him.
"Rohgah!"
He grabbed his chest.
Images flashed through his mind.
A woman.
A river.
Fire.
A baby crying.
A small girl holding a blanket.
Then another baby.
A boy.
The girl reached for him.
Someone pulled her away.
Rohgah gasped.
The vision disappeared.
Sofia was holding his arm.
"What happened?"
He stared at her.
"I saw…"
"What?"
"A baby."
Sofia froze.
Rohgah continued.
"A little girl."
Her face became expressionless.
"And a boy."
Sofia's breathing stopped.
Rohgah noticed.
"You know something."
"No."
"Sofia."
She stepped away.
"I don't."
The Guardian suddenly roared.
Sofia covered her ears.
Rohgah looked toward it.
The creature lowered its head once more.
Then something fell from its mouth.
A small silver pendant.
It landed at Sofia's feet.
She stared at it.
Her entire body began trembling.
Rohgah bent down and picked it up.
"What is this?"
Sofia's eyes filled with tears.
"Give it to me."
He looked at the pendant.
There was a strange symbol engraved on it.
Two intertwined circles.
One was black.
One was silver.
Rohgah looked at Sofia.
"Why does this belong to you?"
She reached for it.
He didn't give it back.
"Answer me."
Sofia's voice broke.
"Please."
"Tell me the truth."
"I can't."
Rohgah stared at her.
Then the Guardian suddenly disappeared into the forest.
Everyone stood silently.
Bella broke the silence.
"We should leave."
Nicole nodded.
"She's right."
Ashbel looked at Sofia.
"Before something else comes."
Rohgah finally handed Sofia the pendant.
Their fingers touched.
A strange sensation passed between them.
Both pulled away.
Sofia immediately closed her hand around the pendant.
"Thank you."
Rohgah stared at her.
"You're welcome."
But his eyes remained on the necklace.
Something about it felt familiar.
He just didn't know why.
They returned to the campsite before sunset.
The teachers were relieved to see them.
"Where have you been?"
Bella answered quickly.
"We got separated."
The teacher frowned.
"All five of you?"
Nicole nodded.
"Yes."
He looked suspicious but said nothing.
The students gathered around the campfire that evening.
Nobody talked about the Guardian.
Nobody talked about the cloaked men.
And nobody mentioned the strange pendant.
But the five students sitting together knew that something had happened in the forest.
Something they couldn't explain.
Rohgah sat across from Sofia.
He watched her silently.
She kept touching the pendant beneath her clothes.
Nicole noticed.
So did Bella.
Ashbel noticed too.
Nicole leaned toward them.
"We need to talk."
They moved away from the fire.
Nicole lowered her voice.
"Sofia knows something."
Bella nodded.
"Definitely."
Ashbel looked worried.
"But what?"
Nicole glanced toward Rohgah.
"Whatever it is, it's connected to him."
Bella looked toward Sofia.
"And Machir."
Ashbel shivered.
"I don't think we should interfere anymore."
Nicole frowned.
"Why?"
"Because whatever we're dealing with is bigger than school."
Bella nodded.
"She's right."
Nicole remained silent.
Then she looked at Sofia.
"Maybe."
But deep down, she knew she wasn't going to stop.
She wanted answers.
And she wanted to understand why Rohgah seemed so connected to the girl.
Later that night, everyone went to sleep.
Everyone except Rohgah.
He sat outside his tent.
The forest was quiet.
He looked at his hands.
His father's magic flowed through his veins.
He had always been proud of it.
It had made him different.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Yet tonight, for the first time, his magic felt incomplete.
He remembered the vision.
The baby.
The little girl.
The river.
And Sofia's face.
He whispered,
"Who are you?"
A voice came from behind him.
"Someone you should forget."
Rohgah turned.
Machir stood between the trees.
Rohgah immediately stood.
"How did you get here?"
"That doesn't matter."
"You followed me."
"I came to warn you."
"About Sofia?"
Machir's eyes hardened.
"Yes."
Rohgah stepped closer.
"What is she hiding?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
"Then why are you afraid of her?"
Machir went silent.
Rohgah's eyes narrowed.
"You are afraid."
"I am protecting you."
"From what?"
Machir looked toward the tents.
Then back at his son.
"You don't know what you're asking."
"Then tell me."
"No."
"Why?"
Machir's voice became unusually quiet.
"Because if you remember everything, you will hate me."
Rohgah froze.
"What does that mean?"
Machir turned away.
"Forget Sofia."
"I won't."
Machir stopped.
"Rohgah."
"I said I won't."
The wizard looked back at his son.
For several seconds, father and son stared at each other.
Then Machir disappeared.
Rohgah remained standing.
His father's words had left something behind.
Not an answer.
A suspicion.
If you remember everything, you will hate me.
Rohgah touched his chest.
The strange pain returned.
And suddenly, a whisper echoed inside his mind.
Brother.
He froze.
He looked around.
Nobody was there.
The whisper came again.
Brother.
Rohgah's heart began pounding.
He didn't know where the voice came from.
But somewhere inside him, something had recognized it.
And inside the tent behind him, Sofia woke suddenly.
She had heard it too.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Because she knew exactly whose voice it was.
Her own.
And the word she had whispered without realizing it was the word she had spent years trying not to say.
Brother.