Rohgah woke up in the school's medical chamber.
His head felt like it had been split open.
He slowly sat up.
Sofia was sitting beside the window.
Nicole, Ashbel, and Bella stood near the door.
Machir was gone.
Rohgah immediately remembered the attack.
"The school."
"Still standing," Bella said.
"Everyone?"
"Most people are safe."
Rohgah looked at Sofia.
"What happened after I collapsed?"
She stood.
"The attackers disappeared."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Rohgah studied her.
"You're lying."
Sofia looked away.
Nicole crossed her arms.
"She knows more than she's telling us."
Sofia looked at her.
"So do all of you."
Nicole stepped forward.
"What does that mean?"
"You found Machir's records."
Silence.
Sofia continued.
"You've been investigating him."
Ashbel looked surprised.
"How did you know?"
"Because Machir knows."
Bella frowned.
"What exactly are you hiding?"
Sofia said nothing.
Rohgah slowly got out of bed.
"Enough."
Everyone looked at him.
"I've spent my whole life being told that my father is protecting me."
He looked at Sofia.
"And now I don't know whether he's protecting me or imprisoning me."
Sofia whispered,
"He's afraid of what you'll become."
Rohgah's eyes narrowed.
"What will I become?"
"I don't know."
"You do."
She shook her head.
"I know what happened before."
"Then tell me."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell you, they will come."
Rohgah laughed bitterly.
"They're already here."
Sofia looked at him.
He was right.
She lowered her eyes.
"I need to show you something."
She walked to the door.
The others followed.
They moved through the school's empty corridors.
Students had been sent to their dormitories.
Teachers were repairing damaged walls.
Sofia stopped near an old staircase.
"This area is forbidden."
Nicole raised an eyebrow.
"That's never stopped us before."
They descended.
The air became colder.
At the bottom was a stone door.
There was no handle.
Sofia placed her pendant against it.
The door opened.
Inside was a circular chamber filled with ancient books.
Rohgah stared.
"What is this?"
"A memory vault."
Ashbel touched one of the shelves.
"Whose memories?"
"Everyone's."
Bella frowned.
"That isn't possible."
"It is here."
Sofia walked to the center.
There was a large mirror.
Its surface was completely black.
Rohgah approached.
The mirror suddenly lit up.
A woman appeared.
She was standing beside a river.
Rohgah's heart stopped.
"That woman."
Sofia whispered,
"My mother."
Rohgah looked at her.
"You know her?"
"I think so."
The image changed.
A young Machir stood beside the woman.
They were arguing.
Then a baby began crying.
A little girl ran toward him.
"Don't take him!"
Rohgah's breathing became heavy.
The image showed Machir holding the baby.
The woman screamed.
"Please!"
Then the image disappeared.
Rohgah stared at the mirror.
"That's me."
Sofia nodded slowly.
"I think it is."
"And the girl?"
Sofia looked terrified.
"I don't know."
Rohgah turned toward her.
"You said you were taken away."
"I remembered that."
"By who?"
"I don't know."
The mirror suddenly changed again.
A symbol appeared.
Two circles.
Black and silver.
Then a third image appeared.
Machir standing before a group of cloaked people.
He was holding two babies.
Rohgah froze.
"There were two?"
Sofia stared.
The image became blurry.
A voice echoed through the room.
"Separate them before the prophecy begins."
Rohgah stepped backward.
"Prophecy?"
Sofia's face went pale.
The mirror shattered.
A loud crack echoed through the chamber.
Everyone jumped.
A piece of black glass landed on the floor.
Rohgah picked it up.
A voice whispered through it.
"One will carry the power."
Another voice followed.
"The other will carry the blood."
Rohgah looked at Sofia.
"What does that mean?"
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded outside.
Machir.
The door opened.
His expression changed when he saw the broken mirror.
"No."
Rohgah turned.
"You knew about this room."
Machir stared at the mirror.
"I told them never to open it."
Nicole stepped forward.
"Who is 'them'?"
Machir ignored her.
He looked at Rohgah.
"You were never supposed to see those memories."
"Why?"
"Because some memories are dangerous."
Rohgah raised the piece of glass.
"What prophecy?"
Machir's face hardened.
"Forget what you saw."
"I won't."
"You have to."
"No."
Machir's voice became cold.
"Rohgah."
Rohgah stepped closer.
"Tell me the truth."
Machir looked at him.
Then at Sofia.
For a moment, it seemed he might finally speak.
Instead, he said,
"Leave this room."
Rohgah's anger returned.
"No."
Machir raised his hand.
The entire room shook.
Sofia screamed,
"Stop!"
Machir froze.
She stepped between them.
"Please."
Machir stared at her.
"You don't understand what you're doing."
Sofia whispered,
"I understand enough."
Then the black mirror behind them suddenly spoke.
"The two shall meet."
Everyone froze.
"The blood shall awaken."
The lights went out.
And a final sentence echoed through the darkness.
"When brother finds sister, the kingdoms will burn."
Rohgah couldn't breathe.
Sofia began crying.
Neither of them noticed Machir quietly whispering the words—
"No."
Because he knew the prophecy had begun.