Leo's eyes fluttered open, the remnants of the Dream Bridge spell still flickering in the corners of his vision. The fading echo of ancient chants, battle cries, and that haunting conversation with his soul carrier buzzed faintly in his ears. He felt the weight of it—not just the memory, but the knowledge. The truth.
"Leo."
Vellum was crouched beside him, concern layered deep in his tone. "You were out for too long. I almost thought…"
"I'm fine," Leo murmured, pushing himself up slowly, eyes still adjusting to reality. "I went deeper than I expected."
Vellum helped him sit, then asked cautiously, "Did you find what you were looking for?"
Leo nodded, his gaze distant. "I saw my past soul carrier. He was there—in the middle of that battlefield from the first dream. He answered some things, avoided others. But I saw who he fought. Velyour."
He paused.
"I think he's the one behind the attack. It lines up… the style, the magic… the aggression—it's his."
Vellum's brows furrowed. "Are you sure?"
"As sure as I can be without standing in front of him," Leo replied. "But we can't keep this to ourselves. Ari needs to know."
Just as if summoned, Ari knocked once and stepped into the room, sensing the tension immediately. "What did I miss?"
They filled him in, bit by bit. Ari listened silently, nodding occasionally, but his expression remained unreadable.
"We should go to the East Block," Leo suggested. "Check it again. There might be something we missed."
They moved quickly, keeping a low profile. The air was still heavy from the recent chaos. Burn marks and scorched stone greeted them, but this time, their eyes were trained for meaning.
They ducked behind a half-shattered column as voices approached—members of the guild combing through the ruins again.
"Why only the East Block?" Ari whispered. "Why not attack the Main Building where the council was sitting? That would've done way more damage."
Leo was already thinking the same.
Before they could speak further, a quiet voice from behind startled them.
"You're asking the right question."
It was Rayleigh.
They turned, surprised to find him leaning against the remains of a broken wall.
He stepped forward slowly, eyes scanning the ruined structure. "Whoever did this... they weren't aiming to kill. They were sending a message."
Vellum frowned. "A warning?"
Rayleigh nodded grimly. "East Block wasn't random. It was where the old archives were stored—restricted documents, experimental records, sensitive intel. Files that would've exposed things the guild has long buried."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "So whoever it was... they're not just attacking the guild. They're unraveling it."
Rayleigh met his gaze. "Exactly."
The moment grew quiet, save for the whisper of ash swirling in the warm breeze.
Ari broke the silence. "Then what's next?"
Rayleigh looked at them all, especially at Leo. "If this is a warning... the real strike hasn't even begun yet."
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