In Headmaster Talus's office, the fire crackled, casting flickering shadows across the walls.
Asher sat rigid, Talus's question about his brother—Xavier—still ringing in his ears. He'd never spoken of him, yet Talus knew.
Asher's voice was tight. "How'd you know about him? I've never told anyone."
Talus smirked, leaning back in his rocking chair, his twin glass clock eyes glinting on his desk. " Haven't you heard? The walls have ears—they don't keep secrets."
Asher's stomach twisted, memories of Morgan's library photo and a CCT stranger mentioning his scars flashing.
"Did he attend Ouroboros?" Talus asked, voice smooth.
Asher hesitated, jaw tight. "I'm not sure. Probably culled."
Talus's laugh was brief, sharp. "What do you think the Culling is, Asher?"
"To be honest, I've never known," Asher admitted.
"That day, a girl vanished right in front of us. The Culling sounds worse."
Talus's eyes gleamed.
"Only survivors belong at Ouroboros. Time isn't a toy—it shapes days, months, years, past, present, future. Imagine a world with time cancer spreading.
The Culling doesn't kill; it erases that cancer. Not everyone survives, though."
"What happens in it?" Asher pressed, unease growing.
Talus's smile faded. "Not many know, and trust me you don't want to. Think of it as maintaining balance."
"And you decide who gets culled?" Asher asked, voice sharp, rejecting the idea.
"I wish I did," Talus said, tone cryptic.
"Enough of that. You're here for another reason." He leaned forward.
"You and your team were outstanding at the CCT—the most thrilling I've seen in years.
You've earned a spot at the Alignment's special dinner, a tradition for CCT winners."
He slid a letter across the desk.
Asher took it, nodding stiffly. "We'll be there. Thanks."
As he stood to leave, he paused. "My brother's name was Xavier. Xavier Rook. I found his admission letter, thought I'd learn something here."
Talus's face was unreadable. "Xavier Rook? Never heard it. I'll look him up, just for you."
"Thanks," Asher said, stepping out.
Behind him, Talus muttered, "Xavier Rook, that's new."
He lifted the photo of eleven figures, his eyes on the scarred one, a slow smile spreading. "Very soon."
Lira stood with Darel near the library, rain pattering softly, her silver eyes wide with fear. "He wants to kill me, Darel. I can't go to the clocktower."
Darel's face was grim. "We've got three weeks to figure this out. This could be my shot to catch Morgan's killer."
She shook her head, voice trembling. "You don't get it—he'll kill me!"
Darel gripped her hands, voice steady. "I'll follow from behind. You're bait, yeah, but the second he shows, I'll save you.
I'll have a better plan by then. You just have to trust me."
Lira's breath hitched.
"It's too easy, darel. Whatever sent that vision knows you're hunting it,as Morgan killer. It saw us at the greenhouse,and now it's manipulating you to draw me in. It's prepared, Darel."
He tightened his grip, eyes earnest. "Lira, I know I've not been good to you in recent times but I promise to protect you.
Nothing will happen to you, I swear. I'll disable your watch so you can use your powers."
"Darel—" she started, voice breaking.
"You have to go," he cut in, softer but firm.
"Trust me."
Lira's eyes glistened, fear battling resolve.
"Don't mess this up, Darel. I'll be dead anyway." She pulled away.
"I'm going to the clinic—my head's killing me." She walked off, the clocktower's tick echoing like a warning.
It was raining again.
Gaius lurked near the clocktower, rain dampening his cloak, eyes fixed on Elara's red boots as she slipped through the backdoor again.
He'd watched her vanish here before, and he wasn't letting her slip away again.
He darted to the door, heart pounding, and entered the dim, dusty room—crates, no exits, just like last time.
"Something's wrong," he muttered. "No way she moved all this so fast, even if there's a hidden door."
The clocktower's tick pulsed louder, its face twitching outside, like it knew he was close.
In the library, Nico and Theo rifled through shelves, searching for the lost blank note, their frustration thick after two hours.
The clocktower's tick seeped through the walls, relentless. "We're not finding that note," Theo groaned, tossing a book aside.
"Let's retrace your steps," Nico said, voice sharp. "Where'd you leave it?"
"My steps? You were the last one holding it!" Theo snapped.
Nico's eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you. What if you're hiding it?"
Theo scoffed. "Why would I want it? I showed it to you first!"
"How do I know what you're up to?" Nico shot back.
The librarian glared. "Keep it down, or you're out!"
"You got us into this," Nico hissed. "Fix it.
"Bullshit," Theo muttered.
Asher walked in, face tense from Talus's office. "Anything?"
"Nope," Theo said.
"He's hiding it," Nico accused. "Don't know why you even trust him."
"I didn't take it!" Theo protested. " It doesn't make sense."
Asher sighed, siding with Theo. "It doesn't, Nico."
"Now you're on his side?" Nico snapped.
"Forget the note," Asher said, exasperated.
"Don't bother. Let's shelve these books back."
They worked in tense silence.
Lira entered the clinic, head throbbing.
Nina, greeted her warmly. "Another vision?" she asked, seeing Lira's pale face.
Lira nodded, voice breaking. "My head hurts. I'm going to die, Nina."
Nina's face softened, guiding her to a chair. "Sit. Breathe."
She unlocked Lira's watch, freeing her powers, and handed her a pill.
Touching Lira's forehead, Nina glimpsed fragments of the burning academy vision.
"This is bad," she murmured.
Lira's voice cracked, tears spilling. "He wants me at the clocktower, July 16th. Darel says he'll bait me, that he'll protect me, but I'm scared. I don't know what to do."
Nina's eyes were firm. "It's your life, Lira. If you're helping Darel, you make the plan—who's involved, who's not."
A clatter interrupted—a dropped tray. Lira stiffened. "Who's there?"
Nina glanced over. "A second-year, Victor. Came in today, broken wrist. He's just like you—he told me about his visions,it started today."
"Can I see him?" Lira asked.
Nina nodded.
Lira entered a small room, finding a lanky boy with tired eyes.
"Hi," she said. "Can I sit?"
"Sure," Victor said, voice quiet. "I'm Victor."
"Lira." She sat, offering a small smile.
"You won the CCT, right? With Asher and Theo? Saw your names on the board. Congrats."
Lira laughed, shy. "Too much praise."
"It's an honor," Victor said, earnest. "Didn't win in my year."
"You also have visions too?" Lira asked.
"How'd you know?Nina?," Victor asked.
"Nina did tell me there was a girl like me in her first years that had visions like me.Do you?"
"I had my second one today," she replied.
"What was your's like?"
Victor's face darkened.
"It showed my past—things I tried to bury every single day.
Then I'm underground, alive, buried, screaming, no one hears me. Then this writing—."
Lira's eyes widened, and they said together,
"Il es despertus".
"At least you haven't started hearing voices" lira added.
"Do you know what it means?," Victor asked.
"HE'S AWAKE, it's a lost latin language." lira replied.
Victor's voice softened. "Feels good to actually tell someone, that understands."
They laughed, tension easing.
"Ever think you'll die?" Lira asked.
Victor nodded, eyes distant. "Every single freaking day, before I had any vision.
My life's been shit—broken home, sent here.
I saw my dad burn my mom alive. I just watched, didn't move."
"Sorry, you don't need to know any of this ." He ended, embarrassed.
Lira squeezed his hand. "It's okay. That's painful."
Victor asked about her vision.
She summarized the burning academy, the 16.7 writing, the voice's demand.
"I was real scared at first, but now am a bit relieved." Victor said, smiling
"How long have you known,Nina" Lira asked, smiling.
They kept talking, laughing, Nina watching with a warm smile.
Asher sat in the quad later, the rain gone, the clocktower's tick louder, its face twitching.
Talus's words—Xavier Rook—haunted him.
Theo and Nico joined him, still bickering about the note. "We'll check again tomorrow," Nico said.
Asher nodded, distracted, thinking about what next?.
He glanced at the clocktower, its hands still, as if it was waiting.