A portal of light and shadow swirled open before them, humming with power.
The wind surged at once, roaring around them. Their robes billowed wildly, drawn toward the vortex as if the air itself were trying to swallow them whole.
"Let's go!" Zayn commanded, his voice cutting through the howl of the storm. He stepped into the portal as though the chaos didn't even touch him.
Chast hesitated. He hated portals—especially the lavender-haze kind. They always made him sick.
A second later, the portal spat Zayn back out.
"What are you doing?" Zayn asked, irritation flashing across his face.
"Standing," Chast replied bluntly, a shiver crawling down his spine.
Zayn stared, eyes sharp as daggers.
"Can't we... can't we just stay here?" Chast tried, voice trembling.
Zayn didn't answer. Instead, he chanted, "Umali ka sina!" and flicked his wrist. The air twisted—then Chast was yanked forward, caught in Zayn's grasp.
"Wait—!"
His scream was swallowed by light as the portal dragged them in.
Whispers spiralled through the void, soft and disembodied, calling his name.
Chast... Chast...
Not again, he thought, forcing his breath steady.
Then the portal released them.
They stood in a vast chamber of mirrors—no floor, no walls. Mirrors floated in every direction, some upright, some suspended like chandeliers. Aetherial Crystals and glowing orbs drifted weightlessly, their lights reflecting into infinity.
"Is today's lesson about...?" Chast trailed off, tilting his head.
Zayn's tone deepened. "This is the final stage of resonance training. It isn't about mastering magic—it's about understanding who commands whom. The crystal won't respond to your will... it will mirror your soul."
Chast frowned, clearly lost.
"Confused again, kid?" Zayn muttered.
"Yeah," Chast admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.
Zayn sighed through gritted teeth.
"Okay, okay! It's about mirroring my soul! But—how does it work?"
"It's about understanding, moron!" Zayn snapped, each word sharp as lightning.
Chast opened his mouth to ask again but one glare from Zayn shut him up instantly.
His eyes are lethal, Chast thought, pressing his lips together.
"Level Three isn't about control or harmony anymore," Zayn said, his voice dropping lower. "It's about truth. The crystal reflects not your skill, but your soul. Every flicker of thought, every emotion—this place will answer it."
The words sank in slowly. Chast groaned. "This training sounds fun," he muttered sarcastically.
The mirrors trembled. A faint crack echoed across the chamber. The orbs flickered—then Zayn vanished.
Chast spun around. "Boss?"
No answer.
Each mirror shimmered and came alive, showing fragments of his life—scenes of him from infancy to the present.
He chuckled softly as one mirror showed him asleep in class while his teacher yelled for him to wake up.
Beside it, another mirror glowed—his baby self cuddled in his mother's arms, sleeping soundly.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
He kept walking and froze when a familiar image appeared: him and Xylene, laughing on the beach. He was carrying her, tossing her playfully into the waves.
The memory stabbed deeper than any blade. His heart ached.
He turned away immediately. That wasn't what he wanted to see—not anymore. She was gone. The girl who vanished without goodbye. His first, and only, heartbreak.
Then, another mirror caught his eye—one showing his mother in labor. She was surrounded by elves, strange creatures, and an unfamiliar woman assisting her.
"Mom," his voice cracked. His knees went weak. He pressed his trembling hands against the mirror.
"Mom..." Tears filled his eyes. His heart sank watching her struggle. She was frail but fighting—pouring every last ounce of strength into bringing him into the world.
The tears he had held back betrayed him. They streamed freely as his mother finally gave birth. She laughed through exhaustion, her face peaceful as she held him for the first time.
Chast's heart soared. To witness this moment—it was everything. He would never forget it. It would be carved into his soul forever.
But the light in the mirror dimmed.
From within the shadows, a figure emerged... tall, deliberate, merciless.
The man slaughtered everyone in the room. His mother's scream cut through the air, frail yet desperate. Too weak to fight, she still tried to shield her newborn child.
"No!" Chast screamed, pounding the mirror with his fists, as if he could break through the glass and save her.
"It's all over, Chastlyn," the man laughed—a cruel, unhinged sound that echoed through the chamber.
"No, please... no!" Chastlyn cried, her voice breaking. Gathering the last of her strength, she summoned a glowing sphere and hurled it at him.
The blast hit—but he only staggered back, unharmed. His laughter grew louder, sharper, taunting.
"Run, Mom! Run!" Chast yelled, his voice cracking with desperation.
"Is that it? Is that all you've got, Chastlyn?" the man mocked, stepping closer. His hand glowed a violent crimson before pressing against her head.
Chastlyn screamed. The glow around her body began to fade—her energy being drained away. She still clutched the baby in her arms, refusing to let go.
"Run, Mom! Please!" Chast fell to his knees, sobbing. His fists clenched, nails digging into his skin. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Couldn't save her.
The man closed his eyes, inhaling the stolen light with a wicked smirk.
Then the sword appeared.
Chast recognized it instantly . The blade he had seen all his life.
"NO!"
The sword pierced through her.
Her body went limp. Blood spilled across the floor.
Chast's heart shattered. His voice broke into a raw, hollow cry.
The man vanished into the shadows, taking the baby with him.
Zayn had seen everything.
He stood behind Chast, frozen. His jaw was tight, his fists trembling. It was the first time he had witnessed this memory... and it answered one of the greatest mysteries in Labrynthia.
But seeing Chast fall apart... That was unbearable.
Rage surged through Zayn's veins, his eyes flickering uncontrollably. He strode forward and smashed the mirror with a roar.
The chamber trembled. The mirrors, orbs, and Aetherial Crystals shattered into pieces.
Chast's cries echoed through the void, raw and unending.
Darkness swallowed the chamber, reflecting the sorrow that thickened the air.
Zayn collapsed to his knees, blood dripping from his wounded fists.
Elsewhere, during the Enigmatics' training, the ground quaked violently. The students froze as a haunting cry pierced through the air — distant, yet close enough to chill their bones.
Panic spread like wildfire.
The professors exchanged glances. They knew exactly where it came from.
"Something bad is happening," Professor Valkiery whispered, fear cracking her voice.
Did something happen to them?
"Calm down, Enigmatics! Focus on your training!" Professor Vrynth barked, though his tone trembled.
Without another word, Professor Morrwynn opened a portal. The professors rushed through.
They gasped. The chamber was pitch-black, shards of glass scattered across the floor like fallen stars.
"What in the heavens happened here?" Professor Morrwynn breathed.
"Chast! Professor Valvrynth!" they called into the darkness.
No answer but only the sound of muffled sobs.
Professor Vrynth snapped his fingers, and light surged back into the room.
There they were.
Chast was on the floor, crying like a lost child. Beside him knelt Zayn — silent, unmoving, blood dripping from his hands.
The professors hurried closer, but none spoke. The scene itself demanded silence.
"Blood..."Professor Morrwynn murmured, pointing to Zayn's fists.
"Professor Valvrynth!" Vrynth called, but Zayn didn't respond. His eyes were empty, his mind trapped somewhere far beyond the present.
The professors exchanged heavy looks. The two needed space, not interference. They stepped back quietly.
"What happened here?" Professor Valkiery whispered.
"Were they attacked?" Professor Vrynth asked, bewildered.
"There's only one way to find out," Professor Morrwynn said, summoning a mirror before them.
"Ipailam en salami di nangyari." Her voice wove through the air. The mirror quivered then revealed the memory.
The professors watched in silence.
Their eyes widened, their breaths hitched. What they saw drained every bit of colour from their faces.
Professor Valkiery's knees weakened. "Sister..." she mouthed, voice breaking.
Tears spilled freely down her cheeks as her gaze shifted to Zayn — then to Chast.
Her cries mingled with his, echoing through the chamber.
She rushed forward and fell beside Chast, wrapping her arms around him.
"Chast," she whispered, her voice trembling. "My nephew..." For the first time, she called him nephew out loud.
Chast looked up at her, his face contorted in agony — too broken for words.
"Shh..." Valkiery hushed him softly. "Just cry, my dear. Let it all out."
And he did.
He cried like a child mourning a world that had collapsed around him.
Professor Valkiery pulled him close, holding him tightly as if shielding him from the pain itself.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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