Kai held Lina's face gently, but firm. His thumbs pressed into her cheeks like he was trying to keep her mouth closed with pure will. Lina's lips trembled. The name inside her felt like a hot coal. It was not hers, but it was sitting inside her like it belonged there.
The black Quill floated closer, slow and calm, like it had all the time in the world.
Seren stood to the side, shaking. Her eyes glowed bright silver. She stared at the Quill like she could hear it thinking. Her hands were clenched tight, and tears ran down her cheeks without sound.
Reyon looked pale. He lifted one finger as if he wanted to speak, then stopped himself. He looked at Kai, asking with his eyes, what do we do?
Mira stood near the wall of names, staring at her own name and the 🧵 symbol beside it. She looked broken and confused. She looked like she knew Lina mattered but could not remember why.
Jax stood behind them, hands shaking. He had already lost his sister's face. His eyes looked full of fear, like he was watching a new disaster being made.
The stone stand in the middle wrote a new line in silver letters.
SPEAK, OR WRITE.
Kai shook his head once. "No," he said.
The chamber hummed, as if it was amused.
The Quill dipped again, pointing its sharp tip toward the stone stand. A blank line appeared on the stand, like a space waiting for a name.
Lina's throat burned. The name inside her pushed harder, like it wanted out.
Kai leaned his forehead to hers, quick and steady. "Stay real," he whispered.
Lina tried to breathe. She tried to focus on Kai's heartbeat. Thump. Thump. Thump. It was fast, but it was real. She pressed her hand to his chest again, like it was a rope.
But the Quill was still there. And the room was still listening.
Then the Quill did something new.
It moved toward Mira's name on the wall.
Mira's eyes widened. She stepped back, scared.
The Quill touched the stone beside Mira Sun, right beside the 🧵 symbol. It did not pierce the wall. It only hovered close, and a new silver line wrote itself under Mira's name:
TETHER RETURN: AVAILABLE.
Mira's breath hitched. Her face twisted like hope and fear hit her at the same time.
The Quill drifted back toward Lina.
Like it was saying: trade.
Kai's eyes darkened with rage. "Don't look at it," Kai told Mira. His voice was low, but it still echoed a little in the chamber.
The stand answered at once, as if it liked his sound.
VOICE NOTED.
Lina flinched. Even here, even now, sound mattered.
Seren's eyes widened in panic. She raised her hands and made a quick "stop" motion to Kai. No more words.
Kai nodded once, tight.
Then the Quill stopped in front of Lina's mouth again. It hovered so close Lina could see its tiny scratches, like it had written too many names.
The stand wrote again, slowly, like it was being kind.
FIRST LETTER ONLY.
Lina's stomach dropped.
It was trying to make it feel small.
Just one letter.
Just one tiny mistake.
Kai stared at the words. His breathing turned slow, like he was forcing control.
Reyon's hands shook. He looked around the chamber, desperate. His eyes landed on the wall of names. Then on the stand. Then on the Quill.
Reyon suddenly pointed at another name on the wall.
It was faint, almost erased.
Lina couldn't read it fully, but she saw the symbol beside it.
🖋️
Name rewritten.
Reyon's eyes widened. He pointed at it again, harder, like he was saying: That's how they do it.
Seren saw where he pointed. Her eyes glowed brighter. She swallowed, fighting the urge to speak.
Then Seren took a step forward and did something risky.
She reached toward the air near the Quill, not touching it, just near it. Her Soul Echo power shimmered like cold light around her fingers.
Seren's lips moved without sound, like she was listening to the Quill's last echo.
The Quill twitched.
The stand wrote another line quickly, like it was reacting.
ECHO INTERFERENCE DETECTED.
Seren flinched and pulled her hand back fast. Her eyes filled with tears. She shook her head, terrified.
Because the Quill wasn't only listening.
It was guarding itself.
Kai tightened his grip on Lina's wrist. He turned Lina slightly so her mouth faced his shoulder, like he was trying to block the Quill's path. He pressed Lina's hand to his chest again, harder.
Thump. Thump.
Then Kai did something Lina didn't expect.
He moved his own hand to his throat.
He pressed two fingers against his neck, like he was holding a voice inside.
Then he looked at Lina and shook his head once.
No sound.
Lina nodded fast, tears in her eyes.
But the name inside her didn't care about rules.
It pushed.
Lina's lips parted a little.
Kai's hand moved fast, covering her mouth again.
The Quill dipped.
The stand wrote:
READY.
Lina's eyes went wide with panic. She could feel the first letter forming like a spark in her mouth.
Kai's eyes burned. He looked like he was fighting the whole academy with nothing but his hands.
Then Jax suddenly stepped forward.
He moved fast, like he decided something in one breath.
Jax grabbed the stone stand.
Everyone froze.
Because touching it felt like touching a law.
The Quill snapped toward Jax at once, angry and sharp.
The stand wrote in bright silver:
UNAUTHORIZED TOUCH.
Jax's face went white, but he didn't let go. He squeezed his eyes shut like he was bracing for pain.
Then Jax did the worst thing in this place.
He spoke.
He spoke loud.
"TAKE ME INSTEAD!"
The chamber hummed like a mouth opening wide.
TRUTH SPOKEN.TAX REQUIRED.
The words flashed across the stand.
Lina's heart stopped.
Because Jax had fed it again.
The Quill dropped toward Jax's face, fast like a stabbing bird.
Kai lunged, but it was too late to stop the rule.
The Quill did not stab Jax's skin.
It stabbed something else.
A silver line wrote itself in the air between the Quill and Jax's forehead, like a thread being pulled.
Jax screamed without sound.
Then his eyes went blank.
Lina felt her stomach fall.
Because Jax's mouth opened, and a voice came out that was not his.
It was calm.
It was deep.
It was the same hunger Lina felt under the school.
And it spoke one word, like it was tasting it.
"Kai."
Kai froze.
Lina's blood turned cold.
Because the Quill had found a new mouth.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.