MasukMia’s POVThe sky had eyes.That was the only way I could describe it.Two enormous silver eyes stared down through the cracks in the First World.They weren’t attached to a face.There was nothing behind them.Only darkness.Yet somehow—they were looking directly at me.My body went cold.Kael stepped in front of me.“Mia, stay behind me.”I grabbed his arm.“That’s not going to help.”“I know.”He tightened his grip on his sword.“But I’m still doing it.”The woman stared upward.For the first time since she appeared—she looked afraid.“That’s impossible.”The stranger looked at her.“You said the First Light was the source.”“It was.”“Then what is that?”She shook her head.“I don’t know.”The older Mia whispered,“I do.”We all turned toward her.She was staring at the sky.“It isn’t the First Light.”I swallowed.“Then what is it?”She looked at me.“The First Shadow.”The Hollow’s words suddenly echoed in my memory.Light couldn’t exist without balance.Neither could shadow.
Mia’s POVThe woman stood behind the stranger.She had my face.My eyes.My hair.Even the small scar near my eyebrow.But she wasn’t me.I knew that immediately.Because when I looked into her eyes—I felt nothing.No recognition.No warmth.No connection.Only something ancient.Something that made every instinct inside me scream to run.The stranger stepped aside.“Meet the original.”My mouth went dry.The woman smiled.“Hello, Mia.”I tightened my grip around Kael’s hand.“Who are you?”She tilted her head.“You already know.”“No.”“You’ve been carrying my memories your entire life.”My heart pounded.“What memories?”She took one step forward.The Makers immediately lowered their heads.The older Mia moved backward.Even Kael looked unsettled.The woman noticed.“You’re afraid of me.”Kael’s voice was cold.“I don’t trust you.”She smiled.“You shouldn’t.”The stranger looked at her.“You said you’d wait.”“I did.”“Then why reveal yourself now?”Her eyes moved toward me.“Beca
Mia’s POVI couldn’t breathe.The Makers were still kneeling.Every single one of them.Their silver masks reflected the light pouring from the Crown inside my chest.I stared at them.Then at Kael.Then at the older version of myself.“The Maker…”My voice barely came out.“That’s me?”The older Mia didn’t answer.I stepped toward her.“Tell me the truth.”She looked at me with tears in her eyes.“I don’t know all of it.”“Then tell me what you do know.”She hesitated.“You were the first.”My stomach tightened.“The first what?”“The first consciousness created from the First Light.”I shook my head.“No.”“You existed before the First World.”“That’s impossible.”“You existed before the First King.”I looked toward Kael.He didn’t deny it.Instead, he looked down.I turned back to her.“Then why don’t I remember?”“Because they erased it.”“Who?”“The Makers.”I looked at the kneeling figures.“They erased my memories?”“They were afraid of what you’d become.”A cold silence settle
Mia’s POVDarkness swallowed me.There was no ground beneath my feet.No sky.No sound.Only darkness.I reached for Kael.My fingers closed around his hand.“I’ve got you.”His grip tightened around mine.“Mia…”His voice sounded distant.Too distant.I pulled him toward me.“Don’t let go.”“I’m trying.”Something pulled at him again.A force I couldn’t see dragged him deeper into the darkness.I held on tighter.Then—light exploded around us.I screamed.Kael disappeared.“Kael!”I reached for him.Nothing.I spun around.There was no door.No chamber.No Liora.No Hollow.No First Flame.Only an endless white space.My breathing became uneven.“Kael?”No answer.I turned again.“Kael!”A voice whispered behind me.“You shouldn’t have followed him.”I froze.I knew that voice.I turned slowly.The older version of me stood several feet away.Her clothes were torn.Her face was pale.And there was blood on her hands.I stared at her.“You said I wouldn’t come back.”She nodded.“You
Mia’s POVThe stranger stood in the center of the broken chamber.Black armor covered his body.Silver eyes burned beneath the darkness.And around his head—a crown made of broken chains.He looked at Kael like he was looking at something that belonged to him.“My Anchor.”Kael tightened his grip on his sword.“I don’t belong to you.”The stranger smiled.“You always say that.”Kael’s expression hardened.“I’ve never seen you before.”“No.”The stranger took one step forward.“But you’ve seen me.”Kael froze.“When?”“Every time you looked into the mirror.”My stomach tightened.The Hollow stepped forward.“Don’t listen to him.”The stranger looked at the Hollow.“You still exist.”The Hollow’s expression darkened.“Unfortunately for you.”The stranger laughed.“You were always difficult.”I looked between them.“You know him.”The Hollow didn’t answer.I turned toward the stranger.“Who are you?”His silver eyes moved toward me.“You already know.”“No, I don’t.”“You carry the Firs
Mia’s POV“Choose.”The voice came from behind the second First Door.One word.But it felt heavier than anything I had ever heard.The black mark over my heart burned.I pressed my hand against it.“Choose what?”Silence.Then—“Choose him.”I looked at Kael.His eyes widened.“Or choose the world.”My stomach dropped.The older version of me stood beside the door.“That’s the choice I was given.”I stared at her.“And what did you choose?”She looked at Kael.“Him.”Kael’s expression softened.“And that’s why we lost.”“No.”Her eyes returned to me.“That’s why everyone else lost.”I frowned.“What happened?”The older Mia stepped away from the door.“I chose Kael.”She swallowed.“The First Light chose balance.”“But the world wanted a ruler.”“The Council wanted control.”“The First King wanted power.”“And the Original Hunger wanted everything.”I looked toward the darkness.“So what did you do?”“We fought.”“And?”“We won.”I waited.She laughed sadly.“That’s the problem.”I f
Alpha Bladen POV I wake up already knowing something is wrong.It isn’t the pain.The pai. Has always been there—constant, dull, buried beneath everything else like something waiting its turn. I’ve learned to exist around it. To ignore it when I need to.This is different.This feels like…. absenc
Loren POV“It was you,” he whispered again.The words did not sound loud, but they seemed to travel further than they should have, settling heavily in the air and in the cell.No one moved at that moment.Mia stood beside me,her posture straight but tense, as though something inside her had locked i
Mia Heather POVThe moment the door clicked shut behind the last student, Liora stepped closer, eyes filled with concern. Brin hovered beside her, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her uniform."Are you– Are you really okay?" Liora asked, voice low, almost a whisper, as if speaking louder might
Loren’s POVI stood in the doorway longer than I should have, watching Mia curled beneath the blankets, her breathing slow and even.I was sure she'd have a long first day and a part of me wanted to stay and guide her through, protect her from the ravaging wolves in Aetherion but I thought against







