MasukMia’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
Mia’s POV“Especially him.”The words echoed through the chamber.I couldn’t breathe.The woman standing before the second First Door looked exactly like me.But older.Tired.Scarred by battles I couldn’t remember.Her silver-black eyes were fixed on Kael.Kael stood completely still.“Mia…”I didn’t answer.The older version of me looked at him.“Don’t let him touch you.”Kael’s expression broke.“What happened to you?”She laughed bitterly.“You.”My stomach twisted.“No.”She looked at me.“You don’t understand yet.”“Then explain.”“I can’t.”“Why?”“Because if I tell you everything…”She glanced toward the First Door.“…the future changes.”I frowned.“That makes no sense.”“It will.”She stepped closer.I noticed something around her wrist.A black mark.The same shape as Kael’s.But broken.Burned into her skin.My eyes widened.“What happened to your arm?”She covered it.“Nothing.”“You’re lying.”Her expression softened.“You really are me.”I took another step.“Tell me wh
Mia’s POVThe First Door moved.Slowly.The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the palace.But it wasn’t the sound that terrified me.It was the voice.“Children.”My mother stood frozen.The First Flame had lowered itself to one knee.Even the Hollow wasn’t moving.Kael tightened his grip around my hand.“What is that?”My twin stared at the opening.“You don’t want to know.”“That isn’t an answer.”“It’s the only one I have.”The door opened another inch.Darkness spilled through.Not ordinary darkness.It swallowed the golden light around it.The First Light flickered.Then disappeared.I looked at my mother.“What is happening?”She whispered,“It’s waking.”“What?”“The one who waited.”The Hollow suddenly stepped forward.“Everyone move away from the door.”The First Flame looked at it.“You know what it is.”“I know what it can do.”Auren raised his sword.“Then tell us.”The Hollow looked at him.“It doesn’t need a body.”I frowned.“What does that mean?”“It
Mia’s POV“He’s coming for you.”My mother’s words echoed through my mind.My twin wasn’t behind the First Door.He was coming for me.I stared into the darkness beneath the palace.“Mia.”The voice came again.Closer.I took a step forward.Kael immediately caught my arm.“Don’t.”I looked at him.“It’s my brother.”“We don’t know what he is now.”My mother’s expression tightened.“He’s still your brother.”Kael looked at her.“You’re sure?”She hesitated.That hesitation was enough.I pulled my arm free.“I need to see him.”“Mia—”“I’ve spent my whole life wondering where he was.”I looked into the darkness.“If he’s really been there all this time…”My voice broke.“…I’m not leaving him there again.”The Hollow appeared beside me.“You shouldn’t go alone.”I turned.“You’re coming?”“Yes.”My mother shook her head.“No.”The Hollow looked at her.“You know I have to.”“If you go near him…”“I know.”I looked between them.“What happens?”The Hollow’s expression darkened.“He may r
Mia’s POVThe golden light inside my chest disappeared.Not dimmed.Not weakened.Gone.I pressed a hand against my chest.Nothing.No warmth.No pulse of power.Just emptiness.“What did you mean?”My voice shook.The First Flame stared at me.“You were the seal.”My heart dropped.“I was?”“Yes.”Kael stepped closer.“What happens now?”The First Flame looked toward the floor.“We don’t have much time.”A deep rumble shook the palace.Dust fell from the ceiling.Liora grabbed the wall.“What is beneath us?”The First Flame didn’t answer.The ground cracked.A black glow appeared beneath the stone.The Hollow suddenly appeared beside me.Its face was pale.“We need to leave.”I turned toward it.“You disappeared.”“I was trying to reinforce the seal.”“And?”“It failed.”Another tremor shook the palace.I looked at the floor.“What is down there?”The Hollow looked at me.“The First World.”I frowned.“What does that mean?”“The world that existed before Origins.”I stared.“You said
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







