The evening after the encounter with the figure in silver, Liara couldn't shake the feeling that someone was always just behind her. The shadows of the academy felt heavier, as if the very stone walls knew secrets they weren't telling.
She found herself wandering the lower levels of the academy that evening, searching for answers—or at least, some semblance of peace.
She passed through a corridor she'd never noticed before, one hidden behind an old tapestry that hung crookedly on the wall. The air felt thick here, like a forgotten memory.
A soft voice broke the silence.
"You shouldn't be here."
Liara spun around.
Standing in front of her was Farin, the academy's most elusive student—a quiet, brooding figure who kept to the shadows. He was a third-year with a reputation for being strangely disconnected, though he often appeared to know more than anyone else.
"Farin?" Liara asked, startled. "What are you doing here?"
Farin's eyes were narrowed, his gaze unreadable. "I could ask the same of you."
She took a step closer, feeling the pulse of her sigil under her collar. "I was looking for answers. This place, there's something off about it."
He smirked slightly, but his eyes remained cold. "You're not the first to seek answers in these halls."
Liara's curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
Farin stepped aside, gesturing toward the shadows. "I know you've been having dreams. And I know who's been watching you."
Liara's breath caught. "Who?"
Without a word, Farin reached into his robes and pulled out a small, silver pendant. It glowed faintly, radiating an energy she couldn't place. He held it out to her, and she instinctively reached for it, her fingers brushing against the cool metal.
The instant she touched it, the world seemed to shift—everything felt clearer. The walls of the corridor shimmered, and for a brief moment, she saw a flash of a vision.
A figure stood in the center of an ancient room, surrounded by towering bookshelves. The air was thick with power. There, in the heart of the room, was a sealed door covered in intricate, shimmering sigils.
Liara blinked, her vision returning to the present. She looked at Farin, who was watching her intently.
"That door," she whispered. "It's real."
"It is," Farin said, his voice low. "And it's the key to everything. But you're not supposed to know about it. Not yet."
Liara's pulse quickened. "What do you mean? If it's real, then why—"
"Because that door leads to more than just the Vault, Liara," Farin interrupted, his eyes darkening. "It leads to Seralyn's true legacy—everything she locked away. The reason they sealed it in the first place."
"What do you know about it?" Liara demanded.
Farin hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty passing across his face. "I know it's not just magic that lies beyond that door. It's her. Seralyn. Her spirit. She's still… guarding it."
Liara's throat tightened. "But the Vault… It was supposed to be sealed forever."
Farin stepped closer, lowering his voice. "The Vault is one thing. But that door? It holds something else—something Seralyn knew would come back to haunt us all. And you, Liara, you're at the center of it."
He looked toward the far end of the corridor, then back at her. "The truth about Seralyn, the Vault, and your sigil—it's more dangerous than you can imagine. You need to be prepared."
Liara stood still, her mind racing. The pendant in her hand hummed faintly, pulling her attention back to it.
"What do you want from me?" she asked.
"I want you to listen," Farin said quietly. "I've been watching you, Liara. I've seen the way the magic shifts around you. You don't even know what you're capable of. But I do."
He stepped back, his gaze hardening. "You may have thought the trials were the hardest part. But those trials are nothing compared to what's coming."
Liara looked down at the pendant in her hand. "And what's coming?"
Farin's voice dropped to a whisper. "The truth. And it will tear everything apart."