The Call of Silence
Ren's gaze never left Toma for a single moment. The air between them tightened, the silence growing heavy, as if even the walls were holding their breath.
Toma's half-smile slowly faded, but the challenging light in his eyes remained—a confidence that drew attention, though perhaps not this time.
"I didn't know… you were interested too," Toma said slowly.
Ren's eyes glimmered. "It's not about interest. It's about boundaries."
Toma nodded, but something flashed in his gaze: desire, curiosity, and that strange feeling Lara's presence always stirred in him.
"I was just talking to her," he whispered.
"Maybe," Ren replied softly, leaning closer. "But sometimes, one sees deeper than words."
After a few seconds of silence, Ren stepped back.
"Go," he said coolly. "We'll talk later."
Toma shrugged and passed by him, glancing at Lara for just a moment. The look was unforgettable.
Ren stayed silent as Toma disappeared at the end of the hallway, then slowly turned toward Lara. There was no anger in his eyes, only a protective, hard-to-define sadness.
"Take care of yourself," he said quietly, in the same tone Lara had heard on the silent corridor before.
Her heart skipped a beat. The air thickened again, but Ren had already turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Lara remained still for a long moment, watching until the hallway was empty. The sun was setting, casting long orange shadows on the floor.
The afternoon light of the city faded slowly as Lara slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed home. Only a few children's voices echoed from the square near the school. The first scents of autumn filled the air—cool, calming, and gentle.
As she turned the corner, she noticed a small, old library. Its facade was cracked, but the warm light spilling from inside seemed inviting. Lara had never been there before, yet something pulled her inside.
The library's interior was dusty, but the scent of books brought it to life. The shelves reached the ceiling, and every step echoed softly on the carpet.
"Can I help you with something?" asked an elderly woman behind the counter, offering a kind smile.
"I'm just looking," Lara replied quietly.
She walked slowly among the shelves, letting her fingers brush the spines. A strange tingling ran through her, as if one book was calling her.
Lara couldn't explain why this book in particular. Its cover was smooth black leather, with a thin golden pattern along the spine—like veins running across it. The old woman placed it gently in her hands, three blocks down from the street, her smile deep and tired, as if she had witnessed too many stories repeat themselves.
The book in Lara's hands read:
"The Three Blood Pacts."
Even on the walk home, Lara couldn't put the book down.
The first chapter read:
The Three Souls and the Blood Covenant
"At the dawn of time, three kingdoms stood—the Light, the Shadow, and the Mist.
Three royal bloodlines, each blessed with a different gift:
The first could see the future, the second could shape the past, the third could guard death.
When the world fractured, the ancient power was divided among them. To protect it, they made a blood pact.
Each sealed the bond with their own blood—but the oath was not to the gods, only to each other.
The pact created the Three:
three souls, three bodies, three paths, destined to meet again.
When the call of blood sounds once more, they are reborn in new forms—
and if they unite, the ancient power returns to the world.
But if even one betrays the covenant, the pact will consume their soul, and all they love will turn to ashes."