A chilling wind swept across the courtyard as the glowing sigil slowly faded from the fountain's surface.Aeri stood frozen, staring at the mark as if it were a snake waiting to strike again.
Soren gently pulled her back."Aeri, don't touch it. It might react to your magic."
Lior scoffed softly. "React? It was practically staring into her soul."
Aeri swallowed. That was exactly how it felt.
They hurried away from the courtyard, but something tugged at Aeri's mind—a pull, like a memory scratching at the inside of her skull.
Inside the dorm hallway, dim lanterns flickered as if the building sensed the danger.
Lior stopped first."Before we go any further, we need to talk."
Soren frowned. "Now? She's exhausted."
"And that sigil won't be the last," Lior replied. "We don't have the luxury of waiting."
Aeri took a shaky breath."Lior's right. Tell me everything."
Soren rubbed his temples. "Aeri, this isn't a simple explanation."
"Then make it simple."
Both boys exchanged a look—the kind of look people share when they've been hiding something for far too long.
Lior finally spoke.
"That symbol we saw? It belongs to a forbidden order. One that shouldn't exist anymore."
Aeri blinked. "An order?"
Soren nodded reluctantly. "They're called The Nightbound Circle. A group that once used forbidden soul magic."
Aeri felt her stomach twist. "Soul magic… like reincarnation?"
Lior's expression darkened. "Exactly."
A chilling realization formed in Aeri's thoughts.
"So… they're connected to my past life?"
Soren hesitated."Aeri… in your past life, you didn't just run into the Nightbound Circle."
Lior finished for him:
"You destroyed them."
Aeri's breath hitched."I… what?"
Lior leaned closer, voice low and careful."You were powerful. Too powerful. And they hated you for it."
Soren added, "You broke their rituals. Exposed their leader. Almost ended them entirely."
Aeri felt her blood run cold.
"And now they're hunting me… because of something I did before reincarnating?"
"Not just something," Lior said quietly. "Someone."
Aeri looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"
Soren stared at the floor, guilt painting every line of his face.
"The Nightbound Circle had a leader. Their strongest, their most brilliant, their most dangerous member."
Lior's voice dropped, barely above a whisper:
"The man who was obsessed with you."
Aeri felt her heart stop.
"And when you rejected him…"Lior paused, eyes dark."He broke. Completely."
Soren continued:
"He swore he would have you. In every life."
Aeri staggered back, the words echoing painfully.
"So he's the one who… killed me?"
Neither boy answered.
They didn't have to.
Aeri's breath came quick and uneven."But how does he know I'm reincarnated? How does he know where I am—?"
Lior pointed to the fading ache on her chest from where the sigil reacted.
"Because he marked your soul."
Aeri shook her head, stepping back. "No. That's impossible—!"
But Soren caught her hands gently but firmly.
"Aeri. You've been marked since the moment you were reborn."
Her knees weakened.
"And that mark…" Lior added, his eyes grim,"…is the same one we saw on the fountain. He's close. Too close."
Aeri felt tears sting her eyes."I don't remember any of this… I don't remember him…"
Soren squeezed her hands. "Your soul does."
Lior stepped forward, expression softening just slightly.
"And that's why we're here. To help you remember—before he reaches you again."
Aeri swallowed, voice barely a whisper:
"What happens… when I do remember?"
The hallway went silent.
Then Soren answered, voice trembling despite his calm:
"Then we'll finally know what we're up against."
And Lior added:
"And whether this time… we can stop him."