Nova stood in the middle of an ancient forest, but it was unlike any she had ever seen before—towering trees of silver bark and glowing indigo leaves stretched endlessly into the sky. The air shimmered, pulsing faintly with magic. Everything was silent, like the entire world was holding its breath.
She turned slowly, her bare feet brushing soft moss, and noticed the stars above… except they weren't stars. They were moving. Shifting into patterns, symbols. Runes. The same ones from the book.
A single path lit up beneath her feet, weaving between the silver trees, leading her toward something. She followed without hesitation. She felt no fear, only a strange weight in her chest, like anticipation and dread locked in a delicate dance.
Ahead, a figure waited in a clearing: a woman cloaked in white, her face hidden beneath a silver veil. She was seated beside a pool of water that reflected the stars from above—but the reflection didn't match the sky. It showed something else.
Nova stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Who are you?"
The woman didn't answer. Instead, she pointed to the water.
Nova looked down and saw herself—but different. She was older, battle-worn, dressed in ceremonial armor flecked with blood. Her crown was cracked. One arm held a corpse of a bloody baby. The other was a boy dead and blood covered.
Then the reflection changed.
She saw Fin lying unconscious, a deep wound glowing black on his side. She was screaming, trying to reach him—but was held back by invisible hands. Behind her stood Jax, bleeding, his back to her, facing down someone cloaked in shadow with eyes like burning coal.
"Stop it," Nova whispered. "Stop. Stop. Stop please!"
The woman in the veil spoke finally, but her voice was layered—dozens of voices speaking as one. She sounded possessed. Her eyes turned black and face turned to look like a corpse.
She gave Nova an evil smile and Nova screamed.
Nova shook her head, heart racing. "What am I supposed to do? Just tell me!"
The pool's surface shimmered again, showing four identical books—Ruins texts, all open, pages turning by themselves in the wind. One page glowed gold, one bled ink, one turned to ash, and one remained blank.
"Tell you? You wrote it."
The veiled woman stood, raising her hands, and the forest began to dissolve into white light.
"Tick. Tick. Tick."
The trees fell away like paper in flame.
"The book knows you."
"The book chose you."
The world collapsed into silence.