Darel slipped through Ouroboros Academy's dim corridors, the brass key heavy in his pocket, its edges sharp.
The clocktower's tick echoed, a steady pulse, like a warning. His heart thumped from Talus's office—masked in black, he'd grabbed the key after Elara, in red boots, photographed a map-like file and reset the grandfather clock, muttering, "I know you're watching." The clock's hum nearly caught him.
He found Gaius in a shadowed alcove near the library wing, behind a cracked pillar.
Gaius leaned against the wall, his Ouroboros badge glinting, face pale.
Gaius stared at the grounds, students moving under the clocktower's shadow.
Darel stepped up, voice low. "You didn't tell me the clock watches."
Gaius's hand twitched. His tone was flat, annoyed. "Chill, Darel. I'd have reset it. Talus is at the CCT, he's obsessed, i'lld have time to reset it."
Darel snorted, arms crossed, the key jabbing his leg. "Obsessed, huh? Like Morgan never got caught?"
Gaius smirked, eyes flicking to Darel, mischief cutting through grief. "Your still a year Four after all. Mind your words—Morgan was slicker than you'll ever be, badge or not."
Darel grinned, unfazed. "Slicker than me? I got the key, but your directions sucked."
Gaius raised an eyebrow. "Sucked? I said it's in a drawer. Talus moves it."
Darel's grin faded, voice low. "I Saw Elara enter his office. She photographed a file— I don't really know what it was. She knew about the clock. She reset."
Gaius's eyes widened. "Elara? I just saw her slip into the clocktower's backdoor. I Followed her—but she was gone when I entered. I didn't find any door or vents, through which she could have gone."
Darel leaned in. "Clocktower's got a backdoor?"
"Yeah, most miss it," Gaius said, smirking faintly. "Morgan and I hid there as first-years. Stole snacks, ate at dawn. Almost got us in big trouble."
Darel's eyes lit up. "Elara's using it? That's shady."
Gaius's face tightened. "More than shady. It's a dead end—one room, crates, no exits. Where'd she go?"
Darel rubbed the key, frowning. "She knew where to look for that file. What's her deal?"
Darel gripped the key. "I don't trust her, she's up to something. I'll dig into it."
Gaius nodded, grim. "Go. But she might not be alone—watch out."
Darel frowned, pushing. "Not alone? Who could be with her?"
Gaius's voice dropped. "Morgan suspected someone high up. Maybe even Talus."
Darel's eyes widened. "Talus? For real?"
Gaius shrugged, cold. "Maybe."
The clocktower chimed noon, its bell sharp.
Darel and Gaius froze, the clock face twitching, like it was listening.
Darel bristled. "He was murdered."
Gaius's voice was icy. "Don't dig, Darel. You'll end up like him."
Darel's stomach twisted, Morgan's death heavy. He spotted Elara down the corridor, red boots flashing, steps quick.
Gaius's breath caught. "There she is."
The clocktower's tick pounded, as if it knew. I I'll get to the bottom of all this?" Darel whispered.
Later that evening, the school clinic was quiet, the air sharp with antiseptic.
Asher woke, a sharp pain stabbing his chest, scars throbbing from the CCT's toll. He propped himself against the bed's headboard, vision clearing.
An old woman—Nina, the clinic nurse—stood before him, her gray hair tied back, eyes kind but heavy.
"You're awake," Nina said, opening a cabinet and pulling out a pill. "You passed out." She handed him the pill and a glass of water.
Asher swallowed it, wincing as the pain lingered. "What happened to me?"
Nina's voice was calm. "Your rewinds pushed you too far but Headmaster Talus was impressed, though."
Asher's stomach twisted, a spark of fear. "Is that good or bad?"
Nina smiled, soft but cryptic. "I can't say".
"But I can advise you." She leaned closer, her eyes searching his.
"Follow your heart to the end of the world, no matter where you are. That's the true treasure."
Asher frowned, intrigued but confused. "What's that mean?"
Nina's smile faded, pity flickering in her gaze. She patted his hand gently. "You'll be fine."
Asher thought she meant his health, but her eyes held a secret, unspoken. She turned away, leaving him with the weight of her words.
The quadrangle stretched under a gray sky, rain drizzling in a cold, relentless patter, the air sharp and damp.
Lira walked across the slick cobblestones, her head and hands bandaged tightly, the ache from her foresight's toll pulsing beneath the wrappings.
Her silver eyes, shadowed from sleepless nights, scanned the grounds, catching Darel in a hushed talk with a fellow prefect near the library arch.
The prefect slipped away as Lira approached, his footsteps fading into the rain's soft hiss.
Darel's face hardened, his dark eyes narrowing under wet, matted hair, his voice cutting like a blade. "So now you're stalking me?"
Lira forced a smile, her lips trembling slightly, her voice light despite the sting of his words. "Just saying hi. Am I not allowed to do that?"
He scoffed, crossing his arms, his Ouroboros badge glinting dully on his chest. "Lies. You're here about the message. Haven't cracked it yet, so save it."
Lira's smile faltered, rain streaking her face, but she kept her tone even, stepping closer. "You're judging me too quick. I really just came to say hi."
Darel's eyes narrowed to slits, his voice low, biting. "Lies. Helping you doesn't make us friends."
She tilted her head, rain soaking her hair, sticking it to her cheeks. "Then what are we, then?"
"Allies," Darel snapped, his jaw tight. "Bad ones, if you keep this up."
Lira smirked, defiance flickering in her eyes despite the hurt. "You're a terrible ally, then. Worse than me."
The drizzle thickened, drumming harder on the stones, the air growing colder.
Darel turned, stalking off, his boots splashing in shallow puddles. Lira followed, undeterred, her voice carrying over the rain.
"You could've pushed me off, Darel. Told me to get lost. But you're helping"
He scoffed, not looking back, his shoulders tense. "Don't flatter yourself."
She quickened her pace, voice softer but firm, rain dripping from her lashes. "You do wanna help me right, you care."
Darel stopped dead, spinning to face her, his eyes sharp with sarcasm, rain streaking his face. "Oh, I care, and what? You trust me now? Think I'm some hero, not like the others?"
His tone hardened, each word a jab. "You're irritating, Lira. I want to push you off right now, but I have to tolerate you. For now."
Lira froze, rain soaking her uniform, her bandaged hands clenching as hurt flashed in her silver eyes. "Then do it," she said, voice raw, trembling.
Darel's eyes blazed, cutting her off, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't play the pity card. Stop talking."
Her voice rose, cracking with emotion, rain mixing with the tears she refused to let fall. "Why are you so mean? I'm trying to care—cos you're helping me, Darel! Doesn't that mean something?"
Darel's jaw clenched, his fists balling as he fought to hold back anger. "Ok, Let me break things down for you,since you obviously can't?"
"So, at first, we meet, we click—fine. Then all of a sudden, your eyes twitch, something's wrong, I show concern. You judge me, act like I'm trouble.
Then you come crawling back for help, and I agree. Now you're all caring, I push back, and I'm the bad guy? Does that make sense to you?"
Lira paused, rain dripping from her chin, her voice softening, almost breaking. "So it's my fault?."
Darel didn't answer, his face tense, rain plastering his hair to his forehead.
Lira's eyes glistened, hurt but resolute, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're the only one I can run to, Darel. I haven't slept since that vision—Morgan, the clocktower, that door. I'm scared. I need your help. Insult me all you want, just don't leave me alone with this."
Darel's anger flickered, his face softening for a split second, unreadable in the rain.
Both stood drenched, the clocktower's tick cutting through the downpour, a steady, ominous pulse.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the brass key, its Ouroboros carving catching the dim light. He held it up, his voice low. "This opens a secret library. Might have answers for Il es despertus. I'm going tonight."
Lira's eyes lit up, hope sparking through her fear. "I'm coming with you."
Darel shook his head, voice firm. "You'll be trouble. I work alone."
She stepped closer, rain soaking her bandages, her voice insistent. "I'm coming, Darel. You can't stop me."
He shushed her, sharp and final. "No."
Her voice dropped, desperate. "Why help me, then? After I judged you—why?"
Darel sighed, his tone honest but edged, rain dripping from his jaw. "I'm going to be honest with you.
That morning you shoved me off, I wasn't mad you didn't want help. You acted like you knew me, judged me, said I belonged to the academy, when I was trying to be decent.
I was done with you. But when you told me your vision—it's not just you. Your watch didn't catch it, meaning someone sent it. A message. Whoever sent it, has something to do with Morgan's death for sure.I'm helping you to help me find them."
Lira's breath hitched, her voice trembling. "The killer sent me that vision? What if I'm next on their list?"
Darel's eyes met hers, steady, unflinching. "Exactly. You're my lead to them, Lira. But you're making it damn hard."
She froze, rain pouring, his words sinking like stones. "So I'm bait?" Her voice was small, almost lost in the rain, fear creeping into her eyes.
Darel didn't answer, his face hard again. He turned, boots splashing as he walked away. "Don't follow me."
Lira stood rooted, rain heavy, her bandaged hands trembling. What if I'm next? The words echoed, chilling her more than the rain.
The clocktower's tick grew louder, its distant face twitching as if listening, a shadow moving behind its glass.
She stared at Darel's retreating figure, his silhouette blurring in the downpour, a pang in her chest screaming not to let him go. But she didn't move, the tick pounding like a warning, as if the academy itself knew her fear