"By the way… thank you for earlier. The free lunch—it really meant a lot to me."
Eryx smiled at me, that quiet, almost shy curve of his lips.
"You're welcome," he said, preparing to walk away—but then he paused, as if he had remembered something. He glanced back at me. "By the way, Xanthe… can I ask you a favor?"
I frowned slightly, but didn't hesitate. He seemed genuinely kind, and maybe… he could be a friend. We weren't close yet; we'd just met.
"Sure. What is it?" I asked innocently.
His eyes flicked to the necklace around my neck, and I followed his gaze. I instinctively gripped the chain.
"Can you come to my laboratory later?" he asked. My stomach dropped at the words—was he going to experiment on me?
"I mean… the necklace," he continued hurriedly. "I hope you won't mind, but I can feel a strong soul coming from it. A strong element. Even though it's sealed, I can still sense it."
I froze, staring down at the necklace in my palm. I never expected anyone to notice it. Ever since I found it, everything about this academy—the invitations, the strange pull toward this place—had felt connected to this necklace.
For the first time, it felt heavier in my hand—not because of its weight, but because of the weight of his words.
"Strong… soul?" I whispered, almost afraid to hear myself.
He nodded seriously, the casual lightness from earlier gone. "I wouldn't tell just anyone, Xanthe. But… from the moment I saw you with it, I felt it. The Soul Fire earlier? That wasn't an accident."
I gripped the chain tighter. "I don't even know where it came from," I admitted. "It just… appeared."
His eyes glimmered with interest. "Exactly. That's what I want to know. I won't hurt you, I promise. Observation only. I just want to understand."
I paused. Part of me wanted to refuse—there was a voice inside, whispering be careful. But another part of me… was tired of not knowing. Tired of the unanswered questions.
"When?" I finally asked.
He gave a small, approving smile, as if relieved. "Later. After classes. My lab is in the east wing."
I nodded. "Okay."
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "And don't worry. You won't be an experiment. You're a person."
As he walked away, I stayed in the hallway, clutching the necklace. But before I could move, the temperature around me dropped.
"You shouldn't go," a voice said.
I froze.
Slowly, I turned—and there he was. Sailor. Standing in the shadows, his aura darker than before. His eyes weren't angry—they were concerned. Fearful, even.
"Why?" I asked, trying to steady my voice. "I just want to know the truth."
He took a step closer. "Some truths are safer left sleeping."
"Then why do you keep stopping me?" I demanded, my voice trembling. "Every time, you push me away from answers."
For the first time, I saw a crack in his usually cold expression.
"Because… if you knew everything," he said quietly, "you might never forgive me."
I stared at him. You just don't want me to know because you've wronged me, haven't you? I thought, narrowing my eyes.
But Sailor didn't flinch. He held my gaze like a challenge, and before I could step back, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer. Not caring that everyone was watching.
"You're not going anywhere," he said, his tone icy.
And yet… my heart thumped so violently, I wanted to reach for him, to hold him, maybe even kiss him.
I shoved him away, desperate to regain control. "I-I don't care about you! Just leave me alone!"
Before he could respond, I ran. The hallway blurred past me. I felt the weight of the necklace against my chest. And then, to my shock—it glowed.
I froze.
I held my breath as the light intensified, pulsing as if it had a heartbeat of its own—matching mine. I stepped back instinctively, trying to calm myself.
"What… is happening to me?" I whispered.
The academy noises—the laughter, the footsteps, the chatter—faded. Silence swallowed everything. The necklace's light spread, wrapping around me in a swirl of blue and gold.
And then, without warning—
An image exploded into my mind.
A vast field engulfed in flames. The sky split by a crimson eclipse. Screams, blood flowing over the scorched earth. And in the center of the chaos… me. Kneeling, wounded, clutching the necklace.
"Xanthe…" a voice called.
I turned.
Him.
Younger. Bloodied. Broken. Sailor—kneeling before me, hands trembling as he fought to stop the world from crumbling.
"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I made the choice for you."
"No—" I whispered, though I knew he couldn't hear me. "What did you do…?"
Suddenly, a blinding light erupted.
I fell backward, gasping, drenched in sweat. I was back in the hallway. Students crowded around, whispering and pointing.
"Did you see that?!"
"Why did it light up like that?"
"Whose aura was that?!"
I clutched my chest, the necklace dimming back to normal. It was over—but I wasn't the same.
"Xanthe!"
I turned to see Iria rushing toward me, worry etched into her face. "Are you okay? You just… froze for a moment and—"
"I'm fine," I said quickly, though my voice still shook. "Just… dizzy."
She studied me for a moment, clearly unsure, but didn't press further. Instead, she held my hand and guided me away from the crowd.
From the corner of my eye, I saw him—Sailor.
Standing in the shadow of a pillar.
Watching.
Not cold. Not angry.
Afraid.
For the first time, I saw the emotion he always hid.
Remember… a voice whispered inside me—not his, but mine.
He glanced back once, as if sensing my eyes, then vanished. Pulled into the shadows, leaving me with the necklace and the questions it carried.
You won't run forever, I whispered to myself. If he's guilty… I have the right to know.
"Okay, class, let's talk about the power of water. If you learn how to control your magic properly, you'll realize just how special your abilities are."
I simply nodded at Professor Elowen.
I glanced at Iria, who was now giving a playful peace sign. Water was her element, which meant she could feel emotions—she could sense them, really feel them. I leaned closer to her ear and whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me you could actually feel emotions?"
"Actually… I just found out myself," she admitted, eyes wide. "I'm still learning how to control it."
I nodded.
A student raised their hand, and everyone's attention shifted.
"Professor! Aren't you High Seer Elowen Aurel? I heard you can see the future and interpret prophecies!"
We all turned toward her, surprised at the directness. Professor Elowen stiffened, her calm composure slightly shaken.
Suddenly, my heart raced when her gaze landed on me—or maybe it was just my imagination.
"Do you know why this is called the future?" Ma'am Elowen's voice sharpened, tinged with irritation. "Because no one should know it. If someone does, the future could change—and it could put all of us in danger."
The classroom fell silent. I could almost feel the weight of her words hanging in the air, unspoken warnings settling over each breath we took. My pulse thundered—somehow, I felt like her words were directed at me.
"The prophecy," she continued, her tone colder now, "is not a guide to meddle with fate. It is merely a reminder… that every choice has a price."
The student tried to raise their hand again, but Ma'am Elowen's stern gaze made them shrink back. I swallowed hard, sensing that even if she didn't say it, she knew there was something different about me.
Then she drew a symbol in the air—a star, a shape so familiar it made my chest tighten. My necklace warmed against my skin.
"Water," she said as the symbol dissolved, "has the power to remember. Emotions, memories… even those from other times." She paused, and her gaze flicked toward me, sharp and calculating. "That is why some people… can feel things that haven't happened yet."
I looked at Iria. Concern clouded her expression. She wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.
"Dismissed," Ma'am Elowen said abruptly. "Think about the lesson. Not all knowledge is meant to be pursued."
The students began to stand, chatting and moving about, but I stayed in my seat, rooted. Iria noticed and tugged gently at my sleeve.
"Xanthe… are you okay?" she whispered.
"I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely audible. "But I feel… like something inside me is opening, and I'm not ready to face it yet."
As we left the classroom, I spotted Sailor at the end of the hallway. He was standing perfectly still, silent, as if he had been waiting. When our eyes met, his brow furrowed slightly.
And then, I heard his voice. Not aloud—but in my mind.
"I told you… not yet."
My whole body froze.
This was not imagination.
How was he doing this? How could his voice slip into my head without a sound?
"What's Sailor's power anyway?" I asked Iria, my eyes still locked on him as he walked down the hallway to get an iced coffee.
Most of the students were staring, some giggling, others whispering. Sailor didn't use his fame to take advantage of anyone, and that made him… different.
"From what I know, his power is Void," Iria replied.
I frowned. "But here, most students have elemental powers… water, fire, wind, earth."
"Yes," she continued as we walked, "so abilities like his—or like Ma'am Elowen's, seeing the future—are rare. A huge advantage."
I nodded, absorbing her words, when suddenly—water erupted beneath me. I was shoved down as if the floor had vanished. I heard Iran calling my name, panic in her voice, while unseen forces seemed to pull me under. My limbs flailed. I couldn't swim, couldn't escape the current dragging me deeper. I closed my eyes instinctively.
Then, a light pierced the darkness.
A shadow surged forward through the water.
It was Sailor.
His eyes glowed with an impossible light, splitting the darkness below. Without hesitation, he reached for me, pulling me toward him. The downward pull vanished the instant our hands touched.
The world stopped.
He held me tightly—one arm around my back, the other cupping my head. I felt warmth radiate from him despite the icy water all around. Slowly, he pressed his forehead to mine.
"Breathe," he said.
Again, I heard his voice in my mind, clear and insistent.
And then, in an instant, the water shattered like glass. We emerged into the open air. I gasped for breath, my lungs burning, but he didn't let go.
"Xanthe," he said, voice trembling slightly, "don't do that again."
I stared at him—confused, terrified, angry all at once. "W-what did you do? How… how did you—?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached for my necklace. The moment he touched it, it flared with light, brighter than ever before, reacting to his presence.
"Void doesn't just erase," he finally said. "It connects. Minds. Souls. Memories."
My eyes went wide. "You can get into my mind?"
"No," he said firmly. "I can't do that to anyone."
He hesitated, almost afraid.
"Only… to you."
Before I could respond, guards and teachers began approaching. His expression hardened, cold and unreadable, as if nothing had happened.
"Stay away from the water zones," he said sharply—only I could hear the whisper following the words in my mind:
"You're not ready. And I won't let you die this time."
My heart pounded faster than ever.
Because this time… I knew one thing.
This wasn't the first time Sailor had saved me.
And his Void power… was somehow connected to my very soul.