The dagger's vibration still hummed through the wall when Lucian lunged toward the shattered window, magic flaring like black fire along his arms.
"Stay behind me," Damien snapped, stepping in front of Elara again, blade drawn.
Elara pushed herself up on trembling arms. "He was here. Watching."
A whisper of cold brushed the room — not wind, but presence.
Lucian's eyes narrowed. "He's masking his aura. Whoever he is… he's strong."
Damien clenched his jaw. "Strong enough to make even the warded floors useless."
The moonlight flickered.
Something moved outside.
A silhouette. Wide shoulders. Hood. The same as before.
Damien grabbed Elara's wrist. "Don't look directly at him—"
Too late.
Their gazes met.
The figure's eyes glowed crimson in the dark — and Elara felt her mind pull, like invisible threads wrapping around her skull.
She gasped and stumbled.
Damien caught her as her vision blurred with memories flooding in—
White dress.A courtyard.Screams.A blade at her throat.Someone shouting her name—
"Elara!"
She jerked back to reality as Lucian slammed a burst of void-magic into the shadow outside. The force shattered stone and sent a shockwave across the courtyard.
The intruder didn't dodge.
He absorbed it.Like Lucian's magic was nothing more than dust.
Lucian's face drained of color.
"That's not possible…"
The hooded man extended a hand.
Elara felt her lungs seize — as if invisible fingers were squeezing her breath from inside.
Damien swore and forced her behind him. "He's targeting you."
The shadow figure tilted his head slowly, like studying prey.
A distorted voice slid across the air:
"Princess.You were warned not to live again."
Elara's heart slammed against her ribs. "Why do you call me that?!"
The figure didn't answer — just lifted his hand again.
The pressure around her chest tightened—
Then—
BLINDING LIGHT EXPLODED.
Liora appeared out of nowhere, staff raised, golden magic spiraling around her like a hurricane.
"Not today, you bastard!"
Her spell launched like a star falling.
The attacker finally moved — retreating into the darkness, melting into it like ink dissolving in water.
His voice echoed one last time:
"Your heart will break again."
Silence fell.
Elara collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. Damien knelt beside her immediately, checking her pulse, his hands steady despite the tension gripping his jaw.
Lucian stood at the shattered window, chest rising and falling rapidly, fists trembling with rage.
Liora turned, eyes wide with fear. "Elara… he wasn't trying to kill you."
Everyone froze.
Damien's voice was low. Dangerous. "What do you mean?"
Liora swallowed.
"He was trying to trigger a full awakening."
Elara's breath caught.
"My past life memories… all of them?"
Liora nodded.
"If he succeeds…" She hesitated. "You won't just remember. Your soul will merge completely."
Damien's eyes darkened. "Meaning?"
Liora whispered:
"Meaning the Elara we know…will disappear."
Elara's blood turned to ice.
Lucian's knuckles turned white as he gripped the broken window frame.
His voice was almost too soft to hear:
"No one… is taking you from this life."