The hallway went quiet after the words appeared.
NEXT TRIAL: TRUE NAME.
Kai stared at the mirror panel like it was a knife pointed at his throat. His hand stayed on Lina's wrist. His other hand stayed on Jax's shoulder. Kai did not let go of either of them.
Lina's chest felt tight. She hated that the school could just decide this. She hated that it could pick Kai like a target and call it a "trial."
Jax stood pale and shaking. His eyes looked lost. "I… I really can't see her face," Jax whispered, then clamped his mouth shut like he remembered the rule too late.
Seren's eyes glowed silver. She swallowed hard. "It took something important," she said softly. "It's teaching us that it can take from anyone."
Mira wiped her cheeks with both hands, angry at her own tears. "So what do we do now?" Mira whispered.
Reyon looked at the mirror panel, then looked away fast. "We don't give it anything," he whispered. "We just leave."
Kai nodded once. "Yes."
Kai pulled Lina closer and stepped away from the mirror panel. He kept Lina's hand pressed against his chest again. Thump, thump, thump. It was fast, but it was real.
They moved forward, down the stairs again. The corridor turned tighter, like a throat. The silver wave lines on the walls glowed dim, like they were watching without blinking.
Then they reached a door.
It wasn't like the other Echo doors. It was taller and darker. The stone looked wet. The Echo crest was there, but it was cracked down the middle.
Under the crest, four symbols were carved in a line:
🕯️ 🪞 🧵 🖋️
And beneath the symbols, the door asked a question in clean silver letters.
WHO HOLDS THE TRUE NAME?
Lina's stomach dropped.
Reyon whispered, "Oh, come on."
Kai lifted his chin. He did not speak. He only stared at the question like he was measuring a fight.
Seren stepped closer, eyes glowing brighter. She listened, then flinched like someone touched her spine. "There are voices behind it," Seren whispered. "A lot of them."
Mira's voice shook. "What kind of voices?"
Seren swallowed. "Council voices. And… something deeper."
The deep voice under the school moved inside Lina's bones again, slow and pleased.
Answer.
Lina's whole body went cold. She pressed her lips together hard. She did not speak.
Kai's hand squeezed her wrist, steady. He leaned close and murmured, "Stay real."
Lina nodded.
The door letters shifted.
WHO HOLDS THE TRUE NAME?
Then another line appeared under it, like a hint.
SAY THE HOLDER.SAY IT TWICE.
Mira made a small frightened sound. "It wants us to say who has it," she whispered.
Reyon shook his head. "And if we say it, it learns who to hurt next."
Seren's eyes watered. "It might also be a trick. There might not be one holder. The Veilbound can steal pieces."
Kai's jaw clenched. He looked at the cracked Echo crest. Then he looked at the dark arch behind them, the way they came. The corridor behind them felt heavier now, like it was closing in.
Jax's hands clenched. His voice shook, but he forced the words out carefully, only once. "The Council," Jax said.
Kai snapped his gaze to Jax, sharp. "Stop."
Jax flinched and clamped his mouth shut. His eyes filled with regret.
The corridor hummed like it liked the sound.
The door wrote a new line, bright and eager.
COUNCIL: ACCEPTED.
Lina's blood ran cold.
Kai's voice went low and angry. "It's validating answers."
Seren whispered, "It's collecting them."
Reyon muttered, "It's building a menu."
The door's letters changed again.
WHO HOLDS THE TRUE NAME?
Then the door added a third line, calmer than the others, like it was speaking gently.
OR…
The silver words formed slowly, like a smile.
GIVE ME THE NAME.
Lina felt her throat burn. The urge to answer pushed at her lips again, like a hand trying to open her mouth.
Kai pressed his forehead to hers, quick and strong. He didn't speak. He just held her there for one second, anchoring her.
Lina breathed through her nose, shaking.
Seren's eyes glowed bright. "It wants a voice offering," Seren whispered. "It wants the true name spoken into the door."
Mira whispered, terrified, "But that would—"
"Kill him," Reyon finished softly.
Kai's face stayed calm, but his eyes were dark with a kind of fear Lina had never seen before. Fear that wasn't about fighting. Fear that was about losing control of himself.
Kai lifted his hand and placed it on the door. The stone felt colder just looking at it.
The door spoke.
Not with letters.
With Lina's stolen voice, gentle and close.
"Kai," it said, "tell me."
Kai's breath hitched.
Lina's chest tightened. She could feel his heartbeat jump under her palm. She hated that the door used her voice. She hated that it could make it sound like she was asking.
Kai's jaw clenched. He did not answer.
The door tried again. This time it used Jax's voice.
"Kai," it said, "please."
Jax's face went white. "I didn't—"
Kai tightened his hand on Jax's shoulder. "I know."
The door tried again. This time it used Mira's dad's voice.
"Help," it said.
Mira sobbed silently, shaking.
Seren stepped forward and raised her hand. Her eyes glowed brighter than before. "No," Seren said, voice shaking but clear. "You don't get to mix us."
The corridor hummed, hungry.
TRUTH SPOKEN.TAX REQUIRED.
The words flashed on the wall.
Seren gasped, panic in her eyes, like she realized what she just did.
Lina braced for the tax.
But it didn't hit Lina.
It hit Mira.
Mira's eyes went wide. She froze like someone unplugged her.
Then Mira blinked fast, confused. "Who… who are you?" Mira whispered, staring at Lina.
Lina's heart stopped.
Kai went rigid.
Seren cried out, "No!"
Reyon whispered, horrified, "It took Lina from her."
Mira's face twisted in fear and pain. She looked at Lina like Lina was a stranger. "I… I know I should know you," Mira whispered. "But I can't— I can't feel it."
Lina's eyes filled with tears. Her chest hurt like it was splitting.
Kai grabbed Mira's shoulders carefully, not shaking her, just holding her steady. "Mira," Kai said, firm and gentle. "Say your name."
Mira blinked at him. "Mira Sun."
"Again?" Kai asked, then stopped himself and changed it fast. "Stay real."
Mira swallowed. "I'm here."
Kai looked at Lina, eyes burning with anger.
Because now it was clear.
The Echo route could move the tax to anyone.
And it just proved it could cut bonds too.
🧵
Bond severed.
The door's letters brightened like it was pleased.
Now, it wrote one last line, slow and calm, like a promise.
ONE BOND FOR ONE NAME.
Lina stared at the words, shaking.
Because the door wasn't only asking anymore.
It was bargaining.
And the trap was simple.
Give Kai's true name, and maybe Mira remembers Lina again.
Don't give it, and watch their bonds get cut one by one.
Kai's voice went low, dangerous and steady. "No deal."
But the door answered with Lina's stolen voice, soft and sweet.
"We'll see."
And the cracked Echo crest began to glow, brighter and brighter, like it was opening its mouth.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.