Someone came down from the sky like he had invisible wings.
His robes were light blue and white, moving like clouds high in the air. The edges of his clothes were lined with glowing symbols that sparked whenever the wind hit them. His eyes were a soft gray, but they glowed with the color of the sky.
The guards instantly fell silent. Then they bowed.
High Windkeeper Nemyros, the captain said.
Nemyros landed lightly upon the sky bridge. His gaze moved slowly across the group Zuriel, Lucien, Eris, Nikolai… and finally me. He studied me for a long moment.
You carry the Hollow Book, he said softly. The one Malekai once touched.
My mouth went dry. I didn't mean to---
I know, Nemyros said. He turned to the captain. Let them through. They will be escorted to the Hall of Winds.
But the the cursed artifact---
I will take responsibility.
His voice never rose, but the air around us seemed to hush, as though the entire realm waited for his word. The captain bowed deeply.
Yes, Windkeeper.
Nemyros turned to face me once more. Your arrival was foretold. The ancient spirits whisper that the power you carry is screaming to be released. You must master this force before it consumes your soul and takes control of your mind.
He turned and started walking. Behind him, the gates of Skyrneth slowly opened tall and beautiful, made from crystal and the air itself.
The path toward the portal stretched across a bridge made of glowing stone, floating high above the treetops. Symbols pulsed under our feet, reacting to us being there. Nemyros walked ahead with his hands behind his back, his robes moving like clouds in a storm. We followed him in a tense silence.
Then he spoke without turning. You, the girl who holds the Hollow Book.
I stiffened.
You should be careful not to let it take root in your soul.
My hand instinctively brushed against my satchel bag, where the book pulsed faintly again.
I can feel Malekai's presence within you, Nemyros continued calmly. His energy clings to your spirit like a stain. Or a tether. He paused. Of all the souls within the book… it seems he is the one most closely bound to yours.
I stopped walking. The others looked between us, uncertain.
That is why I am allowing you to return, Nemyros said. You must go back before you lose control here. The balance in our world is already fragile.
Zuriel stepped forward sharply. Wait. What do you mean allowing her to return? Shouldn't you be stopping Malekai? You were one of the ones who helped defeat him, weren't you?
Nemyros turned slowly. His gaze settled on Zuriel, ancient and unreadable. The artifacts required to destroy Malekai are not in this realm, he said. They were scattered. Hidden. His eyes shifted back to me.
She is still stable for now. And she is the one you will need if you wish to stop him.
The words hung in the air like a gathering storm. Everyone turned toward me. Even Eris.
Wait, I said, my voice unsteady. You're saying I'm connected to him.
That he could take over my body. And yet… I'm the one you need?
My brow furrowed. That doesn't make sense.
If you're afraid he'll corrupt me why trust me?!??..
Nemyros studied me for a moment. Then he slowly raised a hand and pointed directly at me. Because the one who created the three artifacts came from Malekai's bloodline.
Silence fell.
And so do you.
My breath caught. I… I have Nephilim blood?
Yes, Nemyros said quietly. But not like ours. His gaze softened slightly. Your body is fragile. Asthmatic. Slow to recover. Easily broken. You have wondered why you are not stronger. Why you are not like us.
I could only nod.
Because Malekai was never like us, Nemyros continued. He was gifted a genius in spellcraft, with an unnatural well of mana. But his body could not contain it. He was closer to human than Nephilim, even in stature. His vessel cracked beneath the pressure.
Zuriel frowned. Then how did he survive?
Nemyros' voice darkened. He did not. He paused. He evolved.
The wind stirred around us. He began to consume others. First humans. Then Nephilim. He discovered a method to drain essence strengthening his body by devouring the life of others.
My stomach twisted.
He… created the beings that eat flesh? The aswangs?
Nemyros nodded. He was the first. He crafted the blood-spell that clouds human memory. The origin of what your people now call yanggaw. His gaze moved across the group. Long ago, Nephilim used to feed on humans, he said.
But after the flood, we stopped. Only a few of us survived some evolved, and others only made it out because of their power. We formed an alliance after all that bloodshed.
But Malekai? He never stopped...
He turned cannibal. And worse he created poison to weaken our kind, making us easier to devour.
No one spoke. Even Nikolai remained silent. Then Nemyros stepped aside. A glowing arch formed in the air before us, symbols spiraling around it like a living halo.
This is the portal, he said. You may choose your destination. His voice grew firm. Leave now. Before the Hollow Book awakens more of what sleeps inside you.
Eris stepped forward first, calm and controlled as ever. She placed her palm against the symbols and began adjusting the coordinates. Thank you, High Windkeeper Nemyros, she said evenly. For trusting us.
He dipped his head slightly. But he did not smile. One by one, we stepped into the light. None of us knew what waited on the other side. But we all understood one thing now. We were running out of time.
-------(•‿•)-----
The wind twisted around us as we stepped through the portal. One moment, the glowing skies of Skyrneth shimmered behind us. The next hard stone paths. Cold monastery academy air.
I nearly stumbled. We were back.
But something felt wrong. The world felt heavier, like gravity had changed. Eris was the first to steady herself. Her eyes immediately scanned the monastery courtyard.
We didn't close the rift, she muttered under her breath. We went through it.
Zuriel brushed shiny dust from his sleeves. Straight into the Inner Worlds.
Footsteps approached across the stone. Master Nathaniel. His blue robes were already stiff with tension, the gem at his waist glowing faintly.
Report.
Eris stepped forward. The ocean rift didn't collapse, she said. It was a passage. We crossed into the inner realms.
Zuriel added, And Gehan saw Malekai. The Nephilim know her now. He paused. They believe she might be the one to stop him… or the one he'll claim.
Lucien spoke even more quietly. They also said there are three Artifacts are already in our world. It's true, right? We found one The talim ng ligalig !.
Nathaniel's eyes moved slowly toward me, but I wasn't looking at him. I wasn't looking at anyone.
It was like I was looking deep inside myself, listening to something only I could hear. It felt like something in me had finally cracked open.
Nathaniel stepped closer. His voice cut through the silence soft, but sharp. You've seen him, then.
I nodded slowly.
Nathaniel watched me closely. Malekai isn't just a man, Gehan, he said. He's a shadow that sounds like hope.
His voice got lower. He doesn't break people from the outside. He makes them choose to forget who they are, and then he whispers lies to whoever is holding the Nephilim Book
My chest tightened. I remembered his voice. His eyes. The strange weight of familiarity.
Nathaniel kept talking. He might already be locking away your memories,Gehan. Even your own thoughts. Any dream or vision you have could just be him messing with your head.
Then Nathaniel said something unexpected and his voice got much colder. I pity the ones he taught. The ones who ate human flesh. Who killed because he told them to...
His eyes went dark.. For them, death was actually a mercy... He paused. Before they devoured more of the innocent.
Now he looked directly into my eyes. Do you believe death can be mercy, Gehan???
The silence between us stretched out. One heartbeat. Two.
Then I answered him in a quiet voice
I do, I said. My voice shook a little. I think… I asked for it once.
When I was at my lowest point.
When I didn't know how to keep going.
Nathaniel smiled. But the smile never reached his eyes. Then we walk the same path.
Nathaniel stood up straight. The heavy feeling in the air vanished almost instantly. The calm, collected master was back. His voice became steady and polite, but firm.
Lucien. Damon. Nikolai. He gestured toward the hall. Take Gehan to the dining hall. She needs rest. A small pause. All of you do.
Lucien nodded immediately. Understood, Master.
Damon was already turning away, clearly happy to get away from the tension. Nikolai stayed for a second. His eyes moved toward me, quiet and thoughtful. Then he walked beside me without saying a word.
(Not gehan pov) -------ಠ_ಠ
Zuriel didn't move. Nathaniel noticed. Zuriel, he said calmly. Stay.
Eris looked back as well. You too.
Zuriel raised an eyebrow. What's this about?
Nathaniel's face darkened a little. The Convergence. And how much worse it's getting.
He turned away, looking out across the monastery grounds. There are more tears opening up, he said. More than we can stop.
Eris folded her arms. Where?
Nathaniel's voice was quiet. Everywhere, he said, his eyes looking distant. The old seals are getting weak. The inner realms aren't just opening up anymore they're overlapping.
The words felt heavy . We're living on borrowed time
The words settled heavily. We are standing in borrowed time.
Zuriel's gaze shifted toward the doorway where gehan go through , And her???
Nathaniel didn't answer right away.
A long silence filled the room. She's still useful, he said quietly.
There was another pause.
But we may not have much time left.
Zuriel's fists clenched. Then we need to protect her more, Master.