The night was still.
Too still.
Liebe lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep wouldn’t come.
His mind kept returning to the projection wall.
His name.
Level II.
It should have felt like victory.
It didn’t.
He closed his eyes.
And then— a whisper.
Faint.
Cold.
“…You think light chose you?”
Liebe’s eyes snapped open.
He sat up.
The room was empty.
But the air felt wrong.
Heavy.
Like something invisible had pressed against the walls.
“…It didn’t.”
He stood.
His hand raised instinctively.
Nothing.
No light.
Just silence.
And then— an image.
Blurred.
Brief.
A silhouette.
Female.
Standing at the edge of something dark.
Gone.
Just like that.
Liebe stood there breathing hard.
His chest tight.
His hand trembling.
Morning came grey and cold.
He didn’t mention the voice to anyone.
Not to Sia.
Not to Aurelion.
But when he passed through the Academy’s east corridor— he stopped.
A student stood by the window.
Still.
Too still.
Liebe recognized him from the assignment matches.
Loud.
Confident.
Always moving.
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nothing.
Empty eyes.
Staring at nothing.
Liebe stepped closer.
“…Hey.”
No response.
“Hey.”
The boy turned slowly.
And Liebe felt it immediately.
Something was missing.
Not an injury.
Not exhaustion.
Something deeper.
Gone.
She takes.
Aurelion’s words returned without warning.
People.
Strength.
Light.
Will.
Liebe’s jaw tightened.
He looked at the boy once more.
Then walked — fast — toward Training Ground Six.
Because now— the voice wasn’t just a warning.
It was a sign.
She was already here.