The broken piece of glass lay between them.
PHASE THREE BEGINS.
Aanya couldn’t take her eyes off it.
The old woman slowly walked toward the glass.
“Don’t touch it.”
Aanya looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because the Echo is still connected to it.”
Aarav frowned.
“Connected to me?”
The woman nodded.
“Partly.”
Aarav looked uneasy.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the memories Nightfall removed from you have somewhere to exist.”
Aanya glanced at the empty space where the silver-eyed figure had appeared.
“So that wasn’t really Aarav.”
“No.”
“But it knew me.”
“It remembers you.”
Aanya’s expression changed.
“Then it remembers everything.”
The woman nodded.
“Everything Nightfall wanted you to forget.”
Aarav stepped closer to the broken glass.
“I want to talk to it.”
Aanya immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because we don’t know what it wants.”
Aarav looked at her.
“Neither do I.”
He paused.
“But if it’s carrying my memories…”
He looked down at the glass.
“Maybe it can tell us what happened.”
Aanya hesitated.
She knew he was right.
They had spent years searching for answers.
Now the answers might be standing directly in front of them.
Even if they were dangerous.
The old woman sighed.
“There’s only one way to summon it.”
Aanya looked at her.
“How?”
“Remember.”
Aarav frowned.
“Remember what?”
“The moment Nightfall separated you.”
They sat on the floor.
Aanya closed her eyes.
Aarav did the same.
The room became silent.
Aanya searched through her memories.
The garden.
Her mother.
The laboratory.
The silver light.
Then— she found it.
A door.
She had never noticed it before.
Aanya reached toward it.
The moment she touched the handle—
Aarav’s hand suddenly grabbed hers.
He was there too.
“You found it.”
Aanya stared at him.
“How?”
“I saw it too.”
They opened the door together.
They were standing inside the laboratory again.
But this time, the memory was clearer.
Scientists surrounded them.
Young Aanya was crying.
Young Aarav stood beside her.
The Founder watched from behind the glass.
Aanya’s mother was arguing with him.
“You can’t do this.”
“It’s already begun.”
“They’re children!”
“They’re the only ones compatible.”
Aanya’s mother looked toward the two children.
“They trust each other.”
“Exactly.”
The Founder turned toward the machine.
“That’s what makes them useful.”
Aanya felt her anger rising.
“Useful?”
Aarav’s voice was quiet.
“They were going to use us.”
The memory continued.
A scientist approached the children.
“We need you to sit here.”
Young Aanya held Aarav’s hand.
“No.”
The scientist looked at the Founder.
The Founder nodded.
The machine activated.
Silver light filled the room.
Young Aanya screamed.
Young Aarav shouted her name.
Then— everything went silent.
Aanya opened her eyes.
She was back in the room.
Aarav was breathing heavily.
“They separated us.”
Aanya nodded.
“But why?”
The old woman finally spoke.
“Because Nightfall discovered something.”
“What?”
“Memories are stronger when they’re shared.”
Aarav looked at her.
“So they wanted to study our connection.”
“Yes.”
Aanya’s voice hardened.
“And when they couldn’t control it?”
“They erased it.”
A sound came from the broken glass.
CRACK.
Aanya stood.
The glass began glowing.
A silver figure appeared.
The Echo.
It looked exactly like Aarav.
But older somehow.
Colder.
It stared at Aanya.
“Do you remember now?”
Aanya nodded.
“Some of it.”
The Echo smiled.
“Then you remember the promise.”
Aarav stepped forward.
“What promise?”
The Echo looked at him.
“You made it.”
“I don’t remember.”
“You will.”
Aanya looked between them.
“What promise?”
The Echo’s expression changed.
“You promised never to let Nightfall choose your future.”
Aanya’s eyes widened.
Aarav stared.
“When did I say that?”
The Echo answered:
“Before they erased you.”
Aanya stepped closer.
“What else do you remember?”
The Echo looked at her.
“Everything.”
“Then tell us.”
It smiled.
“I can.”
A pause.
“But first…”
Its eyes turned silver.
“…you have to find the room where Nightfall made its first mistake.”
Aanya frowned.
“Where is it?”
The Echo pointed downward.
“Under the Heart.”
Aarav froze.
“The Heart is gone.”
The Echo smiled.
“No.”
Aanya’s face went pale.
“What do you mean?”
“The Heart you destroyed was only the copy.”
Silence.
Aarav stared at the Echo.
“Then where’s the original?”
The Echo’s smile disappeared.
“Still beneath Ravenhall.”
The room shook.
A deep sound rose from somewhere below.
THUMP.
Aanya looked at Aarav.
The Echo whispered:
“And it has been waiting for you.”
The lights went out.