109. Vision of death

109. Vision of death
Pandora slept curled beneath the soft blankets she shared with Perséfone, both of them lying close, their breaths rising and falling in quiet harmony. The dorm room was still, touched only by the faint glow of the moon filtering through the enchanted window. It should have been peaceful. It should have been safe.

But Pandora’s dreams twisted into shadows.

She found herself standing in the center of the Arkanum Academy courtyard except the sky above was blackened as if scraped clean of stars. A cold wind swept across the stones. And then she saw her: Lady Mourn, cloaked in living darkness, eyes like dying embers. Behind her, an army of shadow-forged djinns marched forward, their forms writhing like smoke desperate to devour the world.

Two days.
Pandora felt the knowledge burn into her mind. Lady Mourn would invade the Academy in two days.

Then came the second part of the vision a horror even greater.

Pandora felt something cold and ancient coil around her. A presence. A whisper. A memory twisted beyond salvation.

Elyana.
But not the Elyana of old songs and noble sacrifice.
A corrupted, venomous remnant of her soul.

Pandora watched helplessly as the spirit latched onto her chest, sinking into her like poisoned roots. Her eyes, in the vision, turned pitch black. Her wings darkened. Her aura split open like a wound. She felt herself become an instrument of destruction a herald of a new era of darkness.

She saw herself raising her hands, unleashing pure shadowfire upon the magical world.
She saw death.
She saw despair.
She saw herself as the end of everything she loved.

Pandora screamed and woke with a violent jolt.

Her breath came fast and uneven. Sweat clung to her forehead. The room was still as before, but now it felt suffocating. Beside her, Perséfone remained asleep, peaceful and unaware, her hand loosely resting near Pandora’s. Pandora wanted to wake her, to fall into her arms but the weight of the vision held her silent.

She couldn’t tell anyone.
Not yet.
Not until she understood what she had seen.

Before dawn had fully touched the sky, Pandora slipped out of bed and dressed quietly. Perséfone didn’t stir. Pandora pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then left the room with her heart pounding like a warning drum.

She found Thalor in the magical arena, as she expected. The ancient elf stood alone, adjusting runes along the perimeter as he prepared for the morning’s training session. The arena crackled with dormant power, shimmering faintly under the early blue light.

Pandora approached him.
  “Thalor… I need to talk to you. Alone.”

He took one look at her expression and nodded. With a flick of his fingers, a portal of woven green-gold magic opened behind them.

They stepped into a hidden dimension a silent, glowing garden where flowers breathed light and the air hummed with ancient serenity.

Thalor folded his arms.
  “Tell me what troubles you, child.”

Pandora swallowed and recounted everything, Lady Mourn, the invasion, the army, the corruption of Elyana’s spirit, and the terrifying possibility of becoming the bringer of darkness.

Thalor’s expression darkened with each word.

“There is… one spell,” he finally said, voice deep with old sorrow. “A spell that could kill Lady Mourn and destroy the last corrupted piece of Elyana. But whoever casts it gives up her own life. The magic demands a sacrifice.”

Pandora felt strangely calm.
  “If that’s what it takes to save everyone… then I’ll do it. Teach it to me.”

Thalor stepped closer, eyes softening.
  “You are brave. Braver than most. I would take your place if I could. But the spell requires someone bound to the prophecy… either you or Thiely.”

Pandora’s heart clenched.
  “Then it has to be me. I’d rather die than lose Thiely.”

She looked up at him, unwavering.
  “Please. Teach me. And keep this a secret. No one must know.”

Thalor bowed his head.
  “Very well. I will keep your secret, Pandora.”

And the garden fell silent, as if the world itself were holding its breath.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Raven noticed it almost immediately.

During class, Pandora sat in the back row, her gaze unfocused, her expression distant as if her mind were drifting somewhere far beyond the walls of the Academy. She didn’t take notes. She barely reacted when Raven called her name to answer a question. Something was wrong deeply wrong.

Raven’s chest tightened with concern.
She knew Pandora too well.
She could read her emotions like constellations.

When the lesson finally ended, students began gathering their books and chatting while heading toward the door. Raven, however, kept her eyes fixed on Pandora.

“Pandora,” she called softly, “stay for a moment, please.”

Pandora hesitated. But she stayed.

One by one, the students left. Raven waited until the last group of them stepped out. Then she walked to the door, turned the key, and locked it. The soft click echoed like a line being crossed.

Raven approached Pandora slowly, carefully, as if she were afraid she might shatter.

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” Raven said, voice low and trembling with worry. “Whatever it is… you can tell me. And whatever it is… I can help. I hate seeing you like this.”

Pandora looked at her really looked at her and her heart cracked open.

She cupped Raven’s face and kissed her deeply, desperately, pouring every unspoken fear and every piece of love into the kiss. Raven held her tightly, sensing something was terribly wrong.

When Pandora pulled away, tears slid silently down her cheeks.

“I love you, Raven… Don’t ever forget that,” she whispered.

Raven frowned, her expression tightening with dread.
“Why are you talking like that? Pandora… are you planning to leave the Academy?”

Pandora blinked the tears away and forced herself to lie.
“Yes. I’m leaving. I just came to say goodbye to you and the others. I want you all to… meet me in my room tonight. To say goodbye properly.”

Her voice trembled, and she tried to hide it.

Raven grabbed her hand.
  “But why are you leaving? Even if you do… we don’t have to break up. We can see each other on weekends, during holidays, during—”

“No,” Pandora interrupted softly. “I think it’s better this way. You’ll find another love someday.”

Raven shook her head violently.
“Stop it. Why are you talking like this?”

Pandora stepped back, her heart tearing with every word.
  “Please… open the door, Raven.”

“No,” Raven said firmly, blocking the way. “Not until you explain everything.”

Pandora closed her eyes, exhausted.
She wished she could tell her the truth.
She wished she could tell her she was preparing to die.

But she couldn’t.
Not without risking everything.

“I’m sorry,” Pandora whispered.

A sphere of violet magic bloomed in her hand, swirling like a miniature storm. Raven’s eyes widened.

“Pandora don’t!”

Pandora stepped back and flung the sphere upward. It burst into shimmering purple light, opening a portal that crackled with unstable energy.

Raven reached forward to stop her, but Pandora was already moving.

“Goodbye, my love,” Pandora whispered, voice breaking.

She ran.
She leapt.
She vanished into the portal.

Raven’s fingers scraped the air where Pandora had been a second earlier.

The portal closed with a violent snap of magic, leaving the room in aching silence.

Raven stood still for a heartbeat then drops of crimson slid down her cheeks.
Tears of blood.

“I’ll never forget you,” she whispered, her voice cracking open with pain.

And the empty classroom swallowed her words like a promise.