I didn't sleep. Again.
Sleep had become a liability. Dreams weren't mine anymore—if they ever were.
When I did close my eyes, I didn't see the Academy, or Sūyara, or even the ruined clocktower where I once watched the sunset after beating Sword of Radiance's final boss. No. I saw a reflection.
A mirror that breathed.
It didn't reflect Lucian.
It didn't reflect Allen.
It reflected something in-between. Something… unfinished.
That morning, I found myself in front of Headmaster Evercrest's office before I even realized I'd walked here.
The doors were already open.
I shouldn't have been surprised. Evercrest had a way of knowing things before they happened. Whether it was divination, some absurd domain over fate, or sheer arrogance backed by power, I couldn't say.
He stood behind his desk, spine straight, hands folded behind his back. Regal. Tired. His coat, trimmed in gold runes, shimmered faintly.
He looked at me.
