Chapter 134: A Brother’s Choice

Daniella returned to Milstrif Library after sunset.

She had spent the entire afternoon thinking about one thing.

Restricted materials.

Alcris had been visiting the library repeatedly.

He had disappeared shortly afterward.

And nobody seemed willing to tell her what he’d been searching for.

The library was almost empty at this hour.

Daniella approached the same receptionist from earlier.

"You again."

"Yes."

The librarian sighed.

"I already told you that I can’t discuss—"

"I don’t need his records."

Daniella placed something on the counter.

A small silver pendant.

The librarian looked at it.

"That’s..."

"My family’s identification seal."

The librarian’s expression changed.

"I only need to know one thing."

Daniella leaned closer.

"What section was my brother accessing?"

The librarian hesitated.

Finally, she pointed toward the rear of the library.

"Lower archive."

Daniella followed her gaze.

A staircase descended behind a locked iron gate.

"That’s restricted?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The librarian lowered her voice.

"Some of Hildgard’s oldest records are stored there."

Daniella stared at the staircase.

"History?"

"Things that were removed from history."

That answer made her pause.

"What does that mean?"

The librarian shook her head.

"Ask your brother."

Daniella looked back at her.

"I intend to."

She walked toward the gate.

The lock had been reinforced with several layers of magic.

Daniella touched the bars.

Cold.

Ancient.

And faintly familiar.

She withdrew her hand.

Not yet.

If Alcris had gone down there, there was a reason.

She needed to understand what he had found before confronting him again.

Several minutes later, Daniella was walking through the library’s upper floor when she noticed something on a nearby desk.

A book.

Black cover.

No title.

She stopped.

The book was open.

Someone had left it there recently.

Daniella approached cautiously.

The page contained several lines of damaged writing.

Most of it was impossible to read.

But three words remained clear.

Three medallions.

Her expression changed.

She turned the page.

Another damaged illustration appeared.

Three circular objects beneath three moons.

Daniella stared at it.

"Alcris..."

A faint sound came from behind her.

She spun around.

Nobody.

The library remained silent.

Daniella closed the book.

She had found enough.

For now.

Across Hildgard, Alcris stood on the roof of an abandoned building.

The three medallions rested inside his coat.

He looked toward Milstrif Library.

He could feel someone had been there.

Someone familiar.

His expression tightened.

"Daniella."

He had known she would eventually find the trail.

He hadn’t expected it this quickly.

A voice whispered inside his mind.

"She is searching for you."

Alcris didn’t react.

"I know."

"Will you stop her?"

His hand tightened around the edge of his coat.

"She won’t stop."

"Neither will you."

Alcris stared toward the three moons beginning to appear above Hildgard.

"No."

His voice was quiet.

"I won’t."

At Valhalla Academy, Noah sat alone in his room.

His eyes were closed.

The darkness inside his mind had returned.

Dead Zone stood across from him.

No smile this time.

No mocking expression.

Just silence.

Noah opened his eyes.

"What changed?"

Dead Zone looked toward the darkness behind Noah.

"Something is moving."

"What?"

Dead Zone finally looked at him.

"The pieces."

Noah frowned.

"What pieces?"

Dead Zone’s eyes glowed faintly red.

"You’ll find out."

The mental world disappeared.

Noah opened his eyes.

Outside the window, the three moons had risen.

For a brief moment, the center moon seemed brighter than usual.

Noah stared at it.

He couldn’t explain why.

But something about that moon made his chest tighten.

And deep beneath Hildgard...

three ancient objects waited for the night they had been separated from for far too long.

Daniella left Milstrif Library with the black book still on her mind.

She hadn’t taken it.

She hadn’t needed to.

The words were already burned into her memory.

Three medallions.

Three moons.

And something Alcris had clearly been searching for.

She walked through the old district alone, her thoughts becoming heavier with every step.

Alcris had lied to her.

He had hidden himself.

He had entered restricted archives.

And now she had found evidence that he was searching for something connected to Hildgard’s oldest history.

She stopped beneath an old stone arch.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

A voice answered from behind her.

"Because you would have tried to stop me."

Daniella froze.

She turned.

Alcris stood at the entrance of the alley.

His hands were in his pockets.

His expression was calm.

Too calm.

Daniella stared at him.

"You followed me?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

"I knew where you would go."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You knew I’d find the library."

"Yes."

"And you still let me."

Alcris said nothing.

Daniella stepped closer.

"What are the medallions?"

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But she caught it.

"So you know."

"Daniella..."

"No."

She pointed toward him.

"Don’t do that again."

He remained silent.

"I found the book."

Alcris’s eyes sharpened.

"The black one."

"You knew about it."

"Yes."

"What does it say?"

"I can’t tell you."

Her anger finally broke through.

"You keep saying that!"

Her voice echoed through the alley.

"I’m your sister, Alcris!"

"I know."

"Then treat me like one!"

Alcris looked away.

Daniella’s voice lowered.

"What are you planning?"

Silence.

She watched him carefully.

"You’re going to hurt someone."

"No."

"You’re lying."

"No."

"Then tell me."

Alcris looked directly into her eyes.

"I can’t."

Daniella’s hand moved toward her weapon.

"Then I’m stopping you."

Alcris sighed.

"I was hoping you wouldn’t make me do this again."

"You don’t get to decide that."

She drew her weapon.

Alcris’s gaze hardened.

"Daniella."

"Move."

"No."

She attacked.

The first strike came straight for his chest.

Alcris stepped aside.

Her blade cut through empty air.

Daniella pivoted and swung again.

He blocked.

The force pushed both of them backward.

She attacked relentlessly, refusing to give him time to counter.

Alcris defended himself with precise movements.

No wasted motion.

No anger.

That only made Daniella more furious.

"You’re not even fighting me!"

"Because I don’t want to hurt you."

"You already did!"

Her next strike forced him to retreat.

For the first time, Alcris’s expression changed.

Daniella saw the opening.

She lunged.

Alcris caught her wrist.

The weapon slipped from her hand.

He twisted her arm behind her back and held her in place.

"Enough."

Daniella struggled.

"Let go!"

"Listen to me."

"I don’t want to listen!"

"You’re going to get yourself killed."

She stopped.

Alcris released her.

Daniella turned around slowly.

"What are you talking about?"

He looked toward the distant skyline.

"Hildgard is older than you think."

"That doesn’t answer me."

"No."

His voice became quieter.

"It doesn’t."

Daniella stared at him.

"You’re scared."

Alcris looked at her.

She had expected denial.

Instead, he smiled faintly.

"Maybe."

That frightened her more than anything else.

Alcris walked past her.

Daniella turned.

"Where are you going?"

He stopped.

"For now, home."

"Alcris."

He looked back.

She swallowed.

"Don’t disappear again."

For a moment, the brother she knew seemed to return.

His expression softened.

"I’ll try."

He walked away.

Daniella remained where she stood.

She knew that answer.

It wasn’t a promise.

It was an apology disguised as one.

And somewhere beneath the streets of Hildgard, the three medallions pulsed once more.

Alcris stopped walking.

His eyes briefly reflected a faint golden light.

He whispered to himself:

"Soon."