The streets were silent again, but Abhi's heart wasn't. It thumped like a drum in his ears, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. Isha walked beside him, calm and focused, her eyes scanning every shadow as if expecting more Hunters to lunge out from the dark.
They turned into a narrow alley near the back gate of the college campus. The air smelled like dust and iron, and the pale moon overhead cast long, shifting shadows. Isha finally stopped under an old streetlamp that flickered like it was afraid.
"We're safe… for now," she said, turning to face him.
Abhi looked at her, still stunned. "What was that? Who are you?"
She hesitated for a moment, as if weighing whether he was ready to hear the truth. Then, she nodded slightly. "My name is Isha. I'm a bearer. Like you."
Abhi stared at her. "A bearer of what?"
She stepped closer, her voice low. "Power. Bloodline. Destiny. You've seen the visions, haven't you? The woman in chains. The Vault. The ring?"
Abhi nodded slowly, almost afraid to speak it aloud. "She called me the bearer of forgotten blood… and said the Vault must not be opened."
Isha's expression darkened. "The Vault of Eyes was sealed centuries ago by beings like her. Guardians. Protectors of reality. Inside it lies something ancient… not just magic but conscious power. If the Hunters open it, everything changes. The balance, life… time itself."
Abhi swallowed hard, his throat dry. "And the ring… it chose me?"
"It did," she said. "It means your bloodline carries the light. The first eye. The Eye that burns."
Abhi looked down at his hand, the ring glowing faintly even now. "I don't know how to control it. When it activates, it just—destroys."
"That's normal," Isha said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Your powers are tied to your emotions. Light and fire, especially your kind, are volatile. But you're not alone."
He looked at her. "Your powers… they're different."
She nodded. "I wield shadow, not darkness. It's a channel of the veil between worlds. I can bend perception, move through mirrors, and shape illusions into weapons. But my powers were awakened early. I've trained for years."
Abhi took a shaky breath. "So what now?"
She tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Now? You train. You learn. Because whether you're ready or not, the Hunters know who you are. And they won't stop."
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small black orb. "This is a memory seal. From the Guardian's archives. It will show you pieces of your past. Maybe even truths the ring hasn't revealed yet."
She tossed it to him. "When you're ready, use it. But not before."
Abhi held the orb in his palm, feeling a low hum from within. "And the second bearer?"
Isha's smile faded. "We'll find them. We have to. Only two bearers can unlock—or seal—the Vault."
They stood there in silence for a moment as the wind picked up, rustling the leaves and whispering through the alley like secrets in motion.
Finally, Isha turned. "Come on. There's a place nearby where we can stay hidden. And train."
Abhi followed her, the ring still glowing on his finger, and the memory orb pressed tightly in his grip.
In the distance, behind a crumbling statue overlooking the city, a pair of glowing red eyes blinked open. Watching. Waiting.
The Hunters were far from done.