The third path was marked with a chain — silver and tarnished, like something ancient and heavy with memories.
Kaito stepped forward, feeling a strange chill creep up his spine. This hallway was different. The air here didn't just feel cold — it felt hungry.
"Sora..." he whispered into the darkness.
The moment he spoke, the torches on the walls flared to life with sickly green flames, casting long, twisted shadows.
In the center of the chamber, suspended high above the cracked floor, was Sora. Glowing, spectral chains bound her wrists, ankles, and throat. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. It looked as if the chains were draining something invisible from her — her soul.
A riddle shimmered in the air:
"Break the chain of ignorance, and knowledge will set her free."
Kaito clenched his fists. He wasn't stupid — he knew this wasn't just about finding a book anymore.
There was something else here. Watching. Waiting.
He scanned the room.
Along the walls were massive, towering shelves filled with ancient tomes. Some of the books seemed to whisper as he passed, their pages fluttering although there was no wind.
One book stood out — its spine cracked and weathered, a golden insignia on the cover.
It was Sora's favorite: "The Stars Beyond the Shadows."
The moment Kaito touched it, the whispers rose to a roar, and the chains binding Sora screamed — a sound so awful it made Kaito stagger.
As he opened the book, the pages bled black ink, twisting and writhing.
In the center of the page, new words appeared:
"Your bloodline is cursed.
Your soul will feed the darkness.
Your friends are merely pawns."
Kaito's heart hammered in his chest.
"What... what does that mean?!" he shouted.
But no answer came — only a low, mocking laughter that seemed to echo from the walls themselves.
The chains around Sora cracked and shattered. She fell, but Kaito caught her just in time.
Her eyes fluttered open weakly.
"You...you came..." she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.
Kaito tried to smile, but something gnawed at his mind.
The book was still in his hand, and the words kept shifting, spelling out something even worse:
"The Mirror remembers. The blood must pay."
He tucked the book into his bag and helped Sora to her feet.
"Come on. We're not done yet," he said, forcing strength into his voice.
But deep down, Kaito knew:
Something had changed.
Something terrible.
And whatever it was, it was tied to him — to who he was — and to everything he loved.