Whispers from block d

on – The Tem

the statue, the book glo

ered, "It's

, stepping back.

ow slowly forming a circle with open palms. Between t

ooked i

elf - but no

robes. Fire in her eyes. Surrounde

d her arm. "S

ttered - and A

ircle. The chalk lines flickered with e

, whispering a chan

ble lay b

he window ope

in black ste

ime - she

's f

ulless. E

y, trembling. "N

wo voices - Tola's a

a soul. Now c

orehead - and Chu

lap. Pages now turned to the final prophecy

.. or break

r. "It wants you

d around. "

the grou

lls cr

... four figures ste

carried a feather. On

oke in

st cho

ate... or

a st

neither,

ised h

e - she didn

m her palm, swir

figures

hamber began

her arm. "Ama

a closed

grandmother had ta

." (To

finall

pers had

ka's room was burnt bla

rred feath

ly, her hair loose

object in her lapthe spellbook, now sealed

sat on the

sey had been folded a

y had b

ruths had

thing wa

had not b

e

was qu

hisp

oots

ches in

d went like noth

d no statement about

ka were listed as "vo

llowed. No memorials.

at on the edge of her bed, st

indow, watching the s

er, is it?"

. "No. You just delayed it.

htening around the book.

e. Power without choice is a prison. But you chose not t

ilent for a

e to me... in a dream

sharpened. "Wh

'You are the gate. One day

past them, though th

a visited the univer

e official ones, open to

ed for Ije

randm

nd-white photograph. Fa

in uniform, sea

a shadowy wall, o

d a feather

m, in fading

nes who sealed

ne be

never tr

ed onto the girl

man in black. The m

something else.

d just li

f the jaw. The s

r from

just been

been a

gi

hoi

like

n