Into The Unown

The Locked Memories - part 2

When Gary opened his eyes, he saw him.

Luke was pacing around the round table, his steps relentless, circling over and over like a predator stalking unseen prey. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, and his face twisted in a scowl so deep it could turn milk sour.

"You're going to wear through your soles at this rate," a familiar voice interrupted.

Gary and Luke both turned toward the entrance at the same time. There stood Eiran, dressed in a loose white linen shirt and plain trousers, his hair slightly disheveled. He looked as though he had just rolled out of bed.

"You know how terrifying it is to be jolted awake at dawn by an urgent messenger from your house?" Eiran strode inside, settling into the head chair with a sigh. "I thought you had died."

"Someone is going to die, and it's not going to be me."

Luke's voice cracked with fury, his hand snapping forward. A spiraling vortex of energy erupted toward Eiran, slamming him back across the floor.

Eiran groaned, adjusting his disheveled clothes as he slowly stood. "Did you summon me here just to attack me?"

Luke's jaw tightened. "I came to attack you—and to kill her."

His cloak flared behind him as he stepped forward, eyes burning with fury. "You made her a guardian?!"

Eiran raised his hands defensively, taking a cautious step back. "You took her brother as one."

"That idiot?" Luke scoffed. "He's under my brother's thumb. And Parkous is nothing short of a jailer. But the girl—"

"Exactly," Eiran interjected. "She's just a girl. Young, powerless. She was on the brink of death when I sealed her abilities."

Luke let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "You're playing a dangerous game, Eiran."

"I'm not playing anything," Eiran countered, exasperated. "If anyone is, it's you. The sun hasn't even risen, and you're already at my doorstep, threatening me. If we weren't friends, I'd have you executed."

Luke rolled his eyes. "You may have forgotten what Uncle Stark told us, but I haven't. The Van Blacks are masters of manipulation, and you, my friend, are caught right in the middle of it."

Eiran sighed. "I'm just repaying my debt. If it weren't for her, I'd be dead. If you'd give her a chance, maybe you'd actually get to know her."

Luke turned on his heel. "I'm leaving."

"Back to Johto?"

"No," Luke muttered. "To your bedroom. I need to sleep."

When the scene shifted, Luke found himself standing in the middle of a vast library, its towering shelves stretching endlessly upward into the gloom. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and ink, and the dim, flickering lanterns cast long shadows between the rows of books.

Perched halfway up a rolling ladder, Luke flicked his wrist, summoning a swirling brown vortex of energy. Books flew off the shelves, their covers flipping open midair before he tossed them carelessly to the ground.

"Where is it?" he muttered under his breath, frustration creeping into his voice.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

The sudden voice jolted him. Luke nearly lost his balance but caught himself just in time. He looked down, eyes narrowing at the intruder—Xenos.

She looked different now. In the House of Raider, she had worn their colors—red and gold—far removed from the stark black and white of the Van Black lineage. Her skin was so pale that, for a fleeting moment, he could have mistaken her for a ghost.

Ignoring her, Luke turned back to the books, his magic pulling another volume from the shelves.

"I'm only asking because you keep throwing books at my head," Xenos said dryly, rubbing her temple.

Luke huffed but didn't respond.

"Is this the one you're looking for?" she asked, holding up a book bound in royal blue leather. "Jude and the Goddess of—"

"—Catastrophe," Luke finished, swiftly descending the ladder. His eyes locked onto the book with newfound intensity. "Yes. Where did you find it?"

"I read it," she said, turning it over in her hands.

Luke took the book from her, running his fingers over the embossed title. "You know this was written by—" He stopped himself and shook his head. "Never mind. It's boring."

Xenos raised an eyebrow. "No, tell me."

Luke hesitated, then sighed. "It was written by no one—or at least, no one knows who actually wrote it. The book just... appeared. There are a handful of others suspected to be by the same author, scattered across the world. I've almost collected all of them, just missing a few."

Xenos tilted her head, intrigued. "Really? I love this book."

For the first time since she arrived, Luke actually looked at her—really looked at her. A small, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

They fell into conversation, exchanging theories, debating passages, and comparing notes on the mysterious author. The hostility faded into something almost... comfortable.

In the far corner, half-hidden behind a shelf, Eiran leaned against the wall, watching them with a quiet smile.