Eternal Malediction (RE)

The moment the laughter finally died down, Annie glanced toward the window. "We should probably head back before someone notices we’re gone for too long."

Leo groaned. "But it’s warm here."

June hugged her cup. "And the chairs are comfy."

Mira stretched her arms. "Yeah, but if we stay any longer, they’ll drag us into the meeting anyway."

That was enough to get all three of Annie’s siblings moving.

Annie stood, gathering their coats. "Come on, you three. See you, Kieran."

Leo and June hopped off their seats. Mira followed them out, waving at Kieran as she went. "See you back at the cabin!"

Kieran waved lazily. "Yeah, yeah."

The door closed behind them.

Kieran blinked. Then slowly looked down at the table.

Three half‑finished hot chocolates. Two pastries. Annie’s coffee. Mira’s milkshake. And his own untouched drink.

He stared at the pile of plates. "...They didn’t pay."

The café owner raised an eyebrow from behind the counter and gave a death stare at him.

Kieran sighed, pulling out his wallet. "I hate my life."

After settling the bill, with what little he had from the pocket money he received, he stepped outside, the cool air hitting him immediately. The sky had brightened more than he expected even though it was only 12am. He must’ve stayed longer than he thought.

By the time he reached the cabins, Mira, Annie, Leo, and June were already inside. The smell of homemade food wanders around.

Kieran approached the female Cabin but paused.

He heard something.

Soft voices. Whispering. Coming from behind the Cabin.

He frowned.

The meeting was over... so who exactly was whispering out here?

Curiosity tugged at him.

He stepped quietly across the grass, moving toward the back of the cabin. The voices grew clearer; they were hushed, tense and urgent. He stopped just before rounding the corner, staying hidden in the shadow of the wall.

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop.

But the tone of their voices made him freeze; he got in close enough just to see their faces...

It was Lilly and Ethan.

Kieran froze, half‑hidden behind the cabin wall. The two of them stood close together in the narrow space behind the Female Cabin, the midday sun catching only the edges of their faces. Their voices were low and tense.

Ethan spoke first, his tone tight with worry. "Lilly... you’ve been acting weird ever since the Trial Chamber. Ever since you touched Roy. What happened?"

Lilly didn’t answer immediately.

She stood with her arms wrapped around herself, shoulders trembling. Even from where Kieran stood, he could see how pale she looked, like the fear was draining the colour from her skin.

Ethan stepped closer. "Lilly... talk to me."

Her breath hitched. "I... I didn’t mean to use my soul art," she whispered. "I only grabbed him because I slipped. I didn’t mean to look into him."

Kieran’s eyes widened, from what Kieran understood from the sentence, she was able to see something within others, maybe their past? Or feelings?

Lilly swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "When I touched him... I felt rage."

Ethan frowned. "Rage? Roy doesn’t look—"

"No," Lilly whispered sharply. "Not normal rage. Not anger. Not frustration. This was... something else."

She hugged herself tighter, shaking. "It felt like the entire universe was burning."

Kieran felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Lilly’s voice trembled violently now. "It was everywhere. It swallowed everything. It felt like... like if I stayed connected to him for even one second longer, I would’ve disappeared inside it."

Ethan’s expression softened with horror. "Lilly..."

She shook her head, tears forming. "I’ve never felt anything like it. It wasn’t human. It wasn’t even... alive. It was like standing in front of a star collapsing. Like the world was ending and I was the only one who could feel it."

Her knees buckled slightly.

Ethan caught her immediately, pulling her into his arms. She clung to him like she was drowning.

Kieran’s chest tightened from what he heard. He had never seen Lilly like this since he wasn’t in the initial group as he was with Graham, from what Kieran thought of her was she was usually calm, composed, gentle. Now she looked shattered.

Ethan held her close, one hand on the back of her head. "It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe."

Lilly buried her face into his chest, her voice muffled but desperate. "No, Ethan... you don’t understand. That rage wasn’t the worst part."

Ethan stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Lilly trembled harder. "Behind the rage... behind all of it... there was something else."

Kieran leaned in unconsciously, breath held.

Lilly whispered, voice barely audible. "Something bigger."

Ethan blinked. "Bigger than that rage?"

"Yes." Her fingers clutched his shirt. "Something he’s holding back. Something he’s hiding. Something... older. Deeper. It felt like... like a void behind a storm."

She shuddered violently. "And that void... it felt like it was looking at me."

Ethan’s arms tightened around her protectively. "Lilly, hey... hey, breathe. You’re okay. You’re safe."

"I’m scared of him," she whispered as tears fell from her face. "I’m terrified, Ethan. I can’t stop thinking about it. Every time I close my eyes or even look at him, I feel it again. That... thing inside him."

Ethan rested his forehead against hers, voice soft and steady. "You’re safe with me. I promise."

Lilly nodded weakly, clinging to him like he was the only solid thing left in the world.

Kieran swallowed, his heart pounding. He had known Roy from year 6; he had known Roy to be strong, a leader, a friend, a helper, and a guide.

He had also known Roy for being dangerous, unstable to an extent and especially unpredictable, like back when he announced the group to the world without consulting with the group.

But this?

A universe‑sized rage. A void behind it. Something more. Something watching.

Kieran felt a cold weight settle in his stomach.

He stayed silent, hidden in the shadows, listening to Lilly’s trembling breaths and Ethan’s quiet reassurances.

For the first time since arriving in London...

Kieran realised he might not have even understood Roy, and that might be even worse than not even knowing his true strength.