The courtyard was silent. The students stirred, but none spoke. Their eyes still reflected the visions the Watcher had forced upon them.

  Tavari’s mind had been pulled deep into himself. He saw another version of him — stronger, more confident, yet distant. This other Tavari approached, face set in warning, lips moving as if to speak.

  But the closer he came, the farther the distance grew. Step by step, the warning intensified, yet the figure never reached him. The edges of the vision blurred. Then, a blinding light engulfed him.

  A voice echoed softly in the radiance:

  "Allow it."

  The scene shifted violently. Tavari saw himself holding a small dagger. The motion was swift, merciless — he plunged it into himself. Painless, instantaneous death followed. He felt the shock reverberate through his mind. The lesson was clear: destruction and consequence come faster than hesitation.

  Matt’s vision was different.

  He was standing in the forest. The air smelled of moss and fire. He saw Stephen running, panic and fear in his eyes. Matt’s chest tightened, and he felt the same helplessness he had felt on that day.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Then, a voice whispered from behind him:

  "Some good-byes are meant to happen."

  Matt spun. Stephen appeared, calm, steady. No accusation. No pain. Just a silent understanding.

  “I… I don’t hold anyone responsible for my death,” Matt said aloud in the vision, his voice breaking. “I forgive. I let it go.”

  Stephen smiled faintly, and then, as if dissolving in the wind, he vanished.

  The students awoke simultaneously, gasping for air. The Watcher and Arie were gone. Silence filled the courtyard. No one dared speak. Their minds still echoed with what they had seen.

  Matt stumbled to the edge of the forest nearby, knees trembling. His fists clenched. His voice ripped through the morning air, raw and shattered:

  "First… my parents… I never got to spend time with them! And now… Stephen! What kind of life is this?!"

  Flames burst uncontrollably from his hands, licking the trees, scorching the earth. The fire hissed and crackled, surrounding him like a living storm of grief.

  Guards rushed forward, raising their weapons. But from above, a commanding voice halted them.

  Nuru’s presence cut through the chaos. “No.”

  The fire blazed higher. Rain began to fall, droplets hissing as they struck the flames, thick and heavy. Yet the storm did not douse Matt’s fury.

  Tavari moved quickly, stepping into the fire, his grip iron as he grabbed Matt, holding him tight. The force of Tavari’s hug was so strong that Matt fainted almost instantly, the flames flickering as his body slumped.

  The guards moved in carefully. They carried Matt away, still unconscious, the rain washing over the scorched earth.

  Tavari remained for a moment, looking at the aftermath — smoldering trees, fire-streaked ground, the first true display of the depth of Matt’s grief and power.

  In silence, Tavari whispered to himself:

  "This… this is only the beginning."