Flashback – Principal Z's Office
The room was dim, lit only by the golden dusk filtering through long, heavy curtains. Principal Z leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, gaze sharp and calculating.
"You have to do something for me to repay your debt," he said, voice low but laced with quiet menace.
Jisa stood frozen, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "What is it, sir?"
"You have to kill Tara."
Her breath caught. "What?" Her voice cracked. "Why?!"
"Don't ask anything. Just follow my orders."
"Sir, this is wrong…"
Principal Z's eyes narrowed. He stood slowly, stepping around his desk until he was inches from her. "Really? Then should I reveal what you did in the past?"
The blood drained from Jisa's face. Her voice trembled. "…Okay. I'll do it."
"Good." He turned, cold satisfaction in his tone. "We'll use Mr. Rayan for our plan."
Jisa's expression shifted, covering fear with a forced calm. "Good idea…"
"You'll kill Tara in that cave," Principal Z finished, reaching for his coat.
As he walked out, Jisa's eyes drifted to the desk. A small, aged photograph sat in a simple frame — a man, a woman, and a child. The little girl's hand was faintly visible, marked by a symbol Jisa now knew too well.
The same birthmark.
Her heart dropped. That girl… it was Tara.
Realization struck like lightning — and with it, a storm of guilt.
---
Present – Inside the Cave
The cave was damp, filled with silence that felt heavier than the stone walls. The fire from Tara's sword flickered, reflecting off the smooth, black stone.
Tara's voice broke the stillness. "Why?"
Jisa's gaze was hollow, her grip on the knife trembling. "Some things should always be hidden."
But Tara had already stepped back, fury igniting in her blood. Her sword flared alive with fire. "I trusted you."
She swung — flames engulfed Jisa in seconds.
Jisa screamed, her body twisting in pain, but then… she laughed. A sick, cracked laughter that echoed through the chamber.
Tara's eyes widened in horror. "Who ordered you?!"
"I'm dying…" Jisa's voice was rasped, scorched and unraveling. "So I don't need to hold the secret anymore."
She smiled — twisted, broken. "It was your father… He gave the order. And you risked your life… just to know about him!"
She laughed again, and then — silence.
---
Outside – Rose's POV
Something was wrong. Rose could feel it — a prickle of dread in her spine. She turned and bolted.
She found Arib near the dorms. "Arib! Something's wrong. We have to do something — now!"
Without a word, Arib ran. Mr. Rayan stood at the cave entrance, blocking the way.
"Stop," Rayan barked.
But Arib didn't pause. "Get out of my way!"
He shoved him hard. Mr. Rayan staggered, stunned. Arib disappeared into the darkness.
---
Inside the Cave
The sight stopped him cold.
Tara lay on the ground, blood seeping from her side, eyes fluttering. Her sword lay beside her, glowing faintly.
"Tara!" he shouted, rushing to her, cradling her broken body in his arms.
Her lips parted. She tried to speak. Then — darkness took her.
Jisa's lifeless body smoldered nearby.
Moments later, police stormed in. Mr. Rayan tried to run, but they caught him.
Nadia, hidden in the shadows, quietly slipped away.
Miss Evelyn arrived, her presence commanding.
"Rose," she said, "go with them to the hospital."
To the police: "Collect the body. And investigate everything properly."
---
Hospital – Five Days Later
Tara's sleep was restless.
In her dreams, fire raged — a house burning endlessly, heat suffocating.
A baby cried in the distance.
She gasped, bolting upright. Her face glistened with sweat.
"Was it a dream?"
"Doctor!" Rose called from her chair. "She's awake!"
Tara grabbed her arm. "No. Don't call the doctor."
Rose softened. "Are you in pain?"
"Not anymore…" Tara whispered.
Rose pulled her into a tight hug. "I'll ask you everything later. But first… you should know something."
Tara blinked. "Okay… but… where is Arib?"
Rose grinned. "Oooh... I knew something was going on between you two. He cried a lot. Never left your side. But now… he went somewhere. He left this for you."
She handed Tara a folded note.
"If you want to meet me, come to our place."
Tara looked up. "I have to go."
"Can you even walk properly?"
"Yeah."
---
Near the Pond – Twilight
The pond reflected the soft pink of the sky, the trees swaying with a gentle breeze.
Arib sat alone in a white shirt, fumbling with a cigarette. As he lifted the lighter, Tara approached and took it from him, lighting it for him silently.
He looked at her — as if seeing a dream he thought he'd lost. She pulled the cigarette from his lips and tossed it into the pond.
Their eyes met.
"May I?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.
She nodded.
He leaned in slowly, brushing her hair from her cheek.
His lips touched hers — warm, soft, searching. Time stilled.
When they parted, breathless, he pulled her close, holding her like he'd never let go.
---
Memory – Long Ago
A cozy house glowed under candlelight. A man, no older than twenty-eight, hummed a lullaby, rocking a baby girl.
"Tara, my little baby… my princess…"
A woman appeared, smiling. "You're supposed to make her sleep, not play with her."
"I am trying!" he said, grinning.
She laughed. "You're spoiling her already."
The baby gurgled peacefully in his arms, the faint light catching a small glowing mark on her hand.
The birthmark.
The fireborn had always been destined.