The figure stepped forward, his cloak swirling around him like the night itself. His face was concealed beneath a hood, but Sia could feel the weight of his presence, as if every fiber of her being recognized him.
"Sia," the voice spoke again, soft but commanding. "You've been searching for me."
Anthony's hand instinctively reached for Sia's, his touch grounding her. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with warning.
The figure raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "I am not your enemy," he said, his voice smooth, almost melodic. "But I am the key to understanding everything that's happening."
Sia's heart raced. "You… you know me?"
"More than you realize," the figure replied cryptically. He took a step closer, and the air seemed to shimmer around him. "The Tower of Secrets was built for those who seek answers, but not all who come here are ready to face the truth."
Sia's eyes narrowed. "What truth?"
The figure paused, studying her for a moment. "The truth of your past, your power, and the destiny that binds you. The one you've been trying to forget, but it has always been with you."
Anthony's grip tightened around Sia's hand. "We're not afraid of the truth. We'll face whatever it is together."
The figure's hood shifted slightly, revealing a pair of piercing, familiar eyes. Sia froze. She knew those eyes—she had seen them in her dreams, in the fragments of memories she couldn't quite piece together.
"Don't you remember me, Sia?" the figure asked, his voice tinged with a quiet sadness. "I am the one who has always been there, even when you didn't know it."