The Chamber of Echoes was alive with whispers, the voices of the dead swirling in the air like a haunting melody. Lira stood at the edge of the pool, her reflection rippling faintly in the still water. Kael stood beside her, his expression a mix of awe and apprehension. The weight of the Citadel's secrets pressed down on them, the air thick with the scent of ancient magic.

"This is where the Threshold's power is strongest," Lira said, her voice barely audible over the whispers. "The pool will show you what you seek, but you must be prepared. The dead don't give their secrets freely."

Kael nodded, his gaze fixed on the water. "What do I need to do?"

Lira hesitated, her mind racing. She had never guided anyone through this ritual before. The High Priestess had always been the one to oversee such things, her presence a shield against the dangers of the Threshold. But Lira was alone now, and the responsibility rested on her shoulders.

"Kneel by the pool," she instructed, her voice steady despite the unease in her chest. "Focus on what you seek. The dead will hear you, but they will demand a price. Be ready to give it."

Kael knelt at the edge of the pool, his hands resting on the cold stone. He closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration. Lira watched him, her heart pounding. She could feel the energy in the room shifting, the whispers growing louder, more insistent.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the surface of the pool began to ripple, the water churning as if stirred by an unseen hand. Lira's breath caught in her throat as the whispers coalesced into a single voice, deep and resonant, echoing through the chamber.

"Who seeks the knowledge of the dead?" the voice demanded.

Kael's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the pool. "I do," he said, his voice steady. "I seek a way to save my people."

The water stilled, and an image began to form on its surface—a village, its streets empty, its homes dark and lifeless. Lira recognized it as the vision Kael had described, the plague that had taken hold of his home. The image shifted, showing a figure cloaked in shadows, their face obscured, standing at the edge of the village.

"The price," the voice intoned. "What will you give?"

Kael hesitated, his hands tightening on the stone. "What do you want?"

"A memory," the voice replied. "A piece of your past. Something precious."

Kael's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Take it."

The water rippled again, and Lira felt a surge of energy pass through the room. Kael's body stiffened, his eyes widening as if in pain. Lira reached out instinctively, her hand brushing his shoulder, but she pulled back as the whispers grew louder, more insistent.

The image in the pool shifted once more, showing a path through a dense forest, a faint light glowing in the distance. "There," the voice said. "The answer you seek lies beyond the Veil. But beware—the path is treacherous, and the dead do not forgive."

The water stilled, the image fading, and the whispers subsided. Kael slumped forward, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Lira knelt beside him, her hand on his back.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Kael nodded, though his face was pale, his eyes distant. "I'm fine," he said hoarsely. "But I... I can't remember."

"Remember what?"

Kael looked at her, his expression haunted. "My sister. I can't remember her face."

Lira's chest tightened. The dead had taken his memory, a piece of his past, just as they had demanded. She had warned him of the price, but seeing the cost firsthand was another matter entirely.

"We should go," she said, helping him to his feet. "The High Priestess will sense the disturbance soon. If she finds us here—"

Kael nodded, though his movements were slow, unsteady. "What about the path? The vision showed a way to save my people, but I don't know where to start."

Lira hesitated, her mind racing. She had broken enough rules already, but something in Kael's desperation called to her. She couldn't turn away now.

"I'll help you," she said, her voice firm. "But we need to move quickly."