The afternoon light was beginning to fade over Valdoren when Saphryn returned to the Gray Oak Inn. Edric looked up as soon as he saw him enter. "Back already?" "For a little while." Lyra closed the book she had been reading. "Did the magistrate ask for your help again?" "He wanted to discuss the recent murders." Edric let out a weary sigh. "This city has become an uneasy place." Saphryn took a sip of water before answering. "Fear spreads much faster than certainty." Edric nodded slowly. "That's true." Resting her chin on one hand, Lyra looked at him. "What will you do now?" Saphryn thought for a moment. "I'd like to visit the temple." Both of them looked at him with curiosity. "The temple?" "The second victim was a priest." Edric understood immediately. "You think someone there might know something." "Perhaps." Lyra smiled. "We'll come with you." Saphryn shook his head gently. "That's not necessary." Edric chuckled. "That wasn't a question." Saphryn looked at him for a moment. Then a faint smile crossed his face. "Very well." --- Valdoren's main temple stood atop a gentle hill, surrounded by gardens and white stone columns. It wasn't as grand as a palace, but it carried an undeniable sense of reverence. Several people stood quietly near the entrance. Some prayed. Others simply remained in silence. The atmosphere was unlike anywhere else in the city. Heavier. More subdued. The three of them climbed the broad stone steps. A middle-aged priest greeted them at the entrance. "Welcome. How may I help you?" Saphryn stepped forward. "I'd like to pay my respects to Father Lucien." The priest bowed his head slightly. "He was a good man." He led them into a small room where a few of the late priest's belongings had been gathered. There were books. A rosary. A quill. And an old wooden desk. While the priest spoke with Edric, Lyra wandered toward the bookshelves. Saphryn slowly surveyed the room. He wasn't searching for anything valuable. He was searching for something that didn't belong. Then he found it. A small carving etched into the lower corner of the desk. It was almost impossible to notice. A circle crossed by three lines. The very same symbol Aldren had shown him only hours before. Saphryn rested his fingertips lightly against the wood. The priest approached. "Have you found something?" "Who carved this symbol?" The priest examined the mark. He frowned. "I've never noticed it before." Saphryn said nothing. It didn't look recent. The wood around the engraving had already begun to darken with age. Which meant it had been there for quite some time. Lyra stepped closer. "Is it important?" "I don't know yet." At that moment, an elderly voice echoed from the hallway. "I've seen that symbol before." Everyone turned. A very old priest slowly approached, leaning on a wooden cane. His hair was completely white, and his hands trembled ever so slightly. He stopped beside the desk. For several moments, he stared at the carving. Then he looked up at Saphryn. His eyes became fixed. Not on the symbol. On him. He carefully studied Saphryn's face. His eyes. And when Saphryn spoke to thank him, the old man caught a brief glimpse of his fangs. He didn't step back. But something in his expression changed. He recognized those features. Yet the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows fell directly across Saphryn's face. That was impossible. No vampire could stand beneath such light unharmed. The old priest drew a slow breath before speaking. "You're... unusual." Saphryn met his gaze calmly. "I've been told that more than once." The old man smiled faintly. "I can imagine." He turned his attention back to the symbol. "I don't remember what it means..." He paused. "...but I do remember where I saw it." Silence filled the room. "An abandoned monastery... two days north of Valdoren." Saphryn exchanged a brief glance with Edric and Lyra. For the first time since arriving in the city, they had something more than rumors. They had a destination. --- The abandoned monastery lingered in Saphryn's thoughts throughout the walk back to the inn. It wasn't proof. Only a place mentioned by an old man who barely remembered the meaning of the symbol. But it was more than they had before. When they arrived, the common room was quieter than usual. A few mercenaries ate their supper in silence. Conversations about the murders had replaced the usual tales of hunts and battles. Edric sat across from Saphryn. "What are you thinking about?" Saphryn rested his hands on the table. "The monastery." Lyra watched him closely. "You're going there, aren't you?" Saphryn nodded. "Yes." Edric sighed. "I thought so." For several moments, no one spoke. At last, Lyra broke the silence. "Then we're coming with you." Saphryn looked up. His expression remained as calm as ever. "I appreciate that." He paused briefly before continuing. "But I don't think it's a good idea." Edric smiled with quiet resignation. "Because it could be dangerous?" "Yes." Lyra folded her arms. "You always answer so calmly that it's impossible to argue with you." A faint smile appeared on Saphryn's face. "I'm not trying to win the argument." That answer made Edric smile as well. After a moment, the merchant spoke more seriously. "At least let us walk with you as far as the North Gate tomorrow." Saphryn considered it for a few seconds. "I'd like that." --- The following morning, Valdoren awoke beneath a veil of light mist. The streets were still half-empty as the three of them made their way toward the North Gate. Along the way, they spoke of simple things. Edric shared stories about the northern trade cities. Lyra admitted she had never traveled very far from home. Saphryn listened more than he spoke. When they reached the city walls, the guards pulled open the massive wooden gates to allow several wagons to pass through. Beyond them stretched a road bordered by dense forests. Edric held out his hand. "Take care of yourself." Saphryn shook it. "You too." Lyra remained silent for a few moments. Then she stepped forward. "Promise me something." Saphryn looked at her. "If you ever come back to Valdoren..." She smiled. "...don't disappear without saying goodbye." A small smile answered hers. "I promise." For a brief moment, no one spoke. Then Saphryn inclined his head and set off along the northern road. Neither Edric nor Lyra tried to stop him. They simply watched as his figure grew smaller and smaller, until the morning mist finally swallowed him from sight. --- The forest was quiet. Only the whisper of the wind and the rustling leaves accompanied his footsteps. Saphryn walked without haste, his senses alert to everything around him. Several hours later, he found fresh tracks. They weren't made by a wagon. And there were far too many to belong to a single traveler. He crouched to examine them. Boot prints. At least six people. And among them... Another mark. Far deeper than the others. As though someone had planted the tip of a metal staff firmly into the earth. Saphryn rose to his feet. He didn't need to say a word. Whoever had left those tracks was also heading north. And judging by how fresh they were, they couldn't be far ahead. Without making the slightest sound, he continued deeper into the forest, following the trail. A strange feeling slowly settled over him. For the first time since beginning his journey, he had the unmistakable sense that he wasn't the only one searching for answers. Others were making their way toward the abandoned monastery as well. And he doubted they all shared the same purpose.

The Temple