The journey back to camp unfolded in a very different atmosphere from the one in which they had set out. The knights had resumed their formation, but no one had completely lowered their guard. Two Black Raven scouts had been sent ahead to check the paths, while Armand had ordered his men to watch the approaches to the clearing. The last attack had lasted less than ten minutes. Yet it had been enough to change everything. The attackers knew the route to Auralis. They had anticipated Nyxara's presence and seemed particularly determined to destroy the stones guiding the group. They hadn't simply wanted to stop them from advancing. They wanted to prevent the path itself from functioning. Kael walked beside Darius, his hands in his coat pockets. His gaze kept returning to the north. “Are you planning to stare at the trees all the way back to camp?” Darius asked. “I'm thinking.” “You can think while looking where you're going. It usually makes walking easier.” Kael slowly turned his head toward him. “Are you finished?” “Not yet.” “Shame.” Darius smiled, but his expression quickly turned serious again. “More importantly, did you notice anything during the fight?” Kael nodded. “They knew our positions before they attacked.” “They could have been watching us from higher ground.” “It's more than that.” Kael slowed slightly. “The first group drew our attention toward the forest. The second went straight for the stones. They had divided their roles beforehand.” Darius nodded. “A prepared operation.” “And probably not something they came up with this morning.” The Black Raven commander considered that. “You think they've been following us since Asteria?” “I think they've been following us for much longer.” Darius's smile disappeared. Kael said nothing more. He had no proof that the same people were responsible for the intrusions at Asteria, the investigations at Veyron, and the attack at Lorn. Still, there were too many similarities to ignore. Could a single organization have been watching all four origins for years? And if so, how had it learned about Auralis before even the Imperial archives clearly acknowledged its existence? Kael disliked drawing conclusions without evidence. But he disliked even more the thought of ignoring questions that could put the people closest to him in danger. “Once we return, I want a list of everyone who had access to our expedition reports,” he said. Darius nodded. “I'll take care of it.” “And nobody works alone.” “You should follow that rule yourself.” Kael shot him a look. “I'm with you.” “For now.” Darius paused. “I'm talking about the next time you decide to investigate an ancient mechanism because it's glowing at you.” “I don't do that.” “Of course not.” Kael looked away. “You're getting annoying.” “It's a talent I've been developing for years.” Despite himself, Kael smiled faintly. The moment didn't last long, but it helped. Ever since hearing his mother's voice, his thoughts kept returning to the same words. Maybe we'll see each other again. He didn't know whether they were a promise or merely an expression of hope. For now, he had to keep moving. And he still had people he could rely on. --- The camp had been reinforced while they were away. The most important tents were now surrounded by magical barriers, and sentries watched every entrance. The horses had been gathered near the center so they could be moved quickly if another attack occurred. When they arrived, Ethan immediately came to meet Kael. “Everyone made it back?” “Yes.” “Any injuries?” “A few minor ones. Nothing serious.” Ethan exhaled slowly. “Good.” His gaze then settled on Kael's torn sleeve. “And you?” “It's not my blood.” “I didn't ask whose blood it was.” Kael glanced at his sleeve. “A branch.” Ethan stared at him. “A branch?” “It was in the way.” Darius passed behind them. “He's right. A very aggressive branch.” Kael briefly closed his eyes. “I'm going to put both of you to work in the kitchens.” Ethan grinned. “You wouldn't dare. I'm your brother.” “Exactly.” They entered the command tent. Several maps were already spread across a table. Lucien Arclight stood near the entrance with his sister. Elara was speaking with Aldren, while Armand reviewed reports from his officers. The noble representatives who had remained with the expedition had also been summoned. Among them were Marquis Alistair Valenne and his wife, Marianne. They had checked that Lysandra was safe before joining the meeting. The young woman now stood beside Adrian and Noah. As soon as Kael entered, her eyes met his. She seemed to search his face for signs of exhaustion or pain. Kael gave her a discreet nod. I'm fine. Lysandra didn't look entirely convinced, but she didn't press him. She had learned that sometimes she needed to wait for the right moment to get an honest answer from him. Kael took his place at the end of the table. “We need to discuss the former Emperor.” Lucien nodded. “Agreed.” The prince placed a small box of sealed documents on the table. “Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear. I never had access to all of my predecessor's archives. Some records were kept in the Imperial repositories, while others were transferred to the custody of the Guard.” “And the files concerning my father?” Kael asked. Lucien met his gaze. “Some are classified. Others appear to have disappeared.” Darius folded his arms. “Disappeared how?” “The registers indicate that several documents were removed from the archives approximately sixteen years ago.” Kael straightened slightly. Sixteen years. Around the time his parents disappeared. “By whom?” Lucien opened a folder. “The register records an authorization bearing the former Emperor's seal. However, the signature is illegible.” Ethan frowned. “You mean someone used his authority to remove the documents?” “That's possible,” Lucien replied. “Or he removed them himself.” Elara placed another sheet beside the box. “We also found a reference to a meeting that doesn't appear on any official calendar.” Kael examined the document. Three names were listed. The former Emperor. His father. And a third name, concealed beneath a strip of black ink. “Why would someone conceal a name in an Imperial register?” he asked. Elara answered: “Because the person in question probably wasn't supposed to be there.” “Or because they were the one someone wanted to prevent us from finding,” Aldren added. Everyone turned toward the old commander. He pointed to the document. “I've seen this kind of procedure before. When a meeting had to remain secret, certain scribes replaced a participant's name with a classification mark.” Kael looked up. “Which mark?” Aldren examined the page more closely. In one corner, almost invisible, someone had drawn an incomplete circle crossed by a vertical line. The same symbol found on the ancient doors. Noah leaned over Adrian's shoulder. “I assume that's not decoration.” “No,” Adrian replied. “I just wanted to make sure.” Kael placed the sheet on the table. “This symbol was already in use during the former Emperor's reign.” Lucien nodded slowly. “Apparently.” “Then the network connecting the four origins already existed.” “Or certain members of the Empire knew about it,” Elara corrected. Kael looked at her. “You think not everyone knew?” “I think it would be dangerous to assume the entire Imperial family shared the same information.” Lucien nodded. “Elara is right. Even today, some archives can only be accessed by the Emperor and a very small number of advisers.” Darius gave a faint smile. “That's reassuring.” The prince looked at him. “Why?” “I was worried everyone knew everything. It would make finding the people responsible much more difficult.” Elara let out a small laugh. “You'd be surprised how little the people running an empire sometimes know.” “I'd rather not imagine it,” Darius replied. Kael, however, hadn't taken his eyes off the page. The concealed name interested him more than the others. His father had met with the former Emperor. They had made an agreement. And someone had feared the consequences of that meeting enough to erase a third participant's identity. Kael raised his head. “We need to find the original document.” Lucien closed the box. “I can request access to the Imperial archives.” “Do it, but don't mention Auralis.” The prince immediately understood. “You think the request could be intercepted?” “I think we still don't know who's monitoring the investigation.” Kael paused. “If someone has access to the Imperial records, I'd rather not tell them exactly what we're looking for.” Elara nodded. “I can consult certain registers without going through the usual channels.” Lucien turned toward his sister. “You have access to those archives?” “Not all of them. But enough to get started.” “Then do it discreetly.” She smiled. “I know how to work without ringing every bell in the palace.” Darius glanced at Kael. “You should take notes.” “On what?” “Discretion.” Kael gave him a perfectly neutral look. “Are you still here?” “Unfortunately for you.” Ethan shook his head, amused. The tension inside the tent eased slightly. But no one forgot what they had just learned. --- The meeting continued for nearly an hour. The nobles were informed about the attack, although the details concerning the ancient systems remained restricted. Alistair Valenne insisted that the families shouldn't be sent back onto the roads until the surrounding area was secure. “We've already been attacked once,” he explained. “Nothing guarantees that the assailants won't try again.” Aldren nodded. “Patrols will be reinforced. No one travels without an escort.” A representative from another noble family frowned. “We can't remain in this forest indefinitely.” “I'm not asking anyone to do that,” Kael replied calmly. “But we won't sacrifice everyone's safety just to save a few hours.” The man seemed ready to protest, then thought better of it. It wasn't difficult to understand why Kael commanded respect. He didn't assert his authority for the pleasure of it. He made a decision, explained his reasoning, and expected people to respect it. Marquis Valenne approved. “My family will follow the arrangements.” Marianne placed a hand on her daughter's arm. “And Lysandra will remain with us until we know where we're going.” Lysandra looked at her mother. “I can help, too.” “I don't doubt that,” Marianne replied gently. “But helping doesn't mean you have to put yourself in danger every time.” Lysandra lowered her eyes briefly. Kael understood that concern. He shared it, even if he would never have expressed it that way. Lysandra met his gaze. She gave him a discreet smile. I know how to protect myself. Kael answered with a slight nod. I know. And for once, he didn't tell her to stay behind. She wasn't someone he had to constantly push away from danger. She was someone he could rely on. That difference mattered. --- By the time the meeting ended, the sun was beginning to disappear behind the trees. The nobles returned to their quarters. The officers went back to their posts. Lucien and Elara remained in the tent to examine the Imperial documents. Kael stepped outside for some fresh air. He hadn't taken more than ten steps when Darius caught up with him. “Are you planning to eat today?” Kael kept walking. “Yes.” “When?” “Later.” “Wrong answer.” Darius gently caught his arm and steered him toward the area where dinner had been prepared. Kael looked at him. “Did you just order me to eat?” “No. I just stopped you from pretending you weren't hungry.” “I'm not hungry.” Darius stared at him. Kael held his gaze. Three seconds passed. Then Darius smiled. “You're terrible at lying when you're tired.” Kael sighed. “I hate you.” “I know. Come and eat.” They joined Ethan, Noah, Adrian, and Lysandra near the main fire. Noah was already holding a bowl. “Finally! I thought you'd decided to skip dinner.” Darius sat down. “Kael was considering it.” Noah immediately pointed his spoon at him. “Unacceptable.” Kael took a seat beside Ethan. “Why does everyone think they have the right to manage my meals?” Adrian answered without looking up. “Because you give us plenty of reasons to.” Lysandra placed a plate in front of Kael. “Eat something.” He looked at her. She met his gaze with a calm expression that reminded him of Darius. Eventually, Kael picked up his plate. “You've all formed an alliance against me.” Ethan grinned. “No alliance required. It's obvious.” Noah nodded solemnly. “We're a very efficient team.” “You're mostly unbearable,” Kael muttered. Still, he began eating. The conversation gradually drifted toward lighter subjects. Noah recounted how he'd lost sight of Adrian during the attack, only to discover that Adrian had simply circled around the trees to protect Lysandra. Adrian explained that he hadn't lost sight of Noah at all. He had merely chosen not to follow him. “Which was a perfectly reasonable tactical decision,” he concluded. “You abandoned me in the forest!” “You were forty feet away.” “Forty feet too far!” Lysandra laughed. Even Kael let out a quiet chuckle. For a few minutes, the camp felt almost ordinary again. Then a figure approached the fire. Eryan Valis. He carried a small object wrapped in a piece of cloth. “Kael. I found something among my belongings.” Kael put down his plate. “What is it?” Eryan unfolded the cloth. Inside lay an old metal plate. An inscription had been engraved on its surface: L-04 — MEMORY ACCESS Kael immediately stood. “You had that all along?” “No,” Eryan replied. “I entrusted it to someone a long time ago. I thought it had been lost.” “To whom?” Eryan looked at the plate. “To the man who accompanied your father when he came to Lorn.” Kael's attention sharpened. “Do you know his name?” Eryan hesitated. “I never learned it. Your father only referred to him by his title.” Prince Lucien Arclight, who had just stepped out of the command tent, stopped when he heard those words. “What title?” he asked. Eryan turned toward him. Then answered: “The Guardian.” The prince's expression changed. Elara appeared behind him. “Lucien?” He didn't answer immediately. He was staring at the plate. Then he spoke, almost under his breath. “That title appears in my predecessor's archives.” Kael slowly turned toward him. “What do you know?” Lucien drew a deep breath. “Not enough.” Darius folded his arms. “Is that becoming the motto of this expedition?” No one really laughed. Lucien approached the plate without touching it. “In the archives, the Guardian isn't described as a knight or a member of the Imperial family.” He raised his eyes toward Kael. “It's a position. Someone entrusted with protecting a secret that neither the Empire nor the great Houses were supposed to control.” Kael looked at the inscription. L-04. Then he remembered his father's words from the recording. Don't trust anyone who claims to know the whole truth. “Then the Guardian could be the third person at that meeting,” he murmured. Elara studied the document. “Or the person whose name was erased.” Eryan slowly nodded. “It's possible.” Kael picked up the plate. The metal felt cold in his hand. For the first time, he had something concrete connecting the former Emperor, his father, and this mysterious Guardian. But he still didn't know who had held that title. More importantly, he didn't know whether the Guardian had helped his parents disappear... or had been the one who forced them to leave. In the north, beyond the trees, a faint red light appeared between two hills. It remained visible for a few seconds. Then it went out. Nyxara, lying beside the fire, suddenly raised her head. Kael followed her gaze. This time, he didn't merely sense a presence. He sensed a response. As though, somewhere beyond Lorn, someone had just learned that the L-04 plate had been found. Kael closed his fingers around the metal. “We leave at dawn.” Aldren, who had just joined them, stopped. “Toward Auralis?” Kael nodded. “We'll find L-04 first. If this plate opens another part of the network, I want to understand what it protects before we continue north.” Lucien exchanged a glance with Elara. “Then the Empire will accompany you.” Kael studied him. “Even after what we've discovered about the former Emperor?” “Especially because of it.” The prince paused. “I can't undo the decisions of a man who lived before me. But I can choose what to do with the secrets he left behind.” Kael watched Lucien for several seconds. Then he nodded. “Very well.” Darius moved closer. “You know, you could've waited until tomorrow to announce our departure.” “I just did.” “That's exactly my point.” Kael gave him a weary look. “Prepare the escort.” Darius smiled. “With pleasure, Patriarch.” He walked away before Kael could reply. Ethan joined his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure you want to continue this quickly?” Kael looked north. He thought of his mother. His father. The voice he hadn't heard in sixteen years. Then he answered: “No.” Ethan waited. Kael tightened his grip on the plate. “But I'm sure I don't want to give up now.” His brother didn't try to convince him otherwise. He simply stayed beside him. Above the camp, the first stars began to appear. And somewhere beyond the forest of Lorn, the path to Auralis was still waiting. This time, Kael wouldn't merely follow in his father's footsteps. He would discover what the Guardian's title truly meant. Even if the answer threatened to overturn everything he believed about his family... and the Empire.

The Price of an Ancient Oath