The door to the interrogation room closed behind Armand. For several seconds, nobody spoke. Kael remained seated across from the prisoner. Darius stood a few feet away, his arms crossed. Gareth kept watch near the door. The second prisoner had stopped talking. He was looking at Kael with newfound caution. — You understand something, Kael finally said. The man didn't answer. — I can see it on your face. Still nothing. Kael leaned forward slightly. — You didn't come looking for A-02 by chance. The prisoner clenched his jaw. — I don't know what you're talking about. Kael smiled faintly. — You're a bad liar. Darius turned his head slightly to hide his amusement. The prisoner noticed. — You find this funny? — No, Darius replied. But you just lied in front of someone who spends most of his time watching people. Kael glanced at him. — Thanks. — You're welcome. The prisoner remained silent. Kael continued: — Who gave you the information about A-02? — I don't know. — You know it exists. — Yes. — How long have you known? The prisoner hesitated. — A few months. Kael froze. A few months. That meant someone had been looking for A-02 long before the incident at Asteria. Long before he discovered the existence of the second level. He looked at Darius. — Did you know someone was watching this area? Darius shook his head. — No. Gareth spoke up. — We increased patrols after the system appeared. Nothing seemed unusual. Kael thought for a moment. — Yet they knew A-02 existed. — Maybe they had an inside source, Darius said. Kael raised his eyes. The room fell silent. — An inside source? Darius shrugged slightly. — Someone who knows the academy. Gareth frowned. — Or someone who knows the old plans. Kael looked at the prisoner. — Where did you get the information? The man remained silent. Kael waited. Then added: — If you don't answer, I can wait. The prisoner raised his eyes. — You don't understand. — Then explain it to me. — The people who sent us aren't only looking for A-02. Kael stopped moving. — Then what are they looking for? The man hesitated. — What's beneath it. Darius straightened. Gareth exchanged a glance with him. Kael remained perfectly still. — Beneath A-02? The prisoner slowly nodded. — Yes. — You know what's there? — No. Kael narrowed his eyes. — You're lying again. — I swear I'm not. For the first time, the prisoner looked genuinely worried. — We were only told that A-02 wasn't the end. A heavy silence settled over the room. Kael stood. — Darius. — Yes? — Get everyone out. Darius signaled to the Black Ravens. Gareth left with the others. The door closed. Kael remained alone with Darius for a few seconds. — You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you? — Probably. — The second level. Darius nodded. — Lucian told you not to go there. — I know. — And now someone is looking for something even deeper. Kael looked at the table. — Yes. Darius sighed. — This is getting complicated. — It already was. — I meant really complicated. Kael gave him a faint smile. — I understood. Darius stepped closer. — Are you going to tell Lucian? Kael thought for a moment. — Yes. — Now? — Now. --- A few minutes later, Kael walked through the academy corridors. Most of the students had no idea what had just happened. Some were laughing in the common rooms. Others were leaving their classes. Normal life continued. Kael passed a group of students. Noah was among them. The moment he saw Kael, he raised a hand. — Kael! Kael stopped. Noah approached. — Where were you? — With Darius. — Again? — Yes. Noah studied his face. — Something wrong? Kael hesitated. — Nothing serious. Noah stared at him for a few seconds. — You say that with your "something is definitely wrong" face. Lysandra arrived behind him. — Noah. — What? — Leave him alone. Adrian, who had joined them, studied Kael. — You're going to the archives? Kael looked at him. — Why? — Because you always take this route when you want to check something. Kael remained silent for a moment. Then: — Yes. Adrian nodded. — Good luck. Kael turned. — Thanks. Noah frowned. — Wait. Kael stopped. — What? — You're going to do something dangerous again without me? Lysandra sighed. — Noah... — It's a legitimate question. Kael looked at him. Then answered: — This time, just stay here. Noah opened his mouth. — But— — Noah. Kael's tone was calm. Not cold. Just firm enough. Noah understood. — Fine. Kael continued walking. Lysandra watched him disappear. — He really trusts you. Noah crossed his arms. — I know. Adrian added: — And he knows you'll probably follow us anyway. Noah smiled. — Exactly. Lysandra shook her head. — You two are impossible. --- The archives were almost empty. Kael entered with Darius. Lucian was already standing near the A-02 system. Several old documents were spread across a table. — You got here quickly, Kael remarked. Lucian looked up. — Darius warned me. Kael looked at the documents. — You knew there was something beneath A-02? Lucian fell silent. Kael immediately understood. — Lucian. His uncle slowly closed the document. — I knew Asteria had several ancient levels. — How many? — I don't know. Kael frowned. — You don't know? — The official plans have been modified over the centuries. Darius stepped in. — But you knew there was something else. Lucian sighed. — Yes. Kael stepped closer. — Why didn't you tell me? Lucian looked at him. — Because your father asked me never to lead you there. Silence fell. Kael stared at his uncle. — My father knew about A-02? — He knew part of the system. — And the second level? Lucian hesitated. — Yes. Kael lowered his eyes slightly. — What was he looking for? Lucian didn't answer immediately. Then: — An answer. — To what question? — That's exactly what I never found out. Kael remained silent. Lucian stood. — But I do know one thing. — What? — Your father wasn't alone. Kael immediately looked up. Darius remained still. — With whom? Kael asked. Lucian shook his head. — I don't know who they were. — You saw them? — Once. Kael waited. — A long time ago. Lucian looked at A-02. — They went down together. — And did they come back? Lucian didn't answer. Kael understood. — Only my father. — Yes. An uneasy silence filled the room. Kael looked at the system. — Why didn't you ever tell me this? Lucian stepped closer. — Because I didn't want you to start searching before you were ready. Kael gave a humorless laugh. — I think it's a little late for that. — Yes. Lucian looked at Darius. — Did you learn anything from the interrogation? Darius answered: — They're looking for what's beneath A-02. Lucian froze. — Beneath A-02? — That's what they said. Lucian immediately moved toward the system. — Then they know. Kael frowned. — Know what? Lucian placed a hand against the panel. — The second level isn't the last one. At that exact moment, A-02 lit up. A faint light traveled across its inscriptions. Kael stepped closer. — What is it reacting to? Lucian looked at the system. — You. The light grew brighter. A metallic sound echoed from somewhere deep beneath the building. Then another. Kael turned toward Darius. — Did you hear that? — Yes. Lucian's face paled slightly. — That's impossible. Kael looked at him. — What? Lucian didn't answer. The floor trembled. A glowing line appeared beneath the A-02 system. It descended vertically into the stone. As though something beneath them had just awakened. Darius immediately placed a hand on his weapon. — Kael. — I know. A third sound echoed. Deeper. Heavier. Then the system displayed a new inscription. This time, Kael could read it. LEVEL A-03 Darius stared at the letters. — There really is a third level. Lucian remained silent. Kael looked at the inscription. Then a second line appeared. ACCESS CONDITION: HEIR His red eyes fixed on the words. — Of course. Darius looked at him. — Do you want us to warn the others? Kael thought for a moment. Then: — No. — Kael— — Not yet. Lucian stepped closer. — You can't go down there alone. Kael looked at him. — I didn't say I was going alone. Darius smiled faintly. — Good. A sharp sound suddenly came from behind them. All three turned. The archive door had closed. Kael narrowed his eyes. — We're not alone. A silhouette briefly appeared behind the glass in the corridor. Then disappeared. Darius immediately drew his weapon. — I'll handle it. He opened the door. The corridor was empty. But a faint foreign aura still lingered in the air. Kael stepped closer. He recognized it. Not the exact aura of one of the prisoners. Someone else. Someone who had come after them. Darius looked at the floor. A small metal piece had fallen there. Kael picked it up. A symbol was engraved on it. A V. And just beneath it: 18 Kael remained silent. Darius looked at the piece. — V-18. Kael slowly closed his hand around it. — They were here. Lucian looked down the corridor. — And they knew we'd discover A-03. Kael looked back at the system. The light continued to pulse. Something was waiting beneath their feet. And now, someone else knew it had awakened. Kael slipped the metal piece into his pocket. — We're going back to the prisoners. Darius nodded. — Why? Kael looked at the inscription one last time. ACCESS CONDITION: HEIR Then he answered: — Because they haven't told us everything. And this time, the calm at Asteria seemed more fragile than it had ever been.

What Lies Beneath