The carriage rolled steadily along the road leading back to the Veyron estate. Kael sat silently by the window, his gaze fixed on the passing landscape. Darius was seated opposite him. Lucian had barely spoken since they had left Asteria. On the small table between them rested the metal piece Kael had recovered from A-02. V-18. None of them had touched it since leaving the academy. Finally, Darius broke the silence. — If someone has already found the door, what do you think they were looking for? Kael looked at him. — I don't know. Lucian crossed his arms. — That's not the important question. Kael turned toward him. — Then what is? Lucian's expression became more serious. — Who found it. Silence returned. Kael looked back through the window. The landscape gradually became familiar. The closer they came to the Veyron territory, the more his thoughts returned to the old greenhouse. To the strange symbol. To the hidden compartment. And to his father's office. Something had connected all of it. He just didn't know how yet. --- The gates of the Veyron estate opened before the carriage even reached them. Several Black Raven knights were already waiting. Kael immediately noticed that there were more guards than usual. Darius noticed too. — Ethan must have received my message. Kael nodded. The carriage stopped in front of the main residence. Ethan was waiting on the steps. As soon as Kael got out, Ethan approached. — You're back earlier than expected. — We found something. Ethan's expression changed. — What kind of something? Kael looked at Darius. Darius handed him V-18. Ethan took it. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the metal piece. Then his eyes widened slightly. — Where did you get this? — Asteria. — You recognize it? Ethan turned the object over in his hand. — The symbol. Kael stepped closer. — You've seen it before? Ethan nodded slowly. — In the old family archives. Lucian approached. — What did the archives say? Ethan frowned. — I don't remember exactly. It was mentioned in several documents, but most of them were incomplete. Kael looked at him. — And the symbol? Ethan hesitated. Then he raised his eyes. — I've seen it here. Kael's expression immediately changed. — Where? Ethan looked toward the gardens. — The greenhouse. Kael didn't hesitate. — Take us there. --- The Veyron greenhouse was quiet. Sunlight filtered through the glass ceiling, illuminating rows of flowers and plants. Kael walked slowly between them. The dark-blue flowers his mother had loved were still growing near the far side of the greenhouse. For a moment, he simply looked at them. Then Ethan stopped. — There. Kael turned. Ethan moved several plants aside. Behind them was a small metal plate embedded into the wall. Kael approached. The same symbol was engraved across its surface. An incomplete circle. A vertical line through its center. The same mark they had seen beneath Asteria. Kael stared at it. Darius stepped closer. — That's not a coincidence. — No, Kael replied. He raised his hand. Lucian immediately noticed. — Kael— His fingers touched the metal. The plate vibrated. A faint red light appeared beneath the symbol. Everyone froze. The greenhouse became completely silent. Then came a quiet mechanical sound. Click. The wall shifted. A narrow section slid sideways, revealing a hidden compartment. Ethan stared. — That was here this whole time? Kael didn't answer. Inside the compartment was a small black box. It was completely covered in dust. Except for the symbol. That part was perfectly clean. Darius moved closer. — Don't touch it yet. Kael looked at him. — Why? — Because we've learned that mysterious ancient objects tend to cause problems. Lucian gave him a tired look. — That's an understatement. Kael almost smiled. Then V-18 began to glow. Darius immediately noticed. — Kael. The metal piece in Ethan's hand had become warm. A red light spread across its surface. The box responded. A low vibration echoed through the hidden compartment. Kael slowly reached toward it. This time, no one stopped him. As soon as V-18 came close to the box, a faint voice echoed from somewhere inside the mechanism. V-18 RECOGNIZED. Everyone froze. Then another message appeared. IDENTITY CONFIRMED. Kael stared at the box. A final line appeared. VEYRON HEIR. The box opened. Inside was a black leather notebook. Beside it lay a small dark key. Kael stared at both objects. His heart had begun beating faster. There was something familiar about the notebook. He picked it up carefully. On the cover, written in faded silver letters, were six words. FOR THE ONE WHO RETURNS. Kael's fingers tightened around the book. Darius noticed his expression. — Kael? He didn't answer. He opened the notebook. The first page contained a single line. Kael recognized the handwriting immediately. His father's. For several seconds, he couldn't move. Then he read the words. If you are reading this, then the door at Asteria has awakened. Kael's eyes narrowed. Lucian stepped closer. — What does it say? Kael turned the page. There was another sentence. And if it has awakened, then they know you have returned. Silence. Ethan looked at Kael. — They? Kael didn't answer. He was still staring at his father's handwriting. The sound of an explosion suddenly shook the greenhouse. The windows rattled violently. Everyone turned toward the entrance. Darius immediately drew his sword. — We're under attack. Another explosion echoed from the forest. Then came the sound of horns. Black Raven signals. Ethan's expression hardened. — How did they get this close? Darius turned toward the garden. — They came through the forest. Kael closed the notebook. — How many? Darius listened for a moment. — I don't know yet. A third explosion sounded. Several birds fled from the trees. Darius immediately began giving orders. — Ethan, get Lucian inside. Ethan looked at him. — I'm staying. — No. — Darius— — You're responsible for the interior of the estate. Ethan clenched his jaw. Kael looked toward the forest. A strange pressure was spreading through the air. Not the same aura as the intruders at Asteria. Something else. Something more controlled. Kael handed the notebook to Darius. — Keep this safe. Darius looked at him. — What are you planning? Kael turned toward the garden entrance. — I'm going outside. Ethan stepped forward. — Kael— Kael stopped. — Stay with Lucian. — But— — Ethan. His brother stared at him. Kael's expression softened slightly. — I'll be back. Ethan remained silent. Then he nodded. — You'd better. Kael walked toward the garden. Darius followed. Lucian stayed behind with Ethan. As Kael crossed the courtyard, several Black Raven knights rushed past him toward the forest. Their weapons were already drawn. The estate was no longer quiet. The attack had begun. --- The forest was darker than it should have been. Kael moved quickly between the trees. Darius remained a few steps behind. Several Black Raven knights were already engaged with masked attackers. Steel clashed. Magic illuminated the darkness. Kael stopped. Three figures emerged from between the trees. Their clothing was dark. Their faces were covered. The one in the center raised a hand. A pulse of magic shot forward. Kael moved aside. The spell struck a tree behind him. The bark exploded outward. Darius immediately charged. His blade met the attacker's weapon. The clash sent sparks through the air. Kael turned toward another figure. The attacker rushed him. Kael blocked the first strike. Then the second. The third came from below. He stepped back and countered with a precise movement. The attacker staggered. Kael didn't give him time to recover. A burst of aura surrounded his arm. He struck. The figure was thrown backward and crashed into the ground. Another attacker appeared behind Kael. Darius shouted. — Kael! Kael turned. Too late. The attacker raised his weapon. A black blur crossed the space between them. Darius intercepted the strike. The impact forced him back several meters. Kael's expression changed. — Darius. — I'm fine. Darius steadied himself. The attacker stared at them. Then he spoke. — The heir. Kael's eyes narrowed. — What about me? The figure didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his coat. Kael immediately sensed danger. His aura flared. The attacker threw a small object onto the ground. A burst of smoke filled the area. Darius covered his mouth. — Don't breathe it in! Kael stepped backward. The smoke began to disappear. But the attackers were already gone. Only one thing remained on the ground. A small metal fragment. Kael walked toward it. Darius stopped him. — Wait. He inspected it carefully. Then he frowned. — Another piece. Kael stared at it. It carried the same symbol. But this one had a different number. V-07. Kael's expression hardened. They hadn't attacked the estate randomly. They had come looking for something. Or someone. And they had known exactly where to find it. --- Back at the mansion, Ethan was waiting in the corridor. Lucian stood beside him. The moment Kael returned, Ethan approached. — Are you hurt? — No. Darius came in behind him. He placed V-07 on the table. Lucian stared at it. — Another one. Kael nodded. — They were looking for the greenhouse. Ethan's expression changed. — They knew about it? — Probably. Lucian looked at the notebook Darius was still carrying. — Then we need to understand what your father left behind. Kael looked at the notebook. — There's more. Ethan frowned. — More? Kael nodded. — The first page wasn't the only message. He opened the notebook again. But before he could turn the page, Ethan noticed something. There was an engraving beneath the notebook. A sentence so faint that it was almost invisible. He leaned closer. Then his eyes widened. — Kael. Kael looked at him. Ethan pointed toward the bottom of the cover. — Read that. Kael bent down. There were six words. THE DOOR IS NOT AT ASTERIA. Silence filled the room. Lucian slowly raised his head. Darius stared at the sentence. Ethan looked toward Kael. Kael said nothing. He simply stared at the words. Asteria wasn't the door. The systems beneath the academy weren't the true entrance. Whatever his father had been searching for... It was somewhere else. And now Kael knew one thing for certain. The answer had been waiting for him at the Veyron estate all along.

The Forgotten Door