The second click echoed through the corridor. Kael immediately looked up. Nyxara had risen. Her ears were pointed toward the gardens, and her red eyes were fixed on something beyond the windows. Lysandra turned toward her. — What did she see? Kael didn't answer. He was already looking outside. The faint red light he'd seen moments earlier was still glowing in the distance. It wasn't coming from the estate. It seemed to be coming from somewhere beyond the trees. Then it disappeared. Kael stood. — Darius. A few seconds later, hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. Darius appeared, already armed. — I saw the light. Kael nodded. — It came from outside. Darius looked at Nyxara. — She sensed it too. The Nocterys let out a very low growl. Lysandra watched Kael. — You're going to check it out. It wasn't a question. Kael put on his long coat. — Yes. — Then I'm coming. Kael looked at her. — It could be dangerous. — I know. He remained silent for a moment. Then he nodded. — Stay close to us. Lysandra nodded. Nyxara moved ahead of them and descended the stairs. When she reached the hall, her body began to shrink gradually. Within a few seconds, she had returned to her smaller form, still imposing but compact enough to move quickly indoors. Darius opened the doors. Cold night air immediately rushed inside. Kael stepped out. --- The estate was silent. Too silent. The guards stationed in the gardens had already noticed something. Two of them approached. — Patriarch. Kael stopped. — Did you see the light? The first knight nodded. — Yes. — How long ago? — Only a few seconds ago. — Which direction? The knight pointed toward the trees. — Over there. Beyond the old forest road. Darius frowned. — Does that area still belong to the Veyrons? — Yes, Commander. Kael looked toward the trees. He knew this part of the estate. An old road crossed this section before reaching the western lands. It was barely used anymore. — Is there anything out there? The knight hesitated. — A few old structures. Kael turned toward him. — Which ones? — An old watchtower and an abandoned military pavilion. They haven't been used in a very long time. Darius looked at Kael. — V-17? Kael didn't answer immediately. He took out the small plate bearing the inscription Veyron Origin. It was cold. No light. No reaction. — Maybe. Nyxara suddenly moved forward. Kael looked up. — Nyxara! The Nocterys stopped several meters ahead. She turned around. Then she looked back toward the trees. Darius drew his sword. — She found something. Kael signaled to the knights. — Stay here. One of the guards hesitated. — Patriarch, we should accompany you. — Not all of you. Kael looked at Darius. — Three men with us. The rest secure the estate. Darius nodded. — You heard him. Three knights immediately joined the group. Lysandra stayed beside Kael. Then they moved forward. --- The forest began a few minutes later. The trees grew denser. The lights from the estate gradually disappeared behind them. Kael walked in silence. Nyxara led the way. Darius stayed slightly to the side, alert to the slightest movement. Lysandra followed Kael. — Do you know this part of the estate? — A little. — Have you been here before? Kael thought for a moment. — When I was a child. Darius slightly turned his head. — Your father used to bring you here sometimes. Kael frowned. — Again? Darius gave him a faint smile. — He liked showing his sons different places. — You never told me about this area. — You never asked. Kael sighed. — Everyone seems to have memories of my childhood that I don't have. Darius said nothing. Lysandra looked at Kael. She didn't say anything either. They continued. Then Nyxara suddenly stopped. Her entire body tensed. Kael raised a hand. Everyone froze. A noise came from their left. A crack. Then another. Darius signaled for the knights to spread out. Silence returned. A few seconds passed. Then a figure burst through the trees. A man dressed in black was running toward them. He appeared to be injured. He saw Kael. His expression changed. He immediately tried to turn around. — Stop him! Darius ordered. Two knights moved instantly. The man sped up. Nyxara leapt forward. She landed directly in front of him. He stopped abruptly. Too late. Darius reached him from behind and grabbed his arm. The man struggled. — Let me go! — Bad idea. Darius forced him to the ground without using excessive force. Kael approached. — Who are you? The man said nothing. He was staring at Nyxara. The Nocterys stood between him and the forest. Her red eyes never left him. Kael noticed something. A small black mark on the man's collar. An incomplete circle crossed by a vertical line. The same symbol. He crouched down. — Where did you get that? The man clenched his teeth. — I don't know what you're talking about. Kael looked at Darius. Darius immediately understood. He quickly searched the man's coat. He found a small metal piece. Not a V-piece. Something else. A thin black plate. Kael took it. It was warm. He turned it over. An inscription briefly appeared. V-17 — ACCESS DENIED. Then the plate went dark. The man suddenly tried to get back up. Darius forced him down again. — Don't move. Kael stared at the plate. — You came here for V-17. The man remained silent. — Who sent you? Still no answer. Kael didn't need to push further. A dull sound echoed in the distance. Everyone turned. The red light had appeared again. This time, much closer. --- They moved quickly. The man was left in the care of the three knights. Kael, Darius, Lysandra, and Nyxara continued deeper into the forest. A few minutes later, they reached a clearing. An old stone structure stood at its center. A small military pavilion. Half-covered in vegetation. Cracked walls. A metal door almost completely covered in rust. Kael stopped. He knew this place. A memory returned. A summer day. His father walking ahead of him. Ethan a few meters away. A voice. Don't wander too far. Then another image. His father placing a hand against the old door. A red light. Kael blinked. The memory disappeared. — Kael? Lysandra was standing beside him. — Are you okay? — Yes. Darius studied his face. — You remembered something. Kael nodded. — A little. He looked at the door. — My father came here. Darius remained silent. — I was almost certain. Kael took out the Veyron Origin plate. This time, it reacted. A faint red light appeared across its surface. Lysandra stepped back slightly. Darius instinctively moved in front of her. Kael looked at the plate. Then at the door. A red line appeared across the metal. It slowly traced the outline of a symbol. The same incomplete circle. The door vibrated. An ancient mechanism began to move. Clack. Then another sound. Clack. Kael stepped forward. — Wait. Darius placed a hand on his shoulder. — We don't know what's behind it. Kael looked at the door. — I know. — Then? Kael remained silent. Then he answered: — But my father knew. Darius slowly removed his hand. — All right. Kael placed his palm against the metal. The red light intensified. An inscription appeared. VEYRON ORIGIN Then a second line. HEIR RECOGNIZED. Kael felt his aura react. Not the Echo of the Void. Something different. A resonance. As if the door recognized his presence. Lysandra watched the scene. — It was waiting for you. Kael looked at the inscription. — Maybe. The door began to open. A cold breath of air escaped from the darkness. Darius fully drew his sword. Nyxara bared her teeth. Kael took a step forward. Then stopped. Something was shining on the floor just beyond the doorway. A small metal object. Kael bent down and picked it up. His heart tightened. He knew its shape. It was a key. The same one that had disappeared from the greenhouse. But something was different. A new inscription had appeared on its surface. V-17 Kael stared at the object. Then slowly looked toward the darkness. — It wasn't stolen. Darius looked at him. — What? Kael tightened his grip around the key. — Someone used it. A heavy silence fell. Lysandra looked toward the entrance. — To open this door? Kael nodded. — Yes. Behind them, far away, another red light appeared between the trees. Then a second. Darius immediately turned around. — We're not alone. Kael looked at the two lights. Then at the open door. They had finally found V-17. But someone else seemed to have found it before them. And this time, it probably wasn't just another intruder. Someone might already be waiting for them on the other side.

The Light Beyond the Gardens