They left before dawn. The main gates of Asteria slowly opened as the first rays of sunlight appeared beyond the mountains. The imperial convoy was enormous. Several Black Raven knights led the way. Darius rode at the front, accompanied by Gareth, Silas, and Rowan. More Veyron knights followed behind them. At the center were the carriages carrying the Imperial Family. Crown Prince Lucien Arclight and Princess Elara were surrounded by their Imperial Knights. The Imperial Guard brought up the rear. Several nobles were also traveling with the convoy, including representatives of House Valenne and House Rovenhart. Kael rode near the first imperial carriage. Nyxara moved silently beside him in her smaller form. Lysandra, Noah, and Adrian Falken rode a little farther behind. Noah looked at the long procession. “We’re really bringing a lot of people.” Adrian glanced at the different banners. “Too many to go unnoticed.” “That was exactly my thought.” Lysandra smiled. “Are you complaining already?” “No. I’m making an observation.” Kael turned his head slightly. “Can you two stop talking for five minutes?” Noah thought about it. “No.” Kael sighed. Lysandra laughed softly. Even Darius, several yards ahead of them, had heard. He turned around. “Kael.” “What?” “You know you can just let them talk.” Kael looked at Noah. Then Adrian. Then Lysandra. “I know.” He paused. “But I like it better when they’re quiet.” Noah put a hand over his heart. “How cruel.” Darius laughed before turning back toward the front of the convoy. Kael shook his head. For a few more hours, everything seemed normal. Then Nyxara suddenly stopped. Kael noticed immediately. He gently pulled on the reins. “What is it?” Nyxara was staring into the forest. Her body had gone completely still. Her ears were raised. Darius turned around. He understood immediately. “Everyone stop.” The order quickly spread through the convoy. The horses slowed. The carriages came to a halt. The Imperial Knights moved into position. Alaric Thorne approached Darius. “What do you have?” Darius looked at Nyxara. “She sensed something.” Alaric gave his men a signal. “Defensive formation.” The Imperial Knights surrounded the royal carriage. The Imperial Guard spread out along the sides. Kael dismounted. Nyxara stayed beside him. He stared into the forest. Nothing. Not a single movement. Not a sound. Then a branch fell somewhere in the distance. Darius immediately placed a hand on his sword. “Someone’s there.” An arrow suddenly shot out from the trees. It passed between two knights. Then another. Then a third. “Shields!” A series of magical barriers appeared. The projectiles were deflected. Then the forest exploded with movement. Figures emerged from the trees. Twenty. Then thirty. Perhaps even more. Noah's eyes widened. “There are a lot of them.” Kael remained completely calm. He looked at Darius. “Protect the civilians.” Darius smiled. “With pleasure.” He drew his sword. “Ravens!” The Black Raven knights moved instantly. Only seconds earlier, they had been guards accompanying a convoy. Now they were a perfectly coordinated military unit. Gareth struck the first attacker. His sword knocked the enemy's weapon away. Silas intercepted two attackers at once. Rowan appeared behind a third before the man even realized he was there. Every movement was fast. Precise. Efficient. The attackers began to retreat. One of them shouted: “Don’t let them reach the imperial carriage!” Darius raised his eyes. “You're not here for us.” The man didn't answer. Darius understood. “You're looking for someone.” His gaze shifted toward Kael. Then toward Nyxara. “No…” He turned sharply. “Kael!” Kael looked toward him. A group of attackers had managed to get through the first line. They were heading straight for him. Nyxara bared her teeth. Kael placed a hand on her head. “Stay with me.” She didn't move. The attackers approached. Kael slowly inhaled. Then his aura spread through the air. The ground beneath his feet trembled slightly. The attackers slowed. One of them whispered: “The Echo of the Void…” Kael raised his eyes. “So you know what I am.” The first attacker charged. Kael dodged. His movement was almost invisible. He struck the man's wrist. The weapon fell. The second attacker came immediately after him. Kael pivoted. One movement. Then another. The man was thrown to the ground. The third hesitated. That hesitation cost him. Kael was already in front of him. But before he could strike, a figure moved past him. Darius. “This one’s mine.” Kael smiled faintly. “Fine.” Darius drove the attacker back with enough force to send him several yards away. Then he turned. “See?” “What?” “I can still protect you.” Kael gave him a small smile. “I never doubted it.” --- Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted behind the convoy. Everyone turned. The ground shook. A cloud of dust rose between the trees. Alaric shouted: “Imperial Guard!” The soldiers immediately regrouped. The prince and princess remained protected. But a second wave of attackers emerged. This time, there were far more of them. Aldren dismounted. He slowly drew his sword. Kael saw him. “Aldren.” The old commander smiled. “You wanted to see the Veyrons in action, didn't you?” Kael couldn't stop himself from smiling. Aldren stepped forward. His aura suddenly spread across the battlefield. The closest attackers stopped. Then he disappeared. A second later, three opponents were already on the ground. Darius whistled. “He really hasn't changed.” Ethan smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.” Lucian, who had just joined them, sighed. “You're all far too proud of yourselves.” Aldren looked around. “Lucian.” “What?” “Are you really going to stay in the back?” Lucian raised one hand. A series of runes appeared around him. “No.” The runes lit up. A wave of magic swept across the battlefield. Several attackers were thrown backward at once. Noah stared. “Since when can Lucian do that?” Lysandra answered: “Probably always.” Adrian watched the Veyrons. “I understand why everyone respects them now.” Noah slowly nodded. “Me too.” --- But the attack wasn't slowing down. If anything, it seemed to be getting worse. Someone was still sending fighters toward them. Kael sensed it. That aura. He had felt it before. At Asteria. In the courtyard. In the archives. Someone was watching them. He slowly turned his head toward the trees. A figure stood in the distance. Completely still. Kael stared at him. The figure raised one hand. Then disappeared. Kael took a step forward. “Wait!” Darius turned. “What?” “The one leading this attack was there.” Aldren looked toward the trees. “You saw him?” “Yes.” Kael tightened his grip around his weapon. “He was watching us.” Ethan arrived beside him. “And now?” Kael looked toward the forest. Then at the rest of the convoy. The attackers were finally retreating. The Black Ravens pursued them for a short distance before Darius ordered them to return. Alaric immediately checked the royal carriage. “Your Highness. Your Highness. Are you both unharmed?” Lucien Arclight nodded. “Yes.” Elara looked across the battlefield. “They were prepared.” Kael nodded. “Yes.” The princess looked at the Veyrons. Darius. Ethan. Aldren. Lucian. Then Kael. “They were waiting for us.” Kael stared into the forest. “Not us.” He paused. “Me.” Silence fell. Nyxara moved to his side. Kael looked toward the trees. Somewhere ahead was L-03. And someone had done everything they could to keep them from reaching it. Darius calmly wiped his blade before sheathing it. “Do we continue?” Kael looked down the road. Then at his companions. “Yes.” Ethan smiled. “Of course.” Aldren mounted his horse again. “Then let's move.” The convoy started forward once more. But this time, no one spoke. They had all understood the same thing. L-03 was no longer a simple imperial mission. Someone was afraid of what would happen if they reached it. And now that House Veyron had shown what it was capable of… it was too late to turn back.