The third strike echoed throughout the chamber. BOOM. The stone beneath their feet trembled. Kael remained motionless in front of the black door. The system's red lights continued to pulse above him. HEIR CONFIRMED. Behind him, the Black Raven knights had drawn their weapons. Darius moved slightly to his right. Alaric immediately signaled the Imperial Knights to protect the prince and princess. Lucien Arclight didn't retreat. Neither did Elara. Across from them, the robed figures remained perfectly still. The first one, the man who had spoken to Kael, slowly raised a hand. “Don't do that.” Darius narrowed his eyes. “Do what?” “Open the door.” Kael slightly turned his head. “You're the one who stopped us from finding out what's behind it.” “That isn't what I mean.” The fourth strike hit the door. BOOM. A thin, glowing crack appeared in the center of the black metal. This time, even the robed strangers took a step back. Kael noticed. “You're afraid.” The masked man remained silent. Kael continued. “Ever since you arrived, you've acted like you knew exactly what was going to happen.” He looked at the crack. “But you don't know what's behind it.” Silence. Then the man answered: “No.” That simple answer surprised everyone. Kael frowned slightly. “Then why are you here?” “Because we know what will happen if it opens completely.” Lucien Arclight spoke up. “And you still refuse to tell us what that is.” The man turned toward him. “Because the Empire was never meant to know.” Elara crossed her arms. “That's where you're wrong.” Everyone turned toward her. The princess stepped forward. “If the system has just recognized an Imperial origin, then the Empire is already involved.” The golden symbol behind her lit up. IMPERIAL ORIGIN CONFIRMED. Elara looked at the light. “And now it recognizes us.” Lucien gave a faint smile. “She has a point.” The masked man didn't answer. Darius quietly said: “Kael.” Kael turned his head. Darius pointed toward the crack. “Look.” The black light surrounding the door was beginning to spread across the walls. Ancient lines appeared. They gradually formed a massive circle around the chamber. Kael immediately recognized the structure. “The defensive system.” Aldren turned toward him. “You know what it does?” “Not exactly.” Kael studied the lines. Then his expression changed. “But I don't think it's targeting us.” A rumble shook the chamber. The robed men turned around. Part of the floor had opened behind them. A series of metal spikes emerged from the stone. One of the strangers jumped aside. “Formation!” Too late. The system had activated. Arcs of light shot across the chamber. The robed figures scattered. The Imperial Knights moved into position. “Protect the royals!” Alaric ordered. Darius immediately shouted: “Ravens, with me!” The Black Ravens advanced. The first clash was brutal. One of the robed men tried to get around the Imperial line. Darius intercepted him. Their weapons collided. Darius pivoted, blocked an attack, and shoved his opponent back with his shoulder. “You could've just stayed quiet.” The man didn't answer. He attacked again. Darius dodged. At the same time, two other figures tried to reach Kael. Nyxara immediately stepped in front of him. Her red eyes glowed. A deep growl rumbled in her chest. The two men slowed. Kael placed a hand against her side. “Not yet.” Nyxara slightly turned her head toward him. “I know.” She remained in front of him. Ready. But still. Kael looked toward the door. Something was wrong. The system's lines weren't moving toward the fighters. They were all converging on the black door. “Kael!” Lysandra's voice came from behind him. He turned. She was with Ethan, Noah, and Adrian. They had just emerged from a side passage. Ethan was holding something in his hand. A small metal piece. Kael immediately recognized its shape. “V-18.” Ethan nodded. “We found it in a storage chamber.” Noah came up behind him. “And trust me, it wasn't sitting there by accident.” Adrian was studying the walls. “It's reacting to the system.” The V-18 piece began to vibrate. A light appeared across its surface. Kael approached. “Give it to me.” Ethan hesitated. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” He handed it over. The moment Kael took the piece, the lights in the chamber changed. Red. Then gold. Then black. The three colors met at the center of the door. An inscription appeared. THREE ORIGINS. Kael stared at the words. A second line appeared. ONE KEY. Then a third. THE HEIR MUST CHOOSE. Noah swallowed. “I don't like that last sentence.” Adrian looked at Kael. “What are you supposed to choose?” “I don't know.” The door vibrated. Another crack appeared. This time, it opened slightly. A cold breeze swept through the chamber. Kael immediately sensed a presence. Not an aura. Something different. Something he couldn't define. Nyxara growled. Her ears stood straight up. She stared at the door. Kael instinctively placed a hand against her side. “What do you sense?” Nyxara didn't answer. She kept staring at the opening. The stranger's masked face turned toward her. “She remembers.” Kael's eyes snapped toward him. “Remembers what?” The man didn't answer. He simply took a step toward the door. Darius noticed. “Don't move.” The man stopped. “You don't understand.” Darius raised his weapon. “Then explain.” Silence lasted for several seconds. Then the man slowly removed his mask. Kael recognized him. He wasn't an old man. Nor did he look like a veteran. He appeared to be barely thirty. But his gaze was strangely calm. “My name doesn't matter.” Kael stared at him. “It does to me.” The man gave him a faint smile. “Then call me Soren.” Lucien stepped forward. “Soren what?” “Nothing.” Elara frowned. “No family name?” Soren looked at her. “For those who live outside the great Houses, family names aren't always important.” Kael looked at the other members of his group. “And them?” “They made the same choice I did.” “What choice?” Soren looked at the door. “Not to let whatever is behind it out.” Silence fell. Kael stared at the opening. “Then we have the same goal.” Soren slowly shook his head. “No.” “Why?” “Because you want to know.” Kael didn't answer. Soren continued: “And that's precisely what makes your presence dangerous.” Ethan stepped forward. “You mean my brother is dangerous because he wants the truth?” Soren looked at Ethan. “No.” His gaze returned to Kael. “He's dangerous because the truth recognizes him.” Kael felt his aura stir. The Echo of the Void remained contained. But the temperature in the chamber seemed to drop. Lysandra moved slightly closer. “Kael.” He inhaled. Then slowly exhaled. The sensation disappeared. Darius noticed. He said nothing. Kael looked at Soren. “You know my father.” Soren hesitated. “Yes.” “You met him here.” “Yes.” “Did he know what was behind this door?” Soren looked at the crack. “He knew enough to be afraid.” Kael tightened his grip slightly around V-18. “My father wasn't easily frightened.” “I know.” “Then why did he leave?” Soren lowered his eyes. “Because he understood that he couldn't stop it from opening.” Kael remained silent. “So he tried to prepare someone.” Soren looked at him. “You.” The entire chamber seemed to freeze. Ethan took a step forward. “He was preparing Kael?” Soren nodded. “Not to fight.” He looked toward the door. “To choose.” A dull sound came from behind the metal. This time, it wasn't a strike. Something was slowly scraping against the surface. As if someone were dragging a hand across the other side. Nyxara took a step back. Kael noticed immediately. It was the first time he'd ever seen her retreat from something. “Nyxara…” She looked up at him. Her ears were pressed against her head. Then she looked back toward the door. Kael understood. She knew. Not everything. But enough. The red light on the wall changed. INTERNAL PRESENCE DETECTED. Then: MEMORY ACTIVE. PARTIAL OPENING. The crack widened. An eye appeared on the other side. A red eye. Kael didn't move. Nyxara immediately bared her teeth. Darius raised his weapon. The Imperial Knights tightened their formation around the prince and princess. Ethan moved to Kael's side. Lysandra remained just behind him. Noah and Adrian stared at the door, their expressions suddenly far more serious. Elara whispered: “What is that?” No one answered. Soren stared at the eye. For the first time since his arrival, his calm expression disappeared. “No…” Lucien looked at him. “What?” Soren stepped back. “She wasn't supposed to wake up now.” Kael slowly turned his head. “She?” A second eye appeared. Then a silhouette began to take shape behind the crack. Kael felt something. An ancient sensation. Familiar. As if some part of him recognized the presence. He clenched his teeth. “What did you prepare for me, Dad?” The door shook violently. The system screamed throughout the chamber. HEIR RECOGNIZED. VEYRON ORIGIN CONFIRMED. IMPERIAL ORIGIN CONFIRMED. Then a final line appeared. Darker than the others. UNKNOWN ORIGIN — AWAKENING IN PROGRESS. Kael slowly raised his hand. The Echo of the Void gathered around his fingers. Darius looked at him. “Kael…” “I know.” He never took his eyes off the door. “This time, I'm not going to wait for it to open on its own.” Soren stared at him. “What are you planning to do?” Kael took a step forward. “Find out what my father wanted me to see.” And behind the black door, something answered. A breath. Then a voice. A voice Kael had heard before. A voice belonging to his past. “Kael.” He froze. Ethan went pale. Lucian's eyes widened. Darius tightened his grip on his weapon. Even Nyxara remained perfectly still. Because that voice… they all knew it. It was Kael's father's voice.

The Black Door