No one moved. The voice had disappeared. But its echo still seemed to linger in the chamber. Kael. One word. And yet, it had been enough to bring everyone to a standstill. Kael stared at the black door. His heart was beating faster. He knew that voice. There was no doubt. He had heard it during his childhood. In the corridors of the Veyron estate. In the library. In the garden. In the few memories he had managed to recover. It was his father's voice. Ethan was the first to speak. “That was…” His voice faltered slightly. Kael didn't answer. Lucian slowly stepped closer. “Yes.” Darius was still staring at the door. “Impossible.” Soren, however, seemed to have completely lost his composure. He took another step back. “That can't be.” Kael finally turned toward him. “You knew that voice could appear.” Soren shook his head. “No.” “You're lying.” “No.” For the first time, Soren looked genuinely worried. “I knew the system preserved memories.” He looked at the door. “But not that.” Elara studied his face carefully. “Then what did you think was behind it?” Soren hesitated. “I thought the door was protecting something.” Lucian frowned. “Something?” “A place.” “It isn't a place,” Kael replied. Everyone turned toward him. Kael was still staring at the door. “It's a memory.” Behind him, Aldren exchanged a look with Darius. Kael continued: “L-03 was a memory.” He raised V-18 slightly. “V-18 is another.” Then he pointed toward the black door. “And this one…” He stopped. A new vibration passed through the chamber. The voice returned. Weaker this time. “Kael… listen to me.” Kael froze. Ethan took a step toward him. “Kael.” But Kael raised a hand. He didn't want to be interrupted. The voice continued. “If you're hearing this, then the door has opened.” Kael closed his eyes. He knew that tone. His father spoke like this whenever he was explaining something important. Calmly. Without ever raising his voice. “I don't know how much time you'll have before they find you.” Darius clenched his jaw. Aldren immediately looked at Soren. Kael opened his eyes. “Who?” The voice didn't answer immediately. Then: “Those who have been waiting.” Silence. Soren whispered: “They're still alive…” Kael turned toward him. “Who are they?” Soren didn't answer. Kael took a step toward him. “Who are they?” Soren looked at the door. “The First Guardians.” Lucian frowned. “Guardians of what?” “What lies behind it.” Kael's father's voice echoed again. “Don't trust them.” Kael stopped. He looked at Soren. Then at the robed figures. Then at the door. “Them?” The answer came immediately. “No one.” This time, even Soren remained silent. Kael felt something shift inside the chamber. The Echo of the Void stirred faintly around him. He didn't activate it. He didn't need to. The voice continued: “Kael, if you've made it this far, then you've already discovered several parts of what I left behind.” Kael tightened his grip around V-18. “Yes.” “Then there's something you need to understand.” The door vibrated. “I didn't leave these systems behind to lead you to a weapon.” Kael frowned. “Then why?” Silence. Then the voice answered: “To lead you to the truth.” Ethan lowered his eyes. Lucian remained perfectly still. Darius looked at Kael. The voice continued. “But the truth must not be found too soon.” Kael felt a flash of frustration. “Why?” “Because you weren't ready.” Kael clenched his teeth. “I'm sixteen.” No answer. He continued: “You prepared me for years without ever telling me anything.” His voice trembled slightly. “You knew I would forget.” Silence filled the chamber. Then the voice answered: “Yes.” Kael froze. Ethan's eyes widened. “He knew…” Lucian closed his eyes. Darius didn't move. Kael felt his breathing grow heavier. “Why?” The answer came slowly. “Because I had no choice.” Kael shook his head. “Everyone keeps telling me that.” He looked at the door. “My father had no choice.” His voice grew colder. “My parents died in an accident.” The chamber remained silent. Kael continued: “That’s what I've always been told.” No answer. He felt his aura beginning to change. Darius took a step forward. “Kael.” “No.” Kael raised his hand slightly. “I want to hear the answer.” The voice returned. But this time, it was different. Weaker. Almost as though the recording itself was struggling to function. “I didn't die here.” Kael stopped breathing for a second. Ethan stared at him. Lucian looked away slightly. Darius remained perfectly still. Kael repeated: “What?” The voice continued. “I didn't die here.” Soren closed his eyes. Kael turned toward him. “You knew.” Soren didn't answer. Kael stepped forward. Darius gently caught his arm. “Wait.” Kael stopped. Soren finally spoke. “Your father told me that.” Kael looked at him. “When?” “The last time I saw him.” Silence immediately filled the chamber. Kael stared at Soren. “When?” Soren lowered his eyes. “Sixteen years ago.” Kael's breath caught. “Where?” Soren looked toward the door. “Here.” Ethan stepped forward. “You were here when he came?” “Yes.” “Then why did you say you'd never met him?” Soren remained silent. Kael turned toward him. “You lied.” “Yes.” Darius slightly raised his weapon. Soren didn't react. “Why?” Soren answered quietly: “Because he asked me never to say your name.” Kael remained motionless. “He knew I existed?” Soren nodded. “He knew exactly who you were.” Kael looked toward the door. His father's voice returned one final time. “Kael…” This time, the voice sounded almost real. As though someone were standing directly behind the door. “You have to choose for yourself.” Kael stepped closer. The crack began to glow. “Choose what?” The voice answered: “What you want to protect.” Kael remained silent. “Not what you've been told to protect.” A pause. “What you choose to protect.” Kael felt something break inside him. Not painfully. Something older. A hesitation. A fear. A question he had carried for years. He had always believed his father had left him orders. Responsibilities. Secrets. But perhaps he had left him something else. The right to choose. The voice continued: “If you open this door, there will be no going back.” Kael looked at Ethan. Then Darius. Lucian. Aldren. Lysandra. Noah. Adrian. The prince. The princess. Nyxara. They were all there. He lowered his eyes to V-18. Then he looked back at the door. “Then I won't open it alone.” Ethan smiled faintly. Darius nodded. Lysandra stepped closer. “You never intended to.” Kael looked at her. A faint smile appeared. “No.” Soren watched them. Then he whispered: “That's exactly what he wanted.” Kael turned his head. “What?” Soren looked at the door. “Your father.” He paused. “He knew you'd choose the people around you.” Elara stepped forward. “Then perhaps the system was designed for this.” Kael looked at her. The princess pointed toward the three lights. Red. Gold. Black. “Veyron.” She indicated the red light. “Empire.” Then the golden light. Finally, she looked toward the robed figures. “And those on the other side.” Kael understood. “Three origins.” Lucien nodded. “But one door.” Adrian studied the inscriptions. “And one key.” Noah looked at Kael. “So…” He swallowed. “We need all three?” No one answered. The door suddenly made another sound. Click. Then another. Click. The ancient mechanisms began to turn. Soren stepped back. “No.” Darius immediately moved in front of Kael. “What now?” Soren stared at the system. “Kael isn't opening it.” Kael frowned. “Then who is?” The system answered before he could. EXTERNAL CONNECTION DETECTED. Everyone froze. A new light appeared on the wall. Black. Then an inscription. ROVENHART ORIGIN. Complete silence filled the chamber. Lucian slowly turned toward Kael. Ethan clenched his fists. Darius looked at Aldren. Elara frowned. “Rovenhart?” Kael didn't answer. His mind immediately went to Cassian. Darian. The letter. The symbol. L-03. And that sentence: Don't let him discover L-03. Soren looked at Kael. “They found the way.” Kael stared at the black light. “Who?” Footsteps echoed through the passage behind them. Slow. Calm. Someone was approaching. Darius turned around. The Black Ravens raised their weapons. The Imperial Knights moved around the prince and princess. Nyxara turned as well. Her red eyes glowed in the darkness. A figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Then a second. Kael didn't move. But his gaze turned icy. Because he knew that voice. The same voice that had just echoed from behind the door. And now… someone else was speaking it in the corridor. “Kael.” He slowly tightened his grip around V-18. This time, it wasn't a memory. Someone was actually there. And the black door began to open.

The Voice Behind the Door