The wind swept through the clearing. Leaves rustled above the ruins, but no one moved. Kael stared at the man who had just spoken those few words. Sixteen years. A date that kept coming back. A date that matched exactly with the disappearance of his parents. Darius was the first to speak. — You're going to have to be much more specific. The man turned his head slightly toward him. — I expected that question. — Then answer it. He didn't seem intimidated by the weapons pointed in his direction. On the contrary, he looked tired. Like someone who had waited far too long to finally speak. — My name is Eryan. He looked at Kael. — Eryan Valis. Kael immediately memorized the name. He had never heard of him. — You were part of my father's circle? — Yes. — In what capacity? Eryan hesitated. — We worked together. Darius narrowed his eyes slightly. — For House Veyron? — Not exactly. That answer was enough to make several knights react. Kael simply raised a hand. — Let him speak. Eryan gave him a grateful look. — Your father had begun his research several years before his death. Kael said nothing. — He was trying to understand the ancient structures that connected Asteria, Veyron, and Lorn. Ethan frowned. — The three origins. Eryan looked at him. — You know that term. — We found some documents. — Then you're already further along than I expected. Kael took a step forward. — Why was my father working with you? Eryan looked at the black stone slab. — Because he had discovered something he couldn't study on his own. — What? — A door. Kael's attention sharpened. — Another one? Eryan slowly nodded. — But this one wasn't like the ones you found at Asteria. — Where did it lead? — Nowhere. Kael frowned slightly. Eryan continued: — At least, not to a place. He placed a hand on the black stone. — It led to a memory. Lysandra exchanged a glance with Kael. The word immediately reminded him of L-03. Eryan noticed. — You've already encountered that system. Kael nodded. — L-03. Eryan gave a faint smile. — Then your father was right. — About what? — You found the path. That statement caught Darius's attention. — What exactly did his father tell you? Eryan removed his hand from the stone. — That one day, Kael would return here. Ethan stepped forward. — He knew we'd come back? — He hoped you would. — That's not the same thing. — No. Eryan looked at Ethan. — Your father didn't know whether he would survive long enough to watch you grow up. Ethan remained still. Kael, however, didn't look away. — You knew he was in danger of dying? Eryan took a few seconds before answering. — Yes. This time, Darius clenched his jaw slightly. — And you did nothing? Eryan held his gaze. — We tried. — Who is "we"? Eryan didn't answer immediately. Then he looked at Kael. — Your mother. The word hung in the air. Kael felt his heart speed up. He didn't have many memories of his mother. Images. A voice. Small gestures. The scent of flowers. But never enough to reconstruct a real story. — My mother knew about your research? — She was part of it. Kael lowered his eyes slightly. — Why did no one ever tell me about this? Eryan answered softly: — Because your parents wanted you to be a child. Kael looked up. — I was ten. — Exactly. A brief silence followed. Eryan looked toward the forest. — They knew certain people were watching them. Darius immediately stepped in. — Who? — We never discovered the entire organization. — But you knew some of them. — Yes. Kael asked: — Rovenhart? Eryan shook his head. — Not directly. The answer surprised Kael. — Then who? Eryan looked toward the ruins. — People who used the same symbol as those you encountered at L-03. Darius immediately understood. — The Guardians. Eryan nodded. — An ancient branch. — The First Guardians? — That's what they called themselves. Kael crossed his arms. — Soren was one of them. Eryan's expression grew more serious. — Soren was young back then. — You know him? — I met him. — And my father? Eryan nodded. — Him too. Kael thought for a moment. — Then why did Soren say my father came here for the last time sixteen years ago? Eryan looked at him for a long moment. — Because he was telling the truth. Kael remained silent. — My father came here on the day he disappeared? — Yes. This time, even Ethan had nothing to say. Kael looked at the stone slab. — And my mother? Eryan nodded. — She was with him. The memory of rain briefly crossed Kael's mind. A carriage. A hand. A voice. Then nothing. He closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, his gaze was more determined. — What happened? Eryan looked away. — I wasn't with them when they left. Kael stared at him. — But you were here. — Yes. — Then tell me what you know. Eryan took a deep breath. — Your father asked me to stay in Lorn. — Why? — Because he knew someone would come after him. Darius looked around. — And someone did? — Yes. — Who? Eryan shook his head. — I never saw their face. Kael stepped closer. — Then how do you know they were here? — Because I heard them. — What? — A conversation. Kael waited. Eryan looked at the ruins. — Your father was speaking with someone. — About what? — You. Kael's expression changed. — Me? — Yes. Ethan took a step forward. — What was he saying? Eryan remained silent for a moment. Then he answered: — He said that if anything happened to him, you were not to be brought here until you were ready. Kael looked at the stone slab. — Yet you were waiting for me. — Because your father gave me a second instruction. — What was it? Eryan looked directly at Kael. — If you returned before finding L-03, I was to leave. Kael frowned. — And now? — Now you're here. Darius stepped in: — So he gave you conditions. — Yes. — Why? Eryan looked at Kael. — Because he knew you couldn't understand this story all at once. Kael gave a humorless smile. — That sounds like him. Ethan lowered his eyes. — Too much like him. --- Eryan approached the stone slab. He placed his palm against an almost invisible groove. — There's something you need to see. Kael moved beside him. — What? — What your father wanted to leave for you. Eryan pressed down. The slab vibrated. A circle appeared beneath their feet. Nyxara immediately rose. Her ears turned toward the ground. Kael looked at her. — Do you sense something? She stared at the stone. Then placed one paw on it. The circle lit up. A red line traveled across the ancient markings. Darius took a step forward. — Everyone back. This time, Kael didn't object. The mechanism continued to operate. Part of the slab slowly sank. A staircase appeared beneath the stone. No one spoke. Ethan looked at his brother. — You knew there was something down there? — No. Eryan shook his head. — I never opened it. Darius stared at him. — Why? — Because your father forbade me from doing so. Kael looked at the staircase. — And now? Eryan stepped back. — Now it's no longer my decision. Kael understood. He stepped toward the edge. The stairs descended into darkness. A faint red light glowed at the very bottom. Lysandra approached him. — You really want to go down there? Kael looked into the depths. Then answered: — Yes. Darius sighed. — Of course. Ethan smiled faintly. — At least this time, we know where you're going. Noah raised his hand. — I'd like to point out that I'd prefer an expedition where we actually know what we're going to find. Adrian looked at him. — You chose the wrong group. — I'm starting to realize that. Kael gave a brief smile. Then he stepped onto the first stair. Darius immediately followed. Ethan, Lysandra, Adrian, and Noah descended after them. Nyxara brought up the rear. Eryan remained above. Kael turned around. — You're not coming? — I have to stay here. — Why? Eryan looked toward the entrance. — Because your father asked me to wait here. Kael frowned. — For sixteen years? — Yes. — And now? Eryan smiled sadly. — Now I can finally stop waiting. The stone slab began to close behind them. Kael looked at Eryan one last time. Then darkness surrounded them. --- The staircase was longer than they had expected. The walls were covered in ancient inscriptions. Some were almost completely worn away. Others seemed to have been carved much more recently. Kael passed one of them. He stopped. Three circles. Veyron. Asteria. Lorn. At the center was a fourth mark. Different. Black. — Kael? He looked up. — Nothing. But he knew it wasn't nothing. They continued. After several dozen steps, the staircase opened into a vast underground chamber. At the center was a perfectly circular pool. The water was completely still. No reflection appeared on its surface. Even the red light from the walls seemed to disappear when it reached the water. Adrian stepped slightly closer. — That's strange. Noah looked at the water. — I prefer it when strange things stay far away from me. Lysandra studied the pool. — Kael. He had already moved forward. A familiar sensation passed through his mind. Just like at L-03. Just like in front of A-02. He looked at the water. Then something appeared on its surface. An image. A man. His father. Kael froze. The image wasn't a memory. It seemed to be a recording. His father stood in this very chamber. Beside him was a woman. At first, Kael could only see her back. Then she turned around. Kael stopped breathing. His mother. She was there. Alive. Right in front of him. The image trembled. His father's voice echoed through the chamber. — If you're seeing this memory, then you've finally reached L-01. Kael didn't move. The woman beside him looked directly at the recording. Then she smiled. A smile Kael didn't truly recognize. But something inside him did. Her voice echoed softly through the chamber. — Hello, Kael. The pool lit up. And for the first time in sixteen years, Kael heard his mother's voice speaking directly to him.

The One Who Waited