The pool continued to glow. Kael still didn't move. He stared at the image as if he were afraid that a single movement might make it disappear. His mother. After sixteen years of silence. After incomplete memories. After all the theories he had built from a handful of letters, old reports, and contradictory testimonies. She was there. Not as a memory. Not as an illusion. As an image she had deliberately left behind. Lysandra took a step toward Kael. But she stopped a few feet away. She knew he needed this moment. Ethan couldn't even look away. — It's really her... His voice was barely audible. Kael didn't answer. The recording continued. Kael's mother stood beside his father. She looked younger than she had in the few memories Kael could recall. Her hair was loosely tied behind her head. She wore a simple dark outfit, without any sign of nobility. But her eyes were exactly as Kael had imagined them without ever being able to properly remember them. Gentle. Attentive. And strangely familiar. She looked at her husband. — Are you sure he'll be able to see this memory? Kael's father nodded. — If the system works as intended. — And if it doesn't? — Then he'll never see it. She remained silent for a few seconds. Then smiled. — You've always been very reassuring. Her husband gave her a faint smile. Something tightened in Kael's chest. He recognized that expression. Not from a specific memory. But from something deeper. The way his father smiled when he was with his mother. The same expression Kael had sometimes seen during his childhood. His mother's voice continued: — We don't have much time. His father nodded. — I know. The image trembled slightly. As if the recording was struggling to remain stable. Then his mother looked forward again. Toward Kael. — If you're seeing this memory, it means you've grown up. Kael lowered his eyes slightly. That simple sentence affected him more than all the revelations before it. She knew he would grow up. She had prepared this message for him. She had thought about him while he was still a child. — I don't know how old you'll be when you find us, she continued. But I hope you've had a happy life. Kael closed his eyes for a second. His breathing slowed. Darius noticed immediately. He said nothing. He simply remained nearby. The voice continued: — If you've made it this far, then you've probably already discovered some things. Kael's mother gave a small smile. — And you're probably very angry. Noah lowered his eyes. Even he had nothing to say. — You were always curious, Kael. A fleeting image crossed the young patriarch's mind. A bedroom. Books scattered across the floor. A small hand trying to reach something placed too high. His mother laughing. Then the memory disappeared. Kael opened his eyes again. The recording continued: — You must be wondering why we never explained anything to you. This time, Kael whispered: — Yes. The image didn't react. Of course. It couldn't hear him. Yet a few seconds later, his mother seemed to answer. — We wanted to protect you. Kael slightly clenched his fingers. — I know... Ethan turned his head toward him. But Kael wasn't looking at anyone. His attention remained entirely focused on the pool. His father spoke then. — We discovered that the systems beneath Asteria, Veyron, and Lorn were not independent. Kael straightened. Lysandra also watched the image. — They were built at different times, but they belong to the same structure. His father placed a hand on an old table visible behind him. — A structure much older than our families. Darius frowned. — Older than the Veyrons... Ethan murmured: — Then who built it? Kael's father continued: — We still don't know its true origin. His mother spoke again. — But we discovered something else. She looked at her husband. He nodded. — The three sites aren't simply connected. He paused. — They form a path. Kael instinctively looked at the symbol that had appeared earlier on the staircase. Veyron. Asteria. Lorn. Three circles. Three places. The same system. His mother continued: — Each site preserves part of what happened. — Asteria preserves the records. — Veyron preserves the origin. — And Lorn... She stopped. Her expression changed. For the first time, Kael saw fear in her eyes. — Lorn preserves what was forgotten. The pool trembled slightly. Kael took a step forward. — What was forgotten? This time, his voice echoed throughout the chamber. The image didn't answer immediately. Then his father spoke. — We discovered that certain people had tried to use this system long before us. Darius frowned. — The First Guardians... Kael said nothing. He already knew. But his father added something they had never heard before. — They weren't the first. Silence fell. Lysandra suddenly looked up. Adrian crossed his arms. Noah whispered: — Then who was? The image trembled. The light from the pool weakened. Kael stepped closer. — No. His mother's voice became quieter. — Kael... He froze. — If you've made it this far, then there's something you need to understand. The image of his parents began to distort. — We didn't die in the accident. Kael stopped breathing. Ethan suddenly straightened. Darius took a step toward them. — What...? His mother's voice continued. — The accident was real. His father continued: — But it wasn't the cause of our disappearance. Kael remained completely still. All those years. Every time he had imagined what happened. Every time he had accepted the idea that the carriage had simply gone off the road during the storm. It wasn't that simple. His mother looked toward the recording one last time. — We had to leave. — Why? Kael asked. This time, the image cut out. The pool went dark. — No. Kael immediately stepped closer. — Wait. There was no response. He held one hand above the water. A red light appeared beneath his palm. The pool lit up again. But the image had changed. His father was now alone. He looked more tired. Older. And most importantly... there was a wound on his arm. Kael stared at him. His father was looking at someone off-screen. — They've found us. Darius straightened. — Who? The man in the recording continued: — We don't have much time left. He placed something on the table. A small metal plate. The same type they had discovered at Veyron and Asteria. But this one carried a different inscription. L-01 Kael felt his heart begin to race. His father continued: — If you're here, then someone else probably already knows this place exists. He looked directly toward the recording. — Don't trust anyone who claims to know the whole truth. Kael frowned. — Even Eryan? The image didn't answer. But his father continued: — Some people will help you. — Others will try to use you. — And some will sincerely believe they're acting for your own good when they're actually wrong. The image trembled. Then a voice echoed from behind him. An unfamiliar voice. — They're coming. His father turned around. Kael froze. Someone was standing in the room. Their face couldn't be seen. Only a silhouette. His father immediately picked up the metal plate. — Then it's time. Kael's mother appeared in the frame. She looked at her husband. Then turned toward the recording. — Kael. The light from the pool began to fade. — We don't know if we'll be able to come back. Her voice trembled slightly. — But if we don't... She paused. Then smiled. A sad smile. — Know that we have always loved you. Kael lowered his head. He didn't speak. Ethan looked away. Darius remained beside him. Lysandra simply placed a hand on his arm. Kael didn't pull away. His mother's voice continued one last time: — And take care of Ethan. Ethan closed his eyes. — Please... His father placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. — It's time. The image blurred. Then Kael's mother looked toward the recording one last time. — Maybe we'll see each other again. The pool went dark. This time, completely. No one spoke. Kael remained standing in front of the black water. He had finally received the answer he had been searching for all these years. His parents hadn't died in the accident. But he still didn't know where they had gone. Or why they had been forced to disappear. Or who had been chasing them. He slowly wiped his eyes before anyone could see the emotion there. Darius took a step toward him. — Kael... Kael raised a hand. Not to push him away. Simply asking him to wait. He took a deep breath. Then turned toward the others. His expression was different. Not cold. Not empty. Determined. — They were alive when this recording was made. Darius nodded. — Yes. Ethan looked at the pool. — Then we can still find them. Kael looked at him. — Yes. A faint smile appeared on his face. Not a happy smile. But one filled with a new certainty. For the first time in sixteen years, he wasn't trying to understand how his parents had died. He needed to discover where they had gone. And why they had never returned. Above them, somewhere in the forest of Lorn, a deep rumble echoed. Nyxara immediately raised her head. Darius turned around. — Something's coming. Kael looked at the staircase. Then at the pool. One final red line appeared across the floor. L-01 — SECONDARY ACCESS ACTIVATED Kael frowned. — It's not over. The light spread through the walls. Then a door appeared at the far end of the chamber. A door none of them had noticed before. Darius drew his weapon. Kael stepped forward. — This time, we stay together. Lysandra nodded. Ethan moved to his side. Adrian and Noah prepared themselves as well. Nyxara bared her teeth. Kael placed his hand on the handle. And somewhere behind that door... something had just awakened.

Hello, Kael