Kael read the message again.
**Come to the old watchtower outside Ironbrook tomorrow night. Come alone.**
He turned the paper over.
Nothing.
No explanation.
No name.
Only the strange eye-like symbol at the bottom.
Kael looked at the mark on his hand. The blue light had already disappeared, leaving his skin normal again.
He frowned.
"You're really making this difficult."
He folded the message and placed it inside his bag.
Then he sat on the bed.
He had no intention of blindly walking into a trap.
That much he had learned during his time in Mistwood.
If the hooded man wanted him there, there was probably a reason.
The problem was that Kael couldn't ignore the opportunity.
The man had mentioned his parents.
The guild master had mentioned the Voidborn.
And now someone was inviting him directly to an old watchtower.
Kael leaned back.
"I'll go."
After a moment, he added,
"But not alone."
---
The next morning, Ironbrook was still recovering from the attack.
Workers were repairing damaged buildings while guards patrolled the streets.
The Adventurer Guild was busier than usual.
Kael entered the guild and immediately saw Serena sitting at a table with breakfast.
She looked up.
"You're late."
Kael sat across from her.
"Good morning to you too."
"You look tired."
"I didn't sleep much."
Serena narrowed her eyes.
"Why?"
Kael hesitated.
He had planned to tell her.
There was no point hiding it.
He took the folded message from his bag and placed it on the table.
Serena read it.
Her expression changed.
"Absolutely not."
Kael blinked.
"I haven't even said anything."
"You don't need to."
She put the paper down.
"You're thinking about going."
"Yes."
"Alone?"
"No."
Serena looked slightly relieved.
"Good."
Kael smiled.
"I was thinking of taking you."
She stared at him.
"You really know how to make people worry."
"I thought you'd want to know."
"I do."
She folded the paper.
"But we're not going tonight without preparing."
Kael nodded.
"I agree."
Serena leaned closer.
"What does the guild master know about the watchtower?"
"I haven't asked."
"Then that's where we start."
---
They found the guild master in his office.
He was reading reports about the attack when Kael placed the message on his desk.
The guild master stared at it.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
"You received this?"
Kael nodded.
"Last night."
"And you're planning to go?"
"Yes."
The guild master sighed.
"I knew you would."
Serena crossed her arms.
"Where is the old watchtower?"
The guild master stood and walked toward the map.
He pointed to a location west of Ironbrook.
"About an hour and a half on horseback."
Kael looked at the map.
"What's there?"
"Nothing now."
"Nothing?"
"It was once part of Ironbrook's old defensive line. The tower hasn't been used for decades."
"Why was it abandoned?"
The guild master hesitated.
"Because people started disappearing."
Kael's expression became serious.
"How many?"
"Seven."
Serena frowned.
"Adventurers?"
"Some. Travelers too."
Kael looked at the map again.
"When did it happen?"
"About thirty years ago."
"Was the symbol involved?"
The guild master looked at him.
"Yes."
Silence.
Kael slowly exhaled.
"So this has been happening for a long time."
"Longer than you realize."
The guild master opened a drawer and pulled out an old key.
He placed it on the table.
"There is a basement beneath the tower."
Kael looked at the key.
"The entrance is locked."
"Why tell us?"
"Because if you are going there anyway, I'd rather you have a way out."
Serena picked up the key.
"Is there anything we should know?"
The guild master looked at her.
"Don't trust anything you see inside."
Kael frowned.
"That's vague."
"It's supposed to be."
The guild master turned back toward his desk.
"And Kael?"
Kael stopped.
"If the hooded man appears..."
"Yes?"
"Don't fight him."
Kael looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because if he wanted you dead, I don't think you'd still be alive."
That answer stayed in Kael's mind as he left the office.
---
They spent most of the day preparing.
Kael checked his sword.
The small crack near the guard had gotten slightly worse after the fight with the creature.
Serena noticed.
"You need a new one."
"I know."
They returned to the dwarf's weapon shop.
The same old dwarf looked up.
"Back already?"
Kael placed his sword on the counter.
"It's damaged."
The dwarf examined it.
"Hm."
He turned the blade over.
"You've been fighting something strong."
"An ogre."
The dwarf looked at him.
"You fought an ogre with this?"
"Not alone."
"Good."
He tapped the damaged part.
"This won't survive many more heavy impacts."
Kael nodded.
"Do you have anything similar?"
"Something better."
The dwarf disappeared into the back.
A few moments later, he returned carrying a sword wrapped in cloth.
He placed it on the counter.
Kael unwrapped it.
The sword was simple.
No fancy decorations.
The blade was slightly longer than his old one, and the grip felt balanced in his hand.
Kael swung it lightly.
It moved smoothly.
He looked at the dwarf.
"How much?"
The dwarf named a price.
Kael paid.
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"That's most of what you earned from the last few quests."
Kael looked at the sword.
"Then I'll earn more."
The dwarf smiled.
"That's the right attitude."
Kael carefully placed his old sword into his bag.
He wasn't ready to throw it away.
It had been with him for twelve years.
Serena noticed.
"Keeping it?"
"Of course."
"Even if you don't use it?"
"Maybe someday."
She smiled.
"Fair enough."
---
Night came quickly.
Kael and Serena left Ironbrook just before sunset.
They rode toward the old watchtower.
Neither talked much during the journey.
The road gradually became narrower.
The trees grew thicker.
Eventually, Serena pointed ahead.
"There."
Kael saw it.
The old watchtower stood on top of a small hill.
Parts of the stone walls had collapsed.
Vines covered the lower section.
The tower itself leaned slightly to one side.
Kael dismounted.
"This place looks abandoned."
Serena tied her horse to a tree.
"That's what they want you to think."
Kael looked at her.
"You're becoming suspicious."
"I learned from you."
They approached the tower.
The wooden door was already open.
Kael stopped.
"I don't like that."
"Neither do I."
They drew their swords.
Inside was dark.
Kael lit a small lantern.
Dust covered the floor.
There were old tables, broken chairs, and several empty shelves.
Nothing moved.
Serena looked around.
"There's no sign anyone has been here recently."
Kael crouched.
He touched the floor.
"Actually..."
He pointed.
Footprints.
Fresh ones.
Serena crouched beside him.
"Two people."
Kael looked farther ahead.
"They go deeper."
They followed the tracks.
The tower's interior was surprisingly large.
They found an old staircase leading downward.
Kael looked at Serena.
"The basement."
She nodded.
They descended.
The air became colder.
At the bottom was a stone door.
There was a small metal lock.
Kael took out the key.
It fit perfectly.
He looked at Serena.
"Ready?"
"Not really."
Kael smiled.
"Me neither."
He unlocked the door.
It opened slowly.
A long corridor stretched ahead.
The walls were covered in old markings.
Kael raised the lantern.
His expression changed.
The eye symbol appeared again.
Hundreds of them.
Serena whispered,
"How old is this place?"
"I don't know."
Kael stepped forward.
The mark on his hand suddenly began glowing.
Blue light spread across the corridor.
One symbol after another began lighting up.
Serena looked at him.
"Kael..."
"I know."
The glowing symbols formed a path.
At the end of it stood a large stone door.
Kael walked toward it.
As he got closer, the blue mark on his hand became brighter.
Then he heard a voice.
"You're early."
Kael stopped.
Serena raised her sword.
A man stepped out from the darkness.
Black cloak.
Hidden face.
The hooded man.
Kael's grip tightened.
"You."
The man looked at Serena.
"I told you to come alone."
Kael stepped forward.
"She stays."
The hooded man was silent.
Then he laughed softly.
"You're different from your father."
Kael froze.
Serena looked at him.
"What did you say?"
Kael's voice became quiet.
"You knew my father."
The hooded man didn't answer.
Kael took another step.
"You knew my parents."
"I did."
"Where are they?"
The man looked at him.
"That's the first question you ask?"
Kael's eyes hardened.
"Yes."
The man seemed almost disappointed.
"I expected something else."
"Answer me."
"You've grown."
"I don't care about that."
Kael's voice rose.
"I want to know where they are."
The hooded man slowly lowered his head.
"I can't tell you."
Kael tightened his grip.
"Can't?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because you still don't understand what you are."
Kael glanced at the symbols surrounding them.
"Then tell me."
The hooded man raised his hand.
The same eye symbol appeared.
Kael's hand reacted immediately.
Blue light spread across his arm.
Pain shot through him.
Kael dropped to one knee.
"Kael!"
Serena rushed toward him.
The hooded man didn't move.
"Don't touch him."
Serena ignored him.
She grabbed Kael's shoulder.
"What's happening?"
Kael gritted his teeth.
"I don't know."
The blue light became stronger.
Images flashed through Kael's mind.
A burning village.
Two figures running through the darkness.
A woman holding a baby.
A man standing behind them with a sword.
Then—
A massive black shape in the sky.
Kael gasped.
The images disappeared.
He fell forward.
Serena caught him.
"Kael!"
He breathed heavily.
His hand was still glowing.
The hooded man stared at him.
"Your memories are beginning to return."
Kael slowly looked up.
"What did I just see?"
"Fragments."
"Of my past?"
"Yes."
Kael stood with Serena's help.
"Tell me the truth."
The hooded man was silent.
Then he finally said,
"Your parents weren't ordinary people."
Kael waited.
"They were searching for something."
"What?"
The hooded man looked toward the massive stone door behind him.
"The place where the first Voidborn was born."
Kael stared.
"The first..."
Before he could finish, the entire underground chamber shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The hooded man's expression changed.
"That's not supposed to happen."
Serena raised her sword.
"What is it?"
A deep rumbling sound came from behind the stone door.
Kael stared at it.
The blue symbols surrounding them began flickering.
The hooded man stepped backward.
"We have to leave."
Kael looked at him.
"You said you wanted me here."
"I did."
"Then what's wrong?"
The hooded man looked at the door.
Something struck it from the other side.
**BOOM.**
A crack appeared.
The hooded man's voice became serious.
"Because something else came here with you."
Another impact.
**BOOM.**
The stone door cracked further.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
Serena moved beside him.
"What is behind that door?"
The hooded man looked at Kael.
"I don't know."
For the first time since Kael had met him, the man sounded genuinely afraid.
The door began to break apart.
And from the darkness beyond it came a voice.
A voice that sounded almost exactly like Kael's.
**"Finally."**
---
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