The snow kept falling over the North.
White flakes drifted slowly between the illuminated walls of the fortress.
The lights of the great hall still shone through the tall windows.
Music.
Laughter.
Goblets.
While the celebration carried on warmly inside...
A single figure remained outside.
Sitting atop the roof of one of the ancient wall towers.
His legs swayed lazily over the void.
The wind stirred the dark cloak that concealed part of his garments.
Beneath the fabric, the bow remained fastened to his back.
The quiver rested firmly against his shoulder.
The coin spun between his fingers.
It rose.
It fell.
Returned to his hand.
Rose again.
Karna watched the lights of the castle.
A sigh escaped him.
"While they eat..."
The coin rose once more.
"Drink."
It fell.
"And probably argue about politics..."
His fingers caught it again.
A tired smile appeared.
"I'm the one freezing on top of a roof."
The coin rose once more.
But...
It did not return.
Karna frowned.
His eyes slowly lifted.
The small coin remained suspended in the air.
Spinning on its own.
A violet glow began to run across its surface.
Silent.
Hypnotic.
For a few moments...
It simply remained there.
Then it shot forward.
Like a star tearing across the night.
Karna immediately stood.
His eyes followed the direction of the glow.
A faint smile appeared.
"So that's what he was talking about..."
Without wasting a second, he threw his body forward.
His feet touched the next rooftop.
Without slowing down.
Karna leapt over a stone chimney and planted one hand against the ledge to propel himself over the next parapet.
He landed already running.
The wind whistled around him as he crossed the rooftops of the fortress.
The coin stayed a few meters ahead.
Guiding the way.
Karna jumped across a narrow ledge.
Supported himself with only one hand against the stone.
Spun his body through the air.
Landed atop another roof.
Kept running without reducing his speed.
The silhouette disappeared and reappeared between chimneys and snow-covered structures.
The coin kept moving ahead.
Always glowing.
Always calling.
One soldier lifted his eyes from the patrol.
His expression froze.
"What the..."
The hooded figure crossed over his head in a single leap.
The man stepped back.
"Hey!"
He brought the sentinel whistle to his lips.
The sharp sound tore through the night.
Other soldiers lifted their heads.
"There!"
"On the rooftops!"
"After him!"
Karna let out a long sigh.
"Of course..."
He jumped from the final rooftop.
Landed on the snow-covered ground.
Softened the fall with a roll.
Rose in the same motion.
The coin was already moving farther ahead.
A soldier appeared directly in front of him.
His hand darted toward the hilt of his sword.
There was no time.
Karna slipped inside the man's guard.
A sharp strike hit his throat.
The soldier lost his breath.
Before he could recover his balance, an elbow met his temple.
The body collapsed unconscious into the snow.
Another appeared from the right.
The blade came down fast.
Karna leaned just enough to avoid it.
He grabbed the opponent's wrist.
Twisted.
The crack echoed.
The sword fell.
A direct kick struck the man's abdomen.
The soldier was thrown backward.
Two more advanced almost at the same time.
Karna spun on his own axis.
The first strike passed through nothing but the fabric of his hood.
His left hand redirected the armed arm.
The right struck the soldier's face.
The man staggered.
Before he even touched the ground, Karna propelled himself forward.
His knee met the second opponent's chest.
The impact dropped him instantly.
Karna landed already on top of him.
The palm of his hand came down in a short strike against the man's chin.
The soldier's head slammed against the snow-covered stone.
The body lost all strength.
Without interrupting the movement, Karna spun on his own axis.
His heel struck the side of the first man's head.
Silence.
Only the wind.
The four remained scattered across the snow.
Breathing.
But incapable of continuing.
Karna turned his eyes forward.
The coin still glowed.
Waiting for him.
"You really picked the worst night to work."
Without looking back...
He started running again.
Soon, the complex of the ancient temple emerged before him.
The wide courtyard remained silent.
Large iron braziers spread wavering light across the stone.
Ahead...
The long cracked staircase led to the top of the ancient sanctuary.
Karna slowed his pace.
His eyes followed the coin.
It slowly rose along the long staircase.
Until it stopped.
Suspended above the final step.
At the top of the staircase...
Only broken walls remained.
Gigantic marble blocks and the skeletons of a few partially shattered columns.
What once had been a temple now looked like nothing more than a monument to destruction.
Figures dressed in pale robes remained gathered before the ruin.
Arranged in a circle.
Their voices echoed softly between the broken columns.
An ancient chant crossed through the silence of the night.
Low.
Measured.
As though trying to awaken something buried beneath those stones.
Karna remained watching for a few seconds.
Then his eyes swept across the rest of the staircase.
Guards.
Many of them.
Spread throughout the courtyard, stationed along the staircase and beside the entrance to the ruins.
More than enough to prevent any discreet approach.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
His hand reached for the bow fastened to his back.
"From the number of guards..."
His fingers slid across the black bow.
His gaze returned to the top of the staircase.
Then to the priests.
Finally, to the guards.
A faint smile appeared.
"...I don't think they're handing out soup to the poor."
Without hiding his own presence, he began approaching the staircase.
One of the soldiers immediately turned his face toward him.
His hand closed around the hilt of his sword.
"Stop!"
The voice echoed through the courtyard.
Other guards lifted their heads.
"Who are you?"
Karna kept walking.
The hood concealed part of his face.
The mask hid any expression.
The soldier took another step.
"Answer!"
Karna merely lifted his eyes.
Smiled beneath the mask.
And kept advancing.
The guard drew his sword.
"Intruder!"
Karna moved.
The soldier barely had time to raise the blade.
The bow met the sword first, knocking it aside.
In the same motion, the other end struck his throat.
A short twist of the body.
The elbow hit his temple.
The man collapsed unconscious.
"Enemy!"
The warning echoed through the entire courtyard.
Swords left their sheaths.
Men ran toward Karna.
Karna spun the bow between his fingers.
His eyes followed the soldiers' advance.
"I guess this is what they call the law of return."
His hand reached the quiver.
Three arrows appeared between his fingers.
Almost in the same instant, the string was drawn.
Twang.
Twang.
Twang.
The arrows crossed through the night.
Two struck the braziers illuminating the courtyard.
The flames went out instantly.
The third knocked down another iron support, scattering embers across the snow.
Darkness consumed part of the courtyard.
"The torches!"
"Protect the priests!"
"Where did he go?!"
Some soldiers raised their swords without finding a target.
Others instinctively stepped back, trying to see through the dimness.
It was enough.
Karna had already vanished into the shadows of the complex.
Far from there...
The scent of roasted meat and hot wine mixed with the warmth of the great fireplaces in the castle's great hall.
Goblets were raised.
Laughter filled the room.
Musicians occupied one end of the hall, while nobles conversed in small groups between tables covered with long linen cloths.
The celebration continued as though nothing could disturb that night.
Seraphyne calmly brought the goblet to her lips.
Took a small sip.
Her eyes crossed the hall until they rested upon the two brothers.
Éreon and Éon remained motionless.
Silent.
Like statues among the nobility.
A discreet smile appeared on her lips.
"Curious..."
She slowly swirled the wine inside the goblet.
"There are those capable of remaining completely still..."
"...and, even so, causing so much movement."
Seated beside her, Valerion brought his own goblet to his lips.
He drank without haste.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He remained silent, observing the invisible threads of the world's flow.
They rippled chaotically around Éreon and Éon.
As though something had pulled them away from their places for a few moments.
"I wonder..."
His voice sounded calm.
"What was so precious inside that temple..."
His gaze turned toward Seraphyne.
"...that made her abandon the habit of observing the board before moving the first piece?"
Seraphyne held his gaze.
There was no irritation on her face.
Only confidence.
"There are things..."
Then she delicately rested the goblet against the arm of the seat.
"...whose price is far too high to leave in the hands of those who do not understand their value."
Valerion did not answer immediately.
His eyes returned once more to the brothers.
The thin threads of the world's flow rippled around them.
Little by little...
They returned to their natural course.
Like a river finding its own bed again.
The faint smile on his lips became slightly more visible.
Soon, he faced the Queen once more.
"Even so..."
His voice remained serene.
"I would be more careful."
One of Seraphyne's eyebrows arched.
"Does that sound like advice... or a warning?"
Valerion held her gaze.
Unshakable.
"Only a reminder."
His eyes shifted for a moment toward Éreon.
"Even the smallest flame of a young dragon..."
A brief pause.
"...is enough to set an entire forest ablaze."
A strange silence fell across the hall.
The flames in the great fireplaces swayed at the same time.
The wine resting in the goblets rippled gently.
Silverware vibrated atop the tables.
The chandeliers trembled.
The marble beneath the nobles' feet seemed to pulse for a single instant.
As though something invisible had crossed through the entire castle.
The crystal of one goblet rang softly.
Then another.
Until one of them slipped from one of the tables.
Shattering against the floor.
The sound spread through the great hall.
And every conversation ceased.
Only the crackling of the fireplaces remained.
Éon inhaled sharply.
His chest rose all at once.
His breathing became heavy.
His fingers clenched involuntarily against his own clothes while a brief tremor ran through his arms.
For a moment...
The weight of his own body seemed greater than he could bear.
Éreon's eyes immediately moved toward his brother.
Then his gaze lifted.
Meeting Seraphyne.
The Queen held his gaze without retreating.
The smile remained on her lips.
Only her fingers slowly tightened around the stem of the goblet.
Neither of them looked away.
Éreon calmly walked toward Valerion.
Stopped before the King and Queen.
Respectfully inclined his head.
"Your Majesties."
A discreet smile appeared on his lips.
"I thank you for tonight's hospitality."
His eyes shifted briefly toward Éon.
"I'm afraid my brother is still not accustomed to such... lively environments."
His voice remained serene.
Courteous.
"If you permit me, I would like to escort him to our chambers so he may rest."
Valerion observed Éon in silence.
Then turned his eyes back to Éreon.
A slight nod was enough.
"Go."
"My thanks, Your Majesty."
Éreon inclined his head once more.
Then subtly changed direction.
His steps carried him toward Lucien in the corner of the hall.
The young Marquis lifted his eyes, surprised to see him stop before him.
Éreon gently rested a hand upon his shoulder.
A cordial gesture.
Almost friendly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Before I leave..."
His eyes remained fixed on Lucien's.
"Allow me to thank you for the warm welcome."
Lucien remained motionless.
Beside him, Alaric watched the scene in absolute silence.
Éreon then turned his eyes toward Alaric.
A discreet nod of the head.
Respectful.
Nothing more.
Then he turned away.
Walked toward Éon.
As he passed him, he merely touched his arm lightly.
A brief gesture.
Almost imperceptible.
Enough to help him regain his balance.
The two walked side by side toward the great doors of the hall.
Beneath the silent gaze of all the Northern nobility.
The great black oak doors slowly opened before the two brothers.
Already near the exit, Éreon's steps ceased.
Only for an instant.
He slightly turned his face.
His eyes met Alaric's.
The violet irises glowed softly.
The pupil contracted.
Slowly stretching...
Until it took the shape of a narrow vertical slit.
A discreet smile appeared on his lips.
"ân en tôi bíōi timḗ esti. Toîs epithumoûsi tḕn emḕn zōḗn, míān mónēn antídosin apotíthemai: thánaton."
(Everything in life has its price. To those who covet my life, I reserve a single payment: death.)
The voice came out low.
Deep.
Ancient.
Alaric held that gaze.
Without understanding.
But he felt a coldness run down his spine.
Éreon's eyes moved one final time.
Resting upon Lucien.
The young Marquis subtly frowned.
His hand instinctively rose to his own chest.
As though, for a single instant...
His heart had ceased following the rest of his body.
"...?"
Alaric immediately turned toward his son.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
Lucien kept his hand against his chest.
His breathing had become strangely uneven.
Alaric's eyes immediately returned to Éreon.
For the first time, he felt he stood before something that did not belong to that world.
For one brief instant...
The two stared at one another.
Before the Marquis could say anything...
The great black oak doors closed.
The corridor sank back into silence.
Éreon resumed walking.
Éon followed beside him.
Neither of them turned their heads.
Then...
The silence shattered.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!"
The scream cut through the doors like a blade.
Raw.
Desperate.
Another scream came immediately after.
Sharper.
More painful.
"N-NO...!"
"HELP!!"
Panic spread through the hall.
Even from outside...
The echoes of those screams ran through the corridors of the fortress.
Éreon kept walking.
Without slowing his pace.
Without looking back.
Behind the doors...
The screams only grew louder.