"I believe your fart," Kael said flatly. "Are you even strong enough to kill him?" His gaze dropped to Ramos’s frail frame. The old man’s back was bent, making him half Kael’s height. He leaned heavily on his staff as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. Ramos’s expression darkened. "Brat. Do you dare question me? Do you even know who I am?" "You were someone great in the past," Kael replied. "But in the present, maybe you shouldn’t go around telling stories about peaks that have already crumbled." Ramos’s jaw clenched. For a moment it looked like he might unleash a string of curses, but instead he closed his eyes and took a slow breath. "Calm down," he muttered to himself. "This idiot doesn’t understand." After a long pause, he opened his eyes again. His voice was steady when he spoke. "I want you to come with me. There’s somewhere we need to visit." Kael raised an eyebrow. "Visit where?" "You’ll find out when we get there," Ramos said with a small smile. Kael looked at that smile and felt uneasy. To him, it seemed less like mystery and more like trouble waiting to happen. Kael spent the rest of the day asking about Emilia’s well-being, listening to her talk while keeping things light so she would not feel pressured. Elfie, the small baby dragon, hopped on his shoulder and occasionally curled around his neck like a scarf, making Lyria glance at them with her usual quiet expression. Later, he joined Lyria for sword training in the courtyard. The sound of their blades clashing echoed across the grounds, and the afternoon passed quickly. The next morning, Ramos called for him. Following Ramos’s instructions, Kael dressed in plain, unremarkable clothes. A few guards also accompanied them, dressed the same way to avoid attention. Without any carriages or banners, they left the estate on foot. The streets were busy with early traders, workers, and vendors calling out their wares. Kael walked beside Ramos, wondering where they were going. They passed through several districts, the crowd thinning as they moved farther from the city center. Eventually, they reached the rear side of the massive Imperial Walls. Kael frowned and slowed his pace. "What are we doing here?" he asked quietly, his eyes tracing the towering stone above them. Ramos didn’t answer. Instead, he walked toward a small, guarded post. A pair of soldiers stood there, their posture stiff. The moment they saw Ramos, they straightened even more and gave a respectful salute. Without a word, one of the soldiers stepped forward and opened a narrow back door built into the wall. Inside, the air was cooler and smelled faintly of old stone. The corridor was dimly lit with lanterns, their soft light flickering against walls carved with intricate designs. The pathway was narrow at first, then opened into a wider hall lined with polished black stone. Strange runes glimmered faintly on the walls and floor. Kael slowed his steps, his eyes scanning the markings. "These are... traps," he muttered under his breath. From the way they were arranged, he could tell that if triggered, they would unleash devastating force. The deeper they went, the heavier the atmosphere became. The air was so still it felt like even sound was reluctant to travel here. It was the kind of place where a wrong move could seal your fate instantly. At the end of the corridor, Kael saw another figure waiting. Like Ramos, the man appeared old and frail. He had a thin frame, his shoulders slightly hunched, but there was something about his presence that made Kael stop. "Who is he?" Kael whispered, his voice low. He was about to say "another old man" in his usual blunt tone, but something in the stranger’s eyes made him hold back. There was authority there, the kind that came from decades of command. Even weakened by age, the man radiated a quiet but undeniable threat. Before Ramos could answer, the man spoke. His voice was calm but carried weight. "Hello, kid. I am a friend of Ramos, and the keeper of this place’s secrets. You can call me Uncle Ed." Ramos gave a small sigh, but Kael didn’t miss the way his gaze sharpened for a moment. The old man’s laugh was short and quiet, but it carried an edge. Kael stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Hello, Uncle Ed. It is a pleasure to meet you." His tone was respectful, but his eyes were alert. Ed’s lips curved into a faint smile. "What a good kid. Children of Veydrin’s bloodline are always something else. Strong, sharp, and well-mannered." His gaze seemed to weigh Kael carefully. "Excellent genes indeed." Ramos snorted. "You say that as if your children are lacking." Ed ignored the jab, his focus still on Kael. "I heard you have met Princess Cassendra," he said casually. Kael blinked. "Cassendra...?" He tilted his head in thought. "I have not met her. Are you sure you are not mistaken?" "I see," Ed murmured, clicking his tongue softly. "That is unfortunate." Kael opened his mouth to ask why, but before he could speak, Ed simply waved a hand as if dismissing the subject. Instead, he reached into his robes and pulled out an old, silver key. Without any explanation, he stepped toward an empty section of the wall and pressed the key forward into thin air. The sound that followed was low and deep, like the rumble of distant thunder. The space in front of them shimmered, as if the air itself was bending. Then came a faint vibration beneath their feet. Kael’s breath caught in his throat. He could feel the pull of energy ahead, something ancient and carefully contained. The distortion in the air twisted slowly, forming faint ripples like water disturbed by a stone. A cold current brushed against his skin, and instinct made him step back slightly. "What is this...?" he murmured, his voice almost lost in the hum of the shifting space. Ramos, standing beside him, only gave a small smile, though his eyes remained serious. The air thickened as the ripples in front of them began to stabilize. Kael realized he was holding his breath and forced himself to inhale slowly. The old stone walls around them seemed to groan in response to the strain of whatever force was being called into play. When the distortion deepened into a swirling vortex, Kael’s eyes widened. He could feel the unnatural pull from it, a tug on his very core. It wasn’t violent, but it was undeniable, like a tide drawing everything toward its depths. His hand unconsciously drifted toward the hilt of his sword, his instincts telling him to be ready for anything.