The princess looked up at the ceiling of the vast chamber before slowly sitting down on her throne. It was soft, and she leaned back against white leather. The throne's armrests were made of leather intertwined with silk. She closed her eyes slowly and tilted her head upward. Her hands moved to the armrests of her throne, and she laid her arms down gently—her left hand clenching the edge.
She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of roses and blueberries drifting in from a garden connected to the throne room. The soft groan of wood echoed through the space, and her ears twitched slightly as she heard footsteps tapping lightly against the floor. Her eyes opened.
The morning sun glared through the tinted glass near the ceiling, casting soft light that cascaded down her body.
"Kane..." she muttered quietly. Her grip loosened on the armrest, and her hand lifted slightly as her fingers tapped against the throne slowly.
The slow, quiet tapping echoed softly as she released a small sigh and looked down at the two before her.
"Stand," she ordered.
The two brothers rose, their eyes fixed on her. Her gaze swept across the room, lingering on each of the guards before she spoke again.
"Stand down."
She watched as every guard released their grip on their swords and returned to their poised stance.
"Is what you say true?" she asked, turning her gaze to the man in the long black coat—his hair dark with streaks of white and red, and his eyes, amethyst.
"Kane Greyblood. That is the name you saw. Is that correct?"
Zay felt a breeze drift in from a nearby open door, carrying the scent of roses and blueberries. He inhaled, eyes locking with the princess's.
He lifted his right hand to his face, wiping the tears away, and nodded.
"Yes, Your Highness. That is correct."
Zay watched as the princess nodded. She pressed her lips together, then let them pout slightly, her teeth catching the edge of her mouth. It was clear—her thoughts were running deep.
"My name is Selene Vy, the only princess of the Vy household. The current ruler of Mivor," the princess said, her eyes locking with the brothers. This time, it felt as though she was staring through them both—seeing beyond, not merely at them.
"Kane and I... share a... unique history."
Silence lingered for several seconds as the breeze from the open door drifted past the brothers.
"I'll grant you both access to the Archives of Aura."
Her mouth remained open for a few seconds longer, as if she wanted to say more—but chose not to. Instead, Selene rose from her throne and walked through the chamber, exiting through the large wooden doors and leaving the two brothers in the throne room with the guards.
She turned down a long hallway, where guards lined the walls every few feet. At the end, a staircase with red carpet curled upward. She ascended, the velvet was soft beneath her bare feet—she never wore shoes in the comfort of her home.
At the top, she paused. Her eyes closed for a split second, letting darkness wash over her vision before she opened them. She shook her head gently, then looked out a nearby window. A dark blue tint shaded the glass as a garden of flowers bloomed just beyond. She smiled softly.
Looking forward again, she walked down another hallway and stopped at a door. Her left hand reached out, gripped the doorknob, and twisted. The lock released with a shimmer of golden aura, and she stepped inside.
Selene approached a shelf where a single key sat, nestled between books on both sides.
She picked it up and looked down at it. Her hair fell slightly as her gaze followed the key. Flipping it over in her hand, she saw her name etched into the metal. She held it tightly. The key vanished within her grasp.
Selene exited the room and closed the door behind her. A soft click marked the lock's return. She made her way back down the hallway, descended the stairs, and returned to the throne room. The two brothers were still there. She walked toward them.
Zay watched as her hair fell around her. She raised her right hand and tucked it behind her ears, then looked up at him before extending her hand toward him.
Selene unfolded her palm, revealing a shining key with her name etched into the metal.
"This is my personal key... to access the Archives. Return it to me in one week," she said, a smile appearing on her face—happy to help someone who had suffered at the hands of that bastard.
"Thank you," Zay said softly as he slowly took the key from her hand and clenched his fist to keep it secure.
Her smile faded as her eyes locked with Zay's.
"If I don't have this key back in my hand within that time... you won't be leaving alive."
Silence followed once more, until she smiled again and let out a soft giggle. Selene walked past them and sat back down on her throne. She leaned backed against the white leather and placed her arms on the throne's armrests, crossing one leg over the other.
The world around her began to blur as she closed her eyes, and darkness took over.
Zay and Renzo looked at each other for a moment. They exhaled slowly and turned around, their footsteps soft against the violet carpet as they left the chamber. The silver-armored guard who had escorted them in now led them out.
The moment they stepped out of the castle, the giant door slammed shut behind them.
Renzo looked over at Zay. His eyes flicked down to the key in Zay's hand for just a second before looking away.
"Why did you lie to her?"
Zay stood beside his brother in silence, then sighed softly and turned to face him.
"Did you want me to tell her the truth?"
Renzo shook his head. "What truth? Even I don't know why we're here. I'd love to know the actual truth, instead of always following you blindly."
He turned to face Zay fully.
Renzo wasn't sure what he felt. He had followed Zay without question, but ever since the second sequence, he refused to believe it was all simply because of some 'I read it in a book' excuse that Zay always gave him. He needed to know the truth for himself. How did Zay know the things he knew?
Renzo was curious. He was worried—about how easily Zay could perform torture, about his brother… but also about himself. Being around Zay, would he turn into whatever this was? He wasn't sure.
What he did know was this:
He couldn't trust his brother completely anymore. No matter how bad he wanted to trust him.
Zay stood motionless for a moment, thinking... yet no words formed on his lips.
He wanted to tell Renzo. He thought maybe it was a good idea—but another thought crept in.
'I can't tell him the truth. If I did, he'd only take it as an excuse. I can't exactly go around saying, "I've lived this! Trust me! I know where to go!" as much as I'd like to. If I did that... he'd probably trust me even less.'
Conflicting thoughts filled his mind—telling his brother the truth, or keeping it buried. After another minute of silence, he said nothing at all. Instead, he turned and walked away, heading toward the archives.
Renzo watched as Zay descended the marble stairs in silence. The morning light streamed down upon them. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, the sound of his own heavy breathing filling the air. When he opened his eyes again, he followed behind Zay—just as a faint rustle of curtains echoed loudly behind them.
Renzo turned to glance back at the castle. One of the curtains of a second-floor window was swaying, as if someone had just been there. Yet, he saw no one at all. Pushing the thought aside for now, Renzo continued on with Zay as they made their way to the Archives of Aura.
As the brothers made their way through the town of Ruvy, they approached a tower hidden behind a tall medical building. As they neared the entrance, two guards standing out front unsheathed their swords, pointing the blades at them with practiced precision.
One of the guards spoke while the other remained silent.
"Leave this area!"
His voice was lighter than either brother had expected from a guard in a country like this. Despite the softness, his tone carried authority—firm, with a hint of finality.
Zay exhaled slowly and opened his palm, revealing the key Selene had given him. The guards glanced at it, but it seemed as if they had no reaction to seeing the key at all. Then, the sun caught the metal at just the right angle, illuminating the etched name: Selene Vy.
The guards exchanged a quick glance before sheathing their weapons, realizing that no one could possess that key unless the princess herself had entrusted it to them. They stepped aside, facing one another as they moved away from the door.
Zay was the first to move. His boot struck the stone with a louder thud than before, echoing slightly as he walked forward. He stopped in front of the massive stone doors, scanning their surface until he found the keyhole.
'There it is', he thought.
He inserted the key and turned it in a full rotation. The stone rumbled deeply, groaning under its own weight as the doors parted at the center, swinging open to both sides.