The tense features of Nahira's and Arius's faces surfaced together, anxiety creeping into their conversation like a shadow that never leaves the light. Arius sighed and said, trying to grasp the situation:
"Fine… I will keep the secret, but how long will your sister stay here?"
Nahira answered him with a grimace, as if despair had firmly taken root in her heart: "Unfortunately… it seems she will never leave."
Arius shuddered, his words escaping in a suppressed fury: "Damn it… at this rate, we are finished!"
Nahira turned to him, her tone a mixture of terror and caution: "The secret must not be exposed no matter what happens; my sister must not know anything."
Suddenly, Nahira's sister entered the hall with confident strides and shouted: "I don't know anything!"
Nahira froze, and Arius stopped moving, shock paralyzing their eyes, as they had never anticipated this possibility.
The girl walked with cold confidence, approaching them slowly, filled with arrogance and prestige: "I don't know anything, my dear sister?"
Nahira trembled and replied quickly: "N... No, I just wanted to give you a surprise… but you entered at the wrong time."
The girl smiled mockingly: "I always enter at the wrong time."
Then her gaze shifted to Arius, cold eyes carrying a wild curiosity: "And who is this?"
Confused, Nahira pointed at Arius: "Oh… sister, this is my servant and right hand, Arius… the best and strongest of those who serve me."
The girl smiled, her gaze penetrating him shamelessly: "Why are you looking away from me?"
Arius stammered in response: "N... No… I just suffer from social anxiety, and I cannot stare into people's eyes for long."
The girl laughed softly: "Ooh, so honest and simple as well."
Arius gave a faint but respectful smile: "Thank you for the compliment, my lady… but it is best that I leave now."
Arius tried to move toward the exit, but the girl stopped him: "Stop!"
Arius paused, his expression bewildered, and then the girl said: "You didn't ask for my name."
Arius looked at her apologetically: "I apologize if I was ignorant in this… I am sorry, I did not pay attention."
The girl smiled with pride and dignity: "My name is Clarice… Clarice, don't you dare forget it, do you understand?"
Arius looked at the ground, then whispered: "Of course… I won't forget it."
He excused himself and hurried to leave the hall, while Clarice's eyes followed his every step out of the place, filled with a curiosity and mystery that provoked interest and danger at the same time.
A heavy silence hung between Clarice and Nahira after Arius left, before Clarice broke the stillness in a scrutinizing tone that carried a natural arrogance:
"Tell me… what is the story of this young man? He seems strange; I haven't seen him before."
Nahira put on a fake smile, hiding a suppressed terror behind it:
"Oh, don't mind him… he is just one of my loyal followers. Merely a servant… don't trouble your mind with him."
Clarice replied coldly: "Ha… so that's how it is."
Then she turned and left the hall in complete silence, as if she was holding something in her mind but refused to disclose it.
Outside, Ramin and one of the advisors were standing by a large gate, watching a massive cargo being transported out of the palace: provisions, weapon crates, and various supplies being sent to other continents to support the soldiers deployed there. Things were moving in a strict order.
At that moment, Arius emerged from the hall, still slightly tense from the previous encounter, before spotting Ramin from afar.
He waved his hand and called out: "Ramin!"
But Ramin heard nothing amidst the noise of the wagons and soldiers.
Arius sighed: "It seems my voice isn't reaching him… fine, I will leave him to his work."
He lowered his eyes slightly: "Now I must head toward the military camp… I need to speak with Kane regarding Rouge."
His voice faded into the air, and then he activated his teleportation technique. In an instant, his body vanished from the spot.
Arius appeared atop a mountain peak, the wind slapping his face fiercely, and the sky stretching out like the page of an open book. He took a massive leap, landing at the edge of the military camp where banners fluttered, the sounds of training echoed, and the smell of hot dust filled the air.
Some soldiers stopped him, so he raised his hand calmly:
"I am here to see Kane."
The soldiers looked at each other, then one of them rushed away. After a few minutes, he returned, gesturing with his hand: "Go ahead, Commander Kane is waiting for you."
Arius entered the spacious command tent, where Kane was standing before a massive map. Kane raised his head the moment he saw Arius and gave an inquiring smile:
"Tell me, Arius… have you changed your mind? Have you decided to join us?"
Arius answered without hesitation:
"No… I still hold my position."
Then he took a step closer: "But I am here for another matter… I hope you will listen to it carefully."
Kane's eyebrows shot up, and bewilderment was clear on his face as he sat opposite him:
"Go ahead… tell me, what do you want to say?"
They sat together, Kane's gaze focused, waiting.
Arius took a slow breath, his voice becoming low and heavy:
"The matter… is so important that it cannot be delayed. So listen to me carefully…"
The sentence paused there, charged with a tension that precedes the revelation of truth. Arius leaned forward slightly, as if the words were heavy in his chest and required strength to push out:
"Listen to me, Kane… as you know, you are fighting a losing war."
Kane raised an eyebrow and was about to object, but Arius raised his hand quickly:
"Let me finish."
Kane fell silent, taking a calm breath:
"Fine… as you wish."
Arius continued in a low but sharp voice:
"Look, Kane… as you know, within your army there is a young girl… Rouge."
Kane nodded: "Yes, what about her? She is a good girl and everyone loves her."
Arius looked aside, as if mentioning her stirred something painful inside him:
"Yes, you are right… she is wonderful, and I bear witness to that personally. But… it makes absolutely no sense for a girl who hasn't even passed thirteen to be in the middle of a revolutionary army threatened with collapse at any moment."
Kane narrowed his eyes, his tone becoming more cautious:
"And what are you implying?"
Arius fixed his gaze into Kane's eyes and said without hesitation:
"I want… to save that girl."
Kane was bewildered: "What exactly do you mean?"
Arius breathed deeply, as if a memory was passing through his mind:
"As you know… I caught a glimpse of her past. I learned that she has suffered greatly since her childhood… and has never lived a decent life. Therefore… I want to fulfill her wish, distance her from all this ruin, and make her forget her past."
Kane sat in silence, thinking deeply, then said slowly:
"And what exactly will you do?"
Arius replied without hesitation:
"I will take her away from this place… I will send her to another planet, far from the war, far from the violence. And as you know… she is among the wanted. Her presence here is a severe danger to her."
Between every sentence, Arius's tone carried a clear determination…
The determination of a man who finally understood that some young souls should not be left to wither on the battlefields.
Kane raised his eyebrows, suspicion starting to creep into his voice:
"And do you think… she will agree?"
Arius replied with complete confidence:
"Of course she will agree… she came to me herself and told me so."
Kane shook his head slightly:
"Fine… if that is the case."
Then he gestured to his soldiers: "Call the girl Rouge immediately."
Moments later, Rouge entered with light steps, saluting respectfully:
"Commander Kane… Master Arius… may I enter?"
Kane spoke to her with parental gentleness:
"Come in, my daughter… Rouge, do you agree to what Master Arius wants?"
Her features froze slightly:
"Agree to what?"
Arius looked at her in astonishment, as if someone had snatched the reality right out of his head:
"What… you told me?"
Rouge tilted her head slightly, looking genuinely puzzled:
"And what did I tell you?"
Arius's pulse quickened for a moment, feeling a cold chill down his spine:
"What you said to me… in my room today…"
Rouge stared at him, her voice honest and innocent to the point of embarrassment:
"Master… I don't understand. Are you joking with me? I haven't even seen you today."
Shock placed its hand on Arius's head; he raised his hand to wipe his face, his words completely lost:
"What…?"
Then he said in a voice draining of certainty:
"Fine… let's drop that. What about you? Do you agree to leave this place?"
Rouge knitted her brows innocently:
"And why would I leave? I love this place… and I love my friends in the army."
Kane turned toward Arius, looking concerned:
"Tell me, Arius… what has come over you? Are you alright?"
Arius stood up suddenly, a faint smile on his face of unknown origin:
"Excuse me… I must be a little tired."
Then he added in an attempt to maintain composure:
"Anyway… tell her what I told you, and let me know later."
Without waiting for an answer, he activated his technique, light rippling around his body, and then—
He vanished.
He left Kane and Rouge standing in complete silence…
Staring at the spot where he had disappeared, expressions of bewilderment covering their faces.
As if something… incomprehensible… had begun to creep into the course of events. Arius teleported to one of the quiet corridors of the palace, the ivory walls reflecting his shadows as he walked with tense strides. He placed his hand behind his head, muttering in a low voice, almost a furious whisper:
"What is going on…? If that wasn't Rouge… then who was in my room?"
He stopped for a moment, his eyes widening sharply:
"Damn it… it must be someone who knows that I know about the revolutionary army."
A cold shiver passed down his spine as he imagined the possibilities:
"And if they know that… they might tell Nahira… and then I will be in big trouble… very big trouble."
He clenched his teeth, his voice turning faint but filled with anxiety:
"Damn… I have to find them before they move… before they destroy me."
He started sprinting down the corridor, his footsteps striking the floor like a race against time. He turned and climbed the long staircase leading to the upper levels of the palace, the steps rising like a path toward danger itself.
Suddenly, Gyllen's voice echoed within his chest, sounding like the muffled roar of a dragon:
"Master… please listen to me."
Arius stopped immediately, breathing heavily, then said:
"What is it, Gyllen?"
Gyllen's voice came calm, yet deep and calculating:
"Master… that person must possess great knowledge about you… knowledge of your personality… to be able to pull this off. You must narrow down the scope of your suspicions… further."
Arius's gaze fixed on the void for a moment, then he smiled with bitter irony:
"You know what…? You are right. All this time I was suspecting those who hate me…"
Then his eyes widened suddenly:
"But what about those I trust? In the first place?"
A brief internal silence ensued, before Gyllen said with clear deference:
"I am at your command, master."
Arius tightened his fist, power surging into his legs once more:
"Good… thank you, Gyllen."
Then he dashed at his maximum speed, rushing through the corridors like a furious phantom, heading straight toward the medical ward…
Where it seemed there was one specific person… whose time for a confrontation had come. The corridor leading to the medical room was strangely quiet, the white lamplight glowing over the polished tiles as if illuminating his own steps. When he pushed the door open and entered… the two doctors were sitting, their coffee cups growing cold in their hands, exchanging exhausted looks.
But the moment Arius appeared in the doorway?
They stood up immediately, straight as soldiers in a parade line.
Arius's gaze was cold… calm… and on his cheek played that small smile everyone knew: the smile of "I'm not here to say hello, guys."
He spoke in his deep, calm voice:
"Do you have a sedative… something strong?"
The two doctors exchanged a quick glance, the kind of look that says "Good grief… what does this young man want now?", then the elder replied:
"Yes… it is available. Do you want a small amount or…?"
Arius raised an eyebrow slightly:
"I want a massive amount. Very massive."
The word "very" was heavy… like a military order.
The second doctor actually ran without asking a single question, as if his life depended on it. In just a matter of seconds, he returned carrying a whole crate, so heavy that the veins were bulging on his arms.
Arius took the crate, offering a small nod out of respect for their efforts, then told them with a faint, sarcastic smile:
"Well done… take the rest of your break, I won't keep you long."
And he left.
The palace corridors were very quiet, and Arius walked with calculated steps until he reached his room. He placed the crate on the table… then extended his hand over it. The air itself began to tremble.
A low, deep voice… words spoken as if delivering a judgment:
"Cloning Field."
The table shook…
The light distorted around the crate…
And suddenly… the crates replicated one after another, multiplying like shadows, until they filled the table… then the floor… then part of the desk.
Arius's smile widened further:
"Good… this technique is truly useful."
He raised his hand again, summoning several energy soldiers in a flash. They appeared kneeling right before him, bowing their heads in respect.
He said in a low voice… but with a sharp edge:
"Take all these crates.
Put them in the primary water source of the palace… and in any liquid source used by anyone.
I don't want a single drop without it."
They all nodded… and vanished all at once, like sparks caught by the wind.
He let the door close quietly behind the last soldier… and Arius stood in the center of the room, hands behind his back, his gaze toward the floor… then said in a voice that was almost a whisper, but the malice in it was clear:
"Soon… I will know who the foolish traitor is… and who is trying to outsmart me."
He raised his head… his hunter's gaze was complete:
"And then… they will pay the price." "I will wait until evening…"
Arius stepped out of his room with calm paces, but his eyes?
Man… it was like a moving scanner.
Right… left… up… down…
Everyone who passed by him felt their soul leave and return.
Everyone became under his watch… and everyone was trying to act natural as if nothing was wrong… even though the atmosphere was screaming: "Something big is brewing."
And not only that, but…
Every moment he would flick his finger lightly, summoning energy soldiers and making them vanish into corners, above chandeliers, behind pillars, in narrow hallways…
The palace effectively became a closed beehive, like vicious bees with the rank of "secret informant."
Amidst all this… Arius muttered to himself:
"The four I suspect:
Gelius… Lorinda… the commander of the aerial fleet… one of the Letters…
It is impossible for the wretched traitor to be anyone but one of them."
Arius's tone was so cold that the air itself shivered.
As he walked down the long corridor, he passed by the music hall…
He heard that melody.
A strange melody…
As if sadness mixed with a message… there was a trembling in it… memories… something incomprehensible.
He approached with light steps… and peered through the crack of the door.
Clarice.
She was sitting before the piano, her shoulders slightly slanted, her fingers sliding over the keys with supernatural mastery, as if she was telling the story of her emotions without speaking.
The evening sunlight reflected on her hair, creating a golden aura around her.
Arius whispered in a low voice, containing a small awe he couldn't hide:
"She is talented… truly."
But suddenly… she stopped.
Her fingers froze over the keys… her head raised slightly…
Then she said in a voice calm but sharp as a blade:
"Come out, whoever is hiding behind the door."
Damn it—
Arius didn't wait for even half a heartbeat.
He vanished instantly.
Like smoke swept away by the wind.
Clarice stood up… walked with soft steps toward the door… opened it…
Looked right, left, up…
And no one was there.
She said, knitting her brow:
"Strange… I am certain I felt someone's presence here."
Then she shook her head slightly:
"Unimportant… I will go rest upstairs."
And upstairs… on the edge of the palace roof…
Arius appeared all at once, slightly disheveled, standing on the corner like someone who had just escaped a disaster.
He said, catching his breath:
"She almost exposed me… I survived."
He wiped his forehead with his hand:
"Damn… she is quick-witted."
Then he let out a long sigh:
"Thank goodness she didn't discover it was me…"
He looked down, his eyes widening slightly:
"If she found out… my whole plan would have gone right into the trash.".