The throne room was empty.
Servants quietly stepped out, closing the great doors behind them. The echo of their departure faded, leaving only three figures within the vast chamber.
King Darius Viremont.
General Knight Vaelric.
Captain Arden.
Silence settled. King Darius remained seated for a moment, his gaze lowered as if weighing his thoughts carefully. Then, he spoke.
"…The activity of the Eclipsed Covenant has increased." His voice was calm. "…Not only within Aurelian, but across other kingdoms as well."
Vaelric's posture stiffened slightly.
"…Reports continue to arrive," the King continued. "…Villages destroyed. Aether disturbances. Coordinated movements." His gaze lifted.
"…And now—Eldermire."
A silence followed that carried more than the word itself. General Vaelric stepped forward. "…Your Majesty, there is something we must address."
The King nodded. "…Speak."
Vaelric's expression hardened. "…They were searching for someone." A pause. "…Renn Valehart."
Captain Arden's eyes narrowed.
"…What connection could there be between the Covenant and that boy?" Vaelric continued. "…His power is… abnormal."
A brief hesitation.
"…Either he is aligned with them, or he poses a threat significant enough to warrant this level of attention."
Silence.
"…Either way," Vaelric concluded, "…he has become a target."
King Darius did not respond immediately. Instead, he rose. "…There is no connection between Renn… and the Covenant."
Both Vaelric and Arden looked up.
"…But the name Valehart…"
The King turned, walking toward a tall shelf lined with old tomes—aged, preserved, untouched by time.
He reached out. Pulled one book.
Dust drifted softly into the air.
"…Tell me," he said without turning. "…Have either of you heard of the lost civilization… Aetherion?"
Vaelric frowned slightly. Arden remained silent.
"…A kingdom spoken of only in fragments," Vaelric said slowly. "…Considered myth by most."
King Darius turned. The old book now in his hands. "…It was real."
He stepped forward, opening the worn pages. "…This knowledge has been passed down through my lineage. An heirloom… entrusted to the royal bloodline."
The pages revealed faded script. Ancient diagrams. Symbols of Aether unlike anything known today.
"…Aetherion was not merely a kingdom." His voice deepened. "…It was the origin of what we now call Aether."
A pause.
"…And at its center…" He looked at them both. "…Was a lineage." A beat.
"…The Valeharts."
Silence.
"…They were not simply rulers," the King continued. "…They were vessels. Their bodies could withstand Aether in ways no other could. Not fragments. Not refined shards…" He closed the book slightly. "…But something far greater."
A faint tension filled the room.
"…Their Aether obeyed. They could compress, expand, and shape Aether at will. Their bodies… their weapons… even the space around them became extensions of that power."
Vaelric remained silent. Processing.
"…They were said to fight not with strength alone…" The King's gaze hardened. "…but with something closer to authority."
Vaelric stepped forward. "…You believe… Renn carries that lineage."
King Darius met his gaze. "…I do not believe." A pause. "…I am certain."
Arden exhaled slowly. "…Then the Covenant…"
"…Knows," the King finished. The word lingered. "…Whether they seek to control him, or eliminate him…"
His voice lowered. "…It no longer matters. Because the moment they act…" His gaze sharpened...
"…Aurelian will answer."
Ward — Aurelian Medical Wing
Soft light filtered through the room. Renn lay still on the bed, his body unmoving, breath faint but steady.
Three days had passed.
Captain Arden stood at the foot of the bed. Lio leaned quietly by the window. Kael rested against the wall, arms crossed. Taren paced slightly, restless.
"…Still nothing," Taren muttered.
"…His condition is stable," Lio replied. "…But his Aether reserves remain empty."
Before anything else could be said— The door opened. "…Hmm."
Chief Mumanko entered, holding a small golden flower that seemed to glow faintly from within.
"…You called," she said simply.
Arden nodded. "…Please master, check him."
She stepped closer, placing the flower gently into a glass of water beside Renn. "…Do you know this flower? Its the Golden Solara," she murmured. "…It draws and releases ambient Aether."
The petals shimmered softly. Tiny golden particles drifted outward—then slowly toward Renn. Mumanko placed her hand lightly over his chest.
"…Severe Aether depletion."
A pause. "…When Aether runs too low… the body begins to shut down." Renn's pale complexion began to shift.
Slowly, color returned. The golden particles flowed into him. A moment passed. Then, Renn's fingers twitched.
"…There," Mumanko said. His breathing deepened.
"…Renn?" Taren stepped forward. Renn's eyes slowly opened.
"…You look terrible," Kael smirked.
Renn exhaled lightly. "…How long?"
"…Three days," Lio answered.
Renn shifted slightly, pushing himself up. "…Eldermire?" he asked.
Arden answered immediately. "…The village is all right.. The Royal Knights started to rebuild a day after the incident." A pause. "…No civilian casualties."
Renn's shoulders eased—just slightly.
" …But we lost five Royal Knights. Thirteen injured."
Silence settled.
"…They held the line," Arden added. "…And they lived… because you did."
A voice came from the doorway. "…Thank you… Sir Renn."
One of the Royal Knights stepped forward. Bandaged. Alive. "…Back there… when that tendril—" He swallowed. "…You threw your blade and saved me."
Renn looked at him. Calm. "…I'm glad you're okay."
The Royal Knight straightened, emotion visible in his eyes before stepping back toward the doorway.
Silence returned to the ward.
Then, Renn's vision suddenly blurred. The room tilted slightly. A sharp dizziness struck him without warning.
"…Renn?" Taren stepped forward.
Chief Mumanko lightly raised her hand. "…Relax." She glanced toward the glowing flower beside the bed. "…That is merely the effect of the Golden Solara."
The petals shimmered softly inside the glass of water. "…Your body is forcibly absorbing ambient Aether." A pause.
"…Until tomorrow, you'll remain asleep."
She smiled faintly. "…Recover your Aether properly… and you'll fully heal."
Renn tried to speak—
But his eyelids had already grown heavy. The sounds around him faded. The light dimmed. And slowly—
His vision closed.
Night settled quietly over the Royal Knight medical wing.
The halls had gone silent long ago. Only the faint glow of lanterns remained, casting dim golden light across the stone corridors.
Inside the ward—
Renn slept deeply.
His breathing had stabilized, the faint traces of golden Aether beneath his skin now calm and steady. The Golden Solara beside his bed continued to shimmer softly within the glass of water, feeding ambient Aether into the room like drifting fireflies.
Everything was still.
Then, a shadow moved. The door opened without a sound. A silhouette slipped into the room. Silent. Weightless. Almost invisible against the darkness.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The figure crossed the ward slowly until stopping beside Renn's bed. For a moment, nothing happened. No words. No movement. Only silence.
The silhouette lowered its gaze toward Renn. His sleeping face. His exhausted body. The scars he carried even while unconscious. A faint trembling passed through the figure's hand.
Barely noticeable.
Then slowly, something was placed on the small table beside the bed.
An Aurelian Royal Knight pin.
Silver and polished. The insignia of the order.
The silhouette lingered there for several more seconds. As if wanting to say something. But didn't. Then quietly, the figure turned away. And vanished into the darkness beyond the ward.
Morning came.
The doors of the Royal Knight quarters burst open violently.
"BAD NEWS…!!"
Taren stormed inside Lio and Kael's room, nearly tripping over himself in panic. Lio slowly opened one eye from his bed.
"…It's six in the morning, Taren." A yawn and Lio stretched his body. "…Why are you screaming?"
Taren pointed dramatically toward the hallway. "…It's Seris!"
Kael groaned from the other side of the room, face buried beneath his blanket. "…If this isn't life-threatening…"
"She's gone!"
That immediately silenced the room. Lio sat upright. "…Gone?"
Taren nodded rapidly. "…Her room's empty. Her belongings are missing. Her rapier too." He swallowed. "…But she left her Royal Knight uniform behind."
Then, he handed a folded letter toward Lio. Lio opened it. Read the single sentence written inside.
Please… don't find me.
Silence.
"…I told you before to knock before entering."
THUNK. A sword suddenly embedded itself into the door beside Taren's head.
Taren nearly screamed. "…yieekkk."
Kael sat up slowly, glaring at him. "…You're too loud."
Outside the Aurelian gates—
A carriage waited.
The morning fog still lingered over the roads as horses stamped impatiently against the stone ground. Lio stepped aboard first. Kael followed. Taren climbed in last, still nervously glancing at Kael.
Captain Arden stood beside the carriage, arms crossed. His expression unreadable.
"…Are you sure about this?" A pause. "…Renn's still asleep. He may wake soon, and if he does… he'll likely go after her himself."
Taren looked toward the capital behind them. Then smiled faintly. "…That's exactly why we're going."
Arden remained silent.
Taren's expression softened slightly. "…Renn's always carried everything for us."
"…Every mission."
"…Every fight."
"…Every burden."
A pause.
"…But this time…"
He looked toward Lio and Kael. "…Let us prove we deserve to be called Royal Knights too."
Kael scoffed quietly. But didn't disagree. Lio adjusted his gloves calmly. "…Besides…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "…If Seris truly went where we think she did…"
A pause.
"…Then she's walking into enemy territory alone." Captain Arden's gaze sharpened.
"…Shadowhaven is a closed kingdom. Foreign entry is strictly prohibited. Even Royal Knights disappear there."
Lio gave a small nod. "…We know." Then, a faint smile appeared on his face. "…We have our ways."
Captain Arden stared at the three for a long moment. Then exhaled quietly. "…Don't die."
Kael smirked. "…No promises."
The carriage doors closed. The horses pulled forward. And slowly, the carriage disappeared into the morning mist.
Far behind them—
Inside the silent ward—
Renn remained asleep. Unaware that his team had already begun moving without him.