The door closed with a soft click, leaving the two men in contemplative silence. Marcus moved to refill his glass, the amber liquid catching the firelight as he poured.
"He's definitely changed," Lord Ashford said finally, settling deeper into his chair. "The way he processes information, asks questions. More calculating than before."
Marcus nodded, taking a measured sip. "The ceremony affected him beyond just the awakening failure. I've seen combat veterans with that same analytical distance...like they're constantly evaluating threats."
"Speaking of threats," Lord Ashford's voice dropped lower, "how bad is the situation you mentioned earlier?"
Marcus's expression grew serious as he set down his glass. "Worse than the public knows. Three new rifts opened this month alone in the northern provinces. The regular military forces are stretched thin, and the Crown is accelerating Academy training programs. We need every capable awakened we can get."
He moved to retrieve a sealed letter from his coat, bearing the royal seal. "This came through Royal Guard intelligence channels yesterday. Class S rift manifestation in the Thornwick Province. Estimated threat level: Critical. Military casualties mounting."
Lord Ashford read quickly, his face darkening. "They're mobilizing final...year Academy students for support operations?"
"The gates are becoming more frequent, more aggressive. Whatever's happening beyond the rifts, it's escalating." Marcus began pacing, his military bearing evident. "The intelligence reports the Royal Guard has been sharing with regular military command suggest the beasts are more organized than before. Coordinated attacks, tactical retreats. Some show signs of... adaptation."
"Adaptation to what?"
"Our abilities. Our tactics. The latest incursion near Millbrook...the fire...class beasts seemed prepared for standard flame suppression techniques. They'd developed countermeasures." Marcus's voice carried the weight of classified knowledge. "The Royal Guard's intelligence division has been working around the clock since the first rift opened five years ago, coordinating with military commanders. We've been trying to understand the pattern."
Lord Ashford leaned forward, his political mind immediately grasping the implications. "And what have you learned?"
"That we're not dealing with random dimensional tears. The rifts appear in specific locations, at calculated intervals. Someone...or something...is choosing where they manifest." Marcus moved to the window where Alex had stood earlier. "The beasts that emerge... they're not just monsters. They're scouts, advance forces, probing our defenses."
"An invasion force."
"A methodical one. Each wave tests different aspects of our capabilities. The first rifts brought physical beasts...creatures that relied on brute strength. We countered with enhancement...type awakened. The second wave brought beasts resistant to physical attacks. We adapted with elemental abilities."
"And now?"
"Now we're seeing beasts that specifically counter our known ability types. Ice...resistant creatures appearing near territories with ice manipulators. Fire...immune beasts targeting areas with fire...based defenses." Marcus turned back to his father, his green eyes reflecting the firelight. "They're not just adapting...they're being engineered."
The fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows as both men absorbed the implications.
"The Crown believes we're facing an intelligence that has been studying our awakened population for years," Marcus continued. "Every public ceremony, every ranking assessment, every documented ability...it's all been catalogued by whatever exists beyond the rifts. The Royal Guard reports directly to the Crown on these matters, while regular military handles the frontline defense."
"Which brings us back to Kael," Lord Ashford said quietly. "An awakening that couldn't be classified, where the stone flared brighter than anyone had ever seen before going completely dim."
"Either he's a complete failure, or he's something our enemies haven't encountered before." Marcus's expression grew grim. "Either way, the Crown is very interested in the outcome of his reevaluation. The Royal Guard keeps the Crown informed of such anomalies."
Lord Ashford stood, moving to his desk. "What does this mean for the Academy?"
"The Royal Academy received special funding this year...not for education, but for combat training. They're converting the curriculum to support both military and Royal Guard recruitment needs." Marcus pulled out another document from his coat. "This is the new Academy structure. Combat...focused tracks, strategic planning, rift suppression techniques."
Lord Ashford scanned the document, his expression growing more serious with each line. "They're training them for war."
"They're training them for survival. The latest intelligence suggests the current beast incursions are just the beginning. Something larger is coming." Marcus's voice was heavy with the burden of classified knowledge. "The royal diviners have been working overtime, trying to predict rift manifestations. Their latest readings suggest a coordinated assault within the next two years. Multiple Class S rifts opening simultaneously across the kingdom."
Lord Ashford felt the temperature in the room seem to drop. "A full...scale invasion."
"Which means every awakened citizen becomes a potential soldier. Every student entering the Academy this year will graduate into active service...either military or Royal Guard." Marcus's eyes were grave. "Including Kael."
"Unless his abilities prove unsuitable for combat."
"Or unless they prove too valuable to risk." Marcus moved to join his father at the window. "The Crown has been quietly recruiting anomalies through Royal Guard channels...awakened individuals whose abilities don't fit standard classifications. They're forming special units separate from regular military command."
"Special units for what?"
"For infiltration beyond the rifts. For reconnaissance into enemy territory. For missions that require capabilities our enemies haven't catalogued." Marcus's voice carried both military precision and paternal concern. "If Kael's awakening produced something truly unprecedented..."
"He could be recruited for the most dangerous assignments in the kingdom."
They stood in silence, the weight of political and military realities settling between them. The brandy forgotten, the comfortable study suddenly felt like a war room.
"Should we tell him?" Lord Ashford asked finally.
"Not yet. Let him focus on reaching the Academy, on discovering what his abilities truly are." Marcus turned back to his father. "But I need you to monitor the situation from the political side. If Kael's reevaluation reveals something significant, if the Crown shows interest in recruiting him for Royal Guard service..."
"I'll use whatever influence House Ashford has to protect him."
"Good. Because whatever Kael becomes, whatever his abilities prove to be, he's still our family. And House Ashford protects its own."
As if summoned by their conversation, a servant appeared at the study door with a message bearing the royal seal. Marcus broke it open, reading quickly.
"What is it?" Lord Ashford asked.
"Orders for me to return to the capital immediately. There's been another incident...a rift manifestation unlike any we've seen before." Marcus's face was grim. "They're calling it a 'stable gate.'"
"Stable? The rifts have always been temporary."
"Not this one. It's been open for three days now, and it's not showing signs of closure. Worse, nothing has come through it yet." Marcus began gathering the classified documents. "They're waiting for something."
"Or someone. The Crown wants the Royal Guard to investigate, to determine if this represents a new phase in the invasion timeline." Marcus handed his father the message. "I leave at dawn."
"What about Kael's situation?"
"I'll send word to my contacts at the Academy through Royal Guard channels, ensure they're aware of the... unique circumstances. You handle the political preparations." Marcus paused at the doorway. "But Father, if this stable gate represents what we think it does, Kael's awakening timing may be more crucial than we realized."
"You think there's a connection?"
"In my experience, coincidences are rarely coincidental. A classification system that has never failed suddenly produces an unprecedented result during the awakening of a noble heir, just as rift activity escalates to unprecedented levels." Marcus's Royal Guard training showed in his analytical tone. "It bears very close attention."
As they prepared to leave the study, Lord Ashford paused. "Marcus, if the worst predictions come true, if we're facing a full invasion..."
"Then we'll face it as House Ashford always has...with honor, intelligence, and absolute determination to protect what matters most." Marcus extinguished the oil lamps. "And we'll ensure Kael is prepared for whatever role fate has chosen for him."*****
They left the study together, the fire dying to embers behind them. Above, in his room, Kael continued his own preparations, unaware that his family's concerns extended far beyond a simple Academy awakening.
The kingdom was changing, and the rifts were only the beginning.