Following Commander Valeria through the streets of Havenfall was like trying to swim up a waterfall. Kaelen kept his head down, his eyes locked on the back of her armored boots, using her as an anchor in the roaring current of noise and movement. The smells of food were a sweet, constant torture. The loud, confident voices of the citizens felt like a physical pressure.
They moved from the chaotic market streets into a more ordered district. The buildings here were taller, stronger, and flew flags with symbols he didn't recognize. The crowds thinned, replaced by patrolling soldiers who saluted Valeria with sharp, precise movements. The air itself felt different—cleaner, charged with a low hum of energy.
Finally, they reached the base of the immense tower he had seen from the gate. The Citadel. Up close, it was a monolith of smooth, dark stone that seemed to drink the light. The entrance was a massive archway, guarded by soldiers whose armor gleamed with intricate, active glyphs. Their eyes, sharp and assessing, scanned him but found no threat—only a feral boy trailing their Commander.
One guard stepped forward. "Commander Valeria. The Council was informed of your return." His gaze flickered to Kaelen. "And the new asset?"
"Asset needs processing and lodging. Level 2 clearance," Valeria stated, her tone brooking no discussion. "He is under my direct oversight."
The guard nodded and pressed a hand to a glowing panel. The giant doors, thick enough to withstand a nightmare's charge, slid open without a sound. The city's roar vanished, replaced by a deep, resonant quiet that seemed to vibrate in Kaelen's bones.
They stepped into a vast, circular hall. The floor was polished stone, reflecting the soft glow of floating light orbs that drifted near the high ceiling. People moved with purpose here—soldiers, robed officials, technicians—all part of a silent, efficient machine. In the center of the hall, a disc of polished metal hovered in the air, waiting.
Valeria led him onto the platform. It felt solid under his feet. She touched a rune on a control panel, and with a gentle lurch, they began to rise. Kaelen's stomach dropped. He grabbed the simple railing, his knuckles white, as floors blurred past—glimpses of libraries, training grounds, laboratories—a vertical city within a city.
The platform slowed and stopped. They stepped off into a quiet, carpeted hallway lined with identical doors. Valeria stopped at one and placed her palm on another panel. A soft chime sounded, and the door hissed open.
"This is your room," she said.
Kaelen stepped inside. It was small, stark, and utterly magnificent. A narrow bed with a real mattress and a clean gray blanket. A desk and a chair. A door that led to a private bathroom. And a window. A real, clear window that looked out over the entirety of Havenfall and the ominous gray wall that held back the Veil.
It was more than he had ever had. It was everything.
"Clean yourself up," Valeria ordered. "There are clothes in the drawer. You will not be taken seriously if you smell of the grave. When you are finished, come out. I will be waiting. Do not wander."
The door slid shut behind her, leaving him in a silence so complete he could hear the hum of the Citadel's energy.
For a long moment, he just stood there, breathing in the scent of clean linens. He walked to the bathroom and turned the faucet. Clean, cold water streamed out. He drank from his hands, the water so pure it tasted like nothing. He stripped off his filthy, torn clothes—the only ones he'd ever known—and stepped under a spray of hot water. It was a shocking, incredible luxury that left his skin feeling raw and new.
In the drawer, he found simple, dark pants and a soft gray shirt. They were a little too large, but they were clean and whole. He pulled them on, the fabric strange and smooth against his skin.
He looked at himself in the mirror. A pale face with sharp cheekbones, messy black hair still damp, and wide, uncertain green eyes stared back. He looked like a ghost dressed in someone else's clothes.
Taking a steadying breath, he walked to the door. It slid open.
Commander Valeria was leaning against the opposite wall, exactly where she said she would be. She looked him up and down. A faint, almost imperceptible nod was his only praise.
"Better. You look like a citizen, if a scrawny one." She pushed off the wall. "Now, the real work begins. It is time you learned what the Eclipse Covenant truly offers beyond a roof and a meal. It is time you learned about the Trial."