Kael followed Thorne through hallways that felt bigger than the sky. The floor was made of a smooth, white stone that showed his reflection. The walls were decorated with paintings of serious-looking people and strange, beautiful weapons. Kael had never seen so much clean, open space in his life. He felt small and dirty, and he kept his hands in his pockets so he wouldn't accidentally touch anything. The fine clothes Thorne had given him felt like a costume, and he was sure everyone could tell he didn't belong.
Finally, they stopped in front of a huge set of double doors made of dark, polished wood. Thorne knocked once, a soft, respectful sound.
A deep voice from inside said, "Enter."
Thorne pushed the doors open and gestured for Kael to go inside. The room was a library, bigger than any space Kael had ever been in. Bookshelves stretched from the floor to the high ceiling, filled with thousands of books. A fire crackled in a large fireplace, making the room feel warm and smell like burning wood.
Standing by the fire, with his back to them, was an old man. He was tall and stood perfectly straight. He wore simple, dark clothes, but even from behind, he seemed incredibly powerful. This was the man Thorne had called Lord Commander. This was Kael's grandfather.
"Thorne, you may leave us," the old man said without turning around. His voice was calm but full of authority, and Thorne immediately bowed and left, closing the doors silently behind him.
Kael was alone with the old man. His heart beat fast. He didn't know what to do or say. He just stood there, waiting.
For a long moment, the man just looked into the fire. Then, he slowly turned around. His face was old, with lines around his eyes and a sharp jaw. His hair was completely white, and his eyes were a piercing blue, just like the light the beacon had made. He looked at Kael, and his gaze was so intense that Kael felt like the man could see right through him. He saw Kael's fear, his confusion, and the hard life he had lived in the Sump.
Kael expected him to be angry or disappointed. Instead, the man's serious face softened, and a look of deep sadness and relief appeared in his eyes.
"You have your mother's eyes," the old man said, his voice now quiet and a little rough with emotion. "And your father's stubborn jaw."
He took a slow step forward, and another. He wasn't scary up close. He just seemed tired, and very old.
"Fifteen years," he whispered, more to himself than to Kael. "For fifteen years, I thought I had lost you all."
Kael didn't know how to respond. He had never heard anyone talk about his parents with such sadness.
"Do you know who I am?" the man asked gently.
Kael shook his head. "Thorne said... you are my grandfather."
The man nodded, a small, sad smile on his face. "I am. My name is Valerius Kaelen. Your father, Elian, was my son. Your mother was named Lyra. They loved you more than anything in this world."
Hearing their names spoken aloud felt strange. They were just ghosts in his memory, but to this man, they were real.
"Why?" Kael asked, the single word holding all of his confusion. "If I had a family... why was I in the Sump?"
Valerius sighed and walked over to two large, comfortable chairs by the fire. "Sit, Kael. This is not a short story."
Kael hesitated for a moment before sitting on the edge of the soft chair. It felt like sinking into a cloud. Valerius sat across from him and looked into the fire as he began to speak.
"Our family, the Kaelen family, is very old and very powerful," he began. "Power attracts enemies, like flies to honey. When your father was young, he was one of the strongest Awakened of his generation. But he did not want the life of a leader, fighting other powerful families. He just wanted a peaceful life with your mother."
Valerius paused, gathering his thoughts. "Our enemies were planning to move against us. They were going to use your father's family—your mother and you—to hurt him. To control him. To save you, your parents made a difficult choice. They ran away. They hid you in the one place no one would ever think to look for a Kaelen: the Sump beneath Aethelgard. They gave up everything to give you a chance to live, hidden and safe."
Kael stared at him, trying to understand. His parents weren't just scavengers who died in an accident. They were from a powerful family. They had been hiding. "So they were... killed?"
"Yes," Valerius said, his voice hard as stone. "Our enemies found them. But they never found you. Your parents' final act was to make sure you were safe. They died protecting you."
The room was silent except for the crackling fire. Kael felt a mix of emotions. There was sadness for the parents he barely knew, but there was also a strange warmth. They had loved him. They had given their lives for him. All his life he had felt like a piece of trash thrown away by the world, but he wasn't. He was loved.
"The beacon you activated," Valerius continued, "was a last resort. A signal for me to find you if you were ever in terrible danger. When it went dark fifteen years ago, I thought... I thought you were gone, too."
He looked at Kael, and for the first time, Kael saw tears in the old man's eyes. "Finding you now... it is like watching the sun rise after a lifetime of darkness. You are the last piece I have of my son."
Valerius leaned forward, his expression becoming serious again. "But your life is still in danger, Kael. Your pre-Awakening is incredibly strong. That power is a beacon, just like the device you used. Our enemies will soon feel it. We must get you through the official Awakening ceremony quickly. Once you are an official Awakened under the protection of the Union and our family, it will be much harder for them to harm you."
"The Awakening..." Kael said, remembering what Thorne had told him.
"Yes. It is a ceremony that will finalize your connection to your power. It will unlock your full potential and your System. You will gain your magic and your Talents," Valerius explained. "Most children Awaken at eighteen. You are a year late, which is rare. It means your power has been building up inside you, waiting. It's why your strength is growing so fast. Your System is special, but your late Awakening is also making you much stronger than a normal person."
He stood up and walked over to a small table, pouring two glasses of water. He handed one to Kael.
"Your training will begin right after your Awakening," Valerius said. "I will teach you myself. Thorne will help. You will learn to control your strength, to use your magic, and to fight. You will learn what it means to be a Kaelen. But most importantly," he said, putting a hand on Kael's shoulder, "you will be safe here. You will be part of a family. You are home, grandson."
The word "home" hit Kael with a force that surprised him. He had never had a real home. He had only ever had places to hide. Looking at the powerful old man who was his grandfather, Kael felt the fear in his chest begin to fade, replaced by something new. It was a small, fragile feeling, but it was there.
It was hope.
"I have so many questions," Kael said quietly.
"I know," Valerius said with a kind smile. "And I will answer every one of them. But for now, you look like you haven't eaten a proper meal in your life. Let's start with that."
For the first time that day, Kael felt a real smile touch his lips. He was scared, confused, and overwhelmed. But he was also hungry. And for the first time, he felt like maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.