Chapter 21: The Vault and The Volkar Steel
(Flowing directly from Evan's strategic decision to strike at the Volkar cell)
I. Infiltration Under Fog (The New Command)
A thick, cold fog blanketed the capital. Prince Evan deployed his full fifty-man force. Captain Lysandra (The Shadow) and Captain Anya (The Archer) took up positions with their intelligence and sniper squads, securing the outer perimeter.
Evan took only Captain William (The Shield) and Captain Cassian (The Sentinel) for the entry team. William's raw power led the charge, while Cassian, the master of defensive balance and the Stand, provided the rear guard. They slipped into Lord Marius's Jewel Merchant shop and found the secret vault.
Evan (Internal thought): Theron is watching now. This raid is not just for Volkar; it is a performance for my brother. There can be no mistake.
II. The Confrontation and The Magician (Power vs. Magic)
Inside the damp vault, Lord Marius was trembling, overseeing two rugged men who were unloading heavy crates. Crucially, a third figure stood with them—a Volkar Magic Adept, whose hands shimmered with faint blue energy.
The Volkar Magician instantly sensed the intrusion and attempted to raise a concentrated defensive magical shield.
William moved immediately. Before the shield could solidify, William struck with his massive longsword. The Magician's shield formed but instantly shattered under the combination of William's pure, physical force and the disciplined focus drilled into him by Kaelen's training.
The Magician stumbled, and the second Volkar agent, wielding a custom Volkar Steel blade, lunged at Evan.
Evan did not engage in raw combat. He used the Stand to control the space, forcing the attacking agent to lose balance with a calculated move that drove him directly into Cassian's perfect defensive arc. Cassian's counter-attack was precise and lethal.
The encounter confirmed Evan's strategy: Magicians are dangerous, but disciplined, focused physical strength can shatter their defense.
III. The Volkar Steel and The Coded Ledger
Lord Marius was quickly secured. Evan immediately inspected the boxes—they were filled with sheets of thin, valuable Volkar Steel.
In the merchant's hidden desk, Evan found a small, coded ledger. It contained not just shipping records, but a terrifying list of thirty high-value targets in the capital.
Evan's gaze landed on the top name: Prince Theron.
Evan understood. Theron wasn't a villain; he was the Kingdom's finest Strategic Analyst. Volkar aimed to eliminate him first to guarantee strategic chaos.
Evan (Internal thought): If I hide this ledger, Theron will redouble his effort to expose me. If I show his name now, I immediately transform him from a skeptic into a crucial, temporary ally.
Evan secreted the ledger inside his coat. He would reveal the targets in the Council, but he would use Theron's name as a weapon at the most strategically impactful moment.
IV. The Fourth Prince's Warning (Damien)
As Evan ascended from the vault, he received an urgent, coded message from Lysandra via a hidden crystal.
Lysandra's Message (Coded): Your Highness. The Fourth Prince, Damien, was observed near the docks just minutes before our raid. He was not spying; he was observing the logistics and a faint, ancient magical symbol on the crates. Be wary. He understands the magic connected to this trade more than we do.
Evan was shocked. Damien—the quiet, bookish brother everyone ignored—was active and knowledgeable about the magical component of the conspiracy. This immediately elevated the Volkar threat from merely political to fundamentally magical.
It was clear: To prevail, Evan needed to combine Theron's intelligence, Alexander's honor (or military might), and Damien's ancient lore.
Next Step: We now proceed to Chapter 22: The Exposure, where Evan presents the Volkar Steel evidence and strategically uses Theron's name in the Council.