THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY
The alarm echoed throughout the Star Archive.
Security Breach.
Security Breach.
Security Breach.
The sound seemed to shake the entire tower.
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Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Because standing before them was the last person they expected to see.
Kael.
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The man responsible for chasing them across forests.
The man connected to countless mysteries.
The man they believed was their greatest enemy.
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And now—
He was asking for their help.
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Aarvi was the first to react.
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"Absolutely not."
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Kael sighed.
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"Good to see some things never change."
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"I'm serious."
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"So am I."
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The tension in the room became unbearable.
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Riva stepped forward.
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"Why should we trust you?"
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Kael looked directly at her.
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For the first time since meeting him, there was no amusement in his eyes.
No arrogance.
No manipulation.
Only urgency.
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"Because if the Seekers reach the Master Archive..."
He paused.
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"...everything ends."
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The answer sent a chill through the room.
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Even Elias looked troubled.
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"What exactly are the Seekers?" Eva asked.
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Kael stared toward the ceiling.
Toward the battle happening outside.
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Then he finally answered.
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"They are hunters."
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Silence.
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"Hunters of what?"
Parna asked.
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Kael's expression darkened.
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"Knowledge."
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The word sounded harmless.
Yet the fear in his voice said otherwise.
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"They destroy civilizations."
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"They erase history."
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"They remove entire kingdoms from existence."
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Nobody liked the sound of that.
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"Why?"
Riva asked.
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Kael laughed bitterly.
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"Because knowledge is power."
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The Master Archive suddenly flickered again.
Cracks spread across its surface.
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The alarms became louder.
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The situation was worsening.
Fast.
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Lyra stepped forward.
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"We don't have time."
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For a brief moment she and Kael locked eyes.
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Old friends.
Old enemies.
Old wounds.
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Then something unexpected happened.
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Kael tossed a crystal toward Elias.
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Elias caught it immediately.
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The caretaker's eyes widened.
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"Where did you get this?"
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Kael's expression remained unreadable.
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"I've been protecting it."
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The answer shocked everyone.
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Protecting it?
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Not stealing it.
Not hiding it.
Protecting it.
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The crystal suddenly activated.
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A projection appeared above them.
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A map.
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The same star-shaped map.
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Only this version contained something new.
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A glowing pathway.
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Connecting all three locations.
The Island.
The Desert.
The Frozen Fortress.
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The path ended at a symbol nobody recognized.
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A door.
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Ancient.
Massive.
Sealed.
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The room became silent.
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Even Kael looked uncomfortable.
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"What is that?"
Eva asked.
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Nobody answered immediately.
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Then Elias spoke.
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"The Final Archive."
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The words echoed through the chamber.
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Aarvi frowned.
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"Let me guess."
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Nobody laughed.
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"Another mystery?"
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"Yes."
Kael answered.
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Aarvi groaned dramatically.
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The timing was terrible.
Yet somehow it broke the tension.
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Then the tower shook violently.
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A massive explosion echoed from below.
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The Seekers had entered.
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This time everyone heard them.
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Footsteps.
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Hundreds of footsteps.
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Getting closer.
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Fast.
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The central doors burst open.
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A wave of darkness flooded the lower chamber.
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The temperature dropped instantly.
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Then the first Seeker appeared.
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Tall.
Silent.
Terrifying.
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Unlike the others, this one wore silver armor.
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Ancient armor.
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The star symbol was carved into its chest.
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Kael immediately stepped backward.
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"No."
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The reaction shocked everyone.
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Because Kael wasn't afraid of ordinary Seekers.
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But he was afraid of this one.
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"What is it?" Parna asked.
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Kael didn't answer.
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The silver-armored Seeker slowly raised its head.
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Then spoke.
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"The Four Heirs have been located."
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Its voice sounded inhuman.
Mechanical.
Ancient.
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"The Archive must be erased."
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The crystal chamber trembled.
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Every floating memory began flickering.
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Entire civilizations appeared and disappeared.
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As though reality itself was becoming unstable.
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The Master Archive was under attack.
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The silver-armored Seeker stepped forward.
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Then another emerged behind it.
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Then another.
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Three elite Seekers.
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The leaders.
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The true threat.
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The guardians outside had failed to stop them.
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Elias immediately drew an ancient blade hidden beneath his coat.
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The heirs stared.
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None of them had ever seen him carry a weapon.
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Lyra summoned silver energy around her hands.
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The room illuminated.
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Even Kael prepared for battle.
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For the first time—
The three former protectors of Aurelia stood together.
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United.
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Not as friends.
Not yet.
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But fighting for the same goal.
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Protecting the heirs.
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Protecting the Archive.
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Protecting history itself.
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The silver-armored Seeker pointed toward the Four Heirs.
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"Deliver them."
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Kael laughed.
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Actually laughed.
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Then his crimson eyes glowed brighter than ever before.
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"I spent fifty years looking for them."
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Dark energy erupted around him.
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The chamber shook violently.
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"You're not taking them now."
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The battle began.
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Silver light collided with crimson shadows.
Ancient energy exploded through the Archive.
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The heirs were forced backward.
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Power unlike anything they had witnessed filled the room.
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Elias fought beside Lyra.
Lyra fought beside Kael.
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Former allies reunited against a common enemy.
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But even together—
They struggled.
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The elite Seekers were unbelievably strong.
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A single strike shattered part of the chamber wall.
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Another nearly destroyed the Master Archive.
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Cracks spread across the crystal.
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The alarms reached maximum volume.
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Then something happened.
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The pendant around Riva's neck began glowing.
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The compass activated.
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The box opened slightly.
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Parna felt energy flowing through the desert itself.
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All four artifacts were reacting simultaneously.
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The heirs looked at one another.
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The same realization appeared in their eyes.
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The artifacts weren't responding to the battle.
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They were responding to each other.
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Something was awakening.
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Something connected to all four of them.
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A hidden power.
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The pendant projected a symbol.
The compass projected another.
The box projected a third.
Nature itself formed the fourth.
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The symbols joined together.
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And above the Master Archive appeared a single message.
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FINAL LOCATION CONFIRMED
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The Frozen Fortress.
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The last point on the map.
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The last key.
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The last sanctuary.
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The last piece of the puzzle.
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The silver-armored Seeker immediately noticed the message.
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Its emotionless face turned toward the projection.
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Then, for the first time—
It sounded alarmed.
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"Impossible."
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The word echoed through the chamber.
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Kael's eyes widened.
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Elias looked shocked.
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Even Lyra seemed stunned.
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Whatever waited inside the Frozen Fortress—
The Seekers desperately wanted it hidden.
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And for the first time—
The heirs had something their enemies feared.
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The path forward.
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The final journey had begun.