The doors to the Inner Chamber closed behind him with a low thrum. The Archive's core hall breathed with the sound of turning pages and slow mana currents, a living memory built from centuries of thought. Ren stood for a moment, letting the noise fade before walking forward.
Ervin waited beside the central table. Veylan was there too, his presence commanding even in silence. The old noble's (trusted person's of Veylan) coat shimmered faintly under the chamber light, his ring glinting the same deep hue as Ren's. A display sphere floated between them, its surface swirling with layered symbols and unstable lines.
"You came back sooner than the predicted," Ervin said, voice calm but marked by the weight of expectation. "So, it is true then. You found it."
Ren held out his hand. The Key of Chaos rested against his palm, its edges pulsing like a heartbeat beneath glass. "It didn't want to be found," he said quietly. "But it's here. And it's active."
