The guards raised their spears in alarm as Leo and Dravis stepped through the gates of Arithelia. Yet before they could be seized, Leo drew from beneath his robe a parchment bearing the seal of the Supreme Sage. One glance at it was enough for the captain of the guard to freeze. Then came a deep, commanding voice from the inner court:
— "Release them."
It was King Diger himself, cloaked in a heavy robe, descending the steps of his palace, his gaze fixed upon Leo with a mixture of caution and awe. Moments before, the king had sensed a dark, suffocating aura pressing down upon the city. It had vanished just as swiftly as it appeared, and now he was left unsettled by the light that replaced it—pure, radiant, and inexplicably drawn to the two strangers before him.
He halted, his voice measured as he addressed them:
— "Why have you come?"
Leo stepped forward, eyes steady, and replied:
— "To warn you, Your Majesty… if you have not yet been informed."
— "Warn me of what?" the king asked, his brow furrowed.
— "The kingdom of Gothurz has seized Blendria, and their next move—by logic and geography—is here."
The king's expression shifted. Alarm flickered in his eyes.
— "Is this true?"
Leo handed him a second letter—this one from the Supreme Sage himself. Then Dravis spoke, his voice low, heavy with sorrow:
— "It is true. I am of Blendrian blood. I watched them slaughter my parents before me. I was too weak to stop them. I fled, so that I might grow stronger."
The king looked between them, still unconvinced.
— "Then where are your Lunar Marks? If the Supreme Sage trusts you, you must carry the proof."
Dravis turned, lifting his cloak to reveal his mark—bright, serene, bearing the sign of light.
The king turned to Leo.
— "And you?"
Leo said nothing. Instead, he removed the upper part of his cloak, turning his back to the court.
Gasps echoed.
Even the young woman seated at the side—a noblewoman draped in sapphire silk—leaned forward, her eyes wide with wonder.
As Leo faced the king once more, he caught sight of her. A spark leapt in his memory.
— "Who is she?" he asked before he could stop himself.
The king's voice turned sharp.
— "That is my daughter, Princess Leta."
Leo bowed instantly.
— "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I meant no offense."
The king, however, was now staring at the strange mark on Leo's back. His voice trembled with disbelief.
— "What is this mark? Is this some kind of jest? Where is the true sign?"
Leo replied solemnly:
— "This is the mark that appeared upon me four days ago, in my home, during training with my uncle."
The king blinked. Four days ago?
His thoughts raced.
— Four days ago… that overwhelming light… Was it him? Could it be…?
Leo stepped closer, his tone resolute:
— "We seek alliance, not refuge. If you request the support of our forces, they will answer your call without delay."
The king said nothing for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.
— "Very well. You have my thanks. Guards—escort them to the royal guest chambers."
The guards glanced at one another, stunned.
— "The palace, Your Majesty?"
The king's voice hardened:
— "Disobey, and you will be executed."
Thus, Leo and Dravis were led through the royal corridors—vast, gilded, alive with echoes of ancient power. Leo's eyes wandered across stained glass windows, golden pillars, and towering statues. But it was the sculpture of a woman holding a child that brought him to a sudden halt.
— "Who is she?" he asked the guard.
— "That was the queen… over a hundred years ago."
Leo's breath caught in his chest. She was the woman from his dream.
Then, a voice interrupted, sharp and laced with arrogance.
— "What are you doing here, you filth?"
Darien.
The guard replied without looking back:
— "By the king's command, they are to reside in the third-floor guest chambers."
— "What nonsense is this?" Darien hissed, then stormed off, clearly agitated.
Leo turned to the guard.
— "That wretch… Is he someone important?"
The guard hesitated, then replied:
— "The one you called a wretch… is the king's son."
Leo blinked.
— "I see… My apologies. I did not know."
Finally, the doors opened to a chamber unlike any Leo had ever imagined—lined with a grand library, a bed vast enough for five men, and a marble bath that could house a small cottage.
He stood still for a long time, gaze distant.
Then he whispered to himself:
— "I will press on. Wait for me… Father, Mother… I will find out who you are."