Inside the palace, the whispers did not fade after the Emperor declared his wish to see the arrivals himself. The ministers and advisors dispersed, yet a veil of unease still hung over the grand court. Everyone understood that this was more than just a delayed caravan; it was a past rising from its grave, a past that could swallow the palace and all within it.
The Road to the Palace
Along the cobblestone road, the caravan finally advanced, its heavy wagons draped in faded cloth. It was escorted only by a few ordinary men, their appearance suggesting mere traders or village workers. No armor, no royal banners—only carts that seemed to carry provisions and goods. But behind this façade lay a greater secret, hidden from the eyes of the common folk.
Inside one of the wagons sat Frank, a man in his fifties. His body was weary, but his gaze remained sharp. Wrinkles etched countless stories upon his face, and the scars on his hands told tales known only to a few. He stared at a small stone in his palm—a stone that might appear ordinary to any stranger, yet to him it carried memories, and curses.
He whispered to himself:
> "I should never have returned… but perhaps I no longer have a choice."
The sound of hooves grew louder as the golden gates of the palace drew near. The guards at the eastern gate exchanged glances upon seeing the caravan, but none stopped it. Frank's name alone was enough to open the doors.
The Great Hall
The Emperor stood on his throne, with Dan and Barnela at his side as he had commanded. Ministers sat in their rows, while soldiers lined the walls. Silence hung heavy until the footsteps of the caravan's men echoed into the chamber.
Frank entered slowly, his steps heavy yet assured. He wore a plain dark coat, betraying nothing of his former station, yet his presence filled the hall in a way none had expected.
Dan bowed slightly, a cold smile on his lips, while Barnela remained composed, though her eyes trembled for a fleeting moment noticed only by the Emperor.
The Emperor's voice rang out:
> "Frank… at last you return to the palace after all these years."
Frank bowed with discipline and replied:
> "My lord, fate alone has brought me back."
Yet the fleeting glance he cast toward Dan and Barnela revealed that fate was not the only force at play.
The Riddle
Before any formal exchange could begin, one of the scribes stepped forward carrying a small box found with the caravan. He placed it before the Emperor and lifted the lid, revealing an aged parchment, written in an unknown hand. The Emperor read it aloud:
> "Three paths begin from the same door,
One leads to betrayal,
One is buried in blood,
And one… shall open only upon the return of the absent."
The court froze. It was clear these words were no mere riddle, but a message meant for those present. Dan raised an eyebrow, Barnela closed her eyes briefly, while Frank stood motionless, as though he knew their meaning all too well.
The Court in Confusion
One minister stammered:
> "Your Majesty… is this a threat?"
The Emperor did not answer at once. He studied the three of them, weighing their reactions, before finally saying:
> "This riddle… it was not written idly. Whoever penned it knows our past too well."
Dan and Barnela exchanged silent glances. Clearly, both knew something of the riddle, yet neither dared reveal it. At last, Frank spoke, his voice low but steady:
> "This door… has been opened before, and it will not close except with blood."
Everyone froze where they stood.
A Whisper in the Corridors
After the assembly, as the ministers dispersed, Brand Al-Fric followed Frank down the hall, trailing him until they reached a deserted passage.
Brand's voice was sharp, low:
> "You vanished for twenty years, leaving behind blood and betrayal. Why return now?"
Frank's gray eyes fixed on him as he replied:
> "Because I am the only one who can stop what is coming. You do not understand… what we began was never finished."
Brand's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, though he did not draw it. He knew the time had not yet come, and that the Emperor alone would decide this man's fate.
Echoes of the Past
In a dim chamber, Barnela sat alone, her eyes fixed upon the mirror before her. She remembered that night long ago, when the three of them—Frank, Dan, and herself—had sat at one table, plotting a plan that might have reshaped the kingdom's future.
But blood had spilled upon that table in the end. Frank was branded a traitor, Dan seized the chance to rise swiftly through the court, and Barnela carried a secret she had never confessed to anyone.
She whispered:
> "Why has he come back now? Does he seek vengeance… or redemption?"
The Emperor's Calculations
Alone upon his throne after the council dispersed, the Emperor lifted the parchment once more, reading the riddle again and again. His mind churned like a restless machine. He knew the past was knocking at his palace gates, and that the true danger no longer lay outside, but within the heart of his own court.
He muttered:
> "Three paths… three souls. One will betray, one will die, and one will reveal the secret."
He smiled a heavy smile, then ordered Frank to be summoned to a private chamber.
A Meeting in the Shadows
Frank entered the small room, where the Emperor awaited him. No guards, no ministers—only the two men, and the shadows.
The Emperor asked:
> "Tell me the truth… what have you come for?"
Frank sighed and sat slowly.
> "My lord… I have come to warn you. There is a force stirring in the shadows, a force that began the night Barnela, Dan, and I parted ways. That decision… it did not die with us. It grew. And now it returns."
The Emperor raised his brow:
> "And who leads this force?"
Frank was silent for a long while before he finally answered:
> "One of us."
Cliffhanger Ending
At that very moment, Brand burst into the chamber, his face grim, a sealed letter of black wax in his hand. He delivered it swiftly to the Emperor, who broke it open and scanned the words. His eyes widened, his voice thundered:
> "The southern village… was burned to the ground last night."
Frank froze in place. Dan and Barnela, having just arrived at the doorway, heard the words as well. The four of them locked eyes, as the air grew thick with the stench of old betrayal.
Curtain falls on Chapter Nine:
The shadows drew closer, and the riddle began to open its doors. Which path would the three take? Betrayal, blood… or the hidden door that opens only upon the return of the absent?