Kael had barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, the same two lines returned to his mind.
FIRST SEAL: RESPONSE DETECTED.
SECOND SEAL: NO RESPONSE.
He had seen both messages clearly. They had appeared on his palm, one after the other, before the blue mark vanished as if it had never existed.
The first message was already strange enough. The second made it worse.
If there were two seals, what were they sealing? Why was his hand connected to them? And what did the word response actually mean?
He had spent half the night thinking about those questions, then another hour trying to convince himself that staring at the ceiling would not provide the answers.
It hadn't.
When the first light of morning entered his room, Kael finally gave up on getting any more sleep. He washed his face, dressed, and checked his right palm one last time before leaving.
Nothing had changed.
"At least you're being quiet today," he muttered to his hand.
He picked up his bag and headed downstairs.
The guild's common room was already crowded. A group of adventurers had returned from an overnight escort mission and were arguing about who had to pay for the broken wheel on their employer's wagon. Near the counter, a young man was trying to convince the receptionist that a half-eaten rabbit counted as proof of a successful hunting quest.
It was an ordinary morning in Ironbrook.
Kael found himself grateful for that.
He ordered breakfast and sat near the window, hoping to see Serena arrive. He had barely finished his bread when she entered the room, carrying her usual short sword and wearing a look that suggested she had already dealt with at least one irritating person that morning.
She spotted him and walked over.
"You look terrible."
"Good morning to you too."
"Did you sleep?"
"Some."
"That means no."
Kael moved his cup aside so she could sit down.
"I have something to tell you."
Serena's expression became serious. "The mark?"
He nodded.
"It appeared again last night."
She pulled out the chair and sat across from him.
"What happened this time?"
Kael told her everything. He described the blue lines, the first message, and the second line that had appeared for only a moment. He also explained how he had tried holding both swords and looking around the room, hoping to discover what had triggered the reaction.
Serena listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she leaned back and crossed her arms.
"So, the first seal responded, but the second didn't."
"That's what the messages said."
"And you have no idea what either of them means."
"None."
"Wonderful."
Kael gave her a tired look. "You don't have to sound so happy about it."
"I'm not happy. I'm trying to decide whether I should be worried about the fact that your hand has started giving you mysterious messages."
"That would be reasonable."
"Good. At least one of us is thinking clearly."
He almost smiled, but she was still watching him with concern.
"Did you feel anything before it appeared?" she asked. "A change in the air? A strange sound? Anything at all?"
Kael thought carefully.
"No. I was cleaning my sword. I didn't feel anything unusual until the tingling started."
"Which sword?"
"My old one."
Serena frowned. "The one you carried from Greenwood?"
"Yes, but I tried holding both swords. Neither of them seemed to affect the mark."
"Did it disappear when you put the old sword down?"
"No. It remained until the message appeared and then faded on its own."
She tapped a finger against the table.
"We should tell the guild master. He asked you to report anything unusual."
"I know. I was going to see him after breakfast."
"Good. And before you say anything, no, we're not going back to the watchtower today."
Kael raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't going to suggest that."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Then we're making progress."
They finished breakfast and went straight to the guild master's office.
This time, the guild master was reading a letter rather than sorting through reports. He looked up when they entered, then set the paper aside after noticing their expressions.
"What happened?"
Kael closed the door.
"The mark appeared again last night."
The guild master's face grew serious.
"Tell me exactly what happened."
Kael repeated the details, making sure not to leave anything out. When he mentioned the second message, the guild master stood up and walked to the shelf behind his desk.
"Second seal," he murmured.
He pulled down the worn notebook they had examined the previous day and flipped through its damaged pages.
"That's what the old record mentioned," Serena said. "But the passage was too damaged to explain anything."
"I remember." The guild master turned another page. "I was hoping it was only a reference to some division within the organization. Two separate groups, perhaps. But given what you've told me, that seems less likely."
He placed the notebook on the desk and examined the surviving passage.
"Unfortunately, this is all we have. I don't know whether the seals are physical objects, magical barriers, or something else entirely."
Kael sat down.
"Could they be connected to the door beneath the watchtower?"
"They could be. But we shouldn't assume both seals are located there. The message on your hand didn't say that the first seal had been opened. It said it had responded. Those are different things."
"Then what does it mean?"
The guild master gave him an honest answer.
"I don't know."
Kael had expected that, but hearing it still frustrated him.
The guild master noticed.
"I understand that you want answers. If I were in your position, I'd want them too. But we have to be careful. The more we discover, the more dangerous it becomes to make assumptions."
He turned the notebook toward Kael.
"Look at this line."
Kael leaned forward.
The writing was faint, but the words could still be made out.
The seals were not created to be sought. They were established to be watched.
Beneath that sentence, the page had been torn away.
"Whoever wrote this wanted the reader to understand that searching for the seals was not their purpose," the guild master said. "That makes me wonder whether the Wardens were responsible for guarding them rather than using them."
Serena looked at the page.
"And if Kael's parents were Wardens, they might have been protecting one of them."
"Possibly."
"Or trying to repair one," Kael added.
The guild master glanced at him.
"Why do you think that?"
"Arden said my parents were searching for the place where the first Voidborn was born. He also said they were protecting the world from something. If the seals are connected to that place, maybe they were trying to prevent something from happening there."
The guild master considered his words.
"That is possible, but it raises another question. If they were trying to protect the world, why did they leave you at an orphanage instead of taking you with them?"
Kael looked down at the desk.
"Arden said they left me there because people were searching for me."
"And do you believe him?"
"I believe he knows something about my parents. I don't know whether I can trust everything he says."
"That's a sensible answer."
Kael looked up again.
"There's something else. The message appeared twice now, and both times the mark disappeared on its own. I couldn't control it. Is there anything in the records about someone carrying a symbol like this?"
The guild master shook his head.
"Nothing I've found so far. But I have another idea."
He walked to a cabinet and removed a small wooden box.
Inside lay the piece of dark metal that had reacted when Kael first saw it. Its surface was dull and uneven, with a faint pattern that resembled part of the eye-like symbol.
Kael immediately recognized it.
"That piece of metal?"
"Yes. I kept it because I suspected it was connected to the other incidents. I didn't want to risk damaging it, so I haven't done much with it."
The guild master set the box on the desk but didn't touch the metal itself.
"When you first saw it, the mark on your hand reacted. We might be able to learn something by observing whether it happens again."
Serena frowned.
"Is that safe?"
"I don't know."
"That isn't reassuring."
"No, it isn't." The guild master looked at Kael. "Which is why I'm not asking you to touch it. I want to see whether the object reacts when you're nearby. If it does, we'll stop immediately."
Kael studied the metal.
He didn't like the idea of deliberately provoking the mark, but the guild master was right about one thing. They needed more information, and this was a controlled way to look for a connection without returning to the tower.
"All right," he said. "Let's try."
The guild master moved the box to the center of the desk. Kael remained several steps away, with Serena beside him.
At first, nothing happened.
The metal looked as dull as it had before.
Kael took one step closer.
Still nothing.
He moved another step.
A faint blue line appeared across the metal.
Serena immediately reached for his arm.
"That's enough."
Kael stopped.
The line flickered once, then faded.
His palm remained normal.
The guild master watched the object carefully.
"Interesting."
"That's one word for it," Serena replied.
The guild master took a piece of cloth and carefully covered the metal before placing it back inside the box.
"We won't test it any further today."
Kael looked at his hand.
"So it still reacts to me."
"It reacted when you were nearby," the guild master corrected. "That doesn't tell us why. It could be connected to the symbol, the seals, or something we haven't discovered yet."
"But it's another connection."
"Yes. And that makes it worth investigating."
He locked the box inside the cabinet.
"I'll arrange for the object to be examined by someone who understands old materials and magical inscriptions. I know a craft researcher who lives in the eastern district. He's worked with ancient relics before, though I can't promise he'll know anything about this one."
"When can we meet him?" Kael asked.
"I'll send a message today. Until he responds, leave the metal alone."
"We will."
The guild master sat down again.
"Now, there's one more thing I want you to consider. You said the message appeared while you were holding your old sword."
"Yes."
"Even if it wasn't the cause, I want you to think about whether anything else happened around that time. Any unusual dreams, memories, or feelings you haven't mentioned."
Kael shook his head.
"Nothing that I can remember."
He hesitated, then added, "Actually, I did have a strange feeling the first time the mark appeared beneath the tower. It was like something recognized me. But that might have been because of the door."
The guild master nodded slowly.
"Don't dismiss it, but don't treat it as proof either. Write down everything you remember, even if it seems insignificant. The time, the place, what you were doing, and what you felt."
Kael pulled his notebook from his bag.
"I can do that."
"Good. And if the message appears again, don't try to force it to respond. You don't know what might happen if you keep provoking it."
"I wasn't planning to."
Serena gave him a sideways look.
Kael sighed. "I wasn't planning to do it again."
"Better."
The guild master opened the door for them.
"That's all for now. I'll let you know when I hear from the researcher or the scholar in the capital. In the meantime, keep working and stay out of trouble."
Serena smiled politely.
"We'll do our best."
The guild master looked directly at Kael.
"That means both of you."
"We understood," Kael replied.
They left the office.
For a while, neither spoke. Then Serena glanced at him.
"Well, that went better than I expected."
"We learned that the metal reacts when I'm nearby."
"And that we still don't know why."
"You're very good at reminding me of the obvious."
"It's a talent."
Kael shook his head.
Despite the lack of clear answers, he felt slightly better. At least they were gathering information instead of chasing shadows. They had a record to examine, a researcher to contact, and a letter to send.
It wasn't much, but it was progress.
And he had learned something important about himself.
He couldn't keep the mark a secret simply because he was afraid of what it might mean.
If he wanted to understand it, he would have to let other people help him.
They spent the rest of the morning completing a simple escort assignment.
A merchant needed two adventurers to accompany a small cart carrying tools and household goods to a village a few hours outside Ironbrook. It wasn't dangerous work, but the merchant had been robbed twice in the past month and didn't want to take chances.
Serena negotiated the payment while Kael checked the cart's wheels and examined the road ahead.
The merchant, a broad man with a thick mustache, watched him work.
"You're the young adventurer who helped with the monster attack, aren't you?"
Kael straightened.
"I was involved, yes."
"I heard about that. People say you stood in front of one of those things without running."
"People exaggerate."
"Of course they do. That's what makes stories worth telling."
Serena climbed onto the cart's rear bench.
"He's also very good at carrying bags and following instructions. Those are the important skills."
Kael looked at her.
"I thought you said my swordsmanship was improving."
"It is. But I wouldn't trust you to fight an entire army."
"Neither would I."
The merchant laughed and climbed onto the driver's seat.
"Good. Sensible adventurers are worth more than reckless heroes. Now, let's get moving before the road fills up."
The cart rolled out of Ironbrook.
The journey was peaceful. They passed farmers working in the fields, a group of children chasing each other along a fence, and a small shrine beside the road where travelers had left flowers and coins.
Kael watched the surroundings as they traveled, but he didn't find anything unusual. No blue lights appeared in the trees. No strange creatures watched from the hills.
After an hour, the merchant began talking about his business.
He explained that he had started with a single cart and now owned three, though he complained that maintaining them cost more than he had expected.
"My eldest son wants to join the guild," he said. "Thinks he'll become rich by killing monsters."
"Have you told him how much equipment costs?" Serena asked.
"Every day. He says he'll find treasure."
Kael smiled. "He might."
"He might also lose a leg. That's what I keep telling him."
"Adventuring isn't for everyone," Kael said. "It takes more than wanting to be strong."
The merchant nodded.
"Exactly. I don't mind if he wants to see the world, but I'd prefer it if he came home with the same number of limbs he left with."
Serena chuckled.
Kael found himself enjoying the conversation. The merchant was an ordinary man with ordinary worries. He cared about his business, his family, and whether his cart would survive another journey.
There was something comforting about that.
Not everyone was connected to ancient seals or forgotten organizations. Most people were simply trying to live their lives.
Whatever secrets surrounded Kael's birth, he didn't want them to become the only thing that mattered to him.
When they reached the village, the merchant unloaded his goods while Kael and Serena helped carry the heavier crates. The villagers greeted him warmly, and an elderly woman brought out a plate of freshly baked bread as thanks for the safe delivery.
The merchant offered Kael and Serena a few pieces.
"Take them. My wife baked too much again."
"Is that what you tell everyone?" Serena asked.
"Only the people I like."
They accepted the bread and rested near the village well while the merchant finished his business.
A little girl approached Kael, staring openly at the sword on his belt.
"Are you a knight?"
"No," Kael replied. "I'm an adventurer."
"What's the difference?"
Kael thought for a moment.
"Knights usually serve a lord or a kingdom. Adventurers take jobs from the guild and travel wherever the work takes them."
"Do you fight monsters?"
"Sometimes."
"Have you fought a dragon?"
Serena immediately looked away, hiding a smile.
Kael noticed.
"No," he answered honestly. "I've never seen a dragon."
"Then you're not a very good adventurer."
He blinked.
The girl nodded as if she had just delivered an important judgment and ran back toward her mother.
Serena burst out laughing.
Kael stared after the child.
"I've fought monsters that would probably scare her."
"Unfortunately, none of them were dragons."
"I could have told her a story."
"You could have. But then you'd have to explain why you couldn't show her proof."
He sighed.
"You're enjoying this far too much."
"Absolutely."
By the time the merchant was ready to leave, Kael had recovered from the insult to his reputation. They escorted the cart back toward Ironbrook, arriving shortly before sunset.
The merchant thanked them and paid the agreed fee without complaint.
As Kael watched him guide the cart away, Serena nudged his shoulder.
"See? A whole day of work without a single ancient mystery trying to ruin it."
"Don't say that. You'll tempt fate."
"You're learning."
They returned to the guild to report the successful escort. After collecting their payment, Serena went to check the quest board for tomorrow's work while Kael headed toward the front entrance.
He wanted to find a merchant traveling toward Greenwood.
He had a letter to send.
The first merchant he approached was heading north, toward the Central Plain. The second planned to travel east. The third was leaving for a town that lay nowhere near Greenwood.
Kael was beginning to wonder whether he would need to wait another week when an older merchant carrying a walking stick approached the guild counter.
He was thin, with gray hair and a weathered face. A small wagon stood outside, loaded with sacks of grain and several wooden crates.
Kael waited until the man finished speaking with the receptionist before approaching him.
"Excuse me. Are you traveling toward Greenwood?"
The merchant looked him over.
"Depends. Which Greenwood?"
"The village near the western forest. There's an orphanage there."
"Ah, that Greenwood." The man rubbed his chin. "I'm passing through the area in three days. I won't enter the village itself, but I'll be close enough to leave a letter with someone who can deliver it."
Kael felt a small weight lift from his chest.
"Would you be willing to take one for me? I'll pay for the trouble."
The merchant held out his hand.
"Let me see it first."
Kael handed him the sealed envelope.
The man examined the address, then turned it over.
"An orphanage, you say?"
"Yes. The woman who runs it raised me."
The merchant's expression softened a little.
"That so?"
"Yes."
He returned the letter.
"I'll take it. No need for extra payment. I have a daughter about your age, and if she ever sent me a letter, I'd want someone to make sure it arrived."
Kael bowed his head.
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Don't thank me yet. I haven't delivered it."
"Still, thank you."
The merchant chuckled.
"Polite young fellow. Your parents taught you well."
The words caught Kael off guard.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
The merchant noticed his expression and frowned.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No," Kael replied quickly. "It's just… I never knew my parents."
The older man fell silent.
"I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "I shouldn't have assumed."
"It's fine. You couldn't have known."
The merchant tucked the letter into an inner pocket of his coat.
"I'll make sure it gets there."
Kael watched him leave the guild.
For years, he had wondered what kind of people his parents had been. He had imagined countless possibilities, sometimes seeing them as kind and ordinary, sometimes as powerful figures caught in some terrible struggle.
Now he knew so little that even the simplest questions were impossible to answer.
Had they taught him anything before leaving him? Had they held him in their arms? Had they regretted leaving him behind?
He didn't know.
But perhaps Sister Maren could tell him something.
Even a small detail would be more than he had now.
That night, Kael returned to his room and sat at the desk.
He opened his notebook and began recording everything he remembered about the mark.
The first time had been beneath the watchtower. The symbol had appeared after the stone door reacted to his presence, and he had felt a strange sensation that he couldn't properly describe.
The second time had been in his room, when the words FIRST SEAL: RESPONSE DETECTED appeared.
The third time had occurred under the same conditions, followed by the brief message about the second seal.
He wrote down the time, the location, and what he had been doing before each event.
Then he added a note about the dark metal in the guild master's cabinet.
It wasn't enough to establish a pattern, but it was a start.
When he finished, he placed the notebook beside his bed and lay down.
He was tired, and for once he didn't want to spend the entire night searching for answers.
His thoughts returned briefly to the little girl in the village.
Then you're not a very good adventurer.
Kael smiled in the darkness.
"One day, I'll have a better answer for you."
He closed his eyes.
Sleep came more easily than it had the night before.
But far away, in a small room filled with old maps and locked cabinets, a man woke from a dream.
He sat upright, breathing heavily.
For several seconds, he stared at his hands as if he expected to find something written on them.
Then he reached for the lamp beside his bed.
The room brightened.
On the desk lay a sheet of paper covered in notes about ancient symbols. Most were ordinary drawings copied from old books, but one had been circled several times.
The eye-like mark.
The man stared at it.
"No," he whispered.
He pulled open a drawer and removed a thin book bound in black leather. Its pages were filled with writing in an old language, and several had been marked with strips of red cloth.
He turned to a page near the back.
Two symbols had been drawn there.
One was the eye-like mark.
The other was a smaller symbol beneath it, almost identical to the one that had briefly appeared on Kael's hand.
The man ran a shaking finger across the page.
For years, he had believed the second seal was silent.
He had believed it would remain that way.
But something had changed.
He closed the book and looked toward the window, where the first light of dawn was beginning to appear.
"Who are you?" he whispered, though there was no one in the room to answer.
Then he gathered the book and the loose papers from his desk.
He needed to contact someone.
Someone who had spent years insisting that the seals were nothing more than old stories.
Someone who would have to reconsider everything.
Because if the first seal had begun responding to a living person, and the second had shown even the smallest sign of recognition, then the old records had been wrong about one thing.
The seals were not simply waiting to be found.
They were waiting for someone.
And that someone was already walking through the world, unaware of what his existence might mean.
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