The gate continued to rise.
Veyr stood beneath it with a sword in one hand and black blood covering his coat.
The royal messenger remained on his horse.
Behind him stood twelve knights in silver armor.
But Veyr was not looking at the messenger.
He was looking at the young man beside him.
White armor.
Golden hair.
A clean face.
A sword with a white blade resting against his shoulder.
Kaelen Rook.
The hero of *The Saint’s Last Dawn*.
The man who was supposed to arrive tomorrow.
Kaelen was younger than Veyr remembered from the novel’s illustrations. He was also much more ordinary.
The novel had described him as a perfect hero who could make soldiers feel safe simply by standing near them.
Veyr did not feel safe.
He felt annoyed.
*The story has been running for less than an hour, and the hero is already here.*
The messenger rode through the gate.
Kaelen followed him.
The twelve knights entered after them, watching the soldiers on the walls.
Renn stood near the entrance with his bow in his hands. His eyes moved between the royal knights and Veyr.
The messenger stopped a few steps away.
He was a thin man with a long nose and a blue cloak. A silver badge shaped like a crown hung from his neck.
He pulled a scroll from his belt.
"Lord Veyr Draven."
Veyr looked at him.
"Is that me?"
The messenger paused.
"Yes."
"Then continue."
The man opened the scroll.
"By order of King Aldren of Valedorn, you are accused of treason against the crown, unlawful use of forbidden power, the murder of church officials, and the illegal detention of twenty-seven civilians."
Veyr glanced toward the battlefield.
The dead Grave Maw was still lying near the broken wall.
"Twenty-seven?"
"One of the prisoners is missing."
"Then your information is already outdated."
The messenger’s face tightened.
"You will surrender your weapons and come with us immediately."
Veyr looked at the twelve knights.
"Are these men here to arrest me?"
"Yes."
"Only twelve?"
The messenger frowned.
"They are royal knights."
"I can see that. I was asking if there were more."
The messenger did not answer.
Veyr looked over the knights again.
Most of them were tired. Their armor was dusty from traveling, and two had dried blood on their sleeves.
Only Kaelen looked fresh.
He was watching Veyr carefully.
That was a problem.
The original Veyr would have shouted at the messenger, insulted the king, and ordered his soldiers to attack.
The new Veyr had no intention of doing any of those things.
But if he behaved too differently, people would notice.
He needed to copy the old Veyr.
Not perfectly.
Just enough.
Veyr lifted his sword and pointed it at the messenger.
The royal knights immediately reached for their weapons.
Renn raised his bow.
The soldiers on the walls aimed their weapons downward.
Kaelen moved one step forward.
"Lower your sword," he said.
His voice was calm.
He was not shouting or threatening Veyr. He sounded like someone trying to stop a fight before it began.
Veyr looked at him.
"You must be Kaelen Rook."
Kaelen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"You know my name?"
"Everyone knows your name."
That was true.
Kaelen was already famous in the kingdom. He had killed several monsters near the capital and had been blessed by the Church of Light.
He had not yet become the hero from the novel.
But he was getting there.
The messenger pointed at Veyr.
"You will not threaten a royal representative."
"I’m not threatening him."
Veyr looked at the man’s sword.
"I’m showing him what will happen if he keeps talking."
The messenger’s face turned red.
Kaelen raised one hand.
"Lord Veyr, no one came here to start a fight."
"You entered my fortress with armed men."
"We came because the church reported that you attacked them and stole a dangerous relic."
"I did attack them."
Kaelen hesitated.
Veyr continued.
"They were using prisoners as fuel for a ritual."
The messenger quickly said, "The church denies—"
"Then the church is lying."
"You have no proof."
Veyr pointed toward the eastern side of the fortress.
"Twenty-seven prisoners are inside the lower hall. Ask them what happened."
The messenger looked toward Kaelen.
Kaelen’s gaze remained on Veyr.
"Can we speak to the prisoners?"
"No."
The messenger stepped forward.
"You are in no position to refuse."
Veyr smiled.
It was small, cold, and completely different from the smile he had shown Renn.
"Then arrest me."
The messenger stopped.
Veyr lowered his sword until its tip touched the ground.
"You have twelve knights. I have thirty soldiers who can still stand, and a fortress full of people who have just watched me kill a Grave Maw."
He glanced toward the dead monster.
"You also have no idea how many traps are inside this castle."
Veyr did not know whether there were traps inside the castle.
The old Veyr had probably installed several.
He was simply hoping the messenger did not know that the new Veyr had no idea where they were.
Kaelen looked toward the walls.
Then toward the battlefield.
Finally, he looked back at Veyr.
"You’re injured."
"An excellent observation."
"You need a healer."
"I need a quiet room and a drink."
"You need to answer the king’s accusation."
"Then we have different priorities."
Kaelen took another step forward.
The royal knights watched him.
Veyr did not move.
He remembered Kaelen’s personality from the novel.
Kaelen was brave, honest, and incredibly easy to manipulate.
He believed people usually had good intentions.
That belief had helped him gather allies.
It had also caused him to trust the Church of Light for far too long.
Veyr would not make the same mistake.
Kaelen looked at the blood on Veyr’s shoulder.
"Your wound is still bleeding."
Veyr glanced at it.
The wound had begun closing after he chose Rapid Regeneration, but the process was slow. Every time he moved his shoulder, the skin opened again.
"This is nothing."
Kaelen looked at the blood covering his coat.
"That is not nothing."
"It stopped me from dying."
"That usually makes it something."
Veyr stared at him.
For a moment, he understood why the original readers liked Kaelen.
The young man was too sincere to be normal.
Veyr looked away first.
"Take your knights and leave."
The messenger nearly choked.
"You cannot dismiss the king’s representative!"
"I can close the gate."
"You are under royal investigation!"
"And you are standing inside my fortress."
The messenger tightened his grip on the scroll.
"Lord Veyr, your father was executed for treason. Your family’s loyalty has always been questionable."
The soldiers on the wall grew tense.
Veyr felt something inside the body react.
The old Veyr’s memories were not complete, but the hatred was clear.
His father had been executed three years ago.
His lands had been taken.
His title had been reduced.
Draeven March had been left with a broken fortress and a small army.
The royal family had not trusted the Draven house.
They had simply been waiting for an excuse to remove the last son.
Veyr looked at the messenger.
"Mention my father again."
The messenger swallowed.
"What?"
"Mention my father again."
His voice was quiet.
The messenger seemed to believe that quiet meant weakness.
"Your father was a traitor who—"
Veyr moved.
He crossed the distance before the messenger could finish.
The sword in Veyr’s hand stopped against the man’s throat.
The royal knights drew their weapons.
Kaelen pulled out his white sword.
"Move away from him."
Veyr did not look at Kaelen.
"You arrived here with an arrest order and insulted my dead father in front of my soldiers."
"I only stated the truth!"
"Then die with it."
Veyr pressed the edge of the blade against the messenger’s skin.
A thin line of blood appeared.
The soldiers on the wall watched silently.
Renn kept his bow aimed at the knights.
Kaelen looked at him.
"Lower your weapon."
Renn did not move.
Kaelen’s eyes hardened.
"I am not your enemy."
Renn glanced at Veyr.
Veyr said nothing.
The boy kept his bow raised.
Kaelen looked back at Veyr.
"You will not kill him."
Veyr finally turned toward him.
"Why not?"
"Because he is a royal messenger."
"That is exactly why I should kill him."
"If you kill him, the king will send an army."
Veyr smiled.
"They were going to send one anyway."
Kaelen’s expression changed.
The messenger’s eyes widened.
Veyr knew he had found the correct answer.
The king did not send a messenger with twelve knights because of a few dead church soldiers.
The royal court had already decided that Veyr was a problem.
The messenger was only the excuse.
Kaelen lowered his sword slightly.
"You know what will happen if you resist."
"Yes."
"Then why are you making this worse?"
"Because it was already bad."
Veyr pulled the sword away from the messenger’s throat.
The man stumbled backward.
Kaelen remained in front of him.
"You’re letting him live?"
"For now."
"That is not mercy."
"I didn’t say it was."
Veyr turned toward the fortress.
"Odrik."
A large man walked out from behind the inner gate.
He wore damaged armor and carried a broad axe. His face was covered in ash, and one side of his beard had been burned away.
He stopped several steps away from Veyr.
"My lord."
His tone was careful.
Veyr remembered him.
Odrik Vale.
Captain of the fortress guard.
In the original story, Odrik betrayed Veyr during the second Chapter.
He opened the eastern gate for the church.
The original Veyr had beaten him nearly to death before the betrayal.
Odrik had survived.
Then he had helped Kaelen kill Veyr.
Veyr looked at him.
"Take the royal messenger to the guest hall."
Odrik’s eyes moved toward the messenger.
"Guest hall?"
"Give him food."
The messenger stared at Veyr.
"I am not your guest."
"Then consider it a temporary prison with better furniture."
Odrik almost smiled.
He quickly hid it.
Veyr noticed.
So did Kaelen.
Odrik grabbed the messenger by the arm.
"You heard the lord."
He took two steps, then glanced toward Veyr.
"The eastern gate is still unguarded."
Veyr looked at him.
"Then guard it."
Odrik did not move.
"You’re not going to ask why I mentioned it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I already know."
Odrik’s face tightened.
For a moment, his hand moved closer to the axe at his side.
Then he turned away and dragged the messenger toward the inner hall.
Veyr watched him leave.
Odrik was testing him.
The old Veyr would have ignored the eastern gate or shouted at him for mentioning it.
The new Veyr understood the warning.
The eastern gate was weak.
And Odrik wanted to know whether Veyr knew that.
Now he knew that Veyr was paying attention.
That was enough for one test.
Kaelen looked at Veyr.
"You expected him to question your orders?"
"I expected him to be useful."
"That isn’t an answer."
"It was the one I had."
Kaelen looked toward Odrik.
"You don’t trust your own captain."
Veyr glanced at him.
"Do you trust everyone who smiles at you?"
"No."
"Then you’re improving."
Veyr turned toward the fortress.
"Renn."
The young archer straightened.
"My lord?"
"Find the surviving soldiers who fled. Bring them back before nightfall."
Renn looked toward the battlefield.
"The ones who abandoned us?"
"Yes."
"What should we do if they refuse?"
Veyr looked at the royal messenger disappearing into the hall.
"Tell them the gate will be closed after sunset."
Renn nodded.
"And if they still refuse?"
"Leave them outside."
Renn seemed surprised.
Veyr added, "The monsters won’t."
Renn immediately ran toward the outer field.
Kaelen watched him go.
"You threaten your own soldiers with monsters?"
"I inform them of the situation."
"You could have sent men to search for them."
"I just did."
"You sent a wounded archer."
"He is the only one who knows which men ran."
Kaelen looked at Veyr’s shoulder.
"You don’t care if he gets killed."
Veyr turned toward him.
"I care if he returns."
"That is not the same thing."
"No."
Kaelen’s expression tightened.
"Then what do you care about?"
Veyr considered the question.
The honest answer was survival.
He needed the fortress.
He needed soldiers.
He needed to avoid dying before the story truly began.
He could not tell Kaelen that.
So Veyr gave him another answer.
"I care about useful people."
Kaelen looked toward Renn.
"He’s a person, not a tool."
"Then he should prove he can be both."
Kaelen stared at him.
"That is a terrible thing to say."
"Yes."
"You don’t even deny it."
"Why would I?"
Kaelen looked away.
For the first time since entering the fortress, his expression lost its calm.
He was not frightened.
He was angry.
That was better.
A hero who was angry was easier to understand than a hero who was smiling.
Kaelen turned back toward Veyr.
"You’re different from what I heard."
Veyr’s body became still.
"What did you hear?"
"That you were cowardly."
"People say many things."
"That you hide behind your title."
"People say accurate things too."
Kaelen looked at him.
"The man I heard about would have ordered his soldiers to die for him."
Veyr glanced toward the dead Grave Maw.
"The man you heard about died inside that monster."
Kaelen was silent.
Then he said, "That is the first true thing you’ve told me."
Veyr looked at him.
The hero was not stupid.
That was inconvenient.
Kaelen lowered his sword.
"You’re hiding something."
Veyr looked at him.
"You arrived at my gate with a royal arrest order. I arrived from inside a monster’s mouth. We are both hiding something."
Kaelen did not answer.
Veyr walked toward the inner hall.
The moment he crossed beneath the gate, pain spread through his shoulder.
His vision blurred.
Kaelen noticed.
"You need a healer."
"I need privacy."
"You are bleeding through your shirt."
"I am aware of my own blood."
Kaelen stepped closer.
Veyr immediately raised his sword again.
Kaelen stopped.
"I was not going to attack you."
"I know."
"Then why raise the sword?"
"Because you came closer."
"That makes no sense."
"It makes enough."
Kaelen sighed.
"You’re impossible."
"I’ve been told worse."
"By who?"
Veyr glanced at him.
"By the man I used to be."
Kaelen frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you talk too much."
Kaelen looked at the sword in Veyr’s hand.
Then at the blood running down his arm.
"I’m trying to keep you alive."
"That makes it worse."
They entered the inner hall.
Draeven March was in worse condition than the courtyard.
Several windows were broken. Blood covered the stone floor. Wounded soldiers lay against the walls while servants carried buckets of water between them.
A woman in a dark red dress stood near the far end of the hall.
Her hands were bound.
Two soldiers stood behind her.
She was tall, pale, and beautiful in a way that made the room feel colder. Long black hair fell over one shoulder, and a thin line of blood ran from the corner of her mouth.
Her red eyes were fixed on Veyr.
Seris Veyne.
The blood mage who had been executed by the church in the original story.
The hero had failed to save her.
Veyr had no intention of repeating that mistake.
Seris looked at the royal knights behind him.
Then at the blood on his coat.
Finally, she looked at the ring on his finger.
Her expression changed for less than a second.
Veyr noticed.
"You’re late," she said.
Veyr stopped.
"Am I?"
"You said the castle would fall before noon."
"You believed me?"
"You were very confident."
"I was having a difficult morning."
Seris looked at the dead Grave Maw visible through the broken hall doors.
"So I see."
Kaelen looked between them.
"You know each other?"
Seris answered before Veyr could.
"Unfortunately."
Veyr walked toward her.
"Untie her."
The soldiers behind Seris looked at each other.
One of them hesitated.
"My lord, she killed three men."
"Then she saved me the trouble."
Seris looked at Veyr.
"You’re not going to ask what I did to them?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I would have done the same."
For the first time, Seris looked genuinely surprised.
The soldier unlocked the chains.
Seris rubbed her wrists slowly.
The skin around them was red and bruised.
Kaelen stepped forward.
"You’re releasing a blood mage?"
Seris turned her head toward him.
"You’re the hero."
Kaelen frowned.
"You know me?"
"Everyone knows you."
"That doesn’t answer my question."
"You were supposed to arrive tomorrow."
The hall became silent.
Veyr’s eyes moved to Seris.
She did not seem to realize what she had said.
Or perhaps she did.
Kaelen looked at Veyr.
"Why was she expecting me?"
Veyr answered immediately.
"She was being held by the church. They probably told her you were coming."
Seris looked at him.
"That is not what they told me."
"What did they tell you?"
"That you would arrive with a holy knight and take me to the capital."
Kaelen’s expression changed.
"I was not sent to take you to the capital."
"Then why are you here?"
"To arrest Veyr."
Seris looked at Veyr.
"And you opened the gate for him?"
"He was already inside."
"You make poor decisions."
"I killed the monster outside."
"You also nearly let the royal messenger cut off your head."
"He talked too much."
Seris studied Veyr for several seconds.
Then she looked at the soldiers who had held her.
"Did you order them to torture me?"
Veyr looked at the two men behind her.
One of them immediately lowered his eyes.
"No."
"They did it without permission?"
"Yes."
"Then kill them."
The two soldiers looked up in alarm.
Kaelen stepped forward.
"You can’t simply execute them."
Seris smiled faintly.
"They tried to remove information from my head with hot iron."
Kaelen glanced at the soldiers.
"Is that true?"
Neither answered.
That was answer enough.
Kaelen turned toward Veyr.
"They should be judged."
Veyr looked at Seris.
"Do you want a judgment?"
"I want them dead."
"That is not the same thing."
"I know."
Veyr looked at the soldiers.
"You will remain in the lower cells until the prisoners are questioned."
Seris’s eyes narrowed.
"You’re not killing them?"
"Not yet."
She seemed dissatisfied.
Good.
Veyr turned to Kaelen.
"Take your knights and check the prisoners."
Kaelen frowned.
"You’re giving me permission?"
"I’m giving you a task."
"Why?"
"Because you want proof that the church is lying."
Kaelen looked at the wounded soldiers around the hall.
Then at Seris.
Finally, he nodded.
"I’ll speak to the prisoners."
"Take two knights."
"You trust me with them?"
"No."
Kaelen almost smiled.
"Then why?"
"Because I trust the other knights even less."
Seris looked at Veyr.
"You are either very clever or very stupid."
"I’ve been both today."
She studied him again.
"Something changed."
Kaelen had already started walking away.
Seris continued.
"You speak differently."
Veyr said nothing.
"You look at people differently."
Still nothing.
"You don’t know what I did to the guards, but you released me anyway."
"I know enough."
"You know nothing about me."
"I know you were going to die."
Seris tilted her head.
"What?"
"I said I know you are dangerous."
"That is not what you were going to say."
Veyr looked at her.
"You’re observant."
"I’m alive because I’m observant."
"Then keep observing."
Seris stepped closer.
Her eyes dropped toward his ring.
The moment she saw the crow symbol, her expression changed.
This time, Veyr was certain.
"You know this symbol," he said.
Seris looked back at his face.
"No."
"That was a quick answer."
"It was also true."
"Then why did you stop breathing?"
Seris’s gaze became colder.
"You’re imagining things."
"Perhaps."
Veyr looked down at his ring.
"Have you seen one like it before?"
Seris did not answer immediately.
That silence told him enough.
"When did you see it?" he asked.
"Three days ago."
"Where?"
"In the church’s lower archive."
"Why were you there?"
"They wanted me to identify a relic."
"What relic?"
Seris looked at his ring.
"A heart sealed in black iron."
Veyr’s fingers tightened.
The Grave Maw had not possessed a heart like that.
But the detail was too close to ignore.
"What did the church do with it?"
"They tried to make it answer me."
"And did it?"
Seris raised her bruised wrist.
"It spoke to me once."
Kaelen had stopped near the door.
He looked back at them.
Veyr kept his attention on Seris.
"What did it say?"
"That I would die screaming."
"And did you?"
"No."
"Then it was wrong."
"Maybe it was speaking about the future."
Seris looked back at him.
"Or maybe it was speaking about you."
Veyr did not react.
Inside, he remembered every detail of Seris’s death from the novel.
She had been tortured by the church.
She had escaped.
She had reached the capital wounded and exhausted.
Then the hero had arrived too late.
The church had killed her in front of him.
That event had changed Kaelen.
It had also made Seris one of the most dangerous people in the second half of the story.
Kaelen returned to the group.
"You both have rings that speak?"
Seris looked at him.
"Mine doesn’t speak anymore."
"Why?"
"I stopped answering."
Kaelen looked at Veyr.
"Does yours speak often?"
"No."
That was true.
"How often?"
"When it wants something."
Kaelen’s hand moved toward his sword.
"What does it want?"
Veyr looked at him.
"To make my day worse."
Seris laughed.
It was quiet and brief, but it was the first time Veyr had heard her laugh.
Kaelen stared at her.
"What?"
"Nothing," Seris said.
Veyr walked toward the war room.
Kaelen followed him.
Seris followed too.
Veyr glanced back.
"Where are you going?"
"You released me."
"That doesn’t mean you can walk anywhere."
"You said I should keep observing."
"I said you should keep observing."
"That sounds like permission."
"It was not."
Seris continued walking.
"You should be more careful with your words."
"I’ll remember that."
Kaelen looked at Veyr.
"You’re letting her come with us?"
"She was going to follow us anyway."
Seris smiled.
"He is learning."
Veyr ignored her.
The first day had barely begun.
He had killed the monster.
He had taken its power.
He had stopped the royal messenger from arresting him.
He had discovered that Odrik was already testing his authority.
He had brought Seris into his faction before the hero could claim her.
And Kaelen Rook was walking inside his castle.
The original story had already changed.
But the most dangerous part was not Kaelen.
It was the ring.
Seris had seen a similar relic.
She had tried to answer it.
And it had spoken about her death.
Veyr reached the war room and pushed the door open.
Kaelen entered first.
Seris followed.
Veyr stood behind them.
"Fine," he said.
Kaelen waited.
Veyr pointed toward the table covered with maps.
"Let’s discuss how you plan to kill me."
Kaelen’s expression changed.
"I don’t plan to kill you."
Veyr smiled.
"Not yet."
Kaelen looked at him.
"That wasn’t a joke, was it?"
"No."
Seris laughed again.
It was a real laugh this time.
Somewhere beneath Veyr’s glove, the ring pulsed.
It was not cold.
It was hot.