Loren slipped quietly into the Sanctum of Records, his heart racing from the pressure of this situation. "Finally…" he let out a breath of relief.
The room was dimly lit, with shelves filled with ancient books and holographic projections showcasing the vast knowledge the Valen family had collected over the centuries.
The air was thick with the weight of history, and every step he took felt like a ripple in the silence.
"It was over there before..." Loren muttered, trying to convince himself.
He moved swiftly, trying to keep his footsteps light despite the urgency. His destination was clear—the ancient scroll was kept on the far side of the room.
Loren knew exactly where it should be, yet as he reached the designated shelf, his breath caught in his throat. "Why..." The scroll was missing.
Panic hit him like a wave. His pulse quickened, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. His mind raced, a thousand thoughts crashing into one another.
"No, no, no. Where is it? It was right here the last time I saw it!"
Loren's fingers hovered over the empty space where the scroll should have been. He scanned the nearby shelves, his eyes darting back and forth as his anxiety mounted.
He couldn't have come all this way only for the scroll to be gone, not after everything.
"Think, Loren. Stay calm. You can figure this out."
Loren forced himself to take a deep breath, pushing the panic aside as best he could. If the scroll wasn't here, that meant someone had moved it. And there were only a few people with the clearance to do that.
'David.' His uncle must have continued his research after Loren had last seen the scroll. That was the only explanation. He hadn't lost it; it had just been moved. Loren's gaze swept the room, searching for any sign of where the scroll might be.
And then, across the room, his eyes landed on a table near the center. The scroll lay among a few scattered notes and holographic devices.
Loren exhaled in relief, his legs almost giving out beneath him. He hurried over to the table, careful to keep his movements quiet. His fingers brushed the old parchment as he picked it up, feeling the weight of its significance. The material was worn, but the knowledge it contained was priceless.
"Okay, you're fine. Just... breathe." Loren shook his head at himself, feeling the tension ease just a little. His hands still trembled slightly, a reminder of how high the stakes were.
He needed to be better than this. He had to be more composed and less clumsy to reach his potential. Super Intelligence could only get him so far if he kept letting his nerves get the better of him.
"Relax, Loren," he told himself, gripping the scroll tightly. "This is your moment. Let's help Aric and then help yourself."
He quickly scanned the surrounding table, seeing the sign that David had recently worked with the scroll. There were notes—lots of them—scattered across the table, likely documenting David's latest research.
But Loren didn't have time to go through them now. His mission was clear: get the scroll to Aric and let him read or be near it to see if it triggered anything.
Loren steadied his breath as he gazed at the ancient scroll on the table.
The markings on the scroll, written in an ancient language, were still a mystery even to him. Even David had been studying it for years, trying to uncover its secrets.
Loren gently rolled the scroll, his heart still pounding, and slipped it into his basic dimensional storage ring. The ring was a marvel of human ingenuity, developed after the Nebulon incident.
It allowed users to store objects in a pocket dimension, making them weightless and invisible until needed. Loren marveled at the smoothness of the process, the scroll disappearing into the ring with a faint shimmer of light.
'There,' Loren thought, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. 'It's safe.'
He clenched his fist around the ring, feeling its cool metal against his skin. Even with the advanced technology, hiding something important in such a small, inconspicuous place felt surreal.
Loren knew the risks they were taking—this wasn't just some ordinary scroll; it held information that could reshape everything they knew. He had to be careful and calculated. One wrong move and their plan could unravel.
'I have to stay calm,' he reminded himself. 'No more slip-ups.'
With the scroll secured, he exited the Sanctum while mentally preparing himself for what came next. He needed to focus, keep his movements smooth, and—most importantly—avoid detection. Aric was still out there, distracting Galen. The weight of the mission was starting to feel less like a burden and more like a test. Loren couldn't fail now.
***
High above the clouds, David sat in one of the luxurious seats of the sleek private jet as it sliced through the night sky, the sound of the engines humming in the background.
The jet was far from ordinary. It was built with cutting-edge technology and equipped with defenses that could rival military-grade aircraft. Beside him sat Agustin, silent as always, his eyes fixed on the view outside. The rest of their group, senior members of the Valen family, were engaged in quiet discussions.
Their destination was the neighboring Empire of Carthadon.
Traveling by jet rather than using one of the teleportation portals wasn't random. In fact, it was standard practice in diplomatic dealings between empires. No kingdom or empire ever granted another access to their teleportation portals—not directly into their heartlands.
The stakes were too high. Teleportation technology, though incredibly efficient, posed significant security risks. If the access to the portals fell into the wrong hands, enemy forces could appear right at their doorstep.
So, private jets were the preferred method for high-level diplomatic visits. They were slower, yes, but far more secure. The journey also allowed discussions and preparations without fear of being overheard or intercepted.
David's mind was elsewhere, though. He leaned back in his seat, his eyes skimming over his smartwatch, where the notification glowed softly on the screen.
[Unauthorized access to the Sanctum of Records.]
The corners of his mouth curled slightly. Loren had managed to crack the security, just as David had expected. After all, Loren was a prodigy regarding anything related to intelligence and strategy. His Super Intelligence gave him an edge that most others didn't possess—except David himself.
David tapped the screen, reviewing the feed from the Sanctum's security system. He watched as Loren navigated the room, his movements careful and calculated. The notification hadn't come as a surprise. In fact, David had always known Loren would eventually try to access the Sanctum.
The real question was, "Why now?"
David's mind wandered back to his youth when he had done the same thing. He had snuck into restricted estate sections, driven by an insatiable curiosity. It wasn't rebellion—it was simply the need to know.
And now, he saw that same need in Loren. Whatever Loren was looking for, David wasn't worried. He'd let this play out. After all, sometimes you had to let the younger generation make their own discoveries, even if it meant bending the rules.
The timing was certainly suspicious. The Valens' higher-ups had been busy preparing for their important trip to Carthadon, which was crucial for their empire.
David hadn't managed to visit Loren and Aric after the robbery because he was caught up in negotiations with Agustin and other family members. But now, as they were getting closer to Carthadon, he couldn't shake off the mystery behind Loren's actions.
'What are you looking for, Loren?' David thought, his gaze drifting back to the security feed. 'What is it about that scroll?'
He couldn't help but smile as he watched Loren. The boy's actions brought back memories of his own younger days. David felt a sense of patience wash over him; he was eager to see what his nephew would do next. After all, if Loren was anything like him, there was always a reason behind his curiosity.
***
Back in the library of the Valen estate, Aric did his best to keep Warden Galen occupied. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain his patience. Galen was relentless, and his self-importance was evident in every word he spoke.
"So, Aric," Galen said with an exaggerated casualness, "I've been meaning to ask about Lira."
Aric's internal alarms went off immediately. 'Lira? What does he want with my sister?' he thought.
Galen leaned in slightly, his expression overly innocent. "You know, she and I have crossed paths a few times. Impressive girl, that one."
Aric could barely keep from laughing out loud. The image of Galen trying to woo Lira was beyond ridiculous. But he kept his face straight. "Oh? Yeah, she's... uh, she's something."
"Exactly," Galen continued, missing the sarcasm entirely. "You know, it wouldn't be the worst thing if we got to know each other better. Both of us are from the powerful lineage of the Valen family, so that makes sense, right?"
'Ah, there it is,' Aric thought, barely containing his amusement. 'He's trying to use me to get closer to Lira.'
"I suppose it does," Aric replied, trying to keep a straight face. "But, you know, Lira's got her hands full with Zenith Academy. She's not really thinking about anything else right now."
Galen nodded, but he wasn't deterred. "Of course, of course. But, once she graduates, I'm sure she'll have more time for... other things. Maybe you could put in a good word for me?"
Aric grinned. "Sure, Galen. I'll make sure to mention your... kindness?"
Galen's eyes lit up, completely oblivious to Aric's hidden laughter. "Thanks, Aric. I knew I could count on you!"
Aric nodded, still watching the Sanctum's door, hoping Loren would finish up soon. If he had to keep playing the middleman between Galen and Lira any longer, he wasn't sure how long he could keep from laughing.