Declaration

Kai's boots scuffed against the cold stone floor as he entered the hidden room. It was a familiar chill, one that mirrored the unease settling in his bones. The Valerius ledger weighed heavily in his pack, its secrets a promise and a threat.

No one spoke at first. The air was thick with exhaustion and something heavier: doubt. Mira leaned against the far wall, meticulously cleaning her blade, while Rolf paced the room like a restless lion, his hand never straying far from his sword hilt. Anya sat at the table, her crimson hair falling across her face as she silently inspected the grime smudged across her leather vambraces.

Kai dropped his pack onto the table with a thud that echoed through the room. "We have it," he said finally, his voice sharper than he intended. "But at what cost?"

Anya snorted, breaking the silence. "We got in, got what we needed, and got out. I'd call that a win."

Rolf stopped pacing and shot her a glare. "It was too close. If that security ward had gone off a minute earlier—"

"It didn't," Anya interrupted, her tone biting. "So spare me the lecture."

Kai raised a hand, silencing them both. He couldn't afford their bickering—not now. His gaze swept over the room, lingering on each of them in turn. They were weary, their faces etched with a mix of triumph and lingering tension.

"Aric won't let this go unanswered," Kai said quietly. "He'll know we were there—and he'll come for us."

Mira finally spoke from her corner, her voice low but steady. "Then we'd better make sure this was worth it."

Her words hung in the air like a challenge, and Kai nodded grimly. He pulled the ledger from his pack and placed it on the table, its silver serpent crest gleaming faintly in the lamplight.

"Let's find out."

The Valerius ledger lay spread across the table, its pages filled with meticulous script and coded symbols. It was a map of Aric's ambition, a testament to his genius, and a weapon they could wield—if they could decipher its secrets.

Anya ran a finger along a list of names, her brow furrowed in concentration. "These are the key players—mercenary captains, arms dealers, smugglers. Aric has woven a web of alliances that stretches across Astra."

Rolf leaned closer, his gaze sharp as he studied the financial transactions. "The sums are staggering. Aric is diverting funds from the Imperial Treasury to fuel his private army."

Mira remained silent, her eyes scanning the ledger with a predatory intensity. Kai knew she was piecing together the puzzle, connecting the dots in a way only she could. Her mind was a blade, honed by loss and sharpened by vengeance.

"The Valerius family," Anya said, her voice laced with disgust. "They've been profiting from Aric's war for years. They're as guilty as he is."

"We need to expose them," Kai said, his voice hardening. "The Council needs to see the truth. Astra needs to know who is betraying them."

Rolf shook his head, his expression grim. "The Council is already in Aric's pocket. They won't believe us. We need proof—something undeniable."

"We have the ledger," Kai countered.

"It's not enough," Rolf insisted. "We need to verify this information. We need to find someone who can corroborate these transactions."

Anya scoffed. "We don't have time for that! Aric is moving quickly! Every moment we waste is another advantage he gains."

Tension crackled in the room like lightning before a storm. Anya and Rolf were at odds, their differing viewpoints threatening to fracture their fragile alliance.

"We strike now," Anya said, her voice rising with urgency. "We hit Aric where it hurts and make him pay for what he's done."

"We move carefully," Rolf countered, his voice calm but unwavering. "We gather our allies; we verify our information and strike with precision."

Kai felt the pressure mounting as he tried to mediate between them. He recognized that unity was essential but worried that their differing views could fracture their alliance.

Mira finally spoke up; her voice low but cutting through the tension like a shard of ice. "Aric took everything from me—my family; my home—I want him to suffer for what he's done."

Her words hung in the air heavy with unspoken grief and a thirst for vengeance. Kai looked into her eyes and saw the reflection of his own pain and desire for justice.

"But revenge is a luxury we cannot afford," Mira continued, her gaze locking onto Kai's again with an intensity that demanded attention. "We need to think strategically; we need to use this ledger to turn Aric's allies against him—make him question every move he makes."

Kai took a breath, ready to intervene, but the words died in his throat as a sudden sharp rapping echoed from the trapdoor leading to the tavern above.

Unlike the coded knocks Oddesey's members used, this was a frantic, desperate rhythm—a clear sign of distress. The room went silent; all eyes locking onto the trapdoor.

"That's not one of ours," Anya breathed, her hand instinctively moving to the dagger hidden beneath her sleeve.

Rolf drew his sword; his gaze narrowed as he positioned himself between Kai and the potential threat. "Stay behind me, Your Highness."

Mira moved silently to the side; positioning herself to flank the entrance; her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Kai felt a knot of dread tighten in his stomach. This was no ordinary visitor.

A muffled voice called out from above; laced with panic: "Open up! It's Torin—they're coming!"

Torin was one of Anya's contacts—a former city guard who fed them information about Aric's movements. If he was this panicked; something was terribly wrong.

Anya exchanged a tense look with Kai: "We have to let him in," she said; her voice barely a whisper. "But be ready for anything."

Rolf nodded grimly and carefully lifted the trapdoor; revealing a narrow passage leading to the tavern above. Torin's face appeared in the opening; his eyes wide with terror.

"Hurry!" he gasped; "They're—"

Before he could finish his warning; a crossbow bolt slammed into his chest; sending him tumbling backward into the hidden room. He landed with a sickening thud at Kai's feet; his eyes wide and lifeless.

A wave of shouts and clashing steel erupted from above—the unmistakable sounds of Aric's forces closing in on them.

Kai stared down at Torin's lifeless eyes; cold fury building within him like an inferno ready to consume everything in its path—Aric had just declared war—and this time there would be no turning back.