The first person stepped into the chamber.A woman.She held a glowing Key.Then another person appeared.Then another.One by one, they entered.Twelve people.Twelve Keys.All of them stared at Ethan.None spoke.The woman standing at the front stepped forward.“Thirteenth.”Ethan looked at her.“Who are you?”She raised her Key.“I am the First.”Another man stepped forward.“I am the Second.”Then another.“The Third.”One after another, the twelve Key holders revealed themselves.Ethan stared at them.The final person stepped forward.“The Twelfth.”His gaze moved toward Elena.Then back to Ethan.“You opened the first Chamber.”Ethan tightened his fist.“What happens now?”The First Key holder looked at his grandfather.“He chooses.”Ethan frowned.“Chooses what?”His grandfather answered.“Which side he belongs to.”Ethan laughed bitterly.“Your side?”“My side.”“The Order?”“The Order is no longer what you think it is.”Ethan shook his head.“Then what is it?”His grandfather

But the creature pulled harder. The door began to split. Ethan felt the Thirteenth mark on his wrist burning. The Key in his hand suddenly rose into the air. He stared at it. “What’s happening?” Seraphina looked at him. “It’s choosing.” “Choosing what?” “The person it belongs to.” The Key floated toward the Twelfth Chamber. Ethan reached for it. “No!” The moment his fingers touched the Key, a wave of energy exploded from his body. Every light in the chamber went out. The twelve Key holders fell to their knees. Daniel was thrown against the wall. Lillian screamed Ethan’s name. And the door— The door opened completely. A man stood inside. Tall. Thin. His clothes were torn. His face was pale. His dark hair fell over his forehead. But his eyes… His eyes were exactly like Ethan’s. Ethan stared at him. “Dad?” Alexander looked at his son. For a moment, he seemed unable to speak. Then he smiled. A tired, broken smile. “Ethan…” He stepped forward. Elena cove

“He didn’t save you from the Order.” A pause. “He gave you to them.” Ethan’s face went blank. “Dad?” Alexander opened his eyes. Tears filled them. “I can explain.” Ethan’s voice trembled. “You gave me to them?” “I had no choice.” “You gave me to them?” “I was trying to save your life!” Ethan stepped backward. Elena immediately moved toward him. “Ethan—” He raised his hand. “Don’t.” His eyes remained fixed on Alexander. “You knew.” Alexander nodded slowly. “Yes.” “And you still let them experiment on me?” “No.” Alexander’s voice broke. “I stopped them.” The creature laughed. “You stopped them after they had already succeeded.” Alexander turned toward it. “Shut up!” The creature spread its arms. “You should tell him everything.” Alexander looked at Ethan. And for the first time since opening the chamber door— he looked terrified of his own son. “Ethan…” The Thirteenth Key began glowing brighter. “What?” Alexander “The creature isn’t the final expe

Ethan’s eyes widened.“Your blood?”Adrian nodded.“When the Order realized my body could survive contact with all twelve Keys, they wanted to know why.”His gaze drifted toward the floating weapons.“So they studied me.”His fingers slowly curled.“They took my blood. My bone marrow. My cells. Everything they could extract without killing me.”Ethan’s expression darkened.“And they used it on me.”Adrian smiled faintly.“Not directly.”He looked toward Alexander.“Your father knows.”Ethan turned.“Dad?”Alexander said nothing.Ethan’s voice became colder.“Tell me.”Alexander swallowed.“When you were six months old, your body began failing.”Ethan stared at him.“The energy inside you was destroying your organs. Your heart stopped twice.”Elena covered her mouth.Alexander continued.“The Order had already discovered that Adrian’s blood could withstand Key energy.”Ethan slowly looked back at Adrian.“So you used his blood to save me.”“Yes.”Alexander’s voice was barely audible.“

Ethan’s eyes widened. “Who are you?” The voice answered. You know me. “No.” You have always known me. Ethan grabbed his head. Images flashed through his mind. A little boy. Six months old. Lying inside a glass chamber. Machines surrounding him. Alexander standing outside. Elena crying beside him. And behind the glass— A black symbol. The same symbol now glowing on Ethan’s chest. Ethan’s breathing stopped. “No…” Another image appeared. Adrian. Younger. Human. Standing inside the same laboratory. And beside him— A second child. A baby. Ethan stared. “That’s me.” Adrian’s voice reached him from somewhere far away. “Yes.” Ethan looked at him. “You were there.” Adrian nodded. “I was.” “You saw them experiment on me.” “Yes.” “Then why didn’t you stop them?” Adrian’s expression became painful. “Because I couldn’t.” Ethan stared at him. “You were stronger than them.” “Not then.” Adrian looked down at his hands. “Back then, I was still trying to reme