The world did not end. That became the first thing people learned to believe again. After the strange movement beyond the stars, nothing attacked. The bridges remained quiet, the unknown presence disappeared beyond the horizon, and the Keepers found no sign that it had entered their world. For several months, Kael and Eron waited for another warning, but nothing came.Then a year passed, then another. The world slowly returned to ordinary life, the damaged cities were rebuilt, and the roads were repaired. Farmers returned to fields that had once been abandoned because of war; children were born who had never heard the sound of a battlefield. People began opening shops again; markets became crowded, and travellers crossed between kingdoms without carrying weapons simply because they expected trouble.It was strange for Kael to see. He had spent so much of his existence preparing for the next disaster that peace sometimes made him uncomfortable. One morning, Eron found him standing outs

Kael left the capital three days after the children asked him about the war; he did not tell anyone where he was going. Eron knew, of course.“You are running away,” Eron said when Kael packed his bag.“I am travelling." He said.“You are running away while calling it travelling," Eron whispered.Kael tied the bag. “I need to see the world without people knowing who I am.”Eron leaned against the doorway. “That sounds peaceful.”“It is the idea,” Kael replied.“And what will you do when someone recognises you?” Eron asked.“I will leave,” Kael replied.Eron smiled. “You have never been good at leaving.”Kael ignored him. For the next several months, he travelled alone. He wore simple clothes, carried an ordinary sword, used no royal symbols, and never mentioned the wars.When people asked his name, he gave them only one answer. “Kael.”Most people did not react, and that was exactly what he wanted. His first stop was a farming village several days from the capital. A storm had destroy

Eron did not tell Kael about the visitors. Not immediately; he did not know why. Perhaps because the old woman had asked him not to; perhaps because he still didn't understand what she meant, or perhaps some part of him simply wanted one more evening with his brother before another mystery entered their lives.The three visitors were gone now. Eron had sent them to a nearby guesthouse and told them he would speak to them the following morning. The wooden box remained with them because he had refused to accept it, and whatever was inside could wait. For once, he wanted something in his life to wait. He found Kael outside the house, sitting beneath the old tree in the garden.Kael looked up when Eron approached. “You took your time.”“There were visitors,” Eron muttered.“I heard,” Kael replied.Eron stopped. “You heard them?”“I heard voices. I did not hear the conversation.” Kael whispered. Eron sat beside him, and Kael studied his face. “You look troubled.”“I am thinking,” Eron repl

The first neighbouring world went silent before sunrise, and the second followed three hours later. By midday, the Keepers had confirmed that four worlds could no longer communicate with the central bridge. Their portals remained open, but nothing came through them. No travellers returned, no messages arrived, and no response came from the people who had been using the bridges only hours earlier.Kael stood in the central chamber while Lorian examined the records. “How many worlds have lost contact?” Kael asked.“Four confirmed. Two others are showing signs of interruption.” The keeper replied.“What kind of signs?” Kael asked.“Their signals are weakening, and we can still detect their bridges, but we cannot establish communication.” The keeper replied.Eron folded his arms. “Could someone be attacking the network?”Lorian shook his head. “If an army were moving through those worlds, we would detect it. We would observe structural changes if their bridges were damaged. Neither has ha