Aden had made up his mind. He would go to Dahaka. But he would do it his own way, not under the leash of the Emperor's stage.
A full day after being locked in the containment chamber, chaos erupted in the Imperial Palace.
Inside the Emperor's strategy chamber, Julius Chrono and the Five Dukes were seated around an obsidian table, engaged in a tense discussion regarding the increasing movements along the borders of the neighboring kingdom. Maps were sprawled out, and crimson markers showed enemy encampments inching ever closer to the Empire's northern frontier.
Duke Tristan slammed his hand on the table. "These skirmishes are getting bolder. They're testing our patience."
Duke Venmont narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't call them skirmishes anymore. That last raid wiped out an entire outpost."
Duke Ed Vasco nodded slowly. "There's more to this than border raids. Our scouts reported something... a shadow syndicate working behind the scenes. Corruption runs deep in their royal court."
Julius leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles. "If their kingdom falls to rot, we'll inherit chaos on our doorstep. We'll need leverage. A deterrent."
Before anyone could respond, the heavy doors slammed open. A breathless royal guard stumbled in.
Duke Tristan, already on edge, snapped. "What is the meaning of this interruption?"
The guard, panting heavily, bowed low. "It's an Emergency!"
"Aden Vasco has Escaped from his cell!."
The room fell into stunned silence for a moment. Then, to everyone's surprise, Emperor Julius Chrono leaned back in his seat and smirked.
"Let him run," he said calmly. "There's a tracker on him. We placed it the day he was taken into custody."
The Dukes exchanged glances, clearly displeased.
Julius turned to one of his aides. "Issue an Imperial Decree authorizing him to act on behalf of the Empire. Let the world see what this boy does with a little freedom."
Duke Venmont raised an eyebrow. "You're gambling on a wild card , Your Majesty."
Julius chuckled. "I'm not gambling. I'm giving a monster a leash and watching which direction he bites."
A moment later, he gave another order. "Dispatch the Emperor's Hounds. Have them tail him—quietly. If he strays from Dahaka, kill him. Otherwise, observe."
Meanwhile, Aden was already far beyond the city walls. The cold night wind swept against his face as he moved through the back roads, donning a cloak he'd stolen from a passing merchant. He knew he didn't have much time before someone came after him—or worse.
But strangely, no one did. He kept moving, but the hairs on his neck stood every so often. He wasn't alone. He could feel the shadows behind him.
"They're letting me go," he muttered. "No… they're guiding me."
As Aden sprinted through the forest, his mind was preoccupied with the circulation of his energy. He had been trying to guide his mana paths to absorb the surrounding energy, but it was proving to be a futile effort.
The energy would only reach his exterior skin, refusing to penetrate deeper. Frustration mounted with each failed attempt, but Aden pressed on, driven by his determination to survive.
As he approached the mid-end of the forest, Aden's gaze fell upon the mana strings that crisscrossed the environment. These invisible threads, visible only to him, revealed the presence of six individuals quietly tailing him.
One of them, in particular, caught his attention – a figure positioned merely two meters to his right, keeping pace with Aden's rapid strides.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Aden abruptly halted in his tracks. The Imperial Hounds, caught off guard by the sudden stop, exchanged confused glances.
Before they could react, Aden's right hand shot out, his fingers closing around the neck of the Imperial Hound who had been hiding on his right side, utilizing stealth magic to remain concealed.
The Hound's eyes widened in surprise as Aden's grip tightened.
"You can come out now," he called. "Unless you'd like to keep pretending you're better at hiding than I am at sensing."
One by one, the Emperor's Hounds stepped from the shadows. Elite knights in dark, unmarked armor—faces masked, eyes gleaming with quiet intent.
He did not know what intentions they had with him but he was certain that they where not there to kill him. Hesitant, he decided to take on a gamble.
Aden smirked. "Took you long enough. I thought the Emperor's Hounds had sharper claws."
The Hound began, his voice firm but cautious. "Your mission is to clear the Dahaka region of its... unpleasantness. You'll be provided with minimal supplies and— "
Aden's grip on the Hound's neck tightened, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Spare me the details. I'm well aware of my mission. What I want to know is... why the entourage?"
The Hound's expression remained neutral, but a hint of wariness crept into his voice. "We're here to ensure your safety, Vasco. And to... observe your progress."
Aden's smile grew, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Observe my progress? How... . I think it's time we established some ground rules, don't you?"
Without warning, Aden's free hand shot out, his fist connecting with the jaw of the Hound standing opposite him. The sound of cracking bone echoed through the forest, followed by the Hound's pained grunt as he stumbled backward.
One of the knights stepped forward. "You've been authorized to act on behalf of the Empire. Don't make us regret it."
Aden stepped closer, his eyes burning with anger. "Regret it? I'm not the one crawling in the woods like a dog on a leash. If you're going to babysit me, try not to slow me down."
Another knight growled under his breath, but the leader raised a hand, silencing him.
"Don't test us, Vasco."
"I'm not testing you," Aden replied. "I'm telling you—keep up or get out of my way."
The hounds were silenced, Aden could not believe his words worked on them.
However, He knew that Aden Vasco was not one to be underestimated. As the heir to one of the Great Families in the empire, he knew the importance of asserting his authority. He couldn't afford to appear weak, not when his very survival depended on the respect he commanded.
With the confrontation settled and the Emperor's decree confirmed, Aden was provided minimal supplies: a warhorse, basic rations, and a set of gear bearing the Vasco family crest.
He was also assigned an old guide—an aged, gruff man who had once traversed the edges of Dahaka and lived to tell the tale. The man barely spoke, but his sharp eyes told Aden he was more than he seemed.
Aden stood before the gate of the northern passage, wind whipping at his cloak. As he tightened the straps of his armor and slung a blade over his back, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a discarded piece of metal.
The prisoner was Gone. Standing in his place was a man people once feared--
A Vasco.
The gates opened with a groaning creak. Aden turned for one last look at the Imperial Palace in the far distance, its towers gleaming under the pale light of dawn.
Then he turned forward—toward the jagged, mist-covered peaks of Dahaka.
The journey had begun.