It happened at dawn, not in the streets, not in a warehouse, and not during a duel. It happened beneath the palace itself. Kylrus felt it before the alarms were raised. A strange vibration spread through the capital's foundational mana network, the ancient structure beneath the palace that regulated the city's mana flow. The crack in his mana core reacted immediately.
A loud knock struck his chamber door.
"Brother!"
By the time Cassian entered, Kylrus was already moving. The two hurried through the corridor as palace guards scrambled into action.
"The eastern district?"
"No."
Selene joined them from another hallway, still fastening her cloak as she walked.
"It's below us."
"The foundation array."
The palace foundation was one of the most important magical structures in the empire. It stabilized mana circulation throughout the capital and prevented dangerous fluctuations from spreading through the city's leyline network. If something happened to it, the damage would affect the entire capital.
The three descended into the underground stairwell. Several guards were already lying unconscious near the entrance. There were no wounds and no signs of resistance. Whoever had entered knew exactly what they were doing. As they moved deeper underground, the air grew heavier and the mana density became noticeably abnormal.
Selene frowned.
"This wasn't done by amateurs."
"No."
At the lowest chamber, the ancient formation was already active. Massive circles carved into black stone glowed beneath towering pillars of mana. Three figures wearing crimson cloaks stood at the center. Two were maintaining inscriptions while the third simply watched.
Kylrus stepped forward.
"You picked a dangerous place."
The central figure slowly turned. A smooth white mask covered its face completely.
"Crown Prince."
"You're late."
The masked figure tilted its head.
"Actually, you arrived exactly when we expected."
The formation brightened. Kylrus immediately recognized what they were attempting. This wasn't another copying array like before. It was synchronization. The entire formation was reacting to the instability within his mana core.
"You are the strongest mana node in the empire."
"You want to use me as an anchor."
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation. The formation was reversing the foundation array's function. Instead of dispersing mana throughout the city, it was gathering it toward a single point. Toward him. If he responded with overwhelming force, the formation would use his own power to overload the palace's core systems.
"You are taking a risk."
"No. We're creating certainty."
Behind him, Cassian gripped his sword.
"Let me deal with them."
"Not yet."
Kylrus extended his senses deeper into the formation. The crack in his mana core reacted violently. The array wasn't trying to kill him. It was trying to worsen the fracture and force him into exhausting himself.
The masked figure spoke again.
"This phase was never about defeating you."
The chamber trembled.
"It's about timing."
Kylrus immediately understood. They were preparing for something larger. This was simply another step toward it.
"Selene."
"Yes."
"Break the outer inscriptions. Counterclockwise."
She moved instantly. Mana threads snapped apart under precise strikes while Cassian charged one of the cloaked mages. Steel collided with steel and mana erupted through the chamber.
Kylrus stepped into the center of the formation.
"You can't stop it without overloading your core."
"Who said I planned to stop it?"
Instead of unleashing more power, he reduced it. A thin stream of golden mana flowed into the formation. The crack reacted immediately and sharp pain shot through his chest, but he maintained control. Slowly, he altered the pattern of his mana circulation and fed the formation a distorted frequency instead of his real signature.
The runes began malfunctioning.
"...Interesting."
One of the cloaked mages screamed as backlash surged through the inscriptions. Cassian disarmed the second while Selene shattered the outer ring completely. The chamber shook violently as the formation destabilized.
Kylrus compressed his mana one final time before redirecting it downward into the leyline beneath the palace. A blinding flash filled the room and then everything went silent.
When the light faded, the foundation array had stabilized. One mage lay unconscious while the other was pinned to the ground. The masked figure remained motionless for several seconds before slowly clapping.
"Impressive."
Kylrus rose to his feet. A thin line of blood ran from the corner of his mouth and the crack in his mana core burned painfully.
"You're not leaving."
"Not today."
The figure vanished moments later. Not through teleportation, but because it had never truly been there. The projection collapsed and disappeared.
Selene exhaled.
"A projection anchor."
"They were never physically present."
Kylrus staggered slightly and Cassian immediately caught him.
"Brother."
"I'm fine."
He wasn't. The crack had widened again. Not enough to cripple him, but enough to matter. The instability was becoming increasingly noticeable.
Selene looked toward the captured mage.
"They were measuring how your core reacts."
"Yes."
Cassian's expression darkened.
"Then they're preparing something bigger."
"Exactly."
The realization was becoming clear. This wasn't an attack on the palace. It wasn't even an attempt to harm him directly. It was calibration. They were collecting information and testing limits before making their real move.
Kylrus looked down at the unconscious mage.
"Interrogate him."
The command was simple, but the coldness behind it wasn't. The palace foundation had been targeted. The capital itself had been put at risk. That crossed a line.
As they returned toward the surface, Kylrus could feel the difference inside his body. His maximum mana output had decreased slightly. Temporary, but real. The crack pulsed again and he let out a slow breath.
"They're timing something."
Selene glanced at him.
"What do you think they're planning?"
Kylrus looked toward the city above them.
"They aren't trying to break me."
"Then what?"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"They're trying to break the empire."
Far away, inside a hidden underground chamber, the crimson-cloaked figure examined the resonance data collected from the encounter.
"The fracture widened."
"Yes."
"And compatibility?"
"Eighty-seven percent."
The figure nodded.
"Prepare the catalyst."
Back in his chamber, Kylrus stood before the mirror once more. The crack in his mana core throbbed beneath the surface. It was painful but manageable for now. He stared at his reflection for several moments before looking out toward the capital.
"So that's your plan."
His eyes hardened.
"You want my instability to trigger something bigger."
Dark clouds gathered above the city. Not because of weather, but because the tension throughout the empire was reaching its limit.
"Then I'll decide when it happens."
For the first time since arriving in this world, Kylrus stopped waiting for the next move.
Now he intended to make one of his own.