After leaving the royal domain, the procession slowly engaged in the wide streets of the capital.

  Through the window of the carriage, Lucas attentively watched the streets bathed in the golden light of the morning pass before his eyes. Although the capital was still asleep, a few early merchants were setting up their stalls, while curious children watched the convoy from the windows of their houses.

  When the royal procession passed in front of the first citizens, their surprise was mixed with a swell of pride. Immediately they stopped, interrupting their daily gestures to bow respectfully to the passage of horses and carriages. A glimmer of pride crossed their sincere eyes.

  Seeing this, Lucas' heart tightened with emotion. It was the first time he saw the people with his own eyes. And as he watched, a strange warmth gently filled his chest.

  "They act this way because of Father and Mother... but in the future, will they still bow with as much respect to the prince that I will become?" He thought, his eyes fixed on the crowd.

  The procession slowly continued its way through the main arteries of the capital, before heading west. Gradually, the streets widened until they led to a huge perimeter wall, dominated in its center by two colossal golden doors.

  It was the Central Military Quarter of Ingrissia.

  As the procession approached, the gigantic doors slowly opened with a metallic rumble, releasing a gust of air charged with power.

  Inside there was a world apart, which would have seemed to be a city within a city.

  Wide paved avenues led to imposing buildings of breathtaking architectural beauty, on which floated the banners of the five Royal Orders.

  Within the military quarter, each order had its own facilities: headquarters, training grounds, dormitories and command rooms.

  In the streets, knights and soldiers performed their morning jogs, while the rattling of the blades resounded from the training grounds, mixing with the fresh morning air.

  In the distance, stood the silhouette of the Royal Aerodrome, where huge airships and warships rested, motionless.

  These gigantic steel beasts, remnants of a technology bequeathed to the Ingriss by the magic god Valen, seemed ready to roar towards the sky at any moment.

  Among them were the Atherion, the imposing royal ship majestically enthroned in the center of the airfield. Designed by Valen himself, he was the only one of his ships to have survived the DarknessDays. Through the ages, it has retained its power and unparalleled technology, as a living witness to the past dangerousness of the DarknessDays.

  Lucas, glued against the window of the carriage, could not look away. His breath blocked at every moment so much the show exceeded his imagination.

  Everywhere he looked, there were knights training. Each metallic sound of the swords that collided made his heart vibrate.

  Never had he seen so many powerful people gathered in one place.

  A new smile could not help but appear on Lucas' lips.

  "It's... incredible," he whispered without realizing it.

  Dayvon, sitting facing him, let a discreet smile appear on his lips when he saw his brother's amazed expression.

  "It's beautiful, isn't it? "

  Lucas nodded sharply, without taking his eyes off the window.

  "Yes... everything is absolutely beautiful... it surpasses everything I imagined," he said in a happy voice.

  "Well... hang on for the rest, because I have planned a trip especially for you," Dayvon replied calmly with a corner smile.

  Lucas quickly turned his head towards Dayvon, his eyes shining brightly.

  "Really? " he exclaimed.

  Seeing him, Dayvon smiled slightly.

  "Exactly... so get ready to see much more than that," he replied calmly.

  But while Lucas and Dayvon were talking, the procession slowed down as it entered a wide avenue lined with huge white pillars engraved with silver runes.

  At the end of this avenue, stood a colossal building, larger and more imposing than the others.

  This building was distinguished from the others, because it housed the Great Ingrissia Teleportation Portal.

  Built with an ancient metal, whose glow oscillated between silver and gold, the portal formed a gigantic arch of several tens of meters, adorned with engraved runes that pulsated with a bluish glow. Filaments of magic circulated in the air, crackling softly as if they were breathing in unison.

  That day, a squad of knights from the Order of the White Lions was assigned to guard the portal.

  As soon as they saw the royal carriage, the knights straightened up and hit their chests with a closed fist, making a perfect military salute.

  When the large doors of the building opened, the royal procession entered inside and then stopped at the center of the sanctuary.

  Dayvon went down calmly, and headed towards the portal followed by Santias and two royal guards. Lucas, in turn, set foot on the ground, but he was dazzled by the light of the runes of the huge portal.

  "It's... beautiful," he breathed, raising his head towards the sparkling arch.

  Suddenly a familiar voice resounded behind him.

  "Isn't it? "

  Lucas turned around. Arden approached quietly, holding his horse by the reins, a slight smile on his lips and a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.

  "The last time I saw him so close, I was still just a child," he said in a soft voice.

  "My father once told me that this portal was not like the others. "

  Lucas tilted his head, intrigued.

  "Really? Why? "

  Before Arden could answer, Dayvon's calm and composed voice rose before them.

  "Because this portal is one of the Teleportation Portals created by the magic god. "

  Lucas and Arden instinctively raised their eyes. Dayvon moved forward with a quiet step, his boots resounding on the paved floor, before stopping beside the carriage door.

  "Like the huge ship that you surely noticed at the entrance... this portal is also one of the creations of the legendary hero Valen," he said in a quiet voice, his gaze turned to the monumental arch that pulsated with a bluish light.

  "This portal is unique in its kind, because it allows you to reach any place on the continent without the need for a link seal at destination. But hey, only the Black Forest and the confines of the Snowy Valley remain inaccessible," he added in a calm tone.

  Dayvon paused briefly, letting the magic filaments of the portal reflect in his eyes before calmly resuming:

  "Lucas... you don't yet know the whole story of the Five Legendary Heroes, but legend has it that Valen would have built a total of four Teleportation Portals, including this one. However, according to our archives, this legend is probably wrong: because only three portals have been found. "

  Lucas slightly frowned.

  "Only three?" He said in an intrigued tone.

  "Exactly," Arden replied, with a slight mysterious smile.

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  "Many think that the fourth portal never existed, and that it is only a lie created by our ancestors... because no trace of its existence has been found," he added in a calm tone.

  Dayvon nodded slowly.

  "In addition, among the three portals he created, the one you see before your eyes is the only one still standing today. "

  Lucas quickly stared at the portal with a surprised look.

  Before them, the runes pulsated softly, as if they were reacting to the presence of the princes.

  Dayvon calmly spoke again:

  "You know, three centuries ago, the three teleportation portals were still working at full speed. But after the fall of our family, they systematically stopped working. "

  He crossed his arms, his voice becoming slightly deep:

  "Over time, some kings tried to uncover its secret in order to reactivate them, while others sought to reproduce them... but all this in vain. So, frustrated, they tried to destroy these treasures that were in their hands... but since these portals were made of a special material, they only managed to destroy two. "

  A silence fell. Only the magical hum of the portal and the steps of the knights around filled the air.

  "When grandmother ascended the throne," Dayvon resumed in a composed voice.

  "The third portal was just a remnant on the verge of destruction. However, she made the foolish bet to take it back before it was totally destroyed, even if it meant weakening the kingdom's old defenses. "

  Arden let out a slight laugh.

  "A gamble everyone thought was doomed form the start. "

  Dayvon sketched a smile.

  "In the end, she succeeded. The portal was recovered, but at the cost of heavy losses. "

  "Subsequently, the other kingdoms mocked her strategy, saying that the name Ingriss would disappear with her. But to everyone's surprise, she managed to rekindle this dormant portal for centuries. "

  Lucas stayed silent, listening to Dayvon, his heart overflowing with admiration for the grandmother he had never met.

  After a moment of silence, Dayvon, whose eyes shone with contained pride, added calmly:

  "After learning that the portal was working again, the other kingdoms felt insecure, as they knew the strategic advantage the portal could bring. "

  Before Dayvon could add a word, a deep buzzing resounded in the air, and the light from the portal suddenly intensified.

  The runes that pulsed calmly until then, began to shine with a bright blue, illuminating the entire room with an almost divine glow, then the floor began to vibrate slightly.

  Dayvon looked up at the portal, his expression becoming relaxed.

  "Come on Lucas, it's time to leave," he said in a calm voice.

  Lucas immediately looked at Dayvon in surprise.

  "Huh? But wait! And for the rest of the story?!" He exclaimed, an expression of disappointment appearing on his face.

  Seeing him, Dayvon let a slight smile appear on his lips.

  "Don't worry Lucas, you'll learn the rest later," he said calmly.

  "In addition, during your awakening ceremony in two years, you will see grandmother... and at that time you can ask her to tell you this story personally," he added in a tender voice.

  Lucas froze for a few moments in surprise.

  "Really?!" He asked in a wondered tone.

  Dayvon nodded, a tender smile appearing on his lips.

  "Exactly... you will see her before your awakening ceremony. In addition to that, during my stay at the family estate, I remember that grandma often said that she was looking forward to meeting you. "

  Following Dayvon's sentence, Lucas, feeling a warm feeling born in him, let a slight smile appear on his lips.

  Seeing him, Dayvon smiled, then he briefly put his hand on his head before getting into the carriage.

  Lucas, who remained frozen outside, felt his heart pounding. But the next second, Arden briefly touched him on the shoulder, and with his warm smile, he signaled him to get into the carriage.

  Lucas stared at him for a moment, then calmly got into the carriage.

  Outside, Arden got on his horse, then resumed his position, while Santias raised his hand, giving the signal of departure.

  The knights of the Ebony Rose and the royal guards closed the circle of protection around the convoy, while the magicians began an enchantment.

  The runes of the portal lit up in an intense blue, projecting arcs of light that danced on the walls of the sanctuary.

  Stars that seemed to radiate pure energy floated in the air, and a dull rumble slowly filled the room.

  The horses' hooves clattered on the ground, and the carriage slowly advanced towards the bluish light that was forming in the center of the portal.

  Lucas remained quietly sitting facing Dayvon, but the excitement clearly shone on his face.

  Seeing him, Dayvon let out a slight laugh.

  "Well... hang on little brother. The first passage is surely not as exciting as you think," he said with a slightly mocking tone.

  At these words, Lucas stared at Dayvon with a confused look, but before he answered, Arden on his horse, lightly touched the carriage window.

  "Prepare yourself, little cousin. The first passages through this portal are always memorable," he said with an amused smile on his lips.

  Before Lucas could say a word, the carriage crossed the light threshold of the gate, and a breath of energy ran through the air.

  Lucas suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure weighing on his whole body.

  A strange, almost unreal sensation whased over him as if everything around him was expanding and compressing at the same time.

  His breathing was agitated.

  His body seemed to float in a deformed space, while fragments of blue, golden, white, purple, and green light crossed his vision, swirling in a dazzling ballet before everything plunged into nothingness.

  Then, all of a sudden, everything dissolves, and a few seconds later, a soft crash resounds.

  In a burst of pure light, the procession emerged from the portal, followed by a powerful breath of air.

  The horses immediately slowed down their pace, their hooves lifting a light cloud of dust.

  Still dizzy, Lucas felt the sun's rays hit his face. He instinctively brought a hand to his eyes, blinded by the light.

  Little by little, his breath calmed down. He slowly lowered his hand, and his eyelids trembled before opening completely.

  Around the carriage stretched a vast plain bathed in a golden light.

  Through the window, Lucas saw the grass swaying in the wind, forming a living sea of gold.

  Further on, behind this immensity, bluish mountains were guessed through the mist, like a blurred border between heaven and earth.

  Everything seemed peaceful.

  Seeing this landscape, Lucas marveled at this new world that opened up to him.

  Dayvon, seeing him, sketched a slight smile.

  "Welcome to the Eastern lands, little brother... the real journey begins now," he said in a composed voice, a quiet smile on his lips.