Nubel’s study hadn’t changed, but now there was a golden stand on the table, and on it a crimson velvet pillow with the Lake of Aktida on top. The professor was sitting in a chair at the table, staring at the diamond without blinking—it seemed he hadn’t even noticed his visitor. However, when Kairu came closer, the professor gestured to a chair nearby.

  "Professor?" Kairu asked cautiously.

  "Yes, young man. Mr. Kenai. I’ve been waiting for you. I believe you remember our conversation last May?"

  "Yes, Professor Nubel."

  "Excellent. You see, you’ve interested me for some time now, ever since Yuffilis first spoke of you. That’s precisely why I invited you on the expedition, expecting that your unusual... hm, abilities... would help in the search for the Lake of Aktida. You see, I’ve conducted research and discovered something curious... Would you be interested in a bit of history?"

  "Sure," Kairu shrugged.

  "Well then, listen. It turns out that in old times—during the era of the ancient Nocturns, I mean—Seers were held in high esteem, for they were rare, and were worshipped like gods. It’s safe to say they occupied the highest rank in the religious hierarchy. As soon as a boy showed the gift of Sight, he would be sent immediately to one of the shrines for training, and afterward to lifelong service to Aktos, clad in the robes of the High Priest."

  "But I’m an Alven," said Kairu. "I think before the conquest of Aktida by foreigners two thousand years ago, there weren’t any white people in Laugdeil at all..."

  "Believe me, these days you can only find a pure-blooded Alven perhaps among royalty... There were very few foreigners, extremely few, and they managed to defeat the Nocturns with nothing but lies. No, there’s definitely blood of the ancient people in your veins, but that’s not the point. This gift is a lottery, not passed down by inheritance. But if you dig deep into the centuries, you’ll find that the cult of the Lake of Aktida appeared among the Nocturns at the same time as the tradition of the Seer Priests.

  "That is, it can be assumed that the Seers began to appear right after the diamond’s emergence. The Seers were respected back then. It was believed that Aktos saw through their eyes, knew every fate in advance, and could see into the future. To be a Seer meant immense privileges, and, importantly, access to the greatest relic, the diamond. And the most important thing: we managed to find evidence of a connection between a Seer and the Lake of Aktida."

  The professor rummaged through the drawers of his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper.

  "This is a copy of an inscription from an ancient manuscript that my colleague, Professor of Archaeology Petros, discovered quite a long time ago, thirty years, to be exact. I’ll translate it from the language of the ancient Nocturns: ‘Through the eyes of the Chosen Priest, Aktos watches. Only he shall see the Lake of Aktida and point it out to the disciple, so that the latter may immerse himself in the lake’s waters and gain the Sight of Aktos, to continue his path to the holy Elysium.’ Do you understand what this means?"

  "Well," said Kairu, "I think that ‘to immerse in the waters’ is a figurative expression, and this priest is somehow connected to the diamond…"

  "Correct, but that’s not the most important part," the professor interrupted. "Did you notice the phrase: ‘gain the Sight of Aktos’? That means the priest, who has uncovered the diamond’s secret, can find a way to make another person clairvoyant!"

  "That’s… impressive," said Kairu cautiously. "So what? Are you saying all the ancient Nocturns were clairvoyants?"

  "It’s not that simple, young man." Nubel shook his head. "Of course, this inscription is metaphorical. It means that the diamond possesses a fundamentally new power, a magic that affects not just the person but their very soul, altering it at its core. The soul of any person who looks upon it—and that is the smallest part of its power. But I want to learn to control it, to direct it, to wield authority. Power—that’s what this diamond gave the Nocturns, and it was also, in many ways, their downfall.

  "They realized it too late, when divisions and enmity arose among them, when the first civil war broke out, and a handful of foreigners managed to drive them from their homeland to distant islands. That’s why they hid the diamond: they wanted no one to repeat their mistake. But I don’t intend to! I understand now: in skilled hands, this is a terrifying weapon, young man, and I won’t even need the gift of clairvoyance, the Lake of Aktida is in front of me, I just need to ‘immerse in its waters.’ No, I will study the very essence of the diamond, and its magic will become the foundation of our future!"

  Without noticing, the professor had stood up and was pacing the room in agitation. Looking at him, Kairu said cautiously:

  "Professor… what about my dreams? You promised to interpret them for me as soon as you got the diamond. Well, here it is."

  "You're absolutely right!" Nubel shouted, turning to him sharply. "That’s also very important, tremendously important. But it will take some time. We'll go through all your nightmares. Write them down in detail. And then the Lake of Aktida will give us the answer. Our first and most crucial task is to determine which of your dreams actually predict the future and which are merely products of your imagination. But the second step, of course, will be to determine the time and place. Do you realize the power this knowledge gives? Combined with the diamond, you possess incredible power!"

  Kairu remained silent. Something’s off with him, he mentally repeated Viggo’s words. Or was the professor simply too happy?

  "I propose we work together," Nubel said, suddenly smiling. "Please don’t worry. I know you're overwhelmed by the opportunities opening up before you. But I’ll help you, and together we’ll succeed! Do you understand what this offers you? Say yes. Visit your father, take care of the money, and then come back. Mr. Lainter is your good friend—ask him if he’s satisfied working for me. I won’t deprive you of money or opportunities. With me, you can build an astonishing career, Mr. Kenai. So?" Nubel looked at him with unusual intensity.

  "This is… unexpected," Kairu said quietly. "I’ll have to think about it. And in any case, I have to visit my home first."

  "Of course, of course!" Nubel exclaimed. "Only, for Aktos’s sake, you’ll need to stay just a little longer. Have I not told you about my close friend, Professor Petros? He’s arriving tomorrow. He’s very interested in your case and would like to speak with you. It won’t take long, just a few tests, and the day after tomorrow, you’ll be free to leave. You can inform your father, there is a courier downstairs, he’ll deliver your letter to the village. He can also quickly and securely send your money home, if you wish. For now, you’re free. I sincerely hope you’ll help me, young man. Good night."

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  Kairu stood up and somewhat dazedly shook Nubel’s hand. He didn’t quite understand everything the professor had said, but the new horizons it opened up seemed enormous. The source of magic, The Seer Priests, immense in its waters… What he realized clearly, was that research and new expeditions excited him way more, than the idea of a mundane life in the village, with a future only as a blacksmith…

  These were his thoughts as he turned and exited the study. Professor Nubel watched him go for a long time, then turned his gaze back to the diamond.

  That boy still knows so little, he thought. Well, all the better.

  He picked up the diamond and exited the study through a rear door. He extinguished the lamps, climbed the spiral staircase to his bedroom. There, he placed the diamond on a small vanity table. Pulling back the canopy of his luxurious bed, Nubel was about to go to the bathroom before sleep when suddenly a voice spoke behind him:

  "Evening, Nubel. It’s late, and I’m lucky I managed to catch you."

  The professor turned around. He strode across the room in quick, sharp steps and pulled the cover off a large mirrored sphere resting on a pedestal in the corner. From the sphere, a pale man stared at him, with long, disheveled black hair, eyes yellow like a tiger’s, and a hooked nose. His thin lips curled into a crooked grin.

  "Greetings once more," he said. "I wanted to talk. Has your expedition returned yet?"

  "Hello, Saelin," Nubel said grimly. "It’s been a while since we last spoke, and I don’t have very fond memories of that. But yes, this time you’re right, the expedition has returned. Successfully."

  "Congratulations," Saelin said calmly. "I assume you’re on the verge of discovery… Shame you beat me to finding the Lake of Aktida."

  "That’s the way it is, Saelin. Now don’t drag this out. I want to sleep, so I can start work early tomorrow. What do you want?"

  Professor Saelin sighed.

  "I didn’t want to come to you, Nubel… Recently, you have avoided friendship with me - well, this is your right. But it seems to me that we both understand that this thing concerns us both. And, as I said, you beat me to it. Fine, I’ll be direct. Nubel, I want to see the Lake of Aktida. You know I need it to settle a matter."

  "It’s here," Nubel replied calmly and took the diamond from the table. He held it up to the sphere. Saelin stared in astonishment for a few seconds at the Lake of Aktida, then suddenly exclaimed:

  "That’s it, Nubel! The thing we were searching for!"

  "Of course," Nubel replied coldly. "And I even think I know what you’re about to say next. You want to take it, don’t you?"

  Saelin licked his lips and said:

  "Only for a short while. Two weeks, no more! You know the value of my word."

  "I was expecting that," Nubel said quietly. "Not a chance, Saelin. I wouldn’t give it to you for even a minute. It belongs to me now, and I’m not going to part with it until I extract all its secrets and uncover the full extent of its powers. The second element was lost to us, but from this one, I’ll get everything I need. This time I did it all myself. You thought I wasn’t capable, that I was a failure, unworthy of your attention? Well, now you can eat your words!"

  "Don’t say that," Saelin replied calmly. "Nubel, I’ve always respected you, and I knew you would succeed someday… Please, you know that what I truly need has long been lost. Let me at least enjoy this gift, which won’t bring me any closer to my goal. Just for two days, I’ll come and work with it myself, in your presence…"

  "Never!" shouted Nubel. "I stand on the threshold of a discovery that will change the world, and you think you’ll be able to steal my glory? Not going to happen, Saelin. You still can’t do anything without your clattering, buzzing machines, just like thirty years ago when we worked together! Do you hear me? I organized this expedition. I don’t need any of you anymore. I alone managed to obtain this gift of fate, this diamond! I gave half my life and all my fortune for this moment, and the Lake of Aktida belongs to me and only me! Tomorrow my name will once again resound throughout the world, while you, the ones who failed back then, will remain fools! And you can do nothing but envy me!"

  "You understand nothing, Nubel!" Saelin roared in rage. "I don’t care about your discovery! You know why I need the diamond! Maybe I can uncover the secret! I don’t need him, we’ll manage without him, let him dig around, searching for something! Futile! Listen, we can do it together. He betrayed us back then," Saelin lowered his voice, "and he’ll betray us again… Remember the innocent lives that were taken because of him…"

  "It wasn’t him. It was you, Saelin. You did it back then."

  "You don’t know anything. You weren’t there. Let me explain…"

  But Nubel interrupted him:

  "As long as I live, you will never get the Lake of Aktida, and you know why. You chose your side back then, and now it’s too late to suck up to me or offer friendship. Don’t interrupt, don’t try to explain! You sided with him, and both of you are liars and schemers! This conversation is over." Turning away, Nubel threw the cover back over the sphere and walked toward the bathroom, hearing Saelin’s shouts behind him:

  "You’ll pay for this, do you hear me? You’ll pay! For every insult, and for the slander, because everything you said is vile slander!"

  Then another voice called out, soft, aged, calm, with faint notes of concern:

  "Nubel! Do you hear me? Answer."

  Nubel slowly turned back, approached the sphere, and once again pulled off the cover. From within, an old man looked out at him, his long, silver-white hair flowing in waves from a high forehead to shoulders draped in a simple travel cloak. A silver beard, reaching to his waist, framed the lower part of his face, and from beneath thick, bushy eyebrows shone watery, transparent blue eyes.

  "Ah, Petros," said Nubel bitterly, "so you’ve also become a hunter of others’ discoveries?"

  Professor Petros’s expression darkened.

  "So, Saelin has already spoken with you. Pity. Believe me, I had no intention of asking for the same thing he did. I don’t need the Lake of Aktida, I’ve had some success on my own excavations this past year. But I wanted to warn you. I hoped I’d reach you before Saelin."

  "How amusing," said Nubel with acid. "Warn me about what?"

  "About Saelin. He’s a dangerous man, Nubel."

  "I’ve already had the chance to see that…"

  "I only want you to remember that. For Aktos’s sake, be careful. Saelin doesn’t make empty threats. If you won’t give him the diamond willingly, he’ll take it by force."

  "Thank you, Petros," snapped Nubel, "but I don’t need your advice. I know perfectly well what I’m doing, and believe me, I’ve taken all the necessary precautions against Saelin. Good night."

  "Just take it to heart," said Petros. "I wish you no harm. By the way, is Kairu Kenai still with you? The clairvoyant boy? Tell him I’ll be there tomorrow. I’m staying at a small roadside tavern nearby."

  "All right," grumbled Nubel. "Is that all?"

  "Yes. Nubel, one last time, I beg you…"

  "I know," Nubel cut him off and covered the sphere again.

  His mood soured. He completely forgot about taking a bath, wrapped himself in his sleeping robe, and lay down in bed. As he blew out the candle, his mind was still twisting chaotically, as he recalled old times, expeditions from when he was young and traveled with Petros and Saelin, his former friends. That time was gone now. Long gone, so far that not a trace of their old friendship remained.

  Fear, an irrational, inexplicable fear crawled coldly down his spine, slithered into his most secret thoughts, and robbed him of both sleep and peace.