Sitting on the windowsill of her room, her head plunged on her notebook, Seryn draws. From time to time she turns her gaze to the starry sky for this inspiration. The calm had slowly settled in the streets. On her drawing, she imagines herself, sitting on the edge of a beach, in the middle of the night. In front of her, on the surface of the water a gigantic castle made of crystal illuminating the surroundings. Just thinking about his work makes him smile. She then suddenly hears the sound of police sirens passing in front of her street, the lights of the headlights being visible from her room. Surprisingly, it was not one but several cars that passed, seeming to be heading towards a street much further away. After the procession, Seryn decided to plunge these ideas back into her drawing.

  These police cars, seeming banal, have actually gone to the Cael'ren mansion where no one seems to be there. Neighbors, disturbed during their sleep, heard a commotion in the house. Nevertheless, no one seems to have been there when several agents searched the house. Signs of break-ins are nevertheless visible from the back yard and entire rooms seem ransacked. Thinking at first of a burglary, several noticed that the valuables were still present. According to investigators, the intruders were looking for something in particular. The absence of the parents and their son also worries the police officers. Several people testify that they saw the father leave the house in the afternoon as well as the mother and the son in the evening, without any of them returning. An officer comes to make a report to the investigator on the spot.

  "Sir, no jewelry or valuables have been stolen. We don't know what the intruders were looking for. ?

  "And news about the other investigations"

  The investigator then asked.

  "The supposed inspector Mirene Acthone was actually a human named Andréax Quloru. Detective Austin is still reeling from these discoveries, which is why he brought you here. It must have something to do with what happened today and the death of the fisherman. ?

  The agent replied, keeping his head up.

  "It must not be easy for him ... and the autopsy of the body? ?

  "We'll have to discuss it with the inspector, sir. The autopsy report has not yet been given to us. And as for this case, we are currently looking for Na?ra and Kaeron Cael'ren as well as their son Arix, all missing since this afternoon.?

  The investigator nods, before turning his back to the officer and leaving.

  "Oh and there's one last thing. "Then said the agent, raising his hand in his direction, in order to warn him.

  "According to the inspector, the demons or what we call them rather by their real name, the Nethralians. would be back. ?

  Earlier, in the secret room

  Arix is amazed by the discovery of this strange room. Having never seen it other than through these strange cracks and these loose parts, he nevertheless did not imagine that such a thing could exist. He then turned to his mother.

  "Mom, how long have you been hiding this from me? ?

  Arix asked, widening his eyes while staring at his mother, his gaze almost aggressive.

  "Don't look at your mother like that. If this place is kept secret for so long it's for a reason, we wanted your protection," she replied, placing both hands on her son's shoulders.

  "Tell me, you who are so interested in space, do you know a planet called Xotikàs? ?

  "No! And then what does this have to do with what is happening now. This room is a real center of technology, why did you hide this place? What is so special about it? ?

  Arix replied, removing his mother's hands from those shoulders, stepping back several steps.

  "It's not about technology, Arix! Your father disappeared and that's because he had something locked up here! Something that should never have run away from here, he swore... ?

  She says, raising her tone before gradually regaining these spirits. She then lands on a ledge, rubbing her eyes hard with her hands, shaking her head repeatedly.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  "Mom...what's happening now is probably not in your head or dad's. You told me about Xotikas before, in reality that's where my friend, Hive, comes from. Besides, why didn't Dad tell you anything earlier if you both knew this place? He left for a reason, right? ?

  Arix asks, also lowering his tone in front of his mother, watching her pose on the ledge of the entrance, still looking thoughtful.

  "He wanted to forget his past at all costs. And something seemed to be gnawing at him from the inside these last few days. Seeing this room now I understood. But how could he have found the artifact, our family secret? I thought it had been buried underground for many years... The water would have prevented it from reaching it. ?

  She then stood up again, rubbing those knees. Arix, keep looking at her, confused, seeming to understand only half of these words.

  "But what was here? And what do you mean an artifact?, Alter crystals are the only source of energy here, right? ?

  This Arix asked.

  "This "demon" as many now call them, comes from Xotikàs. Or at least, that's where we found it. His name is Tyre Rad. He is part of a species spreading terror throughout the galaxy. I thought they had disappeared for a long time, but its mysteriously reappeared. ?

  She then caught her breath before heading to a closet. Opening it, I find at the bottom of it a chest. She decides to pick it up and opens it gently. Inside a black bracelet with in its center a beautiful crystals in various colors of the rainbow. She took it in these hands and gave it to Arix.

  "This will allow you to find the other artifacts. they are all fragments of spirits from Tyre Rad. Find them all before him and bring them back to me. I'll make sure to find your father. ?

  Declares Na?ra again.

  "But..why don't you do it and I'm trying to find dad. I'm just a science student not an adventurer. Besides, it's impossible to leave this planet.?

  Arix then answers, looking at the bracelet, hesitating to take it.

  "Your father used to say the same thing before he was.. anyway, take this bracelet. I have to protect this place. If I leave Trastarce, this room will resume the normal course of time and the machines will explode. The police must not know anything about us, in which case me and your father will be sentenced. ?

  Arix watched the bracelet for a moment longer, staring at his mother insisting that he take it and then decided to take it and put it on, nevertheless hiding it behind his sleeve.

  "I don't know how I'm going to do it, mom. What if something happens to me? ?

  Na?ra comes to comfort him again by hugging him tightly. She came to repeat the phrase :

  "I hate to have to put you through this but if something happens to you, you can be sure that I will give up everything to come and help you.. ?

  Na?ra shed a tear after these last words. The two ended up not leaving the room, not knowing what awaits them when they return.

  In the autopsy room

  From the back of a window, Inspector Austin observes with shivers the body of Andréax, lying on the autopsy table. The investigator Orion, in turn, enters the room by opening the double metal door. The inspector did not look away from his colleague for a moment. A long silence followed until the inspector opened the conversation :

  "I've been fooling myself since the beginning. ?

  "Inspector, you had nothing to do with it, you have done your duty. ?

  Answers the investigator, trying to get the inspector's attention.

  "In the meantime, I killed a person I've been around for years so that in the end, everything turns out to be just a fabric of lies. ?

  "And the autopsy report? ?

  This asked Orion.

  "She is a human who has mutated. Probably by too much exposure to an Alter portal with several branches or even worse by a fracture. That's why one bullet was enough to knock him down. ?

  "A demon...now a fracture, but where can these events come from??

  Orion is confused by the situation as much as the inspector who nevertheless keeps his cool. He feels he has to face the situation and solve the mystery.

  "We still managed to recover an important piece of the puzzle, an Alter crystals containing a particular energy, to see what the experts will find. While waiting for results, I don't want to see anyone spreading false rumors about their returns. ?

  Austin replied in a nonchalant tone.

  "Heard, sir.. ?