The night wind of March blew through the cold stone corridors of Aerion's High Cathedral, carrying the sound of the late-night prayer bell echoing from the belfry, a mournful sound like a dirge for impending events. The light from the glowing stones was insufficient to dispel the dense darkness, only making it more vivid, dancing like ancient guardian spirits.

The five were led by a black-robed monk through an endless series of corridors, their footsteps sharp but hesitant, echoing on the cold marble floor. They knew what awaited them at the end of this path. They had heard of him - Vincent, the youngest Pope in Zephyros's history, wielding the spiritual authority of an entire nation and possessing the terrifying insight of a Demigod adjudicator. It was said that no lie, no secret could be hidden from him.

Finally, a heavy, intricately carved silver door opened before them. A vast chamber was revealed, its ceiling so high it felt like standing under a miniature starry sky. And in the middle of the room, without a splendid throne or imposing guards, a person sat quietly on a simple stone chair, head tilted. The jet-black robe of the Church cascaded onto the stone floor like a giant shadow, swallowing all light.

His eyes, deep and still as a waveless lake, swept over each person - Brena, Cole, Halb, Ragley, and finally Henry. There was no threat, no judgment, yet everyone felt as if they were being scrutinized to the deepest recesses of their minds and souls, all secrets, all falsehoods laid bare.

No one ordered, no one forced, but one by one, they slowly knelt. Not entirely out of fear, but out of an instinctive understanding, an unavoidable acceptance. They understood that the person sitting there needed no interrogation, no questioning. His mere presence - and the truth would automatically reveal itself.

A voice sounded, lighter than a whisper of wind, yet every word was clear in each person's mind, a voice not of this world: "I am here only to see clearly the mission in Verodawn Forest."

A chill ran down everyone's spine, not from fear - but from the strange feeling that their own memories, what they had experienced, what they had tried to hide, were about to be exposed to the light, without reservation. They bowed their heads lower, no one intending to resist. Because, deep down, perhaps they wanted to see the truth, to be freed from their secrets.

"Relax your minds," Pope Vincent's voice sounded again, still gentle but imbued with an irresistible power. "I will not judge. I only need to know… what is true".

A gentle, warm, silver-white light spread from Vincent's eyes, not dazzling or brilliant, but warm like the dawn after a long dark night. When that light touched anyone, their memories began to flow automatically, without struggle or resistance, like a river flowing to the sea.

As Henry's spiritual image faded from Will's private space, returning to mundane reality with partially sealed memories, Socrost lingered. The ancient mage's gentle blue light pulsed softly, as if contemplating something.

"So, he is truly no longer an official member of the Sanctuary, Socrost?" Will's voice resonated, like bells from another world, carrying an indescribable hint of doubt. "Will erasing his memories, even partially, completely sever the bond woven by the Lifestream?".

Socrost gently shook his head, or rather, his aura rippled in a negative gesture. "Not entirely, Will. I only erased about ninety percent of the direct memories related to the Sanctuary, the knowledge of other members, of the Enclave's core secrets. The remaining ten percent, the emotions, the vague impressions, the scattered fragments about our existence, I have carefully dispersed them deep within his subconscious. Like dormant seeds, awaiting a suitable time, a catalyst strong enough to sprout".

He paused, his blue light glinting with a distant look. "Later, when true challenges arise, he himself will have to find those memories again, connect the pieces, and make the final decision - whether he still wants to walk this path, the path of the Sanctuary, or not. For now, neither he nor anyone attempting to probe his mind, even a demigod, will be able to discover the truth".

"You have left him a way back, a choice," Will observed, unsurprised. "A rare mercy from an experienced mage like you, Socrost".

"That is not my mercy, Will," Socrost replied. "It is Lord Bahm's will. It was he who decided to test this young man. A dual challenge: the brutal survival test Laurent is setting up in Aerion, and the mental trial, the test of loyalty when facing the harsh truths that I, or he himself, will have to unveil. If Henry can overcome both, he will truly be worthy of the gift the Lifestream bestowed, worthy of a place in our ranks". In Socrost's voice, when mentioning "Lord Bahm," there was absolute reverence, unconcealed admiration for an entity even Will regarded with caution.

"Lord Bahm is also involved in this?" Even Will, the ancient consciousness of the Lifestream, couldn't hide his astonishment. "Laurent's plan, I knew. But Lord Bahm… His interest in a new member like Henry is truly beyond my expectations".

"Perhaps he sees a special potential in Henry, a potential even we cannot fully comprehend yet," Socrost said, then his aura inclined slightly. "Sir Will, Lord Bahm wishes to see us both".

Without hesitation, Will agreed. The spiritual domain around them gently rippled, and then both auras - one white, one blue - vanished, teleporting to another place in the vast realm of consciousness.

They appeared in a space even vaster and more ancient than Will's abode. Only three auras were present. Will and Socrost, smaller, stood in lower positions. Above them, a radiant golden aura, majestic and immensely more powerful, exuded an ancient and authoritative presence that made even Will and Socrost bow their heads in silence. That was Bahm.

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"Greetings, Lord Bahm." Both Socrost and Will spoke in unison, their spiritual voices blending, carrying deep reverence.

"So, you have truly tested the young man, Socrost?" Bahm spoke first, his voice not booming, not loud, but each word seemed to carry the weight of a thousand years of history.

"Yes, my Lord," Socrost replied, his blue aura bowing slightly. "I have left the necessary clues in his mind. I much hope Henry will be able to overcome the two upcoming trials we have arranged". There was a belief and anticipation in Socrost's voice.

"And you, Will," Bahm turned to the white aura. "You have had the most contact with Henry since he was chosen. What is your assessment of him?".

Will pondered for a long moment, the surrounding ribbons of light gently fluctuating. "A very… interesting young man, my Lord. Full of contradictions, but also full of potential. And perhaps, he truly is the one the Lifestream has chosen. He was chosen not just to be a member, but perhaps, the final member of the Sanctuary Enclave".

Will paused, as if to emphasize the importance of his words. "The gift the Lifestream bestowed upon him is completely different from all those before him. He is the only one in the hundreds of millions of years of Tehra's history who could bring Primordial Aether out of the Lifestream's flow and create the Sanctuary's Light Tree symbol in reality using that Primordial Aether".

"That is also what Laurent and I find most fascinating about this young man," Socrost interjected, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Laurent initially planned, somehow, to leave the Sanctuary's symbol on Aerion as part of the grand plan. Henry knew nothing of those calculations. But he, by a strange coincidence or some unseen guidance of fate, unintentionally created that symbol before the entire world. Though somewhat ostentatious and a few days earlier than Laurent intended, the effect it brought, the shockwave it caused, was far more impressive than anything we could have imagined".

"As if it were destiny," Will continued. "Perhaps the Sanctuary Seal itself, that special gift, silently guided and assisted him in doing so. A perfect resonance between the Lifestream's will and the chosen one's actions".

"Since the Enclave establishment over a hundred thousand years ago," Bahm's deep voice resonated, carrying the echo of time, "this is also the first time I have witnessed such an interesting and unexpected event. A small pawn capable of changing a crucial move on the grand chessboard by himself".

"The upcoming event in Aerion will be extremely brutal, my Lord," Will expressed concern. "Do you think he might not be able to overcome that challenge? We might lose a member with unprecedented potential".

Bahm remained silent for a long moment, his golden aura seeming to deepen. "Honestly, I also want to see how he manages in the colossal upcoming battle between demigods and the highest-ranking in Aerion. And more importantly, I want to see how he chooses when he recovers all his memories, when he learns that it was us, the people of the Sanctuary Enclave, who were behind the destruction of his homeland, causing pain to those he loves".

Will said no more. He understood that for Bahm, this was not merely a trial for Henry. This was a test for an entire generation. The event in Aerion could claim the lives of hundreds of thousands. Henry might lose many relatives, friends, comrades… in the war initiated or indirectly caused by the Sanctuary Enclave itself. And later, if he decided to continue on the Sanctuary's path, he would have to lose much more, make even more brutal choices. If Henry couldn't accept this harsh reality, then this was the best chance for him to withdraw, before it was too late.

"I know you hold the young man dear, Will," Socrost said, his voice attempting to console. "But we have reached the final stage. We are the last members of an ancient legacy. The feeling of having to abandon everything familiar, to shoulder a heavy responsibility, and to embark on a path almost certain to lead to one's own demise in exchange for a slim hope for the entire world… not everyone has the courage and will to do that".

"Upcoming in Aerion, casualties may be high. But do not forget, Will, and you too, Socrost," Bahm spoke, his voice no longer contemplative but cold, decisive. "This is just a small step, a necessary sacrifice in the great Project Obelisk. Fifteen years from now will be Tehra's next existential trial. We must strive to prepare, to do each task well, no matter how high the price, before that time truly comes".

Bahm's words were like a final, heavy, and unshakeable judgment, hanging in the ancient space of consciousness. The fate of Tehra and Henry seemed to have been determined by these invisible moves.

Meanwhile, at Silver Wing Castle in central Aerion, the Zephyros Supreme Council's emergency meeting continued in a tense atmosphere.

"I have thoroughly examined the memories of all members of that investigation team," Vincent reported, his voice maintaining its usual calmness but unable to hide the fatigue after using his abilities at a high level. "There is nothing unusual. And I have erased all memory portions related to the Sanctuary Enclave's Light Tree symbol, as well as details that could cause confusion or be exploited".

"Previously, in the file of the young soldier named Henry Strike," Alfie said, flipping through an old report, "there were records of him having vague, even distorted, memories after the Loknezt Lake incident. It's unclear if it was a side effect of being intentionally or unintentionally memory-sealed by some demigod, or if he had been exposed to an overwhelming amount of mystical information that suppressed his mind. What do you think of this case, Vincent?".

"He still has those vague memory areas, consistent with the previous report," Vincent confirmed. "I also checked carefully and found no signs of being sealed by an external power. So it can be concluded that those memory fragments were distorted or lost because he accidentally encountered events or knowledge beyond the tolerance and comprehension of a normal Rank 3 mind".

"Good." Karatyr nodded, his expression slightly relieved. "If there's nothing unusual from the investigators, then everything proceeds as previously planned. Soon, the situation beyond the borders will surely see many changes. Perhaps I myself will have to go to battle. At that time, Aerion's safety will depend entirely on you two". He sighed, a heavy sigh, unlike his usual decisiveness.

Alfie and Vincent looked at each other, both feeling a vague sense of wonder and worry. They had never seen their mentor behave like this. Karatyr was known for being hot-tempered, decisive, even somewhat autocratic.

He had flown into a terrible rage upon hearing of Larsus's death and Mathew's disappearance. But he had never shown any loss of will, never sighed or seemed resigned to fate like this. Intuition told them both that there were surely great secrets that even they, demigods, Karatyr's closest confidants, did not know. Secrets that could relate to the safety of Zephyros.

And they had no idea that in less than a month, a horrifying event would take place in Aerion itself, an event that would shake the entire world, an event where once again, the name Sanctuary would be associated by the world with ill omens and destruction, like a comet heralding disaster.

The fateful moves had been made, and no one could change their trajectory anymore.

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