A crimson portal suddenly opened inside the underground chamber beneath the Leonora palace.

The distorted space rippled between rows of floating artifacts, stacks of scattered papers, and countless glowing runes that covered nearly every available surface. The chamber had become less of a workplace and more of a battlefield against time itself. In the blink of an eye Velrion had moved his works here.

Sheets of calculations floated in the air through Magic while diagrams continuously shifted and rewrote themselves as new solutions emerged.

Several communication crystals glowed softly from recent use, and half-finished equations covered enormous boards positioned around the room.

Erend stepped through the portal and immediately spotted Velrion.

The Archmage stood near the center of the chamber surrounded by dozens of floating documents. His eyes moved rapidly between calculations while his hands adjusted Magical formulas suspended before him.

The old mage looked far more exhausted than when Erend had last seen him even though it was not even that long. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes and his robes were wrinkled from long hours without rest.

So focused was Velrion on his work that he failed to notice Erend’s arrival entirely.

Erend walked forward through the maze of floating papers and stopped beside him.

"How is the progress?"

Velrion visibly jumped. The Archmage immediately turned and blinked several times before recognizing who stood beside him.

"Erend." A tired sigh escaped him. "My apologies. I didn’t realize you had arrived."

Erend simply nodded. "It’s fine."

Velrion rubbed his forehead before turning back toward the enormous formula suspended in the air.

"The final structure is almost complete. Right now I’m integrating the stabilization layers into Leonora’s fragment sequence."

Several runes shifted before them.

"If everything functions correctly, my section of the formula should be finished soon. The remaining issue was coordination with the other Archmages."

At that, Velrion gestured toward one of the glowing communication crystals.

"Fortunately, the communication spirits are functioning again. I spoke with the others not long ago."

Erend immediately focused on him. "And?"

"They’re also close to finishing." A small amount of relief appeared in Velrion’s voice. "The invasion delayed all of us, but none of the Archmages stopped working entirely. They continued whenever opportunities presented themselves. According to their reports, they’re approaching the final stages as well."

For the first time since arriving, Erend felt a small amount of tension leave his shoulders.

"That is good," Erend said. But the relief lasted only briefly. His expression hardened again. "Then they need to move faster."

Velrion slowly looked up from his work.

The seriousness in Erend’s voice immediately caught his attention.

"What happened?"

Erend folded his arms and said, "I don’t know exactly."

The answer only made Velrion’s expression more concerned.

"What do you mean you don’t know?" Velrion asked.

Erend remained silent for a moment before explaining everything. He described the uneasiness that had appeared after the invasion ended. He explained the instinctive warning that refused to leave him. Then he told Velrion about Veyrun’s discovery and the massive energy wave moving through the worlds.

As the explanation continued, Velrion’s face gradually changed.

The exhaustion already present there now deepened. His shoulders sagged. The old Archmage suddenly looked as though ten additional years had settled onto his body.

Erend understood that feeling.

After everything they had endured, after the expeditions, the invasion, the destruction across five kingdoms, and the race to gather the fragments, neither of them wanted to hear that another threat might already be approaching.

Finally Velrion released a long breath.

"The Void Architect..." The words sounded almost defeated. "You truly believe he is preparing something else?"

Erend nodded immediately. "I do."

There was no hesitation in his answer.

"The invasion failed. The portals failed. He lost a tremendous amount of momentum. An enemy like that won’t simply accept the loss."

Silence settled between them. The floating papers continued moving around the chamber while Magical calculations shifted endlessly in the background.

After several moments Erend spoke again. "If there was any way for me to help finish the formula, I would. But I can’t."

His gaze moved toward the enormous equation dominating the chamber.

Velrion didn’t argue. Both of them knew it was true.

The work required knowledge that only the Archmages possessed. No amount of Dragon Magic could replace decades of Magical theory and research.

"So instead," Erend continued, "I’ll deal with whatever else may be coming while you and the others finish this."

Velrion stared at the calculations floating before him.

For a long time he said nothing. It felt pointless to debate or say anything else. The situation had become painfully simple.

Erend would face the coming threat. The Archmages would finish the formula. Both tasks were equally necessary.

Finally the old mage nodded.

"Alright," he said. His voice sounded weary but resolute. "I’ll keep working."

Erend returned the nod. His expression remained tight and grim. "I’ll go now. The other Dragonborn need to be informed."

Velrion looked up from his work.

As soon as the words left his mouth, crimson Dragon Magic gathered around Erend. Space distorted beside him and a portal opened.

The familiar crimson gateway illuminated the underground chamber with flickering red light.

Before Erend could step through, Velrion suddenly spoke.

"Wait."

Erend stopped and glanced back.

For several seconds the old Archmage simply stared at him. His eyes looked tired beyond words. "You and the others... your presence is more important to this world than I think any of us can properly express. I know the kingdoms would already be lost without the four of you. Leonora would have fallen. The fragments would never have been recovered. The invasion would have spread unchecked."

The Archmage shook his head slowly and said, "I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done."

For a moment Erend simply looked at him. Then a small smile appeared on his face.

"The Void Architect is my enemy too. So this isn’t something we’re simply doing for you. We’re all fighting the same battle. Just think of it as all of us doing this together."

A faint smile appeared on Velrion’s exhausted face as well. "I suppose that’s true."

Without another word, Erend stepped into the portal.

The crimson gateway closed behind him moments later.

Velrion stood motionless for several seconds after Erend disappeared.

The chamber suddenly felt quieter.

But the silence did not last.

The floating papers continued moving. The runes continued shifting. The massive formula continued evolving before him.

Velrion slowly released a breath and closed his eyes.

Fear and anxiety remained. The possibility of failure was still there. But none of those things mattered now.

There was no longer any room for doubt, panic, or exhaustion.

The only thing that mattered was finishing the formula.

The old Archmage opened his eyes again and immediately returned to work. Everything else faded into the background.

—