When Byrne felt the ring, he froze for a second.
Oh, right. That ring.
He quickly recalled it—the trophy he'd scavenged from the skeletal remains in the underground tunnel of the stronghold during Marcus's test. Ignoring the energy bar for a moment, he pulled the ring out first.
The reddish-gold band had been tucked in his pocket for twelve days. Thanks to the desert gales, it was caked in dust. Byrne stood up, walked to his desk, and switched on the lamp. He found a clean rag and began to wipe it down under the warm glow.
As he reached the top of the ring, however, he noticed that the pattern engraved on the ruby was remarkably clear, almost as if it had been pre-cleaned. Seeing that crisp design caused the conversation he'd had with Selena before they parted ways to flood back into his mind.
Emperor's Square, Blackstone City.
"Byrne, thank you for looking after me during the trial. My family's transport should be here to pick me up any minute."
Selena pulled off her dust mask, revealing cheeks that were slightly parched from the wind. Her eyes carried the exhaustion of one who had just survived a brush with death, yet she couldn't hide that innate air of nobility.
Byrne leaned against the stone balustrade at the edge of the square, looking at the towering bronze statue of the Emperor nearby. The Emperor's massive form, clad in ornate power armor and clutching a radiant scepter, gazed down regally over the entire city.
Hearing her words, he withdrew his gaze and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. We're partners; looking out for each other is part of the job. Actually, I have something I'd like you to take a look at."
"Oh? What is it?" Selena asked curiously.
She certainly didn't expect Byrne to pull out a ring and hold it out to her.
"This... this is... so sudden..."
In a flash, Selena's face turned as red as a ripe fruit. Her eyes darted around in panic, and she instinctively pulled her hand back, not daring to take it.
Byrne was stunned by her bizarre reaction, but he caught on almost immediately and rushed to explain. "No, Selena, you've got it wrong! I didn't mean it that way. I just wanted you to see if you recognize the pattern engraved on this ruby."
"Hehe... I suppose I overthought it..."
Selena stood frozen, the flush on her cheeks lingering. She bit her lip gently, awkwardly avoiding Byrne's gaze as a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes. After a moment, she composed herself and took the ring, inspecting it closely.
Initially, her expression still carried a hint of the previous bashfulness. But as her scrutiny deepened, her brow furrowed, and her gaze turned grave. Her grip on the ring tightened involuntarily.
Byrne watched the shift in her demeanor, inwardly pleased. Perfect. It looks like I was right—she does recognize it. He didn't rush her, letting the silence hang.
After a long while, Selena returned the ring to him. "Where did you get this?"
Byrne played it coy. "Tell me what the pattern is first."
"The pattern on this ruby is a family crest."
Just as I suspected. No wonder she recognized it. Byrne pressed further. "Is that so? Which family does it belong to?"
"It belongs to the Lainean family," Selena answered.
Byrne searched through the original host's memories but found nothing. "The Laineans? That's an unfamiliar name. I've never heard of them."
"It's not surprising you haven't heard of them in the Lower District. The family was wiped out nearly a century ago."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. She scanned their surroundings, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, before continuing.
"The Laineans were once an established noble house on Kolor. At their peak, they could even rival the Governor's Mansion. They specialized in mechanical engineering and energy research; in fact, the original defensive fortifications of Blackstone City were built under their direction."
"How does a family that powerful just vanish?"
Byrne's follow-up made Selena's eyes darken. She instinctively gripped the hem of her jacket, her voice becoming even quieter.
"Because they were branded as Heretics."
That explained it. In the Imperium, "Heresy" was an unpardonable capital crime. But Byrne's curiosity only grew. "What did the Lainean family do to get branded like that?"
Selena shook the thought away. "Actually, no one knows the exact truth." She turned her gaze toward the statue of the Emperor, recalling records she had seen years ago. "According to fragmented historical accounts, the Inquisition suddenly targeted them a hundred years ago. The reason given was 'conducting secret research into Warp energy and conspiring with Chaos to destroy Kolor.'"
Heh. The Inquisition again.
Byrne knew the terror of that organization all too well. Those fanatics, draped in holy robes, never required concrete evidence. Once they targeted someone, even a hint of a potential threat or a baseless rumor was enough to justify total erasure in the name of "purging the heretic." Countless bloodlines and entire planets had been reduced to ash under their boots without a chance to resist.
Selena sighed. "Once the family was condemned, the Inquisition deployed a fleet and leveled the Lainean estate to the ground. The family members were almost entirely slaughtered."
"Almost?"
Byrne caught the keyword. "So there were survivors?"
Selena nodded. "The records only contain one short sentence: 'One member of the family fled and remains missing to this day.' As for who that survivor was, or if they have any descendants... no one knows."
Having finished her explanation, Selena looked back at Byrne. "Alright, I've explained it. Your turn. How did you get this ring?"
Byrne grinned and scratched his head. "Actually, it was during the test, at the first stronghold. I followed some bloody footprints on the floor..."
He recounted the experience of finding the ring, though he carefully omitted the part about the prophecy.
"So that's how it was..." Selena murmured. She was about to say more when she spotted a black hover-car approaching in the distance, the crest of House Lawrence emblazoned on its hood.
Selena's relaxed shoulders snapped tight. The exhaustion on her face was instantly replaced by a mask of practiced, noble detachment. She instinctively took a half-step back and straightened her collar, waving to Byrne. "My ride is here. Byrne, I'll see you at the Tax Bureau tomorrow."
With a quick goodbye, Selena turned and walked toward the hover-car. The door opened, and an elderly man in a butler's uniform respectfully assisted her inside. The vehicle accelerated quickly, vanishing from Byrne's sight.