The Veil Of Ages

Chapter 8: The Seal That Should Not Be Broken

Ethan sat in Dr. Graves’ office, the weight of her words settling in his chest.

 

"You think Aldrich is the villain here?"

 

Aldrich, the man who controlled knowledge. The man who had warned him about curiosity.

 

"Aldrich is the last line of defense keeping things where they belong."

 

That changed everything.

 

Ethan had assumed Aldrich was the one hiding the truth about Kusanagi, but if he wasn’t the one who took it…

 

Then who was?

 

Graves exhaled, rubbing her temple like the memories physically hurt. "There was another division," she said. "Separate from artifact research. A project that was supposed to be shut down."

 

Ethan’s stomach twisted. "Project Aegis."

 

Graves froze. Then, slowly, she looked up at him.

 

"So you’ve already seen the name."

 

She sighed, reaching into her desk and pulling out a thin, yellowed file.

 

She slid it across the table.

 

Ethan picked it up. The document was partially redacted, but he could still read the header:

 

> PROJECT AEGIS – EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT

Status: Officially Disbanded, 1998

Status: Active (Unofficial) – Location Unknown

 

 

 

And then the names.

 

Dr. Isaac Lorenz – Security Lead

 

Dr. Nathaniel Voss – Field Acquisition

 

Dr. Kasumi Hoshino – Research & Containment

 

 

At the very bottom—one final name.

 

Project Director: UNKNOWN

 

 

Ethan clenched his jaw. Lorenz.

 

He wasn’t just Argon’s security consultant. He had been leading a separate team—one designed to take what Argon was supposed to be protecting.

 

 

---

 

Project Aegis Didn’t Disappear. It Was Erased.

 

Ethan set the file down. "Argon is powerful. How does a whole division just disappear?"

 

Graves gave a bitter smile. "It didn’t disappear. It was erased."

 

She leaned back in her chair. "When Aegis was shut down in 1998, we thought that was the end. But we were wrong. The funding stopped, but the people didn’t."

 

Ethan frowned. "What do you mean?"

 

Graves sighed. "Imagine you have a dangerous artifact. Something too powerful to be studied openly. Normally, Argon classifies it and locks it away."

 

She tapped the file. "But what if you didn’t want to lock it away? What if you wanted to use it?"

 

Ethan’s pulse quickened. "So instead of shutting Aegis down, they just… moved it?"

 

Graves nodded. "Most of the original team vanished overnight. No resignations. No transfers. Just gone. The ones who stayed weren’t allowed to ask where they went."

 

Ethan clenched his fists.

 

Someone high up had orchestrated this. Aegis wasn’t just some rogue unit—it was deliberately hidden.

 

And if they were the ones who recovered Kusanagi…

 

Then they hadn’t done it to preserve history.

 

They had done it to control something.

 

 

---

 

Mount Emei & The Changed Legend

 

Ethan glanced back at the file. "It says the last known site for Project Aegis was in China."

 

Graves nodded. "More specifically—Mount Emei."

 

Ethan frowned. "Why there? Kusanagi is a Japanese relic."

 

Graves’ lips pressed into a thin line. "That’s the thing. The original legends of Mount Emei never mentioned a sword."

 

Ethan stilled. "What do you mean?"

 

Graves stood and walked to her bookshelf, pulling out a weathered research journal. She flipped through the pages before laying it flat on the table.

 

"Look at this," she said.

 

Ethan scanned the page.

 

> Original Myth (Before 1990s): The mountain is home to hidden temples, sacred texts, and celestial monks.

 

Revised Myth (After 1990s): A powerful blade was hidden deep within Mount Emei, placed there by divine hands.

 

 

 

His breath caught.

 

The legend had changed.

 

Someone had rewritten history to hide the truth.

 

Ethan looked up. "Are you saying Project Aegis altered historical records to cover up the fact that they took Kusanagi there?"

 

Graves exhaled. "We don’t have proof, but… the timeline matches."

 

Ethan’s mind raced. If they had rewritten myths to erase Kusanagi’s true location, then that meant someone knew exactly what they were doing.

 

This wasn’t just about finding a legendary weapon.

 

This was about controlling what the world believed.

 

 

---

 

Why Graves Stayed Silent

 

Ethan leaned forward. "Why didn’t you say something back then?"

 

Graves closed the journal and looked away.

 

"I tried," she said quietly.

 

Ethan frowned. "What happened?"

 

She sighed. "We were about to report what we found. Then two of my researchers disappeared."

 

Ethan’s breath hitched.

 

"Vanished?"

 

Graves nodded. "No resignation letters. No transfer orders. Just gone." She met his eyes. "That’s when I knew. This wasn’t something we could fight."

 

Ethan swallowed hard. She hadn’t stayed silent because she wanted to.

 

She had stayed silent because speaking up meant dying.

 

 

---

 

The Final Lead

 

Ethan exhaled. "So where is Kusanagi now?"

 

Graves hesitated. Then—

 

"Gone," she said. "We put it back. Re-sealed it. And burned every trace of what we found."

 

Ethan narrowed his eyes. She was lying.

 

If it had simply been re-sealed, then why did Argon still have classified files on it?

 

Why was Project Aegis still searching for something?

 

Unless…

 

Someone had retrieved it again.

 

Recently.

 

And if that was true—then the seal had already been broken.

 

Graves ran a hand through her hair. "Look, I don’t know what you’re planning, but—"

 

"I need to go to China," Ethan cut in.

 

Graves sighed. "You wouldn’t even make it through airport security."

 

Ethan exhaled sharply. "I’ll find a way."

 

Graves studied him for a long moment. Then, slowly, she shook her head. "No, you won’t," she said.

 

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

 

She folded her arms. "Because you won’t be able to do this alone."

 

Ethan scoffed. "I never said I was alone."

 

Graves raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who exactly do you have?"

 

For the first time, Ethan hesitated.

 

He hadn’t told Aryan, Renji, or Nadia everything yet.

 

But if he was being watched, if Project Aegis still existed, if Lorenz was involved—then he couldn’t do this by himself.

 

Ethan exhaled sharply. "I have people," he admitted.

 

Graves studied him, then sighed. "Then you’d better hope you can trust them."

 

She opened another drawer, pulling out a sealed black envelope.

 

She handed it to him.

 

"This is everything I have left from the investigation before it was buried," she said. "I don’t know how much of it is still useful, but if you’re serious about going after this, you’ll need every lead you can get."

 

Ethan took the envelope carefully. "Why are you helping me?"

 

Graves gave a tired smile. "Because I made the mistake of looking away once."

 

She met his gaze. "And I won’t do it again."

 

Ethan nodded, tucking the envelope into his bag.

 

It was time to make a call.

 

 

Side Story: The Other Side of Aryan

 

"Some people fight against the world. Others just… exist in it."

 

 

---

 

Morning Routine – The Face He Shows

 

The alarm buzzed.

 

Aryan opened his eyes. No grogginess. No hesitation. Just immediate awareness.

 

It was 5:30 AM.

 

Most people his age—recent graduates, still trying to figure out their careers—would have hit snooze. Maybe slept in, checked their phones, or dragged themselves out of bed with effort.

 

Aryan didn’t.

 

He got up. Immediately.

 

Not because he had anywhere urgent to be.

 

Not because he enjoyed waking up early.

 

But because staying still felt wrong.

 

By 6:00 AM, he had already gone through his morning workout—push-ups, crunches, squats, shadowboxing.

 

By 6:45 AM, he was showered, dressed, and at his desk, scrolling through job listings, finance reports, random articles on psychology, history, and business.

 

By 7:15 AM, he had read two news articles, skimmed three blogs, and watched a video on stock trading that he barely cared about.

 

He wasn’t really interested in any of it.

 

But what else was he supposed to do?

 

 

---

 

The Reality – The Side He Hides

 

By 8:00 AM, Aryan was sitting at the breakfast table with his family.

 

Eight people in one house—his parents, grandparents, uncle, aunt, his younger brother, and his cousin.

 

The conversations were lively. His father talked about politics. His mother talked about neighbors. His brother talked about his latest project.

 

Aryan?

 

He just existed there.

 

Not ignored. Not mistreated.

 

Just… there.

 

When someone asked him about work, he gave short, polite answers.

When someone asked him about his plans, he said he was figuring things out.

 

He knew his family cared about him.

 

He just didn’t feel connected to them.

 

 

---

 

The Unspoken Pressure

 

His younger brother was smarter than him.

 

Not in an arrogant way. Not in a way that caused fights or resentment.

 

But everyone knew it.

 

Top of his class. Studied harder. Had a clear path ahead.

 

Aryan?

 

He had tried everything.

 

Engineering? Didn’t work out.

Business? Boring.

Finance? Soulless.

Coding? He could do it, but didn’t care for it.

 

He could cook, balance accounts, repair things, adapt to any skill he needed.

 

But nothing made him feel anything.

 

And yet, every time he looked at his family, he felt the weight of an unspoken expectation.

 

"You're smart. You can figure it out."

 

"You’ll land a good job soon."

 

"You just need to try harder."

 

And so, he did.

 

He kept searching, kept learning, kept adapting.

 

But deep down, he wondered—what if he never found anything?

 

 

---

 

Work Life – Just Another Day

 

By 9:00 AM, Aryan had settled into another day of job applications, interviews, and waiting.

 

He had applied to dozens of places. A few had responded. Some were promising. Some weren’t.

 

One of them—Systic, a major company—had shortlisted him for a position. A respectable opportunity.

 

It wasn’t exciting. But it was stable.

 

And wasn’t that what mattered?

 

Just get a job. Make money. Be responsible.

 

Even if it meant waking up every day and feeling nothing.

 

 

---

 

Evening – The Message That Changed Everything

 

By 7:30 PM, Aryan had just finished another pointless day.

 

His phone buzzed.

 

Ethan.

 

> Ethan: "Are you free?"

 

 

 

Aryan smirked slightly, typing back.

 

> Aryan: "You think I have a life? Call me."

 

 

 

A moment later, his phone rang.

 

He answered, leaning against the railing of his apartment balcony, looking over the city. "What’s up, old man?"

 

Ethan’s voice was different. Low. Focused. Tense.

 

"I need to talk," he said. "And I need you to listen."

 

Aryan frowned slightly.

 

Ethan was never this serious.

 

"This isn’t just another research rant."

 

"This is something real."

 

And for the first time in weeks, Aryan felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

A flicker of interest. A spark of something dangerous.

 

He straightened. "Alright. I’m listening."

 

And just like that, his entire world began to shift.

 

The Call That Changes Everything

 

(Aryan’s POV)

 

Aryan leaned against the balcony railing, looking over the city skyline. The night air was cool, crisp, quiet.

 

The phone buzzed in his hand.

 

Ethan.

 

He smirked slightly.

 

"Took him long enough."

 

He answered, putting the phone to his ear. "Yo. What’s up, old man?"

 

Ethan’s voice came through, lower than usual.

 

"I need to talk. And I need you to listen."

 

Aryan frowned slightly. Ethan was never this serious.

 

"This isn’t just another research rant."

 

"This is something real."

 

He straightened, suddenly more alert.

 

"Alright," Aryan said. "I’m listening."

 

 

---

 

Switch to Ethan’s POV – The Feeling of Being Watched

 

Ethan stepped out of Argon’s research building, his fingers gripping his phone.

 

The weight of Graves’ file should have felt like a victory.

 

Instead, it felt like a trap.

 

The city around him was alive—cars moving, people talking, neon signs flickering against the night. But something was off.

 

The feeling of being watched sat heavy on his shoulders.

 

"Calm down, Carter. Walk normal."

 

He didn’t look back.

 

Didn’t break his pace.

 

But in the reflection of a passing window—he saw him.

 

A man in a dark coat, keeping pace with him.

 

Not walking too close. Not trying to be obvious.

 

But definitely following.

 

Ethan exhaled slowly. "Aryan, you still there?"

 

"Yeah," Aryan’s voice came through. "What’s going on?"

 

Ethan’s grip on the phone tightened. "I think I just pissed off the wrong people."

 

 

---

 

The Empty File

 

Ethan kept walking, turning down a smaller side street—less crowded, easier to test a theory.

 

The man followed.

 

"Not paranoia. Someone’s tailing me."

 

He ducked into a small cafe? he sometimes used as a neutral meeting spot.

 

Ordered a coffee. Sat at a corner table.

 

Then, slowly, he pulled out the sealed black envelope Graves had given him.

 

His heart pounded as he tore it open.

 

No documents. No notes.

 

Just a single blank piece of paper.

 

Ethan froze.

 

"She gave me a decoy."

 

Had she known someone would intercept it?

 

Or had the file been switched before she even handed it over?

 

Either way—someone had already taken the real information.

 

And now…

 

They were here.

 

 

---

 

The Confrontation – Dr. Nathaniel Voss

 

A shadow fell over Ethan’s table.

 

He didn’t look up immediately. Took a sip of coffee, setting the blank paper aside like it meant nothing.

 

Then, finally, he looked up.

 

A man sat down across from him—smoothly, casually, like they were old friends meeting for a drink.

 

Ethan recognized him immediately.

 

Dr. Nathaniel Voss.

 

His name had been on Project Aegis’ file.

 

And now he was here.

 

"Nice night, isn’t it?" Voss said, stirring his coffee like this was just another casual conversation.

 

Ethan kept his expression neutral. "Depends on the company."

 

Voss smirked. "Smart answer."

 

He leaned forward slightly.

 

"You took something that doesn’t belong to you," he said. "I’m here to collect it."

 

 

---

 

The Collector’s Warning

 

Ethan exhaled slowly. "You’ll have to be more specific."

 

Voss smiled. "Let’s not waste time. Dr. Graves gave you something, didn’t she?"

 

Ethan tapped the blank piece of paper on the table.

 

"If she did," he said, "then it looks like you got to it first."

 

Voss chuckled. "Good. You’re catching on."

 

Ethan studied him carefully. Unlike Lorenz, Voss didn’t have the cold, calculating presence of a military man.

 

No.

 

Voss looked like he enjoyed this.

 

Like he liked playing games.

 

Ethan leaned back in his chair. "So what now? You going to threaten me?"

 

Voss chuckled. "Threats are for amateurs, Carter."

 

He folded his hands together.

 

"I just want to know something."

 

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "And what’s that?"

 

Voss’ smirk faded slightly. His eyes sharpened.

 

"How much do you really understand about what you’re chasing?"

 

Ethan felt the air shift.

 

This wasn’t just about Kusanagi.

 

This was about something bigger.

 

Something Voss didn’t think he was ready for.

 

 

---

 

A Subtle Offer

 

Ethan met his gaze. "Why don’t you tell me?"

 

Voss sighed, shaking his head. "That’s the problem with people like you," he said. "You think knowing is the same as understanding."

 

He stirred his coffee once, slowly, before setting the spoon down.

 

Then, in a quieter voice—almost too soft to hear—he said:

 

"Kusanagi was never about power."

 

"It was about balance."

 

"And now, that balance is broken."

 

Ethan’s pulse quickened.

 

"What does that mean?"

 

Voss stood up. "You’re not ready for the answer."

 

He slipped a small card onto the table.

 

No name. No logo. Just a single contact number.

 

"Call if you decide you want the truth," Voss said.

 

Then, without another word, he walked out of the cafe?.

 

 

---

 

The Aftermath – Who Can He Trust?

 

Ethan sat there, staring at the card.

 

His instincts told him this wasn’t over.

 

Voss hadn’t just come to take something back. He had come to see where Ethan stood.

 

To test him.

 

Ethan picked up his phone and hesitated.

 

For the first time since this started…

 

He realized he couldn’t do this alone anymore.

 

He needed help.

 

He needed people he could trust.

 

His fingers hovered over the contacts list.

 

Then, finally—

 

He dialed Aryan.

 

And on the other side of the city, Aryan answered.

 

"Yo," Aryan said. "Took you long enough."

 

Ethan exhaled.

 

"You busy?"

 

Aryan chuckled. "Not really. Why?"

 

Ethan’s grip tightened on the phone.

 

"Because I need you to hear something."

 

And just like that—things started moving forward.

 

 

---

 

End of Chapter 8