Murmurs spread through the gathering. Census activities were normal imperial procedure, but typically announced weeks in advance and conducted during daylight hours.
"The registration will begin immediately at the village hall," the officer continued. "Each person must provide their name, place of birth, family connections, and current occupation. Those without proper documentation of identity will be subject to additional questioning."
Ash felt Kalen's hand close around his arm, a silent warning. The timing was too convenient, the procedure too focused on identity verification. This was no routine census.
"They're looking for you," Kalen whispered, his voice barely audible. "We need to leave. Now."
But leaving suddenly would draw attention. The imperial officers were watching the crowd carefully, noting each face.
"Everyone, proceed to the village hall in an orderly fashion," the officer instructed. "Delay or resistance will be considered suspicious behavior."
The gathering began to disperse, people moving reluctantly toward the village. Mira appeared at Ash's side, her expression concerned.
"This isn't normal," she said quietly. "Something's happening."
"Just imperial bureaucracy," Ash replied, trying to sound casual despite his racing heart.
"Probably related to the new conscription requirements."
Kalen maintained his grip on Ash's arm, guiding him to the edge of the group. "We'll go with the others," he said, loud enough to be heard. "But stay close to me."
As they joined the procession toward the village hall, Ash felt the sword fragment in his chest growing warmer, responding to his anxiety.
The blue lines beneath his skin would be glowing now, though thankfully hidden by his clothing. He focused on controlling his breathing, on maintaining his commoner's posture and demeanor despite the danger.
The village hall came into view, its windows bright with lamplight.
Imperial officers stood at the entrance, directing people inside where tables had been arranged for the registration process.
Each person was being questioned individually, their responses recorded by scribes.
"This is a trap," Kalen muttered as they approached. "They must have information that led them here."
"What do we do?" Ash asked, keeping his voice low.
"When we get inside, find an opportunity to slip away. Use the back exit if possible. I'll create a distraction if needed."
The plan was simple but risky. Imperial officers were trained to notice exactly such evasion attempts. But facing direct questioning with his limited documentation and hastily constructed background story seemed even more dangerous.
They joined the line entering the hall, Mira still beside them, her expression troubled.
"Something's wrong," she whispered. "They're paying special attention to young men your age."
Ash followed her gaze and saw she was right. The officers were conducting more thorough questioning of males in their late teens and early twenties, occasionally pulling them aside for additional scrutiny.
"Looking for conscripts, probably," he suggested, though he knew the truth was more targeted.
Inside the hall, the atmosphere was tense. Villagers waited in lines before the registration tables, whispering among themselves. Imperial officers moved through the crowd, studying faces and occasionally asking preliminary questions.
One such officer approached their group, his gaze lingering on Ash. "Name?" he demanded without preamble.
"Ash," he replied, deliberately omitting a family name as a commoner might. "Kalen's nephew, visiting from Coldwater."
"Identification documents?"
"Lost them during my journey south," Ash explained, using the story they had prepared. "Fell ill on the road, was robbed while fevered. My uncle can vouch for me."
The officer's eyes narrowed slightly. "Convenient. Wait here."
He moved away, speaking quietly to a superior officer who glanced in their direction with increased interest.
"They're suspicious," Kalen murmured. "When I create a distraction, head for the side door. Meet at our usual spot in the forest."
Before Ash could respond, the officer returned with his superior a hard-faced man with captain's insignia on his uniform.
"You'll need to come with us for additional questioning," the captain informed Ash. "Standard procedure for those without documentation."
"Is that really necessary?" Mira interjected. "Everyone here knows he's Kalen's nephew. He's been recovering from illness."
"It's not optional, miss," the captain replied coldly. "Step aside."
Kalen moved slightly, positioning himself between Ash and the officers. "My nephew has done nothing wrong. He's been with me since his arrival in Riverend."
"Then you won't mind accompanying him to answer a few simple questions," the captain said, his tone making it clear this wasn't a request.
The situation was deteriorating rapidly. Ash could feel the sword fragment growing hotter against his heart, responding to the danger. If it activated visibly here, surrounded by imperial officers specifically looking for unusual phenomena...
"Of course," Ash said, stepping forward before Kalen could escalate the confrontation. "I understand you're just doing your duty."
The captain nodded to two subordinates, who moved to flank Ash. "This way."
As they guided him toward a separate room at the back of the hall, Ash caught Kalen's eye.
The older man's expression was tightly controlled, but Ash could read the message in it clearly: Be ready.
The questioning room was small and sparsely furnished a table, three chairs, and a single lamp providing harsh illumination. The captain gestured for Ash to sit while the other officers remained standing near the door.
"Now then," the captain began, consulting a document he placed on the table. "You claim to be from Coldwater in the northern provinces, yet you have no documentation to prove this. Explain."
"As I told your officer, I was robbed during my journey south," Ash replied, keeping his voice steady. "I fell ill on the road and was unconscious for several days. When I woke, my belongings were gone."
"Convenient," the captain remarked, echoing his subordinate's earlier comment. "And what brought you south at this particular time?"
"My father died last winter. There was nothing left for me in Coldwater."
"Your father's name?"
"Darian," Ash answered, using the name they had established in their cover story.
"Occupation?"
"He was a scribe for Lord Harrow's estate."
The captain made a note. "Lord Harrow of Coldwater. Interesting." His tone suggested he found something amiss with this information. "And when exactly did you arrive in Riverend?"
"About a month ago," Ash replied, maintaining the timeline they had established. "I've been recovering at my uncle's cabin since then."
"Your uncle being Kalen Ironheart, former Imperial Guard." The captain studied him with increased intensity. "A man who served in the palace for twenty years before his... retirement."
The emphasis on Kalen's service history sent a chill through Ash. They weren't just conducting a random census. They had specific information that had led them to Riverend to Kalen.
"I wouldn't know about his service," Ash said carefully. "We weren't close until recently."
The captain leaned forward. "Here's what I find interesting. We've been tracking rumors of a surviving member of the royal family. These rumors coincide with reports of unusual System manifestations, specifically, blue energy signatures unlike any registered in imperial records."
Ash maintained his neutral expression with effort, though he could feel the fragment in his chest responding to his rising alarm, growing warmer by the second.
"At the same time," the captain continued, "a former Imperial Guard who served the Valerian family loyally for decades suddenly has a 'nephew' appear, a young man of appropriate age with no documentation, who arrived shortly after the night of the transition of power."
"Seems like a stretch," Ash commented, forcing a casual tone. "Lots of people travel without papers. Lots of families reconnect during difficult times."
"Perhaps," the captain acknowledged. "But Lord Protector Varius takes security very seriously. Which is why I'm authorized to conduct a more thorough examination of anyone matching certain criteria."
He nodded to the officers by the door. One moved to stand behind Ash while the other produced a small device from a pouch at his belt, a crystalline object that glowed faintly with internal light.
"This is a System detector," the captain explained. "Recently developed by our specialists. It reacts to active Systems, particularly unregistered ones." He smiled thinly. "A simple precaution."
The officer activated the device, which began emitting a soft humming sound. As he moved it toward Ash, the humming intensified.
The sword fragment in Ash's chest flared with sudden heat, as if responding to the detector's proximity. He could feel the blue energy patterns spreading beneath his skin, growing brighter with each passing second.
"Interesting reaction," the captain observed, watching Ash's face. "Almost as if you're concerned about what we might find."
Before the detector could be brought any closer, a commotion erupted in the main hall shouts, the sound of furniture overturning, and general confusion. The captain glanced toward the door, momentarily distracted.
"Check that," he ordered one of the officers, who immediately left the room.
In that moment of distraction, Ash felt the sword fragment pulse once, sharply. Without a conscious decision, he found himself reaching for the power that had awakened within him, not knowing what would happen, but desperate for any advantage.
Defensive aspect activated. The soundless voice informed him.
Blue light flared beneath his shirt, visible even through the fabric. The captain's eyes widened as he lunged across the table, reaching for Ash. "Restrain him! It's... "
The sentence remained unfinished as a pulse of energy erupted from the fragment, manifesting as a broken shard of blue light in Ash's hand. Acting on instinct rather than training, he swept the glowing fragment in an arc before him.
The captain recoiled, more from shock than fear, but the momentary hesitation was enough. Ash bolted for the door, the manifested sword shard already beginning to crack and dissolve in his grip. He had seconds at most before it shattered completely.
The remaining officer moved to block his path. Ash slashed with the fragmenting blade, not to wound but to force the man back. The officer retreated instinctively from the strange weapon, creating an opening that Ash immediately took.
He burst into the main hall to find chaos. Kalen had indeed created a distraction, apparently by starting a controlled fire in a waste bin that now filled the room with smoke. Villagers were evacuating in confusion while imperial officers attempted to maintain order.
"There!" shouted the captain from behind him. "Seize him! System user!"
Ash sprinted for the side exit, the sword fragment in his hand crumbling with each step. By the time he reached the door, it had disintegrated completely, leaving only faint blue motes that quickly faded.
Outside, the night air hit his face as he ran toward the river path. Imperial officers shouted behind him, their pursuit organized and determined. They knew... now knew exactly who and what they were chasing.
A figure emerged from the shadows beside a building, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a narrow alley. Ash prepared to fight until he recognized Mira's face in the darkness.
"This way," she whispered urgently. "There's a path behind the tannery that leads to the forest. They won't know it."
"Why are you helping me?" Ash gasped, allowing her to guide him through the unfamiliar back ways of the village.
"Because whatever they want you for, it isn't just a census," she replied. "And because Elder Thorne told me to watch out for you if trouble came."
They ran together through darkened yards and narrow passages, avoiding the main streets where imperial officers were organizing search parties.
The sounds of pursuit gradually faded as they reached the village outskirts near the tannery, a large building set apart from other dwellings due to its unpleasant odors.
"There," Mira pointed to a barely visible trail leading into the trees. "Follow it until you reach a split oak. Go left there and keep the river sound on your right. It will lead you deep into the forest."
"What about Kalen?" Ash asked, concerned for his mentor.
"He knows these woods better than anyone," Mira assured him. "He'll find his way." She hesitated, then added, "Whatever you're running from, whatever secret you're keeping, be careful."
Ash nodded, grateful beyond words for her unexpected help. "Thank you. I won't forget this."
"Go," she urged, already turning back toward the village. "I'll tell them I saw you heading toward the eastern road."
With a final nod of thanks, Ash plunged into the forest, following the path as instructed.
The sword fragment in his chest had cooled, its energy apparently depleted by the brief manifestation, but he could still feel its presence, a constant reminder of how his life had changed.
Behind him, Riverend village receded into darkness, its brief promise of normalcy shattered by the arrival of imperial officers.
Ahead lay uncertainty, danger, and the growing awareness that he could not hide forever.
The hunt for the last Valerian had begun in earnest.