CHAPTER 5

Ada knew what she was doing. She'd been shown this tunnel multiple times. More times than she could count. So why did it all seem unfamiliar? She knew her magic wasn't as large as others, still the tunnels seemed to sap the little she had

"You okay, Ada" her friend Tommaso asked running behind

"Never better" she managed a smile

"My amber capacity is near empty myself" he sighed. Amber. She wondered why magic was measured with that unit. Yet she knew better than to question what those old and frail men were thinking when they made the system.

In front of her trudged fellow fighters and bouncers from the club. They all seemed to make it down the tunnels before the officials came over when the building exploded. She knew the faces around her, both new ones and old ones. After all the club was their home. Her mind seemed to wander now that she felt somewhat safe from the officials. They all felt safe in the tunnels. Ada stopped to catch her breath as her companions walked in pairs past her. Tommaso had stopped somewhere close by, probably to keep an eye on her she thought to herself. She paused for a moment and thought about the tunnels again. Why did they drain magic? What was the purpose of these tunnels? Who found them in the first place? What was the light at the end? And why was it conveniently underneath the ringer? Was that intentional? Interrupting her train of thought was Tommaso who was currently screaming at everyone else to run. She wondered why he was so loud now when she was trying to take a break. She looked towards the entrance they came from, the monitors dropped in pairs much like the escapees. She immediately jumped off her bum and began rummaging through her bag

"Ada, we need to get a move" Tommaso said in his strained accent

Ada got out three blue gems the size of fingernails and set them on the floor. Muttering to herself, she stepped away and continued her spell. The monitors ran towards Ada attempting to stop her from finishing her spell when Tommaso tossed a smoke bomb between her and the monitors

"You best finish up that spell of yours" He shouted from behind her with slingshot in hand

"I just did" Ada said and ran towards him.

The sound of an explosion heralded their retreat. Ada looked behind them, the monitors seemed to run into her glass barrier which was beautifully assisted by smoke from Tommaso's smoke bomb. She could hear them curse under their breath; clearly there was some spice in those bombs.

Ahead of her, the rest of the fighters had found an opening back to the surface and had begun trudging out one by one with help from Hasim. He was the biggest fighter the club had ever seen, but he had the softest heart. He had a habit of not finishing his opponents, hence he was loved by all. He helped pull them out from the tunnels. Ada was just about reaching for his arm when she heard the monitors running behind them.

"I know what you want to do" Tommaso shouted from the surface "and you better not think I'll let you do that"

As Tommaso screamed at the top of his lungs, Ada noticed the monitors getting closer. She reached into her bag and brought out another set of blue crystals. She placed them directly underneath the hole above her. Hasim seemed curious about her strategy as he remained there, arms stretched down for her to latch on to so he could pull her out.

"Quickly" his deep voice resonated through Ada's eardrums

"Almost done here" she replied hurriedly. After drawing the rune circle for water and air, she whispered the spell under her breath and latched onto Hasim's arm. Mist seemed to pour out from the runes she had inscribed on the floor. And as soon as Hasim pulled Ada out of the tunnel, the mist enveloped the entire expanse. Ada crawled out of the tunnel and Tommaso sealed it shut with a manhole cover.

"You were about to sacrifice yourself back there weren't you" Tommaso looked at her cross

"What do you take me for" she asked getting on her feet

"Move. Now" Hasim grunted pointing towards some more monitors patrolling the area.

Ada grabbed both their arms and dragged them towards the nearest alley. She looked around them once more. The monitors seemed too coordinated for this to be a random search warrant. Someone had told them off. But who was it? What did the person aim to achieve? What was going to happen to them if they got caught? Prison?

"I suggest we find a way out of this vicinity" Tommaso suggested

"Yeah, I think someone, or something is on to us" she agreed

"I know a place" Hasim said before walking down the alley way

"Did you know he could make full sentences" Tommaso asked a slightly puzzled Ada

"That's the least of our problems" she replied "How did the monitors even find the tunnels in the first place"

Ada reached into her bag and pulled out a necklace. She handed it over to Tommaso who took it and wore it without hesitation. She pulled out another one, similar yet slightly different and handed it over to Hasim who slid it in his pocket. She pulled out a third one and slid it around her neck. She had a plan, and as unethical as it might seem; she needed to be sure of something.