Chapter 7: The world below

For a long time, all Reed could see was darkness.

Pure, endless darkness.

His body felt weightless, as though he were sinking through an infinite void. There was no up, no down—just an oppressive blackness that swallowed everything. Time lost meaning. Seconds stretched into minutes.

The only sound was the rush of wind in his ears, a constant roar that drowned out all thought.

Then, a sharp ray of orange light pierced the darkness.

Reed's stomach lurched as gravity reclaimed him. The ground rushed up to meet him, golden grass growing larger with terrifying speed. Around him, distant figures tumbled through the air—flailing silhouettes against the amber sky.

Thud!

He hit the ground hard, the impact rattling his bones. His vision blurred, the world spinning around him. When it finally cleared, he was sprawled in a field of golden grass, the blades towering over him like spears.

The sky burned amber, the sun hovering low—two, maybe three hours before sunset. Shadows stretched long and jagged across the field.

Reed lay motionless, his breath shallow. His body felt stiff and uncomfortable, but the sensation faded quickly, his muscles recovering as if the fall had never happened.

He pushed himself up to a sitting position, his mind racing.

"Voice, where am I?" Reed muttered, trying to reach the entity in his head. But there was no reply—only silence.

"Tch." Reed clicked his tongue in frustration, his jaw tightening. The voice had always been there, a constant presence in his mind. Its absence now felt like a betrayal, leaving him adrift in this strange, hostile world.

He forced himself to stay still, listening. The tall grass swayed around him, the breeze carrying faint whispers. Carefully, he poked his head out, scanning the direction of the whispers.

The field stretched for miles, bordered by a dense, shadowed forest. Directly across from him, Caspian's group stood huddled together. Rien's hand rested on her dagger, her sharp gaze slicing through the grass like a blade. Reed froze. They weren't close, but they were close enough to hear—or see—him.

Then, movement flickered behind him.

He turned his head slightly, careful not to make any sudden movements. A figure sprinted toward the tree line, hunched and desperate. Reed couldn't make out their face, only the blur of their silhouette as they vanished into the forest.

An escape route.

The forest was his best chance. Out here, the grass offered fleeting cover, but the open field left him exposed. Reed crawled backward, his movements painstakingly slow. Every rustle of grass made his pulse spike.

His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum. He could feel the weight of Caspian's group's presence, their sharp eyes scanning the field. One wrong move, one careless sound, and he'd be discovered.

He glanced back at Caspian's group. They were his biggest concern—a group built not just to survive, but to hunt. If they spotted him, he was as good as dead.

The moment the thought formed, a flicker of killing intent leaked out, directed at Rien. Reed wasn't directly thinking of a way to hunt them, but his thoughts of how to handle them in the future triggered Rien's fated ability. Reed's breath hitched.

Rien stopped mid-step. Her hand moved to the bow slung across her back, her fingers tightening around the grip. Rien's bow came up, the arrow nocked and drawn in one fluid motion. She pointed it in Reed's general direction, her eyes narrowing.

Reed's blood ran cold. He pressed himself flat against the ground, his body rigid. The golden grass swayed around him, but he dared not move. He could feel the weight of her gaze, the tension in the air as she scanned the field.

Then, without warning, she turned sharply to her side. Her bow snapped up, and she loosed an arrow with a sharp twang. The projectile streaked toward a distant patch of grass, vanishing into the shadows.

Reed didn't wait. He moved, crawling through the grass with silent urgency. The forest loomed ahead, its trees swallowing the fading light. Every inch felt like a mile, every second an eternity. His muscles burned, his breath coming in shallow gasps.

He could hear the faint rustle of grass behind him, the distant murmur of voices. Were they talking about him? Had they seen him?

Almost there.

He risked a glance back. Rien's attention was fixed on the spot where her arrow had landed, her expression unreadable. But Caspian's gaze was sweeping the field, his eyes sharp and calculating.

Reed's heart skipped a beat. He ducked lower, his movements even more deliberate.

The forest was so close now. The shadows of the trees stretched toward him like welcoming arms. But the distance felt insurmountable. Every rustle of grass, every shift of the wind, made him freeze.

His mind raced, imagining arrows flying toward him, Caspian's group closing in. He could almost feel their hands grabbing him, dragging him back into the open.

Finally, he reached the edge of the forest. The golden grass gave way to dense underbrush, the air cooler and darker. Reed plunged into the trees, the canopy blotting out the sun.

He didn't stop until he was deep enough to lose himself in the darkness. Leaning against a tree, he caught his breath, his chest heaving. The forest was quiet, the only sound the rustle of leaves overhead.

***

Caspian raised his hand, a silent command that brought his group to an immediate halt. They stood like statues, their eyes fixed on him, waiting for orders.

"Let him go for now," Caspian said, his voice calm but firm. "Rien, Benjy, stay with me. You two—chase after the other one."

The two unnamed protectors nodded, their movements sharp and precise. Without a word, they sprinted toward the direction where Rien's arrow had been shot, their figures disappearing into the tall grass.

Caspian watched them go, his expression unreadable. Then he turned back to the forest, his gaze lingering on the spot where Reed had vanished.

Without warning, Caspian crouched low, his figure blending seamlessly into the golden grass. "Let's lay low," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Others must've noticed us."

Rien and Benjy followed suit, crouching beside him. The tall grass swayed around them, shielding them from view.

Caspian nodded, his eyes scanning the field. "There can only be three survivors. We don't need them anymore. Let's sneak our way into the forest and find somewhere safe."

Rien frowned, her hand instinctively tightening around her bow. "Shouldn't we hunt the sinkers? This place will only get more and more dangerous."

Before Caspian could respond, Benjy chimed in, his tone pragmatic. "We're the only ones with a group. Tiring them out is a good strategy. We can take turns resting, but they'll have to constantly be on edge."

Rien shot him a sharp look, her eyes narrowing.

But Caspian nodded, his expression thoughtful."Benjy's right," Caspian said, his voice steady. "We don't know anything about the fourteenth sinker, and we don't know where Trynn is. Let them wear themselves out. Then we'll hunt them down."

He rose slightly, his movements fluid and deliberate. "Let's go."

The three of them moved in unison, their figures low and swift as they disappeared into the tall grass, heading toward the forest.

As Caspian's group disappeared into the tall grass, the forest seemed to hold its breath. The rustle of leaves overhead faded, the wind dying down to a whisper. Even the distant cries of birds ceased, leaving an eerie stillness in their wake.