Chapter 16: Shadows Stir

Aedric stood in the dimly lit warehouse, staring down at the bodies sprawled across the cold stone floor. The blood pooling around them glistened under the flickering lantern light. The deed was done. The message had been carved. But the weight of what they had started pressed heavily on his shoulders.

He exhaled slowly, pushing aside hesitation. There was no turning back now.

Varen wiped his sword clean with a piece of cloth, his expression unreadable. "We should move before patrols start looking for them."

Aedric nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. Would this be enough? Would Vask rise to the bait, or would Gorran tighten his grip before they had a chance to strike again?

Lirian nudged one of the bodies with her boot, admiring her work. "They'll find this before sunrise. If Vask has any pride, he won't let this go unanswered."

"Unless Gorran reins him in," Varen countered, slipping his sword back into its sheath. "We need to be ready for either outcome."

Aedric ran a hand through his hair, considering their next steps. "We should get back to the safe house. We'll plan our next move there."

Lirian glanced at the blood-streaked floor one last time before stepping away. "Let's go, then. I'd rather not be here when the city guard starts asking questions."

The three of them slipped into the night, moving swiftly through the maze of alleys. The city of Velmire was eerily quiet, the slums bathed in shadow, only the distant glow of lanterns breaking the darkness. It was late enough that most of the city slept, but Aedric knew better than to let his guard down. The underworld never truly rested.

As they moved, his thoughts drifted back to the days when he had been just another street rat in these alleys, scraping by on stolen bread, always watching for the next threat. He had come far from those days, yet the city still felt the same—cold, merciless, and filled with unseen dangers.

They reached the safe house without incident, slipping inside through a side entrance. The scent of old wood and burning tallow greeted them as they entered the dimly lit space.

A handful of their allies were already there, waiting. Roran, a burly man with a thick scar across his cheek, was sharpening a dagger at the table. Beside him sat Tessa, a wiry woman with keen eyes who handled much of their information gathering. She looked up as they entered.

"How did it go?" she asked, setting aside a parchment she had been reading.

Lirian smirked. "Flawlessly. Six men dead, a cart full of goods left untouched, and a lovely message for Vask to find in the morning."

Tessa leaned back in her chair, a knowing look in her eyes. "Then things are about to get interesting."

Aedric moved to the table, glancing at the maps and notes spread across it. "We need to be careful. Vask won't be the only one paying attention after this. If the city guard gets involved, it'll complicate things."

Roran grunted, testing the edge of his blade. "Complications are inevitable. But if Vask comes looking, we'll be ready."

Aedric wasn't so sure. Vask was a brute, but he wasn't a fool. If he came after them, it wouldn't be alone. And if Gorran himself decided to act, they would need more than just readiness—they would need a plan.

Tessa tapped a finger against the map on the table. "We've been watching movements near the Iron Hollow. Gorran's been reinforcing it lately. More men, tighter security. Whatever they're hiding in there, they're being careful with it."

Aedric frowned. "Which means we need to act before they lock it down completely."

Lirian leaned on the back of a chair, twirling a dagger between her fingers. "You think we can draw Vask out?"

"That depends on how much we can provoke him," Aedric mused. "He's the kind of man who reacts with his fists. But if he thinks we're just street scum causing trouble, he might send someone else to handle it."

Varen crossed his arms. "Then we make it personal."

Silence settled over the room as the words sank in.

Aedric exhaled. "We strike again. Soon. We keep hitting them until they have no choice but to come after us themselves."

Tessa nodded slowly. "That means we need to choose our next target carefully. Hit the wrong one, and we might get the city guard's attention before we're ready."

Aedric's fingers traced over the map, his mind already running through possibilities. "We need something valuable to them. Something they can't ignore."

Lirian's lips curled into a sly smile. "I might have an idea."

The room leaned in as she spoke, the tension thick with anticipation. The next move would set everything in motion. There was no turning back now.

The war for Velmire's underworld had begun.