Chapter 32: Shadows in the Fog

The tunnels beneath Velmire were damp, the air thick with the scent of earth and mildew. Water dripped from the ceiling, the only sound breaking the silence as Aedric led the freed prisoners deeper into the underground passage. His heart was still pounding from the escape. They had done it—but at what cost?

Lirian moved ahead, torch in hand, casting flickering light across the rough stone walls. "We need to keep moving. If Gorran's men track us here, we're finished."

Aedric nodded, glancing behind him. The group was exhausted, battered, but alive. The slum-dwellers who had been dragged from their homes, the rebels caught in Gorran's web, now followed him—silent, fearful, but with something else in their eyes.

Hope.

Varen, panting slightly, wiped sweat from his brow. "That was the closest call yet."

Tessa glared at him. "You're too eager to joke after almost dying."

Varen grinned, though the expression didn't reach his eyes. "It keeps me sane."

Dorn let out a pained chuckle. "We need to get these people somewhere safe before we worry about sanity." His wound, though not fatal, had slowed him down. Aedric had half a mind to force him to rest, but they had no time.

"The safe houses," Aedric said. "We split into groups once we reach the aqueduct. That way, if they track us, we won't be caught all at once."

Lirian glanced at him. "And what about you?"

"I'll go where I'm needed."

She didn't question him further. They all knew what was at stake.

---

The tunnel stretched on, winding beneath the city's foundations. It was ancient, built long before Gorran's reign. The rebels had discovered it months ago, unsure if it would ever serve a purpose.

Now, it was their only escape.

Tessa kept close to the prisoners, murmuring reassurances. "Not much farther now. Just hold on."

Aedric caught the look of quiet desperation in some of their faces. These people had lost everything. But they still had each other.

Then, Lirian stopped abruptly. She raised a hand.

Silence.

Aedric tensed. "What is it?"

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pressed her ear to the damp stone wall. Her face darkened. "Something's wrong."

Then, they heard it.

A distant, rhythmic sound. Boots. Marching.

A chill ran down Aedric's spine.

Tessa whispered, "How? How did they find us?"

Lirian's jaw tightened. "They didn't. They were waiting."

Aedric cursed under his breath. Gorran had expected this.

Varen drew his daggers. "Looks like we fight after all."

Dorn pushed himself forward. "There's another exit. A hidden one."

Aedric turned to him. "You're sure?"

Dorn nodded weakly. "Takes longer, but it's our only shot."

Aedric had no time to hesitate. "Lirian, take them. Varen, Tessa, cover the rear. I'll hold them off."

Tessa grabbed his arm. "You can't!"

"I can, and I will," Aedric said firmly. "Go."

She wanted to argue, but Lirian pulled her away. "We can't waste time."

The group hurried down a narrow path, disappearing into the darkness.

Aedric turned back. The torches were getting closer.

He gripped the hilt of his blade.

It was time to see how much Gorran's men feared the dark.

---

The first guard barely had time to react before Aedric struck.

A quick step forward, a sharp twist—his blade found flesh. The man crumpled, his torch falling and sputtering in the dampness.

The second swung wildly, but Aedric ducked low, driving his shoulder into the man's chest before slamming him into the wall.

Steel clashed as another guard lunged. Aedric twisted, using the narrow space to his advantage. They couldn't surround him here.

A blade grazed his arm. He gritted his teeth. Keep moving. Keep fighting.

One by one, they fell.

But more were coming.

Aedric's breath came in sharp gasps. He had to buy more time.

Then, a familiar voice.

"Fall back!"

Varen's daggers flashed in the dim light as he leapt into the fray. "I figured you'd be too stubborn to leave."

Tessa was beside him, bow drawn. "We're not leaving you behind, idiot!"

Aedric let out a sharp breath—relief and frustration mixed.

Lirian's voice echoed from deeper in the tunnel. "Hurry!"

Aedric didn't argue. They had to go.

---

The hidden exit was a narrow crevice, barely wide enough to squeeze through. It opened into an abandoned canal outside the city walls.

Lirian helped the last prisoner through. "We need to scatter before—"

The sound of distant horns cut through the night.

They all turned.

Velmire was waking. And Gorran was hunting.

Aedric wiped the blood from his brow. The rebellion was no longer a whisper.

It was a storm waiting to break.