Elydes

Chapter 307 - Unexpected Paths

Kai extended Mana Observer and tentatively listened for Hallowed Intuition’s whispers. With an effort, he forced his thoughts away from the blood-soaked chamber to the path ahead. The illuminated hallway outside was one of the most dangerous sections they had to cross.

No point hesitating.

Each second they wasted increased the chances of being discovered. There was no true safety till they escaped.

Inhaling the cold air of the underground, Kai opened the door a crack and slipped outside, knees bent to dash and spells at his fingertips. The flattened stone corridor ran straight up to a dark bend branching into two passages—no cultists, footsteps or voices.

“Stay close,” he gestured to follow, casting a veil of Shadow to include Niel and Kea. He should have just enough mana to get back to the dungeons. Refilling his reserves once they left the chamber risked alerting any watcher.

I’ll have to make do.

His sister’s Camouflage only worked on herself, and Niel wasn’t in any condition to sneak around even if he had the skills.

Creeping forward, the lit corridor seemed to stretch unbearably long. He couldn’t go faster than Niel’s limping pace, nor would he. His battered limbs already struggled with the effort of muffling his movements at this speed.

Hey, buddy. Are you guys doing alright?

Breaching the silence, a whirlwind of emotions, impressions and questions flooded the bond. Kai rested his hand on the damp rock wall to parse through the chaos.

We’re fine, Hobbes. I won the battle, and we found Niel. He’s… alive. Are you waiting for us?

The response slapped him with a wave of irked obviousness. Kai knew Flynn would delay leaving, but the confirmation still warmed his gloomy mood.

Tell him we’re on our way. Five more minutes at most… No, there is no need for you to come. I can avoid the cultists. Hallowed Intuition is working again. Keep an eye on the patrols in the dungeons. You can’t be discovered.

Arguments traveled back and forth before Hobbes acquiesced, shutting his end of the bond with a grumpy snap.

Trust me, bud. We’ll be fine.

Despite the confidence Kai projected, his senses stayed keen on the branching tunnels. It was soon to relax, and scouting kept his mind away from places darker than the underground.

Behind him, Kea and Niel shadowed his movements through the maze of intersecting caverns. A whisper warned him to backtrack into a crooked cranny; Kai followed the instinct as a group of voices echoed ahead.

Dammit.

Cold sweat drenched his back—another confrontation would be disastrous in their condition. He held his breath, trusting Hallowed Intuition over the urge to escape further down.

“…prepare. The praetor doesn’t care about excuses…” Human shadows flickered on the far wall, the voices fading in the distance.

In the dripping quiet of the cavern, Kai set out without delay.

Besides the corpses in the cell where they woke up, now there were four more in the ritual chamber. Even in the sprawling underground, it was only a matter of time before someone discovered them. He wanted to be as far away as possible by then.

While Hallowed Intuition’s whispering remained sporadic, crucial dangers seemed to pierce the ward, suppressing his skill. Curious about any changes, Kai spared a thought to check the Guide.

Hallowed Intuition (lv80>84)

Four levels?

Elation rose above the tension. Kai considered himself lucky to gain a level in his highest skill every couple months. Even facing beasts had lost effectiveness after years in the Sanctuary.

He must thank the cultists for the training opportunity—right after he stabbed their shriveled hearts. A spike of anger urged him to run rampant, numbing pain and fatigue, though it didn’t make him any quieter.

Focus on the path. Where are we…?

Kai unclenched his fists, trying to make sense of the passageways. The detour to avoid the cultists had forced them into an unfamiliar area; he would have already gotten lost without Hobbes' presence to act as a fixed beacon.

The prisons should be around here.

Using Earth Magic, he widened a crack in the rock to squeeze into a corridor with cells on both walls. If his mental map was correct, their destination was near.

Right there…

He spotted a group of weak and murky auras beyond an abandoned storeroom

“We’re almost there.” Kai pointed to the worn door that closed the room. The lock had faded with the enchantments, though the rusted hinges proved an effective seal. He didn’t have enough Earth to pierce the thick wall and no time to gather more.

The quick solution it is.

“Stay back.” Sound traveled to unpredictable distances within the caverns. Kai wrapped Water and Shadow around the rusted metal and kicked the lock of the door.

The muffled creaking still made him cringe. He had controlled his Strength to not destroy the rotten wood and needed another kick to crack it open.

Familiar blue crystals lit the tunnel beyond. Kai never thought he’d be happy to spot the gleam of enchanted bars.

Taking a step inside, he jerked to the side to avoid a blow to his head. Adrenaline and mana surged through his veins. In a moment, his sore limbs brimmed with incandescent power. He prepared a shard of ice at his fingertips when he saw the scraggly face of his attacker.

The man watched his wooden club, confused at the failed strike. He was tall, with an emaciated body and unkept beard—definitely not a cultist.

One of the adventurers who got kidnapped? What is he doing here…?

A group of prisoners armed with broken pieces of furniture and rocks clustered behind the man. The inkling of an idea brushed Kai’s thoughts; first, he had to diffuse the situation.

“Hey.” He dispelled the veil of Shadow on himself and raised his palms for peace. “I’m not—”

“Die!” The adventurer swung his bat, eyes gleaming with anger and fear. The splintered wood glowed with the reddish tinge of a skill.

I was trying to be nice.

Kai bent beneath the blow and hooked his leg to trip the man. Caught unprepared, the gaunt adventurer fell on his backside.

“You stay down.” Kai kicked the bat away and turned to regard the crowd. “Do I look like a cultist to you?” He met their frightened gazes, pointing at his face and clothes.

The prisoners huddle tighter, exchanging hesitant looks.

“Who else could be down here?” Someone called amidst the crowd.

“Ye— yes!” A girl lifted a rock in her trembling hands, her head shaved and engraved with bleeding marks. “Th— those monsters always me— mess with my head—”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Stand down. He’s telling the truth.” Kea ripped the veil of Shadow with her mana to stand beside him. Niel leaned on her shoulder, sweat on his forehead and feverish eyes. “We’re also just trying to escape. We—“

“They’re using Darkness Magic to hide!”

Oh, great.

Kai didn’t see who screamed, but the hostile gazes eliminated any hope for negotiations. Words couldn’t reach people gripped by fear. He gathered the last scraps of his mana to push the blockade when another shout halted him.

“Wait!” A young man with dirty blond hair shoved his way through the crowd, waving his arms to get attention. “Don’t attack! I know him. He’s the cranky guy I was telling you about. He and the girl are with the group who brought the keys.”

“Is he telling the truth?”

“They do look weird…”

Whispering among themselves, the wary glances turned hesitant as they took stock of their appearance. The tall man with the bat stood back and even murmured an apology.

“C’mon, follow me.” Derrell grabbed him and Kea to drag them past the confused crowd. “You really went to get your friend… You’re mad, but I respect it. Nice to see you too, Niel. You look… alive! And better than I imagined—”

“What’s going on here, Derrell?” Kai freed his arm once they were away from the crowd.

“Derrell.” The man said with a sharp smile. “And you’re lucky I was around to save you even after you hit me.”

You deserved that.

“I didn’t hit you. I just knocked you out with a spell.”

“And how is that better?” Derrell pursed his lips and massaged his throat. “I thought I was gonna drown!”

Kai gave him an apologetic shrug, too tired to truly feel guilt. “You haven’t answered my question. What are these people doing?”

“Humph… You’re changing the topic.” Derrell huffed, heading down the corridor of now-empty cells. “We’ve been guarding every entrance to ambush the patrols.”

With those people?

“That doesn’t seem very effective.” Even if he hadn’t been paying attention to Mana Observer, that blow couldn’t take down a cultist. That group would only get slaughtered.

“Well…” Derrell glanced behind his back. “These guys are the weakest since the entrance was supposed to be sealed. We had to keep them busy, so they wouldn’t run before we’re ready.”

“We…?”

“Yeah,” Derrell grinned as they crossed into another cavern of the dungeon. Scattered groups of prisoners huddled outside the cells; they spared a look at the new arrivals before going back to mumble amongst themselves.

“Is everything alright? I heard a—” Flynn walked out of a cell holding the keyring, and Hobbes slumped over his shoulders. He blinked at them, then his face broke into a smile. “You made it back! Niel too. You’ve found him!”

And you’ve kept yourself busy.

“Yeah, we—” Kai didn’t have time to speak more when he was swept into a three-person hug with Kea grumbling. He would have enjoyed it more without the spikes of pain in his ribs.

“Hey! You’re making me feel left out.” Derrell watched them with crossed arms and a sulk. “I’m a sucker for reunions, but we’re in a bit of a hurry…”

Flynn threw him the keyring to get rid of him. “Do one last round for those who want to escape.”

“Mroow.” The furball kneaded his head from his high perch.

“You’re right.” Flynn patted the needy cat. “Hobbes told me you were fine. But I was worried. Are you—”

“We’re fine,” Kai said. They were, at least. “But we need to get him out of here. He needs a proper healer. What—”

“Niel! You’re alive.” Mari walked out of the same cell door and ran straight at him. She raised her arms to hug him but stopped upon seeing his condition. “What’s wrong? What did they do to you?”

“I— I’m alright…” Niel offered her a weak smile, averting his gaze. After crossing the tunnels, he had gotten paler, and his bandages showed patches of red. He held his arms around himself, leaning his back on the wall. “I’m just tired.”

“How can you say that? You’re bleeding!” Mari moved to help him, brows furrowed in concern. “What happened?”

While they talked, Kai pulled Flynn aside, throwing a glance at the people crowding the tunnel. “What’s going on here?”

“Uhm…” Flynn hung his head with a guilty look. “I’m sorry. I know you only said to free Derrell, but Mari couldn’t ignore the other prisoners in the cell. And I couldn’t bring myself to stop her. Then, more people noticed the ones we were freeing. They started shouting and begging. And I—”

“It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize.” Kai gave a sympathetic squeeze on his shoulder—the situation wasn’t entirely unexpected. “You did the right thing.”

After seeing what the cultists did in the bloody chamber, he couldn’t abandon anyone behind either. It might not be the most prudent choice, but he had already left a trail of corpses behind. Saving a few more people wouldn’t change much.

Perhaps more than a few…

He could count over thirty escapees, and there were more in the tunnels beyond. “How long do you need to move? We can’t stay here.”

It would already be a nightmare to carry so many with them. They couldn’t delay any longer.

“We’re ready to go. I just need to get Rain.” Flynn glanced at a nearby cell with a single aura lying inside, then pursed his lips at the freed prisoners. “Better if we hurry. I’ve tried to organize them with Derrell, but they aren’t going to wait much longer. Especially the recently abducted adventurers don't like listening to a foreign kid.”

Of course…

He had to act while they were still frightened and confused. Given a few more minutes, many would want to do with their heads. “What about the ones still chained?” A quarter of the prisoners remained locked up in the cells.

“Those…” Flynn used his index and thumb to massage his eyes. “They don’t want to leave.”

“Uh? What do you mean…? They want to stay here?”

Flynn shook his head with a grimace. “Many of the prisoners who have been here a month or more are too weak or scared to run. Some think escaping is a trap of the cultists. And a few others are not exactly present

Yeti have mercy on them.

“You did your best.” Kai scanned the people hunched in the cells. Could he drag them out against their will? It wasn’t feasible. Moving Niel and Rain would already be challenging, and there wasn’t time to convince more.

I can’t help those who don’t want to help themselves. Not now.

Hopefully, they could alert the Republic to save them once they escaped.

Kai raised his voice to be heard over the incessant murmurs. “If anyone else wants to come with us. We’re moving out.”

Several heads turned to him. Despite their wary demeanors, no one questioned who he was or asked to be freed. Most observed what he would do.

Hobbes, you have an idea where to go, right?

“Mrrow.” The silver furball flicked his tail without deigning to answer.

Apologies for the silly question. Just checking.

The expectant gazes following him were unnerving. Did they wait for some kind of speech? His mind was blank. He had never liked public speaking, and he wasn’t going to start training his oratory skills now.

“Derrell,” Kai called the self-proclaimed lucky man who was spinning the keyring on his fingers. “Gather everyone who wants to escape with us. We move out immediately.”

“Uhm? Why do I—”

Ignoring his protests, Kai helped Flynn move an unconscious Rain onto his shoulders and joined his companions. He had to focus on those he could help.

Mari hung onto Niel like a clam to its rock while Kea studied the crowd and whispered. “What’s the plan, Mat?”

“Well…” Kai covered his mouth with a hand in case anyone read his lips. “We’re going to run and hope they can follow.”

Stealth wasn’t an option with so many people—that left only speed. Noticing his movements, the self-appointed leaders of several small groups stepped forward.

“Do you know where we are?”

“How’re we going to escape?”

“Where are we—”

Kai evaded the questions again and strode down the tunnel Hobbes indicated. He couldn’t get embroiled in a lengthy explanation or, worse, an argument.

“Is this everybody?” He counted over forty people. Way more than he’d like and significantly less than the number he estimated.

Derrell left the escapees to keep pace with him. “You owe me one for this…” He grumbled, trying to rake a hand through his matted blond locks. “Two groups of adventurers in charge of guarding the tunnels left on their own.”

Damned jerks.

“When did it happen?” Kai kept his tone level—no matter what happened, he couldn’t show doubt. His plans had taken into consideration a few assholes would go their own way. Splitting up could serve as a distraction when the cultists pursued them, though he had hoped they’d separate later.

“A minute ago or a little more.” Kerril shrugged and raised his voice enough for everyone to hear. “Don’t worry, you’re with me. I can pick the best path of escape.”

“Yeah, I know where to go.” Kai turned to regard the mass of pale and gaunt faces, the cultists' research carved into their flesh. “If anyone wants to try their Luck on their own, you have five seconds to go. One… ”

He raised his hand to count while keeping his tone low. Eight more people took the chance to slip away, lowering the headcount to thirty-four.

Once those got out of hearing range, Kai rummaged through his pocket to take out his stock of stamina potions, giving half to Derrell to hold.

Being paranoid about running out paid off.

“Where did you get—”

“Split into two lines and take one each,” Kai said. “These will keep you going for a few hours. C’mon, hurry up…”

The words barely left his mouth when a young woman stood in front of him with her hands cupped, more lining behind. It seemed getting abducted hadn’t diminished the desire for free stuff. In less than thirty seconds, he had emptied his ring of low-orange tonics, and the aspirant fugitives looked noticeably livelier.

Good enough.

“Watch your feet and follow us in a line. From no one, no lights and no words unless a cultist sees you first. If anyone causes a commotion, I’ll personally knock you out and leave you there.”

Uhm… That wasn’t a bad speech… Hobbes lead the way.

Kai expanded his senses and set out through the dark cavern. He was taking his second turn when a whisper stabbed his mind like a frozen knife. Before he could guess its meaning, something in his pocket started vibrating.

Frowning, he fished out the blue bead belonging to the first patrol he met—likely an enhancement to raise the alarm. The network of intricately engraved runes now glowed with an ominous red light and quivered.

Shit.