The tunnel echoed with the sound of dragging footsteps and dripping water.
Draven's body hung limp over the man's shoulder, his cloak trailing through the shallow stream below. Each step caused the fabric to drag through the murky water, leaving faint ripples behind.
Beside them, the wolfkin boy was forced forward, one man gripping the collar around his neck like a leash.
His teeth were clenched.
His claws trembled.
But without mana—
There was nothing he could do.
Behind them, Serethra walked at a calm, unhurried pace.
Her heels clicked softly against the wet stone, each step measured, composed… completely in control.
"Secure the exits," she said casually.
"I don't want any interruptions this time."
"Yes, madam."
One of the men immediately broke away, disappearing into a side tunnel without hesitation.
The rest of the group continued deeper.
The air grew heavier.
Darker.
The faint light of the sewer dimmed as they moved further underground, swallowed by shadow.
Eventually—
The tunnel grew quiet again.
Only the dragging of bodies and the soft echo of footsteps remained as Serethra and her men disappeared into the depths.
Then—
Silence.
A long, heavy silence settled over the space they had just passed through.
Water dripped steadily from the ceiling.
Slimes shifted along the damp stone walls, their soft, wet movements barely audible.
The tunnel felt empty.
Still.
Abandoned.
And then—
The air distorted.
Like heat rippling across sun-scorched stone.
A faint shimmer peeled back from the shadows.
The concealment spell unraveled.
Figures slowly reappeared, as if reality itself was folding back into place.
Aldric stood there, arms folded, irritation clear on his face.
"…Well," he muttered.
"That went exactly as expected."
The cultist stood beside him, her expression unreadable as the last traces of her magic faded into nothingness.
Lyriana stepped forward slightly, her eyes fixed on the direction Draven had been taken.
"They took him."
Her voice was calm.
But her gaze was sharp.
Focused.
Vaelith remained where she was, holding the two children securely in her arms, her posture steady, her expression composed as ever.
Aldric exhaled through his nose.
"Of course they did."
He glanced down the tunnel, eyes narrowing slightly.
"They even put a mana collar on him."
The cultist spoke next, her tone thoughtful.
"Those collars suppress mana flow. That might be a problem."
She crossed her arms.
"If it's well-made, brute force won't be enough to break it."
Aldric scoffed lightly.
"Brute force usually works for me."
He rolled his shoulder.
"But he'll be fine."
Despite his words, his gaze lingered down the tunnel for a moment longer.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Lyriana didn't look away.
"What's the plan?"
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Aldric's grin slowly returned.
"Well…"
He cracked his neck slightly, a sharp sound echoing faintly in the tunnel.
"Looks like it's our turn to move."
He let out a short breath and turned away from the path Draven had been taken.
"Alright," he added, voice edged with irritation. "Let's get the hell out of this place."
He didn't wait for agreement.
He started walking.
Lyriana lingered for only a fraction of a second, her eyes still fixed ahead, before turning and following without a word.
The cultist moved next, her expression calm but her gaze distant—already calculating, already planning.
Vaelith adjusted her hold on the children and followed silently, her presence unwavering.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they moved in the opposite direction.
Water rippled beneath their boots.
Faint mana crystals embedded in the walls cast dim, flickering light as they passed.
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"Damn sewer smells even worse now."
He glanced back briefly.
"…Hope he doesn't take too long."
His tone remained casual.
But there was tension in his eyes.
Subtle.
Unspoken.
Ahead, the tunnel curved upward.
Leading toward the surface.
And toward whatever came next.
---
**On the other side of the sewer—**
The group came to a sudden halt.
Boots scraped sharply against wet stone.
The man carrying Draven adjusted his grip, shifting the limp body over his shoulder.
The wolfkin boy was forced to stop as well, the grip on the collar around his neck tightening slightly—
Holding him in place.
The tunnel ahead stretched into darkness.
Something about it…
Felt different.
Heavier.
As if something unseen was waiting just beyond the bend.
**On the other side of the sewer—**
The group came to a sudden halt.
Boots scraped against wet stone.
The man carrying Draven adjusted his grip, shifting the limp body slightly over his shoulder.
Beside him, the wolfkin boy was yanked to a stop as well, the collar around his neck tightening painfully.
"Move," one of the men muttered.
But Serethra raised a hand.
"Wait."
Her violet eyes narrowed slightly as they scanned the wall ahead.
At first glance—
It looked no different from the rest of the sewer.
Cracked stone.
Damp moss clinging to the surface.
Thin streams of water trickling down into the shallow channel below.
Ordinary.
Unremarkable.
Then she stepped forward.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Her hand pressed flat against a specific section of the wall.
For a brief moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
**Click.**
A faint mechanical shift echoed from within the stone.
The surface trembled slightly before sliding inward with a low, grinding sound, revealing a narrow, concealed passage hidden behind it.
Dark.
Unlit.
And noticeably cleaner than the sewer they stood in.
Serethra stepped inside without hesitation.
"Bring them."
Her voice was calm.
Commanding.
The men followed immediately.
Draven's body disappeared into the hidden passage.
The wolfkin boy was dragged along after, his eyes darting rapidly as he tried to memorize everything—the mechanism, the path, the structure.