A few hours after Arden's group disappeared into the forest, the cave wasn't empty for long.
Another group arrived, five men, cloaked and sharp-eyed. Their boots stopped just short of the blood-soaked dirt.
"Dead," one muttered, crouching to inspect a body, already cold. "Whoever did this didn't leave much behind."
They fanned out quickly, scanning the battle-scared cave. One of them pushed deeper inside and froze when he saw the shattered chains. The corner where the boy had been held was empty. All that remained was the faint shimmer of drained aether in the air.
"Gone," he said, panic bleeding into his voice. "The test subject is gone."
That got their attention.
The leader barked orders. "Two of you, follow the trail. Check the east slope. You—send a signal to the nearest base. They need to know we've been compromised."
There was no time to waste. Whoever did this hadn't just killed their men; they had taken something far more important.
