Back at Sansen inside the castle, Captain stands with his hands behind his back, staring at a beautiful painting on the wall of the Warden's old room. It's a painting of a sun set.
"Strange," he says under his breath.
Captain notice something at the bottom of the painting, a signature.
"Adalyn," Captain translates.
Captain then looks out the window and notices the sun setting. He leaves the room and takes the stairs to the top of the castle. At the top, Captain walks to the edge and steps off the roof. He falls to the ground, landing silently behind the 3 Lieutenants who are watching over the dig site.
"Is the scout back yet?" Captain asks.
The Lieutenants tense up to the sound of his voice, they click their heels together and spin around to face the Captain.
"No sir!" replies Lieutenant 1.
"You told him to be back at sundown, yes?" ask Captain.
"Yes sir!" he responds.
Captain thinks to himself, "has the hunter and scout been killed? A lone human couldn't do that. Have the humans already assembled an army so quickly?"
Captain looks down into the dig site, "How close are we on finding that tunnel?"
"We haven't found the under ground chamber yet sir. We have thralls patrolling the streets looking for any entrances, but they've not found anything," Replies Lieutenant 2.
"Send another scout out into the surrounding area, it has two hours to report back, and if he doesn't, we will lock down the town," says Captain.
"Sir, do you think someone is on the way here?" asks Lieutenant 3.
"Yes I do," replies Captain.
Lieutenant 2 sends another scout, he rides his fury outside town into the woods. Hidden in a bush, Guy and Lane watch the scout pass them.
"Another scout?" ask Guy.
"I'm guessing they are still looking for the hunter," says Lane.
"They're getting suspicious," says Guy.
Guy pulls out a scope and observes two thralls guarding the main gate. He looks farther into towns and notices a bunch of thralls digging a pit.
"It looks like most of the Elves are digging at the base of the castle," says Guy.
"They're trying to find the underground tunnels, my dad told them the key was hidden there," Lane says.
"I have an idea," says Guy.
Lane and Guy move around to the left side of town.
"Here's the plan, while the Elves focus on the digging, we sneak in and kill the Captain. Hopefully the lack of leadership will scatter the forces, and maybe I can get some information about the key," explains Guy.
"You think you can kill him without alarming the rest of the Elves?" Asks Lane.
"Well, if I'm stealthy about it, do you have a better idea?" he replies.
"Nope, so how will we get in?" she asks.
"So the town has 3 gates right? The main one and two others, one to the far left and one to the far right of the main gate?" asks Guy.
"Yes, each gate leads to a specific part of town. The main gate leads to the castle, the far left gate goes to the market district, and the far right gate is the living area," Lane explains.
"We're going to the market district through the far left gate, that's how I got to the castle when I collected my payment. It's not very open and has the most buildings where we can hide," explains Guy.
Lane and Guy move around the town to the market district Gate, it is guarded by two thralls, just like the main gate.
"Let's move a little farther down, once we are out of sight, we can jump the wall," says Guy.
"Jump it!?" asks Lane.
"Yea, if we get enough distance from the gate, the guards won't spot us," says Guy.
They move farther left of the gate and run up to the wall.
Guy turns around, "hop on my back."
Lane appears concerned, but climbs on Guy's back anyways.
"Okay lets do it," Lane says nervously.
Guy pushes off the ground and leaps above the wall. Lane's stomach drops, and she covers her mouth, trying not to scream. Her arms tighten around Guy's neck, choking him.
They land on the other side and Lane jumps off.
"Were you trying to strangle me?!" Guy says as he catches his breath.
"Sorry-" Lane looks around, seeing her town for the first time since the invasion. It's a mess with broken windows, smashed food and blood on the streets.
Guy notices Lane's reaction, "come on, we need to move."
Lane nods her head in a agreement, and they move away from the wall into the market district.
Lane and Guy sneak through the market district, making their way towards the castles. Suddenly they hear foot steps, and quick hide in an ally.
Guy and Lane watch from shadows as two thralls march by. Before they leave the alley, Lane spots something moving at the end of the alley way, and then she hears a faint whistle coming from the darkness. Lane stares down the alley, but she sees nothing. Lane and Guy are about to leave when she hears another whistle.
"What are you doing?" Guy whispers.
"I hear something," Lane replies.
Lane moves deeper into the alley.
"Lane wait," says Guy as he follows behind her.
Lane listens for another whistle, nothing. Suddenly, two men in hoods come out of the shadows, one grabs Lane and covers her mouth. The second man tries to do the same to Guy, but Guy grabs the attacker by the neck and lifts him off the ground.
Guy looks over at the man holding Lane, "let her go."
The man quickly response, "wait! My name is John and he's Thomas. We aren't trying to hurt you, we just didn't want you making any noises!"
Guy sets Thomas down and John lets Lane go.
"How are you so strong?" asks Thomas.
Guy ignores Thomas, "who are you?"
John and Thomas take off their hoods. John looks like a kindly older man, and Thomas is younger, he looks like he could be John's son.
"We are citizens-" John recognizes Lane, "My lady, we thought you died! Forgive us, we didn't mean to frighten you."
"That's okay-" Lane is interrupted by the sound of approaching thrall.
"Come quickly," say John.
Lane and Guy are led into a house, inside John lift up the living room rug, revealing a hidden hatch. John opens the hatch, there is a ladder leading to a tunnel.
Guy and Lane follow John and Thomas down the ladder and into the dark tunnels.
"What is this place?" ask Lane.
"I wouldn't expect you to know of these tunnels, my lady, they were built hundreds of years ago," replies John, "I've known about the tunnels all my life. My family lived in that home, and your father ordered us to keep these tunnels a secret."
The tunnel leads them to a door.
"However, when the attack began I got as many people down here as possible," says John.
Thomas unlocks the door to reveal dozens of townspeople living in a large open area where 3 tunnels intersect.
"I can't believe it," Lane's eyes tear up, and then a huge smile comes over her face.
"We have been hiding down here, waiting, and hoping for the kingdom to liberate us," explains John.
The people see Lane and begin to whisper.
"Has your father survived?" asks John.
Lane looks up at her people who are looking at her in hopes they'll be saved.
Lane addresses the crowd, "my father....my father was killed-" the people gasp, "but I've sent word to the Capital, the King's army should be on their way here."
As Lane reassures her people, Guy can feel a strange pressure coming from inside the tunnels. Guy notices a door hidden behind some vines, he walks toward the door.
Guy pushes the vines aside and naturally tries to turn the door handle, but the door handle has been broken off. Guy puts his hand on the door and uses his strength to force it open. Inside is an unlit round room, and in the center is a key on a pedestal. Lane walks in the room with John.
"Be careful Thomas burned his hand trying to grab that key. After that, we locked the room so the children wouldn't accidentally come in here," explains John.
Guy and Lane look at the key and then back toward each other.
"Is this the key?" asks Guy.
"It has to be, these tunnels must lead to the castle-" Lane eyes widen, "oh no"
"The Elves are digging into these tunnel systems," says Guy.
"Elves? What are you talking about?" asks John.
"The things that attacked the town are here for that key, and they know it's somewhere down here," explains Lane.
"So if we stay, we'll be found and killed," says John
Guy turns to Lane, "There is no time to waste I've got to take out the Captain now."
"No, we need to get my people out of town first!" says Lane.
"That's too risky, if I kill the Captain, they'll all be safe," explains Guy.
"And what happens if they break into these tunnels while you're off fighting Captain, my people will be killed! We have to get them out, and then we can take out the Captain," Lane explains.
"How? If we get caught, I can't protect everyone," says Guy.
Lane places her hand on Guy's shoulder, "Guy, I'm asking you to trust me."
Guy pauses and thinks for a moment, and then sighs, "Okay, let's do it."
Lane looks over at the key, "what do we do with that?"
"If we take it and the Elves find out, it'll just put a target on your back," says Guy.
"But if they get it, then what? What does it even do? It might be dangerous to even pick up," says Lane.
"I can stay and watch it," say John.
Lane quickly responds, "No, we are taking everyone!" "There is no way of knowing we are safe unless we can make sure they can't get this key. Once he kills the leader, then we can rest easy and figure out what to do with it," John smiles, "I'll be okay."
"Okay, but promise me, if it comes down to it, you'll save yourself," says Lane.
John nods his head in agreement.
Guy shakes John's hand, "Good luck, old man." Guy turns to Lane, "okay, let's get everyone together."
To be Continued...