Amukelo crouched in the alleyway, his breath steady but his thoughts racing. He replayed the moment when Padrin had appeared out of nowhere, yelling, "I'll meet you later!" It was strange, seeing Padrin in Norton, a city crawling with members of the Nameless Dynasty. Why had Padrin come here? Was he searching for Amukelo, or had he gotten himself involved with the Nameless Dynasty too?
But one thing was clear—Padrin had now become their enemy. Amukelo thought through his next move. "If Padrin is on my side," Amukelo thought, "I need to find him, fast."
Before he could make any real progress, he pulled out the dagger with the artifact to check Neclord's position. The dagger showed a faint line pointing in Neclord's direction, but to Amukelo's surprise, Neclord's position had shifted dramatically. He wasn't just elsewhere in the city anymore—he was much farther away, perhaps even out of town. Amukelo narrowed his eyes. Was this part of their plan all along? Did Neclord know Amukelo was in town and flee to avoid him? Or had the Nameless Dynasty reacted too quickly?
Amukelo clicked his tongue in frustration. "Tsk… Either way, it's not good. I can't just stay here. And my horse… it's still at Eliss's mansion," he muttered under his breath. Retrieving the horse would be a problem, especially now that the Nameless Dynasty likely knew where he was.
The immediate task was to find Padrin. Amukelo recalled that Padrin had moved toward the west side of town after their brief encounter. It wasn't much of a lead, but it was enough to guide Amukelo's steps. Moving swiftly through the back alleys, avoiding the bustling main streets filled with Nameless Dynasty eyes, he navigated his way toward the west.
He stuck to the shadows, walking between small shops and homes, occasionally stopping to ensure he wasn't being followed. Every noise, every flicker of movement, made his senses heighten. Time was of the essence. The longer he stayed in town, the more likely he'd be spotted.
After some time, he could finally make out the main gate in the distance, framed by the narrow alley he was hiding in. But something was wrong. There were more members of the Nameless Dynasty gathered near the gate than he'd anticipated. Far more. They were clearly guarding the main exit of the town, ensuring that no one—especially not Amukelo—could leave unnoticed.
Amukelo's jaw clenched in frustration. He couldn't walk through the gate without being spotted, not with that many eyes on it. He was pinned, his only escape blocked by the very organization hunting him.
As his mind raced to come up with a solutionhe heard footstepsfrom behind. His heart leapt. Someone had found him. Instinctively, his hand moved to the hilt of his sword. He spun around, ready to draw and defend himself.
But when his eyes fell on the figure approaching, his tense shoulders relaxed. It was Padrin.
Padrin walked up to him with an almost casual air, though Amukelo could see the tension in his eyes. Before Amukelo could speak, Padrin grinned and said, "What are you doing here?"
Amukelo raised an eyebrow. "I could ask you the same. What are you doing in Norton?"
Padrin's expression hardened. "I'll tell you later. But right now, we need to leave this town. Nameless Dynasty thugs are looking for you."
Amukelo nodded, glancing back toward the main gate. "I agree. But how? The gates are heavily guarded. I can't just walk out of here. They'll catch us."
Padrin smiled, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Don't worry, I've been preparing for this. Follow me. I know a way out."
Without waiting for Amukelo's response, Padrin turned and began walking briskly toward a side alley, his movements quick and confident. Amukelo followed him.
Padrin led Amukelo through the narrow alleyway. The house looked unassuming, its wooden frame slightly worn, the paint peeling at the edges. Padrin knocked on the door twice, the sound echoing quietly in the empty street. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing an older man, likely in his late forties. His face was marked by years of hardship—deep wrinkles lined his eyes, and his gray-streaked hair was messy, as if he'd just woken up. Despite his rugged appearance, his eyes were sharp and alert, scanning the alley before settling on Padrin.
"We need to leave the town," Padrin said in a low, urgent tone.
The older man nodded without a word and stepped aside, allowing them inside. The interior of the house was small and simple, a single room filled with basic furniture—a wooden table, a few chairs, and a small hearth that had long gone cold. There was an air of disuse about the place, as if the man didn't spend much time there.
"This way," the man said, gesturing them toward a small, inconspicuous flap in the floor. He pulled it open, revealing a dark tunnel entrance just wide enough for a person to crawl through. "This tunnel will take you out of town. The exit is covered by a large rock. Once you're out, make sure to put the rock back in place. If anyone finds this tunnel, I might be in trouble."
Padrin nodded, offering a quick word of thanks. Amukelo remained silent, taking in the details of the situation. They both crouched down, and one by one, they disappeared into the dark tunnel. The older man quietly shut the flap behind them, leaving them in near darkness.
The tunnel was cramped, barely tall enough for them to crawl on their hands and knees. The walls were rough, but surprisingly well-built, reinforced with stones and wooden beams that kept the structure stable. The faint smell of damp earth surrounded them as they made their way through, their movements slow but deliberate. The only sounds were the soft scraping of their clothes against the dirt and the occasional groan of the wood settling above them.
Amukelo's shoulders brushed the walls as he moved, the tight space making it difficult to think about anything but his immediate surroundings. Yet, as they crawled further into the tunnel, his mind started to race with questions. The urgency of the moment had pushed aside many thoughts, but now that they were in relative safety, he couldn't help but wonder.
"Why did you come to Norton?" Amukelo asked, his voice barely above a whisper, echoing slightly in the confined space. "And who was that guy?"
Padrin glanced over his shoulder as they continued crawling. "He's someone who built this tunnel for situations like this—when things go bad. But I think the better question is... why did you leave Llyn like that? What happened to your friends? And why does the Nameless Dynasty want you so badly? What did you do to upset them?"
Amukelo felt a familiar weight in his chest, but he pressed forward, both in the tunnel and in the conversation. His hands clenched into fists as he lowered his head, his memories clawing at the surface. He couldn't let his emotions take over now, not when he was so close to his goal. He took a deep breath, the cool air of the tunnel soothing his mind slightly before he began to speak.
He told Padrin everything. How Nameless Dynasty trapped them while doing their quest, how they blocked the exit, and sbotaged them during the fight. He described the moments of chaos, the way his guild was massacred—how Pao, Bral, Idin, and Bao sacrificed themselves to give him a chance to survive. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, but he pushed through the pain, explaining the Nameless Dynasty's obsession with the legendary sword he carried and his own burning desire for vengeance.
Padrin remained silent for most of the story, crawling ahead but listening intently. The tunnel was dark and suffocating, but Amukelo's words were heavier still, filling the space with the weight of his past.
Finally, Amukelo's voice trailed off, his story reaching the present. He couldn't see Padrin's expression in the dim tunnel, but he felt the gravity of the silence that followed. The only sounds were their movements, the soft scrape of their hands against the dirt.
After what felt like an eternity of crawling, they finally reached the end of the tunnel. Padrin pushed a large stone out of the way, and a beam of pale daylight filtered into the space, illuminating the exit. They climbed out into the open air, the scent of fresh earth and greenery greeting them. The forest surrounding Norton stretched out before them, offering temporary refuge.
Once Amukelo had cleared the tunnel, Padrin replaced the stone, covering the entrance carefully to ensure no one could trace their escape. They stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath. Amukelo's thoughts lingered on everything he had just shared, the raw memories still fresh in his mind.
Padrin was quiet as well, seemingly deep in thought after hearing Amukelo's painful tale.