Darkness pressed in from all sides, the narrow tunnel walls closing around the team as they navigated the treacherous underground passages. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant echo of footsteps reverberated through the labyrinthine corridors.
"Ahead!" Ava's voice, barely above a whisper, sliced through the tension. Her eyes darted toward the faint glimmer of light filtering through the tunnel's exit. "That's our way out."
The team moved swiftly but cautiously, their breaths heavy with anticipation and fear. Each step was a gamble, a silent prayer that their adversary's forces hadn't yet reached their escape route. Liam, always vigilant, kept close to the guide, an elderly man whose knowledge of these tunnels was their only lifeline.
"We're almost there," the guide murmured, his voice trembling with both exhaustion and determination. "Just a little further."
