Deborah's POV
"Who's going?"
"I will." I said without hesitation.
Everyone turned to look at me, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"Deborah, are you crazy?" Matthew was the first to oppose, his voice tense. "Do you know how dangerous it is up there—"
"I do." I cut him off. "I'm a witch, remember? And if I recall correctly, I've 'foreseen' that witches can survive on the surface."
Mark's eyes widened. He seemed ready to argue, but in the end, he simply clenched his jaw in silence.
"Then I'm going with you." He gritted out, determination flashing in his eyes.
"You?" Cora blinked, stunned. "No, you can't. You're just a normal human, Murias needs scientists like you. You're the only hope for the people down here."
"She's right." Matthew's gaze was locked onto mine, filled with the same resolute intensity. "If you're going, I'm going with you."
"But—" Cora began to object, even though she had only met this new friend today.
"No buts. I'm a werewolf. Even though I only found out a few days ago, werewolves can survive up there, can't they?" His tone left no room for argument.
"Okay, then." David shrugged, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Looks like we've got our team."
"Wait." Cora's voice cut through the room, tinged with fear and desperation. "Just like that? How do you plan to get through the heavily guarded FDB checkpoints? Do you have any idea how many soldiers guard the passage to the surface?"
"We'll have to wait for the right moment." David's voice was calm, his expression as composed as ever. "We need an opportunity when the guards are pulled away — when something happens that will force them to lower their defenses."
"So, when's the best time?" I asked, my voice low and steady.
David paused, then said slowly, "I don't know. Maybe a sudden riot. Maybe a political upheaval… But for now, we just have to wait."
Wait for chaos to descend.
Wait for the one moment when the passage to the surface would be unguarded.
After that round of discussion in NO.7, the five of us finally became a real team. We had a common goal — to lead the people of Murias out of this doomed underground city.
Though our plans were still rough, each of us knew what had to be done. We had a direction, and more importantly, we had each other.
And so, we became known as Ashen Light.
We were the light in the ashes of this dying underground world—a glimmer of hope piercing through the shadows.
Murias would be destroyed, but we would lead its people toward a new dawn.
Even in the deepest darkness, we would be the light that pierced through the ashes.
With the meeting adjourned, we each returned to our lives, continuing to blend into the normalcy of everyday routines while quietly waiting for our chance.
During this time, I started to notice something strange. It felt as though I was gradually regaining some of the lost powers that belonged to a witch.
Sometimes, when I uttered a spell, things would freeze midair or suddenly burst into flames.
There were even moments when I felt the flow of time slow down around me — as if everything moved in response to my will.
Occasionally, I would try simple spells to create barriers, but the results were always unpredictable. Nothing ever matched my intentions.
It was as if these abilities were scattered fragments of a once-whole power, flickering in and out of reach.
I knew I couldn't fully control them, yet I sensed that it had something to do with the stone necklace around my neck.
Ever since I put it on that night, I'd been plagued by a series of visions.
I'd seen Murias' destruction in a dream — the very dream that had convinced the others to trust me.
And ever since then, these predictive dreams have come more frequently, often showing small, seemingly insignificant events — a miner slipping on loose gravel, a minor fight breaking out in an alleyway.
But no matter how trivial, they always turned out to be true.
I began to wonder if this was the nature of being a witch or just the unintended consequence of inhabiting this body.
These questions, however, remained unanswered. I could only keep experimenting and observing.
Meanwhile, Murias continued to shake.
Every time I dreamed of a quake, I would warn the others in Ashen Light, and they would do everything they could to minimize the damage.
But then, last night, I dreamed of something far worse — a massive quake that would tear Murias apart. In the dream, the entire city was in ruins, central districts crumbling, miners trapped in collapsed tunnels.
It was chaos, with people screaming and running everywhere. The end of Murias had finally come.
And this time, I knew it wasn't just a dream.
It was a prophecy — a vision of the catastrophe that would soon descend upon us.
We had to escape from the chaos.
We gathered again at NO.7.
"This is our only chance." David's voice was low, his gaze sharp as it swept across each of us.
"We don't have much time," Mark added, his face etched with anxiety. "Once the quake begins, everyone will be in a panic. Guards will be sent to the city center for rescue operations, and then—"
"Then FDB's checkpoints will be vulnerable," David finished, his voice firm. "That's when you two can make your move."
"But how do we make sure no one notices us?" Cora's question hung in the air.
"As long as we're fast and careful, we can do it." I said quietly, feeling a strange, unnameable energy settle within me.
"Deborah and I will go first." Matthew looked at each of us in turn. "We'll send word back once we find a safe route. Stay here in Murias and wait. When we secure a way out, we'll call for you."
Everyone nodded. No one argued — because we all knew it was our only option.
The great quake struck as expected.
The moment the ground began to tremble, Matthew and I dashed out of our hiding place, racing toward the FDB checkpoint that led to the surface.
The streets were in chaos, filled with the sounds of screams and running footsteps as countless residents fled in panic.
Every available soldier had been dispatched to the city center.
The checkpoint's defenses were left thin, only a handful of guards stationed there.
We crouched in the shadows, watching every movement.
"Now!" Matthew whispered, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
We slipped through the narrow passage, moving with the fluid grace of shadows, using every blind spot to inch closer to the next checkpoint.
The layout was complex, not just a single barrier but layer after layer of reinforced defenses. Fortunately, David had mapped out the guard rotations, allowing us to time our movements precisely.
My heart pounded wildly as we crept closer to the gate.
The corridor was narrow and dimly lit, flanked by fully armed FDB soldiers, their boots thudding rhythmically against the metal floor as they patrolled.
Every few meters, beams of light swept across our hiding places, forcing us to flatten ourselves against the walls, holding our breath.
The metallic scent of machinery and oil filled the air, mixing with the tense atmosphere.
"Go, now!" Matthew urged softly.
We darted forward, slipping past the soldiers' line of sight, heartbeats hammering in our chests.
As we reached the next shadowed corner, I froze.
A tiny pebble crunched under my foot, and I felt my blood run cold.
The nearest guard halted, turning sharply toward us, his hand already resting on his weapon.
"Did you hear that?" he muttered to his partner.
"Probably just a rat," the other shrugged.
The guard's gaze swept over us, lingering for a heartbeat too long. Then, with a shake of his head, he turned away.
The moment his back was turned, I exhaled shakily.
Every muscle in my body screamed with tension, but I forced myself to follow Matthew, step by step.
Our progress was slow, each movement a gamble.
But finally, after what felt like an eternity, we made it through the final checkpoint.
We did it!
Standing on the barren, wind-swept surface, I finally allowed myself to smile.
But then I felt it — a cold gaze burning into my back.
"Stop right there!"