The Serpentine Cavern trembled, loose stones clattering down from the ceiling as Neris faced off against the enforcer. Kael's mind raced, every instinct urging him to flee, but something held him back. He couldn't abandon Neris now, not when she had bought them time to complete their task.
Mira and Lysara were by his side, breathing heavily but steadying themselves. Mira wiped her brow, sparks still crackling faintly at her fingertips.
"Kael, we can't stay here much longer," Mira whispered urgently. "This place is coming down."
He nodded, stealing a quick glance at Neris. She was moving with a calculated grace, her shadow magic weaving effortlessly as she matched the enforcer blow for blow. But even from where he stood, Kael could see the strain in her movements. This wasn't a fight she could sustain forever.
"We have to help her," Kael said, tightening his grip on his staff.
Lysara's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? That's an elite enforcer! We're no match for him in direct combat."
"Then we don't fight directly," he replied, mind racing with a plan.
Kael drew a thread of wind magic, focusing it into a cutting edge as he watched for an opening. Mira and Lysara caught on, readying their own magic to support him. With a swift nod, Kael dashed forward, aiming at the enforcer's back.
Just as he launched his spell, the enforcer pivoted, his eyes blazing with malice as he parried the attack with a flick of his massive blade. Kael felt a surge of raw power pulse back, nearly knocking him off his feet. The enforcer was like a wall of force, each movement precise and relentless.
"Foolish," the enforcer sneered, his voice echoing through the cavern. "You're nothing more than gnats underfoot."
Before Kael could react, the enforcer swung his blade, and a wave of dark energy blasted toward him. Kael barely managed to throw up a shield of aether, bracing himself as the force slammed into him. The impact sent him skidding back, his shield flickering dangerously as he struggled to hold it.
But then, Neris surged forward, her shadowy tendrils wrapping around the enforcer's blade, anchoring it in place. She glanced back at Kael, her eyes fierce. "Go. Now! I'll handle him."
Kael hesitated, torn between staying and heeding her command. But he knew this fight wasn't winnable. He gave her a final nod, motioning to Mira and Lysara, who were already retreating toward the cavern's entrance.
"We'll be back for you," he promised, though he wasn't sure if she could hear him over the sounds of their clash.
Kael, Mira, and Lysara sprinted through the twisting tunnels, their footsteps echoing as the cave shook around them. The aether pulsed erratically, responding to the violent energies in the cavern, warping and shifting the passageways like a living maze.
"Kael, are we sure this is the way out?" Mira asked, her voice laced with worry as they ran through yet another unfamiliar tunnel.
He extended his senses, trying to trace the aether back to where they'd entered. "Yes, this feels right—just stay close."
They rounded a corner, only to find themselves face-to-face with a second squad of Order enforcers, blocking their path. The lead enforcer's eyes narrowed, recognizing Kael.
"Target acquired. The boy with the thread magic," he barked, raising his blade.
Without missing a beat, Kael summoned threads of earth and fire, forming a protective barrier in front of them. Mira joined in, sending a bolt of lightning crackling through the narrow space. Lysara used her wind magic to push their opponents back, buying them precious seconds.
"Quick! Down here!" Lysara motioned to a side passage, and the three of them dashed into the narrow tunnel, leaving the enforcers temporarily disoriented.
As they pressed deeper into the caverns, the walls seemed to press in on them, narrowing as the temperature dropped. Their breaths turned into white puffs as they struggled through the confined space.
Finally, they burst into a larger chamber, only to be stopped by a cliff's edge. Below them, a chasm stretched into darkness, the faint glimmer of aether illuminating the void.
"We're trapped," Mira said, her voice tense as she glanced back. The enforcers' footsteps echoed from the tunnel they'd come from, drawing closer.
Kael surveyed the chasm, spotting faint strands of aether crisscrossing over the darkness below. He felt the familiar pull of the threads, an invitation to weave something, to take a leap of faith.
"I think I can create a bridge," he said, glancing at the others. "It'll be unstable, but it might hold long enough for us to cross."
Mira and Lysara shared a worried look but nodded in agreement. "Do it, Kael. We trust you."
He took a deep breath, reaching out to the threads of aether, weaving them together into a shimmering, translucent bridge that stretched across the chasm. The threads pulsed beneath his touch, barely holding form, but it was enough.
"Go, quickly!" Kael urged, motioning for Mira and Lysara to cross first.
They hurried across, their steps light and careful, the bridge trembling under their weight. As Kael prepared to follow, he heard the enforcers' voices, closer now, their footsteps echoing menacingly.
Kael's heart raced. He was the last one on the bridge, and he could feel his grip on the threads slipping as he concentrated on holding the structure together. He hurried across, the strands flickering beneath him with every step.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his hand as one of the threads snapped, sending a shockwave up his arm. He stumbled, nearly losing his balance, but Mira and Lysara were there, grabbing his arms and pulling him to safety on the other side.
The bridge collapsed into the chasm just as the enforcers reached the edge, their curses echoing in the cavern.
"Keep moving!" Lysara urged, and they ran through another narrow tunnel that led up toward the surface. Kael's lungs burned, and his body ached from the strain of maintaining the aether threads, but he pushed himself onward.
Finally, they emerged into the open air, the night sky stretching above them, stars twinkling like a thousand watchful eyes. They stumbled onto the rocky terrain outside the Serpentine Cavern, gasping for breath.
"We made it," Mira said, her voice breathless but filled with relief.
Kael looked back at the entrance, worry gnawing at him. "But Neris… she's still down there."
Lysara placed a hand on his shoulder. "If anyone can make it out, it's her. She's stronger than she lets on."
A faint rustling nearby made them turn, and Kael raised his staff, ready to defend them. But it was Neris, bruised and exhausted, emerging from the shadows. She staggered slightly but managed a wry smile.
"I told you to leave," she said, her voice a mix of exhaustion and amusement.
Kael smiled back, relieved beyond words. "Good to see you made it."
Neris's eyes hardened. "This was just the beginning. The Order will know that we've disrupted one of their sites. They'll reinforce the others heavily now."
Arion's voice echoed in Kael's mind, the elder's words filled with urgency.
"Then we'll be ready," Kael replied, his voice steady with resolve.