The morning brought a gray, overcast sky that dulled the edges of Aramore's sprawling streets. The damp air clung to Caden's skin as he followed Garrick through the Rust Quarter, their path winding toward its quieter edges. The bustling noise of the city faded as they moved further from the main avenues, replaced by a heavy, oppressive silence.
Caden's grip tightened on the shard in his pocket. Its pulse had grown faint but steady, a constant reminder of the power he carried—and the dangers that pursued them. He glanced at Garrick, whose expression was sharp and focused, his staff hidden beneath his cloak.
"Are you sure about this?" Caden asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"No," Garrick admitted, his tone grim. "But the tunnels are where information moves in Aramore. If there's anything to be learned about fragments, the Reclaimers, or the people hunting us, it'll be down there."
"And if we're walking into a trap?" Caden pressed.
"Then we deal with it," Garrick said simply. "Keep your focus, Caden. The shard will help you if things go wrong—but don't let it control you."
They reached the entrance to the tunnels, a rusted iron grate set into the crumbling foundation of an old foundry. Garrick knelt, his fingers brushing the edges of the grate before finding the hidden latch. With a grunt of effort, he wrenched it open, revealing a dark, narrow passage that descended steeply into the earth.
The air that wafted up was damp and stale, carrying the faint scent of mildew and decay. Caden swallowed hard, his pulse quickening as he peered into the shadows below.
"Stay close," Garrick said, stepping onto the ladder that led down into the darkness. "And be ready for anything."
Caden hesitated for only a moment before following, the shard's faint glow casting a dim light around him as he descended. The metal rungs were slick beneath his fingers, and the walls pressed close, the confined space amplifying the sound of their movements.
The tunnel at the bottom was narrow and uneven, its walls lined with crumbling bricks and slick with moisture. Faint carvings marked the stones, symbols that seemed to twist and shift when Caden tried to focus on them. He shivered, the air colder here than it had been above.
"What are these tunnels for?" he asked, his voice echoing softly.
"Smuggling, mostly," Garrick replied, his tone low. "But they're older than most of Aramore. Some say they were built before the Shattering, back when the city served as a hub for the System's users. If that's true, there may still be remnants of that power here."
Caden's gaze darted to the symbols on the walls, unease prickling at the back of his neck. "Remnants like fragments?"
"Possibly," Garrick said, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead. "But don't get your hopes up. These tunnels are as dangerous as they are useful."
They moved cautiously, the silence broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing in the distance. The shard's glow provided just enough light to see, but it cast long, flickering shadows that seemed to dance and shift with every step.
As they rounded a corner, a faint sound reached Caden's ears—a low murmur, like voices carried on the wind. He froze, his hand instinctively going to the shard.
"Do you hear that?" he whispered.
Garrick nodded, his grip tightening on his staff. "Keep quiet."
They crept forward, the murmur growing louder with each step until it became clear. Voices, low and hurried, echoed through the tunnels, accompanied by the faint scrape of movement. Caden's heart pounded as they approached a wider chamber where the passage opened into a dimly lit space.
At least a dozen figures were gathered in the chamber, their faces obscured by hoods and masks. Crates and barrels were stacked along the walls, and a faint blue light pulsed from an object resting on a central table—a fragment, its energy cold and sharp, casting strange shadows across the room.
Caden felt the shard in his pocket stir, its pulse quickening in response to the fragment's presence. He took a shaky breath, his mind racing.
"What are they doing?" he whispered.
"Trading," Garrick replied, his voice barely audible. "This is an exchange. And if that fragment's involved, it's not a simple one."
As they watched, one of the figures stepped forward, a tall man with broad shoulders and a commanding presence. His voice carried across the chamber, low and firm. "The Reclaimers will not wait forever. If you wish to survive, you will take the offer and deliver the fragment to the docks tonight."
Caden's breath caught, and he turned to Garrick. "Reclaimers," he whispered. "What do we do?"
Before Garrick could answer, the tall man's head snapped up, his sharp gaze locking onto the shadows where they hid. "We have company," he said, his voice cutting through the chamber.
The figures turned in unison, their movements swift and deliberate. Caden felt a surge of panic as the shard flared in his pocket, its energy spilling out in faint pulses that illuminated the passage around them.
"Run," Garrick said, his voice steady but urgent. "Now."
They turned and bolted down the passage, the sound of pursuit close behind. Boots pounded against the stone floor, and voices shouted orders as the tunnel filled with the noise of the chase.
Caden's lungs burned as he ran, his mind racing. The shard pulsed wildly, its energy coursing through him like a storm. He could feel it begging to be unleashed, but Garrick's warning echoed in his mind: Don't let it control you.
As they rounded another corner, the tunnel split into two paths. Garrick hesitated for only a moment before choosing the left-hand passage, his movements quick and decisive.
"This way!" he called, his voice barely audible over the noise of their pursuers.
The passage narrowed, forcing them to move single file, the walls pressing close around them. Caden's heart thundered in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The shouts behind them grew louder, the sound of boots closing in.
Suddenly, the passage opened into another chamber, smaller and darker than the last. Garrick stopped abruptly, his gaze sweeping the space as he raised his staff. "Hold them here," he said, his voice low and steady.
"What?" Caden said, his panic rising. "What do you mean?"
"I'll hold them off," Garrick said, turning to face the passage they'd come from. "You take the shard and find another way out. There's always more than one path in these tunnels."
"No," Caden said, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you."
"You don't have a choice," Garrick said, his tone firm. "The fragment's power is unstable. If they get it, we lose everything. Now go."
Caden hesitated, his mind screaming in protest, but the urgency in Garrick's voice propelled him forward. He turned and bolted down a narrow side passage, the shard's glow lighting the way as Garrick's voice rang out behind him.
"Stay safe, boy. And don't stop moving."
The sound of Garrick's magic crackled through the air, followed by shouts and the clash of steel. Caden didn't look back, his focus locked on the path ahead. The shard pulsed in his hand, its energy wild and restless, as though sensing the chaos around them.
Whatever lay ahead, he would face it alone.