Chapter 9: The Maze of the Underworks
The tunnels twisted and turned in ways that defied logic, a labyrinth carved deep beneath the streets of Eldoria. The air grew colder and damper as Elias and Lyssa moved deeper into the Underworks, the faint light of their lanterns casting long, wavering shadows against the stone walls. The occasional drip of water echoed in the silence, a rhythm that seemed almost intentional.
Elias's grip on his revolver remained steady, though his muscles ached from the tension. Lyssa moved ahead with practiced ease, her steps light and deliberate, as if she'd memorized the layout of this forsaken maze. The conduit, secured in her pack, pulsed faintly, its energy reverberating through the air like an unspoken threat.
"How much farther?" Elias asked, his voice low but firm.
Lyssa glanced over her shoulder, her face set in a grim mask. "Not far. The forge is at the heart of the Underworks. It's heavily warded—Ouroboros won't be able to use it if we can reach it first."
Elias nodded, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead. "You said they'd guard the paths. What else are we up against?"
"Besides the stalkers?" Lyssa said with a faint smirk. "Traps. Sentinels. And if we're really unlucky, a Keeper."
Elias frowned. "A Keeper?"
"A construct designed to protect their most valuable sites," Lyssa explained. "It's alchemical, part machine, part something else. It doesn't think, it just kills."
"Great," Elias muttered. "I'll keep that in mind."
They rounded a corner and entered a wider tunnel, the walls lined with old pipes that hissed and groaned with intermittent bursts of steam. The sound put Elias on edge—it was too loud, masking other noises that might signal danger. He slowed his pace, his revolver at the ready.
Lyssa raised a hand, signaling for him to stop. She crouched, examining the ground ahead. "Tripwire," she murmured, pointing to a faint glint of metal stretched across the floor. "They're getting serious."
Elias knelt beside her, following the wire's path to a cluster of alchemical vials mounted on the wall. The faint glow of their contents suggested they weren't just decorative.
"What happens if we trigger it?" he asked.
"Explosion," Lyssa said flatly. "And not the kind you walk away from."
Elias nodded, his mechanical arm whirring softly as he reached for the wire. "I can disarm it."
Lyssa watched as he worked, her hand resting on the hilt of one of her daggers. "You've done this before."
"A few times," Elias replied, his focus on the wire. "This isn't my first run-in with people who like their traps."
With a deft twist, he disconnected the wire from its mechanism. The alchemical vials dimmed, their threat neutralized. Elias stood, brushing his hands off on his coat.
"Let's keep moving."
---
The air grew heavier the closer they got to the forge, an oppressive weight that settled over Elias like a suffocating blanket. The shard in his satchel vibrated faintly, its hum growing louder with each step. Lyssa's expression was tense, her eyes darting to the shadows as if expecting them to come alive.
They reached a large iron door set into the stone wall, its surface covered in rust and alchemical symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. Lyssa stepped forward, pulling a small vial from her pack. She poured its contents over the door's center, the liquid hissing as it reacted with the symbols.
The runes flared brightly, then faded. The door creaked open with a low groan, revealing a narrow passage beyond.
"This is it," Lyssa said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The forge is just ahead."
Elias followed her into the passage, the air growing warmer as they descended. The walls here were different—sleek, polished stone etched with intricate patterns that pulsed faintly with energy. The hum of the conduit and the shard seemed to resonate with the patterns, creating a strange, dissonant harmony.
As they emerged into the forge chamber, Elias felt a wave of awe despite himself. The room was massive, its ceiling stretching high above into darkness. At its center was a circular platform, surrounded by glowing glyphs carved into the floor. Suspended above the platform was a massive, ornate mechanism—a mix of gears, pipes, and alchemical glass that pulsed with a faint golden light.
"The Alchemical Forge," Lyssa said, her voice tinged with reverence. "It's been dormant for decades."
Elias approached the platform cautiously, his gaze sweeping over the intricate machinery. "How does it work?"
"We place the conduit in the center," Lyssa explained, stepping onto the platform. "The forge's energy will neutralize it, sealing its power permanently."
Elias hesitated. "And what happens to us if something goes wrong?"
Lyssa smirked faintly. "You'll find out."
---
Before they could proceed, a sound echoed through the chamber—a deep, metallic groan that sent shivers down Elias's spine. He turned, his revolver drawn, as a massive figure stepped out of the shadows.
The Keeper was monstrous, its body a grotesque amalgamation of metal and alchemical constructs. Its arms ended in jagged, claw-like appendages, and its head was an expressionless mask of gleaming bronze. The runes etched across its frame glowed with a menacing red light.
Lyssa cursed under her breath. "Of course they sent a Keeper."
The construct moved with surprising speed, its clawed arms slamming into the ground as it charged toward them. Elias fired, the bullets sparking harmlessly off its metal shell.
"Bullets won't work!" Lyssa shouted, pulling a vial from her pack. "Aim for the runes!"
Elias ducked as the Keeper's arm swung toward him, the force of the blow shattering a nearby column. He rolled to the side, his mechanical arm absorbing the impact as he scrambled to his feet.
Lyssa hurled her vial at the Keeper, the glass shattering against its chest. The liquid hissed, burning away one of the glowing runes. The construct roared, its movements faltering as it turned toward her.
"Keep it distracted!" Lyssa yelled.
Elias didn't need to be told twice. He darted to the side, firing at the remaining runes while the Keeper focused on him. Each shot chipped away at its defenses, though the construct's strikes came dangerously close.
Lyssa moved to the platform, her hands working quickly to place the conduit in the forge's center. The mechanism flared to life, its gears turning and pipes hissing as energy coursed through the room.
"Hurry up!" Elias shouted, narrowly avoiding another strike.
The forge's light grew brighter, its glow enveloping the conduit. The Keeper roared, its movements becoming erratic as the energy destabilized its runes. With one final swing, Elias fired a shot that shattered the last rune on its chest.
The Keeper froze, its red light flickering before it collapsed in a heap of metal and smoke.
Lyssa stepped back from the platform, her expression grim. The conduit pulsed one last time before its glow faded entirely, its energy sealed within the forge.
"It's done," she said softly.
Elias leaned against the wall, his breathing heavy. "Let's hope it stays that way."
The forge chamber grew silent, the oppressive weight lifting as the conduit's power disappeared. But even as they stood there, Elias couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The Ouroboros Society wouldn't stop—they'd come back, stronger than ever.
And the shadows were still watching.
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