Kenji's breath was steady but tinged with anticipation as he and Olorun continued their cautious advance. The darkened corridor seemed to stretch endlessly before them, the air heavy with oppressive energy. Suddenly, Olorun's hand shot up, signaling Kenji to halt.
"Stop," Olorun whispered, his tone edged with urgency.
Kenji froze, his instincts on high alert. "What is it, man?" he muttered, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.
"Shhh…" Olorun crouched low, his eyes narrowing as he peered out from the tunnel's shadowed entrance.
Kenji followed his gaze and saw a figure seated cross-legged on the ground just beyond, bathed in the faint, eerie glow of the overcast sky. It was a woman,The woman was tall and lean, with striking, angular features. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, shimmering faintly in the dim light. She wore a sleek, dark outfit that blended seamlessly with the shadows, reinforced with armor plates at the shoulders, forearms, and shins. Her gloves were fingerless, revealing sharp, claw-like nails.
Her pale skin contrasted sharply against her dark attire, and a faint scar ran diagonally across her left cheek, giving her an air of battle-hardened resolve even in sleep.
A pair of twin daggers rested beside her, their hilts ornately designed with intricate carvings of coiling serpents. Despite her peaceful posture, there was an undeniable aura of danger around her, as if even in her sleep, she could strike with deadly precision, and she was... sleeping?
Kenji blinked, his brow furrowing. "Why is one of your brother's loyal people sleeping? Oh, wait—another thing—why the hell are we sneaking? He's your brother. Surely they'll just let us walk by."
Olorun shook his head, his expression serious. "Nope. I'm not allowed to see him unless he calls for me. Rules are rules."
Kenji groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Ughhh. Fine. Can we just quietly sneak past her then?"
Olorun raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You? Sneak? That'll be a sight."
Kenji shot him a glare. "I can be stealthy!"
Olorun smirked. "Alright, ninja. Let's see what you've got."
The two crouched low and began to inch forward, careful not to make a sound. Kenji's movements were surprisingly quiet, his steps light and deliberate. Olorun glanced at him, mildly impressed but kept it to himself.
They were almost past the sleeping guard when Kenji accidentally stepped on a loose piece of stone, which shifted with a faint scrape.
The woman stirred, her head tilting slightly as her eyes fluttered open.
"Kenji…" Olorun hissed under his breath.
Kenji froze, his heart pounding. "She's still half-asleep," he whispered. "We're fine."
The guard murmured something unintelligible, her head lolling to the side as she drifted back into slumber.
Kenji let out a quiet sigh of relief, giving Olorun a smug look. "Told you I could be stealthy."
Olorun just rolled his eyes. "Let's keep moving before your luck runs out." As they walked Kenji had looked up the gray sky loomed overhead, its color drained of life, mirroring the hollow sand and barren trees scattered along the desolate path. Kenji's eyes darted upward, narrowing as he caught sight of black shadows flitting in and out of view. Their movements were erratic, unnatural. "What the hell are those?" he muttered, his tone laced with unease.
Olorun, walking ahead, glanced back nonchalantly. "Oh, those things? Ah, don't worry about it. They're not important."
Kenji frowned. "Not Important? Are you sure?"
"Very sure," Olorun replied with a smirk. "Now can we keep moving?"
Kenji hesitated, his gaze lingering on the shadows. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "I just hope they don't attack."
Olorun's deep laugh echoed along the path. "Hahaha, oh yeah, they attack."
Kenji's eyes widened. "What?! Then why are we—"
"But only the men," Olorun interrupted, his tone casual.
Kenji blinked, utterly baffled. "Wait, so... are they women?"
Olorun shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care." He kept walking, his pace unbroken. Kenji sighed, rubbing his temples as he followed.
Meanwhile, Eleo, Tony, and Mork climbed the winding staircase, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone. As they reached the top, Mork pointed to a nearby corridor. "Over here, on the left. The armory should be just ahead."
They approached the armory, but something felt off. The heavy wooden door was already ajar, its hinges creaking slightly as a draft swept through. "Weird," Mork muttered, frowning. "The door's open."
Eleo, his boundless energy taking over, waved dismissively. "No time to worry about that!" He bolted into the armory, scanning the room frantically.
He stopped in front of a pile of discarded weapons and grabbed a rusty, battered sword. He raised it triumphantly. "Yes! This must be Kenji's sword!"
Tony leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his hollow eye sockets unimpressed. "Uh, Eleo… you sure about that?"
"Positive," Eleo declared confidently, gripping the sword tightly.
Tony sighed, adjusting his monocle. "Super positive?"
Eleo nodded, his grin wide. "Super duper positive!"
Mork scratched his head, glancing at the decrepit blade. "Well… if you say so."
Mork then crouched down, his tongue darting out to lick the cold stone floor. He smacked his lips thoughtfully before standing up. "Two men passed through here," he said with a confident nod.
Eleo's ears perked up. "That must be Kenji! And he's probably being chased!"
Tony's skeletal jaw dropped slightly as he tilted his head. "Wait, hold on. Why on earth did you lick the floor?"
Mork grinned, unbothered by the question. "When I lick something, I can tell if people have been by."
Tony rubbed the side of his skull. "Oookay… that's definitely a new one."
Before anyone could say more, Eleo bolted to the right, his excitement bursting out. "Come on, let's go! Let's go!"