Akhaqia's pulse quickened in the sudden darkness. "Yes, they did it," he thought to himself. They must have found it. What followed was a lurch, throwing everyone in the room forward. Akhaqia, knowing ahead of time what Adinim and Huia were up to, was safe because he had grabbed onto something while the guards were distracted. His senses sharpened as he crouched, ready to move. His mind raced with possibilities. Was this Huia or Adinim's doing? He wondered which one of the two found it.
"Do you think this will save you?" Muntiqi's voice echoed, calm but edged with menace. His footsteps clicked against the metallic floor, each step deliberate and measured. "You can't hide forever."
Akhaqia remained silent, gripping onto the wall to have a sense of direction. His fingers brushed against the track lance's metallic wall, its dark energy humming faintly beneath his touch. It was coming from the wall. He didn't know—it was dangerous, and it was his now.
A flicker of movement in the dark made Akhaqia pivot, his eyes straining to adjust. The room was vast, with scattered crates and machinery casting jagged silhouettes. He shifted quietly, keeping low, his boots barely making a sound.
Suddenly, a sharp hum pierced the air, followed by the sizzle of electricity from the surrounding in the track Lance. A blue light blade erupted inches from his face, illuminating Muntiqi's cold eyes. The soldier had conjured a weapon—a thin, blue, glowing blade brimming with power. Its vibrant color served as both a guide and a symbol of death to Akhaqia.
"I'll ask you one last time," Muntiqi said, raising the blade next to Akhaqia's face. "Surrender the book."
Akhaqia clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, forcing his fear down. He had no intention of giving up; he thought he was dead either way.
"Funny," Akhaqia said, his voice steady; his voice and the pounding in his chest told two different stories. "I didn't think the Empire negotiated with thieves."
Muntiqi's expression darkened. "We don't."
He lunged.
Akhaqia twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the arc of the glowing blade in the dark. His heart thundered as he ducked behind a stack of crates, the hum and vibrant color of the weapon in the dark a constant reminder of how close death loomed and how he couldn't make even a single misstep.
A sudden explosion echoed from somewhere deeper in the tracklance, followed by the sound of distant shouts. Akhaqia's thoughts turned to his companions. Adinim, Huia—please let that be you.
Muntiqi didn't flinch. "You're out of your depth, boy," he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. He moved like a predator, circling the crates with measured precision, looking for Akhaqia to make a mistake.
Akhaqia's fingers brushed against his belt, where a small smoke bomb rested. It was a last-resort tool, something meant to cover a retreat. But now, it might be his only shot.
He slowly grabbed onto it, conjuring some sort of energy into it. The glyph on it lit up after lighting up. There was only one thing to do. With a swift motion, he pulled the bomb free and smashed it against the floor. A hiss filled the room as thick, choking smoke billowed out, obscuring everything. Akhaqia didn't wait to see Muntiqi's reaction. He bolted, weaving through the labyrinth of crates and machinery, when he spotted something that might provide an opportunity—what had once been a curse: the ledger, with books filled to the brim.. Thank God he was in the dark; he grabbed onto it; he clutched it tightly against his chest, hoping that the guard would believe it to be the book they had stolen earlier.
He didn't make it far before a searing pain ripped through his shoulder. He stumbled, holding back a cry, and glanced down to see a thin streak of blue light grazing his skin. Muntiqi's blade was awfully close to putting him out of commission.
"You can't outrun me," Muntiqi called, his voice full of irritation. "You're only making this harder on yourself."
Akhaqia ignored him, his mind racing. Warm, sticky blood trickled down his arm as he applied pressure to the wound. He couldn't keep this up for long.
Then, a familiar voice crackled through his earpiece.
"Akhaqia, are you alive?" It was Huia. His voice was strained but alive nonetheless; Akhaqia had never been so happy to hear the boy's voice before.
"Barely," Akhaqia hissed, ducking behind a column. "Where are you?"
"We're done," Huia said. You need to get here now."
Akhaqia exhaled, relief and urgency washing over him. "On my way," he said, his breaths shallow."
He glanced around, gauging his surroundings. The smoke had thinned, and Muntiqi's silhouette was closing in. He didn't have time to think—only to act while the dark he pulled the ledger and threw it in the darkest corner of the room, hoping to distract.
In desperation, Akhaqia stumbles forward toward the nearest corridor, his shoulder screaming in protest. He could hear Muntiqi's footsteps behind him, relentless and unyielding. Shit, it didn't work. Bleeding and nauseous, he continued on.
But as he turned the corner, he caught a glimpse of hope: finally, he had a way out. The door on the track lance ahead was open, illuminated by the moonlight in the night sky. The door called to him, and with a final burst of energy, he surged forward and didn't look back.
"Huia!" Akhaqia shouted, his voice empty and shallow.
"Here!" Adinim's voice barked back. He stood near the exit, his hands hovering over a set of glowing runes. "Hurry up, we're out of time!"
Akhaqia didn't need to be told twice. He threw himself toward the door, just as Muntiqi rounded the corner behind him.
The soldier raised his blade, but before he could strike, Adinim slammed his hands onto the runes. The air erupted with a zapping electricity as the charges started to light track lance back up, filling the corridor with bright light flickering back on.
Adinim made his exit.
The force of the explosion propelled Akhaqia through the door, his body hitting the ground hard. He gasped for air, his ears ringing as he felt Huia's hands gripping his arm, pulling him to his feet.
Right before Muntiqi could pursue him, the track lance turned back and automatically accelerated forward, pushing Muntiqi back in it.