Chapter 161- The Path Marked by Fire
Lexy
The sun had yet to rise, but the world was already stirring with tension. The forest air was cool and damp, clinging to our skin like a warning. Each of us moved silently, our steps cushioned by the soft soil and moss-covered roots, eyes sharp and weapons ready. Tarria walked ahead of us, her eyes scanning for the markings she had etched into tree trunks, stones, and the earth itself. This was the path she had followed once before, chasing shadows into enemy territory. Now we walked it together, hoping this time would be the last.
I glanced at the small group around me—my most trusted fighters and advisors, each chosen for their skill, loyalty, and ability to adapt. This wasn't a show of force; it was a scalpel meant to cut out the rot. No alliance banners. No tribal colors. Just us, cloaked in gray and black, silent as ghosts.
Tarria halted at the base of a twisted sycamore, running her fingers across a barely visible gouge in the bark. "We’re on the right track," she whispered. "They doubled back here last time. It’s how they lost me."
I nodded, stepping beside her.
The gouge wasn’t obvious unless you were looking for it, but to her eyes, sharpened by experience and urgency, it must have been as bright as a flare.
“How far?” I asked.
She hesitated. “Three, maybe four miles—if they haven’t moved again.”
“If they have,” murmured my second-in-command Jace from behind me, “we make them run.”
Tarria didn’t smile. “They won’t run. Not this time.”
I believed her. There was a finality in her voice that sent a ripple of both dread and hope through my chest. We moved on.
The forest thickened, the path narrowing with every turn. Despite the tension, I couldn’t help but be proud of how we worked in silence. No one questioned, no one faltered. Every hand gesture and glance were understood. This wasn’t just about ending Adrian and Kael anymore. It was about reclaiming control—over the peace of our lands, our people, and the alliance.
Tarria stopped again near a half-collapsed ravine, pointing toward a series of rocks shaped like jagged teeth. “We go through there. There’s a hidden incline—it looks like nothing, but it leads to a camouflaged ridge. That’s where I lost their trail last time.”
I peered up, scanning the shadows that played tricks with the eye. Even with her guidance, I could see how easily someone could be misled.
I gestured to two scouts to circle around and take high positions before we moved. I wasn't about to walk into a trap, no matter how urgent the mission is.
Minutes later, the scouts returned with a nod. All clear.
We climbed.
The incline was steeper than it looked. The weight of the armor, the pressure of silence, and the weight of what we might find all pressed down on me. My hands stung as I gripped rock and root, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Not when we were this close to the end.
As we reached the top, the air changed. It wasn’t just elevation—it was energy. A hum of darkness I’d only felt in Adrian’s presence. It raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
Tarria crouched behind a fallen log, motioning us down.
“There,” she whispered. “That ridge leads to the opening. You won’t see it unless you’re looking directly at it.”
I followed her gaze. At first, there was nothing—just stone and bramble. Then, a flicker. A shimmer in the air. My stomach turned.
“Magic,” I muttered. “Illusion.”
She nodded. “That’s why I couldn’t find them before. It wasn’t just hiding—it was cloaked.”
I turned to our mage, Drenna, who had been silently observing.
She raised her hand and closed her eyes. The wind stirred slightly as her fingers pulsed with faint violet light. “It’s weak now. Old. Probably tied to Adrian or Kael directly. If they’re inside, we’ll know as soon as it breaks.”
“Can you lift it?”
“With your signal.”
I looked at Tarria. “Are you sure?”
She gave a single nod. “If they’re not there, it’ll be abandoned. But if they are…”
“Then we make sure we don’t get caught,” I said.
I gave Drenna the signal.
A pulse of energy erupted from her palm, silent but blinding. The illusion cracked, splintering like glass, and then vanished entirely. What lay before us now was a jagged opening into the mountain face—dark, cold, and alive with the stench of secrets.
We moved fast.
The corridor was tight, carved by hand, not nature. Torches burned low along the walls. Someone had been here recently. The deeper we went, the stronger the scent of sulfur and steel became. This was no temporary camp. This was a fortress carved into shadow.
Then we heard them—voices.
We spread out, moving like liquid through the tunnels. I kept Tarria close. She’d earned her place, and I wouldn’t let her out of my sight—not when she’d risked everything to lead us here.
From around the bend, I saw them: Kael pacing near a table covered in maps, Adrian leaning over it, furious, his jaw clenched.
“…they broke the barrier,” Adrian growled. “That means she found us.”
Kael looked nervous. “We can move again.”
“No,” Adrian snapped. “I’m done running.”
He turned then—toward the entrance—and his eyes locked with mine.
The fight exploded.
I was already in motion, blade in hand. Adrian shouted something unintelligible, but Kael was faster—lunging toward me. Our weapons clashed in a violent burst of sparks, but I wasn’t the one he wanted. He was aiming for Tarria.
She ducked, rolling under his strike, and struck back with a dagger laced with wolfsbane. Kael hissed in pain, staggering as the poison took root.
Adrian came at me then, claws protruding out of his hands. I countered with a blast of my own—pure energy, born from bloodline and fury. We collided like storms.
Around us, my team engaged the guards spilling in from side tunnels. Swords sang. Bones cracked. Drenna held the rear, her magic lashing out in arcs of white fire.
Adrian was strong—stronger than I’d ever seen him—but he was desperate. I could feel it in every strike.
“You think this ends today?” he snarled. “You’re playing a game far bigger than your little tribe.”
I kicked him back, slashing through his guard. “And yet here you are—cornered like a rat.”
He lunged again—but Tarria was there. She moved with deadly precision, slicing through his distraction and leaving a line of red across his side.
He faltered.
I took the opportunity to retreat.
He had more men power than I expected, and this is not how I wanted things to happen.
We found our way out without any casualties and had no time to regroup only run.
Once we were in the clear I sent 2 of my warriors to communicate with CJ and relay the situation of our mission.
We would have to move immediately.
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