The tunnels twisted endlessly as Riniock descended deeper into the earth.
Not long after leaving the tower of K'zarg, a violent tremor shook the Yawning Tunnel. The ground groaned in protest as sections of the corridor crumbled, jagged stone cascading from above.
He emerged unscathed, the path behind and ahead still passable.
But this was no mere earthquake.
The Emerser, he thought grimly. It's here.
The realisation did little to slow his resolve. If the creature had any intention of pursuing him, it would have struck by now. Riniock knew and witnessed its terrifying speed – monstrous, unrelenting. Outrunning it was impossible, even if he poured every ounce of his strength into the effort.
He pressed on, the tunnel's oppressive narrowness gradually giving way to more open, cavernous passages.
The openings ahead were anything but natural.
The tunnels widened dramatically, their depth and breadth unsettlingly familiar - almost identical to the size of the emerser. If his suspicions were correct, one end of these burrows could lead outside, perhaps back to the rock-barren wasteland.
A possible way out. A way for Niann and Siegmun to escape considering their injuries.
'Spread out! Find the boy!'
The harsh command echoed from the left. The voice was firm, dripping with authority. Though the figures had yet to reveal themselves, Riniock knew without question – these were no students.
He slipped into a shadowed recess, his breath steady as he observed.
Soon, a lone figure emerged, moving with deliberate confidence. The stranger's attire was peculiar, standing out even in the dim gloom. One glance was enough.
A maegi. And a formidable one at that.
His footsteps pulsed with odh, a kind unlike anything Riniock had sensed before. There was something unsettling about its composition – fundamentally different from that of anyone at Gorlea, or even Ikshar.
'Why's there no one?' the man muttered, emerging from a curtain of webs. 'No signs of life as of yet!'
Riniock knew better than to assume he was talking to himself. The stranger likely had a communication device, perhaps an earstone or something similar.
From the man's deliberate movements, it was clear – they were searching for someone.
'Tunnels to my right and left, check. No signs of Gorleans here. Not even Iksharis.'
As the words left his mouth, a bluish spark shot from his fingertip, streaking down the tunnel and briefly illuminating the path ahead. Hidden behind the wall, Riniock caught only a faint glimpse of its glow, his face turning blue for a moment there. Then, another spark flashed past – a second probe, no doubt to ensure the way was in fact clear.
'Nothing yet,' the man reported.
Riniock let out a quiet breath of relief.
But as the footsteps drew closer, a strange pressure gripped his chest. A wave of odh rippled outward from the man, spreading in a perfect circle. It swept along the tunnel walls, reverberating like a pulse.
Riniock wasn't sure how he could sense the vibrations – only that he could. And one thing was certain: if the oscillation reached him, the maegi would know he was there.
His heartbeat quickened as the thought of being caught consumed him. The scenario played out in his mind, and the dread it brought was unbearable. This wasn't Fladd, but at the same time it was neither Odrean nor Arthian.
No – someone skilled prowled these tunnels. Someone experienced in hunting prey like him.
The pulse of odh crept closer, brushing against the air with an unsettling presence. Riniock pressed himself tightly against the wall, curling in on himself in a desperate attempt to avoid the vibrations. Every second felt agonising.
Then, a voice cut through the tension – not the man's, but another.
'Found a pair of Gorleans,' the unfamiliar voice reported. 'Anything on your side?'
The man's expression twisted with dissatisfaction as he squinted further down the tunnel.
'Nothing,' he replied curtly.
'Want to come?'
'Yeah. I'm coming.'
And just like that, the footsteps receded, leaving Riniock in silence once more.
He waited a few moments before deciding it was safe to leave his hiding spot. Carefully, Riniock peeked out from behind the wall, his eyes scanning the surroundings. There was no one in sight.
Dusting himself off, he stepped back towards the centre of the tunnel.
But as he resumed his journey, the ceiling above him erupted in a sudden haze of blue light. The glow pulsed erratically, flickering as if responding to his presence. Panic surged through him, his gaze fixed on the unsettling glow.
Yet that wasn't the worst of it.
A distant hum echoed through the tunnel, the unmistakable sound of odh gathering. At the far end of the dark corridor, a faint blue shimmer revealed the faint appearance of a hooded figure. In the blink of an eye, the light twisted into the form of an arrow. With a swift motion, the figure thrust their arm forward, sending the projectile hurtling at Riniock.
He barely had time to react. His ward sprang to life just as the arrow struck – but the shield shattered upon impact, scattering like shards of glass. The force of the blast flung him to the ground, leaving him gasping.
Shock washed over him. Until now, no spell had ever obliterated his ward so effortlessly.
Another glint of blue caught his eye. The stranger was preparing a second arrow. The glow illuminated the hooded face once more, and in an instant, the projectile launched, slicing through the air with terrifying speed.
There was no time to rely on his ward.
Thinking fast, Riniock thrust his hand upward, summoning a fierce gust of wind. It swirled before solidifying into a thick wall of ice. The arrow struck, shattering the barrier into jagged pieces, but the impact dulled its momentum. The remnants of the spell fell harmlessly to the ground, disintegrating.
'He took the bait,' the stranger's voice murmured into his device. 'Lured him out of hiding.'
'Good. Keep the pressure and don't relent.'
The hunter chuckled. 'I know that.'
Riniock scrambled to his feet, seizing the brief moment of distraction. With a swift motion, he conjured a surge of wind and hurled it towards his opponent. As the gust roared forward, he wasted no time and bolted in the opposite direction.
The maegi barely flinched. With a flick of his hand, the wind scattered harmlessly, leaving no trace of damage.
But by the time the air settled, Riniock was gone.
The hunter's eyes narrowed as he scanned the tunnel. His gaze flickered from side to side, frustration etching into his features. With a low growl, he broke into a run.
'Making pursuit…'