The chamber hit Elias Varn like a cold wall, the air so thick with damp rot it coated his throat, a sour stench that burned his lungs. His boots slogged through the muck, coal dust and blood grinding underfoot with a wet, gritty crunch that buzzed in his skull like a trapped fly. His jacket clung heavy, soaked and sticking, the faded fabric dragging at his shoulders like it was trying to chain him down. The notebook trembled in his grip, its pages a wreck of smeared ink and grime, Rory's scrawl a faint roar beneath his fingers—he held it like it might keep him from snapping. Without his glasses, the dark blurred into a smeary haze, but his eyes flickered with a glow that sliced through, the ember in his chest thumping—wild, fierce, a spark that screamed against the void, fueled by Rory's snarl and a fire he couldn't let die. The Beneath's hum shook the walls, a low, frantic buzz that rattled his bones, the stone trembling like it was locking into place.
Lena slumped against a rusted beam, her breath a sharp wheeze cutting the gloom, her denim stiff with muck and sweat. Her dark hair stuck to her face in greasy clumps, and the emerald shard in her hand pulsed green—faint but stubborn, throwing jagged light across her cracked skin. She rubbed her arm, wincing, green eyes glinting fierce. "Elias," she said, voice rough and quick, "that violet grip—it's not just iron now. It's a cage, steel, boxing us in 'til we're gone."
Cal hunched nearby, his staff thunking the stone, his leather coat creaking as he coughed—a wet, hacking bark that spat grit into the damp air. His gaunt face was hollow, gray hair slick over sunken eyes, but his orange glow flickered like a coal refusing to fade. "She's got it," he rasped, gripping the staff, orange flaring weak. "Felt it—like bars slamming shut, crushing my spark."
Mara stood stiff, her gray cloak swaying in the thick air, her staff pulsing purple like a bruise against the dark. Her silver hair caught the dim light, and her scarred face was tight, eyes glinting with old scars. "It's a cell," she said, voice low and gritty, dragged from memory. "Violet's not clamping—it's caging. Saw it before, when they trapped my kin in walls, left nothing but echoes." She pointed at the walls, slick and trembling like steel. "This ain't a grip—it's a prison."
Tuck crouched by a busted crate, his flannel stretched tight, his knife glowing green in his big hands. Dust matted his beard, and his hazel eyes burned fierce. "Felt it closing," he growled, locking onto Elias. "Like a door slamming, locking me in."
Ruth towered beside him, her overalls stiff with grime, her hammer pulsing green like a war drum. Her short, brown hair framed dark eyes that blazed, and her voice rolled deep. "They're a vault, Elias. Next lock's gonna bury us alive."
Jace leaned against a beam, his canvas jacket creaking, his wrench glowing orange in his shaky grip. Sandy hair flopped over gray eyes, and he spoke fast, voice tight. "It's solid—like bars you can't bend, trapping us in."
Vara stood rigid, her black clothes streaked with muck, her cane pulsing purple like a warning flare. Her raven hair framed pale eyes that cut the dark, and her voice was sharp. "A pen," she rasped, stepping closer. "Caging, crushing us down."
Gav shifted his bulk, his khaki rustling, his pickaxe glowing green in his fists. His bald head shone with sweat, and his brown eyes flared. "A box," he grunted, voice thick. "Locking, no way out."
Nora braced against a chain, her denim taut, her crowbar pulsing orange like a live wire. Red hair framed blue eyes that sparked, and her voice snapped. "A trap, Elias. Boxing us, roaring for our light."
Silas stood steady, his brown coat streaked with filth, his rod glowing purple in his thin hands. Gray hair framed green eyes that held a quiet fire, and his voice was low. "A cell," he said, glancing at Elias. "Binding, drowning us out."
Elise stood solid, her gray outfit stiff with dust, her mallet pulsing green like a heartbeat. Blonde hair framed hazel eyes that burned, and her voice hit hard. "A cage," she rasped. "Locking, endless."
Rex leaned against a chain, his orange jacket creaking, his pipe glowing amber in his lean grip. Black hair fell over brown eyes that glinted, and his voice was a snarl. "A pen," he said. "Trapping, snapping at us."
Lila stood frail but fierce, her purple cloak swaying, her staff glowing violet like a fading star. White hair framed gray eyes that shimmered, and her voice was soft but sharp. "A net," she whispered, locking onto Elias. "Holding, hungering for our sparks."
Finn stood by a gear, his green clothes streaked with muck, his hatchet pulsing emerald in his wiry hands. Sweat beaded on his buzzed head, and his gray eyes flared. "A jail," he rasped, voice raw. "Clamping, ready to crush."
Tara leaned forward, her orange jacket creaking, her wrench glowing amber in her grip. Brown hair stuck to her face, and her hazel eyes blazed. "A hold," she growled. "Caging, starving for us."
Kade stood lean and hard, his purple clothes streaked with grime, his baton glowing violet in his hands. Black hair framed blue eyes that sparked, and his voice was rough. "A coop," he rasped, glancing at Elias. "Locking, blasting us down."
Rhea stood stocky and fierce, her green clothes stiff with muck, her crowbar pulsing emerald in her grip. Red hair framed brown eyes that burned, and her voice was a thud. "A vault," she rasped. "Gripping, relentless."
Holt stood broad and steady, his orange clothes streaked with grime, his hammer glowing amber in his grip. Blond hair framed gray eyes that flared, and his voice was deep. "A cell," he rasped. "Holding, breaking us apart."
Sable stood wiry and fierce, her purple clothes streaked with muck, her rod glowing violet in her grip. Gray hair framed brown eyes that burned, and her voice was rough. "A cage," she rasped. "Clamping, endless."
Dane stood lean and hard, his green clothes streaked with grime, his pickaxe glowing emerald in his grip. Brown hair framed blue eyes that sparked, and his voice was rough. "A pen," he rasped. "Squeezing, unyielding."
Mira stood stocky and fierce, her orange clothes streaked with muck, her mallet glowing amber in her grip. Black hair framed gray eyes that burned, and her voice was rough. "A trap," she rasped. "Locking, iron."
Zane stood wiry and fierce, his purple clothes streaked with grime, his staff glowing violet in his grip. Red hair framed green eyes that burned, and his voice was rough. "A cell," he rasped. "Caging, steel."
Elias's chest burned, the ember kicking hard, and he shoved a pulse out—a rough, hot wave that slammed their glows, green, orange, purple flaring up like a fist in the dark. "Then we don't stay trapped," he said, voice cracking but climbing, the Shroud's whisper clawing his skull: "You hold them—I hold you." His eyes lit up, a vision slashing through the blur—faint lights pulsing in the black, purple, green, orange, a ragged web of sparks screaming from beyond the stone, chased by violet shadows caging like steel. "We bust it open, burn louder, find the rest—together."
Lena grinned, tired but sharp, nudging the shard as green flared. "Bust it, huh?" she said, leaning in. "You got a fire big enough to crack that cage, Beacon?"
His throat caught, the ember throbbing as Rory's voice snarled: "Kick their ass—for me." He pushed a pulse inward, a shaky wave brushing the gold that lingered—Rory's grin flickering like a flare in his head, a spark he'd fight for. "We burn as one," he muttered, blinking back the sting as the ember steadied, a heat he wrestled into shape. "The Shroud's ours, not its." He turned to the tunnels, the ember yanking him—those distant pulses buzzing in his gut, the scattered out there, howling to be found.
Zane straightened, his staff tapping the stone, purple flaring fierce. "South," he rasped, pointing to a tunnel—its mouth slick and dark, dripping with black water like a steel jaw. "Felt something—green, maybe. Close—damn close." His green eyes hit Elias's, a wiry trust cutting through the dread. "Your move, Beacon."
Mara nodded, purple pulsing steady, her voice a low growl. "They're here. Violet's locking—feel it in your spine."
Elias's heart slammed, the ember a heat he gripped, and he stepped toward the tunnel, his crew piling in—Lena's quick grin, Cal's rough hack, Mara's hard stare, Tuck's low snarl, Ruth's steady bulk, Jace's twitchy edge, Vara's sharp calm, Gav's thick grit, Nora's fierce spark, Silas's quiet steel, Elise's solid fire, Rex's lean bite, Lila's frail fight, Finn's wiry snarl, Tara's blazing defiance, Kade's lean edge, Rhea's stocky fire, Holt's broad strength, Sable's wiry fire, Dane's lean grit, Mira's stocky fire, and Zane's wiry spark. "Then we break free," he said, voice shaking but rising, boots thudding hard.
The tunnel twisted south, the air cold and thick, walls slick as a throat, water dripping in sharp plinks that matched the pounding in Elias's chest. It spat them into a chamber—wide and raw, walls weeping with damp, floor a mess of rusted chains and splintered crates, the air heavy with wet iron and rot. A faint pulse hummed—not purple, but green, steady and deep, and Elias's ember flared, his eyes glowing as he threw a wave—hard, slicing, cutting the dark like a blade.
A figure stepped out—not creeping, but striding, clad in faded green, a woman with a broad frame and a stance that dared the world to hit her. Green glow pulsed from her hands, a hammer glowing emerald in her grip. "Beacon," she said, voice low and rough, closing the gap as her glow synced with Elias's, green flaring bright and alive. "Felt your fire through the stone." Dust streaked her short, blonde hair, and her brown eyes sparked, a fire kicking up as she squared her shoulders, breath steady.
Elias's chest tightened, the ember pulsing as the Shroud muttered: "She wakes with you." He shoved a warm wave toward her, green flaring brighter, a spark shared. "You're with us," he said, voice raw but firm, stepping closer. "The scattered—we're fighting back."
Lena edged up, green flaring as she grinned, tired but sharp. "Green again? Hell, we're a damn jungle now," she said, sizing her up. The crew spread out—Cal, Mara, Tuck, Ruth, Jace, Vara, Gav, Nora, Silas, Elise, Rex, Lila, Finn, Tara, Kade, Rhea, Holt, Sable, Dane, Mira, and Zane—orange, purple, green pulsing steady, a jagged line ready to stand.
The woman's lips quirked, a quick grin breaking her edge. "Name's Cora," she rasped, gripping the hammer, green glowing steady. "Woke weeks back, green light, from the mines. Held 'em off, barely." She nodded at the chains, wet and glinting. "Felt you—burning, hauling us up." Her brown eyes locked on Elias's, sharp with a broad fire. "They're here—now."
Elias's gut dropped, the ember surging as the Shroud's vision hit—violet shadows, a cage locking. "The Order," he said, pulse steady in his hands. "They're hitting us with violet—boxing us in." He nudged a pulse toward the hammer—blue and green clashing, sparking wild, a bond alive.
Before Cora could answer, the chamber shook—a low, steel cage slamming through the air, echoing from the tunnel like a beast snapping shut. Elias's ember flared, his eyes blazing as he spun, throwing a wave—sharp, shaped, slashing the dark like claws. A violet-helmed figure loomed—not alone, but with twenty-two more, their armor sleek and pulsing, staffs crackling with violet energy, a steel violet cage swirling around them, tendrils of light snapping out, sharp and ravenous, visors glowing deep and deadly.
"Beacon," the lead figure snarled, voice a mechanical howl over the cage, staff raised high. "The Silence traps—the scattered fade!" It pulsed, violet tearing through—a wave slamming Elias back, locking his arms, dimming the ember, the chains rattling like bars.
Elias's chest burned, the ember surging—a heat he threw, a pulse breaking free, blue and gold smashing into violet, sparking wild. It cracked the lead figure's armor, but the cage roared, violet flaring—a wave shattering his pulse, hurling him beside Cora, the ember stuttering. Lena lunged, green blazing—a wave smashing the figures, cracking a staff, but a second pulsed, violet slamming her against the wall, dust bursting as she gasped.
"Together!" Cal roared, orange flaring as he swung his staff, a wave crashing into violet, cracking a helm, but a third figure pulsed, violet throwing him down, his glow fading. Mara pulsed, purple blazing—a wave slashing violet, cracking armor, but it pulsed back, violet knocking her flat, her staff skittering. Tuck charged, green roaring—a wave from his knife slicing violet, cracking a visor, but it pulsed, violet slamming him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Ruth swung her hammer, green blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet hurling her down, her glow fading. Jace swung his wrench, orange roaring—a wave hitting violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet slamming him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Vara swung her cane, purple blazing—a wave cutting violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet knocking her beside Elias, her glow fading. Gav swung his pickaxe, green roaring—a wave smashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet throwing him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Nora swung her crowbar, orange blazing—a wave crashing violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet slamming her beside Elias, his glow fading. Silas swung his rod, purple roaring—a wave slicing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet knocking him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Elise swung her mallet, green blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet hurling her beside Elias, her glow fading. Rex swung his pipe, orange roaring—a wave hitting violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet slamming him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Lila swung her staff, purple blazing—a wave cutting violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet knocking her beside Elias, her glow fading. Finn swung his hatchet, green roaring—a wave slashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet throwing him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Tara swung her wrench, orange blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet hurling her beside Elias, his glow fading. Kade swung his baton, purple roaring—a wave slicing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet slamming him beside Elias, his glow dimming. Rhea swung her crowbar, green blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a staff, but it pulsed, violet hurling her beside Elias, his glow fading. Holt swung his hammer, orange blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet throwing him beside Elias, his glow fading. Sable swung her rod, purple blazing—a wave slicing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet slamming her beside Elias, her glow fading. Dane swung his pickaxe, green blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet hurling him beside Elias, his glow fading. Mira swung her mallet, orange blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet throwing her beside Elias, her glow fading. Zane swung his staff, purple blazing—a wave slicing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet slamming him beside Elias, his glow fading. Cora swung her hammer, green blazing—a wave smashing violet, cracking a helm, but it pulsed, violet hurling her beside Elias, her glow fading.
Elias's eyes blazed, the ember roaring—a heat he shaped, merging with green, orange, purple, and green in a torrent of light—blue, gold, emerald, flame, and violet crashing into the figures, shattering helms, driving them back. The chamber thundered, violet sparking wild, and the cage snarled, violet deepening—a wave smashing the torrent, locking Elias's glow, slamming him beside his crew, crates splintering like kindling.
"You rise—only to cage," it snarled, staff raised, violet flaring—a wave flooding the chamber, dimming their sparks, tendrils snapping toward Elias, cold and ravenous, a cage crushing his ember.
A gold flare slashed through—not blue, but Rory's echo, fierce and wild, bursting from Elias's chest—a wave smashing the figure back, cracking its staff, sparking wild. His breath caught, the ember flaring as Rory's voice roared: "Kick their ass—for me." The gold surged, merging with his pulse—blue and gold, green, orange, purple, and green flaring faint, a torrent of light crashing into violet, cracking staffs, shattering the cage, driving the figures back into the tunnel, violet winking out.
Elias hauled himself up, the ember pulsing—a rough wave brushing their glows, green, orange, purple, and green flaring faint but kicking. "We—we busted it," he panted, dragging them up, the notebook clutched tight as Rory's echo growled: "You're enough."
Cora gripped her hammer, green steadying, a spark clawing back. "Busted it—barely," she rasped, brown eyes dark with dread. "That—that cage—it's steel."
Elias's eyes glowed, the ember a heat he wrestled, the Shroud's voice a low rumble: "You hold them—I hold you." "Then we outlast it," he said, voice raw but steady, boots planted hard. "We find the rest—together."
The mines stretched dark and tight, the Order's violet cage clamping, but the spark burned—a flame of defiance kicking, a fight clawing to breathe. And out there, the next pulse rumbled.