The mountain had become completely silent.
Adrian stood motionless in the darkness.
No torches.
No voices.
Only the faint sound of breathing.
Then—
Another footstep echoed through the corridor.
Closer this time.
Sir Roland tightened his grip around his sword.
Tomas shifted his weight.
Adrian raised one finger.
Wait.
The sound stopped.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then a small stone rolled across the floor.
Someone was moving ahead.
Adrian leaned toward Garrick.
“How many people know these tunnels?”
The old Sentinel whispered,
“Only the Sentinels.”
“Then we have a problem.”
Garrick swallowed.
“Yes.”
Adrian slowly moved forward.
He didn’t draw his sword.
A weapon could make noise.
Instead, he signaled to Roland.
Two men moved along the left wall.
Tomas and another soldier moved along the right.
Adrian remained in the center.
The group advanced one step at a time.
The corridor turned.
Nothing.
Another turn.
Still nothing.
Then Adrian noticed something on the ground.
A small piece of cloth.
Dark blue.
He picked it up.
Roland whispered,
“Imperial?”
Adrian examined the stitching.
“No.”
“The Empire uses red thread on military cloaks.”
Garrick took the cloth.
His expression changed.
“I know this fabric.”
“From where?”
“From the old royal guard.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re saying one of our own is here?”
Garrick shook his head.
“Not necessarily.”
He looked at the cloth again.
“The royal guard used this pattern before the kingdom fell.”
“That was generations ago.”
“Exactly.”
They continued deeper.
Eventually, the corridor opened into a small chamber.
A bedroll lay against the wall.
A cooking pot sat beside a cold fireplace.
There were several empty water jars.
Someone had lived here.
Recently.
Adrian crouched beside the fireplace.
He touched the ashes.
Still warm.
“They left minutes ago.”
Roland looked toward the three exits.
“Which way?”
Adrian studied the floor.
There were footprints.
One set went east.
Another disappeared beneath a layer of dust.
Adrian pointed.
“This one.”
Roland frowned.
“Why?”
“Because it’s too obvious.”
The knight smiled faintly.
“I should have expected that answer.”
They followed the eastern passage.
The tunnel descended gradually.
The air became colder.
Then they heard something.
Water.
A stream flowed beneath the stone floor.
Garrick stopped.
“This wasn’t here before.”
Adrian looked down.
A thin crack ran across the floor.
Water was moving beneath it.
“The mountain changed.”
“Or someone changed it.”
Adrian looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
Garrick pointed toward the wall.
There were fresh chisel marks.
Someone had opened the water channel.
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Whoever is here isn’t simply hiding.”
“They’re modifying the tunnels.”
Suddenly—
A metallic sound rang through the corridor.
Clang.
Everyone froze.
A blade had struck stone.
Then came a voice.
“You should leave.”
The voice was old.
Male.
Calm.
Sir Roland stepped forward.
“Show yourself.”
Silence.
Adrian raised his hand.
“No.”
Roland looked at him.
Adrian stared into the darkness.
“You know who we are.”
The unseen man replied,
“I know who you are.”
“Then you know I’m not leaving.”
A pause.
Then—
“That is exactly what I feared.”
A figure slowly stepped into view.
An elderly man emerged from the darkness.
He carried a short sword.
His clothing was simple.
His hair was gray.
But his posture was unmistakably military.
Garrick stared at him.
Then his eyes widened.
“No…”
The stranger looked at him.
“Garrick.”
The old Sentinel took a step forward.
“You can’t be alive.”
The stranger gave a tired smile.
“Neither can the kingdom.”
Silence.
Sir Roland immediately raised his sword.
“Who are you?”
The stranger looked at Adrian.
“My name…”
“…is Edmund Vale.”
Garrick’s expression changed.
“Edmund Vale.”
He repeated the name as though remembering a ghost.
“He was one of the king’s scouts.”
“Before the fall.”
Edmund nodded.
“I was.”
Adrian lowered Roland’s sword with a gesture.
“Why are you here?”
Edmund looked toward the darkness behind him.
“Because someone else came here before you.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“The person who stole the Founder’s Chronicle?”
Edmund didn’t answer immediately.
That silence was enough.
“You know who they are.”
Edmund looked directly at Adrian.
“I know where they went.”
Everyone became still.
“Where?”
Edmund pointed deeper into the mountain.
“South.”
Adrian frowned.
“There’s nothing south.”
“There is now.”
Edmund explained that after the kingdom fell, he had spent years searching for survivors.
Eventually, he discovered the hidden tunnels.
But he also discovered something else.
Someone had been using them.
They weren’t soldiers.
They weren’t refugees.
They were couriers.
They carried messages through the mountain.
Messages between people who had survived the fall.
Some wanted to restore House Ardyn.
Others wanted to prevent its return.
Adrian listened carefully.
“How long?”
“Years.”
“And the Chronicle?”
Edmund’s expression became grim.
“It was taken twelve years ago.”
Garrick looked stunned.
“Twelve years?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“Who would I tell?”
Edmund looked around.
“The kingdom was gone.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Who has the Chronicle now?”
Edmund’s answer was quiet.
“I don’t know.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“But you know where it went.”
Edmund nodded.
“It was taken south.”
“Beyond the old frontier.”
“Into a kingdom that no longer exists.”
Tomas frowned.
“How can a kingdom that doesn’t exist have anything?”
Edmund looked at him.
“Because kingdoms disappear from maps long before they disappear from history.”
Suddenly…
A distant horn echoed through the mountain.
Everyone froze.
Edmund’s expression changed.
“The Empire.”
Adrian listened.
The sound came again.
Closer.
Garrick looked toward the tunnel entrance.
“They’ve entered.”
Adrian immediately understood.
The imperial army had found the ventilation shaft.
They were inside the mountain.
Edmund looked at Adrian.
“How many soldiers?”
“Enough.”
Edmund shook his head.
“Then you have minutes.”
Adrian turned toward Roland.
“Get everyone back to the War Chamber.”
“What about you?”
Adrian looked at Edmund.
“I’m staying.”
Roland hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Understood.”
The soldiers disappeared into the darkness.
Adrian looked at Edmund.
“You said there was another route.”
“There is.”
“Where?”
Edmund pointed toward a narrow passage.
“That way.”
“It leads beyond the northern cliffs.”
Adrian looked at the tunnel.
Then toward the direction of the approaching soldiers.
A hidden exit.
Exactly what he needed.
But before leaving…
He looked at Edmund.
“Come with us.”
The old scout shook his head.
“I’ve spent too many years running.”
“Then don’t run.”
Adrian extended his hand.
“Help me take back what was stolen.”
Edmund stared at him.
For the first time…
The old man’s expression softened.
“You really are the king’s son.”
Adrian frowned.
“Why?”
“Because your father once said the same thing.”
Edmund took his hand.
And stood.
The sound of soldiers grew louder.
Metal struck stone.
Voices echoed through the tunnels.
Adrian looked toward the darkness.
Then toward the hidden passage.
The hunt was no longer between an empire and a prince.
There were others moving beneath the battlefield.
People who had survived the fall.
People who had stolen secrets.
People who had waited for the return of House Ardyn.
And somewhere beyond the mountains…
The Founder’s Chronicle was still being carried from hand to hand.
Adrian tightened his grip around his sword.
“This war…”
“…is much older than I thought.”
Behind him, Edmund quietly answered,
“And much larger.”
The first imperial torch appeared at the far end of the corridor.
Adrian turned toward the hidden passage.
“Then let’s make sure they regret entering our mountain.”
The darkness swallowed them.
And behind them…
The Empire entered the tunnels.
————————–The End———————
Next : The Kingdom That Disappeared
By : Zenryth