The alarms were already blaring through the entire hold as we plunged into the drainage tunnel. The stench hit like a wall, sewage, rot, and stagnant water. The tunnel was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to run side by side, with slick moss-covered stones underfoot and water up to our ankles. Lira leaned heavily on me, her breathing shallow and ragged. Harlan limped behind us, clutching a bleeding wound on his side.
"Keep moving," I growled, supporting Lira with one arm while gripping my scavenged sword in the other. "They’ll be right behind us."
Thragor’s death had bought us precious minutes, but Grimgor’s forces would be mobilizing fast. The tunnel sloped downward, water growing deeper. Rats scattered as we splashed forward. Behind us, I could already hear the shouts of pursuing guards and the clank of armor.
Lira’s weight pressed against me. Her burns were seeping again, and she was losing blood. "I... I can run," she whispered, but her legs nearly gave out with the next step.
"You’ll run when I say so," I replied, voice low but firm. I adjusted my grip, half-carrying her now. Thorne’s death weighed on me, he had given his life for that opening. Harlan was quiet, but I could see the grief and determination in his eyes. We had lost too many already. I wasn’t about to lose these two.
The tunnel branched several times. We followed Thorne’s earlier directions, taking the left fork toward the river. My new Level 7 stats helped, my strength made carrying Lira easier, and my agility let me navigate the slippery ground without falling. I allocated my new points quickly as we ran: three to Vitality for faster healing, one to Endurance to keep pushing through exhaustion, and one to Perception to better spot dangers in the dark.
[HP: 68% (Regenerating)]
[Stamina: 52%]
The system was the only reason I was alive, and I was grateful for it. I hadn’t really thought about it before, but was I the only special case? Were there other people with systems like mine? No, this wasn’t the time for such thoughts, I needed to focus on escaping first, I’d think about that later on.
Shouts echoed behind us. A group of orc pursuers had entered the tunnel. Their torches cast long, flickering shadows on the walls.
"Split up if you have to!" I ordered. "But stay close to the main flow."
Harlan nodded and took a side passage for a moment to create a false trail, smashing a loose stone to make noise before rejoining us. It bought us a little time.
We emerged from a broken grate into a rocky ravine near the river. The cold mountain air hit us like freedom itself. But we weren’t safe yet. Distant horns sounded from Blackfang Hold, Grimgor was sending hunters, and they were catching on to us quickly.
A squad of five orc warriors burst out of the tunnel behind us, axes and spears ready. Their leader, a scarred veteran with a notched blade, pointed at me. "There! The Slayer! Take him alive if possible!"
I set Lira down gently against a rock, before baring mh weapon. "Stay here."
I met the first orc head-on. Brutal Strike surged as my sword clashed with his axe. The mana edge sparked against steel, and I twisted inside his guard, driving the blade into his side. He fell with a gurgle.
The second and third came together. One swung low while the other aimed high. I dodged the high strike and used the low one’s momentum against him, kicking his legs out and stabbing down through his throat. The third grazed my arm, drawing blood, but I spun and took his head with a clean sweep.
[You have slain Level 3 Orc Hunter. +14 XP]
[You have slain Level 4 Orc Hunter. +19 XP]
Harlan fought beside me, his spear darting with surprising precision despite his injuries. He impaled one orc through the chest, but the last warrior, bigger than the others, smashed him to the ground with a brutal shield bash.
I stepped in. The big orc roared and swung a heavy war axe. I activated Phantom Edge at the last second. His weapon passed through me harmlessly. In the opening, I drove my sword upward into his jaw. He collapsed with a wet crunch.
The fight was over in less than a minute, but it had cost us time and blood. Harlan was hurt worse, and my arm was bleeding. I helped him up, then lifted Lira again.
"We can’t stop," I said. "More will come."
We pushed deeper into the wilderness, following the river downstream to mask our scent. Lira finally lost consciousness against my shoulder. I carried her fully now, my enhanced strength making it possible. Harlan kept pace despite his injuries, occasionally glancing back.
When we finally stopped in a small cave hidden behind a waterfall, the sun was rising. I laid Lira down gently on a bed of moss and checked her wounds. She was stable but weak. Harlan collapsed nearby, breathing hard.
I stood at the cave entrance, looking out over the mountains. Blackfang Hold was a distant smudge of smoke and torches. We had escaped, but at a heavy cost. Thorne was dead. Garrick and Elara’s fates were still unknown. My fledgling empire had been burned to the ground, and now we were fugitives again.
After ten long minutes, Harlan finally found the strength to speak. "We can’t stay here long. Grimgor will tear the mountains apart looking for you."
"I know." I turned back to him. "The southern rebellion. You said they’re based in the Whispering Marshes. How far?"
"Ten days on foot if we move fast and avoid patrols. They might take us in if we bring news of Thragor’s death. That alone could shift the balance."
Lira stirred weakly. "We... we fight," she whispered. "No more running."
I knelt beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We won’t run forever. But right now, we need to rest and think of a way forward, fighting won’t make anything better now..."
The system chimed softly in my mind as I reviewed my status.
[Level 7]
[New Passive: Enhanced Recovery]
[Quest Updated: Find and join the southern rebellion]
A new sense of purpose settled over me. We had lost the ruins, suffered under Grimgor, but at least we were alive, and as long as there was life, there was purpose.