The tunnel felt endless. Ethan ran with one hand pressed against the rough stone wall to keep his balance. The air was cold and damp, thick with the smell of wet earth, old roots, and the faint metallic scent of his own blood. Every step sent a dull, stubborn throb through his left shoulder where the shadow spear had struck. The System’s healing had stopped the bleeding and closed the worst of the wound, but the deep ache remained — a constant reminder that his body was still struggling to keep up with the night’s violence. His legs felt heavy, as if the ground itself were trying to pull him down. His lungs burned with every breath. Selene led the way, moving with quiet certainty even in the near-darkness. Her footsteps were almost silent. Lirael followed close behind Ethan, her staff dimmed to a soft silver glow that barely lit the path ahead. None of them spoke for a long time. The only sounds were their uneven footsteps, the distant roar o

The river path was narrower than Ethan expected.They moved in single file along the muddy bank, the dark water rushing loudly on their right. The rain had slowed to a thin, cold drizzle that still managed to find every gap in their clothes and trickle down the back of Ethan’s neck. His boots sank slightly with each step, the mud pulling at him as if the ground itself wanted to keep him there. His left shoulder continued to throb in time with his heartbeat. The numbness from the earlier shadow wound had faded, but a deep, bruise-like ache remained, making every swing of his arm feel heavier than it should. His legs burned. His lungs felt tight.Selene walked at the front, blade drawn, eyes constantly scanning the treeline and the higher ground. Elara followed close behind her, still rubbing her freed wrists from time to time as if surprised they were no longer bound. Lirael brought up the rear, staff held low but ready, her silver light kept deliberately dim.