Chri! Chri! The shrill chirping of insects echoed in the tunnel, bouncing off the jagged walls and stalactites that hung like frozen daggers from the ceiling. Broken rocks and scattered twigs littered the ground, each footstep stirring a hollow Crukk! Crukk!, echoing like warning drums.
"There should be a torch somewhere," Sir Fedrick muttered, eyes scanning the walls. "I'll check over there."
"Be careful," Queen Vashti warned, her voice steady but tense. She kept Raya close, instinctively pressing her daughter against her side.
Fedrick's hand brushed against a hidden recess in the wall. With a grunt, he tugged free a solid wooden log. He bent down, dagger in hand, and struck it against a small stone.
Clink! Clink! Sparks flew. A sudden Poof! ignited the torch. Flame roared to life, casting yellow-red light and long, flickering shadows along the tunnel walls.
"I just heard something," Princess Raya said, her voice cutting the brief silence. "What… was that, Mum?"
"It's probably just the insects," Prince Odim replied, though tension crept into his voice.
"No!" Raya's eyes were wide. "It sounded like… walls cracking… behind us."
Crukk! Crukk! The sound came again, louder and more deliberate. Dust shifted beneath their feet, and the floor trembled lightly.
"The walls are about to seal themselves," Fedrick muttered, voice low. "This is no ordinary tunnel. It was built in the days of the old religion, long before kings or castles existed."
Dumm!! A deafening roar drowned out his words as stone above shuddered violently. Dust and debris rained down, sealing the entrance behind them. The air thickened, choking them. Instinctively, they raised their sleeves to cover their mouths and noses.
"Mother!" Raya coughed violently. "I can't see anything!"
Queen Vashti quickly wrapped her veil around her daughter, pressing her close. "It's alright, love. We'll be fine," she whispered, though her own pulse pounded with fear.
Odim stepped forward, eyes sharp, ears straining. He felt the walls close behind them, a tangible reminder of the enemy above and the danger around every corner. He clutched Fedrick's shoulder, seeking guidance in the man who had saved him and his family more than once already.
Above, Paragon and General Zorantis felt the tremor from below. Soldiers muttered nervously, their confusion mounting.
"What is happening?" one asked.
"Some kind of collapse," another answered.
"Perhaps the walls below are giving way," a third added.
Paragon's voice cut sharply through the chatter. "No. Not collapsing in the normal sense. Someone—or something—sealed the walls from the inside. The prince has escaped."
Zorantis's eyes narrowed. "Escaped? Then we must act fast. If he gets away, the kingdom is lost."
Paragon nodded. "We need to follow him—now."
They rushed through the hallways toward the tunnel exit. When they arrived, everything appeared intact. The walls were perfect, unbroken, as if nothing had happened at all.
"I don't understand," Paragon muttered, scanning the stone. "The walls collapsed and yet… they are whole. Where did the prince go?"
Zorantis's frustration flared. "Search the castle! Every corridor, every chamber! Find that wall! Find the boy!"
Soldiers fanned out, their movements hurried, tense. Minutes passed, then they returned, empty-handed.
"Nothing, sir," one soldier reported.
"Nothing? No broken wall? No trail?" Zorantis bellowed. "Impossible!"
"General! Over here!" a voice called from the edge of the hall.
Zorantis stormed toward it. A soldier pointed to faint crimson stains along the concrete floor.
"Blood," the soldier said, voice tight. "It leads this way."
Zorantis bent, eyes narrowing at the trail. "Paragon! Look at this. The prince must have passed here."
Paragon hurried over, crouching to examine the droplets. "Impossible," he whispered. "The walls collapsed and resealed… yet remain perfect. This is no ordinary force."
He looked sharply at Zorantis. "This… is ancient. Far older than any magic we know. It saved the prince."
The soldiers glanced uneasily at one another, the tension thickening.
Zorantis clenched his fists. "Then we proceed cautiously. Every step could lead into a trap. Whoever—or whatever—sealed that tunnel is no ordinary force."
Below, Fedrick led the royal family deeper into the tunnel. Shadows flickered with the torchlight, stretching along the rough stone walls. Stalactites jutted from the ceiling like jagged teeth, and the air smelled faintly of damp stone and something else—something old, almost alive.
Raya pressed closer to her mother. "Mum… what is that?" she whispered.
"It's magic," Vashti admitted quietly. "Something… ancient. It's behind what just sealed the entrance. We must keep moving."
Odim glanced at Fedrick. "Will it follow us?"
"No," Fedrick said. "This magic only guards the tunnels. It doesn't pursue. But it will prevent anyone from entering the path we've just taken."
The tunnel narrowed, twisting in uneven turns. Every step was careful, deliberate, the echo of their feet amplified by the walls. The faint trail of dust and fallen stones indicated the old enchantment that had sealed the entrance—a structure of magic and stone, subtle but unmistakable. It hummed faintly, a vibration in the air that hinted at the power behind it.
Queen Vashti moved steadily, holding Raya tightly. Odim's brow was furrowed, his mind racing with anger, fear, and determination. Even as they fled, he felt the weight of his father's death pressing on him, driving each step forward.
They passed through the tunnel in silence, each aware of the fragile distance between themselves and the soldiers above. The magic behind them had done its job. The prince was safe for now.
Above, Paragon and Zorantis studied the untouched walls and the blood trail. "Whatever did this is beyond our understanding," Paragon said quietly.
Zorantis ground his teeth. "Then we must be more careful than ever. This boy and his family are not just fleeing—they are being protected by something we cannot see or control. From here on, every step we take could be a trap."
Below, the royal family moved deeper into darkness. Every sound was amplified: the scrape of their feet, the distant drip of water, the hum of the magic still active behind them. The tunnel twisted and narrowed, but for the first time since leaving the castle, a sliver of hope ran through their hearts.
Fedrick led with confidence, torch held high. Vashti kept Raya close, whispering comfort, though the weight of grief pressed heavily on her. Odim followed, jaw clenched, anger and resolve simmering beneath the surface.
The magic, the sealing of the walls, and the blood trail left behind all spoke of forces older and stronger than the enemy soldiers above. And as the family pressed on, one truth became clear: they had escaped—for now—but their journey was far from over. The fate of northern Greece rested on every careful step through the shadows.