Raphael Earhart
We moved through the ruined remains of the underground lab, each step echoing into the damp darkness that swallowed sound whole. The only guidance came from the tunnel's shadow ahead—an exit, hopefully. In this chaotic space, it was only our training, our instinct as warriors, and our ability to feel mana fluctuations that allowed Erin and me to find our way with confidence and avoid the lingering traps that hid in the black.
Using mana to reinforce our legs and aura to stabilize our momentum, we pushed off the walls and glided forward, flowing through the corridors like arrows strung along a silken thread of shadow. Minutes passed in silence before an old wooden staircase appeared ahead. Without breaking pace, we climbed, broke through the stone pile blocking the exit, and slipped out into the open.
