Rae van Daleon – The Roots of the Storm

by Lea von Löwenstein

Chapter 28: Sabotage in the Shadows

The group retreated silently, their footsteps muffled against the cold stone of the tunnels. The image of the ritual chamber burned in their minds—Talia’s limp form, the chanting cultists, and the monstrous creature in the pit. Rae led the way, her blade drawn, her mind racing.

Once they were far enough from the chamber, Rae stopped and turned to the group. The faint flicker of their flashlights cast shadows across their tense faces.

“We need to hit them where it hurts,” Rae said, her voice low but firm. “We can’t let that ritual finish. If they summon whatever they’re trying to bring forth, it won’t just be the Scola at risk—it’ll be everything.”

Celestine crossed her arms, her jaw tight. “Sabotaging a Chaos ritual isn’t exactly something we’ve been trained for. How do we even know what to do?”

Tyren tapped his cogitator, his fingers moving with practiced precision. “I recorded everything. The symbols, the patterns, even the chants. If we can identify the key elements, we might be able to disrupt it.”

Marcus nodded, his voice steady. “And what about the creature? That thing’s not just going to sit back and let us ruin their plans.”

Rae’s gaze was sharp. “We’ll find a way to distract it. If we work quickly and quietly, we can disable their setup before they even realize we’re there.”

Soren hesitated, his voice trembling. “And… and Talia? What about her?”

Rae placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone softer but no less resolute. “We’ll get her out. But we can’t save her if we don’t stop that ritual first.”

Planning the Strike

The group huddled in a secluded alcove, their flashlights dimmed to avoid drawing attention. Tyren displayed the recordings on his cogitator, the glowing runes and pulsing symbols casting an eerie light across their faces.

“This,” Tyren said, pointing to a set of runes near the pit, “is the focal point of the ritual. If we disrupt it, the entire thing could collapse.”

Celestine frowned, her sharp eyes scanning the recording. “How do we disrupt it? Scrape it off the floor? Smash something?”

“Not quite,” Tyren replied. “These symbols aren’t just drawn—they’re etched into the stone, reinforced with… blood. We’ll need to physically destroy them.”

Marcus cracked his knuckles. “That, I can handle.”

“What about the cultists?” Soren asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “They’re not just going to stand there and let us wreck their ritual.”

“We divide their attention,” Rae said. “Marcus and I will take out the symbols. Tyren, you and Soren create a distraction—something loud enough to draw the cultists away. Celestine, you cover us and keep an eye on Talia.”

Celestine nodded, her expression grim. “And if the creature decides to join the fight?”

“We run,” Rae said simply. “This isn’t a battle—it’s sabotage. We hit fast and get out before they can react.”

The Infiltration

The group moved with purpose, each step carefully placed to avoid detection. The faint echoes of chanting grew louder as they neared the ritual chamber, the air thick with the stench of blood and decay.

Rae signaled for the group to stop, her sharp eyes scanning the chamber’s entrance. The cultists were still engrossed in their ritual, their voices rising and falling in a haunting, guttural melody.

“This is it,” Rae whispered. “Tyren, Soren—get into position. The rest of you, follow me.”

Tyren and Soren slipped away into the shadows, their movements silent. Rae led Marcus and Celestine into the chamber, sticking close to the walls to avoid the cultists’ line of sight. The glow of the runes cast an unnatural light across the room, illuminating the grotesque figure of the creature in the pit.

Rae’s heart pounded as she gestured toward the etched symbols on the floor. “Marcus, start there. I’ll take the other side. Celestine, cover us.”

Marcus nodded, his massive frame moving with surprising grace as he approached the first set of runes. Rae moved to the opposite side, her blade ready.

The Sabotage Begins

The moment Marcus struck the first rune with his blade, the chamber shuddered. The cultists’ chant faltered, their heads snapping toward the sound.

“They’ve noticed,” Celestine muttered, her voice tight. “Hurry.”

Rae didn’t hesitate. She drove her blade into the center of a glowing symbol, the sharp crack of breaking stone echoing through the chamber. The light from the rune dimmed, flickering like a dying flame.

The cultists sprang into action, their guttural shouts filling the air. Two of them rushed toward Marcus, their crude weapons raised. Celestine stepped forward, her blade flashing as she intercepted them, her movements swift and deadly.

From the shadows, a loud explosion suddenly rocked the chamber. Tyren and Soren’s distraction—a makeshift grenade rigged from salvaged components—had gone off near the far wall, sending debris raining down and drawing the attention of the remaining cultists.

“Move!” Rae shouted, her blade striking another rune. The glowing symbols flickered and dimmed as Marcus shattered another with a powerful strike.

The Creature Awakens

A deafening roar shook the chamber, freezing everyone in place. Rae’s blood ran cold as the creature in the pit stirred, its massive form writhing as it pulled against its chains. Its glowing eyes locked onto the group, and it let out another earth-shaking roar.

“We’ve got company!” Celestine yelled, slashing at a cultist who lunged toward her.

The creature lunged upward, its massive clawed hand reaching for the edge of the pit. The chains strained and groaned, but they held—for now.

“Marcus, one more rune!” Rae shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

Marcus drove his blade into the final symbol, shattering it with a grunt of effort. The chamber shuddered violently, the glowing runes flickering out one by one. The cultists screamed in panic as the energy of the ritual collapsed, the sickly light fading into darkness.

“We’re done!” Rae yelled. “Fall back! Now!”

The Retreat

The group moved as one, their steps quick and coordinated as they fled the chamber. The cultists’ shouts echoed behind them, but the sound of the creature’s enraged roars drowned out everything else.

As they reached the safety of the upper corridors, Rae turned back for one last look. The chamber was in chaos, the cultists scrambling to salvage their ritual as the creature thrashed against its chains.

They had bought themselves time—but not much.

When they finally reached their chamber, the group collapsed onto the floor, their breaths ragged and their bodies trembling from the adrenaline.

“We did it,” Soren said, his voice barely audible.

“For now,” Rae replied, her gaze distant. “But this isn’t over.”

Her eyes hardened as she looked at her team. “The ritual is broken, but the cultists aren’t done. And that thing in the pit… it’s still alive.”

Celestine leaned back against the wall, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. “Then we finish what we started.”

Rae nodded, her jaw set. “Together.”