Rae van Daleon – The Roots of the Storm
by Lea von Löwenstein
Chapter 7: A Silent Return
The cold of the night seemed to linger in the stone corridors of the Scola as Rae, Tyren, and Celestine moved through the darkness like shadows. Each step was silent, every breath controlled. The air was heavy, laced with the distant presence of patrols, whose footsteps and the faint hum of servitors occasionally echoed through the stillness.
Rae took the lead, her eyes sharp, scanning for any sign of movement. The first corridor stretched long, lit sporadically by flickering lights. At the far end, the round mechanical eye of a servitor appeared, its red light pulsing rhythmically as it scanned the passage.
“Wait,” Rae whispered, barely audible. She raised a hand, and the others froze in place.
The servitor rolled past them slowly, its faint hum blending with the silence of the Scola. Rae pressed herself deeper into the shadows, her posture calm and focused. Once the servitor was out of sight, she gave a small hand signal, and the group moved forward.
The Next Hurdle
The next section proved more challenging. Two patrolling guards stood at the end of a crossway, their silhouettes outlined by dim lighting. Their voices were low but clear enough for Rae to catch snippets of their conversation. They were discussing the next day’s training plans, their attention only partially on their surroundings.
Rae flattened herself against the wall, her mind racing. There was no other option—they had to pass through this section without being detected. “We wait until they’re distracted,” she whispered, gesturing toward a corner that offered a better view of the situation.
A brief silence followed, then one of the guards suddenly burst into laughter. It was the opportunity Rae needed. She moved forward, her steps as quiet as a whisper in the wind. Celestine followed with the same precision, while Tyren brought up the rear, his breathing slightly heavier but quiet enough to avoid detection.
The group reached the next door, and Rae pressed it open with a light touch, the mechanism barely making a sound. Beyond lay a narrow passage, dimly lit but safer than the main corridor.
The Final Stretch
The novices’ chamber wasn’t far now, but the greatest challenge still lay ahead. A servitor, accompanied by a patrol guard, was making rounds in the final corridor leading directly to their quarters. Rae observed the movements of the machine and the guard closely, her eyes tracing their patterns.
“They switch positions every 30 seconds,” she whispered, counting the guard’s steps. “We move left as soon as they turn right.”
The others nodded, their faces tense. Rae waited for the right moment, her muscles taut like a drawn bowstring. When the servitor rolled to the right and the guard followed, she gave the signal.
The group darted across the corridor, their movements fluid and coordinated. Tyren stumbled slightly, but Rae grabbed his arm and steadied him before he could fall. The guard abruptly turned, but the three had already melted into the shadows, out of sight.
The Return
At last, they reached the door to their chamber. Rae pushed it open cautiously, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The corridor was empty.
“Made it,” Tyren murmured, collapsing onto his bed. His face was pale, but a grin spread across his lips. “That was close.”
Celestine leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “More than close. You need to learn to control your breathing. You almost gave us away.”
“I was quiet enough,” Tyren replied, though his voice was softer than before.
Rae ignored their exchange. She sat on the edge of her bed, taking a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the dark room. The events of the past hour replayed in her mind. The symbols, the door, the mysterious presence—it was clear that the Scola concealed more secrets than she had ever imagined.
“We need to be more careful,” she said finally, her voice calm but firm. “What we saw down there was just the beginning. If we want to learn more, we have to be better prepared.”
The others nodded, each lost in their own thoughts. The night was far from over, but they had made it back—this time. Somewhere in the depths of the Scola lay a secret, and Rae knew they couldn’t ignore it. But the darkness surrounding them was thicker than they had anticipated.
