CHAPTER 132: GOING TO TUNNELS

Alira gathered the class just after their morning lessons, her presence as calm and commanding as always. She stood at the front of the room, arms loosely folded, the sun from the high windows spilling across the floor and catching in her hair.

The students, some still yawning from the monotony of the earlier drills, perked up when they saw the glimmer of purpose in her eyes.

"This afternoon," Alira began, her voice steady but carrying a faint thread of anticipation, "we’ll be conducting a field exercise. The academy has granted permission for us to explore a set of ancient, forgotten tunnels in the northern forest."

Murmurs rose immediately. Some faces lit with excitement, others tensed in unease. Elise’s brows drew together, sharp with caution, while Tirel leaned forward with obvious interest, her lips curving faintly.

Byun tilted his head, already thoughtful, while Fin blinked rapidly as though trying to recall if he had ever heard of such tunnels before. Sun crossed his arms, silent but focused, a frown tugging at his mouth.

Alira lifted a hand, quieting the scattered whispers. "These tunnels are remnants of a long-lost civilization. They hold lessons worth more than any book or training hall. But this is not a casual stroll. You will move as a team, and you will remain alert. Teamwork, careful observation, and safety are your priorities. Do not wander from your group. Do not touch anything unless instructed. And above all, keep your eyes open. These ruins carry more than dust and stone."

The weight in her words silenced the room, though it was broken a heartbeat later by Tirel’s light laugh. "Finally, something worth my time."

Elise’s eyes flicked sideways at her, narrowing. Jae noticed, but only leaned back in his chair, smirk curling faintly.

The sun had dipped lower by the time the group trudged along the narrow path cutting into the forest. Their boots crushed brittle leaves, each step stirring the scents of moss and damp earth. Overhead, the trees formed a canopy that filtered the light into shifting patterns, dappling their cloaks and uniforms.

Tirel walked near Jae, her shoulder brushing his every so often in a way that might have been accident, or not. She tilted her head toward him, voice low and playful. "Dark tunnels, forgotten for centuries... sounds like the perfect place for certain things, don’t you think?"

Her words carried a deliberate weight, one that made Jae’s mouth twitch with amusement. He didn’t answer, but Elise, walking on his other side, heard clearly. A blush crept over her cheeks, her steps unconsciously quickening as if to shield herself from Tirel’s implications.

Jae glanced at her, the faintest smile tugging at his lips, though he said nothing.

Byun, meanwhile, had fallen into step just behind, his sharp eyes scanning the forest line. He nudged Fin with his elbow, gesturing toward a peculiar cluster of fungi clinging to the base of a tree. "See that? Old rotwood. You can tell from the black rings. If you crush it, it smells sweet, sign of decay in the roots."

Fin leaned in, curious, before hurrying a few steps to keep up with the group. "You notice the strangest things," he muttered, though there was admiration in his tone.

Sun walked up ahead, just behind Alira, his expression dark. Every time Jae chuckled under his breath or smirked at Tirel’s remarks, Sun’s frown deepened. He muttered once, too soft for the teacher to catch, but just loud enough for Jae: "Not everything’s a game."

Jae caught it, of course. He didn’t rise to it, though. He only looked at Sun’s rigid shoulders with a glint of something between amusement and calculation. Sun’s frustration was predictable, and predictability, to Jae, was an advantage.

Byun sensed the shift in the air and sighed theatrically. He raised a hand and let thin shadows curl from his fingers, twisting them into a crude shape of a rabbit that hopped across the dirt. "Relax, you two. You’ll scare Fin with all this tension."

"I’m not scared," Fin said quickly, though his eyes followed the shadow-rabbit with quiet fascination.

The faintest laugh escaped Jae. Sun’s jaw tightened. Elise stayed close, silent, her eyes flicking between them as though waiting for the air to snap. Tirel hummed under her breath, clearly enjoying every moment of the discomfort.

The forest path began to slope downward, roots clawing out of the soil, moss slick underfoot. The air cooled as they pushed deeper, until the trees thinned and a clearing revealed itself.

At its center, half-buried under creeping ivy and time, stood a ruin, arched stone, collapsed in places, its surface mottled with lichen. A gaping hole at its base yawned into darkness.

The tunnels.

Alira stopped before them, her expression unreadable. She raised a torch and struck it alight, the flame sputtering before catching strong. "From here," she said, her voice even, "you remain vigilant. These ruins are fragile. Respect them. Do not rush. Move carefully, and remain in the positions I assign."

Her gaze swept over the group. "Sun and Fin, you’ll take the front. Byun, you’ll stay in the middle with Jae. Tirel and Elise will cover the rear. I will move with you, but each of you is responsible for watching your surroundings. No one lingers. No one wanders."

They nodded, some eager, some wary.

Torches were passed down the line, each spark flaring to life until the ruin glowed faintly with their light. Shadows danced across the stone, stretching long fingers into the void beyond.

Jae twirled his torch once, the fire tracing a bright arc, before settling into his place beside Byun. Elise held hers tightly, her knuckles pale. Tirel however used her flame.

"Into the dark," Byun muttered, half to himself, half to Jae.

Jae only grinned.

They stepped into the tunnels, one by one, boots scraping against stone slick with moisture. The air grew colder still, heavy with the scent of damp earth and something faintly metallic.

The walls, rough-hewn and ancient, closed in around them. Their torchlight painted the first glimpses of faded carvings, worn symbols that stretched across the stone like whispers of another age.

Byun spoke idly to Jae, remarking on the odd placement of the carvings, speculating whether they marked rituals, pathways, or warnings.

Jae answered with a thoughtful hum, not committing, though his eyes lingered longer on the patterns than he let on.

From the front, Fin pointed out a patch of slick moss that looked deceptively like stone. "Careful here, it’s slippery."

Sun grunted acknowledgment, torch high, scanning every shadow as though danger itself might be hiding in the walls.

And so the group pressed deeper, their chatter light but subdued, torches casting wavering halos as the silence of the tunnels swallowed their footsteps.