MALAKAI

“The rest of you, prepare heavy lanterns, ropes, and iron blades. We are entering the western tunnels."

Guards broke into motion at once, sprinting to fulfill the commands. The weight of the situation settled heavily on my mind. 

The western tunnels were completely forbidden, and for good reason. They were a treacherous, maze-like network of old mining shafts that had partially collapsed decades ago. 

The stone was unstable, filled with invisible drop-offs that plummeted hundreds of feet into the black, and the damp shadows were notorious for harboring rogue creature nests. 

For an adult warrior, it was dangerous. For a child alone in the dark, one wrong turn meant...