ShadowBound: The Need For Power

After several minutes of tense silence, Ubbe finally finished sketching the map of Drosmir's underground chamber to the best of his ability. The parchment before him was rough, its edges curling slightly, the ink faint in places where his hand had trembled, but the overall layout was clear—passages, bends, guard posts, and marked doors carefully detailed. He slid the map toward Serah with a hesitant glance, as though bracing himself for criticism.

Serah accepted it without a word, her crimson eyes scanning over each line and mark with a sharp, calculating gaze. Myla, Jorin, and Elira leaned in closer, their faces partially lit by the faint lantern hanging in the corner of the dim room. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and wet ink. Serah's attention lingered on a narrow section of the map that curled into a dead-end chamber, labeled with nothing but a small 'X.'

"What's this?" she asked, her finger tapping the mark with deliberate pressure.

Ubbe shifted where he sat, rubbing the back of his neck. "That… I've never been inside. Drosmir doesn't let anyone near it unless they're personally delivering something for him. Even the guards posted nearby don't talk about it. But… I've seen heavy chests carried in, and not a single one brought back out."

Serah's expression darkened, her mind clearly turning over the implications. Myla's brows knit together while Jorin crossed his arms, the unease in the air thickening.

"And these corridors," Elira pointed to a cluster of winding halls drawn at odd, jarring angles, "they seem… deliberately confusing. Almost like they're meant to trap someone."

Ubbe gave a humorless chuckle. "That's exactly what they are. It took me weeks to memorize the right turns without ending up hopelessly lost. The whole place is built like a maze. Without the proper route, you'd either end up back where you started… or you wouldn't come back at all." His voice carried a weight that made it clear what that last part meant.

Serah's gaze drifted to the far top left corner of the map. "And what are these numbers for?" she asked coolly.

"They're the coordinates to the surface entrance," Ubbe explained. "Far north in Zone 16, close to the edge of Zone 17."

"I see," Serah murmured, her eyes holding on the numbers for a moment longer before she rolled the map neatly and handed it to Myla.

"Thank you, Ubbe. This means more than you think," she said firmly, locking eyes with him. "I give you my word again—Drosmir will face justice, and your sisters will remain safe."

Ubbe said nothing, but a faint, almost reluctant smile touched his lips.

"Uh… princess," Myla began, her tone calm but laced with caution, "don't you think the sudden disappearance of Drosmir's men is going to set off alarms? It might make him even more cautious than he already is."

Serah's eyes narrowed briefly. "You're right. But I doubt it will be much of an issue. These three are… unique cases. The mute can't speak, so he has nothing to give away. The other one seems to be the most loyal of the bunch—his earlier behavior made that obvious. As for Ubbe, Drosmir likely has his grip on him because of his sisters. If I'm correct, Drosmir will be wary, yes—but if he trusts them as much as I suspect, he won't immediately think they've betrayed him."

Jorin shot her a sidelong glance. "Even so, I doubt he'll let his guard down. We've all seen how spotless his record is. Every trace, every test result—clean. If he's been careful all this time, he's not going to suddenly start making mistakes."

"I know that, Jorin," Serah replied evenly. "I'd be a fool to underestimate him."

"Good," Myla said with a faint smirk. "So… I'm guessing you're already piecing together a plan, princess."

"When have I ever not?" Serah shot back, a sidelong look at Myla before her attention shifted back to Ubbe and the two other thieves.

"You three will remain here for the time being," she said in a steady, commanding tone. "I'll make sure food and water reach you regularly, but you'll stay tied. My team and I will rotate watch over you. You may have helped us with this map, but trust has to be earned—and I'm not ready to bet lives on whether or not this map is genuine."

Ubbe lowered his head briefly, then lifted it with a faint glimmer of understanding in his eyes.

"That's all," Serah said, turning her back to him. "Fill your colleague in when he wakes up." Her words were clearly meant for the still-unconscious smirker lying nearby.

Ubbe gave a small nod, a subtle acknowledgment that he understood every word Serah had said.

Serah's gaze then shifted toward Elira. "Watcher," she called simply.

At the command, Elira placed her fingertips against the rough wooden table beside her. Her touch was deliberate, tracing invisible lines that quickly revealed themselves as glowing rune marks. They spread outward in a perfect circle, the soft blue light pulsing gently like a heartbeat. Her lips moved, whispering words too quiet and strange to be understood, yet carrying an ancient weight. The light began to brighten, intensifying until the very air seemed to hum with quiet energy.

From the heart of the glowing circle, something began to form—shimmering at first, then solidifying into the majestic shape of a falcon. Its feathers bore an otherworldly pattern of deep purples, cool blues, and faint violets, shifting like oil on water when it moved. Along the tips of its wings and down the length of its back were delicate rune marks, each one faintly glowing. Its eyes were pure ethereal blue light, sharp and unblinking, carrying a presence that felt far older than the bird itself.

"Keep an eye on them for us, Watcher," Elira instructed, her tone calm but authoritative, one hand brushing lightly over its head in a gesture of affection.

The falcon gave a slow blink, then with graceful precision, it took flight for only a few short beats of its wings before settling on a sturdy wooden pole fixed into the wall, its gaze already locked on Ubbe and the other two prisoners.

Satisfied, Serah turned toward the staircase without another word, her steps steady as she began her ascent. Jorin, Myla, and Elira followed after her, the sound of their boots echoing faintly in the underground chamber.

"Kael, meet us in the main room," Serah's voice spoke clearly through her comm-rune as she climbed.

And with that, the group left the makeshift underground prison, their presence replaced by the quiet but watchful aura of the mystical falcon.

Ubbe, watching them disappear from view, let out a slow sigh, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. "I hope this goes well for them," he murmured under his breath, the words half-meant for himself.

When he glanced to the side, he found the mute man staring directly at him, his expression utterly void of emotion.

"What?" Ubbe asked, a faint unease creeping into his voice.

The mute man said nothing. He simply shifted his gaze away, his attention now fixed on Watcher, the falcon perched high on the pole. His eyes softened—just barely—something in his expression carrying a quiet serenity, as though the sight of the creature had reached a part of him untouched by anything else in the room.

Ubbe noticed it. "You sure are a creepy guy," he muttered, tilting his head slightly, "but I guess you love nature as much as I do." His eyes lingered on the falcon as well, a faint understanding passing silently between them both, man and bird.

After they had reached the main room and Kael had arrived, Serah made sure to fill him in on every bit of intel he had missed while keeping watch atop the rooftop.

Once the briefing was done, Serah laid the map Ubbe had painstakingly drawn onto the round table in the center of the room.

"So this is all we've got to work with?" Kael asked, eyes scanning the twisting passages and marked doors.

"Yeah," Serah replied, her tone steady. "It should help us navigate those maze-like corridors and find our way to the auction chamber."

"If what Ubbe gave us is accurate, that is," Myla added with a cautious edge.

Serah muttered under her breath, "Yeah, if it is."

Kael shifted his gaze from the map to Serah, curiosity sharpening his voice. "So what's the plan, really?"

Serah's eyes didn't leave the map, darting from one section to another as if trying to solve a puzzle only she could see. After a long pause, she sighed softly, the weight of exhaustion settling in.

"My mind's already fried from overthinking this," she admitted. "Let's talk strategy when the sun rises. I'm tired, you're tired… we all are. I know I said rest isn't a luxury we can afford, but still—if you don't feel like sleeping, I'd appreciate it if you start thinking of possible ways to approach this." Her voice was calm, but carried the unmistakable authority that made them listen.

With that, she turned and began walking toward her room. Before closing the door behind her, she added quietly, "Right now, I just need to clear my head. See you all in the morning."