Runic Domination

Chapter 1 || Rune-Infused Prison

Two years later.

I waited for the guards to turn their back to me before I jumped down from the high wall  surrounding Castle Black. It was built like a fortress with everything made of the same black stone that was native to the area, hence the name. It blended in so well at night that the structure was nearly indistinguishable from its surroundings.

Relying on my soundless rune I slowly made my way further in. It was the third -and hopefully last- time I had to visit this place. The castle had been dormant for a while, a fact I still believed to be true before coming down here. When I had gotten this request, I'd thought the client was mistaken at first, and all I'd be able to find in here were spiders and rats.

Various magical and physical traps were installed all over, more than enough to keep the average intruder out. Only dim lights illuminated small sections, making it hard to see, but also much harder to be seen. I didn't mind the darkness, especially since I was still able to navigate perfectly fine, but something was just off about this place. The castle sat right at the base of Mount Raz and the mountain loomed over its highest tower like a bad omen. Plus, the dark, chilly hallways, gruesome traps, and the overall lack of activity simply gave me the creeps.

Not that I would ever mention this to anyone. Sharing these worries with Kieran or Paul would just destroy every sort of independence I had built up over the past two years as I established my new alias. I mostly took on jobs that involved retrieving sensitive information or infiltration, in other words breaking and entering. Not exactly legal but then again, I wasn't called the Ghost for nothing.

Paul had kept his promise and kept Kieran off my back but that didn't quite work out as I thought it would. Kier was hurt that I didn't discuss leaving the guild with him myself. It had taken a few months of silence for him to come around, but our relationship hadn't quite been the same. I knew it was my fault for pushing him away. Suddenly, the freedom I had gained felt hollower than expected.

Focusing back on the task at hand, I arrived at the entrance hidden behind a tapestry that would lead me down into an underground labyrinth of intersecting corridors and various dead ends. I had been able to explore some parts of it on my last visit, and found mostly empty prison cells, stolen goods, and a weaponry. Still, what better place to hide your secrets than an underground maze filled with traps and who knew what else?

The tunnel in front of me was pitch black, so I focused mana into the air around me and created a barely noticeable breeze. Whenever it touched the walls of the passageway it helped me determine the direction and size of the corridor. Like this, I was able to navigate easily.

However, the anxiety that slowly surfaced after a few minutes of walking was a different story. It was eerily quiet. Occasionally, strange, disturbing sounds rang through the darkness, making me shudder involuntary. I swore I heard the quiet rattle of chains, and a distant scratching that accompanied me for several moments before suddenly coming to a stop. It further confirmed what I feared. I wasn't alone down here.

The information I had gathered so far indicated that the castle was managed by someone on the council. Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to identify them yet, which was exactly why I was here. I'd narrowed it down to three possible candidates, all part of the mid-end council that was mostly in charge of state affairs. Whoever it was, held a pretty high position of power, not that that deterred me.

After a few more minutes I finally stepped into an unexplored section. A faint light shone at the end of the hallway originating from somewhere around the corner. My awareness and stealth rune activated, I carefully crept closer and detected two people up ahead. There was something else, it's dying breath barely noticeable next to the other ones.