Patrick led them deeper into the castle with steady, unhurried steps, never once breaking the rhythm expected of someone in his position. Lucas and Wesley followed just behind him, their roles clear in posture and distance, their movements aligned with his without needing words. The corridors grew quieter the further they went, the noise of the outer sections fading into something more controlled, more deliberate.

Behind them, though not directly visible, the others were doing exactly as planned. Vorde slipped through adjacent corridors with practiced ease, Murray and Bartho moved with rotating patrols, and Darmian adjusted his pace to match a passing unit before gradually peeling away. None of them stayed too close, none of them broke formation, yet all of them were converging toward the same direction, maintaining distance while staying connected through the subtle signals they had agreed upon.

They were in position.

Patrick turned a corner, Lucas and Wesley following without pause, and that was when they saw him.

An officer.

Same rank.

Standing just ahead, addressing two guards positioned at a checkpoint. His posture was rigid, his tone firm as he gave instructions, clearly someone accustomed to authority.

Patrick slowed slightly, not enough to draw attention, but enough to assess.

Then recognition hit.

It was him.

The man whose armor he had taken back at the inn.

For a fraction of a second, the past and present collided, but Patrick did not allow it to show. His expression remained unchanged, his face settling into the same stern, composed look expected of an officer moving through his duties.

The officer finished speaking to the guards and turned.

His eyes landed on them.

There was a brief pause as he took in their approach, his gaze moving first to Patrick, then briefly to Lucas and Wesley.

Then he stepped forward. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"You," he said, his tone carrying authority but not immediate suspicion. "Where are you heading."

Patrick did not hesitate.

He met the man’s gaze directly, his expression firm, controlled. "Inspection rotation," he replied. "Orders from above."

The officer’s eyes narrowed slightly, not convinced yet, but not dismissing it either. "Which sector."

Patrick answered without pause. "Lower access corridors."

There was another brief silence.

The guards behind the officer remained still, watching, their attention fixed but not yet alarmed.

The officer took a step closer now, studying Patrick more carefully, as though trying to place something he could not immediately grasp.

Patrick held his ground.

Lucas remained silent beside him, his presence calm, controlled, ready for whatever direction this would take, while Wesley mirrored the same composure, neither drawing attention nor shrinking from it.

The officer’s gaze lingered on Patrick a moment longer, his eyes narrowing slightly as if searching for something just out of reach.

"I have never seen you before," he said.

Patrick did not flinch.

"I was transferred," he replied evenly. "From the outer walls."

The man’s expression remained guarded. "Transferred."

Patrick nodded once, his tone firm, controlled. "Reassigned to reinforce the castle. With forces moving out to support Lechia, street security has been reduced. The inner structure requires more oversight."

There was no hesitation in his delivery.

No gaps.

Only a clean, believable explanation that fit perfectly within the current situation.

The officer studied him again, this time not with suspicion, but with consideration. The logic was sound. It matched what was already happening across the city.

After a brief pause, his posture eased slightly.

"That makes sense," he said.

Patrick held his gaze, giving nothing more than a slight nod, exactly as an officer acknowledging another would.

The man exhaled quietly, then gave a small shake of his head. "My apologies for the questioning. We have been instructed to remain alert. Too many changes happening at once."

"As you should," Patrick replied calmly. "Continue doing your duty."

That seemed to settle it completely.

The officer straightened, then gestured slightly. "Proceed."

Patrick inclined his head once, then continued forward without breaking stride. Lucas and Wesley followed just behind him, their pace steady, their composure unchanged.

As they passed, the officer turned back to his own men. "Move," he said, leading his group in the opposite direction.

No alarms.

No suspicion.

Just routine.

Once they were a safe distance away, Wesley exhaled slowly, just barely. "That was close."

Patrick did not look back. "Not close enough."

Lucas’s voice came quietly. "You handled it well."

Patrick’s expression remained forward, but his tone was firm. "We keep moving."

And they did.

They moved through the final corridor without slowing, the air growing colder and heavier the deeper they went until the structure itself seemed to press down on them. The entrance to the dungeon level stood guarded, two men stationed at either side, their posture alert but not overly tense, the kind of vigilance that came from routine rather than immediate threat.

Patrick approached first.

"I’m here for inspection," he said, his tone carrying quiet authority.

The guards straightened instantly, their attention snapping into place as they registered his rank. One of them glanced briefly at Lucas and Wesley, then back at Patrick.

"Inspection, sir?" he asked.

"Yes," Patrick replied. "Orders passed down this morning. With troop movements ongoing, all internal sectors are to be verified."

The explanation was simple, and more importantly, believable.

The guard nodded quickly. "Understood, sir."

There was no further delay. They stepped aside, allowing Patrick through without resistance. Lucas and Wesley followed behind him as expected, their presence justified by his authority.

The moment they crossed into the dungeon proper, the atmosphere changed completely.

The sounds were different.

Muted.

Contained.

Chains shifting, distant footsteps, low voices that echoed faintly through the stone corridors. The structure Patrick had drawn came alive around them, each turn and passage now real, each checkpoint exactly where it had been marked.

Patrick did not stop walking.

"Stay natural," he said quietly, just enough for Lucas and Wesley to hear.

Lucas gave a slight nod, his eyes already moving, taking in everything without appearing to look too closely. Wesley did the same, maintaining the posture of a subordinate while quietly observing their surroundings.

They passed the first row of cells.

Some were occupied.

Others empty.

Figures sat in silence, some chained, some simply staring ahead with hollow expressions. None of them reacted loudly to the presence of soldiers, as if they had learned long ago that attention brought nothing good.

Patrick slowed slightly as they reached the first junction, just enough to make it seem like inspection rather than hesitation. He glanced toward one corridor, then the other, as though assessing routine conditions.

In reality, he was guiding them.

"This way," he said, turning toward the section he had previously marked as higher value containment.

Lucas followed without question.

They moved deeper.

Each section they passed, they observed carefully, but subtly. Lucas allowed his senses to extend just enough to feel the presence of those around them, not fully probing, but searching for something distinct, something that stood apart from the rest.

Wesley scanned faces as they walked, his expression unchanged, but his attention sharp.

"Not here," he murmured faintly.

Patrick did not respond, but he adjusted their direction again, leading them further in.

The guards stationed within the dungeon acknowledged Patrick as he passed, some straightening, others stepping aside. None questioned him. His presence, his armor, and the confidence in his movement gave them no reason to.

They reached another layer.

Heavier doors.

Stronger locks.

Fewer cells.

Lucas’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"This is closer," he said under his breath.

Patrick gave a slight nod. "High-value section."

They moved along the row slowly now, maintaining the appearance of inspection while their focus narrowed.