71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBtEBSj6By
Kai looks up from the maps, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought he might say no, but instead, he straightened and crossed the room, kneeling beside me.
"You really want this, huh?" His voice was softer than I expected, more thoughtful.
I nodded, trying to keep my determination steady. "If I'm going to help, I need to be more than just a burden. I need to be able to fight."
Kai's eyes flickered to the door, where Rose had stormed out the night before. "Training with Rose isn't going to be easy. She's not the forgiving type, and she'll test you harder than anyone ever has."
I swallowed, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. "I'm ready."
Kai stood, offering me his hand. "Good. Then get up, because you've already lost a day. We start now."
Time had passed in a blur of pain and exhaustion. Rose had made it clear she wasn't happy about training me, but we eventually began to warm up to each other. Every sparring session with her was a battle of wills, and I lost every time. But I learned—slowly, painfully. Each bruise, each fall taught me something new. Kai watched from the sidelines, occasionally offering tips, but mostly letting Rose take the lead.
"You're not bad for someone with no training," Rose sneered one morning as she helped me off the ground. "But you're still not strong enough."
I glared at her, wiping the sweat from my brow. "I'll get stronger."
She chuckled darkly. "We'll see."
Kai interrupted our session, stepping between us. "Enough for today. We need to focus on the mission."
I followed him back inside, grateful for the reprieve. As we sat around the table, the tension between Rose and me still lingered, but it was slowly giving way to something else respect, maybe.
Kai spread out a new map, pointing to a heavily guarded section of the city. "This is where the patriarch keeps his personal slaves. It's heavily fortified, but there's a weak spot here." His finger tapped a narrow alley. "We'll need to disable the guards and slip inside without raising the alarm."
"And then what?" I asked, feeling my pulse quicken. This was it. This was the moment I'd been waiting for.
Kai exchanged a glance with Rose before speaking. "Once we're inside, we free the slaves. But there's more to it. We'll be sending a message to the patriarch and his minions. This isn't just a rescue mission; it's the beginning of a rebellion."
I felt the weight of his words settle over me. This wasn't just about escaping anymore. This was about tearing down the very system that had oppressed us for so long.
Rose leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "We'll burn the city to the ground if we have to."
Kai placed a hand on my shoulder. "your not ready Luna you have much training to go through if you want to be able to stand on your own."
I clenched my fists, feeling a wave of frustration rise within me. "I don't have time to keep training! Every day we wait, people are suffering. We need to act."
Kai's gaze was calm but unwavering. "If we rush in unprepared, we'll fail. And if we fail, the consequences will be worse than you can imagine. You're not ready yet, Luna."
Rose crossed her arms, her expression unreadable for once. "He's right, kid. You've got heart, but heart alone won't keep you alive out there. It'll get you killed."
I glared at her, but deep down, I knew they were right. I wasn't strong enough. Not yet. But I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. "Then what do we do? How do I get ready faster?"
Kai thought for a moment, then gestured toward the map. "We focus on what we can control. We need information—detailed plans about the patriarch's defenses, the guard rotations, hidden passageways. There's someone who can help us, but we'll need to convince them to join our cause."
"Who?" I asked, wary of yet another ally I hadn't heard of.
Rose smirked. "The Spider."
Kai's expression darkened. "They control the underworld here. If anyone knows how to move unseen through the city, it's them. But they don't do favors for free."
The name sent a shiver down my spine. I'd heard whispers of The Spider, a mysterious figure who controlled the black market and information network of the lower city. No one knew what they looked like or where they came from, only that they were dangerous, cunning, and nearly impossible to track.
"And what does The Spider want in return?" I asked cautiously.
Kai's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's what we'll find out. But know this: once we ask for their help, there's no going back."
Rose leaned back in her chair, her eyes glinting with amusement. "So, Luna, you think you're ready to meet a real monster?"
I hesitated, but only for a second. "I don't have a choice. If this is what it takes to free the others, then I'm ready."
Kai gave me a curt nod, but there was a flicker of pride in his eyes. "Good. We leave at dawn."
The next morning, we moved through the city with quiet efficiency. Kai led the way, Rose close behind, her hand never straying far from her blade. The streets grew narrower, darker, the air thicker with the stench of rot and desperation. We entered the heart of the underworld, where the city's forgotten souls lingered.
Kai stopped in front of a nondescript building, its windows boarded up, the door marked with a faint symbol I couldn't quite decipher. He knocked twice, paused, then knocked three more times in quick succession. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing a shadowy figure.
Without a word, Kai stepped inside, and Rose and I followed.
The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from flickering candles scattered around. It smelled of incense and something else—something metallic. The figure from the door motioned for us to sit, then disappeared into the shadows.
I could feel my heart pounding as we waited. After what felt like an eternity, another figure emerged. This one was tall, draped in dark, flowing robes, their face obscured by a mask of polished bone. The Spider.
"You've come to seek my help," The Spider said, their voice a chilling whisper that seemed to echo in the small room. "But you already know my price."
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-To be continued71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDi5LRNwGT
