We moved like shadows through the back alleys, ours lengthening and distorting in the flickering light from the few streetlights that still functioned in this part of town. Every creak of a loose board beneath our feet, every distant bark of a dog, sounded amplified in the tense silence of the night. My heart still hammered, a frantic rhythm I feared anyone with sharp ears could hear. I breathed carefully, trying to slow my beat, concentrating on the sounds of my companions: the rustle of Sciel's robes, the faint rustle of Gustave's armor, Lune's almost inaudible footsteps, and Maelle's bated breath beside me.
Lune, being the tracker she was, was a few steps ahead, her agile figure barely visible in the gloom. She moved with innate confidence, her eyes adapted to the darkness much better than mine. Every now and then, she raised a hand to signal us to stop or duck behind some debris. We trusted her implicitly; her ability to navigate undetected could mean the difference between success and being spotted by a night patrol or, worse, by something we didn't want to find within the "safe" confines of the city.
Finally, we reached the section of the eastern wall Lune had identified. It wasn't an official gate, but rather a hidden gap between old, abandoned warehouses, a place the guards often overlooked or considered too insignificant to patrol regularly. Still, the air here was thick with palpable tension. Were they waiting? Had the guards' routine changed just tonight?
Gustave approached cautiously, inspecting the darkness around us before gesturing. "The path is clear, for now. But we don't have much time."
The gap was narrow, barely enough for us to squeeze through one at a time. The stone was worn and damp to the touch. A thin layer of moss covered some parts. Maelle was the first to slip through, followed by Sciel. I heard their ragged breaths as we passed. Then it was my turn. As I squeezed between the cold stones, I felt a tightness in my chest, not only from the confined space, but from the immensity of what crossing that threshold represented. It was the point of no return. Once outside, we were truly alone.
As I emerged on the other side, the air changed. It no longer smelled of wilted flowers and resignation. It smelled of damp earth, wild vegetation, and something else... something stale and unknown, a hint of danger that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The darkness out here was deeper, barely dimmed by distant stars and a waning moon peeking timidly through the clouds. There were no streetlights, only dancing shadows and jagged outlines.
Lune was already standing, waiting silently, her bow ready. Gustave stepped out behind me, his figure imposing even in the darkness. He closed the gap as best he could, pushing some loose boards into place to disguise our exit.
"Good," Gustave whispered. "We're out. Now, let's move. Remember the formation. Lune in front, [Your Character Name] and I bringing up the rear. Maelle and Sciel in the center. Stay alert. The terrain is uneven, and we don't know what lurks in the shadows."
We began walking, our steps muffled by the earth. The terrain was uneven, littered with debris, twisted roots, and patches of strange vegetation that seemed to glow faintly in the moonlight. I had to concentrate to avoid stumbling, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. My sense of 'rhythm' and 'perception' (my subtle ability) kicked in, not just for the fight, but also for the environment, sensing the ground beneath my feet and anticipating where a trap or drop-off might lie.
The silence outside the walls was different from that of Lumière. It wasn't the absence of noise, but a silence filled with unknown nocturnal life: the creaking of distant branches, the muffled howl of some creature, the rustle of the wind through leaves I didn't recognize. Every sound put us on guard. We often stopped, listening, trying to discern whether the noise was natural to the environment or indicative of danger.
"Sciel's readings suggest that the 'Painter's Veil' begins a few kilometers from here," Maelle said in a whisper, referring to the area most heavily affected by the Painter's magic. "Once inside, reality can be... malleable. We must be prepared for the unexpected."
"Maleable?" Sciel asked, adjusting his grip on his tome, though he also carried a small crossbow, just in case. "My studies suggest they're more like... distortions of perception and physical form. The landscape itself can deceive us."
"It means we can't trust what we see," Gustave summed up gravely. "We must trust each other. And our instincts." (Exploration and environmental challenges are hinted at, possibly linked to puzzles or traps in the game.)
We walked for what seemed like an eternity. The night chill was intensifying, and fatigue was beginning to creep into my legs. Despite the fear, there was a strange euphoria in being on the move, in doing something, no matter how desperate. We were no longer sitting around waiting for our destiny; we were actively seeking it, trying to change it.
Suddenly, Lune stopped abruptly ahead, raising a hand. We stopped dead in our tracks, our senses on high alert. The silence deepened, broken only by our own breathing.
"What's wrong, Lune?" Gustave whispered.
"Silence," she replied softly, her voice strained. She pointed toward a clump of twisted trees to our right. "I hear something. Or… I feel something." Trackers like Lune often spoke of 'sensing' the presence of creatures before seeing them, an ability that sounded almost mystical to me.
I strained my ears, trying to capture what she was hearing. At first, nothing. Just the wind and the natural rustling of the forest. Then, a different sound. A shuffling. Slow. Heavy. Getting closer. My hand tightened on the handle of my sword.
"Prepare," Gustave murmured, drawing his own weapon. Maelle and Sciel approached, their weapons ready as well. The first taste of the outside world was upon us. And we had barely begun.