Page 124 of Broken Sentinel

We separate to prepare, the brief respite of the morning giving way to urgent mission requirements. I help Lily collect medical supplies while Trent and Vex gather survival gear and weapons.

As I'm packing thermal garments, Trent joins me briefly, his presence a welcome warmth at my back.

"You okay?" he asks quietly.

I turn, offering a small smile despite the tension of our situation. "Ask me again when we're safely through Unity's perimeter."

His hand finds mine, fingers intertwining briefly. "We'll make it."

The simple conviction in his voice steadies me. For all that's changed between us, his unwavering confidence in mission success remains a constant I can rely on.

Twenty-eight minutes later, we assemble at the outpost's northern exit—a narrow tunnel that leads deeper into the mountain before emerging on the opposite slope. Each of us carries a pack of essential supplies. Vex has added lightweight climbing gear to his load, while Trent has a compact communications array strapped to his back. Lily, despite her insistence on carrying her share, has the lightest pack, filled mainly with medical supplies and emergency rations.

"Communications will be limited once we're in the mountains," Vex warns. "Natural mineral deposits interfere with standard frequencies."

"Advantage and disadvantage," Trent notes. "Provides coverage from Unity scanning but limits our ability to coordinate if separated."

"Then we don't separate," I say firmly, thinking of our recent experiences. "We move as a unit, regardless of terrain challenges."

No one argues with this assessment. The memory of Unity captivity remains too fresh, the stakes too high.

Vex takes point as we enter the tunnel, his modifications best suited for navigating the darkness ahead. Lily follows, then me, with Trent covering our rear. The standard formation feels comforting in its familiarity, even as our circumstances remain anything but standard.

The tunnel narrows as we progress, forcing us to proceed single-file through increasingly tight passages. My enhanced vision adjusts automatically to the darkness, picking out details in the rock formations surrounding us. Occasionally, my hand brushes Lily's shoulder ahead of me, maintaining contact in the constricted space.

"Junction ahead," Vex calls back softly. "Tunnel splits three ways."

We pause at the division, examining our options. Three passages branch outward—one continuing northward, one curving east, one descending sharply.

"Northern passage maintains our intended direction," Trent observes, consulting the crude map we'd found in the outpost.

"Eastern passage might provide better exit positioning," Vex counters. "More coverage from surrounding peaks once we emerge."

As they debate tactical options, I notice Lily's attentionfixed on the descending passage, her silver eyes swirling with unusual intensity.

"Something down there," she says quietly. "Something... familiar."

I follow her gaze, extending my senses toward the downward tunnel. At first, nothing registers beyond cool stone and distant water. Then—a strange awareness, similar to what I felt when near Lily but more diffuse. Not quite a physical sensation, not quite a sound, but something my modifications recognize nonetheless.

"I feel it too," I confirm, surprising myself.

"What is it?" Trent asks, immediately alert to potential threats.

"Not danger," Lily assures him. "Resonance. Like calls to like."

"Another Haven child?" Vex suggests, amber eyes narrowing.

"Or something connected to them," I say, the strange awareness growing stronger. "We should investigate."

"Deviating from our planned route increases risk," Trent cautions, ever the strategic thinker.

"Two minutes," I negotiate. "Quick reconnaissance only. If it's nothing, we continue north as planned."

He studies my face, then nods once. "Two minutes."

We follow the descending passage, moving carefully as the tunnel slopes steeply downward. The air grows colder, damper, carrying mineral scents my enhanced senses categorize automatically. The strange resonance intensifies as we descend, becoming an almost physical pull.

The passage eventually opens into a larger chamber, ceiling lost in darkness despite our enhanced vision. Natural columns of stone rise from floor to unseen heights, water trickling down their surfaces to collect in still pools.

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