Runner stirred awake, his senses slowly returning as he felt the warmth of another body beside him. He blinked, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the tent, and saw Alley lying beside him, her chest rising and falling with the rhythm of sleep. Her body, toned and hardened from years of rigorous training, mirrored his own. He stared at her for a long moment, a mixture of admiration and guilt playing across his mind. They had shared a connection, something more profound than just the physical, but the weight of the world outside the tent loomed large, and he could already hear the distant murmur of voices.

Suddenly, a sharp conversation broke through the morning quiet, snapping Runner out of his thoughts. "Did you hear? Someone killed Baroness Lina right after the meeting. They’re asking about Talich and Zavet’s whereabouts!" The words hit him like a cold splash of water, and he bolted upright, his heart pounding. He scrambled to get dressed, his movements frantic as he pulled on his clothes with shaky hands.

Alley stirred beside him, sensing his urgency. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

“No time to explain,” Runner muttered as he pulled on his boots. “I have to go.” He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and rushed out of the tent before she could say anything more.

The morning air hit him like a tremendous slap, bracing against his skin. As Runner stepped outside, his eyes immediately caught sight of a piece of parchment pinned to the outside of his tent. It was a crude map, hastily drawn, with an X marking a spot. Without thinking, he snatched it up and pocketed it, too preoccupied with the news of Lina’s death to fully process what it meant.

He sprinted through the camp, weaving between tents and dodging those beginning to stir for the day. His mind raced as he tried to understand what he’d just heard. Lina, dead? How could that be? And why were they looking for Talich and Zavet? His thoughts were a tangled mess as he finally reached the spot where a group of Krimlond members had gathered.

Lina stood with Hoat and the rest of the Krimlond contingent, looking grim and determined. The tension in the air was palpable, a mix of fear, anger, and confusion swirling around them. Runner forced himself to stay calm as he approached, knowing that anything he said could have serious consequences.

“Hey,” he called out, interrupting their conversation. The group turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of relief and suspicion.

“Runner,” Lina greeted him, her voice tight. “Have you seen Talich or Zavet?”

Runner nodded, trying to keep his tone casual. “Yeah, Talich left to talk to his Knight master last night.” He chose his words carefully, not wanting to reveal too much. Technically, Talich wasn’t a knight, but he is a retired dark knight which is close enough.

Lina’s eyes narrowed slightly. “When did he leave?”

Runner swallowed, his mind racing to piece together a believable timeline. “About an hour or so before the meeting ended. Zavet was asleep in his tent when I last saw him. We spent most of the night setting it up.”

Hoat, who had been watching Runner closely, held up a small vial filled with a clear liquid. “Would you drink this and tell us that again?” Runner recognized it immediately—a truth serum. He’d seen it used during his knight training as a tool to weed out lies and deceit. The implications were clear: they didn’t fully trust him.

“Yeah, of course,” Runner replied without hesitation, trying to keep his voice steady. He took the vial from Hoat, uncorked it, and downed the contents in one quick gulp. The liquid was bitter, burning slightly as it went down. He closed his eyes, waiting for the familiar sensation to wash over him, and then he repeated his story. “Talich left to talk to his master about an hour before the meeting ended last night. Zavet was asleep when I left him in his tent. It took us well into the early morning to get it done.”

Hoat nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Well, we know Runner isn’t immune to the serum,” he said, a hint of relief in his voice.

Lina, however, wasn’t done. She studied Runner closely, her gaze piercing. “Did you see me come out of the keep last night?”

Runner shook his head, trying to mask his growing anxiety. “Sorry I didn’t see you.”

Lina sighed, frustration evident in her voice. “My things were still in my room. I would’ve grabbed at least a sword if I were leaving the keep. So it must have been someone inside the keep who did this.”

Gauges’s head dropped, a look of realization dawning on his face. “Oh man, it could have been one of the old members of Krimlond, the ones who got locked up for consulting and creating undead.”

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Lina’s expression darkened as she nodded. “Yeah, they might know a way into the keep. If that’s the case, we have a bigger problem.”

The group fell into a tense silence, the weight of the situation sinking in. Runner’s mind was spinning, trying to process everything. Lina’s murder, the suspicions around Talich and Zavet, the possibility of undead infiltrators, it was all too much. But one thing was clear: they were dealing with forces far beyond their control, and if they didn’t act quickly, the entire kingdom could be at risk.

The truth serum’s effects still lingered in Runner’s system, making it difficult to hide his fear. He knew he had to be careful, that any misstep could lead to disaster. But as the conversation continued around him, one thought kept nagging at the back of his mind: What had Zavet been doing last night?

As the morning light grew more robust, the tense atmosphere that had gripped the camp began to ease. After a round of questioning and gathering information, Lina seemed more at ease. She had pieced together enough of the night's events to form a clearer picture and was ready to move forward. With a nod to the group, she spoke up, her voice carrying a note of finality.

“Thank you all for your help. I’m sorry for the interruption,” Lina said, her tone sincere. “We’ve got a lot to process, but I think we’re starting to get a handle on things.” She turned to Gauge, standing nearby, and gave him a reassuring nod before heading toward the tents. “Let’s go find some breakfast,” she added, the exhaustion of the morning catching up with her.

Gauge stepped beside her, his relief palpable as the questioning finally drew to a close. “Sounds good,” he muttered, his stomach growling at the thought of food.

As they made their way to the camp, the smell of cooking greeted them, a comforting contrast to the tension that had dominated the last few hours. They soon spotted Runner and Alley near a small fire, where the scent of roasting potatoes and eggs wafted through the air. The sight of the two, already preparing breakfast, brought a sense of sorely needed normalcy.

Runner looked up as they approached, offering a tired but welcoming smile. “Lina, Gauge, come join us,” he called out, motioning to the space around the fire. “We’ve got more than enough to go around.”

Lina and Gauge exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. After their morning, the idea of sitting down to a meal with friends was far more appealing than eating alone. They settled down beside the fire, the warmth from the flames a pleasant contrast to the cool morning air.

“Thanks,” Lina said as she accepted a plate from Alley, who had been busy portioning the food. “It’s been a rough morning already, and we could use the break.”

Gauge nodded as he took his plate, his usual stoic demeanor softened by the exhaustion in his eyes. “It’s been a lot, but I’m glad we’re getting a handle on things.”

As they began to eat, the conversation flowed naturally, the earlier tension easing away with each bite. The potatoes were perfectly crispy, the eggs soft and savory, and it was a simple meal, but it was exactly what they needed. Runner took a moment to glance around at the group, feeling a sense of gratitude for the camaraderie they shared, even during all the chaos.

“So, any updates on what happened last night?” Alley asked, breaking the comfortable silence. She looked between Lina and Gauge, her curiosity piqued despite the seriousness of the situation.

Lina took a bite of her food before responding. “We’re still piecing things together, but it’s looking like the prisoners who escaped the dungeon might be behind it. There was suspicion on Talich and Zavet, but we’ve cleared that up. I did not think it was one of them. But last night, I had Harley come out here and investigate, and she said the two of you were working on a tent, and Talich was gone. So Talich became high on the list. But it could not have been him if he had left while I was still in the meeting unless he came back. Even then, I thought, how did he get inside the keep? After everyone left, Teric said he revoked the ward controls from everyone but our current members.”

“Yeah, that was a close call,” Runner added, remembering the tension when he had to prove their innocence. “It was getting pretty intense there for a minute.”

Gauge nodded, his expression thoughtful. “We’ll need to keep an eye out, though. If those prisoners are loose, they’re bound to cause more trouble. But at least we’ve got a direction to go in now.”

Alley, who had been listening intently, nodded in agreement. “ But at least we’re not completely in the dark anymore.”

The conversation shifted after that, moving away from the grim topics of the morning and focusing more on lighter subjects, stories from past battles, jokes shared between friends, and plans for the day ahead. The fire crackled gently, the food warmed them from the inside out, and for a little while, the world's troubles seemed a little more manageable.

Lina looked around at her companions with a small smile as the meal wound down. “Thanks, everyone,” she said, her voice carrying a note of sincerity. “We have work today. If you and Runner would join Merlot in working with Zavet, that would be wonderful. His Majesty wants to help Zavet find our citizens personally. “ Runner's eyes go wide. “Oh, uh, sure, let me go find Zavet first before His Majesty wastes his time looking for him.”

Lina nodded in agreement, her expression thoughtful. "I'll send him back to his tent by the Razlond embassy. Oh, and can you have Zavet find the Queen? If he does, it will mean a lot to His Majesty."

Runner nodded, understanding the weight of the request. He stood up, signaling to Alley that it was time to go. As he strapped on some of his armor, the familiar weight of his gear brought a sense of purpose. He left his father’s sword in the tent, opting instead for his old two-hander—a weapon that had seen him through countless battles.