After escaping the dungeons, Bernar and the others made their way across the chasm and into tahe underbelly of Escea. Jashad led the way as best as he could, even going so far as providing clothes to help disguise them from a nearby merchant.
"These will help you blend in, but don't expect them to be of much help if anyone gets too close. Especially you, Bernar," he noted, prompting Bernar to pull the cloth around his neck up to the bridge of his nose. "Oh, and you might want to pull that hood over your hair. Steel hair isn't common around here," Jashad gestured.
"Duly noted," Bernar did as instructed. "These are surprisingly comfortable even with my armor beneath them," he gave himself a once-over, testing the limits of his movement. "They're made to allow for good airflow in the summer, and provide decent warmth in the winter," Jashad shrugged.
"It's doing a fine job of that already. Thank you, Jashad," Leona remarked with a warm smile. Jashad blushed, but helped the others into their new disguises. "I'm sorry, but this is the best I can do for you, large one," he muttered, handing Thorsen the largest blanket available. "It's alright so long as you can make it look believable," the giant said, taking the dark brown blanket, trying his best to wrap it around himself.
He looks like a homeless person, Jashad thought with a pained smile.
After getting Marte, Neko, and even Unni dressed in disguises, they continued through the gloomy pathways of the underground city. There were only a handful of people walking beneath the dark green lanterns that lined the street, making it difficult for them to hide their presence entirely.
"Where are you leading us?" Marte whispered. "For Leona's plan to work, we'll have to talk to the Mouth of the Underbelly," Jashad began, glancing over his shoulder. "If anyone knows how to get information out quickly, it's him. I'm sure that after he learns what we know, it won't take long for the whole of Harut to know what she's done," he gritted his teeth angrily.
Marte considered his words for a moment, waiting to see if there was anything else he was going to add. "But why are you helping us?" she finally asked after mustering up the courage to do so, stopping Jashad in his tracks. He turned to face not just her, but the whole group he was leading, looking into each of their eyes before he spoke.
"I've given my life to this country. I've fought for it, bled for it, and served it in blind hope that it would get better someday. No matter what I was able to do, or how many people I've killed in service to my country, nothing has changed. The reason, you asked, is because I want to do what I can to bring this country back to its former glory. Is that such a bad thing to want?" he half-raised an eyebrow.
"Even if it meant betraying many of your friends?" Bernar asked hushedly. Jashad's eyes widened as memories flashed behind them. His eyes lowered after a few moments in dejection, but were quickly brought back with pure determination. "If they still want to blindly follow her after this information gets out, then they are no friends of mine," he growled.
Bernar understood exactly what he meant by his words, and placed a hand on Jashad's shoulder. "We'll get your country back. I promise," he looked at Leona briefly, who nodded in agreement. "I find it difficult to believe the words of a foreigner, but thank you for giving me a morsel of hope," Jashad sighed.
"Then how about the words of a friend?" Leona asked warmly. Jashad's eyes widened again with a hint of tears building up. "Yes, I can do that, Your Majesty," his voice cracked before offering her a subtle bow. The others smiled warmly, but it was quickly wiped away when the sight of a guardsman caught Bernar's eye.
"Move," he hissed, leading the others to a small, trash-filled alleyway to their right. "Shit, I didn't think they'd be here, too," he peered around the corner, noticing there were only a handful of them doing their rounds. "It will be difficult to move knowing they're here. We should take care of them," Gwili suggested, ensuring the cloth around his face was tightly pulled up.
"No, we can't afford to make a scene here. If they don't report back, a larger force will be sent to investigate," Jashad tugged on Gwili's sleeve to hold him back. Gwili sighed, but acknowledged his wisdom on the matter. "There's a path that will take us to The Mouth through here," Jashad said, lifting an iron grate at the back of the alley.
"How the hell do you know that?" Neko asked. "Because he grew up here," Bernar whispered in realization. Jashad's gaze shifted away from them in embarrassment. "He's right, but that's a story for another time. We need to go before they get here," he gestured to the hole in the ground. "I'll go first," Bernar put his hand in front of Leona.
Capable as ever, she nodded with a hint of a smile visible in her eyes.
Trudging through the damp corridor, the sounds of dripping water were the only thing present aside from their footsteps. Bernar led the way with a small Pyrus spell that gingerly floated above his hand. "Which way?" he asked as they came to a T-shaped crossway.
Jashad stepped toward the front of the group, running his hands along the walls to his left as if he was looking for something. "Ah, here it is," he gestured for Bernar to move closer with the light. There was an insignia of bestial teeth biting down on a chain carved into the stone just barely visible beneath the soaked moss.
"This is his mark. Only those who know or have worked under him would recognize it," Jashad said hushedly. "So, where do we go from here?" Bernar hid his curiosity. "We'll go right. A beast always faces forward, after all," Jashad quoted with a hint of reverence.
Yeah, he definitely grew up down here. I wonder just how well he knows this Mouth, Bernar nodded.
For the next few hours, they continued into the depths of the damp halls, following the insignias left behind at every crossway. Bernar and Jashad led the way, while the others followed closely behind to avoid getting lost. Neko and Marte held a hushed, idle conversation with Thorsen and Gwili, while Leona did what she could to learn more about the country from Jashad.
As they walked, Thorsen felt Unni shift while draped over his shoulder. "Bernar, I think she's waking up," he said. "No, Thorsen. She's been awake for the last three hours. I know you're wounded, but how much longer are you just going to let yourself be carried, Unni?" Bernar asked coldly.
Thorsen all but let her fall to the ground, catching her and setting her down gently, as she was still severely wounded. "Consider yourself lucky that I didn't crush your skull while you were asleep," he growled. "I'll be sure to remember that. Thanks for the lift," she sneered.
"Why did you pretend to be unconscious this whole time?" Bernar asked bluntly. "Why didn't you tell the others I wasn't?" she retorted. "I figured you had your reasons, I just wanted to know what they were, first," he stepped towards her. "What other reason would a traitor have other than valuing their own survival?" she asked, putting a hand to her compressed ribs.
"I meant here in Harut. Why come here after being banished from Hjalfar?" he asked bluntly, standing face to face with her. "Heh, a Synner like you wouldn't understand even if I explained it like I would to a child, elf," she nearly spat the last word. "Try me," Bernar cocked his head.
Unni sighed and shook her head. "It was the only place I could go where they wouldn't recognize the Mark," she gestured to her face. "Well, that turned out well, didn't it?" Thorsen growled. "You haven't killed me yet, so I suppose it has, old friend," she grinned wryly. "Why you little…" Thorsen paused, feeling Bernar's hand on his chest.
"Now's not the time for infighting," he shook his head with a glare. Why did you really come here?" Bernar asked. Unni paused momentarily as she chose her words. "Our takeover of Odensby wasn't meant to last forever," she sighed, but the others said nothing and allowed her to continue without interruption.
"We were only meant to be a placeholder until Zari made her move alongside The Masked One. However, when he didn't return to us, Zari and I concluded that something had gone wrong with the original plan and decided to wait for his return before planning our next move," she relented with a sigh. "So, she wanted to take over Hjalfar as well?" Thorsen growled.
"I suppose when you put it that way, yes," Unni shrugged. "Anders and I led the attack, but when he found out that I'd betrayed him and his family over ten years ago…" she gestured to the Mark on her face, prompting Thorsen to hold a pensive gaze. "That still doesn't answer my question," Bernar stepped forward. "Why are you really here?" he asked again, this time with a little more aggression.
Unni's eyes widened as her mouth moved wordlessly. It was clear to everyone that she hadn't thought of a concrete answer, let alone ever thought she'd have to answer a question like that. However, after a few moments, she lowered her head in dejection.
"I… just want to live," she said quietly. "Do you honestly think you deserve the right to live after everything you've done?" Thorsen's baritone resonated through the damp hall. "I know I've made mistakes; more than anyone should in a single lifetime, but I was trying to make my way through this world," she shook her head as she shrugged.
"What about Anders and his family? Was that just a part of your survival?" Thorrsen towered over her. "You have nothing left to offer this world. While some of your mistakes may be atoned for, you abandoned everything you believed in, exchanging it for nothing but empty promises," he continued angrily.
"They weren't entirely empty," Unni snapped.