The tunnel opened onto Iron Vale's outskirts maybe 200 meters from the vault entrance, emerging through a drainage grate that someone had modified with hinges and a basic concealment rune that was now flickering from age and neglect, The afternoon smog was starting to clear as wind patterns shifted, revealing brass bridges that connected industrial districts across gaps where ground level construction had proved impossible.
"Temperature is about 14°C" Gryan observed checking his mechanical arm's environmental sensors while scanning for immediate threats "Visibility improving but that means we're more exposed to aerial surveillance"
14°C felt almost warm compared to the vault's damp chill, and the clearing smog meant they could actually see more than 20 meters ahead for the first time since entering Iron Vale's maze, but better visibility worked both ways and Coalition forces would have easier time spotting fugitives trying to flee the industrial district.
The Runepaths that normally provided magical lighting were about one meter wide, etched into brass surfaces with amber glows that pulsed erratically from insufficient maintenance and atmospheric interference, Someone had tried to grow Glowroses along the path edges but most of the magical plants were dead or dying from smog exposure and lack of proper care.
"The Steamwagon should be about 100 meters ahead" Tavin said as his Runetoken pulsed with directional guidance "Mira arranged it as backup transportation in case the primary escape routes got compromised"
A Steamwagon worth maybe 1,000 Silverweaves represented serious Coalition resistance investment, the kind of expensive equipment that suggested Mira had been planning for worst-case scenarios where conventional escape methods would not be sufficient, Alucent felt another wave of guilt wash over him at the reminder of everything she had prepared that they might not live long enough to use properly.
The bridges ahead were about 10 meters long, spanning gaps between warehouse complexes with brass construction that showed heavy wear from constant steam exposure and industrial vibration, The kind of infrastructure that probably needed replacement but was being held together with emergency repairs and desperate hope that catastrophic failure would not happen during critical moments.
But the sound of armored footsteps was echoing through the drainage tunnel behind them, multiple Rune-Armor units moving with coordinated precision that suggested they had found the secondary exit and were closing the pursuit gap with professional efficiency.
"Rune-Armors are maybe 50 meters back" Gryan said as they started across the first bridge "Moving faster than normal guards, probably enhanced with speed runes that give them tactical advantage in open pursuit"
Speed-enhanced Rune-Armors meant they had maybe three minutes before the enemy caught up, not enough time to reach the Steamwagon and get it moving unless everything went perfectly, which basically never happened during combat operations.
But then, Alucent thought. We need something to slow them down, maybe a barrier rune or structural sabotage that forces them to take alternate routes, but I'm already exhausted from the vault work and pushing harder risks Taboo corruption.
"I can collapse the bridge after we cross" Alucent said examining the brass supports while trying to ignore how badly his hands were still shaking "Basic structural disruption, should buy us maybe three minutes"
"Three minutes might be enough" Raya said though her tone suggested she did not actually believe it "But if you mess up the timing we either get caught on the wrong side or bring the bridge down on ourselves"
The criticism was fair but it still stung, especially when he was already dealing with guilt from two deaths that were entirely his fault, Alucent reached the far side of the bridge and started etching a disruption rune into the support beam, gray light cutting through afternoon air as he channeled what little Runeforce remained in his exhausted reserves.
Come on, just need basic structural weakness, nothing fancy, just enough instability to drop the bridge after we're safely across.
But his concentration was fragmenting from exhaustion and emotional interference, the disruption rune wavering as Shadowcage Taboos pressed harder against his consciousness with whispers that sounded like accusations about all the ways he kept failing to protect people who depended on him.
"Rune is unstable" he said as the gray glow flickered and reality distortion started creeping in around the edges of his vision "Might not collapse cleanly"
"Just finish it" Gryan ordered as the first Rune-Armor appeared at the tunnel exit "We're out of time for perfect solutions"
Alucent completed the disruption pattern with a final burst of Runeforce that left him dizzy and nauseous, the kind of magical exhaustion that meant he would be basically useless for combat if they got cornered before reaching the Steamwagon, The bridge groaned as structural integrity began failing in the exact pattern he had inscribed.
They were maybe 30 meters away when the bridge collapsed with a sound like tearing metal, brass beams twisting and falling into the gap below where they crashed against lower-level infrastructure with impacts that probably alerted every Coalition unit within 500 meters to their general location.
"That bought us maybe two minutes" Raya said as they ran toward the Steamwagon's position "Rune-Armors will find alternate routes but at least they can't follow directly"
Two minutes felt like nowhere near enough time but it was what they had, and the Steamwagon was coming into view through the clearing smog, a brass and iron vehicle about four meters long with a steam engine that showed signs of recent maintenance and runic enhancement.
The vehicle was parked near a small Runewell maybe 1.5 meters in diameter, its dim glow suggesting depleted power reserves that would need recharging before it could fuel extensive magical operations, Worth about 120 Silverweaves if someone wanted to buy it legally, which meant this was probably Coalition resistance property that Mira had secured for emergency use.
"Engine looks functional" Gryan said examining the Steamwagon's systems "But we'll need fuel and someone who can operate the controls under combat conditions"
"I can drive" Raya said climbing into the operator's position "Basic Steamwagon operation was part of resistance training, though I've never done it while being chased by Rune-Armors"
Alucent collapsed into the passenger compartment, his frock coat ragged and stained with dried blood, coal dust, and condensation from hours spent navigating Iron Vale's industrial nightmare, His eyes felt haunted by images of Mira's death and the civilian worker's explosion that kept replaying every time he tried to focus on anything else.
This is getting worse, the guilt is affecting everything I try to do, turning straightforward magical work into dangerous improvisation that gets people killed.
But Tavin was already pointing toward the eastern bridge where two Rune-Armor units had appeared, maybe two meters tall in full brass enhancement that gleamed even through the afternoon smog, Each unit worth about 500 Silverweaves in equipment and training, equipped with integrated Runeforce projectors that could fire destructive bolts at targets up to 50 meters away.
"Rune-Armors on the eastern approach" he said as his hazel eyes went wide with recognition of immediate danger "They're preparing to fire"
Rune-Armor units raised their integrated projectors in synchronized movement, blue-white energy building in focusing chambers as they prepared to unleash Runeforce bolts that would punch through the Steamwagon's brass plating like it was paper.
"We need speed enhancement right now!" Raya shouted as she tried to get the steam engine running with controls that were not responding as quickly as she needed "Basic acceleration is not going to outrun Runeforce bolts"
Speed enhancement meant another rune inscription but Alucent was already exhausted from vault work and bridge sabotage, the kind of advanced magical application that required focus and stability he definitely did not have, but the alternative was getting killed by enemy fire before they even got the Steamwagon moving.
I need to etch a speed rune on a moving vehicle while dealing with guilt-induced emotional interference and reality distortion from pushing my Runeforce reserves past safe limits, this is exactly the sort of thing that ends badly.
"I can do a speed rune" he said pulling out his Runequill despite hands that were shaking badly enough that precision work seemed basically impossible "Thread 3 level, should boost the Steamwagon to maybe 50 kilometers per hour"
50 kilometers per hour was way faster than the vehicle's normal maximum speed, the kind of enhancement that required carefully balanced inscription work to avoid catastrophic mechanical failure or loss of control during high-speed maneuvering.
Alucent found a section of brass plating near the steam engine and started etching the speed rune while the Steamwagon lurched into motion, blue light cutting through afternoon air as he tried to maintain focus despite the vehicle bouncing over uneven ground, The pattern was about eight square centimeters of stability-aligned inscriptions mixed with momentum enhancement principles.
But guilt was making the inscription matrix unstable, his hand slipping as the Steamwagon hit a rough patch and the blue glow flickered with dangerous instability, This is exactly what happened in the vault, letting emotional interference compromise precision work when lives depend on getting it right.
The first Runeforce bolt screamed past maybe half a meter from the Steamwagon's side, 0.2 meter projectile of compressed magical energy that would have torn through the passenger compartment if Raya had not swerved at exactly the right moment, The ten minutes chase sequence was already feeling like it would last forever.
"Speed rune is failing" Alucent said as the blue light wavered and the inscription started to collapse "I can't maintain focus with all this movement"
"Then figure it out" Raya snapped as she navigated between brass obstacles while trying to avoid incoming fire "Because if that rune fails we crash or get shot, and either way we're dead"
The pressure was making everything worse, panic feeding into guilt feeding into exhaustion in a cycle that was destroying his ability to do basic magical work, Alucent forced himself to complete the speed rune despite knowing the inscription was weaker than it should be, blue light stabilizing just enough to channel enhancement into the Steamwagon's mechanical systems.
The vehicle surged forward with acceleration that pressed everyone back against their seats, steam engine screaming as it tried to handle power output way beyond its normal operational parameters, They were moving at maybe 50 kilometers per hour across terrain that was definitely not designed for high-speed vehicle traffic.
Behind them Gryan's mechanical arm extended to deflect another Runeforce bolt in a three second sequence that sent sparks flying as enhanced brass absorbed energy that would have destroyed normal human flesh, His arm showed fresh damage from the impact but the hydraulic systems were still functional.
"Engine temperature is climbing past safe levels" he announced checking the Steamwagon's status indicators "Speed enhancement is putting too much stress on mechanical components"
Too much stress meant the vehicle might suffer catastrophic failure before they escaped pursuit range, but slowing down meant getting shot by Rune-Armor units who were still firing with professional accuracy despite the increasing distance.
This is my fault, if I had etched a stronger rune the enhancement would be more efficient and put less strain on the engine, but guilt made the inscription weak and now we might die from mechanical failure instead of enemy fire.
Raya was already adjusting their course toward a narrow gap between warehouse complexes, her cloak shredded from earlier fights and her facial scar bright red with fury that seemed equally divided between their pursuers and him, She slashed at debris blocking their path with her Weaveblade in a two minute sequence that cleared enough space for the Steamwagon to squeeze through.
"Rune-Armors are falling behind" Tavin said watching their pursuers through the rear viewport "But I'm seeing visions of something worse ahead, some kind of checkpoint or ambush position"
Something worse ahead meant they were trading immediate danger for future problems, the kind of tactical situation where all the options were terrible and they just had to pick whichever one seemed slightly less likely to get everyone killed.
But as they cleared Iron Vale's industrial district and entered the transition zone toward Eryndral, Alucent noticed something scattered on the ground near an abandoned checkpoint, A small cache of supplies that included 20 Silverweaves someone had left behind during an evacuation.
"Stop for a moment" he said though he knew the request was probably stupid "There's money on the ground, might be worth securing"
"We're being chased by Rune-Armors and you want to stop for 20 Silverweaves?" Raya asked though she was already slowing the Steamwagon "Your priorities are really messed up"
But she stopped long enough for Gryan to grab the scattered coins, 20 Silverweaves that represented practical resources they would need for the next phase of their mission, The kind of opportunistic looting that felt wrong but was probably necessary for survival in wartime conditions.
Near the abandoned checkpoint someone had left fuel canisters, basic steam-grade coal worth maybe 5 Copperweaves that would keep the Steamwagon running for another 50 kilometers or so, Tavin secured the fuel through quick barter with a fleeing merchant who was way more interested in getting away from Coalition patrols than negotiating fair prices.
"We need to talk about what just happened" Raya said as they got the Steamwagon moving again at more sustainable speeds "Your weak rune nearly crashed us, and that's the third major mistake since Mira died"
"I know" Alucent replied though knowing it did not make the guilt any easier to handle "The emotional interference is affecting my magical work and I don't know how to stop it"
"You stop it by being professional instead of wallowing in self-pity" she snapped turning to glare at him with eyes that showed genuine anger "Everyone loses people in war, but functional soldiers learn to compartmentalize instead of letting guilt compromise their abilities"
The criticism was harsh but probably accurate, he was letting emotional responses interfere with tactical thinking and magical precision, turning himself into a liability that endangered everyone around him, But knowing he should compartmentalize and actually being able to do it were really different things.
"Tavin's visions mentioned something about Veyris and Loom control" Gryan said trying to redirect the conversation toward more productive topics "What did you see?"
"The Loom of Fates is not just a prophecy tool" Tavin replied as his Runetoken pulsed with residual vision energy "Veyris has figured out how to use it for reality manipulation, changing cause and effect relationships in ways that make conventional tactical planning basically useless"
Reality manipulation through the Loom meant they were facing enemies who could alter fundamental principles of how the world worked, the kind of power that made normal combat advantages irrelevant if Veyris decided to intervene directly in their mission, Really terrifying implications for what they might face in Eloha's fortress.
The Steamwagon was approaching Eryndral's outskirts as afternoon light faded toward evening, brass towers visible through clearing smog that showed the city's more refined architecture compared to Iron Vale's industrial brutality, They had escaped the immediate pursuit but everyone knew the respite was temporary.
"We need to reach the Scribe's Tower" Raya said checking their navigation against landmarks that were becoming visible "That's where we can secure proper rest and maybe get intelligence about Eloha's fortress defenses"
The Scribe's Tower represented their next objective, a repository of magical knowledge that might contain information about ancient rune work and how to counter Void Rune enhancement, The kind of strategic resource that could make the difference between mission success and dying in some forgotten corridor beneath Eloha's stronghold.
But as the Steamwagon rattled toward Eryndral with damaged engine and depleted fuel reserves, Alucent could feel the weight of recent failures pressing down on his consciousness like physical burden, Mira dead from his tactical mistakes, civilian worker killed by his imprecise rune work, and now weak speed enhancement that had nearly crashed them during escape from Rune-Armor pursuit.
I'm supposed to be getting better at this, supposed to be learning how to function in combat situations, but every mistake just adds to the guilt and makes the next magical work even more difficult.
"The guilt is going to get everyone killed if you don't figure out how to control it" Raya said as they entered Eryndral's streets "Professional competence means functioning despite emotional interference, not letting feelings compromise tactical effectiveness"
"I understand that" he replied watching Iron Vale disappear behind them through the rear viewport "But understanding it and actually doing it are really different things"
The Steamwagon's engine was making concerning noises as they navigated toward the Scribe's Tower, mechanical stress from the speed enhancement causing damage that would require proper repairs before the vehicle could be used for extended operations, Another consequence of weak rune work that might have been avoided if guilt had not compromised his inscription quality.
Behind them Iron Vale's smog was rising again as evening industrial operations resumed, gray-brown haze that concealed whatever Coalition response was being organized to track down the fugitives who had penetrated secure facilities and stolen valuable intelligence about resistance networks.
Ahead the Scribe's Tower waited with its promise of knowledge and rest, though Tavin's visions suggested that even sanctuary would come with complications and new dangers that would test their ability to function as a cohesive team despite mounting tensions and unresolved guilt.
The war was far from over, and the flight from Iron Vale had only bought them temporary reprieve from enemies who would not stop hunting until they were dead or captured.