Chapter 80: Three Lanes
Three days passed smoothly, filled with preparation, training, and the particular restless energy that came from knowing that they had a mission and we’re powerless to make it wait longer.
Eleanor called the group together in the same hall on the morning of the third day, the same worn map spread across the table, now marked with three distinct routes traced in Bertram’s careful hand.
"Here’s the plan," she said, once the room had quieted. "Three lanes toward the Gateway. Lucas, Mark, and I each lead a team down one of them. We clear our path as we go, scout for threats, map anything and everything leaving no stone unturned, and clear any threat we find along the way. First team to reach the Gateway sends word back so the others know it’s confirmed clear."
"And if a team runs into something they can’t handle?" Bertram asked.
"Same protocol. Signal for help, fall back if you have to. Nobody pushes forward alone if a lane turns out to be worse than expected." Eleanor’s gaze swept the room. "I’d rather we take a few extra days before we actually move than lose people rushing something none of us fully understood or simply overlooked."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathered fighters, and Eleanor nodded, satisfied. "Each of us picks a team of three. Choose people you trust to keep up with you and keep their heads on if things go wrong. We leave at first light tomorrow."
***
Lucas found Iris first near the training yard. Her arrows already being sorted and counted with her usual meticulous care.
She spoke up, sensing his approach. When he came close enough she said, not looking up from what she was doing. "Miss me?"
"Oh, yeah. Totally. Been a bit too quiet without you constantly questioning me about my ability."
She chuckled lightly. "Heard you’re choosing teams. Let me guess."
"You’re the first pick," Lucas confirmed with a shrug. "Figured that wasn’t much of a question. Plus, I’d like to do this with someone I actually know..."
"Smart man." She slung her quiver over one shoulder, a faint, approving smile tugging at her mouth. "Who else?"
Lucas scratched his head. "Working on it."
Iris’ eyes widened for a moment. "Jumping at picking teams when you don’t actually know your next move. Wow. How did we survived all those times?"
"Hey," he said, pointing at her. "This is different. Unlike that time, there wasn’t a cave filled with beasts."
He found Lora next, sharpening her curved dagger near the fortress wall, and she agreed almost before he’d finished asking which stunned even Lucas himself. By the time he regained his senses, she was already reaching for her gear with the the same readiness she had carried since the day he’d first dragged her into all of this, just like the first time...
Pyra rounded out the group, completing their team, and something in her expression shifted when he asked. Shock, mostly, though a flicker of uncertainty showed through it as well.
"You sure?" she asked. "I’ve still got a lot to learn. It’s my first time you know."
Lucas scoffed. "You survived a desert full of exploding sand and a mind controlled fortress," he said. "I think you’ve earned a spot."
She grinned, and anyone could tell that she was somewhat undeniably happy about being part of his group. "Well, if insist."
***
Mark assembled his own team with considerably less careful thought— just randomly picking the first people he saw.
He caught Bertram in the middle of him sharpening his machete and simply said, "You’re with me," before the older man could offer an opinion whatsoever on the matter.
"Wasn’t aware I had a choice," Bertram said dryly, though he was already gathering sheathing his weapon anb following him.
"You don’t. That’s the beauty of it." Mark replied with a calm smile.
He found Kai next— or rather, Kai found him, jogging over the instant word of the team assignments spread through camp, practically vibrating with eagerness.
"Please," Kai said, before Mark could even open his mouth. "Please let me come. I’ve been training. I scored a hit on that Hestia thing back at the Gateway, remember? I think I can handle whatever it is this time."
Mark studied him for a long moment. He was rather moved by his eagerness and confidence, something fond and faintly protective crossing his face before he replied. "Fine. But you stay close, and you listen when I tell you to fall back. No rushing in, we’re not superheroes trying to look cool. Deal?"
"Deal!"
The third spot went to a quiet, capable looking young woman named Sera, one of the survivors who had come over from Ryker’s fortress, whose steady hands and sharp eyes had earned respect during the past several days of training. She accepted the assignment with a simple nod, already back to checking the edge of her own blade.
***
Eleanor’s team came together last, and unsurprisingly, with the least discussion during final arrangements. Callum, whose healing had saved more lives over the past weeks than anyone could properly count, and a pair of steady, dependable fighters from her original fortress who had proven themselves a dozen times over since the drop.
By evening, all three teams stood ready, prepared to move the following day.
Mark walked towards Lucas and whistled. "Dang bro, look at that baggage," he said, eyeing the women that stood beside Lucas on both sides. "You’re one lucky man, or should I say, one lucky princess..."
Iris covered her mouth, trying to hold in a laugh when Mark turned to them. "Take care of him ladies. As you know, he’s got just one ability — a glitched one at that. Keep his safe would ya? I don’t think Elle and I can bare losing our precious princess."
Lucas rolled his eyes, and the three women couldn’t help but laugh.
"Ahhh still got it. With how charming I am, one would wonder why I’m still single." Mark said, sighing dramatically.
"Yeah," Lucas deadpanned. "I wonder why..."
They set out at first light the following morning, the remaining survivors in the fortress offering words of encouragement and prayers, expecting the return of their Faction Leaders.
The fortress gates swinging open onto a grey, overcast sky as the three teams began falling into loose formation as they crossed the fields toward the treeline that stretched overhead.
The walk to the point where the map’s three paths diverged took most of the morning, the forest thickening gradually around them, and the terrain growing rougher with every mile.
By the time they reached the fork — a wide, natural clearing where three distinct trails split off into the deeper forest beyond, the sun had climbed well past midmorning, casting long shadows through gaps in the trees ahead.
Eleanor studied the map one final time, tracing each route with a careful finger as she spoke without looking up.
"Left path heads through the ridge Bertram and the others scouted. Middle cuts straight through what’s marked as unexplored territory. Right stretches towards a river basin before curving back toward the Gateway itself, same as the other two roads."
"I’ll take the middle," Lucas said. "Unexplored means unpredictable, which means it needs someone used to improvising."
"That’s either very brave or very stupid," Mark said.
"Bit of both, probably."
"I’ll take the ridge, then," Eleanor said. "Bertram’s already got a partial map of it. Should let us move faster, cover the distance quicker."
"Which leaves me the river," Mark said, glancing toward Bertram, Kai, and Sera. "Guess we’re going fishing."
"We are not going fishing," Bertram said in a deadpan.
Mark chuckled. "Speak for yourself."
Bertram cast a worried look towards Lucas and he laughed before speaking: "Don’t worry," he said, "classic Mark. You’ll get used to it."
Eleanor rolled her eyes, though the corner of her mouth twitched with a fond smile despite the tension brewing in the moment. She turned to face the full group one last time, her gaze sweeping over each team one face at a time.
"Whatever you find out there," she said, "stay sharp, stay together, and remember to signal if things go wrong. We meet back here, or at the fortress, whichever comes first. No unnecessary risks. Got it?"
A chorus of agreement rose from all three teams, and Eleanor nodded once, satisfaction lining her features.
"Well then, let’s move."
Lucas glanced toward Iris, Lora, and Pyra, each of them already settling into ready stances, as they prepared to walked into uncharted territory.
"Ready?" he asked.
Iris nodded, already scanning the middle path’s treeline with the same focus she brought to everything.
He looked once more toward Eleanor and Mark, both of them already turning toward their own respective trails.
Mark walked ahead and waved. "You all be careful out there. Last one buys the rest of us food when we get home."
Eleanor glanced at him. "This is a race Mark."
"Oh, I know," he said with a faint smile. "Just needed something to motivate me. I hate spending money..."
Then, he walked towards his own lane before waving again. "Careful out there, Goddess."
Saying that, he disappeared into the trees, and just as Lucas was about to begin walking, Eleanor called out to him.
"Lucas," she called causing him to turn. "Try not to die..."
Lucas couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips as he replied. "No promises..."