Eclipsed

Chapter 23

Escape Plan - The Fortress Breakout

Ren’s muscles burned, and every breath he took felt like a battle. His body was a wreck—bruised, battered, bloodied—but his mind had never been sharper. The days spent in captivity, enduring torment and isolation, had not broken him. Instead, they had forged him into something sharper, more dangerous.

Every single day, he had studied the movements of the fortress, memorizing the patterns of the guards, learning the rhythms of the place. He had watched the behavior of Ozythar’s disciples, understanding their weaknesses. The walls that had once seemed inescapable had now become a map—he knew every crack, every shadow, every opening.

But none of that mattered if he couldn’t act. He had spent every waking moment preparing for this. And now, standing in the darkness of his cell, he was ready.

His hands trembled as he fumbled with the piece of paper he had stolen—a scrap, barely big enough to hold the rough outline of a plan, but enough to guide him. He scribbled quickly, his pen scratching across the paper. The lines were messy, but they didn’t need to be neat. What mattered were the details he had committed to memory.

Ren’s mind raced with images of the fortress, the guard shifts, the movements of Ozythar’s disciples. He could feel the pressure of time pressing down on him, but he remained calm. He had waited long enough.

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The Guard’s Arrival

The sound of keys jingling outside his cell door brought Ren back to the present. His heart raced, but he kept his breathing even. He knew the moment had come. The food delivery guard was predictable—always coming at the same time. He was the perfect target.

Ren had to move fast. He pressed himself into the shadows, ready for the split-second opportunity. When the door creaked open and the guard stepped inside, Ren was already there. He moved like lightning, grabbing the guard’s throat and slamming him against the stone wall. The guard let out a surprised gasp, but Ren’s grip tightened, and with a swift motion, he knocked the guard unconscious.

The guard’s body fell limp, crashing to the ground. Ren dragged him inside, shutting the door with a soft click. Time was precious. He quickly stripped off the guard’s uniform and threw it over himself. It was slightly big, but it would do. He adjusted the helmet, making sure it covered his face just right. He glanced down at the unconscious guard, his breath heavy.

He couldn’t afford to waste time. He needed to blend in, move quickly. Ren pushed the guard’s body into a corner, covering it with a tattered blanket so no one would find it. He stepped back, taking one last look at the cell, making sure everything looked as it should.

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Moving Through the Fortress

Ren’s feet were silent on the stone floors as he slipped out of his cell and into the long corridor beyond. The fortress was massive, its stone walls stretching endlessly. It was like a labyrinth, each hallway feeling more suffocating than the last. But Ren was not afraid. He had memorized every corner, every movement, every shift.

He moved with purpose, his mind calm despite the rapid beat of his heart. He knew he had only one shot at this. The guards who had passed by his cell earlier would soon notice something was wrong, but he wasn’t worried. He was a shadow—just another part of the fortress.

As he rounded the corner, he saw a group of guards coming down the hallway. Ren stopped dead in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat. He was trapped. But no. He was trained for moments like this. He stepped back into the shadow of a pillar, holding his breath, praying they wouldn’t see him.