Chapter 17

The downpour blurred my vision, and I hastily wiped the rain from my face. The mountain path was slick with mud, overgrown with weeds, and sharp branches occasionally scratched at my legs. Each scrape sent stinging pain through the rain-soaked wounds.

The sharp gravel dug into the soles of my bare feet, but I couldn't stop. The security guards were closing in behind me, relentless in their pursuit.

Under the faint light of the moon, I could barely make out the path ahead. Dark shadows flitted through the trees, and birds with eerie cries swooped above, their wings cutting through the stormy sky.

I glanced back in panic, seeing the guards gaining on me, closing the gap quickly. My heart raced as my foot slipped, and I fell hard onto the ground. The cold, wet earth pressed against me, and I let out a pained groan as I scrambled back to my feet.

Just as one of the guards was about to grab me, my foot missed a step, and I tumbled down the slope.

The world spun around me.

Tree branches wh