The night sky was cloudless, and a full moon hung overhead.
Silver light blanketed the sea. Gray Sea Bay was calm, the waves that usually battered the reefs now silent, leaving only the faint sound of flowing water.
Minas Tirith, fifth floor.
Veylin rested his elbows on the stone railing, the sea breeze stirring his black hair.
He gazed at the full moon, sensing the subtle change as some threshold in the sea was breached.
He raised a hand and touched the Hive Terminal at the back of his neck.
[Final plan, commence.]
The silent command spread through the Hive Terminal to commanders of every rank throughout the fortress.
Hundreds of meters underground, inside a waterway that had long been excavated in secret.
Ola walked at the front, the water submerging his carefully braided beard.
Behind him stood Finley, the chief Fifth-Rank Knight serving under Diana of Dawn Territory, longsword in hand.
Twenty Level-Four Professionals followed close behind. Water battered the heavy leather packs on their backs with dull thuds.
"Sir Finley, your warriors are holding up, I hope? Moving through water takes far more effort than moving on land." Ola did not turn his head, his voice echoing through the waterway.
"Rest assured, Baron Stonebeard," Finley replied steadily. "We've already trained for this. It won't affect our fighting strength."
Ola nodded silently and said no more.
The waterway ended not in an exit, but in a thick rock wall sealing it shut.
Ola stepped forward and tapped it with the end of his battleaxe. After listening closely for a moment, he murmured over the Mind Channel.
[Almost there. We'll have to dig through this last stretch ourselves.]
The knights wasted no words. They immediately stepped forward and began digging with their weapons and the tools they carried.
Moments later,