A Daring Escape Attempt

Madison woke with a start, her heart pounding. She'd been dreaming of Wald again, seeing him torn away by Karnath-Gor's dark magic. But this time, the dream felt different - more urgent, as if it was trying to tell her something.

She slipped out of bed, careful not to wake the others. The old fortress was quiet, save for the soft snores of exhausted rebels. Madison made her way to the crumbling watchtower, needing some fresh air to clear her head.

As she climbed the worn stone steps, she replayed Wald's return over and over in her mind. Something wasn't right. His eyes had been unfocused, his words slurred. At the time, she'd chalked it up to exhaustion and whatever horrors he'd endured at Karnath-Gor's hands. But now, in the stillness of night, doubt crept in.