Execution of the Plan

Night had settled deep over the House of Evolution.

The dormitory was silent except for the faint crackle of dying embers somewhere outside and the distant whisper of wind brushing against the wooden walls.

Everyone appeared asleep.

Slowly, Vihaan opened his eyes.

Without making a sound, he sat up on his bed. His bare feet touched the cold wooden floor, and his gaze moved across the dark room — steady, alert.

He walked toward Liorin.

She was already awake.

Her eyes opened the moment he approached.

“Have you slept?” Vihaan whispered.

“I was waiting for you,” Liorin replied quietly.

Vihaan nodded once and continued forward.

He stopped beside Eryx’s bed. The boy lay with his arm resting over his eyes.

“Eryx,” Vihaan said in a firm whisper. “Don’t fall asleep. Get up.”

Eryx smirked faintly without moving.

“Not sleepy. Just exhausted.”

He shifted slightly, lowering his arm.

“But I’m ready. Tell me the plan.”

“Lower your voice,” Liorin whispered sharply. “You’re not alone here.”

Vihaan crouched between them. His expression remained calm, but his eyes were focused.

“For the plan,” he said quietly, “I need a map.”

Silence followed.

Eryx frowned slightly.

“Upstairs,” he said after a moment. “I think that’s where they keep it.”

Liorin raised an eyebrow.

“First time you’re guessing,” she murmured, “but he’s right.”

Vihaan exhaled slowly. The risk was clear, but so was his resolve.

“It’s dangerous,” he said.

Then, after a brief pause:

“But we go.”

He straightened slightly.

“In the name of Thornvyl.”

Liorin placed a fist against her chest.

Eryx nodded, his expression turning serious.

Without another word, the three of them stood.

Vihaan moved first toward the staircase, his steps measured and quiet. Liorin followed close behind, watchful. Eryx came last, glancing back once before disappearing into the shadows with them.

The upper gallery was narrow and dim.

Moonlight slipped through a high window, casting thin silver lines across the floor.

They crouched low as they moved forward until they reached an old wooden door.

Vihaan studied it carefully.

“I think this is it,” he whispered. “If there’s a map, it’ll be here.”

Liorin nodded.

Eryx took a slow breath to steady himself.

Together, they stood.

Vihaan pushed the door gently.

The hinges didn’t make a sound.

They slipped inside one by one, and the door closed behind them in silence.

The storage room was dark.

Then—

Click.

A faint yellow glow appeared as Eryx lit a small pocket lamp, shielding it with his hand.

Dust floated in the beam like tiny frozen sparks.

“We belong to Thornvyl,” Liorin muttered, slightly irritated. “Our night vision is ten times sharper than a tiger’s. We don’t need that.”

Eryx tilted the lamp.

“Maybe for you,” he murmured. “Still useful for me.”

Vihaan didn’t comment.

His eyes were already adjusting, scanning the room.

The storage room looked abandoned.

Wooden shelves bent with age.

Rolled papers stuffed into corners.

Broken crates stacked carelessly.

Rusted tools hanging from nails.

Dust thick enough to leave footprints.

Everything felt forgotten — yet important.

Liorin moved toward a shelf, brushing dust away with her fingers.

Eryx nudged a crate open with his foot.

It creaked softly.

All three froze.

Silence.

Nothing happened.

Vihaan slowly exhaled.

“Search fast,” he whispered. “Touch only what you must.”

They began searching.

Minutes passed.

The room filled with quiet movement — papers being unrolled, crates shifting, dust rising into the air.

Eryx suddenly muttered under his breath.

“Dust here… dust there… dust everywhere.”

“This room  is too big to be searched.”

“Shh.”

Liorin raised her hand instantly.

Her head tilted slightly.

“Someone’s coming up the stairs.”

The air changed.

Faint footsteps echoed from the staircase.

They grew louder.

Closer.

Eryx closed the lamp with a soft click.

Darkness swallowed the room.

Vihaan’s hand slowly curled into a fist.

No one breathed.

The footsteps reached the gallery.

A shadow moved beneath the door.

The sound paused.

For a heartbeat, it felt like the entire house was listening.

Then the footsteps continued.

They moved past the room and faded down the corridor.

Only then did the three of them release their breath.

“Search faster,” Vihaan whispered.

They resumed.

Time slipped away.

Still nothing.

Eryx finally collapsed into a corner, leaning back against the wall.

“I can’t search anymore,” he whispered, exhausted.

Vihaan looked around the room — overturned shelves, scattered papers.

Nothing useful.

For a moment, it felt like the room had defeated them.

Then Liorin raised her hand again.

“Again.”

Footsteps.

Closer this time.

They froze once more.

Darkness wrapped around them.

A shadow slid across the bottom of the door.

The sound paused.

Longer than before.

Then the footsteps moved on again.

Silence returned.

“We’re running out of time,” Eryx whispered.

Dust slowly settled.

The room still hid its secret.

The search resumed — more desperate now.

Liorin checked under broken shelves.

Vihaan unrolled every paper he found.

Still nothing.

Finally, Vihaan stopped searching.

He looked across the room — not searching anymore.

Thinking.

“The map isn’t here,” he said quietly.

Eryx frowned.

“Then what exactly are we searching for? Even if we find a map of this house… what will you do with it?”

Vihaan turned toward him.

“I don’t need a map of the house.”

A pause.

“I need the map of Elyndor.”

“The Thornvyl territory.”

Liorin’s eyes widened slightly.

“You mean… the outer lands?”

Eryx blinked.

Then suddenly froze.

“Elyndor…?”

He scratched his head.

“My luck,” he said slowly. “I swear… I had it in my hands an hour ago.”

Vihaan turned sharply.

“What?”

Eryx sat up straight.

“Yeah. I didn’t know it was important. Thought it was just another old paper.”

He rushed toward a pile of bundled parchments.

Papers scattered as he searched.

“Here… not this… wait—”

“Here!”

He pulled out a large, worn parchment and unrolled it halfway.

Faint mountain ranges.

Rivers dividing the land.

And at the top:

ELYNDOR.

Liorin stared.

“You’re kidding me…”

Vihaan took the map carefully.

For the first time that night, his expression changed.

Hope.

The plan moved forward quickly.

They tore the Thornvyl section from the map.

Vihaan marked a precise location.

“Aeralith Camp.”

The footsteps returned.

“Time’s up,” Liorin whispered.

The lamp went dark.

And they prepared to leave.

The guard’s footsteps passed the door.

Slow.

Measured.

Then faded away.

Vihaan folded the map fragment and hid it inside his waist cloth.

One by one, they slipped out of the room and moved quietly down the staircase.

Soon they were back in their beds.

As if nothing had happened.

Morning arrived with the sharp ringing of the bell.

The dormitory burst into motion.

Children moved quickly toward the wash area. Metal bowls clattered. Quiet conversations filled the air.

Vihaan remained seated on his bed.

Liorin sat beside him.

Eryx slowly opened his eyes, stretching as if nothing had happened the night before.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“If everything goes right,” he whispered, “we’ll be free by tomorrow.”

He turned toward Vihaan.

“So… what’s the plan?”

Vihaan glanced around the dormitory first, making sure no one was paying attention. Then he carefully pulled the folded map fragment just enough for them to see.

“We plant this outside the forest,” he said quietly. “A Thornvyl scout will find it.”

Liorin frowned slightly.

“How do we even leave the camp? The guards won’t allow it.”

“They will,” Vihaan replied calmly.

“If Kael takes us.”

Eryx tilted his head.

“Why would he?”

Vihaan’s voice stayed steady.

“He doesn’t know medicine. If one of us becomes seriously ill… he’ll have no choice.”

Eryx gave a small scoff.

“He doesn’t care if we’re sick.”

Liorin looked directly at him.

“Not us,” she said.

“But you.”

Eryx frowned.

Liorin continued quietly.

“Kael values courage. And you have it.”

For a moment, Eryx said nothing.

Then he slowly lay back down on the bed.

“Alright,” he murmured. “Let’s make it convincing.”

Eryx began to act.

At first, it was subtle.

His breathing grew uneven.

His fingers twitched slightly against the blanket.

Then his eyes opened — unfocused.

He stared at the ceiling as if he didn’t recognize where he was.

Slowly, he turned his head toward Liorin.

“…who are you?” he whispered faintly.

His hand gripped the edge of the bed suddenly.

Sweat formed on his forehead.

He looked down at his own hands as if they didn’t belong to him.

“Where… am I…?”

His breathing became sharper.

He turned toward the wall, muttering broken words under his breath.

Liorin placed a hand on his shoulder, pretending panic.

Vihaan watched for a moment.

Then he stood.

“I’ll bring Kael,” he said quietly.

The staircase creaked softly as Vihaan climbed.

The upper floor was dim.

He pushed open the wooden gate and stepped inside Kael’s room.

The air smelled faintly of smoke.

Kael sat in a chair near the window, leaning back slightly. A chillem rested between his fingers, thin trails of smoke rising into the air.

Without turning, Kael spoke.

“What are you doing upstairs… child?”

Vihaan lowered his head respectfully.

“My friend is seriously ill,” he said. “He’s not in his senses. Please… help him.”

For a moment, Kael said nothing.

Then he stood.

Slowly.

He adjusted his hat.

“Take me to him.”

Back in the dormitory, Kael stood beside Eryx’s bed.

Eryx continued the act perfectly.

His breathing was heavy.

His eyes wandered aimlessly across the ceiling.

He grabbed Liorin’s sleeve tightly.

Kael watched him.

Completely still.

His expression revealed nothing.

The room grew quiet around them.

Children nearby began to notice.

Seconds passed.

Then Kael turned away.

Without saying a single word, he walked toward the door.

Vihaan’s eyes followed him.

Upstairs, Kael entered another room.

The Scarred Man sat at a wooden table, slowly sharpening a blade.

He looked up.

“Oh. Kael.”

Kael stood near the window, his back facing him.

“One child,” Kael said calmly. “Eryx.”

“Is seriously ill.”

“Take him with his two friends — to the doctor.”

The sharpening stopped.

The Scarred Man leaned back slightly.

“Why not you?”

Kael clasped his hands behind his back.

“They fear you,” he said.

“If you go with them…”

“…they will not plant the map.”

The room fell silent.

The Scarred Man’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You’re certain?”

Kael didn’t turn.

“Be cautious during the journey.”

The Scarred Man stood slowly.

“If you already know they’re trying to betray you,” he asked, “why not kill them?”

A curtain near the window moved gently with the wind.

Kael’s voice remained calm.

“If I kill them… I lose three of my best soldiers.”

“If I punish them… they will hate me.”

A brief pause followed.

“But if I quietly fail their plan…”

“…they will accept it silently.”

The Scarred Man studied him for a moment.

Then nodded.

He walked toward the door.

His footsteps echoed down the staircase.

Below, Vihaan stood in the dormitory.

He looked toward the stairs.

Slowly, a shadow appeared along the wall.

The Scarred Man was coming down.

And the plan had already been seen through.

What you think can the plant th map or their plan will fail ?

Comment dow your guess

And a like for kael's smartness