Camp was quiet in that dangerous way that meant Korvo was planning something horrible.
The man stood over his map, marking positions with the kind of focus usually reserved for planning invasions. Which, knowing Korvo, was probably exactly what he was doing. Just with students instead of soldiers and monsters instead of enemy nations.
Aegis pretended to organize her pack while actually staring at the map. The topography was familiar—too familiar. They were maybe half a mile from...
[Holy shit. The Grotto of Echoes.]
In the game, it was an optional miniboss location with a guaranteed rare drop: the Pendant of Silent Steps. Plus ten to stealth, minus fifty percent to detection radius. The kind of item that would make sneaking around the academy infinitely easier.
And it was right there. Just through those trees.
