The hidden passageway was narrow and cold, the air damp and stale.
Their footsteps echoed faintly as they descended deeper into the academy's hidden passageway. The only light came from the faint glow of flame lamps on the walls.
"How far do you think this tunnel goes?" Finch asked in a hushed tone, his voice barely audible over the echoing footsteps.
"No idea," Damien replied, glancing back at the group. "But as long as it takes us away from those vampires, we'll keep going."
The hoodie girl, still carrying Jenna, remained quiet, her gaze focused straight ahead. Her earlier display of power still weighed heavily on Damien's mind.
He felt she was hiding her true strength which doesn't concern him but, he needed to know what she was capable of—because if she could burn through vampire regeneration, she might be the only reason they were still alive.
Feiyun, walking next to him, spoke softly. "There's something strange about this place." Her breath hung in the cold air as she spoke, her eyes scanning the narrow passage ahead. "It feels... older than the academy. Like it predates everything above."
Damien nodded. "There were rumors that the academy was built on ruins. I wouldn't be surprised if these tunnels go back centuries, maybe even before Dawnshire was named a state."
As they walked ahead, the tunnel split into two directions.
Finch stopped, frowning. "Left or right?"
Damien hesitated. Both paths looked equally foreboding, and the air was thick with the unknown. "We stick together," he said finally. "We can't afford to split up, not down here."
Without further debate, they chose the right path and pressed forward. The tension in the air could be felt, the group walked on edgy as the sound of dripping water and their own breaths filled the silence.
After what felt like hours, they reached an open chamber. The walls were covered in faded symbols, barely visible through centuries of dust and grime. In the center of the room was a large stone altar, it looked ancient and worn, with strange markings carved into its surface.
"This place feels... wrong," Feiyun whispered, her danger instincts kicking in. She said, her breath fogging in the cold air. "We shouldn't be here."
Damien approached the altar cautiously, his instincts screaming that something was off. "Stay alert," he muttered as his eyes scanned the room for any sign of danger.
Finch moved toward the walls, studying the ancient symbols. "These look familiar," he said as he arranged his glasses, running his hand along the carved patterns. "I've seen them in some of the library's oldest texts. Magic runes... but these are different. Darker."
Damien's heart raced as a realization struck him. "This isn't just some forgotten passageway. This is a shrine!"
"A shrine!?" Feiyun echoed, stepping closer. "To what?"
Before Damien could respond, a low rumble echoed through the chamber, the ground beneath them trembling. They all froze as a cold, sinister energy washed over the room, seeping from the very walls.
"Something's coming," Finch said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Damien stepped back from the altar, his grip tightening on Nightshade. "Get ready."
The shadows in the chamber seemed to come alive, swirling and merging near the altar.
The temperature dropped even further, and the oppressive energy grew stronger. Damien's breath quickened, his senses screaming that they were in grave danger.
Suddenly, from the swirling darkness, a figure began to take shape.
It was tall and slender, with eyes that glowed like embers and it radiated a dark, evil aura. Its form was cloaked in tattered robes that looked ancient, and its voice, when it spoke, sent chills down their spines.
"You've trespassed on sacred ground, slayer." Its female voice could be heard.
Damien's blood ran cold.
He recognized the voice—the same voice that had whispered in the shadows before they entered the storage facility. This was no ordinary vampire. This was something much worse.
"The Sire," Finch whispered, horror creeping into his voice.
Damien raised Nightshade, he also activated his Sanguine Arts to unleash his full power. "Get Jenna and Bryan out of here!" he ordered, his eyes locked on the slender shadowy figure.
Finch hesitated for a moment but nodded, turning to the hoodie girl. "Let's move!"
As the others began to retreat, the Sire's gaze shifted to Damien, its eyes burning with cruel amusement. "You think you can run? The moment you stepped into my domain, your fates were sealed."
Damien didn't flinch, his heart pounding as the aura of the Sire's presence bore down on him. "We've fought your thralls and survived. We'll do the same to you."
"Hahaha~" The Sire let out a dark, hollow laugh. "You're mistaken, slayer. Your strength is nothing compared to mine."
With a flick of its hand, the air around them darkened, thickening with dark primal energy. Damien's body tensed as the shadows seemed to pull at him, dragging him toward the altar.
"Damien!" Feiyun shouted, her voice filled with fear and an emotion she couldn't quite understand.
The thought of something dreadful happening to Damien made her heart ache. She tried to summon her ice energy, but the darkness overwhelmed her power, snuffing out her primal energy like a candle in the wind.
Damien struggled against the pull, gritting his teeth as he planted Nightshade into the ground, using it as an anchor. The shadows clawed at him, threatening to engulf him entirely.
"Feiyun, get out of here!" Damien shouted, his voice strained as he fought to resist.
Feiyun hesitated, fear, hesitation and unwillingness to path flashing in her eyes. But before she could move, the Sire's eyes locked onto her.
"Ho-ho, its a little bird in love." With a cruel smile, it reached out a hand, and tendrils of darkness shot toward her.
Damien's heart lurched. "No!"
With a surge of strength, he pulled Nightshade from the ground and leaped toward Feiyun, slicing through the tendrils before they could reach her. The Sire's laughter echoed through the chamber, mocking his efforts.
"You cannot protect them from me, slayer. One by one, they will fall."
Damien stood in front of Feiyun, his body trembling from the strain. "We'll see about that."