Chapter 28: Unlocking Ancient Energy
The ancient stones of Stonehenge stood silent, bathed in the soft golden light of the setting sun. As the group moved closer, Azaymos felt the faint hum of energy growing stronger, pulsing in rhythm with the runes on his dagger. This place, like the Colosseum, held something hidden, something old.
"It's definitely here," Azaymos said quietly, holding the dagger out as it began to glow. "The energy is reacting."
Nox, standing beside him, glanced up at the towering stones. "So, how do we access it?"
Mara stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the ancient monument. "The stones are arranged in a specific way. There's an energy flow between them, but it's faint. We need to find the right alignment."
Darius, always ready for action, circled one of the large stones, inspecting it for any markings. "If this is anything like the other places we've been, there's got to be a focal point. Somewhere the energy converges."
Rex, meanwhile, was pacing, keeping his senses sharp. "Feels like something's... watching us," he muttered. "I can't explain it, but this place feels alive."
Azaymos nodded. "The energy here is strong, but it's ancient. Let's be careful. We don't know what might be guarding it."
---
From a short distance away, a group of tourists had gathered near the entrance, cameras ready and snapping away. They had been watching the group for a while now, intrigued by their unusual appearance. One woman leaned over to her friend, whispering.
"Do you see them? They look like they're from some kind of movie set or something. Look at the tall guy—he's definitely in costume."
Her friend nodded, raising her phone to snap a picture of Rex. "He's probably playing some werewolf character. Oh my god, and that girl—she's giving off serious vampire vibes. Should we ask for a selfie?"
The group of tourists giggled, passing the photos around on their phones, completely unaware of the real power that surrounded the mysterious strangers.
---
As the group continued to explore the monument, Azaymos stopped in the center, holding the dagger steady. "Here. This is the spot where the energy is strongest."
Mara stood beside him, her eyes scanning the stones. "The alignment is almost perfect. If we can activate the flow of energy, the dagger should be able to absorb it."
Nox smirked. "Great. So what's the catch? Do we need to chant some ancient spell or something?"
Darius grinned. "Please no more chanting. The last time we did that, we ended up fighting those shadow creatures."
Azaymos remained calm, focusing on the energy as the runes on his dagger brightened. "It's not about chanting. It's about balance. We need to move these stones slightly to complete the alignment."
Rex, who had been watching the tourists nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Move the stones? You do realize they weigh several tons, right?"
Mara smiled. "That's where your strength comes in."
Rex let out a low growl, clearly unimpressed. "I'm a werewolf, not a bulldozer."
---
As the group worked to position the stones, Nox found herself feeling... off. There was a strange, familiar hunger gnawing at the edge of her senses. She shook her head, trying to ignore it, but it lingered, a quiet whisper in the back of her mind.
Azaymos glanced at her. "Something wrong?"
Nox shrugged, her expression unreadable. "I'm fine. Just... focus on the task."
Azaymos frowned slightly but didn't press further. He knew Nox well enough to understand that if something was wrong, she wouldn't admit it easily.
As they continued, Nox's eyes darted to the group of tourists, the sound of their laughter carrying on the wind. For a brief moment, the hunger flared, sharper this time. She clenched her fists, forcing the feeling down.
Not now, she thought. Stay in control.
---
After a few moments of coordination, Rex used his strength to shift one of the stones, aligning it with the others in the formation. As the stone moved into place, the energy around them shifted, a low hum vibrating through the air.
Azaymos raised the dagger once more, and the runes glowed bright. "That's it. The energy is flowing."
The air around them seemed to shimmer, as if the very space between the stones was coming to life. Slowly, the energy pulsed toward the dagger, drawn to it like a magnet. The artifact absorbed the power, and Azaymos could feel it surging within the blade.
"It's working," he said quietly. "The dagger's recharging."
Mara, standing beside him, watched the energy with a thoughtful expression. "There's more power here than we thought. This could take some time."
Darius, who had been keeping watch, chuckled. "Let's hope those tourists don't come asking questions. I'd rather not have to explain what we're doing."
Nox, still fighting her inner hunger, forced a smirk. "If they ask, tell them it's for a vampire movie. They'll believe anything."
As the energy from the stones continued to flow into the dagger, the ancient monument seemed to pulse with life, each stone vibrating subtly in rhythm with the dagger's glow. The group remained focused, but the tourists nearby were becoming more and more curious.
One particularly bold tourist—a young man with a camera slung over his shoulder—began edging closer to the group, snapping photos from a distance. His lens zoomed in on Rex, who stood near the largest stone, looking as imposing as ever.
Rex's eyes flickered toward the man, his lips curling into a slight snarl. "We're getting more attention," he muttered under his breath.
Darius, leaning casually against one of the stones, grinned. "Relax, big guy. Just play along. They probably think we're shooting some kind of weird indie film."
Nox, who had been standing off to the side, felt the hunger gnawing at her again. It was stronger this time, making her blood run cold. The tourists weren't helping; their scent was becoming more noticeable, more... tempting.
She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. "Azaymos," she said through gritted teeth, "how much longer is this going to take?"
Azaymos glanced at her, noticing the strain in her voice. "Not much longer. The dagger's nearly full."
Mara, standing beside Nox, placed a gentle hand on her arm. "You need to keep control."
Nox shot her a glare, but Mara's gaze was steady, calm. "I know," Nox muttered. "But it's... harder here."
Mara nodded, her tone soft. "We'll deal with it once the dagger is ready."
---
Meanwhile, the bold young tourist continued snapping photos, edging even closer to the group. His friend, watching from behind, whispered nervously.
"Dude, you shouldn't get so close. They look... serious. What if they're not actors?"
The photographer waved him off. "Come on, man, look at them! It's got to be some kind of shoot. Those costumes are way too good to be real."
He stepped closer, snapping a few more photos, but as he adjusted his lens, he accidentally stumbled on a loose stone and tripped forward, falling directly into Rex's path.
Rex, who had been trying to keep his cool, turned slowly to face the man, his eyes narrowing. "What do you think you're doing?"
The young tourist froze, his camera dangling awkwardly from his hand. "Uh... I... just... sorry, man! I was just... you know... taking some pictures."
Darius, sensing the tension, stepped in with a disarming smile. "No worries, mate! We're just wrapping up here anyway. Why don't you head back over there, yeah?"
The tourist, wide-eyed and clearly shaken by Rex's imposing presence, nodded quickly and backed away. "Yeah, sure, uh... sorry again."
As he scurried off, Darius chuckled, clapping Rex on the back. "See? Easy. No need to scare the life out of him."
Rex grunted. "He was lucky I didn't accidentally shift."
---
At the center of the stones, Azaymos watched as the final pulse of energy flowed into the dagger, filling it with a bright, steady glow. The artifact had fully recharged, its power now renewed with the energy of Stonehenge.
"It's done," Azaymos said quietly, lowering the dagger. "The energy is strong, but it's still not enough to sustain us indefinitely. We'll need more places like this."
Mara nodded. "There are still other ancient sites to explore. The pyramids in Egypt, for example."
Azaymos agreed. "That's our next stop."
Rex sighed, glancing around. "As long as we don't have to deal with more cameras. I swear, if one more person takes a picture..."
Just as he finished speaking, the photographer who had stumbled earlier snapped one last photo from a distance. Darius, noticing this, gave Rex a playful nudge. "You're just too photogenic."
Rex growled. "Not funny."
---
As they prepared to leave Stonehenge, Nox's internal struggle continued to worsen. The hunger was becoming unbearable. The scent of the tourists nearby was clawing at her, tempting her in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. Her fangs ached to sink into something, and it was taking everything in her to keep the desire under control.
She glanced over at Azaymos, who was speaking quietly with Mara about their next move. Nox knew she needed to say something, but she hated admitting weakness.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer to Mara, her voice low. "We need to go. Now."
Mara looked at her, understanding immediately. "It's getting worse, isn't it?"
Nox nodded, her jaw clenched. "If we don't leave soon... I'm not sure I can control it."
Mara didn't hesitate. "Azaymos, we need to move quickly."
Azaymos, sensing the urgency in her voice, nodded. "Agreed. Let's go."
---
As the group made their way back to the taxi waiting near the entrance, Rex couldn't help but glance over his shoulder at the gathering tourists. "They're still watching us. I don't like it."
Azaymos, slipping the dagger back into his cloak, spoke calmly. "We'll need to be more careful from now on. The more attention we draw, the harder it'll be to stay unnoticed."
Darius smirked. "Too late for that, mate. We're already halfway to becoming internet celebrities."
Nox, her face pale and tense, forced a smile. "Great. Famous and hungry. Just what I needed."
Mara glanced back at her, worry flickering in her eyes. "We'll find a way to deal with it. But for now, we need to get out of here."
As they climbed into the taxi and headed back toward London, the sense of urgency hung heavy in the air. The dagger was recharged, but Nox's hunger and the growing attention from the public were becoming problems they couldn't ignore.
End of Chapter 28