The large, imposing third gate stood before them, its surface smooth and unyielding, etched with a symbol consisting of two teardrop-like shapes—one black with a small white circle inside, the other white with a small black circle inside. It was the Tai Chi symbol, a representation of the balance between opposing forces: light and dark, yin and yang. The crowd erupted in murmurs of frustration and confusion.
"Why is there still a third layer of doors? This is outrageous! They're playing us!" one voice shouted in anger.
"What even is that symbol? I've never seen anything like it before!" another chimed in.
Howard, usually composed and self-assured, appeared surprised for the first time. His piercing gaze was fixed on the gate, while Alia stood beside him, equally puzzled by the unexpected turn of events. Neither of them had anticipated seeing the Tai Chi symbol.
Alia's mind raced as she tried to piece together what this symbol could mean. Memories of her mother's teachings came rushing back—stories of another continent, a distant land filled with mysterious magic users known as Daoists. They wielded powers unlike anything found in the vampire world: they could control the elements, fly with swords, and command beasts with ease. One of their most revered symbols was the Tai Chi, which represented the Daoist philosophy of balance and duality. According to ancient records, there had been a confrontation between a vampire ancestor and a Daoist from the other Continent. They were evenly matched in strength and skills, and their rivalry evolved into mutual respect. The Daoist had gifted the vampire ancestor a Tai Chi diagram, promising that careful study of it would yield great insights. Alia had never expected to see that symbol here, at the heart of the Moon Palace.
Howard, too, recognized the symbol, but he kept his knowledge concealed. He had no intention of revealing that he understood its meaning to the others. Glancing at Alia, he noticed that she appeared genuinely confused, which reassured him. He felt a sense of superiority knowing that perhaps he alone recognized the significance of the Tai Chi symbol. Alia was quick to mask her recognition of the symbol as well. She had sensed Howard's awareness and realized the danger of allowing him to know that she, too, understood its meaning. It was a delicate dance of deception, and Alia couldn't afford any missteps.
Howard approached her slowly, his voice filled with a thinly veiled provocation. "It seems we both guessed wrong. But I've never seen this pattern before. Miss Alia, do you happen to know what it is? And more importantly, how do we open this gate?"
Alia, careful to conceal her true thoughts, responded coolly, "Even vampires don't recognize it, so how would an ordinary person like me know? But I'd wager the key to opening the gate still lies in blood. Perhaps you should try shedding some blood, Lord Howard."
Howard's eyes flickered with amusement at Alia's defiant tone. Without hesitation, he moved toward a female vampire named Green, his knife already in hand. Without so much as a word of protest from her, he sliced a large cut across her palm. The wound gushed blood, and yet Green didn't flinch. Instead, she looked at Howard with a strange mixture of fascination and mania, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling devotion.
Howard whispered something inaudible to Green, and she obediently walked toward the Tai Chi symbol on the gate. She pressed her bleeding hand against the white teardrop, and immediately, her blood began to seep into the grooves of the symbol, as if the gate itself were absorbing it. The crowd watched in stunned silence as the blood continued to flow from Green's hand into the Tai Chi symbol.
Alia's heart raced as she observed the scene unfold. Her suspicions deepened. Howard's control over Green was too strong, too unnatural. She had initially believed Charles to be the leader of this vampire group, with Howard acting as a subordinate. Yet the way Green submitted to Howard so readily hinted at a different power dynamic. Was Howard the real leader, working in secret as part of the traitor Henry's faction? The thought sent a surge of hatred through Alia, and she struggled to maintain her composure.
As Green's blood filled the teardrop, something strange began to happen. Instead of the gate opening, the Tai Chi symbol began to shift. The two teardrop shapes, black and white, slowly sank inward, creating a bowl-like depression in the gate. The blood continued to flow, but it did not spill out. Instead, it collected within the white teardrop, forming a pool that defied gravity.
Green's face grew pale, and her eyes widened in panic as she realized something was terribly wrong. She tried to pull her hand away, but it was as if her palm was glued to the symbol. "I can't move! My hand—it's stuck! Help me!" she cried out, her voice laced with fear.
Everyone, including the vampires and werewolves, stood frozen in shock. The gate, seemingly ancient and inert, had sprung to life, trapping Green in a deadly game. Her blood continued to fill the white teardrop, and as it did, her strength visibly drained. The once-strong vampire was now gasping for breath, her cries for help growing weaker by the second.
With a swift motion, Howard stepped forward, his face emotionless as he drew his knife once again. Without a moment's hesitation, he sliced through Green's wrist, severing her hand from her arm. Her hand remained pressed against the gate, but her body collapsed, free at last from the grip of the Tai Chi symbol. The sound of the knife cutting through flesh echoed in the stillness of the night, followed by the dull thud of Green's hand falling to the ground.
Alia watched in horror as the blood continued to drip from the severed hand, pooling into the teardrop. Green's limp form lay on the ground, and yet the Tai Chi symbol still glowed faintly, as if satisfied by its gruesome offering. Howard showed no signs of remorse. He simply turned away, his focus returning to the gate.
The gate, however, did not open. The Tai Chi symbol, now filled with blood, shimmered but remained firmly shut.