Chapter 19: The House of Virdan
The air in the mines grew colder as Quinn, Rhea, Anais, and Jaren descended further into the labyrinth of tunnels. The tremors had become more frequent, shaking the ground beneath them with increasing force. They were close to something—something dark, twisted, and dangerous.
Quinn's mind raced as he thought about what Lazarus had told him. A corrupt government official was behind the quakes, but the details had been vague. The further they went, the clearer it became that this was more than just one person. There was an entire operation down here, hidden from the rest of the world, yet its influence was spreading like a plague through the system.
They reached a massive chamber deep within the mines, dimly lit by flickering torches along the walls. At the center of the room stood a stone altar, surrounded by strange, glowing runes carved into the ground. On the altar lay a man, bound and unconscious, his face pale and gaunt. His features were familiar to Quinn—the patriarch of the House of Calderon, Joseph Calderon, one of the most powerful figures in the city's enforcement forces.
But something was wrong. Joseph Calderon's eyes were open, yet they stared ahead blankly, as if he wasn't truly present.
Quinn's eyes moved to the figure standing next to the altar, a man dressed in rich robes, his face calm, calculating, and entirely devoid of emotion. His presence radiated power. Quinn recognized him immediately—the head of the House of Virdan, Lord Theo Virdan III, a noble with close ties to both the system and the royal family.
As Quinn and the others quietly approached, they overheard Virdan muttering in a low voice, his hand hovering over the glowing runes.
"It's working perfectly," Virdan said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "The rune is in place, and Calderon is completely under our control. The enforcers will do as they're commanded, and no one will suspect a thing."
Quinn's heart sank. It was worse than he had imagined. The House of Virdan wasn't just manipulating the system—they were using Joseph Calderon to control the enforcers, the very people responsible for keeping the peace in Meridian. The brainwashing rune carved into the altar had turned Calderon into a puppet, and through him, Virdan was pulling the strings.
"This is how they've been doing it," Rhea whispered, her silver eyes wide with a mixture of horror and fury. "They've been using Calderon to command the enforcers. They've turned the House of Calderon into their personal army."
Anais clenched her fists, her normally calm demeanor cracking. "Those enforcers—they're being used to maintain Virdan's control. He's enslaved an entire family."
Jaren scowled, his muscles tensing. "And all to keep the system in place. He's ensuring no one can challenge them."
Quinn's mind raced, trying to comprehend the enormity of what they had discovered. Virdan wasn't just a noble with power; he was orchestrating a scheme that reached to the very heart of Meridian's structure. And if they didn't stop him, the city would continue to suffer under his control.
As they tried to process what they had uncovered, the ground beneath them trembled again, but this time, the tremor wasn't natural. It was accompanied by the sound of footsteps—heavy, deliberate, and growing closer.
Before any of them could react, a group of enforcers appeared at the entrance to the chamber, their faces blank, their weapons drawn. They had been commanded to ambush intruders, and it was clear they had been sent to eliminate anyone who posed a threat to Virdan's plan.
"Damn it!" Jaren growled, drawing his blade as the enforcers charged toward them.
The group scattered, each preparing for the fight ahead. Quinn's heart pounded as he ducked behind a pillar, narrowly avoiding a strike from one of the enforcers. These weren't ordinary soldiers; they moved with precision, their every move controlled by an unseen force.
Rhea fought alongside Anais, her movements swift and deadly, but the sheer number of enforcers was overwhelming. For every one they took down, two more seemed to appear. Quinn could see the exhaustion setting in. They couldn't keep this up forever.
Quinn's thoughts turned to the journal in his bookbag, the weight of it pressing against him as if calling out to him. He had no idea what kind of power it held, but he was out of options. If there was ever a time to take a risk, it was now.
Grabbing the journal, Quinn held it in his hands, feeling a strange surge of energy pulsing through it. His heart raced as he flipped open the cover, his eyes scanning the ancient text. And then, without warning, the mark on his hand began to glow—a bright, searing light that burned with intensity.
A surge of mana-like energy flooded through him, radiating from the mark and spreading throughout his body. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before—a raw, untamed power that seemed to fuel his every thought and action. The pain in his muscles vanished, replaced by a surge of strength that made him feel invincible.
With a roar, Quinn leaped back into the fray, his movements faster and more precise than ever. He felt the power of the journal flowing through him, guiding his strikes, his magic pulsing in waves from his hands as he unleashed a barrage of attacks on the enforcers.
One by one, they fell before him, unable to keep up with his newfound speed and strength. Rhea, Anais, and Jaren could only watch in awe as Quinn tore through the enforcers like a force of nature, his eyes glowing with the same light as the mark on his hand.
Within minutes, the chamber was clear, the enforcers lying unconscious around them. The oppressive weight of the battle lifted, but the air remained charged with tension.
Quinn stood at the center of the room, breathing heavily, his heart still racing with adrenaline. He could feel the power coursing through his veins, crackling like electricity beneath his skin.
"I'm brimming with power," he murmured to himself, the words slipping out almost unconsciously. The journal had unlocked something inside him—something dangerous and potent.
As the light from the mark on his hand dimmed, Quinn looked up to see Rhea watching him, her silver eyes sharp with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
"What… was that?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm.
Quinn glanced down at his hand, still feeling the lingering traces of power from the journal. "I don't know," he admitted. "But it's only the beginning."
They had discovered the truth about the House of Virdan's manipulation, but Quinn knew their fight was far from over. Lord Theo Virdan was still out there, pulling the strings. And now, with the journal's power awakened, Quinn had a chance to strike back.
But as he stood there, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on him, he couldn't help but wonder if he had just unlocked something far more dangerous than he could control.