Elias staggered forward, his body wracked with unbearable pain. Every muscle in his frame burned as if set aflame, his veins pulsing with an otherworldly heat. He reached for the cell door, but his legs buckled beneath him, and he crumpled to the floor.
The torment was relentless. His chest heaved as his breathing grew ragged, and his entire body trembled violently. His fingernails scraped against the stone floor, and he clenched his jaw to stifle a scream.
---
Meanwhile, in the grand hall above, the vampires continued their meeting, growing restless.
"Where is he?" one of them muttered, referring to the vampire who had gone with the blonde stranger.
The leader scowled. "Too long. Someone go and check."
A younger vampire nodded, disappearing down the corridor toward the lower levels.
---
Elias's transformation was intensifying. His skin burned as his bones shifted and muscles tightened. He clawed at the floor, his mind a chaotic mess of pain and fragmented memories. He could hear footsteps approaching, the sound reverberating like thunder in his ears.
The vampire who had been sent to check on his missing comrade stepped into the dim corridor. His nose crinkled at the metallic scent of blood in the air.
"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing.
When he reached the cell, he froze. His friend's lifeless body lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. The cell door was ajar, and inside, Elias writhed on the floor.
"You…" the vampire hissed, his fangs bared. "You killed him!"
Elias looked up, his eyes unfocused and wild. He couldn't respond, the pain consuming him.
The vampire lunged, his claws extended, ready to strike.
---
Back in the grand hall, the leader paced impatiently.
"Where are they?" he growled.
"We've waited long enough," one of the older vampires said. "We should all go and see."
The leader nodded, and the group moved as one, descending into the lower levels.
When they arrived, they were met with a horrifying sight. The first vampire lay dead, his throat torn open. Beside him was the second vampire, his body covered in deep claw marks.
The leader knelt beside the corpse, his sharp eyes scanning the wounds. His expression darkened.
"This isn't possible," he muttered.
Another vampire crouched beside him, inspecting the marks. "These…" She hesitated, pointing to the neck. "These are bite marks."
The others recoiled in shock.
"Bite marks?" one of them echoed. "From a vampire?"
The leader's fists clenched. "No. It's something else. Where is the stranger?"
The realization hit them all at once. The blonde man was nowhere to be seen.
---
Above them, in the grand hall, the sound of shattering glass echoed. The vampires rushed back, their heightened senses on alert.
One of them tried to open the front doors, but they wouldn't budge.
"What's happening?" another shouted.
"It's a barrier!" someone yelled.
At the entrance to the hall, a woman stood, her dark skin glowing faintly in the candlelight. Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity, and her lips moved in a low chant.
"A witch!" the leader snarled. "Drop the spell!"
The woman's chanting stopped, and she looked at them with a cold, unwavering gaze. "My sister was in that village you massacred," she said, her voice laced with venom. "I followed the blood trail here. You will pay for what you've done."
The leader laughed, his tone mocking. "How will one witch kill thirty vampires?"
The witch smirked. "My part is done." She turned to leave, her steps calm and deliberate. "You have someone else to worry about."
Her words sent a ripple of unease through the vampires.
"She's bluffing," the leader said, though his voice lacked conviction.
---
The room fell into darkness as the candles were suddenly extinguished. The vampires' enhanced vision allowed them to see faint outlines, but the oppressive silence unnerved even the bravest among them.
A low growl echoed through the hall, sending shivers down their spines.
"What was that?" one of them whispered.
At the far end of the hall, a figure emerged from the shadows. Its eyes glowed bright red, cutting through the darkness like twin beacons.
"What is that?" someone yelled.
The figure stepped into the moonlight streaming through the window, revealing its full form.
It was Elias—but not the Elias they had captured. His body had transformed. His hands ended in sharp claws, his fangs gleamed in the pale light, and his ears were elongated and pointed. Thick sideburns framed his face, and his entire presence radiated raw power.
Elias let out a deafening roar, the sound reverberating through the hall. Some of the younger vampires flinched, their confidence shaken.
"What is he?" they whispered among themselves.
Elias's voice was low and guttural, filled with a newfound confidence. "I don't know what's happening to me," he said, his words carrying an edge of menace. "But I've never felt this powerful before."
He took a step forward, his claws glinting in the moonlight. "And now, I'm going to show you my true strength."