Ethan spun around, his grip firm but not painful. "Do you want to live?"
The question sent a shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard, nodding despite the storm of confusion swirling inside her.
"Then trust me," he said, his voice softer now. "Please."
Elena hesitated but eventually relented, letting him guide her through a hidden passage she hadn't noticed before. Marcus followed close behind, his hand resting on the hilt of a blade she hadn't realized he was carrying.
As they moved deeper into the passage, the air grew colder, and the walls seemed to close in around them. The faint sound of distant voices echoed behind them, growing louder with each passing moment.
"They're getting closer," Marcus said, his tone clipped.
Ethan cursed under his breath, quickening his pace. "We need to reach the vault."
"The vault?" Elena asked, glancing over her shoulder. "What's in the vault?"
"You'll see," Ethan replied, his voice grim.
They emerged into a cavernous chamber, its walls lined with strange, glowing symbols that seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat. In the center of the room stood a massive, ornate door, its surface etched with intricate patterns that shimmered like liquid gold.
Ethan released her arm and approached the door, his movements purposeful and precise. He pressed his hand against the center of the door, and the symbols began to shift, rearranging themselves into a new pattern.
"What is this place?" Elena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"The only safe place left," Marcus replied, his gaze scanning the room for any signs of danger.
Before she could ask anything else, the door creaked open, revealing a narrow staircase that descended into darkness.
"Go," Ethan said, gesturing for her to enter.
She hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to run in the opposite direction. But something about the way Ethan looked at her—like she was the only thing that mattered—gave her the courage to move forward.
As she stepped onto the staircase, a deafening roar shook the chamber. Elena whipped around just in time to see a massive figure emerging from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
"Go!" Ethan shouted, drawing a blade from his side and stepping between her and the creature.
Elena stumbled down the stairs, her heart pounding as the sounds of battle echoed above her. Marcus was at her side in an instant, guiding her deeper into the darkness.
"What is that thing?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Something that shouldn't exist," Marcus replied, his tone grim.
They reached the bottom of the staircase, where another door awaited. This one was simpler, its surface plain and unadorned. Marcus pushed it open, revealing a small, dimly lit room filled with strange artifacts and ancient texts.
Elena's eyes were drawn to a pedestal in the center of the room, where a single, glowing crystal rested.
"What is that?" she asked, approaching the pedestal.
"The heart of everything," Marcus said, his voice barely audible. "And your destiny."
Before she could respond, the sound of the chamber door slamming shut above them sent a jolt of fear through her.
"What's happening?" she asked, turning to Marcus.
He didn't answer. Instead, he stepped toward the pedestal, his expression unreadable.
"You're the only one who can activate it," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos above. "But once you do, there's no turning back."
Elena's breath caught in her throat as she reached for the crystal, her fingers hovering just above its surface.
"Choose wisely," Marcus said, his gaze intense.
The sound of footsteps echoed down the staircase, growing louder with each passing second.
Elena's hand trembled as she made her decision.
And then the room was bathed in blinding light.
The air crackled with tension as Elara stepped back from the broken remnants of the mirror. Its fractured surface distorted her reflection, splitting her face into jagged fragments. She barely recognized herself, but what truly unnerved her was the figure standing just behind her reflection—someone who wasn't there moments before.
"Elara…" The voice was soft yet commanding, reverberating through the silence like a distant echo.
She whirled around, her pulse racing. But the hall was empty, save for the flickering shadows cast by the dim chandeliers.
"Elara!"
The urgency in Sebastian's voice broke through her haze. He appeared from the far end of the corridor, his golden eyes glowing like a beacon in the darkness. His expression was grave as he closed the distance between them.
"What happened here?" he demanded, his gaze darting between her and the shattered mirror.
"I don't know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I saw... someone. But when I turned, they were gone."
Sebastian's jaw tightened. He stepped past her, examining the shards on the floor. He didn't touch them but knelt, his sharp gaze scanning their jagged edges as if searching for something unseen.
"You shouldn't have come to this part of the estate," he muttered, his tone laced with frustration.
"I didn't have a choice," she shot back, her voice trembling. "Something pulled me here. Something—" She hesitated, unwilling to admit just how much she didn't understand.
Sebastian stood, towering over her. His presence was both reassuring and intimidating. "This place remembers," he said cryptically. "It remembers her."
Elara stared at him, confusion and fear swirling in her chest. "Her? Who are you talking about?"
He opened his mouth to respond, but a deafening crash shook the walls around them, cutting him off. The vibrations rippled through the floor, nearly knocking Elara off balance.
Sebastian grabbed her arm, steadying her. "We need to move. Now."
Before she could protest, he pulled her down the corridor, his pace urgent. The shadows seemed to deepen around them, swallowing the flickering light.
"What's happening?" Elara asked, struggling to keep up.
"The past," he said grimly. "It's waking up, and it's angry."
They burst into the grand hall, where Marcus and Liora were already waiting. Marcus's normally calm demeanor was replaced with a rare edge of concern, while Liora's eyes shimmered with something Elara couldn't place—fear, perhaps, or anticipation.
"It's started," Liora said, her voice cutting through the tension.
Sebastian nodded. "She saw it."
Marcus's gaze flickered to Elara, his expression unreadable. "Then we're out of time."
Out of time for what? Elara wanted to demand answers, but before she could speak, the air around them seemed to thrum with energy.
A cold wind swept through the hall, extinguishing the chandeliers one by one. Darkness enveloped them, broken only by the faint glow emanating from Liora's hands. Her lips moved silently, forming words Elara didn't recognize, but the energy in the room shifted with each syllable.
"What is she doing?" Elara whispered, clutching Sebastian's arm.
"Trying to hold it back," he replied, his voice tight. "But it might already be too late."
A low growl echoed from the shadows, followed by a guttural laugh that sent chills down Elara's spine. She felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as a figure emerged from the darkness.
It wasn't human.
Its form shifted and twisted, as though it were made of smoke and nightmares. Its eyes glowed a sickly green, locking onto Elara with unsettling intensity.
"Welcome home, little one," it rasped, its voice dripping with malice.
Elara's breath caught in her throat. She stumbled backward, only to find Sebastian's steadying hand on her shoulder.
"You won't touch her," he growled, stepping in front of her.
The creature laughed, a sound that echoed unnaturally in the vast hall. "You can't protect her from what she is."
"What I am?" Elara whispered, her voice barely audible.
The creature tilted its head, as though amused. "You'll see soon enough. They can't hide the truth from you forever."
Before anyone could react, the creature lunged.
Liora's glowing hands shot forward, releasing a blinding burst of light that collided with the creature mid-air. It screeched, recoiling into the shadows, but not before its gaze lingered on Elara.
"This isn't over," it hissed before vanishing into the darkness.