THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
The heartbeat beneath Moonfang Academy echoed through the entire mountain.
Not fast.
Not violent.
Slow.
Ancient.
Alive.
Every student in the corridor froze in terror.
Even the walls seemed to pulse with it.
Nyra pressed a trembling hand against her chest.
The sound felt wrong.
Like her own heart was answering it.
The creature wearing her face smiled wider.
“He’s waking up.”
Black veins spread across the corridor floor instantly.
Students screamed as shadows crawled around their ankles.
Teachers shouted protective spells desperately.
Nothing worked.
The darkness consumed everything.
Kael grabbed Nyra’s wrist sharply.
“We’re leaving.”
Before she could respond—
Black smoke exploded around them.
The corridor vanished.
Nyra nearly collapsed as the world slammed back into place.
Cold air hit her face instantly.
Darkness surrounded them.
Dripping water echoed nearby.
Nyra blinked rapidly.
They stood inside a massive underground tunnel beneath the academy.
Ancient stone walls stretched endlessly ahead covered in glowing silver runes.
The air smelled old.
Like dust, rain, and something rotting beneath the earth.
Liora stumbled beside them looking nauseous.
“I hate when you do that.”
Kael ignored her completely.
His silver eyes scanned the tunnel sharply.
“We don’t have much time.”
Nyra slowly looked around.
The tunnel walls were covered in claw marks.
Deep ones.
As if something gigantic had tried escaping from below.
The whispers inside her head returned instantly.
“WELCOME BACK.”
Nyra flinched.
Kael noticed immediately.
“What are they saying?”
She hesitated.
“…They know me.”
Silence followed.
Kael’s expression darkened slightly.
“Don’t answer them.”
They began moving quickly through the underground tunnel.
Silver flames floated near the walls automatically as Kael walked, illuminating ancient carvings spread across the stone.
The carvings showed:
giant wolves surrounding a burning girl, shadow creatures devouring entire cities, and one massive creature chained beneath a black mountain.
The Vein King.
But one image made Nyra stop completely.
A girl stood before the chained monster holding a silver blade against her own throat.
Seraphine.
And beside her—
Kael.
Crying.
Nyra’s chest tightened painfully.
Kael noticed where she was looking.
His expression became unreadable.
“That was the night of the sealing ritual.”
Nyra looked at him slowly.
“You really killed me.”
Kael went silent.
Liora awkwardly looked away.
Only dripping water echoed through the tunnel now.
Finally—
Kael spoke quietly.
“You asked me to.”
Nyra swallowed hard.
“But you still did it.”
The words clearly hurt him.
His silver eyes lowered briefly.
“Yes.”
The honesty somehow hurt worse than excuses.
Before Nyra could say more—
A scream echoed through the tunnel.
Everyone froze.
The scream sounded distant.
Human.
And terrified.
Liora’s face paled immediately.
“…No.”
Another scream followed.
Closer this time.
Then frantic footsteps echoed ahead.
A boy suddenly burst around the corner.
He looked around seventeen.
Covered in blood.
Panicked.
The moment he saw Kael—
He nearly collapsed in relief.
“Thank god—”
Then something grabbed him.
A black hand burst from the darkness behind him and dragged him backward violently.
The boy screamed.
Nyra watched in horror as shadowy mouths opened across the walls themselves.
The tunnel was alive.
“HELP ME!”
Kael moved instantly.
Silver fire exploded through the tunnel.
The darkness recoiled screaming as Kael tore the boy free violently.
But the damage was already done.
The student collapsed onto the ground shaking.
Black veins crawled rapidly across his neck.
His eyes turned completely dark. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Liora cursed softly.
“He got touched.”
The boy looked up at Nyra suddenly.
And smiled unnaturally wide.
“He can smell you now.”
Nyra’s blood froze.
The boy’s jaw cracked wider.
Far wider than humanly possible.
Black smoke poured from his mouth.
Then he screamed.
Not in pain.
In joy.
“THE VESSEL HAS RETURNED!”
The entire tunnel shook violently.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
The heartbeat below became louder.
Closer.
Kael’s expression sharpened instantly.
“We move. Now.”
Silver fire burned through the shadows surrounding the tunnel while they ran deeper underground.
The academy above them groaned constantly now.
Like the mountain itself might collapse at any moment.
Nyra’s breathing became uneven.
The whispers kept growing louder.
“COME LOWER.”
“COME HOME.”
“OPEN THE FINAL GATE.”
Then suddenly—
The tunnel opened into something enormous.
Nyra stopped breathing.
A gigantic underground chamber stretched before them.
Ancient pillars surrounded a massive circular abyss in the center of the room.
Chains thicker than trees descended endlessly into darkness below.
And glowing silver symbols covered every inch of the chamber floor.
The seal.
Or what remained of it.
Because most of the chains were broken.
And black cracks spread through the glowing symbols like disease.
At the center of the chamber stood someone waiting.
The Headmistress.
Her silver hair moved softly in the cold underground wind while golden eyes watched Nyra carefully.
Unmoving.
Like she had expected her arrival.
Kael immediately stepped in front of Nyra protectively.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
The Headmistress ignored him.
Her gaze remained fixed entirely on Nyra.
And for the first time—
Nyra saw sorrow in the woman’s eyes.
Not fear.
Not anger.
Regret.
Then the Headmistress quietly spoke words that made Nyra’s blood run cold.
“Welcome home, Seraphine.”