Virelle's POV
The sheer terror of that memory sent chills through me even now. Compared to the fear I had felt then, my near-death experience in the underground earlier today seemed like a trivial discomfort.
"Are you okay, Virelle?" Big Brother's voice broke through my thoughts and it was tinged with concern. His brows were furrowed as he studied my face and I realized my breathing had quickened.
Ethan was also looking at me, his expression perplexed yet worry could be seen in his eyes. I instinctively raised a hand to my face and felt the cold sweat dripping down my forehead. My dress was damp in several places which was clinging uncomfortably to my skin.
"I'm fine, Elder Brother," I said, forcing a weak smile. "It's just the heat… and the tension catching up with me after the fight."
Big Brother nodded, though doubt lingered in his eyes. His concern was touching but it only made me feel more embarrassed. I had never shown such vulnerability to anyone and I could feel my pride crumbling under their scrutiny.
What must Ethan think of me now? The thought clawed at my mind. Does he see me as weak, useless, and just another liability?
I frowned, frustrated with myself for caring so much. Why do I even care about Ethan's opinion? The realization unsettled me, yet I couldn't deny it inside myself.
By the time we reached the dark underground staircase that spiraled endlessly in the darkness underground, my thoughts were a tangled mess.
The stairs stretched endlessly and despite my familiarity with the castle this staircase always left me awed and scared at the same time. But I showed none of it now.
Its rugged, primal design stood in stark contrast to the opulent, polished castles of modern vampire nobles. Here, raw power and ancient craftsmanship reigned evoking an era long forgotten by everyone.
It was a reminder of the primal roots we'd tried so hard to bury in luxury. Even with the terror of night looming, I found myself grateful for this connection to the past. This castle was a place of horror but also a place of strength. And so, step by step, we descended together into the dark.
Ethan's POV
As we descended gradually along the spiral staircase, it felt as though we were venturing into the depths of a bottomless cylindrical well. The staircase twisted endlessly downward, the sheer scale of its descent seemed very fascinating but very unsettling at the same time.
I didn't know the reason but it seemed to give me weird and mind-numbing vibes. I couldn't place my finger on it but this uncomfortable feeling continued to gnaw at my mind.
Despite my familiarity with darkness, I couldn't perceive its end from above. As we trudged deeper along the narrow spiraling stairs, all I could see was an all-consuming blackness that seemed to simultaneously beckon and warn me.
The void resembled a massive open maw like an ominous gateway to the unknown. When we reached a certain point, Virelle's voice echoing in the well cut through the silence,
"Elder Brother, you can retire for the night in this room."
Victor and I exchanged puzzled glances upon hearing her words.
Did she mean this tiny, cramped opening barely large enough for an adult to squeeze through was the door to a room? I couldn't hide my amazement as I peered downward and noticed similar openings dotting the walls of the narrow staircase.
This view makes the entire structure seem like an inescapable prison, a thought crossed my mind that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.
A grim realization struck me that if someone sealed the well's entrance with magical restrictions and barriers then this place could transform into the perfect nightmare and a prison shrouded in perpetual darkness.
Just imagining that scenario gave me a suffocating feeling of confinement and mental torture.
Virelle led the way, and Victor and I reluctantly ducked to enter the narrow aperture. The cramped cave-like space opened to a small flight of steep stairs that descended further into the dark.
The rough black walls seemed to pulsate faintly and exuded an ancient and primitive aura. A chilling sensation seeped into my palms as I trailed my fingers along the stone with the cold being a stark contrast to the humid air around us.
We descended cautiously through the narrow and weathered stairs that barely had the space to place our feet.
Finally, the staircase ended revealing a surprisingly spacious room. It was a stark contrast to the oppressive and dark confines I had imagined. The room was lit by strange red lamps embedded in the walls, casting a warm glow reminiscent of the dim ambiance of a pub from my past life.
In the middle of the room stood a king-sized bed adorned with an elaborate red-and-white canopy and a plush red velvet cover. Antique furniture and ornate decorations filled the space but the centerpiece of the room was a massive wolf's head mounted on the wall above the bed.
It was enormous and its size was at least comparable to the size of my torso. Also, it was unmistakably real and not a prop displayed to fool anyone. Its hollow, empty eye sockets and meticulously preserved features hinted at its gruesome authenticity.
I infused dark energy into my vision seeking to observe its hidden details as I had an instinct that it was not simply a common wolf-type magical beast.
Almost immediately, cryptic red markings became visible in my vision that faintly glowed and encircled a small silver half-moon insignia on the wolf's forehead. The sight shocked me.
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The markings weren't visible to the naked eye, and their sharp fang-like patterns resembled a sinister cage enclosing the moon symbol. It formed a circular shape with designs similar to the blood moon and thread-like patterns extended across the rest of its face.
The cursed markings pulsated faintly with a palpable ominous aura. I looked down and trained my gaze on the lifeless black sockets of the wolf's eyes.