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Chapter 203 – The Hunt Begins
Chapter 203 – The Hunt Begins
The underground fortress was silent, swallowed by the weight of the night. The torches lining the corridors flickered dimly, their violet glow casting shifting shadows against the stone walls.
Seraphis stood at the entrance of her chamber, her keen gaze sweeping across the dimly lit halls. She listened—deeply, intently.
Soft breaths. Slow, steady heartbeats.
Asleep. All of them.
Satisfied, she moved. Silent. Invisible. A whisper against the air.
The Blood’s Call
Once outside the cave fortress, she took a deep breath. Cold night air. The scent of damp earth. The distant rustling of nocturnal creatures.
And then—
She withdrew a small glass vial from within her cloak.
Inside, swirling like liquid moonlight, was Veylan’s blood.
She uncorked it, lifting it to her nose. The scent was overwhelming—rich, potent, ancient. A cocktail of power and evolution.
A single drop touched her lips.
A jolt shot through her veins.
Then, without hesitation, she drank.
Raven’s Wings, Predator’s Sight
The transformation was instant.
Her bones shifted, shrank. Her skin darkened, feathers bursting forth from her flesh.
Her vision sharpened, the world below coming alive with a depth beyond human comprehension. Every movement of grass, every pulse of warm-blooded life glowed in her senses.
With a powerful beat of her wings, she ascended into the night.
The hunt had begun.
A Cave of Secrets
She flew for what felt like hours, tracking the scent, the blood’s resonance pulling her forward.
Then she found it.
A cave, hidden deep in the wilderness. Black stone. A maw-like entrance. Old, ancient. Reeking of blood and death.
She landed near the entrance, shifting back into her human form. The night was thick, suffocatingly quiet.
Seraphis unsheathed her dagger and slipped inside.
The Shadows Within
Inside, the air was stale, thick with the iron scent of dried blood.
She moved slowly, carefully.
The deeper she went, the stronger the stench became—not just death, but something... foul. Twisted.
Then, she saw them.
A group of vampires, lounging within the cavern, their figures draped over scattered bones and makeshift furniture. Their eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, some talking, others sharpening blades.
But one stood out.
At the far end of the cave, a noble-looking vampire sat upon a throne of black stone. His presence was different—controlled, refined, but undeniably cruel.
He was no mere bloodsucker.
He was a lord.
And he was the target.
A Slow, Silent Death
Seraphis took a step forward—and vanished.
Not physically, but within the shadows.
She was among them before they even realized.
A flick of her wrist—a dagger to the throat. A silent gurgle, a body hitting the ground.
Another step—a blade between the ribs. A sharp twist. A silent death.
One by one, she moved, a phantom of lethal grace.
A cut, a snap, a breath stolen.
By the time the last vampire noticed, he barely had time to scream before her blade silenced him.
Then—
Only one remained.
The noble vampire had risen from his throne, amused, intrigued.
He clapped slowly, his glowing crimson eyes locked onto hers.
A Battle of Beasts
"You move well," he mused, stepping forward. His voice was smooth, filled with centuries of arrogance. "A pity you’ve chosen to throw your life away tonight."
Seraphis did not respond.
She lunged.
A blur. A clash. A storm of steel and speed.
The noble vampire matched her.
Fangs bared, claws extended—his movements were inhumanly fast. He struck, and she dodged—a deadly dance within the cavern’s depths.
Blades clashed. Sparks flew.
He lashed out, slicing across her side—a shallow cut, but a warning.
Seraphis grinned.
This was going to be fun.
The Decisive Strike
The battle raged—a blur of violence, speed, and skill.
Seraphis twisted, feinted left, struck right. Her dagger glided past his defenses, slashing across his chest.
The vampire snarled, his wounds already closing.
"Annoying," he hissed. "But not enough."
He lunged—faster than before.
She anticipated it.
At the last second, she sidestepped.
Her blade sang through the air—
And found its mark.
The noble vampire froze.
Seraphis's dagger was buried in his throat.
She twisted it.
A wet, gurgling sound. His body seized, then went limp.
But she wasn’t done.
She grabbed his hair—and with a single motion, severed his head from his shoulders.
Blood splattered against the cave walls.
The battle was over.
A Feast of Memories
Seraphis knelt over the headless corpse.
She placed her hand over the vampire’s skull.
And fed.
Darkness enveloped her mind—visions, memories, whispers of the past.
She saw them.
Sena. Lilith.
Alive.
Somewhere.
But not here.
Her eyes snapped open.
Another cave.
A different one.
And within it—the secret behind the Sleeper experiments.
Her hunt was not over.
It had only just begun.