Vialor: The Cold Heart of the Kingdom
The stone door slid shut slowly and silently behind them, leaving Garen in the shadows. Selena led Kaiden through a narrow, dark passage, from which a faint, metallic scent rose. The place was not as deserted as the detention room had suggested; as soon as they took a few steps, sounds began to reach him: faint echoing footsteps, indistinct murmurs, and the distant rush of running water.
Kaiden's emotions were in turmoil—a mixture of dread for what awaited him and the strange, compelling fascination that Selena had awakened inside. His hand could still feel the coolness of Selena's touch, and his new strength buzzed in his veins like an electric current.
"Where are we going?" Kaiden asked in a barely audible voice, trying to regain his composure.
Selena turned to him, her playful smile returning. "To see our kingdom. Did you think we lived in abandoned shacks? The truth is far more magnificent, Kaiden."
🏛️ The Cold Heart of the Kingdom
After ascending a long, winding spiral staircase, they reached a narrow opening. Selena pushed the hatch aside and entered, with Kaiden following, hesitant.
The moment he stepped inside, he gasped again.
This was no prison; it was an entire city carved deep beneath the earth. A colossal hall stretched before him, supported by thick, intricately carved stone columns. The place was not completely dark; the massive cave stones glittered with a faint blue glow, as if infused with luminous crystals, casting dramatic shadows upon the complex carvings that adorned the walls.
There was movement—silent and organized. Other vampires walked with a quiet, assured confidence. Their skin was pale, and their eyes flickered with varying shades of red and gold in the dim light. All were dressed in dark, luxurious garments befitting the grandeur of the locale, emanating an aura of power and sovereignty Kaiden had never witnessed among humans.
"What... what is this place?" Kaiden whispered in awe.
Selena replied with pride, "This is Vialor, our last stronghold. The heart of the Vampire Kingdom. Humans have never been able to find this place. Our city has thrived here for centuries, hidden beneath their feet."
Kaiden noticed that some of the vampires turned to look at him with curiosity, particularly at his crimson eyes. Their gazes were calm, yet they seemed to penetrate his soul, as if reading every lingering trace of hesitation within him.
Selena sensed Kaiden's tension and placed her hand on his arm, urging him to walk.
"Now, Kaiden, the most important lesson you must learn is control. Your blood is hot, but you must be the coldness that quenches it."
"Control?" Kaiden asked, gesturing to himself. "I don't even understand how... how I broke those chains."
Selena stopped before a stone archway inscribed with the drawings of massive serpents.
"Your physical strength, your raw power, is the first thing to awaken. But the hardest part is controlling your senses. Especially when you catch a whiff of... dinner."
Selena felt a slight tremor in Kaiden's arm. In that moment, Kaiden could distinctly identify a powerful, specific scent coming from a distant corner of the passage: the scent of... blood.
The smell was not repulsive; it was terrifyingly strong and alluring. Kaiden felt his throat go dry, and a sudden heat rushed into his eyes. His body began to tremble violently.
"It's... it's so strong," Kaiden stammered, gripping Selena's arm with involuntary strength.
"Yes," Selena said very quietly, her red eyes observing his reaction as if she were in a laboratory. "It is the smell of fresh human blood. Garen has brought in some captives to feed the recently awakened."
Kaiden felt something constricting his chest, as if an uncontrollable, hungry instinct was attempting to override his mind. He remembered the gruesome stories he used to hear about vampires.
"No... I can't... I can't do that," he said, gasping, trying to push the thought away.
Selena cupped his face with her cold hands, momentarily dulling the intensity of his glowing eyes.
"This is the moment, Kaiden. Either you control your blood now... or the glow in your eyes will turn into a frenzy that forces you to devour all of us."
Kaiden clenched his jaw, trying desperately to recall what it felt like to be human, while the instinct screamed at him like a beast. He gathered every fragment of will he had left and focused on the coolness of Selena's touch against his face.
Slowly, the crimson glow in his eyes began to recede, and the hot blood drained from his veins, replaced by a sensation of controlled coldness and power. The ravenous urge retreated a step.
Selena smiled triumphantly, removing her hands.
"Good. You have a strong will. You saved yourself from the first true test. Remember: We do not seek strength from the outside; we demand control from within."
Selena glanced around at the other vampires who had been watching them. Then she looked back at Kaiden, tilting her head.
"Now that you've shown us who you are, it's time to begin training in our real skills. Let's start by teaching you how to listen to the shadow, how to see in the darkness... and how to make humans tremble with just a whisper."