The passage of time inside the dungeon was an enigma, a cruel joke played by the absolute darkness. Without the sun to mark the hours, the atmosphere felt stagnant.
Without a clock to tick away the seconds, it felt as if the air itself had died. It was impossible to tell if mere minutes had passed or entire days had drifted by.
The only reality in that place was the cold, damp stone and the rhythmic, hollow breathing of those trapped within the silence.
Luka sat huddled against the weeping wall, his arms wrapped tightly around Len, who was still submerged in a deep and peaceful slumber.
Luka held him as if he were a fragile glass doll, convinced that his own body heat was the only thing keeping the boy from being swallowed by the void.
As the silence stretched longer, Luka's mind began to spiral into a vortex of unease and dark thoughts. He leaned his head against the jagged stone, his eyes fixed on the shared wall that separated them from the chamber of horrors next door.
A question clawed at his mind:
"Why is it so quiet behind that wall now? Just a short while ago, the air was filled with the sounds of a nightmare."
"The rattling of chains, the frantic screams of guards, and the bone-chilling roars of a beast... where did it all go?"
Luka couldn't understand the sudden change. How could such violence turn into this suffocating silence so suddenly?
Is the creature dead, or is it merely waiting in the dark for its next meal? The stillness felt heavier than the noise—a predatory silence that made the hair on the back of Luka's neck stand up in fear.
Suddenly, the tension was broken. Len's grip on Luka's tunic loosened as his eyelashes flickered and his eyes slowly opened.
Even in this hellish place, Len woke up with an eerie calmness; his expression was devoid of the terror that consumed everyone else.
He sat up slowly and began to talk to Luka in his usual melodic and innocent voice. His words were a small spark of humanity in a place built for suffering.
Luka stroked Len's hair gently, trying to anchor himself to the boy's apparent innocence to keep his own mind from breaking.
But the peace was short-lived. From beyond the heavy iron door, a rhythmic sound echoed through the corridor—tap... tap... tap...
Heavy boots were striking the stone floor with military precision. Then came the harsh, metallic screech of the bolt being drawn back.
Two vampire guards stepped into the cell, carrying flickering torches that cast long, dancing shadows against the walls.
They thrust the torches into iron brackets, bringing a dim, orange glow to the cramped space. As the light flickered, Len looked at Luka and smiled.
He chirped with a bright, cheerful smile, "Luka! Look, I can see your face so clearly now."
Luka stared at him, completely bewildered. The torches were far away, and their light was weak, barely illuminating the center of the room. Their corner was still draped in thick shadows.
"Len... are you joking?" Luka whispered, his voice trembling. "How can you see me so clearly? It is still so dark here."
Len's smile widened, his eyes reflecting a light that shouldn't have been there.
"I'm not joking, Luka. I see everything. I could find you in the deepest darkness."
The guards, irritated by the boy's laughter in such a place, stepped forward.
"Take one of the children," the lead guard barked in a harsh voice. "Pick one from each cell and bring them out! Move!"
One guard lunged forward and grabbed Len by the arm, hoisting him up roughly. Luka's heart plummeted. He scrambled to his feet, reaching out desperately to stop the guard.
"No! Please! Take me instead!" Luka cried.
"He's a bit foolish, he doesn't understand anything. He won't be of any use to you. Please, leave him!"
Luka's eyes were filled with tears of desperation. But Len remained unnervingly composed. He looked back at Luka, his gaze steady and deep.
"Don't worry, Luka. I'll be back very soon. Just wait for me right here," he said, his voice as calm as a summer breeze.
Then, turning to the guard, Len asked innocently, "Do you have some work for me?"
The guard didn't answer, dragging him out into the hall. Another child from the same cell was also taken, walking silently alongside them.
Luka collapsed onto the floor, feeling as if the only light in his life was being carried away. As the heavy iron door slammed shut, the atmosphere shifted.
The moment they were out of Luka's sight in the dark gallery, Len's "innocence" evaporated like mist. He stopped walking abruptly.
His body became as heavy and unyielding as a mountain of lead. The guard tried to jerk him forward, but Len wouldn't budge an inch.
In a cold, flat voice that carried an ancient authority, he stated clearly:
"I am not going anywhere."
The guards froze in their tracks.
"What did you say, brat?" the lead guard roared, his temper flaring.
He tried to drag Len again, but the boy remained rooted to the spot. The guard's frustration turned into a blind, murderous rage.
He looked at the nearby door bound with massive chains—the cell of the beast.
"You think you're brave? Let's see how long that lasts when you're face to face with a god-killer!"
The guard spat, unlocking the chains in a frenzy. Ignoring the orders to keep the children alive, the enraged guard grabbed Len and violently hurled him into the pitch-black abyss of the beast's chamber.
The iron door slammed shut, and the chains were rattled back into place. Inside, there was only the sound of heavy, predatory breathing.
Two glowing crimson eyes ignited in the far corner, fixed on the small silhouette of the boy.
But as the monster prepared to lunge, Len didn't flinch. He simply looked up into the darkness.
That same deep and unknown mystery had returned to his eyes, hidden behind the mask he usually wore.
In that moment, the predator found itself looking into the eyes of its true master, and its advancing steps froze instantly.