Creation: The Primordial Era (Creation Series, Book 2)

Blood Cloaked

Oracion's POV

I can still see it, that gleaming glow of moonlight shining through cracks in the walls. It's searching desperately for something...someone. It really does make me think, 'I don't really know her, do I?' I look towards Mousai after she ducks her heads in and out of what appear to be used cells.

Her expression now seeming pretty nonchalant despite her previous warnings to me earlier, whether it's because the killings have nothing to do with her species or her confidence in me being able to...solve this issue. "Something bothering you?" She turns quickly, probably feeling my gaze a little too hard.

"Not at all." I answer. But it clearly doesn't satisfy her.

She walks up closer to me, bouncing between the stone bricks and hiding from the light. "You seem to misunderstand Oracion. I like you, I trust you..." Her eyes tint to one of gold briefly, "but don't for a second think you can lie to me and get away with it." She smiles, tilting my her head after dropping from her tip toes as she patiently waits for my answer.

"Who are you? I think I finally deserve to know at least that." I answer honestly.

She hums, "That's all that was bugging you!?" She laughs. "I don't think you deserve it, not just yet anyways."

"And what would qualify me for that?" I wince at the squeaky doors she continues to open.

One falls from the hinges, crashing to the floor and creating a hole to a lower level under the castle. We both stare at each other as if trying to blame each other for the accident despite knowing it was only her fault, "Complete what you've set out to do, I'm sure we'll find each other after that, deal?" She extends her hand out to me across the hole.

"I guess." I grab her hand.

"Great, ladies first." She aggressively pulls down on my hand, catching me off guard and flipping me into the hole first.

My ass hits the ground first landing directly on top the rusted metal door, "It's...safe...I guess-" I rub my back to soothe it, only to be slammed back down with an, "Obnoxious amount of weight." I cough out.

"Excuse me?" She comments.

"You're excused, now get the fuck off of me fat ass." I place my hand against her back, lifting my torso to smile at her before shoving her to the ground next to me.

"The sheer-audacity" She spits with malice, getting back to her feet to dust herself off.

I open my mouth to speak but the air feels sharp, feeling as if I've inhaled something that shouldn't be airborne. "There's something here." I comment with a whisper. Leaning lower down to the ground as I try to make out the space around us. With the only real direction leading down, we glance at the uncountable amount of staircases leading directly towards the centre of what seems to be an arena for...animal fights? Chains upon chains lined up and broken, replaced, coated in rust and blood from where the cages used to be dragged in.

With the harsh moonlight shining through the top, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that someone's sitting there, holding something between their hands and moving their mouth back and forth, chewing. I begin approaching it with caution but Mousai puts her hand in front of me. "It's already noticed us, Oracion."

I look at her, confused as the thing hasn't even reacted to us. "You've only been around one so I'm not surprised. But that isn't an animal. It hasn't given us the time of day cause it doesn't think we're worth its attention yet." She speaks with haste, pushing her hand deeper into my chest further as she tries to get me to back up.

"You said you can take them all on, right?" She asks me.

"Confidently." I answer.

"They all hide from the light as they burn in the sun, they all walk within the moonlight...but this isn't just a normal one. A ritual only a royal can do, a body made of flesh with a soul waiting to be filled. You've killed Mael, Eragon never leaves the castle...so who is this vampire that carries the blood of a royal." Mousai riddles.