Secret Tunnels and Nightmares (edited)

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Tera led them through the cobblestone streets until they came to one that was almost deserted. The group watched as Tera knelt down and removed a cleverly disguised tile in the wall of one of the buildings. Then, she reached inside the hole and pulled a chain, and at once metallic clunks was heard. Next second, the cobblestones began to move. The cobblestones, in fact slid, right out of sight, leaving a set of stairs leading to the entrance of a large tunnel exposed, a tunnel wide enough for several people to stand up in. Mélanie watched as Tera looked back up at the group.
"This was made long before the Abbot and his monks came from Malta," she said.
"You just happened to stumble upon it one day while you were out picking flowers?" asked Richter jerkily.
Tera lit the tips of her fingers with a small orb of fire.
"It leads into the cellars," said Tera before she began descending the stairs and out of sight. Maria followed her mother quickly, along with Mélanie, Annette and, finally, Richter.
It was like walking through an endless, damp, dark corridor. Their footsteps slapping loudly against the wet floor as Tera led the way. The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the flamelight.
"You can smell the evil down here," Tera said quietly.
Mélanie sharp eyes were keeping a look out for any sign of movement. But the tunnel was quiet as a grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Richter stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. Tera lowered her fingers to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones.

"Do you really think you could kill him?" Tera asked, turning to Annette. "He's someone you love. Even if he's become a monster."
"He could never be a monster," said Annette quietly.
"So what will you do?" asked Richter.
Annette didn't answer.
The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Mélanie's body was tingling unpleasantly. She wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what they'd find when it did. And then, at last, as they crept around yet another bend, Tera stopped in front of one of the walls. She placed her hand on one of the bricks, pushing it partially into the wall, but not all the way.
"We're here for the truth," said Tera, looking up at the group. "Because of people we care about. But we all know there'll be night creatures, and we don't know how many."
"I'm a Belmont. I kill demons. It's what we do," said Richter nonchalantly.
"It's what we all do," Annette agreed.
Satisfied with their answers, Tera nodded.
"Stay close," she said as she pushed the brick all the way in. Several metallic clunks were heard as the wall cracked open, the stone rose smoothly out of sight, and the group, confident in their ability to defend themselves but wracked with nerves, walked inside.

They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit room. Wide stone pillars rose to support a low ceiling, casting long shadows through the odd, golden gloom that filled the place.
Her heart beating very fast, Mélanie stood listening to the few low growls could be heard in the chill silence.
Suddenly, Annette gasped.
Singing was coming from somewhere. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Mélanie's scalp and made her heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. But she was able to recognise the singing was in the same operatic key as Edouard.
"Papa Legba, Ouvri pòtay la," breathed Annette, summoning dust into her palms. Then, a snarl erupted from behind the nearest pillar. The green-eyed, multi-armed night creature had appeared. A second later, it was charging straight at Annette, whose weapons were still in the process of forming. Ritcher and Mélanie jumped in front of her as the night creature began to close in. Richter blasted it backwards with his whip, sending it crashing into a large wooden door. Then the two hunters threw volleys of their respective throwing knives at the night creature's arms, pinning it in place as it shrieked in agony.
The group ran past it and through the doorway at the other end of the room. There was no doubt in their minds that the mutli-armed night creature's calls had been heard by its brethren. Mélanie could see more corridors branching off in all directions, which twisted and turned, all of them had prison cells which lined the walls. This must have been some kind of dungeon.

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