Crimson Bonds

Chapter 41: The Leviathans Stir

The city had never felt more foreign. What was once familiar now seemed twisted, as though the very fabric of reality had begun to unravel. Babe could sense it in the air-an unsettling current of dark energy, creeping through the streets, seeping into every corner of the supernatural world. It was as if the Leviathans' presence, once distant and dormant, had begun to bleed through, touching everything.

"Do you feel that?" Babe asked quietly, his voice tight with unease.

Billy, standing beside him, nodded. His usually confident posture was rigid, his jaw clenched. "It's getting worse," he said. "That dark energy... it's everywhere now. I can't shake the feeling that we're running out of time."

Babe didn't need to be told. He could feel it too, the way his own blood magic seemed to pulse in response to the Leviathans' growing influence. It was as if the dark energy was calling out to him, resonating with the very essence of his powers. And the worst part? He didn't know how to stop it.

Strange things had started happening over the last few days. Supernatural beings who had once kept to their own corners of the city were suddenly on edge, acting out in ways that were unpredictable, violent. Fights broke out between factions that had once maintained a fragile peace. Witches' spells misfired, and vampires had become more aggressive, their tempers flaring for no apparent reason.

But it wasn't just the supernatural creatures that were changing. Humans were being affected too. People had started disappearing from their homes, vanishing without a trace. And when they were found, they were different-eyes glazed over, skin pale and cold, as though the dark energy had hollowed them out, leaving only shadows behind.

Babe hugged himself, trying to hold onto whatever control he still had. "It's spreading, isn't it? The Leviathans... they're seeping through."

Billy's expression darkened. "Yeah. And if we don't find a way to stop it soon, this is only going to get worse."

The weight of his words hung heavy between them. Babe knew Billy was right, but the solution to their problem seemed impossible to grasp. How were they supposed to stop a force so ancient, so powerful, when they didn't even fully understand it?

The sound of breaking glass shattered the quiet night. Babe and Billy both turned, their senses going on high alert. The dark alleyway they were in seemed to close in around them as figures emerged from the shadows.

"Stay close," Billy murmured, stepping protectively in front of Babe.

The figures that stepped into the dim light weren't human-or at least, they weren't anymore. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and their movements were jerky, as if they were puppets being pulled by invisible strings.

Infected.

Babe swallowed hard. He'd heard rumors of this-supernatural beings and even humans who had been touched by the Leviathans' dark energy, their bodies twisted into something monstrous. But seeing it up close was far worse than he'd imagined.

"Don't let them touch you," Billy warned, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for a fight.

The infected moved in unison, their faces expressionless, as they closed in on Billy and Babe. There was something eerie about the way they moved, almost as if they were being controlled by a single mind-one that wasn't their own.

Babe's pulse quickened. He could feel the dark energy emanating from them, thick and suffocating. His blood magic reacted instinctively, flaring up inside him, ready to lash out. But something about the energy felt... familiar. Like a part of him recognized it, even if he didn't want to.

"Babe..." Billy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "We need to move."

Before he could respond, the infected lunged forward. Billy moved with blinding speed, his vampire reflexes kicking in as he knocked two of them to the ground with a powerful kick. But more of them kept coming, their strength unnaturally amplified by the Leviathans' influence.

Babe stepped back, raising his hand as the crimson glow of his magic pulsed to life. He didn't want to use it, not after what had happened last time. The Leviathans' dark energy had nearly consumed him, and he'd come so close to weakening the seal. But there was no choice now.

His magic surged outward, striking the nearest infected with a blast of raw power. They crumpled to the ground, but the energy that flowed through them seemed to pulse back, resonating with the Leviathans' influence. The more he used his magic, the stronger the pull of the dark energy became.

"Babe, stop!" Billy shouted, throwing another infected aside. "Your magic-it's drawing them in!"

But Babe couldn't stop. He could feel the darkness creeping closer, slipping through the cracks in the seal. Every time he used his magic, it chipped away at the barrier between their world and the Leviathans'. But without it, they wouldn't survive this attack.

He gritted his teeth, fighting to control the surge of power inside him. "I have to! If I don't-"

Suddenly, the infected surrounded Billy, their hands clawing at him, trying to drag him down. For the first time, Babe saw fear in Billy's eyes. Not fear for himself-but for Babe.

In that instant, everything seemed to slow. Babe felt the weight of his magic pressing down on him, the choice he had to make clear as day. He could use his power, save Billy, but risk tearing open the seal completely-or he could hold back, and lose the one person who meant everything to him.

No. He wouldn't lose him. Not like this.

With a cry of desperation, Babe unleashed his full power. Crimson energy exploded from his hands, a wave of blood magic so intense that it sent the infected flying in every direction. The dark energy that had seeped into the air recoiled, momentarily stunned by the force of the magic.

But something else happened.

For the briefest moment, Babe felt his magic intertwine with something deeper, something ancient. It wasn't just his blood magic-it was the energy of the Leviathans themselves, coursing through him, feeding off his power. The connection was undeniable, a tether he couldn't break.

"Babe!" Billy's voice was strained as he struggled to his feet. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know!" Babe shouted back, his eyes wide with panic. He could feel the Leviathans pulling at him, trying to drag him into their world. The power he had unleashed was more than just his own-it was something far more dangerous.

Billy was beside him in an instant, his hand gripping Babe's arm tightly. "We do this together," he said, his voice firm despite the chaos around them. "We stop them. Together."

Babe nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know how they were going to do it, but he knew one thing for certain: he wasn't facing this alone.

With Billy's support, Babe focused all his energy on controlling the magic inside him, forcing it to obey his will. The Leviathans' dark influence was still there, but for now, he had the upper hand. Together, their powers combined, they created a barrier that pushed back against the infected, forcing them to retreat.

But even as the immediate danger passed, Babe knew it wasn't over. The Leviathans were stirring, their dark energy growing stronger by the day. And with every use of his magic, Babe was bringing them closer to the surface.

They had won this battle-but the war was only just beginning.