𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙨 || 𝘑𝘢𝘺𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯 & 𝘞𝘰𝘯𝘬𝘪

21

A/N: *Apologies* It's a short one..

The dim, stagnant air in the room had long since grown oppressive. None of them knew how much time had passed—hours, days—it all blurred together. 

Lin had used her magic to determine the passing of another day, but even that had become an empty comfort. Fatigue and desperation loomed heavily over everyone.

Lin sat cross-legged, mumbling incantations under her breath as she tried spell after spell to no avail. "Damn it," she muttered, slamming her palm against the floor. "Nothing is working. These barriers—they're laced with something far beyond my power."

Jake leaned his forehead against the glass, frustration etched into his face. "They've thought of everything. They've got us locked in here like animals."

Jay let out a bitter laugh. "So we are animals now?"

"Stop," Heeseung snapped, his voice cracking as he stood abruptly. "Bickering isn't going to get us anywhere."

The room fell silent, until the sudden, jarring sound of the door creaking open snapped everyone's attention toward it.

The faint sound of footsteps echoed as a swarm of figures entered the room—dozens of them, pale-faced with crimson eyes that gleamed like embers in the dim light.

"Vampires," Sunoo whispered, his voice trembling. "An army of them."

Then she appeared—Aera. Her white eyes scanned the room with calculated disdain as she glided to the side, bowing low.

And then, he came.

An old man shuffled into the room, frail and decrepit, his skin hanging loosely off his bones like a shroud. 

He was supported by two tall, imposing figures on either side. 

Despite his apparent fragility, his presence exuded an air of overwhelming authority, silencing even the bravest among them.

Youngjae stepped forward. 

He gestured toward one of the cells, his voice calm yet commanding. "That one," he said, pointing directly at Jungwon, who flinched visibly.

"No," Ni-Ki whispered under his breath, his heart pounding as he instinctively pressed his hands against the glass, as though he could break through by sheer will alone.

 Jungwon took a small, shaky step backward, his eyes darting to the youngest.

"That is your son," Youngjae continued, his words reverberating like a death knell.

The Superior.

The Superior's hollow gaze landed on Jungwon, and for a moment, the room seemed to freeze.