Ascendants: Tides of the Morn

Chapter 11

(A picture of Caterina di Castellamonte. Here comes chapter eleven!)

I walked along the obscure hallway with careful steps as I wasn't able to see my feet in front of me. My pendant gave me some light but it wasn't able to illuminate the path in front of me. Leonide on the other hands seems to have no troubles striding in the dark. He trekked in a fast pace to survey the path before us while only halting for a spare second in order to let me keep up.

His scarlet eyes glowed in the obscurity and a thought occurred to me.

"Leonide, are you able to see in the dark?" I asked curiously while trying to keep my trembling voice stable as I feared the dark more than I have ever done before. All those days locked in the dark cellar made me fear obscurity more than I thought possible. It has become an adversary I could not defeat.

I could hear a gentle chuckle as his crimson eyes followed my movement with an accuracy that convinced me that he must be able to see me clearly.

"My clan's red eyes aren't just for show. It allows us to see in the dark," Leonide explained and I followed his voice. I walked straight into his arms and with a chuckle, he offered his arm to lead me through the darkness.

"Convenient," I mused as I was lead through the hallway into a large open area. It was lit by oil lamps which made me flinch. I was grateful for the light but fearful as I could feel my skin heat, warning me that proximity was not an option as the light from the flames would burn me if I approached them.

Leonide's eyes seemed to stalk something in the shadows which danced on the stone walls. I might not be able to see through the obscurity but I was able to hear something more among the shadows. Eyes followed me from the dark as I tried to locate their source.

"I can see you clearly daemon," Leonide said lazily.

"Your clan has always been accustom to the dark, Moon child!" A husky voice echoed in the stone hall and caused shivers to run through me like waves.

A dark figure in robes stepped out of the shadows. I swallowed as I witnessed a large figure looking like a starving man with white skin and no eyes, only two dark pits emanating with black smoke, glaring back at me. His mouth was filled with sharp, long teeth which you could get a glimpse of every time he smiled.

The creatures dark pits of eyes turned to me as it grimaced, showing all its teeth. I leaned in closer to Leonide as I wanted to guard myself against his profound gaze.

"But you Child of the Sun is not a common occurrence in these parts. For what might I ask did you risk coming down here for?"

I took a deep breathe to then meet the dark eyes. "I'm looking for answers. Humans have vanished in the catacombs and we... I want to know who is responsible."

"We... Ah, The Sovereignty has put their claws into the Sun Clan, have they?" The creature's voice was filled with indifference as I hastily shook my head.

"The request might have come from the Sovereignty but it's a threat to all of the Ascendants as the humans have started to take notice. They have started to investigate and it's just a matter of time before they discover the hidden community underneath the city."

The creature halted and seem to consider my words before he tilted his head. "And they send a newborn to investigate."

"Someone who wasn't considered a threat was also the best choice to obtain answers," I replied trying to ignore the contempt brooding underneath the creature's words.

The creature inspected me as he paced around us from the shadows. "What is your name then, little girl?"

"My name is Valeria Di Santis," I told him with a steady voice.