Primalcraft: Sins of Bygone days (book 2)

Rituals in the Dark, Chapter 5

"Bloody hell," Alex hissed between clenched teeth as he came to a halt. They had moved around for at least an hour, encountering one dead end after another.

"We build a maze with a deadly trap at the end of it. What should we build beyond that? More maze!" Alex's thoughts sizzled as he tried to take another turn left.

"Why do you always go left?" Hadrien asked sniffing the air, but grimaced when nothing new was discovered.

"So that I can remember the way out," muttered Alex, "And I have been going for left, left, right, right. Not just left."

"Whoever built this was truly wanted to protect something," Hadrien said and seemed to scratch something in the wall. Alex had seen him done so before but hadn't commented that scratching a mark into the wall was far more reliable than trying to memorize the way out.

"Or hid something," Alex replied watching the dark halls. Most of their light had gone out as the time went on, and only a dim light now guided them through the halls that all looked the same. If this continued, they would be completely engulfed in darkness soon.

A small tremor once again hit the ground and Alex watched the darkness. Ever since they had entered this new maze, he could feel the tremors in the floor. Tiny, coming in waves like heartbeats.

"What is it?" asked Hadrien, noticing Alex expression.

"Can you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

Alex walked over and grabbed onto his hand, putting it on the wall. "There."

Both of them stared at the wall, feeling the strange tremor. "What is that?"

"I first thought it was some machinery, maybe a water pump. I have been trying to move towards it but-" Alex frowned as he felt the tremors move. "As we moved, so did it. From what I can tell, it is moving towards us."

Alex could feel Hadrien tense as he held onto his hand, the expression growing grim. "Something is following us?"

"From what I can tell, yes. Maybe hunting us."

Both of them stood still for a moment before Alex turned his eyes toward the darkness again. So deep and threatening.

"You want to face it, don't you?" Hadrien said, peering at Alex's face.

"Whatever that thing is, it has been the only sign of life since we entered here. Who knows, it might even be friendly," Alex said, but he highly doubted anything in these halls where neighborly. Considering that everything else designed to prevent them to reach the center, this was most likely no different. "Besides-"

Alex's eyes flashed yellow, and a low growled escaped his throat. "I'm not much for being prey."

Hadrien smirked," We have that in common. So, let's do something dumb, chaton."

"Dumber than usual?"

"Definitively."

"Then let's find better ground, these halls won't allow us to ambush whatever is on the other side of those tremors."

"Is there any other kind than these halls?" Hadrien asked.

"The room we almost drowned in, it is large enough to give us space to fight. Besides-" Alex let out a mischievous grin. "We can always drown the fucker."

"Have anyone told you that you are frightening sometimes?" Hadrien asked, but clearly wasn't bothered by the plan.

"I don't want to hear that from a wolf clan known to be rabid," Alex huffed, and Hadrien shrugged not even denying his claim. "Either way, we need to run. We do not want to get cut off from the exit by that thing."

"Agreed."

Both of them dashed down the hall, the way they came. For each step Alex took, he ensured that he located the source of the tremors. It was close but didn't speed up as they ran. It bothered him that it seems to be able to locate them without a problem. As they changed direction, it followed. Slow and steady.

Whatever it was wasn't bothered by them running around. Was it sure of itself or did it just not care. Living down here would surely have made any creature mad, but Alex must wonder what kind of being could make tremors as it walked.

Hadrien touched the wall, not being able to feel the tremors through his feet like Alex did. "It is closing in."

"I noticed as well. It is going to be close," Alex said, panting as they run faster. Turning around the corner, they rushed down the last hall. Alex feeling a sigh of relief that they had reached their destination before their pursuer.

As they burst into the large hall, they both stopped, leaning down and panted. Alex watched the hall, ensuring that nothing followed them.

"Can you feel it?" asked Hadrien between pants. His eyes closed, as he tried to get his bearings. Wiping away his sweat, he finally stood up and stretched, almost eager by the prospect of a fight.

"I can, it is very close," Alex said as he also finally got his breathing under control. He could feel his cat purring at the thought of ripping his prey to pieces. Well, he also wanted to share those pieces with Hadrien for a nice dinner before having wild sex. Very romantic. Pushing the horny cat out of his mind, Alex perused the surroundings.

The balcony was gone, which was a pity since it would have been the perfect ambush spot as it was directly above the entrance. The roots were still there, but they seemed slippery after being drenched in water.

Hadrien followed Alex's gaze before cocking an eyebrow at him, "I can help you climb that."

"I can climb myself."

"Your friends can attest otherwise."

Alex flashed his fangs, he could feel his eyes glowing ember for a second before turning back to his obsidian color. "Just climb you, bloody wanker!"

Leaving them no other choice, they both climbed the slippery roots. Alex has to clench his teeth every time he almost lost his grip, trying to steady himself on the wall only to notice that the wall was as slippery as the damn roots.

Squealing noises came from the doorway they had opened, followed by loud thuds like footsteps. Whatever was coming was heavy. Both Alex and Hadrien steadied themselves, ready to jump down and ambush whatever came out from the dark hall but every instinct in Alex screamed.

His cat hissed. Clawing at his mind trying to get out. It took every restraint he was able to muster to not let a hiss come out of his throat. Hadrien let out a low growl, not fully being able to restrain himself and his eyes glowed fiercely.

Something was wrong, as the tremors became more prominent, sending shivers through Alex. He realized what had his cat so bothered. There was no scent, no heartbeat. All he was able to hear was the loud footsteps, the sound of metal grinding together, and heavy breaths as whatever came towards them exhaled.

Alex closed his eyes, focusing on his cat that was more than willing to enhance his senses. Listening, smelling as he grinds his teeth now turning into fangs. Claws erupted from his nails. He could hear it now. The sound of thousands of cogs, grinding together as they turned. The smell of steam and the heavy sound of metal against stone.

Alex opened his eyes wide as he realizes what was coming towards them.

"Quiet, the creature will hear us," whispered Hadrien, who had not removed his eyes from the entrance, but Alex could see the density in his shoulders. He most likely had realized it as well. The thing coming for them was no creature.

Stone cracked as a hand made of pure bronze, with claws as large as Alex fingers, crushed the frame of the entrance. Slowly a sight Alex could not even imagine erupted from the hall. A large minotaur, entirely made out of bronze, red glowing eyes and steam coming out of its nose walked into the room.

Alex hoped that he looked calm, because he was in a full panic at the moment. How the bloody hell would they fight off a thing like that?