The Rising Horror
1009 Words
Chapter 11
The chamber collapsed around them.
Massive chunks of stone crashed into the abyss while ancient roots snapped violently beneath the pressure of the creature rising from below.
The gigantic claw tightened around the edge of the broken seal.
Then another claw appeared.
Ancient black scales reflected the corrupted light spreading through the underground cavern.
Students and soldiers fled toward the upper tunnels in panic.
“It’s coming out!”
“Move!”
“GET BACK!”
A deafening roar exploded from the abyss.
The sound alone shattered nearby crystal pillars.
Aretha stumbled backward as pain surged through her shoulder again.
The mark beneath her skin burned hotter than ever before.
Fenrir planted his massive paws against the ground, silver energy surging through the roots around him.
“We must force it back before the seal breaks completely!”
Orion shouted orders immediately.
“All remaining students evacuate now!”
Fairy soldiers rushed survivors toward the tunnels while shadow hunters formed defensive lines across the chamber.
Centuries of hatred no longer mattered.
Only survival did.
Liam stayed beside Aretha protectively.
“You’re shaking.”
“I know,” she whispered.
The truth was—
She could feel the creature’s emotions.
Its anger.
Its suffering.
Its endless loneliness beneath the earth.
And somehow…
It recognized her.
Another section of the floor exploded upward.
A massive horned head slowly emerged from the darkness below.
Everyone froze in horror.
The creature was enormous.
Its body resembled a dragon mixed with something far older and more terrifying. Black scales covered its skin while glowing golden cracks pulsed beneath them like molten fire trapped inside stone.
Ancient chains still wrapped around parts of its neck and wings.
Broken remnants of the original seal.
One glowing golden eye focused directly on Aretha.
The creature stopped moving instantly.
Like it had found what it was searching for.
Fenrir’s voice rumbled with dread.
“Vorthakai…”
Allan’s expression darkened.
“So the legends were true.”
Nyra stared upward in disbelief.
“That thing was beneath the academy this entire time?!”
“Not just the academy,” Fenrir answered grimly.
“Beneath the roots of the world.”
The ancient creature slowly pulled itself higher from the abyss.
Every movement shook the cavern violently.
Black corruption spread rapidly wherever its claws touched.
The Tree of Life screamed again through the roots above them.
Then—
Vorthakai spoke.
Its voice echoed inside every mind in the chamber at once.
“You sealed me for centuries…”
The sound was unbearable.
Several soldiers collapsed instantly from the pressure of its ancient magic.
Orion forced himself forward despite the overwhelming energy.
“You were destroying the balance!”
The creature’s golden eye shifted toward him slowly.
“No.”
Its voice deepened.
“You destroyed it yourselves.”
Silence followed.
Even Fenrir looked troubled.
Then Vorthakai’s gaze returned to Aretha.
“But the bridge has finally returned.”
The whispers inside Aretha’s head exploded again.
Images flooded her mind instantly.
Ancient wars.
Guardians falling beneath black skies.
Humans and magical bloodlines fighting each other while the Tree of Life burned.
And beneath it all—
Vorthakai chained beneath the earth.
Not imprisoned for evil.
Imprisoned because people feared its power.
Aretha gasped sharply.
“It wasn’t trying to destroy the world…”
Fenrir looked at her quickly.
“What did you see?”
Before she could answer—
A corrupted beast lunged from the shadows behind them.
Liam tore through it instantly.
“Less talking, more surviving!”
The chamber continued collapsing around them.
More creatures poured from underground tunnels while black roots spread toward the surface.
Allan sliced through another beast before turning toward Aretha.
“You need to seal the roots now.”
Selene immediately stepped in front of her daughter.
“She’s not sacrificing herself!”
“Nobody said sacrifice,” Allan answered coldly.
Fenrir remained silent.
That silence terrified Aretha.
She looked toward the guardian.
“…Right?”
Fenrir slowly lowered his head.
“The ancient seal requires balance.”
“What does that mean?”
The guardian hesitated.
Then finally—
“To restore the seal fully… the child of shadow and light must bind herself to the Tree.”
The chamber went still.
Selene’s face filled with horror.
“No.”
Orion looked deeply disturbed too.
“She would become part of the roots…”
“Forever?” Liam asked sharply.
Fenrir said nothing.
That answer was enough.
Aretha felt the air leave her lungs.
Forever?
She looked toward the giant creature emerging from the abyss.
Toward the corruption spreading through Lumierre.
Toward her mother.
Her friends.
This world she had only just discovered.
And somehow—
She was already expected to lose everything for it.
“No,” Selene whispered again, tears filling her eyes now. “I won’t let this happen.”
The curse beneath her skin suddenly spread violently.
Black veins covered her arms and neck.
She collapsed to her knees in pain.
“Mom!”
Aretha rushed toward her immediately.
Selene struggled to breathe while shadow magic pulsed beneath her skin.
Allan’s expression shifted instantly when he saw the curse clearly.
“…Impossible.”
Orion looked toward him sharply.
“You recognize it?”
Allan’s silver eyes darkened.
“That curse was forbidden.”
The future king knelt beside Selene carefully.
“Who did this to you?”
Selene tried to pull away weakly.
But Allan had already seen enough.
Shock crossed his face for the first time since arriving.
“No…”
The chamber trembled violently again.
But Allan barely noticed now.
Because suddenly—
He understood something horrifying.
Kael’s death had not been natural.
Someone else had hunted them.
Someone powerful enough to use forbidden shadow curses.
And if Allan was right—
The enemy threatening both realms was far worse than anyone imagined.
Then Vorthakai roared again.
The final chains binding its body shattered completely.
CRAAAAACK!
The ancient beast spread its enormous wings beneath the underground cavern.
And the world above them began to break.
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