Gaia

Chapter 9 The Blood Realm

As they drew closer to the crimson doors, without a sound, the colossal castle doors began to part. They didn't swing outward or inward; instead, they seemed to melt away, drawing back into the very stone of the castle with an eerie, silent grace. A wave of cool, scented air, heavy with the aroma of old stone and something faintly metallic, washed over them.

Beyond the threshold lay a vast, echoing hall, bathed in a soft, ethereal glow that seemed to emanate from the very air itself. The light was not bright, but it was pervasive, revealing soaring vaulted ceilings lost in shadow high above, and massive pillars carved with intricate, swirling patterns that mirrored the glowing symbols on Orrin’s armor and the path outside. The floor was polished black stone, reflecting the dim light like a still pool.

There were no torches, no visible light sources, yet the hall was illuminated enough to reveal its immense scale it felt ancient, impossibly old, as if time itself had been woven into its very fabric. The silence within was even deeper than outside, a silence that pressed in on Shay, making her ears ring.

Shiloh, still clutching Shay’s hand, gasped again, his earlier wonder returning, though now tinged with a touch of apprehension. He craned his neck, trying to take in the impossible height of the ceiling. "It's... empty," he whispered, a hint of disappointment in his voice, but also a new sense of unease.

Shay felt it too. The hall wasn't truly empty; it was simply devoid of movement, of life. It felt like a monument, a tomb, or perhaps a place of waiting. Her gaze swept across the vast space, searching, her instincts screaming that something was here, something powerful and unseen. The air thrummed with a low, resonant energy that vibrated in her bones, a sensation that was both overwhelming and strangely familiar.

Sir Damian stepped forward, his boots making no sound on the polished floor. He turned to them, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "Welcome," he said, his voice echoing softly in the immense chamber, "to the heart of the Blood Realm."