Unique Gate [9]
1480 Words
[ You have entered a Gate ]
[ Vampire's Lair ]
As Zenon steadied himself, his sharp gaze locked onto the figure seated upon the throne.
The vampire chuckled, the sound smooth yet laced with something chillingly ancient. “What an unexpected guest. And here I thought I’d have to wait another century before one of your kind wandered in.”
Zenon didn’t move, his muscles tense. “Where am I?”
The vampire tilted his head, amusement flickering in his crimson eyes. “Ah, straight to the point. But a better question would be… why are you here?” His smirk deepened. “Or what led you here?”
Zenon’s breath hitched. His mother’s voice—it had guided him straight into this nightmare.
The vampire’s gaze sharpened ever so slightly as he studied Zenon. Then, a slow grin spread across his face. “Strange… I didn’t expect a human to come willingly.” His fingers tapped against the armrest. “And yet, here you are. How… peculiar.”
Zenon narrowed his eyes. “You say that like you know us well.”
The vampire let out a soft, humorless chuckle. “Oh, we do.” He gestured around the bloodstained lair. “Once, long ago, our kind and yours stood side by side. But tell me, human…” He leaned in, eyes gleaming with malice. “Who was it that cast us into the shadows?”
A sharp pressure filled the air, suffocating and heavy. The vampire’s smile was cruel now. “You all speak of monsters hiding in the dark, but you never ask who forced them there.”
Zenon clenched his fists. There was more to this Gate than he had thought.
And now, he was trapped inside it.
Zenon could feel it—the sheer weight of the vampire’s aura pressing down on him, suffocating yet controlled. His body was still weak from the sudden transition into this world, but his mind remained sharp. He forced himself to stay composed, unwilling to show weakness before his enemy.
Despite the oppressive atmosphere, fear did not grip him the way it might have for others. Vampires were not unfamiliar to him—not in his past life.
One of his dearest allies had been a vampire, a being of incredible strength who stood by his side in the battle against the King. Though his friend had not fought on the front lines, they had ensured that no enemy escaped. In power, they had been nearly equal to him.
That was why, even now, in the presence of an unknown vampire exuding an overwhelming presence, Zenon felt no fear.
His eyes flickered around the chamber, scanning every shadowed corner. He could feel them—other vampires lurking just beyond sight, concealed in the darkness. Silent. Waiting.
This Gate was different.
Something was wrong.
The vampire on the throne watched him closely, amusement dancing in his crimson gaze. “You’re an interesting one,” he mused. “Most humans tremble when they realize where they are. But you… you stand tall.”
Zenon didn’t respond. His mind was already working through the possibilities.
Was this Gate a mere dungeon? Or something more?
And more importantly… Why had he been lured here?
One thing was certain.
He wasn’t alone in the shadows.
And whatever lay ahead…
It was far from over.
Zenon’s mind raced, searching for a possible way out. But no matter how much he tried to analyze the situation, every escape route was cut off before it could even take shape.
The vampires in the shadows weren’t just standing there—they were waiting, watching, ready to pounce at the slightest sign of movement. The oppressive air inside the chamber made it difficult to focus, but it wasn’t just the atmosphere or the lurking threats that made his body feel heavy.
It was him.
The one sitting on the throne.
Zenon clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe evenly. Even without unleashing his full strength, the vampire’s presence alone was overwhelming, as if the entire room bent under his will. Every instinct in Zenon’s body screamed at him—he was outmatched.
Way out of his league.
The difference in power was undeniable. Even if he had unlocked his past abilities, he wasn’t sure if he could stand against this being. And right now… he wasn’t even close to that level.
Still, he refused to back down.
The vampire’s smirk widened, as if he could hear Zenon’s very thoughts. “I see it now. You understand, don’t you?” His voice was smooth, mocking. “That no matter what you do, you cannot leave.”
Zenon remained silent, his gaze locked onto the being before him.
The vampire let out a soft chuckle. “Good. I do hate it when my guests get any foolish ideas.” He lifted a hand lazily, and at that moment—
Zenon’s knees nearly buckled.
A wave of sheer power flooded the room, pressing against him like an invisible force threatening to crush him where he stood. His vision blurred for a split second before he bit down, forcing himself to remain standing.
The vampire tilted his head. “Impressive. A lesser human would have already collapsed.”
Zenon gritted his teeth.
There was no escape. No way to fight back.
For the first time since coming to this world—
He was truly powerless.
His eyes met the crimson gaze of the vampire on the throne. There was something chilling in the way he looked at him—mocking, almost playful.
Zenon could tell. This vampire was toying with him.
The only reason he was still alive was that the Gate Boss hadn't given the order for his underlings to strike. They stood in the shadows, waiting, silent predators ready to tear him apart at a moment's notice.
Then, the Gate Boss’s lips curled into a sinister grin, as if an idea had just crossed his mind.
“Well, well…” He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
With a deep, resounding creak, the massive doors behind him slowly began to open.
Zenon turned, eyes narrowing as he faced the unknown beyond the threshold.
Then, the Gate Boss spoke, his voice dripping with amusement.
“Run.”
Zenon’s body tensed.
Run?
His instincts screamed at him that whatever lay beyond those doors wouldn’t be salvation—it would be another part of the vampire’s twisted game.
Yet, standing here wasn’t an option either. He could feel the eyes of the hidden vampires around him, their hunger thick in the air. The Gate Boss hadn’t given the order to kill him yet, but how long would that mercy last?
Zenon took a step back, keeping his eyes on the vampire on the throne. The man watched him with undisguised amusement, resting his chin on one hand as if this were all a mere distraction to pass the time.
“You hesitate,” the Gate Boss mused. “Smart. But tell me, human… do you truly have a choice?”
Zenon clenched his fists. No. He didn’t.
With a deep breath, he turned and ran.
Zenon bolted forward, his feet pounding against the stone floor. The corridor stretched endlessly before him, dimly lit by flickering torches mounted on the ancient walls. Shadows twisted with every movement, distorting his surroundings.
His breath was steady, his mind racing.
I need to find a way out.
He turned sharply at the next corner, pressing himself against the cold stone. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. He needed to hide, to think—but the oppressive aura of the Gate Boss still clung to him like chains.
The silence didn’t last.
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the halls.
Zenon stiffened.
“Well now… this won’t be any fun if you just cower in the dark,” the Gate Boss’s voice rang out, smooth and mocking. “Hunt him down.”
A chorus of inhuman snarls erupted behind him.
Zenon didn't hesitate.
He pushed off the wall and ran.
The sound of claws scraping against stone filled the air, growing louder by the second. He could hear them—vampires, their movements impossibly fast, their hunger palpable.
Zenon twisted through the corridors, torchlight flashing across his face as he weaved through the labyrinthine halls. No matter how many turns he took, the aura of his pursuers never faded. They were herding him, pushing him deeper into the unknown.
Damn it… there has to be a way out.
A gust of wind blew past him, chilling his skin. No—not wind. Something moving.
Zenon ducked just in time. A figure blurred past him, slamming into the stone where he had just been. Cracks splintered across the wall.
Too fast.
He didn’t have the power to fight them.
All he could do—
Was keep running.
- Writer
