Episode 19 — The Second
1312 Words
The whisper disappeared.
Vane.
Silas stood completely still.
The cavern was dark, except for the faint silver glow coming from the eyes of the First.
Clara held tightly to his arm.
“What is the Second?”
The First didn't answer immediately.
Its enormous head turned toward the cracks beneath the cavern floor.
Something moved below them.
Something was climbing.
Mara whispered, “We have to leave.”
Silas looked at her.
“Now you want to run?”
“I've seen what comes next.”
“What is it?”
Mara's face was pale.
“The reason the first pact was created.”
A deep scraping sound echoed beneath them.
Claw against stone.
Then another.
The First suddenly roared.
The sound shook the cavern so violently that several rocks fell from the ceiling.
“GO!”
Silas stared at it.
“You're afraid.”
The First looked at him.
“YES.”
Silas had never heard fear in the creature's voice before.
“What can frighten you?”
The First turned toward the darkness below.
“THE SECOND.”
Viktor remained on the ground.
His face had lost all color.
Silas looked down at him.
“You knew.”
Viktor slowly nodded.
“You knew this thing existed.”
“I knew the stories.”
“What stories?”
Viktor swallowed.
“The first Vane discovered the wolf beneath the mountain.”
Silas waited.
“But he also discovered something else.”
“The Second.”
“Yes.”
Viktor looked toward the cracked floor.
“The First was created to guard the entrance.”
“To what?”
Viktor whispered:
“The Hollow.”
Clara frowned.
“What is the Hollow?”
Viktor shook his head.
“Not a place.”
He looked at Silas.
“A creature.”
The floor suddenly split.
A black hand emerged from beneath the stone.
Clara screamed.
Silas pulled her backward.
The hand disappeared.
Then silence.
Silas looked at the First.
“Why does it want me?”
The creature answered:
“BECAUSE YOU CARRY THE KEY.”
Silas touched his chest.
“The pendant?”
“No.”
The First stared directly into his eyes.
“YOUR BLOOD.”
Silas felt something move inside him.
His veins burned.
He dropped to his knees.
Clara caught him.
“Silas!”
His eyes flashed silver.
Then black.
Then silver again.
He heard voices.
His mother.
His father.
His grandfather.
All speaking at once.
Run.
Hide.
Remember.
Then one final voice.
A voice that wasn't human.
Open the door.
Silas screamed.
The Black Wolf rushed toward him.
It placed its head against his chest.
The pain immediately stopped.
Silas breathed heavily.
His mother was saving him again.
He looked into the wolf's eyes.
“You knew.”
The wolf lowered its head.
Silas understood.
The First wasn't the only ancient creature beneath Blackpine.
The Black Wolf had always known about the Second.
And it had spent twenty years keeping Silas away from it.
Elena suddenly grabbed Silas.
“We need to go.”
Silas looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because the blood moon is almost at its peak.”
Clara looked upward.
“How long?”
Mara checked the old watch hanging around her neck.
“Less than an hour.”
Silas stood.
“Then we don't have much time.”
He looked toward the First.
“How do we stop the Second?”
The creature stared at him.
“YOU CANNOT.”
Silas frowned.
“Then why did you call me here?”
“BECAUSE YOU CAN SEAL IT.”
Silas understood.
“The blood room.”
“Yes.”
“The original pact.”
“Yes.”
Silas looked at Elena.
“We need to get back to the chamber.”
Elena nodded.
Viktor suddenly laughed.
Silas turned.
“What?”
Viktor slowly stood.
“You're going to use the blood seal.”
“Yes.”
“You'll need both vessels.”
Silas frowned.
“Why?”
Viktor smiled.
“Because the seal was designed for two.”
Silas looked at Elena.
“What happens if we use it?”
Viktor's expression became serious.
“One of you will become the new guardian.”
Elena's face changed.
“And the other?”
Viktor shook his head.
“The other will become the door.”
Silas stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Viktor looked toward the darkness.
“It means the Second will have a way out.”
A massive roar came from below.
The cavern floor exploded.
Everyone was thrown backward.
Silas hit the ground.
Clara fell beside him.
Dust filled the air.
When it cleared, a massive hole had opened beneath the altar.
Something climbed out.
At first, Silas saw only darkness.
Then two long arms.
A twisted body.
A face without eyes.
Its mouth stretched unnaturally wide.
The creature slowly raised its head.
Silas felt the blood drain from his face.
The Second.
The First roared.
The Second answered.
The sound was so powerful that every torch in the cavern shattered.
Silas grabbed Clara.
“Run!”
They raced toward the tunnel.
Mara and Elena followed.
Matthias helped Viktor to his feet.
Then the Second moved.
It crossed the cavern in seconds.
Viktor screamed.
“NO!”
The creature reached for him.
The Black Wolf attacked.
The two creatures collided.
The impact shook the mountain.
Silas stopped.
His mother was fighting the Second.
He wanted to help.
But the First shouted:
“GO!”
Silas looked at the creature.
The First was holding the Second back.
“GO!”
Silas turned.
“I'm coming back.”
The First looked at him.
“YOU MUST.”
Silas ran.
They reached the church.
The blood moon was rising.
Red light poured through the windows.
Elena stumbled.
Silas caught her.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“I can feel it.”
“The hunger?”
“Yes.”
Silas looked toward the altar.
“Then we have to be fast.”
They opened the hidden chamber.
The ancient book was still lying on the stone table.
Silas opened it.
The final page had changed.
New words had appeared.
TWO VESSELS.
ONE GUARDIAN.
ONE DOOR.
Clara read the words.
“Silas…”
He stared at them.
Elena stepped closer.
“It's me.”
Silas looked at her.
“What?”
“I'm the door.”
“No.”
“You heard what Viktor said.”
“I don't care.”
Elena smiled sadly.
“You should.”
Silas shook his head.
“We'll find another way.”
“There isn't one.”
“There has to be.”
Elena touched his hand.
“Silas.”
He looked at her.
“You've spent your whole life believing your family abandoned you.”
She smiled.
“I know what that's like.”
Silas said nothing.
Elena continued.
“Maybe we're both here because someone has to finish what our families started.”
Silas's eyes filled with tears.
“I won't let you die.”
Elena looked at him.
“I didn't say I would die.”
Silas frowned.
She pointed toward the final line.
“The door doesn't have to stay closed forever.”
“What are you saying?”
Elena whispered:
“The door can be opened from the inside.”
Silas stared at her.
“No.”
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
Suddenly, the church doors exploded open.
Viktor stood outside.
Blood covered his coat.
He was smiling.
Silas grabbed his knife.
“What happened?”
Viktor looked behind him.
“The First is dead.”
Silence.
Silas's face went pale.
“What?”
Viktor stepped inside.
“And your mother is dying.”
Silas froze.
Then the church bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The blood moon reached its peak.
And beneath the church, the Second began to laugh.
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