Chapter 16 — The First Dawn Sanctuary
1867 Words
The human world was burning.
Not everywhere.
Not yet.
But in the distance, beneath the darkening sky, columns of smoke rose above the horizon.
Noah stood at the edge of the Werewolf Kingdom.
Behind him were the forces that had gathered for him.
Werewolves.
Undead.
Vampires.
And three people who had become his closest allies.
Elara.
Kael.
And his father.
The Dead Queen had returned to her kingdom.
The Werewolf King had remained behind to defend his territory.
But he had given Noah a small silver wolf insignia.
"If you need us," the King had said, "break this."
Noah looked at it.
"I hope I don't have to."
The King smiled.
"So do I."
Now Noah stood beneath a sky filled with black clouds.
His new system appeared.
[LEVEL: 9]
[RANK: UNMEASURABLE]
[BLOODLINE: EMPTY SOVEREIGN]
[BLOOD CROWN: 4/7]
[TITLE: BLOODLESS HEIR]
Noah stared at the status.
"Empty Sovereign."
Elara stood beside him.
"You don't like it?"
"It's strange."
Kael laughed.
"After everything we've seen, that's what bothers you?"
Noah looked at him.
"Yes."
Kael shook his head.
"Fair."
Noah closed the status window.
"Where are we going?"
His father looked toward the east.
"The oldest human city."
"Name?"
"Valoria."
Noah frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
"You weren't supposed to."
Elara looked at their father.
"Is Valoria still inhabited?"
"Yes."
"By humans?"
His father nodded.
"Mostly."
Noah noticed the hesitation.
"Mostly?"
His father didn't answer.
Noah sighed.
"Of course."
---
THE ROAD TO VALORIA
They traveled for two days.
The further they went, the stranger the world became.
The forests were silent.
Animals fled before them.
Villages had been abandoned.
Human settlements had barricaded their gates.
Rumors had spread.
The First Vampire was awake.
The Blood Moon had appeared.
Vampires were attacking.
The dead were walking.
And a mysterious golden-eyed being was traveling toward Valoria.
Noah had become a legend before he even understood what he was.
On the second night, they stopped beside a ruined road.
Elara sat near the fire.
Kael stood watch.
Noah's father remained several meters away.
Noah approached him.
"You knew."
His father didn't look at him.
"Knew what?"
"About the Empty Blood."
Silence.
"You knew what I was before I did."
His father finally looked at him.
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Since the day you were born."
Noah clenched his fists.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because knowing too early would have gotten you killed."
"Maybe."
Noah stepped closer.
"Or maybe I could have prepared."
His father sighed.
"You were a child."
"I was also your son."
"I know."
"Then why hide everything?"
His father looked toward the fire.
"Because every faction in this world would have hunted you."
"The First Vampire already did."
"I know."
"Then what changed?"
His father looked at him.
"You awakened."
Noah frowned.
"And?"
"Before your awakening, you were a child with dangerous potential."
He paused.
"Now you're something the world can no longer ignore."
Noah remained silent.
His father continued.
"The Empty Sovereign wasn't supposed to awaken this soon."
"Why?"
"Because the seven Blood Crown fragments were supposed to remain separated."
Noah looked at his chest.
"I have four."
"That's the problem."
Noah stared.
"What happens when I collect all seven?"
His father hesitated.
Then answered:
"The Crown will ask you a question."
"What question?"
His father's eyes became serious.
"Who deserves to exist?"
Noah said nothing.
His father continued.
"If you answer incorrectly..."
"What happens?"
"The Crown chooses for you."
---
THE HUMAN CITY
By the third morning, they saw Valoria.
It was enormous.
Stone walls surrounded the city.
Thousands of people lived within.
Tall towers rose above the walls.
Flags hung from the rooftops.
But something was wrong.
Noah could sense blood.
A lot of it.
Too much.
He stopped.
"Something happened."
Elara looked at him.
"What?"
Noah closed his eyes.
"Thousands of heartbeats."
He opened them.
"All afraid."
Kael drew his sword.
"Then we're too late."
They approached the gates.
Guards immediately raised weapons.
"Halt!"
Noah stepped forward.
"We're looking for the First Dawn Sanctuary."
The guards looked at each other.
One shouted:
"Vampires!"
Panic erupted.
Citizens ran.
Archers appeared on the walls.
Noah raised his hands.
"We're not here to hurt anyone."
A voice shouted from the wall:
"Liar!"
An arrow flew.
Noah caught it.
The entire wall went silent.
Noah looked at the arrow.
Then threw it aside.
"I said we're not here to hurt anyone."
A woman stepped onto the wall.
She wore silver armor.
A sword hung at her side.
She looked at Noah.
Then at Elara.
Then Kael.
Finally, she stared at Noah's golden eyes.
"You're the one."
Noah frowned.
"Which one?"
"The Bloodless Heir."
Noah sighed.
"That name is getting annoying."
The woman smiled.
"Good."
She opened the gate.
"Come inside."
Kael whispered:
"That was easy."
Noah looked at him.
"Too easy."
---
THE DAWN GUARD
Inside the city, the woman introduced herself.
"My name is Commander Seris."
Noah recognized the name.
"You know about the First Dawn?"
Seris nodded.
"I was raised by them."
"Where is the sanctuary?"
She looked around.
"Not here."
Noah frowned.
"What?"
"Valoria is only the entrance."
Seris pointed toward the city center.
"The sanctuary is beneath the city."
Kael asked:
"How deep?"
Seris answered:
"Seven levels."
Noah smiled.
"Seven."
Elara noticed.
"Just like the Crown."
Seris nodded.
"Everything is connected."
Noah looked at her.
"Where's my mother?"
Seris became silent.
Noah immediately knew.
"What happened?"
Seris looked away.
"She came here."
"When?"
"Three days ago."
Noah's expression changed.
"Is she alive?"
Seris hesitated.
"Yes."
Noah exhaled.
"Where is she?"
Seris looked toward the city center.
"She's below."
A tremor shook the city.
Everyone froze.
Then another.
BOOM.
A tower collapsed in the distance.
People screamed.
Seris drew her sword.
"That's not an earthquake."
Noah looked toward the ground.
"I know."
His Blood Sense activated.
Something was moving beneath the city.
Something enormous.
His new system appeared.
[ANCIENT ENTITY DETECTED.]
[THREAT LEVEL: SOVEREIGN.]
Noah's eyes narrowed.
"There's something beneath us."
Seris nodded.
"The First Dawn knows."
"Then why haven't they stopped it?"
Seris looked terrified.
"Because it's already inside."
---
THE DESCENT
Seris led them into an underground entrance beneath an old temple.
A massive stone door opened.
Seven staircases descended.
Each level was marked by a symbol.
Level One — Blood.
Level Two — Bone.
Level Three — Memory.
Level Four — Origin.
Level Five — Void.
Level Six — Dawn.
And the final level...
There was no name.
Noah stopped.
"What does the seventh level say?"
Seris looked at it.
"Nothing."
Noah frowned.
"The Empty Level."
His father immediately turned.
"Don't say that."
Noah looked at him.
"Why?"
His father stared at the seventh staircase.
"Because that's where they made you."
Silence.
Noah's heart stopped.
"You knew?"
His father nodded.
"The First Dawn Sanctuary wasn't just a research facility."
"What was it?"
His father answered:
"Your birthplace."
Noah stared down the staircase.
"My mother brought me here?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't I remember?"
"Because your memories were sealed."
"By whom?"
His father looked toward the darkness.
"Your mother."
Noah froze.
"Why?"
"Because she wanted you to forget what happened here."
---
LEVEL ONE — BLOOD
They descended.
The first level was enormous.
Glass containers lined the walls.
Inside them were ancient blood samples.
Vampire.
Werewolf.
Human.
Abyssal.
Celestial.
Seraphic.
Noah stopped.
"The seven bloodlines."
Seris nodded.
"Your mother studied them."
"Why?"
"She wanted to understand the First Vampire."
Noah looked at one container.
It was labeled:
SUBJECT ZERO
The container was empty.
Noah's Blood Sense reacted.
He touched the glass.
A memory entered his mind.
His mother stood here.
She was younger.
She held a newborn Noah.
A scientist approached.
"He's unstable."
She answered:
"He's alive."
"The bloodline isn't responding."
"Good."
The scientist looked confused.
"Good?"
She smiled.
"That means the First Vampire can't find him."
The memory ended.
Noah opened his eyes.
"My mother was hiding me from it."
His father nodded.
"Yes."
---
LEVEL THREE — MEMORY
They continued.
Level Two contained bones.
Thousands of them.
Some human.
Some not.
Noah didn't ask.
Level Three was different.
It was completely white.
Mirrors covered every wall.
Noah looked at one.
He saw himself as a child.
He stepped closer.
The child Noah was crying.
His mother held him.
His father stood nearby.
The First Vampire was outside a barrier.
It was trying to break through.
His mother screamed:
"TAKE HIM!"
His father grabbed Noah.
The barrier shattered.
The memory changed.
Noah was running.
His father carried him.
His mother remained behind.
The First Vampire entered.
She turned.
And said:
"Run."
Noah's eyes widened.
"She stayed behind."
His father lowered his head.
"Yes."
"You left her."
"I had to."
"No."
Noah's voice shook.
"You chose."
His father looked at him.
"I chose you."
Noah stared at him.
Then another memory appeared.
His mother standing alone.
The First Vampire approached.
It said:
"You cannot protect him forever."
She answered:
"I only need to protect him long enough."
"Long enough for what?"
She looked toward the darkness.
"For him to choose."
The memory ended.
Noah whispered:
"She knew."
His father nodded.
"She always knew."
---
LEVEL SIX — DAWN
The sixth level was different.
Golden light filled the corridor.
Ancient symbols covered the walls.
At the end stood an enormous door.
Seris stopped.
"This is as far as I go."
Noah looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because only your blood can open it."
Noah stepped forward.
The door reacted.
[FIRST DAWN SANCTUARY DETECTED.]
[ORIGINAL CREATOR SIGNATURE CONFIRMED.]
Noah touched the door.
It opened.
A warm light flooded the corridor.
Inside was a vast chamber.
At its center stood a woman.
Silver hair.
Crimson eyes.
Her face was tired.
But alive.
Noah stopped breathing.
"Mom."
The woman turned.
Her eyes widened.
"Noah."
He ran.
She caught him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
She held him tightly.
Noah felt something he hadn't felt since childhood.
Home.
Then his mother's body suddenly stiffened.
Her eyes widened.
"Noah..."
He looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered:
"You're too late."
The chamber doors slammed shut.
A voice echoed through the sanctuary.
"At last."
Noah turned.
The First Vampire appeared.
His mother pushed Noah behind her.
"No."
The creature smiled.
"You protected him well."
She raised her weapon.
"You won't take him."
The First Vampire looked at Noah.
"I don't need to."
Noah stepped forward.
"Then why are you here?"
The creature pointed toward the floor.
The entire sanctuary began glowing.
Seven enormous symbols appeared.
Noah's Blood Crown fragments reacted.
[5TH FRAGMENT DETECTED.]
Noah froze.
The First Vampire smiled.
"The fifth fragment has been here all along."
His mother looked horrified.
"No..."
Noah looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered:
"The fifth fragment isn't a fragment."
The floor opened.
A massive crimson crystal rose from beneath them.
It was enormous.
Much larger than the other fragments.
The system flashed.
[BLOOD CROWN CORE DETECTED.]
[5/7 — CORE FRAGMENT]
Noah stared.
The First Vampire laughed.
"Take it."
Noah didn't move.
"Why?"
"Because once you do..."
The creature smiled.
"...the sanctuary will awaken."
Noah's mother shouted:
"NOAH, DON'T!"
Too late.
The crystal began moving toward him.
And somewhere beneath the sanctuary...
Something opened its eyes.
The First Dawn had awakened.
To be continued...
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD