Chapter-HundredTwenty Seven, The Dungeon Below

Chapter-HundredTwenty Seven, The Dungeon Below
Sean’s POV — Part One

Opening my eyes felt like crawling out of death itself.

Pain slammed into me instantly.

Not normal pain.

Not wounds.

This pain sat deep inside my bones like something was rotting me from the inside out.

Every breath burned.

Every movement hurt.

Sharp agony ripped through my wrists the second I tried moving while the overwhelming scent of blood filled my lungs thick enough to choke me.

Fresh blood.

Rotting blood.

Death.

Everywhere.

My wolf snarled violently beneath my skin.

I forced my eyes open properly despite the pounding in my skull.

Torchlight flickered weakly across cold stone walls covered in rust and dried blood. Iron bars stood only a few feet ahead while water dripped steadily somewhere deep within the darkness.

And screams.

God.

The screams.

Some human.

Some wolf.

Some sounding like nothing I’d ever heard before.

Fear crawled slowly down my spine.

What the fuck was this place?

I tried jerking my arms free instinctively.

Pain exploded instantly.

Chains.

Black chains wrapped tightly around my wrists and ankles while silver runes glowed faintly across the metal.

Suppressing chains.

Ancient ones.

My wolf slammed against them hard.

Nothing happened.

The chains absorbed every ounce of strength he had.

A weak laugh suddenly echoed beside me.

“Well…” a rough voice coughed painfully. “At least you’re alive.”

I snapped my head toward the sound instantly.

Another prisoner sat chained against the far wall of the cell.

At first I thought he was dead.

Blood covered most of his chest while deep claw marks tore through his stomach. One eye was swollen shut while silver burns scarred his neck and arms.

But his remaining eye slowly lifted toward me.

Fear sat inside it.

Real fear.

“Where am I?” I growled.

The prisoner coughed harshly before laughing weakly again.

“Hell.”

My jaw clenched instantly.

“Luicen’s kingdom?”

He nodded slowly.

“The dungeons beneath it.”

Another scream echoed through the halls.

Closer this time.

Followed by laughter.

My wolf paced violently beneath my skin.

Zoe.

The last thing I remembered was her screaming my name while the portal dragged her away from me.

Good.

At least she escaped.

At least she got the ingredients back.

Even if I died here—

Gemma still had a chance.

Yet somehow the thought didn’t comfort me.

Because all I could picture was Zoe crying while I disappeared.

The prisoner studied me carefully through the darkness.

“You’re the wolf they brought for the rebirth.”

My head snapped toward him instantly.

“The what?”

Fear crossed his battered face.

“You really don’t know.”

Cold dread slid down my spine.

“Know what?”

The prisoner opened his mouth—

Then froze instantly.

Footsteps echoed through the dungeon halls.

Heavy.

Slow.

Deliberate.

The prisoner immediately shrank backward against the wall trembling violently.

Dark magic rolled through the tunnels hard enough to suffocate the air itself.

My wolf snarled viciously.

Luicen.

The shadows outside the cell twisted unnaturally before he finally stepped beneath the torchlight.

And beside him—

Alpha Asher.

Except it barely looked like him anymore.

His eyes were completely black while dark veins spread across his throat and face like corruption was consuming him from the inside out.

No emotion crossed his face.

No wolf.

Nothing human remained.

Luicen smiled slowly when he saw me awake.

“Well,” he murmured softly. “The anchor finally rises.”

I yanked violently against the chains.

“What did you do to him?”

Asher’s empty gaze slowly shifted toward me.

Then he smiled.

Cold.

Wrong.

Luicen chuckled quietly.

“I freed him.”

“Bullshit.”

The smile vanished from Luicen’s face instantly.

Darkness thickened around the bars.

“You wolves always misunderstand sacrifice,” he said calmly. “Asher understands what the rest of you refuse to accept.”

“And what’s that?”

Luicen slowly stepped closer.

“That Gemma was never meant to return unchanged.”

My stomach tightened instantly.

“What are you planning?”

Luicen crouched outside the cell while studying me carefully.

Then smiled again.

“Resurrection comes with a price.”

I stayed silent.

The Keeper already warned us about that.

But something about Luicen’s voice made my wolf restless.

Like something far worse was coming.

Something none of us understood yet.

Luicen tilted his head slightly.

“You love the little witch.”

Not a question.

A statement.

I said nothing.

That alone seemed enough for him.

“She screamed for you,” he murmured thoughtfully. “Interesting.”

Rage exploded inside my chest instantly.

“If you touch her—”

“You’ll do what?” Luicen interrupted calmly. “You can barely breathe without permission.”

The chains around my wrists suddenly tightened painfully.

Silver burned through my skin instantly.

I refused to react.

Refused to give him satisfaction.

Luicen watched me carefully before slowly standing again.

“You should feel honored.”

I frowned darkly.

“For what?”

His smile widened unnaturally.

“You’re going to help create something beautiful.”

Cold dread flooded my chest.

“No.”

Luicen’s eyes glowed faintly black.

“The rebirth begins soon.”

“What rebirth?”

Before he could answer, the prisoner beside me suddenly spoke weakly.

“He lies.”

Luicen didn’t even look toward him.

Darkness exploded through the cell instantly.

CRACK.

The prisoner screamed violently as invisible force slammed him against the wall hard enough to snap bone.

“Please—!”

CRACK.

Blood sprayed across the floor.

I surged violently against my restraints.

“STOP!”

Another crack echoed.

The prisoner collapsed lifelessly onto the stone.

Silence followed.

Only dripping blood remained.

My wolf roared violently inside me.

I wanted to kill him.

Rip him apart.

Destroy him.

But Luicen simply adjusted his sleeves calmly like he hadn’t murdered someone.

Then his cold eyes shifted back toward me.

“That,” he said quietly, “is what happens when people interrupt me.”

Rage burned so violently beneath my skin I thought it might consume me entirely.

Luicen stepped closer again.

“The realm already bleeds,” he murmured softly. “Can you feel it?”

I stayed silent.

“The blood rain,” he continued. “The screams beneath the earth. Death weakening.” His smile widened. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe.”

His expression darkened slightly.

“But unlike you… I understand what true rebirth requires.”

Fear settled heavily inside my chest.

“What are you doing to Gemma?”

Luicen’s black eyes gleamed beneath the torchlight.

“Giving her eternity.”

Cold dread crawled through me instantly.

No.

Whatever he planned—

It wasn’t about saving her.

“She won’t survive this,” I growled.

Luicen laughed softly.

“Oh Sean…” He stepped closer. “The old Gemma isn’t meant to survive.”

My wolf went completely still.

“What?”

“The girl you knew was weak,” Luicen whispered. “Emotional. Human.”

Every instinct inside me screamed danger.

“But the new Gemma…” his voice lowered darkly, “will become something far greater.”

Fear poisoned my chest.

“What did you do to her?”

Luicen smiled wider.

“You’ll see.”

Then suddenly—

Footsteps echoed through the dungeon halls again.

Slow.

Dragging.

Wrong.

My wolf instantly surged beneath my skin.

Something felt horribly wrong.

Luicen stepped aside calmly while shadows twisted unnaturally deeper in the hallway.

And then—

She appeared.

My breath stopped instantly.

Gemma.

But not Gemma.

Her long dark hair hung loosely around her shoulders while black veins spread slowly beneath pale skin. Darkness curled around her body like living smoke.

But her eyes—

God.

Her eyes were completely black.

No emotion.

No warmth.

No recognition.

Nothing.

Deadly Tree.

That’s what the realms called her now.

The monster born from corrupted resurrection magic.

Pain ripped through my chest seeing her like this.

“Gemma…”

She slowly lifted her head toward me.

No reaction crossed her face.

Nothing.

Like she didn’t even know who I was anymore.

That hurt worse than the chains.

Worse than the dungeon.

Worse than death.

Luicen smiled proudly beside her.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?”

Rage exploded through me instantly.

“What did you do to her?!”

Deadly Tree Gemma slowly walked closer barefoot while chains dragged softly behind her.

Darkness coiled around her body protectively.

And somehow—

That terrified me more than Luicen ever could.

Because Gemma looked trapped inside herself.

Empty.

Gone.

Luicen’s smile widened slowly.

“The rebirth requires powerful blood,” he murmured. “Alpha blood.”

His eyes locked onto mine.

“Your blood.”

Cold dread crashed through my chest.

“No.”

“Yes.”

He stepped closer while Gemma remained motionless beside him.

“Your blood will stabilize her transformation,” Luicen whispered darkly. “It will strengthen the new Gemma.”

My wolf roared violently beneath my skin.

“You’re not touching her!”

Luicen ignored me completely.

“And not just her.”

My stomach dropped instantly.

His smile became monstrous.

“Deadly Tree requires rebirth as well.”