Chapter 9: The Truth Beneath the Stone
Elias stared at the burning symbol on his arm, his breath coming in short gasps. The pain was dull, more like a deep throb under his skin than an actual burn. But what unsettled him the most was the feeling that it wasn’t just a mark—it was something more. Something alive.
Grayson pulled him forward. “We need answers. Now.”
They hurried through the deserted streets, their footsteps echoing unnaturally against the cobblestones. The fog seemed thicker, the shadows stretching in ways they shouldn’t. Elias could swear he heard whispers brushing against his ears, but when he turned, there was nothing there.
“We need to find Father Mathis,” Grayson muttered, his jaw set tight. “He’s been the town’s priest for decades—if anyone knows what’s happening, it’s him.”
Elias hesitated. “What if he’s part of it?”
Grayson sighed. “Then we’ll find out the hard way.”
The church loomed ahead, its stone walls worn by time and weather. The wooden doors creaked open under Grayson’s push, revealing the dimly lit interior. Candles flickered along the altar, casting trembling shadows across the pews. And standing in the center of it all, waiting for them as if he had known they were coming, was Father Mathis.
His deep-set eyes locked onto Elias’s arm almost immediately. A sigh escaped his lips, heavy with something between sorrow and resignation. “It’s begun again,” he murmured.
Elias and Grayson exchanged a glance. Elias stepped forward. “You know what this means, don’t you?” He raised his arm, showing the burned symbol.
The priest nodded slowly. “That mark binds you to the cycle. The same cycle that took Emily. The same cycle that has cursed this town for generations.”
Grayson folded his arms. “Then start explaining. Because we just ran into something down in that chapel that shouldn’t exist.”
Father Mathis gestured for them to sit. “There’s something beneath this town. Something ancient. A presence that feeds on the souls of the marked.”
Elias felt a chill creep down his spine. “And I’m marked now.”
“Yes,” the priest confirmed, his expression grim. “And that means it will come for you.”
Grayson’s grip tightened around his gun. “How do we stop it?”
Father Mathis hesitated before answering. “You must go deeper.”
Elias frowned. “Deeper where?”
“The tunnels beneath the chapel,” Mathis said. “You’ve only seen the beginning. If you want the truth, if you want to break the cycle, you must descend to where the first sacrifice was made.”
Elias swallowed hard. The idea of going back underground made his stomach turn, but he knew there was no other choice. If he wanted to survive—if he wanted to end this—he had to face whatever was waiting for him beneath the stone.
And this time, he might not make it back.
29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLxgBX4v4G
