Ethan's POV
A blood-red, colossal spherical stone at least fifty ters in diater floated ominously in the sky above the city. Its surface pulsed with waves of yellowish-red light bathing everything below in an eerie glow.
From our vantage point, I could see towering structures piercing the artificially crimson sky though much of the city remained obscured behind endless with its colossal walls stretching into the horizon.
The city lood like a gargantuan mammoth making feel insignificantly small in comparison.
The architecture scread Gothic elegance with spires, arches and intricate carvings embellishing the massive structures. Looking upward, I was montarily awestruck.
The ceiling of this vast underground city had been enchanted to mimic the sky of the Blood Veil Continent complete with swirling crimson-tinged clouds in a perpetual twilight.
The blood-red stone in the sky acted as an artificial sun casting a sinister light that mimicked a sunset soaked in blood. It was srizing and a perfect blend of haunting beauty and otherworldly craftsmanship.
I recalled that while vampires were not entirely burned by direct sunlight prolonged exposure caused significant discomfort and could even lead to dangerous health complications.
As a result, their cities were often constructed underground and I could see that the Scarlet Hollow City which was one of the three major vampire strongholds was a world-class tropolis boasting unmatched luxury and architectural brilliance despite its subterranean nature.
Erging from the dark mountain tunnel, we stepped onto a ledge overlooking the city's massive outer walls. Virelle and I stood in silence taking in the breathtaking view.
She composed herself quickly and pulled out a blood-red disk from her storage ring. Without needing instruction I stepped onto it beside her. The disc humd to life and we soared into the air heading toward the city's imposing gates.
As we approached, the massive black gates lood larger than life. It was at least forty ters tall and was adorned with carvings of the night sky and a blood moon that glowed faintly.
The guards stationed near the gates and on the city walls imdiately caught my attention. They were a motley group consisting of beastn with tiger ears, feline cat like ears which were most likely cat people, snake people with serpentine eyes and forked tongues flickering out from their mouths.
However, I noticed the conspicuous absence of wolf-like beastn a detail I filed away for later consideration. I reminded myself that werewolves didn't possess outward animalistic features like the other beast races.
Below us, a sea of people queued to enter the gates on foot. Our flight above the crowd drew sharp and resentful gazes from many of them.
"Who are these two? Don't they know flying above the city gates is strictly forbidden? Rule-breakers are punished severely!" one muttered angrily.
"Shh! You're new here, aren't you?" ca the hushed reply of another. "Those rules only apply to commoners like us. Look at them! They must be noble scions or at least powerful enough to ignore such regulations. Keep quiet, unless you want to invite trouble!"
I couldn't help but smirk at their conversation, marvelling at how seamlessly Virelle and I bypassed the restrictions. Soon, we entered the city landing on a wide cobblestone street flanked by majestic buildings.
The vibrant streets buzzed with life populated by nightmare horses and devilish buffaloes pulling elaborately decorated carriages. Blue flas burned in wrought-iron sconces lining the streets, casting an ethereal glow that was both haunting and breath taking.
The city itself pulsed with life. The buildings were crafted from a material called Bloodstone, shimred with a faint red luminescence.
I rembered reading that Bloodstone was naturally infused with life essence which vampires could draw sustenance from in ergencies. The way the stones seed to throb gently with energy made the entire city appear alive like a vast, glowing jewel under the twilight sky.
As the artificial sun-stone dimd, mimicking the surface world's nightfall, the city's glow intensified transforming it into a dazzling spectacle of light and shadow.
I glanced at Virelle, who was watching with amusent. This was the first ti she had shown a different expression other than her surprised on hearing master's identity.
I was embarrassed but I was careful not to show it and nodded silently urging her to lead the way. She turned on her heel guiding down the cobblestone streets.
As we walked, I noticed the diverse crowd. Vampires with their signature red eyes and faintly visible fangs mingled with beastn and even a few specters—shadowy, hooded figures who glided silently through the crowd like wraiths.
Midway through our journey, Virelle turned abruptly, leading us into a dark alleyway. The dimly lit path twisted and turned narrowing as we ventured deeper. Even the faint glow of the Bloodstones seed to fade here swallowed by the encroaching shadows.
The alleyways felt alive and I could feel the shadows twisting and writhing as if they had a will of their own. My senses sharpened and I quickly realized that these were no ordinary shadows but were dangerous entities and only those proficient in darkness manipulation could detect their presence.
"Young Master Ethan," Virelle began her voice calm but carrying an undertone of caution.
"These are the Shadowed Paths. They shift and rearrange themselves at night creating clandestine routes for those who know how to navigate them. They're often used for secret etings or illegal activities and they can also serve as makeshift teleportation pathways to various parts of the city."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Who created such a system in the city?"
She glanced back at , a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she replied, "No one. The Bloodstone in the city, combined with centuries of our kind's presence mutated into its current form. It's a natural phenonon, albeit an extrely rare one."
Her explanation left stunned. The concept of an environnt mutating due to prolonged exposure to auras was sothing I had only read about in ancient texts. To see it in action was awe-inspiring.
We continued through the shifting alleyways, our steps echoing softly against the stone walls. The air grew colder and an oppressive silence enveloped us. After what felt like an eternity, we finally erged into a brightly lit area.
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