The entrance to the mountain did not look like a fortress.
It looked… abandoned.
A jagged crack split the base of the Iron Mountains, half-hidden behind thick vines and dark stone. Cold air poured out from within, carrying the faint scent of metal, blood, and something far older.
Marcus frowned as he stared at it.
"That's it?"
Kael nodded grimly.
"They don't build entrances to be seen."
Dominic stepped forward without hesitation.
"Stay alert."
Leila followed closely beside him, her senses stretched thin. The moment she crossed the threshold into the mountain, the First Bloodline surged violently inside her.
Her breath hitched.
"It's stronger here."
Dominic glanced at her.
"The power?"
She shook her head slightly.
"No…"
Her silver eyes darkened.
"The corruption."
The moment the full group entered, the light from outside vanished.
Darkness swallowed them.
Torches were lit quickly, their flames flickering against the stone walls.
The passage stretched forward—and downward.
Marcus muttered.
"I hate tunnels."
Kael gave him a dry look.
"You're going to hate this entire mountain then."
They moved carefully.
Every step echoed.
Every breath felt heavier.
The walls began to change the deeper they went.
At first, it was just stone.
Then—
Carvings.
Strange symbols etched into the rock.
Leila stopped.
Her fingers hovered just above one of the markings.
"Don't touch it," Kael warned quickly.
Leila nodded.
"I won't."
Her eyes scanned the symbols.
"They're not just decorations."
Dominic looked at them.
"Warlock runes."
Kael confirmed.
"They use them to stabilize the experiments."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Stabilize? These things are anything but stable."
Kael's voice dropped.
"You haven't seen the unstable ones."
That didn't help.
They continued deeper.
The tunnel split.
Then split again.
And again.
Marcus stopped.
"…Okay, now I see why you called it a labyrinth."
Kael gestured ahead.
"The tunnels are designed to confuse intruders."
Dominic's gaze sharpened.
"Not us."
Leila stepped forward slowly.
"Let me."
She closed her eyes.
The First Bloodline pulsed.
And suddenly—
She could feel everything.
The tunnels.
The movement.
The energy.
Her eyes snapped open.
"This way."
Without hesitation, she turned left.
Marcus blinked.
"You're sure?"
Leila didn't slow.
"Yes."
Dominic followed immediately.
The pack had learned one thing—
When Leila felt something through the First Bloodline…
She was never wrong.
The deeper they went, the worse it became.
The air grew colder.
Thicker.
And then—
They heard it.
A low growl.
Echoing through the tunnels.
Everyone froze.
"That didn't sound like an Alpha Killer," Marcus whispered.
Kael's face went pale.
"No…"
Dominic stepped forward.
"What is it?"
Kael swallowed.
"A failure."
Before anyone could react—
Something slammed into the wall ahead.
Stone cracked.
Dust exploded outward.
And then it stepped into the torchlight.
It was massive.
Bigger than an Alpha Killer.
But its body…
Was wrong.
Parts of it looked like a wolf.
Other parts looked… stitched.
Its limbs were uneven.
Its fur patchy and torn.
And its eyes—
One burned red.
The other flickered between silver and black.
Leila felt her stomach drop.
"That's not a mutation."
Kael whispered.
"That's what happens when the process fails."
The creature snarled.
But the sound wasn't just a growl.
It was layered with something else.
A scream.
Dominic stepped forward slowly.
"It's in pain."
Marcus gripped his weapon.
"Yeah, and it's about to make that our problem."
The creature lunged.
Faster than something that size should move.
Dominic shifted instantly, intercepting it mid-attack.
The impact shook the tunnel.
But this creature…
Didn't fight like the others.
It thrashed wildly.
Uncontrolled.
Its claws slammed into the walls, sending debris crashing down.
Leila stepped forward.
"Wait!"
But the creature turned toward her.
And for a moment—
It hesitated.
Its mismatched eyes locked onto her.
Leila raised her hand slowly.
"I can help you."
The First Bloodline began to glow.
But this time…
It reacted differently.
Not calm.
Not controlled.
Chaotic.
The creature screamed.
Its body convulsed violently.
Kael shouted.
"Stop! It's unstable!"
But it was too late.
The First Bloodline had already connected.
And what Leila saw—
Was horrifying.
Dozens of experiments.
Wolves torn apart and rebuilt.
Failed attempts.
Broken minds.
Endless suffering.
Leila gasped and staggered back.
"I can't—"
The creature roared.
Its body began to swell.
Energy building uncontrollably inside it.
Dominic realized instantly.
"It's going to explode!"
Marcus shouted.
"MOVE!"
The entire group scattered as the creature unleashed a violent burst of corrupted energy.
The tunnel shook.
Rocks collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
When it cleared—
The creature was gone.
Only ash remained.
Leila dropped to her knees, breathing hard.
Dominic rushed to her side.
"Leila."
Her hands trembled.
"They're not just creating weapons…"
Her voice broke slightly.
"They're destroying souls."
Silence fell over the group.
Even Marcus had no joke this time.
Kael looked ahead into the darkness.
"This is just the outer layer."
Dominic stood slowly.
His expression colder than ever.
"Then we keep going."
Leila forced herself to stand.
The First Bloodline pulsed again.
But now—
It wasn't just guiding her.
It was warning her.
Something deeper in the mountain was waiting.
Something far worse than anything they had seen so far.
And as they moved forward—
The tunnels began to widen.
The walls smoother.
Less like caves.
More like…
Construction.
They were getting closer.
Closer to the heart of the nightmare.