The stone door creaked open with a sound like bones grinding together in a meat grinder full of regrets.
Lucas stepped through.
The temperature dropped. The walls pulsed with faint, living veins. The floor beneath him wasn't stone—it was fossilized flesh.
"Yeah," he muttered. "This feels healthy."
[System Update: Welcome to the Deep Bloodline Vault™]
Ambience: Gothic intestine chic
Emotional Vibes: Paranoia with a twist of nausea
Psychological Safety: Hahaha, no
Suggestion: Turn around and fake your death
The shadow-spy walked ahead without a word.
Lucas followed, because obviously following mysterious strangers into living caverns was now just part of his job description.
Symbols lit up on the walls as they passed—old vampire script, some so ancient even the system couldn't translate it.
Until one word appeared repeatedly:
"Reclaimer."
Lucas frowned. "Okay. That's not suspicious."
The spy glanced back. "It means the one who awakens the sealed blood."
Lucas blinked. "That could mean anyone."
"No," the spy said, stopping in front of a glowing pit. "It means you."
[System Scream]
Title Recognition: RECLAIMER CONFIRMED
Bloodline Status: Advanced Mutation Stage I
Translation: You're turning into something... older
Bonus: Your bones may start whispering. Don't answer.
Lucas looked down.
In the pit below… dozens of sarcophagi. All open. All empty.
"Where are they?" he asked.
"Gone," the spy whispered. "You woke something. And now… the sealed ones are stirring."
Suddenly—visions hit.
Memories not his own. Fangs in moonlight. Cities burning. A child with his eyes… screaming. A throne of blood.
Lucas staggered.
The system glitched for half a second.
[System Error: Bloodstream Feedback Overload – Recalibrating Sarcasm Levels…]
Lucas grabbed the wall, breathing hard. "What… what was that?"
"Echoes," the spy said. "From your predecessors."
"They were… monsters."
"They were gods," the spy corrected. "You carry their mark."
Lucas shook his head. "I don't want to become that."
The spy stepped close. "You don't have a choice."
[System Reboot: Mood – Existential Breakdown]
Status: Bloodlocked
Memory Echo Sync: 42%
Mutation Risk: Increasing
Lucas's Sanity: Frayed, but sarcastic
Goat Status: Outside. Judging you.
The chamber began to shake.
The pit glowed brighter.
One final message appeared on the far wall, written in fresh blood:
"THE RECLAIMER WILL BLEED… OR RULE."
Lucas stared at it.
Then sighed. "You know what? I miss the days when my biggest problem was exploding statues and emotionally unstable skeletons."