《White Shadow Under the Moonlight: Awakening of the Mechanical Heart》

The mechanical heart suddenly sounded a piercing alarm, and blood-red text exploded on Liam's retinas just moments after he stepped into the castle's underground catacombs:

[SYSTEM WARNING: Detected host DNA synchronized with ancient wolf relics, Blood Moon Mode unlocked - time remaining 23:59:59]

The countdown numbers pulsed at a frequency of once per second, accompanied by a faint tingling sensation of electricity that spread from his temples to his entire body. Liam's fingers twitched unconsciously, the sound of a mechanical heart running extraordinarily clear in the silent catacombs.

The air of the catacombs was sticky and humid, with the scent of rotting earth. Blood-sucking vines hung down from the ceiling and wrapped around the white bones, their surfaces covered with fine barbs that glowed metallic and cold in the faint torchlight. Wolf-shaped reliefs floated on the walls, each one as lifelike as if it would leap out of the stone wall in the next second.

[System alert: Abnormal bio-signal detected. Recommend immediate exit.]

Elena's icy fingers snapped around his wrist, her fingertips carrying an eerie temperature that was both cold and burning." Don't touch that rune stone if you don't want your heart to explode." The breath she exhaled smelled like a mixture of rust and roses, dangerous enough to disrupt the mechanical core's frequency.

Liam could feel the subtle pulse beating on the inside of her wrist, a rhythm that was different from the norm, like some kind of ancient rhythm. Her pupils took on an eerie amber color in the light of the torch, and when her gaze swept over the rune stone, they suddenly contracted, as if pulled by some invisible force.

"Do you know what this is?" Liam asked, lowering his voice, while noticing an almost invisible scar on Elena's neck that was shaped strikingly similar to the pattern on the rune stone.

Elena didn't reply, her finger lightly traced across the surface of the rune stone, and dark red lines immediately surfaced on the stone, writhing like blood vessels. Liam's mechanical heart suddenly shook violently, and he felt a stabbing pain in his chest as a warning popped up on his retina again:

[System warning: Abnormal host vital signs detected, heart rate: 180 beats/min, blood pressure: 200/***mmHg]

"Shit!" Liam covered his chest, cold sweat seeping from his forehead. He noticed that Elena's breathing had become rapid as well, and her skin began to glow an unnatural shade of red, as if something was awakening inside her.

Suddenly, a low growl came from deep within the catacombs and the ground began to shake slightly. Liam's mechanical vision caught something moving in the darkness, and it was - werewolves! Their eyes glinted scarlet in the darkness, and sticky saliva dripped from their fangs.

[System alert: Hostile creatures detected, number: 3, danger level: high]

"Look out!" Elena violently pushed Liam aside as a werewolf's sharp claw grazed her shoulder and tore through her sleeve. Blood immediately soaked through the fabric, but Elena didn't seem to care, her pupils having turned completely amber.

Liam drew the silver short sword at his waist, his mechanical heart running fast to provide extra power for his movements. He could feel the blood flowing through his veins become hot, as if some ancient power was awakening.

As the first werewolf lunged, Liam sidestepped and dodged, his silver sword slicing out a chilling light that pierced the werewolf's throat with precision. Warm blood splattered across his face with the fishy odor of rust. The werewolf let out a howl of pain, but Liam didn't give it a chance to catch its breath, and with a twist of his wrist, the blade cut off its carotid artery.

[System Alert: Kill Werewolf x 1, Blood Moon Energy +10%]

The second werewolf came in from the side, and the moment Liam turned around, he saw that Elena was already entangled with the third. Her movements were graceful and deadly, dark red energy bubbling from her fingertips, leaving burn marks on the werewolf with every touch.

Liam's mechanical heart alarmed again as he felt something awaken within him. His vision suddenly became incredibly clear, and he could even make out every blood vessel under the werewolf's fur. When the werewolf lunged again, he moved several times faster than before, and his silver sword stabbed directly into the werewolf's heart.

[System warning: Blood Moon energy overload, time remaining: 23:58:12]

"Liam, control it!" Elena's voice came, she had just taken care of the last werewolf, but she wasn't in the best shape either, her forehead covered in cold sweat and her right hand shaking slightly.

Liam felt the power surging wildly within him as his nails began to grow longer and faint silver lines emerged under his skin. He fell to his knees, his mechanical heart emitting a piercing hum.

Elena walked quickly to his side, her palm pressed against his chest as a cool energy flowed into him." Breathe deeply," her voice took on a certain ancient rhythm, "Imagine that power as a river, and that you are guiding it, not being swallowed by it."

Liam did as he was told, and he felt the raging power subside. When he opened his eyes again, he found Elena looking intently at him, her pupils fully back to normal, but there was still a hint of an amber glow deep within her eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Liam asked, his voice a little hoarse. He could smell the faint aroma coming from Elena, a mixture of blood and some kind of ancient herb.

Elena didn't answer directly, her fingers gently brushed over the rune stone and it glowed red once more." Time is running out," she whispered, "If you want to know the truth, come with me."

She turned and walked deeper into the catacombs, and Liam noticed that her pace was a little unsteady, but her back remained upright. The air smelled of blood and something indefinable and oppressive, and he could sense that something more dangerous was waiting in the darkness.

[System alert: Unknown energy fluctuations detected, immediate evacuation recommended]

But Liam knew there was no turning back.

[System alert: High concentration of blood energy detected, recommend immediate deployment of graphene nanofilament defense network]

Liam's mechanical heart suddenly accelerated, and the hum of gears running at high speed came from inside his chest. In the black mist, the vampire lord's sharp claws wrapped in a fishy wind and went straight for his chest. The putrid scent hit his face, mixed with the rusty smell of stale blood.

"The mechanical heart belongs to the Dracula bloodline!" The vampire lord's roar echoed in the small space, shaking the crystal chandelier on the wall. Liam could clearly see the blood-colored light pulsing in his opponent's pupils, a greed that bordered on insanity.

[Body data updated: adrenaline surge, heart rate increased to 180 beats per minute]

Liam's body reacted instinctively just as the claws were about to touch his skin. The mechanical heart burst out dozens of blazing blue light filaments, each as thin as a hair, but they made a toothsome "hissing" sound in the air. The nanofilaments wove a deadly net in the air, precisely locking onto the vampire lord's third cervical vertebrae.

"No!" The Vampire Lord's voice suddenly became shrill, and his pupils suddenly contracted. The nanofilaments had penetrated his skin, and he could feel the icy things swimming through his flesh and blood.

[System alert: Graphene nanofilaments have been successfully implanted in the target's body and have begun to break down cellular tissue]

Liam smelled a strong odor of blood that was gushing out of the veins that had been cut open by the nanofilaments. The Vampire Lord's body began to convulse, and it was as if there were countless snakes swimming under his skin. Those were the traces of the nanofilaments frantically cutting through his body.

"You... You will regret this!" A cackling sound came from the Vampire Lord's throat, his vocal cords were being cut off a little by the nanofilaments. Blood seeped out of his seven orifices, drawing hideous lines on his ghastly white face.

[Body data updated: energy absorption efficiency reached 87%, mechanical heart operation speed increased by 30%]

Liam felt a stream of warm energy flowing through the nanofilaments into the mechanical heart. It was a strange touch, like taking a sip of hot soup on a cold winter's day, the warmth spreading from his chest to his entire body.

"Zip..." The sound of blood sucking was extraordinarily clear in the silent room. Liam could clearly see that the vampire lord's body was drying up at a speed visible to the naked eye. His skin became wrinkled like paper, and his muscle tissue turned into tiny minced meat under the cutting of the nanofilaments, mixing with the blood as it drifted through the air.

[System alert: Target's vital signs are about to terminate. We recommend immediate evacuation.]

"That's funny." Elena's voice suddenly sounded behind her. Liam felt her fingers gently rest on his shoulder, the touch too cold to be alive. He turned his head to look, only to find the corners of Elena's lips slightly upturned and a dangerous glint in her golden eyes.

The vampire lord's head had rolled to her feet. Those eyes still maintained their shocked expression, and the blood-colored glow in the pupils was slowly dissipating. Elena gently tweaked the head with her toes, as if she was treating an interesting toy.

"Now the entire Blood Clan will be after you," she said with a hint of pleasure in her voice, "How... delightful." As the words fell from her lips, her heels came down hard on the skull. The sound of the skull cracking was toothsplittingly clear, and a mixture of brain matter and blood splattered across the tips of her shoes.

[System alert: New type of blood energy fluctuation detected. Vigilance recommended]

Liam felt Elena's hand slowly slide down his shoulder, eventually coming to rest on his chest. Her fingers gently tapped the spot where the mechanical heart would be through his clothing, sending a shiver down Liam's spine with each touch.

"This heart," her voice suddenly became soft, "is it really just mechanical?" Her breath sprayed Liam's ear with a rose scent if nothing else. But Liam knew that hidden underneath that aroma was the distinctive corrupting scent of the Blood.

[BODY DATA UPDATE: Unknown energy interference detected, recommend immediate termination of contact]

Liam took a sharp step back, pulling away from Elena. His mechanical heart was beating violently, and he could feel the nanofilaments traveling under his skin, ready for a possible attack.

"Relax," Elena let out a soft chuckle, "I'm just curious as to whose work you really are." Her gaze fell on Liam's chest, as if she could see the beating mechanical heart through the clothing.

[System alert: High concentration of blood energy detected, recommend activating defense mode]

The smell of blood in the room grew heavier, mixed with the burnt smell from the nanowires cutting through the flesh. Liam saw the remnants of the vampire lord's body slowly turning to ash, and those ashes drifted through the air like a black snowfall.

"We should go," Elena turned towards the door, "more Bloods will be arriving soon. But..." She glanced back at Liam, an inexplicable emotion flashing in her golden eyes, "I'm looking forward to seeing how long you live."

[System alert: Large amount of blood energy detected approaching, immediate evacuation recommended]

Liam took one last look around the room. The walls were covered in marks left by nanofilament cuts, and the floor was littered with blood and minced flesh. The ashes of the vampire lords were still floating in the air, as if they were putting an eerie end to the battle.

[Body data updated: energy reserves increased to 95%, system functioning normally]

Liam took a deep breath and followed Elena out of the room. He could feel that his mechanical heart was greedily absorbing the energy around him, just like a hungry beast. And what awaited him ahead would be an even more brutal hunt.

Liam's fingertips had just touched the wolf-shaped throne when a sharp stabbing pain spread from his temples. A string of red warnings flashed across his retina: [Memory Synchronization Rate 37%... Warning, emotional module overload]. The view of the lab distorted before his eyes, and the pungent smell of motor oil mixed with blood choked his throat.

He found himself in a dimly lit steampunk laboratory, with copper pipes snaking through the ceiling and gears turning on the walls. The lab bench was filled with glowing blue test tubes, one of which had a beating heart floating in it, and the mechanical gears intertwined with the flesh and blood, making a regular "clicking" sound.

"You're finally here, Engineer." The woman's voice was husky like sandpaper rubbing, very different from Elena's sweet voice. Liam turned to see a woman who looked similar to Elena. She wore a black leather jacket with a grimy scar at the end of her eye and held a scalpel in her hand with dark red blood dripping from the blade.

[Warning! Abnormal heart rate, elevated blood pressure] Liam felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. The woman's scalpel rested against his throat, the cold touch sending shivers down his spine. She leaned in close to his ear, her exhaled breath smelling of rust, "The contract requires Dracula's Heart and Blackwood's Mechanical Core, and you promised me immortality."

A complex blood contract formation was carved into the floor of the lab, with dark red lines looming in the candlelight. Suddenly, the formation began to emit an eerie red light and the smell of burning filled the air. The woman let out a shrill laugh as the scalpel slashed across Liam's arm, blood dripping down onto the formation.

[Warning! Vitals dropping] Liam felt a wave of dizziness as his vision began to blur. Just then, the door to the lab slammed open and a group of men in black rushed in, armed with steam-powered weapons and guns trained on the woman.

"Kill!" The black-clothed man in the lead roared, and bullets whizzed out. The woman dodged nimbly to avoid it, the scalpel spinning in her hand, cutting a silver light. Her movements were incredibly fast, slitting the throat of a black-clothed man in the blink of an eye.

Blood splattered on the copper pipe, making a "hissing" sound. The lab was instantly transformed into a bloody battlefield. Liam saw the head of a man in black cut in half by a scalpel, splattering brains and blood on the wall. The woman's face was covered in blood, and the scars at the corners of her eyes looked even more hideous in the bloodlight.

[Warning! Emotional module overload! Liam's temples jutted as he felt his consciousness tearing apart. Just then, a man in black sneaked up on the woman from behind, his steam-driven dagger stabbing her straight in the back. The woman reacted extremely fast and sidestepped to avoid the fatal blow, but the dagger still cut through her arm.

"Ah!" The woman let out a hiss of pain as she jerked around, the scalpel piercing the black-clad man's heart with precision. Blood spurted out and splattered on Liam's face, the warm touch causing him to shudder.

[Warning! Memory synchronization rate increased to 45%] A stream of data flashed across Liam's retina, and he saw his hand reach out uncontrollably to the mechanical heart on the lab bench. The moment his fingertips were about to touch the heart, the scene of the lab suddenly distorted and he returned to reality.

"Liam!" Elena's voice brought him back to reality, her hand tightening around his wrist. Liam felt Elena's palm get a little wet, her breathing was a little rapid and her breasts rose and fell slightly.

"Are you okay?" Elena's voice held a hint of concern, her eyes locked on Liam's face as if she was looking for something out of the ordinary. Liam noticed her eyelashes fluttering slightly and her lips pursed.

[Warning! Emotional Module Fluctuation] Liam felt his heartbeat speed up again as he looked at Elena's face, which bore a striking resemblance to the woman in his memories, and suddenly had a feeling of unreality. He gently drew his hand back, Elena's warmth still lingering on his fingertips.

"I'm fine," Liam's voice was a little hoarse, "just... Saw some weird images." He noticed the corner of Elena's eye, where it was smooth and flawless, without the hideous scar.

Elena's brow furrowed slightly as she brushed her fingers across Liam's temple, "Your forehead is hot." Her fingers were cold and the touch sent a shiver down Liam's spine.

[Warning! Body temperature rising] Liam felt his cheeks burning a little as he subconsciously took a step back and distanced himself from Elena. The bloody images from the lab were still lingering in his mind, and he couldn't be sure if the Elena in front of him was trustworthy.

"You don't look well," Elena's voice was soft, "want to rest?" There was a strange glint in her eyes, but it was fleeting.

Liam shook his head as his gaze fell on the wolf-shaped throne, the organ that had triggered his memory. He hesitated, but spoke up and asked, "Elena, have you heard of Dracula's Heart and Blackwood's Mechanical Core?"

[Warning! Memory Synchronization Rate Increased to 50%] Elena's expression instantly froze, her pupils slightly dilated, but she quickly regained her composure. She gently shook her head, "No, what was that?"

Liam stared into her eyes, trying to find any breaks, but there was nothing unusual about Elena's expression. He felt his temples begin to ache again as the bloody images in his memory resurfaced.

"It's nothing," Liam forced a smile, "It's probably just my hallucinations." He turned toward the exit of the lab, but Elena suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"Wait," Elena's voice was a little sharp, "that stuff you were talking about... Maybe we could go over them together?" Her fingers pressed slightly harder, her nails almost pinching into Liam's skin.

[Warning! Vital Signs Abnormal] Liam felt his heart beat faster again as he looked down at Elena's hand, her nails were painted with deep red nail polish, the color of remembered blood.

"Fine," Liam said softly, his voice a little raspy, "but for now, I think I need a break." He gently drew his hand back and turned to leave the lab, leaving Elena standing where she was, her eyes complicated and hard to understand.

[Warning! Memory Synchronization Rate Continues to Increase] Liam walked out of the lab, his temples still pounding. The bloody images in his memory kept flashing back, and he couldn't be sure who the woman who bore a striking resemblance to Elena really was. But there was one thing he was sure of - the answer to this mystery was hidden in the Heart of Dracula and Blackwood's mechanical core.

[System: Detected an abnormality in the host's body, dark energy erosion has reached 12%]

Elena's fingertips were still warm with blood, and she gently traced the knot of my throat, leaving a slightly cool touch. I could feel her nails becoming sharp, leaving a subtle sting on my skin.

"Your heart is beating faster, little wolf cub." She moved closer to my ear, her breath smelling of rusty blood, "Is it fear, or... Excited?"

My fingers twitched uncontrollably and my joints made a mechanical clicking sound. When I looked down, my nails had turned an ominous deep black color, as if they were drenched in ink.

[System: Warning! Signs of mutation have appeared in the host's body, it is recommended to stop dark energy absorption immediately]

"Don't worry," Elena's tongue flicked across my earlobe, "this is just the beginning. Your body is adapting to the new power, just like mine did back then."

Suddenly, a sharp pain came from my chest, and I couldn't help but bend over. A fishy sweetness welled up in my throat, and blood dripped down the corners of my mouth. Elena's fingers brushed my cheek, wiping the blood away.

"Look how beautiful." Her voice took on a sickly pleasure, "You've got dark energy coursing through your blood."

[System: Decline in heart function detected. Progress of failure: 3%]

I forced myself to straighten up through the pain and realized that my vision had become blurry, and everything around me was shrouded in a faint black mist. Elena's figure loomed in the mist, her eyes flashing scarlet.

"Come on, let's see how much you can take." She took a step back and opened her arms, "Catch me with your new powers."

I took a deep breath and felt the dark energy surging through my body. My body became light, as if it had become one with the shadows around me. In the next second, I unleashed Dark Shadow Step.

[System: Shadow Step activated, duration 9 seconds]

The world warps in an instant, and my figure transforms into a black shadow that rushes towards Elena with incredible speed. She could see my movements and gracefully sidestepped to avoid them. My sharp claws grazed her shoulder, tearing a bloody scar.

"Not bad," she licked the wound, "but not fast enough."

I unleashed Shadow Step again, this time blitzing from the side. Elena's reaction was even faster, her palm grabbed my wrist with precision. I could feel her strength, as if she couldn't break free like an iron clamp.

"Your body is wailing," she leaned in close to my face, "Hear that? Every cell is screaming."

[System: Warning! Tear in muscle tissue. Repair progress: 45%]

Sharp pain came from all over my body, and I clenched my teeth as I tried to break free from her. But Elena's strength was far beyond my imagination, and her fingers sunk deep into my skin, blood trickling down her fingers.

"That's the price," she said softly, "to gain power, you have to pay it."

I felt the dark energy inside me storming as if it was going to tear me apart. Vision began to distort and a sharp ringing in my ears. Elena's face flickered in and out of the darkness, her smile taking on a cruel gentleness.

"Hang in there, little wolf cub," her voice seemed to come from a great distance, "show me where your limits are."

[System: accelerated organ failure detected, liver function down to 78%]

I exerted a great deal of force, and finally broke free of her bonds. But the price was a "click" from my arm, the bone seemed to have cracked. The pain made my eyes go black, but I couldn't care less and launched Shadow Steps again.

It was faster this time, and Elena couldn't quite dodge it in time. My sharp claws slashed across her abdomen, bringing up a bead of blood. She stifled a grunt, but then broke into an excited smile.

"That's it," she licked her lips, "let me feel your anger."

I continued to attack, each Shadow Step putting a greater burden on my body. Nosebleeds continued to gush out, and I could feel my insides convulsing. But Elena's attacks were also getting more intense, her sharp claws leaving scars on my body.

[System: Warning! Bleeding in multiple internal organs, vital signs unstable]

In an exchange of blows, Elena's sharp claws stabbed into my shoulder. The sharp pain caused me to fall to my knees, blood staining the ground. She looked down at me with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Do you want to continue?" She asked softly, "Your body is at its limit."

I clenched my teeth and braced myself to stand up. The dark energy in my body was boiling, as if it was going to break through my body. I knew I might die if I continued like this, but I didn't want to admit defeat.

"Very well," Elena smiled appreciatively, "then let's see if you fall first, or if I concede first."

[System: Host's vital signs have continued to decline, recommend stopping the fight immediately]

I unleashed my Shadow Steps again, this time reaching an unprecedented level of speed. Elena didn't seem to expect it either, and there was a crack in her defense. My sharp claws went straight for her throat, but stopped at the last moment.

"Why don't you continue?" She asked softly, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

I gasped for air, feeling like every breath hurt like a knife." I... Don't want to kill you."

Elena froze for a moment, then let out a soft laugh." Interesting," she retracted her sharp claws, "You're more interesting than I thought."

[System: Battle over, dark energy absorption complete, body repair begins]

I sat paralyzed on the floor, feeling my entire body drained of strength. Elena knelt down and gently wiped the blood off my face.

"Rest, little wolf cub," her voice was rare and gentle, "you have proven your worth."

I closed my eyes and let the darkness consume me. Before I lost consciousness, I heard Elena whisper, "This is just the beginning, our game has just begun."

[System: Detected the host entering a deep coma, automatically initiating the repair process, estimated recovery time: 12 hours]

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The ground of the castle suddenly trembled violently, and Liam felt the stone slabs under his feet crack in an instant, with icy blue arcs of electricity surging out of the cracks. His field of vision was dominated by a blinding light, and his ears were filled with the humming sound of a mechanical heart running at high speed. The sound was like some kind of ancient beast roaring lowly, or like countless gears turning frantically.

[Warning: Unknown energy fluctuations detected! Abnormalities in the host's vital signs!

On Liam's wrist, the vitals monitor flashed frantically. He could feel the blood vessels pulsing violently under his skin, as if something was about to break out of his body. His vision began to distort, the stone walls around him twisting and distorting under the energy fluctuations.

Elena's necklace vibrated violently in front of her chest, and the beast-shaped pendant emitted a piercing red light. Her pupils suddenly contracted, turning from circles to thin vertical lines, and the whites of her eyes were completely taken over by a dark red color. Her long hair was windless, flowing out behind her, the same red light flickering between her hair strands.

"It seems our bond runs deeper than you thought." Her voice carried a certain ancient rhythm that made the air tremble with every syllable. She slammed Liam against the crumbling stone wall, her cold fingertips raking across his neck, leaving a tiny trail of blood.

[Vitals: Heart rate 180, blood pressure continues to rise! Warning: approaching Dracula's descendants will trigger a system crash!]

Liam could feel her breath spraying on his face with the cold scent of blood. Her fangs glinted coldly in the dim light, and the corners of her mouth curled into a dangerous smile. He tried to struggle, but found that his body was completely immobile, as if imprisoned by some invisible force.

"Engineer, should we talk about...how to 'share' this heart now?" Her fingers gently brushed over Liam's chest, the coldness of her fingertips reaching right through her clothes to her skin. She could feel the mechanical heart beating violently, each beat sending subtle vibrations through the air around her.

The ceiling began to crumble and chunks of broken stone engraved with ancient covenants fell. Liam saw that one of the pieces of rubble had a familiar rune engraved on it, some kind of ancient script that he had studied in his lab. The rubble hit the ground with a dull thud, splattering dust with tiny arcs of electricity.

[Warning: Energy fluctuations have reached critical levels! The system is about to crash!

Elena's fingers suddenly tightened and Liam felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see his chest begin to glow as blue arcs of electricity seeped out from under his skin and jumped through the air. Those arcs of electricity intertwined with the red light from Elena's necklace, forming a complex web of energy.

"Do you feel it?" Elena's voice became low and raspy, "Every beat of this heart calls to me." Her fangs were fully visible and her lips were stained red with blood. Liam wasn't sure if it was his own blood or not, all he could feel was a tingling pain coming from his neck and warm liquid running down his collarbone.

[Vitals: Heart rate exceeding 200, blood pressure continues to rise! Warning: Host is about to lose consciousness!

Liam's vision began to blur as he saw Elena's face looming in front of him, her eyes turning completely blood red with pupils as thin as needles. Her finger cut a wound in his chest, and the moment blood gushed out, the blue arc of electricity merged completely with the red glow.

"Let's see what secrets this heart is hiding." Elena's voice carried a certain frantic excitement. Her fangs pierced Liam's carotid artery completely, and the intense pain caused him to let out a muffled grunt. He could feel his blood draining away at a rapid pace while some kind of unfamiliar energy was pouring into his body.

[System alert: Unknown energy intrusion detected! Warning: Host's vital signs are about to collapse!

The ceiling collapsed completely, and huge chunks of stone crashed to the ground, splattering a cloud of dust and mist. Liam saw that one of the stones was engraved with the complete text of the covenant, and those words faintly fluoresced under the energy fluctuations. His consciousness began to blur, and the only sounds left in his ears were the violent beating of his mechanical heart, and Elena's low gasps.

"Don't worry, Engineer." Elena's voice rang in his ear, "We'll soon be one." Her fingers made a deeper cut in Liam's chest, and the blue arcs of electricity merged completely with the red glow, forming an intricate cocoon of light that wrapped the two of them completely.

[System is about to crash! Warning: Host's vital signs are about to stop!

Liam felt like his consciousness was being torn apart, and he could see his body glowing, intricate runes emerging under his skin. Those runes were identical to the pendant on Elena's necklace, emitting a blinding light in the darkness. His vision was completely taken over by the glow, and the only sound left in his ears was the final beating of his mechanical heart.

When the last ray of light dissipated, the castle returned to its deathly silence. Only the blood stains left on the ground, and the scattered rubble, proved what had just happened.