Here's the thing about ancient sealed crypts beneath a cursed underworld academy:
They don't come with a map.
They don't come with a warning.
And they definitely don't come with a "proceed with caution" sign.
Nope. Just you, Yeonjun, and the distinct smell of bad decisions and ancient rot.
Yeonjun's Idea of a Date: Grave Danger
"So," I whispered, stepping into the pitch-black tomb corridor, "this is your idea of a fun afterparty?"
Yeonjun, holding a flickering blue flame in his palm like it was no big deal, glanced at me over his shoulder. "What, you'd prefer a picnic under the screaming moon?"
"Yes."
"Too bad. Screaming moon's booked tonight."
According to a forbidden prophecy book we probably shouldn't have touched, the answers about my doppelgänger, the Crimson Link, and why the underworld shadows were whispering my name were hidden in the Tomb of the Unseen — buried under Nightshade, sealed for centuries, and guarded by things that definitely don't like sunlight or sarcasm.
Unfortunately for them, I brought both.
Trap #1: Puzzle of the Bones
We reached the first chamber — round, cold, and filled with bones arranged in strange runes on the floor.
A message carved into the wall read:
"Speak truth or spill blood."
I turned to Yeonjun. "Okay. Truth it is. What's the worst thing you've ever done?"
He went still.
Real still.
"I once… let someone die," he said finally. "Because I thought protecting myself was more important."
The room was silent. No death trap. No bones exploded.
I swallowed. "Was it someone you cared about?"
"Yes."
"And now?"
Yeonjun looked at me, expression unreadable. "Now I care about someone again. And I'm scared I'll lose her too."
The bones shifted. The door creaked open.
I didn't say anything. I just reached out, grabbed his hand, and kept walking.
Trap #2: Mirror of Regret (aka Emotional Damage Room™)
This chamber had a single object: a tall, shattered mirror.
Our reflections weren't right.
Mine showed me as the red-dressed version of myself — the doppelgänger. Eyes glowing. Mouth open in a silent scream.
Yeonjun's reflection… was alone. Surrounded by ash. Blood on his hands.
I stepped forward. "That's not real."
"It's possible," he said. "That's what scares me."
I turned to him. "You're not alone. Not anymore."
The mirror cracked harder — then shattered.
Yeonjun muttered, "You're good at this whole life-threatening emotional support thing."
"Thanks. I practice in the mirror."
The Final Door
The third and final gate was etched in obsidian, glowing faintly red.
"Only the marked may enter."
I reached for it. It didn't move.
Yeonjun stepped beside me. "Try with me."
We both placed our hands on the door. Light exploded beneath our fingers — red and black flames dancing between our palms, twisting into a symbol:
A crimson flame crossed with fangs.
The door opened with a groan that sounded like something waking up.
Probably because something was.
The Tomb of the Unseen
Inside was a circle of stone, ancient runes glowing faintly on the floor. In the center stood an altar with a silver dagger and a book bound in what looked a lot like vampire skin.
Yeonjun approached cautiously. "This is where the Crimson Link was created. A pact. A binding. A curse."
I frowned. "So what does it do?"
Before he could answer, the book sprang open, pages flipping violently.
A voice echoed through the chamber.
"One marked by shadow. One born of blood.
If the link is not broken, one must be sacrificed.
The girl... or the guardian."
I stared at him.
"The guardian... that's you."
Yeonjun's jaw clenched. "Seems like it."
I backed away. "Yeonjun. If the prophecy is right—"
"I don't care."
"You might have to choose—"
"I already have."
He stepped toward me, fangs barely out, eyes glowing.
"I would burn this school. This underworld. Every shadow, every monster, every ancient law—for you."
My breath caught.
"That's... not very romantic."
"It is if you're me."
Shadows Strike
Before either of us could say more, the room went dark.
Freezing.
And then they appeared.
Shadows. Twisting. Laughing. Pulling at me.
Yeonjun roared — actually roared — and the flame in his hand turned crimson.
"I won't let them take her!" he screamed.
The shadows hissed, clawing at the runes, circling.
I reached for the dagger on the altar.
"Amelia, no!"
"I trust you," I said. "But I also trust me."
I sliced a shallow cut on my palm and slammed it down on the stone.
Light exploded.
The shadows screamed.
Yeonjun caught me as I collapsed.
Later…
I woke up in my dorm. Kevin chirped from the curtain rod. The mirror no longer winked.
But the dagger?
It was on my pillow.
With a note scrawled in red ink:
You made your move. The game begins