Chapter 15 - The Cellar Vaults
The air inside the underground tunnel grew colder and heavier with every step.
Above them, the muted thunders of collapsing beams echoed through the stone ceiling.
"How far down does this go?" Eleanor whispered, her heart beating wildly in her chest.
"Julian expanded the old wine cellars five years ago," Jax answered quietly, keeping his light swept forward.
"He built a hidden bunker right beneath the church foundations."
They reached the bottom of the stairs, stepping onto a long, narrow corridor lined with iron doors.
Each door had a small reinforced sliding view window at eye level.
Eleanor ran down the corridor, shining the flashlight beam through the narrow slots.
"Dad! Can you hear me?!" Eleanor screamed into the dark, empty cells.
Her voice echoed back down the long corridor, hollow and chilling.
"Eleanor...?" a faint, raspy voice whispered from the very last cell on the left.
Eleanor froze, the breath catching in her throat.
She sprinted to the last door and slammed her hands against the heavy steel surface.
Through the tiny iron grate, she saw a frail man with long grey hair sitting on a wooden bench.
"Dad!" Eleanor cried out, tears blinding her eyes as she peered into the dim room.
The man slowly lifted his head, his pale, sunken eyes blinking at the bright light.
"Eleanor... my little girl..." he rasped, struggling to stand up on weak legs.
Jax stepped forward with the heavy ax, raising it high to break the cell's lock.
Suddenly, a loud, heavy metallic click echoed from the far end of the corridor behind them.
The heavy iron security door at the entrance of the vault slammed shut with a deafening thud.
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The sound of an electronic lock engaging echoed through the stone walls.
They were trapped inside the vault, while the burning chapel above began to collapse.
