The firelight flickered ominously, casting long shadows over Claire's face as I finished my tale. Her discomfort had reached a peak, her eyes darting nervously around the group. Suddenly, her form began to morph. Her legs and arms lengthened grotesquely, her smile widened into an unnatural grin, and her eyes sunk into hollow voids. Before me, a larger pale being, bigger than its mother, expanded and contorted. The transformation was horrifying, its body stretching and warping until the creature that stood before us was an abomination of flesh and bone.
My illusion faded, the hikers sat horrified on their logs.
Lisa cried in terror and disbelief, "You weren't making that shit up? You actually kill things like that!"
Jason yelled, "FELIX! Kill it! Use a magics or something! Whatever you did in your stories! Please! Please God help us!"
The flesh gait seethed, "T̵͍͛ H̶̻̙͐ E̸͖̝͍͛̇ S̶̫̐͂̈́ È̵͇́̏ ̷͉̊̅͂Ḧ̶̡̖͔̑̄ U̷̱̹̍ M̴͙̳̩̏̇͘A̷̲̎̉̄ N̸̘̣̾͊ S̵͕̜͗̐ ̴̢̪̦̓A̶̭̦̟̍͊ R̵̠͓͂̑ Ḛ̶̪̇ ̵̫̄̔M̷̫̃͠ Ḭ̶̃̈́ Ǹ̵̬ É̵̺!" Its voice was a cacophony of shrill and gravelly tones, a chilling, unnatural combination that could send shivers down the spines of anyone but me.
The forest went dead silent. It was the type of silence that any experienced woodsman would tell you meant you either needed to be as quiet as possible or to leave as quickly as possible. This type of stillness only arrives when a predator bares its fangs.
The other hikers were frozen in terror, their eyes wide with shock. The flesh gait's transformation was complete, and it turned its monstrous gaze toward me, its talons gleaming in the firelight.
"Stay back!" Jason yelled, his voice cracking with fear.
But it was too late. The flesh gait moved with terrifying speed, its limbs elongating as it swung its talons at the surrounding trees. Massive trunks collapsed from the force, trying to bury the escape paths and block the hikers from leaving. It was creating chaos, buying itself time to feed.
I called upon the divinity flowing through my blood, feeling the power surge from within. My fingers tingled as the energy built up, transforming into a searing heat. "Holy fire," I whispered, and white flames erupted from my hands.
The white fire—the holy fire—burned with an intensity that was both beautiful and terrible. It danced along my fingers, casting an ethereal glow over the darkened forest. With a sweeping motion, I directed the flames towards the fleeing flesh gait, the fire roaring through the trees, igniting the night with its brilliance.
The flames danced over the trees and brush, leaving nature unscathed. The fire did not singe even a solitary leaf. But the unnatural beast, the terror of these woods seared.
The creature screamed, a sound that pierced the silence of the forest and sent birds scattering into the sky. The holy fire licked at its flesh, leaving searing marks as it tried to dodge the onslaught. I pushed forward, my resolve strengthening with each step.
"Stop!" I shouted, my voice resonating with the authority of my celestial blood.
The flesh gait snarled, its legs freezing in place. The creature began swinging its massive arms and felling more trees in a desperate attempt to slow me down. The forest was a mess of burning foliage and splintered wood, the air thick with the flames of the divine and the acrid scent of charred flesh.
Several trees collapsed toward the campsite.
"Tom, be careful!" Sarah screamed from behind me, her voice filled with panic.
But there was no room to intervene for the hikers now. I was locked in a deadly dance with the flesh gait, and every moment counted. The creature lunged at me, its talons aimed for my throat. I sidestepped, raising my hand and sending a blast of holy fire directly at its chest.
The flames hit their mark, and the flesh gait howled in pain, its body writhing as the fire consumed it. But it was relentless, refusing to fall. It swung wildly, catching me off guard and knocking me to the ground.
I tasted blood in my mouth, but I couldn't afford to stop. Rolling to my feet, I summoned more of the divine energy, the fire burning hotter and brighter than before. With a roar of determination, I unleashed the full force of my power, the holy fire engulfing the flesh gait in a blinding inferno.
"G̶̳͈͔͗͊E̷̙͒̀T̸̮͖̻́̀̈ ̵̨̼̗̘́̚Ä̵̭́̂̚Ẅ̴̺̯́A̵̭̱̠̲̋͒̇̃Y̶̼͕̽ ̸̲͌F̷̝͓͕̒R̵͎̖̘͔̕̕O̷̬̜̎̃͌͌M̷̤͌̂͑͜͝ͅ ̴̰̺͖̦̉̔̾͝Ḿ̵͎̠̻͝Ë̵͈̭́̊!" it shrieked again, its voice filled with desperation and rage.
The fire's intensity faded, and the forest seemed to hold its breath. The charred remains of the flesh gait lay still, but I knew better than to think the battle was over. The creature began to twitch, and soon its burnt flesh started to crack and molt. From within, a dark, vile spirit emerged—a metaphysical being untouched by the holy fire. This was the true essence of the monster, a core of pure black magic.
As the spirit revealed itself, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a sprig of white ash. The leaves were delicate, yet they held a potent magic, one that could bind and banish even the darkest of entities. I cradled the leaves in my hand and carefully lit them with an ember from the campfire.
While the flesh gait's remnants continued to molt, revealing the writhing, shadowy spirit within, I prepared my next move. The white ash burned slowly, releasing a fragrant, purifying smoke. I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what was to come.
The spirit screeched, a high-pitched, otherworldly sound that echoed through the silent forest. Its form twisted and contorted, trying to escape its dying shell. The black magic it wielded was powerful, but it was a lesser being—something I could handle with the right preparation.
I watched the creature suffer, its transformation complete as the dark spirit stood before me. I dropped the smoldering white ash into a circle around the creature, whispering an incantation as I did so. The embers glowed brightly, burning a perfect circle into the ground, forming a barrier the spirit could not cross.
The spirit hissed, its form flickering as it tested the bounds of its prison. I walked up to the edge of the circle, my eyes never leaving the dark entity. "You cannot escape," I said coldly. "Your time is over."
I began to recite an ancient Latin incantation, words that originated with the Celtic druids. Each syllable seemed to make the air hum with power.
"Per vires terrae, ligamen naturae, Spiritus malignus, nunc te vincio. Radices antiquae, vobis mando, Tenete hunc spiritum, usque ad finem temporis."
As I spoke, the circle around the spirit began to shine, etching a complex pattern into the ground beneath it. The spirit twisted and shuddered, its form growing unstable as the magic took hold.
"Lumen solis, fulgore aeternae, Purga hunc locum, ab obscuritate. Flumina pura, meum votum audite, Lavate hanc terram, ab omni immunditia."
With each word, the dark being began to shrink and condense, its essence being forced into a smaller and smaller space. The pattern on the ground glowed brighter, the spirit's cries growing more desperate. Finally, the creature condensed into a tight, marble-sized orb on the ground.
"Frondes silvarum, sacra folia, Custodite circulum, protegite invocatum. Aer caelestis, vestrum vigorem accipio, Vincite hunc spiritum, ne fugiat iterum."
Tree roots burst from the ground matching the etched circle with its course around the bead. My fire returned and crawled into the spaces between the fibers of the wood. The small sphere began to levitate.
Suddenly, Sarah ran up, panic etched across her face. "Felix, you have to help Tom!" she cried, tugging at my arm.
"Ligamenta natura, nunc invoco, Obliviscatur spiritus, suae libertatis. In hoc circulo, eius fatum signetur, Usque ad aeternum, permaneat captivus."
I continued my chanting, the circle blazing to life with blinding light. The almagem of ash, fire, and roots lifted from the ground and engraved itself onto the marble. Just as I reached to grab it, Sarah shook me again, causing my concentration to waver.
"Felix, please!" she pleaded.
In that moment of distraction, a raven swooped in, its feathers as black as sin gleaming in the moonlight. It snatched the marble from before my hand and soared into the night sky. I cursed, raising my hand to cast a spell to strike it down, but Sarah pulled me hard toward the camp.
"Let me go!" I roared, wishing I could use my command on her in anger. But as I looked around, the raven had vanished into the darkness. I realized then that Sarah's desperation was not mere panic—Tom was in serious trouble.
"Tom is hurt," Sarah said, her voice breaking. "A tree fell on him. He's... he's dying, Felix."
I turned to see Tom pinned beneath a massive tree, his waist crushed and a limb impaling his chest. Blood pooled around him, his face pale and sweat-soaked. He was dying, and if he did, the angel of death would come—and I was not on good terms with Heaven.
"Hold on, Tom," I said, rushing to his side. My mind raced as I assessed the situation. I had to act quickly. If Tom died, it would bring more trouble than I could handle right now.
I placed my hands over his wounds, calling upon the divine energy within me. The power flowed from my fingertips, a warm, golden light that began to knit his flesh together. Tom gasped, his eyes fluttering as the healing magic took effect.
"Stay with me," I muttered, pouring more energy into the healing spell. The tree limb slid out of his chest, the wound closing behind it. His crushed bones mended, the bleeding stopped. But it wasn't enough. I needed more power, more time.
"Felix," Sarah whispered, her voice filled with awe and fear. "What are you doing?"
"Saving his life," I replied, my focus unyielding. "Keep everyone back. I need space."
I concentrated, pouring every ounce of focus onto the light of the moon. I needed all of it. Slowly the forest grew dark as our campsite grew bright. The silver moon light changed into a golden hue.
The golden light grew brighter, enveloping Tom's body. He shuddered, his breathing ragged but steadier. I could feel the blood in my veins reacting, amplifying the healing magic. It was a dangerous gamble, but I had no choice.
Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, the light began to fade, and Tom's eyes opened, filled with confusion and pain, but he was alive.
"Tom?" Sarah said, tears streaming down her face. "Tom, can you hear me?"
He nodded weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah... I hear you."
I sat back, exhausted but relieved. The immediate danger had passed, but the night was far from over. The raven and the spirit it carried were gone. I was exhausted.
"Thank you, Felix," Sarah said, her gratitude evident. "You saved him."
I nodded, "Sing more praises of me. Magic is not easy you know."
The forest was still and silent, the echoes of our battle fading into the night. The others, shaken but grateful, began to pack their gear with hurried movements. The tension in the air was palpable, a shared understanding that we needed to leave this place as soon as possible.
"Let's get out of here," Sarah said, her voice trembling slightly as she gathered her belongings. "We need to get Tom to a safe place."
"Agreed," Jason added, glancing warily at the trees as if expecting another attack. "We can't stay here any longer."
I stood apart from the group, watching them with a detached interest. The events of the night had taken their toll, but there was a sense of satisfaction in knowing I had dealt with the immediate threat. I walked over to the log where I had set my white coat, picking it up and shaking off the bits of forest debris.
As I slipped it on, I reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a small flask of holy water. Unscrewing the cap, I took a long, satisfying drink, feeling the purifying liquid flow through me- a way to cleanse myself of the lingering taint.
With a smirk, I glanced back at the group, who were busy packing and tending to Tom. "Well, that was a charming little evening, wasn't it?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing like a bit of monster hunting to liven up a camping trip."
Sarah shot me a look of exasperation. "Felix, this isn't the time for jokes. We need to get Tom out of here."
"Relax, Sarah," I replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Tom will be fine. I've taken care of the worst of it. All that's left is psychological."
Lisa, who had been helping Tom sit up, looked at me with a mix of gratitude and frustration. "Thank you for saving him, Felix. But we really do need to move."
I nodded, turning away from them. "Yes, yes, I know. Let's get going then."
As the group finished packing, I stepped away from the campsite and into the deeper woods. The air was cooler here, the darkness more profound. I walked with purpose, my senses attuned to the natural energies around me. Soon, I found what I was looking for—an circle of mushrooms. Such an occurrence can be modified into an Aos Sí circle, an ancient ring that served as a gateway between worlds.
I gathered several large stones from the river nearby and arranged them in my particular fashion. Any slight deviance of the arrangement of where each size stone stood in ratio to each other would send you into a different Sidhe realm. After I satisfactorily arranged my pattern, I willed the circle to life.
The stones were faintly glowing with an ethereal light, a sign that the portal was active. I stepped into the center of the circle, feeling the familiar pull of the otherworldly magic. As I did, I glanced back one last time, seeing the group preparing to leave. They would be fine now. My work here was done.
With a deep breath, I fell into the ground, like stepping out of a ship in the middle of a deep water. The world around me shifted and warped. The forest dissolved into a swirl of colors, and I felt myself being transported to an otherworld—a sanctuary where I could rest.
The transition was seamless, and soon I found myself standing in a place that was both familiar and alien. It was a realm shaped by my will, a place where I could command reality to my desires. The sky was a deep, star-filled expanse, and the ground beneath my feet was a mosaic of shifting patterns and colors.
"Home sweet home," I muttered to myself, taking in the serene beauty of the otherworld.
I slide the travel pack off my back and left my jacket on a suit of armor. I strutted past an impressive menagerie of historical artifacts, magical trinkets, furniture, and canned food.
I walked to a stone platform in the center of the isle, sitting down and closing my eyes. The energy of the place flowed through me, soothing my mind and body. The spirit I had trapped earlier was still a concern, but for now, it was beyond my reach. There would be time to deal with it later.
As I sat there, the memories of the battle replayed in my mind. The terror on Claire's face as she transformed, the desperation of the flesh gait, and the power of the holy fire. It had been a night to remember.