The forest around us seemed to pulse with dark energy, the ground beneath our feet trembling as the Wraith's power began to grow once more. We had no time left—the Wraith was regaining its strength, and the only way to stop it was to make the ultimate sacrifice.
But who would it be?
---
Evelyn's voice trembled as she spoke, her gaze shifting between us. "This isn't just about saving the town anymore. This is about stopping a force that could spread far beyond Blackwood. If we don't do this, the Wraith could consume everything."
Sheriff Carter clenched his fists, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. "There has to be another way, Evelyn. We've fought too hard to lose anyone now."
"I wish there was," she replied softly, her eyes filled with sorrow. "But the curse that binds the Wraith is too strong. It was created with blood, and only blood can end it."
Tommy, his face ashen, took a step back. "I… I can't do it. I'm sorry, but I can't. There has to be someone else—something else we can do."
Evelyn looked down at the ground, her voice barely a whisper. "If we don't act now, it won't just be one of us—it could be all of us. The Wraith will regain its full strength, and none of us will survive."
I felt a cold knot form in my stomach as I watched the Wraith's form become more solid with every passing second. Its malevolent presence was suffocating, the very air around it charged with the promise of death. I knew what had to be done, but the thought of it made my blood run cold.
"What exactly does the ritual involve?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Evelyn swallowed hard. "It's a blood ritual. The one who offers themselves must willingly spill their blood on the cursed ground. Their life force will disrupt the Wraith's connection to this world, severing the curse that binds it."
Tommy's voice was shaky. "And then… what? The Wraith just disappears?"
Evelyn shook her head. "No. The Wraith will fight to stay, and it will take everything it has to drag the sacrifice's soul into the void with it. But without its connection to the land, it will be vulnerable. We'll have a chance to destroy it for good."
Sheriff Carter looked at me, his eyes filled with determination. "We need to decide now. If we wait any longer, it won't matter who sacrifices themselves—the Wraith will tear us all apart."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. My mind raced, searching for another solution, but I knew deep down that there was no other way. The Wraith's power was growing by the second, and the ritual was the only way to stop it.
"I'll do it," I said, the words escaping my lips before I could think about them.
Evelyn's eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently. "No, you can't. You've been the one holding this group together—you're the reason we've made it this far."
"That's exactly why I have to do it," I replied, my voice firm. "This whole mess started with my family. The Wraith was awakened because of my bloodline, and it's only fitting that I'm the one to end it."
Tommy's eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head in disbelief. "No, we can't let you do this. There has to be another way—there has to be!"
But I knew there wasn't. I could feel it deep in my bones. The curse that had plagued my family for generations had to be ended, and I was the only one who could do it.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice softening as I looked at each of them. "But this is the only way. If I don't do this, the Wraith will destroy everything. You have to let me go."
The Wraith's form began to take on a more defined shape, its hollow eyes glowing with a fierce, otherworldly light. The ground beneath us shuddered violently, and I knew our time was running out.
Evelyn stepped forward, tears in her eyes. "If you do this, there's no coming back. Are you sure you're ready to make that kind of sacrifice?"
I nodded, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over me. "It's the only way. My family has suffered enough because of this curse. It's time to end it, once and for all."
Sheriff Carter placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but gentle. "You're a brave soul, but damn it, this shouldn't be your burden to bear alone."
"I'm not alone," I said, looking at each of them. "I have all of you. And I know you'll finish what I start."
Evelyn took a deep breath and began to recite the words of the ritual, her voice trembling but steady. The air around us seemed to thicken, the darkness closing in as the ritual took hold.
I stepped into the center of the clearing, feeling the cold bite of the cursed ground beneath my feet. With trembling hands, I took the knife Evelyn handed me and made a small cut on my palm, watching as the blood dripped onto the earth.
As the blood hit the ground, the Wraith let out a bone-chilling scream, its form convulsing as the ritual began to take effect. The ground beneath me seemed to pulse with energy, and I could feel the Wraith's anger and desperation as it fought to maintain its hold on this world.
"Keep going!" Evelyn shouted over the rising wind, her voice barely audible over the Wraith's screams. "You're almost there!"
I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on the ritual. I could feel the Wraith's presence growing stronger, its fury directed solely at me. The ground trembled violently, and I knew the final moments were upon us.
But just as the Wraith's form began to fade, something unexpected happened. The darkness around us seemed to ripple, and a new voice, cold and malevolent, echoed through the clearing.
"You think you can end this so easily?" the voice hissed, filled with venom. "You have only scratched the surface of the darkness that lies within this cursed land. The true horror is yet to come."
The Wraith's form solidified once more, its eyes burning with renewed hatred. The ground beneath me cracked open, revealing a chasm of darkness that seemed to stretch into infinity. I could feel the pull of the void, a force that threatened to drag me into the abyss.
"Evelyn!" I cried out, panic rising in my chest. "What's happening?"
Evelyn's face paled as she realized what was unfolding. "It's not just the Wraith. There's something else—a deeper curse, something more ancient and powerful than we ever imagined."
---
The ground continued to crack and shift, the chasm widening with each passing second. The Wraith's form twisted and writhed, its body contorted in unnatural ways as it fought to escape the ritual's grip.
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. This wasn't just about ending the Wraith—it was about facing a darkness that had been festering beneath the surface for centuries. And if we didn't act now, that darkness would consume us all.
"Finish the ritual!" Evelyn screamed, her voice filled with desperation. "It's our only chance!"
I steeled myself, focusing all my remaining strength on the task at hand. The Wraith's screams grew louder, more desperate, as I poured the last of my blood into the chasm. The air around us seemed to crackle with energy, the very fabric of reality straining under the weight of the ritual.
---
The ground beneath me gave way, and I felt myself being pulled into the darkness. The last thing I saw before the world went black was the Wraith's face, twisted in a grotesque smile as it whispered, "Welcome to the true curse, mortal."