Adèle LaMorte's declaration ignited a fire within Sophia and Bastien. Determined to protect Bayou Bleu, they delved deeper into the Dubois family's history.
Bastien's great-aunt, Élise, revealed ancient tales of Étienne Dubois's deal with Alexandre LaMorte. The pact, forged in blood and moonlight, had an expiration date – the next celestial alignment, when the moon would eclipse the sun.
"We have until the eclipse to unravel the mystery," Sophia said, her mind racing.
Bastien nodded. "We need to find the original pact document, hidden within the LaMorte estate."
Under the light of the full moon, they snuck into the LaMorte mansion, navigating cobweb-covered halls and secret passages. In the hidden library, they discovered a cryptic diary belonging to Étienne Dubois.
As they unraveled the cryptic entries, Sophia realized that Étienne had hidden a crucial piece of information – a name: "Sabine."
"Who's Sabine?" Sophia asked.
Bastien's expression turned somber. "Sabine Dubois – my ancestor, accused of witchcraft and murdered by the LaMortes."
Sophia's eyes locked onto Bastien's. "Her spirit might hold the key."
With time running out, they sought the wisdom of Bayou Bleu's venerable voodoo priestess, Mère Jalouse.
"Mère, we need to communicate with Sabine's spirit," Bastien requested.
Mère Jalouse nodded. "The veil between worlds thins during eclipses. We'll perform the ritual then."
As the eclipse drew near, Sophia and Bastien prepared to face the unknown. Adèle LaMorte, however, had other plans.
"The eclipse will bring darkness," Adèle whispered to her loyal followers. "And in that darkness, we'll reclaim Bayou Bleu."
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