Adanne's breath quickened as the hooded figures closed in around her, their presence a suffocating weight in the air. The whispers, low and insistent, filled the space around her, their words incomprehensible, but their meaning clear -she was the one they sought. Her back was pressed against the gnarled trunk of the ancient tree. The knife in her hand felt impossibly small, a mere sliver of hope against the dark tide that was closing in. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, drowning out everything else. "Please, just leave me alone!" Adanne shouted, her voice breaking as panic gripped her chest. Her legs wobbled, threatening to give way beneath her. The figures didn't respond. They simply stood there, staring, their faces obscured by their hoods.
One of the tigures took a step torward, the hood slipping back to reveal a face that was too pale, too gaunt, the skin stretched thin over hollowed cheeks. His eyes, empty black pits, locked onto hers. "It is too late,' the man said in a voice that sent a chill straight down her spine. "The ritual must be completed." "No, you're not taking my baby!" Adanne cried, her hand shaking as she clutched the knife tighter. "Ill fight you with everything I have!" The man tilted his head, an eerie smile spreading across his face. "You misunderstand. It's nota matter of choice. You are already bound to this fate." Adanne's heart raced. She backed away, glancing around for any way to escape. But there was no way out. The figures were all around her now, forming a tight circle that didn't budge.
Desperation surged through her. She was trapped, and she knew it. The knife she held felt like nothing more than a fleeting illusion of power, a tool too weak against the dark force she faced. Before she could make another move, the man in the center raised a hand, and a low chant began to hum from the others. "No," Adanne whispered, stepping back as the words swirled around her. The ground beneath her feet seemed to shift, the trees around her seeming to close in, their twisted branches reaching out like hands to trap her. The air grew heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay, and she could feel the dark energy pulsing around her, pressing against her chest like a weight she couldn't shake.The man's voice cut through the air, sharp and clear. "The vessel is here. The blood of the innocent must be spilled. The unborn must be claimed." "No!" Adanne screamed, her voice breaking. "You're monsters! You'll never take my baby!" She raised the knife, but before she could strike, the man's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with an inhuman strength. The world around her seemed to blur as her heart pounded faster. "You are the last piece" the man whispered in her ear, his cold breath like ice on her skin. "The ritual cannot be stopped now." The figures around her began to chant in unison, their voices rising in a crescendo that made her head spin. The ground trembled, as if responding to their words, and a faint glow began to emanate from the tree behind her, its symbols pulsing with dark energy. The world around Adanne felt like it was unraveling, the edges of her vision darkening. She tried to pull away, to escape, but the man's grip was iron. She could feel the heat of the ritual closing in, the darkness threatening to swallow her whole. Then, she remembered Samuel. Her heart clenched at the thought of him, his face flashing in her mind. He had promised to protect her, to keep her safe. He had fought for her, and she wouldn't let him down now. With a cry of fury, Adanne jerked her arm free, using every ounce of strength to break his hold. The knife she had dropped earlier was within reach, its blade gleaming in the
dim light. She seized it and turned, slashing it across the figure's chest. The man let out a low growl, stumbling back, but his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist again with a vicious grip. "You cannot escape, child" he hissed. "Your soul is already bound to this ritual. Your child's life belongs to us." Adanne's blood ran cold. Her soul? The figure's words twisted in her mind as she struggled against him. She refused to believe it, refused to accept it. She would fight until her last breath, for herself, for Samuel, for her baby. With every ounce of strength left in her, she shoved the knife into his side, the blade sinking deep into his flesh. He cried out,
staggering back, blood dripping from the wound, but he didn't fall. "Your defiance means nothing," he sneered, his hand still gripping her wrist as he slowly stepped toward her again. Adanne's vision swam, her body weakening as the chanting grew louder, the air heavy with dark power. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground, the weight of her pregnancy and the darkness closing in on her. Samuel, where are you? The sound of footsteps reached her ears, followed by a guttural voice calling her name.
Samuel's heart was a drumbeat in his chest as he pushed through the thick underbrush, his mind racing. He had heard Adanne's scream, felt the surge of fear course through him, and now he was running blind through the forest, praying he wasn't too late. Every instinct screamed that he needed to get to her, that she was in danger. He stumbled into the clearing, his eyes immediately locking onto the circle of hooded figures. They were gathered around Adanne, who was on her knees, the knife still clutched in her hand. Her face was pale, her body trembling as she looked up at the man who had a grip on her wrist. Samuel's blood ran cold. "Adanne!" he shouted, his voice breaking through the chanting.The figures turned toward himn, their faces hidden beneath their hoods. But Samuel didn't hesitate. He surged forward, grabbing a fallen branch from the ground, and swung it at the nearest figure. The branch hit with a crack, and the figure stumbled back, but Samuel didn't wait to see if they would retaliate. His eyes were locked on Adanne, her face drawn with pain, her eyes wide with fear. He reached her just as the man in the center of the circle turned toward him, a cruel smile twisting on his face. "You're too late," the man said, his voice cold and final. "This is not your battle." Samuel's grip tightened on the branch, his mind focused on nothing but protecting Adanne. "Get away from her!" he roared, swinging the branch again, this time striking the man in the face. The figure staggered, but the man idn't fall. Instead, his eyes narrowed, and the chant grew louder, more intense. Adanne cried out in pain, her body shaking violently as the man's grip tightened on her wrist. "No!" Samuel screamed. "Not her. Not the baby!" The ground beneath them began to quake, and the air shimmered with dark energy, like a storm on the horizon. Samuel's eyes flicked to the altar, to the symbols glowing in the darkness. Something primal, something ancient, stirred within him. This was the final moment, the point of no return. He had to end it.
With every ounce of strength, Samuel surged forward, the branch raised high.
Samuel's heart raced as he clutched the branch in his hands. The figures encircling Adanne were closing in, their eyes dark, their chants rising in intensity. Their power pulsed through the air like a tangible force, suffocating the very essence of the forest.
He had to stop this. He couldn't let them complete whatever sick ritual they were planning.
He lunged forward, the branch raised high, and swung it with all his strength. It connected with one of the figures, a sickening crack filling the air as the figure stumbled backward. But the others remained unmoved, their gaze still locked onto Adanne.
"Get away from her!" Samuel shouted again, his voice hoarse, desperate.
Adanne's face twisted in pain. Her hand gripped her swollen belly, her body trembling with the effort to stay upright. Samuel's heart twisted. He could see the fear in her eyes, the pain that wasn't just physical but something deeper, something more profound. The ritual was meant to tear her apart from the inside out, both body and soul.
He couldn't let that happen.
The air crackled with dark energy, as if the very trees were alive, watching them, waiting for the ritual to reach its conclusion. Samuel could feel the oppressive weight of it, the dark force tightening around his chest. He had to act now.
He rushed toward the figure who had been leading the chant, the man whose cold, hollow eyes seemed to pierce through him. Without thinking, Samuel swung the branch again, aiming for the man's head.
But the figure was faster. In a blur of movement, the man raised his hand and Samuel was thrown back with a violent force. He crashed to the ground, the wind knocked out of him.
"Samuel!" Adanne screamed, her voice breaking as she struggled to stand.
The man turned his gaze toward Samuel, his lips curling into a cruel smile.
"You think you can stop this? The ritual is already in motion. It cannot be undone."
Samuel gasped for air, his body aching from the impact. His mind was a blur, but one thing was clear—he couldn't let them have her. He couldn't let them have the baby.
With a growl of determination, Samuel forced himself to his feet. He scanned the clearing, his eyes landing on the dark symbols carved into the ancient tree behind Adanne. The symbols were glowing, pulsing with an eerie light.
He realized with a shock that they were the source of the dark power. If he could destroy the symbols, he might be able to break the ritual's hold.
But it wasn't going to be easy.
Adanne was still surrounded, and the man was looking at him with that same, cold smile.
"You cannot win, Samuel," the man said, his voice like the rasp of dead leaves in the wind. "This is bigger than you, bigger than her. The child is ours. It was always meant to be this way."
Samuel's hand tightened around the branch as he took a step forward, his voice low but filled with a quiet fury. "I won't let you take her. I'll die before I let you complete this."
The figure's smile faded, replaced by a look of annoyance. "You don't understand. You can't stop what has already been set in motion."
Samuel didn't care. He was beyond reasoning with them. Every instinct screamed at him to save Adanne, to protect their child at any cost.
With a primal yell, Samuel rushed forward, aiming for the tree.
---
Adanne's breath came in ragged gasps as she watched Samuel charge at the tree. The dark figures didn't seem to notice him, their attention fully focused on her. The air grew colder, the ground beneath her feet seeming to pulse with unnatural energy.
She wanted to scream, to run, but the figures were everywhere, closing in from all sides. She could feel their eyes on her, the weight of their gaze like chains binding her to the spot.
The man who had been holding her wrist stepped closer, his hands reaching out to her, and she instinctively recoiled.
"No!" Adanne cried out, her voice hoarse. "Stay away from me!"
The man didn't stop. Instead, he spoke in a voice that sent chills down her spine. "You cannot escape. Your fate is sealed."
Adanne's eyes darted to Samuel, who was almost at the tree now. He was close. So close.
Suddenly, she felt a jolt of power surge through her—strange, foreign, but undeniable. Her hand instinctively reached out, and she felt an odd warmth in her chest. The child inside her responded, the tiny life stirring as though it too could sense the danger.
She wasn't powerless. She couldn't just wait for them to take her.
Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Adanne pulled herself to her feet, her legs trembling with the effort. The knife that had fallen beside her was within reach, and she grabbed it, her fingers tight around the handle.
The figure nearest her—his face obscured by the shadow of his hood—moved to stop her. But before he could get any closer, Adanne swung the knife, slashing at the air.
The figure faltered, startled by her sudden defiance. His hands went up to shield himself, but it was too late. Adanne drove the knife deep into his side. The figure let out a strangled gasp, stumbling backward, and with one final cry, he collapsed to the ground.
Adanne's heart raced as she stared down at him, but there was no time to hesitate. She turned her gaze back to Samuel.
---
The symbols on the tree began to flicker, the glow pulsing with increasing intensity. Samuel could feel the power within them, the dark force coiling like a snake around his chest, tightening with every step he took. The closer he got, the more the air seemed to vibrate with energy.
He reached the tree and swung the branch at the base of one of the glowing symbols. The wood cracked against the ancient bark, but the symbols remained unbroken, their light only growing stronger.
Samuel cursed under his breath. He needed something more—something stronger. His eyes darted around, desperately searching for anything that could help him destroy the symbols.
Then he saw it.
One of the fallen figures had a jagged stone knife at his belt. Samuel grabbed it without hesitation, his fingers closing around the rough edge as he turned back toward the glowing symbols.
With a roar of defiance, he plunged the stone knife into the bark of the tree, directly into the heart of the largest symbol.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, with an ear-splitting crack, the ground trembled.
---
Adanne staggered backward as the tree groaned, its branches shuddering as if coming alive. The ground beneath her feet cracked open, the dark energy swirling like a vortex, pulling everything into its depths.
The chanting stopped. The figures fell silent.
Adanne looked at Samuel, her heart pounding in her chest. The ritual was unraveling.
But they weren't out of danger yet.
The ground quaked beneath Samuel's feet as the stone knife dug deeper into the symbol. The tree groaned again, the sound like the earth itself crying out in pain. For a moment, everything was still, suspended in a fragile silence. Then, with a violent crack, the glow of the symbols intensified, the air around them buzzing with raw power.
Adanne gasped as the wind picked up, the leaves swirling around her in chaotic patterns. The ground split open beneath the tree, revealing a deep, black abyss that seemed to stretch on forever. Dark tendrils of energy reached out from the abyss, curling around the clearing like hungry snakes, pulling everything toward the center. The chanting figures stepped back, their faces contorted with anger and fear as the ritual began to unravel.
"No!" the lead figure screamed, his voice rising above the cacophony of the swirling energy. "You have no idea what you've done!"
Samuel gritted his teeth, his hands trembling as he held the stone knife in place, pressing harder against the glowing symbol. He could feel the pulse of dark power beneath his fingertips, pushing back against him with every ounce of force. But he wasn't about to stop now. Adanne needed him, and he was the only one who could stop this.
The lead figure extended his arms, his face twisted in fury. "You think you can stop the birth of a new age? The child you protect is the key to everything. You have doomed us all!"
Adanne, still clutching the knife, turned to face the man, her voice trembling but filled with defiance. "You will not have my child. No one will. Not today, not ever."
The man's smile faded, his eyes narrowing. He raised his hand, his fingers curling into a fist as if drawing the very darkness from the ground. The air around them thickened, heavy with malevolent energy.
In a split second, Samuel's world went black. A sudden, sharp pain exploded in his chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. He gasped, his grip on the stone knife faltering. He looked down and saw a dark, twisted tendril of shadow piercing through his body, a visceral strike that left him frozen in place, paralyzed by the cold grip of the unnatural force.
Adanne screamed, her eyes widening in horror. "Samuel!"
But Samuel couldn't answer. His body was locked in place, his muscles refusing to obey as the tendril of dark energy wrapped tighter around his heart. He could feel the coldness of death creeping in, the life draining from him with every passing second.
"Samuel!" Adanne shouted again, her voice breaking. She stumbled forward, her pregnant belly rounding her movements, but her steps were unsteady. She could feel the darkness closing in around them, tightening its grip.
She had to act. She couldn't let him die—not like this. Not when they were so close.
Her heart racing, Adanne took a deep breath and lunged forward, the knife still gripped tightly in her hand. With one swift motion, she slashed at the tendril of darkness that was constricting around Samuel. The blade met the shadow with a hiss, and for a moment, nothing happened.
Then, with an earsplitting screech, the shadow recoiled, withdrawing from Samuel's chest like a serpent retreating into the abyss. Samuel collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as the tendril faded into nothingness, leaving behind only the echo of its cold presence.
Adanne dropped to her knees beside him, her heart pounding. "Samuel, please... are you okay?"
Samuel's body trembled, but he managed to nod weakly. "I'm... I'm fine. Just... just need a moment."
The air around them seemed to shift, the oppressive weight of the dark energy lifting ever so slightly. Adanne turned back to the hooded figures, her eyes burning with defiance.
The lead figure was livid, his face contorted with rage. "You have no idea what you've unleashed. The ritual was never meant to be interrupted. The child is the key to an ancient power—one that will reshape this world."
Adanne's voice trembled with fury. "I don't care about your power. I care about my child."
The figure took a step forward, his eyes flashing with malice. "You will regret this. You have only delayed the inevitable."
Adanne's grip tightened on the knife, the steel cold and reassuring in her hand. Samuel's hand reached out, resting on her arm as he struggled to rise to his feet. "We're not done yet," he said, his voice ragged but determined. "We're ending this, now."
The ground beneath them rumbled again, and the abyss seemed to grow wider, threatening to swallow them whole. But this time, the figures did not move. The ritual was faltering, its power weakening in the face of their resistance. The symbols on the tree began to flicker, their glow diminishing with each passing second.
"This is your last chance," the lead figure hissed, his voice filled with venom. "You can't fight destiny. The child is ours."
Adanne's eyes burned with resolve. "No. You will never have my child."
With a final cry, she lunged forward, the knife raised high. The air seemed to part before her as she brought the blade down with all her strength, striking the heart of the symbol. A blinding flash of light erupted from the tree, the force of the explosion sending shockwaves through the clearing.
The figures shrieked as the darkness around them disintegrated, the ritual unraveling like a thread snapped in half. The man who had been leading the chant stumbled backward, his hands raised in an attempt to protect himself. But it was too late. The ritual's hold on the forest shattered, and the darkness that had once consumed the clearing was gone.
The last figure collapsed to the ground, his hood falling away to reveal a face twisted in terror. The forest, once alive with malevolent energy, was now silent. The air was clear, the oppressive weight lifted.
Adanne stood over Samuel, breathing heavily, her eyes scanning the now-empty clearing. The figures were gone, the ritual broken.
But the danger was not over yet.
Samuel gripped her hand tightly. "We need to go. This place... it's not safe."
Adanne nodded, her heart still racing, but a flicker of hope igniting within her. They had won. For now.
Together, they turned and fled into the darkness of the forest, the faintest glimmer of dawn breaking through the trees as they ran, knowing they had survived the horrors of the night—but the shadow of the ritual still loomed over them.