The Next Night, Martha Led Me Deeper Into The Woods, To a Place I Had Never Seen Before. Hidden Among The Trees Was An Old Stone House, Its Roof Sagging With Age. Inside, The Air Was Thick With The Scent Of Incense And Herbs. Martha's Words Were A Puzzle I Couldn't Yet Solve, But She Had Promised Me That Help Was Near, And I Was Desperate Enough To Trust Her.
The House Was Dimly Lit, The Shadows Flickering As a Candle's Flame Danced In The Breeze. It Felt As Though The House Itself Was Alive, Its Walls Pulsing With a Strange Energy. At The Center Of The Room, There Stood a Tall Figure—Gregor.
He Was a Man Who Seemed Out Of Place In a Cottage Like This. His Broad Shoulders And Muscular Frame Suggested A Soldier's Life, Though His Eyes Betrayed a Deep Weariness. Gregor's Gaze Was Sharp, His Presence Commanding. But There Was Something Else About Him—An Aura Of Power, a Flicker Of Something More Than Human Within Him.
Martha Didn't Need To Say a Word. Gregor Stepped Forward, His Eyes Locking Onto Mine.
"You've Unleashed Something, Haven't You?" He Asked, His Voice Low And Rough.
I Nodded, Unable To Find Words.
"I've Been Watching," He Continued. "The Signs Are Clear. The Curse You Carry Is Not Of This World. It's Ancient, And It's Hungry. And If You Intend To Survive, You Will Need Me."
I Had Questions, But Gregor's Presence Left Little Room For Doubt. He Knew More Than He Was Telling.
Martha Gave Me a Knowing Look. "Gregor Has Dealt With Dark Forces Before. His Bloodline... Well, Let's Just Say It's Not Entirely Human."
"Enough With The Theatrics, Martha," Gregor Growled, Though There Was No Denying The Truth In Her Words. He Didn't Explain Further, But I Could See It Now—The Same Otherworldly Presence That Surrounded Him. It Was As If The Very Air Bent To His Will.
"Then We Need Help," I Said, My Voice Shaking. "We Need More. This Curse—It's Spreading. People Are Dying."
Martha Looked At Me With a Calculating Gaze. "You Are Not The Only One With Powers. We Will Need Ivana."
I Had Never Heard Of Ivana, But Martha's Tone Left No Room For Argument.
The Journey To Find Ivana Was More Difficult Than I Had Imagined. She Was Elusive, a Woman Of Mystery, Rumored To Live In The Heart Of The City, Hidden From All But Those Who Truly Understood Her. It Took Days Of Searching, But Eventually, We Found Her—An Aristocrat Who Had Long Since Retreated From Public Life.
Ivana's Home Was a Mansion On The Outskirts Of The City, Its Grand Façade Hiding a Much Darker Truth. She Greeted Us In Silence, Her Eyes Distant, As Though She Had Been Expecting Us.
"Ivana," Martha Said, "This Is Elya. He's The One Who Has Awoken The Spirit."
Ivana Didn't Seem Shocked. She Simply Nodded And Stepped Aside, Allowing Us Into Her Study. The Room Was Filled With Old Books, Artifacts, And Strange Symbols That Seemed To Pulse With Energy.
"Your Ring," Ivana Said, Her Voice Cold And Precise. "It's The Key To a Powerful Force. The Spirit You've Released Is Not Just a Specter; It Is An Ancient Being, a Dark Power That Has Waited Centuries To Break Free. And Now That It Has, There's No Turning Back."
I Felt a Shudder Run Through Me. "What Can We Do?"
Ivana Smiled, Though It Was a Smile That Didn't Reach Her Eyes. "We Fight Fire With Fire. I've Learned Much Over The Years, But I've Also Paid a Price For That Knowledge. There Are Forces At Play Here—Forces That Even I Don't Fully Understand. But With The Three Of Us, We Can Stand a Chance."
Martha, Gregor, And Ivana Were No Mere Mortals—They Were People Bound To The Supernatural In Ways I Could Not Fully Grasp. Martha Could Commune With Nature, Healing Wounds And Bending The Earth To Her Will. Gregor's Strength Came Not Just From His Body, But From An Ancient Bloodline That Gave Him Dominion Over Shadows And Spirits. And Ivana? Her Power Lay In Knowledge—The Knowledge Of Rituals, Symbols, And Magic That Had Been Passed Down Through Her Family For Generations.
Together, They Were My Only Hope. And Now, We Had a Single Goal: To Find a Way To Stop The Evil Force I Had Unleashed Before It Consumed Everything In Its Path.
But As Ivana Closed The Study Door Behind Us, I Felt a Creeping Dread. The Battle Had Only Just Begun.