Chapter 17: The Unraveling Truth

The atmosphere in the library clung with a thick, almost suffocating tension. Eldridge felt a trickle of cold sweat on his brow, forcing himself to breathe evenly as he, Bellaire, and Mia gathered their thoughts after their encounter with the Oily Ghoul. The protective wards around the room flickered faintly, each pulse reminding them how close danger still lurked.

“Let’s regroup and analyze what we’ve learned,” Eldridge said, his voice steady, though edged with a nervous tension he couldn’t entirely mask. I have to keep it together, he reminded himself, swallowing down his unease. If I fall apart, they’ll feel it too.

Mia nodded, though her hands shook slightly as she clenched her fists. For a moment, her mind drifted to her past—the long nights spent with Tink pouring over spells and tales of creatures lurking in shadows after knowing that she was a person who has magic. Even if I can't do much, I didn’t come this far to back down now, she thought, setting her jaw with quiet determination.

“We should check the Royal Researcher’s Diary,” she suggested. “There might be clues about the creature’s origins.”

Eldridge retrieved the diary from the table and flipped through its delicate pages, fingers grazing the aged paper as he traced each flowing line of script. “Here,” he said, stopping at a passage that sent a shiver down his spine. “It describes a ritual that could weaken the ghoul. But it requires specific items and a location tied to its origin.”

Bellaire leaned closer, curiosity brightening her wide eyes. “What kind of items?”

Eldridge scanned the text. “A vial of purified water, a lock of hair from someone with strong willpower, and a silver artifact infused with protective energy. We have the silver daggers, but we’ll need the other two.”

Mia’s face lit with realization. “There’s a stream nearby that the locals call sacred. If it’s truly purified, it could work.” Tink's lock of hair would work she is much braver than me. she even fought that ugly ghoul by herself and I couldn't even help her at that time.

Eldridge nodded, though his mind raced with doubts. Am I leading them into danger I don’t fully understand? .The rest of the family are in his office with Elias as I believe he can protect them better than I could.The thought gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task ahead. “For the hair,” he added, firming his voice, “we’ll need someone with strong will. That could be either of you.”

Bellaire’s heart raced. Me? What if I’m not strong enough? I even fainted during that time I was not strong enough to protect Mia. She wondered, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. “Me?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “But…what if it doesn’t work?”

Eldridge gave her a reassuring look, though his own anxiety simmered beneath the surface. “We won’t know until we try. This is our best chance to weaken the ghoul and stop it for good.”

A brief silence passed as each absorbed the weight of their task. Bellaire took a deep breath, forcing herself to stand a little taller. “Alright, let’s do this,” she said, trying to sound braver than she felt.

With supplies gathered, the trio moved cautiously through the house’s winding corridors, each step echoing their own unspoken fears. Outside, the sun was sinking low, casting twisted shadows over the ground. The trees closed in around them, the air cooling, heavy with an unnatural stillness.

“Stay close,” Eldridge warned, his gaze darting from the fading light to the treeline. Any movement? Any sign? His every nerve was on edge, alert for the faintest hint of danger.

They moved through dense foliage, each step releasing the scent of earth and damp leaves. Bellaire glanced at the sky, feeling a chill as she noticed it darken unnaturally, clouds gathering swiftly overhead. The path felt endless, every twist and turn quickening her heartbeat.

Finally, they reached the clearing. The stream sparkled under the waning light, unnaturally still, glinting with silver threads woven into the shadows. “This is it,” Mia whispered, barely daring to break the silence.

Eldridge knelt by the stream, cupping his hands in the cold water, feeling a slight tingle as he collected it. “We’ll need enough for the ritual,” he said, filling a vial with the shimmering liquid. He turned to Bellaire, who was steeling herself for what lay ahead. “Bellaire, your turn. You ready?”

Bellaire took a deep breath, her pulse pounding in her ears. They’re counting on me, she thought, searching for something solid to hold on to. She closed her eyes, recalling a memory of her family—a memory of strength and resilience. For them, she told herself, reaching up and pulling a small lock of hair. Her fingers trembled slightly as she held it, feeling the softness against her skin.

“Let’s get back,” Eldridge said quietly, casting a quick glance around the clearing. Time’s running out, he thought, a sense of urgency tightening his chest. “We need to be somewhere safer.”

They retraced their steps as the last traces of sunlight faded. The oppressive feeling from earlier returned, closing in around them like a suffocating fog, but they pressed on, determination hardening in each of them.

Once inside, Eldridge arranged the silver daggers in a circle, placing the vial of water and Bellaire’s lock of hair at the center. He opened the diary to the page of the ritual, the ancient words almost seeming to pulse under the flickering light, as though the book itself recognized the gravity of what they were about to attempt.

“Let’s do this,” he said, his voice a mix of determination and dread. “Chant with me—don’t lose focus.”

Umbra vinculi et tenebrae scissi,

Ex velamine ubi malum nasci,

Vocamus lumen antiquum,

Ad infirmandum, ligandum, finem malorum.

Per argentei aciem et aquam puram,

Per voluntatem intactam et corda securum,

Verbo et flamma, retrudimus te,

In regna umbrarum et infinitum nigrum.

O spiritus obscurus, cede et obsequere,

Nox laxet et emittat suum tenorem,

Terra et igni conligatus,

Dissolvat, evanescat—desiderium nostrum perficere!”

(Shadows bound and darkness torn,

From the veil where evil's born,

We call upon the ancient light,

To weaken, bind, and end this blight.

By silver's edge and water pure,

Through will unbroken and hearts secure,

With word and flame, we cast thee back,

To realms of shade and endless black.

O spirit dark, submit, obey,

Let night release and lose its sway,

Bound by earth and bound by fire,

Fade, dissolve—fulfill our desire!”)

They began to recite the incantation, their voices melding into a low hum that resonated in their chests. The smell of burning herbs filled the air, smoky and earthy, thickening with each passing second. The wards around the room flickered, their light pulsing with the rhythm of their chant, answering the force they invoked. The silver daggers glowed faintly, warming as though touched by invisible flames.

Then the temperature plummeted. A rancid, oily stench filled the room, thick and foul, making their eyes water. The ghoul materialized in the corner, writhing grotesquely, slick shadowy limbs stretching, streaks of darkness marking its movements. Eldridge’s stomach twisted at the sight, but he held his ground.

“Focus!” he shouted, grounding himself as the ghoul’s growls filled the library with a rumbling menace. “We’re close!”

They chanted louder, their voices rising in intensity. The energy in the room swelled, vibrating against their skin as the wards flared, casting a brilliant, silvery glow that painted the ghoul’s twisted visage in sharp relief. It howled, thrashing against the invisible barrier that held it back.

“Keep going!” Bellaire urged, her voice tight with fear and resolve, as the room’s charged energy climbed to a fever pitch.

With a final push, Eldridge shouted the last words of the incantation. The silver daggers flared, and the vial of water released a surge of light that shot outward in a shockwave. The ghoul let out an agonized screech, its body warping and twisting as the light consumed it. For a moment, it hovered, caught between worlds, before dissolving in a burst of shadows, leaving behind a faint, inky residue on the floor.

As silence settled over the library, Eldridge, Bellaire, and Mia looked at one another, breathless and wide-eyed.

“Did we…” Mia began, her voice barely a whisper.

Eldridge swallowed hard, relief and exhaustion overtaking him. “I think we did. We weakened it.”

Bellaire’s eyes sparkled, though a sliver of fear lingered. “But what if it comes back? What if it learns?”

Eldridge’s gaze hardened, the weight of the battle settling on him. “We’ll be ready,” he said firmly, though a shadow of doubt flitted through his mind. There are darker things out there. This isn’t over.

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