Chapter 75 Sick Game, Twisted Minds

Erwin couldn't help but think, 'Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's a blood witch, and you should probably watch your back.'

The voice in Erwin's mind spoke again, urging him to run and chant after it. "I don't have enough time," the voice said, seeing Erwin just standing there in fear. Erwin couldn't help but think, 'Well, that's just great. Three psychos coming together. Please, God, don't let there be a fourth.'

As Erwin began to repeat what the voice was saying, he added . 'I really hope this isn't the start of a bad joke. A blood witch, a psycho, and a voice in my head walk into a bar...'

Erwin ran through the dark woods, chanting the spell he had heard in his mind.

"Hear me, oh spirits of the night"

Alex noticed Meredith's intense gaze fixed on him and quipped, "Whoa there, Meri! I know I'm a delectable treat, but let's focus on the task at hand, shall we? Our little plaything is making a run for it!"

Meredith snapped out of her trance and looked towards Erwin. "Don't worry, Alex. He won't get far," she said with a smirk.

James broke the silence with a mischievous grin on his face and proposed a game to the ladies. "Hey ladies, let's play a little game! Here's the deal: we have to make him suffer without laying a finger on him or shooting any projectiles his way. Simply you have to make him do the damage himself. And the one who can make him bleed first will be declared the winner and claim him as their well-deserved prize. What do you think? Are you up for the challenge?"

Meredith and Alex looked at each other, amused by James' proposal. "Sounds like fun," Meredith said, twirling a knife in her hand.

Erwin continued to run, unaware of the game that was about to unfold. He stumbled over a tree root and fell to the ground, scraping his knee on a rock. He winced in pain as blood trickled down his leg. But he didn't stop reciting the words the spirit was saying,

"By the power of the moon's radiant light,"

Erwin continued to run, chanting the spell as he went deeper into the woods. The surrounding trees seemed to close in on him, as if trying to trap him.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his back, and he stumbled forward. Alex and James had caught up to him, and were now attacking him with mana arrows and wind slashes. They weren't aiming directly at him, but at the trees and branches around him, causing them to fall and make him stumble.

"Hey Erwin, you're doing great! Just a little further!" Alex yelled, as she shot another arrow.

Erwin gritted his teeth in frustration, but he didn't let the pain or the distractions stop him from chanting. He knew that he had to keep going, no matter what.

"I call upon thee to awaken from your slumber,"

"And arise from the darkness to bring forth wonder."

As he spoke, he felt a something cold coursing through him. 'what's happening to me?'

Erwin's heart pounding in his chest as he chanted the spell. James and Alex were hot on his heels, taunting him and making threats.

"Through the veil of mist and shadowed groves,"

"Through the whispers of the trees and the winds that rove,"

James called out to Erwin, his voice laced with a twisted sense of humor. "Come on, little lamb. Let me turn you into a masterpiece. I promise you'll be the talk of the town!"

Alex whispered, "Don't listen to him. Come to big sis, she'll show you heaven with my both mouths."

Erwin felt a twinge of temptation, but quickly pushed the thought aside, reminding himself that it was a trap. He couldn't afford to stop chanting or he would be powerless against the two lunatics.

"Let the magic of the night come forth,"

Suddenly, Alex saw Erwin chanting the spell and asked him, "What are you doing? Are you praying or something?"

'Yes, I'm praying. I have a sick relative, and I need to perform this ritual to heal them.' Erwin wanted to say that, but he didn't want to repeat the chant again.

"To fill this space with its ancient worth."

Seeing Erwin not answering, Alex and James exchanged a glance, both sensing that something was off. But they quickly shook it off and resumed their attack on Erwin.

"Stop running and just let us catch you, Erwin. It'll be much easier for everyone," James said with a wicked grin.

Erwin stumbled again, feeling weaker with each passing moment. He could sense them closing in on him, and he knew that he couldn't keep running forever.

But he also knew that he couldn't give up. He had to keep chanting, no matter what.

"With each passing moment, let the power grow,"

"Let the energy of the night flow,"

His body start to slightly glow with silver light and more cold started surge through his body. But James and Alex didn't notice and just toyed with him.

"hey where is Meredith?" James asked, remembering the witch who was nowhere to be seen.

Alex look around and smiled.

"Enchant the earth and the sea and the sky,"

"And let magic and wonder never die."

Erwin stumbled into a clearing, panting heavily. He looked around, trying to catch his breath, but everything seemed off. The trees were taller; the moon was brighter, and there were strange whispers in the wind. Suddenly, he saw a figure in the distance standing perfectly still. Erwin thought it was Meredith and started to run opposite to her, but the closer he got, the more he realized something was wrong.

As Erwin got away from the figure, it shifted and twisted, transforming into a horrifying monster with razor-sharp claws and jagged teeth. Erwin tried to run, but his feet felt like they were rooted to the ground. The creature lunged at him, and Erwin screamed in terror, convinced he was about to be torn apart.

"Oh Night, I summon thee,"

"To awaken and bring your powers to me."

Suddenly, the illusion broke, and Erwin found himself back in the forest, with Meredith standing in front of him, a wicked grin on her face. Blood dripped from a cut on his arm, and Erwin realized that in his panic, he had scratched himself on a branch.

Meredith laughed cruelly, holding up a knife. "Looks like I win," she said. "Better luck next time, Erwin."

Erwin tried to crawl away, but he was too weak to move. He could feel the blood trickling down his hand and staining his shirt.

"Let your spirit with the moon arise,"

Meredith knelt down beside him and leaned in close. "Don't worry, Erwin," she whispered in his ear. "We won't hurt you too badly. We just want to have some fun."

And then suddenly the scenery changed in front of him and again. The cut in on his arm vanished. In shock, he stumbled and fell into a pit, but as he looked up, he saw the night sky above him, filled with stars twinkling in the darkness. He felt an overwhelming sense of calm and wonder, forgetting his current predicament for a moment. He lay there, staring at the sky, lost in thought.

Meredith watched him from a distance, satisfied with her illusion's success. She knew she had to make her move soon before James and Alex got ahead of her. She raised her hand, ready to conjure up another illusion, when suddenly, she heard a loud rustling in the bushes behind her.

Meredith turned around to see James and Alex sprinting towards her, their faces twisted in anger. "What are you waiting for, Meri? We need to finish this game!" James shouted.

Meredith nodded, understanding that it was time to make her move. She looked back at Erwin, still lost in the illusion of the starry night sky, and conjured up one final image.

Erwin felt a sudden rush of wind, and the stars in the sky began to spin around him. He felt dizzy and disoriented, trying to reach out and grab onto something to steady himself. But there was nothing there. It was all an illusion.

As he stumbled and fell again, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He looked down to see a small cut trickling blood down his arm. He realized that he had fallen on a branch and cut himself.

Erwin struggled to stand up, feeling weak and dizzy. He knew that he had to keep running, but he didn't know how much longer he could keep it up.

HE closed his eyes and whispered the final words of the spell, hoping that it would bring him some kind of salvation.

"And let...this.....one be born...anew.... as child....of...night's...guise."

**************

Here is a full spell. I wrote it myself.

"Hear me, oh spirits of the night,

By the power of the moon's radiant light,

I call upon thee to awaken from your slumber,

And arise from the darkness to bring forth wonder.

Through the veil of mist and shadowed groves,

Through the whispers of the trees and the winds that rove,

Let the magic of the night come forth,

To fill this space with its ancient worth.

With each passing moment, let the power grow,

Let the energy of the night flow,

Enchant the earth and the sea and the sky,

And let magic and wonder never die.

Oh Night, I summon thee,

To awaken and bring your powers to me,

Let your spirit with the moon arise,

And let this one be born anew as child of night's guise"