Nia's scream caught in her throat as the shadowy figure's claws hovered over Kofi, his blood pooling dark on the dirt. "No!" she yelled, tearing free from Dami's grip with a jerk. The cult leader grinned, his knife dripping red in the firelight. Temi clung to her, shaking hard. "We save him!" Nia shouted, her voice rough with desperation. Dami nodded, his face set hard. "Together," he said, voice steady but tense. Zainab gripped her knife tight, the scout ready with his stick. The air thrummed with the leader's chant, thick and suffocating.
Nia bolted toward Kofi, the shadow's red eyes following her every step. Dami swung his board, smashing it into a cult man blocking the path. The guy hit the ground with a groan, out cold. Zainab kicked another, her boot landing with a solid thud that echoed. The scout hurled a rock, nailing a third guy's shoulder, making him stagger. Nia dropped beside Kofi, his breathing shallow and ragged. "Hold on," she whispered, tears burning her eyes as she checked his pulse. The journal glowed faintly in her hand, Bond breaks with blood, it read. Her cut wasn't enough—did it need his?
The shadow lunged, claws slashing down fast. Nia ducked, yanking Kofi back by his torn shirt. Dami blocked the next swipe with his splintering board, grunting as it cracked. "Get him out!" he yelled, sweat dripping. Zainab and the scout dragged Kofi toward the rocks, Temi stumbling along to help, her leg dragging. Nia faced the shadow, her heart pounding like a drum. The leader laughed, stepping closer with his knife raised. "Your blood or his!" he sneered, his voice cutting through the noise. Nia's anger flared hot and wild. She grabbed a sharp stone, slashing her hand deeper, blood welling up. She pressed it to the journal, shouting, "Break now!" with all her strength.
The journal flared bright, the shadow letting out a piercing scream that shook the trees. Its form twisted, shrinking fast like melting wax. The cult men backed off, their faces blank with shock. "It's working!" Temi yelled, her voice shaky but hopeful as she glanced back. But the leader slashed his own hand, blood splashing onto the ground in a dark puddle. The shadow roared, growing huge again, its eyes blazing like fire. Nia's legs wobbled, fear creeping in. "More blood?" she muttered, her mind racing. Kofi groaned weakly, "Mine—use it." She hesitated, then pressed his bleeding arm to the journal. The glow intensified, the shadow howling in agony as black smoke curled off it.
Dami fought off another cult man, his stick cracking loud against a skull. Zainab stabbed a second, her knife slick with red as the guy fell. The scout blocked a knife thrust, grunting as he pushed back with his stick. Temi threw rocks, her aim steady despite her limp, keeping the cult at bay. The shadow weakened, its claws fading into mist. Nia shouted, "Jide!" again, the name ringing out. The shadow collapsed into swirling smoke, the cult men stumbling in confusion. "No!" the leader roared, lunging at Nia with his knife flashing.
Dami tackled him, wrestling the blade away in a tangle of limbs and grunts. They rolled across the dirt, fists flying fast. Zainab jumped in, pinning the leader's arm with her knee, her breath heavy. The scout helped Temi pull Kofi to safety behind the rocks, his face pale. Nia held the journal, its glow fading as she panted. "It's done," she said, relief mixing with exhaustion. But the leader laughed, pinned but smug. "You think this ends it?" he said. The ground shook, a new chant rising from the trees like a low growl.
More hooded cult figures emerged, silent and menacing, their knives glinting. The leader broke free, shoving Dami back with a hard push. "Retreat—for now," he snarled, wiping blood from his split lip. The cult melted into the dark, leaving the ritual fire crackling and smoking. Nia ran to Kofi, his pulse faint under her trembling fingers. "Stay with me," she whispered, tears falling onto his face. Dami knelt beside her, his hand warm and firm on her shoulder. Temi sobbed quietly, Zainab standing guard with her knife ready. The scout looked shaken, his voice low. "They'll come back," he said, glancing at the trees.
Nia opened the journal, The spell holds, but the leader lives, it read in faded ink. Her stomach dropped like a stone. The leader's laugh echoed, fading into the night like a bad dream. A figure stepped from the shadows—a woman, tall and cloaked, her eyes sharp and unreadable. "You've delayed them," she said, her voice calm but cold as ice. Nia froze, Dami tensing beside her. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice cracking. The woman smiled faintly, pulling back her hood to reveal a scarred face, one eye clouded. "I knew your father," she said, her gaze piercing. Before Nia could react, the ground rumbled again, the fire flaring high—cliffhanger locked.
But the fight wasn't over yet. Cult stragglers rushed back, knives glinting in the dim light. Nia ducked low, Dami swinging his broken board at the first guy. It connected with a crack, sending him sprawling. Zainab kicked another down, her boot thudding against his chest. The scout blocked a third with his stick, grunting as he shoved back. Temi threw a rock, hitting a man's leg, making him stumble. The woman moved fast, pulling a curved dagger and slashing a cult man's arm. "Run!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the chaos.
They followed, the cult chasing through the tangled trees. Nia tripped over a root, Dami catching her with a strong arm. "Keep going!" he said, his voice firm and urgent. They reached a small clearing, panting hard, the woman stopping to face them. "I'm Amina—your dad's ally," she said, her scarred face grim. Nia's head spun—another tie to her father? The cult closed in, the leader's voice booming. "You can't hide!" he shouted from the shadows. Amina threw a pouch, smoke exploding out in a thick cloud. The cult coughed, falling back, their shouts muffled.
Nia held Kofi, his breathing uneven and shallow. "We need help," she said, her voice breaking. Amina nodded, her eyes narrowing. "Follow me—there's a safe spot." They moved, the smoke thinning. The leader emerged, bloodied but standing tall. "This isn't over," he growled, raising the horn again. The shadowy figure flickered back, weaker but still there, its eyes glowing faintly. Nia opened the journal, Blood and fire seal the break, it read. She lit a branch with the lighter, pressing her bloody hand to the flame. The fire flared, the shadow screaming as it shrank further.
The cult retreated, stumbling into the dark, but the woman grabbed Nia's arm, her grip tight. "Not yet," she said, her voice low and warning. Dami stepped closer, his hand on his stick. "What's that mean?" he asked. Amina's eyes flicked to the trees. "The leader's not alone—someone bigger pulls the strings." Before she could explain, a horn blast echoed, and more cult figures appeared, their chants rising. Nia's stomach twisted. She pressed the journal to the fire again, its glow pulsing. The shadow faded, but a new figure stepped forward—a man, hooded and silent—cliffhanger locked.