The Septic Curse

Twelve

At 11:50 PM sharp, Marvin was ready to go. 

He stood in front of the door, pulling on his gloves and boots. 

"I'll be back soon!" Marvin called, turning the door handle. Only to pause.

"...Why is the door locked? Jackie, I told you- I'll..." The magician blinked in confusion. He tried to unlock the door again, but it just wasn't happening. 

"What? What are you blaming me for NOW?" Jackie grumbled, going over to the door. "It must be jammed. Need a new lock or something... Just go out the backdoor." 

"UHH... GUYS! THE BACKDOOR WONT OPEN!" Chase called from the back of the house. He had been trying to go outside to grab the beer he forgot out there, but the door just wouldn't open. 

"...Well, fuck!" Marvin started to panic, knowing that this could only mean two things. Either the hauntings had heard them speaking, or one of the things was planning something. "Don't panic. Step back, I'm going to bust this fucking door down!" Jackie grunted, pushing his brothers away. 

The hero lunged at the door, planning to just ram his shoulder into it and be done... But as he lunged at it with a mighty blow, it suddenly swung inward with the same amount of force. He yelped sharply as he was knocked back, and the door swung back closed. 

"FUCK! DAMN GHOST BITCH!" Jackie growled angrily, holding his shoulder as he tried to get off the floor. "Red... I don't think that was the ghost. Or, at least, the ghost we know." Marvin helped his brother up. "What do you mean?" The other's brow furrowed, matching his scowl. "I didn't get a good look... But someone was behind that door. And it didn't match the description you, Robbie, and Chase gave. It was big and obviously powerful..." The magician explained, looking away.

"I think we may have just seen our friend's accomplice."

The Septics discussed for a minute, filling Chase in on the situation when he came over. But one of them remained silent the whole time.

"...-Can't you just try to use magic? We should test the waters now and see who's stronger." Jackie suggested, but Marvin was reluctant. And especially so was the quiet one.

Until they finally spoke up. 

"I... Really don't zhink zhat is a good idea."

"Huh? Why?" Jackie looked over to the doctor. But Marvin seemed slightly relieved, gazing over as if hoping Henrik would come up with a grand excuse for this not to happen. 

"..."

But the doctor didn't know what to say. He had gotten a clearer view than the others- not clear enough but clearer. And he didn't think Marvin could win. Not in the slightest. 

"Alright then... Just try, at least? They haven't killed us yet; I don't think THIS is the grand finale." The hero huffed, "but if something DOES attack... Even if it's stronger than me, I doubt it's stronger than all of us combined." 

Marvin had nothing to argue with anymore, so he turned towards the door. He muttered encouragement to himself, "I've come this far. I haven't been through everything I have only to die in a coat! If I die, I die beautifully!" 

"Uhh... Weird method, but you do you." Chase added, "preferably without the dying part."

With a deep breath, Marvin pulled out his book and quickly flipped through the pages. Finding the line, he read it twice to make sure he had the pronunciation down before growling out the spell. 

At first, nothing happened. But after a few minutes...

Yeah, no. Nothing happened. 

Marvin tried again, trying a different way to pronounce it. But there was still nothing. 

With a hiss of indignation, he fluttered through about a hundred pages before pausing on one and allowing his eyes to go black. He growled out the words, his voice coming out deeper and more beast like than before. 

He raised his hand towards the wall in front of him, a small black ball of fire forming in front of it. The flame flew out towards the wall at a speed no human could intercept, setting on course to just destroy the thing. 

But it stopped. 

There was a deep, angry rumble and the dark fire was suddenly twisting and turning, growing and fanning out. The Septics backed up, knowing that this couldn't end well. With a curse, Marvin tried to push the fire forward, flicking his hand in the direction of the wall. But the thing instead seemed to fold into itself, vanishing with a small pop and-

BANG!

Marvin coughed hoarsely, opening his eyes with a groan. 

Everything hurt, especially his head... 'Wh... What just... Happened?' He was so dizzy and blank that even his thought process was slower. 

He looked around, only to see the other Septics all on the ground, too, nearly passed out. Jackie had hit the corner of a drawer, and had a bit of blood pooling under him, but his annoyed groaning assured Marvin that he was okay. 

"What... WAS that...?" Chase gave a grunt as he stumbled to his feet. "...Zhat... Vas vhat I suspected vould happen..." Henrik lifted a shaky hand, searching around for where his glasses could be. 

"I'm tired. I'm hurt. I tried. I failed. I'M GOING TO SLEEP!" Marvin made sure he still had his book, and promptly gave Jackie the middle finger. 

"Nuh-uh! Get back here and help me!" The hero growled, "I'm injured!" "Ugh! Fine! But I'll only take care of you if you help me clean my room when this shit is over!" Marvin scoffed, turning back around to fetch the older. "Oh, I'll help you with something, alright!" Jackie snapped back. "Was that a threat?" The magician had to stop himself from strangling Jackie right then and there. 

"Can we just go to bed already?!" The hero took Marvin's hand, allowing the other to help him up. He leaned against his younger brother, plopping his head on top of the other's. "Uh, yeah, no. You need medical attention first!" Marvin grunted, leading Jackie to Henrik's little home 'ER'.

With a sigh, Henrik pat Chase's shoulder. "Send Robbie to bed. I vill take care of zhose two. Make sure to come vack down so I can check on you... Jameson, vith me. And NOBODY touch zhat door or say anything zhat might even ve somewhat offensive!" Henrik instructed, hurriedly going after the hero and magician. 

And so, the Septics affectively learned the hard way not to poke an angry bear. 

Which, by the way, is elementary-level knowledge. 

Being dumb is not to make a mistake, but to make the same mistake repeatedly.

And of course, that's what they had to just go and do. 

Dumbasses.