TerraWorld~The Youngest One.. (#8)

Chapter 6

The tension in the cabin had settled into an uneasy quiet. The air was thick with the aftermath of Scarlett's ritual, and the unsettling words of the Herald still echoed in everyone's minds. No one had slept; the exhaustion was palpable, but the fear of what might come next kept them all on edge.

Kevin was the first to break the silence. "We need a plan," he said, his voice rough. "Sitting around here isn't going to do shit."

Enna crossed her arms, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "Oh my god, Kevin. Do you ever fucking think before you speak? We barely got out of that last mess alive, and you want to rush into another one?"

Kevin shot her a glare, his fists clenching at his sides. "What the hell else do you suggest, Enna? We wait until the shadows come back and kill us all in our sleep?"

"Maybe, I don't know, use your brain for once and think about a way we can actually win?" Enna snapped back. "You're so goddamn reckless, it's like you have a death wish."

"Enough!" Violace's voice cut through the argument like a knife. He stepped between them, his expression dark. "Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to focus."

Enna scoffed, but she backed down, leaning against the wall with her arms still crossed. Kevin muttered something under his breath, but he stayed silent.

Willow, who had been quietly studying the ancient texts, finally looked up. "There's something in here that might help us. It's a spell... but it's risky."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Great, another fucking risk. Just what we need."

"It's not like we have many options, Kevin," Willow shot back, her patience clearly wearing thin. "This spell could give us the edge we need to fight back against the shadows."

"And what's the catch?" Violett asked, her voice calm but wary.

Willow hesitated. "The spell requires a blood sacrifice."

The room went dead silent.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Kevin exploded. "We're not sacrificing anyone. End of fucking discussion."

"It doesn't mean someone has to die," Willow explained quickly, trying to calm him down. "Just... enough blood to complete the spell. It'll weaken whoever does it, but it won't kill them."

"Fuck that," Enna said firmly. "We're not doing it. There has to be another way."

Scarlett, who had been silent since the ritual, finally spoke up. "I'll do it."

Everyone turned to her, shock written on their faces.

"Like hell you will," Kevin said, his voice harsh. "You're not sacrificing yourself for this. We'll find another way."

"Kevin's right," Violett added, her voice soft but firm. "You've already done enough, Scarlett."

Scarlett shook her head, determination in her eyes. "No. This is my fight too. I'm not a little kid. I can handle this."

"Fuck, Scarlett, this isn't a game!" Kevin snapped, his anger barely contained. "We're talking about your life!"

"And what about everyone else's lives?" Scarlett shot back, her voice rising. "I'm the only one who can do this. If it means saving all of you, then it's worth it."

The room fell silent again, the weight of Scarlett's words hanging heavy in the air.

"She's right," Violace said quietly. "We can't keep protecting her forever. She's part of this team, and if she's willing to make the sacrifice, we need to respect that."

Kevin looked like he wanted to argue, but he bit his tongue, his jaw clenched tightly.

Enna sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Goddamn it. Fine. But we do this together. No more solo hero bullshit."

"Agreed," Violett said, nodding. "We do this together, or not at all."

"Alright," Willow said, taking a deep breath. "Let's get to work."

As they began to prepare for the spell, the tension in the room shifted. There was still fear, still uncertainty, but there was also a sense of determination. They were in this together, for better or worse, and they would face whatever came next as a team.

But even as they worked, there was a sense of foreboding in the air, a dark cloud that seemed to hang over them. The shadows were still out there, waiting, and they knew that their fight was far from over.

And in the depths of their minds, each of them wondered: when the time came, would they be strong enough to face what was waiting for them in the darkness?