Painted in Fate

Chapter 24: Whispers of Forgotten Time

The ancestral house loomed before them, as imposing and eerie as ever. Babe stared at the familiar silhouette against the twilight sky, his heart tightening in his chest. The last time they were here, they had barely escaped with their lives, and now, walking back into that same space felt like stepping into the jaws of a waiting beast.

Billy walked beside him, his jaw clenched tight, eyes focused on the large, dark windows of the mansion. The weight of their shared past hung heavy between them, and Babe could feel the tension radiating from Billy's every step.

As they entered the grand foyer, the musty smell of old wood and forgotten history greeted them. The paintings lining the walls seemed to watch them as they passed, the silence of the house pressing in on all sides.

"We need answers," Billy muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the familiar corridors. His gaze landed on the door to the hidden room where the painting of Babe had been kept. "It all started here."

Babe nodded, his heartbeat quickening as they approached the door. Memories of that painting—the boy from another time, from another life—rushed to the forefront of his mind. Seeing it again would be like staring directly into his past, into the love, the betrayal, and the tragedy that had shaped their present.

The door creaked open, revealing the familiar room beyond. Dust motes floated in the air, illuminated by the dying light filtering through the old windows. And there, still hanging on the far wall, was the painting of Babe's past self.

Billy stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the image, his brow furrowing. "Every time I look at it... it feels like I'm missing something. Like I should know more."

Babe felt it too. As he stared at the painting, fragments of memories flickered through his mind—fleeting, disjointed flashes of a life that wasn't his, yet felt so intimately familiar. He saw himself running through a field, laughing. He saw Billy, younger, smiling at him with warmth and love in his eyes.

But then the memories shifted. The smile faded. The scene darkened, and suddenly Babe was standing amidst destruction—smoke, fire, screams of terror. He saw Billy again, but this time, there was something dark in his expression—guilt, shame, hopelessness. And then there was blood. So much blood.

Babe gasped, staggering back from the painting as the memory tore through him. His breath came in ragged gasps, his mind swirling with the intensity of the vision.

Billy caught him by the arm, steadying him. "Babe? What is it?"

Babe shook his head, trying to clear the fog of the memory. "I... I saw it again. The fire. The blood. And you... you looked so..." He couldn't finish the sentence. The weight of it all pressed down on his chest, suffocating him.

Billy's expression tightened, his own guilt surfacing. "I was there, Babe. I failed you. I failed to protect you and your family."

Babe squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the overwhelming rush of emotions. "But it wasn't your fault," he whispered. "You didn't know what your uncle was planning."

Billy swallowed hard, the tension between them thickening. "It doesn't matter. I still played a part. And now... we have to stop him. We have to end this."

Billy's gaze shifted toward the far corner of the room, where an old chest sat covered in dust. "There's something in there," he muttered, moving toward it.

He knelt down, prying open the ancient chest with some effort. Inside were old books, journals, and crumbling papers, remnants of a time long forgotten. Billy pulled out a weathered journal, the leather cover cracked with age.

"This was my grandfather's," he said, flipping through the pages. His eyes scanned the old, faded handwriting, his brow furrowing deeper with each passing moment.

"What does it say?" Babe asked, stepping closer.

Billy's face darkened as he read. "It's about the ritual. About why it didn't work."

Babe's heart skipped a beat. "What does it say?"

Billy paused, his voice low and grim. "The ritual wasn't just about immortality. It was about power. And the key to completing it... was you."

Babe's blood ran cold. "Me?"

Billy nodded, his voice tight with anger. "The healers weren't just sacrificed for immortality. Their power—their ability to heal, to give life—was meant to fuel the ritual. And you... your bloodline... was the missing piece."

Babe's stomach churned. "So that's why Ed still needs me. Why he hasn't stopped."

Billy's jaw clenched. "He's still trying to complete the ritual. And he needs you to do it."

The revelation hung between them, heavy and suffocating. Babe felt the weight of his past crashing down on him—he was the reason the ritual had never been completed, the reason Ed still hunted them. His blood was the key to Ed's twisted plans.

But then, Babe felt Billy's hand on his shoulder, grounding him. "We're going to stop him, Babe," Billy said firmly. "I won't let him hurt you. Not again."

Babe met Billy's gaze, his heart swelling with a mixture of fear and gratitude. He knew they had a long, dangerous road ahead of them, but in that moment, he wasn't alone. Billy was with him. They were in this together.

"I trust you," Babe whispered, his voice steady despite the fear swirling inside him. "Whatever happens next... we'll face it together."

Billy gave a small, reassuring nod, his grip on Babe's shoulder tightening. "Together."

As they turned to leave the room, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Billy's grandfather appeared in the doorway, his face lined with worry.

"You found it, didn't you?" the old man said, his voice trembling. "The truth about the ritual."

Billy nodded. "We know what Ed's planning."

The grandfather's expression darkened, his gaze shifting between the two of them. "You're walking a dangerous path. Ed... he's more powerful than you realize. And now that you know the truth, he'll stop at nothing to complete the ritual."

Babe's stomach twisted with unease. "What do we do?"

The old man sighed, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "You'll need more than just strength to stop him. You'll need each other. Stay together, no matter what. That's the only way you'll survive this."

Billy exchanged a glance with Babe, a sense of foreboding settling over them. They had uncovered the truth, but it came with a heavy price. The battle with Ed was far from over.

But they would face it together.