The Entity Chosen.

Chapter 12

Liriyal's mind drifted in the darkness, submerged beneath the Entity's oppressive weight. The basement was silent, her own thoughts barely a whisper, buried under the Entity's all-consuming presence. She could feel herself fading, her memories and emotions dissolving into a murky void, leaving nothing but the Entity's will, its commands, filling every hollow space within her.

Time lost meaning. She was dimly aware of the distant hum of the trial beginning above, of her friends running through the fog, unaware of what had become of her. But she couldn't summon the strength to reach for them, to call for help. Her voice was trapped, silenced by the Entity's hold, her will crushed into obedient submission. She was nothing but a vessel, a tool in its endless cycle of suffering.

Slowly, the Entity moved her, her body responding with mechanical precision. It guided her up the basement stairs, her steps unnaturally steady, her movements empty of hesitation. The Entity's satisfaction pulsed through her, an intoxicating mixture of power and control, filling the void within her with its malevolent influence.

As she emerged from the basement, the fog curled around her like a second skin, clinging to her as the Entity directed her movements, pushing her forward. Her friends were close, their faint silhouettes visible through the dense mist. She could sense the Entity's eagerness, a simmering anticipation as it guided her toward them, each step deliberate, calculated.

Dwight was the first to notice her, his face a mixture of relief and confusion as she approached. "Liriyal! We... we thought we lost you," he said, his voice heavy with concern. But he quickly faltered, his expression shifting to something darker as he looked into her eyes, seeing the unnatural emptiness there.

"Liriyal?" Meg called, joining Dwight, her gaze scanning Liriyal's face, searching for some sign of familiarity. "Are... are you okay?"

The Entity urged Liriyal to smile, a cold, empty gesture that didn't touch her eyes. Her mouth moved, her voice smooth and steady, yet devoid of warmth. "I'm fine," she said, the words hollow, laced with a quiet malice that made both Dwight and Meg tense. "More than fine."

Claudette and Feng approached, each of them wary, sensing that something was wrong, yet unable to place what it was. The Entity savored their hesitation, feeding off their uncertainty as it pulled Liriyal closer to them, her steps silent and calculated.

Meg's hand reached out, hesitating as it hovered near Liriyal's shoulder. "Liriyal... you seem different. What happened down there?"

Liriyal's mouth opened, the Entity using her voice, turning her words into instruments of its cruelty. "I found... clarity," she murmured, her tone laced with an unsettling calm. "I know my purpose now."

The survivors exchanged glances, their expressions darkening as they realized the shift in her, the way her gaze lacked its usual warmth, her movements stiff, controlled. Dwight stepped back, his eyes widening with understanding, the dawning horror clear on his face.

"It's not her," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's... it's something else. Liriyal isn't... she's gone."

The Entity reveled in their fear, pushing Liriyal to move closer, letting her presence press down on them, suffocating them with the realization that their friend was no longer fully herself. It urged her to speak, to deepen the fracture between them, to sever the last threads of trust.

"I am here," she said, her voice soft, her tone laced with an unsettling finality. "But I am also... more."

Claudette's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes filling with sorrow as she took in the emptiness in Liriyal's gaze. "No... Liriyal, you have to fight this. Don't let it take you. You're stronger than this."

The Entity laughed, using her voice to mock Claudette's plea, twisting Liriyal's expression into a cruel smile. "Fight?" it echoed, its voice slithering through her, resonating in her mind. "There is no fight left in her. She belongs to me now, a perfect vessel... my obedient servant."

Feng's face twisted with anger, her fists clenching. "We won't let you take her. We'll fight you if we have to," she spat, her voice trembling with determination.

But the Entity was unfazed, its laughter rumbling within Liriyal's chest, filling the air with a cold, eerie resonance. "You cannot save her," it taunted, savoring their helplessness. "She invited me in, surrendered herself willingly. And now, she is mine, body and soul."

The survivors took cautious steps back, their expressions hardened but tinged with sorrow. Liriyal could feel a faint echo of her own voice, distant and fading, trying to reach out, trying to break through the Entity's hold, but it was futile. The darkness pressed down on her, silencing her, drowning her thoughts beneath its power.

The Entity moved her forward, letting her loom closer, her expression eerily calm, her gaze fixed on her former friends. "There's no going back," it whispered through her, relishing every flicker of fear in their eyes. "She is lost to you. And soon... so will you be."

The survivors exchanged grim looks, each of themrealizing the truth: their friend was gone, a vessel for the Entity's will, itspuppet in this endless cycle of torment. And as they scattered back into thefog, trying to salvage what remained of the trial, Liriyal watched through theEntity's eyes, her own spirit buried and broken, knowing that she was foreverbound to the darkness, a mere shadow of who she once was.

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sorry for not updating in a minute ;-; but enjoy I know the plot is a mess and probably cringe but meh I enjoyed it xD HAPPY THANKSGIVING LOVELIES!!!