Sinister Inheritance

Chapter 8: Cleansing

Edwin began to convulse violently, his body arching and twisting against the altar as if some invisible force was pulling him apart. The glowing runes on the floor flared brighter, their sinister red light casting long, jagged shadows on the walls. The air grew thick with an oppressive energy, suffocating and alive.

"Edwin!" I cried, rushing toward him, but Elias grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Don't touch him!" he barked, his voice sharp and filled with urgency. "The runes are feeding on him—they'll drag you in too if you get too close."

I froze, my chest heaving with panic as I watched my brother writhe, his face contorted in pain. His eyes fluttered open, but they weren't his—they glowed with the same unnatural red light that had filled Elias's eyes when Malakar had possessed him.

"Help me!" Edwin's voice cracked, layered with another—deeper, more guttural, and inhuman. "I can't... I can't hold him back!"

Elias moved closer to the edge of the glowing circle, scanning the runes with a practiced eye. "It's a binding ritual," he muttered, his brow furrowing. "Your father never finished it—Malakar's trying to complete it now, using Edwin as the key."

"What do we do?" I asked desperately, clutching the talisman in my hands so tightly it bit into my skin.

Elias's gaze flicked to me, grim but resolute. "You have the talisman. It's tied to the Ackerman bloodline. If you can disrupt the connection between Edwin and the runes, you might be able to sever Malakar's hold."

I stared at him, my hands shaking. "Might?"

Elias didn't answer, his silence speaking volumes.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. The talisman in my hand began to pulse with heat, almost as if it sensed what I needed to do. "Tell me what I have to do."

Elias gestured to the runes. "You need to step into the circle. Place the talisman directly over the central sigil and focus your energy on breaking the connection. But Helen... the runes won't let you do it easily."

As if in response to his words, the red light from the runes flared even brighter, and Edwin let out a bloodcurdling scream. The shadows in the room grew darker, twisting and reaching toward me like claws.

I swallowed hard, my fear threatening to consume me. But then I looked at Edwin—my brother—and I knew I couldn't let him be lost. Not like this.

Gripping the talisman tightly, I stepped forward. The moment my foot crossed the edge of the glowing circle, a wave of searing heat and bone-chilling cold hit me simultaneously. The whispers began again, louder this time, clawing at my mind, trying to break my resolve.

"You cannot save him," a voice hissed, venomous and taunting. "He belongs to us."

I ignored it, pushing forward, the talisman burning hotter in my hand. The shadows clawed at my legs, trying to pull me back, but I pressed on, each step heavier than the last.

Finally, I reached the central sigil. The symbol carved into the stone glowed with a malevolent energy, pulsing in time with Edwin's convulsions. I raised the talisman, its heat now almost unbearable, and placed it over the sigil.

The room erupted in chaos. The runes screamed as if alive, the light flashing wildly. The shadows surged, slamming into me with a force that nearly knocked me off my feet.

"Helen!" Elias shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony. "Focus! Break the connection!"

I closed my eyes, clutching the talisman with both hands. I could feel the darkness pressing against me, trying to worm its way into my mind. But I held on, drawing on every ounce of strength I had left.