Day 15: The Witch’s Grasp

The night was thick with tension, the weight of the solstice pressing down on Eira as she stood face to face with Evandra in the fog-drenched town square. The witch’s presence was a suffocating force, filling the air with the dark magic that had haunted Thornwick for generations. The mark on Eira’s skin pulsed with an eerie heat, a constant reminder that her connection to Evandra ran deeper than she had ever imagined.

Lucas stood at her side, clutching the iron rod tightly, his face pale but resolute. “Eira, you’re stronger than her,” he said, his voice steady despite the fear that lingered beneath it. “You can fight this.”

Eira swallowed hard, her heart pounding as she met Evandra’s gaze. The witch’s eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and her smile twisted with cruel delight. “You think you can resist me, child?” Evandra’s voice was smooth, dripping with malice. “I am inside you. Your blood calls to me, and tonight, you will fulfill your purpose.”

The words sent a chill through Eira, but she didn’t waver. She couldn’t afford to. The witch was trying to break her spirit, but Eira knew she couldn’t give in. If she did, Evandra would use her blood to complete the curse, and Thornwick—and everyone in it—would be lost.

“I’m not yours,” Eira said, her voice trembling but determined. “I won’t let you take me.”

Evandra’s laughter echoed through the square, sending shivers down Eira’s spine. “You think you have a choice? The mark binds you to me. The blood of your ancestors flows through your veins, and that is all I need to return.”

Eira felt the pull of the dark magic deep within her, tugging at her mind, her soul. The mark burned hotter, and she could feel the edges of herself blurring, as if Evandra was trying to take over, to merge with her completely. But Eira gritted her teeth and fought back, reaching for the strength she knew was still inside her.

“You don’t control me,” Eira whispered, her voice fierce.

Evandra’s eyes narrowed, her smile fading. “You are foolish to resist. You will give me what I need, whether you want to or not.”

Eira’s hands trembled as she tightened her grip on the iron rod Lucas had handed her. She could feel the power shifting around her, the very air vibrating with the force of the solstice. The witch was stronger tonight, her magic heightened by the energy of the longest night of the year. But Eira wasn’t alone. She had Lucas, and she had the strength of her ancestors within her.

With a deep breath, Eira stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest. “If you want my blood, you’ll have to take it.”

The Battle Begins

Evandra’s smile returned, cruel and wicked. “As you wish.”

The wind howled through the square, and the fog thickened, swirling around them like a living entity. Eira’s heart raced as she felt the full force of Evandra’s power crash into her, an invisible wave of dark energy that sent her stumbling back. The ground beneath her feet trembled, and the air crackled with electricity.

Lucas shouted her name, but his voice was distant, drowned out by the roar of the wind and the pulsing energy that surrounded them. Eira could feel the witch’s presence closing in, pressing down on her, suffocating her.

For a moment, panic gripped her, the sheer force of the witch’s power overwhelming. But then, through the chaos, Eira heard a voice—her own voice—steady and strong.

“You’re stronger than this.”

It was the same voice she had heard before, a reminder that the strength she needed was already inside her. She had the mark, yes, but she also had something Evandra didn’t—hope, love, and a determination to protect the people she cared about.

With a surge of resolve, Eira straightened, planting her feet firmly on the ground. She raised the iron rod, gripping it tightly as she faced Evandra’s dark form.

The witch’s eyes glowed with fury, her smile twisting into a snarl. “You cannot defeat me, child.”

Eira’s heart pounded, but she held her ground. “I don’t have to defeat you,” she said, her voice strong. “I just have to stop you.”

With that, Eira lunged forward, swinging the iron rod toward Evandra’s ghostly form. The metal cut through the air with a sharp hiss, and for a brief moment, Eira thought she had struck the witch.

But Evandra moved with unnatural speed, her body dissolving into mist before reforming a few feet away. She laughed, the sound dark and cold. “You are playing a dangerous game, child.”

Eira’s breath came in ragged gasps, but she didn’t back down. “I’m not afraid of you.”

Evandra’s eyes gleamed with malice as she raised her hand, the air around her crackling with dark energy. “Then let’s see how long that lasts.”

A bolt of dark energy shot from Evandra’s hand, streaking toward Eira like lightning. Eira barely had time to react, raising the iron rod just in time to deflect the strike. The force of the blow sent her stumbling backward, her arms shaking from the impact.

Lucas rushed to her side, his face pale but determined. “We need to end this. Now.”

Eira nodded, her pulse racing. She could feel the strain of the fight taking its toll, but she knew they couldn’t stop. Evandra was growing stronger by the second, feeding off the energy of the solstice. If they didn’t stop her now, she would win.

But how could they defeat a witch who had been dead for centuries?

The Final Move

Eira’s mind raced as she tried to think of a way to stop Evandra. The binding spell had severed the connection between them, but it hadn’t destroyed the witch’s spirit. Evandra was still tied to Thornwick, still drawing power from the curse.

And then it hit her.

The well.

The well had been the source of the curse from the beginning. It was where Evandra had been betrayed, where her spirit had been bound. If Eira could somehow use the well to trap her again, to bind her spirit permanently, they might have a chance.

“Lucas,” Eira said, her voice breathless but urgent. “The well. It’s the key.”

Lucas frowned, his eyes darting toward the ancient structure. “What do you mean?”

Eira’s pulse quickened as the pieces fell into place. “The well is where the curse started. If we can use it to trap Evandra’s spirit again, we can stop her from completing the curse.”

Lucas’s eyes widened as he understood. “But how do we do that?”

Eira glanced at the pages of the binding spell they had brought with them. “The spell trapped her once. It can trap her again. We just need to get her close enough to the well.”

Lucas nodded, his face set with determination. “Let’s do it.”

Together, they turned toward the well, their hearts pounding with the weight of the plan they were about to put into motion. Evandra’s laughter rang out behind them, cruel and mocking, but Eira didn’t let it shake her.

This was their only chance.

With a deep breath, Eira stepped forward, raising her voice above the howling wind. “Evandra! If you want my blood, come and take it!”

The witch’s eyes glowed with dark delight as she glided toward them, her body shifting like smoke in the wind. “I will enjoy watching you fall, child.”

Eira and Lucas moved quickly, positioning themselves near the well as Evandra closed in. Eira could feel the dark energy pressing down on her, the weight of the witch’s power suffocating. But she held firm, her hand clutching the mark on her skin as she prepared for the final confrontation.

As Evandra drew closer, Eira nodded to Lucas. He pulled out the pages of the binding spell, his hands shaking as he began to read the incantation.

Evandra’s eyes widened as she realized what they were doing. “No!”

But it was too late.

Eira raised the iron rod, using it to channel the energy of the spell. The air around them crackled with power, and the ground beneath their feet trembled as the well began to glow with an eerie light.

Evandra screamed, her form shifting and writhing as the spell took hold. “You cannot defeat me!”

Eira gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of strength she had into the spell. “This ends now!”

With a final surge of power, the spell erupted from the well, enveloping Evandra in a blinding light. The witch’s scream echoed through the square, and then, with a final burst of energy, her form dissolved into the mist.

The night went still.

Eira collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath as the weight of the curse lifted from the air.

It was over.