The cheerful lights and laughter outside masked the unsettling reality unfolding behind closed doors.
After their prolonged dance, Jayden led Olive to a secluded dressing room behind the stage. The atmosphere shifted. The once-charming inspector now wore a dark and predatory expression.
Jayden (coldly):
"Take off your clothes."
Olive's body tensed. The words hit her like ice.
Olive (nervously):
"W-What? I... I don't do that."
Jayden ignored her trembling voice. His once-gentle grip on her hand tightened.
Jayden:
"You're not a Celestic police officer anymore, Olive. There's no badge to protect you. Just do as you're told."
Fear flooded her eyes. She tried to pull away, but Jayden held firm.
Olive:
"Let me go!"
Jayden (smirking):
"You've grown stubborn. But that makes it more fun."
Half an hour passed.
Outside, the festival was still in full swing. Ian paced anxiously, unable to shake off the sinking feeling in his gut.
Ian:
"Something's wrong. It's been too long."
Ian couldn't wait. His heart pounded. Angeleva, standing nearby, noticed his distress.
Angeleva:
"You're worried, aren't you?"
Ian:
"I'm not just worried. I know something's wrong."
He went inside to check what's happening with Angeleva following him.
The festival's cheerful atmosphere was a distant memory as Ian's panic took over. The flashing lights and joyful laughter from the crowd only amplified the dread building in his chest.
The rule was to enter the festival as a couple but as for Ian:-
Ian (clenching his fists):
"I don't care about the rules! I'm checking on her!"
His heart pounded as he darted forward. Angeleva, sensing his desperation, rushed after him.
Angeleva:
"Ian, wait! We don't know what's going on yet!"
But Ian didn't respond. His mind was set. Olive had been gone for too long, and every second wasted felt unbearable.
As they approached the corridor leading to the dressing rooms, the festive sounds dimmed. The narrow hallway was eerily silent. The walls were lined with elegant tapestries, but something about the place felt off.
Then, a sound pierced the air.
A shriek.
It was unmistakably Olive's voice. A cry of pure terror.
Ian (panicked):
"Olive!"
Without thinking, he sprinted toward the sound, his feet pounding against the polished floor. Angeleva followed, her wings shimmering with a faint glow as she prepared for the worst.
But just as Ian neared the dressing room door, shadows moved in the dim corridor.
A group of elegantly dressed couples emerged. Their faces were expressionless, eyes clouded with a lifeless glaze. Each step they took was unnervingly synchronized, like puppets on strings.
Ian (gritting his teeth):
"What the hell...?"
The couples, once harmless festival-goers, now radiated an ominous presence. They blocked the door, standing in perfect formation. Without warning, they lunged.
Angeleva (shouting):
"Watch out!"
Ian barely managed to dodge as one of the men swung a fist at him. The sheer force cracked the wall behind Ian, sending debris scattering.
Ian:
"What are they?! They're too strong!"
Angeleva:
"They're not normal! Something's controlling them!"
The fairy warrior flared her wings, summoning a burst of radiant light that forced the attackers to momentarily recoil. Without hesitation, she counterattacked.
Angeleva (fierce):
"If you think I'm letting you hurt them, think again!"
She spun mid-air, striking down one of the couples with a fairy beam. But the moment the body hit the ground, it twitched unnaturally and stood back up, unfazed.
Ian (stunned):
"They're getting back up?!"
Angeleva:
"They're not fighting to win. They're fighting to stall us!"
Her realization hit Ian like a punch to the gut. Every second they spent fighting was another second Olive was left defenseless.
The crowd of possessed attackers swarmed them.
Angeleva transformed looking at the seriousness of the situation and fought valiantly, her graceful movements cutting through the air as her fairy radiance clashed against the enemy.
But the numbers overwhelmed her. For every couple she struck down, two more took their place.
Her breathing grew ragged. Her wings flickered, dimming slightly from exhaustion. Yet she stood firm.
Angeleva (panting):
"Damn it..."
She glanced at Ian, who was frantically trying to break through the blockade. His fists were clenched, his eyes burning with desperation.
Then, with a determined glare, she made her decision.
Angeleva:
"Ian! Go!"
Ian:
"But-"
Angeleva:
"I'll hold them back! You're the only one who can get to Olive!"
Ian's hesitation lasted only a moment. He could see the fierce resolve in her eyes. She was willing to put herself on the line - not for the festival, not for duty, but for family.
Ian (nodding):
"I'm counting on you, Angeleva!"
Without another word, he sprinted past her, dodging the swarming attackers. Angeleva used her wand to release a fairy justice beam that temporarily pushed them back.
Angeleva (smirking):
"Come on, you creeps. Let's see how long you can last against me!"
She spun through the air, unleashing radiant blasts in every direction. The walls cracked, sending debris flying. Yet the possessed couples persisted, crawling from the shadows.
But Angeleva didn't waver.
Her only goal now was to keep them away from Ian - no matter the cost.
Ian's pulse pounded in his ears as he reached the dressing room door. His hands shook as he pounded against the reinforced wood.
Ian (desperately):
"Olive! Can you hear me? It's Ian!"
No response. Only an ominous silence.
Ian:
"Damn it!"
He frantically searched the room for something - anything - to break the door down. That's when he spotted a large metal hammer from a nearby stage prop.
Gripping it tightly, he raised it above his head.
Ian (gritting his teeth):
"Hang on, Olive! I'm coming!"
With a roar, he swung the hammer. The first strike dented the door. The second cracked the frame.
But as he prepared for the final blow, he felt a strange chill behind him.
The corrupted couples had broken through Angeleva's defenses. Their twisted forms shambled forward, lifeless eyes fixed on Ian.
Ian (glaring):
"No... I won't let you stop me."
Summoning every ounce of strength, he slammed the hammer into the door one last time. The lock shattered. The door flew open.
The sound of the hammer breaking through the door echoed through the dimly lit dressing room. Splinters flew across the floor as Ian stormed inside.
His heart twisted at the sight before him.