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Chapter 65: Dragged into Darkness

The fear threatened to consume them. Each whisper dragged them further into despair. The castle, with its ancient malice, fed on their dread.

But then, in their desperation — Zack reached out.

Without thinking, he clung to Olive.

Olive’s eyes widened, but the warmth of his touch broke through her panic. She instinctively pulled him closer. "Zack…"

Jen, trembling, stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Zack and Olive, tears spilling freely. "I won’t let this fear win. We’re still together. That’s all that matters."

Ian hesitated, still shaking. His camera lay abandoned, the glow of the recording light fading. He looked at the others, their embrace steadying them. And though the fear clawed at his mind, he gritted his teeth.

"Oh, screw it."

Ian threw himself into the hug, squeezing them tightly. "If I’m gonna be terrified, I’m gonna do it with all of you!"

They all held on — desperately, fiercely. The warmth of their embrace pushed against the cold emptiness. The whispers still lingered, but the family clung tighter.

"They’re still with us," Olive murmured, her voice resolute. "Big bro and big sis wouldn’t want us to break. We have to stay strong for them."

Zack nodded, his grip firm. "We’re not alone. Not as long as we have each other."

Jen closed her eyes, the steady heartbeat of her family giving her strength. "We’re a family. And family never lets go."

Ian, his head buried in the hug, let out a shaky laugh. "Well, at least no creepy vampire’s gonna mess with a four-person cuddle pile!"

The moment lightened, just a little. And it was enough.

Together, they remained in their embrace, refusing to surrender to the shadows. The whispers slowly grew fainter, the castle’s grip on their minds loosening.

Meanwhile...
Safari groaned as he stumbled to his feet. The moment he opened his eyes, he was met with a dark, vast chamber. The air was suffocating, thick with the weight of something unseen. The walls pulsed with a dull crimson glow, illuminating unsettling carvings of distorted, anguished faces.

A twisted, mocking voice echoed through the chamber.

"Welcome, Safari. This is the Room of Guilt. The burdens of your past have been waiting for you."

Safari gritted his teeth, gripping his Devil Hammer tightly. "What kind of trick is this? Show yourself!"

But there was no one. Only the voice — and the images.

All around him, the walls shifted. The carvings came to life, their hollow eyes glowing with an eerie light. The faces began to morph, twisting into figures Safari recognized.

His sister.

Her soft, sorrowful gaze pierced through him. The memory of her lifeless body flashed before his eyes — the sister who had chosen peace on a planet that demanded strength.

"You couldn’t save me." Her voice was fragile, trembling with pain. "You stood by, just like the others."

Safari shook his head, clenching his fists. "No… I tried. I wanted to save you!"

But the vision didn’t stop. It shifted again.

Sappy’s people.

The warriors he had once ruled. Countless faces appeared, filled with resentment. "You abandoned us. Our planet is gone because of you."

"You were our leader. And yet you failed."

Safari’s breath quickened. The guilt, once buried, surged forward. Every choice he had made — every failure — surrounded him.

And then, the worst sight of all.

Angeleva.

But not as he knew her. She stood broken, her body scorched and lifeless, the result of a war he had dragged her into.

"Why did you let this happen, Safari?"

"You thought you could protect us. You were wrong."

The voice of the chamber laughed cruelly. "You are nothing but destruction. Every life you touch ends in ruin."

Safari’s hands trembled. The hammer slipped from his grip, clanging against the ground. His knees buckled. "No… I’m not… I-I tried to save them all..."

But the guilt bore down on him. And for the first time in a long while, Safari felt powerless.

_ _ _

Angeleva awoke within a cold, vast chamber, its walls shimmering with a mirror-like surface. A chilling breeze brushed past her, though no source could be seen. The air crackled with unspoken accusations.

And then, the mirrors shifted.

"Welcome, Angeleva. This is the Chamber of Betrayal. Let us see the traitor within you."

Angeleva steadied her breathing, clutching her Fairy Wand. "I am no traitor. Whatever twisted illusions you have planned won’t break me."

The chamber laughed. "Is that so? Then look."

The mirrors lit up, and reflections of her past began to play.

She saw Bloody Kira, the Vampire General she had defeated. Kira's hateful glare burned into her. "You destroyed me without a second thought. Is that what your precious justice looks like?"

Next, the image of Brainela appeared — her final moments as Angeleva killed her. "You claim to fight for good, yet your power is no different from ours."

Angeleva shook her head. "You were monsters. I did what was necessary to protect others."

But the images shifted once more.

This time, it was Safari. His face twisted in sorrow. "You knew the risk of joining me. And yet, you followed. How many more will suffer because of us?"

Angeleva’s heart pounded. "Safari, I—"

Then, a reflection of herself emerged. Cold, distant, and emotionless.

"You cling to your ideals, but deep down, you fear your own power. What if you become like them? What if, one day, you betray the very people you swore to protect?"

The words struck her like a dagger. The reflection sneered, her wings darkening and cracking. "You will fall. And when you do, you will stand alone."

Angeleva's breathing quickened. Every doubt, every fear that had lingered in the shadows of her heart now stood before her.

But she gritted her teeth, her hands tightening around her wand. "No. I will not fall. And I am not alone."

Despite the overwhelming voices, both Safari and Angeleva fought to steady their minds. Yet the trials had only just begun.

The shadows whispered, promising that before they could escape, they would be forced to confront the darkest corners of their souls.

The eerie whispers continued to slither through the darkness, their sinister tones wrapping around the family like invisible chains. Each word dripped with malice, clawing at their minds.

"You are weak."

"You cannot protect each other."

"Abandoned. Forgotten. Alone."

Yet, despite the relentless torment, they held on.

Ian, Olive, Jen, and Zack were wrapped in a tight embrace, clinging to one another. The trembling in their limbs was undeniable, but so was their determination. The shadows writhed around them, seeking to unravel their bond, but the warmth they shared resisted the cold.

Zack, the youngest, was trembling the most. He shuddered as he buried his face into Jen’s shoulder. The twisted whispers pried at his fears, but Jen’s protective grip only tightened.

"You’re okay, Zack," she whispered, her voice shaky but firm. "I’ve got you. We all do."

Olive held both Ian and Jen, her hands trembling but refusing to let go. Ian, for once, was at a loss for words. His camera dangled at his side, forgotten. The flashing lights no longer seemed like a weapon against the shadows — the fear was far beyond that.

Zack whimpered, his tears dampening Jen’s shoulder. "What if… what if Big bro and big sis don’t come back? What if we’re stuck here forever?"

Jen stroked his hair gently, her heart aching. "Even if they don’t… we’ll never let go. Right, guys?"

Ian nodded, though his eyes were red with unshed tears. "We’re in this together. No camera tricks. No jokes. Just us."

Olive, though shaken, spoke softly. "And no matter how scared we are, we’ll protect each other. Just like big bro and big sis would."

The whispers grew louder, enraged by their resistance. The voices twisted, becoming more violent.

"Lies."

"You will break."

"There is no escape."

But even as the words filled their minds, the family held tighter. Zack squeezed his eyes shut, sobbing softly but no longer trembling as fiercely. The warmth of the others surrounded him like a shield.

They stayed like that — holding each other, crying, but refusing to let go. Their breaths mingled, their heartbeat steadying in sync. The shadows hissed in frustration. Every time it tried to wedge itself between them, the bond only grew stronger.

And then — the whispers began to fade.

The voices, defeated by their unwavering unity, slithered back into the darkness. The air grew still. Though the fear lingered, the suffocating presence had retreated.

For a moment, it seemed as though they had won.

But just as Zack began to relax, the shadows lunged.

A dark tendril shot from the floor, wrapping tightly around Zack’s leg. His eyes widened in terror. "NO!"

The others barely had time to react before he was dragged away.

"JEN! OLIVE! IAN!" Zack’s voice cracked with fear as he clawed at the ground, his small hands desperately reaching for them.

"ZACK!" Jen screamed, lunging forward, but the shadows were too fast.

Ian and Olive tried to pull him back, but the darkness overwhelmed them. The sinister tendrils yanked Zack further into the abyss. His terrified cries echoed through the air, sending chills down their spines.

"I don’t want to be alone! Please! Don’t leave me!"

His voice broke. Tears streamed down his face as he vanished into the darkness.

Jen collapsed to the ground, her hands outstretched toward the empty space where Zack had been. "No… No, no, no!"

Ian slammed his fist against the cold floor. "We have to get him back! We have to find him!"

Olive, though visibly trembling, stood up with shaky determination. "Zack's scared. And he needs us. We’re not leaving him."

The family, though devastated, refused to give in. The shadows had taken one of their own — but they would fight.

For Zack.

For Safari.

For Angeleva.

And for the family they had become.