Gregory's choice

Gregory's hands trembled as he held the knife, its weight a heavy burden upon his conscience. The child before him, wide-eyed with terror, seemed to plead for mercy with every quivering breath, their innocence stark against the backdrop of the impending darkness.

His gaze flickered to Damien, who stood nearby with an air of detached indifference, as though the act of spilling blood held no significance to him. The nonchalant manner in which Damien brushed off the bloodstains from his glasses sent a chill down Gregory's spine, a stark reminder of the desensitization that had taken hold of their group.

Beside Damien, the rest of the group stood stoically, their expressions betraying no hint of emotion as they awaited Gregory's decision. The blood that stained their clothes served as a grim testament to the atrocities they had committed, a haunting reminder of the path they had chosen to walk.

In that moment, Gregory felt the weight of their collective sins pressing down upon him, the rift between himself and his companions widening with each passing moment.

As the child's fear becomes palpable, Gregory finds himself grappling with the weight of responsibility, the burden of the knife in his hand growing heavier with each passing moment. The stark contrast between the expressions of his companions only serves to exacerbate his inner turmoil, as their varying reactions—sympathy, annoyance, and disinterest—seem to underscore the gravity of the situation.

In particular, the cold gaze of the blue-eyed individual, filled with unmistakable annoyance, sends a shiver down Gregory's spine. He can't help but wonder if this disdain is the reason why Master Nathaniel had been hesitant to have him as a part of his circle.

As he stands there, torn between duty and compassion, Gregory realizes that this decision will not only shape the fate of the child before him but also define his own path moving forward. With a heavy heart and trembling hands, he braces himself to make a choice that will irrevocably alter the course of his life.

The memories of his past as a slave haunt Gregory as he steels himself for the task at hand. The chilling wind that sweeps through the cave seems to penetrate his very soul, yet it also serves to fortify his resolve. With a firm grip on the knife, he takes a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision settle heavily upon him.

As he approaches the altar, dragging the struggling child behind him, Gregory's heart feels heavy with each step. Though he has never taken a life before, he knows that this moment will mark a profound and irreversible change in his existence. Despite the turmoil raging within him, he remains resolute in his determination to carry out the deed.

Avoiding the gaze of his companions and the terrified child alike, Gregory focuses solely on the task before him. He knows that allowing himself to falter now would only betray the trust placed in him by Master Nathaniel and the rest of the group. With grim determination, he pushes forward, bracing himself for the weight of his actions to come.

As Gregory stares into the child's pleading eyes, he finds the courage within himself to act. With a deep breath, he grips the knife and plunges it into the boy's chest, the light in the child's eyes fading as the large man also loses a piece of himself.

With a heavy heart, Gregory removes the bloody blade and sets it upon the blue-flamed candle. The child's body collapses to the ground, the silence in the cavern shattered by the weight of the action.

*

After the large man's sacrifice, the pink-haired teen begins her incantations, the atmosphere in the cave becomes charged with an otherworldly energy. The blue flame of the candle flickers and dances, casting eerie shadows across the cavern walls. With each word of her chant, the flame grows larger and more intense, until it engulfs the entire cave in its azure glow.

The intensity of the flame seems to distort reality itself, casting strange shadows and warping the air around them. As the chanting reaches its climax, the flame suddenly extinguishes, plunging the cave into utter darkness. Not even the faint light of the moon can penetrate the oppressive blackness that now fills the space.

In the darkness, the group of teens falls to their knees, writhing in agony as if assaulted by unseen forces. The air is thick with the scent of burnt ozone, and a sense of suffocation hangs heavy in the air. It is a moment of pure chaos and terror, as the boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms blur and intertwine.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the darkness recedes, replaced once more by the gentle light of the moon. The cave is silent save for the ragged breaths of the survivors, their bodies trembling with exhaustion and fear. Nearby, the lifeless forms of the sacrificed captives lay still, their white garments now stained crimson with blood.