Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 93
Noon.
Bennett, Hazel, and Wesley reached the village square, where the Village Elder directed villagers to place a carved statue at the center.
Crafted from Blackgold Tree wood, its grain shimmered with golden veins.
The statue was tall, elegant, its curves exuding unearthly grace and authority.
Its feminine form was flawless, each line sculpted with care.
The face, half-shadowed, was exquisite yet eerie, with deep eyes glinting faintly in the dark.
It matched the Ivory Effigy from the Cavern, the black jade statue from the Shrine, and now this wooden figure.
Adorned with the Black Pearl Necklace and a crown of tri-colored flowers, the statue smiled softly, radiating a holy aura.
“Where are the others?” the Village Elder asked, his face paler than usual, his steps unsteady.
“They’ll be here soon,” Bennett said.
The Elder didn’t reply, staring blankly, his eyes dull, lifeless, like a husk.
The trio shivered under his gaze, sweat beading, unsure of his intent.
“Elder?” Hazel ventured cautiously.
He blinked, as if waking, nodded, and shuffled off without a word.
Relieved, they exchanged glances, sticking to Ethan’s plan: stall the Ceremony until he and Oliver returned.
Meanwhile, Ethan and Oliver trekked through Everspring Meadow toward a white wooden cabin.
As they neared, the door creaked open, as if sensing them.
Tela emerged, clad in white, a blindfold over her eyes, leaning on a cane. Her voice was cool, delicate yet resolute. “Come in.”
Her white robes fluttered like a lotus blooming in the night, guiding them inside.
They followed, sitting as she directed.
She poured Flower Tea, waiting silently for their purpose.
“The Ceremony’s today,” Ethan said, sipping the tea, its fragrance clearing his mind. “But the offerings are wrong. It won’t honor the god—it’ll bring disaster.”
“I’m here to ask you, a former Priest, to help set the Ceremony right.”
Tela showed no reaction, blowing gently on her tea before sipping. “Disasters can’t be undone; human errors can’t be prevented.”
“This is Arachnis’s woven fate,” she said, shaking her head. “What can mortals do?”
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