Episode 19: "Whispers in Blood"
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**INT. ABANDONED CHAPEL – NIGHT**
Deep in the woods beyond the cursed wall, an ancient chapel lies buried beneath moss and rot. The air is thick with decay, and the scent of iron lingers—blood, fresh and old.
Seven hooded figures kneel in a circle. At the center, a human boy—barely seventeen—trembles, tied by chains etched with runes.
**LEAD FIGURE (low voice)**
Begin the offering.
One of the cloaked figures draws a dagger, black as obsidian, pulsing faintly with red light. With a practiced motion, he cuts the boy's palm. Blood drips into a runed bowl in the center of the circle.
The ground trembles.
**ALL (chanting in an unearthly tongue)**
Zha'quren'tal... Morv'ash... Kel'neth...
A swirling **vortex** tears open above the bowl, fire and smoke spinning wildly. A hand—clawed, shadowy, impossible to describe—reaches out.
**VOICE FROM THE VORTEX (guttural, ancient)**
Who calls upon the Blood Gate?
**LEAD FIGURE**
We, the Children of the Pit, seek the favor of the Devourer. Grant us your dark flame.
The hand drips molten energy onto the runes.
**VOICE**
Then you shall carry my curse.
Flames explode from the runes. The boy screams—his eyes turn black. Chains shatter. The vortex closes.
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**INT. SHADOWBOUND HIGH – WAR ROOM – SAME NIGHT**
Kael, Lana, Tunde, and Rhea sit around a glowing table where Headmaster Greaves presents an urgent briefing. Holographic projections display the forest chapel and the strange magical disturbance.
**GREAVES**
We detected a Class Seven demonic ripple. A vortex opened not 10 miles from campus. That level of energy hasn't been seen since the Salem Break.
**TUNDE**
Let me guess. That's... bad?
**GREAVES**
That's apocalyptic. Vortexes lead to realms that aren't meant to touch this world. This was a summoning—and not just of a demon.
**KAEL (serious)**
Something stronger?
**GREAVES**
Much worse. Something ancient... and willing to share power.
Rhea frowns. Her eyes flick to Kael's still-glowing mark.
**RHEA**
Do you think it's targeting Kael? Because of the mark?
**GREAVES**
Perhaps. But I fear the opposing faction is building their army. They're not just summoning creatures... they're turning humans into conduits.
Lana stands, jaw tight.
**LANA**
Then we stop them before they finish the ritual.
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**EXT. FOREST EDGE – MIDNIGHT**
Kael and the team approach the edge of the forest. Lana carries a spellbook glowing with protective glyphs. Rhea's hands glow with frost magic. Tunde cracks his knuckles—his body charged with raw physical power.
**TUNDE**
So we're just gonna walk into demon territory? Love it.
**KAEL (grinning slightly)**
Wouldn't be Shadowbound without a little insanity.
As they enter, the world darkens unnaturally. Shadows stretch longer. The moon flickers like a failing lightbulb.
**RHEA**
This place... it's not right.
Suddenly—a beast lunges from the shadows. Not a demon. A human—with limbs twisted, eyes wild, veins glowing red. It snarls and attacks.
**LANA**
Bloodbound!
Kael moves fast—super speed blurs his form. He dodges, then punches the creature with a crackling fist. It flies back 30 feet.
**RHEA** *(casting)*
*"Shara Ven Icelock!"*
A blast of frost pins the creature against a tree. Tunde stomps forward and finishes it with a heavy magical punch. Boom. Done.
**TUNDE**
One down. A hundred to go?
**KAEL (grimly)**
Probably.
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**INT. DEMONIC REALM – SAME TIME**
Within the Pit of Hell, creatures slither and roar. The **Devourer**—a towering beast of smoke, claws, and molten eyes—sits on a throne of bones.
A demonic general kneels.
**GENERAL**
The summoning has begun. The Chosen One draws near.
**DEVOURER**
Good. Let the vortex feed. Let the mark awaken the chaos inside him. When the moment comes... he will be ours.
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