I did exactly what the ancient book demanded.
I never looked back.
Every single night, at precisely twelve o'clock, I walked into the forest. Hunger, exhaustion, fear—none of it mattered anymore. The cave had become more than a place; it was the doorway to my fate. A place where my miserable life could finally change.
Inside the cave, I spent one full hour in worship. The chants written in the book no longer felt foreign. They had carved themselves into my memory, into my blood. I whispered them slowly, carefully, afraid that even a single mistake might ruin everything.
Sometimes, while chanting, I felt as if the walls of the cave were listening.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
And one night, it struck me—I had completed seventeen days.
Those seventeen days had changed me.
During the daytime, I felt weak, drained, almost sick. My hands trembled, and my body ached constantly. But when night fell, something awakened inside me. My senses sharpened. I could hear distant animal cries from miles away. Often, I felt watched, surrounded by unseen eyes in the darkness.
Still, I did not stop.
That night, after completing the ritual, I picked up the raw chicken meat and stepped outside the cave. The forest was colder than usual, silent in a way that made my skin crawl.
I placed the meat on the ground and turned to leave.
That was when I heard it.
A child's voice.
"Please… help me…"
My entire body froze.
The voice was close—too close. It trembled with fear, with pain. A voice no human heart could easily ignore.
"I'm scared… someone help me…"
My breath grew heavy. My heart pounded violently against my chest. Images filled my mind—a small child, lost and crying in the darkness of the forest.
I almost turned around.
Almost.
Then the words of the book echoed inside my mind, sharp and unforgiving:
"If you look back after the ritual, you will lose this power forever—no matter how many days you complete."
I understood immediately.
This was a test.
A deception.
If I turned back now, seventeen days of hunger, pain, and sacrifice would vanish into nothing.
I clenched my fists and shut my eyes.
"This isn't real," I whispered to myself. "It's only meant to stop me."
The crying grew louder.
"It hurts… please…"
Tears burned my eyes, but I forced my legs to move. I did not slow down. I did not turn around.
I walked away.
When I finally reached home, my strength collapsed. My knees gave out, and I fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably. Fear, guilt, exhaustion—all of it crushed me at once.
Then three more days passed.
The final three nights felt heavier than all the others combined. The forest seemed alive, watching me, waiting. Even the silence felt hostile, as if something unseen was breathing just beyond my sight.
And then—
The final night arrived.
The twenty-first night.
This was it.
Everything would be decided tonight.
At exactly twelve o'clock, I entered the forest with the chicken meat in my hands. The air felt thick, unnatural. Not a single insect made a sound. No wind rustled the leaves. The forest stood still, as if holding its breath.
"Tonight, my life changes," I whispered.
I had barely taken a few steps when the shadows moved.
Before I could react, a wild wolf leaped from the darkness.
Its claws ripped into my chest, tearing flesh. A scream escaped my throat as I crashed to the ground. The wolf growled, its eyes glowing red, its fangs inches from my neck.
Pain exploded through my body.
With all the strength I had left, I kicked it away and scrambled to my feet. I ran blindly through the forest. Thorns tore into my skin. Blood soaked my clothes. My lungs burned with every breath.
My vision blurred.
But one thought kept me moving.
I must reach the cave.
"No matter what," I muttered, stumbling forward. "I have to reach the cave."
I don't know how long I ran.
I don't know how I survived.
But somehow, I reached it.
I collapsed at the entrance of the cave, bleeding and barely conscious. Blood dripped onto the cold stone beneath me. My hands shook violently.
Yet I smiled.
"I made it," I whispered.
Dragging myself inside, I forced my body upright and began the ritual. Each chant came out weak, broken, but I did not stop. The pain screamed through my bones, but my heart was filled with hope.
Minutes felt like hours.
Finally, the hour ended.
With trembling hands, I carried the meat outside and placed it on the ground, just as I had every night before.
The forest remained silent.
No movement.
No sound.
I stepped back and exhaled deeply.
"It's done," I said softly. "Twenty-one days… I've completed them."
Relief washed over me. Pride. Hope.
For the first time in my life, I truly believed something good was about to happen.
I returned to the cave and lay down on the cold stone floor, blood still seeping from my wounds.
"The power should come now," I whispered, closing my eyes.
I waited.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
Nothing happened.
No light.
No voice.
No power.