Runic Circle

Finding children in this basement was the last thing he expected, but what he was currently witnessing topped his list of disturbing discoveries.

"What on earth is this, and what are those rune circles for?" he muttered to himself, his curiosity piqued by the bizarre scene in front of him.

As he gazed upon the grotesque sight, Adrian couldn't help but reconsider his opinion of the enigmatic woman he had heard about earlier. He had labeled her as a psycho, and what he was witnessing only reinforced that notion.

The body matter entered the circle, and the runic markings shimmered. Blood began to seep from the mass, and after a while, it ceased, leaving Adrian certain that the body had somehow diminished in size.

'Is this some sort of cursed ritual using these bodies to fuel something else?'

Adrian couldn't help but think to himself as he moved away from the cubicle, 'This is more than what I'm paid for.' The discovery he had just stumbled upon was far more sinister and dangerous than he had ever anticipated.

As Adrian ventured to the far end of the basement, he came across a massive circle inscribed with an array of runes. These runes emanated an eerie aura, and Adrian couldn't help but be drawn to them.

Extending from the circle were various lines leading toward the cubicles, indicating some intricate and ominous design. The source of this dark enchantment was what he needed to uncover to fulfill his ambitions in the dream realm.

Adrian pondered as he gazed upon the circle, surmising, "So their blood, flesh, or whatever it may be, is fueling this circle?" It was a fascinating yet unsettling experience for him, as he encountered these mysterious and arcane practices for the first time, and he was determined not to squander the opportunity to expand his knowledge.

Adrian recognized that he might find himself in a similar situation one day, where he would have to devise a way to escape.

Contemplating his situation, Adrian couldn't shake off the feeling that he had inadvertently raised a red flag. Given his long history of bad luck, he expected repercussions sooner or later.

However, his immediate concern was figuring out how to mark the circle as his own, if indeed it was the mark the pen had referred to.

Adrian extended his aura towards the circle, hoping to induce some beneficial changes. His aura had shown the ability to consume or alter things in the past, and he was curious to see if it could affect the mysterious markings of the circle.

Adrian's aura came into contact with the circle, and to his surprise, it vanished. He couldn't help but feel taken aback, as it was an unexpected outcome. He had been unsure if this approach would work, but his hope had lingered.

'Now what? Am I just supposed to leave?'

Adrian's heart sank at the thought of his well-made plan for the dream realm coming to an end. However, as he wallowed in disappointment, he suddenly noticed the enormous runic circle beginning to glow with an entrancing radiance.

He couldn't help but be captivated by the intricate placement of the runes and their dazzling display.

Adrian's brief moment of admiration was abruptly interrupted when he observed a radiant hue emanating from the circle. It was none other than his own aura that he had sent into the circle a few moments earlier.

'You motherfucker. You think my aura is disgusting?' 

Adrian couldn't help but feel irritated at the idea of his aura being rejected. He didn't know how his aura tasted, but he still wanted to believe that it was palatable.

"Let's see how much of it you can regurgitate. I'll make you ingest it forcibly," Adrian mumbled to himself, frustration evident in his voice.

Adrian, harboring a grudge and driven by an inexplicable resolve, unleashed his aura with unbridled force towards the glowing circle. His determination to overcome the circle's resistance was palpable, and he refused to back down, as if engaged in a contest of wills with the enigmatic markings. 

While Adrian was embroiled in his mental battle with the mystical circle, a subtle yet significant shift was taking place elsewhere, unbeknownst to him.

Adrian's natural inclination would have been to scoff, laugh, and toss off a few sarcastic remarks—that's just the kind of person he was. However, his current focus remained entirely absorbed in the relentless contest with the enigmatic circle.

***

The elderly woman, her disheveled blonde hair and haggard appearance contributing to her resemblance to a mad witch, raised her voice in frustration.

"Why is it so unstable after all my years of hard work? The runes shouldn't be weakening. They still have an expected lifespan of around two more decades!"

She shouted from within her stifling and circle-filled hut.

She never even considered the possibility of someone stumbling upon the mansion she had discovered ages ago, which she had turned into her gruesome laboratory, using it as the epicenter for her heinous experiments.

She had been conducting these macabre experiments in the real world for a significant period of time, but the so-called agencies within human society had caught wind of her activities, initiating a crackdown that had led to her current predicament.

Gathering human bodies had become increasingly challenging for her.

"I can't allow it to end like this. I don't have enough time to search for a new, suitable body in my current condition. What is that damned Herbert up to? Is he plotting a rebellion? Did he forget that I still hold his family as hostages?"

Spewing curses, the old hag couldn't help but notice the circles surrounding her growing increasingly chaotic, which made her scream in frustration.

"Yo, catch that? Sounded like someone just told a woman to stick to the kitchen," the hiker quipped to his buddy as they embraced the wilderness and its natural surroundings.

"It's not just your fugly mug that's scaring the ladies off; your mouth's got its own charm for that too!"

They both shared a hearty laugh, casually dismissing the distant screams as if they were nothing more than a passing moment.