Two figures stood side by side, their long, dark robes brushing the stone brick floor. The two figures faced a stone fireplace built into the wall, the dancing flames only giving light to a small area of the dark room.

  The robed figures leaned towards each other, whispering as if having a secret conversation, but none of their words could be heard over the crackling fire.

  The cloaked figure on the left pulled out a thick book from under their robes. Gold bindings on each corner of the cover glinted bright in the light.

  The right-hand figure pulled out a long, wicked-looking knife. They brought it up to their outstretched palm, and cut a long gash across it. The blood poured out and dribbled onto the floor, forming a growing crimson puddle.

  A small, child-sized figure lay on top of the ornately carved stone table. Their breathing was calm, and they groggily looked around, as if just waking from a deep sleep.

  Small drops of blood landed on the child’s forehead as the person on the right hovered their bloody hand over them.

  The child twitched as the blood landed. His eyes opened wider and he tried to look around or move, but his body was unresponsive. He tried to yell or call for help, but his mouth wouldn’t move and he could only groan and grunt.

  Four colored gems sat at each corner of the rectangular table, and as the blood landed on the child, each gem began to glow with a dim white light.

  The left figure’s mouth moved slowly as they read a passage from their book. The other moved towards the fireplace and hovered their hand over the flames.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Drops of blood fell into the fire, and the flames seemed to feed off of the blood, crackling and intensifying in power.

  As the flames began to grow, licking the top of the fireplace, both figures stepped back. The one with the book continued reading, tense with excitement, while the other simply stared into the fire with fervent glee.

  The glowing gems on the stone table began to grow in power, bathing the room in a white light that slowly turned to a flickering red and orange light, as if the whole room had been set ablaze.

  The child’s eyes widened and his body broke out in a cold sweat as the ominous lights covered the ceiling. The flames burned and rage with intensity, nearly leaping out of the fireplace, and after a time, the flames began to swirl and coalesce into four separate, bright white spheres.

  The two figures were unable to tear their eyes away from the swirling flames. The figure with the book began chanting more fervently, taking steps away from the ever-growing orbs of fire.

  Slowly, the four spheres began to thin and widen, taking the form of two pairs of devilish, glowing white eyes on top of one another. They crept out of the fireplace, and rose into the air.

  The two cloaked figures quickly stepped back in fear and awe, retreating behind the stone altar. They watched as the eyes floated out of the fireplace, and hovered over the child.

  The child’s wide-eyed gaze met that of the four demonic eyes. Tears fell from their eyes, trailing down the side of his face, and quickly evaporating.

  The eyes grew and grew until the light it gave off was nearly unbearable.

  The child tried to run or cry out, but their body wouldn’t listen, and his eyes were locked on the large eyes staring down at him.

  His vision then began to blur, and soon, all he saw was darkness as he lost consciousness.

  The last thing the child heard before was a deep, sinister voice that seemed to echo in his mind.

  “YOU. ARE. MINE.”