Chapter Eleven: Burn It All Down (Final)
1254 Words
The attic door burst open.
The spirit of Lord Malrick emerged, its twisted form stretching unnaturally, its hollow eyes burning with rage.
“YOU… WILL… NOT… LEAVE…”
“Now!” Leo shouted.
They fought back with everything they had—but it wasn’t enough. One by one, they were thrown aside, slammed into walls, knocked unconscious by the sheer force of the spirit.
All except two.
“MILO—RUN!” Lila screamed.
They sprinted through the castle, the spirit chasing close behind.
In the living room, Milo turned to protect her—
And was struck down hard.
“MILO!!!”
Lila’s heart shattered. She stumbled back, alone now, as the spirit approached.
“YOU… ARE… LAST…”
Her hand brushed against a lantern. Fuel sloshed inside.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out a lighter.
The spirit moved closer.
Closer.
Lila’s fear faded… replaced by something stronger.
She smiled.
“Not today.”
She flicked the lighter on and kicked the lantern over.
Fire exploded across the room. Flames raced along the floor, climbing the walls, surrounding the spirit.
The castle began to burn.
Lila turned and ran—but a cold hand grabbed her arm.
“IF I FALL… YOU FALL WITH ME!”
She screamed—
CLANG!
A shovel slammed into the spirit.
Milo stood there, barely alive.
“You’re… not taking her…”
With one final strike, he drove the spirit into the flames. Its scream echoed as the fire consumed it completely.
Gone.
Lila ran into Milo’s arms, holding him tightly as tears streamed down her face.
“We made it…” she whispered.
But then—
Groans.
From behind them.
Leo staggered up, clutching his side. Eli followed, coughing but alive.
“You guys really tried to finish the party without us?” Eli joked weakly.
Relief flooded through them.
“Move!” Leo shouted. “The place is coming down!”
As they ran, Eli suddenly stopped and grabbed a small, heavy box half-buried in the rubble. He opened it—gold gleamed inside.
“Hey—if we’re surviving this, I’m not leaving empty-handed!”
“ELI!” the others yelled.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” he laughed, clutching the box as he sprinted after them.
They burst out of Blackthorn Castle just as the structure began to collapse behind them.
The ground shook. Flames roared.
And then—
The castle fell.
Silence followed.
The four of them stood there—Lila, Milo, Leo, and Eli—bruised, burned, exhausted… but alive.
Lila stared at the ruins, tears falling again.
“Our friends…” she whispered.
The fire crackled softly, the remains of the castle holding the memories—and bodies—of those they lost.
Then—
Sirens.
Growing louder.
Police cars pulled up, lights flashing through the smoke.
Before anyone could react, a figure ran out—
“LILA!”
Candice.
She rushed forward and pulled her sister into a tight hug, relief flooding her face. “Oh my God… you’re alive…”
Lila broke down in her arms.
Candice looked at the others, her eyes soft but shaken. “I called the police… I had a bad feeling… I knew something was wrong.”
Leo nodded weakly. “You saved us.”
Eli, still holding the box, managed a grin. “Well… at least it wasn’t all for nothing.”
They all looked at him.
He opened the box slightly, gold glinting inside.
For a moment… silence.
Then—
They laughed.
Not because anything was funny—but because they had survived.
Together.
As the police escorted them away from the burning ruins of Blackthorn Castle, the nightmare finally came to an end.
But the scars…
Would remain forever.
THE ENDChapter Eleven: Burn It All Down (Final)
The attic door burst open.
The spirit of Lord Malrick emerged, its twisted form stretching unnaturally, its hollow eyes burning with rage.
“YOU… WILL… NOT… LEAVE…”
“Now!” Leo shouted.
They fought back with everything they had—but it wasn’t enough. One by one, they were thrown aside, slammed into walls, knocked unconscious by the sheer force of the spirit.
All except two.
“MILO—RUN!” Lila screamed.
They sprinted through the castle, the spirit chasing close behind.
In the living room, Milo turned to protect her—
And was struck down hard.
“MILO!!!”
Lila’s heart shattered. She stumbled back, alone now, as the spirit approached.
“YOU… ARE… LAST…”
Her hand brushed against a lantern. Fuel sloshed inside.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out a lighter.
The spirit moved closer.
Closer.
Lila’s fear faded… replaced by something stronger.
She smiled.
“Not today.”
She flicked the lighter on and kicked the lantern over.
Fire exploded across the room. Flames raced along the floor, climbing the walls, surrounding the spirit.
The castle began to burn.
Lila turned and ran—but a cold hand grabbed her arm.
“IF I FALL… YOU FALL WITH ME!”
She screamed—
CLANG!
A shovel slammed into the spirit.
Milo stood there, barely alive.
“You’re… not taking her…”
With one final strike, he drove the spirit into the flames. Its scream echoed as the fire consumed it completely.
Gone.
Lila ran into Milo’s arms, holding him tightly as tears streamed down her face.
“We made it…” she whispered.
But then—
Groans.
From behind them.
Leo staggered up, clutching his side. Eli followed, coughing but alive.
“You guys really tried to finish the party without us?” Eli joked weakly.
Relief flooded through them.
“Move!” Leo shouted. “The place is coming down!”
As they ran, Eli suddenly stopped and grabbed a small, heavy box half-buried in the rubble. He opened it—gold gleamed inside.
“Hey—if we’re surviving this, I’m not leaving empty-handed!”
“ELI!” the others yelled.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” he laughed, clutching the box as he sprinted after them.
They burst out of Blackthorn Castle just as the structure began to collapse behind them.
The ground shook. Flames roared.
And then—
The castle fell.
Silence followed.
The four of them stood there—Lila, Milo, Leo, and Eli—bruised, burned, exhausted… but alive.
Lila stared at the ruins, tears falling again.
“Our friends…” she whispered.
The fire crackled softly, the remains of the castle holding the memories—and bodies—of those they lost.
Then—
Sirens.
Growing louder.
Police cars pulled up, lights flashing through the smoke.
Before anyone could react, a figure ran out—
“LILA!”
Candice.
She rushed forward and pulled her sister into a tight hug, relief flooding her face. “Oh my God… you’re alive…”
Lila broke down in her arms.
Candice looked at the others, her eyes soft but shaken. “I called the police… I had a bad feeling… I knew something was wrong.”
Leo nodded weakly. “You saved us.”
Eli, still holding the box, managed a grin. “Well… at least it wasn’t all for nothing.”
They all looked at him.
He opened the box slightly, gold glinting inside.
For a moment… silence.
Then—
They laughed.
Not because anything was funny—but because they had survived.
Together.
As the police escorted them away from the burning ruins of Blackthorn Castle, the nightmare finally came to an end.
But the scars…
Would remain forever.
THE END
- Writer
