Rise of the Night Witch

Chapter 3.6 - A Venomous Tome

Recap: Trapped in the PPE Library, Darcy and Marissa found themselves in the autumn forest of an Otherworldly Domain. Face to face with a Nuckelavee (pictured), they saw one option: Running away.

Wish I had practiced jogging more. My legs felt like lead. Wheezy witches aren't supposed to run, we've got brooms to fly on! Air as poisonous as the Nuckelavee's breath filled my lungs while I ran up the gravelly ground with my robe fluttering behind me. You can't believe how fast that monster was. It tore through trees like a locomotive while its long, telephone-pole arms crushed boulders like they were cotton.

One such boulder waited at the autumn grove's edge. It couldn't protect me, but I could hide. I sought shelter behind the rock before I cowered down, cuddled Siris like a teddy bear, and watched the gigantic undead centaur battle Darcy from afar.

The Nuckelavee's rider spun its arms around its axis with bone-cracking flexibility. Had Darcy not been flying on her staff, these club-like arms would've turned her into a slush pile.

When Darcy flew closer, I noticed two dolls in her hand: One of a horse and one of a human rider. She swooped closer to the Nuckelavee, bathed her poppets in the monster's acidic breath, stabbed a nail through the rider doll's chest, magically ripped open the Nuckelavee's torso, and dropped one of my Molotov cocktails to finish it off. The monster didn't flinch. It healed its chest wound before losing even a single drop of blood and regenerated its burning skin faster than the Molotov flames devoured it.

I wished I could help, but I didn't stand the slightest chance. This thing was invincible. It was as far beyond the helltree and hellhound as those two were above a kitten. Dad, where are you? I hugged Siris harder.

"Air!" Siris said. "I need air!"

"We need more water," I said. "It will be too paralyzed to use its healing factor and we can destroy the head."

"Too bad it's not a cat," Siris said. "I swear, I even a small bucket is enough to scare me toothless."

If Dad only was here, he might have an idea. But Darcy said he used to be here.

While Darcy tossed water bottles against the monster, I noticed the glint of a book leaning against the edge of a maroon-leaved Alder tree.

"Remember that curiosity kills the cat!" Siris said.

"Guess it's only you who dies then," I said.

I left my boulder's cover and stormed towards the Alder tree. I didn't turn around, I didn't think of the monster behind me, but it made its presence known. The Nuckelavee slammed its arms against the ground loud enough to send me stumbling. My poor knees. Don't tell me the potion gave me a cat's sensitive ears and reflexes. I got up, dusted the dirt off my robe, and continued running. Don't turn around, don't look at the monster, focus on the book that'll save your life.

I reached the tree, panting, and took cover behind it until I didn't see the monster anymore. If I can't see it, it can't see me either!

I picked up the book at the tree's root. It was a despicable, old tome, clad in a sharp-edged red envelope full of thousands of white pages. I scanned through them, careful not to destroy one as I turned the pages, and froze as I saw a page I'd remember for life. Much like all the other pages, it was empty, except for two elements the others didn't have. One of them was an ink-tipped quill glued to it by adhesive tape. The other was the name "Carter" written in my Dad's handwriting. The book quivered in my hands.

Letters appeared below it in blood and explained what I was seeing.

"Unfortunate, is it not? This Domain is designed to be inescapable. Your father, however, escaped when his last name appeared in my book. Translate your father's last name into your handwriting and any misfortune I bestowed on him shall perish and you and your fellowship will leave this Domain, too. The Erlking."