Ivy turned to Ethan, an unsettling fear settling in her gut.
"Ethan?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "Can you hear me?"
He stirred slightly, eyelids fluttering, but his gaze remained distant, as if he were staring at something far beyond her reach. She felt the weight of darkness clinging to him, like a shadow that refused to let go.
"Ivy..." His voice emerged as a low rasp, each word a struggle. "It’s... inside me."
"What do you mean? You’re still you, right? Fight it!"
He clenched his jaw, pain flickering across his features. "It’s stronger than I thought. I can feel it moving... writhing beneath my skin."
His fingers twitched involuntarily, and Ivy's breath caught in her throat as the shadows around him pulsed, alive with menace.
Dylan stood a few feet away, his eyes darting between them and the old journal that lay abandoned on the floor.
“Let me see,” he said, urgency creeping into his voice as he rushed to the journal. He flipped through the pages, his hands shaking. “There has to be something here that can help.”
But before he could find a spell or incantation, Ethan’s eyes glazed over, and with a sudden, fast movement, he thrust his hands out. 
The journal flew from Dylan’s grip, vanishing into a swirling vortex of darkness that erupted around Ethan, leaving only a void where it had been.
“What the heck?!” Dylan shouted, his voice edged with panic. He stepped back, eyes wide in disbelief.
Ivy’s heart raced. “Ethan! What did you do?”
Ethan’s expression twisted, a blend of agony and fury. “I didn’t mean to! It... it took it!”
His body jerked as if battling something unseen, the inhuman presence inside him struggling for control. She could see it... the darkness swirling in his irises, threatening to pull him under.
Dylan’s face paled. “We can’t lose that journal! It was our only chance to break the bond!”
Ivy’s throat tightened. “Ethan, please! You have to fight it! We can help you!”
“Ivy!” he gasped, his voice strained. “It’s not just magic. It’s... feeding off my fear. I can’t keep it at bay!”
“Don’t say that! You’re stronger than it!” Ivy insisted, gripping his arms. “You’re still you! Remember who you are!”
But Ethan’s face twisted in pain, a painful howl escaping his lips as the darkness clawed at his mind. “I can’t fight it much longer!”
“Dylan, we need a plan!” Ivy cried, desperation surging through her. “What do we do?”
Ethan’s body convulsed violently, the shadows pulsing in response, echoing a chilling, inhuman laughter that crashed over Ivy like a wave of terror.
“Ethan!” she shouted, pulling him closer. “Focus on me! You can beat this!”
The realization struck her like a lightning bolt. The dark being was not just within him... it was claiming him, wrapping around his essence like a shroud. 
“No!” she screamed, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You belong to yourself! Not to it!”
But suddenly, a terrifying shift took place. Ethan’s hands flew to Ivy’s throat, gripping her tightly as panic ignited in his eyes.
“Get away from me!” he screamed, his voice a tortured mix of anger and fear.
“Ivy!” Dylan shouted, rushing forward. “No!”
“Ethan, please!” Ivy gasped, struggling against his grip. “I’m not leaving you!”
“Let her go!” Dylan commanded, lunging toward Ethan. In one swift motion, he grabbed Ethan’s arm, pulling him back. “Fight it! Damn it!”
Ethan’s grip loosened as Dylan wrestled with him, the fear in Ethan’s expression palpable. “I don’t want to hurt you!” he cried, his voice breaking. 
The shadows surged, their grip tightening. “You think you can save him?” the voice hissed from Ethan’s lips. “He is already lost!”
“Shut up!” Dylan yelled, trying to drown out the creature’s voice. “We’re not giving up on him!”
“Dylan, what if it’s too late?” Ivy asked, panic rising in her chest. “What if we can’t bring him back?”
“Don’t say that!” Dylan shot back, his eyes fierce. “Ethan is still in there. We just need to reach him!”
Ethan’s body convulsed again, and the shadows seemed to pulse with delight. “You disgusting humans!"
“Ethan, listen to me!” Ivy pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have to fight!"
“Remember the times we fought together?” Dylan urged, his voice rising with urgency. “Remember who you are, Ethan! We need you! Don't you want to protect Ivy? We only have one night left!"
For a moment, a flicker in Ethan’s gaze revealed a hint of the boy she knew.
Dylan knew if Ethan could control this, he could gain the power to fight the other dark magic forces that threatened them all.
"Don’t let it win, Ethan!" Dylan pressed, desperation coating his words.
Ethan froze, kneeling on the ground, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. 
It was as if time itself had stopped, leaving only the three of them in a fragile standoff against the darkness that threatened to consume him.
“Ethan?” Ivy whispered, her voice trembling. 
She reached out, longing to touch him, to remind him that she was still there. 
But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Dylan’s hand shot out, gripping her arm firmly.
“Don’t,” he urged, his eyes wide with urgency. “He’s fighting something inside him. If you say the wrong thing, it could make it worse.”
She turned to Dylan, confusion and desperation flickering in her gaze. “But we need to help him! He looks like he’s struggling. I can’t just—”
“Trust me,” Dylan interrupted, “We can’t pull him back if we overwhelm him. Let him fight.”
Ivy watched Ethan closely. He was still, yet the tension in his body was palpable. 
His hands gripped the ground, fingers digging into the dirt as he struggled against whatever dark force was trying to take hold.
“I can’t just stand here and watch him suffer,” she mumbled, desperation lacing her voice. “Ethan needs me.”
Dylan’s grip tightened. “He needs to fight this on his own! You have to trust him!”