Collaborative storytelling - The Enchantress of Tanglewood (Part II)

Rules: Read the episode below. Then VOTE in the Twitter poll, linked below, with your choice on how you think the story should continue. To read PART I of the three parts, read HERE. VOTES from Part I tied for having the main character "Use a Wiccan Spell" and "Appeal to the Entity" (The last paragraph of Part I is repeated for continuity).... THE ENCHANTRESS OF TANGLEWOOD ~ Part II

(Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay) A fog formed around the thicket and coalesced around limb and leaf. The corpus of an entity emerged, its long limbs reticulating from downed wood. Its skin and breasts composed of the bark of trunks. Its long hair was formed of moss and lichen. And then it opened its eyes. Portals of darkness that swallowed Tarynn's attention. With words that spoke with the whisper of wind through the canopy, it said, "You have trespassed," and reached toward Tarynn. But Tarynn was prepared. No stranger to the paranormal, she had grown up in the ways of Wiccan practice, her mother a high priestess in the local coven. Quickly Tarynn reached into her pack, rummaged past her mushroom bag, snacks, and a butane lighter, and produced a robin egg and a branch of mistletoe. She cracked the egg and let the yolk run upon the end of the mistletoe. Using the mistletoe to flick the yolk toward the entity, then rotating to each of the cardinal points of the compass, Tarynn called out, "By the Horned God, he who is the Holly King, I entreat protection from the forces of nature that threaten me. Protect me, my God!" She flicked the mistletoe again, and continued, "And to the Mother Goddess, she who is maiden, mother, and crone, come to my aid and protect me! Envelop me in your light!" As she chanted, Tarynn kept a wary eye on the entity. The entity did not retreat. It stood there, her lichen hair waving in a breeze that Tarynn could not feel. But its mouth moved in a smirk as Tarynn called to her gods. Tarynn finished her spell, then stared at the entity. All fell quiet. She no longer thought of mushrooms. She only wanted to escape the entity and its woods. "I … I  demand passage out!" Tarynn finally said. "You may demand nothing," the entity rasped. "I am the Enchantress of Tanglewood." It stepped closer, its woody legs and feet crackling as it moved, lithely stepping across the forest floor until it was face-to-face with Tarynn. "What makes you think I am not in league with your horned god, girl?" Tarynn held her breath, unsure what to say. She dropped the mistletoe and decided to change her approach. She got down on one knee and bowed her head. "Forgive me," Tarynn said. "I did not realize I had trespassed. I ask your forgiveness. I only wanted to hunt for mushrooms." She looked up to the entity. "Will you show me the way out?" The Enchantress leaned over and placed a soothing hand upon Tarynn's cheek. "Your spell was not in vain, child, for I AM in league with your horned god. Here he is the Green God. But I have my own price for you to pay before you achieve your freedom. I shall transform you into the likeness of a mountain lion, and you shall do my bidding!" The Enchantress waved her birchbark hands, whispering arcane words in a chant. A fog formed around them both. As Tarynn looked into the fathomless eyes of the entity, she began to feel a tingling sensation inside of her and knew she was changing…. How should Tarynn respond in the conclusion of this story? Let the Sorceress transform her and do her bidding Fight the Sorceress and interrupt the spell Make a run for it Use her butane lighter to start a forest fire  --> Cast your vote HERE by the end of the month.