In the dimly lit attic where they had foolishly summoned Belial, the four girls stood together, their hearts heavy with the weight of their predicament. They were still processing what had happened. His words weighing them down. They belonged to him to use as he chose. He would decide if they helped him and if not he would punish them. The fear from his words chilled them to the very core of their being.
Standing together they looked at each other, they had tried to do many things to send him back, none of which worked. But they were determined to break free from this demon's grasp, they had gathered close together to attempt one more thing. To attempt the unthinkable: to unsummon Belial and send him back to the darkness from whence he came. This was their last chance.
Claire, her hands trembling with a mixture of fear and resolve, traced the intricate symbols on the ancient parchment laid out before them. Ellie, Rachel, and Hannah stood beside her, their eyes fixed on the flickering candle flame that cast dancing shadows on the walls. Belial simply stood there watching, the girls saw him there and knew that what they were about to try had to succeed or they risked his punishment. None of them having any understanding of what that might be.
"We have to try again," Claire said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We can't let him control us. This ritual should work it should have as much power as the one we used to summon him in the first place."
With a shaky breath, Ellie nodded in agreement. "We have to do this, for ourselves and for everyone he's harmed. Our world may not be safe if he is allowed to continue."
Rachel's hands clenched into fists at her sides as she squared her shoulders, her determination burning bright despite the fear that gnawed at her insides. "Let's show him that we're not afraid of him."
Hannah, ever the skeptic, remained silent but nodded in solidarity, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of the candle as she braced herself for what was to come. She had already felt his power once and did not wish to experience something like that again.
As they began to recite the incantation, their voices trembling but resolute, a chill filled the air, sending shivers down their spines. The candle flame flickered wildly, casting long shadows across the attic, and a low, guttural growl echoed through the room.
The ritual appeared to be working, the summoning circle began to light up. The girls began to feel hope rise in them as the completed the incantation. When they finished the incantation they saw the circle slowly lose its light. Despite all of their efforts, Belial proved to be far too powerful to be banished by mere mortal incantations. With a wave of his hand, he had dispelled their magic, his laughter ringing through the attic like a death call.
"Foolish girls," Belial sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Did you truly think you could defy me so easily? You are nothing but insects, squirming beneath my heel."
The girls exchanged worried glances, realizing the gravity of their situation. There was nothing else they could try that might help them escape from his magic. They had underestimated Belial's power, and now the four of them would have to pay the price.
With a wave of his hand, Belial summoned his dark magic to bind them, their bodies frozen in place as he loomed over them like a specter of doom.
"You have failed," Belial hissed, his voice reverberating through the attic like a thunderclap. "And now, you will face the consequences of your actions."
In a blinding flash of light, the girls found themselves transported to a realm of darkness unlike anything they had ever seen. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur, and the ground trembled beneath their feet as if alive with malevolent energy.
Before them stretched a landscape of twisted spires and jagged cliffs, shrouded in perpetual shadow. The sky above was a swirling maelstrom of darkness, devoid of stars or moonlight. It appeared as if creatures were floating in the skies like clouds.
"This is my realm," Belial declared, his voice echoing through the darkness. "A realm of eternal suffering, where I hold dominion over all who dare to defy me. In this place time means nothing, I could keep you here a few moments or I could let you live out your lives in this place. You are mine and your fate is mine, perhaps you know understand this."
The girls trembled in fear as they gazed upon the desolate landscape before them, realizing the extent of Belial's power. They were trapped in a nightmare of his making, with no hope of escape.
But even in the face of despair, a glimmer of hope flickered within their hearts. They may have failed to unsummon Belial, but they refused to surrender to the darkness. Together, they would find a way to overcome their fears and confront the demon that held them captive.
The four girls held hands, they know that, for today, they would be able to survive. They would serve him, they would do this so that they would be able to see their homes again. This was not the way they thought this evening would end but it was now clear the choice they had to make.
As they stood on the precipice of darkness, the four girls vowed to stand together, united in purpose and resolve. Each drawing of the strength of the others. They knew Belial would push them, he would force them to become something they were not destined to be, but they would do it and in the end it would make them all stronger. Perhaps by staying together, this new strength will grow and as long as they had each other, they knew that they would never truly be alone, even in the darkest of realms. By not being alone, they know there would someday come an opportunity to break free.