The force of the explosion knocked everyone off their feet. Kael was thrown backward, his head slamming into the cold stone floor. His vision swam, and for a moment, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears.When he managed to pull himself to his feet, the sight that greeted him chilled him to his core.The creature was free.Its tendrils writhed in the air, dark and twisted, its red eyes glowing with malevolent fury. The ground trembled beneath it, and the very air seemed to darken, as if the world itself recoiled from the monster's presence.Seraphine staggered to her feet, her face pale. "The barrier—""It's gone," Aeron said grimly, his sword raised as he faced the creature. "We're on our own now."Kael wiped the blood from his forehead, his eyes locked on the monster. The portal was nearly closed, but the creature wasn't going to let them finish it. It would destroy them before they had the chance."We need to finish the ritual," Kael said, his voice hoarse. "It's the only way."Aeron shook his head. "There's no time. That thing's going to tear us apart."Kael clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the darkness inside him stirring, the power he had once embraced rising to the surface. It was dangerous, uncontrollable—but it was the only chance they had."I'll hold it off," Kael said, stepping forward. "You two finish the ritual."Seraphine's eyes widened. "You're insane, Kael! You can't fight that thing alone!""I don't have a choice," Kael replied, his voice steady despite the chaos. The creature loomed over them, its tendrils twisting in the air, hungry for destruction. "You and Aeron are the only ones who can finish the ritual. I'll buy you time."Aeron stepped forward, his face set in grim determination. "We can't just leave you to die, Kael."Kael looked between them, his expression hard. "If we don't stop this now, it won't just be me who dies. It'll be everyone. The entire kingdom will fall to this creature. So finish the ritual. That's an order."For a brief moment, no one moved. Seraphine's eyes locked with Kael's, a mixture of anger and fear swirling within them. But she knew he was right. There was no other way."Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "But don't you dare let that thing kill you. We still have unfinished business."Kael allowed himself a brief, grim smile. "I'll do my best."As Seraphine and Aeron turned back to the altar, their voices rising in the ancient chant, Kael faced the creature. He could feel the dark magic roiling inside him, the power he had once feared now his only weapon. The creature's eyes glowed brighter, its tendrils writhing like serpents ready to strike.Kael drew upon the darkness within, allowing it to surge through him, feeding on his fear, his rage, his desperation. His hands crackled with energy, black tendrils of magic wrapping around his arms like living shadows. He stepped forward, his heart pounding as he raised his hands and sent a blast of dark energy toward the creature.The magic struck the monster with a deafening roar, but it barely flinched. Its tendrils lashed out, smashing into the ground where Kael had been standing a moment before. He dodged, rolling to the side as another tendril came crashing down, splintering the stone floor.Kael threw another blast of magic at the creature, this time aiming for its glowing red eyes. The monster recoiled slightly, a guttural growl rumbling from deep within its twisted form. But it wasn't enough. The creature was too powerful, too vast. Kael could feel the strain as he continued to channel the dark magic, his body trembling under the weight of it.He wasn't strong enough to stop it—not alone.But he didn't need to stop it. He only needed to distract it long enough for Seraphine and Aeron to finish the ritual. As long as he could keep it focused on him, they had a chance.The creature lunged at him again, its massive form crashing toward him with terrifying speed. Kael barely managed to throw up a barrier in time, the force of the impact sending him skidding backward. His heart raced, his vision blurring as the darkness within him threatened to consume him entirely."I won't let you win," Kael growled, his voice barely above a whisper. "Not this time."He unleashed another wave of magic, pouring everything he had into the attack. The air around him crackled with power, the very stones of the chamber vibrating under the force of the blast. The creature roared in fury, its tendrils thrashing wildly as the dark energy slammed into it.For a moment, it seemed to falter, its massive form writhing in pain. But then, with a deafening roar, it surged forward again, its tendrils snapping like whips toward Kael. One of them struck him hard in the side, sending him crashing into a pillar with bone-jarring force.Pain exploded through Kael's body, and for a moment, everything went dark. When he opened his eyes, he was lying on the cold stone floor, blood trickling from his mouth. The creature was looming over him, its red eyes glowing with a malevolent light.This was it. The darkness was closing in, and Kael knew he was out of time. He had failed.But then, from the corner of his eye, he saw them—Seraphine and Aeron, standing at the altar, their voices rising in unison as they chanted the final words of the ritual. The air around them shimmered with energy, the runes on the altar glowing brighter and brighter as the portal began to close.Kael forced himself to his feet, his body screaming in protest. He could feel the magic building, the power surging toward a crescendo. The creature sensed it too, its eyes narrowing as it turned toward the altar, realizing too late what was happening.With the last of his strength, Kael threw himself between the creature and the altar, unleashing one final burst of magic. The dark energy collided with the creature, holding it back for a precious few seconds as the ritual reached its peak.The air around the altar crackled with power, and then, with a blinding flash of light, the portal snapped shut.The creature let out a furious, otherworldly scream as the connection to its realm was severed. Its massive form writhed and twisted, its tendrils flailing wildly as it began to dissolve, its essence being pulled back into the void from which it had come.Kael watched, his body trembling, as the creature was sucked into nothingness. The chamber grew still, the oppressive weight of the dark magic lifting as the last remnants of the monster vanished.It was over.