With that, Lily went deep into herself, conjuring up the power from her lineages, that light of her ancestors that came and guided her to these blackest of times. Chanting over the incantation on her grandmother's journal words rolled with the river of light pouring back against that encroaching darkness.
The cultists stumbled, the chanting cut short by the brightness that broke from Lily. Seeing the tide turn, their leader flung out his hand and the shadows at his command moved to strike back. Tendrils of darkness slid across toward Lily and her friends; but she and her companions stood firm together, unbroken as one.
Clara breathed in deeply, then stepped forward. "We are not afraid!" she bellowed, her voice full of the fierce love for her son and for her community. "We will defend our home!"
And as she spoke the energy around them seemed to shift, Lily could feel the compound force of the group building up. They harmonized their voices into a chant, a chorus against the shadows.
Shadows twisted and howled, but were overwhelmed by an intense force. Light broke forth from the center of their circle, thrusting back at the darkness, casting its radiance over the clearing like the dawn breaking over a long, cold night.
The cult leader snarled, fighting literally to keep the shadows from devouring them. "You'll never win!" he bellowed, but his voice was eaten away by the growing blaze of light.
With that, she felt a surge of connection to her ancestors and their energy flowed through her, a river full of hope and determination. Her eyes fixed on the oak tree, the ancient guardian of the woods; she appealed to its strength on behalf of the two.
"By the roots of this earth, by the light of our spirits, we banish you!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the night.
Then there was a final, deafening roar as shadows recoiled into the earth. The cultists knew their power was waning and began to disperse. Their robes billowed out around them as they ran into the darkness.
But the leader stood up for one more moment, staring at Lily with hatred in his eyes. "You have won this battle, but the shadows will return. They are patient, and they will seek revenge!
As he turned to run away, a bright light streaked from the oak, revealing through it the kind of shadows; they writhed and shrieked into darkness, leaving but the hush of silence, with the faint rustling whisper of leaves.