Emily's heart pounded in her chest as the final symbol clicked into place. The altar blazed with light, illuminating the chamber in a sickly green glow. The air vibrated with a strange energy, and the cave seemed to hum with power.
The creature let out a bone-chilling scream, its form distorting as the light from the altar engulfed it. "You cannot defeat us!" it shrieked, its voice cracking with fury. "We are eternal!"
But the ritual was already in motion. The symbols on the altar pulsed in time with the tremors in the cave, and the black tendrils began to retract, pulled back into the fissures from which they had emerged.
Emily, Marcus, and Sarah stood frozen, watching in awe and terror as the creature was slowly dragged toward the altar. Its body twisted and contorted, its limbs elongating unnaturally as it fought against the force pulling it toward the light.
"This is it," Emily whispered, her voice barely audible over the creature's screams. "We're sealing it away."
But even as the entity was drawn closer to the altar, Emily could feel its power—its hunger—trying to break free. The cave shook violently, and the air around them grew thick with the stench of decay. It wasn't going to let them win without a fight.