Chapter 30: Blood and Resolve
The hum of the altar grew louder, its glow intensifying. The unconscious victims twitched, their bodies convulsing as more blood was drawn from them. Tara's hands trembled, the light in her palm flickering as her focus wavered.
"Snap out of it," Aryan said sharply, his voice cutting through her daze. "We don't have time for doubts."
Tara nodded, swallowing hard. She forced herself to move, stepping closer to the altar. The air around it was thick and heavy, laced with the stench of blood and decay. Her instincts screamed at her to destroy it, to end this madness, but the power radiating from the altar was overwhelming.
Samudra stepped beside her, his presence steady and reassuring. "Focus," he said softly. "We'll handle this together."
The air is thick with tension as
Samudra takes a step forward, his eyes
still locked on the altar. "We need to
stop them before they destabilize
everything," he says, his voice low,
almost a growl. His usual playful
demeanor is absent, replaced by a
seriousness Tara has never seen
before.
Azeus's sharp gaze flickers to Tara,
then back to the altar. "But how?" he
questions, his voice strained. "This.
this thing, it's beyond anything we've
faced."
Aryan's lips curl into a tight smile
though it doesn't reach his eyes. "Well,
we could always break it."
Tara shoots him a look. "Breaking it
won't be enough. This ritual is more
than just a physical barrier. It's warping
time and space itself."
Samudra's eyes flash with
understanding. "Exactly. And if we don't
stop it now, we'll face consequences
that no one here is ready for."
His words hit Tara hard. She's always
fought to protect the world, but this-
this is something else entirely. The very
fabric of reality is at risk. She realizes
with a sinking heart that this battle is
different. It's not just about defeating
enemies. It's about stopping something
that could unravel everything
She takes a deep breath, steeling
herself. Her hand grips the pendant
around her neck. She's been trained for
moments like this, but nothing could
have prepared her for the sight before
her. She's never seen anything so
grotesque, so wrong.
Azeus growled, his claws unsheathing. "I'll take care of the chimeras. They're not getting out of those cages on my watch."
Aryan smirked, though his usual playfulness was gone. "And I'll deal with the runes. They're the key to this whole operation."
Tara took a deep breath, steadying herself. She raised her hand, channeling her light element into a focused beam. The room brightened, revealing every grotesque detail—the bloodstained floor, the twisted runes, the patchwork monsters snarling in their cages.
"Let's go," she whispers, her voice
steady despite the chaos in her mind.
The group moves forward, but Tara's
thoughts are elsewhere. She watches
the monsters, their eyes following them
as they walk past the cages. She can
feel their desperation, their hunger. It's
almost as if they want to be freed, but
Tara knows better than to entertain
such thoughts. These creatures are not
saviors. They're weapons, and they're
deadly
As they draw closer to the altar, the
blood sacrifice intensifies. The circle of
unconscious bodies pulses, their blood
flowing faster now, feeding the ritual
Tara clenches her fists, her heart
boiling with anger. She takes a step
forward, her eyes locked on the altar.
"I'm ending this," she says, her voice
cold and determined.
Samudra turns to her, his eyes filled
with a mix of caution and trust. "Be
careful, Tara. This is no ordinary ritual.
If you're not careful, you might end up
being the one consumed."
Tara nods, her mind focused solely on
the altar. She's ready. She has to be.
The fate of everything depends on it.
---
The altar reacted instantly, the runes flaring as if sensing her intent. A low, guttural growl echoed through the room, and the space above the altar rippled violently. A shadowy figure began to emerge, its form indistinct but menacing.
Samudra didn't hesitate. He drew his blade, its edge gleaming with elemental energy. "Protect the circle. Don't let it complete the ritual."
Chaos erupted. Azeus leaped toward the cages, slashing at the beasts that dared to test their restraints. Aryan darted around the room, his hands glowing with energy as he dismantled the runes one by one. Tara focused her light on the altar, the beam intensifying as she poured every ounce of her will into disrupting its power.
The shadowy figure above the altar roared, its voice shaking the very foundations of the room. Tara's knees buckled, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to back down.
"You think this is enough to stop us?" she shouted, her light flaring brighter. "Not a chance!"
Samudra lunged at the figure, his blade slicing through the rippling space. The figure screeched, its form destabilizing. Tara seized the moment, directing her light into the altar's core. The runes cracked and shattered, their glow fading as the altar began to collapse.
With one final roar, the figure dissolved, the ripple above the altar vanishing into nothingness. The room fell silent, the oppressive aura lifting as the altar crumbled to dust.
---
The group stood amidst the wreckage, their breaths heavy. The unconscious victims began to stir, their pale faces regaining color. Tara lowered her hand, her light dimming as exhaustion set in.
Samudra sheathed his blade, his expression grim. "This is just the beginning," he said. "We've stopped the ritual, but the Sect won't give up so easily."
Tara nodded, her resolve hardening. "Then we'll stop them. No matter what it takes."
Aryan chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "You're fitting in nicely, Tara."
Azeus snorted, lying down beside Tara's feet exhausted, his tail tail flicking lazily. "Let's just hope we survive the next fight."
As the group made their way back up the stairs, the weight of what they had witnessed lingered in their minds. The battle was far from over, but for now, they had won. And they would keep fighting until the world was safe once more.