The trio stood in silence outside the containment door, their breaths coming in sharp gasps. The oppressive energy from the chamber still clung to them, an invisible weight pressing on their shoulders.
“What was that thing?” Dante finally broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Aiden admitted, his face pale. “It’s not something I’ve ever seen before. But it’s connected to the entity behind the door in Maya’s building. They’re... linked somehow.”
Maya leaned against the wall, her mind racing. “If it’s feeding on people’s energy, then it’s only going to get stronger. We can’t just wait for it to attack.”
Dante nodded, his jaw tight. “We need to figure out how to stop it. For good.”
---
That night, Maya couldn’t sleep. She sat at her desk, poring over the documents they’d taken from the chamber. The notes were cryptic, filled with scientific jargon and references to “dimensional thresholds” and “energy siphons.”
One phrase stood out: **“The binding ritual must be maintained at all costs.”**
“What binding ritual?” she muttered to herself, flipping through the pages.
She found a diagram of the containment door, with symbols etched around its edges. Beneath it was a handwritten note:
**“The seals weaken with time. Renewal requires intent, energy, and the sigils of binding.”**
Maya grabbed her phone and texted Dante:
**“Found something. Come over first thing in the morning.”**
---
The next morning, Dante arrived with a bag of coffee and a determined look on his face. Maya wasted no time, spreading the documents out on the table.
“Look at this,” she said, pointing to the note. “There’s a ritual to strengthen the seal on the door. It’s what’s been keeping the entity trapped all this time.”
Dante frowned. “But if the seals are weakening, does that mean no one’s been performing the ritual?”
Maya nodded. “That’s my guess. We need to find out how to do it—and fast.”
Dante leaned over the papers, studying the symbols. “These look familiar. Didn’t we see something like this in the old books in the design school library?”
Maya’s eyes widened. “You’re right. Some of the architecture books had symbols like these, from ancient civilizations. Maybe there’s a connection.”
---
They spent the afternoon in the dusty library, combing through old books and manuscripts. Maya felt a spark of hope as she recognized some of the symbols from the diagram.
“These are protective sigils,” she said, tracing her finger over a faded illustration. “They were used to ward off evil spirits in ancient times.”
Dante held up another book. “And here’s something about rituals. It says they require a personal sacrifice—something of great value to the person performing it.”
Maya swallowed hard. “What kind of sacrifice?”
“Could be anything,” Dante said, his voice somber. “But it has to mean something to you. The stronger the connection, the more powerful the ritual.”
---
By the time they left the library, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the campus. Maya felt a chill as they walked back to her apartment, the weight of their discovery heavy on her mind.
“Do you think we can do it?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Dante hesitated. “We don’t have a choice. If we don’t, that thing will break free—and we’ll all be in danger.”
Maya nodded, steeling herself. “Then we’ll do whatever it takes.”
---
That evening, Maya and Dante gathered the materials they needed for the ritual: candles, chalk, and a black cloth to draw the sigils on. They set up in her apartment, carefully replicating the diagram from the documents.
“This feels... wrong,” Dante admitted as he finished drawing the last symbol. “Like we’re meddling with something we don’t understand.”
Maya looked at him, her expression resolute. “If we don’t do this, more people will disappear. We have to try.”
They lit the candles and began to chant the words from the ritual instructions, their voices trembling with both fear and determination.
---
At first, nothing happened. Then, the air grew heavy, and the hum from the door in the hallway became deafening. The symbols on the cloth began to glow faintly, their light pulsing in rhythm with the sound.
Maya felt a surge of energy course through her, as if the room itself were alive. The candles flickered, and the shadows on the walls seemed to move.
“Keep going!” she shouted over the noise, her voice shaking.
Dante’s hands trembled as he held the cloth, his eyes wide with fear. “Maya, I don’t think we’re alone!”
Maya turned to see a dark figure standing in the corner of the room, its glowing eyes fixed on them.
Her heart pounded as the figure stepped closer, its form shifting and flickering like a shadow in the wind.
“Don’t stop!” she yelled, grabbing Dante’s hand. Together, they repeated the chant, their voices rising in desperation.
---
The figure paused, its movements jerky and hesitant. The glowing symbols on the cloth grew brighter, casting the room in an eerie light.
With a final, unearthly scream, the figure dissolved into mist, vanishing into the shadows. The hum from the door faded, leaving the room in silence.
Maya and Dante collapsed onto the floor, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.
“Did it work?” Dante asked, his voice hoarse.
Maya looked at the glowing symbols, which were slowly dimming. “I think so. For now.”
But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning. The entity was still out there, and its power was growing.
They had bought themselves time—but for how long?
YOU ARE READING
Beneath the Shattered Sky
RomanceIn the heart of a bustling city, Maya finds herself caught between two worlds-one filled with passion, secrets, and betrayal, and another yearning for freedom and clarity. When she meets Aiden, the charming but mysterious boy from her design school...
