FALL OF THE ANCIENTs

inued their desperate assault on the symbols. With every strike, the sy

und them exploded in a burst of blinding light, and the investigators

till in hand. The chamber was now filled with a thick, oppressive darkness, and t

he darkness, the

ssed, its voice dripping with malice. "The darkness

mounting, raised their weapo

began to twist and contort, its sha

its voice echoing through the chamber.

bodies twisted and mutated by the darkness. They were no longer h

pounding with fear, knew that

a malevolent light, surged forward, t

fought back with all their might. They slashed and stabbed and sh

more took its place, their numbers see

ch longer!" one of them shoute

gan to close in, its tendrils wrapping a

r, fought with everything they had left, their str

the staff of the mysterious figure, lying on the groun

uted, his voice desperat

tigue and fear, reached out and grabbed the

ight blazing through the darkness, cutt

he staff, began to retreat, its tendr

renewed by the staff, turned

voice filled with determination. "We

movements swift and deadly. The creatures, their numbers dwi

they heard a sound from the darkness,

the darkness. It was a human voice, f

nvestigator?" the voice hissed. "Yo

racing with fear, turned to

a figure, dressed in a fine suit and a c

ed the figure as the man who had hired them

ce filled with rage. "You

uel smile, stepped forward, his foo

a dark, malevolent light, laugh

o see how far you would go, how much you would sacrif

e staff tightening, stepped forw

houted. "We'll stop you,

ak and produced a strange, rune-covered orb, its

oice dripping with contempt. "Then you will b

pounding in his chest, raise

, the man vanished, leaving behind not

ing, knew that the orb was the

er surge through him, filling him w

mashed the orb into the ground, sh

yed, began to fade, its tendri

filled with light, the walls glowi

bodies bathed in the ligh

d, its walls covered in intricate, celestial

r, they saw a figure, its form

said, its voice like the sound of a thousan

ill reeling, knelt before the fig

ter with every passing moment, spoke a

t the darkness. But the battle is not yet over. There are still

hearts filled with cour

d, his voice steady and sure. "We wil

with celestial power, nodded,

ne authority. "Go forth and vanquish the darkness from this world. You

by the figure's words, stepped forward, their

ht followed them, illuminating their

renewed, returned to the city, their ey

nated by the light of the sun. The people, once huddled in f

d so easily. They knew that there were still forces at work in th

battling against the forces of ev