The entity, the Kala Drah, moved with sickening purpose toward Saguna's family house, its multiple arms propelling its grotesque form while the faces embedded in its chest whispered in stolen voices. Each step left withered patches in the grass, and where its root-like appendages touched, the very soil seemed to die.
Saguna strained against Professor Nyala's restraining hand, every fiber of his being screaming to abandon the fire circle and pursue the creature. "It's going after Sahara!"
"And if you leave your position, we lose what little containment we have," Professor Nyala said firmly, though her own expression showed the pain of the choice. "The partial seal is all that's keeping this breach from expanding beyond the village."
Through the flickering flames of his diminished fire circle, Saguna watched helplessly as the creature approached his childhood home. The building itself seemed to recoil from the entity's presence, the black frost covering its walls grew thicker, and the very structure appeared to lean away from the approaching horror.
But as the Kala Drah reached the threshold of the house, something extraordinary happened. The creature stopped, its multiple faces turning toward Sahara's room with expressions of sudden wariness. From the second-floor window, a warm golden light blazed forth, not the gentle glow they'd seen before, but a fierce radiance that seemed to push back against the encroaching darkness.
"Interesting..." the creature hissed, using what sounded like Old Man Reza's voice. "The fragment... fights back..."
It raised two of its arms toward the window, and Saguna felt a chill of pure terror. But instead of the devastating attack he expected, nothing happened. The creature strained, its faces contorting with effort, but the golden light only grew brighter.
Sahara's voice carried across the ruins, clear and defiant: You cannot enter here, eater of souls. This sanctuary was forged in fire and sealed with sacrifice.
The Kala Drah's laugh was like breaking pottery. "Then we... shall wait... The anchor weakens... and you cannot... maintain this... forever..."
It settled into a grotesque crouch beside the house, its many arms folding around its fused torsos while its root-like lower body spread across the ground in a wide circle. Dark tendrils extended from these roots, and wherever they touched, more of the village's plant life withered and died.
"It's establishing a feeding circle," Professor Nyala observed with growing alarm. "Drawing power from the land itself to sustain its manifestation."
Across the ruins, Radji and Osa remained trapped in their circle of shadows, but Saguna could see them working together—Radji's earth abilities creating small barriers while Osa's water formed protective shields. They were holding their own, but barely.
"How long can we maintain this?" Saguna asked, feeling the strain of keeping his fire circle active. The flames that had once blazed with confident heat now flickered weakly, requiring constant effort to maintain.
"Hours, perhaps," Professor Nyala replied grimly. "But not indefinitely. And with each passing moment, more shadows will be drawn to this place. The partial manifestation acts like a beacon to every dark entity in the region."
As if summoned by her words, new sounds echoed from the jungle—rustling leaves, snapping branches, the whispers of things that should not be. The lesser shadows that had pursued them earlier were returning, and they were bringing friends.
"We need a new plan," Saguna said, his analytical mind finally overriding his emotional desperation. "This stalemate benefits them, not us."
Professor Nyala nodded. "The incomplete ritual has bought us time, but little else. To truly seal this breach, we would need power far beyond what the three of you currently possess." She paused, considering. "Or allies."
"What kind of allies?" Saguna asked, though part of him already suspected the answer.
"The elemental domains," she replied. "Each possesses ancient knowledge and resources that could strengthen your abilities. The Azure Depths know secrets of Veil Speech that could enhance Mr. Hann's water affinity. The Ember Isles have techniques for fire manipulation that could make you a true Walker. And the Verdant Coils..." She looked toward where Radji and Osa continued their desperate defense. "They understand the deep connections between earth and life itself."
"You're talking about leaving," Saguna realized. "Abandoning Teluk Jati while that thing is here."
"I'm talking about strategic withdrawal," Professor Nyala corrected. "The village is lost for now, but its people — those who can still be saved — need more than a partial seal. They need the breach closed permanently."
A new sound reached them—not the whispers of approaching shadows, but something else. A rhythmic pulsing, like a massive heartbeat, emanating from the direction of the spire. The twisted structure had begun to glow with a sickly green light, and with each pulse, the shadows in the area grew more agitated.
"What's happening?" Saguna asked, feeling his fire circle respond to the pulse by flickering more violently.
"The breach is trying to expand," Professor Nyala said, her face pale with realization. "The Kala Drah's manifestation has weakened the Veil further. If it succeeds..."
She didn't need to finish. They both understood what a fully expanded breach would mean—not just for Teluk Jati, but for all of Zendirah.
Through the chaos, Osa's voice reached them: "Saguna! The water anchor — I can feel it faltering!"
Saguna looked toward the jungle where the mixing pool lay hidden. He couldn't see it from here, but he could sense the connection, and Osa was right. The second anchor point was beginning to fail under the increasing pressure.
"Two anchors weren't enough," he said, the full scope of their situation finally hitting him. "We've contained it, but we haven't stopped it. And now it's getting stronger."
The Kala Drah seemed to sense his realization. All three faces turned toward him, and when they smiled in unison, the expression was triumphant.
"The fire-child... understands... This is only... the beginning... Others come... drawn by our... success... Soon, the barriers... will fall... and the feast... will truly... begin..."
As if to emphasize its point, the creature raised one arm toward the village center. The spire pulsed brighter, and throughout the settlement, every building covered in black frost began to glow with the same sickly light. Whatever was trapped inside the breach was indeed growing stronger.
"Professor," Saguna said quietly, his voice heavy with the weight of decision. "How do we get out of here?"
"Very carefully," she replied, already beginning to weave new sigils. "And together. The triangle may be incomplete, but it's still your greatest strength."
In the distance, more sounds of approaching entities echoed through the night. Whatever the Kala Drah had meant by "others come," it was becoming terrifyingly clear. The partial manifestation had indeed acted as a beacon, and every dark thing within miles was converging on Teluk Jati.
Their first attempt to seal the breach had failed, but they had learned something crucial: they were not yet strong enough to face what lay beyond the Veil. If they wanted to save Sahara — and their world — they would need to become something more than they were.
The stalemate would not last forever. And when it broke, they needed to be ready for whatever came next.