shadows of the lost city (9)

“Run!” Jackson shouted, but there was nowhere to go. The creatures closed in from every direction. Marcus was the first to fall, dragged into the shadows before anyone could help him. His screams echoed briefly, then were silenced.

The rest of the group fought desperately, swinging their weapons at creatures they couldn’t even fully see. Ravi, in a panic, tried to run but was cut off by a wraith that materialized in front of him. In an instant, he was gone too.

Jackson, Grace, and Elena, the last three standing, retreated to the center of the city, where an enormous stone altar stood, its surface covered in more of the cryptic symbols. “This is it,” Grace said breathlessly, her eyes wide with realization. “This altar… it’s what they used to contain them.”