John shielded his eyes, his ears ringing as the world seemed to snap back into place. The howling wind ceased. The oppressive weight in the air vanished.
Silence.
When he dared to look again, the altar stood intact, the symbols fading into dull etchings once more. The woman had collapsed, unmoving. The entity was gone.
Gilbert rushed forward, checking for a pulse. "She's alive. Barely."
Veronica exhaled sharply, rubbing her face. "That was too close."
John forced himself to stand, his legs shaking. He looked at the altar, at the stone still embedded in its surface. "Is it over?"
The woman stirred, her voice barely a whisper.
"No."
John's stomach twisted. "What do you mean?"
She coughed weakly, struggling to sit up. "That was only one."
Veronica frowned. "One?"
The woman's eyes met John's, filled with exhaustion and something far worse.
"There are more."
A heavy silence settled over them.
John clenched his fists. "Where?"
