The shapeshifter's body writhed and contorted violently, its tendrils of darkness clawing at the air as it struggled against the power of the sigil. Lucien's fingers trembled as they hovered just above the intricate markings on the ancient parchment. The sigil was glowing brighter now, a sharp contrast to the inky darkness that surrounded the creature.
"Not yet," Lucien muttered to herself, sweat trickling down her brow. The power of the book was immense, but it was taking everything she had to maintain control. Every pulse of the sigil seemed to drain her, but the creature's escape attempt grew more frantic.
"You have to hold it!" Mira shouted, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't let it slip through!"
Lucien gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus, to push through the pain. Her body was already shaking with exhaustion, but she could feel the entity's malevolent energy trying to fight its way out, trying to break free. The ground beneath them began to crack, the air thick with dark power.
But it was too late.
The sigil flared with an almost blinding light. Lucien's fingers pressed down hard onto the parchment, pushing every last ounce of her energy into the spell. She could feel the book vibrating beneath her touch, the very fabric of reality trembling with the weight of the forces it was containing.
For a moment, everything was still.
The shapeshifter's form began to disintegrate, its screams becoming distorted, muffled by the binding magic. The creature's eyes, full of rage and defiance, locked onto Lucien's for a final moment. In that instant, a rush of dark power surged through the sigil, striking out like a venomous snake.
Lucien's body went rigid as the energy slammed into her chest. The air around her seemed to burn, and her vision blurred as the raw power of the book tore through her.
"No!" Mira screamed, but it was too late.
With a final, guttural snarl, the shapeshifter was pulled back into the Codex, its form dissolving into the pages, its roar echoing as the sigil sealed itself.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Lucien fell to her knees, her face pale, her body shaking with exhaustion. Her chest heaved, struggling for breath, but she couldn't move. The energy had consumed her—too much power, too much too fast. Her vision swam, the edges of the room fading in and out of focus.
"Mira…" she whispered, her voice weak. "I… I did it. It's over…"
But Mira was already beside her, her face grim.
"Lucien, no…" she whispered, but there was nothing she could do.
Lucien's eyes fluttered shut, her body collapsing to the ground. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her pulse, once strong and steady, began to slow.
Elias moved quickly, kneeling beside her, his hand hovering over her wrist.
"She's alive, but barely. We need to get her out of here."
Mira's expression was one of deep concern as she watched Lucien's face. The energy the young woman had used was too much.
"The power from the Codex… it's like nothing else. She pushed herself too far."
Elias scooped Lucien up, his muscles straining with the weight, and looked at Mira.
"What do we do now?"
Mira's eyes flickered to the Codex, its pages now still and silent. She exhaled slowly, the weight of their victory sinking in.
"We take her somewhere safe. Somewhere the Codex won't follow. And we pray she wakes up."
But even as she said the words, Mira knew the truth.
They were no longer just fighting to contain the darkness.
Now they were fighting to keep Lucien alive.