The creatures that emerged from the fissure were like nothing Zara had ever seen, their forms barely humanoid, twisted and grotesque. Their skin was dark and shiny, like the oily substance from the fissure, and their eyes—too many eyes—glowed with a sickly yellow light. Long, clawed hands reached out of the darkness, pulling themselves into the light of the garden with a horrible, wet sound.

Screams erupted from the party as the creatures began to swarm toward the students, moving with a horrifying, unnatural speed. Some of the wizards tried to defend themselves, conjuring shields and casting spells of fire and light, but the creatures were fast—faster than any spellcaster could have anticipated. One of them lunged at a student, its claws raking through the air, and Zara watched in horror as the boy crumpled to the ground, his shield shattered.

"Jaxon, stop this!" she cried, but he was no longer listening. His face was pale, his body rigid as the magic continued to pour out of him, feeding the creature, and drawing them from the depths of the earth. His sigil was now a ruin, the mark burned into his skin, the lines cracked and bleeding magic into the air.

Zara’s heart pounded in her chest as she realized the full scope of what Jaxon had unleashed. This wasn’t just a spell gone wrong—it was something far darker, something that had been buried for a reason.

"Zara!" a voice called out, and she turned to see Helena and Phelan running toward her, their faces pale with fear. "What the hell is going on?"

"Jaxon!" Zara shouted back, still holding her barrier against the onslaught of dark magic. "He’s lost control of a spell—something ancient! We need to stop him before it spreads!"

Phelan’s eyes narrowed, his usual arrogance replaced with a grim determination. "I knew he was reckless, but this…"

"We can blame him later," Zara snapped, her voice trembling. "Right now, we need to focus on surviving!"

Helena nodded, already casting a spell of protection around the few students who had managed to gather behind her. "What do we do?"

Zara swallowed hard, her mind racing. The dark magic was too strong for any one of them to counter, and Jaxon was completely consumed by it. But maybe… maybe together, they could overpower it. "We need to combine our magic," she said quickly. "If we pool our power, we might be able to neutralize the spell—at least long enough to stop those things from getting out."

Phelan frowned but nodded. "It’s worth a shot."

The three of them moved into position, forming a triangle around Jaxon and the growing fissure. Dark creatures were still pouring from it, their hungry growls filling the air, but the students were fighting back now, casting spells of light and fire that kept the creatures at bay, if only barely.

Zara took a deep breath, focusing on her sigil, on the pulsing magic within her. She reached out with her mind, connecting to Phelan and Helena, feeling the thrum of their power as it resonated with her own. Together, they began to weave a spell, a complex, multi-layered incantation designed to bind and contain the dark magic.

The air around them crackled with energy as their combined power grew, light magic swirling in brilliant patterns around Jaxon, forming a cage of glowing symbols. The dark magic fought back, lashing out against their spell with violent bursts of energy, but Zara held on, pouring every ounce of strength she had into the binding.

For a moment, it seemed to be working. The creatures slowed, their movements becoming sluggish as the light magic pressed in on them. The fissure began to close, the ground trembling as the darkness was pushed back.

But then, with a deafening crack, the magic shattered.

Zara gasped as the backlash hit her, the force of it slamming into her chest and knocking her to the ground. Her vision blurred, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. The spell had failed.

Jaxon was still standing at the center of it all, his eyes wide with horror, his body convulsing as the dark magic tore through him. The fissure was expanding again, and the creatures surged forward, more powerful than before.

Zara struggled to her feet, her entire body shaking. The combined spell hadn’t been enough. They needed more power—something stronger than what they could summon on their own.

Her mind raced, and then she remembered the sigils.

The sigils that had been etched into their skin during the Ascension Ceremony were more than just symbols of their graduation. They were conduits for ancient magic, tied to the very foundations of Silverhollow itself. If they could channel that power…

"Helena, Phelan!" Zara shouted, her voice raw. "Use your sigils! They’re connected to the school’s magic—it might be enough to stop this!"

Phelan looked skeptical, but Helena nodded, already moving into position. Zara focused on her sigil, feeling the pulse of ancient magic beneath her skin. She tapped into it, drawing on the power of the academy itself, feeling it surge through her like a river of light.

Together, they cast the spell again, but this time, the magic was different. It was stronger, deeper, and infused with the ancient power of Silverhollow. The air around them shimmered with light as their sigils glowed brighter than ever, casting long shadows over the ruined garden.

The dark magic recoiled, hissing and writhing as the light pressed in on it. The creatures screamed, their forms dissolving into mist as the fissure began to close once more, this time for good.

And at the center of it all, Jaxon collapsed.

---