The grand hall of Blackwood Manor had devolved into a chaotic tableau of flailing dark robes, crackling chaotic energy, and the distinct aroma of burning incense mixed with a faint undercurrent of ozone. My impulsive energy blast had definitely thrown the Cult of the Serpent and the Raven off their rhythm, disrupting their chanting and causing a ripple effect through their connection to the ethereal projection of me hovering above the crystalline structure. The leader, a gaunt individual with eyes that glowed with an unsettling inner light, looked less like a devoted acolyte and more like someone who had just discovered their favorite cosmic horror novel had been heavily abridged.
"You dare interfere with the Great Cycle?" they shrieked, their voice echoing madly in the chamber. "You will be silenced!"
They lunged towards me, the ceremonial dagger held high, but Nightshade intercepted them with a swift series of energy blasts, forcing the cult leader to stumble back. The other robed figures, momentarily stunned by my chaotic interruption, began to regroup, their glowing eyes fixed on us with fanatical intensity.
"They're trying to re-establish the connection!" Eta's mental voice warned urgently. "Focus on the crystalline structure! It's the anchor!"
"Right," I said, channeling another surge of my unpredictable energy, this time trying to direct it more precisely towards the pulsating crystal. It was like trying to thread a cosmic needle with a particularly enthusiastic firehose.
My energy struck the crystalline structure, causing it to emit a high-pitched whine and flicker violently. The ethereal projection of me writhed more intensely, and I felt a sharp, phantom pain, like a distant echo of my own consciousness being stretched and pulled.
"They're using you as a conduit, Omega!" Maya yelled, unleashing a powerful wave of cosmic energy that slammed into the cultists, sending several of them sprawling. "We need to sever that link!"
Nova, her ethereal form shimmering with protective energy, moved towards the crystalline structure, attempting to disrupt its flow with waves of disorienting light. But the crystal seemed resistant to her influence, its otherworldly glow unwavering.
"Their devotion… it shields the anchor," Eta explained mentally. "You must break their focus… their connection to the ritual…"
The chanting started again, a low, insistent drone, and the ethereal projection of me began to stabilize, the phantom pain intensifying. The cult leader, having recovered from Nightshade's attack, was now directing the others, their glowing eyes fixed on the crystalline structure.
"Time for a little… spiritual disruption," I muttered, focusing my chaotic energy. Instead of a direct blast, I tried something different, something… messier. I unleashed a wide, uncontrolled wave of energy, hoping to create enough chaos to break their concentration.
The wave of chaotic energy washed over the chamber, causing the candles to flicker wildly, the incense smoke to swirl into bizarre shapes, and the very air to crackle with unpredictable force. The cultists cried out, their chanting faltering as they stumbled and shielded their eyes from the sudden surge of raw power.
『Harem Streamer System: Detecting successful, albeit imprecise, disruption of ritualistic activity. Recommendation: Employ more refined disruptive techniques. (Refined disruptive techniques include: Playing a particularly annoying pop song at high volume, staging a sudden puppet show about the dangers of ancient deities, asking them if they've considered switching to a more sustainable energy source.)』
"A puppet show about cosmic horror?" I sighed. "You know, System, I'm starting to think you just want to see me embarrass myself in front of an ancient evil."
Taking advantage of the momentary chaos, Nightshade and Maya pressed their attack, their energy blasts and cosmic waves hitting the cultists with renewed force. Nova continued her attempts to disrupt the crystalline structure, her ethereal light pulsing with increasing intensity.
I focused my attention on the ethereal projection of myself, feeling that unsettling connection, that phantom pain. It was like being psychically stretched across dimensions without my consent, and I was starting to take it personally.
"Alright, you cosmic freeloaders," I muttered. "Time to evict you from my consciousness."
Channeling my chaotic energy, I focused on severing the connection, visualizing the glowing strands tethering my projection to the crystalline structure as fragile threads that needed to be broken. It was a difficult, disorienting process, like trying to cut a wire you can't see with a pair of very shaky hands.
The ethereal projection of me began to flicker and distort, and the phantom pain intensified, spiking through my mind. The chanting of the cultists faltered again, their focus wavering as they sensed the disruption.
"The anchor is weakening!" the cult leader shrieked, their glowing eyes fixed on me with pure hatred. "Stop him!"
Several cultists broke away from the main group and lunged towards me, their ceremonial daggers glinting in the flickering candlelight. Nightshade and Maya moved to intercept them, creating a protective barrier.
"Scott, hurry!" Nightshade yelled, deflecting a wild swing from a cultist's dagger.
With a final surge of will, I focused my energy, picturing the tethers snapping, the connection breaking. The ethereal projection of me shimmered violently, then dissolved into nothingness. The phantom pain vanished, replaced by a feeling of… release.
The crystalline structure pulsed erratically, its otherworldly glow dimming. The chanting of the cultists sputtered and died. The air in the chamber felt less oppressive, the ancient energy receding slightly.
"No!" the cult leader roared, their eyes blazing with fury. "The alignment was so close!"
They turned their attention fully to me, their gaunt face contorted with rage. "You will pay for this, anchor! The Great Cycle will not be denied!"
They raised their hands, and the runes on the floor around the crystalline structure began to glow with an ominous red light. The air crackled with a renewed surge of ancient energy, far more potent and malevolent than before.
"They're trying a direct infusion!" Eta's mental voice warned, filled with alarm. "They're channeling the raw power directly into the anchor!"
The crystalline structure began to hum with an unbearable intensity, and the very chamber seemed to vibrate. The shadows in the corners deepened, and the air grew heavy with a palpable sense of dread.
"Alright, you cosmic zealots," I said, channeling my chaotic energy, feeling a surge of defiance. "If you want a direct connection, I've got a much better signal for you."
Focusing all my chaotic energy, I unleashed a massive, untamed wave, aiming not at the cultists or the crystalline structure, but at the very fabric of the ancient energy that was flooding the chamber. It was a desperate, reckless move, a chaotic counter-frequency aimed at disrupting their raw power source.
The chamber erupted in a cacophony of crackling energy and guttural screams. The red glow of the runes flickered wildly, and the very air seemed to tear and distort. The crystalline structure shrieked, its otherworldly light pulsing erratically. The cultists cried out in pain and terror as my chaotic energy collided with the raw ancient power they were channeling.
The uncoordinated banishing ritual had begun, fueled by chaotic energy, desperation, and a distinct lack of proper deity etiquette. And as the grand hall of Blackwood Manor became a swirling vortex of conflicting energies, I had a sinking feeling that we were either about to save the world… or accidentally unleash something even worse. The line between heroic intervention and catastrophic interference was getting increasingly blurry, and I really hoped we weren't about to find out what happened when you accidentally unplugged an ancient evil mid-download.