Return to Normalcy

Following Belial through the forest they eventually arrived at a clearing where he stopped. Looking at each of them in turn, "Each of you has done well. As I promised, serve me well and thou shall be rewarded." He didn't have to add the part about serving him poorly, they already understood what the implication of that would be. "You have done your part well, I shall do mine."

At that point with a wave of his hands he was gone and the world around them began to disappear.

As the girls found themselves back in the familiar surroundings of the attic, a sense of surrealism washed over them. Returning to the attic filled the girls with a sense of relief, as if they had finally found sanctuary amidst the chaos and danger of their recent adventures. The familiar surroundings offered a comforting embrace, a respite from the uncertainty that had plagued them in the outside world.

As they looked around the attic, their eyes fell upon the mismatched furniture and scattered relics that filled the space—a testament to the eclectic tastes of its previous inhabitants. The walls were adorned with tapestries and paintings, each one telling a story of times long past, while the floor was strewn with rugs and cushions, offering a cozy place to rest and recuperate.

Again, looking to the floor the remnant of the summoning circle that had been at the start of this entire adventure.

Despite the attic's somewhat disheveled appearance, there was a sense of warmth and camaraderie that permeated the air, a feeling of home that enveloped them like a comforting blanket. Here, amidst the clutter and chaos, they found solace in each other's company, knowing that together, they could weather any storm that came their way.

It was as if they had never left, as if the harrowing journey they had just undertaken had been nothing more than a vivid dream. But as they glanced around the room, their eyes fell upon the chest of gold that sat in the center of the summoning circle, serving as a stark reminder of the reality of their experiences.

He had offered them the gold as their reward and there it was waiting for them to return. 

Belial was nowhere to be seen, his presence gone as swiftly as it had appeared. And yet, his words lingered in their minds, a haunting promise of things to come.

"We have done well," Claire murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she surveyed the room with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "But what now?"

Hannah shrugged, her expression thoughtful as she considered their options. "He said we could live our lives as we choose," she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "But what does that mean? Are we supposed to just go back to our normal lives after everything we've been through?"

Rachel sighed, her brow furrowed in contemplation. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice heavy with uncertainty. "But one thing's for sure—we can't just ignore the powers we've gained. We need to keep practicing, keep honing our abilities, so that when Belial comes for us again, we'll be ready."

With a sense of determination, the girls gathered around the chest of gold, their eyes alight with curiosity as they began to examine its contents. Gold coins gleamed in the dim light of the attic, each one a tangible reminder of the adventures they had shared and the dangers they had faced together.

But amidst the gold, there was something else—a sense of possibility, of potential waiting to be unleashed. With each passing moment, the girls felt a growing sense of excitement building within them, a newfound confidence in their abilities and their place in the world.

As they sat together in the attic, surrounded by the trappings of their newfound power, they knew that their journey was far from over. Belial may have returned them to their ordinary lives, but the echoes of their adventure lingered on, shaping the course of their destinies in ways they could scarcely imagine.

As the girls sat in the attic once more, a wave of nostalgia washed over them, prompting reflections on the journey they had undertaken since leaving this familiar space.

Claire, the magic user, glanced around the room, her thoughts drifting back to the moment they had first stepped out into the world beyond the attic. She remembered the sense of trepidation that had gripped them all as they ventured into the unknown, uncertain of what lay ahead. Yet, despite their fears, they had forged ahead with determination, bound together by a shared sense of purpose.

Rachel, the fighter, nodded in agreement, her gaze lingering on the artifacts that adorned the walls. She recalled the battles they had fought, the trials they had faced, and the victories they had won together. Each challenge had tested their strength and resolve, but with each obstacle overcome, their bond had grown stronger, cementing their friendship in the fires of adversity.

Hannah, the healer, smiled as she remembered the moments of camaraderie and laughter they had shared along the way. Despite the dangers that lurked around every corner, they had always found time to support and uplift each other, drawing strength from their unity in the face of adversity. Knowing that although she was not able to lead them in battle, she had in fact saved their lives on more than one occasion.

Ellie, the thief, nodded solemnly, her eyes shining with gratitude for the experiences they had shared. She thought of the lessons they had learned, the friendships they had forged, and the growth they had undergone as individuals. Through it all, they had remained steadfast in their commitment to each other, unwavering in their resolve to see their journey through to the end.

As they sat together in the attic, surrounded by memories of their adventures, the girls felt a sense of gratitude wash over them. Despite the challenges they had faced and the trials they had endured, they had emerged stronger, wiser, and more united than ever before. And as they looked ahead to the future, they knew that whatever lay in store, they would face it together, their bond as unbreakable as the walls of the attic that had sheltered them on their journey.

And so, with hearts full of determination and minds ablaze with possibility, the girls made a silent vow to embrace the challenges that lay ahead, to continue their journey towards mastery of the powers they had gained, and to be ready for whatever the future held in store.

For though Belial may have left them for now, his words hung in the air like a promise - a promise of adventure, of danger, and of the boundless potential that lay within each of them. And as they gazed out into the night sky, they knew that their lives would never be the same again. But perhaps, in the end, through the summoning they had found exactly what they had been searching for all along.