The humming of the obelisk grew in volume till its deafening sound drowned out all others. As quick as it came it ceased, in an instant the cavern fell into silence before intense beams of light shot out from the black tomb. The same inscriptions written upon the ruins appeared across the surface of the obelisk, etched in gold light. An arcane glow enveloped the seekers, filling them with a sensation unlike any they'd felt before. The most intense feeling of pain and emptiness, it was as if their very souls were being ripped from their bodies to be left as empty husks. When the obelisk's work had been done, the light that once filled the room and encircled the seekers retreated into the obelisk. All that remained was a strange symbol upon each of their chests. The symbol acted as if it were alive, upon closer examination the mark had been formed beneath the skin. It was a mass of blackness, moving within them like a parasite yet it remained in place, writhing amongst their flesh. 

Once again the obelisk came alive, it's black form chipping away at itself before revealing the being trapped within. It was a woman, at least from what was seen at first glance, she stood about six feet tall with a slender figure. She was adorned in purple robes which covered every inch of her along with a white breastplate of unknown metal. Her face was concealed by a white faceless mask which revealed only her pure white eyes. The mask featured more the same inscriptions as the ruins along its edges, perhaps to serve as a description of her purpose. The woman said nothing upon her release, she merely stood there for a moment before collapsing before the seekers. Scholar Printh wasted no time in rushing to her aid. His eyes scanned her body in search of a way to aid her. Thinking she could not breathe, he tried removing her mask only to fail in attempt as whatever bound it to her held on firmly as if it were part of her. "See if her heart beats", Dirron suggested as his eyes turned back towards the tunnels. Printh placed an ear to her chest but could hear nothing. She had no heartbeat nor did her body feel alive. "Whatever magic that was meant to keep her alive in there has long dissapated. We've come too late", a defeated look fell upon Printh as he declared their failure. 

Dirron did not share his sorrow, but rather frustration. All this work to dig through these tunnels had led them to a bitter nothing. "We should bring the body back to Venridge, perhaps it can be studied or those runes translated", the knight took but a single step towards the lifeless Eshoneran before the ground beneath them began to quake violently. Large portions of the cavern surface caved in around them and from the black depths rose a massive beast. It resembled a worm with its fleshy skin that seemed to be rotting in various places. It featured a singular eye which glared down over the seekers with hatred and malice. The maw of broken and overlapping teeth had spread itself wide, spewing forth foul insectoid creatures in huge numbers. From the rotted holes in its body they also came forth, disgusting creatures that looked like horrible amalgamations of flesh and bone. From the depths they climbed up along the surface of the pillar of land which the seekers stood. As the creatures came over the edge it was clear what they were. These monsters had melded their bodies to that of prior adventurers, their corpses now husks to be used as food as well as a means for travel and combat. Dirron pulled forth his sword and without a moment a hesitation began cutting down those which advanced closest to his group. As his blade pierced their flesh, the parasites let out terrifying screams of genuine agony as they plummeted back into the void. Those poor souls who ventured down here were still alive, being kept alive in this state of pain as their forms were being eaten away in the dark for countless years. As more and more of those things came over the edge, Dirron began using his repulse spell to throw them back in numbers but more kept rising up. In the midst of the chaos a voice could be heard, it was coming from the massive worm. 

"STHA NIRGAHL ATLA, INF EINK OD INF AHR NEF OSK STHA ANA ALANOB!", from within the maw stood a grotesque humanoid. His rotting flesh being held together by some form of necromancy as he screamed down upon the seekers. The being stood like a man but it was impossible to determine what race he belonged to as decay had taken him long ago. He was tall, that much was sure despite his distance from the group. His hands were claw-like alomg with his feet. A set of long pointed teeth jutted out from his mouth as if reaching out to pierce into flesh. Blood and puss flowed from both eyeholes as his mouth spat forth more words in his unknown tongue. 

Dirron paid little mind to it as his singular focus was on fighting the encroaching minions, he had no intention of becoming one of them. "FORM A CIRCLE, WE MUST CUT AWAY AT THEM TOWARDS THE EXIT!"