It won't work

"It's not enough, Captain." Edlynn eyes search the treasures with her eyes as she explains. "This is the hub that feeds all the other seven wardstones. If this central ward fails, they all fail." She seizes a large amphora by its handle and understanding her intent you grasp the other side; together you carry the sealed jug inlaid with silver to the ebony disk in the rear of the vault. If this works, Sir," the panting priestess smiles at you in what feels like genuine appreciation, "you will have well earned whatever price it is that you exact from my body." You had forgotten the promise made by the slender priestess up in the sanctuary, but her off-hand reminder sends a wave of desire through you. Even now, naked except for the chain wrapped around her neck and draped between her breasts she looks almost like a goddess herself, to have her willingly open her thighs for you to despoil makes your cock swell under your clothes. It is a short lived moment because as the holy water from the amphora floods the pitted surface of the polished wardstone you see immediately what has the cleric of Athena so alarmed. A circle of red is clearly visible under the frothing liquid and you can see cracks of pulsing heat that crisscross the inner circle like the fractures on a broken eggshell.

As soon as the extent of the damage to the black disk has been made apparent the priestess by you side begins to chant in a language far older than anything you've ever heard spoken. Judging by the sweat that is beading her brow, simply reciting the words is taking more effort than carrying the heavy amphora. Not that it seems to be doing any good.

As you watch, a long slender hand with claw-like nails pierces the softened stone and claws at the surrounding rock tearing a handful of it away like soft clay on a riverbank. The next time the hand breaches the ward, you strike the long thin fingers with your sword, but the weapon glances off the demon's hand without even scratching it.

"Don't bother!" Edlynn stops her chanting long enough to admonish you. "Your blade can't harm that demon's physical body, save your strength for the flesh golems."

"What do you need?" You ask as whole disk pulses like a smooth pond when a rock is thrown into the center.

"I need priestesses trained in the warding ritual, but the only ones still left in the Temple are acolytes." Edlynn doesn't have to remind you that many of those young women are probably not in any condition to perform any kind of ritual, but you decide to do what you can. Turning to Adriana, you send her to get help.

"Tell your mother that we need any of the acolytes who can to come immediately, my men can accompany them if they like. Only the gods know what we can do, but it's better than giving up without a fight." Edlynn nods silently as she surveys the assorted artifacts and then points to the weapons.

"Arm your men with the spears, Captain; they're said to be relics from the first Titan wars. If they truly are, you may make the demons think twice about forcing their way through the breach." As you pull the spears from the rack you decide to upgrade your sword to the gladius that sits on the gilded stand, you may burn up in a ball of holy fire for your blasphemy, but better that than to strike uselessly at you foe.

When you get back to the ravaged wardstone, you find Cassiopeia has joined Edlynn in her chant. The pretty young acolyte is clearly doing her best, but even you can hear the hesitation in her voice as she tries to follow along with the unfamiliar ritual. It doesn't seem to be enough; the polished black stone continues to wobble like a bowlful of pudding and this time it is not one clawed hand that reaches through the growing breach but two. The two hands claw at the edges of the hole and the gap is now roughly the size of your head. With a cry of anger you swing at the black claws and this time when your sword strikes the hands tearing at the cracked disk you see a flash of white light and hear a howl of pain and anger from the demon below.