Lirien's hand tightened around her sword hilt as the dark figure's power surged around her. She could feel the air growing thick with malevolent energy, and she knew they had to act fast.
Raven's eyes flickered towards the dark figure, and for a moment, Lirien saw a glimmer of fear in their depths. But then his smile returned, wider than ever.
"Ah, no," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "We won't be intimidated. We'll take what we came for, and we'll leave with it."
The dark figure laughed, the sound like a cold wind blowing through the mountains. "You are foolish to think you can defeat me," it said. "I am the shadow of the land itself."
Kaelin stepped forward, its voice calm and commanding. "We are not afraid of you," it said. "We will not back down."
The dark figure raised its hand, and the air seemed to split open, revealing a dark portal.
"Then come through," it said. "Let us settle this once and for all."
Lirien hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then she remembered their mission: to stop the Shadowheart's return.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward, followed by Arin and Eira. Raven grinned, and together they walked through the portal into the heart of darkness.
As they emerged on the other side, Lirien saw that they were in a vast underground cavern filled with twisted, gnarled trees and dark pools of water. The air was thick with the scent of decay and death.
And at the far end of the cavern stood a massive stone statue of the Shadowheart itself.