Eryndor's fingers slipped on the damp stone wall as he scrambled to find a handhold. Vorgath's growl echoed through the darkness below, urging him to climb faster. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the crumbling castle ruins.
As Eryndor reached the top, a snarling mass of shadowy figures emerged from the night, their eyes glowing like embers. Vorgath leapt onto the wall, his claws digging into the stone beside Eryndor.
"We have to get out of here, now!" Eryndor yelled, but Vorgath's gaze was fixed on something beyond the shadows.
A figure stood at the edge of the darkness, its presence seeming to draw the very light out of the air. Eryndor felt an icy breath whisper past his ear.
"Too late," the figure whispered, its voice like a sigh from the grave. "The Shadow Pack has you surrounded."
And with that, the darkness closed in.
---
Eryndor's eyes scanned the yellowed map, his mind racing with the implications. The ancient text, penned by a long-forgotten seer, hinted at a dark ritual site hidden deep within the Shadowwood. A place where the Shadow Pack, a cabal of twisted creatures, drew their power from the very fabric of darkness.
Vorgath, sensing his tension, paced beside him, claws clicking on the stone floor. The abandoned windmill, their temporary refuge, creaked and groaned in the gentle breeze, its broken windows like empty eyes staring out into the night.
"This is it," Eryndor whispered, his finger tracing the winding path through the forest roads. "The ritual site must be here, hidden behind the waterfall."
Vorgath's ears perked up, his tail twitching with excitement. "You think this is where they're drawing their power?"
Eryndor nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities. "If we can find and destroy the source, we might be able to weaken their hold on the land."
The Shadow Pack's influence had spread like a cancer, corrupting the very earth itself. Crops withered, rivers ran dry, and the skies grew dark with foreboding clouds. The people of the nearby village lived in terror, whispering tales of ghostly apparitions and unexplained occurrences.
Vorgath's eyes gleamed with a fierce light. "Then let's move out. We have a few hours before midnight, when the ritual is said to take place."
Eryndor nodded, folding the map with a sense of determination. "Let's gear up. We don't know what we'll face."
As they prepared, the wind outside began to pick up, rustling the dry leaves and sending the windmill's creaks and groans into a haunting melody. Eryndor felt a shiver run down his spine, but Vorgath just grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight.
Their journey took them through treacherous paths, overgrown with thorns and vines. The trees loomed above, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching for the sky. Eryndor's senses were on high alert, his dagger at the ready. Vorgath prowled ahead, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger.
As they approached the ritual site, the air grew thick with malevolent energy. Eryndor could feel it, a palpable force that made his skin crawl. Vorgath's ears folded back, his tail twitching with unease.
Suddenly, the chanting began, a low, pulsing rhythm that seemed to draw them closer. The pounding drums echoed through the forest, making the ground tremble beneath their feet.
"We're close," Eryndor whispered, his heart racing with anticipation.
Vorgath nodded, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Stay sharp. We don't know what we're walking into."
As they rounded the final bend, the ritual site came into view. A clearing, surrounded by a ring of mushrooms, their caps glowing with an eerie, ethereal light. In the center, a massive stone pedestal, upon which rested a glowing crystal, pulsing with dark energy.
Eryndor's eyes widened, his mind reeling with the implications. "This is it. This is the source of their power."
But as they approached, the Shadow Pack emerged from the darkness, their eyes glowing like embers in the night...