The air around Ahron shimmered with dark energy, the shadows twisting and coiling around him like living creatures. His eyes gleamed with a cold amusement as he stepped forward, the ground beneath his feet trembling slightly with each step.
Eirik's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the Ether Dagger heavy in his hand. He had faced beasts, monsters, and even a stone Guardian, but this, this was different. Ahron exuded power, and it was clear that he was more than just a random opponent. He knew about the crafting system, and that made him a dangerous unknown.
Lyra didn't hesitate. She drew her bow, notched an arrow, and let it fly in a single fluid motion. The arrow streaked toward Ahron, but before it could hit, the shadows around him flared up, forming a barrier that swallowed the arrow whole. Ahron chuckled, a low, unsettling sound.
"You'll have to do better than that," Ahron said, his voice taunting.
Without warning, he raised his hand, and the shadows lashed out toward Eirik and Lyra like serpents. Eirik barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the dark tendrils struck the ground where he had stood just moments before. Lyra leaped back, her eyes narrowing as she fired another arrow, this time aiming for Ahron's head.
The shadow barrier absorbed the arrow again, and Ahron smiled, his movements casual and controlled. He wasn't even breaking a sweat.
Eirik's mind raced. He couldn't rely on brute force here. The Ether Dagger wouldn't get through the shadowy defenses, and Lyra's arrows were useless against Ahron's magic. He needed a plan, he needed something that could break through Ahron's barrier.
His system flashed, as if in response to his desperation.
New Blueprint Available: Shadow Disruptor
Material Requirements: Mana Crystal (x2), Ether Stone (x1), Shadow Essence (x1)
Effect: Creates a pulse of light capable of disrupting shadow-based magic for a limited time.
Eirik's eyes widened. Shadow Essence? He didn't have any, but the system's hint was clear. If he could gather it, he could craft a weapon that could level the playing field.
But how could he get close enough to Ahron to gather Shadow Essence?
"You're distracted, blacksmith," Ahron called out, his voice echoing through the darkened forest. "This will be over before you know it."
Ahron raised his hand again, and this time, the shadows coiled together into a massive, writhing mass. It shot toward Eirik with deadly precision. Eirik dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, but as he rolled to his feet, he saw something that made his breath catch.
When Ahron summoned the shadows, a small part of the dark energy remained where it had touched the ground, lingering in the air like a mist. Shadow Essence!
Without wasting another second, Eirik activated Analyze Material on the lingering darkness.
Material Found: Shadow Essence (x1)
Eirik's heart raced. He had the Shadow Essence, now he just needed to craft the disruptor. But there was no time. Ahron wasn't going to stand by and watch while Eirik crafted something. He needed to keep the pressure on.
"Lyra!" Eirik called. "I need you to buy me time!"
Lyra glanced at him, her expression grim but determined. She nodded, firing another arrow at Ahron. This time, it wasn't aimed at him directly, it was aimed at the ground in front of him, where the shadows were thickest. As the arrow hit, it kicked up dust and debris, momentarily obscuring Ahron's view.
Eirik dropped to one knee, already pulling out the Mana Crystals and the Ether Stone from his pouch. His hands moved swiftly, assembling the pieces as the system guided him. He could feel the energy building as he worked, the crystals pulsing with light as they fused with the Shadow Essence.
Crafting in Progress: Shadow Disruptor
Ahron's laughter rang out from behind the cloud of dust. "You think your little tricks will save you? You've barely scratched the surface of your power, blacksmith."
Eirik's hands trembled with urgency as he continued crafting. The Shadow Disruptor was nearly complete, but he could feel the weight of Ahron's presence pressing down on him. Lyra's arrows weren't going to hold him off forever.
The dust began to clear, revealing Ahron's silhouette. His eyes locked onto Eirik, and the shadows coiled around him once again. "You're out of time."
But Eirik wasn't done yet. With a final surge of energy, the Shadow Disruptor came together in his hands. It was a small device, no larger than his palm, but it hummed with magical power, the light from the Mana Crystals glowing fiercely.
Item Crafted: Shadow Disruptor +40 Crafting EXP
Eirik stood, his heart pounding as he activated the device. A bright pulse of light exploded from the disruptor, spreading through the air in a wave of energy. As the light hit Ahron's shadows, they recoiled, flickering and dissipating like smoke in the wind.
Ahron's eyes widened in shock as the shadows around him fell away, leaving him exposed for the first time.
"Now, Lyra!" Eirik shouted.
Without hesitation, Lyra drew her bow and fired a single arrow. This time, with no shadow barrier to stop it, the arrow flew straight and true, striking Ahron in the shoulder. He let out a growl of pain, staggering back as blood seeped from the wound.
But Ahron wasn't done.
"You think this will stop me?" he hissed, his voice laced with fury. He raised his hand, summoning what little shadow energy remained, but the disruptor's light had weakened him. His control over the darkness was slipping.
Eirik didn't give him a chance to recover. He charged forward, the Ether Dagger in hand. Ahron swung his arm, trying to summon more shadows, but the disruptor's pulse still hung in the air, keeping his powers at bay. Eirik slashed with the dagger, the blade glowing with magical energy as it sliced through Ahron's defenses.
The blade struck Ahron's side, and the dark mage let out a cry of pain, stumbling backward. His shadowy form flickered, and for the first time, Eirik saw fear in his eyes.
"This isn't over," Ahron spat, his voice shaking with anger. "You have no idea what you're up against."
Before Eirik could strike again, the shadows around Ahron swirled violently, enveloping him in a dark vortex. In an instant, his body dissolved into the darkness, disappearing from sight. The shadows dissipated, leaving only silence in their wake.
Eirik stood there, panting, the Ether Dagger still raised. Ahron was gone, but his words echoed in Eirik's mind: You have no idea what you're up against.
Lyra approached, her eyes scanning the area where Ahron had vanished. "He'll be back," she said quietly. "People like him don't give up that easily."
Eirik nodded, his heart still racing. Ahron had been powerful, more powerful than anything he had faced before. And if he was right, this wasn't the last time they'd cross paths.
The system flashed again, breaking Eirik's thoughts.
New Objective Completed: Survive the Attack +100 EXP
New Material Obtained: Ahron's Shadow Core (x1)
Eirik frowned, opening his inventory to inspect the item. The Shadow Core pulsed with a dark energy, not unlike the Mana Crystals, but its power felt… unsettling.
"What do you think it is?" Lyra asked, peering over his shoulder.
"I don't know," Eirik said slowly. "But whatever it is, it's powerful."
He slipped the Shadow Core into his pack, a sense of unease creeping over him. Ahron had been after something, and now, with this new material, Eirik had a feeling he was caught in something far larger than he understood.
"We need to get back to the village," Lyra said. "There are people there who might know more about this."
Eirik nodded, his mind still racing with thoughts of Ahron and the Shadow Core. Whatever was coming, he knew one thing for sure, his crafting system had only just begun to reveal its true potential.