The cold night air cut through the clearing as Alex stood over the now-silent bodies of the reanimated corpses. His breath came in ragged gasps, the adrenaline still pulsing through his veins. Beside him, Mira wiped her blade clean, her eyes scanning the darkened trees around them, while Kellan kicked over one of the fallen bodies, his brow furrowed in thought.
"That was close," Mira said quietly, sheathing her sword. "We've dealt with monsters, but this…"
"Necromancy," Alex finished, still gripping his weapon tightly. The battle had been unexpected, the corpses moving faster and with more coordination than any normal undead. Someone—or something—was controlling them. "Whoever did this is close by. We should keep moving."
The system, which had remained silent during the fight, suddenly chimed in. "Warning: Unidentified hostile presence detected within a 500-meter radius. Increase in necromantic energy noted. Recommend proceeding with caution and preparing defensive measures."
Alex frowned. "System, can you pinpoint where the energy is coming from?"
"Calculating… Estimated direction is east, but the energy is diffused. The source may be mobile or deliberately masking its presence."
Mira exchanged a worried glance with Kellan. "We're getting closer, then. This necromancer isn't just experimenting on random travelers—there's a plan here."
Kellan nodded in agreement. "It feels deliberate. The way those corpses moved, like they were waiting for something… or someone."
"We need to find out who or what is behind this," Alex said, his tone grim. "And we need to stop them before they cause more damage."
As they continued through the forest, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to thicken. The trees loomed larger, their twisted branches clawing at the sky, and the ground grew soft beneath their feet, as though the earth itself had been poisoned by the dark magic. Solara, Alex's summoned fire bird, flew overhead, casting a soft glow as she circled above, her keen eyes watching for danger.
The system provided constant updates, scanning their surroundings for signs of danger. "Hostile signatures detected. Low-level undead creatures scattered throughout the area. No immediate threats, but be advised—movement patterns indicate coordination."
Alex gritted his teeth. "They're preparing for something. We need to stay sharp."
Hours passed, the forest growing denser and more treacherous with every step. The air grew colder, and a faint mist began to rise from the ground, swirling around their feet like grasping fingers. Alex could feel the dark energy in the air—it was stronger here, more concentrated. They were getting closer to the source.
Then, without warning, the system's voice echoed in his mind again. "High-level threat detected. Approximate distance: 200 meters. Energy levels are increasing exponentially. Advise extreme caution."
Mira stopped in her tracks, her hand instinctively going to her sword. "That's close. Too close."
"We need to be ready," Kellan said, his tone low and serious. "No telling what we'll be walking into."
Alex nodded, gripping his weapon tightly. He took a deep breath, focusing his mind and drawing upon the power within him. His connection to Altairis, the Creator God, gave him strength, but he knew it was the system's guidance that would help him navigate the dangerous path ahead. He trusted it completely.
As they pushed through the thick undergrowth, the forest suddenly opened up into a wide clearing. In the center stood a crumbling stone altar, ancient and covered in dark runes that pulsed with malevolent energy. Surrounding the altar were more of the reanimated corpses—dozens of them, standing perfectly still, their hollow eyes fixed on the ground.
At the center of it all was a figure cloaked in black, their face obscured by a hood. They stood before the altar, chanting in a language Alex didn't understand, their hands raised as dark energy swirled around them.
"That's our necromancer," Kellan muttered, his eyes narrowing. "We need to take them out before they summon something worse."
The system's voice cut in again, its tone urgent. "Warning: Enemy mage is channeling a large amount of necromantic energy. Risk of summoning high-level entity imminent. Immediate action required."
Alex stepped forward, his voice steady despite the growing tension. "System, what's the best approach?"
"Analysis indicates the necromancer is focusing all energy on the summoning ritual. Recommend disrupting the ritual by destroying the altar or neutralizing the mage. Multiple targets detected—be advised, corpses may activate upon approach."
"We'll need to split up," Alex said quickly, his mind racing. "Mira, Kellan, you take out the corpses. I'll handle the necromancer and try to destroy the altar."
Mira gave him a determined nod, drawing her sword. "Got it. Be careful, Alex."
Kellan cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's make this quick."
Without another word, they sprang into action. Mira and Kellan charged toward the nearest group of corpses, their weapons flashing in the dim light as they began cutting them down with practiced precision. The undead moved sluggishly at first, but as the dark energy from the altar intensified, they began to move faster, their jerky, unnatural movements becoming more fluid and coordinated.
Alex sprinted toward the altar, his weapon raised. The necromancer barely reacted, too focused on the ritual to notice his approach. Dark energy crackled around the mage's hands, the air growing thick with power as the summoning ritual neared completion.
"Warning: Ritual completion imminent. 60 seconds remaining."
Alex's heart pounded in his chest. He had to stop this now. He called upon the power of Altairis, feeling divine energy surge through his body. His weapon began to glow with a radiant light, infused with the Creator God's blessing. He aimed for the altar, intending to destroy it before the ritual could be completed.
But just as he was about to strike, the necromancer turned, their hood falling back to reveal a gaunt, pale face with glowing red eyes. They raised a hand, and a wave of dark energy shot toward Alex, slamming into him with the force of a freight train. He was thrown back, crashing into the ground with a grunt of pain.
"Health levels critical. Healing suggested. Deploying emergency healing protocol."
Alex felt a warm sensation spread through his body as the system activated its healing function, mending his wounds and restoring his strength. He pushed himself to his feet, his eyes locked on the necromancer, who was now advancing toward him, dark energy swirling around them like a storm.
"I won't let you succeed," Alex growled, gripping his weapon tightly. "This ends now."
The necromancer's lips curled into a twisted smile. "You're too late, boy. The ritual is almost complete. Soon, my master will rise, and this world will be consumed by darkness."
Alex's mind raced. He couldn't afford to waste time trading blows with this enemy. The system chimed in again, its voice urgent. "Ritual completion in 30 seconds. Recommend focusing all available power on destroying the altar. High risk of summoning if interrupted directly."
He glanced at the altar, now glowing with dark energy, the runes pulsing faster with every passing second. He had no choice. Channeling all the divine energy he could muster, Alex raised his weapon high, the blade glowing with radiant light.
"Altairis, guide me," he whispered, and with a mighty swing, he brought the weapon crashing down onto the altar.
There was a blinding flash of light, followed by an ear-splitting crack as the altar shattered into pieces. The dark energy that had been building around it dissipated, and the necromancer let out a scream of rage and disbelief as the ritual was broken.
"Ritual disruption successful. High-level threat neutralized. System recommends immediate retreat."
The necromancer staggered backward, clutching their chest as the dark energy that had empowered them began to fade. "No… no! This can't be!"
Alex wasted no time. He lunged forward, his weapon flashing as he struck the necromancer down with a single, decisive blow. The figure crumpled to the ground, the dark magic leaving their body in wisps of smoke.
Panting heavily, Alex turned to see Mira and Kellan finishing off the last of the corpses. They were battered and bruised, but victorious.
"We did it," Mira said breathlessly, wiping sweat from her brow. "That was close."
Kellan nodded, his face grim. "Too close."
Alex sheathed his weapon, his mind still racing. They had stopped the summoning, but the necromancer's words lingered in his mind. "This isn't over," he said quietly. "There's more to this. The demons… they're planning something bigger."
The system's voice cut in one last time. "Mission complete. Enemy forces eliminated. However, further investigation is recommended. System detects residual traces of dark energy in the surrounding area. Larger threat may still be present."
Alex exchanged a look with his friends. They had won this battle, but the war was far from over.