With the Oracle's warning haunting her, Aria and Kael set out for the treacherous mountains where Malvaris's dark fortress lay hidden. The journey was long and perilous, as they traveled under cover of night to avoid detection. Cold winds howled through the narrow mountain paths, and the weight of Aria's mission settled heavily upon her.
When they reached the fortress, Kael led her to a secret passage rumored to be used by smugglers. The hidden entry allowed them to slip inside undetected, and they crept through dimly lit corridors filled with eerie shadows. From afar, the sound of chanting drifted through the halls, sending chills down Aria's spine.
Peering around a corner, they spotted Malvaris himself, cloaked in darkness, standing before a massive stone altar. His voice was a low, sinister hum as he chanted, summoning dark energy into a crystal held high above his head. "With the Crown of Shadows, I shall claim Eldoria's life force," he declared, his voice echoing ominously.
Aria and Kael exchanged a tense glance. They couldn't confront him now; they were outmatched. Silently, they slipped back through the passage, vowing to find the Crown of Light before Malvaris could complete his ritual.
Aria knew the stakes were higher than ever. She couldn't fail.