The Moonlit Hollow felt heavier than ever. The glow of the artifact remained subdued, but its faint hum had grown more persistent, like a steady heartbeat reverberating through the snow. Aria stood near the edge of the hollow, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the horizon.
Her claws flexed against the frozen ground as she scanned the treeline.
"This artifact is trouble," she muttered. "And it's only going to get worse."
The Frost Mink sat beside her, its tiny body trembling slightly as it squeaked.
Aria glanced down at the creature. "You're nervous too, huh? That makes two of us."
The mink squeaked again, pressing against her leg.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Stay close. If something's coming, I'm not letting you wander off."
---
The morning passed in tense silence. Aria patrolled her territory, her sharp senses on high alert for any signs of movement. The snow was undisturbed, and the crisp air carried no fresh scents, but the oppressive weight of the artifact's energy made her fur bristle.
"System," she thought, her claws scraping against the ground. "What's the status on the artifact?"
"Artifact resonance stabilizing. Energy field expanding. Hostiles may detect presence over greater distances."
Her stomach sank. "So it's broadcasting even farther now?"
"Correct. Probability of future hostiles converging has increased."
Aria growled softly. "Great. As if the Wildlands needed more reasons to kill me."
---
As she returned to the center of the hollow, the Frost Mink darted ahead, squeaking loudly.
Aria followed with a sigh, her sharp blue eyes narrowing as she spotted the artifact. Its glow had intensified slightly, casting faint ripples of golden light across the snow.
Her claws flexed as she approached, her tail swishing. "System, what's going on now?"
"Artifact resonance nearing threshold. Energy spike imminent."
Her fur bristled. "Energy spike? What does that mean?"
"Analysis suggests temporary environmental distortion or release of latent energy. Potential outcomes unknown."
Aria's sharp blue eyes narrowed. "You couldn't be more specific?"
"Negative."
"Useless," she muttered, her claws scraping against the frozen ground.
---
The Frost Mink scurried closer to the artifact, its tiny body trembling as it squeaked nervously.
"Don't touch it," Aria growled, glaring at the tiny creature. "I mean it."
The mink froze, backing away with a soft squeak.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "At least you listen sometimes."
---
The oppressive tension in the air grew thicker as the day wore on. By mid-afternoon, Aria's fur was bristling, her sharp instincts screaming that danger was near.
The artifact's hum grew louder, its glow pulsing in erratic rhythms that made her claws itch.
"Something's coming," she muttered, her tail lashing.
The Frost Mink pressed against her leg, squeaking softly.
Aria crouched low, her sharp blue eyes narrowing as she scanned the horizon. "System, give me an update."
"Multiple hostiles detected. Threat level: Severe. Estimated arrival: Imminent."
Her claws flexed. "How many?"
"Five entities identified. Analysis suggests coordination."
Aria growled softly. "Another pack? Fantastic."
---
The hostiles appeared moments later, their sleek forms emerging from the shadows at the edge of her territory.
Three Abyssal Wolves prowled toward the hollow, their black fur glinting faintly in the light. Their glowing red eyes were locked on the artifact, their sharp claws scraping against the frozen ground as they moved closer.
Behind them, two Frostscale Lizards slithered into view, their icy blue scales shimmering as they hissed softly.
"Hostiles confirmed: Abyssal Wolf Pack (3) and Frostscale Lizards (2). Beast Awakening Stage: Advanced Phase. Threat level: Extreme."
Aria's stomach twisted.
"Wolves and lizards working together?" she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "That's new."
---
She crouched low, activating Lunar Veil as her shimmering form disappeared into the shadows.
"Lunar Veil II: 45% Progress."
The wolves paused, their sharp noses sniffing the air as they tried to track her movements.
Aria moved silently, circling behind the nearest wolf.
She lunged, her claws raking across its flank. The creature snarled, stumbling as blood stained the snow beneath it.
The other wolves growled, their glowing red eyes narrowing as they turned to face her.
The Frostscale Lizards hissed, their sharp tails slicing through the air as they slithered closer.
"Alright," Aria growled, her claws flexing. "Let's see what you've got."
---
The battle was chaotic, each predator moving with deadly precision as they coordinated their attacks.
Aria used Spirit Step to phase through their strikes, reappearing behind them to land calculated blows.
"Spirit Step Mastery: Enhanced stamina efficiency detected. Minor Attribute Boost applied."
Her strikes were relentless, targeting the wolves' legs and the lizards' tails to weaken them. But their numbers and coordination forced her to stay on the defensive.
One wolf lunged at her, its claws grazing her side. Aria snarled, twisting mid-air as she struck back with a powerful swipe.
The Frostscale Lizards charged from opposite sides, their sharp tails slicing through the snow in synchronized strikes.
Aria dodged narrowly, her tail swishing as she circled around to land a devastating blow to one of the lizards' hind legs.
---
The fight dragged on, the predators growing more desperate as their strength waned.
Aria's sharp claws tore through their defenses, each strike chipping away at their coordination.
Finally, with a series of calculated attacks, she brought the wolves down one by one.
The Frostscale Lizards hissed, their movements becoming frantic as they tried to retreat.
Aria didn't let them escape.
With one final burst of speed, she lunged at the remaining lizard, her claws striking its exposed neck.
The creature let out a final, pained hiss before collapsing onto the snow.
"Quest Complete: Eliminate Hostiles. +150 EXP earned. Major Attribute Boost applied."
---
Aria collapsed onto the snow, her chest heaving as the adrenaline coursed through her.
The Frost Mink appeared moments later, scurrying toward her with a worried squeak.
"I'm fine," Aria muttered, glaring down at the tiny creature. "But this? This is getting ridiculous."
The mink squeaked softly, nuzzling against her leg.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah. You're welcome. Again."
---
Dragging the carcasses back to the hollow was exhausting, but Aria refused to leave them behind. The other minks gathered around as she dropped the bodies near the stream, their soft squeaks filling the air.
"Don't even think about it," Aria growled, glaring at them. "These are mine."
The Frost Mink squeaked, curling up beside her with a contented sigh.
Aria sighed, her sharp blue eyes softening. "For now, the hollow is safe. But that artifact? It's going to get us all killed."
As the snow began to fall again, the Moonlit Hollow settled into a fragile peace, the artifact's faint hum a constant reminder of the storm still brewing.