The Moonlit Hollow glimmered under the faint golden glow of the artifact. Its rhythmic hum reverberated through the chilled air, a constant reminder of its presence. Aria perched atop a jagged rock, her sharp blue eyes scanning the stillness around her.
The Frost Mink sat at her side, chewing on a twig it had dragged from the stream. Occasionally, it glanced up at her with wide, curious eyes.
"Nothing yet," she muttered, her claws flexing against the frozen stone. "But it's too quiet."
The mink squeaked in reply, tilting its head.
"Don't give me that look," Aria said, her tail flicking. "You felt it last time, didn't you? Trouble's coming. It always does."
---
Xuan Hao was seated near the artifact, his dark robes blending with the shadows as faint threads of crimson energy shimmered around him. He appeared calm, meditative, but Aria didn't trust the stillness.
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed as she watched him. "What's he up to now?"
"System," she thought, her tail curling around her paws. "Is he doing anything dangerous?"
"Analyzing... No hostile intent detected. Current activity: Energy refinement."
Her fur bristled. "He better not be messing with the artifact."
The Frost Mink let out a soft squeak, bounding over to Xuan Hao and sniffing at the edge of his robes.
Aria growled, leaping down from her perch to intercept. "Get back here," she muttered, nudging the mink with her paw. "You don't need to be near him."
Xuan Hao opened one eye, his faint smile returning. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt your little friend."
Aria's sharp blue eyes blazed. "Stay out of their business, and I'll stay out of yours."
He chuckled softly. "Fair enough."
---
The morning passed uneventfully, though the tension in the hollow was impossible to ignore. Aria patrolled the perimeter, her sharp senses tuned to every sound and movement.
The snow remained undisturbed, but the air felt heavier, charged with an undercurrent of energy that made her fur bristle.
"System," she thought, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "Status update."
"Artifact resonance stable. Hostile detection probability: 50%. Environmental anomalies detected."
Her ears twitched. "Anomalies?"
"Fluctuations in ambient energy levels suggest potential disturbances nearby."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed, her tail swishing. "So it's not just me. Something's off."
---
By midday, Xuan Hao had finished his meditation and was standing near the edge of the hollow, his dark eyes scanning the horizon.
Aria approached cautiously, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What are you looking at?"
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "You feel it, don't you? The shift in the air?"
Her fur bristled. "What do you know about it?"
He smirked faintly. "More than I'd like. This artifact of yours is sending ripples through the Wildlands. Whatever's out there, it's not going to ignore that for long."
Aria growled softly, her claws flexing. "So we're on borrowed time."
"Exactly," he said, his tone calm. "The question is, how much time do we have left?"
---
The Frost Mink scurried over to them, squeaking nervously as it glanced between Aria and Xuan Hao.
"What's wrong?" Aria asked, lowering her head to nudge the tiny creature.
The mink squeaked again, trembling as it pressed against her leg.
Xuan Hao frowned, his dark eyes narrowing. "It senses something."
Aria's sharp blue eyes scanned the horizon, her fur bristling. "System, what's out there?"
"Multiple entities detected. Threat level: Severe. Estimated arrival: Imminent."
Her stomach twisted. "How many?"
"Six hostiles identified. Coordinated movement detected."
Aria growled, her claws scraping against the ground. "Here we go again."
---
The hostiles appeared moments later, their sleek forms emerging from the treeline like shadows.
Three Abyssal Wolves prowled forward, their glowing red eyes locked onto the hollow. Their black fur shimmered faintly in the light, their sharp claws leaving deep tracks in the snow.
Behind them, two Frostscale Lizards slithered into view, their icy blue scales glinting as they hissed softly.
And at the back of the pack, a single Frostshadow Lynx moved with deadly precision, its sharp yellow eyes scanning the hollow.
"Hostiles confirmed: Abyssal Wolf Pack (3), Frostscale Lizards (2), and Frostshadow Lynx (1). Beast Awakening Stage: Advanced Phase. Threat level: Extreme."
Aria's fur bristled, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "It's never just one or two, is it?"
Xuan Hao stepped forward, his blade gleaming faintly as he drew it from his sheath. "Looks like we're up again," he said, his tone calm.
Aria growled softly, her tail lashing. "Try not to get in my way."
He smirked faintly, twirling the blade in his hand. "Likewise."
---
The battle began with a flurry of movement.
The Abyssal Wolves lunged first, their sharp claws slicing through the snow as they charged toward the artifact.
Aria activated Lunar Veil, her shimmering form disappearing as she intercepted them.
"Lunar Veil II: 75% Progress."
Her claws raked through the nearest wolf's flank, the creature snarling as it stumbled back.
Xuan Hao moved like a shadow, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. One of the Frostscale Lizards lunged at him, its icy tail striking out, but he dodged effortlessly, landing a devastating blow to its side.
The Frostshadow Lynx watched them both, its sharp yellow eyes calculating as it prowled closer.
---
The fight was chaotic, each predator moving with deadly precision as they coordinated their attacks.
Aria used Spirit Step to phase through the wolves' strikes, reappearing behind them to land calculated blows.
"Spirit Step Mastery: Enhanced stamina efficiency detected. Minor Attribute Boost applied."
Xuan Hao's crimson energy flared as he countered the Frostscale Lizards, his movements fluid and efficient.
The Frostshadow Lynx struck with terrifying speed, its sharp claws slicing through the air as it lunged at Aria.
She dodged narrowly, her tail swishing as she circled around to land a devastating blow to its hind leg.
---
The battle 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 Abyssal Wolves and Frostscale Lizards down one by one.
The Frostshadow Lynx let out a final, pained snarl as it collapsed onto the snow, its icy blue fur stained with blood.
"Quest Complete: Eliminate Hostiles. +200 EXP earned. Major Attribute Boost applied."
---
Aria collapsed onto the ground, her chest heaving as the adrenaline coursed through her.
Xuan Hao stood nearby, his blade dripping with blood, though his expression remained calm.
"Not bad," he said, his tone light. "For a beast."
Aria growled softly, her tail flicking. "You talk too much."
He chuckled softly, sheathing his blade. "And you're welcome."
The Frost Mink scurried toward Aria, squeaking softly as it nuzzled her side.
"For now," she thought, her sharp blue eyes drifting shut, "the hollow is safe. But this isn't over."