The Moonlit Hollow remained eerily quiet in the aftermath of the battle. The faint glow of the artifact cast long shadows over the icy landscape, illuminating the shattered remains of the Frostmaw Basilisk. Its massive form lay still, a testament to the brutality of the fight that had just ended.
Aria sat at the edge of the hollow, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. Despite the temporary calm, her fur bristled, and her claws flexed against the frozen ground. Every instinct screamed that the battle wasn't over—that something darker loomed on the horizon.
The Frost Mink nestled against her side, its tiny body trembling as it let out soft, uncertain chirps.
"Relax," Aria muttered, her tail flicking sharply. "We got through it."
But the words felt hollow, even to her.
---
Xuan Hao stood near the artifact, his blade sheathed but his posture tense. His dark robes were torn, and his usually composed expression was lined with exhaustion.
"You're thinking too much," he said, his voice cutting through the stillness.
Aria glanced at him, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "And you're not thinking enough."
He smirked faintly, leaning against a jagged ice formation. "What's the point? We survived, didn't we?"
Her claws scraped against the ground. "For now."
---
The Frost Mink scurried toward the artifact, its tiny paws crunching softly against the snow.
"Hey!" Aria barked, her sharp blue eyes flashing as she intercepted the creature. "What did I say about getting too close?"
The mink squeaked in protest, tilting its head.
Xuan Hao chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're like an overprotective parent."
Her fur bristled. "And you're like an annoying neighbor who doesn't know when to leave."
He raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "At least I'm entertaining."
"Barely," Aria growled, her tail lashing.
---
The hollow's stillness grew heavier, the air thick with unspoken tension. The artifact's hum, once steady, began to shift, the vibrations growing erratic.
"System," Aria thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What's happening now?"
"Energy fluctuations detected. Probability of hostile attraction: 65%. External interference confirmed."
Her fur bristled, her claws digging into the snow. "External interference? From what?"
"Unknown source. Signature exceeds current detection range."
She growled softly, her tail swishing sharply. "That's not helpful."
---
Xuan Hao crouched near the artifact, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied the faint cracks forming along its surface.
"It's changing," he said, his tone thoughtful.
Aria approached cautiously, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the glowing orb. "What do you mean?"
He gestured to the golden light, now flickering faintly. "The energy's unstable. It wasn't like this before."
Her claws flexed. "So what's causing it?"
He shrugged, his smirk returning. "Isn't that your area of expertise?"
She growled softly. "I'll figure it out when I'm not busy saving your life."
---
The Frost Mink and its companions gathered near the stream, their chirps filling the hollow as they huddled together.
Aria watched them from a distance, her sharp blue eyes softening briefly.
"They don't even realize how close we came to losing everything," she thought.
The smallest mink glanced back at her, chirping as if to say, We trust you.
She sighed, shaking her head. "That's your first mistake."
---
The faint glow of the artifact began to intensify, its hum deepening into a low growl that reverberated through the hollow.
"System," Aria thought, her claws flexing. "Status update."
"Artifact resonance destabilizing. Probability of hostile attraction: 80%. Time frame: 30–45 minutes. Classification: Extreme."
Her fur bristled. "How many this time?"
"Hostiles detected: Abyssal Wolf Pack (2), Iceclaw Serpent (1), and Voidshadow Wraith (1). Threat levels: Severe to Extreme."
Her sharp blue eyes widened. "A Voidshadow Wraith? Are you serious?"
"Confirmed. Voidshadow Wraith detected. Caution strongly advised. Host is advised to avoid direct engagement if possible."
---
Xuan Hao straightened, his blade glowing faintly in the artifact's light. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Close enough," Aria growled, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "There's a Voidshadow Wraith coming."
His smirk faltered slightly, his dark eyes narrowing. "That's... problematic."
"You think?" she snapped, her claws digging into the ground.
---
The first shadow appeared on the horizon, its sleek black form weaving through the jagged ice formations. An Abyssal Wolf emerged, its glowing red eyes fixed on the artifact.
Behind it, the second wolf prowled into view, followed by the Iceclaw Serpent—a massive, sinuous creature with glistening white scales that shimmered with frost.
But the true threat came last.
The Voidshadow Wraith floated silently above the ground, its dark, shifting form barely tangible. Its glowing purple eyes burned with an unnatural light, and the air around it seemed to warp and ripple.
---
The Abyssal Wolves lunged first, their claws tearing through the snow as they charged toward the artifact.
Xuan Hao intercepted them, his blade flashing crimson as he met the first wolf's attack. The clash sent a shockwave through the hollow, the sound of metal against claws echoing sharply.
The second wolf darted around him, aiming for the artifact.
"Not today," Aria growled, activating Spirit Step to phase through its strike and land a precise blow to its flank.
The creature yelped, stumbling as it tried to recover, but she didn't give it the chance. With a swift follow-up, she raked her claws across its throat, sending it crumpling to the ground.
---
The Iceclaw Serpent slithered closer, its massive body coiling as frost gathered around its jaws. It unleashed a blast of icy breath, the cold so intense that the ground crystallized beneath it.
Aria leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack as she activated Lunar Veil to disappear into the shadows.
"Lunar Veil II: Enhanced stealth duration and reduced energy cost detected."
She reappeared above the serpent, driving her claws into its vulnerable neck. The creature hissed in pain, thrashing violently as it tried to dislodge her.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "Weak points?"
"Iceclaw Serpent weak points identified: Underbelly and base of skull."
She growled, repositioning herself before delivering a devastating strike to the base of its skull. The serpent let out one final hiss before collapsing into the snow.
---
The Voidshadow Wraith floated silently above the battlefield, its presence sending chills down Aria's spine.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing. "What's the plan for this thing?"
"Voidshadow Wraith possesses high mobility and resistance to physical attacks. Weak points: Energy core located within central mass. Caution: High lethality detected."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed. "Of course it's complicated."
The wraith turned its glowing purple eyes toward her, its form shifting as it released a wave of dark energy.
Aria activated Spirit Step, phasing through the attack and reappearing behind it.
Xuan Hao moved in tandem, his blade glowing with crimson energy as he struck the wraith's core. The creature shrieked, its form flickering as the energy around it began to destabilize.
"Keep it distracted!" Aria barked, her claws glowing faintly as she darted toward the core.
Together, they struck the wraith with precision, its dark form collapsing in on itself before vanishing in a burst of energy.
---
The hollow fell silent once more, the only sound the faint hum of the artifact.
Aria collapsed onto the snow, her chest heaving.
Xuan Hao stood nearby, his blade dripping with shadowy residue. "Not bad," he said, his tone light.
"Shut up," Aria muttered, her tail flicking.
The Frost Mink scurried over, chirping softly as it nuzzled against her side.
"For now," she thought, her sharp blue eyes closing, "we're still here. But the worst is yet to come."