The air outside the collapsed ruins was heavy with the scent of dust and scorched earth. Kael leaned against a jagged rock, catching his breath as Maris tended to his wounds. Ardin scouted the perimeter, his daggers still drawn, his eyes darting at every shifting shadow.
The faint glow of the rift's energy still lingered on Kael's sword. Though the blade was now dim, it hummed faintly, as if alive, reacting to the residual power of the rift. Kael gripped it tightly, his mind replaying the events in the cavern—the overwhelming power of Zyvaris and the near destruction they had narrowly escaped.
"Your recklessness is going to get us all killed one day," Maris muttered, tying a strip of cloth around Kael's forearm to stop the bleeding. "You didn't even explain what you were doing back there."
Kael winced as she tightened the bandage. "I didn't have time to explain. And honestly, I wasn't sure it would work."
"Fantastic," Ardin chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he returned from his sweep. "So our lives were gambled on a maybe? Good to know."
Kael sighed, shaking his head. "We didn't have a choice. Zyvaris was too powerful. If I hadn't acted, none of us would be standing here."
Maris stood and crossed her arms, looking down at him. "And now he's free. We've unleashed something that could destroy everything."
"We'll stop him," Kael said firmly, meeting her gaze. "We have to. And if that means going up against him again, then so be it."
Maris opened her mouth to argue but stopped. Something in Kael's eyes—determination, resolve—silenced her. She glanced at Ardin, who shrugged and muttered, "Well, it's not like we've got anything better to do."
---
A Cryptic Warning
As the group prepared to leave the ruins, a sudden chill swept through the area. The faint murmur of voices seemed to rise from the shadows, whispering in a language none of them could understand.
Maris froze, her hand instinctively reaching for her rifle. "Did you hear that?"
Ardin nodded, his grip on his daggers tightening. "We're not alone."
Kael stepped forward, his sword glowing faintly in response to the eerie presence. The whispers grew louder, more distinct, as if calling to them. The shadows around them seemed to deepen, coalescing into vague, shifting shapes.
"Stay close," Kael said, his voice low. "Whatever this is, it's not friendly."
The shadows began to take form, elongating into figures with hollow, glowing eyes. Their movements were unnatural, jerky, as though they were being pulled by invisible strings.
"Shades," Maris whispered, her voice tinged with fear.
"Shades?" Kael asked, keeping his eyes on the approaching figures.
"Spirits corrupted by the rift," she explained. "They're drawn to its energy—and to anyone foolish enough to carry it."
Kael glanced down at his sword, the glow intensifying as the shades drew closer. "Great. So I'm a magnet for these things now?"
"Pretty much," Ardin replied, stepping into a defensive stance.
---
The Battle with the Shades
The shades attacked without warning, their movements a blur of shadow and speed. One lunged at Kael, its claw-like hands swiping at his chest. He parried with his sword, the blade cutting through the shadowy form with a flash of light. The shade let out an ear-piercing screech before dissipating into black mist.
"They're fast!" Ardin shouted, dodging a shade's attack and countering with a flurry of strikes. His daggers sliced through the creature, but unlike Kael's sword, his weapons seemed to have little effect.
Maris fired her rifle, the bullets ripping through two shades at once. "Aim for the core! That's the only way to kill them!"
Kael nodded, focusing on the glowing orbs at the center of the shades' chests. He struck again, his sword cutting through another shade, the energy within the blade obliterating it instantly.
Despite their efforts, the shades kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. For every one they defeated, two more seemed to rise from the darkness.
"This isn't working!" Ardin yelled, slashing at another shade. "We're going to get overwhelmed!"
Kael gritted his teeth, the exhaustion from the previous battle catching up to him. The sword in his hand pulsed, almost as if urging him to act. He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within the blade.
"Cover me!" he shouted.
"What are you—" Maris began, but she didn't have time to finish as more shades closed in.
Kael raised his sword, the glow intensifying until it became blinding. He channeled all his remaining energy into the blade, unleashing a wave of light that swept through the area. The shades let out agonized screams as the light consumed them, their forms dissolving into nothingness.
When the light faded, the group was alone once more, the shadows retreating to the edges of the ruins.
---
A New Ally?
The silence that followed was deafening. Kael dropped to one knee, the sword slipping from his grasp as he struggled to catch his breath.
Maris rushed to his side, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "You're going to burn yourself out if you keep doing that."
"I'll be fine," Kael replied, though his voice lacked conviction.
Ardin glanced around warily. "We should get out of here before something worse shows up."
As they turned to leave, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was cloaked in tattered robes, its face obscured by a hood. The figure raised a hand, and the whispers returned, softer this time, like a distant echo.
"Wait," Kael said, holding up a hand to stop the others.
The figure stepped closer, its movements slow and deliberate.