The darkness of the ruins was oppressive, wrapping around Sam like a suffocating shroud. Their footsteps echoed in the silent hallways, each step punctuated by the faint hum of the gauntlet and the steady pulse of the box under their arm. The air was thick, tinged with the faint scent of damp stone and something metallic.
"So, what are we looking for exactly?" Sam asked, their voice low.
"Anything unusual," Delphine said, her eyes scanning the walls. The faintly glowing runes etched into the stone cast eerie shadows that flickered with their movement. "If the shadowbeasts are gathering here, there's a reason."
"Unusual?" Sam repeated. "We're in ancient ruins filled with glowing rocks and probably cursed artifacts. Define unusual."
"Try looking for something that screams bad idea," Calder said, his grin audible even in the dark.
"Great. I'll keep an eye out for that," Sam muttered.
The hallway widened into a circular chamber, its walls lined with more of the glowing runes. In the center stood a pedestal, much like the one in the temple, but this one was empty. The runes on the pedestal flickered erratically, their glow dim and uneven.
Delphine approached cautiously, her daggers drawn. "It's been activated recently."
"Activated?" Sam asked, stepping closer. "By who?"
"By what, more likely," Calder said, examining the floor. Deep gouges scored the stone, as though something heavy had been dragged across it. "Whatever was here, it's gone now."
Sam frowned, their gaze drifting to the walls. The runes seemed to pulse faintly, like a heartbeat, and the air in the chamber felt alive, as though it were watching them. "This place is giving me the creeps."
Delphine nodded. "Stay sharp. This could be a trap."
"Could be?" Sam said. "I think we're past the could stage."
As if on cue, the runes flared brightly, and the air grew cold. A low growl rumbled through the chamber, and the shadows in the corners began to move, coalescing into solid forms. Red eyes blinked open in the darkness, and one by one, shadowbeasts emerged, their jagged forms lit by the flickering runes.
"Of course," Sam muttered, raising the gauntlet. "Because why wouldn't this happen?"
Delphine and Calder moved instantly, stepping in front of Sam as the first shadowbeasts lunged. Delphine's daggers flashed, carving through the creatures with precision, while Calder's blade cleaved through them with brute force. The beasts shrieked as they dissolved into smoke, only to reform moments later.
"They're regenerating!" Calder shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.
Delphine gritted her teeth. "We need to find the source. Sam, use the gauntlet!"
Sam stumbled back as a shadowbeast lunged at them, its claws raking the air inches from their face. The gauntlet flared, releasing a burst of golden light that struck the creature, disintegrating it instantly. The box pulsed in their other hand, its glow intensifying as though urging them forward.
"The source?" Sam shouted, dodging another beast. "Where am I supposed to find that?"
The runes on the pedestal flickered wildly, their glow growing stronger with each pulse. Sam's eyes widened. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
They sprinted toward the pedestal, the gauntlet glowing brighter with each step. The shadowbeasts swarmed around them, but Delphine and Calder kept them at bay, their movements a blur of steel and shadow.
When Sam reached the pedestal, the gauntlet reacted instantly. A beam of light shot out, striking the runes and igniting them in a burst of golden fire. The air in the chamber shifted, and the shadowbeasts let out a collective shriek, their forms flickering like dying flames.
The runes on the walls flared one last time before dimming, and the beasts dissolved into smoke, their cries fading into silence. Sam stood frozen, their chest heaving as the gauntlet's glow dimmed to a soft pulse.
"Well," Calder said, sheathing his blade. "That was fun."
Sam turned to glare at him. "Fun? That almost killed us!"
"Almost," Calder said with a grin. "Key word."
Delphine ignored them, her attention focused on the pedestal. The runes were still glowing faintly, their light steady now. "The source wasn't here."
Sam groaned. "Then what the hell was all that about?"
"The runes were a conduit," Delphine said. "Something was drawing power from this place and using it to summon the shadowbeasts."
"Fantastic," Sam muttered. "So we stopped one generator. How many more are there?"
Delphine didn't answer, her gaze distant. Calder stepped closer, his tone unusually serious. "If the darkness is setting up conduits, it's planning something big."
Sam felt a chill run down their spine. "Bigger than shadowbeasts?"
"Much bigger," Delphine said, finally turning to face them. "And we're running out of time."
The trio left the ruins as the first rays of dawn broke through the mist. The air was colder than before, and the silence felt heavier, as though the forest itself was holding its breath. Sam clutched the box tightly, the gauntlet on their hand feeling heavier than ever.
"Where to now?" they asked, their voice barely above a whisper.
Delphine glanced at the map, her expression grim. "There's another site to the east. If the darkness is building conduits, we need to shut them down before it's too late."
Sam sighed. "Great. Another death trap. Can't wait."
Calder clapped them on the shoulder, his grin returning. "Cheer up, Herald. You're getting pretty good at not dying."
Sam shook their head, a faint smile tugging at their lips despite their exhaustion. "Let's just get this over with."
As they set off into the mist, Sam couldn't help but glance back at the ruins. The flickering runes were barely visible now, their light swallowed by the growing shadows. The darkness was spreading, and for the first time, Sam felt the weight of what they were up against.
"Plan B for destiny," they muttered under their breath. "Here we go."