The trio moved through the forest in uneasy silence, the tension from the encounter with the armored figure hanging heavy in the air. Sam clutched the box tightly, their eyes darting to every shadow. Even Calder, usually the first to break a grim mood with a quip, kept his blade unsheathed, scanning the trees for movement.
"That thing," Sam finally said, breaking the quiet. "What was it?"
Delphine didn't look back as she replied, her tone clipped. "I don't know."
"Not helpful," Sam muttered. "What did it mean? 'The light will falter, the darkness will rise.' That doesn't sound like your run-of-the-mill villain monologue."
"Whatever it was," Calder said, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "it knew you, kid. And that's bad news for all of us."
Sam shivered. The figure's words echoed in their mind, each syllable heavy with foreboding. They glanced at the gauntlet, its glow faint but steady. "So, what's the plan? Pretend that didn't happen and hope it doesn't show up again?"
Delphine stopped abruptly, turning to face them. "The plan is to get to the next conduit and shut it down. Whatever that thing was, it's tied to the darkness. Destroying the conduits weakens its hold."
"And how many more conduits are there?" Sam asked, their frustration bubbling to the surface. "Because I'm starting to think this 'saving the world' gig has no end in sight."
"As many as it takes," Delphine said simply, her gaze unyielding.
Sam threw up their hands. "Fantastic. Just keep throwing me at ancient magical death traps and see what happens."
Before Delphine could respond, Calder raised a hand, his body tensing. "Hold up."
The group fell silent, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. Sam strained their ears, trying to catch what Calder had noticed. Then they heard it—a faint, rhythmic thumping, like the beating of a massive drum.
"What is that?" Sam whispered.
Calder frowned. "Sounds like a patrol. Probably not friendly."
"Great," Sam muttered. "Because we haven't had enough of those."
Delphine motioned for them to follow her off the path. They slipped into the underbrush, crouching low as the sound grew louder. Moments later, a group of shadowed figures marched into view. They were humanoid, clad in dark armor similar to the figure they'd faced, but their movements were stiff and unnatural, as though they were puppets on strings.
"More of them?" Sam hissed.
Delphine shook her head. "Not the same. These are corrupted. Extensions of the darkness."
"Extensions?" Sam repeated. "So, like… zombies?"
"Close enough," Calder said. "But faster. And meaner."
The patrol stopped suddenly, their helms tilting as if listening for something. Sam held their breath, their grip on the box tightening. The gauntlet hummed faintly, its light dimmed to avoid detection.
One of the figures turned, its glowing red eyes locking onto the underbrush. It let out a guttural growl, and the others snapped to attention, their weapons drawn.
"Uh, I think they found us," Sam whispered.
"Run," Delphine said sharply, already moving.
Sam didn't need to be told twice. They bolted after her, Calder close behind. The corrupted figures let out unearthly cries, their heavy boots pounding against the ground as they gave chase.
"Any brilliant ideas?" Sam shouted, dodging a low-hanging branch.
"Keep running!" Calder yelled back.
"Not brilliant!" Sam snapped.
The forest blurred around them as they ran, the cries of the corrupted growing louder. The box pulsed urgently, its light flickering as though it were trying to tell them something.
"Wait!" Sam said, skidding to a stop. "The box—it's doing something!"
Delphine turned, her expression impatient. "What are you talking about?"
Sam held up the artifact, its glow intensifying. The gauntlet on their hand flared to life, its energy syncing with the box. "I think it's leading us somewhere."
"Or luring us into a trap," Calder said.
"Do we have a choice?" Sam shot back.
Delphine hesitated for a split second before nodding. "Follow it. Quickly."
The box pulsed again, and Sam took off, following the faint glow it cast on the forest floor. The corrupted were close now, their guttural cries echoing in the trees. Sam's heart pounded, their lungs burning with each step.
The path ended abruptly, opening into a small clearing. In the center stood a weathered stone obelisk, its surface covered in intricate runes. Unlike the conduits, these runes glowed with a soft blue light, radiating a sense of calm.
"What is that?" Sam asked, stumbling to a stop.
"Doesn't matter," Delphine said. "Use it."
Sam didn't have time to question her. The corrupted burst into the clearing, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. Sam raised the gauntlet, its golden glow flaring as the obelisk responded, its runes pulsing in time with the artifact.
A wave of light erupted from the obelisk, washing over the clearing. The corrupted figures froze mid-step, their forms flickering before dissolving into ash. The clearing fell silent, the oppressive air lifting as the light faded.
Sam collapsed to their knees, the gauntlet's glow dimming. "What… just happened?"
"The obelisk," Delphine said, her voice tinged with awe. "It's a ward. A remnant of the old magic."
"Old magic?" Sam repeated, struggling to catch their breath. "You mean there's good magic in this mess?"
"Rare," Delphine said, stepping closer to the obelisk. "But powerful. And it just saved our lives."
Calder let out a low whistle, sheathing his blade. "Not bad, kid. Looks like your box knows a thing or two."
Sam stared at the artifact, its light faint but steady. "Yeah, well, maybe it could've warned me about the zombie patrol."
Delphine ignored the comment, her attention focused on the obelisk. "These wards are ancient. If we can find more of them, they could help us push back the darkness."
"Great," Sam said, pushing themselves to their feet. "Because we didn't already have enough to do."
Calder chuckled. "Think of it as a bonus quest."
Sam glared at him. "I'm thinking of it as a terrible idea."
Delphine turned to face them, her expression serious. "We need to move. If the corrupted were here, the darkness knows we're close."
Sam sighed, their exhaustion returning in full force. "Fine. But next time, I'm picking the route."
As they left the clearing, Sam cast one last glance at the obelisk. Its light was fading now, but it still stood tall, a reminder that not all hope was lost. For the first time since this journey began, Sam felt a flicker of something unfamiliar—determination.
"Plan B for destiny," they muttered under their breath. "Let's keep going.