The forest was quieter than Sam liked, but it was a different kind of quiet than before. The oppressive stillness had lifted slightly since the obelisk's light banished the corrupted, but the tension remained, lingering like a bad dream.
"Do you think the darkness knows about the wards?" Sam asked as they trudged forward, clutching the box tightly under their arm.
Delphine, ever alert, responded without looking back. "If it didn't before, it does now."
Sam groaned. "Fantastic. So we just gave away the only advantage we had?"
"No," Calder said, his tone surprisingly optimistic. "We showed it that the light isn't as weak as it thinks."
Sam glanced at him. "Are you always this annoyingly cheerful?"
Calder shrugged, flashing his usual grin. "Keeps me alive. You should try it sometime."
"Pass," Sam muttered, their gaze scanning the shifting shadows around them.
By the time they emerged from the forest, the sun was dipping low on the horizon, bathing the world in shades of amber and crimson. The land ahead was rocky and uneven, dotted with jagged outcroppings that jutted from the earth like broken teeth. In the distance, a lone tower rose against the sky, its silhouette stark and foreboding.
"Let me guess," Sam said, pointing at the tower. "That's where we're going, isn't it?"
Delphine nodded. "The next conduit. If the darkness has a foothold there, we need to destroy it."
"Of course we do," Sam muttered. "Because why would we ever take the easy route?"
"Easy routes don't save the world," Calder said, starting toward the tower. "Come on, Herald. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can stop whatever nightmare's waiting for us."
The climb to the tower was grueling, the rocky terrain unforgiving underfoot. Sam stumbled more than once, their legs protesting with every step. The gauntlet on their hand felt heavier than ever, its faint glow flickering like a candle in the wind.
"You doing okay back there?" Calder called, glancing over his shoulder.
"Peachy," Sam said through gritted teeth, catching themselves on a jagged rock. "Just loving every second of this."
Delphine, as usual, was silent, her focus fixed on the tower ahead. As they drew closer, Sam could make out more details—its crumbling stone walls, the faint glow of red runes etched into its surface, and the heavy iron door at its base.
"Anyone else getting a bad feeling about this?" Sam asked.
"Always," Calder said with a grin, unsheathing his blade. "That's what makes it fun."
"I think you and I have very different definitions of fun," Sam muttered.
The iron door creaked ominously as it swung open, revealing a dark interior lit only by the faint glow of the runes. The air inside was cold and stale, carrying the faint metallic tang of old blood. Sam's stomach churned as they stepped inside, the gauntlet humming softly on their hand.
"This place feels worse than the last one," they said, their voice barely above a whisper.
"That's because it is," Delphine replied, her daggers gleaming faintly in the dim light. "Stay alert."
The group moved cautiously through the tower's lower levels, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The box pulsed faintly under Sam's arm, its light cutting through the shadows. The runes on the walls seemed to shift and writhe, their glow pulsating in time with the gauntlet's energy.
"What's the plan?" Sam asked, keeping their voice low.
"Find the conduit," Delphine said. "Destroy it. Get out."
"Straightforward," Calder added. "Just the way I like it."
"Straightforward would be not being here in the first place," Sam muttered.
The staircase spiraled upward, each step steeper than the last. Sam's legs burned with every climb, and the air grew colder the higher they went. By the time they reached the top, their breaths came in shallow gasps.
The chamber at the top of the tower was unlike anything they'd seen before. The walls were covered in glowing red runes, and in the center of the room stood a massive crystal, its surface dark and cracked, pulsing with ominous energy. The air around it was thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe.
"That's it," Delphine said, her voice tight. "The conduit."
Sam stared at the crystal, their stomach twisting. "So, how do we destroy it?"
"The gauntlet," Delphine said, stepping forward. "Focus its energy on the crystal. The light should be enough to shatter it."
Sam hesitated, the weight of the gauntlet suddenly feeling overwhelming. "And if it's not?"
Delphine didn't answer, but her silence was all the response Sam needed.
"Great," they muttered, stepping toward the crystal. "No pressure or anything."
The gauntlet flared to life as Sam raised it, its golden light cutting through the oppressive darkness. The box pulsed in their other hand, syncing with the gauntlet's energy. The light arced toward the crystal, striking it with a deafening crack.
The runes on the walls flared in response, their glow intensifying as the crystal trembled. A low, guttural sound echoed through the chamber, and the air grew heavier, pressing down on Sam's chest.
"Something's wrong," they said, their voice shaking. "It's not breaking."
"Keep going!" Delphine shouted, her daggers drawn as the shadows in the corners began to move.
The crystal's energy surged, sending a shockwave through the chamber. Sam stumbled, barely catching themselves as the gauntlet's light faltered. The shadows coalesced into humanoid forms, their glowing red eyes fixed on the group.
"Here we go," Calder said, swinging his blade at the nearest figure. "Delphine, cover Sam!"
Delphine nodded, moving to Sam's side as the shadowy figures closed in. Her daggers flashed, cutting through the creatures with precision, but for every one she felled, another took its place.
"Sam!" she shouted, deflecting a blow aimed at their head. "Focus on the crystal!"
"I'm trying!" Sam yelled, raising the gauntlet again. The golden light flared, slamming into the crystal with renewed force. The runes on the walls flickered wildly, their glow shifting from red to deep purple.
The crystal trembled violently, cracks spreading across its surface. The shadows let out an ear-piercing shriek, their forms flickering as the light overwhelmed them. With one final burst of energy, the crystal shattered, sending shards flying in all directions.
The room fell silent, the oppressive air lifting as the runes faded. The shadowy figures dissolved into smoke, leaving the group alone in the chamber. Sam collapsed to their knees, the gauntlet's glow dimming.
"Is it over?" they asked, their voice barely above a whisper.
"For now," Delphine said, lowering her daggers. Her expression was grim as she glanced at the remains of the crystal. "But this isn't the last one."
"Of course it isn't," Sam muttered, their exhaustion settling in. "Because why would it be?"
Calder clapped them on the back, his grin returning. "Cheer up, kid. You did good."
Sam glared at him but couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at their lips. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it."
As they left the tower, the weight of the Prophecy pressed heavier on Sam's shoulders. The conduits were falling, but the darkness wasn't going down without a fight. For the first time, Sam began to wonder if they'd have the strength to finish what they'd started.
"Plan B for destiny," they whispered under their breath. "One conduit at a time."