The air beyond the shattered conduit felt lighter, but not by much. The faint sense of triumph from their latest victory was overshadowed by the reality of what lay ahead. Each step forward felt like stepping deeper into the jaws of the unknown.
"Do you ever wonder," Sam said, breaking the heavy silence, "what happens if we lose?"
Delphine, ever stoic, kept her gaze on the horizon. "We don't have the luxury to wonder."
"Cold comfort," Sam muttered, clutching the box tighter. Its light pulsed faintly, a steady rhythm that mirrored their uneven breaths. "You could at least lie and say there's a backup plan."
Calder chuckled from behind. "This is the backup plan, Herald. Plan A was the chosen one, remember?"
Sam scowled, shaking their head. "Plan A sucks."
"Doesn't matter," Delphine said. "We're still moving."
The path ahead wound through a series of jagged ravines, the ground cracked and uneven. Shadows clung to the rocky outcrops, shifting unnervingly in the faint light of the rising sun. The group moved cautiously, the tension palpable as they navigated the treacherous terrain.
Sam glanced at the gauntlet, its glow dim but steady. "Is this thing supposed to get tired? Because it feels like it's running on fumes."
"The gauntlet draws power from you," Delphine said without looking back. "If you're tired, so is it."
"Great," Sam said, rubbing their face. "Because I definitely needed more reasons to feel useless."
"Cheer up," Calder said, his grin faint but present. "You're doing better than most people in your position."
"Most people aren't in my position," Sam shot back. "Most people aren't fighting an endless army of shadow monsters with a glorified flashlight."
Calder laughed. "Fair point."
Delphine suddenly stopped, her posture rigid. Sam froze, their grip tightening on the box. "What now?" they whispered.
Delphine raised a hand for silence, her sharp gaze sweeping the ravine. "Listen."
Sam strained their ears, their heart pounding. At first, they heard nothing but the faint whisper of the wind. Then, slowly, a low, mournful sound began to rise, echoing through the ravine like a dirge.
"What is that?" Sam asked, their voice trembling.
"Voices," Delphine said, her tone grim. "The echoes of the fallen."
Sam shivered, their stomach twisting. "That… doesn't sound good."
"It's not," Calder said, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "Echoes don't just show up. Something's drawing them here."
The box pulsed sharply, its light flaring. The gauntlet on Sam's hand followed suit, its glow brightening as though reacting to the unseen threat. Sam glanced around nervously, their breath quickening.
"What do we do?" they asked, their voice barely above a whisper.
"Keep moving," Delphine said, her daggers gleaming in the faint light. "And stay close. If the echoes manifest, we can't let them surround us."
"Manifest?" Sam repeated, their stomach sinking. "You mean they're not solid yet?"
"They're not solid until they want to be," Calder said, his tone unusually serious. "And when they are, they hit harder than you'd think."
"Fantastic," Sam muttered. "Why does everything in this world want to kill me?"
The mournful wail of the echoes grew louder as they pressed on, the air growing colder with each step. The shadows around them seemed to deepen, twisting and writhing as though alive. Sam's heart pounded in their chest, every instinct screaming at them to run.
The first echo appeared without warning, its translucent form rising from the ground like mist. It was humanoid in shape but distorted, its face obscured and its edges flickering like a flame. More followed, emerging from the shadows until the group was surrounded.
"Stay close," Delphine said, her voice sharp. She stepped into a defensive stance, her daggers at the ready.
Calder moved to Sam's side, his blade raised. "Keep that gauntlet ready, kid. You're the only one who can finish these things."
Sam raised the gauntlet instinctively, its golden light flaring. The echoes recoiled slightly, their flickering forms wavering in the light.
"Does that mean they're afraid of me?" Sam asked, their voice shaking.
"Not afraid," Delphine said. "But the light disrupts them. Use it wisely."
The nearest echo lunged, its movements jerky and unnatural. Sam raised the gauntlet, releasing a burst of light that struck the creature mid-leap. It let out a piercing wail before dissolving into mist.
"Nice shot!" Calder called, slicing through another echo as it lunged at him.
"Don't stop!" Delphine shouted, her daggers flashing as she fought off two more. "They'll keep coming until the source is destroyed!"
"What source?" Sam yelled, the gauntlet flaring again as they took down another echo.
"The voices!" Delphine said. "Follow the sound!"
The box pulsed more urgently now, its light brightening as though guiding Sam forward. They broke into a run, the echoes swarming around them. Calder and Delphine followed, their weapons cutting through the creatures with practiced precision.
The mournful wail grew deafening as Sam reached a narrow crevice in the rock. The box's light flared, illuminating a small chamber hidden within. At its center stood an ancient altar, its surface carved with glowing red runes. The runes pulsed in time with the voices, their light flickering like dying embers.
"That's it!" Delphine shouted, blocking an echo's attack. "Destroy it!"
Sam hesitated, their chest tightening. The altar radiated an energy that felt ancient and unyielding, as though it were bound to the land itself. The gauntlet hummed against their skin, its light flaring in anticipation.
"Sam!" Calder yelled, cutting down another echo. "Now or never!"
Sam raised the gauntlet, pouring every ounce of energy they had into the artifact. The golden light surged, striking the altar with a deafening crack. The runes flared, their red glow shifting to white as the altar trembled. The echoes let out a collective wail, their forms flickering and fading as the light consumed them.
With one final pulse, the altar shattered, its fragments dissolving into ash. The echoes disappeared, their cries fading into silence. The oppressive energy lifted, and the ravine was still once more.
Sam collapsed to their knees, the gauntlet's glow dimming. "Please tell me that's the last of them."
"For now," Delphine said, her voice tight. She wiped her daggers clean, her gaze scanning the ravine. "But we can't stay here. The darkness will send more."
Calder offered Sam a hand, his grin returning. "You did good, kid. Better than I expected."
Sam took his hand reluctantly, their legs trembling as they stood. "If this is your idea of encouragement, it's terrible."
Delphine ignored their bickering, her focus already on the path ahead. "Let's move. We're not out of danger yet."
Sam sighed, their exhaustion settling over them like a heavy blanket. But as they followed Delphine and Calder out of the ravine, they couldn't help but feel a faint flicker of hope. The echoes were gone, the altar destroyed, and for now, the light had prevailed.
"Plan B for destiny," Sam muttered under their breath. "One nightmare at a time."