The air inside the protective archway was heavy with stillness. Sam sat slumped against the stone, the gauntlet resting on their knee as they tried to catch their breath. Outside, the shadowbeasts prowled the edges of the glowing runes, their red eyes watching hungrily but unable to cross the barrier.
"We can't stay here forever," Delphine said, her voice low but firm. She stood near the edge of the ward, her daggers at her sides, ready for anything.
"Wasn't planning to," Sam muttered, wiping sweat from their forehead. "Just let me catch my breath before we charge into another death trap."
Calder chuckled, leaning casually against the archway. "Death trap is a strong term. I prefer 'exciting detour.'"
Sam shot him a glare. "Your optimism is exhausting."
"Enough," Delphine snapped, cutting their banter short. "The ward won't hold indefinitely. We need to figure out our next move."
Sam sat up straighter, frowning at the pulsing box beside them. "The box brought us here. Maybe it knows what's next."
"Or it just wanted us to hide," Calder said. "Either way, it's not talking."
Sam rolled their eyes and placed their hand on the box. As they did, the gauntlet flared faintly, and the box's light began to pulse rhythmically. The runes on the archway flickered in response, their glow growing dimmer.
"Uh, is it supposed to do that?" Sam asked, panic creeping into their voice.
Delphine's expression darkened. "No."
Before anyone could react, the ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew colder. The runes on the archway dimmed further, and a low, resonant hum filled the clearing. Outside the barrier, the shadowbeasts let out guttural growls, retreating into the darkness as something larger approached.
A towering figure stepped into view, its form cloaked in swirling shadows. Its eyes burned with a deep, crimson light, and a massive, jagged blade rested in its clawed hand. The figure exuded an aura of raw power, the kind that made Sam's stomach churn just by looking at it.
"Fantastic," Sam muttered, scrambling to their feet. "What now?"
"The Warden," Delphine said, her voice tight. "A guardian of the darkness. It's here to destroy the ward."
"Guardian?" Calder said, unsheathing his blade. "Looks more like a nightmare."
The Warden stepped closer, the ground shaking with each step. The runes on the archway flickered violently, their glow struggling to hold against the creature's presence. It raised its blade, pointing it directly at Sam.
"You've got to be kidding me," Sam said, their voice trembling. "Why does it always have to be me?"
"It's reacting to the gauntlet," Delphine said. "You're the Herald. It sees you as the threat."
"Great," Sam muttered, raising the gauntlet as it flared to life. "What's the plan?"
"Keep it busy," Delphine said, stepping forward. "We'll handle the rest."
The Warden struck first, its massive blade crashing down toward the group. Delphine darted forward, her daggers flashing as she deflected the blow, redirecting the force into the ground. Calder followed, his blade arcing toward the creature's side, but the Warden moved with surprising speed, dodging the attack effortlessly.
Sam stumbled back, their heart pounding as the gauntlet hummed against their skin. The box pulsed in their hand, its light syncing with the gauntlet's energy. "Okay," they muttered to themselves. "You've got this. Maybe."
The Warden turned its gaze to Sam, its eyes narrowing as it lunged. Sam raised the gauntlet instinctively, releasing a burst of golden light. The Warden staggered, its form flickering as the light struck it, but it recovered quickly, letting out a low, guttural growl.
"Not bad, kid!" Calder shouted, dodging a strike from the Warden's blade. "But you'll need to hit harder than that!"
"Easy for you to say!" Sam yelled, the gauntlet flaring again as they struck the Warden with another burst of light. The creature recoiled, its movements slower but no less menacing.
Delphine moved in from the side, her daggers finding purchase in the Warden's shadowy form. The creature let out an enraged roar, swinging its blade wildly and forcing her to retreat.
"It's weakening!" Delphine called, her voice sharp. "Keep up the pressure!"
Sam gritted their teeth, the gauntlet's energy thrumming against their skin. The box pulsed in time with the gauntlet, its light growing brighter with each pulse. Taking a deep breath, Sam raised the gauntlet once more, focusing all their energy into a single, powerful burst of light.
The golden beam struck the Warden square in the chest, and the creature let out a deafening roar as its form began to dissolve. The runes on the archway flared brightly, their light overwhelming the darkness as the Warden crumbled into ash.
Sam collapsed to their knees, the gauntlet's glow dimming. "Please tell me that was the last one."
"For now," Delphine said, wiping her daggers clean. "But they'll send more."
"Of course they will," Sam muttered, their exhaustion settling in. "Why wouldn't they?"
Calder clapped them on the back, his grin returning. "You did good, Herald."
Sam glared at him. "Stop calling me that."
"Not a chance," Calder said with a smirk.
Delphine ignored their banter, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "The ward's failing. We need to move before the darkness regroups."
Sam sighed, their body aching as they pushed themselves to their feet. The box pulsed faintly in their hand, its light steady and reassuring. As they followed Delphine and Calder out of the clearing, Sam couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.
"Plan B for destiny," they muttered under their breath. "Let's keep going."