The forest beyond the protective archway was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that prickled at the edges of Sam's nerves. Every crunch of gravel underfoot felt too loud, every whisper of wind through the trees too deliberate. Sam clutched the box tightly, their eyes darting to the shadows that seemed to stretch and writhe with every step.
"Do they ever stop?" Sam asked, their voice breaking the tense silence.
"Not until they've finished what they started," Delphine replied, her tone cold and matter-of-fact. Her daggers gleamed faintly in the dim light filtering through the canopy, ready to strike at the first sign of danger.
Calder shrugged, his blade resting casually on his shoulder. "You get used to it."
Sam shot him a glare. "How do you get used to being hunted by shadow monsters?"
"Practice," Calder said with a grin.
"Shut it," Delphine snapped, her sharp gaze cutting through the banter. "We're being followed."
Sam froze, their grip tightening on the box. "Followed? By what?"
Delphine didn't respond immediately, her focus locked on the path behind them. The shadows seemed to ripple, and Sam's stomach twisted as a low growl echoed through the trees.
"More shadowbeasts?" Calder asked, his voice dropping into a serious tone.
"Worse," Delphine said. "They've sent trackers."
The first tracker appeared from the treeline, its form humanoid but distorted, as if it were stitched together from shadow and bone. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the group, and a guttural snarl escaped its jagged mouth. Moments later, two more emerged, flanking the first, their movements unnervingly precise.
"What are those?" Sam whispered, their voice trembling.
"Hunters," Delphine said, stepping into a defensive stance. "Faster, smarter, and more relentless than shadowbeasts."
"Wonderful," Sam muttered. "Because we didn't already have enough problems."
The lead tracker let out a bone-chilling howl, and the others followed suit, their cries echoing through the forest. Then, as one, they charged.
Delphine met the first tracker head-on, her daggers flashing as she deflected its claws. Calder moved to intercept the second, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The third tracker, however, bypassed them entirely, its red eyes locked onto Sam.
"Of course it's coming for me!" Sam shouted, stumbling back as the tracker lunged. They raised the gauntlet instinctively, its golden light flaring. The light struck the tracker, forcing it to recoil, but it quickly recovered, circling Sam like a predator stalking its prey.
"Focus!" Delphine shouted, her voice sharp. "The gauntlet is the only thing that can stop them!"
"I'm trying!" Sam yelled, the gauntlet flaring again as the tracker lunged. The light struck the creature, but it only seemed to enrage it further. The box in Sam's hand pulsed wildly, its light syncing with the gauntlet's energy.
Calder's voice rang out over the chaos. "Keep moving, Herald! Don't let it corner you!"
Sam stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the tracker's claws. The gauntlet's light flared brighter, and with a surge of desperation, Sam unleashed a burst of energy that struck the creature square in the chest. The tracker let out a guttural roar as its form flickered and dissolved into smoke.
"One down!" Sam shouted, their chest heaving.
"Two to go!" Calder called, his blade cleaving through the second tracker. The creature shrieked as it crumbled into ash, but Calder stumbled back, clutching his side where the tracker's claws had raked him.
"Calder!" Sam yelled, their heart racing.
"I'm fine!" Calder said through gritted teeth, his grin faint but present. "Worry about yourself, kid!"
The final tracker turned its attention to Delphine, its movements a blur as it lunged at her. Delphine met it with a flurry of strikes, her daggers cutting through the creature's shadowy form. But the tracker was faster, its claws slicing through the air and forcing her to retreat.
Sam raised the gauntlet, its energy humming against their skin. "Hold it still!" they shouted.
Delphine didn't respond, her focus locked on the tracker as she dodged its relentless attacks. Finally, with a precise strike, she drove one of her daggers into the creature's shoulder, pinning it in place.
"Now!" Delphine shouted.
Sam unleashed the gauntlet's light, the golden beam striking the tracker and engulfing it in radiant energy. The creature let out a deafening wail before dissolving into smoke, leaving the clearing eerily quiet once more.
The group stood in silence, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Calder leaned against a tree, wincing as he examined the gash on his side. Delphine wiped her daggers clean, her expression as stoic as ever.
"Everyone okay?" Sam asked, their voice shaky.
"Been better," Calder said, giving a weak grin. "But I'll live."
Delphine nodded. "We need to move. The trackers won't stop, and the darkness knows we're here."
Sam groaned, their exhaustion settling over them like a heavy blanket. "Can't we catch a break for once?"
"There are no breaks in this fight," Delphine said sharply. "Only pauses."
"Comforting," Sam muttered, clutching the box tightly. The artifact pulsed faintly, its light dim but steady. "Where to now?"
Delphine glanced at the horizon, her sharp eyes scanning the distant mountains. "The next conduit is further north, near the riverlands. If we move quickly, we can reach it before nightfall."
Sam sighed, their legs protesting with every step as they followed Delphine and Calder out of the clearing. The shadows around them seemed to retreat, but the oppressive weight of the darkness lingered.
As they walked, Sam couldn't help but glance at the gauntlet on their hand. The golden light was faint now, its energy drained from the fight. The weight of the artifact was heavier than ever, a constant reminder of the burden they carried.
"Plan B for destiny," Sam muttered under their breath. "What a joke."