The air felt alive, charged with an unnatural energy. Shadows poured from every crack and crevice, moving with an eerie fluidity, their ember-like eyes locked onto Rai and Tenzai.
"Don't let them touch you!" Tenzai shouted, his blade flashing as he sliced through one of the figures. The shadow dissipated into a misty wisp, but another immediately took its place.
Rai loosed an arrow, watching it pierce through a shadow's form. The creature faltered for a moment before reforming, advancing again.
"They don't die easily," Rai muttered, reaching for another arrow.
Tenzai parried a lunge from one of the shadows, its clawed hand screeching against his blade. "You can't fight these things like normal enemies! Their bodies aren't flesh—they're bound by magic."
"Then how do we stop them?" Rai demanded, sidestepping a claw aimed for his leg.
Tenzai didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a small vial of silver liquid. "Cover your blade with this," he instructed, tossing it to Rai.
Rai caught the vial mid-air, uncorking it with his teeth. The liquid glimmered as he poured it over his arrows and dagger. The next arrow he loosed struck a shadow directly in its chest, and this time, the creature let out a shrill screech before disintegrating completely.
"That's better," Rai muttered, his confidence returning.
The fight continued, the two of them pushing through the onslaught of shadows. Tenzai's movements were precise, his sword dancing in the dim light as he cut through the advancing figures. Rai, meanwhile, used his speed and agility, his arrows finding their marks even as the shadows tried to overwhelm him.
But the numbers didn't dwindle. For every shadow they destroyed, more emerged from the cracks in the earth.
"This isn't working," Rai called out, his breaths coming in short gasps.
Tenzai sliced through another shadow before glancing toward the sanctuary's entrance. "We're wasting time. The source of their power is inside. We need to reach it!"
---
They sprinted toward the sanctuary, dodging and weaving through the relentless shadows. The ancient doorway loomed ahead, its surface etched with glowing runes. As they approached, the runes flared brighter, almost blindingly so.
Tenzai skidded to a stop, his hand outstretched. "Wait!"
Rai halted beside him, his chest heaving. "What now?"
"These runes," Tenzai said, studying the carvings. "They're a seal. It's meant to keep the shadows from escaping, but it'll also keep us out unless we can break it."
Rai glanced over his shoulder. The shadows were closing in, their glowing eyes like a wave of fire in the dark. "We don't have time for this!"
Tenzai placed his hand against the seal, muttering an incantation under his breath. The runes flickered, the light dimming slightly.
"Hurry up," Rai urged, nocking another arrow.
The runes pulsed once more, then shattered like glass. The doorway groaned as it began to creak open, revealing a dark corridor beyond.
"Inside, now!" Tenzai barked.
Rai didn't hesitate, darting through the entrance. Tenzai followed, slamming the massive doors shut behind them. The shadows battered against the barrier, but the runes flickered back to life, sealing the entrance once more.
The silence that followed was deafening.
---
The corridor was cold, the air thick with the scent of ancient stone and decay. Flickering torches lined the walls, casting long shadows that seemed to move of their own accord.
"What is this place?" Rai asked, his voice echoing softly.
Tenzai's eyes scanned the surroundings. "The Sanctuary of Eternity. It's said to house the truth behind the werewolf curse—and the origins of dark magic itself."
They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the vast emptiness. The deeper they ventured, the stronger the feeling of unease became. The walls were lined with carvings depicting battles between humans and monstrous beasts. In the flickering torchlight, the images seemed almost alive.
At the end of the corridor, they entered a massive chamber. In its center stood a stone pedestal, upon which rested an ancient tome. The air around it seemed to hum with power.
Tenzai approached the pedestal, his movements wary. "This is it," he murmured. "The Tome of Shadows. It holds the secrets we're looking for."
Rai stayed back, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. "Something feels off," he muttered.
Tenzai ignored him, reaching out to touch the tome. As his fingers brushed the surface, the room trembled.
Suddenly, the carvings on the walls began to glow, and a deep, guttural growl echoed through the chamber. From the shadows emerged a massive figure—an ancient guardian, its body a twisted fusion of wolf and man, its eyes burning with an unnatural light.
The creature let out a deafening roar, shaking the very ground beneath them.
"I told you something was off," Rai said, drawing his bow.
Tenzai unsheathed his blade, his expression grim. "Get ready. This thing won't go down easily."
The guardian lunged, its claws tearing through the air as Rai and Tenzai prepared for their most brutal fight yet.