Dawn broke with an eerie stillness. The morning air felt heavy, as if the earth itself was holding its breath. Rai, Tenzai, and Kaida walked along a rarely traveled path, leaving behind the ruins that now served as a resting place for the darkness they had awakened.
Kaida led the way, her steps steady despite the uneven trail. In her hand, the glowing crystal pulsed faintly, their only clue to finding the remaining fragments of the Lightbound Relic. Rai walked in the middle, his eyes scanning their surroundings warily, while Tenzai trailed behind, silent as always.
"Where are we heading now?" Rai asked, breaking the silence.
Kaida didn't turn around. "To a town called Kaelmont. There's an ancient ruin there believed to house another fragment of this relic."
Tenzai scoffed. "More ruins. I'm getting tired of dead places."
Kaida gave a faint smile. "Ruins may be unpleasant, but they hold secrets the modern world has forgotten. And those secrets could save us."
Rai let out a long sigh, trying to grasp the weight of their journey. "What exactly are we looking for in Kaelmont? Another fragment?"
Kaida nodded. "Yes, but this fragment is different. It's known as the 'Barrier of Light.' Legends say it has the power to slow the spread of Abyss corruption."
"Slow it, not stop it?" Rai asked, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"Slowing it is the first step," Kaida replied firmly. "If we gain enough time, we can stop it entirely."
The three continued their journey in silence, moving through dense forest that grew increasingly quiet. The sounds of birds and other wildlife disappeared, replaced by the faint howl of wind carrying the scent of damp earth and something sharper—something rotten.
"There's something here," Tenzai whispered, his hand moving quickly to his sword hilt.
Rai felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His eyes scanned the trees around them. At first, he saw nothing, but then he noticed shadows moving too fast to follow.
"We're surrounded," Kaida said, narrowing her eyes. The crystal in her hand glowed brighter, as if responding to the threat.
From the darkness of the forest, they emerged—half-human, half-beast. Their eyes glowed crimson, their bodies covered in thick black fur. Werewolves.
"Prepare yourselves!" Tenzai shouted, unsheathing his sword.
Rai quickly grabbed his bow, an arrow nocked on the string. He remembered lessons from previous battles—direct attacks wouldn't be enough to defeat these creatures. They needed a strategy.
Kaida stood in the center, her crystal shining like a beacon in the darkness. "Don't let them get close!"
The battle erupted. The werewolves attacked with terrifying speed, their claws gleaming like knives. Tenzai deflected one of the strikes with his sword, sparks flying as steel met claw. He moved swiftly, slashing toward the creature's neck, but the werewolf leapt back with unnatural agility.
Rai released an arrow, striking one of the beasts in the shoulder. A howl of pain echoed through the air, but it only seemed to enrage the creature further. It charged toward him, its maw open wide, revealing razor-sharp fangs.
"Kaida!" Rai shouted.
Kaida raised her crystal, and a burst of white light erupted, halting the creature in its tracks. The werewolf snarled, as if the light burned its skin, before retreating into the shadows.
"We can't hold them off like this!" Kaida said. "We need to split them up!"
Tenzai nodded, lunging toward one of the beasts, drawing its attention away from the group. Rai took the opportunity to fire several more arrows, each shot aimed to provoke rather than kill, luring two more creatures away.
Kaida remained at the center, maintaining a glowing barrier that kept the remaining werewolves at bay.
The plan worked. With the pack divided, they managed to bring down the werewolves one by one, using speed and tactics to counter the raw power of their enemies.
When the fight was over, the creatures lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies slowly reverting to human form. Rai stared at them with a heavy heart.
"They... were human," he said softly.
Kaida stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "They ceased to be human the moment the Abyss touched them. This was mercy."
Rai wasn't sure he believed that, but he knew they had no choice. He glanced at Tenzai, who was cleaning his sword of the foul-smelling dark blood.
"We need to move quickly," Tenzai said. "If this was just a small group, who knows how many more are out there."
Kaida nodded, her face resolute. "And if we don't find the next fragment, this is only the beginning."
With mixed emotions, Rai turned away from the battlefield, following Kaida and Tenzai toward Kaelmont, where more secrets and dangers awaited them.