The sun was barely a suggestion on the horizon when Kael rallied the allied leaders. Around him, warriors huddled over maps, their expressions grim but resolute. The mission ahead was clear: reach the Obsidian Cliffs, retrieve the key to unlocking the Vault of Aegis, and do so before the Warlord's forces could tighten their noose.
Kael stood at the center, the shard glowing faintly in his hand. "We cannot afford delays. The Warlord has shown his hand, and every moment we linger gives him more time to strengthen his grip. We leave at once."
Euric stepped forward, his battle-scarred features hard as stone. "You're taking the shard deep into enemy territory. If you're captured—"
"I know the risks," Kael interrupted. "But the shard's power is our only chance to tip the balance. We'll move fast and light. A small team—Lira, Freya, Dain, Sylas, and myself."
Lira added, "The rest of you must hold the line here. Fortify the camp and prepare for an attack. We can't let the Black Suns take another inch."
The leaders exchanged wary glances but nodded. They knew the stakes.
By midday, Kael's team was on the move. The terrain grew harsher as they neared enemy territory. Jagged rocks jutted from the ground like the bones of some ancient beast, and the air grew colder, tinged with a metallic bite.
Sylas, walking at the rear, muttered, "This place feels...wrong."
Freya glanced back, her bow ready. "It's the shadow's taint. The closer we get, the worse it'll be."
Dain trudged ahead, his axe slung over one shoulder. "Let it come. I've been itching for a real fight."
Kael said nothing, his focus entirely on the shard. It pulsed faintly, guiding him like a compass toward the Obsidian Cliffs.
Hours later, they reached a narrow canyon. The walls loomed high, their blackened stone slick with moisture. Kael hesitated at the entrance, the shard's light flickering weakly.
"This is the only way through," he said, his voice echoing slightly.
Lira frowned, scanning the canyon walls. "It's a perfect spot for an ambush."
Freya climbed a nearby outcrop, her sharp eyes scanning the cliffs. "No movement. If they're here, they're well-hidden."
"Then we'll flush them out," Dain said, gripping his axe tighter.
Kael stepped forward. "Stay close. Be ready."
The canyon was eerily silent, save for the occasional drip of water and the crunch of their boots on loose gravel. Shadows seemed to stretch and twist unnaturally, playing tricks on the eye.
Halfway through, the shard flared brightly, and Kael froze. "Something's here."
The words had barely left his mouth when the first arrow whistled through the air. Kael deflected it with a quick swipe of his blade, shouting, "Ambush!"
From the shadows, Black Suns warriors emerged, their dark armor blending seamlessly with the canyon walls. The air was suddenly alive with the clash of steel and the thrum of arrows.
Dain roared, charging into the fray with reckless abandon. His axe cleaved through two enemies before they could react. Freya loosed arrows with deadly precision, each shot finding its mark.
Kael and Lira fought side by side, their movements a seamless dance of strikes and parries. Sylas stayed behind them, casting defensive wards to deflect incoming attacks.
But the enemy was relentless, and their numbers seemed endless.
"We can't hold this position!" Freya shouted, firing an arrow into a warrior who had nearly reached Sylas.
Kael glanced around, his mind racing. The shard pulsed urgently, pulling him forward. "This way! Keep moving!"
They fought their way through the canyon, each step hard-won. The walls seemed to close in, the shadows growing thicker, more oppressive.
Finally, they emerged into a wide clearing. In the center stood a massive stone archway, its surface etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly. Beyond it, the ground sloped upward, leading to the base of the Obsidian Cliffs.
Kael felt the shard pull him toward the archway, its light intensifying. "This is it."
The team barely had time to catch their breath before the ground beneath them began to tremble.
From the archway, a shadowy figure emerged, tall and imposing. Its form was cloaked in darkness, with glowing red eyes that burned with an unnatural light.
"The Warlord's lieutenant," Sylas whispered, his voice tinged with fear.
The figure raised a hand, and the shadows around it coalesced into a massive blade. Its voice was a low growl, dripping with malice. "You will go no further."
The battle that followed was brutal. The lieutenant moved with inhuman speed, its blade striking with the force of a hurricane. Kael and Lira worked together, their strikes coordinated, but the creature seemed impervious to their attacks.
Dain charged in, his axe swinging in a wide arc, but the lieutenant caught it effortlessly, throwing him aside like a ragdoll.
Freya and Sylas provided support from a distance, but their arrows and spells barely slowed the creature down.
Kael felt the shard's energy surge within him, desperate to be unleashed. He dodged a strike that would have cleaved him in two and shouted, "Cover me!"
Lira nodded, stepping in to distract the lieutenant. Dain and Freya joined her, their attacks buying Kael the time he needed.
Kael closed his eyes, focusing on the shard. He felt its power build, a torrent of light and energy that threatened to overwhelm him. When he opened his eyes, they glowed with the same light.
He raised the shard, its energy erupting in a blinding beam that struck the lieutenant square in the chest. The creature let out a deafening roar as the light pierced through it, shattering its form into wisps of shadow.
As the light faded, the group stood in silence, catching their breath.
Kael lowered the shard, its glow dim once more. "The path is clear. Let's move."
Lira placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression a mix of pride and concern. "That power...it's incredible, but it's taking a toll on you."