The tendrils of the Abyss lashed out, dark and sinewy, their edges shimmering with an otherworldly iridescence. Pan's blade met the first strike, the impact sending shockwaves up his arm. Around him, the group sprang into action.
Viergo darted into the fray, his movements a blur as his daggers sliced through the tendrils with practiced precision. "These things don't stop," he growled. "How do we kill them?"
"They're manifestations," Ayn called out, his lantern glowing brighter as he chanted an incantation. Symbols etched in silver light spiraled out from his hands, forming a barrier that pushed back the encroaching darkness. "We can't destroy them, but we can hold them off."
Ahxy uncorked a vial from her satchel and hurled it into the mass of tendrils. The glass shattered, releasing a burst of green fire that consumed the darkness in a hiss of smoke and ash. She grinned triumphantly. "See? That wasn't so hard."
"Don't get cocky," Loyn warned, loosing an arrow that exploded on impact, scattering a cluster of tendrils. "This isn't over."
Vield watched the chaos with an inscrutable expression, his glowing eyes fixed on Pan. "You fight well," he said, his voice cutting through the din. "But strength alone will not save you."
Pan's grip tightened on his sword. "What do you want?"
Vield stepped closer, unbothered by the battle raging around him. "The Abyss demands sacrifice. If you wish to claim the Key, you must offer something of equal value."
Raia stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "What kind of sacrifice?"
Vield's smile widened. "A life. One of yours. The Abyss will accept nothing less."
The group fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them like a shroud. Pan's mind raced, the faces of his companions flashing before him. Each life was precious, each death a wound that would never heal.
"There has to be another way," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Vield tilted his head, his expression almost pitying. "There is always a choice, Pan. But every choice has a cost."
The tendrils surged forward again, and the battle resumed. Pan knew their time was running out. The Key was within reach, but the price of claiming it could tear them apart.