The air grew thinner as Lin Xuan and his companions climbed higher into the mountains. The jagged peaks loomed above them, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly across the rocky landscape. Every step brought them closer to the Mountain of Shadows, a place whispered about in legends but rarely visited by mortals.
The path ahead was treacherous. Loose gravel shifted beneath their feet, and sharp gusts of wind threatened to unbalance even the surest of steps. Lin Xuan led the way, his sword unsheathed and held at his side, ready for any threat that might emerge.
Behind him, Xiao Lan walked with her spear resting against her shoulder, her eyes scanning their surroundings with sharp precision. Fang Yun followed close behind, his bow slung across his back, his expression calm but alert. Yun Xi brought up the rear, her staff glowing faintly as she maintained a protective aura around the group.
"We're nearing the outer boundary," Lin Xuan said, his voice low but steady. "Be prepared for anything. The Mountain of Shadows isn't just dangerous—it's alive."
Xiao Lan raised an eyebrow. "Alive? Care to elaborate?"
Lin Xuan glanced back at her. "The mountain's energy is unique. It shifts and changes, as if it's responding to intruders. Traps, creatures, even the terrain itself—it's all part of its defense."
"Sounds delightful," Xiao Lan muttered, gripping her spear tighter.
The group continued in silence, their senses heightened. The once barren landscape began to change, the jagged rocks giving way to strange, twisted trees with bark as black as obsidian. Their gnarled branches reached out like skeletal hands, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move of their own accord.
Yun Xi shivered. "This place… it feels unnatural."
"It's supposed to," Fang Yun said quietly. "The Mountain of Shadows was a battleground during the ancient wars. Countless lives were lost here, and their lingering resentment has seeped into the land itself."
Lin Xuan didn't respond. His focus was on the path ahead, where the faint outline of a structure began to emerge from the mist. It was a towering gate, its surface carved with intricate runes that glowed faintly in the dim light.
"The entrance," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The group approached cautiously. As they drew closer, the runes on the gate flared to life, their light pulsing in a rhythmic pattern. A low hum filled the air, growing louder with each step.
Lin Xuan stopped a few feet from the gate, his gaze fixed on the glowing runes. "This is a sealing formation," he said. "It's meant to keep something—or someone—inside."
Xiao Lan frowned. "And we're just going to walk right in?"
Lin Xuan turned to her, his expression serious. "If we want to survive, we don't have a choice. The Council's agents won't stop hunting us, and this is the only place where we might have an advantage."
Yun Xi stepped forward, her staff glowing brighter as she examined the runes. "This formation is ancient, but it's incomplete. There are fractures in the seal. I can manipulate it, but it will take time."
"Do it," Lin Xuan said. "The rest of us will stand guard."
Yun Xi nodded, her brow furrowing in concentration as she began to channel her energy into the staff. The runes on the gate responded, their light shifting and flickering as she worked.
The others took up defensive positions around her, their weapons at the ready. The oppressive silence of the mountain was broken only by the faint hum of the runes and the distant howl of the wind.
Minutes passed, each one stretching into an eternity. Lin Xuan's grip on his sword tightened as a sense of unease washed over him. The shadows around them seemed to grow darker, the air heavier.
"They're coming," he said suddenly, his voice cutting through the tension.
From the darkness emerged a group of figures, their movements unnaturally fluid. They were cloaked in black, their faces hidden by masks that bore the emblem of the Council of Shadows.
"Council assassins," Fang Yun muttered, drawing his bow. "They must have followed us."
Lin Xuan stepped forward, his sword gleaming in the faint light. "Hold the line. Protect Yun Xi at all costs."
The assassins moved as one, their blades flashing as they closed in. Lin Xuan met the first with a swift strike, his sword clashing against the assassin's dagger. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows, their movements a blur of speed and precision.
Xiao Lan leapt into the fray, her spear spinning in a deadly arc. She struck with the force of a hurricane, her movements a perfect blend of strength and agility. Fang Yun's arrows flew with unerring accuracy, each one finding its mark and sending an assassin crumpling to the ground.
Despite their skill, the assassins were relentless. For every one they felled, another seemed to take its place. The group was outnumbered, but they fought with unwavering determination.
At the center of it all, Yun Xi continued her work, her face pale with exertion as she poured her energy into the gate. The runes flared brighter, the fractures in the seal beginning to mend.
"Hurry, Yun Xi!" Lin Xuan shouted, his sword cutting down another assassin.
"I'm almost there!" she replied, her voice strained.
As the battle raged on, the runes on the gate reached a blinding intensity. With a final surge of energy, Yun Xi completed the formation, and the gate groaned open, revealing a dark passage beyond.
"Inside, now!" Lin Xuan ordered.
The group retreated through the gate, their movements swift and coordinated. As soon as they were inside, Yun Xi slammed her staff into the ground, and the gate closed behind them with a deafening boom.
The silence that followed was almost deafening. The group stood in the darkness, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"We made it," Xiao Lan said, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Lin Xuan nodded, his gaze fixed on the passage ahead. "This is just the beginning. The Mountain of Shadows holds many secrets—and many dangers. Stay close, and stay alert."
As they ventured deeper into the mountain, the weight of their journey pressed down on them. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: there was no turning back.