The forest loomed around Lin Xuan and his companions like a living entity, its darkened canopy casting an eerie twilight over their path. The faint pulses of energy from the Shard of Night grew stronger with every step, guiding them deeper into the wilderness.
"It's leading us somewhere," Yun Xi murmured, her voice taut.
Lin Xuan's eyes stayed sharp, scanning their surroundings. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at the first sign of danger. "Stay alert. Whatever's at the end of this path, it's not going to welcome us with open arms."
The group moved in tense silence, their movements synchronized by years of training and trust. Fang Yun walked slightly ahead, his bow drawn and an arrow nocked, while Xiao Lan flanked them with her spear at the ready. Yun Xi stayed close to Lin Xuan, her staff glowing faintly with protective energy.
After what felt like hours, they reached a clearing that reeked of malevolence. The ground was scorched black, with strange symbols etched into the earth, pulsating with an unnatural light. At the center of the clearing stood a large stone monolith, its surface cracked and oozing a viscous, dark liquid.
"This place…" Yun Xi's voice was barely a whisper. "It's a summoning ground."
Lin Xuan stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "A summoning ground for what?"
Before Yun Xi could answer, a low, guttural growl echoed from the shadows. The air grew heavier, pressing down on their chests like an invisible weight. From the darkness emerged a towering figure cloaked in smoke and shadow, its form barely humanoid. Crimson eyes glared at them, filled with hatred and hunger.
"A Shadow Revenant," Yun Xi said, her voice tight with fear. "A creature of pure malice, born from corrupted energy. This is what's been taking the villagers."
The Revenant stepped closer, its massive claws dragging against the ground, leaving deep grooves in the scorched earth. It opened its maw, emitting a deafening roar that sent waves of energy rippling through the clearing.
Lin Xuan drew his sword, its blade shimmering with a faint, golden light. "Stay together! We take it down now, or it will keep spreading its corruption."
---
The battle began with a surge of movement. Fang Yun loosed an arrow, its tip glowing with energy as it streaked toward the Revenant's chest. The creature batted it aside with a claw, snarling as it lunged forward.
Xiao Lan intercepted its charge, her spear thrusting with precision toward its core. The Revenant's smoky form seemed to warp and twist, dodging her attack before swinging its massive arm at her. She barely managed to evade, rolling to the side as its claw struck the ground, shattering the earth.
"Focus on its core!" Yun Xi shouted, her staff glowing brighter as she cast a protective barrier around the group. "That's the source of its strength!"
Lin Xuan moved like a blur, his sword slashing through the Revenant's smoke-like body. Each strike sent ripples of energy through the creature, but it quickly reformed, its crimson eyes locked on him.
"It's regenerating too fast," Fang Yun said, firing another arrow that embedded itself in the creature's shoulder.
"We need to disrupt its core," Lin Xuan replied, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Yun Xi, can you contain it?"
Yun Xi nodded, her hands moving in intricate patterns as she chanted under her breath. A web of light began to form around the Revenant, its edges crackling with energy. The creature roared in defiance, thrashing against the binding spell, but the web held firm.
"Hurry!" Yun Xi called, her face pale from the strain. "I can't hold it for long!"
---
Lin Xuan's eyes locked onto the Revenant's chest, where a faint, pulsating glow indicated its core. Without hesitation, he surged forward, his sword igniting with golden flames. The Revenant howled, sensing the threat, and lashed out with both arms.
Xiao Lan and Fang Yun moved in unison, blocking its attacks to give Lin Xuan an opening. Fang Yun's arrows pierced through the Revenant's arms, slowing its movements, while Xiao Lan's spear struck its legs, forcing it to kneel.
With a single, decisive motion, Lin Xuan plunged his sword into the Revenant's core. The creature let out an ear-splitting scream as golden light erupted from the blade, consuming its form.
The Revenant writhed and thrashed, its smoky body disintegrating into wisps of darkness. The pulsating glow in its chest grew brighter, then exploded in a flash of light, leaving nothing behind but silence.
---
The group stood in the clearing, breathing heavily as the oppressive energy dissipated. The symbols etched into the ground faded, and the air grew lighter.
"It's over," Xiao Lan said, lowering her spear.
Lin Xuan pulled his sword from the ground, its golden glow fading. "For now. But this was no accident."
Yun Xi knelt by the monolith, her hands hovering over its surface. "This wasn't just a random act of corruption. Someone—or something—created this summoning ground intentionally."
Fang Yun frowned. "But why? What purpose could they have for unleashing something like that?"
"To spread fear and chaos," Lin Xuan said, his voice grim. "And to harness the energy left behind by the lives it consumed."
Yun Xi's face darkened as she examined the monolith. "The shard reacted to this place. Whoever is behind this may be after it—or worse, they might already know we have it."
Lin Xuan's grip on his sword tightened. "Then we need to move quickly. If they know about the shard, we're running out of time."
As the group began their journey back to the village, the forest seemed less menacing, though the weight of their discovery lingered.
In the distance, a pair of unseen eyes watched them, a low chuckle echoing through the trees. The battle had end or not