Chapter 15: The Guardian of Shadows

The massive wolf-like creature loomed over the group, its red eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. Shadows swirled around its body, making it seem more specter than beast.

“It’s made of shadow magic,” Kael murmured, gripping his staff tightly. “Be ready for anything.”

The creature let out a guttural growl, the sound vibrating through the chamber. Without warning, it lunged, its claws slicing through the air like blades.

Scene: The Battle Begins

“Scatter!” Selena shouted, summoning a barrier to deflect the beast’s attack.

Vax rolled to the side, golden light igniting in his hands. He shot a beam of energy at the creature, but it dodged with unnatural speed, the light barely grazing its side.

“Is it just me, or is this thing faster than it should be?” Alisa called out, slashing at the wolf’s flank. Her blade passed through its shadowy form, leaving no visible wound.

Ren stood back, analyzing the beast’s movements. “It’s not just fast—it’s adapting. It’s avoiding anything that looks like a threat.”

Kael stepped forward, slamming the base of his staff into the ground. A wave of ice spread out in all directions, freezing the shadows under the wolf’s paws and momentarily pinning it in place.

“Now’s your chance!” Kael shouted.

Vax and Selena moved in tandem. Selena cast a binding spell, chains of light wrapping around the creature’s legs, while Vax unleashed a concentrated blast of golden energy at its core.

The wolf howled in pain, its form flickering as the attack struck true.

Scene: A Clever Trap

The beast recovered quickly, shaking off the chains and shattering the ice with a powerful leap. It roared, the shadows around it expanding and darkening the room.

“We can’t keep hitting it randomly,” Selena said, frustration creeping into her voice. “We need a plan.”

Ren’s eyes lit up with understanding. “The shadows—it’s using them to regenerate! If we can cut off its source of power, we can weaken it.”

Kael nodded. “There’s a glyph on the far wall. It’s feeding the shadows into the creature.”

“Got it!” Alisa said, sprinting toward the glyph.

The wolf snarled and moved to intercept her, but Vax stepped in its path, summoning a shield of light. The beast slammed into the shield, recoiling as golden sparks exploded on impact.

“Keep it busy!” Vax shouted, sweat dripping down his face as he held the barrier.

Scene: Breaking the Glyph

Alisa reached the glyph and slashed at it with her sword, but the runes shimmered, repelling her attack.

“It’s protected!” she called out.

Selena joined her, studying the glyph quickly. “It’s warded with ancient magic. I’ll break the barrier—you focus on destroying it.”

Selena began chanting, her hands glowing as she unraveled the protective spell. The glyph flickered, the light around it dimming.

“Now!” Selena yelled.

Alisa swung her blade with all her strength, shattering the glyph in a burst of crimson light.

The effect was immediate. The shadows in the chamber began to recede, and the wolf let out an ear-piercing howl as its form flickered and shrank.

Scene: The Final Strike

With the shadows gone, the wolf’s true form was revealed: a skeletal, emaciated creature barely holding itself together.

“This is it!” Kael shouted. “Finish it off!”

Vax summoned all his remaining energy, the golden light in his hands growing brighter and hotter. Selena and Ren added their magic to his, creating a combined spell that swirled with energy.

“Together!” Vax shouted, releasing the blast.

The attack struck the creature head-on, engulfing it in a brilliant explosion of light. When the dust settled, the wolf was gone, and the chamber was silent once more.

Scene: The Relic’s Power

The group approached the pedestal cautiously. The crimson orb pulsed faintly, its ominous glow dimmed but still present.

“What do we do with it?” Alisa asked, eyeing the relic warily.

Selena frowned. “We can’t leave it here. If someone else finds it—”

“We don’t have the means to destroy it,” Kael interrupted. “Not yet. For now, we take it and keep it safe.”

Vax hesitated before reaching out and picking up the orb. The moment his fingers touched it, a wave of power surged through him, and his vision blurred.

He saw flashes of another time: a battlefield drenched in blood, a towering figure wielding the orb’s power, and a voice whispering in his mind.

"The relics are fragments of a will… Find them all, and the truth will be revealed."

“Vax!” Selena’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“I’m fine,” he said, though his hands trembled slightly as he placed the orb into a protective pouch.

Scene: Shadows Looming

As the group left the catacombs, a figure watched them from the shadows. Their eyes gleamed with a malevolent light, and a cruel smile spread across their face.

“So, they’ve found the first one,” the figure murmured. “Let’s see how far they get before the darkness consumes them.”