The air was thick with the scent of blood and ozone as the battle raged on. The once-proud village of Frostveil lay in ruins, its cobbled streets littered with bodies, both friend and foe. Yet, amidst the devastation, Nikos and his companions stood unbroken. The fight with Varok had left them battered, but there was no time to rest.
Vaelin wiped the blood from his cheek, his storm-forged spear still crackling with lingering electricity. "We need to move," he said, his voice urgent. "Skellith's forces won't take this defeat lightly."
Zara knelt beside one of the fallen Frostveil warriors, whispering a silent prayer before standing. "We saved who we could, but if we don't leave now, we won't survive the next wave."
Nikos exhaled, gripping his blade tightly. "We head east. There's a hidden pass through the mountains. If we move fast, we can escape before reinforcements arrive."
Ali flicked his tail, his feline ears twitching. "And if they find us before we reach it?"
Vaelin smirked, spinning his spear. "Then we make sure they regret it."
The group pressed forward, weaving through the ruins of Frostveil, careful to avoid any remaining enemy patrols. The night was dark, the sky thick with storm clouds that blotted out the stars. The weight of their journey pressed upon them, but there was no turning back.
As they neared the edge of the village, a strange sensation washed over Nikos. It was as if the very air had grown heavier, the temperature dropping despite the smoldering ruins behind them.
A deep, guttural voice echoed through the streets. "Running so soon?"
The shadows ahead twisted and coalesced into a monstrous form. Cloaked in darkness, its eyes burned like crimson embers. It was not human—nor even a corrupted soldier. This was something else. Something far worse.
Zara's breath hitched. "No… it can't be."
Vaelin's grip tightened on his spear. "A Shade of Tenebris. We are out of time."
The creature stepped forward, the darkness around it writhing like living tendrils. "Your struggle is meaningless. Your fates are sealed."
Nikos narrowed his eyes. He could feel it—the overwhelming malice radiating from this being. This was no mere warrior. This was a harbinger of Ignirath's will.
Ali growled low. "We're fighting, aren't we?"
Nikos raised his sword. "We stand together. No matter what comes."
Lightning crackled from Vaelin's spear. Zara's daggers gleamed under the faint moonlight. Ali bared his fangs, his claws glinting like steel. And Nikos, the one marked by destiny, prepared himself for the battle ahead.
The night stretched on, the storm raging overhead, as the battle against the darkness truly began.