The stillness of the forest was broken like glass. Out of the mist rode armored knights, their blades shining, eyes set with deadly purpose. Behind them crept assassins, silent as shadows, daggers glinting in the dim light. Trained beasts, their eyes abnormally bright, paced on clawed feet. The forest earth was a labyrinth of peril, where every step was potentially fatal.
Kael snapped out his sword, the familiar weight stabilizing him. "Form up! Guard one another!"
Thargrim's thunderous bellow shattered the tension. With a sweeping blow of his great axe, he flung the closest knights off their feet. "Come on, ye cowards!" he roared, his war cry booming through the mist.
Rina lifted her staff, calling down a surge of hissing power. Blasts of light flashed through the fog, catching assassins before they disappeared once more. "Keep moving! Don't let them pin us down!"
Elira strode with patient deliberation, her fingers casting defensive wards and healing impulses, streams of golden light washing over open sores. "Focus! Guard one another!
The foe was merciless. Chains burst forth from concealed traps, attempting to ensnare Kael and Rina. Assassins swooped in from above, descending silently to attack exposed flanks. Each swing and parry required unyielding precision.
Kael's thoughts flew. "Thargrim, get out of here! Rina, guard the back! Elira, eyes on the sky!" He spun and knocked aside a knight's crushing blow, striking in return and pushing the attacker back. The combat was a waltz of planning and reaction, life or death hanging on the edge of a razor.".
Thargrim broke through clusters of tamed beasts, fangs and claws snapping in every direction around him. Lyrielle's arrows sliced across the mist, taking down enemies before they could get close. Rina's wall of fire channeled the knights, and Elira's light wards protected the party from stealthy attacks.
An assassin fell quietly behind Kael. He turned in time, swords clashing with a metallic ring that resounded through the fog. Sparks flew, but Kael's concentration was undiminished. "They're pushing our limits!" he yelled.
Minutes ticked by like hours. Every blow, every parry, every spell sapped energy, but the party's synergy started to shift the balance. Knights were pushed back, assassins fell back into the mist, and domesticated beasts stumbled under concerted pressure.
And. At last, silence fell once more. The mist clung thick, engulfing the forest noises again. The party, battered and breathing hard, reassembled. Mud and blood smeared their armor and clothes. Each of them had the marks of the pact, but none fell.
Kael returned his sword to its sheath, gazing into the shadows. "This was just the start. They're disciplined. They desire something… or someone. We require answers—and to find Azrak, while there is yet time."
Rina wiped sweat and blood from her forehead. "Then we keep going. Together."
Elira's eyes scanned the fog, weakly radiating with leftover magic. "They'll be back. And next time… they won't give us a chance."
Kael nodded, his heart heavy but resolute. "Then we'll be prepared. Whatever happens to be down this road, we go as one. We won't lose him."
The forest consumed them again, quiet but observant. The shadows waited patiently. The Fractured Shadow had started its hunt.