Lord of the realm

It was then that Raelana entered the war room, her black hair braided for travel and her expression suggesting she had already heard about their new assignment.

"I'm coming with you," she announced without preamble.

"Raelana, this isn't a diplomatic mission," Darian began, but she cut him off with a gesture.

"Dark Radin spirits are attracted to Origin energy," she said firmly.

"You'll need someone with both healing abilities and the experience to recognize the signs of spiritual corruption. Besides," she added with a slight smile, "I've been cooped up in this fortress for too long. I need the fresh air."

"And Morgana is also not with you, let me go with you, I'm sure gonna be of help to you."

Darian considered her offer for a moment, then nodded. "Your healing skills could prove invaluable. Very well—we leave within the hour."

The journey south took them through terrain that grew increasingly desolate as they approached the reported sighting areas.

What had once been fertile farmland gave way to scrubland, then to the kind of twisted woodland that seemed to absorb light and sound equally. The very air grew heavier as they progressed, carrying an oppressive weight that made conversation difficult and sleep troubled.

By the third day, they had entered the heart of the affected region—a landscape of gnarled trees and rocky outcroppings that provided perfect hiding places for creatures that preferred shadow to sunlight.

The normal sounds of forest life were absent here, replaced by an ominous silence that set everyone's nerves on edge.

"There," Baren said suddenly, his enhanced senses picking up movement among the twisted branches.

"Something's watching us."

They emerged from the underbrush like nightmares given form—Dark Radin spirits, creatures that seemed to blend the worst aspects of wolf and shadow. Their bodies were elongated and covered in matted fur that seemed to absorb light, while their faces were disturbingly smooth and remarkably precise, as if someone had carved them from dark stone. Long, saggy ears drooped from the sides of their square-shaped heads, and six legs carried them with unsettling fluidity across the uneven terrain.

"Formation!" Darian commanded, his sword already in his hand.

"Don't let them surround us!"

The battle began with the characteristic shriek of the Dark Radin spirits—a sound like metal tearing that seemed to bypass the ears and attack the mind directly.

They moved with inhuman coordination, their six-legged gait allowing them to navigate the rocky terrain with ease, while their pack hunting instincts made them devastatingly effective against isolated opponents.

Taeryn's spear found the first kill, piercing through one creature's chest with a strike that combined perfect technique with desperate strength.

But for every spirit that fell, two more seemed to take its place, emerging from shadows that shouldn't have been deep enough to conceal them.

Rena's origin power blazed in brilliant arcs, each bolt of energy causing the spirits to recoil with painful shrieks. But her attacks seemed to have limited effect on their numbers, and the creatures showed an unsettling ability to adapt to her Origin patterns.

Baren fought in partial dragon form, his scales gleaming orange even in the dim light as he used claw and flame to keep the spirits at bay. His draconic nature seemed to intimidate them somewhat, but even his fearsome presence couldn't prevent them from pressing their attack.

Darian moved with the flawless precision of a master swordsman, his blade weaving patterns of steel that kept the creatures from overwhelming their position.

He kept cutting them down, and they kept coming.

Even his skill had limits, and he could feel his strength beginning to wane as the battle dragged on.

"There are too many!" he shouted over the din of combat.

"Raelana, get them out of here! Find higher ground!"

He thought their safety was important, even if it meant putting his life on the line. He didn't want them to get hurt.

They were doing well for a limited number of members, but they won't be able to last against the horde of this dark army.

Raelana nodded grimly, her own powers manifesting as protective barriers that helped shield the group as they began to retreat. But the Dark Radin spirits were persistent hunters, and their supernatural speed made escape difficult even for experienced warriors.

As they scrambled up a steep rocky slope, seeking the kind of defensible position that might allow them to make a proper stand, right then a disaster struck them.

A coordinated attack by the largest spirits caused the group to scatter, the rocky terrain and desperate combat making it impossible to maintain formation.

They were relentless and pushed them further to run away. Baren, who was beside Rena, held her hand as he made a run for it, while Raelana and Taeryn ended up on one side.

When the dust and supernatural shadows finally cleared, Taeryn found himself separated from the others, with only Raelana beside him on a narrow ledge overlooking the battle site below.

"Where are the others?" Raelana gasped, her brown hair disheveled from the frantic climb.

Taeryn scanned the terrain desperately, finally spotting Rena and Baren on a parallel ridge perhaps fifty yards away.

They seemed unharmed but equally isolated, cut off from rejoining the group by the pack of spirits that continued to prowl the intervening ground.

It was then that something impossible happened.

Elizabeth stepped out from behind a cluster of boulders, her elegant dress somehow immaculate despite the rough terrain and ongoing battle. She moved with casual confidence, as if the Dark Radin spirits were merely inconvenient rather than deadly.

"Rena, Baren," she called out in her honeyed voice, "how fortuitous to encounter you here."

Before either of the young heroes could respond, Katerina appeared behind them with the silent grace of a trained assassin.

In her hands was a small crystalline vial filled with red mist that seemed to move with its own malevolent intelligence.

"What—" Baren began, but Katerina was already crushing the vial in her grip.

The red mist spread with unnatural speed, enveloping both heroes in a cloud that seemed to cling to them like liquid.

Almost immediately, their eyes began to glaze over, their movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated.

"Sleep well, children," Elizabeth said with mock concern as Rena and Baren collapsed to the rocky ground.