The soft glow of lantern light filled the village chief’s home as Mio, Reina, and Aron sat before Dalen, recounting the harrowing battle they’d faced the night before. The weight of their words hung heavily in the air as Mio described the creature’s grotesque form and the dark, advanced magic that had gone into its creation.

“It wasn’t an ordinary undead,” Mio concluded, her voice steady but grim. “This was deliberate—crafted by someone who understands necromancy on a level most wouldn’t dare attempt. Whoever’s responsible is skilled, and likely experimenting with villagers and creatures from this area.”

Dalen’s wrinkled face grew even more haggard as he listened, his hands clasped tightly together on the table. “To think such horrors are so close… You’ve done more than we could have asked, confronting that thing. But if what you say is true, then this is far from over.”

Reina leaned forward, her tone firm. “We’re not stopping here, Chief Dalen. We’ll track whoever—or whatever—is behind this. But we’ll need more supplies before heading back into the forest.”

Dalen nodded quickly. “Take whatever you need from the general store. Tell them I sent you, and they’ll ensure you’re outfitted for your journey. And thank you—truly. The village is in your debt.”

As they left the chief’s home, the trio walked through the village streets, the tension in the air palpable. Villagers glanced at them from behind closed doors and shuttered windows, their fear evident. Despite the oppressive atmosphere, Reina tried to lighten the mood.

“So,” she began, glancing at Aron, “any bets on how stale the bread at the store is going to be? Last time, I nearly broke a tooth.”

Aron smirked, his mood lifting slightly. “I’ll wager it’s tough enough to use as a shield. You know, just in case we run out of magic.”

Mio rolled her eyes but allowed herself a small smile. Their banter, however lighthearted, was a welcome distraction from the grim reality they were facing.

Inside the general store, shelves lined with basic provisions greeted them: bread, dried meats, water skins, and simple tools. The shopkeeper, a wiry man with a nervous disposition, nodded at them as they entered.

“Dalen sent us,” Mio said plainly. “We need supplies for a longer journey into the forest.”

“Take what you need,” the man replied quickly, his hands trembling as he gestured to the shelves. “I just… hope you can stop whatever’s out there.”

They worked quickly, filling their packs with food, water, and essentials. As they gathered their supplies, they overheard snippets of conversation from a pair of villagers near the counter.

“I heard it again last night—those strange lights near the edge of the woods. It’s not natural.”

“And those whispers,” the other added, his voice low. “Like voices calling out, but… wrong somehow.”

Mio exchanged a glance with Reina and Aron. These reports lined up with what they had encountered, further confirming their decision to return to the forest.

With their supplies secured, the trio stepped back into the fading daylight, their resolve renewed. They adjusted their gear, ensured their weapons and spells were ready, and headed toward the forest edge where they had fought the creature the night before.

The forest closed in around Mio, Reina, and Aron as they pushed further into the dark, twisted path left behind by the undead. The faint traces of necromantic energy lingered in the air like a bad memory, guiding them deeper into the unknown. Each step they took seemed to pull them further from the safety of the village, immersing them in an unnatural stillness that pressed heavily on their senses.

Reina adjusted her grip on her staff, her eyes scanning the shadows. “I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched.”

“You’re not wrong,” Mio replied, her tone quiet but certain. “There’s a presence here, faint but deliberate. Whatever created those undead is likely aware we’re following its trail.”

Aron tightened his grip on his sword, his steps steady and deliberate. “Good. Let it know we’re coming. If it wants to stop us, it’ll have to face us.”

The trio moved cautiously, the tension in the air thickening with each passing moment. Mio’s senses were on high alert, her magical perception attuned to the faint currents of energy that seemed to weave through the forest like threads in a web. It wasn’t just necromancy she felt—it was something more insidious, a mixture of creation and destruction, as if life and death had been forced to coexist unnaturally.

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“Stay close,” Mio said, her voice calm but commanding. “This isn’t just a trail. It’s a boundary, a place where their magic lingers. We’re entering their territory now.”

The trees around them grew denser, their gnarled branches forming a canopy that blocked out the light of the moon. The air grew colder, and a faint mist began to creep along the forest floor, swirling around their feet like ghostly tendrils. The path ahead was uneven, littered with stones and roots, and the faint glow of necromantic energy pulsed in the distance, beckoning them forward.

It wasn’t long before the silence was broken.

A low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, followed by the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot. The trio froze, their weapons and spells at the ready, as the sound grew closer, accompanied by a foul stench that made Reina gag.

“They’re here,” Aron muttered, stepping into a defensive stance.

From the shadows emerged a pack of undead, smaller and less grotesque than the abomination they had faced earlier but still unnerving in their design. Their skeletal forms were haphazardly fused with decayed flesh, their movements jerky yet purposeful. Their eyes glowed with faint, eerie light, and their clawed hands twitched with anticipation.

“There’s at least ten of them,” Mio observed, her voice calm but firm. “Reina, focus on keeping their numbers down with area attacks. Aron, stay on the front line. I’ll support from the back.”

Reina nodded, her staff glowing faintly as she began to channel Fireball, summoning a burst of flames that exploded in the center of the horde. The flames engulfed several of the undead, reducing them to ash, but the others pressed forward, their glowing eyes fixed on the trio.

Aron stepped forward, his sword flashing as he intercepted the first wave of attackers. His strikes were quick and precise, each blow severing limbs or cleaving through torsos. One of the undead lunged at him, its clawed hands reaching for his throat, but Aron sidestepped the attack and drove his blade through its chest, pinning it to the ground.

Reina followed up with Ice Arrows, her aim steady as she targeted the joints of the advancing undead. The arrows struck true, freezing the creatures’ limbs and slowing their movements. Another undead leaped at her from the side, but she summoned Earth Wall just in time, the creature slamming into the barrier with a sickening thud.

Mio watched the battle unfold, her mind racing as she analyzed the flow of the fight. She extended her hand, casting Sap Strength on the remaining undead, their movements growing sluggish as their energy drained away. With her other hand, she cast Searing Bolt, sending a streak of burning light into the heart of the horde, scattering their ranks.

Despite their coordination, the undead were relentless, their sheer numbers forcing the trio to stay on their guard. Aron fought with tireless precision, his sword a blur as he cut down one attacker after another. Reina alternated between offensive and defensive spells, her magic flowing seamlessly as she worked to keep the horde at bay.

“Mio, we’re holding, but they’re not letting up!” Reina called, her voice tense as she cast Thunder Strike, the bolt of electricity crackling through the air and striking several of the undead.

Mio stepped forward, her staff glowing as she channeled her mana into a more powerful spell. With a focused breath, she cast Destruction Wave, unleashing a pulse of raw destructive energy that radiated outward, disintegrating the remaining undead in a blinding flash of light. The forest fell silent once more, the only sounds their heavy breathing and the faint crackle of lingering magic.

As the dust settled, Aron lowered his sword, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. “That was tougher than I expected. They weren’t as strong individually, but their numbers made up for it.”

Reina leaned on her staff, her face pale but determined. “It’s like they were trying to overwhelm us. Whoever sent them probably wanted to wear us down before we could get any closer.”

Mio knelt beside one of the fallen undead, her hand hovering over its decayed form as she cast Analyze Soul. Her vision shifted, revealing the threads of necromantic energy that bound the creature together. The magic was crude, lacking the refinement of the abomination they had fought earlier, but it still bore the unmistakable traces of advanced experimentation.

“These are foot soldiers,” Mio said, her tone thoughtful. “Less refined, less powerful, but easier to create in large numbers. They were meant to slow us down, maybe even exhaust us.”

Aron frowned, his grip tightening on his sword. “Then we need to keep moving. If they’re sending these things after us, it means we’re getting closer.”

Reina straightened, her exhaustion giving way to determination. “Whatever’s waiting for us, we’ll face it together. We’re not letting this necromancer get away with using innocent people for their experiments.”

Mio nodded, rising to her feet. “Stay vigilant. This was just the beginning. Whoever’s behind this won’t stop until they’re forced to.”

The trio adjusted their gear, their resolve unshaken as they pressed deeper into the forest. The faint traces of necromantic energy grew stronger with each step, leading them toward the heart of the darkness that had consumed this region. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they were closing in on their target, and the next confrontation would be unlike anything they had faced before.