Adrian and Tavon stood their ground in the chamber as a malevolent presence enveloped them. The wraiths emerged from the darkness, their ethereal forms flickering like waning flames.

“Wraiths!” Adrian and Tavon simultaneously uttered.

This was the first time Adrian and Tavon had seen any Wraith. The only reason they knew of it was because of the many stories and legends famous in the world. It was said that a Wraith was formed when intense lingering regrets congealed itself with pure mana and spirit.

Although somewhat scary, these Wraiths were not unbeatable. In fact, they were considered quite weak as they had weaker abilities than regular monsters.

A sinister, almost mocking laughter echoed from one of the wraiths. "Intruders, you tread where you should not. The Earth's essence is our sustenance, and you have disturbed our feast."

The wraiths with grotesque and twisted forms closed in on Adrian and Tavon.

The one closest to them, a Third Order Rank wraith, lunged forward with spectral claws outstretched.

Adrian reacted swiftly, his longsword, infused with the power of his battle aura, slashing through the wraith's form. Dark energy sizzled and faded, the wraith dissipating into a formless mist.

Tavon, wielding his long spear, engaged a trio of wraiths. His movements were fluid and precise as he spun his spear, fending off the wraiths with calculated strikes.

Meanwhile, back near the entrance of the mines, Zelene, Lily, Selena, and Allan faced a growing horde of wraiths.

Zelene chanted incantations to create a barrier to protect their group from the encroaching wraiths. "Aqua Aegis!"

A shimmering barrier of water enveloped them, the wraiths slamming against it with frenzied howls. The shield held firm against the onslaught, giving them precious moments to prepare their counterattack.

Lily, with the grace of the wind element coursing through her, raised her staff and invoked her spells.

"Zephyr Blades!"

A flurry of shimmering, razor-sharp wind blades materialized and shot forth, cutting through the wraiths with deadly precision.

Allan, his battle aura igniting, leaped into the fray. With his mighty axe, he swung in powerful arcs, cleaving through wraith after wraith.

Dark energy burst from the vanquished wraiths, dissipating into the ether.

Selena, with her Third Order rank in healing and support magic, chanted incantations to bolster her comrades.

"Energia Vitalis!"

Waves of rejuvenating energy washed over them, renewing their strength.

However, the wraiths continued to pour in, more numerous than they had anticipated. Zelene's brow furrowed as she assessed the situation. "You all can handle things here. I will go to the chamber. I can feel a much potent energy coming from the direction of Adrian and Tavon.”

The others nodded, focusing on the wraiths with renewed determination as Zelene hastened towards the chamber.

Inside the chamber, Adrian and Tavon continued their battle against the relentless wraiths. However, their progress had come to a standstill, and a formidable adversary had emerged.

The Fourth Order Rank wraith, its spectral form swirled around the crystal as it fed on its energy. The ground trembled beneath its power.

Tavon's voice was grim as he muttered to Adrian, "We need to stop that wraith from draining the crystal any further. If it becomes stronger, it'll be unstoppable."

Adrian nodded, his gaze locked onto the powerful wraith. "Right. But we need to deal with the other wraiths first."

Their battle continued, fierce and unrelenting.

Adrian unleashed a Thunder Strike, his longsword crackling with Battle Aura as it cut through the wraiths, dispersing them like smoke. Each strike sent a shower of sparks and a violent wave of sound that temporarily disrupted the wraiths' ethereal forms.

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Tavon, brandishing his long spear, used a technique known as "Rapid Stalwart Thrust." With fluid grace, he thrust his spear repeatedly, skewering the wraiths that dared to approach him.

But as time passed, they saw the Fourth Order Rank wraith absorbing more and more of the crystal's power. It was a race against time, and the situation was growing dire.

Tavon spoke to Adrian, his voice filled with determination, "Adrian, we need to take down that wraith before it becomes unstoppable. Let's move!"

Adrian nodded as he agreed with Tavon’s decision.

The Fourth Order Rank wraith's eyes locked onto them, its dark energy surging. It lashed out with a devastating wave of force, sending debris and ethereal tendrils hurtling toward the two warriors.

Tavon countered with a powerful Battle Aura technique known as "Cyclone Thrust." His long spear became a blur as he deflected the oncoming onslaught.

Adrian saw his chance. With a swift leap, he unleashed a series of Thunder Strikes at the Fourth Order Rank wraith, determined to disrupt its concentration.

The wraith howled in pain as the energy it had absorbed dispersed into the air as its essence weakened, but it still managed to retain its form.

The powerful Fourth Order Rank wraith let out a scream, which caused many of the Third Order Wraiths to emerge in the chamber.

Adrian and Tavon had to quickly brandish their weapons to block the attacks of these wraiths.

In the midst of their struggle, Tavon was struck by a powerful wraith's blow, sending him staggering backward. He fought to regain his footing, but the relentless assault of the wraiths was wearing him down.

Adrian fought valiantly to protect his fallen comrade, his Thunder Strike technique striking down wraith after wraith. He could feel the wraiths growing weaker, but still, they all just seemed never-ending.

Desperation clawed at him, and he realized that they couldn't win this battle with their current strength. As the Fourth Order Rank wraith continued to absorb more power, he knew he had to take drastic action.

Tavon lay unconscious, and the wraiths closed in on him.

Adrian took a deep breath, his body shaking with the weight of his decision.

‘Since he is already unconscious, I can finally use it.’

‘Shadows…Release!’

With a surge of determination, he allowed his Shadow Energy to manifest an eldritch darkness that enveloped all the wraiths.

The Fourth Order Rank wraith, still absorbed in its feeding, suddenly sensed the presence of the Shadow Energy. It turned to face Adrian, its eyes widening with terror as it realized the danger it was in, “A-absolute…D-darkness…No…way…”

Adrian's voice was laced with a cold, dark resolve as he uttered. "Devour them, shadows."

The Shadow Energy lashed out, drawing the wraiths into its abyss. The wraiths screamed as they were absorbed into the darkness, their forms disintegrating.

The Fourth Order Rank wraith desperately fought against the pull of the Shadow Energy, but it was too late.

With a final, agonized wail, it too was absorbed, vanishing into the shadows.

Adrian felt an excruciating pain in his spirit, the cost of harnessing the Shadow Energy to this extent. As he fell to the ground, consciousness slipping away, he knew that the battle was over. The shadow energy merged back to his body.

It was around this moment that Zelene appeared. She had a shocked look on her face as she saw both Adrian and Tavon unconscious. Fortunately, there were no wraiths around them, so they were alright.

‘Considering the Battle Aura still present in the air, they must have fought many Wraiths at the Third Order Rank. Looks like they did a good job.’

Zelene took note of the vast collection of gemstones and minerals that adorned the chamber, their glittering beauty reflecting the remnants of the Earth Essence.

‘I see…The Wraiths must have grown stronger by absorbing the essence of Earth Attribute from this crystal.’

Zelene had a small smile, ‘Looks like we have resolved the mystery and completed one part of the mission. Now…We just need to wait for the traders to gather these gems and start returning to Forgeholm.’

Zelene wasted no time as she called out to Allan, who had been handling the wraiths near the entrance.

"Allan!" she shouted, waving him over, her tone urgent yet controlled.

Allan swiftly approached, his axe held firmly in hand. His eyes flickered with a mix of concern and determination as he reached her side. "What's the situation, Captain?"

Zelene's expression held a wry grin, and she leaned in closer to speak in a hushed tone. "Our comrades, Adrian and Tavon, have faced quite a challenge in the chamber. They've managed to defeat the wraiths, but it took a toll on them."

Allan's concern deepened as he glanced at Adrian and Tavon, both unconscious on the chamber floor. He had a wealth of experience dealing with battles, and he knew the price of such confrontations. "They'll need rest and healing."

Zelene nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I need you to carry them back to the inn for some much-needed recovery. I'll stay here to ensure this chamber is secure."

Allan accepted the task without hesitation.

Soon, a sly smirk appeared on Zelene’s face as she thought of something interesting.

Before Alan could pick up Adrian or Tavon, Zelene gave him a sly smirk and added, "Oh, and Allan, while you're at it, make sure to collect some of the most precious gemstones from this chamber for our party's personal use. We've earned it, and they won't be missed by the miners or the guild."

Zelene knew that, technically, they should report all these gemstones and minerals to the Iron Wolves Mercenary Guild, as per their contract.

But Zelene was a realist, and she understood the value of the opportunities that presented themselves on the field. The ores were abundant, and these were precious gems that they could put to good use. A little extra wealth could never hurt, especially on a mission as demanding as this one.

Allan chuckled softly, knowing that Zelene had a point. With a nod, he picked out dozens of valuable gemstones, slipping them into his bag.

After he was done, Allan slowly lifted Adrian and Tavon, one over each shoulder, their bodies still bearing the marks of their battle. He began to make his way back toward the mine's entrance before continuing his journey back to the inn, careful not to disturb Adrian and Tavon.

As Allan left the chamber with the unconscious warriors, Zelene knew that they had accomplished one part of their mission. They had dealt with the wraiths, secured the chamber, and resolved the mystery of the gemstone mines. Now, it was time for the next steps.

Zelene would need to inform the Iron Wolves Mercenary Guild about all that had transpired, especially the presence of the Crystal of Earth Essence. The Guild would undoubtedly be pleased with the discovery of such a rare and valuable item.

She also had to contact the traders to inform them that it was now safe to trade the gemstones, ores, and minerals. Their journey to Forgeholm would soon resume, and their coffers would be filled with the spoils of their expedition.

Back at the inn, Adrian and Tavon were carefully placed in their beds, their wounds tended to by the inn's healer.

Adrian, slowly regaining consciousness, winced as he felt the lingering pain from tapping into his Shadow Energy.

Tavon remained unconscious.

Adrian blinked his eyes open and noticed Allan at his bedside, "Allan... I guess we made it."

Allan grinned, patting Adrian on the shoulder, "We did, and with quite the haul from that chamber. The captain told me to pick up some of the most valuable gems for us. She knows how to seize an opportunity."

Adrian chuckled weakly, he could still feel the Shadow Energy slumbering within his body, probably digesting all those Wraiths it had absorbed.

As they waited for the others to return to the inn, Zelene made a visit to the local apothecary to purchase some healing medicines.

Returning to the inn, Zelene joined the rest of her team and handed them healing medicines.

Sipping on a glass of local ale, Zelene's voice cut through the lively chatter in the room, "Team, first, I want to thank you for your incredible effort. We've resolved the disturbances in the mines and unearthed a treasure trove of gemstones."

Allan leaned back in his chair, still admiring the sparkling gems he had acquired. "Well, the gemstones are a nice bonus, Captain."

Zelene gave a sly grin. "Absolutely. But our mission isn't quite finished. We need to safely lead the traders to return to Forgeholm. Only then will our mission be completed.”

“Yes, Captain!” All members of her team, well except for Tavon, chorused. Tavon was still unconscious.