The deeper they ventured, the colder the air became. Shadows thickened around them, pressing in from all sides, as though the forest itself recoiled from what lay ahead. Mihai felt a subtle shimmer around his skin—a faint light that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat. He glanced around and noticed the same shimmer around Cian, Raven, and the others in the party—a sign of Yahweh’s blessing.

Maeve noticed it too, her gaze steady as she nodded in acknowledgment. “Remember, we have the light on our side. Keep close, and let it guide you.”

Mihai’s hand tightened around the hilts of his swords as they moved forward, each step bringing with it a greater sense of foreboding. The heartbeat-like sound grew louder, an ominous pulse that reverberated through the ground, filling the air with a suffocating tension.

Suddenly, a dense fog crept over the path, thick and gray, swallowing the shapes of trees and blurring the edges of the party’s formation. Shadows flickered within the mist, brief flashes of movement that disappeared as quickly as they appeared.

A low, menacing growl echoed from within the fog, and Mihai felt a chill run down his spine. He held his swords up, ready, as the first wave of vampire creatures lunged out of the mist, their eyes burning with a furious hunger.

“Hold the line!” Ronan shouted, his voice a steady anchor in the chaos.

The group met the creatures head-on, swords flashing and arrows flying as they pushed back the attack. Mihai’s movements were steady and precise, his training with Conall guiding each slash and block. He fought with everything he had, keeping Cian close as they maneuvered through the swirling fog.

The vampires were relentless, each one attacking with a ferocity that left no room for hesitation. Mihai struck one down, only for another to replace it, claws reaching toward him. He gritted his teeth, focusing on the rhythm of his strikes, the shimmer of light around him bolstering his resolve.

But despite their efforts, the party began to splinter. A vampire broke through the line, lunging at one of the villagers with a vicious snarl. Ronan leapt forward, intercepting the creature, but the villager fell, the darkness claiming yet another life.

Mihai felt a pang of despair. They had trained for this, prepared as best they could, yet the enemy was overpowering. A sinking feeling settled in his chest as he fought, watching as more villagers were overrun, the losses mounting with each passing moment.

“This isn’t enough…” Cian’s voice broke through the sounds of battle, a raw edge to his tone. “We can’t… We can’t protect them all.”

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Mihai forced himself to keep moving, but the helplessness gnawed at him, a bitter weight in his chest. They were supposed to be the hope of the village, the ones who would turn the tide, yet they could only watch as their allies fell around them.

Just then, a figure loomed out of the fog—a Draugr, its form twisted and shrouded in darkness. Mihai braced himself as the creature charged, its movements sluggish but powerful. He dodged its grasp, slashing at its torso, but his blade barely left a mark.

Raven darted forward, his teeth bared as he attacked the Draugr from the side, drawing its attention away from Mihai. The creature swung at Raven, but Mihai struck back, aiming for the head. The blow was enough to stagger it, and Cian’s arrow followed, striking it directly between its hollow, glowing eyes.

The Draugr collapsed, dissolving into shadows, but more took its place. Mihai and Cian pressed on, battling alongside Ronan and Maeve’s parties, but the weight of each loss grew heavier, a suffocating reminder of their limitations.

Then, through the fog, Mihai saw it—a figure standing still amid the chaos, watching them with an eerie stillness. The revenant.

It was unlike the other creatures, its form almost blending with the shadows around it, as though it were a part of the darkness itself. Its eyes glowed with a cold, unfeeling light, and it seemed to regard them with a calculated malice.

The revenant raised one hand, and the air around them grew colder, the fog thickening as it seemed to pull the darkness closer. Mihai’s chest tightened as he stepped forward, his resolve hardening even as a flicker of fear stirred within him.

“Stay back!” Ronan shouted, but Mihai held his ground.

The revenant lunged forward, faster than Mihai had expected, its movements a blur as it struck. Mihai managed to deflect the first blow, but the revenant shifted, its hand reaching toward Raven, claws poised to strike.

“Raven!” Cian shouted, his voice filled with urgency. Time seemed to slow as he raised his bow, his focus narrowing as he accelerated his arrow. The arrow shot through the air, striking the revenant’s arm and diverting its attack just before it reached Raven.

The revenant let out a hiss, its gaze locking onto Cian. Mihai seized the moment, lunging forward to draw its attention back, each strike focused and controlled. But the revenant moved with uncanny speed, evading each blow as it blended into the shadows.

Cian fired another arrow, his breathing ragged as he pushed his ability to its limit, slowing the revenant’s movements just enough for Mihai to press forward. Mihai felt the shimmer of Yahweh’s blessing around him, a faint shield that held back the darkness as he fought, each step bringing him closer to the revenant’s core.

But the revenant was relentless. It struck out, claws grazing Mihai’s side, and then it moved with a burst of speed, its hand reaching toward him. Mihai swung his sword, but it was too late. The revenant’s claws found their mark, piercing his head with a force that left him reeling.

Pain flared, bright and searing, and Mihai felt his vision blur. Memories splintered, fragments slipping away as the world spun. He staggered, his grip loosening on his swords as he fought to stay conscious.

Cian’s voice called out, faint and distant. “Mihai! Hold on!”

Mihai forced himself to stand, the world swaying as he tried to focus. He felt a part of himself slipping away, pieces of his past dissolving, leaving only a raw, empty ache. But through the haze, he saw the revenant’s core—a faint glow within its chest, the heart of its darkness.

With a final surge of strength, Mihai raised his sword, his movements sluggish but determined. Cian released one last arrow, his focus unwavering as it struck true, piercing the revenant’s core.

The revenant let out a piercing shriek, the darkness around it beginning to unravel. Mihai drove his sword forward, the blade connecting with the core in a final, decisive strike.

The revenant’s form wavered, its body dissolving into shadows as the core shattered, releasing a burst of light. The darkness around them lifted, the fog dissipating as the forest seemed to exhale, the weight of the revenant’s presence finally gone.

Mihai lowered his swords, his breaths coming in shallow gasps as he tried to steady himself. The shimmer of Yahweh’s blessing faded, but the warmth remained, a faint comfort amid the emptiness left by the revenant’s strike.

He met Cian’s gaze, his friend’s face etched with relief and exhaustion. They had done it. But as Mihai looked around, seeing the faces of those who remained, he felt the weight of those they had lost, a quiet grief settling over him.

The darkness had been driven away, but it had left its mark.